#i mean this is a unanimous verdict but i’m making this anyway

[blossoms-and-possums]

vigilante shit is @battlehamster ’s wywm regulus’ song. here is why:

draw the cat eye, sharp enough to kill a man

okay, this line is obviously about being able to paint sleek, clean eyeliner on, which we know regulus can do, even after a period of an inability practice.

‘Taking in a deep breath, Regulus lets muscle memory do its job with quick, short strokes [of eyeliner], until he’s got a sharp line on the very corner of each eye. And it’s the best feeling he’s experienced in fuck knows how long. He turns to look at Sirius with his middle finger up[.]’ - ch17.

you did some bad things, but i’m the worst of them

sometimes i wonder, which one will be your last lie? they say looks can kill and i might try

these lines are about power, which we know regulus has. he’s a Black, and yaz has established in wywm that the Black family blood is important. it gets people places, it gets people fired, it gets shit done (and they look good while doing it). 

‘looks can kill’ here could have a double meaning, in that regulus always looks good - ‘[regulus is] pretty in absolutely everything he wears.’ - ch17 - and that his wrath is enough to kill someone. he even mentions a willingness to have lily killed for her neglect and awful treatment of james and harry. ‘Murder has never figured among the list of his crimes, even the ones he wasn’t put to trial for. But he’s also well aware of the fact that dismissing of Lily wouldn’t keep him up at night, because just like Sirius used to say, half of him did come from Walburga Black, after all. If James asked him to, Lily wouldn’t make it alive ‘til sunrise.’ - 17

i don’t dress for women, i don’t dress for men

lately i’ve been dressing for revenge

since moving into james’ place for house arrest, regulus wears clothes that make him happy. he doesn’t wear the trousers and shirts he was essentially forced to wear when he was engaged to barty and working for his parents. his freedom in his clothes and stylistic choices are is ‘revenge’, a “fuck you” of sorts to walburga and the control she had over him.

‘He’s allowed to wear something that makes him feel pretty. Especially if that something happens to be something that would’ve made Mother throw a fit if she saw him in it. And it’s not that oversized t-shirts and cool socks don’t make him feel pretty, mind you. He’s pretty in absolutely everything he wears. But he can’t deny there are certain things that bring him some extra happiness when he puts them on, like overalls.’ - ch17

i don’t start shit, but i can tell you house it ends

so, obviously, regulus didn’t initiate the corruption of the Black Empire. once his parents, lucius, and other employees/members of the family land themselves in prison, and regulus is able to get out via sirius, regulus is able to direct where the future of the Black Empire is headed. he does so by influencing amos into doing his bidding, with the promise of power.

‘“And I will, of course, occupy her place. So, when this shitshow ends, I am going to need a new COO. Someone dedicated and intelligent, but above all, someone loyal. That someone will be you if, and only if, you keep me as far away as you possibly can from Black Industries until I can walk free.”

Regulus slides the stack of papers back to him, and extends his hand.

“Do we have a deal, Amos?”

A bit wide-eyed, Amos is quick to nod, taking his hand.

Regulus shakes it firmly, with a grin crossing his lips.’ - ch11

don’t get sad, get even

regulus has demonstrated a vengeful streak, which i elaborate on a bit more in the ‘vigilante shit’ section, but is shown in this quote: ‘“Of course I do,” he snaps. “I can make her disappear from the face of the Earth and never inconvenience you or Harry ever again, if that’s what you want.”’ - ch17. regulus is willing to have lily killed for her mistreatment of the boys he loves; that is, james and harry. to regulus, this is ‘get[ting] even’. 

so on the weekends, i don’t dress for friends

lately i’ve been dressing for revenge

she needed cold hard proof, so i gave her some

she had the envelope, where you think she got it from?

now she gets the house, gets the kids, gets the pride

after all the miserable years regulus endured away from james, whilst with barty or in prison, he gets to be reunited with his lover, he gets a kid, gets to move into james’ house, and his finally reaching a happy ending. ‘“Not you, Dada!” Harry grunts. “I was talking to Papa!”’ - ch30/31

‘“I can make you the happiest man alive.”

Regulus stays quiet for a long time, enough to make James wonder if he stepped out of line, but then his lip curves tenderly at the corner and the night becomes brighter. “You already do, darling.”’ - ch32

‘“I love you more,” he whispers close to Regulus’ ear, but Regulus shakes his head.

“I regret to inform you that’s impossible,” he tells James. “I love you more.”’ - ch32

picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife

and she looks so pretty drivin’ in your Benz

regulus was gifted a mercedes-benz on his birthday. ‘“Someone sent you the keys to a bloody Benz.”’ - ch17 

also, james got a new car after getting into an accident. and im sure james (im making james the ‘she’ here, hope that’s ok with you all) definitely looks pretty when he drives :) ‘“I should have the new car by then so I’m going to drive down to the office for that, you won’t have to see Bobby again.”’ - ch24

lately she’s been dressing for revenge

well, he was doing lines

and crossin’ all of mine

someone told his white collar crimes to the fbi

this line is so self-explanatory, i feel like this headline will more than suffice. ‘‘REGULUS BLACK SENTENCED TO SERVE ONE YEAR AND EIGHT MONTHS BEHIND BARS IN AZKABAN FOR WHITE COLLAR CRIMES.’ - ch1.

and i don’t dress for villains or for innocents

once more, just elaborating on how, with his newfound freedom (ironic, given the most freedom regulus has is during house arrest for his crimes, but i digress) regulus dresses only for himself. ‘Oh, nothing, besides the fact that he spent years forcing himself to put on suits and ties and leather shoes and fucking belts every time he had to dress up like a proper businessman, even when he was in uni, and then the time he spent sitting behind a desk, eating grilled salmon for lunch and resisting the horribly strong urge to tell his secretary to cancel all his meetings because he was going to jump off the balcony. To be fair, putting on some jeans will never, ever amount to that sort of torture, but still.‘ - ch11.

i’m on my vigilante shit again

i think it’s safe to say regulus would consider himself a vigilante. by definition, a vigilante is someone who undertakes law enforcement without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate. this definitely rings true with what we have seen with regulus. most obviously is with the lily situation, and having her deported from india back to england, and stripping her of her ability to work where she had been. notably, regulus does his vigilantism behind james’ back. repeatedly. 

