#in someway in the next panel

[saintbarou]

so many horror manga comes from male mangkas who don’t know how to express attraction to women

[heartfullofleeches]

(Idk Exael’s pronouns so I’m using It/They right here, hope that’s okay)

I like to imagine that someway somehow Exael got itself a body by lying to the reader and telling them that it was making some extra parts/upgrades for Mono as a surprise and said that reader just needed to push a few buttons on the control panels so Exael can get the go ahead and create the parts

Then next thing you know Mono comes back to the ship and sees reader being aggressively hugged by Exael’s in their new body

[.- .-. . / -.-- --- ..- / … . -.-. ..- .-. . ..--..]

You wrestle against your bindings - blankets and sheets tucked just so to pin you snuggly to the mattress with enough breathing and wiggling room to free yourself if needed. "Think so. Thanks, Mono."

The alien brings their hand down to your head, flicking their translator back on as they smooth your hair against the pillow.

[No need to thank me. I enjoy the route. It eases me to be the one at your side when most vulnerable. Safe travels, Starlight.]

Mono hovers two fingers to their lips and rests them on your forehead. The lamp at your bedside flickers off as they turn to leave, projections fading into apparency overhead as the door shuts behind them. Blankets pulled to your chin, you melt into the oversized mattress as your eyelids flutter transfixed on the stars illuminating the ceiling. The same stars shining bright right outside your window every night back on earth. It's crazy to think how drastically your life had changed from one eve to the next. A relatively normal life and in the blink you're exploring the galaxy with a robotic alien almost three times your size. There were hurtles, but you've made your peace. Still getting through the language barrier, but at least you'd picked up a couple key phrases.

Exhaustion laying claim to your tired mind, your eyes weight heavy as sleep takes hold - torn open by a loud thud rippling through the vents and floor of your room.

Bang!

The sound chatters through your teeth, channeling the anxiety running through you as a monitor lowers from the ceiling. Its screen glows a calming blue that doesn't make you feel as warranted. A hairline crack across the length of the screen spilts into a wide smile as a voice speaks from within the walls.

"C-c-o-pilot Y/n. Please exit your bed and board in an orderly fashion and make your way towards the nearest laboratory. Captain Mono has been thankfully executed by their mortal enemy and likely needs your assistance to transfer to a new body before their memory is destroyed."

In your panic and sleep depraved confusion - you struggle to proceed the monitor's words. "Mono has been what by who?...."

"My apologies! I'm still navigating through all the bugs and firewall implemented in my system. What I mean to say was -"

The screen flashes red.

"THE WASTE OF SCRAP WAS EATEN BY METAL EATING SHARKS AND IF YOU DON'T GET TO THE LAB RIGHT NOW THEY'LL BE DEAD..... FOR GOOD."

You don't need to be told a third time. Shimming free of the blankets, you race for the door - cold, hard tiles slapping against your feet as had no time to dress. Loud Banging and animalistic roars echo throughout the empty halls. Each thud drumming strong throuth your ears, you begin to pick up on the rhythm they follow. Short, short, short, long, long....

… --- …

It's the first code they taught you. You stop dead in your tracks. "....Mono?"

The dull edge of the monitor drives into your spine as you're flung through the laboratory door. "No time - get in."

The temperature drops below freezing - clammy skin clinging to frosted tiles as you step. The lights and machinery power on without your input, a metal tendril retreating into the shadows as you glance at the light switch. The room is mostly the same as you remember with the addition of thin claw marks in the walls and papers scattered across the floor. The broken glass from a beaker had been neatly swept beneath a run. The most notable difference was the slightly opened hatch left ajar from its placement behind a shelf and the still body within.

Upon closer inspection, the body turned out to be some sort of android. It lacked skin on its face and limbs, but the flesh graphed tp its torso looked so real. A small purple heart had been tattooed to its left breast with written text impossible to make out through the thick layer of glass encasing the body in its frozen cage. You pick up a notebook on the table. Lists of different hairstyles, types of clothing, and popular earth attractions written as far back as before you formally met. The stick note on the books cover falls as you flip through the pages - you pick it up.

"B.."

In all the rush you never really stopped to think about Mono really being gone. It wasn't long ago that they had quizzed you on constellations and their placements while tucking you into bed. Could you actually do something to save them.. Would this... thing be the new them?

"Oh! Good, you made it. Great job so far. Real proud of you - and the captain too I guess for taking you. Now - on to the hard part. It might be a little tricky, but I know you can do it. Walk over to that panel over there."

You do as instructed, picking up the tablet and examining its buttons. "Now what?"

"Okay... Stay with me, now... I need you to enter your date of birth."

You gaze up at the monitor. It flickers bright pink.

"Hey! Don't give me that look!- There are a lot of days in your calendar and centuries more years get off my.... actually you can sit wherever you want once we're done. Just hurry up!"

As if reiterating the urgency of your situation, a loud crash and the scrapping of metal booms outside the lab door. You quickly punch in the numbers and hurry over to the bookcase just in time to see the door blown off its hinges. Smoke builds as you close the bookshelf and the pod opens - glitch laughter bouncing from every corner.

"You did it. You actually did it."

You're too focused on the bookshelf to notice. It's like the force on the other side knew exactly where to go leaving you unable to set up a barrier for their act. Wires slither discreetly across the floor, inching towards exposed circuitry in the android's neck and squeezing until the head pops clean off. The thick wires then make home for themselves in the double's throat - linking and hooking the grinning monitor into place as you're knocked backwards from the bookshelf being torn from your grasp.

Strong arms prevent you from sustaining more damage than this night cycle as already caused. A guttural purr sounds from your savior as they hold you to their fleshy shell. Free from containment, the word on their chest is finally legible.

"Starlight."

"Mono?..."

The figure chuckles. "Guess again, babe. God, you don't know how good it feels to finally have a body. I've been wanting to do this for so, so long. Humans are a lot squisher than I imagined. I love it~"

Their arms press tighter against your ribs. If whatever was coming didn't kill you - the android's smothering would. You watch as the shadow lurches through the fog. Towering build, talons like razors. A chipped horn on its helmet.... A single eye - glowing violet with rage.

"Mono!"

["I'm going to tear you apart with my own hands.... and devour whatever code that made you think for a second you could put your hands on my Starlight. Let. Them. Go. NOW."]

The android hops to their feet, using your body as a shield between the snarling Mono. "Look - I know you're upset, but look on their bright side!"

[There is no bright side to this... I've tried fixing you, I've tried deactivating you - yet you always turn out to be the same annoying parasite that you are. There's nothing you or anyone could do to stop me.]

"You're alive..."

You tear yourself free using your lingering strength, stumbling into Mono's hardened body as your legs give out from what you've put them through. Mono is quick to catch you - the blinding shine of their eyes shrinking as you take their large hand in yours. "There's not even a scratch on you. What happened to the shark?"

Their visor clouds as they breathe.

[Whatever it told you was a lie. I'm certain you'd never betray me on your own volition, but did you do this to save me somehow?]

"Exael said you'd been seriously hurt and it was the only way to save you. I was panicking so much I didn't think to ask any questions. I'm sorry...."

[Don't be. You did a noble thing, I couldn't be prouder to have you as my right hand. We will talk more once you're rested. As for you....]

Mono peers over your shoulder to find Exael gone. They groan, fearing the headaches to come- but onto more important matters. As Mono carries you to your room, you can't help but wonder..

"Hey, Mono - what was that body for anyway?"

[Apologies. It was supposed to be a surprise. I've been working on a vessel to make it easier for us to be seen as a pair on your planet. I fear with my size I'll end up getting my horns stick in a light fixture.]

Mono chuckles at their own attempt at humor.

[I had hoped to have it finished by your birthday so we could celebrate a night as you once did, but the work flow has obviously been... interrupted. Fortunately, I have a spare that isn't too far back in production. Enough talk for now. It's well past when you were intended to rest.]

You yawn at the mention. Sleep alludes you once more as you enter your bedroom. Exael lays out on your bed with a journal Mono had given you, reading aloud as their legs swing back and forth behind them. They toss the book under your bed and waves as Mono taps their hoof expectantly.

"Oh, heyyyy Roomie. Great to see ya. Would you prefer the left side of the bed or the right?"

Mono gently places you on your feet.

[Sleep in my room tonight. Do not leave no matter what you hear. Do as I say - and you may spend an extra hour in the relation chamber tomorrow.]

You sprint off without another warning. Mono removes their translator entirely and sets in on your nightstand as they remove their arm bands. Sweat appears on Exael's screen.

"Heh heh..we can share, y'know.. you wouldn't kill their favorite bot, would ya?"

--. .-.. .- -.. .-.. -.--

[namelessclient]

so the king comic - last two panels specifically, when marker starts telling the story.

is there a reason those gods resemble bfdi characters? are those characters actually gods, or just some representation or common belief?

but I have more questions for the next:

why is that monster pencil? and stage four of the dusk is an umbra. infected people are penumbras. is there by any chance a reason behind them being called PENumbras and pencil being shown as a monster in that panel? a sort of "patient 0" of the dusk?

plus, why would marker know this tale? because his sister was the first person infected? was it just a tale passed through people, and he doesn't have any idea why he knows it?

that would also help why it was called the dusk- as the monsters were in caves underground?

sorry I got too theorising there, feel free not to elaborate on any of this if the answers are too spoiler-y

love this au so much eats your art

Whoa, this is a long one (my favorites!)

1. They're a combination of those two things. The gods (I also call them Deities) are real. However, as higher beings, their actions, motives and existence itself are incomprehensible for the objects: they don't know why a deity would do "bad" or "good", or even why interact with them in first place. Soon the creatures would create their own beliefs and myths to explain their nature, representing them with symbols and giving them their "themes", like "god of the rain", "god of death" and that stuff

In a nutshell: gods are real but they're incomprehensible beings, so objects created symbols and meanings of them to give sense to their nature

(I know it's a bit messy idea to understand, but stick with me)

2. That's not our Pencil, it's just doe one of the same kind as her, Pen and Marker (rats + writing utensils) (I still don't have a name for the Species-)

3. Nope. The thing that's going to be told in THE KING isn't the Dusk, it's just a different thing, a tale from where Marker and his siblings are from, their local folklore. Marker just knows and likes a lot of these stories and legends told to him throughout his life. Maybe he's very aware of what he's telling, maybe not, who knows

tbh I absolutely loved this observations, they make sense in someway lol, but wait for part 2 and the others, these may answer other questions (or make more?)

enjoy the art! (pls don't get rabies)

[agnessmadness]

Askin character analysis post because @naturesbeat actually wanted it

askin is genuinely a really complex character. being made out of everything yet nothing at once. being the definition of CONDRAICTION itself. wanting to die but also wanting to live. wanting the fun but also avoiding the risk. acting weak but also acting cocky.

but we arent completely in it yet. have u notice the way he acts weak but also having that cocky and underestimating tone within his voice and his words? well that is one of his acts, wanting his enemy to get angry and go all out just for him to be completely weak in the end and makes them put their guard completely down just so he could take onto that and get the advantage out of it.

he done that over and over again to trick and trick and trick the enemy further and further.

hes also somewhat a really polite person despite being cocky and underestimating everyone he have fought with proven by two screenshots of him calling Gerard 'Gerard-san' Lillie 'Lillie-san' and pernida 'Pernida-san'

he also seems to have interacted with bambi and claiming that she creeped him out with her saying the same exact thing of choking out the enemies while they were down and not knowing the thing he called 'delicacy'

he also seems to never really use a hand-to-hand combat and moreso using the feet and leg to attack back and counter once close distance. if it's far he still going to use a bow, which moreso more than likely that he don't want to get his hands dirty so he have to resort to ANYTHING but using his hands to fight

he also have mentioned that he likes to kill people purely off of lethal doses despite admitting himself that he hated his power

this leads to me feels like he THINKS that despite hating his power there was still something good abt the power so he have to use it somehow someway just so he could make himself and the power itself useful. it isnt good to have a power and not use it right? it'll be kinda dumb in fact

he also seems like hes always caught off guard by EVERY attack he ever receive despite him having the off guard attack happened to him TWICE by now. why isn't he learning from him underestimating oetsu and then he pulls out a different thing?

well because is a part of his act to get the enemy to think he was the weak one

now lets talk abt his facial expressions shall we? first. in this panel he both looks like hes pitying her yet he seems somewhat bored out of his mind like this have happened so many times before

and into the next panel you see a closer look and how his eyes and facial expression changed into a softer tone but also full on pitying yushiro

in this panel he quickly calm himself down after yoruichi fucking flew up like she wasnt suffering from his ability before and immediately tries and analyze everything within or under a second just so he could get all of this and avoid the worst possible situation

also him taking yoruichi more serious. just kidding he just being a piece of shit here is all, but do you see how his eyes follow yoruichi's movements? because he wanted to analyze more onto what is going on and what just happened to yoruichi

also his favorite breed of dog might be Pomeranian but im not sure, im just not sure y tf did he have to mention a pompom here

back onto the more serious topic of askin facial expression. in this panel he seems rlly rlly crazed like he was actually going to have fun within the battle of him and kisuke

looking completely lost out of his mind right?

well in the next panel he straight up look bored. is almost like the moments hits and he already guessed that this it just going to be another fucking boring ass fight that he going to only use one trick and one trick, act weak and arrogant and then caught them off guard so he could kill them fast and quick

just for kisuke to knew and counter the attack of his. he never find anybody like kisuke before.

