#lara can't be the only one

[sharkbatez]

"You saved me... I knew you would." "I made you a promise."

— Tomb Raider (2013)

(best game in the trilogy sorry)

[hanzajesthanza]

andrzej sapkowski in the witcher presents his reader with many curious and refreshing takes on the fantasy genre, such as "what if dragons were good" and "what if elves were incels"

[thankskenpenders]

As has already been reported elsewhere, Penders recently took to his personal blog to announce a major milestone...

The first Lara-Su Chronicles book (which is mostly a Mobius: 25 Years Later collection) is real. The proof copy has been manufactured. These will be in peoples' hands in a matter of months.

We've already seen the godawful cover art plenty of times before, but I'd like to highlight how bad the back cover blurb is here. It's mostly background info with very little about the actual story. "Some characters would be married with families of their own. Others walked different paths. The fate of a world would be determined." That's all it says about what happens in the comic! The rest is inside baseball stuff. Not exactly a great hook.

However, I feel like this weirdness may be because Ken had to very carefully design the front and back cover so that it isn't selling itself as a new Sonic book. As we've discussed before, Ken regained ownership of all the stories he wrote for Archie Sonic after the settlement with Archie, as well as all the characters he created for the series. He's allowed to do whatever he wants with his old work and his own characters, but he's forbidden from selling new Sonic-branded products. They have to be distinct at a glance. Per the settlement, Sega needed to make sure Ken's future works didn't "have a look or feel as though they were part of a Sonic universe." This is one of the reasons why the cast has been redesigned in a new (bad) art style for The Lara-Su Chronicles.

So while the old comics reprinted inside the book still contain Sonic characters, since Ken can still use that existing material that was forfeited to him in the settlement, you'll notice that nowhere on the new front or back cover does Ken show a character owned by Sega. The only characters shown using their appearances from the original comics are Julie-Su and Lara-Su, who Ken owns. Knuckles has been replaced with his TLSC equivalent, K'Nox, who's probably juuuuuust different enough to be considered a legally distinct character. In the blurb, Ken can mention that he wrote the original stories for Sonic and Knuckles-branded comics, because that's just a factually true statement, but he can't advertise that the book he's selling contains Sega-owned characters like Sonic, Knuckles, or even Sally. They're just... "some characters."

I remain fascinated by the weird needle Penders has to thread here due to the very specific copyright situation he's found himself in.

[pixiesfz]

where’s the tent? s.c x child!reader

apart of sunshine series

plot: your first time at Matilda’s camp

warning: fluff, sunshine and Harper world domination

"Sunshine which toy do you want with you on the plane and which one do you want to put in your suitcase?" Steph asked you whilst holding two bears in front of you.

One was your teddy that Lara gave you and the other was a new Teddy that you had picked out with your new friend Harper when you went shopping with her and her mums.

You looked in between the two bears before pointing at Lara's "take on plane" you mumbled and Steph smiled "okay sunshine"

"Can we film doing hair again?" you ask as Steph zips up your suitcase "I want plaits" you smiled and put your hands on your pajama pants you were still in.

"We have to go soon Sunshine," Steph told you before picking you up and resting you on her hip "How bout we get changed and then we see if we can do hair, if not we can do it at the airport with Kyra and Caitlin"

"Caitlin can't do hair" you mumbled and Steph laughed "She's only used to pony tails"

It was early in the morning and you were still very tired but you weren't complaining as Steph told you that you were going to camp for the first time, the first time she went to camp since adopting you she didn't bring you.

You stayed at Auntie Leah's but you didn't like it, you threw a tantrum every night when you didn't have a Storytime with Stephy and you didn't like the accent Leah had.

Even if it was the same as yours, you still called yourself Australian and were trying to mimic Steph's voice.

Steph thought to take you this time but you didn't know how you would handle being in another country.

Steph dressed you in comfortable clothes and did put your hair in one plait before she drove you both to the airport where you met with Kyra and Caitlin.

"Ready for camp Sunshine?" Caitlin asked you and you nodded "You excited to see Harper?" Kyra chimed in and you jumped up and down from excitement.

"Harper my best friend"

The two girls nodded with smiles as Steph pulled out Lara's teddy and Caitlin and Kyra lined up for the plane "ready?" she asked and you nodded "hand please" you lifted your hand for Steph to take which she did.

On the plane you weren't too bad, more excited for the snack woman to come up and down as you gave Steph your 'puppy eyes' as the Aussie called them.

"You're too young for diet coke Sunshine"

"But when Kyra gave me some-"

"Kyra what"

Steph's eyes popped out of her sockets before she turned around to see a peacefully sleeping Kyra that was sat next to Caitlin who was on her phone before Steph texted her.

You watched as Caitlin slapped the younger girl awake.

You had fallen asleep not much longer and Steph was grateful for it, especially when people walking by would 'aw' at your cuteness.

When the plane landed you woke up and gripped on to Steph, asking her to hold you as a lot of people were walking around, you didn't want to get lost.

You finally got out and fell back asleep on Steph's shoulder as she grabbed all your luggage and made her way into the Uber that Matilda camp had ordered for the three Arsenal girls.

"C'mon Sunshine time to wake up" Steph nudged you awake before she entered the hotel, she wanted to make sure you were at least familiar with the setting before you woke up in the morning.

You were amazed by all the cool lights around you, pointing at little things that amazed you as Steph nodded and talked about them with you.

"Do we want to go to dinner or have a nap first?" Steph asked you and you looked around, more energized from your long naps "Harper" you answered and Steph put you down, her hand still in yours.

"Dinner it is"

When you saw your best friend in the Dinner room, you ran off in a sprint "Harper!" you yelled and the other little girl started running to you as well until you met each other in a hug, the media person catching it on video as the girls awed at the sight.

Katrina walked over to Steph "Sunshine was good on the plane?" she asked with a slight smirk and Steph breathed out "I was so happy".

You and Harper sat on the floor, inviting players down every now and then before your mums forced you to eat your dinners which they got for you.

"Where you talking to Teagan?" Steph asked and you nodded "Teagan's cool, want to see Corkey next" you said and she nodded "You like Courtney don't you, is she your favourite?" she asked and you looked at Steph "But you're my favourite"

Steph seemed to smile at your words and brought you into a hug "Thankyou Sunshine".

When you finished you ran over to Courtney who was with Mary and red hair Courtney "Corkeyyyy" you yelled out, still not very not good with her name.

The blonde raised her arms for you as you jumped up into her arms "Did you miss me?" she asked and you nodded "yes!"

You had only met Courtney a couple of times in London and you had seen pictures of her that Kyra had in her apartment as they used to go to school together.

You just babbled with words as you sat with the three younger girls as Harper played with Charli and Kyra.

Katrina and Steph just called it free babysitting.

When you arrived to your room with Steph you looked around confused and with furrowed eyebrows as your arms crossed over each other "What's wrong Sunshine?"

"Where's the tent?" you asked and Steph cocked her head, also confused "What do you mean Sunshine?"

"This is camp, why no tent?"

Steph just smiled warmly at your words before picking you and explaining to you that soccer camp is different before you fell asleep in her arms.

[0tivez]

i loved your gojo fic so much!! can i request an nsfw a to z with gojo <3

gojo a to z analysis

note: thank you anon! i've been meaning to do something like this for so long! for everyone, my requests are open! send me anything you'd like :)

warnings: nsfw, established relationship, gender neutral reader. mdni.

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⁜ A = Aftercare ⁜

this is a rough one, because i feel like sometimes he would, and sometimes he wouldn't. for someone he loves or at least cares about, i think he would do it gladly. but for a one night stand with a stranger, he would take care of himself and expect the other person to leave.

⁜ B = Body Part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner's) ⁜

i have a feeling that Gojo likes his arms the most. i can imagine him flexing his arms all the time. he also loves sitting while crossing his arms, he knows it's a distraction for many. he likes how veiny they get from adrenaline rush.

as for his partner's, he's definitely an ass guy. he loves when you wear a tight jean that perfectly envelops your ass. he loves grabbing it, he'll grab it in public. he also does the lara jean hand in back pocket thing all. the. time. it's also his favorite place to cum.

⁜ C = Cum (anything to do with cum) ⁜

he hates using condoms. he has great self-control (thankfully) and knows when to pull out. he loves cumming on your ass and back the most, because those are the only times he can control himself. your face is like aphrodisiac to him, he can't contain himself at the sight of your face covered in his cum. it's a treat he only allows himself every now and then.

⁜ D = Dirty Secret ⁜

when you're away for something (a work trip, vacation etc.) he uses your underwear to masturbate. your underwear drawer is like a goldmine for him. he always feels like such a pervert, but he can't help it.

he also has a secret drawer full of your nudes, or pictures he took of you post-sex.

⁜ E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?) ⁜

very much, but for the most part. he's a man of one night stands, so it's not usual for him to have casual sex with a partner. he was surprised at first, because he's usually doing whatever he wants, and doesn't care if the other person likes it or not. but with you, it took him a while to understand what you prefered, what you disliked and so on. so, while he's very experienced at sex, he wasn't well adjusted at first. so, in that sense, you were a first for him.

⁜ F = Favorite Position ⁜

doggy. he just loves hitting it from the back. you're also easier to maintain control of when you're on all fours. he loves how big his hand looks while grabbing your shoulders or your waist. he enjoys missionary too, but for him, that's for slower nights where you two want to enjoy being together, making love if you will, rather than seeking pleasure. he also loves lotus position. he loves how warm it is, how intimate you two become. he loves having you inside his arms while you huff and puff on his neck.

⁜ G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.) ⁜

definitely goofy most of the time. he doesn't take himself too seriously when he's with you, because he's comfortable around you. but for anyone else, he would be serious, cold, and dismissive. but don't think you'll fly under the radar if he's angry, he's gonna be serious with you in that case too. but all the other times, he's really funny. i also think he'd be talking shit behind others' back while talking about his day mid sex, making you hysterically laugh at his innocent annoyance.

