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therealityhelix · 1 year

Text

Shards of the Nexus: Orbital Unreasonance pt. 2

Puzzles continues to have a rough time. The balance remains extremely upset.

Song: Black Magic Woman-Santana

@cardwrecks @captainbaddecisions

?~?~?~?~?

“Look, I just need to speak with her.” Puzzles insisted. “I have need of her services, and I know you have a way to contact her. I don't.”

“Yeah sure. Course I do.” Swag said, regarding him a bit like a distant scientist regarded a lab rat. “Didn't think you got along so well, though.”

“She's fine!” Puzzles said hastily. Right. The twins were uncommonly fond of the weird little witch. Personally, he didn't dislike her exactly; certainly, she could be irritating at times, but he was not always the most pleasant person to be around either, and well aware of it. “A little slow sometimes, but fine!”

Swag's mouth stretched into an unimpressed line. Oh, why did he always say so much more than what he needed to?

“She has skills none of the rest of us do.” Puzzles pointed out. “I wish to employ them.”

“Sure, dude. Good luck.” He whipped out his phone and began texting. “Wait, you have her number? She has a number? Well, just give me her number, and I can contact her myself!”

“Sodium Hypobromite formula.” Swag said, and Puzzles paused for a moment to break the formula down into its atomic symbols. Then he ground his teeth in frustration and jumped for the phone, which Swag held high in the air, well outside the shorter mans reach. He was just about the climb the damned beanpole, when the phone buzzed in Swags hand.

“Oh, hey. That was quick. Just a sec.”

He brought the phone to his ear, keeping a hand solidly on Puzzles head, holding him at arms length as he casually chatted with Helix.

“-And you'll never guess, but Puzzlebox is here, and he's looking for you! So don't come over, he's extra nerdy today. Okay, take care babe!”

“What?” Puzzles exclaimed in dismay as Swag hung up. “What kind of petty, surly, uncivil-”

“Just wait for it.”

“Good afternoon, Puzzles.”

The young Riddler jumped and whirled to face the short woman. Her expression was neutrality spackled over amusement, and he couldn't help but feel as if they were sharing a joke at his expense.

“Um, yes. Good afternoon. I need to speak with you. Alone.” he glared at Swag. “I have need of your unique services.”

“Oh? Well, let's go into the library then.”

She led him there, to a room where the sound didn't carry. She was very familiar with the layout of Swags home, he noticed. Puzzles wasn't much of a gossip, but any information could be useful in the right circumstances.

“You want something magical.” she stated. “You'll have to tell me the specifics. There's plenty I can do, and plenty I can't.”

Puzzles actually had no idea what she was really capable of. Magic was an unpredictable, disordered thing that he hated thinking about. And he needed it more than anything else right now, so he would wade into those dark waters, and try to ignore the shapes that coiled about his ankles.

“Can you create a body?” he asked slowly, fully aware of how suspicious that sounded.

Helix leaned forward, gray eyes narrowed.

“How do you mean?”

“A living, human body. That a spirit could move into. Prince is possessed, and I need a place to put the other spirit.” Puzzles explained.

“A vessel for a ghost? You know, I've never actually met Prince?”

“Oh...he's my...” She had never met him? No, they couldn't have met, they were both still alive. He jabbed his finger at the door. “He's like them! But for me. And he's in danger right now. So can you do it?”

“No.” she said, and he flopped back heavily in his chair. Damn it, this had been his best idea.

“But I can do something else.”

He sat back up.

“Well? This is urgent, please do not prevaricate.”

“What I think you are looking for is an homunculous of a sort. That kind of alchemical prowess is out of my wheelhouse. But...and I don't like to do things like this, at all...I can create a Soul Jar. Do you remember?”

“Remember what?”

“Never mind. A Soul Jar is an object that can house a soul. Each one must be specially made per individual, but I know how to do it. I'll need to know a little more about your possessor before I do though.”

“He was one of us once, but he died some time ago. I don't know how he came back, but it wasn't...it wasn't the same as me. He did it on his own. I honestly didn't think he had the will. He was...hmm.”

It was imperative that he picked these next words carefully. He did not want to drive her away from helping him.

“He was athletic. A gymnast. Young, beautiful, energetic. As prideful and...driven as any of us. Will he be safe in this object? What if it breaks?”

“My enchantments can prevent that. He will be safe. I'll see if I can't pull some strings and send you on the right path to a better solution as well, but the Soul Jar will get him out of your Prince in the meantime.”

“It will do. Actually, it will be much better than the current situation. What's your price?”

“A favor, to be called in at a later date.”

“Oh, I hate that.” Puzzles said. “Are you sure the favor can't be a huge bag of cash?”

She shook her head.

“I know you don't have much experience with magic, so please understand. This kind of sorcery cannot, should not ever be purchasable with mere money. What's the price of a spirit, Puzzles? What combination of numbers can convey the value of a human soul? No one wants the answer to that.”

“I see...” Esoteric transactions could not be expected to follow a simple tradition of monetary exchange, could they? Some ingredients couldn't be bought. Hen's teeth, the sound of a cat's tread, a baby's first laugh, and so on.

But an unspecified favor at an unspecified time...It would have to be at least equal to what she was doing for him, wouldn't it?

It was uncomfortably humbling to think that he had nothing of equal value to offer.

“How long does he have?”

“I don't actually know for certain. Prince seems to think he will be gradually replaced.”

Helix stood.

“I'll meet you at home in four days time.”

?~?~?~?~?

It was a pair of slender jade bracelets, bound together by a dainty brass chain, with a matching question mark charm. They were also enchanted to be stronger than steel, and comfortably hold an entire human soul. They rested on a folded velvet cloth, on the coffee table in the main room of his home, and Puzzles and Prince stared down at them with a critical eye.

He could see no flaw in them, and Helix had demonstrated their durability by throwing them on the floor and stomping on them, but they still looked so...delicate. These little things were expected to contain Narci?

Narci had seemed larger than life, especially at the end. Could these elegant accessories really encompass him?

Helix certainly seemed to think so, though she looked a little rough today, hair a bit limp, eyes a bit sunken. She had said she didn't like making things like this. Perhaps they took a greater toll than he would have guessed.

“These are beautiful.” he said. “But I expected an actual jar. Why is it called a Soul Jar if not-no no-thank you for doing this. I know I am not efficient at expressing appreciation, but if this works, you may have saved a life.” he paused. “Or cost more than you could ever imagine. We'll have to see.”

“Why did you have to say that?”

“This Riddler could be...trouble.” And coming from him, that was saying something. “He died in a terrible state-”

“New Jersey.” Prince interjected, and Puzzles shot him a venomous look.

“-after doing some truly awful things.” he finished.

“And you thought I would refuse to help because of that.” Helix said.

“I would have.” Puzzles admitted. “All of us would have. Yes, him too. We...he was an embarrassment. And an uncomfortable reminder of what any of us could have become. But most of all, he hurt Family. He has not yet been forgiven, making this entire situation very unstable. I won't go into further details.”

“All right. I'll find out eventually anyway.” Helix retrieved the bracelets and approached Prince.

As far as Puzzles was concerned, Helix's survival instincts didn't exist. She was cheeky as a fly in the face of a lion. Like a gentle draft, she invaded their spaces, appreciated and annoying to various degrees. So quietly self-assured, so blasé about the danger she might be in, so overly familiar when caution might be the clearer path. In fact, she was about as daring as he was.

Yet Prince unsettled her.

He hadn't yet figured out why. Prince was...barely a person. He consisted only of the Riddler persona that Puzzles had built, representative of those protective walls, the mask he'd painted to distance himself from, compartmentalize the cruelty, coldness, and violence he'd felt he needed to perform in order to pursue his chosen path. He was the shameful thrill of power through fear, the source of guilt looming huge over him, the deeds that overshadowed his name, all sieved out from him like leaves from tea.

Prince did not claim the name of Edward Nygma. Prince was the Riddler, and nothing more.

Maybe that was Helix's actual problem. She got along with Unswag, because he and Swag were literally the same man, a whole man, a man she knew and cared for in every aspect. Prince was a costume who had gotten up to dance. A hollow creation, a scaffolding that had been meant to protect Puzzles, and had instead, nearly eclipsed him.

Perhaps she found it disturbing to gaze upon what looked like a friend, and see no human emotion in those frigid green eyes. A familiar face with all care carved away, leaner and meaner than he'd ever wanted to be. A body, a huge and powerful representation of all the things that had threatened to swallow him up, a voice full of the same sway and sarcasm, but capable of turning it on and off like a robot.

Inhuman.

She stood before Prince, clutching the bracelets, even more dwarfed by him than Puzzles was, and reached out.

“Give me your hand.” she stated. Prince raised an eyebrow.

“How forward.” he teased. “Sorry to break your heart little lady, but I don't feel that way about people. Leave the blushing and mewling to my weaker half.”

Puzzles scowled. Now was a bad time, but Prince had obviously picked up on Helix's discomfort, and that was as good as blood in the water to him.

If it had been Puzzles saying it, she and he would have fallen into mild bickering. They often did. But it wasn't him, and instead, Helix spun the bracelets around her finger a few times.

“I can always leave, you know. Technically, Puzzles hasn't paid me yet. I can leave, and take these with me, and let you be slowly devoured by the spirit that you invited in. It's not my responsibility if your little cry for attention didn't go as planned.”

Puzzles eyebrows shot up, and he saw the spark of outrage ignite in Prince. Was she trying to make an enemy?

“I'll remember you said that, little lady.” Prince said darkly.

“See that you do.” she said, grabbing his hand and slipping the bracelets on over his wrist.

“You're a fresh one, aren't you? Strong grip. Oh, I'll remember.”

Helix didn't answer. Instead, she spoke a quick series of words that sounded like gravel and glass in her throat. The bracelets chimed like bells, the sound growing, resonating deeper down than just his ears.

Prince trembled visibly, jaw falling open, eyes rolling back. He collapsed in a boneless heap.

“Hmph. No resilience whatsoever.” Helix sniffed. “And he thought he was going to intimidate me?”

“What...was that supposed to happen?” Puzzles asked. “Is he going to be all right?”

The caress of magic gelled against his ribs in a way he found deeply uncomfortable. It wasn't the swift, sudden inversion of Gray magic; it was like dizziness in his blood, like existing in more than one place at the same time.

Was that how she lived her life?

“He'll be fine.” she assured. “His spirit is weak, and the separation was hard on him. Plus, he tried to resist, just as I activated the spell! A true contrarian, that one.”

“You're not wrong. He's going to be angry when he wakes up.”

“I won't be here. I do have one more thing for you.”

She handed him a slip of paper, upon which were a set of complicated instructions.

“Find her, and she should be able to help you out with a body. She's an accomplished alchemist, but she may need you to provide some of the materials. Look up how an homonculous is traditionally made.”

He did, and instantly regretted it.

“That's disgusting!” he complained. “There is no way that actually works!”

“I honestly don't know. But you see why there may be some ingredients that she could not provide.”

“I'm not giving her my-!”

“I'm not saying you need to, just that you might need to be ready to gather some unusual things!” Helix cut him off. “You want this body or not? That's up to you. I've come up to the end of my ability to help. You have to go this last stretch without me.”

Puzzles sulked, still balking at the thought of what might be asked of him.

“I'll do what I have to, just...I hope it won't come to that. But...Thank you. For all of this. Your insatiable drive for meddling has been a great help.”

Helix rolled her eyes with a grin.

You're very welcome.” she answered.

?~?~?~?~?

Turn left at Kings Drive, and pass between the signpost and the cemetery wall, left foot first.

Count exactly one hundred and nine steps.

Spin clockwise once and continue for seventeen more steps.

At the alley, enter walking backwards until reaching the bricked up door.

Knock once each on the eighteenth brick from the bottom right, the thirty-seventh, and the fifty-fifth brick, then the tenth brick from the top center, all within one minute at exactly five o'clock.

Ridiculous. But the door opened nonetheless. A very tall woman in a badly stained lab coat stood in the doorway, waiting.

“Doctor Alcyone?” he asked. “I...I need you to brew me a miracle.”

It was the greeting he'd been given, as hokey as it sounded.

“Oh? So you're the pretty riddle the little spiral sent? Come on in then.”

Puzzles didn't expect normalcy from the interior of an alchemists abode, and he didn't get it. What he got were shelves full of bones, and jars full of...things, delicate arrangements of feathers and wire. Huge, weathered books, organic looking stones, and diagrams everywhere. A whiff of ammonia, rot, animalic and floral, alternating steps. Liquids bubbled in backlit glass, corked up gourds hung from the ceiling.

Those he eyed with suspicious disgust. 'Let it putrefy in a sealed cucurbit', huh? Absolutely repulsive.

Puzzles had looked up alchemy the night before, and had remained awake into the late hours, studying in fascinated horror. He'd never needed to give it much thought before, regarding it as simply a form of proto-chemistry, or more uncharitably, ancient grifting.

And it was a little of both of those things, but he hadn't expected all the religion and philosophy that also came with it. Or the messiness.

He'd thought it was all refining metals and creating new alloys, fine tuning techniques for the making of acids, cleaning agents, medicines, with a little medieval hocus pocus thrown in to make it more of a spectacle. He hadn't known how...organic, it could be. He had even known that an alchemist had discovered phosphorus, but he didn't know it had been like that!

“So, Madam Helix tells me you require the penultimate expression of the Great Work.” Doctor Alcyone said. Her voice reminded Puzzles much of the Detective; rich and musical, and full of smug self-assurance that they know just so much more than you. “I wonder though; why should I? It is quite the undertaking after all, and I can't just go handing out homonculi to every slick fellow who comes to my door, no matter how pretty his eyes are.”

Did many slick fellows come to her door? Did many people at all come to her door? The question hovered over his tongue, but he managed to keep it in. The atmosphere felt more severe, the doctor's gaze sharper, more probing, and the conflicting scents were effecting his head.

“Well, Doctor, a man's life depends on it. Two, actually.”

“And men die every minute. You know this well.”

Well, he didn't like that.

“All right. It gives you a challenge though, doesn't it? A chance to exercise your art?”

She scoffed.

“If you know I can do this, then I know I can do it. What challenge is there in something I already know I can do?”

Oh, so it was gonna be like that, was it? This woman might know Helix, but was obviously not as gormless as the family witch.

Or was Helix's affable personality nothing more than the esca glow, to distract from waiting anglerfish jaws?

Just how much had she been letting him get away with?

And this woman, this alchemist very clearly wasn't like Helix. Maybe that meant...

“How about a huge bag of cash?” he ventured.

“Now we're talking!” she snapped her fingers. “Plus materials.”

Puzzles cleared his throat, turning a bit pink.

“Yes, ah, the materials. Will you really be needing the, um...”

“Yes.” she stated flatly. “For a human sized body, I'll need about eight fluid ounces.”

“Eight!?!” Puzzles spluttered. “I hope you don't expect it to be fresh!”

“Oh no. Frozen is fine.”

Oh. Oh. Of course! “And...what else?”

She ticked off on her fingers.

“One large gourd, to begin with, any of this person's DNA that you can get hold of, the blood of an entire pig, and one wedding band worth of gold.”

“Oh, is that all.” Puzzles deadpanned. It seemed too simple.

She smirked.

“Some of that eight ounces does have to be yours.” she stated.

He scowled.

“Why?”

“Reasons.”

Puzzles groaned. Were all magicians like this?

?~?~?~?~?

Within the Soul Jar, he waited, biding his time. In here, he was functionally immortal, but it came with the added frustration of being completely immobile, and nearly unable to communicate.

Most annoyingly, Prince was pretending he could hear him, and having a once-sided conversation with his bracelets, putting words into his 'mouth'.

But he couldn't allow himself to be annoyed. He wouldn't be here without Prince. He owed him everything.

Yes, Prince, like Puzzles, was worthy of devotion. If he ever got out of here, he would dedicate his new life to them without question. Especially whichever one of them had gotten these magical bracelets. Prince had briefly mentioned someone new, but he hadn't been 'awake' during the 'transfer'.

Someone new? A new Riddler? Had someone come while he was gone? What was he like?

Motherly? Like-no.

Stern and intimidating? Like-no.

Innocent and struggling? Like-NO!

This was so hard. He knew when he clawed his way free of the flames, that a different kind of torment waited here. He would have to face what he had done, and who he'd done it to, but he wasn't ready. Not at all.

As a pair of bracelets though, there was little he could do. Prince carried him around everywhere, and spoke for him, even though he wasn't talking.

But he owed Prince everything, so if he wanted to wear him around as a decoration, then so be it. He would be happy just to be here.

Prince said they were making him a new body to live in. A new body. A new life. He would live again! He would be better this time, properly reverent to his superiors, like he should have been the first time.

Yes, he'd do it right this time. Just as soon as he could feel again. Just as soon as he lived again.

?~?~?~?~?

He was going to have to discard this false identity after this particular heist. It was simply too embarrassing.

He'd signed the fake name in fake handwriting, handed over the fake driver's license to the lady-why did it have to be a lady-at the desk. And now here he was, alone in this room, staring down the little cup and trying to muster up the courage to perform this part of his duty.

Puzzles felt that he shouldn't be this embarrassed about it. After all, his contribution would, in theory, be a priceless addition to this repository's collection. He was young, healthy. His brain was genius level in prowess. And damn it, he was beautiful, and he knew it!