in this panel now he seems he wanted to try and keep up the calm composure despite being in pure panic, obviously he would act scared shitless and run like how he did with grimm. but kisuke was different. he knew there was no chance in running from him anyways, for grimm is bc he knew the kitty was weaker than him and there ws no chance that one could take on him. but why the calm act then? well it's a way for him to analyze the power that he never saw before. he needs a way to counter them because he doesn't know what the fuck is that thing

now check onto his expression will ya? it goes from shock, to an angered one, then confused just for it to end with fearful one

but hen within seconds and onto the next panel he was back to his arrogant cocky self because he feels like he have put up Kisuke's guard down enough same with the power and then says that he hates power vs power battle

but then in the next scene he was back to the crazed smile because he never met an enemy like kisuke who knows him more than himself and predicting in everything he was going to do and then counter it all like it was nothing to him. in the panel you can see that his smile was crazed like he was having fun, but then you look at his eyebrows and he looks like he's also pissed. hes having a really mix up feelings about this, because he LOVES that KNOWS what he's going to do next making this fight more fun, but also hates that he KNOWS what he's going to do next making this fight becoming a slower death

in this panel you can't see his eyes but his mouth tells everything, he was completely lost out of his mind because he was fighting one of a kind. one of the man that actually compete with him in intelligence, he never met one such as this

but now in this panel..he have completely stop with the cockiness and the underestimating and instead it becomes a respected and 'overestimating' him which is the first he ever did that

now in this panel you can see that he seems he's struggling, wanting to die in peace but also wanting to see of how kisuke is going to get out of his gift bereich so he tried and stay alive as much as he could just so he could see what is kisuke going to do

he also seems to really like playing with his words using 'gift' in german for 'poison'

he also seems to really be a highly focused person because of how he have gotten surprise by another party joining onto the fight TWICE. first was with oetsu and tenjirou and second being kisuke and grimmjow, because he wanted to focus on one and one enemy alone. he needed to focus and analyze onto every single little thing about the one single enemy he have in front of him just so he could analyze them and counter them better, but even if there was multiple from the beginning it still isnt much of a problem because he's going to try and do both somehow..he just get a bit surprise when someone new join in and that someone new is someone he have no knowledge of

you can say he prefer one on one battle

now onto his quotes that have hidden things being hidden within all the words

"The way I speak, the way I act, I seem like a worthless underling, even I know it. But you know, I don't think I really mind. It used to bug me something awful, but lately, I've come around to thinking that it's actually one of my good points. That's what I tell myself, anyway. Think I'm gloomy, do ya? Well, that's just what's so fatal about me." ah yes, the main quote of them all

'It used to bug me something awful, but lately, I've come around to thinking that it's actually one of my good points. That's what I tell myself, anyway' is a line that hidden behind a confident looks and words with his action acting like he was all high and mighty while in fact if you focus and look into it more further you can see that there is some insecurity hidden within his words

"The reason His Majesty took me in was quite simple. It’s because I just wouldn’t die. A bit of a pathetic ability, right...? I hate it, myself. Just thinking about this ability of mine makes me feel so fatally irritated." ah yes more insecurity

'A bit of a pathetic ability, right...? I hate it, myself. Just thinking about this ability of mine makes me feel so fatally irritated' calling his ability pathetic and also admitting that he also hated his power, must mean something right?

passive-suicidal Passive suicidal ideation is the desire to die without a plan to reach that result. It can come in many forms

(theres many more than this just read im lazy to go find more)

wanting to die but also not wanting to die.

OVERALL. askin is a really interesting and really really deep character that at first, i only love him because of how he looks. but the more i look into him everything just..i start to love him more and more because of his complex and almost incomprehensible personalities. he's made out of everything yet nothing at once. we know for a fact that one character at least had to have one thing that are contradicting each other because it just a natural thing for humans to be contradictioning. but askin on the other hand is made out of every contradictions, being the definition of

CONTRADICTION

thank you for listening, there's probably gonna be more because I'm insane about his character in general

[somethingstrongerthanwater]

I'm not sure where to begin

I'm dealing with some health issues right now, a lot of which seems to be stemming from my chronic illness (fibromyalgia, complicated by PCOS). During the shutdown, I wasn't considered at risk or a high priority. It was next to impossible to see a doctor to stay on top of things

Which led to my condition running out of control. I was in so much pain and I wasn't being helped that my depression was worsening. During the next 3 years, one doctor left; another died; one told me that my problems were because I'm overweight (this dr was dismissed from practice) and the last year there was NO doctor at the clinic. The nurses helped as much as they could

I dropped a lot of hobbies because it hurt too much to do them. Miniature painting, embroidery, painting, calligraphy, sword fencing was hit or miss. I was having more bad days than good. I was missing a lot of days at work. My depression got worse

Two new doctors were finally at the clinic in March of this year and I scheduled an appointment ASAP. The doctor took one look at me, checked my joints (they were swollen) and immediately put me on a steroid burst.

Not long after that, I saw the other doctor

Friends, they KNEW something was wrong. I had blood panels done and there was proof - actual PROOF - that yes, something was very wrong. Nothing surprised me on the results, except one

I won't lie. I used alcohol to help manage my pain and popped acetaminophen like it was candy

Somehow, someway, my liver panel came back just fine

Some meds were adjusted, others I was taken off of, and new meds were added. My body was a *wreck*. My resting heart rate was 115. I'm not telling you what the other vitals were at, but trust that they were BAD

But the swelling in my joints is going down. Weather changes aren't laying me out for days at a time. I'm missing less work. I can do some things that require fine motor skills, albeit slowly. My heart rate is going down. I can't fence just yet, but I've been cleared to jog and light weightlifting (no more than 10 lbs)

I keep telling myself that slow progress is still progress. But the strangest thing? I must wear a medical alert bracelet now

At times, I feel like I'm exaggerating how bad things are, that they weren't that bad. And then I look at the warning labels on my medications as we work to get things back under control. So I can function, so I have a better quality of life. And I'm reminded that yes, things *were* that bad, and now I need a medical alert bracelet

[handcalfieetherington]

Panelling a somewhat important thing to analyse considering a portion of the stuff I’m supposed to be doing is related to comic pages, see panelling is kind of important as it’s basically the way the art of a comic is formatted, if your panelling is bad than the flow of your story and art may suffer as a result, so it is important to understand both the simple and complex uses of this and ingraining that valuable information into the wrinkles of my skull to be used for later on when I need it.

looking at more simple examples of thing things most basic panelling can be simplified to different variants of Rectangles and square shapes being altered in different ways to better fit the perspective of the piece and keeping a consistent flow for the reader to follow for instance the comic above keeps the smaller pictures closer together to maintain the flow and keep that smaller but more impactful feeling of progression within the story itself, as well as that the smaller reaction shots of character seen in the smaller rectangular panels are a good way to show the emotions of a character if a specific panels drawing is super spaced out. 

some other comics are less inclined to plot scenes out like this though as there stories are more simple and more related to simple jokes, Garfield as a comic doesn’t really need complex panelling as it’s a very short 3-5 panel gag comic that’s just dedicated to making a singular joke per issue, also if you somehow need me to give an explanation on who Garfield is, please send me a post card from the rock you’ve been living under, fact of the matter is for some comics series specifically those more focussed on more simple basic joke telling. 

now we’ve gone over more general comic panelling and more simplistic comic panelling what’s next

Madness 

there’s more complex uses of comic panelling such as when it’s used to better highlight the action or vibe of a scene or part of a story, it’s interesting as having the very view in which we see the story break down and begin to be affected by the things seen in it’s view is a very interesting visual concept and can in someway greatly elevate the visual story telling of a comic

such a concept can be seen in a lot of the panels of the book “The Bear that was evil” Which just goes completely nuts with it’s panelling by essentially constantly changing how it presents itself, which keeps it visually interesting all throughout,  

also another example of this can be seen with a theme or a concept within the story itself visually affect how the panel looks, for instance the panel becoming slowly infected with a metallic zombie Virus in the short comic “Bigs big adventure”

so yeah that’s paneling work, while I’ve arguably got more to talk about still this look through has given me a greater understanding of the process and even that different tones and roles of comics can sometimes Call for different forms of panelling whether that be more complex more simple or more out of left field and experimental, which is something to definitely keep in mind for the future.

[ashes-and-ashes]

ok could you write a canon divergence fic where james and lily beat voldemort/ survive (idk maybe prongs stabbed him with his antlers idk) and their happy and safe. (It’s like set straight after the first war assuming Voldemort like died) but then we see the breakdown of wolfstar cause siruis was the one who thought Remus was the spy? And like even if it was wartime and everyone was “paranoid” it doesn’t excuse the fact that the one thing would’ve killed remus inside (his friends not trusting him cause he was a “dark creature”) was the reason the love of his life didnt trust him. essentially sad wolfstar hours :(

They meet in the hospital, in a darkly-paneled corridor at the corner of the emergency ward. Flickering ward lights hover just above Sirius’ head, strangely elongated shadows stretching out across the floor.

He’s exhausted. He doesn’t know how long he’s been standing for - an hour? Two hours? They hadn’t let him in yet - they were still running tests on James and Lily, testing for curses and jinxes and god knew what else the death of a Dark Lord could do to somebody.

He knows it was a scene he’d forever see in his nightmares, mixed with Walburga and wars and the unseeing eyes of his brother. A blown-out house; shattered windows, broken doors, dust sifted with ashes on the ground. Blood splattered on the walls in an almost elegant arc. The single, reedy cry of Harry, bundled in Lily’s arms as she protected him with her body, shrapnel embedded under her skin. James on his back, head tipped back against the stairs, neck a hollow arc pointing up at the sky.

Sirius paces back and forth now; his mouth tastes of blood and ash. He’s bitten through his lip again, into sores that hadn’t yet healed and it stings as he runs his tongue over the raw flesh. The clock ticks mockingly next to him, each second an hour, each minute a lifetime.

He’s never been to a hospital, not alone like this. There’s always been someone with him; James or Lily or even -

“Sirius?”

Sirius has gotten used to the feeling of guilt - ice seeping through his stomach, the bitter taste of bile. He feels himself tense; muscle locking, spine going rigidly straight, heart pounding in his ribcage as he closes his eyes. “Remus.”

They don’t say anything. There’s nothing to say. The argument still hangs in the air between them, ghosts of people they’d used to be.

Nothing prepares him for the raw panic in Remus’ voice, the fear as he noticed the blood on Sirius’ arms, on his face, the dirt and the ash and the streaks of grey. “Are you - “

“Not mine,” Sirius chokes out, chokes on pain and love and 15 years of memories wrapped up in scars. “I’m fine.”

“James - Lily - fuck, Harry - “

“I don’t know,” He runs a shaking hand over his face, trembling hard enough that he actually has to lean against the wall to stop himself from falling over. “Harry’s - he’s okay, he was crying when I found him, I think, and Lily’s back is shredded but James - he was breathing but we don’t know what happened, only that he killed - he might have killed - “

“Where are they.”

Sirius shakes his head. His throat aches, and when he lowers his hands he sees blood smeared across his palms. “We’re not allowed to see them. They’ve been in for hours at least.”

Silence. Sirius can feel Remus - he’s always been hyper aware when it came to him, catalogued the way the air seemed to shift whenever Remus was nearby. He knows that if he turns around Remus will be watching him; amber eyes, silver scars, steady enough to cut through the webs of fear that Sirius had spun around himself.

“No one told me,” Remus begins softly, and in someway it hurts more. In someway Sirius had always knew that they’d end like this - a flame dying out, something beautiful until it stopped. “Did you know that? No one told me what hospital I needed to go to, or how severe their injuries were. Hell, no one even told me that James and Lily were hurt in the first place. I only found out after Kingsley sent me an owl.”

The blows land. Sirius almost welcomes it, welcomes the stabbing pain that shoots through him, the twisted blade of guilt that Remus’ words caused.

“What was it?” Remus breathes and they’ve had this conversation so many times before. At the gates to werewolf camps and in the rain, in their shared apartment and pressed up against the wall, fingers bruising skin and cutting into flesh. “What made you think I was the spy? Was it the fact that I was gone? That I was already spying? Did you just not believe me anymore?”

“Remus - “

“Or was it because I was a werewolf? Because the whole Order distrusted me - hell, even Dumbledore distrusted me. Was it because of that?”

“What would you have done?” Sirius says - his voice is hoarse. “I was trying to keep them safe.”

“I kept them safe,” Remus says in an awful, hollow voice. “I kept them safe and I didn’t fuck over my - my - “

Boyfriend, Sirius thinks. Boyfriend and lover and partner and soulmate and best friend and -

“I can’t apologize,” he finally gets out. He’s exhausted - everything suddenly seems so cold, his entire body shaking. “I thought you were the spy. I thought a lot of things. I was wrong. But I can’t apologize for trying to protect them.”

“You thought wrong.”

“And I’m - I’m sorry. For that.” Sirius closes his eyes - he sees the hollow skeleton of the house and wants to cry. “We promised. Anything to protect Harry. That we’d sacrifice each other to do so. Remember that? A year ago?”

“I remember,” Remus says softly. “But I also remember you telling me that you’d let the world burn before pushing me away.”

Sirius cards his hands through his hair, fingers burning from the hundreds of tiny cuts on his palms. His arms and wrists are destroyed from digging through broken glass, splinters from fallen wood beams dark lines against his skin. “That’s not fair.”

“No,” Remus agrees. “It’s not.”

It sounds like a secret. It sounds like a goodbye.

“Don’t cry,” Remus says, and god Sirius remembers all the times they used to say that to each other, the desperate plea to keep your head up, keep going, stay strong. No matter what, we have each other.

“Would it hurt more to tell you that I love you?” he whispers, and even that burns coming out.

Remus pauses - the ward lights form a halo around his head and for a moment Sirius thinks he can remember the boys they used to be, the boys who loved whole heartedly, the boys who thought they were forever.

“Yes,” Remus says, and he smiles, heartbreakingly beautiful. “But it hurts even more to know that I loved you too.”

[funnyexel]

Something About You

Loki x Black Female Reader

A/n : In honor of the kick off of Loki, I’ve made this little short story about him. Thanks for 90+ followers! Requests are open!  Masterlist Mega List

You sat in the same seat you always did. In the same coffee shop you always visited but somehow today felt different...It didn’t feel like the other days. Typing away on your laptop, a towering male takes a seat across from you. Ignoring him, you continue your work. Stealing a glance, you see he has been staring at you. Clearing your throat, you try your best to sound intimidating. “Can I help you?” You look up from your screen for a few moments. He shakes his head, still in awe with something about you. 

“Look. I don’t want to be rude or anything but your staring is kind of distracting me.” You finally stop what your doing, trapping him in solid eye contact. Your eyes roam around his figure for a moment. Jet black hair, that reached his shoulders. Pale skin, that looked even paler compared to yours and a lazily sharp jaw. “What are you writing?” Your face twisted in a confused format. “A book. I am writing a book.” You take a sip of your drink. “Don’t let me stop you.” He gives a peering smirk.