(1.) ‘“Hold on, is this about you getting Lily deported back to England?” James wonders. Regulus doesn't think he's ever been robbed of his words as quickly as in that moment. “What?” he wheezes, shoulders falling on his sides. “How the fuck did you know about that?”[...]

“I know you, Black, whether you like it or not. And that night you asked me if I had any news on her, you got that look in your eye... The look that always, always means trouble,” James tells him. “Every time you got that look I used to fear for some poor soul's safety, (2.) like that time some Hufflepuff called me some names and you got his head and eyebrows shaved off right before the Yule Ball.”’ - ch17.

james goes on to say he never knew how regulus did ‘that’ - shaving the hufflepuff’s eyebrows off before the yule ball - and regulus then tells him. as previously mentioned, regulus also intends to reform the Black Empire with amos diggory’s assistance, which could be yet another example of his vigilantism.

ok. that’s all i got rn.

[a-queer-seminarian]

Hello, you seem to be knowledgeable about god. Do you know where to find him and what his weaknesses are? I have dedicated my life to hunting him down and killing him for the indescribable amount of suffering he has directly or indirectly caused.

cw: violent language, including about fighting / killing God; as well as discussion of the Shoah / Holocaust later on in the post

(gonna start this long-ass response by saying that yes, i know this anon is probably joking about dedicating their life to hunting down God, but i’m gonna answer it like they’re serious because that’s the kind of person i am haha)

honestly anon, all power to ya! it sounds like my own understanding of God is quite different from yours (for instance, i would claim that God’s main weakness is actually Their best strength, which is compassion and steadfast solidarity) -- but the question of why God allows suffering is one i come back to all the damn time.

if you do track God down -- if God turns out to be a Being that can be tracked down to one location and time -- please do deliver my regards and my sincerest “WTF??”

you’re not the first to demand God answer for the suffering that’s happened on Their watch --

for if God is truly omnipotent, and truly all-loving, why don’t they do something about all this pain??? Indeed, the Bible is rich with similar demands -- from the psalmists to Job to Jesus himself from the cross (quoting a psalm, he cries, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me??”).

You might already know all this, but if not, the question of God’s place in suffering is often referred to as theodicy, at least in Christian circles.

That term comes from the Greek for god + justice, so what it literally means is “justifying (or vindicating) God”....which I’m not a huge fan of, because it implies that when we explore this question of where God is in suffering, we already know the result will be that God will be proven innocent (or at least “not guilty”).

But do we know that?? See the bottom of this post for an example of a time people of great faith found God guilty!

Anyway, theodicy describes intellectual efforts “to jerry-rig three mutually exclusive terms into harmony: divine power, goodness, and the experiences of evil.“ - Wendy Farley

If you want to learn more about theodicy and the way some theologians have “made sense” of suffering, check out this introductory post I’ve got.

Or wander through my whole #theodicy tag over on my other blog.

I invite you to explore theodicy not in any attempt to convince you of anything, but so you know some of the arguments you’re up against! Honestly, the more i explore theodicy, the less satisfied i am with any justifications for why God doesn’t intervene in the face of so much suffering...so if you do the reading and still conclude God is guilty, i’m not gonna tell you you’re definitely wrong.

Anyway. Like i said, you’re not alone in wanting answers for why God -- however, i don’t know that i’ve seen anyone else with your determination to find and kill God!

(Except, and i hate that i know this lol, that’s apparently the plot of the final season of Supernatural -- they find out God’s a total ass who not only is guilty of negligence but also directly responsible for a lot of suffering for his own sadistic enjoyment. so. they kill the bastard.)

Still, while i don’t know that i’ve seen too many people who want to take God out, the idea of wrestling God is pervasive -- especially within Judaism, but also among some Christians.

i’m very into wrestling God, myself, finding it far more faithful to the God who gifted us free will and invites us into true, mutual relationship than unquestioning obedience.

i have a whole #wrestling God tag over on my other blog.

For the most intense example of wrestling with God i’ve yet seen, with God put on trial and found guilty, keep reading.

_________

cw: discussion of the Shoah / Holocaust below

You might connect to Elie Wiesel’s play The Trial of God, or the movie that was made based off it. Wiesel survived Nazi concentration camps but ceased to believe in God after what he suffered. His play was inspired by something he witnessed while a teen at Auschwitz:

"I witnessed a strange trial. Three rabbis—all erudite and pious men—decided one winter evening to indict God for allowing his children to be massacred. I remember: I was there, and I felt like crying. But nobody cried."

Robert McAfee Brown wrote more about this trial Wiesel witnessed:

“The trial lasted several nights. Witnesses were heard, evidence was gathered, conclusions were drawn, all of which issued finally in a unanimous verdict: the Lord God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, was found guilty of crimes against creation and humankind.”

Note that in 2008 when commenting on this event, Wiesel clarified that “At the end of the trial, they used the word chayav, rather than ‘guilty.’ It means ‘He owes us something.’”

In the chapter “No God, Only Auschwitz” of his book Embracing Hopelessness, Miguel A. De La Torre comments on this verdict by explaining that if God wasn’t going to intervene, then God must at the least speak -- but instead, God was silent:

“God must be held accountable for refusing to speak to those yearning for God’s voice. Something. Anything. A note of solidarity. A testament of love, accompaniment. But they hear and receive nothing. The trial...ends with God owing us something.

De La Torre goes on to describe the play Wiesel wrote based on this memory, which actually takes place in a 1649 Ukranian village, rather than at Auschwitz. The Cossacks raid the village and kill all but two of its Jewish residents.

“In Wiesel’s play, he has the inkeeper Berish voice the same questions those sitting in death camps centuries later asked, if not audibly, then silently:

‘To mention God’s mercy in Shamgorod [Auschwitz] is an insult. Speak of his cruelty instead. ...I want to understand why. He is giving strength to the killers and nothing but tears and the shame of helplessness to the victims. ...Either he is responsible or He is not. If He is, let’s judge him; if He is not, let him stop judging us. ...

‘[I] accuse Him of hostility, cruelty and indifference. ...Either He knows what’s happening to us, or He doesn’t wish to know! In both cases He is...guilty! Would a father stand by, quietly, silently, and watch his children being slaughtered?’”