Unfortunately for them, he wasn't actually here to contribute, and he was a bit embarrassed. He always had been shy about this sort of thing, though he viewed it not so much a flaw as a completely normal personality trait. Who wouldn't be put off by the clinical and nonchalant attitude toward something so very personal?

Well...Swag perhaps, but Swag did not have completely normal personality traits. He too, seemed larger than life, untouched by average concerns.

And kind of a super freak, but that was more Puzzles' opinion. He wouldn't be bothered by this. He'd be done by now. Where did he get that devil-may-care approach? Puzzles could really use a bit of that now.

He really didn't want to touch anything in this room, especially not the...facilitating materials provided. There was no way everything got cleaned as thoroughly as needed. But he wanted to help Narci and Prince...Why?

Prince was easy: Puzzles felt responsible for him. The man wouldn't even exist without Puzzles, he was culpable for his creation. As for Narci...

There had been potential there. Narci was different from the rest of them. He was not a born genius; he'd worked for it. Some of the others hadn't seen the value in that, but Puzzles could. He'd been more physical that the rest of them, had different skills. If he hadn't been so emotionally broken, he could have had a lot to offer.

Puzzles hadn't liked him, but he had seen the potential. And he hated to see potential go to waste.

Now there was a second chance. Puzzles wasn't obligated to help, but he felt the drive to anyway. He'd seen beyond the veil of the grave, and that changed a person. So too, had Narci, so perhaps change was due for him as well. Besides, ever since Prince had been separated out of him, Puzzles had begun to tire of the whole criminal game. The prospect of helping someone instead...the idea of it felt nice.

In theory. The reality of it was likely going to be even more annoying than what he was doing right now. But that would come later. For right now, he had made a choice, and set things in motion. He would see them through until the end.

Fifteen minutes later, he burst from the back of the building, red in the face and clutching a temperature controlled container under his arm. Orderlies followed him, but they weren't armed or anything, and he outpaced them quickly. He flung himself into his car and peeled away, hoping, begging, pleading with the universe that no one had recognized him. Yes, he'd given a false name, but his face had been on the news before, and he was horrified at the thought of seeing it there again, over a headline like “Esteemed Supervillain The Riddler breaks into sperm bank, steals ungodly amount of human cum.”

The things he did for Family.

He'd already visited the hobby store for a decorative dried gourd, and the thriving Chinese market for altogether too much pig's blood. Though he'd been dead and buried for two years, finding potential vectors for Narci's DNA hadn't actually been that difficult: Not all of Narci's old hideouts had been completely cleaned out, and in one, Puzzles had found a gnarl of his curly black hair in the long dry shower drain. Gross, sure, but it felt rather in the spirit of everything else that was going into this plan.

Now all he needed was the gold.

He'd saved it for last, knowing he would need the validation of knocking over a jewelry store after everything else he'd done today.

The security here was armed, and his clumsy smash and grab attack got their attention nearly instantly. He darted between bullets with a handful of rings, shouting riddles and insults over his shoulder. If he made a scene here, maybe no one would place him at the repository. Hopefully.

Returning to the doctor's lab was something of a pain, carrying all this nonsense while counting steps and walking backwards. She didn't even help him carry any of it, just led him back inside.

“Now let's see. Blood, gourd, oh, is that hair? That will do, yes. And...” her eyes fell on the cold case. “All eight ounces?”

“Plus three point seven milliliters.” Puzzles grumbled. “I've brought everything you asked for. This better be worth it.”

“Everything except the promised huge bag of cash.” Doctor Alcyone pointed out.

“Once I've got the body.” Puzzles insisted. “I'm not entirely sure I trust in all this malarkey. You'll get paid when I see the actual goods.”

The Doctor snickered. In the eerie light, Puzzles noticed for the first time how sharp her teeth were.

“Do you really think you have anything to bargain with here? Ah, she has spoiled you, hasn't she? Maybe if she weren't so damn powerful, she'd have had to put you in your place, and you'd know better by now. Oh well.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Pay it no mind. You should know, Edward Nygma, that you are well out of your depth, and the sharks gather, even now. Do not put blood in the water, boy. Once it starts, nothing will be able to make it stop.”

There was a quality in her voice that made him shudder inside, and he suddenly wondered if she really was, had always been, had ever been human.

“I'll just...go fetch that money, shall I?”

?~?~?~?~?

Prince was at the bar.

Well. That was different.

It was near closing time, and the scant handful of late revelers was giving him a wide berth, but he paid them no attention at all.

Swag recognized the group; he regularly had to sweep them out into the streets at closing, but tonight, all he had to do was jerk his head towards the door, and they took the hint.

There would be rumors. Prince had shown up in full Riddler regalia, and though Swag had never gone for the spandex and harnesses look, the green, and the bigass question mark on the chest would draw enough parallels.

“Evenin' your Highness.” Swag sidled up to the bar. “Anything I can get for you?”

“I'm only two years old.” Prince said, letting the deepness of his voice carry the sarcasm. Swag could almost admire his commitment to the bit.

“A'ight. How bout I get you some choccie milk then? A juice box?”

Prince frowned. “How about I wring your scrawny neck?”

“Aw, is someone grumpy? Miss your nap? Don't worry, you're only two years old. You can't be expected to keep up with the adults.”

“All right. I get it.” Prince grumbled. “Thought you could take a joke.”

“And I can dish 'em too. So, why are you here, anyway?”

“I'm just wondering about some things. About how all of you function as a group. The consanguinial implications of this whole Family business.”

“Feelin' lonely?” Swag inquired.

“Not for a little while now.” Prince said darkly. On his left wrist, a pair of elegant jade bracelets jangled musically.

“Then what?”

“How do you navigate these relationships? There is a hierarchy, clearly. How is it determined? And you, you gave it all up! You are not a Riddler. Why are you allowed in and I-” he cut himself off.

“And you aren't? What makes you think you aren't?” Swag fetched a clean cloth and began scrubbing the bar.

“None of you want me around. I am difficult. On purpose. I am unfriendly and unsympathetic. I am rude, standoffish, unpleasant to be around, and I like it that way. I am what I was made to be.”

“Does that bother you?”

“Not at all. I don't care very much about other's opinions of me. I don't care much about anything. But I wonder what it would be like if someone actually cared about me, like your little Family does for each other.”

“Hmm.” Swag swiped wide circles with the cloth. “Do you think Puzzles would offer his home if he didn't care?”

Prince snorted.

“Puzzles feels guilt over my creation. For inflicting me on the world. That's the only reason. He'd erase me if he could.”

“Eh, I'm pretty sure your head is as susceptible to bullets as anyone else's. If he wanted you gone hard enough, he'd have probably done it already.”

“About that...what if I did something awful?”

“Man, we've all done something awful!” Swag exclaimed. “Look who you're talking about. We're all the fuckin' worst. I mean, YJ might have the market cornered on 'Least Worst', since he never killed nobody, but he was still involved in some heinous shit, back in his day. We all just gotta decide what we're gonna do about it. I decided to walk away entirely. Detective kept the genius persona, but took it in a different direction. Arkham will be riddling till the reaper comes for him, and then he'll probably try to fistfight the psychopomp. There isn't really as much of a hierarchy as you think, there's just each of us finding our niche, and settling in.”

“But if I hurt one of you,” Prince persisted, “and then, say, I died. If someone hurt you and then they died, would you be satisfied?”

“Weird question. Can't say I wouldn't hold a grudge, but death is one of those things you kinda have to accept. Can't really be punished further than that, can you?”

“And if I then came back? Like Puzzles did. Would that grudge still stand?”

“Man, these are some specific-ass questions. You got something going...on?”

He'd noticed his twin creeping up behind Prince, eyes blazing bright cyan fire.

Swag was about to speak up when Unswag lunged. Prince whirled, catching the smaller man by the throat, and lifting him off the floor.

Prince was the tallest of their group by a good bit, and rather powerfully built, a physical representation of the strong man Puzzles had always wanted to be. He held Unswag in the air effortlessly and began to squeeze.

Swag snatched a length of pipe from behind the bar, and slammed it down with a loud bang. Prince flinched, and glared back at him.

“Drop him right now, or I'mma put your bones in alphabetical order.” Swag commanded.

“He is the one who attacked me.” Prince sourly pointed out, throwing his flailing counterpart into an awkward heap on the floor.

“And I'll give him a talking to here in a minute. Important part is, he ain't doin' it no more, right?”

Swag shot his twin a heated look. Unswag coughed, and refused to meet his gaze. Prince stared coldly at Swag, as if trying to decide if it was worth it or not.

The bracelets chimed softly.

“Ah?” Prince muttered quietly. “You like this one? Fine. I'm leaving. Never mind any of this, I'll figure it out on my own.”

He stalked out the door, and Swag let him, setting the pipe back in its place.

“Okay.” he said. “The fuck was all that clownshit?”

“Dead mans hands.” Unswag murmured, dragging himself to the bar. “Red strings. They pull her away from us. I won't allow it.”

Swag snapped his fingers in front of his face, and the blue light faded from his eyes.

“Yo, get a grip! What were you lookin' at?”

Unswag shook his head.

“Danger. He brought danger with him. We're in danger. She's in danger.”

Swag leaned in.

“How so?”

He continued to shake his head, shaggy hair fluttering.

“I don't-” he cut himself off.

“Okay, okay. Don't hurt yourself. So, you want his juice box?”

“I'll kill you.”

Swag shrugged.

“You always promise so much.”

?~?~?~?~?

Now we’ve really set things in motion! This chapter starring:

Helix!

Helix-1982* “The Witch”

Height: 5'0” Weight: 179lbs AL:CG

Body Count: Two (Accidental)

Danger Quotient: Negligible (Catastrophic)

Orientation: Cisgender Polyamorous Polysexual

Preferred Weapon: Magic

Favored Crimes: Trespassing-Petty Theft-Aiding and Abetting

Strong Points: Outside Perspective-Magical Knowledge-Social Contacts-Survival Skills-Advanced First Aid-Breaching Security-Social Legitimacy-Supernatural Contacts-Object Enchantment-Escape Artistry

Status: N/A*

*Helix's original world was contemporary, but took a very different historical direction. It was technologically very behind the others, and Helix is not very familiar with most modern tech.

*Helix was never a Riddler. She is included for her impact on the Family, and because they can't get rid of her.

Swag!

Swag/Unswag-1983 “The Hedonist/The Mirror”

Height: 5'11” Weight: 149lbs AL: CN-CG/TN

Body Count: Twenty-Two/Twenty-Four

Danger Quotient: Low/Low (Med)

Orientation: Cisgender Polyamorous Pansexual/Cisgender Demisexual (Bisexual Tendencies)

Preferred Weapon: Brass Knuckles-Knife-Improvised Weaponry/Cane-Revolver-Rifle-Knife-Taser

Favored Crimes: (Then) Kidnapping-Homicide-Assault and Battery-General Heists (Now) Aiding and Abetting-Possession of Controlled Substances/(Then) Kidnapping-Homicide-Assault and Battery-General Heists (Now) Petty Theft-Identity Fraud-Cyber Attacks

Strong Points: Social Legitimacy-Social Contacts-Finance-Security-Advanced Electronics-Advanced Computing-Force of Personality (Charm)-Advanced Building Renovation-Speed-Agility-Mixology-Basic First Aid/Finance-Security-Advanced Electronics-Advanced Computing-Advanced Building Renovation-Speed-Agility-Divination-Basic First Aid

Status: Reformed/Retired

Narci?

And Puzzles!

uzzles-1990* “The Center”

Height: 5'8” Weight: 159lbs AL:TN

Body Count: Seven

Danger Quotient: Med

Orientation: Cisgender Homosexual

Preferred Weapon: Revolver-Taser-Fast Acting Fear Toxin-Improvised Blunt Weaponry-Bare Fists

Favored Crimes: General Heists-Assault and Battery-Fraud-Cyber Attacks-Aiding and Abetting

Strong Points:-Retro Electronics- Advanced Recycling-Hybrid Electronics-Security-High Pain Tolerance-Social Contacts

Status: Semi-Reformed

*Puzzles world is contemporary, but several decades behind technologically.

With bonus sibling vibes!

They actually get along surprisingly well, considering it’s Puzzles.

#shards of the nexus #helix #puzzles!Riddler #prince!riddler #Swag!Riddler #Unswag!Riddler #Riddler Family

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nightskied · 2 years

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N. CRAIN: I was right here. I didn’t go anywhere. I was right here. I was right here the whole time. None of you could see me. Nobody could see me.

as a child , like most children , nellie hated thunder storms . they were loud and unpredictable and unreasonable , making her nervous . the mouth of the night opening to reveal the fact that the world was a tempest and she was just too small . her mother had tried the storms always pass line of thinking every single storm since nellie could remember , but of course by the time the second thunder roared , nellie was bolting in the noble quest of her parent's bed , to find their comfort and warmth .

after the storm at hi.ll house , nellie could never withstand a storm alone . the world had flaked on her that night , she'd finally become exactly invisible to everyone , and be it as it may , no matter how it yelled , she had never stopped being a certain kind of translucid after that , eleanor felt . the world had flaked , and suddenly she'd been shunned into the darkness of the unseeing eyes , the unhearing ears , the ghost - like touch . it just got worse .

the next storm after the things that happened at the house , nellie ran to her aunt's room , tried to find comfort , but the woman was particulrly cold to her , colder than to the rest of them . she didn't understand her , and nellie would grow up convinced that she hadn't even tried with her as she had with shelby , or even with theo . the boys were good enough , sometimes the light of her eyes . but no , she was put back to bed with several remarks on how storms were just water , and the sounds were just nature , and thank our lord and savior we are all safe and there's no droughts here or big floods like in the tellings . but steve appeared , because he always did . and he stayed with her , so every time after that when the thunder roared , she'd go to steve , and then to shelby , and then to theo and luke when the older ones began to trickle out .

during her teens , of course she tried , but each time luke would appear and get her out of her panic . because thunderstorms paralyze her . rain is fine , thunderstorms aren't . in a thunderstorm she was taken , still doesn't know where , and each time she's waiting for that to come back , for it to happen again , be real or stop being real again . so there needs to be an anchor .

( 1 )

#* nell crain.#* nell crain: meta.#* meta.

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justaratswriting · 3 years

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Batfam and Mental Health

orOkay so I love Batman and all the things surrounding it. Like the idea of a random rich man who happens to be an orphan just suddenly adopting a ton of children is ridiculous, and thoroughly entertaining.

But I am also a big fan of psychology, and learning about the mind. So mental illness and related things are fascinating to me.

I notice that like strangely there is very little stuff about the batfam having mental illnesses or dealing with psychology or therapy. Don’t get me wrong there is still a lot addressing these things, but still with the things the family experiences you would think it would be a lot more prevalent in the writing about them, and especially fan fiction about them.

Like I think showing mental health through beloved characters would be really cool and could be a tool to destigmatize them. Like showing hero's with them would make really great representation, people could see them and think Oh I can still be a good person and helpful even if my mental disorder makes it hard and for things like depression or ADHD showing which misconceptions are harmful and don’t work.

I can also see this in the physical aspect, like I wish a hero would have something like chronic pain or one of the many invisible illnesses. To give representation and show how pushing through the pain can shut a person down for days.

The specific disorders I think would be really interesting of the top of my head is, depression, Anxiety, POTS, Fibromyalgia, Chronic pain, eating disorders, nerve damage, ADHD, Bipolar, OCD, Chronic fatigue, PTSD, c-PTSD, Autism, Elhers Danlos syndrome, And the one I really think would be interesting DID.

Like fore depression, showing how hard it is to get out of bed. Not showing constantly being sad but showing how it can be numbing. Acknowledging that in a disorder like this logic doesn’t always win even if you are the most logical person to live.

For anxiety showing how debilitating it can be. Looking into their minds to show the thought process, the mind fight itself and logic. Knowing their fears are unreasonable but not being able to shake the feeling. Show how for different people different things cause anxiety.

POTS or Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, (super simply put it is a circulation disorder where upon standing up blood rushes to extremities and can cause all sorts of problems like fainting, pain in your feet, Dizziness, poor temperature regulation, etc. Also I am assuming people know what depression and anxiety is.) would be fascinating to me. Like having a hero that is constantly sitting down or biting down and pushing through the pain even a hero that has to slowly stand up. So in the middle of a battle being shoved down having to slowly stand up or risk fainting or vision completely blacking out for a while. Showing a hero who has learned to fight with no sight because of that very thing.

Or Fibromyalgia (This one I am a little less educated about but from what I understand, it is a disorder characterized by muscle pain and tenderness usually with no known cause, so from what I understand it usually is diagnosed after a ton of other disorders are eliminated and the pain is still occurring, often also has affect on sleep and memory/mood.) Like showing a hero having a particularly hard patrol and having to take a couple days off and constantly going places or trying things to help with the pain.

Or Chronic pain ( from what I understand the main difference between Fibromyalgia and Chronic pain is chronic pain has to do with the nerves and Fibromyalgia has to do with muscles, also Fibromyalgia has other thins to go with it like energy levels and mental functions so memory/mood.) Like a hero having constant pain even if they didn’t have a big fight, maybe showing them icing, heating, or taking pain meds and the rest of the family or team being super confused as to why. Before they know showing them freak out and worry that they went on a mission without telling anyone. Showing how it is a constant battle, that sometimes treatments will work and other times, for seemingly no reason they won’t.