With a huff, you go back to typing. His eyes are still fixed on you. Saving your document and closing your laptop. You fold your hands on top of the device. “Ok, what? You have my full attention.” He chuckles at your words. His laugh shaking you to your core. “What kind of book are you writing?” You lean your head on your hand. “I don’t know yet. I’m kind of having writers block at the moment.” He nods his head to you. Your eyes gliding over this handsome stranger. “That does seem quite frustrating.” His voice smooth and his wording proper. “Yes, very.” You look out the window for a moment before turning your head back to him and putting your hand out.

“I’m Y/n.” You introduce yourself to him, taking your hand he introduced himself. “I’m Loki.” His cold palm met your warm one and lightly shook. “Nice to meet you Loki.”

Y/n and Loki have met in that coffee shop ever since that day. It was their spot. They got to know each other. He’d tell her ridiculous stories about his home. Going on about how his father wouldn’t treat him like a son, how his brother is a brain dead doofus, and how he felt different from others. She could relate to some of his issues. He wanted to better himself and he told her, he was in a situation he couldn’t get out of. Months pass, you were on your way to your apartment from your publishers office in Midtown Manhattan. 

“Yeah, yeah the avengers are cool and all but no one ever considers the damages after their battles. People call me crazy because I don’t like this area.” You talk to yourself, quietly as you walk to the subway. Suddenly hearing screams and commotion, you turn your walk into a sprint. “This is why I don’t like this area!” You slide your card and your train comes into view. A spark of hope flares in your eye. Your footsteps slow to a stop, that spark in your eye dying instantly as the train gets blasted to pieces. 

The creatures speaking their foreign language, you slowly back up and run out of the subway. Stopping dead in your tracks at the sight. Some type of floats in the sky and more creatures. “I should have stayed in New Jersey.” You jog away from the subway entrance as footsteps become louder. Finding a building, you bang on the door. “Hello!? SOMEONE PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR” You hear shuffling inside, you know people are in there. “Please! I Know Someone Is In There!” You project your voice. Hitting the door one last time, you move on. “I hope it was worth it Y/n. You just had to give your publisher a paper copy because it was the best book you’ve ever written.”

You mock yourself. On the verge of tears. You suck those tears up at the sight of more creatures. Turning back, two appear behind you. Push comes to shove and somehow, someway you got taken on one of those floaty thingy’s. “Let go of me!” You twist and turn, trying to get out of their grasp. “Someone!” You scream. Seeing an opportunity to get out their grasp, you take it and get pushed off. Now falling from god knows how many feet, you scream fearing your inevitable fate. A pain hits your stomach, a hand holding your back. You groan, gripping onto the back for dear life. “damn, that hurt.” You mutter as your stomach aches. You lift your chin up, your head spinning.

“oh look at that...a blond man?” Your head was messing with you at this point. Hallucinations clouding your thoughts. You hear the person under you curse. Two palms hold onto each side of your waist, pushing you off with enough force to rip your hands off their back. A great power pushing you away. In the midst of it all, you get a glimpse of that recognizable long dark hair. “loki.” You roll backwards, your butt hitting the ground hard. Those tears that you were holding in before, flew freely down your cheeks. You attempted to wipe them away but they kept coming. Looking around through the tears, you see you’re in Central Park. Somewhere they didn’t reach yet, people were walking around like it was any other day. 

The pain of your ribs comes backs to bite, as you feel two of your ribs break. “Damn you and your strong shoulders.” You collapse, not yet having the energy to move from that spot. “Ma’am, are you alright?” You look aside. “yes.” You find the strength to wipe away the tears, holding your ribs as you sit up. A small pain hits your shoulder. “no.” You tilt and fall back into your spot, blacking out.

You groan, your head pounding almost as painfully as before. “Y/n L/n. Orphan. Mildly Popular Book Author. Three books published.” You force your eyes to focus in the dimly lit room. “where am I?” Your hand flies to your ribs as you sit up in the chair. “Unimportant. What’s important is why the chitauri would go out their way to get you.” You look at the black man. “I don’t know.” You breathe out. “You should know something.” Looking around the room, your eyes trail back to the man. “I know something.” You pause your sentence for suspense. “I know I have two broken ribs from being tossed around like a rag doll.” He chuckles for a moment before doing a hand motion.

A few moments pass, your wounds get tended to, with the black man gone, a few new comers take over. “Why would you let him do an invasion?” And before you could breathe a sign of relief, you get bombarded with questions. “I didn’t let him do anything.” They were convinced you had something to do with the invasion. “What were you doing in the area? Why did the chitauri capture you?” They were beginning to make your head hurt all over again. “I was giving my publisher a copy of my book and I don’t know.” You tried your best to answer the questions but they refuse to believe your answers.

“What part of “I don’t know” do you not understand? I keep telling you I don’t know meaning I actually don’t kn-” Your sentence gets cut off with a hissing of the restraint, they place on your mouth. Attempting to pull it off, they respond with grabbing your wrists and putting on handcuffs. Yanking you out the seat. “Maybe you’ll know like this.” They practically drag you to your next destination. “Get in.” It wasn’t a choice. Pushing you into a small capsule. They shut the glass, it wasn’t the roomiest of spaces. “Someone will talk.” 

You flinch at the sudden light, shining brightly into your eyes. “Do the avengers know you’re doing this?” Loki tries not to show his panic. This isn’t what he wanted for you. He didn’t want you to get caught up in his mess. “They don’t need to know as long as we get information.” You see the mans hand shift to a panel. Using the heavy duty cuffs you try to break the glass. Muffled screams come from your capsule. You shake your head, pleading for him not to drop the capsule. “Last chance.” Loki traps your eyes in a gaze, for the seemingly last time. Without remorse he pushed the button causing your capsule to- 

Your knuckles ache as your hands rip away from the sheets. With a groan, you sit up and dangle your feet over the edge of the bed. ‘I hate that nightmare.’ You sigh. Standing to your feet and looking back to the abnormally large bed made for two. Putting on shorts, you walk over to the kitchen. That’s what you loved about this place it was all one floor, very easy to get everywhere. Sitting at the island stool, you rub your fourhead. Gazing out the window missing your lover. You decided to leave the house. But not before leaving a note, just in case he came back before you. 

“went to earth for a little. will be back later. xoxo y/n”

Stepping outside into your yard. You click the little device Loki “borrowed” from his brother. Selecting “Midgard” a bright light taking you to the desired planet. Your nightmare recommencing on the way.

The whirling winds of the storm happening on the outside abused the capsule as it fell into a foggy cloak. Before you could realize, what you’d done. You were holding onto a bright gold little hint of green string. It was powerful. “Did I just do that?” You said to yourself. The highspeed winds making it impossible to hear yourself.

A loud crash echoed the vacant alleyway as you are brought onto the planet. “I need to fix that.” You groan, getting off the floor and looking around to see which area you’re in. Waiting patiently for a crowd of people to walk by, you quickly step out of the alleyway and join them, blending in. You stop at your coffee shop, missing their signature drinks and food. You sat at your usual back table. The worker recognized you and began to prepare your order. While waiting you, spent your time on social media. You saw your friends and how they’re getting their lives together. You noticed that they were messaging you about how you never post anymore and how they are worried about you.

Thanking the worker with a smile as they placed your order down, you take the time to try and respond to most of the messages. Your leg began to bounce and you started to feel uneasy. Steadily glancing up from your phone, you saw nothing out of the ordinary. A small tap on your shoulder startled you. Your eyes following the well shaven man sit in the seat across from you. His aura was fairly strong but compared to yours it was faint and weak. For a moment your leg stopped but then your hand began to tap on the table. Your anxiety becoming known. “Can I help you?” You ask, trying to continue to reply to the messages and distract yourself from this man.

“I’m Doctor Strange and I’d like to have a word with you.”

Part 2?

[mediocre-writerr]

almost [toni shalifoe]

toni shalifoe x reader

requested: You’re an amazing writer! I had this promt for a while now where reader is Shelby’s best friend and Toni’s gf and once they get to the bunkers they find out about everything and try to escape the building but get followd by agents from all sides and the girls are scared for their lives and once they get the oppurtunity to escape the reader offers herself (maybe an agent was about to catch Shelby) and Toni and Shelby (they both don’t want to let go and are in hysterics) as well as the other girls lose it when readers screams and begs them to leave her and get to safety. Pretty heavy angst that you write so amazingly, it would be so nice to see you bring this idea to life.

*not my gif*

The walls started to be the only thing you can remember seeing. The weird wooden paneling in what felt like a fucking holding cell for prisoners’ on death row. You can’t remember what the sky looked like or the stars. All you can remember is this stupid quarantine room that you were put in after you got, quote on quote: saved, from the island.

You haven’t seen any of the girls since you’ve been saved. And you really wished you could’ve, you’ve missed their personalities. Rachel’s determination. Dot’s sarcasm. Fatin’s inappropriate jokes. Leah’s intelligence. Shelby’s kind heart. And lastly, your girlfriend Toni’s protectiveness. All of them, everything about them, you wish you had with you right now.

All of a sudden the entire power went out. The lights shut off and the camera that watches you 24/7 was down. There were footsteps echoing throughout the hallway until it stopped right in front of the door. You waited for the door to open, but it didn’t. It was like there was a moment of hesitation before something was slipped under the door and the footsteps echoed away.

A small piece of paper, written in a handwriting that was quite familiar. You’ve seen this handwriting in Nora’s notebook. From the one and only Leah Rilke, saying: We were right...

All of the conspiracy theories that we once thought were crazy, were actually true. After the shark attack that made us lose Nora and Rachel’s hand, Leah told us everything. From her finding Jeanette’s second phone to seeing Nora talk to a camera in the trees. You all thought it was crazy, until the questions that Dr. Fader and Agent Young asked could’ve only been known if they were on the island.

You flipped the paper over, seeing that there was something else written: Escape plan ???.

The next few days were quiet. You didn’t quite know what to do with yourself. Until finally, your door swung open. Fader and Young were both standing there with hands in their pockets, “You ready to see the girls?”

Your eyes lit up for the first time since you got there. Happiness overwhelming your body at the chance to see the only people who have been keeping your mind sane in that Hell hole.

You shot up from off the bed and followed them into the corridor. But not before trying to examine each hall, to find some sort of exit plan. Then it all came to a view, your favorite people in the entire world.

“Toni?” you whispered and she turned around to face you. A huge smile formed onto her face before she wrapped her arms around you.

You let out a sigh of relief. Your whole body seemed to relax at the slightest touch, “Hi love.” she whispered, holding you tightly.

The two of you let go and you see your best friend. Her long lucious blonde locks no longer there, but rather a buzz cut replacing it. You know you shouldn’t have laughed, but c’mon it’s your best friend. The two of you make fun of each other all of the time.

“You like it?” she asked, pretending to flip her hair over her shoulder.

You bursted out laughing, “Oh yeah! Getting a little bit of Caillou vibes from it.”

She pushed you back softly, before grabbing your shoulders and ultimately bringing you into a hug of your own, “I’ve missed you.” she whispered.

“I’ve missed you too...” you begin to say with seriousness, but you couldn’t help the nickname that popped into your head, “...Shelbald.”

Everyone in the coordior seemed to have busted out laughing at the nickname, “I hate you.” Shelby said.

“Mhmm, I hate you too.” you said, pulling away from the hug. Going around the room to hug all of the other girls.

Once all of you realized that you were alone, without the two agents watching your every move, you decided to catch up on the plan.

“How is this gonna work, Leah? I mean how did you get the notes out to us in the first place?” you asked. A question that has been flooding your thoughts for quite some time now.

She had a small smirk on her face, “We have an ally on the inside.” she said, bringing her voice to a whisper, “I have these napkins for all of you. We’re gonna put them in our door before closing. It’ll give us a chance to not allow it to close.”

Leah handed everyone a napkin. All of us clenching them in our fist, trying to hide it as much as possible.

“Our ally is gonna cut the power like they did when they slipped the note to everyone for me. We’re all gonna run and meet here at the corridor. He told me where the secret exit is and we’re gonna get out through there. The rest of the plan from there is a little fuzzy, but escaping is the most important part.” she explained.

There was a tense silence between everyone for a little bit. Before we all broke out into smiles, “Leah,” Rachel began, “Thank God for your craziness. It’s gonna save our asses!”

“Hell yeah it will!” Fatin exclaimed. All of you laughed along with each other. A sudden weight being lifted from your shoulders, like for once in the past few months everything was gonna be okay.

God, how you were so wrong.

“When is this happening?” Dot asked.

Leah’s lips quirked into a smirk, “Tonight.”

After a couple more hours, the two agents came back. Escorting us one by one to our rooms. We bid each other goodbye before walking into our rooms. As our doors close, all of us stuffing a napkin into them. The slow sounds of footsteps slowly fading away down the hallway, you pushed the door open a little and low and behold...it opened.

You pretended to act the normal the entire rest of the day. Lying in bed, pretending to be upset with the world. It’s not like that part changed, but at least now there was a glimmer of hope at the end of the road. You didn’t know what time it was, it could’ve been 10pm or 2am or 4am, but all of the lights shut off again. And you watched as the cameras fell, like they have been disarmed.

You let out a deep breath, trying to calm your nerves, “Let’s do this.”

Slowly, you stepped out of the room, looking up and down the hallway. The coast was clear. You ran out of your room, trying to not make a lot of noise. When you reached the cooridor, everyone was there and you could tell that nervousness hung over the group.

“We ready?” Dot asked and all of us just nodded, “Let’s fucking go!”

All of you walked out of the cooridors, making sure the coast was clear. Toni intertwined her fingers into your hands and the tension in your shoulders seemed to have fallen away. Shelby was right behind you guys and you made sure to look back every now and then to make sure she was okay.

“There they are!” you heard a deep voice yell.

All of you stopped in your tracks, looking at one another. Then reality hit all of you like a truck, before you took off running. Toni practically dragging you along with her and every second you looked behind you to see Shelby keeping up. But when you do, you can see a butt-load of agents, the distance between you and them growing smaller and smaller by the second.

“Guys! They’re gaining!” you yelled. As time went on, your energy and adrenaline that the group once had was slowly diminishing.