De La Torre continues with his own thoughts on all this:

“The horrors humanity faces indict God as being less loving and attentive than sinful parents. I hesitate to make any pronouncements as to the character of God because in the final analysis, I lack any empirical knowledge upon which to base my study. Still with all my heart and being I want to say: my God is the God of the oppressed who incarnates Godself among the least of these.

I want to make this bold claim based on the testimony of the gospel witness. But in the midst of the dark night, I confess this hopeful belief is at best a tenet accepted by faith, lacking any means of proving the truth or falsehood of the claim. In the shadow of Auschwitz, though I am not Jewish, nonetheless I am left wondering if the precious Deity who notices the fall of a sparrow is blind to God’s children crushed in the winepress. Do I dare wonder if God is the God of the oppressors?

...Or maybe this is a God who really wants to do good, but lacks the power to do anything in the face of inhumanity. ..."

There’s one more piece to this tale of Wiesel’s witness of the trial of God at Auschwitz. And that is that, after declaring God guilty (or chayav)...

...after what Wiesel describes as an "infinity of silence", the Talmudic scholar looked at the sky and said "It's time for evening prayers", and the members of the tribunal recited Maariv, the evening service. (McAfee Brown)

...That ending is the part that astounds and awes me. These Jewish prisoners at Auschwitz find God guilty -- and then proceed to pray as they always do. I am reminded of what my Jewish friends as well as various Jewish scholars have told me: that Judaism is totally compatible with wrestling with God and even with disbelief. Whether these Jewish prisoners believed God even existed, they prayed -- because that tradition of prayer is what unites them to one another, to their people.

As De La Torre closes his telling of Wiesel’s story,

“At the conclusion of the movie God on Trial, based on the events Wiesel described, shortly after the barrack inmates find God guilty, and those chosen are marched to the gas chamber, they cover their heads and pray. ...

Believers and unbelievers who took the audacious act of placing God on trial do what is totally illogical -- in the midst of their hopelessness they demonstrate their faith as they march toward the gas chambers, or they defiantly embrace who they are while still remaining in heated conversation, damning God. It matters not if God still hears their prayers, or if there even is a God to hear; they still pray, they still debate -- not for God’s sake, but for their own.”

And that brings me to the one bit of actual advice I’ll give you, anon:

If you want to spend your life “hunting God down,” as I said, all power to you! But I do suggest you ponder for whose sake you do so -- and whether you do so for justice or just revenge. What good does such a quest do for those who are suffering now? Are their other paths you could follow that would bring more good? What about your own healing? I imagine you’re not interested in repairing any relationship with religion -- would walking away from God rather than hounding God be a more healing and fruitful path for your finite life?

I’ll close with one more quote from De La Torre, from the very end of his chapter:

“As I stroll through what was once the concentration camp of Dachau, I am cognizant that this space witnessed the unspeakable horrors that befell God’s children at the hands of Christians hoping for a better, purer society and future. ...So do not offer me your words of hope; offer me your praxis for justice. ...In the midst of unfathomable suffering, the earth’s marginalized no longer need pious pontifications about rewards in some hereafter. Nor do they need their oppressors providing the answers for their salvation. What is needed is disruption of the norm to push humanity toward an unachievable justice.

When there is nothing to lose, when work does not set you free, not only are multiple possibilities opened up with new opportunities for radical change unimaginable to those playing it safe; but also a venue is provided by which to get real with whatever this God signifies. ...”

[rae-does-stuff]

Chocolate Brown and Olive Green (Nyo!Greece x Japan) Part 3

Started: March 27th 2021

Ended: March 31st 2021

Word Count: 6651 (Overall)

Reminder: I do not own Hetalia or Nyotalia. I'm also using Nyo!Greece instead of Canon!Greece but everyone else's gender is the same as what it is in canon. I apologize if characters are OOC.

June, 1919

Japan waited as the countries voted on his Racial Equality Proposal. He knew that the choice would ultimately depend on their bosses and delegates but just knowing that they supported his country's proposal would be nice.

Eventually the votes came in. He read through them:

Japan - Yes

France - Yes

Italy - Yes

Brazil - Yes

China - Yes

Greece - Yes

Serbia - Yes

Czechoslovakia - Yes

British Empire - Not Registered

United States - Not Registered

Portugal - Not Registered

Romania - Not Registered

Belgium - Absent

Japan looked at the bottom five in confusion.

What did "not registered" mean for his proposal? Absent he could understand but not registered?

He counted the amount of yes votes he had and it said that seven countries out of twelve voted yes. That was still good since it was the majority.

•••

The next day was the moment of truth on whether or not countries within the League of Nations would get equal rights regardless of race or ethnicity. Japan would've tried for equal rights in all countries but he was already pretty alienated from the rest and didn't want to seem even more so.

The countries sat in the meeting room waiting for the verdict to come. That's when the news came:

The Racial Equality Proposal will not be accepted due to no unanimous votes.

Anarchy began in the room.

France yelled, "But there was a clear majority!"

Belgium cried out, "I wasn't even apart of the vote!"

Britain sipped his tea in a somehow angry manner, America looked deep in thought (which was rare for some countries to see), Czechia and Slovakia were a bit busy fighting over a hyphen but eventually the shock got to them and Brazil and Serbia simply had shocked expressions on their faces.

Portugal, Romania, Greece and the Italy brothers gave Japan a look, Greece and the Italy brothers having a little bit more sympathy for their friend.

China exclaimed, "Aiyah, why didn't everyone vote aru?!"

That's what made the time bomb explode.

The nations that said yes started to bombard the nations that didn't vote with questions. Well, every nation but Belgium who everyone figured must've been doing something important in order to miss a meeting.

Meanwhile Japan was just looking down at his notes trying to not let the bitterness and disappointment show on his face.

Then America yelled, "Alright dudes! We have to come up with a compromise for our bro Japan! And as the hero, I have an idea!"

Britain muttered, "Well that's a first."

Japan was definitely curious as to what America's idea was for a compromise. He also hadn't really expected the loud American to make a compromise.

America continued, "Anyways, my idea is that we give Japan some of Germany's stuff in China,"

Before he continued China shouted, "I think I should keep Germany's possessions in my home, aru!