⁜ H = Hair (how well-groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.) ⁜

hmmm... unpopular opinion, but i think he'd be completely shaven. he gives me the type to want his partners to be hairless too. but normally, yeah, the carpet matches the drapes. so it wouldn't matter too much if he grew them out, but he likes not having anything.

⁜ I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect) ⁜

romantic sex with him is occasional. he has a high sex drive, and would have sex every day if he could. although, of course, he shows his love during the moment, his true love making is more rare. he's harsh with his moves 98% of the times, so it's hard to be romantic about that. but there are more intimate, vulnerable times where he just wants to enjoy making love with you, slowly as he feels the love for as long as possible.

⁜ J = Jack Off (masturbation headcanon) ⁜

he masturbates in the shower. he prefers not to masturbate at all and would very much rather a quickie instead. but if he needs to, he'll prefer doing jacking off in the shower.

he's also very casual about it. if you're not in the mood, he'll just do it himself without being offended or anything.

but there are times where he threathens to masturbate if that makes sense. like, "be good and do what i want, or i'll have to do it myself"

he also has a silly fake name for masturbation that he uses just for fun. like idk "going to town" or "taking junior out for lunch" or something. yeah he unironically calls his dick satoru jr.

⁜ K = Kink (one or more of their kinks) ⁜

somnophilia: he'd love to fuck you while you murmur his name in your sleep. imagining how you might see him in your dream drives him crazy and he can't contain himself. he'd fuck you while imagining all the ways you must be dreaming about him (of course he'll make sure you consent to it beforehand).

size kink: he loves feeling big and strong over you. he loves having power in the bedroom. he loves how much he stretches you with just two fingers.

shibari: he's big for restriction in general, but he'd go absolutely crazy if you were to surprise him wrapped like a gift.

exhibitionism: he'd love to fuck you in front of someone else as you cry with pleasure, praising how good he feels. he would love showing you off to someone else as he watches you lose your mind under his touch, to show how good you are for him and for him only.

spit: it's a form of discipline, if you may. if you act out, he'll tell you to open your mouth and spit in it, and order you to swallow. he'll praise you when you do it.

⁜ L = Location (favorite places to do the do) ⁜

everywhere around the house is okay for him, but he also likes having sex in semi-public spaces. dressing rooms, secret corners of beaches, a dark alleyway, elevator, hotel balcony... the possibility of getting caught makes him excited, even though he knows that will never be the case.

⁜ M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going) ⁜

teasing playfully turns him on. he loves it when you're bratty. he loves it when you challenge him by either betting on something ("you'd last 5 minutes if i wore this") or telling him he couldn't do something ("no, you couldn't fuck me till i get a hoarse voice") (he did)

your moans and begs get him going. calling his name in pain and pleasure, that's his fuel. he loves being praised, being told how good he makes you feel, how handsome he is, how big he is and such. he'd cum on the spot if you ever tell him you love him.

⁜ N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs) ⁜

hmmm age play is definitely a no no for him. baby talk etc. grosses him out. he also wouldn't want you to pretend to be one of his students. piss, scat etc. i think those are also given, he'd be weirded out by them. i guess any kind of bodily fluid other than spit, cum, or blood would be a turn off for him. i can see that there are times where a little blood turns him on tho.

also, hot take, but he doesn't like period sex. it's just messy all around. in the shower? maybe. he might have to give it a try first, but the idea in general turns him off.

⁜ O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.) ⁜

loves getting head, and would expect to receive a good one. kinda a head pusher tbh. but he'd be down to give you head too. and for someone who doesn't do it very often, he's very skilled. if you ask for him to eat you out, he won't say no, but might expect the same in return. you have a stressful day and need to relax? he's already down on his knees.

also big on 69.

⁜ P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.) ⁜

painfully fast almost all of the time. he has high stamina too, so he'll go on and destroy your insides until you can't walk. he'd slow down if you begged enough tho.

⁜ Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.) ⁜

he loves morning quickies, but other than that, he prefers having normal, long paced sex. he'd like to have a quickie before he gets to work, or when you two are outside and he needs to release.

⁜ R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.) ⁜

satoru loves riskiness. the possibility of being caught makes him thrilled. he already has almost no shame, so the risk is just another adrenaline rush factor for him. not that he cares about it tho.

⁜ S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?) ⁜

no need to be unrealistic, i don't expect him to do more than 1 round. 2 is extremely rare. he has high stamina, so his 1 orgasm takes like 2-3 of yours. he has high libido tho, and would have sex multiple (3 at most i would say) times a day. but he definitely needs some time off between each round.

⁜ T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?) ⁜

he doesn't own any toys, other than the ones you already own. he's not fully against the idea of using toys, but he would rather do the job himself. if you offer to use it, he would get very offended and put out a show. but other than that, there are times where he likes teasing you with a vibrator or dildo.

now that i think about it, he would probably buy you a jewelled plug as a gift. a baby blue jewelled one.

⁜ U = Unfair (how much they like to tease) ⁜

lol that's not even up for debate. he's a fucking tease. he enjoys messing with you, he'll do anything to make you frustrated. in the bedroom, outside the bedroom, anywhere and everywhere.

for one, he enjoys edging you. he'll make you climax only to leave you unfinished and frustrated. he'll make you swear at him, insult him, even hit him.

and he'll tease you about anything you do during sex, and do it anywhere. outside with your friends? "you remember how much you begged me to fuck you last night?" your family? "he calls me daddy too" like this man has no shame.

⁜ V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.) ⁜

to your surprise, gojo is incredibly vocal. he doesn't hide his pleasure. his moans will be both growl-like and whiny. you love the latter more. his voice cracks in between moans and he sounds so desperate, which is ironic since he loves dominating you in bed. that's the only thing he'll compromise.

⁜ W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character) ⁜

he loves using his blindfold as a leash on you. he'll wrap it around your neck and grips on it tightly as he fucks you from behind

⁜ X = X-Ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes) ⁜

okay our lanky boy propoganda is proven false with recent manga chapters, this guy's buff and huge. though i would still say his length is his greater power, not his thickness, which imo makes his dick boyfriend dick. he knows how to utilize it well too. he can initiate pain or fuck without it if he wants to. red, sensitive tip. has one long vein all along his length. shaven completely.

⁜ Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?) ⁜

the way i answered all of them in just one of these damn 😭 anyways still, he'll want in when he wakes up, during the day, and before bed. this man's always erect and ready to go. he'll even offer to come over where you work just to have a quickie with you. in his car, in your office, in his office, wherever. always asks for nudes, always sends you nudes, 24/7 spamming nsfw messages and memes. he's like a teen who found a box of low quality 80s porn in his garage in a dusty box and told everyone about it. it's sometimes cute, he can be funny about it. but there are times where he sends shit that actually end up turning you on. and within 3 seconds, he's got you laying on your desk with the tall man between your legs.

⁜ Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards) ⁜

even if he's too tired, he won't fall asleep before you, because he loves watching you slowly fall asleep. he'd want to cuddle you, have pillowtalk with you, play with your skin, your hair, and watch you fall asleep on his chest while wondering what the hell he did to deserve someone like you.

send me requests or else

[goddessxeffect]

MAKE PEACE WITH THE EGO AND YOU MAKE PEACE WITH THE PAST

Disclaimer: This post is not entirely written by me, I credited all the sources I remembered but if something seems very familiar, it is probably out of 4dbarbie's asks or from one or two of @iamthat-iam, sorry in advance to the original source.

" The past gives you an identity and the future holds the promise of 'salvation', of fulfillment in whatever form. Both are illusions... As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. "- Eckhart Tolle

Now that you know who you really are you are fast to scapegoat the ego for everything. It is in the way of you getting to that blissful state of peace. It understands nothing, it fights you. It is the reason you suffer - or isn't it? First of all, you wanting to be different is a urge coming from ego, not you. You are already that, everything, want nothing. It's not you suffering, it's ego suffering. Secondly, you are missing the mark by far. Ego is perfectly created the way it is. It's conditioned to be that way and behaves acordingly. It's perfect, so let it be. You are choosing to identify with it. You are giving this role importance or rather life. It is again you choosing to give your power away to a dream, an illusion.

Yes, in a different way now but still: you don't have power, you are it. Already. Nothing is standing in your way but yourself or you clinging unto this false sense of self. How can an illusion be an obstacle for its creator? Only "I am" is true and your real self is love, so anything aligned with love is true. Anything aligned with fear is an illusion by the ego that You fall for.

How to get rid of an illusion you might ask then? By knowing it's not real. What do you not understand about you already being realized? By knowing who you are, you know that Ego cannot be you nor "real".

Even if she [Vanesse = ego] wasn't the greatest, what's so wrong with her? She is just somebody, she just lives a life. Things are only so serious when you're identified with her, you get scared, you get hurt, you feel stuck. But when you know that she can't hinder you? That she was never you? Don't you just want to laugh and hug her? @4dbarbie-backup

To understand Ego is to understand time (x)

Time is not experienced. You only ever experience now, the past is imaginary or as some say "a shadow, ghost town, dead", it is not experienced at all. What you experience is (a persons) memories in the present, but you give them life now and just because you identify with the person for whom this all happened this way.

This is also your answer for why you don't have to care for what will happen to a character and its life. You exist now, for example as Vanessa, with all of her memories, which make her up as we already cleared. The next moment, or let's say the next morning, you "wake up" as Lara, with all of her memories. Would you, experiencing only now and identified with Lara, as her, know that Vanessa even existed? I'm kinda quoting 4dbarbie on this.

"The past is dead. What you see is dead. Until you realize your Self, Present will always be past (something you were prior conscious of)" @4dbarbie-backup

What is the ego's reference point? The past, not the present. What is ego essentially? A "bundle" of past experiences (memories), expectations, habits and traits, that developed because of those experiences. The ego only "exists" as its mind, it IS its mind. But the mind is imagined by You (awareness) since in the present moment there cannot be past experiences.