“Well run faster!” Rachel called back. Both her and Leah leading the charge.

“I didn’t sign up for a marathon!” Fatin exclaimed.

Dot shrugged, “It’s either run a marathon or get captured by them.”

Fatin looked back at all of the angry men. And somehow, someway, she started running faster, “Yeah, yeah. Marathon it is!”

You reached the exit Leah was once talking about. Shutting the door behind you guys, locking it just before they could get in. You did a mental head count...Rachel, Leah, Dot, Fatin, Toni...that’s only five? That’s only five! You scanned the two way hallway frantically.

“Love? What’s wrong?” Toni asked.

You shook your head, “Where��s Shelby? She wa s right behind us. I should’ve...I should’ve kept watching her. I should’ve make her run in front of me.”

“What?” Toni questioned, her voice a little softer.

“Where’s Shelby?!” you practically screamed. Your voice echoing throughout the hallway.

You heard footsteps coming towards you. Shelby in the hands of Agent Young, you released a shaky breath. All of you were surrounded, the door to escape right there in front of you. A middle aged lady that you recognized from the Dawn of Eve video appeared from behind the two agents.

“Relax darling. She’s right here. Now how about we all get you back to your cells?” she asked.

Everyone shook their head, “No, this is insane! You can’t keep us here forever!” Dot yelled.

“Well we need one of you to explain to us what happened. So if you’d like to escape, go right ahead, but we keep Shelby. Easy peasy.” she explained.

You looked at Toni, sending her an apologetic glance. Her head tilting to the side in confusion. You leaned forward softly, placing a small kiss to her cheek, before letting go of her hand.

“Y/N? What are you-“ she began to ask, but you stepped towards the woman and the two agents.

You let out yet another shaky breath, “Take me.” you said sternly.

An echo of “What?!” rang throughout the hallway. And you tried not to focus on the fear that laced, each and every one of their voices.

“You let them go, let them go back home. And I’ll switch places with Shelby. I’ll cooperate and tell you the entire truth.” you negotiated.

Shelby stared right at you, “Are you insane?” she asked, tears pooling at your eyes.

“Please. Let them go. I’ll tell you everything I know. That is your best bet of trying to get yourself out of whatever sick game you’re playing. Because if you keep all of us here, we will not cooperate and you’ll know nothing.” you explained. The middle-aged woman pondered your negotiation for quite a few minutes.

And with one snap of her fingers, she was released and you were in the grasp of Agent Young and Dr. Fader. You finally brought yourself to look at the girls who were all crying. And you couldn’t bear to look at them anymore as you heard sobs course throughout Shelby, Leah, and Fatin’s body. Then there was Toni, Dot, and Rachel who were trying their best to stay strong, but you knew they couldn’t.

“You can’t do this!” Toni yelled.

You shook your head, “We don’t have a choice. I need you guys to leave. We’ve lost 2 already! No one else can get hurt anymore.” Everyone went silent, “Can I say goodbye first?” you asked, softly. The three adults all looked at each other before nodding.

You stopped first at Rachel, pulling her into a small hug. And you could feel little tear drops fall onto your shoulder, “I’m sorry we couldn’t save her.” That caused Rachel to sob even more.

You rubbed her back softly, “I’m sorry we couldn’t save you.” she whispered back before pulling away.

Then there was Fatin. She immediately crashed into your arms, holding you tighter than she ever has before. You ran your fingers through her hair, trying to soothe her as best as possible.

“I’m still holding you to your plans for when you escape.” you mentioned, out of the blue.

“What?” she asked, pulling away a little.

You smiled widely at her, “You still gotta fuck the rowdiest guy with biggest dick ASAP!”

And for once since the great escape happened all of you finally laughed and smiled. She sniffled before nodding, “I promise. I’ll dedicate it to you.”

Then Dot. You could tell she was trying her best not to cry, but a few tears slipped out. She hugged you tightly, patting your back in the process, “Do me a favor?” she just hummed in response, “When you get back home to Texas, watch after Shelby. Live in your old house together, something...anything! She can’t go home, she’s not ready for that yet. But you need to protect her and make sure that she stays the same person she is jow. Not the person we knew before, can you do that?”

“With my life.” Dot promised and you look back at her to find a determined nod on her face.

Leah’s turn was next. Her piercing blue eyes looked like the ocean when it rained. The glossiness of the raindrops hitting the water. You smiled at her softly, pulling her into a hug.

You were right by her ear when you whispered, “When we get out of here, you need to tell our story. Tell the truth the whole truth. Don’t let these bastards win. Sue them if we have to. Just get our story out. I trust you more than anyone to do that. Do it for Jeanette and Martha and even Nora. The ones we’ve lost and the ones who are lost in the trauma.”

“I’m on it. You come back to us okay? We need you here too to tell our story.” she said.

You smiled at her sadly, “I’ll try.”

Then there was Shelby. You look at her and she looked at you shaking her head, “No no you can’t do this. You can’t sacrifice yourself for everyone else. I’ll stay here with you! I’ll follow you always!” she pleaded, sobs following her spoken words.

Tears finally fell from your eyes, “You can’t stay here okay? You have to go home.”

“You’re my only family!! Why are you doing this??” she practically yelled.

You sniffled, smiling softly, “You know how we always wanted to be the hero? We would go on missions for church to help people’s lives.” she nodded, “I’m gonna be the hero today and save the people I care about the most.”

Shelby grabbed you forcefully, holding you into her arms. The two of you shaking, as sobs coursed throughout your bodies. You placed your hand on the back of her head, holding her unbelievably close. Until you finally let go.

“I’m not gonna let you do this.” Toni said sternly.

“You have no choice-“ you began to say, but she cut you off.

“Fuck that! I do have a choice and I’m gonna swap places with you! You took Shelby’s place so easily, so why can’t I do that with you?!” her voice echoing, causing everyone to flinch back.

You took your hands in her face, rubbing circles along her cheekbones. Something you did on the island to calm her down when she got too angry or stressed. You placed your forehead on hers and you could see her lips start to quiver.

“You can’t stay here.” she pleaded, “I can’t-what am I gonna do without you? I don’t have Marty or you, what am I gonna do?”

You placed a kiss to her forehead, “I’m gonna find my way back. Find all of you again, okay? I’m never leaving you as cheesy as it sounds I’m always gonna be right here.” you pointed at her heart, “But until then I have to go darling.”

“No, please!” she practically begged. You kissed her softly, but with so much emotion to let her know how much you love her. Not knowing when the next time will be.

“I love you Toni.” you placed one more kiss to her forehead before taking a step back to look at all of the girls.

Again, with one snap of the fingers, you were back in the agents arms, “Escort them to the exit.” the middle-aged woman stated, “You’re coming with me.”

Ear piercing screams rang through your ears. You were about to be dragged off when Shelby and Toni tried rushing towards you. They grabbed your hands trying to pull you back, but the agents were stronger. Not to mention the other agents holding them back.

“We’re not leaving you!!” they yelled.

You didn’t want it to end like this, “Please just go! We lost! You can’t stay here! It’s not safe for you! So please just get out!” you screamed before everything started to break down in front of you, “Just go.” you kept mumbling over and over again between sobs.

Dr. Fader and the middle aged woman escorted you away from the girls and to the interrogation room. While Agent Young escorted the bawling girls towards the exit, probably to drive them to the airport on wherever the hell we are.

“You promised! I trusted that you would keep all of us safe!” Leah spat at Agent Young when they were all alone. She started banging on his chest, “I trusted you! And you-you made us lost Y/N!”

He just let her go at it, before grabbing her wrists as softly as possible, “I tried, but Gretchen watched all of you run from her office. She figured you were going there. And called for everyone to surround you. I tried Leah. I tried for all of you and I failed!”

“You were the ally?” Dot asked and he nodded.

“You girls don’t deserve this. You’ve already been through so much. It’s time for you to go home.” he said sadly, “I’ll take care of her, I promise.”

///

tag list: @hstoria @greysky22 @shalifoestilinski @yourssincerelyj

[acid-vanir]

Ok, Theory

Ok so in the webcomic Aurora, the “main” character Kendal is an entirely new uncategoriseable entity, a god’s incarnation that survived the god leaving it and developed its own mind and personality. 

Now the god that this happens to is the hero god of the city Vash and, like the Ancient Greek Eros or Nike is named after his domain. So what we know about Vash is that he cut his teeth in this god business by defending his city from and defeating the storm god Tynan, the way he does this is explained here with an in universe telling of the story. What we know is that an alien metal and jewel was worked into an incarnation of Vash at a thematically appropriate moment and became an extremely effective power up, enabling Vash to defeat the hitherto undefeated Tynan. 

Now how this works in the world built magic system of Aurora is really interesting. So in Aurora it appears they're are two (or eight depending on how you count it) fundamental substances of magic, the elements and soul energy, now we know where elemental magic comes from as a central piece of lore in the main storyline so far has been about the ancient war between the elementals and a Void Dragon and how the elementals died defeating this Void Dragon and their bodies meshed together supplying the materials as the world, but the elements still count, and can be persuaded to act, as one body essentially unique to the other elements and so because they belonged to a living entity with a soul can exist in two states, the material element and a sort of potential/soul element held in other materials or channeled by mages to enact elemental effects.

 Now soul energy is something very different and despite the excessive amount of time I've spent explaining the elements, is what we’re focusing on here. Soul  energy is what living things are “made of” being literally the material of souls, now I could be wrong but from I can figure out everything alive contains and in someway uses soul energy, and soul energy has a connection with other soul constructs allowing for an in any capacity uniform group of living things to develop a larger social soul that becomes a god. Vash for instance is a city of people and so through the interaction of their soul energy, construction of early incarnations, and people assigning these incarnations personality or motivations became the hero god the city imagined, as the god itself is made up of the whole cities population who once saw incarnation interpreted them a certain way and influenced some of their aspect. Basically, because the god is their domain how they are viewed by the creatures in their domain effects their personality and most comfortable form. 

So what does this really have to do with Kendal. Well if Vash’s sword was constructed from an alien metal, a solid substance, which issomething almost impossible to make without an elemental, after Vash worked his soul energy into like soul shaper monks do with human prosthetics, which would more than likely work some of this starmetal soul energy into his own soul lattice. Then its likely that Kendal’s soul is made of what little of soul star metal was in the solid material of the meteor. And it’s not just background lore magic systems backing this up.

In the series of pages telling the mythical story of Vash’s Sword we find out that it’s being told through the framing device of the smith god who forged it, to a similar style god to Vash of the Fire influenced race of Ignans. Now while why they're talking and what this incredibly effective smith who uses the arcs and emotional journeys of the wielders of his weapons in his smithing process is doing with a god of fire and fire people directly related to one of our adventuring party is incredibly plot important and personally intriguing, there is something else I wanted to focus on here.

In these panels Tahraim appears to be talking about Dainix, a character Kendal is currently imprisoned with and who are jelling suspiciously well. Now we can see that Tahraim is using his Xanatos gambit forging technique of social engineering to forge out a weapon and fighter for Caliban (probably to fight the fire demon from Dainix’s backstory (who is probably another elemental emissary for Fire (like two other characters currently being heavily associated star metal soul Kendall (I see you Red, with each subsequent layer of brackets I get closer to the truth, witness as my bracketry grows)))) and describing some of the forging fires he’s using fo this weapon (who is probably Dainix, if not definitely)calls one of them “the divine blade”, referring to Vash’s starmetal sword currently held by Kendal, but the blade its self is isnt world shaking, its been around for millennia and everyone is very familiar with its power and prowess as a sword because Vash is an incredibly well known god. But that’s only as a sword, and we know Kendal is world shaking after his discussion with Ilia here where he is told explicitly that the gods fear what he represents but respect the fact that he is an incredibly powerful being with all the strength and ability of a godly incarnation but with no responsibilities of upholding a domain or the limits of staying within they’re domains range. And so the theoretical soul that is Kendal in this incarnation must be made of whatever remainder of star metal soul is left from the solid  star metal in the sword. That had been given the shape and properties of a human/incarnation soul by being weaved into and by Vash and then had the Vash soul ripped apart from they’re shared incarnation leaving the star metal soul to have to develop as its own being in this body

And if all you wanted is proof of this theory you can honestly stop reading here. So far this is dense and a lot and I wanna run through some stuff with this head cannon to nerd out. So if you don't wanna have to read anymore, my argument for this theory is basically through

Kendal being the star metal soul can provide a reason for, guess plot dent instead of plot hole? when Vash takes Kendal to where he is being held by the Collector. The reason this could be a plot dent is that one of the working theories for why Kendal exists can be found in the Sentinels. Essentially building sized stone statues animated by a god semi incarnating in them, its hard to explain so if your interested read here (Also read the comic, it’s really, really good. Like really good. If you get into the extra lore on the website and then scroll through Red’s Aurora Tumblr answers you get to appreciate how truly spectacular her worldbuilding and magic systems are. I mean clearly they’re cohesive and well thought out enough that just off of the magic system you could make a (if I don't say so myself) well reasoned prediction for a major character reveal.) the theory being that because these Sentinels can develop these echoes after being un-possessed by a god over time, the unique way Vash was taken out of his incarnation without dis-corporating it that the body developed a similar echo and is now ambient soul energy drawn into the empty body. However, this wouldn't make sense with Vash taking Kendal to the Collector’s hideaway in his sleep, as if Kendal is made of ambient soul energy he has no actual connection with Vash’s soul and so Vash shouldn't be able to bring him to the crystal he is being held in. But, if Kendal is in fact the star metal soul then he would still have that connection with Vash, as they are the same soul but different parts made of different materials, and so ca operate separately whilst still being so intricately connected.

On one final note, there is one character that already seems to know all this, Tahraim. That Kendal in everyway is the weapon he forged, that they're is a capacity for new elements and therefore different soul energies, that Erin has been possessed by the Void Dragon, and that the Collector has revived life, who has taken Alinua as an emissary, and is using this information not for his own divine or dastardly machinations but on commission. Which is A) a potential threat if Tahraim turns out to be a tad more amoral than he first appears, working as effectively for the next customer instead of esoterically guiding events for the cause of good and B) show cases an incredible mesh of world building and character work with gods being influenced by how their perceived and a god perceived and heralded as an unachievably proficient smith knowing more than any other character or entity we’ve ever seen before and doing exactly what is necessary to forge his commissioned weapons into the most powerful and effective instruments they can be almost only because of how in the magic system some gods are made from ideals and interpretations instead of groups of living things and actually fits the way they are most commonly perceived

[problemswithbooks]

So, I having a sinking feeling ch. 362 is going to be another one that marks a downward shift in writing quality similar to how Izuku getting Black Whip did. 