America ignored him, "Then we can give him the Marianas, Marshall and Caroline islands in the Pacific! All in favor?"

Most of the countries in the room agreed with America and the meeting was adjourned for those nations.

When Japan left he heard a familiar voice call after him, "Ιαπωνία (Japan)!"

He turned around and saw Greece running after him. He never really noticed how fast of a runner she was until he saw her in action.

She finally caught up with him and let out a breathy huff, "You're a really fast walker Japan."

Before Japan could apologize Greece stopped him, "Don't apologize or else I'll smack you."

Japan knew full well that she'd make well on that promise so he shifted the conversation to something else, "Do you need something Greece-Chan?"

Greece looked up at him, "I came to apologize about your Racial Equality Proposal. I really thought we could get it done and I'm sorry."

Japan replied, "It's fine, at least I acquired some new territory since America was feeling generous."

Greece offered to walk with him back to the his hotel and Japan agreed.

He enjoyed sightseeing and since Greece offered he didn't want to be rude and say no.

As they walked Greece commented, "It's been a while since we talked one on one hasn't it?"

Japan thought back to the last time they had a one on one conversation without one of them being pulled away for work. He couldn't really think of any besides the phone call back in 1916, when the war ended in 1918 where they had a face to face reunion but after that he'd been so busy with work they hadn't really talked alone together.

Japan agreed with her, "Hai it has."

For a while the walk was silent and Japan took the time to think about the war. For example, why was Germany blamed for the war when it was clearly Austria and Hungary's fault?

He also thought about how much the world map changed and how much territory people gained. While Japan did get some territory from the war, how come some countries like Italy barely got what they wanted?

Greece's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, "What are you thinking about Japan?"

Japan shook his head, "It's nothing, just thinking." Greece didn't look convinced, "Are you sure?"

Japan replied, "Yes, I'm sure."

Greece dropped the subject and shifted the conversation to something else.

When they got to Japan's hotel, Greece waved goodbye and went to her own hotel.

Japan still wasn't sure if he felt bad for the Central Powers and the countries that didn't get what they wanted from the war but he didn't dwell on it and went to sleep.

[such-a-melt]

➳breaking the rules

Pairing: platonic(ish)!Priya x mc, a bit of Bobby x mc cus he’s the love of my life and I couldn’t help myself

Summary: Priya is vulnerable, and it’s obvious that no one else will save her. (Aka how day 18 should’ve ended.)

Warnings: mc gets just a lil bit panicky, otherwise none

Note: there’s not much romance between mc and Priya in this one. Tbh I just miss her sm and she deserved better. Also please excuse me if my writing is shitty. I finished highscool and have been on a two month holiday, so I have literally not picked up a pen this whole time. My iq is slowly dropping as the summer progresses and it’ll take a while for me to get back into writing anything decent. Tbh I’m really nervous to post this because I know it isn’t my best work but I’m gonna suck it up and hope for the best🤷🏻‍♀️

•

You were hyper aware of Lottie’s presence next to you. She radiated confidence, undoubtedly feeling proud of her choice to save Noah, who now stood beside her. You could already tell what would happen next; Bobby would catch Lottie’s drift and choose Hope, despite his whole plan to test them through operation Nope. Gary would choose Chelsea, and that left Priya. Your best friend in the villa, your ride or die, the only girl in the house you truly respected. Blake would undoubtedly be sent packing, but Priya? You couldn’t just let her leave now. She had more chances of finding love than all three boys combined.

You flinched at the sound of the text tone coming from your phone, and stood up without even reading it. You caught a glimpse of Priya, and she was looking down, avoiding everyone’s gaze. She also had an idea of how the recoupling would end, and she knew it would be with her packing her bags and walking away from the villa. She had made too many mistakes. From arguing with Lottie to grafting on Noah, she wasn’t surprised the public didn’t take a liking to her.

Your hands were shaking as you stood up, feeling small under the burning stares of the other islanders. The decision seemed to hang over your head, the pressure of having to send someone home making you shrink in your own skin. You started warily, your voice coming out more shaky than you were expecting.

“I want to couple up with this person because...” you started, the panic obvious in the way you spoke. You glanced from Elijah to Jakub to Lucas, all three waiting for your verdict, “I-” you stuttered, the gravity of the situation taking a toll on you. Your fists clenched and unclenched by your side, an attempt to aliviate the anxiety swelling up in your chest. You focused on taking a deep breath in hope of distracting yourself from the countless thoughts in your mind. You caught sight of the other islanders, taking note of how Marisol looked at you in concern. You didn’t even have to look back to feel Bobby’s gaze on you, knowing that he too was worried. Those two were always very considerate.

You collected your thoughts, and took another deep breath, “no matter who I choose, I’ll be in a friendship couple. But this person deserves a shot at love. They stand out from this crowd, and the villa wouldn’t be the same without them..”

There was no way in hell you would ever choose Jakub. He was the reason the whole villa was a mess, and he wasn’t exactly your type, both physically and personality-wise. Lucas was practically in the same boat; he was the reason Bobby didn’t get a chance to choose you at the last recoupling. And Elijah.. well you reckoned you could save him for Chelsea, but god did that man annoy you. Even in Casa Amor, you were convinced the two of you would never get along. You liked none of the guys that stood in front of you. Your gaze drifted to Priya once more.

You breathed out shakily, were you really gonna do this? “I don’t wanna mess things up, but this is the only person that I really want to couple up with..” Everyone looked at you, eyebrows raised in an unanimous question; how exactly would your decision mess things up?

You took another moment, thinking of last season. Talia had coupled up with a girl earlier on than this, on day 8. So you could too, right? And they didn’t exactly specify you had to couple up with a boy.. did they? You cursed yourself, wishing you had read the text before standing up and starting your speech. Too late now.

“And if I do get kicked out for this it will be bullshit,” A few islanders gasped, others muttered to themselves. You heard the faintest whisper of your name, knowing it came from Bobby’s direction. For a second you felt guilty. What if you actually got kicked out? The two of you would never get another chance. You were the only one he managed to like as more than friends, what would he say?

You pushed the thoughts aside, knowing you were making the right choice. You were going with what your heart was telling you, and frankly you didn’t care what anyone else thought. Ignoring the muttering of the other islanders, you finished your speech, “but anyway, the person I want to couple up with is Priya.”