I would also like to see eating disorders portrayed by the bat family. Showing how it’s not always a conscious choice, sometimes it is more along the lines of choosing something else over eating. Showing how people can use it for control or to punish themselves. Letting there be a male example, reminding people that they can happen to anyone. Allowing people to have representation. Show a recovery, how it is not impossible for anyone but not down playing how hard it is. It is a true and hard fight, and show how it can sneak up on you and drag you back. Not just one easy recovery, that recovery is a choice. You have to want it but you also need help, it is a long hard process and accessibility is everything. Show a family member making them food, show them sometimes eating it and others not. Also don’t only show under eating show how people can’t stop themselves from eating. Having cabinets locked to keep people out, for their own safety.

Or nerve damage, showing how years of their work and fighting can really mess someone up. Show someone suddenly losing all feeling or sensation in certain parts of their body or constant pain or even pinched nerves. Show how confusing it can be to not know what you are feeling. Show how weird it can be when you realize you are fine or that nothing is touching you or taking it in the opposite direction and not realizing you are hurt or someone is trying to be your attention. I would also love to see the batfam explain any of these injuries to the hero community or to the public. Maybe show the hero community really starting to look into mental and general health services.

ADHD or also ADD, showing how people can use it but also showing how hard it can be to control and fight. How much it can impede focusing and show situations it can put people in. Show a hero forgetting a huge part of their plan and falling but because of some random information from a hyper focus they still save the day.

Bipolar, showing the wild swings and how confusing it can be. Feeling like a different person, struggling with identity and their own decisions. Show them accidently pushing people away but also how hard they work to maintain family and friends that despite how unpredictable they can be their friends still stick around. Or if their friends can’t handle it show them peacefully and respectfully stepping out of their life. Show how hard that can be to except but that the future can end up better than you could ever hope.

OCD is really one I wish we saw in the hero's. Show their routines and things they do. Show the thought process, like if I don’t properly put the dishes away in fourteen seconds the joker will escape arkham. Show how terrifying the thoughts can be, but show how detail oriented it can make people and the beautiful art and amazing work that they can do. Show a person putting them selves at risk to comply with their routine. Like ignoring injuries to write a report. Show them and family or friends working to change the routine. Show how hard it is the moments they want to turn back and continue and how much they want to stop but show them not giving up and making the differences they want. Show them accomplishing things, show their compulsions actually keeping them safe.

Or even chronic fatigue, Show the fight each morning. Them saving energy, the disconnect between how exhausted you are mentally vs. physically. Show a hero that 50% of the time physically is too exhausted to be in the field so they offer technical support. Show a hero crashing, suddenly just not having enough energy to finish patrol or even get home. So someone has to come pick them up. Show them getting stuck in a fight and how hard it can be to do anything much less a fight.

Let the characters have PTSD or c-PTSD, show flashbacks and being stuck in your head. All of the bat family has lived through horrors please show it affecting them. Show how they get help how they work through it show what can happen and how bad it can get if it is unaddressed.

Show them having autism and how it is just a different way of life that there is nothing inherently wrong with it and how the ignorance that surrounds it and similar disorders can hurt and affect people. Show how it can be simple things that can show it or affect it. Try and look at it from their perspective and what things happen that should not just because they way someone is.

Elhers Danlos syndrome, show the pain, the misdiagnosis, the process, the fight. Show how disabilities like this and several others including ones I have mentioned can cause a person to need medical equipment such as wheelchairs and braces. Show how not everyone using a wheelchair can’t walk. Show how limiting it can be and the precautions you have to take but don’t make everything about how hard it can be. Show how using a Wheelchair while not ideal can open up so many opportunities. Show them actually being able to go on family vacations and amusement parks because they have a wheelchair. Show how important it is to have ramps and accommodations for similar things so people can participate and so people can actually go places they want. Always show how hard people with disabilities and such work. Show them trying to get treatment and trying new treatments show how it isn’t as simple as getting a knee brace or two.

And finally coming to one that absolutely fascinates me, DID or Dissociative Identity Disorder formerly known as multiple personality disorder. But don’t do this one completely uneducated, it is already a very stigmatized disorder. Show how Alters communicate. Show how they all work together and that they were made so the body and mind could survive. Make full characters just put them in one body. Show the confusion once they find out, show them slowly realizing and learning signs and what happened to them. Show each of the Alters having different friends and maybe understanding and knowing the family different. Show the different reasons and setups systems can have. Show system responsibility and each Alter working on themselves and to make a life for the system. Show the roles Alters will take. Show the horrible process of fragmenting and what things can cause it but also show healing and people supporting and accepting systems.

Overall showing good parts of all the struggles people can have but not ignoring how hard they can be or glorifying them to people who don’t understand. Showing misconceptions and how support can affect these disorders. And most important in my mind, giving hope and a future to look forward to for the people with these disorders.

#batman #chronic illness #mental health #batfam headcanons #batboys #bat bois #batfam

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whereflowersbloom · 4 years

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Let me heal you

Jason Todd didn’t hate Bruce or Dick. Nah. Waste of valuable energy. In fact, Jason respected, dare he say even admired his ward and brother. What he despised were their inflexible morals, or rather his family forcing their morals on everyone else. Specially him. We don’t kill. Yes, yes. Fine. What exasperated him was when Bruce decided that his morals applied to everyone else that he took issue. Including the black sheep of the family. He didn’t precisely kill, he let himself go for a single minute. He lost it one time. Batman gave everyone unlimited chances at redemption, except the Red Hood. One mistakes and he’s exiled. In the end it didn’t matter. Nevertheless, he was aware that was not the reason he was angry tonight. No. It was entirely something else.

He could hear her anywhere he was, no matter what time of day or night, what state of sobriety or inebriation, critically wounded. In the dark dangerous streets of Gotham, the sparring ring with the smack of fists and bodies, between the breaths he took as he was falling into the arms of Morpheus. He could always hear Raven. Foolish. She was too far from him. He lived and painfully yearned for her. She was soft curves and he was hard edges. She was a fierce and magical Phoenix while he was a fucking jay with broken wings and a delirious mind. What a catch, Jason.

It drove him mad, how much it didn’t make sense, at all. A soldier wouldn’t fall asleep to a lullaby, but rather the drumbeats of wrath and screams of his opponents. But she was that, for in each beat of her heart Jason heard the call to arms. These complicated feelings, he didn’t remember when they started surging in him. He tried to sort out his feelings, even though he knew that would hurt worse than the burning pain emanating from his cracked ribs. Tsk. He could use a cig right this second.

She was probably at the Manor with Richard, staying in the guest room which was Coincidently next to his old bedroom. And here he was alone, in his modest studio apartment. The pain of his bruised and broken flesh and bones was nothing compared to that excruciating knowledge. Jason rubbed his palms over his weary eyes trying to calm himself. Attempt to dampen the burning rage that was about to send him to a dark place in his mind he didn’t want to think about. He had control. He couldn’t lose control over the voices. Feel the boiling anger, burning in his chest, squeezing his heart. Let the eternal agony that burned through his blood and singed his eyes an unnatural green color. He left that fucking bullshit behind. He loathed the Pit for taking his chance to offer her something...relatively normal.

Since Artemis and Bizarro were gone. Officially, Jason was on his own for the first time in a long while. As he pulled his arms up to finish bandaging his wounds, his shoulders stung and in a gasping breath Jason quickly dropped his arms. He was useless. The pain was worse today than it usually had been. Probably from all the previous battles against Black Mask and his personal army of mercenaries. They had become a pain in the ass. Perhaps a short visit to good Doctor Tompkins would have been a better idea. He cursed breathlessly.

A knock at the door was his only warning before he turned around to see her. Raven opening the door and striding in as if this was her room and not his. Not that this was the first time she sneaked into his apartment.

She was here. It wasn’t a vision or product of his imagination or effect of high dosage of painkillers. He swallowed hard as he found himself speechless, mind blank in her presence. With her dark cloak and hood down, serene expression and looking at him with intense amethyst gems.

He paid a high price after using the pit to have his life back and this anew tremendous strength. But there’s something else, something he’d never felt before. A pull in his chest, as though someone had tied a string to one of his ribs and it was tugging on it, gently but insistently, coaxing him towards her...She was his answer. For a half-demon goddess she was the closest thing to heaven to him. The wings of freedom.

“What is it?” Jason growled harshly. It wasn’t a threat. He simply didn’t want her to see him like this. In such a weak position that he couldn’t even patch up his own damn body. Those little bits of his bloody past stopped him from reaching out to her. What right did he have to ask her to love him despite everything? Indeed he paid a high price.

“Came here to gloat, little bird?” He spat poisonous words with a half smirk. Poisonous words and threats were all he ever had. He closed his eyes, breathing slowly, deeply, getting air into his lungs, refusing to be beaten by this, refusing to be anything less than civil and let her see right through him.

There was no answer. She watched him closely for a moment before slowly closing the distance between her and him. As if she was nervous that he would order her away. Like last time she had been here, her palm caressing his cheek with such tenderness he had forgotten it existed. Her breath was warm against his neck and he was dying to mutter ‘please stay’.

What a joke. Jason Todd. Unapologetically and insanely in love with the little Raven. A Titan. Each atom of his body breathed longing into the space between them, aching to be with her, love her as a whole as it should be. But with a fractured mind, chained with firm mania cuffs. So hateful and yet insanely in love with this creature capable of drowning him in his ashes.

“I came to offer my help healing you but if you don’t want then...” She studied throughly his figure for a solid minute but at his reaction, furrowed forehead formed a thin line. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to regain her elegant composure, taking a step back.

He quickly wrapped his hand around her wrist to stop her from leaving. It was our of instinct or his body ice cold starved for a ray of light. He kept his face clear of the pain his shoulders felt at the movement, but Raven’s eyes flickered to them. A flash of genuine worry. Why he couldn’t apologize and be a gentleman like the golden boy. Damn it. Manners Todd.

“Are you mad at me?” Raven asked serious. She twisted her body around to face him yet she didn’t pry her wrist from his grip that had gentled as soon as he halted her.

Did she want the truth? No. He was mad at himself for not fighting for her. For being weak. For his wickedness. For all his bullshit. But the beat in his chest was now pounding like a hammer against an anvil, erasing the other sounds around him. He could only focus on her.

“No.” Jason forced a chuckled though it lacked the usual mirth. “I’m not mad at you. Which is surprising considering we are usually infuriating each other every other day, sunshine. Missing me much?” Letting her go was far more unbearable than his cracked ribs. She continued staring at him deciding whether he was telling her the truth or guessing what game he was playing tonight.

He felt his body tense in anticipation of her answer. Did she miss him? Did she think of him as often as he did? He considered briefly sending her away though every fibre of his being rebelled against the action.

Raven knew she shouldn’t be here but yet she found herself coming anyway, despite her rationality telling her to run, to flee, to hide, to forget that she ever came here…But something deeper, something stronger, urged her forwards. She didn’t dare fight it any longer. Yes. She missed him every second since their last encounter. She bit her lip out of habit. She was a Titan and he was an outlaw. Different sides of the coin.

“Jason.” Her free hand stretched for his that had loosened from her wrist. His callouses scraped across her skin and she found herself enjoying the touch perhaps too much for her own good. She recalled the last time they made contact. First he gave into it like a malnourished kid offered a piece of bread, but then he rejected it unreasonably. So adamant on pushing her away. Not this time.

Raven let out a heavy and deep sigh.

“How long do you plan to continue this ridiculous dance? Running around in circles.” She asked him openly with a soft voice. Her heart seizing painfully tight in her chest.

As long as it takes for you to leave me, he thought to himself. No answer.

“Jason” Raven repeated his name until his eyes met hers, it was a combination of lake blue and cyan. Impossibly beautiful and perfect, usually brightening with amusement or laughter, slightly shadowed by regret. Except now they were dull with contained sorrow. Let me heal you. All the hurting parts of you.

“Are you ashamed of me? Is that why you reject me?” She spoke with a cracked voice and glassy eyes. Doubting her worth snd pride wounded.

What. No. No. Hell no. The least he ever wanted was to hurt her. His fists clenched with frustration. How could she ever think he was ashamed of her? He adored her with his broken and dammed soul. He was ashamed of himself.

“I’m not ashamed of you.” Jason said with a shake of his head. “I’m disappointed in my own weakness. I could never be whole...” He admitted out loud with the weight of his past deeds and his unpredictable future. He inhaled deeply as he ruffled his dark curls.

She narrowed her eyes in understanding, wetting her lips before speaking. “Jason. You’re stronger then you think. You can deal with this. Don’t let this ruin who you are and what we could have.” She whispered softly, words caught between mustered courage and steady resolve. Voicing the possibility of a ‘us’. There was no point denying their attraction at this point.

One moment he was standing there. Motionless. Then he was moving, moving towards her, closer, before he’s quite given his body permission to do so because he couldn’t just stand there and not hold her.

At that Jason stopped breathing for a moment and his eyes shot to her. He wrapped his arms around her frame, tightening a fraction. His eyes were filled with something Raven was unsure of how to describe even with her empathic abilities. It was a mixture of emotions she couldn’t keep up with. Something she’s seen in him before but no one else.

Surprise. Fear. Worry. But over all happiness. Yes happiness and divine peace.

He stared down at her, a rational protest rising in his throat, the terrified assertion that she can’t help him, she can’t put up with this side of him. The rage and the voices and his uncontrollable anger. But in her eyes he found the answer. She’d already made up her mind. As if she was saying ‘I choose you’. Him. The damaged not charming and righteous Dick.

She could feel Jason’s volatile emotions call to her, voice hoarse and raw from his injuries but distinct and sharp, piercing straight to her soul. Pleading with his spirit. “Please…Stay with me.” She automatically snaked her arms around his neck. Her touch. Merely touching her used to be enough but now he couldn’t get enough.

He had been terrified by what her touch had inspired in him at first, terrified of what he might be able to do to her body if she let him…The things he wanted ro do to her. But unable to stop thinking about it, craving it, his lips on her neck, his strong, hard body pressing hers into the wall of his apartment, not caring anymore about his own physical pain. He pressed a passionate kiss to her lips.

Jason had never believed in soulmates, that was folks tales for mindless romantics. This didn’t change his mind about the topic. One thing was certain, if there was a person whose edged fit his perfectly regardless of the roughness, that would be Raven. She was darkness herself but in his mind she was the sun encasing him in gentle warmth. The stars were meant to reflect in her eyes. If there was a heaven, Raven was the owner of his.

Small jayrae prompt for @alerialblu @ravenfan1242 @amaati @niahti @jasonrae117 @catyypss 💜💖

#jayrae #jason todd #red hood and the outlaws #dick grayson #teen titans #bruce wayne #alfred pennyworth #batfam #dc fandom #dc universe #raven roth #writeblr

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loveisneurotic · 3 years

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Kaguya-sama Blind Reaction/Analysis: S1E1

Hello everyone, this is my blog which I am currently using to react to and analyze Kaguya-sama: Love Is War much more seriously than I should analyze any romcom.

I have only seen the first episode of the anime, which this post shall explore using far too many words. If I'm feeling particularly motivated, I may read the manga as well.

My analysis will contain spoilers. If you're thinking of watching this show and haven't seen it yet, I recommend you at least go check out the first episode yourself before reading any further. I don't know what the rest of the show is like, but what I've seen so far has been both entertaining and thought-provoking.

I'm going in mostly blind, but not entirely blind. There are a few images of the anime and manga that I have been exposed to, although without the attached context. Due to cultural osmosis and the sheer popularity of this work, perhaps that was almost inevitable.

Figure 1.1.1: Why did this guy write an essay about a single episode of an ongoing romcom?

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War

Season 1 Episode 1

I Will Make You Invite Me to a Movie / Kaguya Wants to Be Stopped / Kaguya Wants It

Power dynamics in relationships

Figure 1.1.2: Immediately, the mangaka's tastes become clear.

I heard a saying once that really stuck with me: "The partner who cares the least has all of the power."

In the world of dating, I often sincerely believed this saying. You may yearn for someone's affection, but the other person need not give it to you until they are willing and ready. No matter how much you want it, you can't make someone more interested in you, unless you resort to being roundabout, such as adding some mystery and intrigue to your courtship. But is that excessive?

I once felt a potential lover slipping through my grasp, and before I knew it, I found myself chasing after them. As I was yearning for their attention, I felt as if I'd lost my dignity. It was humiliating. Painful. Was it just that they weren't the right person for me? Or was I not funny enough? Not charismatic enough? Not interesting enough? Too clingy? Too talkative? Should I have been more distant and given them more space? Did I seem too weak? Too eager? How should I have maximized my desirability? Regardless, I had surely lost. Perhaps they wanted the satisfaction and validation of conquering me. Playing me for a fool and asserting their superiority by being so distant. Isn't that right? Or is that just insecurity speaking? At what point is it ideal to cut one's losses and walk away?

If someone desperately wants the object of their affection to desire them, does that make them pathetic? Does it make them a loser? If you show more vulnerability and desire than the other person, does that truly make you the weak one in a relationship?

These questions plague our two protagonists and seem to be a driving force behind the main conflict. Since I have also grappled with how much to reveal my own feelings of desire, I find Kaguya-sama: Love Is War to be a particularly fascinating show.

Desire without action

Figure 1.1.3: Our protagonists are gifted with impressively high academic intelligence paired with impressively low emotional intelligence.

The show wastes no time in introducing us to our two main protagonists. Kaguya was born into a family of high stature (and says "ara ara" frequently enough to power a small country of weebs), whereas Shirogane is a "commoner" (Kaguya's word, not mine) who worked hard to reach the pinnacle of the student body. Like timid schoolchildren, they're crushing on each other, and yet they refuse to admit it due to their pride. Instead, they focus on getting their "opponent" to confess their love first.