Here’s the thing I just don’t think that this situation is good no matter what happens next. 

1. Bakugou is really dead and stays dead: As one of the most important characters in the story, only being second to Izuku his death was rather anticlimactic. Izuku’s not even there, it has no real connection to his character arc, and it doesn’t even get to take out his opponent with his sacrifice. It’s essentially meaningless from a story telling stand point.

2. Bakugou is really dead but he comes back to life: Either he gets revived by Eri or something, or the story has Bakugou be special in someway, like being connected to the second user, or something to do with OfA. Bringing back Bakugou from the dead renders death less meaningful because it shows that the author would find ways to bend the story to back pedal that choice if they felt like it. Yet having Bakugou be brought back due to some special attribute is no better because then it gives him canon plot armor and suddenly makes any fight with his character have way less stakes. It would also be terrible if what brings him back is tied to the first Movie because that pulls another Kurogiri/Shirakumo thing, where suddenly outside material is needed to fully understand what’s going on and it’s emotional impact. BNHA isn’t a follow series like say, Boruto is to Naruto; outside marital shouldn’t be needed to read this story.   

3. Bakugou isn’t dead at all: It turns out be nothing more then a cliffhanger to draw in readers before a week break. Even if he is ‘dead’ but say Best Jeanist goes over the first couple panels of the next chapter and manages to bring him back through more realistic means (a stopped heart doesn’t always kill a person as long as it starts again within a certain amount of time) I think this counts. To me that seems like a crap tactic to get readers invested without actually fallowing through with what’s been set up. He did this with Hawks and Twice, leaving a chapter off with what seemed like Hawks about to kill an beaten Twice, yet next chapter had Hawks think about how he was actually just trying to subdue him. Sure he still had Hawks kill Twice but it wasn’t while Twice was on the floor, completely unable to move, which is way worse. Hori back pedaled and had the situation be more grey. If he does this with Bakugou who is always top of the popularity pulls, it really comes across as Hori trying to tug at heart strings without losing his cash cow, which is kind of shitty. 

So, yeah, sort of worried this going to end poorly no matter what choice Hori makes. Hopefully I’m just not thinking of something better he could do, and I’m wrong. Or in the very least it’s fun to watch, even if the story isn’t as good because of it, sort like Izuku’s many Quirks.   

[thr-333]

Mismatch- Part 17

Bio Dad Bruce Wayne Month 2020

“Push me off the roof you coward!”

First< Previous > Next

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“So do you want to be Batman or should I?” Marion brings out the two outfits identical in every way except size.

“It’s not actually dressing up,” Marinette scolds fixing her hair.

“Well then you single handedly ruined halloween,” Marion grins coming up behind her, “Everyone wears them for it,”

“Don’t exaggerate,” Marinette watches him warily in the mirror, prepared to defend if-when he makes a move to mess up her hair.

“So Batman or Robin?” Marion holds the outfits up, dangerous close to her head.

“I don’t care,” Marinette stands up, spinning around, using the chair as a shield.

“Coin flip then,” Marion drapes them over the chair, “Oooh foreshadowing!”

“Please tell me you're going to take this marginally seriously?” Marinette leans back on the dresser as he fishes for a coin.

“You’re starting to sound like our manager,” Marion flips the coin with extra flare, “Heads,”

“You should thank Kate for setting this up,” Marinette catches the coin before he can, “Tails,”

She takes the Robin outfit from the chair, ducking Marion as she passes.

“You know I don’t think Kate wants to see me,” Marion takes his outfit behind the opposite curtain, “She's pretty stressed something will go wrong,”

“In Gotham?” Marinette pokes her head out the curtain on the other side of the room.

“I know, crazy right,” Marion also peaks through the curtain, “Where would she get that idea?”

“Who knows?” Marinette cheekily grins before ducking back behind the curtain.

“If we get attacked again I think we might give aunt- I mean,” Marion pauses pulling on his grey turtleneck, “ugh, this is hard,”

“Mari, the outfits are designed for easy use,” Marinette teases, tone sounding half hearted even from this distance.

“What are you calling her in your head?” Marion pulls the turtle neck down all the way.

“Selina,” Marinette answers, as he shrugs on his hooded crop top over the turtleneck, split into two colours to make a vague bat-shape. “Although I just avoid saying it out loud,”

“Great minds think alike,” Marion pulls on his grey leggings, that Marinette had thankfully made into thermals.

“I’m the only great mind here,” Marinette teases, Marion lets out fake gasp as he pulls a pair of shorts over his leggings, “You just like to copy,”

“How dare you!” Marion pulls the curtains aside dramatically, Marinette doesn't even look up from where she's putting on bracelets, “Dishonour! Dishonour on you, Dishonour on your kwami! Dis-”

“Hey!” Tikki flies out of the backpack.

“Sorry Tikki,” Marion looks away from the fuming Kwami, trying to avoid her by pulling on his black and blue boots.

“It’s ok Tikki,” Marinette finishes putting green and gold bracelets up to her elbows, “He’s just trying to be funny,”

“And succeeding!” Marion corrects, smoothing a mask over his eyes.

“Ah-ha,” Marinette stands, black and yellow scarf flaring out at the back.

“You know I don’t think she agrees,” Marion stage whispers to Plagg from his bag.

“Ah-ha,” Plagg says in the same tone, as Marion is pulling on his black gloves.

“Traitors, all of you,”

“Hey look,” Marinette bumps his shoulder, nodding towards someone.

“It’s Jason,” Marion whispers back excitedly, moving to wave.

“MCD doesn't know him,” Marinette grabs his arm, “Let’s hope this isn’t as awkward as it was with Chloe,”

“I thought that was fun,”

“Of course you did,”

"Hi," Jason approaches nervously, completely different to how Marion's met him before, it's cute.

"Oh hello, stranger," Marion grins, ignoring the kick from Marinette, he'll be careful, it's fine he's got this, "Whats your name?"

"Jason," Oh my God he's blushing!

"Jasin," Marion repeats pretending to write on what he was handed.

"Um…." Jason looks like he's about to correct Marion, this will be perfect- "yep,"

Fuck fuck fuck i though he would correct me fuck, Marinette help!  Marinette rolls her eyes at his pleading look.

"Jason, CD," Pointing to the page without writing, "son,"

"Ohhhh Jason,” Marion says, as if he had come to some amazing realisation, Marinette looks like she wants to slap him, “haha, sorry, of course, I just didn’t hear you right, because I don’t know your name, why would I know your name? It's-"

Marinette rightfully cuts off his rambling with a swift kick, that both knew would never actually hurt him. At least Jason looks just as embarrassed as him, neither quite knowing how to start the conversation back up,"

"How about we take a picture?" Marinette says, their saving grace.

"Yeah, that would be great," Jason fumbles for his phone, Marion hopes his mask will cover his blush, as he remembers what Jason had said about him at dinner, the only reason he was blushing.

They take a nice picture together. Then one where Marion throws bunny ears behind MDC. She swats his hand away and he pushes her out of frame. The next picture is one of him and Jason with Marinette rising up, like a threatening blur in the background.

"Aw thats a nice picture" Marion looks over Jason shoulder, they were meant to be with the next person already but they were a design hopeful, babbling to MDC about her designs, "You should send it to me,"

"Of course," Jason seems flustered with his proximity, enough so that he didn't see Marion's trap.

"Great heres my number," Marion quickly writes it down on blank piece of paper, a picture seeming a bit too narcissistic at that point.

"...Waut,"

"Well you have to send it to me someway," Marion shrugs, conveniently ignori-forgetting that pictures were sent through his social media all the time.

"Right... right," Jason seems to be in a bit of a daze when Marion sends him off, standing next to Marinette as the fan leaves.

They watch Jason leave. Marinette starts giggling when he almost runs into a wall.

“Are you ok?" Marion asks, partly for the security guard who was waiting for their ok to send the next person up.

“You are such a dork,” She breaths through her upcoming laughter, “I think I need a minute,”

“Fine but if I get a hopeful fashion designer I’m telling them your new direction is crocs,” Marion huffs, not really insulted, but if he didn't act it she would only up the anti.

“Do it and your casket will be made out of crocs,” Marinette threatens ineffectively, walking to the backstage door.

“I kinda want to see that,”

“You’d be dead,” Marinette calls from the door.

“Minor issue,”

Marinette waves him off, which could have been an aborted swat. He watches as the crowd nearby begin whispering, some offering others to go first to stall for time. Marion plans to shove this in her face next time Marinette claims she isn’t popular. He’s about to take a camera out for evidence when one of the groups, fast tracked but the crowd, approaches.

Marion goes to do his more basic greetings when a gun is shoved in his face. The group made up of armed men surrounding him, one holding a camera.

“Smile for the camera,” The figure pulls his coat back, revealing the frankly disturbing face of the Joker.

“Oh it’s you,” Marion keeps a blank face, evidently confusing him, “Any chance two-face will show up?”

“.... No?” Marion fights to keep his composure as the crowd are threatened by the remaining thugs, pushing them to the ground.

“Pity, what a waste of good foreshadowing,” Marion shrugs casually, that camera is probably filming.

“What,” Marion supposes its a rare thing to see the Joker taken aback, but watching a group of armed men storm backstage distracts him from the sight.

“Nothing, I just made a brilliant joke earlier and you're sort of ruining it,” Marion makes exaggerated gestures, testing his limits, the guns follow him but don’t shoot. “Anyway are you here for an autograph or what?”

“I’m not-” He watches the Joker's face twist in gruesome realisation, “you’re trying to stall me,”

“Stall you from what?” Marion tries not to make his scan of the crowd obvious, “Please go in depth,”

“How about on the way up to the roof?” Chilling smile, but Marion is too used to fear to let it get to him.

“Oh goodie, I hear it has wonderful views,” Marion claps his hands, probably getting weird looks from the goons hiding behind masks, but who are they to judge?

He’s guided to the elevator. The Joker making the mistake of not tying his hands, or gagging him. He feels Kaalki and Plagg tense in his pocket.

“Huh, no elevator music,” Marion observes as the elevator starts to rise, “I just kind of expected it at this point,”

“You are strange,” Marion makes the mistake of glancing over, the Joker does not seem perturbed by that fact.

“You’re telling me that?” Marion tilts his head, “Actually that's quite the achievement,”

The Joker starts to go on about his plan, something about throwing MCD off the roof in front of the crowd for whatever reason, he’s not really listening. No, instead he’s made his own plan. There's no way Marinette was caught, not when she has no one to look after. She must be somewhere in the building, probably as Sparrow. It’s best if Sparrow and Songbird are seen near their other identities as little as possible, so he had to deal with the camera. If she saw the footage, which was probably being broadcast (a brilliant idea, really, no problems with that) she would intercept them. The best position would be on the elevator, but he had to buy time.

The cameras closest so he strikes, hitting it out of the goons hand, mid sentence. In the split second confusion he hits the number panel, lighting up all but a few.

“Huh, that was easy,” Marion says with genuine surprise.

“And here I thought you were being a good hostage,” Marion feels several guns press against him, but it’s only the pistol with the Joker at the end that worries him.

“Sorry to disappoint,” Marion smirks cockily, the threats turning more violent.

No, not threats, promises. Marion debates calling on Kaalki, while he’s still able too. It wouldn’t be great for a miraculous to be seen in a different country, but better than the one that can teleport than Ladybug. If Marinette couldn’t stop them in time she would surely turn to Ladybug and pick him up as he falls, right in front of the crowd and cameras. Not great.

There were other heroes in Gotham, they both knew. And if it was just him at stake he would put faith in them. But it’s not. He’s Chat Noir and there's not enough time to train a new Black Cat, not anymore.

The elevator finally reaches the top. Marion braces to help Marinette fight on the other side of the door. It opens. There’s no one. Great, great, great .

“Well, well, well why don’t we see what's behind that mask and carve up your pretty face, hm?” Joker leads him close enough to the edge of the building that anyone else should be scared.

“That sounds counter productive,” Might as well try plan b, he should have come up with one, but as is he’ll have to wing it, “Weren’t you going to throw me off the roof?”

“Eager aren't you?” Not really  “After, promise,”

That grin paired with the knife inching closer should scare him, but honestly the only thing that truly scares him anymore is someone going for his ring, or Ladybug’s.

“What's the point? I’d be dead soon anyway, sounds like a waste of time,” Marion debates adding a yawn to match the tone, but it seems like overkill.

“A few screams are never a waste of time,” Marion is backed up further to the edge of the roof, able to see the fretting crowd below.

“Sounds to me like you just don’t have any confidence,” Marion says with all the sass he can muster, which is a lot.

“Oh, do explain,” The knife inching closer to the edge of his mask encourages the opposite, but he was never much good with warnings.

“If you really believe your plan will work and I wouldn’t be saved by I-don’t-know, Batman?” Yep that strikes a cord, probably not the best cord to strike with a knife in your face, oh well his wounds will heal soon anyway, “Then you’d throw me over the roof, a few cuts doesn't matter much when your dead,”

He can see the gears turning, debating if there's merit to his bullshit or if it’s just that. Honestly Marion doesn't know either.

“Revealing my identity and stuff is just a way for you to feel like you’ve won when Batman beats you,” He carefully doesn't emphasise the ‘when’, making it sound casual, like a given fact, “Cutting my face is just admitting you think the heroes will win,”

Just a little bit more. He’s almost pulled off plan ‘b’ for bat-shit crazy. He has the horse miraculous in his grip, Kaalki won’t like it but it's hard to put glasses on in mid air.

“Besides, won’t the mask leave a bit more impact?”

Hook. Line. Sinker.

“You really think the Bats going to save you huh?” The grin is unnerving, so Marion matches it with one of his own.

“I do,” He challenges, chin tilted up, “do you,”

He hears a cackle that would have surely appeared in his fear toxin dream if he heard it before. He’s pushed, vest twisted in the jokers grip, trying to stay balanced on the very edge.