Priya’s head shot up, shock taking over her features, but soon her face broke into a genuine smile. As soon as her eyes met yours, you knew you had made the right choice. Priya strode up to you and enveloped you in a hug, muttering the sweetest “thank you,”. Over her shoulder you could see the three boys you had just rejected. They all stared at you in disbelief, and while Priya moved to stand by you all was silent. You looked straight ahead though, trying to ignore the glances Bobby and Lottie gave you from beside you. This was the right thing to do. Lucas was an asshole, Jakub would clearly never find love considering he was also an asshole, and you didn’t even want imagine being in a couple with Elijah.

Another text tone rang out, and you held your breath, praying it wasn’t yours. One text could end it all. They could tell you to your choice wasn’t valid, that you had to choose a boy, and then what good would the whole ordeal have been? Even worse, the producers could just decide to kick both you and Priya out. I’m such an idiot, you thought to yourself. It was reality tv after all; they only really cared about making their game work.

You were mentally preparing yourself for bad news, but you saw Bobby lift his phone, and let out a breath of relief. You hoped the lack of response from the producers meant they accepted your choice. Bobby got up, and as expect chose Hope. The recoupling commenced without a single text on your phone; until it was over, and Lucas, Jakub, Elijah and Blake left to pack their things.

The remaining islanders sat in a weird silence, not quite awkward but not entirely comfortable. Feeling your confidence waver at the way a few of them stared at you, you decided to break the silence.

“So.. I guess Priya’s staying.”

Priya couldn’t help but let out a giggle, and soon everyone else joined in with their own little sounds of amusement.

You felt Bobby wrap his arms around you and pull you into bear hug, “you idiot, you could’ve gotten yourself kicked out!”, he scolded but laughter rang through his words and you couldn’t help but chuckle along.

“Honestly though, I’m kinda glad you did that,” Lottie admitted, “I mean, none of those boys were getting anywhere really.”

The other islanders muttered in agreement, and you felt your chest swell up with pride at the support you were getting. Now that the recoupling was over, you noticed just how exhausting it was, amd you stood up with a yawn, “well I don’t know about you guys, but I’m tired as fuck and I’d like to cuddle up with a certain someone,” you laughed, winking at Priya. She smiled back warmly and took your hand, and the two of you walked away with the other islanders in tow.

//

[aftermathdb]

DEATH BATTLE Review: Ben 10 vs Green Lantern

Two guardians of the universe, clad in green. Though, one will be going home in blood-red stained clothes.

So, apparently  the reason it’s not Ben 10 vs. Beast Boy is because Ben  just outclasses Beast Boy with his variety of aliens.

Ben 10′s Preview.

Benjamin Kirby Tennyson started out as just your average ten-year old kid. But on a strange day for his summer vacation, an alien device did what it did, and stuck itself on his wrist with secrets that it hid. Now he’s got super powers, he’s no ordinary kid, he’s Ben 10!

Look, the theme song is catchy. It would be a crime not to reference it in some way.

Anyways, the alien device was the Omnitrix, a portable library that houses all sorts of alien DNA. It allows Ben to “Check out” an alien to transform into and use their superpowers.

From aliens that can control water, ice, electricity, and fire, Ben’s got it all. And if he finds an alien that isn’t in the library, the Omnitrix will scan and replicate the DNA, allowing Ben to have another alien to use.

(Ignore that timebar at the bottom. I thought I had cropped it out).

Though, the Omnitrix has numerous defenses to fight back against anyone who wants to take it from Ben’s wrist.

With all those superpowers, Ben also has aliens for smarts as well. Including Brainstorm, an alien who has an I.Q of one nonillion. That’s a one, followed by…

THAT many zeros. And still not enough to beat out EXE’s record of highest number ever recorded.

But if Ben wants to just suck, he can turn into Walkatrout… Who is a fish… with legs.

It’s easily his worst alien. And that’s saying a lot, considering he has an alien literally named “The Worst.”

Though, if Ben wants some refinement, he can turn into Molestache. Boomstick’s favorite alien, who does fisticuffs with his moustache.

The Omnitirx is easily one of the most powerful tools ever created. And apparently… Boomstick has one?

But if there’s ever a weakness of the Omnitrix, it would probably be the cooldown timer.

… Which is thankfully negated with Master Control, giving Ben unlimited access to everything.

But, there is one alien that blows the rest of them out of the water. Alien X.

Alien X is a Celestialsapien, a being that exists beyond the universe, and has control over all of reality. It even once survived the universe being destroyed by the Ahnialarg, and then recreated it. Hell! Alien X didn’t just survive the Universe being destroyed, he basically didn’t even notice!

HA! now we beat EXE’s record! Alien X managed to survive an event worth 4x10^69 Joules of energy!

Ben even managed to get past the “Needs to come to a unanimous decision“ thing later on, making Alien X the most powerful being in his universe.

And as Alien X, Ben has managed to fly fast enough to create a black hole.

If there was ever any real weakness that Ben himself has, it would be his immaturity. Sure, he’s pretty great at ingenuity and thinking on his feet, but for a long time, Ben was pretty immature, and has a bit of an ego.

But when lives are on the line, you can set your clocks. Because there would be only one time it could be.

HERO TIME!

Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)′s Preview.

Hal Jordan was just your average devilishly handsome Military Test Pilot. Until the day that destiny fell from the sky (sound familiar?).

Upon investigating an alien crash landing, HAl Jordan found Abin Sur, an alien being who had a powerful device known as a Green Lantern Ring. This device belonged to a group of protectors known as the Green Lantern Corps.

The Lanterns are essentially like space cops, and the universe is divided into sectors. Hal’s sector is designated Sector 2814, and he was given the prestigious job of Green Lantern.

The GL Power Ring is the ultimate weapon against those who worship evil’s might. It has a variety of tools to help with a fight.

Think of the Power Ring as the ultimate Swiss-Army Knife. Now think of that thing on steroids. Now think of those steroids as also being on steroids. Now think of the Swiss-Army Knife as having special treatment so as it doesn’t die from those steroids, add some more steroids, then times a thousand.

It gives Hal a bunch of different powers. From time travel, to matter manipulation, to phasing through objects, to a powerful shield.

It can also protect his mind.