What stuck out to me immediately is how they both have different ideas of what their relationship would be like. Shirogane envisions Kaguya as blushing, shy, and conventionally cute, whereas Kaguya (thankfully) envisions herself taking absolute dominance over Shirogane (which plenty of people should see coming as a character trait after the anime's very first scene). The bad news about this is that their two fantasies are at odds. The good news about this is that the mangaka has fantastic taste -- you can learn a lot about a storyteller based on the characterization of a love interest or lead character of the author's preferred gender.

In the event that the two of them become an actual couple, I wonder how on Earth they'll reach a compromise as to how they'll treat each other. Perhaps they will have to figure that out before they can even get that intimate.

I appreciate that we get to see both of their perspectives. It hammers home how everyone has a different truth in regards to what they desire and what they experience, and the show does not hold back when it comes to showing just how different these truths can be -- such as a certain lunch-themed sequence that I will talk about later. This works to great dramatic and comedic effect.

That said, when you spend your time fantasizing about what could happen instead of actually taking action, time is not so friendly to you.

Half a year passes.

Figure 1.1.4: Two geniuses dedicate their pride to wasting their life and energy.

Immediately, I got the impression that whoever wrote this segment of the story knows what they're doing. This is too real. And by "too real", I mean I very much appreciate the realism. How many of us have waited for ages (or for eternity) to confess our feelings to a specific someone?

This is the curse of having a crush and being incapable of acting on it. It's also why I hate having crushes.

Manufacturing affection in others, AKA the extraction of vulnerability

Figure 1.1.5: A plan is devised to weaponize jealousy in the name of affection.

To express your truest feelings means being vulnerable. That implies taking a risk and feeling responsible for any potential consequences of rejection, as well as putting our dignity on the line. It would be so much easier for the object of our affection to make themselves vulnerable instead. So instead of being direct and honest, we act indirect. We drop hints. We act suggestively, but not explicitly. We may even place them in situations where we think they are more likely to confess. If they don't pick up on it, we can pretend we didn't mean anything by it. That way, we don't have to risk our dignity. We can just wait for them to make the move.

It sucks.

Incidentally, it sucks even more when both you and your love interest are thinking that way.

It sucks infinitely more when both you and your love interest are COMMITTED to thinking that way.

Someone has to break the deadlock, whether that's immediately or eventually.

If this show isn't one of those romcoms where the status quo never changes ever (judging by the quality of writing, I have faith that it isn't), then at some point, either Shirogane or Kaguya is going to have to be explicit about how they really feel. And it's going to feel scarier to them than anything else they've ever done.

It's gonna be great.

If we could all grow up and live in environments where it's safe and encouraged for all of us to be honest about how we feel and what we want, surely love would be much less painful for so many people.

Chaos theory

Figure 1.1.6: If your prospective lover won't protect you, then your friend definitely will.

Chika is the ideal wild card and agent of chaos in this arena of love.

From a writing perspective, Chika is immensely useful. The mangaka probably could have gotten by without a third character in the mix, but she serves as a catalyst and an unknown element, able to create unpredictability and subversion of expectations. For a comedy-oriented story, this is invaluable.

Blissfully unaware of the mental turmoil that plagues our two lovesick dorks, she is able to unintentionally invalidate whatever schemes that Kaguya or Shirogane spent so much mental energy on, which adds extra comedy and tension for the audience. She is also an effective vehicle for Kaguya's jealousy and projection, as seen in the lunchbox scene which I have so graciously foreshadowed.

Figure 1.1.7: We have confirmed visual on an unidentified fourth person. Chekhov would love this. From their posture, I wonder if they'll be a gloomy character?

Misunderstandings and assumptions

I've heard that most interpersonal conflicts in life emerge from misunderstandings. In the absence of communication, assumptions are born and give rise to misunderstandings.

You may know where I'm going with this. Let's talk about the lunchbox sequence.

Figure 1.1.8 (not pictured because tumblr wishes to deny me of my image spam): Kaguya is too prideful to admit she thinks that a couple is doing something cute.

Figure 1.1.9: Pride is considered a sin for a reason.

From a writing perspective, I was impressed by the lack of romantic intentions in Shirogane in this whole sequence. Not once did he try to get Kaguya to show vulnerability to him. Instead, Kaguya is the only one spinning the situation in a romantic way, while Shirogane's driving force is the misunderstanding that Kaguya is looking down on him for what he eats. Because of this misunderstanding, Shirogane doubles down and makes his food even better, making the situation even more complicated and more stressful for Kaguya. This was definitely my favorite comedy sequence from the first episode.

I appreciate that the show has demonstrated the ability to create these scenarios where one of the characters doesn't even have love on their mind, but there are still romantic thoughts coming from the other character which drives the drama. It gives me a lot of faith in the variety this show will have to offer, and makes me excited to watch more.

When it comes to comedy rooted in misunderstandings, it is important to have miscommunication or lack of communication. In order to resolve a misunderstanding, you need to talk about it. For a pairing as dysfunctional as Kaguya and Shirogane, expecting healthy communication sounds highly unreasonable, which makes them prime material for a whole world of misunderstandings.

Misunderstandings are rooted in assumptions about what the other person meant when they said something or made a certain gesture or expression. When Kaguya glared at Shirogane and his food, he didn't even think to ask "What's the matter?" He just made an assumption about how she felt. I wonder if trying to understand Kaguya's feelings would be considered a sign of weakness by Shirogane?

A prerequisite to initiating an emotional conversation is the desire to understand or be understood by the other person -- assuming that your assumptions haven't already built a narrative for you. It is far easier to make assumptions than it is to attempt any sort of understanding.

In the end, Shirogane fled, unwilling to confront or attempt to understand the intense and passive-aggressive Kaguya. Kaguya feels that she cannot directly ask to try his lunch, so perhaps this is the closest she can get to initiating such a conversation with him at this time. Despite their mind games where they imagine the reactions of their opponent, they still have a lot of difficulty understanding each other.

I am curious to see if this prospective couple's communication skills and emotional intelligence will improve over the course of the story.

The burden of potential romance

Figure 1.1.10: Even the infallible genius Kaguya succumbs to superficial jealousy. It's "mind over matter" versus "matter over mind". That's how the saying goes, right?

Chika is a free spirit, able to ask Shirogane for whatever she wants without being neurotic. That is the power of not being bounded by a crush. Kaguya, who lacks that degree of freedom, briefly loathes her for experiencing something that Kaguya cannot ask for. It's amazing how much someone's feelings for a friend can change without a single word being spoken between them. All it takes is an action, unintentional or not, combined with the raw strength of insecurity. Just as quickly, the status quo can return back to normal too, with the act of properly making up.

To Chika, asking for food from someone doesn't mean anything at all, whereas with Kaguya, it is an admission of defeat. In that sense, a relationship that will only ever be platonic brings peace of mind, whereas a relationship that can be potentially romantic brings leagues upon leagues of anxiety if the outcome is of great concern.

Love is neurotic.

Is love worth the pain? For some people, it is not. For others, the reward is immense -- but only if you can make sure your relationship with this person doesn't end up being a nightmare for your emotional health.

Love and self-identity

The final scene of the episode surprised me in a good way. It's a brief departure from the comedy, and reveals a more heartfelt side of the show.

Kaguya's servant asks her an insightful question. It is substantially more insightful than I would expect from any romcom: "If you fell in love some day, would you wait for that person to confess their love, like now? Or would you confess your love?" I found myself immediately curious to hear Kaguya's answer, since I knew it would be highly informative about her character.

"If that time comes, I would consider the risk of someone stealing him first and come to the one rational conclusion." Even in the realm of love, Kaguya seems precise and calculating. It's as if she hesitates to give a straight answer, but then she confirms: "Of course I would go."

Figure 1.1.11: "Please understand."

It is not embarrassment or rejection that Kaguya fears; it is the absolute destruction of her identity and sense of self. Kaguya is the daughter of a family that practically runs the country. In her mind, everyone yearns for her and wishes to serve her. Turning that around and reaching out to another person to express her own desire would be a direct contradiction of that. It is probably a similar situation for Shirogane, where the infallible self-image he has built up is being put at risk during his romantic duels against Kaguya.

Kaguya clearly feels trapped. She and Shirogane see each other as threats to be conquered, but in reality, they both share a mutual enemy that is much more imposing and insidious: their own simultaneous disgust at the idea of vulnerability.

Their freedom is dominated by their insecurities, and so, even despite their impressive stature, they are still very human. Their upbringing that has lead them to become so accomplished may be more of a curse than a blessing, due to the resulting pride and self-image they likely feel pressured to uphold.

It is hard to cast aside a lie that you have bought into for your whole life.

If our two protagonists wish to have a chance of establishing a healthy romantic relationship, they have a lot of their own demons to overcome first. If they cannot set aside their pride and reach mutual understanding, they have no hope.

Until then, they will both remain trapped in a hell of their own design, however tragically comedic it may be.

My hopes for this story's future

I can tell that the mangaka, unlike far too many writers all over the world, actually seems to have a solid understanding of romance and the conflict that arises within. I've watched too many anime that place huge focus on the "will they or won't they" crap which never runs any deeper than one or both of the characters being too embarrassed to just say what they're thinking, without any sort of convincing mental blocker. In that case, it's clearly just manufactured drama which is designed to pad out the story and waste your time rather than pose interesting questions and themes. In the case of Kaguya and Shirogane, the two of them have substantial communication issues which are depicted in a comedic yet mature way, which I have found engaging.

I very much hope that the show will more deeply explore the themes and questions surrounding the ideas of vulnerability, emotional intelligence, and superiority within relationships. Kaguya and Shirogane have been set up to be great vehicles for such exploration, and I hope the mangaka can capitalize on that, especially if our protagonists can confront these issues directly.

My impression is that the ending will make or break this story. If the mangaka can pull it off well, I can already believe the payoff will be hugely satisfying.

Of course, in order to get to that point, we'll have to see a certain something. It has to do with the most sacred word amongst romcom enthusiasts: "progress". Indeed, after spending chapters upon chapters watching two characters bumble around amidst the same exact status quo, those little signs of advancements in a relationship are highly rewarding.

Underneath all of their aggression, if we can see Kaguya and Shirogane slowly open up to each other and realize the benefits of vulnerability, I think we could witness something really beautiful and really emotionally cathartic.

I've still only seen one episode, but I believe the mangaka has laid a fantastic groundwork for a series and can do a great job developing upon what I've seen so far. On that note, I will surpass our prideful protagonists by opening my heart to this story and entrusting it with my vulnerability, believing it can deliver satisfying development and resolution. You can do it!

Closing thoughts

I did not expect to write so much about a single episode of an ANIME of all things, but here we are. If only I could conjure this kind of power back when I actually needed it in high school English class!

The first episode alone is already so rich with characterization and themes that I managed to find quite a lot to talk about. Given how much I found myself relating to the characters and some of their situations, it's clear to me how this show became so popular. Not only are the animation, direction, and writing excellent, but also many people can probably relate to love feeling like a battlefield.

I do not want to believe in the idea of winners and losers in relationships. That idea creeps into my head whenever I'm having trouble keeping the interest of a new date, and I find myself wondering where those thoughts even come from. Lately, I have been reflecting on the way I relate to other people. Perhaps I've started experiencing this show at a time in my life when I most needed it, and that's why I felt driven to write such a large analysis.

This show poses some very interesting questions about romance that I do not actually know the answer to at the time of writing. I do not know yet how much the show is actually going to explore these themes. Regardless, I appreciate how this show is helping me reflect, and I am curious to see if and how the mangaka will answer some of the questions brought about by the story's themes.

This is a show that I'll most likely have to pace myself with. There was so much to process in this first episode alone. If I went any faster, I'm not sure if I'd even catch all of the details and character moments. I'm excited to move onto the second episode soon.

A highly subjective footnote about my cultured tastes

I'm glad that Kaguya is a sadistic dom with a gentle and vulnerable side, solely on the basis of that being my favorite personality type in a love interest. It also helps that it makes Kaguya's fantasies that much funnier with Shirogane acting so out of character. I feel like this show was made for me.

What was I writing about again? Oh yeah, writing a gigantic wall of text about an anime romcom. Somehow, I spent an entire day on this essay. Hopefully someone got a kick out of it.

#kaguya sama: love is war #analysis #long post #reactions

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bittywitches · 4 years

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Gone in the Night - Pt. 1

| Schedule + Event Info | Masterlist |

Summary: Y/N and the twins are looking for a fun Halloween adventure, but it seems they’ve gotten more than they bargained for.

Warnings: Explicit Language

Word Count: 3k

A/N: It’s finally here! Hope you guys enjoy this spooky treat <3

Tags - @brockdolan @livelaughlolobelle @grxysgxrl @guiltydols

• • •

The house itself should have been enough of a warning.

It was an old building, the only one in the neighbourhood that hadn’t been torn down to be reconstructed into bigger houses with much less yard space. It’s grey and blackened wooden walls looked brittle. It seemed unreasonable that the house hadn’t toppled over in the late evening breeze, but it stood firm. Even so, it was uninhabitable still, as the skirting around the sides had been torn off. The front porch, however, looked like it had been torn up and out of the ground as if it were a vegetable a farmer had carelessly plucked out of his garden. The wooden support legs from the front could be seen halfway up, pulled through the earth. In Y/N’s mind it seemed only plausible for something like a tornado, maybe an earthquake to have caused that kind of damage, though she knew that wasn’t possible. While California had many earthquakes year round, usually none were great enough to cause too much damage. Plus, she had a deep feeling that this had nothing to do with unpredictable weather. That feeling made her want to puke.

The railing of the porch stood up at an awkward angle, some of the poles snapped and broken, other’s splintered. The backside, the part connected to the house and leading to the door, had sunken into the dirt, so the entire surface was tilted. Looking at it from the front, seeing the empty dark space below the base with the support beams sticking out of the ground, Y/N couldn’t help but feel like the weird positioning of the porch disturbingly resembled a mouth. She found herself leaning to the side, looking past the beams and the staircase into the empty abyss below the porch, as if waiting for something to appear. It seemed childish looking back on it later, but she was half-expecting a pair of glowing yellow eyes to materialize. But she shook her head, scolding herself, because the only thing she’d probably find under there would be a family of raccoons.

The more she stared at the house however, the more things she found that eerily resembled a face. The dirty and tinted windows at the top with their broken shutters and cracked glass felt like a pair of old eyes, watching as people passed by. There was a dormer that was conveniently placed almost directly center of those windows further down, looking like a crooked nose. She could barely see the top of the roof, but noticed missing shingles, underneath them being ashy gray squares, as if bald spots on this menacing figure. And of course, the deep and dark mouth of the porch with it’s rusty wooden teeth did nothing but send shivers up her spine.

Her sickly feeling only intensified when she realized how starkly this reminded her of 29 Neibolt street. This house, however, did not have a number; she could faintly see the markings of a number near the front door, but the metal plates had either been teared off too long ago for the contrast of the wood to show, or the degeneration of the house over time had simply just taken its effect. Either way, Y/N surely was not eager to look back under the porch now; for if she were to be faced with a sickly leper, she’d most definitely shit her pants.

“So, what’ll it be?”

Y/N and her two friends stood on the front lawn of the lean dwelling, the grass beneath them dry and crunching beneath their feet with each step they had taken. It was funny; she wasn’t really sure how they’d even ended up here in the first place. She remembered them deciding to go buy pumpkins… Grayson was eager not to put off decorating any longer. They’d piled into the car, but… had they bought the pumpkins?

“I don’t know man, these are a bit pricey.” Y/N finally looked away from the house at the sound of Ethan’s voice, only for her attention to be caught by the eager man flaunting the tickets in their face.

That’s right, tickets. This was an event of sorts. A haunted house? Something like that, she thought he had said.

“Why, but it’s a buy one get two free special, you won’t find anything else out there,” he spoke, more directly to Y/N than the twins behind her. Of course, they’d been walking down the street- but why again? Was this near the patch they were going to? Whatever the case, the man had seen them passing by, stopped them with his vivacious attitude and grand voice, barking about the great deal on these tickets.

Y/N looked at the man. He wasn’t a pleasant sight to see. His sunken and hollow eyes seemed almost skeletal, his pale skin an ashy color against the darkening sky. He was tall, unsettlingly tall for a man who looked ancient. He was around 6’1, bordering 6’2, which only freaked Y/N out even more considering he loomed over the twins, the two of whom she’d always thought herself to be quite large. The man’s lanky body parts seemed disproportionate to his narrow frame, his bony arms dangling awkwardly from his sides, his hands seeming too big for them. The wrinkled fingers of his left hand gripped firmly onto the tickets, though they did not crinkle or bend under his touch. They alone seemed to be the one thing in front of her that were crisp, clean, perfect. Almost too perfect, and it hit her in a bad way, almost as much as the outfit the old man had on.

His outfit was one you’d see a vintage carnival worker wearing, one who sat inside a ticket booth at the front of a circus, for example. He wore a stiff white dress shirt, blindingly white compared to his stale fingernails and his yellowing, stained, and chipped teeth that showed with every creepy, crooked grin. The shirt was much too large for him, however, the cuffs of the sleeves coming down to his thumbs. But it didn’t feel like it was too big; no, it felt like the man had shriveled up in his clothes, withered down into the frail man he was within the cotton. He had a crisp suit vest on top, with white and red stripes running down vertically. It too seemed weird, awkward, almost like a protective guard more than a piece of clothing. A bright red bow tie was tied at the base of his neck, matching the color of his shoes, but much of them were covered by his overly large white pants. The same pattern of colours were seen on his top hat. It had a short and flat top with a narrow brim, a pattern of red and white lines going around it.