“I like you kid,” And yeah, by that smile it’s not a good thing.

“Goodie,” Marion says sardonically, ignoring the shouting below, probably because his torso is all the way off the edge.

“Make sure to scream,” He feels the grip loosen, not having the natural response to grab onto something.

“I won’t,” he sends one last smirk as he’s dropped, weight sending him off balance and off the edge.

He’s in free fall and knows the screaming is not his own. He’s too busy debating the right time to transform. The street is getting closer and closer, no staff or grappling hook to save him.

“Klakki!-”

The air gets knocked out of him at the sudden change in directions. He can feel the arm and hears the glass shattering. For all the speed of a few seconds ago he is not expecting the quiet that follows. He’s leaning forward against someone's chest, both crouched down inside the building he just fell from. He recognises the shade of red first, Marinette had spent weeks with it pinned up all over their room and Marion has been wearing it ever since. He relaxes.

“Are you ok?” He gets pulled back from the chest, his complaints are cut off, a gloved hand tracing over his cheek, he feels the sting so it must be cut.

“Yeah I’m fine,” Probably not convincing, since his crush is the closest he’s ever been and Marion is almost the same shade of red.

“You’re fine?” The disbelief is clear and it takes Marion a second to realise why.

“I mean… Oh no! Trauma!” Marion tries to fall dramatically but the arm still on his back catches him.

“Good thing you’re a popstar not an actor,” Marion feels relief at the stiff atmosphere relaxing.

“Excuse you,” He snaps back up, poking Red Hood’s chest, smirking, “I’d make a wonderful actor,”

“Yeah, yeah,” Red Hood looks away, as far as Marion can tell with the helmet, “You sure you’re ok?”

“Yes, are you?” Marion stresses, remembering that he broke through the glass.

“... what?” Red Hood's full attention comes back to him.

“Are you ok?” Marion tries not to get annoyed at the answer, humour then, “After all breaking through a window isn’t much fun,”

You idiot you can't use his line on him ! Not in different identities! What if he figures it out?!

“Yeah.. yeah," He looks away again, "I’m… great,”

Marion smiles, guess things did turn out great in the end.

“CD!” Marion jumps out his skin, both suddenly realising how they looked and stand, Marinette runs right up to him, “Are you ok!?”

“Yep I’m… great,” Marion exchanges a private glance with Red Hood as Marinette frets over him.

“Thank goodness,” She sighs, shoulders sagging, then coming back up to hit him over the head, “Then why are you such an idiot!”

“Natural talent?” Marion rubs the spot, she put some Ladybug strength in that one.

“At least you’re good at something,” She sighs, brushing her hand over the spot.

“Rude,” Marion pouts, even as his head feels better, and his cut is startling to close up.

“If every things ok then,” Red Hood says awkwardly, “I’ve got a clown to go beat up,”

I Forgot!! How do you forget that! Marion yells at himself When your crush saves you from falling to your death…. Less romantic than it seemed in the moment.

“Have fun….” Marion waves, increasing the awkwardness ten fold, “dear god, I am an idiot!”

He groans into Marinette's shoulder after Red Hood left.

“Yes, but blush later, we need to be ready to provide backup,” Marinette pulls him out of the room stepping over broken glass.

“Uh- yeah! Right! lets go,” Marion snaps out of it, running after her.

“You are such a mess,” She insults as they jog, or with their speed, sprint up the stairs.

“Of all people you don’t get to call me that,” Marion needn't remind her of how she spilt orange juice all over herself at breakfast.

“... You just fell off a building, I was talking about your clothes,” Marinette has on her, ‘you’re an idiot’ face, well practiced that one.

“Oh,”

“But yeah you are a walking disaster,” She speeds up.

“Hey!” Marion sprints after her.

They reach the roof, not as out of breath as they should be.

“I thought I told you to stay put?” Red Hood snaps, alone on the roof.

“You didn’t,” They chorus coincidentally.

“I thought you had common sense,”

“We don’t,” They chorus on purpose.

Red Hood just shakes his head, probably smiling under the helmet.

“So the Joker escaped?” Marinette is the first to wipe the grin off her face.

“He was gone when I got up here,” Red Hood shrugs, “Waiting on intel,”

Probably from oracle.

“I didn’t say thank you!” Marion realises, not used to being the one saved.

“You don’t have to,” He looks away again, “Just doing my job,”

“But I want to,” Marion walks into his line of sight “So thank you,”

“Yeah well… thanks too I guess,” He looks away again and it's starting to get annoying.

“For what,” Marion leans over enough that he should be in sight, but he can't see his eye to confirm.

“I like the outfit you designed off me,” Marion freezes, almost stumbling over, “The interview was… entertaining,”

With that killing blow, a grappling hook is sent out and Red Hook is whisked away.

“.... Hey, can I borrow your miraculous?” Marion says blankly when Marinette comes to stand by him, “I need to wish myself out of existence real quick,”

----------------

Taglist:

@technicallyburninggarden @fusser90  @misslenamooney @superbwhispersconnoisseur @biodad-bruce-month @nalu-ismyjam

[thekrawra]

why i’d be mad if todo is sidelined in this next fight (and why he absolutely shouldn’t be)

so let it be said: i love my boy shouto. love him. so much. so yes there is some bias here. but don’t get me wrong: i love all my 1a kids and am happy for anyone who gets cool moments and fights and their growth.

my problem right now is that as bakudeku run off to fight, because of course they do, they’ve left everyone else behind, and deku obviously lied about OFA — again.

now obviously nothing is set in stone: i’d actually be surprised if todoroki, uraraka and iida just leave it at that. esp. todoroki and iida after stain and in general, how both characters haven’t really hesitated to go after or stick with their friends.

it’s clear that this arc is big, and in a result of that should have some big ever lasting consequences to it when it wraps (people dying, injured, the world changing as we know it). and i’ll get to that again in a moment, but first: why i’d be upset if todoroki is left out of this big fight.

right now it’s shaping up that bakudeku are going to fight shigiraki alongside the person who is currently fighting him: endeavour.

i’d get it if it was solely a OFA/AFO fight. if shiggy was alone and not currently engaged in combat, if the pros were MIA — then it works. obviously the two characters linked closest to the OFA situation (the one with it and the one who knows about it) would go. and i’m not mad about deku and bakugou going. i think that’s a fair choice.

i just think todoroki has to follow. for a few reasons.

because this isn’t just OFA vs AFO. endeavour is there too. and endeavour isn’t connected to the OFA arc, he’s connected to the arc about him and his family, shouto and his family, the todoroki family.

and where we are at, shouto hasn’t forgiven or decided not to forgive endeavour. he’s still a little conflicted about it. but we also know that he obviously cares if his father lives or dies — i mean the panels/scene of him during the high end fight say enough about that topic.

so for anything to happen to endeavour and for todoroki not to be there to witness/react/be involved feels wrong.

beyond that: he has reason to be concerned right now!

for everyone yelling that todoroki wouldn’t follow, or have no reason to not to trust deku when he yells BRB and runs away with bakugou — i mean just because todoroki hasn’t chosen to pry or to trust the answers deku has given him doesn’t mean he doesn’t realize that something is going on here.

i mean not only do we have todoroki as one of the first to confront midoriya about a connection between him and all might (asking him about a conclusion that all things about todoroki concerned makes complete sense), but we’ve also had todoroki confronting midoriya about having two quirks, and just earlier this arc todoroki noticing something strange was up with deku.

plus it’s just a given at this point that deku is unable to keep himself out of trouble.

in addition to that: todoroki has been established as more useful fighting then helping in evacuation — look back at the provisional licensing arc. during the fight with gang orca and simultaneous evacuation, todoroki and inasa were good logical choices to fight while everyone else focused on continuing the evacuation. even if it’s a group choice, if uraraka, todoroki and iida decide to send someone, it just makes more sense for it to be todoroki. uraraka and iida are more useful helping to evacuate because their quirks are just better for it in comparison. they can move more people, faster than todoroki could, and todoroki has more natural offensive strength. i could see uraraka wanting to go but todoroki stopping her and going instead, divide and conquer logically right?

so we have a todoroki who knows his father is fighting some dangerous villain and just saw deku and bakugou going off for some reason. because let’s be clear: deku was vague and when he said why he was leaving. they are in the middle of a clearly life and death evacuation and deku is leaving to go...somewhere?

and what we know about todoroki? well he got a vague location from midoriya and went to help, when bakugou was taken it was him and kirishima who made the plan in the first place. when he can, he definitely doesn’t watch or stand back while his friends and classmates rush off to do something stupid.

and looking forward, this is a major turning point in the manga, it has to be. based on everything, it seems like someone else at least is going to figure out about OFA. endeavour’s fate could really go anywhere (fine, quirkless, dead, who knows?). and it just would not feel right too me if todoroki is sidelined.

this is his arc too. i mean it’s a culmination, a head, a climax. yes there is OFA vs AFO, but there’s also a lot more going on to.

leading up to this, bakugou and midoriya both trained with endeavour because of todoroki. the three of them did their internship together. these two are two of the people that todoroki probably considers his closest friends (even if bakugou won’t admit to being friends with him).

and don’t get me wrong: it’s too early really to tell anything one way or the other. maybe todoroki, uraraka and iida go to follow but can’t because a bunch of villains show up, maybe they do follow and we just won’t find out or know for a few chapters. but ultimately, it just doesn’t make sense to me if todoroki doesn’t play a part in the action here (especially if there’s going to be a dabi reveal — but that’s a whole other conversation).

and i also 100% don’t think bakudeku should’ve taken todoroki with them. i agree that that wouldn’t have made sense. i just don’t think todoroki, and the other members of class 1a there will let them be idiots alone. i mean bakugou and deku running off together can only mean bad things. and no member of class 1a there are idiots. and logically and thematically, todoroki makes the most sense to follow after them.

and again, i’d be really surprised if anyone actually believed deku’s reason for running off. it didn’t read as very convincing to me, and historically to my recollection, he’s never been that great of a liar. but alas i could be wrong there.

i just really hope that todoroki doesn’t get sidelined in favour of the bakudeku team up. just because he doesn’t know about OFA doesn’t seem like enough of a reason to assume that he won’t follow or be part of this fight in someway.

plus no way are bakugou and deku strong enough to deal with shigiraki on their own. they are definitely going to need a couple saves and i really really really hope one of them is shouto coming in and finally getting some real answers about OFA (and also being there and present for any endeavour/dabi/todoroki plot points)

this is really just word vomit over how i’m feeling about the most recent chapter with everything. one of my fav bnha accounts @class1akids has a bunch of really great much better worded posts about most of what’s going down so check them out.

[gloomverse-theories]

Something I’ve always been curious about regarding Gloomverse is: what was the deal with the dream versions of Wallis and Harold? The whole color change thing they had going on and why did Wallis have slight differences in his design from the Wallis in the non dream world? (For example, dream Wallis was wearing a tie while real Wallis was not.) Any thoughts or feelings on the matter? Personally I don’t trust dream Harold and especially not dream Wallis.

Mod Joe’s response:

Okay, strap yourselves in for a long one, because I have A Lot to say. I won’t talk about the clothing, this is mostly about Coloring and Rights... rights that were and are being broken.

TL;DR of my thoughts/feelings: The dream selves are supportive of Rylie and signal protection for their newfound family. They know a lot more than they should and seem to have even more in store. Even the links to Murder Hobo do not upset me because their general goals align, for the moment. Virga and Yellow are the greater threat...

Let’s talk about the Colors first. Colors change color when they get Magic. Why do I bring this up? Because we have this panel:

This moment is important because Harold addresses the Dark Overlord directly here. And from the sound of it, his hair and eyes changed to the black and red we know when he got his hat.

But wait. If he says her hair and eyes didn’t change, so it’s her real hat, then if eyes and hair do change, it’s The Wrong Hat.

But that shouldn’t be possible. As per the Right of Passage, you can only gain Magic through your own Hat, by taking out your wand from it. This is the first Right being broken here. Harold got Magic through a Hat that is not his own, a fact supported by us never seeing him with a Wand.

The giant lollipop does not count, as he only uses it to bash people with it. We never see him Manipulating anything, which you need a Wand for; he’s only ever seen Creating candy out of his “fake” Hat. But that’s another theory.

Important thing here is that he is breaking one of the fundamental Rights of Magic and changed color because of it.

We have another panel that we shouldn’t forget when discussing the dream selves: Wallis going berserk.

Not included in this picture is the levitating Seaweed hanging on to him, complaining that she cannot breathe in the next panel... which is violating another Right, that is the Right of Protection from magic. It states that Magic cannot be used directly on the body of a living being. Which he already violated once before (and after) by making limbs invisible.

This seems to indicate that this coloring (at least for them) is tied to Right Breaking. Something we should keep in mind...

Onto the dream itself now.

Sorry Harold, You didn’t have a good panel while standing upright.

Here, the colors are reversed. Wallis has the black hair and red eyes while Harold has his natural colors. Why? What rules could Wallis be breaking here? Well, he is in another person’s dream, which is having influence on their mind and by that breaking of the Right of Protection again. It could be that... but then Harold wouldn’t be breaking a law by being in the dream. Hm.

Wallis’ color scheme could also be tied to how he is MIA and color shifted at that point of the story, but then again, Harold also is. Another thing to note here is that Wallis is in full control of himself, not going mad with rage as he did against Cakegirl. Furthermore, not only are his clothes noticeably different from his magic show outfit, his limbs are still visible. This is most likely not directly the Wallis who disappeared during the magic show...

— Mod Green :  When Purple found Wallis in the crater, his hair was still reverting to its normal color so I’d guess he was indeed frozen in time or in stasis or something... —

Harold is a bit of an oddity as well. He has his natural colors, invisible limbs and candy canes, as well as the hat we’ve always seen him use.

We later see Rylie with both legs in her dreams, so having his limbs back shouldn’t be an issue; but she also only got multicolored hair when she remembered that’s how it currently looks like. It seems that the dream appearances are tied to one’s self perception.

So, could this just be how Harold sees himself. After all, he has had missing limbs for much longer than the other two, since childhood. Or maybe it’s a little off because it’s a sign of something greater. Why is he even there in the first place...?