And Hal can also reasonably scale to other Lanterns, like the time when Kilowog survived the Crisis on Infinite Earths event.

With all this power, you gotta be wondering: What the hell does this thing run on? And the answer is willpower. Part of the emotional spectrum that makes up sentient life.

Red is linked to rage, Orange to greed, Yellow to fear, Green to willpower, Blue to hope. Indigo to compassion, and Violet to love (This isn’t actually mentioned in the episode, but I thought I’d mention it here).

And Hal is definitely a powerful Green Lantern. Like…

With all that power, that definitely solidifies Hal as being the most powerful Green Lantern. It also means that he can irrefutably scale to other Lanterns.

Hal also could move from the center of the universe to a planet in moments.

This puts Hal in the high-end of the spectrum.

And being so fast that you nearly enter the Speed Force is all kinds of impressive for someone not connected to it.

And one time, Hal was without his ring. Meaning that he had to fly a ship moving faster than light on his own.

That is to say that Hal managed to avoid stars, planets, without the ring helping him.

And as a being who defeated the physical embodiment of willpower with his own willpower, Hal can do things that other Green Lanterns can do.

Green Lantern Kyle Rayner once survived the Big Bang, since Hal did that previous thing, it’s reasonable to say that Hal can do the same.

But the ring aren’t perfect. They do have a limited power source, and the constructs are limited to the user’s imagination and confidence in themselves. If they aren’t confident enough, they lose their will.

But there’s also a really big elephant in the room. An elephant painted yellow.

Thankfully, this was done because Paralax had corrupted the Green Battery, and is now a non-issue. Not that it compares to the weakness of Alan Scott, who had a weakness to wood.

But Hal is one of the best. Be it brightest day, or blackest night, no evil will escape his sight. Let those who worship evil’s might, beware his power…

GREEN LANTERN’S LIGHT!

(That’s not the end quote, so I figured that I’d put it here).

The Battle Itself.

Zack and Luis (Animation director) on animation, Ben will be voiced by Nicholas Andrew Louie and Green Lantern will be voiced Bradley Gareth. , Jerky on sprites, Therewolf on music (Emerald Warriors), and audio is led by Chris Kokkinos.

So, as we know from the preview, Hal tries to take in Ben for having a “Class A” Superweapon, and Ben fights back. Which immediately makes this one of the better stories around, as it fits both characters and their roles very well.

… I’ll put the reason why some people were put off by the use of kid Ben sprites in the “Overall Impression” part. Meanwhile, let’s look at this hand-drawn animation of Ben going Fourarms!

But, given that Hal has handled stronger blows before, he takes it in stride. Leaving Ben to go for Heatblast.

And one explosion later, Ben boasts that he could possibly beat Hal with Grey Matter… Which he turns into. But he quickly recovers and goes big. Way Big.

Hal, obviously not impressed, creates a meteor to smash Way Big with. So Ben brings out the big guns.

Behold! Alien X!

The fight is taken to space, where Alien X opts to just erase Hal.

But, as he possesses a device that lets him take a retcon to the face, Hal doesn’t break.

So Ben goes for a swarm tactic and tries to break Hal’s shield.

Hal recites his Lantern Oath to break free and summon a weapon to attack with.

This attack works, but Alien X rewinds time to knock Hal back.

He politely reminds Hal of a thing that he forgot about.

Which means that finishing blow in 5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

I wonder if that was a size ten sorrynotsorry.

I can’t tell if Present!Hal is talking about the battle wounds that he has, or the one-liner he made, and I’m okay with that.

Verdict + Explanation.

So, right off the bat, one of Ben’s biggest advantages was his absurd versatility in his transformations and his ingenuity. But Hal outclassed him in many areas.

Sure Ben has an absurd amount of versatility, but here’s the thing: He can only use one alien at a time. Whereas Hal has his whole package in his one little ring.

Essentially, even with Master Control, Ben is always playing catch up. Fourarms and Way Big are strong, but not on the level of what Hal regularly faces. Diamondhead is tough, but not planet busting tough. XLR8 is fast, but- You get the picture, right?

Alien X was really Ben’s best shot at winning. But Hal has not only fought alongside allies with that kind of power (Like Dr. Fate), but he’s also fought against that (Like Darkseid).

And even then, Alien X is still vulnerable to damage (albiet, it has to be super absurd). Ben’s own fight with the Galactic Gladiator proves that Celestialsapiens can still lose fights. And the fact that Alien X failed to stop the Anihilaarg was because Ben was busy arguing with the other two personalities about what to do. In other words, Alien X isn’t omnipotent.

There’s also no real evidence to suggest that Alien X could resist anything that Hal could either. Ben’s versatility put up quite the fight, but it wasn’t enough to match Green Lantern’s speed, strength, durability, tools, and literal willpower.

And don’t be green with envy. That pun was Ten out of Bens… Yes, these are all of Boomstick’s puns.

Overall impression.

7.8/10.

Overall, the fight is impressive. There are great hand-drawn moments in it, though I do have to knock some points for using Kid Ben sprites. Not only does the voice sound more appropriate for a teenager, these guys went on about how if the had “trimmed down Ben to his original 10-15, then it would be more fair of a fight to put him up against Beast Boy.”- That’s stuff that would lead people to think “Oh. So they’re going to use teenage Ben sprites.” This isn’t like using younger sprites of Jotaro or Naruto. The big heads never said anything about how “If we had used pre-Kurama friendship Naruto, then pitting him against Luffy would be fair” they just went straight into the battle due to power levels.

In short: Had they not made a big deal about it, then this wouldn’t be a problem.

Also, I think there’s a valid criticism about them primarily pulling from the classic-era aliens and only having Alien X from the AF/UA be the only one not from that era. Like… would have using Humungousaur instead of Fourarms been too much?- What about Atomix from Omniverse?- He’s delightfully hammy.

But, I can’t blame them for using so few. It would be a pain to try and animate all those alien forms.

But the spritework is nice, the research is solid, and it has great moments and callbacks to each character’s respective series. So it gets points for that.

Next Time…

*Inhales*

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!

Y’know, the last time a RWBY character fought, an entire hate group for them sprung up on Deviantart (I’m not kidding). So, this will be fun. Please excuse me for my lack of enthusiasm, but I have bad memories of that hate group and I am not looking forward to having to go through that again.