Now, all of this Y/N could get by with. So the man was a little strange, and he was a bit eager to get rid of the tickets in his hand. What was the big deal?

But there was just something about his face that irked her. The details of his wrinkles, the spots on his forehead, the random tufts of hair from his ears and his nose, the dangling ear lobes and the non-existent eyebrows. His sunken in eyes, almost swallowed by his skin, the bags of them highlighting the yellowing whites even more. His terrible cackle, his horrifying grin. All of these things, but something deeper, some other visceral gut reaction within her told her that something was off. She just couldn’t place it.

“What do you say, my lady?” The old man garbled one more time, raising an eyebrow and giving her a toothy grin, only making her shudder once more. The man raised a frail arm towards the house, gesturing towards the door.

“A haunting experience awaits.”

Y/N’s eyes followed his arm and his gaze, settling on the tall black door resting shut. It gave her a similar vibe to the void under the porch, like something was lurking just past that thin piece of wood. It was an ebony black, a stark contrast to the greying planks of the house. You’d expect the paint to be chipping, but it looked like a fresh coat. It actually seemed to be the one thing from the house that hadn’t been touched by age, other than…

The staircase.

God, why hadn’t she noticed the stair case?

While the porch had been ripped well out of the ground, the staircase leading up to it, the one she had leaned to look around into the darkness under there, was perfectly intact. The wood was still perfectly symmetrical, no splinters, no cracks. It had a different hue compared to the rest of the wood, it didn’t look aged, weathered, or beaten up like the rest of the house did. But how did she not notice it? She swore she looked at it when they first passed by… she’d seen a squirrel scurry across it. It hadn’t looked this new then, did it? No, it seemed blended into the rest of the house, but now… It was distinguishable. It had a presence.

It was still connected to the porch, but somehow still firmly grounded into the earth. This seemed impossible to Y/N, if it was still connected, shouldn’t it also be ripped out of the ground? Wouldn’t there be cracks in the wood from the pressure?

Apparently not. All Y/N could think was that the staircase felt like a long, winding creature. A snake or a serpent grasping onto both ends of this creepy house and the world in front of it, growing and shrinking along with it’s changes to keep it anchored to reality. To provide a pathway to what lies within.

But then again, it could just be her imagination. She had been watching a lot of scary movies recently.

She turned to look behind her at the broad twins, them in their sweaters and sweatpants, Ethan with his hands stuffed into his pockets and Grayson with his hoisted on his hips.

“Sounds like it’ll be fun.” Grayson piped in, a small smile appearing on his face. Y/N’s eyes fluttered over to Ethan’s, and he gave an encouraging nod as well.

She sighed. It was the Halloween season. What better time to get spooked? “Alright. Why not?” She replied and took two wrinkled twenty-dollar bills from the wallet she had stuffed into her back pocket, and handed it to the man, who let out a screechy giggle when he plucked it from her fingers. He placed the three white tickets into Y/N’s hand, leering at her almost maliciously all the while, making her shrivel back.

“A wonderful decision, you won’t regret it.” The man almost carelessly stuffed the money into his back pocket, then clapped his dry hands together.

“Alright folks, “ He threw his arm up in an over the top gesture, His voice seeming to magnify in volume as he did so. “Step through the Stygian door to discover what awaits. Remember-” His other hand came up to suddenly grip Y/N’s arm, his cold palm making her gasp. He drew her close to him, his crooked nose inches from hers when he gave her another foul grin.

“Time is precious.”

He released her, and she stumbled back into the two boys behind her, their arms coming up to keep her balance.

The man stepped back from them, spreading his arms out in a demonstrative gesture as he did.

“Good luck,” he cackled, stopping when his foot met the pavement of the road. He tipped his hat at them and bowed, looking up one last time so they could meet his old eyes. “And have fun escaping.”

A sudden screech came from behind the group, causing Y/N to jump once more, and the three whipped their heads towards the house. A murder of crows squawked and cawed as they flew from the roof of the house, somehow still clear in the darkening sky. There were so many, it seemed like they were spilling out from inside the house.

Y/N let out a nervous chuckle. “Alright, you sure put a lot of effort into your effects-” she turned around.

But the man was gone.

Another shiver went down her spine. She decided to push that feeling of unease away, however, sure that it was just an act the man was putting up for extra effect.

“That guy gave me the creeps,” Ethan mumbled, and Y/N chuckled at him half-heartedly before clearing her throat.

“Alright, come on.” She and the twins made their way towards the house.

Y/N hesitated before stepping onto the stairs, cautious of the darkness so close to her now, even more aware of the strangeness of the porch’s architecture.

But she shook her head. She wasn’t going to let a bundle of nerves stop her from having a fun Halloween experience.

She and the boys walked up the steps, the three of them irked that they didn’t hear the expected moans of the floor-boards.

Y/N took a deep breath. She grabbed the black door knob, twisted it, pushed it open, then stepped over the gap caused by the sunken porch, and into the house.

“What in the Hocus Pocus is this?” Ethan asked, getting a laugh out of her and releasing the tension in her tight shoulders.

Inside, they were greeted with a furnished living room, though it still didn’t look like anyone had lived here in decades. The paint was chipping, wallpaper was peeling, the room just felt musty and old. The walls and ceiling were a yellowy colour, with stains covering many spots. A deep maroon carpet at their feet covered the dark brown planks of the floor, and extended into the center of the room, leading to the old rustic looking couches and coffee table arranged in the middle. A fireplace was placed at the left wall, soot covering the insides and surrounding area, much like the dust covering almost every other surface. A mounted deer rested high above the fireplace, feeling like a sort of gatekeeper for the room they had just entered. It’s dark beady eyes shouldn’t have bothered Y/N as much as they did.

“This is literally some rich dead old white guy’s house.” Grayson finished his brother’s thought, walking into the room, which was dank and dark, the window at the back of the room not helping at all since it had grown late.

“So your guys’ house in fifty years or so.” She followed him, Ethan at her heels behind her.

Ethan scoffed. “Shut up.” He walked past one of the couches, dragging his finger across the leather material only to recoil when he saw how much dust he’d picked up.

“Okay, so where do we start?” Grayson asked, squatting down beside the coffee table. “We’re probably looking for something escape-roomy. A key? A button? Switch?” He ducked his head under it, probably to see if there was anything on the underside.

“I guess so.” She walked past him towards the fireplace, the cobblestone border and burnt up kindling seeming to call at her.

Ethan headed over to a cabinet against the back wall, with some ornate frames settled atop it. Grayson, after finding nothing, got up and walked over to the opposite side of the room, stopping in front of an oak door. He tried the handle, but it was locked. He turned back towards Y/N, and nodded towards the door. “I’m assuming we’re trying to figure out how to get this thing open. To actually start this whole thing up.”

“It’s locked?” Ethan asked.

Grayson rolled his eyes. “No, I just pretended it was for shits and giggles. Yea, dick-for-brains, it’s locked.”

“Damn okay jeez,” He muttered, turning back to the cabinet. “Don’t know what’s got you all worked up.”

Grayson breathed out. “Sorry. Think I’m just a little on edge. Didn’t think I’d be this spooked already.” He turned back to the door, jiggling the handle again before letting his hand fall.

“Yea, that guy was weird…” Y/N crouched down beside the fireplace, leaning her head in to get a better look.

“He looked a million years old.” Grayson added, his voice sounding distant behind her.

“Haha, yea-” Y/N turned her head to the side to look up through the chimney, thinking there may be something hidden up there, only for her eyes to meet two beady red ones.

“Holy SHIT!” She yelled, and screamed when a pair of fluttering leather wings shot down through the chimney and into her face, making her fall on her front into the charcoal and soot of the fireplace.

“Fuck it’s a BAT!” Ethan yelled, flinching away from the spazzing creature.

“GET IT OFF!!” Y/N screeched, pushing herself up and swatting her arms around her. Grayson ran forward to try and help, but the creature swooped down and stuck it’s tiny claws into Y/N’s back pocket, grabbing the three white tickets. Before Grayson could reach it, it flew up into the air, then darted to the other side of the room.

“Are you okay??” Ethan asked, rushing towards Y/N.

“No! That was a fucking BAT-” but she and the boys were interrupted by a loud rattling sound. They turned their heads to see the oak door shaking, almost vibrating, when it finally slammed open with an enormous whooshing sound, a sudden burst of air and wind shooting through the doorway causing the door to slam against the wall, chips of the crumbling paint falling to the floor along with a cloud of dust forming when it did so. The tiny bat, somehow hovering right in front of the door, seemingly unaffected by the currents coming through, flew through the door into the darkness of the other room, still clutching the three tickets in its claws, blending into the sea of black.

The three friends blinked. Slowly, Y/N got up, doing her best to dust herself off before turning to the two brothers, the shocked expressions on their faces still apparent.

“Well,” She pressed her lips together. “I guess it’s begun.”

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otonymous · 4 years

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(Otonymous’ Follower Milestone Celebration): Choices - A Letter From Shaw

Shaw extends you an invitation. Will you pass it up?

Warnings: PLEASE NOTE!! - Angst, allusions to infidelity, love triangles, violence and intercourse, SPOILERS for the following: Chapter 20 (MS), Gavin’s “Rumours & Secrets: Little Guardian,” and Shaw’s identity. Please note that Shaw is legally an adult.

You unfold the sheets of lined paper, hastily torn out from a notebook...[More after the cut!]

Transcript:

If I could take back what I said, I would’ve. I never meant to hurt you, let alone make you cry.

Guess you were right when you told me I was just a boy and not a man. Unlike Gavin, because that’s who you were thinking of when you said that, right? It’s okay. You don’t have to deny it to spare my feelings. I certainly didn’t spare yours.

If I told you that I can’t get you out of my head, would you find any consolation in that fact? If I told you that every time I close my eyes, I see your face; tear-streaked and red, hands balled into tight fists by your side like you wanted nothing more than to punch my face in? In the end, I almost wish you did. Pain like that, I can deal with. But the pain of having my brother’s ghost hang over you - over us - every time we’re together? That’s another kind of torture entirely.

I thought I knew pain. Was so confident I could deal with it again like I did when they ripped everything and everyone I ever loved away from me like it was nothing more than removing a band-aid. But life is as cruel as it is unpredictable, sending you my way to heal my fractured heart only to break it again.

You must really think I’m just another snot-nosed kid, easily appeased by smiles that don’t quite reach your eyes because when you look in mine, you see Gavin’s. So I spend my nights wondering when — and how quickly — you’d drop my hand to grab hold of his when my brother finally wakes up, when he realizes at last that the woman he’s been treating as nothing more than a stranger is the same girl he’s loved since forever.

And isn’t that why you love him? Because he’s loved you for so long? And if it’s all just a numbers game, would you have chosen me if I were the older sibling? You always brush me off, saying I’m too young for you. Well, I was certainly old enough to make your body feel the things it did that night, wasn’t I? Don’t forget that it was my name you screamed when you ran your nails down my back. You can’t tell me any other man has ever done that before, not with how you couldn’t look in my direction without blushing afterwards.

“We are never doing this again,” you had said, head in your hands as you repeated the phrase over and over. Were you trying to convince me or yourself?

I’m not Gavin, and I don’t want to be. I’m no longer that naïve little kid who lived for nothing more than to emulate his older brother. He’s got his own path in life and I have mine. So no, I will never treat you the way he treated you: the valiant knight guarding his queen, keeping her under glass in order to keep her safe.

You may have judged a book by its cover, but I’ve always seen you for who you really are: an amazing woman, more than capable of holding her own. So I refuse to coddle you. Sure, you trip up more times than I can count, and you sometimes behave in ways that makes me wonder who’s really the older one between the two of us, but I’ve never doubted your strength or your fortitude. I’ll be there to lend a helping hand when you stumble, protect you when you need it. But I’ll also be there to call you out when you’re being unreasonable, stubbornly insisting on shouldering such a large burden all by yourself.

No, I’m nothing like my brother. He loved you first, he loved you for longer. But you’re sorely mistaken if you think my feelings for you would ever come in second to his. When it comes to you, I could never be the bigger man. So call me a child if you must, because there’s no way in hell I’m letting you go without a fight.

Well, there you have it: the truth laid bare. My truth, at least. And now that the ball’s in your court, I think you owe it to both of us to be honest with yourself, just this once.

So I’ll ask you again...for the very last time:

Will you stay with me?

Shaw

Thanks so much for reading! Check out more of my work here! 📓

#otonymous 2020 ms #ms event #mlqc #mr love queen's choice #love and producer #mr love dream date #mlqc shaw #mlqc ling xiao #love letters #my writing

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kinetic-elaboration · 3 years

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June 25: 2x24 The Ultimate Computer

Belated notes on my watch of The Ultimate Computer yesterday.

Kirk’s definitely in Captain Mode today. You can tell when he’s on edge and suspicious and serious.

Yet another old Kirk friend. Does he know everyone in Starfleet?

War games lol. But it’s “not the military.”

Spock is super into this computer.

A-7 Computer Expert Certification.

The crew’s not needed? Wow, okay, this is going to end badly.

“This gadget.” How do you really feel, Kirk?

And there’s Spock literally making faces behind the Commodore’s back. He is soooo that type. He’s like “Jim, are you hearing this? Can you believe this guy?”

I’m insulted on Kirk’s behalf right now. Replacing people with machines so blithely is offensive.

Of course Bones doesn’t like it.

Oh yeah triumvirate walking scene. I love them. it takes so little for me to think ‘what badasses.’ S2 is really stepping up this dynamic in particular.

And Spock is comfortable enough around Bones to be sassy around him

Oh no, the computer is already glitching, and there is no backup and no plan B.... Bones is completely right in his assessment. This is essentially a Titanic situation: way too much hubris involved. Nothing can go wrong so nothing will go wrong so we’ve planned for nothing going wrong!

McCoy has BFF Clearance. He can go wherever he wants.

“It’s the M-5? What happened to Ms 1-4?” Channel #5.

Ahhhh little gratuitous touch to Spock’s arm. They’re In Love.

“There are certain things men must do to remain men.”

“The right computer finally came along.” Damn Bones.

Jim’s suspicions about the computer coming right after that line make it look like he’s jealous that Spock likes it so much.

He’s getting a “red alert right here.” Computers don’t have that kind of intuition.

Jim’s so thoughtful and self-aware. He really cares both about his instincts and about interrogating those instincts for bias and unreasonableness. This is giving me real S1 vibes: the quiet, intelligent, idealized hero Captain at the fore.

This whole scene is perfect, eminently quotable, and sounds exactly like something that could have been written about automation in 2021. You’re okay with it when it’s happening to someone else but then the computer comes for YOUR job....

Uh-h, M-5 is turning off all the lights...

Space merchant marines... good to know.

HOW are the Captain and CMO “non-essential personnel”? The first sign that M-5 is illogical. They should bring some doctor on the landing party mission given that uh humans are going on it and might get injured.

Anyway I can’t wait for Kirk to destroy this bitch and save the day.

Lol it turned off the lights on Bones in sickbay.

Damn, now it’s trying to take Uhura’s job too!

Chekov is so bored.

Spock wants to serve under one man and one man ONLY. Loyalty to one man... sounds like a wedding vow... and Kirk looks so soft...

So, if Spock has to describe to McCoy what that (unnecessary bitchy and catty) “Captain Dunsel” remark means, by saying that it’s a phrase that “midshipmen use at Starfleet Academy,” is this to imply Bones didn’t go to Starfleet Academy?

He’s never felt so at odds with the ship.... a lover’s quarrel...she’s cheating on him with another man...

Jim Kirk, certified Poetry Nerd. He’s such a romantic.

So glad Bones got him a drink so he can return to the bridge and a possible emergency with just a little bit of a buzz going.

Spock in the chair...

Huh, an automated ship with no crew. Interesting concept.

Oh no M-5! She’s got control of the ship and she won’t let go!

Kirk’s face when Enterprise attacks.. the betrayal... his beautiful lady used for mindless destruction.

“Only a robot” ship--! Bones is insulted.

Kirk orders the computer turned off but we’re only halfway through the ep so...

....And the computer is sentient now.

That was the shortest Captain’s Log ever. “The computer has taken over the ship the end.”

Scotty’s like, “...Well what if we just unplug it?”

Okay so now they only have 19 crew.

Spock and Bones are on point today. “Don’t say it’s fascinating.” / “I won’t. But it is... interesting.” This bitch knows exactly what he’s doing.

The computer isn’t a child, guys!

We need powerful computers “so men don’t have to die in space”--like uh that man your computer literally just killed?

I don’t get Daystrom’s logic at all. He talks as if people, like, needed to do work in space, to survive or something. We don’t need to. We want to! We want to go out and meet cool aliens! This guy is no fun.

What is the thing “greater” than fact finding in space that the robots are going to free us to do? Like what is more impressive than SPACE? I don’t even get that.

Time to mix up fake sci fi world-building references with real references! The Nobel and Zee-Magnee Prizes. Sitar of Vulcan.

A theory emerges... the computer acts illogically...Daystrom won’t let Spock near it... I know this isn’t where this is going, but it kind of sounds like they’re implying it’s a scam, lol. He sold an idea he didn’t have so it’s like.. not a real computer.