"Now, all ego knows is illusory, because it's the past, it no longer exists. You see life through the past, you aren't really in the now, so really what does ego know? How can ego be helpful in the now if it only operates based on something that does not exist? If you realize all is now, ego becomes useless" @napolonio

Everything is imaginary, nothing is real in the sense you were taught growing up. You have to imagine the past, which makes it not real. A memory coming up is no different than you imagining "yourself" with a million dollars. Both of those things are imaginary and experienced in the now."

Reality, or the "world" Ego experiences, is real because of our (awareness) experience of it. WE make it real. It’s not like the reality the person was born into is the ultimate one true reality. Every reality is real as long as you are conscious of it being so. You have to re-realize that you are reality itself. "Things" or "objects" are dead (have no independent or own beingness) but only become "alive and real" through our occupancy in it, by borrowing our beingness temporaly. That’s why consciousness is the only reality!

On the topic of "Revision". Before realizing all of this I (person) was like “But it won’t be the same because I didn’t actually get to have the experience” but “Hold up; all that exists of the past IS the memory of it! Its not like I’m vividly physically experiencing my memories every moment. I only accept my past as true because I feel like it happened and I’m attached to it. Who’s to say I actually experienced all those things?”

All the memories that the person/ ego has, good or bad, are only kept in place by the love or rather attachment that we are giving to them. And why wouldn’t I love my own deliberate lovingly created memories even more?

[sonntam]

I don't think I've seen a write-up on various fairy-tale and Russian sayings references in the English translation, so I'd like to make one.

"Puddles make poor drinks" and "Gorkhon water will turn you into livestock": what's up with that?

There is a fairytale about a big sister and the little brother. They walk for a long time and the brother is very thirsty. His big sister keeps telling him to keep going and not to drink from the puddles, like a goat. Eventually the little brother drinks from the puddle.

And promptly turns into a goat.

Rest of the fairytale is about the big sister returning the little brother to his original form.

So, this is where the talks about puddles and water turning you into livestock is about.

The Akela joke did not work at all in the translation.

It comes from Mowgli, which is well known due to the USSR cartoon. In the book (and in the cartoon) the elderly wolf leader Akela misses during a hunt... after which he promptly is deposed as a leader of the pack. Mowgli loses his protection and this is a Big Deal.

So whenever a boss in real life makes a silly mistake (say, throwing a paperball into the bin and missing) everyone thinks it's very funny to say "Akela missed!" implying that they will get a new boss now and the current one will get deposed for this mistake.

Here "Akela never misses" means that Khan being at risk of infection and coming into the nutshell does not diminish his importance at all and his dogheads are just as loyal as before, happily delivering loot to him.

There is a saying: "Better a sparrow in hand, than a stork in the sky."

It means that you should treasure what you have, instead of preferring that which you can't get (so easily).

Lara Ravel references that she can't be happy with the little she has. She wants to help others and for this she needs more.

"Maybe I could be useful to you" is a classic thing that various animals say to people in fairytales, once they are caught and plead for their lives.

I think, this is a popular trope in English fairytales as well, but the phrasing here is lifted directly from fairytales in Russian, so pointing it out either way.

"Everyone's shirt is closer to their skin" is a well known Russian saying.

It means that your happiness and comfort is always more important to you than the comfort of other people. Hence: your shirt is closer to your skin, so you care about it more.

"Silence implies assent" is another popular saying (it even rhymes in Russian).

If someone proposes a course of action and no one speaks out against it or for it, then people usually say "silence is a sign of assent" and consider the matter settled. (Or, more often, people then suddenly say that they disagree and you get a more lively and productive conversation.)

I can't find another screenshot, but Dankovsky says something similar about "I wore down seven pairs of shoes getting to this town".

It obviously could be taken as a factual statement, but most likely it's a reference to fairytales.

In a lot of fairytales the protagonist will be given on a long journey seven pairs of iron boots. Once all of them break, the hero has reached his destination.

Same here: it's a fairytale way of saying that you had a long and arduous journey (or in Capella's case, ran around the whole town for years).

"I'll just peek with one eye" is another popular Russian phrase.

"Can I look?"

"No"

"How about if I look with just one eye?"

Obviously, it's nonsense, but it's a typical thing to say if you REALLY want to look at something, so you just say "pleeeease, I will just look only a little".

[helloalycia]

𝐀 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐕𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐆𝐄 [𝐓𝐖𝐎] — 𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐀 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐓

one / masterlist / wattpad

summary: after managing to escape Yamatai, you’re left to deal with the aftermath of emotions it brings for you, whilst also trying to be there for Sam and Lara.

warning/s: same as last time, with the additional mention of nightmares.

author's note: here’s part two! hope the Lara enthusiasts liked this one :)

also just a reminder, Y/M/N = your mum’s name

"She'll be here, I know it," Jonah said with certainty, but it was looking more and more hopeless as him, Reyes and I stared into the distance at the colourful arrays coming from the monastery.

Sam had been taken again by the island natives and Lara had gone after her whilst Jonah, Reyes and I bought her some time, but we'd all promised to regroup on the beach and Lara hadn't returned with Sam yet. The storm that had been ravaging the island since we got here had cleared up, which could have only meant she'd succeeded in stopping the Sun Queen – but where were they?

After what felt like a lifetime, we spotted Lara approaching through the trees, bloody and battered, carrying an unconscious Sam in her arms. Jonah immediately leapt into action to help her, taking Sam from her arms, whilst I joined Lara's side and led her back to the boat. Reyes was quick to prepare the boat for our departure.

"What happened?" Jonah asked Lara what we were all thinking, setting Sam down in the boat.

Exhausted, Lara answered, "It's over. We can leave now."

Jonah and I exchanged worried glances as Reyes wasted no more time in setting off. Everybody was as tired as they looked, so we sat in silence, looking out at the water as Reyes steered us back to civilisation.

Thankfully, after a few hours, a passing freighter spotted us and took us in, giving us food, drink and first aid supplies to keep us going until we reached land. So much had happened in the past few days that seeing real people who actually wanted to help us felt impossible.

After getting some help with bandaging my arm up by one of the crewman, I noticed Lara approaching me on the lower deck.

"Thanks," I said appreciatively to the crewman, who nodded with a smile before leaving me be.

"Hey," Lara said softly, taking a seat beside me.

"Hey," I replied, offering a small smile. I noticed she'd had chance to clean up a little, but her skin was still littered with bruises and scrapes, and her shirt was soaked with dried blood. "How's Sam?"

"Resting," she said with a sigh. "Jonah is watching her."

I hummed, worried for my friend. She'd been kidnapped, tortured and possessed by an evil spirit – I could only hope she'd get the help she needed to recover when we returned home.

"I wanted to check on you earlier, but I was distracted," Lara admitted, finding my eyes. "How are you?"

"I'm okay, Lara," I assured her gently, before resting a hand on hers. "How are you doing?”

"I'll be okay," she said dismissively, making me exhale sadly. She was always minimising her own feelings, now more than ever.

"You really did it," I said after a moment, knowing now was the right time. "You stopped Himiko. Saved Sam. Defeated the Solarii. You saved us all, Lara. And I can't express how grateful I am for that."

She shook her head, pulling her hand back and sinking her face into her hands with defeat. "I didn't do anything. This was all my fault, Y/N. I shouldn't have insisted we come here."

I furrowed my brows, resting a hand on her back comfortingly. "You didn't know. And you got us out of it. We wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for you."

She frowned, eyes staring ahead, glazed over and lost in thought. It was obvious she was beating herself up about everything, but I refused to let her soak in self-pity.

Relieved she'd made it out alive and somewhat safely, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her in for a hug. She relaxed after a moment, tucking her head in my shoulder as if hiding from the truth, but I'd keep reminding her every day if it meant she'd listen.

"You're capable of a hell of a lot," I muttered, squeezing her gently. "I've said it once before and I was right."

She pulled back, cheeks tinged pink and eyes avoiding mine, though the tiniest of smiles was on her lips. I smiled at the sight, pushing a loose strand of hair from her eyes and admiring the view.

"I'm really glad you're here," she said quietly, dark eyes darting to mine briefly before she pulled back. "Obviously, I'd rather you hadn't experienced any of this at all, but–"

"I understand," I cut off the start of her probable never ending ramble. "Me too."

She pressed her lips together, looking down at the wooden floorboards of the deck. Despite all of the amazing things she'd done to keep us safe these past few days, she was still her awkward, adorable self. It was refreshing to see some things hadn't changed her completely.

Of course, that didn't mean the events at Yamatai hadn't taken their toll on us in other ways.

We were still a couple of days out from land, so the freighter crew were kind enough to give us all rooms to sleep in below deck. The second night was admittedly the hardest. I found myself reliving the horrors of the island all over again once my eyes closed, but it was worse than the previous night. Between murdering crazy cultists in self defence, being kidnapped, held captive and watching our friends die, my night was riddled with nightmares.

It became too much and I woke with a start, drenched in sweat and trembling with confusion as I couldn't make out my cabin in the dark. Realisation dawned on me – including all the events that led up to this moment – and I suddenly felt nauseous, bile rising in my throat. Without a second thought, I clambered out of bed and raced down the hall for the shared bathroom, just about making it to the toilet before I vomited all of last night's dinner up.

It burned my throat, but it wouldn't stop coming until I was eventually vomiting nothing but my stomach acid. A moment passed when I heard footsteps behind me and then hands held my hair back.

"It's okay," a familiar voice soothed, their other hand rubbing my back, and it took me a second to realise it was Lara.

Once I was finished, I sat back with exhaustion, my body aching from my bent over position, and gladly accepted the tissue Lara handed me.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked with concern, her face lit up from the sliver of artificial light coming through the porthole.

I didn't even realise I'd been crying until her thumb wiped beneath my eyes, and the touch suddenly reminded me where I was and how I looked right now, no doubt a mess before her.