Is there a fight that you want me to review? - Send an ask/request, and I’ll look into it!

Do you want to read my fanfic based around DEATH BATTLE itself? click here!

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next time for…

… Yeah, I got nothing.

[genehumphrey]

Officers who pursued him toward Muldoon said they were shot at again.

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[rubiaryutheroyal]

Edgeworth and Justine bond one night over a screening of John's latest movie that preforms badly. He watches as she looks off to the horizon, her face illuminated by the moon's gentle light, and feels something he has never felt before in his life.

[When a screening of the movie goes awry, thanks to guest critics who gave it a suspiciously low rating, John hurries off on his own as soon as the session ends. A worried Justine and Edgeworth give chase, but…]

Courtesy: John! John! ...Oh, where did that boy go?

Edgeworth: Hmm... It seems he took it harder than we anticipated.

Courtney: I fear this may have been my fault...

Edgeworth: Your fault? In what way?

Courtney: I think I had heaped too much on him when I wished the best of him in this movie.

Edgeworth: How is that anything to fault? You were simply being a caring and responsible parent.

Courtney: Yes, but as you would know, he’s quite the perfectionist. If anything goes wrong, he often blames himself for it, whether or not it really is his fault.

Edgeworth: (He is a young actor working for a famous film studio, after all...)

Courtney: But if anything, those judges were unbelievable! I didn’t see anything so terrible in that movie that would warrant such a low rating!

Edgeworth: Neither did I... The fact that they gave it unanimously is only begging the question, “Was it truly fair?”

Courtney: I too concede that they didn’t quite seem so professional. Perhaps... there could have been something underlying that skewed their judgments?

Edgeworth: Speak no further, Judge Courtney. I’m quite curious to investigate it myself.

Courtney: Thank you, Prosecutor Edgeworth. If you find anything, please let me know. I will see to it that this screening is redone if my suspicions are founded... via court order if need be.

Edgeworth: Though, as you are related to the victim of this potential suit, we may require the help of a fellow judge...

Courtney: Yes, you bring up a good point. Do you have anyone in mind?

Edgeworth: Of course. Leave the rest to me, Your Honor. (That old man may not be the craftiest of the lot, but he is without a doubt the one who hands down the fairest of verdicts.)

Courtney: You have my sincerest gratitude.

[Her gentle smile almost seems even more radiant under the faint glow of the moon, and even a totally oblivious prosecutor can see how beautiful she looks.]

Edgeworth: (...Excuse me?)

[But the moment is short-lived because...]

Courtney: Now if only we could find John... I’m sure he would feel much better knowing about this.

Edgeworth: ...I may not have any basis for it yet, but I have the feeling he might not have gone far. We should first look around the theater and ask if anyone has seen him.

Courtney: I do hope you are right...

[The two go around asking people, unfortunately to no avail for a good while... until some kindhearted soul shares that she in fact had seen a boy go around to the back of the theater. They thank her and rush over there...]

Courtney: John!

John: Whoa! ...Uh, hi, Mom.

Courtney: John Marsh! What were you thinking, running off on your own!? Mr. Edgeworth and I spent quite some time looking for you!

John: Er... I-I know, but...

Courtney: Please explain yourself this instant. Why are you hiding out here?

John: ...I was just practicing my lines.

Courtney: You were practicing...? But the movie has finished filming, hasn’t it?

John: Yes, it has. I even thought I did pretty well with my role, but... those judges must have thought otherwise.

Courtney: ...You poor boy.

Edgeworth: If I may interject, John, I don’t believe they gave you a fair review. As far as I could tell, your movie was a success.

John: Yeah? Thanks, but you’re not exactly a professional critic. No offense.

Edgeworth: Urk. That may be true, but...

Courtney: John! Mr. Edgeworth isn’t simply offering his sympathies. I agree that there may be something going on behind the scenes.

John: What? Really?

Edgeworth: While it may not be uncommon to see critics unanimously give low ratings, it is suspicious that these critics have justified their ratings despite reasonable objections from the director and crew. It’s almost as if they had made their decisions prior to even viewing the movie...

John: ...Now that I think about it, they did seem pretty nervous whenever we had some good shots. If you’re right, that explains why! Those jerks. They even pretended to be excited about seeing our movie.

Courtney: Of course, this is just our suspicions at the moment. I believe a full investigation is in order, and Mr. Edgeworth has volunteered to lead it.

John: Oh, cool. Thanks, Mr. Edgeworth.

Edgeworth: Think nothing of it. I’d rather be wrong in assuming this than turn a blind eye to a possibly hidden truth.

Courtney: Now come along, John. There’s no need to stay out here in the cold.

John: Sure, Mom. Let’s go.

[Before they go, though...]

John: By the way, Mr. Edgeworth? I’ve been meaning to ask this since we started.

Edgeworth: Yes?

John: How were you invited to this screening?

Edgeworth: Ah. The fair judge here suggested that I join her this time.

Courtney: I had originally planned for Sebastian to join, but he insisted that he was busy. Since Mr. Edgeworth had just finished filing away his last case, it seems he had a bit of time, and I thought he would enjoy a break... It’s too bad things didn’t go so smoothly.

Edgeworth: Unfortunate, but easily remedied. I’ll pay a visit to Criminal Affairs as soon as possible and see what we can do. Thank you for the invitation, by the way. The movie was rather enjoyable.

Courtney: I see. I’m glad to hear it. Good luck, Prosecutor.

Edgeworth: (...It’s not exactly Steel Samurai, but it was fair, I suppose.)

[John looks back and forth between the two of them, making a suspecting look.]

John: So... are you two dating or something?

Edgeworth: Wha-!?

Courtney: John! What do you mean by that?

John: W-well, I often see you two together and now you’ve even come to watch a movie together. Isn’t that basically a date?

Edgeworth: B-but I...

Courtney: I-it’s nothing like that! It was just a casual outing! Anyway, I think we’ve stayed here long enough, John. It’s time to go home.

John: I guess... It’d be weird if you two were dating. I’m not sure what to think about calling this guy “Dad”.

Edgeworth: (T-”this guy”...?)

Courtney: We’re leaving. Now.

John: O-okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything bad by it...

[And those two take their leave with Courtney dragging John away by the wrist.]

