#let's ruin all of that and reveal something awful in part 2 :D'

[casspurrjoybell-22]

Dream Eater - Chapter 6 - Part 2

*Warning Adult Content*

When Damien hasn't returned by midnight, I start to worry.

To be fair, there's very little else to do.

Entertaining guests is clearly not a priority of this establishment.

The room has no T.V. no radio and nothing to read.

At least at home, I'd have had one of those awful hotel-room bibles to laugh at.

I pace, look out the window and pace some more.

When the smell from the weird takeout selection starts to bother me.

I decide to venture out in search of a trash receptacle.

The narrow hallway is empty and despite the 'no vacancy' sign, it feels like the place is deserted.

Trying not to make any noise, I sneak down the hall to the door and let myself out.

It's cold and the overgrown garden has an aspect of creepy decay that makes me shiver.

I walk to the street and toss the takeout boxes in the bin.

When I turn to go back inside, the old man is standing in the doorway.

He's wearing the same clothes as before... a sort of stuffy, outdated suit that was in style half a century ago.

Cautiously, I approach.

"I hope I didn't disturb you," I say. "I was just throwing something away."

He doesn't respond and his eyes look black and shiny as beetles in the dark.

"Er... I'll just go back to my room, then. Sorry."

I wait for him to move aside but he doesn't.

"You should leave," he says in a dry, scratchy voice. "While you still can."

Does he not recognize me?

"Um, no, sorry. I'm a guest here. I'm with the tall dark-haired guy? Damien?"

He nods.

"I thought you were the same one, at first. I tried to warn him, too."

What the hell?

"I don't understand," I say. "Has Damien been here before?"

In the light from the streetlamp, the old man's eyes glint like shiny stones.

"Yes. When this place was new."

I'm no historian but this house hasn't been new in a long time.

"When was that, exactly?" I ask.

A few of the crinkles around his eyes loosen and I get the feeling he's seeing something from a memory.

"Nineteen-twelve," he says thoughtfully. "I remember because that ship sank a week before and I was very busy at the time."

The streetlamp flickers and a shiver crawls up my back like something with too many legs.

"What are you?"

He turns to go in.

"An innkeeper," he says.

Despite my fair share of bad travel experiences over the years, I'm pretty sure that's not a variety of demon. I try again as I follow him inside.

"No, I mean what are you."

Stopping in front of a narrow black door, he turns to face me. 

"A psycho-pomp," he says. "I guide the souls of the dead on their journey. Also, a doomsayer, though that is by profession rather than nature."

He opens the door, revealing a steep, narrow flight of stairs.

He starts to go through and I catch at his sleeve.

"Wait... what did you mean before? About leaving and all that?"

He looks at me and I get the feeling he's old as the stones in the foundation.

"The one who brought you here carries doom in his shadow," he says.

"And leaves fire and death in his wake. The last time he was here, he came with another... a creature of beauty and light, much like yourself. I saw the dark end towards which he fell, drawing him swiftly, like a penny in a spiral well. The same darkness catches at you now, whispers at the edges of your fate, calling you to ruin. It may already be too late but if you do not seek death, then you should not stay with that man a moment longer than you must."

Giving me a slight nod, he shuts the door gently in my speechless face.

I'm guessing he's not invited to many parties.

Kind of a downer, honestly.

I return to the threadbare room and lie down, mulling over the man's words.

I should probably feel scared but I'm mostly curious.

I don't plan on sticking with Damien any longer than I have to, anyway, which is hopefully tomorrow morning.

What has me curious is that both the innkeeper and Damien think I have something in common with this Sakariel guy.

But what could a dream-eater with a damaged demonic soul have in common with... for lack of a better word... an Angel?

I'm no more a 'creature of beauty and light' than a pebble is a precious stone.

The room is cold and there's no heating system as far as I can tell.

I crawl under the blankets but they're thin and smell like damp and age.

The mattress dips in the middle and the pillow is lumpy.

I shut my eyes, missing Dante's couch.

A door slams and I jolt awake and sit up.

Damien shrugs out of his coat and casts me an apologetic look.

"Sorry."

I glance at the little bedside clock.

It's 3:33 in the morning.

"Where did you go?" I ask.

For a moment, I think he's not going to answer me but he does.

"Nowhere. I just needed to get away," he takes a deep breath and goes on. "This place holds a lot of memories for me. I didn't think when I teleported us out of my apartment... I just focused on the first place that came to mind and this was it. Well... the forest, actually. But this is where..."

"You were here with him, weren't you? Sakariel."

He nods.

"This was our..." he leans his hands against the wall and hangs his head. "It was a safe place for us or so we thought."

I don't press him for more and after a moment he pushes himself up with a sigh and starts to undress.

"Is there any food left?" he asks.

"I thought you didn't need any?"

He shrugs.

"As long as I'm keeping myself suppressed, my physical body is as mortal as any other. Unless we're in a dead zone, I guess I'll have to eat and sleep after all."

"I'm sorry. I threw out the leftovers."

"No matter. It's almost morning anyway."

He climbs beneath his own blankets on the other bed.

I pull mine around me more tightly.

"It's fucking freezing in here," he complains.

After a moment, I hear the rustle of blankets and then a tug at my shoulder.

"Move over," he says.

He lifts the covers and slides in beside me without waiting for a reply.

"Hey... I didn't say you could..."

"You want to be cold all night? Because I don't."