Swallowing hard, I straightened up. "Sorry, I–"

"Don't apologise," she said, returning her hand to my back to comfort me, but the way she was watching me so delicately made my cheeks heat up with embarrassment.

"I'm okay, I–" I started, pushing her hand away and moving back slightly, but I was acutely aware of my dishevelled appearance and the stench of vomit.

"Hey, stop it–" she tried to reassure me, ever so generously, but I couldn't meet her gaze.

"I didn't mean to wake you," I mumbled, moving to stand up.

Pressing my lips together, I flushed the toilet before moving to wash my hands and rinse my mouth in the sink.

"You didn't. I was up already."

I tensed my jaw slightly, splashing my face with cold water before straightening up again, avoiding her eyes in the reflection of the mirror.

"What happened?" she asked gently. "Was it a nightmare?"

It felt so silly to admit that, but I was still in fight or flight mode and the thought of being alone right now was horrible. Instead, I nodded weakly, busying myself with the hand towel.

"Me too," she muttered, making me finally look to her, though with a mutual concern. "C'mon. I know what'll help."

I soon found myself following her down the hall, past our cabins and to the small, deserted kitchen area. She merely motioned to the booth in the corner before moving to fill the kettle. It turned out the simplicity of watching her make us both cups of teas in silence was more comforting than I could have guessed.

She joined me with our teas shortly after, pulling her legs up on the seat beside me and holding her mug for warmth. I mirrored her action, the two of basking in the silence and each other's presence. Though, despite Lara initially trying to be there for me, I was worried about her too.

"Are you okay?" I asked stupidly, glancing at her.

She chewed on her lip, eyes glued to her mug. "Honestly, I've been having these nightmares since we left the island."

I frowned, hand resting on her forearm. "You should have told me. You could have woken me up."

Her eyes lifted to mine. "So could you."

I sighed, knowing neither of us would ever burden the other like that. But I wished she would.

"It's over now though," she reminded me, her hand resting atop mine on her forearm.

"It is," I agreed halfheartedly. "But it won't go away. Not now."

"But it will eventually," she said with certainty, and I wondered how she still remained positive despite everything we'd endured.

I yawned tiredly. "I can't wait to go home."

"Same."

Quiet fell upon us once again, only the creaking of the ship and the distant lull of the waves to keep us company. Periodically sipping on my tea, I found myself laying my head on Lara's shoulder comfortably. Though, with that and the swaying of the ship and my general fatigue, my eyes were slowly closing.

"You're falling asleep," Lara whispered from beside me.

"Mmnot," I mumbled, hoping she'd drop it so I could actually fall asleep.

Unfortunately for me, she found this amusing and began to chuckle, making her shoulders move. "C'mon, let's get you to bed."

"Or we could just stay here," I said tiredly.

"You'll be comfier in your own bed, Y/N," she promised.

"I'm pretty comfy here."

She snickered once more, before pressing a gentle kiss to the top of my head. "C'mon, love."

I sighed disappointedly before forcing myself up, sliding out the booth. She was lovely enough to take me back to my cabin, leading my half asleep self to bed and even tucking me in.

"Goodnight, Y/N," she said, squeezing my hand and smiling down at me with amusement. "You'll be home soon, I promise."

I smiled tiredly, though my eyes were drooping shut. I wanted to ask her to stay, appreciating the comfort her presence gave me, but I didn't want to overstep. So, I had to settle for the moment I had with her before letting her leave for the night.

—

I'd never missed home more than I had now. As soon as I stepped foot in my family home, still living with my parents, I almost cried at the familiarity of it all.

I could never truly tell my parents what I'd endured, but they must have sensed something had gone terribly wrong because they were as supportive as they could be. Still, it wasn't the same as being with people who had gone through the same thing.

Lara and Sam didn't live far, only a tube ride away, so I visited them a few times whilst we were back. The only good thing to come out of this whole mess was my friendship strengthening with Sam and forming with Lara. They were the only ones who understood how I was feeling, though Sam was less reluctant to talk about it than Lara was.

I stopped by their flat a week after returning, with the intention of checking in on them but also bringing a bunch of leftovers my mum had made for dinner and insisted I shared with them. Lara was a terrible cook and Sam hadn't been herself lately, understandably so, so I was happy to make it a little easier on them if I could.

Once I knocked on the door to their flat, I heard someone on the other side before it opened to reveal Lara. She smiled softly when she saw me, eliciting a smile of my own.

"Y/N, hey," she spoke with surprise, before pulling me in for a quick hug. "I didn't know you were coming."

I returned her hug, admittedly already comforted by the subtle scent of her perfume. "Sorry, I should have called really. It was a last minute thing. My mum made some food for you and Sam and I just wanted to drop it off. If you're busy or it's a bad time, I can just leave you with the food."

"No, no, it's not a bad time at all," she assured me, tugging me into her flat and closing the door behind me. "I'm glad to see you. And gosh, your mum is just the sweetest. She really didn't have to."

I chuckled, holding out the bag of food. "Good luck telling her that."

Lara accepted the bag with a snicker before taking a peek inside. "It looks delicious, Y/N, thank you. I really need to meet the chef behind all this great food."

I followed her into the kitchen as she put the bag in the fridge, before glancing around the place. "Sam not in?"

At the mention of Sam, Lara sighed quietly, her smile fading. "No, sorry. She actually just left. We... we got into an argument."

I frowned. "What about?"

We both took a seat on the couch as Lara collected her thoughts, clearly still upset about their argument.

"Sam's been having nightmares," she said guiltily. "I know she has. I've even had to wake her from a few. But she won't talk about it with me. She's outright denying there's anything wrong. It's not right."

It was true that Sam was in denial about what she'd experienced, but I had at least hoped she'd been confiding in Lara about it, if not me. This definitely wasn't what I expected to hear.

"That's a lot to deal with," I sympathised, feeling a little guilty myself, and I wasn't even sure what for. That I had it easier? That I hadn't been possessed like she has? I didn't know. "But Lara, I'm sure she'll open up to you when she's ready. Everybody deals with trauma in different ways."

Lara frowned, jaw tensing. "But it's me! She's supposed to tell me what she's thinking! We're best friends, Y/N. She's never acted like this before."

"I know, but–"

"This is all my fault," she reminded me, voice breaking slightly. "I just want to help her."

I rested a hand on her knee, squeezing gently. "She knows you're here for her, but this is all frustrating. She's processing it on her own first, okay? You can't rush it. You have to go at her pace."

Lara hummed, eyes staring past me and into the distance thoughtfully. Whether she would listen was beyond me, but I hoped she knew I would be here for them both.

"Aside from that, how have things been with you?" I asked, speaking when she didn't.

Her eyes flickered to mine. "Not good. Not bad. I... Jonah checks in every other day. Reyes won't speak to me."

I frowned at this, though it was expected. She still blamed Lara for the whole trip.

"I spoke to Grim and Alex's families the other day," she continued halfheartedly. "Broke the news."

"That must've been hard.”

She smiled sadly. "Wasn't easy. But someone had to do it. Only felt right it was me."

I leaned on my elbow on the back of the couch, facing her sideways. "I would've sat with you if you'd asked. You shouldn't have had to do it alone."

She exhaled through her nose, eyes twinkling slightly. "That's sweet of you to say, but I wouldn't have asked that of you, love."

I gave her a disapproving look, but she brushed it off as she always did.

"How have things with your parents been since you got home?" she changed the subject. "Sam and I appreciate you always coming to check on us, but we would love to do the same."

"You're always welcome," I said lightheartedly, though I meant it. "My parents would love to meet you. Especially my mum."

She half-scoffed, frowning to herself. "I almost got you killed on an expedition. They wouldn't want to meet me. If they knew the truth, they'd hate me."

I quirked a brow. "Okay, firstly, my mum literally forced me to bring you all that food. You really think she does that for everyone?" Lara opened her mouth to speak, but I continued, "Secondly, they know the truth. Well, most of it. And they don't hate you for any of it. They'd love to meet you."

She pressed her lips together uncomfortably, looking down.

I tried to find her gaze as I said gently, "Thirdly, what happened in Yamatai wasn't your fault. How many times do I have to tell you?"

She didn't say anything, so I took her hand between mine, finally earning her attention.

"It wasn't," I repeated, needing her to believe me.

Her dark eyes softened as they held my gaze and I could have stared into them forever, but then she looked to my hand before slowly pulling hers back. I cleared my throat awkwardly, wondering what I'd said to make her so uncomfortable. I considered apologising, but Lara was quick to change the subject.

"Maybe I'll stop by soon," she said, referring to my house. "It's the least I can do for your mum."

"How about this weekend?" I asked hopefully. "You and Sam can come over for dinner."

"Oh," she said, surprised, and definitely not expecting me to ask so soon. "Erm, I–"

"Please?"

She blinked, glancing at me, before wincing. "I suppose we can."

I began to smile, excited. "Great. I can't wait."

—

"...nothing, not even a hint about it," I pleaded with my parents as they moved around the kitchen, prepping the last few bits for Sam and Lara's visit. "As far as this household knows, Yamatai didn't happen. I don't want to upset them. Or make it awkward. Or–"

"Y/N, we understand," my dad cut me off, squeezing my shoulder. "We won't bring it up."

"It's not you I'm worried about," I mumbled, glancing at my mum.

She only ever meant the best, but I worried bringing up Yamatai might set a bad tone for the evening, especially with Sam's reluctance to acknowledge everything that went down.

"I'll stay quiet, love, I promise," she assured me, though I couldn't be sure she would.

Just on cue, the doorbell rang and I was both delighted and a tad nervous, mainly in case my mum said the wrong thing. Still, I shot both my parents a warning look before going to answer the door.

"Sam, Lara!" I exclaimed with a smile when I opened the door. "So glad to see you."

"Y/N!" Sam returned with excitement, before immediately pulling me in for a hug. "God, it's good to be here after so long. I'm so looking forward to your mum's cooking."

"Wow. And here's me thinking you came to see me," I joked, making her chuckle as she pulled back.