Edgeworth: (...The thought hadn’t even occurred to me, but he has a point. Perhaps I should be more careful about taking people’s invitations from now on...)

--

...Gosh, I even narrated it expressly to catch your attention and you don’t take the bait.

Edgeworth: For your information, Mod, the only thing I’ve agreed to in our contract is to follow through with the prompt, but any superfluous “feelings” to be accounted are beyond its scope.

If this keeps up, I may have to resort to hypnosis...

Edgeworth: Sorry, but hypnosis only works if the participant is willing to do something.

...Got any ideas, then?

Edgeworth: You think I would give you any!?

You’re right. I should ask Kay or Maya.

Edgeworth: ... (I'm certain whatever they come up with wouldn’t work either, but what is this feeling of dread...?)

[that-odd-writer]

It’s Just Business

“As you can see all the evidence you’ve collected against my client is purely circumstantial, and the only witness present seems unsure about what she has to say. Due to this you have to believe Mr. Davis didn’t commit the heinous crime you are accusing him of. He is a well kept man and I personally believe he wouldn’t hurt a fly, let alone those three men. Bless their souls.” Dark explained, walking back and forth in the area in front of the judge, looking over to see the panel of jury members who were listening intently to him.

“In conclusion I believe you should find this man not guilty.” He concluded, turning to the jury in almost a dramatic way. “Of course if hard evidence still can’t somehow convince you, I’m sure you’ll still make the right choice.” He said, before going to sit down.

The judge eyed Dark as he sat down, before looking over at the jury. “You may now go make your decision, take all the time you need.” She said, watching as the group slowly filed out into a separate room.

After about five minutes, a new record according to Dark, the jurors walked back into the room and sat down in their seats. One handed off an envelope that was then handed to the judge.

“Were you able to come to a unanimous decision?” The judge asked, opening the envelope that held the verdict.

“Yes, Your Honour.” One of the jurors said, glancing at Dark for a moment before sitting down.

The judge read over the paper, a small sigh escaping her lips, although it was almost unnoticeable if one wasn’t looking for it. Finally, she cleared her throat before reading out the verdict.

“In the case of the people versus Hal Davis, the people find Mr. Davis not guilty of the first degree murder of Harlene Wilson, Greg Larson, and Joeseph Louison.” She read aloud, voice clear and crisp as it echoed through the courtroom.

Dark kept a straight face through it all, but inside he was practically beaming. That was yet another win for him.

.

.

.

Everything went as smooth as butter after that. After all the formalities and paperwork, Hal Davis was a free man once more, however he was far from innocent. He met with Dark that evening in their usual spot, a quaint little Café at the corner of a slow street.

“I can’t thank you enough Mr. Raz. I apologize for the suddenness of it all, but even you must understand the circumstances were-“

“Yes, yes. I understand completely.” Hal was cut off before Dark took a sip of his coffee. Black, just the way he liked it. “Now, what I need you to understand is that if you come to me with a case that sloppy again, I’ll just have to leave you for the people to decide your fate.” He said, voice stern and serious. “Getting to the witnesses wasn’t that hard, but there shouldn’t have been any witnesses of the crime in the first place.”

Hal nodded. “Yes, I understand what you’re saying. However you know how things are, someone walks in when you don’t expect them to and, you know...” he chuckled softly.

“Whatever you say, Davis.” Dark huffed. “Now, I expect my payment first thing tomorrow. The fees will be doubled due to some issues that could’ve been prevented but weren’t. I hope you understand.” He stood up, straightening out his obviously expensive suit.

“What do you mean? I pay you good as it is. Is that not enough?” Hal asked, standing now, hands pressed to the table.

Dark glanced over to him, gaze indifferent as usual. “Of course you do, and I’m grateful for that. However, if you hadn’t been so sloppy as to leave evidence at the crime scene and a witness to testify, maybe I would’ve taken the usual charge. Now I know you have the money. Just hand it off to my usual collector by tomorrow morning and we can be done here.”

The man stood there, thinking over his options. “Fine, but this is only because I like you.” Hal said, before going to leave. It was a little bit more than that, but the man wasn’t about to show weakness like that, especially to the man before him. People knew what happened when you crossed Dark, and that’s why no one ever did. Besides, he was too useful of an asset to just be rid of overnight.

“Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Davis.” Dark said, smirking slightly as he watched the man leave in silence. His smirk fell into a more neutral look yet again as he payed the barista, complimenting his looks before going to leave the building.

.

.

.

The office was bustling with business as usual, Dark’s employees working hard. He payed them well of course, and expected no less from them as his employees.

Entering his own private office, he sat down in the soft chair behind his large desk and started rifling through cases, sorting through which ones to review and which ones to decline.

The phone on his desk rang, and Dark immedialty picked it up. “Yes?” He asked.

“Someone down here to see you, Sir.” Came the usual voice from the other side of the line. His secretary, Eric. “Says it’s an emergency, something about a dog?”

Dark had to admit he was confused. A dog? None of his cases involved a dog, and people usually never came right to his office to talk over business. “Send them up.” He said simply, putting the phone back down as he waited to see who it was.

Moments later a man entered his office, seeming to be in a frantic state. Dark could’ve swore his heart skipped a beat at the sight of him.

He was beautiful. His body was even, muscles slightly showing from underneath the long sleeved shirt he wore. He was tall, even for Dark’s standards. Dark brown locks brushed across his face ever so slightly, as if strategically put there. As he approached Dark’s desk he could see light stubble on his face, outlining his jaw perfectly. His glasses were slightly crooked, and he reached a large hand up to fix their position before speaking to him.

“Hi. Yes um... my dog was stolen?” He said, snapping Dark out of his trance as he blinked a few times.

“Wait you... what?”

“My dog was stolen and I need to know if I can sue the guy who did it!” The man insisted, hands held close to his chest.

Dark was baffled. “You, are aware what this place deals with, right?” He asked.

“This is a law firm. I’m here to get help in suing a guy for stealing what’s mine.” The man said simply, like that’s all he needed to know.

Dark knew at that moment this was going to be a long day.

.

.

.

Author’s Notes: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy this little idea I had and I hope to be able to continue it! Feedback is greatly appreciated and I’ll probably write the second part based on it. Anyway, thanks for stopping by!