Spock’s little protege, Chekov.

“We have been pursuing a wild goose.” Aw, bb’s trying so hard to be colloquial. (Also he 100% learned that phrase from McCoy in The Gamesters of Triskellion and now he’s trying it out on Kirk...when McCoy isn’t around.)

“Not to offend you by using the h-word, but... could it be... human?”

Kirk’s really mad at Daystrom now.

The Commodore really set up that dramatic turn to camera there.

Poor Kirk. His ship is being used for evil.

“They can’t destroy the ship, what would happen to the computer?!” Yes, the computer. And the other 19 people and himself but mostly the computer. Daystrom really has lost it.

I love the actor who plays him, though.

“You are great. I am great.” Nothing weird happening here.

Spirk attack! (Spork it out.)

Spock’s way too sure Commodore Wesley is about to die. “He was decent, it’s a shame the ship I’m on is gonna kill him.”

And now another round of Kirk versus the computer and Kirk’s logic wins.

M-5 should argue that it did not commit murder, it committed homicide in self-defense. But then Daystrom didn’t program it with a lawyer’s brain.

It’s uh just gonna leave? Not turn the lights back on?

Kirk is so smart! I know I say this all the time, but it’s true! He knew what to do to save the ship because he knew Bob Wesley. He had formed connections, he had experience and knowledge that doesn’t come from logic. He is not replaceable!

McCoy’s like “Spock, fight me. Debate me Spock. Fight me. I’ll be fun.”

Spock HAS answered the computers versus humans question--he likes humans. He wants to be surrounded by humans.

That was really good! One of the better S2 episodes. Great Kirk, great triumvirate--as a trio and all three sides of the triangle--great sci fi concept, great guest star, great social commentary--still 100% relevant today.

i definitely have to think more about the ‘human computer’ concept. I liked that they specifically went out of their way to explain why the computer was human, how that was part of its design, and then tied that into its creator, his background, his belief system, and his insecurities. I feel like most ‘sentient computer’ or ‘advanced AI’ narratives just assume a computer that��s powerful enough will eventually be alive, which is not something I believe. The scariness of advanced AI to me is the incredible power it has to act quickly, but in a complete black-box way: you can’t literally see the logic string of its thought processes, and nor can you figure them out easily or completely using the creators’ intentions or logic because the machine has ‘learned’ since its inception, and its learning processes are not human. There is a real alienness to them that I find scary. And I do think this ep captured that nuance in M-5: it has the speed and abilities of a super computer, the “human” qualities of its creator for well-explained reasons, and the unpredictability of a mechanism that is NEITHER human nor human-controlled tool. And of course the ep’s ultimate thesis--that humans cannot be completely automated or replaced, and that we should not want to automate or replace humans--is comforting and of a morality I can and want to agree with.

This was also one of those eps that made me curious about the differences in AOS and TOS Kirk--in other words, an ep that relied on his history with Starfleet and his experience, on the reality that he’s a 34 year old man with 15+years of experience in the Fleet. Time, experience, connections, these aren’t things you can replace no matter how smart you are, and I feel like it would have been interesting to see AOS!Kirk deal with some situation that is trickier for him because he’s a Captain with a startlingly small amount of institutional experience. It’s not just about being young or generally inexperienced, in other words--it’s about NOT knowing every Captain, Admiral, and Commodore in the service, it’s about NOT having friends across the galaxy because he just hasn’t had time to make them. Even in deep space, that matters. And I think it’s something that I appreciate more as an adult myself, with actual real world experience of the importance of connections and experience and time, especially in sort of insular or smaller work communities.

Anyway, next is Bread and Circuses! Another great ep for the triumvirate. I can’t believe we’re almost through S2!!

#the year 2021 #2021: star trek #star trek tos #2021: fandom thoughts

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himbowelsh · 4 years

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(Sorry if you're not comfortable with this I'm fairly new to the fandom so pls ignore if you are) Headcanons that include the BoB guys falling in love, mannerisms and speech and such?

Richard Winters

keeps it to himself. when dick is falling in love, neither god nor man would be able to tell, he plays his cards that close to the chest.

(or course, lewis nixon is neither god nor man, just somewhere in between. he figures it out in a second, and teases dick mercilessly.)

lots of lingering stares, gentle half-smiles, more patience than he would --- or possibly should --- have. dick falling in love gradually becomes more and more tolerant of things he would disapprove of in anyone else.

the sort of person who just... becomes so unbearably fond of someone that their flaws seem insignificant. there’s nothing he can’t forgive, nothing they can’t work past together. he loves everything about them, even their worst parts, at least a little bit.

basically he’s just normal dick, nothing has changed, except... he’s a softer version of dick. soft dick all over the place.

Lewis Nixon

he’s... not very subtle about it, but in a very nix way.

his flirting is obvious. like, it’s obvious to anyone looking in his direction. he’s not subtle about it; and while he’s capable of being smooth, he’s also kind of earnest, devoting so much of his attention to his person of interest that he’s able to ignore everything else.

such as responsibilities. when he’s supposed to be somewhere, and he’s not there, 100% chance nix is with his crush. when he’s in love with someone, he just wants to be around them as long as they’ll tolerate him; he practically becomes their sardonic shadow.

lots of gifts. like, things just appear in the person’s rooms, complete with a wry little note from nix. he never makes a big deal out of it, but he compulsively buys his love interest things when the opportunity arises.

allows himself unexpected moments of sincerity --- like a mask slipping for just a moment, when his guards are all down and he’s able to be honest with the one person in the world he’s actually brave enough to reveal himself to.

when nix loves someone, he slowly allows them to see the messiest parts of him --- because he knows he can’t hide them forever, and it’s easier for them to know from the get-out than to stop loving him down the line.

Carwood Lipton

so chill about it, you honestly wouldn’t be able to tell.

lip isn’t even a super private person like dick, he’s just... able to fuction normally, even when his heart is doing a complete 360-degree flip over someone. he treats them the same way he always has, doesn’t fawn over them of go out of his way... he’s just regular old lip.

except for the lingering stares, and the fond smiles he doesn’t bother to suppress. except for how he’s always got an eye on them, just... making sure they’re alright whenever he’s around, in case they need something. except for the fact that if they do need something, he’ll go out of his way --- maybe to an unreasonable degree --- to get it. he’ll drive three towns over just to get them a specific ice cream brand they’re craving.

which is out of character for lip, but he’ll do it, because it’s them. he’d go out of his way for any one of his friends, but wouldn’t move mountains except for this one person. they’re special to him. somehow, without him even realizing it, they mean everything to him.

Ron Speirs

well, he didn’t mean to catch these feelings, but now that they’re here he’s just going to have to murder everyone who’s ever looked at his partner wrong

no. okay, ron... ron does get a little overprotective at times. he’s good at being in love, but falling in love is unpredictable. it’s unsteady, it’s uncertain, anything could happen --- his protective instincts are triggered. so when he finds himself falling for someone, he keeps a constant eye on them. they don’t ever need to worry as long as he’s around; they don’t need to be afraid of anything. honestly, it can get a little too intense, if he lets it.

if ron recognizes he’s being too overbearing, he’ll back off. pining from afar is also something he’s surprisingly good at. gentle stares from across the room, half-smiles at things they say, wry comments meant for their ears alone. if he can be comfortable in silence alongside them, it’s a big thing for him.

love letters. this is a big thing. ron’s not always great at expressing his feelings verbally, so he finds a real release through writing. this really helps his love interest understand where he’s coming from, and get to know his heart clearly. when ron bares his soul in prose, it’s difficult not to fall in love with him.

Harry Welsh

eager beaver. like, he’ll bounce at the chance to do anything for them at any time. oh, that bag looks heavy, he can get that! he’s just gonna... casually hold this door open, you know, like a gentleman. paying for their own drinks? oh no, don’t worry, he’s got it covered.

the worst part is, he thinks he’s slick.

can actually be the softest man in the world when he’s in love; he’ll absolutely dote on a partner.

some of the guys here are actual disasters, they don’t know how to even admit it to themselves --- not harry. when harry’s in love, the whole world gets to know it. he’ll talk about how great they are to anyone who’ll listen; and if he and his partner are on the same page, he’ll tell them he loves them every chance he gets. there’s never any question to how harry’s feeling, because he says it.

heart eyes for his partner at any and all times, even when they’re doing something as mundane as reading a book.

Buck Compton

he just glows whenever he’s around them. it’s not something buck can help. it’s like... being in his partner’s presence gives him more energy, more vitality, the drive to do and be more. he’s fueled by their attention and the desire to impress, to be worthy of them.

not reticent about his feelings. he’ll freely admit them, but it won’t be, “yeah, i love them”; buck will go on about how much he admires them, talking people’s ears off about their abilities and virtues. if buck falls in love with someone, he already holds them in the highest esteem, and honestly wants to be able to blab about how great they are.

people don’t give him credit for how emotional he can be; but once he’s fallen for someone, he opens up to them more and more. it’s a challenge to reveal his vulnerabilities without being afraid, but as he grows to love them more, he trusts them too.

George Luz

if possible, he becomes even more luz-ish than normal. like... his regular personality is turned up to eleven. he craves his love interests attention like a drowning man craves air, and he goes out of his way to seek it out.

lots of flirting, lots of teasing. if they’re around, most of his jokes are directed towards them, like it’s a battle just to make them laugh. it’s painfully obvious where his attention is.

yeah, he’s joking around a lot, and maybe flirting a bit too much to be casual, but... he’s also looking out for them. if they need help with something, he jumps at the chance to do it. any favor, any time, george is ready.

he also likes to teach them things. something as simple as a card game, or how to fix a broken sink --- it gives him the chance to show off his skills a little, try to impress them, prove he knows what the hell he’s talking about... and just to be around them. he eats up every second he gets to spend with them.

sometimes he gets flustered. if they’re not in a relationship yet, and his love interest were to question him about his feelings, he wouldn’t know what to say; he’d run a hand through his already-messy hair, chuckling while averting his eyes, and try to brush the question off with a charming deflection. it wouldn’t work. he’s lots of things, but not subtle.

Joe Toye

joe toye is so capable of being soft around the people he loves that it’s frankly obscene.

he definitely becomes more protective of them. like... love is already an uncertain thing, he doesn’t want to lose it when they’ve barely just begun... and he’s never forgive himself if something bad happened to them. Protective Toye Mode is in full gear.

has infinitely more patience, and is able to let his guards down around them more. he jokes around more, in his understated way. he watches them when they’re too busy with work to look up, a proud smile on his face. sometimes he can’t resist reaching out and touching them, surprising even himself.

he’s so soft, guys. he just wants to be around them and take care of them --- honestly, he’d do anything for them if they let him.

Eugene Roe

honestly, he’s not sure where to start.

it doesn’t blindside him. getting close to people doesn’t come easily to gene; it’s a slow process, and he’s aware ever step of the way that this person is steadily growing in importance to him. it takes him a little while to recognize it as love, but once he gets there... yeah.

he’s cautious about it --- tries as hard as he can not to let it show. being in love is kind of scary for him, actually. he’d really need encouragement from the other person, and the feel comfortable around them. he’d need to see there’s interest there, otherwise he might actually talk himself out of his own feelings. (jesus christ, gene, why are you like this)

quietly so proud of them, and quick to praise. his sweet little smile makes his love interest feel warm all over, and when his eyes go soft and unbearably fond like that...

gene’s love is a quiet thing, but it blossoms more every day. it needs sunlight, nourishment, and kindness to grow.

Bill Guarnere

literally his partner’s hype man. they are amazing and he wants the world to know it.

like, bill in love isn’t that different from regular bill, but he gets invested. he becomes ride-or-die. would murder someone for his partner without question and bury the body together as a sign of their love.

definitely a show-off. yeah, his partner’s incredible, but he wants them to think he’s just as cool. bill might get a bit more reckless in pursuit of their attention, push his own limits (and the limits of common sense) a bit more. his love interest shouldn’t let him go too crazy, because he might end up losing another leg.

he may still be regular ol’ guarnere, but wild bill ain’t cooking a four-course authentic italian dinner for just anybody. bill’s romantic side starts coming out in spades. he feels more compelled to take care of them, do stuff for them. it gives him a sense of usefulness; he loves feeling needed by them.

Babe Heffron

cheesy pickup lines x1000. the worst part is, he thinks they’re actually good.

babe’s actually functional when he’s falling in love with someone. honestly, he enjoys the feeling. falling in love’s a beautiful thing! almost as beautiful as the person he loves! let’s enjoy it while it lasts.

he’s not shy about flirting with them, but can actually act like a normal person, too. he doesn’t get all tongue-tied and stuttery; he just loves talking to them, having conversations and spending time with them and sharing his own interests while learning their own. eats up every bit of attention they give him.

lowkey wants to do so many things with them, but plays it cool. invites them places, like out dancing, to his favorite restaurants, anywhere they might have a good time. by sharing these memories with them, babe feels like he’s sharing parts of himself, too... and god, it sure is fun to be in love.

Joseph Liebgott

what are these feelings and who put them there without his permission

lowkey, he’d choke on the love at first. probably think it was indigestion or something, hope he’d get over it... but the feeling would only grow, and slowly joe realizes he’s in over his head. there’s no way out. somehow, he’s fallen in love, and he wasn’t prepared damn it.

plays it cool. he’s not in any hurry to admit his feelings; he knows, and that’s what matters most. he’s not gonna confess to anything until he thinks there’s a strong chance they’ll reciprocate, so he just... hangs out for a while.

somehow, when his love interest needs something, he’s there. it’s like joe’s got a spidey sense for when they’re in trouble --- even if they just need help opening a damn jar of pickles --- because he’s at their side, ready to talk or fight, whatever’s needed.

doesn’t snap around them as much. actually, he has moments when he’s downright... soft. it’s like all his harsh edges are being sanded down; he even lets his guards down sometimes and reveals flashes of emotional vulnerability, which he wouldn’t do for just anyone. joe liebgott being soft (when no one’s mortally injured) is the #1 indication he’s caught the lovebug.

David Webster

he’s not... unbearable about it. it’s kind of cute, in a “romeo pining for juliet from the shadows outside her window” sort of way.

webster is very quiet about falling in love. he... watches a lot, just observing whenever he has the pleasure of being around them. he notices all their habits, all their quirks, and can’t help finding them all endearing. even if it’s habits he usually hates, like talking while chewing or mimicking someone badly... he gets a little love-blind for a while.

won’t talk about his feelings to anyone, but will write them all down. his journal reads like he’s a 7th grade girl with a crush. sometimes he tries to get really poetic, and express the true nuance of his soul being drawn towards a kindred spirit, but he can’t formulate his thoughts as well in the moment.

they become his muse, at least; he can write better when thinking of them, and might even be bold enough to share some of his writing, just to see their reactions.

not about to write love poems himself, but he knows a few beautiful ones offhand, and will share them with his love interest --- a subtle way of confessing his feelings to them through proxy, and sharing something special between each other.

Floyd Talbert

tab’s flirty by nature, but when he falls in love with someone... all that confidence slowly melts away. he no longer has any desire to present a facade to them, because he’s not trying to woo anymore, he’s trying to love.

he becomes more straightforward and serious around them. he’s still his normal self, but there’s an earnest sincerity that wasn’t there before. he’s not making any attempts to impress them. he is how he is, after all; if he loves them for themselves, they’ll have to love him the same way.

(he can’t breathe a genuine sigh of relief until he’s got affirmation that they do.)

no more super fun, casual dates. now tab wants to go for long nature walks and talk about their emotions. he wants to learn more about his partner, to see the parts of them they’re scared to reveal. nature is also something important to him, and he wants to share that part with them.

floyd in love becomes... a more genuine version of himself.

Donald Malarkey

a really nice guy, and not in a gross way.

don’s just... a nice guy in general, but when he’s falling in love, he’s at peak sweetness. he gets them gifts just for the fun of it, tries to write songs for them (well, he does his best), and comes up with dates centered around all the things they love to do. he’s uber considerate, and really sweet about it.

don’s honest with himself about his feelings, and he’s willing to be honest with anyone else as well. far as he’s concerned, being in love isn’t anything to be ashamed of, especially not with someone so amazing.

the corny jokes will probably be turned up to the max, though, and they’ll be a lot of playful flirting just to see his partner’s reaction. don dotes on them, but most importantly, he knows how to have fun when it comes to love.

Skip Muck

kind of a tease, but in the best way. skip isn’t great at flirting when he really means it; there’s a difference between batting his eyes at someone across a dance hall and falling in love, and skip in love feels like he’s in over his head.

he’ll joke around with them a lot, but also kind of fall into a big-brother role --- looking out for them, helping them, showing them how to do things if they’ll let him.

he feels comfortable acting this way, like he’s significant to them. even if they don’t feel the same way, he enjoys having their attention on him for the moment, and cultivates it.

will definitely have cracks in his armor. honestly, when he falls in love, he’s not that subtle about it. suddenly, he can no longer make dirty jokes around them; he can’t pretend to flirt without blushing and tripping over his words; he catches himself watching them for too long, and idly humming love songs after they’ve just left the room.

god, he’s a wreck. he feels like an idiot around them, and doesn’t know how to deal with it... so eventually he’s just going to have to come right out and say it.

#Anonymous #headcanons #band of brothers #i'd put this under a cut but apparently tumblr doesnt ALLOW THAT ANYMORE

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umishiqu · 4 years

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Scarabia chapter is over and I’m screaming at everything rn hold on-

(sorry if I’m stuffing this rant down anyone’s throat, because I’m realizing people get annoyed with it and I’m sorry but,, scarabia brainrot ;;;...)