"I think I see you enough," she played along. "I'm here for Y/M/N and Y/D/N."

I scoffed jokingly as she stepped inside, moving my attention to an uneasy-looking Lara, still stood in the doorway. Naturally, it brought a smile to my face and I quirked a brow.

"You coming in today?" I teased, stepping to the side.

She cleared her throat, nervous smile on her lips and some flowers in her hand. "I– yes. Sorry. It's good to see you, Y/N."

I chuckled as she stepped inside, closing the door behind them both.

"We bought some flowers and chocolates for your parents," she added, and I noticed Sam was holding the box of chocolates.

"That's sweet of you both, but you didn't have to," I told them knowingly. "Just you coming was enough."

They exchanged looks, making me laugh, and then footsteps were heard and my mum appeared in the hallway.

"Ladies, welcome!" she said brightly, before looking to Sam first. "Sam, it's so good to see you. It's been too long!"

"It has, Y/M/N, I'm sorry I haven't visited sooner," Sam returned with a laugh, before holding out the chocolates. "Hopefully these make up for it."

My mum looked at the chocolates with a cheeky smile. "My favourite. Of course it does."

Sam winked at me playfully, making me roll my eyes.

"And you must be Lara," my mum continued, expression softening. "I've been very excited to meet you, dear! Y/N has only said great things about you."

"Mu-um," I whined, cheeks flushing.

Lara smiled with amusement, nerves dissipating slightly, which I suppose was worth a joke at my expense.

"What? It's true!" she defended.

"It's lovely to finally meet you, Mrs. Y/L/N," Lara said politely, before holding out the flowers. "These are for you and your husband."

"Call me Y/M/N," my mum replied, before accepting the flowers with a chuckle. "You lovely ladies are spoiling us! Do mind my husband. He's just making sure the roast doesn't burn."

"I just wanted to say that we're also really grateful for all the food you've been sending over recently," Lara added with a small smile. "It's been a massive help."

"And it tastes beautiful," Sam added jokingly.

My mum began to smile sadly as she looked between them both and I knew what she was thinking. Please don't bring it up. Please don't bring it up. Please don't bring it up.

"I'm here to help in any way I can," was all she said, as I held my breath. Then when I shot her a look, pleading for her not to mention Yamatai with my eyes, she cleared her throat. "I'm gonna check on dinner. Y/N will take you to the dining room."

As she walked away, Sam and Lara seemed confused, so I attempted to brush it off as I took the lead to the dining room.

Soon enough, my dad joined us, introducing himself to Lara and reacquainting himself with Sam, before my mum brought out the dinner and we all dug in. To my relief, they both steered away from all things Yamatai, instead talking about work or family or anything else that wouldn't make them upset.

Sam settled in easily enough, as she always did when she spent time with my parents. I was more concerned about Lara, who initially didn't want to come tonight and was acting a little shyer than usual. Thankfully, she seemed to warm up to everyone as the evening went on, and I was glad my parents were able to put her at ease. They truly did like her, and contrary to Lara's fear, they didn't blame her one bit for our disaster voyage.

To make things even better, my mum went out of her way to truly help Lara feel at home by baking her a special dessert.

"Y/N mentioned you fancy a Jaffa Cake every now and then," my mum teased Lara as she brought out the cake in her hand and set it down, "so I thought I should make something special since it's your first time coming over. It's a Jaffa Cake cake!"

Lara stared at the cake with surprise, smile on her lips in disbelief. "What? Seriously?"

"This is literally her dream dessert, you know that?" Sam said to my mum with amusement.

My mum chuckled as she took her seat. "I figured."

Lara blinked, speechless, before her eyes glanced at me across the table, unsure. I nodded reassuringly, trying not to laugh, and then she looked to my mother with sparkling eyes.

"This looks amazing, Y/M/N, I don't even know what to say."

"You don't need to say a thing," my mum assured her. "Just dig in!"

Lara pressed her lips together, smile permanently fixed on her face in a way that warmed my heart.

After having some dessert and tea, my mum insisted on boxing up some leftovers for Sam and Lara.

"Sam, it's been a pleasure as always," my mum said with a smile, before offering her the food. "This is for you and Lara."

"Awesome," Sam mumbled as she accepted the bag, before hugging my mum. "Thanks, Y/M/N."

My mum laughed before looking to Lara. "Lara, love, it's been an absolute delight meeting you tonight. I hope we can see more of you. You're part of the family now!"

Lara smiled, cheeks turning pink. "Thank you, Y/M/N. I appreciate that."

I watched them both hug, always grateful for my mum's ability to put someone at ease.

After she and my dad wished Sam and Lara a good night, I walked them down the hall to see them out.

"Get back safe, yeah? Text me when you're home," I told them both.

"We will," Sam assured, before lifting the bag of food in her hand. "Can't wait to devour this tomorrow."

I chuckled tiredly, accepting her hug before opening the door for her. She stepped outside as I looked to Lara with a grateful smile.

"Thank you for coming, Lara. I'm really glad you did. It wouldn't have been the same without you."

"I don't know about that," she said with a slight snicker, before looking between my eyes patiently, "but thank you. I..."

I waited, curious, but then Sam interrupted, calling for Lara impatiently.

"Thanks for having me," Lara said quickly, aware of Sam's whining in the background, though a tender smile was on her lips. "Goodnight, Y/N."

"Goodnight, Lara." I pulled her in for a brief hug, though my insides were spinning butterflies at the proximity.

She offered me a final smile before I watched her join Sam's side, the two of them walking away. I exhaled gently, closing the door and unable to clear my thoughts of Lara.

—

A few days later, I was over at Sam and Lara's flat, helping Sam do some cleaning and throwing some old belongings out. With Sam, this meant waiting for her to decide whether a possession was worth keeping or not, fighting her about it, then finally getting rid of the clutter.

As I was leaving another full box of belongings by the front door as Sam continued to dig around her bedroom, I heard keys jingling in the door. Straightening up, I saw Lara letting herself in, eyes finding mine with confusion.

"Y/N?" she said with surprise, shutting the door behind her and kicking off her shoes. "What are you doing here?"

"Just helping Sam get rid of some stuff," I said, before noticing her gym outfit and headphones. "You go to the gym?"

As if suddenly aware of her appearance, she glanced down before wiping the film of sweat from her face with her sleeve. "I– no, sorry, I'm all gross. I went on a run."

I chuckled, shrugging. "It's cool."

She cleared her throat, smiling a little, before saying, "I was actually meaning to call you so it's good you're here." When I lifted a brow curiously, she continued, "I wanted to thank you properly, for dinner the other night. Your family are really lovely and accommodating and I just–"

She paused, eyes flickering away momentarily, and I wondered what she was so nervous about, but I didn't want her to feel rushed, so I waited.

"It was the first time I've properly felt at home somewhere since, well, since I was a child," she continued slowly, awkwardly, and I hung onto every word.

"I'm glad," I spoke gently. "My parents love you. And I really enjoyed having you there."

She breathed out, nodding. "Even after everything... I'm glad it went well. I should have said as much the other night, but... yeah."

I couldn't help but smile at her adorable uneasiness. "No problem, Lara."

She swallowed visibly, eyes meeting mine briefly, before hesitating.

"What is it?" I asked, noticing she was holding back. "What's on your mind?"

She chewed on her lip. "I lost my parents young and I never had a family, not a real one. I had Roth, but he's..."

"Lara," I started, stepping forward with a hint of concern, but she shook her head.

I waited, and then she pressed her lips together. "Forget it."

Feeling bad for throwing her off, I started, "No, wait–"

"No, it's fine, I'm just rambling," she mumbled.

"Keep rambling," I urged, afraid if she stopped sharing now, she'd never do so again.

She paused, pursing her lips as she looked to her shoes. I watched the strands of her fringe loosen from her ponytail, covering her face for a moment, and fought the urge to push it out the way.

"It all seems so futile now," she admitted.

My confusion only grew. "What?"

Just when I thought she may stay quiet forever, she finally looked up, golden-brown eyes meeting mine. "I like you. A lot. I have for a long time now, but after everything... there's bigger things going on and it's a lot to admit. And I understand if you don't feel the–"

She was rambling again, already talking herself out of her admission, so I kissed her without thinking, lips catching ablaze when they touched hers. She froze, shocked, and I pulled back slightly, finally moving those damned strands of hair from her stunning eyes.

"It's not futile," I assured her, meeting her deer-caught-in-headlights expression. "I actually feel the same way."

She breathed out slowly, a small, hopeful smile forming on her lips. "You do?"

I mirrored her smile, nodding. "Do you know how hard it is to fancy someone who barely spoke a word to you?"

Embarrassed, she looked away. "Not any easier than fancying someone who you couldn't say a word to."

I chuckled. "Touché."

She licked her lips, nervous, before meeting my gaze once more. "Why didn't you say anything?"

I shrugged, it being my turn to be nervous. "I don't know... at first, it was because you didn't speak to me much so I didn't think you'd like me back. And then, like you said, after everything that happened... it was a lot. It didn't feel like the right time."

"How about now?" she asked hesitantly. "Is it the right time now?"

"It could be. If you want it to be."

She nodded. "I'd like that."

I began to smile. "Me too."

She smiled too, eyes flickering between mine before settling on my lips, and without another second wasted, she leaned in to kiss me. I closed my eyes as her finger curled around my cheek, pulling me close, and melted into her touch.

I could have stayed there forever kissing her, but the sound of Sam in the hall grumbling to herself about cleaning made us pull apart. I wasn't sure what would happen with the whole Lara and I and Sam thing, but Lara must have had the same thoughts as I.

"We keep this from Sam until we figure out what this is?" she proposed quickly.

I sighed with relief, glad we were on the same page, and nodded in agreement.

"Oh, Lara, you're back!" Sam noticed when she finally entered. "Great, you can help Y/N and I."