Because, as for their intentions...

Dream Wallis is clearly being supportive of Rylie here but does extend a word of warning too. They even came specifically to wake her up early.

Which seems to indicate that these versions know more than their waking ones... but in the world they know, Rylie didn’t wake up after only two weeks? Hm! Perhaps Virga found her in Gloomverse then, or there is another timing issue we don’t know of that necessitates the change. Something seems to have happened that could be solved by her waking up “earlier”. (How much earlier? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? We don’t know, but Wallis dismisses two weeks as a short time, which is pretty alarming on its own.)

In any case, all points towards Wallis and Harold having the ability to go back in time in some way... but we’ve seen something similar lately, with Rylie and Prisma talking. Perhaps they contacted Rylie the same way. We’ll know more soonish.

— Mod Green : @trixylalamoon suggested that Harold’s “true” magic would have been time magic, fitting a time/space motif between him and his brother. And that does explain a lot of things! They could come from an alternate timeline, or from the future, and decided to intervene and wake Rylie “earlier”, maybe to prevent something from happening? Or provoke something. Like Wallis’ crash. He reappeared and crashed two weeks after the magic show, approximately at the same time as Rylie woke up in the hospital. Are those two events linked someway or purely coincidental?

What it doesn’t explain is “how did they get here?”. —

This timey weirdness doesn’t change the fact though that the brothers view Rylie as family and are going to help her get through whatever may come as best as they can. I do not doubt the sincerity of that, and neither should you...

“BUT HE LOOKS LIKE PRISMA’S MURDERER! TRUST NO ONE!” I hear you exclaim in chorus with Rylie. And you would be right to be suspicious, considering that Yellow is set on Necessary Murder and Amadeus seems equally determined.

For one, however, we don’t actually know whether Wallis and Harold from  the dream are working together with Amadeus; we can only confirm that they seem to know of him. (“Other red-eyed magician? What did they look like?” then a meaningful look once Rylie describes a long black haired, red eyed magician.)

— Mod Green : We know that “Mancers could inflict their powers directly on the human mind”, so to be inside Rylie’s dream, they would need the help of a Mancer. You could make a case that Harold and Wallis are mancers, but their magic wouldn’t really allow them to visit a dream, unless Wallis can open a wormhole in people’s head. Who are our other options? Of the five Mancers mentioned, we have only met two : Amadeus and Prisma. However, I don’t think Ama would help his sons to wake Rylie up. In fact, he would probably have preferred that she never wake up again. 

When Rylie wakes up and try to explain her dream, Hobo’s face is.... dread.

What about Prisma? She seems to care a lot about Rylie, and would want her to wake up. She’s already trapped in some sort of Dreamscape so she must have experiences. Well I’m not so sure... Without Dream!Wallis and Dream!Harold intervention, Rylie might have met Prisma faster. What if they were trying to prevent that...? She’s the reason why Hobo fears her and Yellow wants her dead. 

We can scratch Amaryllis and Malus from the list of suspects. One went missing thousands of years ago and the other is more of a “physical violence” than “spiritual help”. Which brings us to Hyacinth. Out of all the mancers, she’s the most likely to have mind related magic (we will talk about that another time), and she’s possibly still alive in Ecoverse. What is her interest in helping Rylie? No clue, but we can’t dismiss any lead.

And finally... Harold. I said before that maybe his “real magic” was time magic, but it’s only one possibility. He seems pretty at ease in Rylie’s dream, flying around on a giant lollipop just because he can, while Wallis looks powerless. He even has his original color scheme, so contrarily to his brother, he’s not breaking rules by being here.

He is also the first one to notice that Rylie is waking up, and says that they have to go. Which means they can come and go whenever they want, and are not dependent on another person to pull them back out. Finally, Amadeus asked the lemon kid to watch on Harold, and specifically on his sleep. He is “sleeping well” and so “his risk is back down to almost zero”. 

The Dark Overlord gave Harold a false hat, but is he also keeping his real one away to prevent him from using his magic? —

Secondly, about Ama’s motives themselves:

The reason I am using this image is to draw your attention back to the moment where Wallis went into a rage. Yes, Ama here seems very much in control of himself,but he seems to be leaking Magic everywhere. Just like his son when in great emotional turmoil. Hm. Just like...

Here. But seemingly much less controlled, indicating that he might have been less cold than he let on back then...

This picture is one of my favorite Amadeus moments. He just threw a few bombshells at us: Rylie is someone important, he’s the Dark Overlord, he murdered Prisma, he won’t let something happen again, and on top of that, he’s Petunia’s husband and the father of Harold and Wallis! Plus he has the same general color scheme as his sons! (Note that he’s ALSO rule breaking: no hat nor wand is visible during his magic usage.)

So how could we trust them when they have moments where they look like a murderer who’s been tricking the entire cast for months!?

Well, to sum up, two reasons:

1) Amadeus acts out of conviction. Both when murdering Prisma (despite his possible unrest in the moment) and when giving Rylie her Hat back. We can’t know for sure about the first, but he did the second to protect those important to him and his sons. He even apologizes to Rylie. I wholeheartedly do not think that he will harm Rylie as long as he can avoid it. Whatever it is he wants to prevent, he’ll try to explore the ways that avoid killing the newest member to his family.

2) Wallis and Harold are still their own people. They will oppose their own father who was not there for them for most of their lives if it is to protect their little sister. Even their dream selves would do it, as I have discussed above. It would not match their shown intentions, even if they seem to know more.

In other words: We should currently be worrying more over Yellow and Virga than Hobo and the dream selves of his sons...

[dukereviewsxtra]

Duke's Monsterween: Scooby Doo The Movie

Hello, I'm Andrew Leduc And Welcome To Duke Reviews Xtra Where We Are Continuing Duke's Monsterween...

Where Yesterday On Duke Reviews, I Reviewed The Original Dracula, Starring Bela Lugosi But On Duke Reviews Xtra We're Going A Little Kid Friendly This Year By Reviewing Some Halloween Movies Done By Disney In An Effort To Somewhat Continue Our Look At Disney...

But...

We're Not Looking At Disney This Week, But Instead We're Going To Look At 3 Scooby Doo Movies This Week, Starting With Scooby Doo The Movie...

This Movie Sees Mystery Inc. Breaking Up After An Argument Between Fred (Played By Kanan Jarrus) Velma (Played By Hawkeye's Wife) And Daphne (Played By Buffy The Vampire Slayer), Leaving Scooby And Shaggy (Played By The Best Shaggy In The World) To Go Off On Their Own...

But Years Later When The Gang Is Invited By Theme Park Owner Emile Mondavarious (Played By Mr. Bean) To Investigate His Theme Park When People Start Acting Weird When They Leave The Park...

Will Mystery Inc Be Able To Put Aside Their Differences And Work Together For This Mystery?

Let's Find Out As We Watch Scooby Doo The Movie...

The Film Starts At The Wow-O Toy Factory Where The Gang Is Working On The Case Of The Luna Ghost...

(End At 2:51)

Once The Ghost Is Captured, We Get A...Pamela Anderson Cameo?...

No Offense, But Of All The Celebs I Would Rather See Have A Cameo In This Movie, Pamela Anderson Was Not One Of Them...

With The Ghost Revealed And Everyone Except Shaggy And Scooby Start Arguing As Fred As He Always Takes Credit For Velma's Plans While Daphne Is Just Tired Of Being Captured During Every Mystery...

This Leads Fred, Velma And Daphne To Quit Mystery Inc. Leaving Shaggy And Scooby To Go Off On Their Own...

Two Years Later, Shaggy And Scooby Are Asked By A Representative For Emile Mondavarious To Solve A Mystery At His Theme Park, Spooky Island, But Not Interested In Going To Anyplace With The Word "Spooky" In It, They Initially Refuse...

But When The Guy Says That There's An All You Can Eat Clause In Their Deal, Scooby And Shaggy Change Their Minds And Are On Board...

Going To The Airport, Shaggy Finds Out That Fred (Who Has A New Book Out) Velma (Who Works At NASA) And Daphne (Who Has Become A Black Belt)

Because It's Sarah Michelle Gellar And We Have To Make Use Of Her Skills On Buffy In Someway...

Have Also Been Asked To Go To Spooky Island As Well By Mondavarious...

But Only Seeing Shaggy, Velma Wonders "Where's Scooby?" Which Leads To Scooby Entering Disguised As A Woman As They Don't Let Big Dogs On The Plane...

But As Velma Starts Arguing With Fred And Daphne Again, Shaggy Tries To Play Mediator And Try To Make Them Realize How Great It Would Be If They Teamed Up Again...

Daphne's On Board But Only If Fred And Velma Are In, Which They're Not...

Once On Board The Plane, Shaggy Falls Head Over Heals For A Girl Who Likes Scooby Snacks Also Named Mary Jane (Played By Isla Fisher, Or As She's Called Nowadays Mrs. Borat)

And Yes, I Know Mary Jane Is Another Word For Marijuana, But To Me, It Is Just A Name, Let It Go!

But Unfortunately She's Allergic To Dogs So Shaggy Has Scooby Go Spend Time With Fred And Velma While Shaggy Gets To Know Mary Jane A Little More, But When Scooby Sees A Cat, He Starts Barking And Chasing It All Over The Plane...

With The Gang Arriving On Spooky Island, They Meet Emile Mondavarious, Who Notices A Slight Change In The Teens That Leave Spooky Island, Believing That It's A Magic Spell And They Definitely Notice A Change...

The Type That Causes Your Pants To Poop...

With Mondavarious Very Terrified And Scared For The People That Come To The Island, They Decide To Help Only Fred, Velma And Daphne Go Off On Their Own...

Later That Night, Velma Catches A Stage Show Hosted By A Man Named N'Goo Tauna And His Partner Zarkos, Who Tell A Story Saying That The Island Was Once Home To Creatures, Who Lived Undisturbed On The Island..

But When Mondavarious Built Spooky Island, He Antagonized The Creatures And Have Since Been Plotting Their Revenge...

Meanwhile, Shaggy Is Out On His First Date With Mary Jane, While Scooby Gets A Phone Call Saying That Someone Has Hamburgers For Him All He Has To Do Is Go Into The Dark Shadowy Part Of The Forest Where No One Can See Him...

Seriously? Did You Honestly Think Scooby Was Going To Give Up Hamburgers Even If It Was A Scary Voice On The Phone Who Told Him To Go To A Scary Place To Get Them?

Hell, No!...

But Unfortunately When Scooby Gets There, He Discovers That The Hamburgers Are Fakes And That There Was A Monster Waiting For Him...

He Tells Shaggy And Mary Jane About The Monster, But All They See Is A Guy In A Costume...

But As That Happens, Daphne Take With A Resident On The Island, A Voodoo Man, Who Warns Daphne To Get Off The Island And Stay Away From The Castle On The Top Of The Hill...

Despite Coming Up With Various Stupid Theories On What Might Be Up There, Daphne Gets Shaggy And Scooby To Help Her, Despite Refusing At First Because It's A Spooky Castle...

Joined By Fred (Who Followed Weird Footprints Up To The Castle) And Velma (Who Thought It Was The Most Obvious Place To Hatch An Evil Plan) They All Decide To Split Up And Search For Clues With Daphne Staying Where She Is, Scooby And Shaggy Going In Search Of Food...

And Fred And Velma Searching Other Parts Of The Castle...

But Someone Activates The Ride And Causes All Hell To Break Loose!...

(Start At 0:11, End At 2:15)

With The Ride Shut Down, Velma Finds The Secret Access Panel That Opens The Secret Room, Leading Her And Fred To Discover What Looks To Be A School For A Secret Cult...

Which Means It Could Only Be One Person...Granny Goodness!

Ok, It's Not Granny But It Could Have Been...

Meanwhile, Daphne Comes Across A Golden Pyramid That Was Left Alone In The Middle Of A Room, So, She Decides To Grab It, But Turns Out That...

Luckily Though Daphne Manage To Escape Before The Trap Fully Activates...

But As That Happens, Shaggy And Scooby Discover A TV Studio Where...Well...See For Yourself...

(End At 1:11)

With Alarms Going Off, The Gang Reunites And Quickly Fills Each Other In On What They Found Before Having To Hide From Henchmen Headed Their Way, One Of Them Being Zarkos, N'Goo Tauna's Right Hand Man..

Eventually Managing To Escape, They Head Back To The Spooky Island Hotel So They Can Fill Mondavarious In On The Clues And Their 3 Suspects Which Include N'Goo Tauna, The Voodoo Man And Mondavarious Himself (But Only Because He Freaks Fred Out)

While Daphne Researches Cults On The Net, Velma Looks At The Mysterious Pyramid She Discovers That There Is More To It Than Meets The Eye.,,

Talking With A Boy She Met Earlier, Velma Tells Him That She Believes That It's Called The Daemon Ritus (After Hearing A Guard Mention That Name While The Gang Was Hiding)...

And That It Describes An Old Race Of Creatures Through It's Inscriptions That Are Reminiscent Of Ancient Pandaemonous Texts Which Explain A Sort Of Ritual...

Eventually Velma Starts Reminiscing About The Past Which Leads To A Flashback About The Old Days Where We See Everyone And I Do Mean...Everyone...

Ok, I've Dreaded Coming To This Moment, But Obviously I Have No Choice Especially Since Since Some People Tend To Complain About This Character, Let's Talk About Scrappy Doo...

First Off, I Would Like To State That I Love The Character Of Scrappy Doo, I Think He Is Very Cute, Is One Of The More Memorable Hanna-Barbera Characters And Sidekicks And Is Not As Annoying As Everyone I've Heard Talk About This Character Believes Him To Be...

The Sad Thing However Is That This Movie Does Not Play To Those Good Traits...

They Make Scrappy An Asshole And A Complete Egomaniac

And I'm Sorry But I'm On The Side Of Mystery Inc, That Brat Needs To Be Taught A Lesson! Maybe Not As Extreme As Leaving Him On The Side Of The Road But Still..

Anyway, As Velma And Her Possible Love Interest With No Name Laugh At Scrappy's Expense...

Scooby Sees One Of The Monsters And Starts Panicking, This Leads Fred To Berate Him Before Telling Everyone That There's No Such Things As Ghosts Before Being Proven Wrong, 2 Seconds After Saying That..