(spoilers for chapter 4 under the cut!)

Sad there’s no magic carpet :,( but oasis maker saves the day!! Still mysterious as ever as to why oasis maker is called a blessing other than um. Being a blessing to the Country of Hot Sands. But yes Azul enjoys it! (if you wanna hear me rant about oasis maker pwease dm cause I,, now have some thoughts and I can’t keep my mouth shut ;;...)

Also no mention of kidnapping happenings or poisoning in post-OB backstory but that means slow burn character development for Kalim possibly later on, so I’ll take it

Also Kalim’s guilt kills me on the inside :,,( guy says that he has anemia, but I’m wondering if that’s acc just Jamil giving him an excuse for his hypnosis. Mainly cause he himself says that he’s not bad at PE, which he really would be bad at PE if he really did have anemia,, but the anemia could explain a lot other things, other than that little tidbit,, either way, that means, again, slow burn character development! (But just,, his voice wavers, and how he says that Jamil can have the dorm leader position and Kalim will just go home is just,, Jamil you couldn’t talk to Kalim at all about this? Really?)

And scarabia duo is still killing me on the inside :,,,( Jamil wanted revenge cause of how he had to be below Kalim all the time and couldn’t objectify his hate to anyone but Kalim, but he also couldn’t sincerely hate Kalim for everything he is esp. when he’s the one who’s been encouraging him at all, all their time together. Jamil also loves his family apparently but in the way that he doesn’t like what they make him do but he also realizes that his parents are in the same position as him (hence why he screams, in his fit of anger, how he’s gonna free both him and his family). The only other person I can see that he personally hates but has to deal with is Crowley. I literally just see Jamil as a stubborn, kind of selfish tsundere,, Do I like Jamil more than I did before? I mean a lot of what I personally thought about him (not standing out so that Kalim is above him, having to adhere to tradition and such) was basically confirmed with the recent chapter.

But coming personally on my thoughts on Jamil cause he’s a contradictory character rn in the discord,, he is really really easy to sympathize and relate with, esp if you compare him to the less-realistic-outlook-on-life Kalim from Scarabia. And Kalim’s banquet fevers aren’t easy to deal with. My younger brother who gets more credit than me in,, literally everything drags me to play around on electronics sometimes and usually I just wanna sleep, but I can’t and usually just l just give up when playing with him cause I should look like he’s winning (fun thing is that he’s 2 1/2 years younger than me, and also a lot taller than me). I have to let him throw punches at me and when I do one little thing like tell him to stop, it’s into the dark room with me. So I can appreciate Jamil’s stubbornness for his plans and ideals to overthrow Kalim, esp cause I was more or less conditioned to be helpful to other people. Not that I’m complaining because beig helpful to others is something that I’ve noticed rewards you in a good way,,

With all that being said,, the way he acted and went about with this crossed a lot of lines. At first, I thought the reason why he would hypnotize Kalim so that Jamil could become dorm leader + the other stuff mentioned above is so that Kalim can be seen as having a personality/morale worse than him. Or at least, less cheerful. But then Jamil goes in and with Kalim’s happy personality, cheers up everyone and helps them wth their troubles while in the oasis. And I’m here and I’m just,, if you hate him for that personality so much why do something like that?? (He can’t admit that’s what people acc like about Kalim, and he decides to take one of his few positive qualities that gets people attached to Kalim and just,, wreck it. I was,, very very mad, but I didn’t rant about it cause I knew I’d yell unreasonably in the discord chat.) Revealed at the end, Jamil literally doesn’t want to be friends with anyone and I’m just,, sigh. And also,, the students only agreed with Jamil that Kalim was an incompetent dorm leader after Jamil hypnotized Kalim into doing all those things, not before. Before? They acc loved Kalim because of how kind and gentle and thoughtful he was to others, even though he can be kind of hopeless and random and a bit irresponsible to them sometimes. And these were all qualities that Jamil apparently hated, not because they were anything bad that’s supposed to be a front for secretly mocking everyone, but because he personally was confused as to why Kalim’s so freakin carefree as a character when Jamil himself isn’t. (As Azul said, it’s very easy for people to become envious of Kalim, and that’s already confirmed with how quickly the Scarabia dormmates’ opinion changed of Kalim after he takes them out to march to the oasis and after Jamil keeps mentioning the Asim family.)

Jamil’s had 17 years to harbour resentment against Kalim, but he’s also had 17 years to truthfully bond with Kalim, which he decided not to do because again. Stubborn. That’s why I can’t really say that Jamil’s just made one mistake (which was the entirety of scarabia chapter), especially the little hint drop that Jamil’s been hypnotizing Kalim even while they were younger and used anemia as an excuse for Kalim’s drowsiness. Anyway, the fact that Jamil’s been the one teaching Kalim magic, but even he didn’t know Kalim could summon a river and was genuinely surprised for a bit says a lot about how much of Kalim he can’t read, which he also mentions in his personal stories that Kalim is unpredictable. And fact is that Kalim can read Jamil’s emotions like an open-book, but couldn’t connect the dots until after he realizes how much Jamil’s hated him says something too. And when I say “realizes”, I mean “chooses not to ignore” how much Jamil’s hated him. Like,, it’s not like Jamil sleep-talked his backstory to Kalim while he’s passed out. Nor does anyone acc see the backstory except for the viewers + Jamil. And this can explain why Kalim didn’t really change how he interacts with Jamil at the end, if he knew the hate was coming but just didn’t want to acknowledge it. Then again, he does have limitless optimism here so there’s that.

But,, we’re talking about the only person Kalim’s ever trusted at all, betraying him and going off in one of the worse ways possible. I’m with the tweels here, I’m a bit mad because after what Jamil did, Kalim had no excuse to not get angry with him. He didn’t even get to punch him smh, but he did call him traitor so babey steps. Octavinelle teaching Kalim to be a little more harsher has me very very happy. (But miscommunication is strong in Scarabia, and with slow burn character development, I can see Kalim getting gradually more and more self-destructive poison anyone? chapter 5? and internally cynical and Jamil gradually regretting the time lost between them because, also according to the end of Scarabia, he doesn’t really mind an optimistic Kalim because like Kalim only had Jamil, Jamil really only has Kalim now after the tomfoolery he pulled in this chapter.)

So do I like Jamil more now than I did before? Kind of,. I had hopes for Scarabia (I’m sure a lot of people did with all the hyper analysis we did :p) But,, Jamil literally just got me angry this whole chapter. The backstory was nice, and Kalim praising Jamil and Jamil telling Kalim to stop (the way he screams ;;..) everytime gets me going. But esp with that piece of information, hating and blaming Kalim over something neither of them could change just,, recked them both. I can’t blame Jamil for building up resentment, but I can’t blame Kalim either for wanting to believe they were friends because he was trying to make the most out of their situation. Until Kalim realized the only way to do that was to just tell Jamil to stop being his servant and start off as equals to be true friends now. To which Jamil says no to the second notion profusely, but he also implies he’d rather be with Kalim than wth Azul, so. No more master/servant dynamics. And the ending was written off so sloppily but I think it was supposed to leave Jamil’s true feelings about Kalim end off on an ambiguous note imo. Again, sloppy, but sure.

Kalijami/Jamikali just seems really really toxic to me now, and I figured it would end up like that which is why I ended up reading other Scarabia ships (very into flokali and kaliver rn :p). I don’t usually see Japanese media fleshing out happy characters all too much, but with Kalim as literal Scarabia poster boy even tho he doesn’t represent the villain, I can see what direction they’ll take to develop Kalim now. Hopefully not how they developed Soma. (Ofc I wanted overblot!Kalim but,, I’m personally glad they didn’t do it rn, y’know? And the fact that we didn’t get introduced to an RSA counterpart for Scarabia at all has me,, thinking some things now...)

...dm if you want me to rant about oasis maker and rsa cause please I need to feed someone ;0;

#twisted wonderland #twst spoilers #ch 4 spoilers #scarabia spoilers #rant #my thoughts

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star-and-the-motherverse · 4 years

Text

Chapter 6 - Off She Goes

The Butterfly Who Lost Her Wings

Word Count: 3476 | AO3 Mirror | Previous | Next

Summary: Marco tries not to think about summer. A familiar face realizes he’s out of the loop.

✧·ﾟ: *✧·ﾟ:* ☾ *:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧

It didn’t really feel as if summer had ever arrived, to Marco, but it wasn’t like that was a trait unique to this particular one. When he was little, summer was the most exciting time of the year, but as he’d grown up, summer started to feel like it was getting shorter each time it came around. It had sort of lost its magic, in a strange way.

Not to say it was unwelcome—far from that, really. Summer break still probably was one of the better parts of the year. He got to spend a lot more time with his friends when they weren’t in school, and it was nice to take a couple months of break, not having to worry so much about the future.

But as days went by, he was starting to realize that he was… bored. By almost all of it. And it was strange, so strange. Really, this summer was equally as mundane as those that preceded it, and yet, here he was, feeling overwhelmingly alone.

You know exactly why that is.

Marco tried his best not to think about it—about her—as he went about his day-to-day life. But over half a year had passed since his everyday life had been upheaved. He’d practically forgotten what the bathroom countertop actually looked like when it was completely clear, or how small the guest room really was before it belonged to Star. They were little details that he was sure never would have stood out to him, not in the past. His painfully normal life had never stuck out to him like this until now, after everything that’s happened.

He missed the unpredictable nature of having Star as a housemate. The excitement, the danger, and everything else. He missed it so much.

Everything is still about Star.

He rolled over in bed, groaning, not able to find the motivation to get up just yet.

Some of his old friends hadn’t spoken to him in what felt like ages. Did he miss them too? He couldn’t tell. He thought that he did, but couldn’t even begin to think of how he might reach out. Jackie and—to a lesser extent—Janna were really the only friends from school that he regularly talked with anymore. He wasn’t exactly doing a good job of keeping in touch with anyone else.

Before he could think on it any longer, his phone vibrated. It took a surprising amount of effort for him to sit up and grab it off of bedside table. Reading over his lock screen, he saw that Jackie had texted him twice, the first message being from about an hour ago, and the other happening just now.

Jackie: Hey! How are u doing?

Jackie: Just realized you might still be asleep, sorry! xoxo

12:30 in the afternoon wasn’t a completely unreasonable time for a teenager to sleep in to, but Marco rarely ever stayed in bed for that long. He’d been up since noon at least—on a normal day, he’d be annoyed after wasting time, laying there and feeling sorry for himself.

Marco: Nah, I wasn’t. Sorry, missed your first text

Marco: It’s been a long morning 😅

Jackie: No worries :) Just checking in on u!

Jackie: Have u had lunch? Theres a food truck fair in town at the park, I think it would be fun to go!

Jackie: I bet theres a nacho truck somewhere, probably not as good as urs tho :)

He wasn’t really hungry at all, but he could certainly use the distraction. And he loved spending time with Jackie, more than anything. She always knew exactly what to say to make him feel better.

Marco: That sounds great. Did you want to meet there?

Jackie: Sure! Is 1:00 too soon?

Jackie: Also, hope u don’t mind but I invited Janna to come too!

Janna was one of the few people he’d managed to keep up regular conversation with, mostly over text. She didn’t give off the impression of a very social person, but then again, their unusual friendship probably didn’t make a lot of sense to outsiders, either.

Her reaction to the news of Star’s disappearance had been about in line with he was expecting, which wasn’t really saying much. Janna was an absolute wildcard, and he had a hard time figuring out what was going through her head even when things were normal. So her complete non-reaction, which might have caught other people off-guard, was just another Janna thing, in his mind.

She never liked talking about her emotions, and this would be no different. All he could really do was let her know that he was available to talk if she never needed to.

Marco: 1:00 is fine. And that’s cool with me

Marco: She’d probably find a way to invite herself if you didn’t.

Jackie: Lol ur probably right :P

Jackie: I’ll see you then💖

He let out a sigh and set the phone down on his bed, finally convincing himself to stand up. It wouldn’t take him that long to get ready to go out, mercifully. Such was the benefit of wearing a hoodie every day—even if the summer weather wasn’t exactly kind to him for it. He’d have plenty of time to get to the park and meet up with his friends, provided nothing weird happened.

Of course, as luck would have it, a lone laser puppy came wandering into the room, his tail wagging in excitement.

“Oh, hey… Sajak?” Star was the only one who could ever tell them apart, but he liked to believe he was getting better at it. “Yeah… Sajak.”

The puppy gave short little barks as he hopped around the room, coming to a stop in front of Marco and rearing up on his hind legs to demand his attention.

“‘Scuse me, buddy,” he said, carefully stepping over Sajak so that he could better reach his closet. “Sorry, but I’ve got things I gotta do today. No more lounging around.”

Sajak kept running circles around him and the room, occasionally pausing to stare at him expectantly. Marco tried to head out to the hall and towards the bathroom, but nearly tripped over the puppy as he rushed out in front of him before flopping down in front of the closed bathroom door.

“What in the world has gotten into you?” Marco asked, laughing, mostly to himself. He scooped up the dog with the intention of moving him. “You don’t feel like shooting me with a laser today? No?”

It was sort of a joke. He couldn’t quite remember last when the puppies had used their laser eyes. He wondered if it was related to whatever was going on with magic. It was a bit nicer to pretend that Sajak was just being particularly nice today, though.

Before he got the chance to move, a horde of laser puppies charged up the stairs, yapping excitedly. Barko Diaz brought up the rear, dragging in a multi-leash with him and nearly tripping over its cable several times as the lugged it up to the second floor.

“Seriously?” It was pretty cute at first, but now this was getting kind of ridiculous. “Guys, come on! I’m trying to do things!”

But he knew better than to tempt fate. These puppies were absolutely ruthless when it came to getting what they wanted. Truly, how could anyone say no to those adorable little faces?

He let out another low sigh. “Okay, okay, fine!” He’d had stranger mornings. If anything, he was getting exactly what he’d asked for with a distraction. His bad mood from the early morning was a distant memory by this point, which was a rather impressive turnaround.

He made his way slowly through what felt like a minefield of dogs, back to the side of his bed and picked up his phone once more.

Marco: I’m gonna be a little late, I have to take the dogs out on a walk first. They won’t leave me alone, haha

Jackie: Aww, so cute! That’s cause they love u so much ^^

Marco: Just doing my civic duty o7

Marco: See you in a bit ❤️

Jackie: 💖💖

“Settle down, Barko!” He cried out, once he’d turned his attention back to the excitable puppies. “I can’t put a leash on you if you won’t sit still!!”

✧·ﾟ: *✧·ﾟ:* ♥︎ *:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧

“What the heck?”

The phrase wasn’t really intended to be a question. It was more like... some sort of out-loud expression of Star’s ever-growing confusion. She’d only been free falling for a few seconds or so, but as she blinked, she somehow found herself standing in front of Echo Creek Academy. She had no idea how or why. She didn’t even remember landing on the ground, which she was sure would have injured her under normal conditions.

“School? Again?!”

What even were the odds that she’d end up on the school’s doorsteps? Unless, for some reason, it was doing that thing where it was in every place she looked—

Oh no… it absolutely was. There was another school right in front of her. When she turned away, there was another school there, too. She turned again and again. Another one, each time.

“You’ve gotta be kidding..! Why?! Why here?!”

She was most definitely somewhere inside of the wand. She shouldn’t have been that surprised—it was one of the most likely options that she’d narrowed down, for cob’s sake—but there was still something deeply unsettling about how she’d found her way back to this place. Not long from now and she’d probably start bumping into past versions of herself, following in her current footsteps like some sort of video game. Only this time, she had no idea of how she was supposed to get out. Hopefully Glossaryck would know to come rescue her if things got bad.

At least those weird disembodied voices hadn’t managed to follow her here. Somewhere along the way she must have lost them.

“I’m not going in the stupid school,” she grumbled, having nothing but negative memories associated with its strange, magical realm counterpart. It’s supposed to be summer! I do what I want!

Instead, she took to the sidewalk, putting her hands in her dress pockets and wandering along, looking around for a glimpse of something, anything else.

There certainly wasn’t any shortage of weird things to look at in the wand. Everywhere she looked were pieces of Echo Creek and Mewni, awkwardly stitched together in ways that didn’t make much sense at all. Street lamps and sidewalks wove between wells and Mewnian carnival tents. Spanish-style houses were dotted between the fields of corn that stretched out into the horizon, from what she could see past the school. Cacti and coniferous trees were growing side by side, as if they were always supposed to be that way. But even with everything going on, the looming silhouette of Butterfly Castle towered over all other set pieces, only dwarfed in size by the mountainous terrain that made up the background of this strange place.

“Ack!” she cried out suddenly, stumbling a bit as the ground beneath her transitioned from sidewalk to an empty parking lot—save for a single chariot parked on the other side. Just ahead of her, a little puddle rested on the uneven pavement, made up of that same green sludge that Toffee had left her to drown in.

She was so overcome with anger and frustration at the sight of it that she kicked it out of impulse. Just before her boot made contact with the puddle, though, she swore she saw a glimmer of light hiding within it—but not nearly soon enough to stop. When her foot landed back on the ground, and the puddle stilled, nothing was there.