Lara's eyes twinkled with adoration as they lingered on mine before she gave Sam a convincing smile. "Sounds good, Sam. Just let me shower and I'll give you both a hand."

I smiled to myself as she walked past Sam and I, heading for the bathroom. I was still in awe.

I just kissed Lara freakin' Croft. Twice!

[notmorbid]

animal wife.

dialogue prompts from animal wife: stories by lara ehrlich.

i practice punching every afternoon.

it's my job to take care of you.

you are the best thing in my life.

you can come up, if you want.

it's not polite to point out people's flaws.

do you believe in monsters?

i'll never let my guard down again.

it's alarming how life continues without us.

our teeth scraped.

can i come in? i won't make a sound.

we each carry an ocean inside us.

just kiss and get it over with.

it's cold in your shadow.

don't be a baby.

you were scared once, too.

you're still scared.

hey. can you come out?

want to see a movie tonight?

you think you're too good for us.

stop being a snob.

i wanted to sit down and run away at the same time.

sometimes i say things just to see what you'll do.

we can't lie. we have to tell.

i'm not sure i want things to change so much. not yet.

you know how to make an impression.

i hate when people tell me to smile.

what did i tell you about webmd?

i think maybe i loved you.

i'm tired of life lessons.

i need a change i can't come back from.

give me a call every few days so i know you're alive.

they don't need to know i'm not coming back.

i've never wanted kids.

you deserve to be enough for someone.

deer live at the edges between worlds.

what the hell are you supposed to be?

you always come back to me.

i sleep better in the car.

take some time for yourself.

what happened to you?

you look a little lost.

you were the only one who listened.

we have everything we need right here.

i have a name.

it's like i'm invisible.

my therapist says seeking reassurance only provides temporary relief, and then the worry just comes back stronger than before.

i don't know why i'm sorry.

i miss you already.

no good can come of longing.

happiness has sharp edges.

[newkatzkafe2023]

@lara-legomonkiekid

What if Y/N and the Monkey King's met their future sons/daughters.

I'm gonna have (Y/N) As her snow white monkey form if that's okay with you.

(Lmk Wukong) He was napping when he was tackle to wake up by various voices. He look to see two monkey boys with white fur with gold eyes and a little orange monkey girl with blue eyes. They were all talking at the same time so he couldn't understand a word they said. But they do look familiar especially their smiles. They ones he rarely gets from his rather Grouchy Wife. Then his guess was confirm when you got back from the market and him with 3 monkey Cubs. They soon run to you and overwelm you with their little voices. Wukong has never been so blessed before and he hopes their more to come.

(MK Reborn Wukong) Those kids have to be one of the biggest demon brats on the planet. You meet them on your mountain when Wukong came by today. They were little angels to you mainly because you can kick their ass if they weren't. Their was a boy and a girl monkey they say your supposed to have another in a month or so and that shocked you. Wukong wasn't having it he refuse to believe them and mostly wanted to know where the hell did they come from. Until his daughter blamed her brother for their situation and now they're beating the snot out of each other. As Wukong tries to break it up you can't help but daydream about your future With your Two Feral kids and you're just as feral husband.

(HIB Wukong) His kids make him so tired. First of all this tells him that he Managed to get that close to you and get married have children with you. Now those said children are here trying to help him get with you in order to protect their family. His 3 Sons We're surprised to see how savage you can be, but his youngest and only daughter knew you like the back of her paw😏She knows you like him but are not sure how to approach him so she goes and talks to you herself. With the children's help you guys have a proper date and find that you have more in common then you think Misson Accomplished.

(Nezha Reborn wukong) Oh my god, oh my god, There is so many😨 why is there so Freaking many of you?! If it wasn't for the mask you will notice How much his eye is twitching. From what he heard these are his kids from the future after Accidentally getting sent back in time. Their was 5 boys and 2 Girls and apparently their was another one that hasn't been boen yet. He looks at you and you respond with that you always wanted a big family. He sort of wants to blame you. But his youngest daughter points out that he has no self control so that went out the window. All he can do now is sit and listen to the conversations As he feels his fur turn grayer than ever.

(Netflix Wukong) He has never been so happy in his life. Looking at all the small monkey cubs that is supposedly his family. His 2 Sons tell him that your supposed to have 2 daughters in the Winter so that's gonna be exciting. You were always unsure if you would ever be a good mother. But the cubs praises made you feel better and Wukong loved you more then ever now 🥰🥰🥰

Feel Free to Reblog😇👍

[hadesoftheladies]

FEMALE MOVIE/TV RECS (PART 6 / ACTION & THRILLER)

got inspired from a recommendation post so decided to make a list of movies and shows with female-centric stories/female protagonists. since i can't post all of the genres in one post, i'll split it into multiple posts and y'all can save or add to the list as you wish. (disclaimer: i have watched most of these, but i only know about the existence of others. not every movie/show on these lists will be my recommendation. my recommendations will be beneath the list with reasons. also some of these are way better than others in terms of storytelling/performance--which is why i'll list my faves separately):

Common Themes:

-Being betrayed by men you trusted

-Being hunted down by men (usually working for the government)

-Protecting/saving children

-Survivalism

-Family issues and strong family themes

-I'm Such A Loner (TM) Because I'm So Exceptional (TM)

-Guns or swords? Those are your two options.

-Fast and reckless driving and jumping off of things (and a 100% survival rate)

-Getting beat up by men, and then beating up men worse

LIST OF MOVIES

Hanna

Resident Evil

Haywire

Mad Max: Fury Road

Kill Bocksoon

Heart of Stone

Kill Bill

The Old Guard

Terminator

Black Summer

Blindspot

Lou

The Mother

Atomic Blonde

Gunpowder Milkshake

The 355

Zero Dark Thirty

Miss Bala

The Assignment

Anna

Kate

The Hunt

Bandidas

Proud Mary

Monster Hunter

Lady Snowblood

Tomb Raider

Ocean's 8

Red Sparrow

Those Who Wish Me Dead

ONES I HAVE WATCHED:

The Mother

The 355

Yeah this is a very short list. But I shall remedy it soon.

ONES NOT LISTED BUT WORTH MENTIONING:

Colombiana

High Heat

The Heat

Elektra

Ava

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li

Crouching Tigre, Hidden Dragon

V for Vendetta

Charlie's Angels

Argyle

The Assassin (2015)

Revenge (2018)

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

[a-very-tired-jew]

Dropout Discord Keeps on Giving

You'd think with the server shutting down / freezing in a week or so that there would not be anything to report, but you'd be wrong.

In the past few days the current batch of users, specifically that one young Jew who believes all of us are brainwashed, have been posting some out there stuff.

I have the screen shots but at this point it can be summarized as Everyone is Brainwashed but Me still thinks their family is brainwashed and they can't be honest with them about the Truth™ without being labeled a "traitor". But they know the Truth™ that this is a Genocide and the worst thing ever and their family doesn't (remember this is someone in their early 20s). Their family gave them Noa Tishby's book to read and its full of Zionist lies and propaganda. In response another use recommended this link.

Fig. 1. User responding to Everyone is Brainwashed but Me with a video to "argue" back with.

This video features Dr. Lara Sheehi. If you don't know who that is, Dr. Sheehi has a history of antisemitic behavior and targeting of Jews in her classes. Dr. Sheehi has openly supported Hamas and her social media was the infamous Blackflaghag that posted such wonderful things as "FUCK YOU AND FUCK YOUR AID". Profiles on Dr. Sheehi repeat the same thing that much of her time as a professor was spent demonizing Jews and Israel and trying to recruit people to BDS and other causes.

She was a professor at GWU and the university's investigation "cleared" her. However, the Office of Civil Rights opened an investigation into her and suddenly she left GWU in January 2024 and is now a professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies in Qatar. Considering that Qatar has funneled billions of dollars into the USA collegiate system, was host to leaders of Hamas for years, and their state media acts as a mouth piece for Hamas, it's not surprising that she would end up there considering the amount of work she did for the Cause™ in the USA.

I doubt anyone will point out any of this to them, nor would they accept it as anything other than "Hasbara". Later, they tell us that they finished the book and that it's full of apartheid denial and denial that Israel is a colonial state (there's a collage of pictures in between the two comments that I won't include here).

Fig. 2. Everyone is Brainwashed but Me mentions finishing the book.

The apartheid argument is one I have seen come up a multitude of times by activists, and it makes no sense to me. Apartheid, as defined, is the discriminatory authoritarian ruling of the majority by a minority population that results in segregation based on race within a country. As many have previously established, Arab Israelis have the same rights as all other non-Arab Israelis. They are part of the government, military, businesses, and so on. If the argument is to be made that there is apartheid like laws regarding Palestinians...well that makes no sense. The Palestinian territories are their own separate entity with their own separate governments, laws, and structures. Meaning, Palestinians entering Israel from Gaza or the WB are foreign nationals, they will of course be subject to different laws. In fact, every country has a set of laws for foreign nationals that differ in some capacity from the laws that govern their civilians. So we either have the Palestinian territories actually being a part of Israel in the mind of activists, which only area C could be considered this, or they're separate entities entirely. Area C gets into a whole realm of murky politicking that is outside of my realm of expertise, but it's the only place where I can see this argument hold any weight (and yes, the settlement stuff is bullshit and the military laws get into a whole weird realm of things, I'm well aware of this). However, I have yet to encounter any Western Activists acknowledging the complexity of Area C and the international laws and regulations regarding it, let alone the average activist even knowing the difference between the Areas, Israel, and Palestinian territories. Now, I have seen the lack of a right of return for Palestinians be used as an argument that Israel is an apartheid state. And again, I have to ask how? This type of law is not characteristic of apartheid as we know and define it. But again, if we get into this territory then what happens? Do they become Israelis or are they Palestinian citizens? What laws are they subject to? If they're foreign nationals living in Israel due to a right of return then they have different laws that adhere to them, which is not part of an apartheid system. If they become Israeli citizens then they have all the rights given to them as citizens. Neither of these support the claim. Simply put, they insist Israel is an apartheid state and when you mention any form of the above they call you a racist spreading propaganda and then shut down any meaningful discussion (in Dropout's case they kick you from the server for pointing out how wrong they are about things). We have a clear definition of what apartheid means and what practices are involved, but like "genocide" it seems that this definition has gone out the window and is now defined as anything people want it to be. As for the colonial state argument, who is Israel a colony of? And don't say the USA or the UK, that would mean that they send resources back to those countries, are taxed by them, their government is controlled in every capacity by them, and so much more. Considering anti-Zionists like to say the USA's government is controlled by Israel, it's quite contradictory. It appears that so much of the Western Activist's antisemitism anti-Zionism is couched within just believing everything Jews Israelis Zionists say is lies while openly believing a terrorist organization's narrative (an organization that I, once again, need remind everyone is on record saying they would manipulate Westerns into believing their narrative regardless of its veracity).