Monsters Scour The Entire Hotel Kidnapping Nearly Half Of The People There, Including Fred, Velma, Her Unnamed Love Interest And Mr. Mondavarious, With Shaggy, Scooby,Daphne And Mary Jane Escaping Before The Monsters Got Them...

They Follow Them To The Area Where N'Goo Tauna Had His Show But Their Path Ends Up Blocked By A Stone Slab, This Leads Mary Jane To Call The Coast Guard But They're No Help As 2 Of Them Are Monsters...

This Movie Is Quickly Becoming Body Snatchers 2...

The Next Morning Everything Seems Back To Normal With The Hotel Repaired And Nearly Everyone Completely Back (Though Not As They Once Were)

Deciding To Split Up, Mary Jane Goes To Find Her Friends While Daphne, Shaggy And Scooby Look Around...

As Daphne Has An Encounter With Sugar Ray...

Not The Boxer, The Band!

Shaggy And Scooby Find Fred Only To Discover That Everyone On The Island Has Been Possessed By The Monsters As Daphne Gets Kidnapped By Zarkos...

(Start At 0:46, End At 2:12)

But As They're Driving, Scooby Discovers That Mary Jane Is A Monster As Well...

He Tries To Explain This To Shaggy, But He's Too Blinded To Even See It Leading The 2 Friends To Fight, But When Scooby Is Captured, Shaggy... Doesn't Figure Out That Mary Jane's A Monster But Decides To Put His Friendship First Before His Relationship...

Dropping Into The Same Hole That Scooby Fell Into, Shaggy Finds A Vat Filled With The Spirits Of Everyone Who Arrives On Spooky Island...

Hearing Velma's Voice, Shaggy Saves Her So She Can Go Back To Her Body So She Can Discover That The Creatures Are Weakened By Sunlight...

Shaggy Also Manages To Save Fred And Daphne Too (Whether Daphne Likes It Or Not) But There's A Little Mix-Up...

(Start At 0:46, End At 1:33)

Ok 1st, If I Were In Sarah Michele Gellar's Body, I'd Do The Exact Same Thing And 2nd, You're Married To Her, Freddie, See Her Naked On Your Own Time...

When The Gang Reunites, Daphne Gets Mad Over Fred Touching Her Body, But The Problem Is Soon Remedied By The Daemon Ritus Which Switches The Team's Bodies Until They're Back To Normal...

Seeing An Explosion Afterwards, It Leads Them To The Voodoo Man Who Was Doing A Sacrifice In An Effort To Protect Himself From The Creatures Darkopolips Ritual, Which Will Allow Them To Rule Earth For 10,000 Years...

Or In Other Words...

However, In Order To Pull It Off, The Leader Must Absorb A Pure Soul In Order To Do So, Thus...Scooby...

But The Question Lies Who Is Behind All This? And Unfortunately, It's The One That Brought Scooby There....Mondavarious, Who Convinces Scooby To Be His Sacrifice...

With Fred Still Wondering If Mondavarious Wanted Scooby Why Did He Bring All Of Them, Shaggy Tells Fred That It Doesn't Matter And That They Have To Save Scooby...

This Leads To Fred, Daphne And Velma Finally Reconciling So They Can Come Up With A Plan To Save Scooby...

With The Plan Set, Everyone Arrives For The Ritual Including Mondavarious And N'Goo Tauna, But As They Prepare To Start, Fred And Velma Are Discovered As Shaggy Joins A Bunch Of Henchmen In Bringing Out Scooby Which Leads The 2 Buddies To Reconcile...

But They Don't Run Off In Time And The Ritual Begins As Scooby's Spirit Is Taken From Him. Luckily, Shaggy Frees Scooby From The Spirit Pincher And Back To His Body While Hitting Mondavarious With The Pincer In The Process...

Going To Check On Mondavarious, Fred And Velma Discover A Possible Mask But Actually Mondavarious Is A Robot Who Is Piloted By...(Sighs) Scrappy...

First, Let Me Say That While This Is Defiantly A Disservice To The Character, This Was A Good Twist Despite Some People Thinking That It Was Too Obvious...

With Some Souls In Him, Scrappy Transforms Into Scrappysaurus Rex As He Reveals That He Brought The Team There To Witness His Moment Of Triumph...

Meanwhile On The Roof, Daphne Tries To Open The Vent So Light Can Enter The Cave As They Release A Skull Disco Ball Which Will Destroy The Creatures But Unfortunately, She's Confronted By Zarkos Which Leads The 2 To Fight...

(End At 2:46)

With The Souls Released From The Vat, The Creatures Are Ejected By Their Host Bodies As Scrappy Reverts Back To Normal And The Disco Skull Is Released Causing The Creatures To Go Boom...

Afterward Velma And Shaggy Reunite With Their Potential Love Interests, They Rescue The Real Mondavarious And Fred And Daphne Consider Starting A Relationship In Both The Movie And Real Life...

News Crews Arrive On The Scene, So Velma Can Tell Them All What Happened And Who Did It As The Gang Announces Mystery Inc Is Back Together...

We Get A Pre Credits Scene Where Spooky Island Delivers On Their All You Can Eat Deal And Shaggy And Scooby Gorge Until They Drop...

And That's Scooby Doo The Movie And How Is This A Bad Movie?

The Story Is Interesting, The Characters Are Funny, And The CG On Scooby (Despite Some People Saying That Gollum Was Better Done Than Scooby) Was Pretty Good And Lifelike...

Yeah, It May Not Have Been A Great Mystery But This Is Scooby Doo, Not Sherlock Holmes, You Want A Great Mystery, Then Go Solve The Mystery Of Your Huge Ego, But If You Want A Funny Mystery With Funny Antics, This Movie Is Definitely For You...

Till Next Time, This Is Duke, Signing Off..,

[whyisnicole]

Show Me Your Darkness - Chapter 10

Hey! I hope you guys are really, really enjoying! Lemme know what you’re thinking <3

You were killed at the hands of HYDRA but you came back stronger than you once were. They used you, mutilated you, silenced you, but they didn't break you.

After getting out, and making friends with a few super-allies, one villain is about to unite your worlds in a way you never saw coming - but at what cost?

After all, every good hero - or villain - has a tragic tale to tell. Don't they?

Warnings: GORE, Death, Sadness, Depression, Grief

"Wake up"

 "Y/N!"

 "Y/N, wake up."

 "Y/N Please!"

 "Wake up, Y/N!"

  Your eyes fly open and air rushes your lungs, your wings fluffed and chills erupting on your arms. You don't know where you are, what year it is, or who you are.

 Then it comes back to you.

You died, and now you're back.

 And you really wish that you weren't.

 "Hey, hey, hey, you're okay. You're alright."

The voice of Frank catches your attention. You take a breath, note that you're in a notable abandon home, no furniture, run down counters, ripped walls and chipped and creaky wood floors. The living area where you're sat is connected to an open kitchen with a degraded breakfast bar and empty dining area just beside the entry. All rotten, old wood with vines creeping up the sides of the walls. You're sitting on the floor next to the wall farthest from the door. Grungy windows to the sides allowing in the light of day, your three closest friends surrounding you.

 Frank.

 Wade.

 Matt.

 No Alex.

 But something catches your eye… a cloth. You can tell it's supposed to be white but it is stained a strong, sickening red. You barely manage to see the end of it, as the rest is hidden in the kitchen, blocked by the bar.

 You know what it means, but you pray your wrong.

  You take one look into Frank's eyes, then desperately bounce your gaze towards Matt and then Wade. None able to give you the answer you want. They don't even have to say a word. Their dropped heads, shifting, red and glossy eyes, and avoiding glances are answer enough.

 "Alex?" You barely manage to choke out a whispered plea, eyes bleeding into Frank and Wade for something, anything… But there's nothing. Your face has morphed into one of pure desperation. You're trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over your gaze and you hold a grimace across your features. Lips shaking, mouth tight and downturned, cheeks reddening, and you feel your breath begin to come in short, violent waves, causing your body to shake and lungs to burn as tears begin to mix with sweat and snot.

  "I'm so sorry, kid."

 Frank sighs, tears welled within his eyes as he maintains eye contact but shakes his head. His own mouth is grimaced and face is contorted, trying to hold back his own emotions.

Tears begin to roll down his face and it's damn near impossible for Matt nor Wade to stay composed as you let sobs  completely take over, wrecking your body. You scream as you grab your chest and double over, pulling your knees up, wanting nothing more than to hide away and wake up to a different reality. You wail, saying nothing but conveying everything. It is desperate, and raw, and painful and it expresses everything you're feeling yet nothing at all because there is no thing that you can say or do or scream to even begin to attempt to relay the pain that you are feeling.

 A physical pain has taken over within your body and you can't breathe. It is like your soul was ripped from you. You claw at your chest, weakly pound at the floor, and cry out. Wade is trying to hold back his sobs. He's sat, squatted above the ground about five feet from you yet not looking at you. Matt can't even raise his head. Frank just holds you as he lets his tears and the contorted muscles in his face be the only expression of emotion. His body is still, solid for you. He may be a soldier but he is also a dad, and to see someone who he holds so close, someone who he considers to be a child to him, feel this much agony - he can hardly stand it.

 Nobody can.

 "please. Please, no. Please," You're desperate. Begging to hear anything except the truth. You know what happened, but there's some part of you that is holding onto hope that if you don't hear it then it makes it not true.

 "Please!" You cry, eyes piercing into Matt as if he can maybe give you a different ending to this horror story.

 "Please, tell me! Tell me!" You know how this is going to go. You know that what you're doing is pointless.

 But since when has logic ever coexisted with emotion?

 You can't help how you feel. No matter how you know you should feel, or think, or act. You can't help it. You can't control it.

 Wade can't take it. He stands, walking over to the wall, taking a quick gaze out of a dusty, stained window, and hauls off into the wood paneled wall. Hitting it, over and over again until his fist is stained with blood.

 Matt lifts his head and wipes his face, almost as if he's trying to pull the stress from his mind but his hand gets stuck at his mouth. His thumb on one corner, following fingers on the other, and he just stands. Just exists. Not knowing what to do or think or feel. He's at a loss.

  Frank continues to hold you into him. Pulling harder, as if he's trying to shield you from the rest of the world. Hide you from its' cruelty.

 "I'm so sorry, kid," he whispers, not knowing what else to say to you.

 Someway, somehow, you hurt even more. You didn't think it would be possible, but the pain in your chest, that wicked burning, sinking sensation doubles. You choke on your air, rest your head back against Frank's shoulder, and soundlessly sob.

 "No! Please, no, God no!" You know how weak you must look, your voice coming out in a choked yet deafening screech, but you don't care.

Everything starts coming back to you.

 The fight.

 The first time you met.

 The first place you guys found and crashed in.

 The first stupid fight you guys had.

 The first time you fought together.

 The first time you saved her.

 The first time you couldn't…

  How? How are you all here and she isn't? How did you let her down like that? What even happened…

  "How?" You manage to croak out, eyes peeking open, looking up at Frank, then over to Matt, and then to Wade.

 "How did it happen?" Your teeth are gritted. You're angry about what happened, and you want answers, yet you're also struggling to get any words out without blubbering them.

 After a moment of silence, Frank starts, his gaze forward as if he's replaying everything within his mind.

 "She was gone from the start," he starts, jaw ticking, holding back his emotions in any way possible.

 "He uhh, it was bad." Frank grimaces, recalling the horrors from the fight.

He doesn't want to say it, and you don't want to force him to. So you take matters into your own hands, literally.

You reach up, grasping the side of his face and focus on him.

 Then it hits you.

 You see it through his eyes.

 You see the fight start. You see yourself get speared and lifted through the air just to be dropped on the concrete floor. Then you see Frank get blindsided, but he looks up in enough time to see Wade grasped by Carnage. Carnage drags him in view, just to show him, up close and personal, what was about to happen.

 "This is on you. You should have never come for me." He growls. He throws Wade to the ground beneath him, and looks over at Alex, still unconscious in his grasp.

 "NO!" you hear frank yells as he scurries to get up.

 But its too late.

 Carnage takes one good, hard swipe, and all is done for.

  He not only kills her,

He slices her right in half…

 You take your hand off of Frank's head and cover your mouth. You feel sick to your stomach; the blood is draining from your face and you can barely breathe. You look around the room to see the looks of sorrow on everyone's faces. You immediately look over at the stained cloth peeking around the corner of the kitchen and then close your eyes, not wanting to picture the horror lying underneath it.

 Wade still hasn't looked at you.

 You put your hands to your sides, palms flat on the floor, and slowly push yourself up. You sway as you stand, catching your footing and steadying yourself. Your eyes never leave Wade. You force yourself to take one step after another. It takes nearly everything out of you, yet you continue on.

 Until your standing right in front of him.

 He's still 'looking' outside. His face is scrunched into a pain-filled expression. Tears welled in his eyes and rolling down his face.

 You take one step closer, putting your hand around his jaw.

 He resists, but you're persistent.

 You force his line of to you, lifting his face. And it shatters your heart.

The look he's giving you is one of remorse. It is filled with regret and sorrow.

He looks like he wants to speak but doesn't have anything to say.

 You stare back, nothing but sincerity held within your hard gaze.

 "This," you begin, voice kept still, calm, and leveled.

 "was not your fault." You finish.

He tries to shake his head. He tries to look away. But you will not allow such a thing.

 You bring your other hand up and place one hand on each side of his face, looking up at him and holding still until he looks at you.

You can feel his sorrow, and it takes everything you have to keep going.

 "I mean it. What happened today, it is not on you. You understand me? Not. On. You." Your voce stays strong but your face begins to give way of what your feeling.

 Wade breaks.

He allows the upper half of his body to collapse, and you pull him into you. He embraces you and you embrace him. He's openly sobbing and hugging you. You just hold him back.

His sobs echo through the abandoned shack, and you can hear muffles cries of sorry, of him begging for a forgiveness that need not be asked.

 Your team is broken.

Nobody is ever going to come back from this.

 Your best friend, their loved one, everyone's partner in crime… gone. Just like that. Ripped away from you in a fate she did not deserve.

 And out of all the questions running through your mind, one is more persistent than the rest…

  Where is Carnage…