A bit shaken, her gaze wandered upwards. The star-shaped insignia in the dark purple sky looked the same as it had before, split in half and all. But as she watched it, she couldn’t help but think it looked a bit dimmer. It’s fine. You’re gonna be fine, she wanted to say, but she never spoke it aloud, not entirely sold on the idea herself.

Was it fine? Is that really why she wasn’t running into any timeline duplicates of herself? She was still alone, sure, and maybe that was a good thing. There wasn’t any immediate danger, or anything like that. So why am I worried?

She wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to quell her doubts.

Surely nothing had changed, right?

✧·ﾟ: *✧·ﾟ:* ☀ *:·ﾟ✧*:·ﾟ✧

Tom rubbed at his eyes with the heel of his hand as he made his way out of his room and towards the dining hall, headed out in search of coffee. He never was much of a morning person, and that fact probably wouldn’t come as a surprise to many people. He was never thrilled about having to wake up early for meetings, or summons, or whatever else, but that was something that sort of came with the territory of being a prince.

He’d been trying to avoid Star ever since he’d failed his anger management final exam, following the suggestion from his life coach. It didn’t make sense to him at first—how was he supposed to know when she wanted to talk to him again?—but he’d ultimately come around to Brian’s advice, even if it was with reluctance. It was clear that she still wanted space. He needed to respect that.

It sure was frustrating, though. Patience wasn’t exactly his strong suit.

He was drawn out of his irritated thoughts when a messenger demon nearly crashed into him as he appeared around the corner. “Watch it!” Tom snapped, but the messenger didn’t acknowledge him as he continued in a hurry down the corridor. He couldn’t help but be a bit curious why this particular message was so important that it demanded such prompt attention.

Weirdly, the demon suddenly skidded to a halt, whirling around to come back down the hallway and stop in front of Tom, bowing. “Master Tom! Would you perhaps know where King Dave would be at this hour?”

“Uh… probably in his office?”

“Thank you, Master Tom!” Just as quickly as he’d returned, he was off again, headed back down the hall.

That was weird, Tom noted. He watched the messenger instinctively head towards the throne room, only to remember where he was supposed to be headed and travel down the adjacent hall instead. It wasn’t often that they received news worthy of any interest, so before Tom could convince himself otherwise, he was chasing after the messenger—too intrigued to stop himself from prying. It’s not like I have anything better to do, he remarked inwardly, somewhat dejected.

Light on his feet, he followed the smaller demon at a short distance so that he wouldn’t be noticed. They both quickly arrived at the king’s office, and the messenger disappeared through the towering doorway. Tom was able to catch the conversation before it had really started, listening through the door.

“—uncement from the Butterfly Kingdom, my lord! The Silver Bell Ball has been indefinitely postponed!”

What? If he was being completely honest, he’d sort of forgotten that it was almost time for the Silver Bell Ball again. He had some fond memories of the event from over the years, but he wasn’t really the dancing type. It was more boring than anything else, and it was quite funny how Star agreed with him wholeheartedly. But she always made the point of how it was nice to see everyone again, and he supposed that was one of its better aspects. It would feel weird to not go to it every year.

His father’s thought process mirrored his own. “What?” Dave exclaimed. “But the ball is a yearly tradition! Why would they do such a thing?”

Tom overheard the messenger clear his throat as he unraveled a scroll. “In the words of the Queen and King themselves: ‘it is with great reluctance that we inform you of our decision to cancel the Silver Bell Ball this year. We believe that this is the right thing to do, as the ongoing magical fritz is a pressing issue that requires our full attention. This is a difficult time for our kingdom, and we sincerely thank you for your patience and understanding.’”

“A magical fritz? What in the Underworld does that even mean?”

“The announcement does not clarify it, my lord.”

Tom heard the groan of table legs against the floor as Dave adjusted his chair. “I know that the Butterfly Kingdom is quite dependent on magic, but enough to cause this level of instability? This is preposterous!”

Admittedly, he didn’t have that much of an understanding of how magic worked, either. Most of the cities across Mewni had close ties to magic, but none of them were quite as clear cut as the Butterfly Kingdom. They had been an incredibly powerful force for centuries. If something weird was happening with magic, Star likely would have been one of the first to notice, since she was in possession of the magic wand.

“There could be something more serious at play here…” The messenger demon’s words trailed off.

“In what sense?” Dave asked.

“Well…” He lowered his voice, and it immediately became more difficult for Tom to pick up on their conversation, much to his frustration. He had to listen incredibly closely in order to make out what was being said, leaned up against the door. “There’s a rumor going around that something happened to the princess.”

Tom swore he could feel his blood run cold.

“What do you mean?” the king asked. “Is she sick?”

“Something like that. People can’t seem to agree on what’s happened to her.”

Dave paused for several moments, likely thinking over the implications of the messenger’s words. “You think that the Butterflies are lying?”

“Not necessarily. Perhaps it is an indirect lie, or a lie by omission. Whatever is going on, it appears the royal family are trying to hide it while they're so vulnerable.”

It had to be impossible. Star must’ve been fine. She was on Earth! Who did this messenger think he was, to present such a baseless claim as an actual reality? No, he’d prove him wrong. He could call her, right?

Of course! Why didn’t I think of that sooner?

Before he could even stop to remind himself that, no, Star still needed space, he shouldn’t bother her, she’ll come back to him when she’s ready to talk again—he was clicking through his contact list and tapping on her displayed nickname. Starship. He’d never brought himself to change it from that.

“Calling Star,” read the text-to-speech voice, before it was cut off by a screen tear and replaced with loud, crackling static and white noise. Startled, he snapped his compact shut immediately to silence it.

“What was that?”

“Huh? I didn’t hear anything…”

“Oh… hmm. Sorry. Perhaps it was nothing.”

He wasn’t listening to them anymore—no, he was panicking. Fear was getting to him, badly. He hated this, he hated feeling scared. This didn’t make any sense! Even if something had happened to her, the call should have gone through. It still should have let him leave a voicemail, or something! Not static and nothing else!

This was strange, this was wrong. Something was wrong, and he had no idea what it was.

“—h well,” he overheard Dave start to speak again. “I suppose it’s not—“

Unable to stand there any longer, Tom threw open the door and came storming in, glaring accusingly between them both. “That’s not good enough!”

“Thomas!” Dave scolded, standing up from his chair. “What have I told you about eavesdropping on my conversations?”

Ignoring him, Tom stared directly at the messenger, his eyes fiery with anger. “What did you say happened to Star?!”

The demon flinched, scrambling for words as he stepped backwards. “I-I’m sorry, Master Tom! I truly wish that I had more information, but I don’t. So long as the Butterfly kingdom keeps its borders closed, I’m not sure we’ll ever get an answer…”

“Then do your job!” He snarled, clenching his fists. “Go out there and find the answer, and don’t come back until you do!”

“Thomas, that’s enough!” Dave stepped between them both. “We don’t know what’s going on, and that’s how it’s going to be for right now. It’s ultimately not our business, to know what’s happening in the personal lives of other royals.”

“It is mine!” Tom hissed. “I care about her! I need to know that she’s okay!”

But no matter how much shouting he did during that confrontation—and it certainly was a lot—he never got an answer he was happy with. No amount of sulking around the castle was going to change that. He wasn’t going to find an answer here on Mewni, not anytime soon.

#star vs the forces of evil #svtfoe #marco diaz #jackie lynn thomas #star butterfly #tom lucitor #motherverse #tbwlhw #immersive

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gettothestabbing · 4 years

Note

Hi im looking for some new books to read I loved Beauty (which was a rec you reblogged). Do you have any good book recs? Thanks!

Hmm, I’m getting back into regular reading lately. While I loved Beauty, not everything I recommend below will be similar to it, ok? More variety that way :)

Warbreaker (Brandon Sanderson, fantasy, stand-alone)

I’ve been reblogging lots of fanart for this lately because I just finished it after a year or so of hiatus. Seeing all the plot threads come together (except for the few that reached out into his extended universe Cosmere) was a gloriously cathartic experience. It has an interesting magic system based around color and sensory perception, worldbuilding that really pays off over time, and a cast of characters that all manage to feel fleshed out, even ones that only appear in the reader’s peripheral vision. I recommend this one because it requires no previous knowledge of Cosmere or Sanderson’s work.

The Raven Cycle (Maggie Stiefvater, fantasy, quartet)

Stiefvater’s style is very tactile. She’s excellent at creating the atmosphere of each scene and at using subjective judgments made by her POV-characters to flesh out relationships without making it an exposition dump. It’s more of an exposition sprinkling. The series is set in a small Virginia town that is home to both ley lines and an elite boys-only boarding school. The magic and worldbuilding are done slowly but not too slowly, and the characters (the main cast are mid-teens) are pretty realistically portrayed.

Jane Eyre (Charlotte Brontë, BIldungsroman/novel)

Hear me out. Mr. Rochester (Jane’s employer) and the mysterious, Gothic setting she is put into always reminded me of an updated Beauty and the Beast. The romance (both the relationship and the atmosphere of the romance genre) are developed slowly and carefully.

And not enough people have read it nowadays so I can’t talk to anybody about it lol. But seriously, try it on for size.

Followed by Frost (Charlie Holmberg, fantasy, stand-alone)

Holmberg is another excellent contemporary fantasy writer with unique magic systems. I’m totally paranoid about giving too much away, but I couldn’t stop reading it, just like all of Holmberg’s books. This recommendation is most similar to Beauty, because it takes elements of a fairy tale and retells them in a compelling, unpredictable way. For her callous rejection of a marriage proposal, Smitha is cursed. Encased in frost, and turning everything around her to ice and snow no matter where she is, she is exiled from her home and has no idea how to break the curse.

This one actually won a RITA Award for Best Young Adult Romance. (The romance built up slowly enough that I didn’t see it coming until kinda late, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t well-done. I also didn’t get ‘romione’ until like the 6th Harry Potter book, so I might just be slow lol)

I highly recommend this author’s other works too. Her Numina trilogy is excellent, especially if you like urban fantasy, and she has another stand-alone called The Fifth Doll. She’s best known for the Paper Magician series. All or almost all her work is cheaply available on Kindle.

and finally,

The Bridal Wreath (Sigrid Undset, historical fiction, first in a trilogy)

Set in 14th century Norway, and translated from Norwegian, this book never skimps on its historicity. The dialogue is not modernized, there are a few footnotes to explain the setting, and the supernatural element it introduces is sufficiently vague that the story does not become historical fantasy. It’s simply about the life of one woman, the daughter of a knight, who marries a man her father disapproves of.

This was exactly the kind of historical fiction I was looking for last year. I was so sick of girl-who-isn’t-like-other-girls wielding a sword in a dress, and her counterpart, wealthy-medieval-beauty who never has to do anything except be pursued by unreasonably-understanding-and-modernly-sensitive-man. (Not that I haven’t enjoyed these on occasion, but they’ve been done to death.) I love learning about what people actually DID day-to-day in the past. I think the managing of a large household, as expected of noble-born women at the time, is actually complex and interesting. The big downside to this book is that it’s a bit harder to get a physical copy of than the other recommendations. But there is a Kindle edition for all three books.

I hope you or anyone else reading this finds something new to love!

#recommendations #anons #asks #inbox #personal #pers com #Warbreaker #Jane Eyre #Followed by Frost #The Bridal Wreath #The Raven Cycle #Maggie Stiefvater #Brandon Sanderson #Sigrid Undset #Charlie Holmberg #Charlotte Bronte #books #Anonymous #Charlotte Brontë

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twisted-wonderful-tales · 5 years

Note

Hello and welcome to the fandom! So since you haven't made a master post I'll keep my request rather tame unless you wanna crank it up a notch. Can you do some angsty headcanons for Riddle and Vil (separately) on how would they react to thinking s/o died/was killed but really they are barely alive (wether there is a happy ending or not is up to you!)

Ash: Why thank you! ^^ I’ll be sure to start drafting up a master post for you and my other darlings~! I actually originally got rather excited by “angst” alone and didn’t read your request properly (I’m sadistic I know-!!) and wrote a scenario so if you would like that too I’d be more than happy to share it; but for now here are your head-canons~

-Vil Schoenheit

This whole mess merely began as a short excursion in the woods when they came upon a feral beast, a small dragon

-Surprisingly Y/n was the first to sense the beast’s presence and in an effort to protect Vil; leapt forward casting a spell ( a weak one at that as they only had a few seconds to spare!)

-Vil although loyal and determined to save his s/o was simply over-powered as although the dragon was small in size; had better environmental advantages and knowledge in general.

-He reluctantly cases a spell to contact the principal to make sure they’re on guard and aware

-However due to the dangerous and unpredictable nature of the beast is ordered to return at once

-He doesn’t want to, but at the same time seeing Y/n’s still body covered in gashes and blood isn’t particularly holding well with him.

-Swallowing his pride and a many hot tears he runs as fast as he can, his vision blurred.

-He whispers a soft and shaky,”I’m so sorry for everything … Y/n” before leaving the scene.

-The whole way back he’s torturing himself over getting them in such a situation .

-Days pass and the principal and other staff haven’t mentioned Y/n at all; as if they’ve just completely disappeared and it angers him greatly.

-They were special, not just to him as a lover but to everyone else; sure they weren’t naturally as powerful or high on the hierarchy but they were pure of heart and he loves them …

-During this time he is extra bitter and snappy; bursting into frustrated fits and breaking down into tears randomly.

-He has a hard time sleeping from here on, often looking out into the forest in the distance, wondering if his Y/n is truly gone or whether they’re alive but lost.

-He’s extra quite and doesn’t make a habit to take conversations and tends to just hum or nod.

-He day-dreams extra in class and so his grades take a nose-dive down.

-He can be found moping around rather depressed in his room; the sleep deprivation in turn makes him more irritable and dark eye bags start to form which just make him pure nasty as a whole.

-It takes smashing a few mirrors and what not to allow him to stop killing himself over his deteriorating beauty.

-He starts trying to heal but in a rather unhealthy way; he stops investing so much trust and time with his dorm mates Epel and Rook and starts blaming himself for and reliving through the events over and over again.

-Often pushing himself into mental break downs; he has a rather tough time before his self-loathing dies down.

-He tries taking more ‘self-care’ days which he convinces his class/dorm mates are to maintain his beauty; his dorm mates however know him to well and want to help.

-He often can’t go a day without thinking of the incident and has night terrors; Rook tends to be the one who has to wake him up and comfort him once he comes back to his senses.

-All in all it’s a nasty and traumatic experience, from here on he isn’t as bubbly as he was in the past and is rather cautious about who he holds close as he’s convinced himself they too will meet a gruesome fate.

-He tries to avoid romance as a whole, as he believes Y/n’s sacrifice shouldn’t be shunned as in vain (after all he’s only here because of their sacrifice).

-However, once they learn of Y/n’s re-emergence at the college; he’s teleporting around trying to locate them asap.

-He’s angry/relieved/in shock and just pure happy; like truly happy.

-The first thing he does when he sees them is bring them into his embrace, before growling some shaky scolds.

-”H-how dare you worry me like that … you have no idea how worried I was, you were completely reckless and out of line!”

-Before he realizes it he’s a sobbing mess, although he’s not as violently sobbing as he was previously.

-He really feels like slapping his s/o for worrying him so badly but knows he couldn’t push his luck that Y/n was actually still able to breath and walk.

-From then on after they heal he keeps a VERY close eye on Y/n at all times. -He avoids any out of college excursions from then on.

-Riddle Rosehearts

He’s minding his business one day when Ace runs in informing him of finding Y/n’s still, unbreathing body right in front of their dormitory.

-Needless to say he is beyond furious,he’s almost crying from frustration; he first hand runs to the scene of the crime to make sure this isn’t some cruel prank or misunderstanding (although if it would that’d be the end of that person-!)

-Sure enough it’s them as Riddle finds it even more confronting than he had imagined; he starts barking orders to find the culprit and to try reviving them and to not rest until they find the culprit and to kill on sight.

-He doesn’t leave his s/o’s side whilst they try and revive them; he’s holding onto their cold,pale hands squeezing them wishing to breath life into them or command them to arise and they’d do so; but it of course isn’t that simple.

-When the killer isn’t found; he goes on a rampage ordering the be-heading of random by-standers; many of his closest dorm-mates are keen to stand up to him and his unreasonable decisions despite his horrid mood and temper and ultimately the fate they may face as a result.

-At this point Riddle feels completely alone and defenseless; he doesn’t feel like half the Queen of Hearts he used to be …

-The thought of even abdicating of Queen enters his head, however ultimately it leaves a sour taste in his mouth.

- Just when they start organizing a funeral; a servant rushing to Riddle’s side informing him that Y/n is indeed alive but barely.

-He’s beyond thrilled and even snaps at the servant for he truly believes he’s just toying with him; however checks anyway and once he sees his s/o’s e/c eyes and their small weak smile in person his heart leaps out of his chest right into his throat.

- He orders his servant away before he bursts into tears in front of his s/o.

-”You can never leave my side from here on,or I’ll be-head you myself; understood-!?” he sobs with a rather relieved yet pained expression.

-He’s still on guard from then on as the capture was never found/ he’s extra snappy and harsh with punishments from then on to deter all of messing with who’s what’s his.

-Taking a small hum as an adequate response he orders the funeral to be called off and for all servants to tend to Y/n for weeks on end until they’ve been successfully rehabilitated.

-Makes sure there is a huge party to celebrate their life; from then on they had an extra party a month just because they could.

#heartslabyul #riddle rosehearts #vil schoenheit #pomefiore #angst #headcanon #twisted wonderland #game #manga #villians

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