[dudethatsmyundeaduncle]

Tim Drake's Mom is actually Lara Croft! AU

After getting pregnant Lara Croft disappears off the face of the earth, takes up a shell company in Gotham left to her by her father, and assumes the identity Janet Drake.

(DC made Timmy's parents archeologists! so Sis it was between Indiana Jones or the Tomb Raider and well here we are!)

___________________________________________________________

Lara Croft has a daring archeological adventure/world saving mission with a dashing man she only knows as N. Drake (if u know u know) and finds out she's pregnant weeks after.

Lara Croft did not expect to be Pregnant. Lara knows that she shouldn't have a baby. She knows this intellectually and emotionally, she doesn't have any family left and after nearly 10 years of traveling the globe and putting herself in life or death situations she knows her life can't accommodate children. Lara knows the responsible thing to do, she makes an appointment with NHS/MSI and focuses on her next project. (TW: Discussion of Abortion)

Lara never gets her appointment. She misses her abortion date in London when she gets caught up in another mad expedition that takes her half way across the world.

On this mission she nearly looses everything, her friends, her own life, what's left of her father's legacy, all for a semi cursed magical artifact that nearly blows up the South American Coast.

Lara's tired, scared, she's been running from Trinity (evil org) for nearly a decade now . She's 29, she's 5 months pregnant, and she's stuck floating on her back in the middle of the South Atlantic sea watching the sky burn.

Lara's rich she could always get the abortion, legally or otherwise, her father left her a billionaire and the souvenirs she'd collected from her travels do nothing but add to that wealth.

Trinity wants Lara Croft dead, they'll never stop chasing, and Lara just wants respite. She wants her quaint childhood in the English countryside with her father, she wants to curl up and sleep for a thousand years. She wants to be someone else, just for a moment.

Her heart beats wildly in her chest and she can almost feel another heart beating alongside it.

Lara Croft makes a decision. She sinks into the sea and doesn't come back up for air even when it burns.

On the shore a nameless woman washes up, water logged and looking for passage to America.

The Croft's have had shell companies for years, one can't be a billionaire these days without at least a few, Medi-industries is an unassuming medical supplier located in Gotham, New Jersey the crime capital of North America. It's the perfect place to disappear.

Janet Drake Lands in Gotham on a gloomy morning in March, she's got enough money to throw around that people forget to ask what family she's from, this is Gotham new money is nearly unheard of.

By mid April Janet has reestablished control of Medi-Industries, Now Drake Industries, and purchased an old English style mansion in Bristol, which the real-estate agent has assured her is a great neighborhood.

Timothy Jackson Drake is born July 19th at nearly 3 in the morning squalling high into the night like a banshee. He is perfectly healthy and perfectly safe in Janet's arms.

It is only in the safety of their home, in the house Janet picked, because it was high on a hill for tactical advantage and had bullet proof glass nestled between quaint wood paneled windows, It is only in the heart of Drake Manor that Lara dares to Whisper her son's name

"Timothy Jackson Croft"

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

AU ALSO INCLUDES!

Badass Lara Croft being the cool mom TM

A family portrait of the Drakes, Including Janet, baby Tim, and a mysterious Jack Drake (who was a very discreet and well paid member of Gotham's theatre society, and who was also more then happy to pose as a rich ladies dead husband for a day)

A Socttish Nanny/Housekeeper with a very keen eye and discreet mouth who will not tell a soul that she is fairly sure she's employed by Lord Richard Croft's, eccentric billionares, missing daughter.

precocious and slightly British accented baby Tim who gets to have his Mom with him for 10 whole years! before she inevitably runs back off to save the world

Tim being unaware of his mother's past life beyond her name until the age of 13 when he becomes Robin and is able to actually find out what his mom's been protecting him from his whole life.

I imagine in this AU that eventually Trinity finally catches wind of where Lara is hiding and she has a big confrontation with them in New Jersey. It's way too close to Gotham and Tim for her comfort, she knows this is the only chance she'll get to control the chaos.

So she packs Tim up to move him into the dorms at Gotham Academy and promises she'll write and be home for his birthday in the summer. After she's finished her "company" business first of course.

Tim's confused but he trusts his mom, he gets unsigned postcards from all over the world and pins them above his bed in the dorm and goes to sleep trying to guess what country she's in every night.

The move to the dorm is kind of cool to Tim as well because it means he can start his plan to follow Batman and Robin in the city! (in this AU there's no way Lara wouldn't have noticed him sneaking out at 9, but Gotham academy security? totally oblivious)

Tim celebrates his 10th birthday with his mom at home, he has so many freaking questions about where she was! and she tells him outlandish stories about daring fights and cursed artifacts that he rolls his eyes at but enjoys none the less.

it isn't till he's 15 that his Robin work and his mom's adventures cross paths.

After so many years of close calls, of hiding bruises from his mom with same concealer she uses to hide her own wounds, of wondering if it was selfish to wish his Mom cared a little bit less about the world and would stay with him for more then a few weeks at a time. Finally it all comes to a head in the worst way. Lara Croft's latest adventure puts her right in the middle of a Bat Level investigation. It has Tim near loosing his mind with worry hoping his mom is alive and Lara having the worst freakout/Blow up of her life realizing her son has been putting himself in Danger every night she thought he was safe.

The Drake/Crofts are messy! Bad at communicating! And unfortunately the exact same kind of reckless and self sacrificing!

Fun food for thought:

Lara canonically is a killer, if you've played any of the reboot Tomb Raider series she can be pretty gruesome and efficient! Very cool! Jason would stan! Tim is kind of appalled! Lara is glad Tim's never killed, that he's never had to.

Lara still dies in this AU but it's in a big Trinity X Obeah Man X Captain Boomerang Cluster fuck where Lara finishes off Trinity and Obeah Man for good but looses her own life in the process. Tim is devastated, he feels like they were just starting to really be 100% transparent with each other before her death. Que Tim's not good very bad year!

if you've made it this far in my rambles here's a treat! I actually wrote a lil fuckin blurb for this!

preface: This the first time Robin and Lara Croft have ever met/are on the same mission.

___________

" mom!" Tim shouts, running before Bruce can even properly land the BatJet.

The old temple is ablaze, the ancient structure already half crumbled in on itself with what's left of it is spewing out clouds of jet black smoke.

Tim's mother limps out what was once the front entrance clutching at her ribs.

She's filthy, covered in a thick layer of dirt and grime. but she's got on a triumphant smile like the cat who got the cream.

" Mom!" Tim yells again watching as she does a double take at his choice of moniker.

Her mouth twists in a grimace as she stumbles and Tim dives under her arm quickly moving to support her left side.

Lara Croft meets the white lenses of Red Robin's eyes in confusion

" What'd you call me?" She slurs trying to blink away the smoke inhalation that makes it hard to focus and leaves her lightheaded.

Lara's right ankle which took the brunt of a very nasty dive from a very high perch, not 20 minutes earlier as she raced out of the Dead Kings Tomb, finally gives up the ghost and she pitches forward taking Red Robin with her.

He's young, she thinks, he's very young.

Before either of them can hit the ground Batman intercepts their fall hefting Lara into a secure hold.

Red Robin catches himself and latches onto Lara's hand.

He yanks off one of his gloves and tries to wipe some of the grime out of her eyes.

" Mum" he croaks this time, voice breaking nearly in half on the last syllable.

Lara furrows her brow, the cowl covers so much of this young man's face, from his nose too his brow bone, but his chin is startlingly familiar as is his absolutely atrocious British accent.

He reminds her terribly of Timothy.

" Tim" she says deliriously, Lara tries to smile but her eyes start to droop and her head lolls slack against Bruce's arm. She's clean out.

Tim makes an odd lunge and jerk movement pressing his fingers into her carotid artery to feel her pulse.

He's shaking, more wrong footed and anxious then Bruce has ever seen him.

Batman is extremely grateful when Nightwing comes up behind him and gently pulls his younger brother's hands away from his mother's comatose body.

" She's fine Red. We need to get her on board so we can get her some oxygen though, the smoke inhalation is getting to her. "

" Right" Tim says, still frozen in place. He shakes it off quickly " Right." he repeats pivoting in place and leading their small party through the remains of the ruins and back to the jet.

" I'll prep the med bay."

--------

pics or it didn't happen! (ps, if u wanna write, draw, or HC anything for this AU feel free my lads)

[thankskenpenders]

Happy new year, everyone! Welcome to 2024, the year that will mark the 10th anniversary of Thanks Ken Penders. I'd like to go over my plans for the blog for this year.

First of all: in the very near future, I'll have a post with my thoughts on Sonic Dream Team, and I'm sure I'll write one last Sonic Prime review once the final episodes drop on the 11th. I've also been sitting on an unfinished piece about the Sonic LEGO sets. I wanted this to be longer and more detailed piece that not only reviewed the sets but also went into the weird disconnect between homogenized image of Sonic the Brand and the actual fiction it's based off of, but it'll probably end up getting cut down a lot just so I can put something out. Let's just say I did a fun little thing with one of the sets.

Second: yes, I would like to return to regular TKP updates this year. As I've said many times, I wanted to do this in 2023, but I've been suffering from creative burnout after finishing SLARPG and have generally been unable to focus on any of my creative goals this past year. I'm hoping that this year will be better and I'll be able to get back into the swing of covering Archie Sonic issues. Even doing one issue every week or so would be vastly preferable to continuing the hiatus. I'm still only halfway done!! But aside from burnout, my other main hurdle is that I need to reread my own archive to refresh myself on all these things after nearly three years away. This will take some time.

The thing is, though, this year I'll have an extra incentive to go back through my previous writing and brush up on all things Archie Sonic. Because you see...

I've decided that I want to make a video essay about Penders. The comics, the copyright battle, The Lara-Su Chronicles, everything.

The why

I've thought about doing this before, but I never committed to the idea. I was too busy with gamedev, or I thought it'd end up being too long, or I figured that there were already enough videos on the subject, or I just lacked confidence in my ability to put together a video essay. So I told myself it wasn't meant to be, and let the multiple YouTubers who have cited me as a source on their own Penders videos fill that void.

Recently, though, a few things have happened that have convinced me it might be time. For one, YouTube video essays/media retrospectives/etc. are just getting longer and longer. When Quinton Reviews is out here doing 21 hours of videos on Sam & Cat, a subpar Nick sitcom that only lasted one season, I don't feel so crazy for wanting to make a video about several hundred comic books and two lawsuits that'd be at least an hour or two long lmao. Admittedly, I've also been self-conscious about doing a long video essay like this as a trans woman who has yet to do any vocal training. But these days I feel like I see a lot more transfem YouTubers who have done little to no vocal training, and that's given me more confidence on that front.

But the big one was Hbomberguy's recent plagiarism video. As I sat there watching it, I kept thinking about the time I found a CBR article that was just a crude 800 word summary of my two previous articles on Penders, published by a CBR writer who's put out over 4000 articles since 2019. If I've already been plagiarized before, and my writing is so frequently passed around as a go-to source on Archie Sonic drama, then I wouldn't be shocked if there were YouTubers out there straight up just plagiarizing me. I don't watch other peoples' videos on Archie Sonic, so I'd never know! So if people are just gonna paraphrase me when covering these topics anyway, why not take matters into my own hands and make what I would consider to be the definitive video on the subject? If hacks like James Somerton and iilluminaughtii can churn out these shitty video essays and people will still watch them, surely it can't be that impossible to make my own, right? (And also, uh, Hbomb literally told me I should make the video lol. If you're reading this, thanks for the encouragement.)

The what, how, and when

So here's the plan.

Part of this video essay will be an adaptation of my Medium article on the recurring themes of Ken's Archie Sonic run, with its content touched up and expanded upon. There were a few things I skimmed over in the article because I didn't want it to get too long, but again, people are out here watching ten hour videos about bad Nickelodeon sitcoms now. I can get away with elaborating a little more. I can add a few paragraphs talking about the Chaos Knuckles arc, or throw in a little more historical context I've discovered in the years since.

After covering the comics, the back half(-ish?) of the video will be dedicated to the copyright battles and their ensuing controversies, trying to give an accurate picture of what actually went down, the sheer scale of how bad Archie fucked up, and what our takeaways should be. This will have some similarities to my New York Magazine article on the subject, but I'll be rewriting it from scratch. I REALLY had to keep things short for that article because I was already way over the expected word count, and my tone was a little more straight-laced than normal because I was trying to keep things Professional. I can riff more and insert more of my own opinions this time, like I normally would.

I'll inevitably have to touch on some of Ken's Bad Tweets when discussing things that have happened after the lawsuits, but I don't want the video to just devolve into a list of times people got mad at him on Twitter, so I'm gonna try to keep that to a minimum in favor of focusing on his actual work. Things like the Scourge the Speed Demon incident and his continued statements on certain characters' copyright statuses probably warrant mentioning, though. And finally, assuming that the book really does come out this summer, I would like the grand finale of the video to be about those first couple chapters of The Lara-Su Chronicles.

I don't currently know when this video will get done, but it'll probably be in the back half of the year, especially with me waiting for the book to either drop or get delayed yet again. But I've actually already started writing a bit of the script, and will keep chipping away at it for a while.

So, uh, yeah, look forward to that? Wish me luck?

[boinin]

Blue Lock Chapter 245/NEL team rambling

foreword: I wrote this over Christmas, when suffering with a headcold. It's not that coherent, but I spent an amount of time on it? So have it as is... whatever it is.

God, they're doing Bachira Barcha so dirty.

If I'm interpreting this right, it sounds like Lavinho entered the game, but not Loki. Oof. Speaks volumes.

It took one of the most renowned footballers in the world to hold off Shidou and company so Bachira and Otoya could score.

It rankles how little development the Barcha boys are getting, compared to Manshine, Ubers or PXG. I know one team had to be the "first boss" of the NEL, but it's Bachira's team.

Bachira. Who's always shown the ability to thrive when the chips are down. Who's one of the most important characters, prior to the NEL.

Ugh. The story is entitled to focus on other characters, and overall I've enjoyed the outcome of this league. But you have to wonder how they can justify Barcha being this weak, even against a team as dominant as PXG.

Now, I did a fact-check to see if I'm just being salty (always a possibility). I looked at the teams by Blue Lock players, and specifically 1) who has a volume cover and 2) who is likely to get a volume cover between now and the manga ending.

My rationale? Volume covers are a proxy for talent/story significance, and appear to be an early bellwether for who might make it into the new U20 team lineup. Sendou fans rejoice

The results kinda support both the "me being salty" angle as well as the "Bachira is being deliberately ratio'd" one. Let me explain.

Germany are stacked next to the others, especially when they have both Kaiser and Ness as well. However: of the seven BL characters that have volume covers, four of these were revealed during the NEL arc. It makes sense, with Germany being the protagonist's team. But something to keep in mind, when we look at the others.

France has four characters that had volume covers before the NEL started. It's extremely likely Zantetsu will get one, and there's outside odds of Nanase also getting a cover. France has a potential NG11 or high-level player in Charles Chevalier. There's also Kento Cho, who had a not-insignificant role in the U20 v BL11 match. Worth noting.

I was surprised by how many high-profile characters Italy have, with five volume covers between them. This said, two characters (Niko and Sendou) only received theirs during the Ubers match arc, although I'd argue Niko would have received one earlier if it wasn't for Kaneshiro's commitment to the bit. Italy also has Don Lorenzo, possibly the most effective NG11 we've seen in action so far. IMO there's a slim chance Fukaku Gen will get a cover in future—the national team needs more than one goalie.

England have three volume cover stars: when you hear Manshine, all you can really picture is Nagi, Reo and Chigiri, right? In addition they have Wanima the elder and Niou, one of whom may sneak into the national team bench and nab a volume cover (my money's on Niou, solely because of that magnificent beard). Other than that, Manshine only has Agi, who's noted to have significant talent.

Lastly Spain, which has two volume covers to its credit and (in my view) low chances of any further ones. Maaaaybe Darai or Hayate, if we work off the current rankings (post round 3). But I can't see them beating Tokimitsu or Zantetsu for a Top 23 placement. They only have one notable Spanish player that has speaking lines (Ignacio Lara) but I wouldn't put him on, say, Agi's level.

To recap, the teams have this many significant characters as of the time of writing:

Germany: 7 + 2 (Kainess) + 2 (Igaguri, Kiyora) = 11.

Interestingly, a number that's give high status in this manga, and one that is often associated with Isagi.

France: 4 + 1 (Chevalier) + 2 (Zantetsu, Nanase) = 7

Italy: 5 + 1 (Lorenzo) + 1 (Fukaku) = 7

England: 3 + 1 (Agi) + 2?? (Niou, Wanima) = 6?? (closer to 5 really)

Spain: 2

If we retrospectively discount any character that didn't have a volume cover before the NEL arc kicked off, and reference only high-profile BL players:

Germany: 3

France: 4

Italy: 3

England: 3

Spain: 2

In conclusion: Spain has been outgunned since day one, and the story has failed to develop any of the Spanish players beside Bachira and Otoya... despite having a over a third of the national team front bench among its ranks.

I think Bachira and in particular, Otoya, have underperformed overall, considering their elevated position prior to the NEL. However, a repeated theme in the NEL is, you're only as good as the support or players around you.

Bachira and Otoya simply don't have the calibre of supporting midfielders, wingers or defensive players in Barcha that the other teams have. They don't have an NG11 player, or a defence capable of holding off a strong offensive opponent.

To get back to my original point: no wonder Lavinho had to sub on to give his two star players a chance to shine against PXG. It's indicative of the level of talent on the French front bench.

[probayern]

hello!!! Can you give me some Bayern blog recs please🥺

hiii yes of course <3 disclaimer i'm going to forget some people so please forgive me mutuals 🙏

but first the absolute essential follows:

@moosiala lara is not only the kindest human on the planet but a great person to follow for updates on the team, photos, edits, and insightful discussion of tactics and the team. and also just like everything

@fabioquartararhoe meli is our resident hater and one of the funniest people on this website, will always say what she thinks in the best way possible

@miasanmuller ander is THE funniest person on bayernblr (it's a tight race), never fails to make me laugh on matchday, absolute 10/10 must follow

@goretzkas clara is a brilliant gif maker and also absolutely hilarious, will defend bald men with her life

@antibayern my soulmate liz, unfailing ability to come on here and drop bangers even when she's not able to be on all the time

ok honestly i could write a paragraph about everyone on bayernblr but this is getting long so also you absolutely must follow: @gxtzeizm @footballandfiasco @football-sucks @thomas-mvller @moonliivee @uncoolfc @trossibop @elishamanning @chelleisamazing @thommi-tomate @miss-i-ship-it @swiftletinthecloud @gnabries @gnabried

and they're less active these days but i can't not mention @musialas and @everybodylovesmusiala