He wraps his arms around me and pulls me against his chest.

I yelp as his icy hands slide over my back.

"Jeez fuck, you're cold."

"You're warm," he murmurs.

"Compared to an ice-cube, maybe," I shiver.

But his body is already warming, and in a minute I turn over so my back is to his chest and relax into his heat.

He makes a contented noise and squeezes me like a kid holding a stuffed toy.

I sigh and wonder if it's safe to fall asleep like this.

Will he still have nightmares now that his memories aren't suppressed or can I drift off without risking another tour of Hell?

"You smell so good," he says dreamily, on the edge of sleep. "I always loved the way you smell, Sakariel."

I go still but he doesn't seem aware of what he's said.

From his deep, even breathing, I can tell he's asleep.

[shushiyuii]

Karlnapity noms? Angst at the beginning but fluff at the end? You can choose the sizes ^^

Ooop- been a good minute since i've posted, doing a lot better but headaches still playing up. It's taken me two days to write this but i hope its good- If you want a part 2 you're welcome to let me know uwu

Warnings: Soft vore, mentions of break ups

Words: 1.1K+

Being a traveller of time meant a lot of different things had been seen, some good others bad. For example, seeing futures in which the worst possibilities happen so it’s Karl’s job to make sure these things don’t happen in present times.

The last time he had travelled was rather fuzzy. It was unclear, he couldn’t remember it clearly, but he remembered it consisted of his ex’s Sapnap and Quackity.

In the present timeline, he knew the three of them had separated. It wasn’t on bad terms; it was just the three of them hadn’t been talking. Quackity working on Las Nevadas, Sapnap working on Kinoko Kingdom and Karl with his whole time-travelling thing.

He knew he was mainly the balance of the three, he hadn’t meant for the three of them to separate but his memories played so much to a point he sometimes couldn’t even remember who they were sometimes.

He had been using whatever techniques possible to remember and they worked, he could remember everything once he reread his journal, so he kept a wristband on him that always said, “Read the journal”.

He sat under a tree, moping, wandering what to do. He honestly felt lost whenever there wasn’t any travelling or his ex-partners. He missed them dearly but how was he supposed to explain the fact he’d been time travelling? No way they’d believe him.

“Hey, Karl! Been a while!”. He turned his attention to the new voice, it was Quackity’s. “Oh, hey Quacks”. He was rather surprised to see Quackity here, it was rare that he visited. “What’s happening?”.

“Thought I’d pop by, y’know. It’s been a while”. He hummed, “Yeah. Okay. How have you been?”, asked Karl. “Been good, working on Las Nevadas and shit. How about you?”.

“Uhm, difficult to say.”, “Really?” His face turned to one of concern, despite them no longer being together it was clear that they loved each other. “Are you in deep shit or something? Can I help?”.

“I guess you could say that. But it’s nothing inheritably bad, I think”, “You think? Karl that doesn’t inheritably sound good”. “D-don’t worry about it”.

There was soon crunching of leaves and branches, and out came the head of Sapnap, “Oh Quackity! Karl! Hey”. “Sappy!”. Quackity said enthusiastically as he approached Sapnap, kissing him on the check. At least they obviously still cared for each other, unlike with him.

Karl looked away slightly, downwards. “You okay Karl?”, “Yeah just fine!” he put on a fake smile and stood up, approaching the two of them.

Big mistake.

Karl got a bad headache and collapsed to the floor on his knees, Sapnap and Quackity came over to Karl, worried but before they could ask a flash embraced them.

The next thing they open their eyes to was a giant, white castle with Karl walking up the stairway, staring in boredom as if he’d been there before, the other two stared up in awe.

The two looked at Karl as he casually walked up the stairway, “Karl, you okay?”, Karl sighed and looked down at the two of them.

“This is the In between, where I’ve been disappearing off to, where my memories go and stuff. Where I basically time travel”. Karl speaks with a bored tone, the other two take a minute to process it.

The fact that their ex-partner wasn’t really lying but in fact was actually travelling through different times and had suffered whilst doing it. Suffered alone. “Karl, god. How many times have you done something like this?”.

“Many, I’ve even seen times of us. Some I don’t even want to talk about”. Karl looked away in a sort of frustration.

It was clear to them that Karl had suffered from this that he had no control over, clear enough that they got dragged into it, now they had to fix it.

Quackity looked to Sapnap with concern, held his hand and followed Karl to the entrance much to their confusion. Soon enough he stopped at what seemed to be a bedroom, “What now?”.

“I usually just wait, it’ll happen eventually”, “What will happen?” asked Sapnap. “The travel, soon enough we’ll be teleported to which time they wish.”.

“They?”. “I don’t know, I just call them that”. “Karl?”, he hummed. “We’re sorry”.

“It’s fine Quackity, Sapnap”. He sighed.

After that some time passed, them all huddling together.

But it didn’t last long as they were finally transported, the place was covered in vines, ruined, overgrown. It was mystically beautiful yet there was something strangely off about it.

The strangeness was revealed when Sapnap stepped on a branch, it set off some sort of trap. Causing skeletons covered in leaves to attack, immediately whipping around and turning to his fiances, well, ex fiances.

He held them close with his arms as he shifted size, him turning gigantic. Each fiancé in a hand as he stopped at the incoming skeletons, but they kept coming. Quackity tried to yell for Sapnap to calm down in his panicked state, but it seemed like that wasn’t going to work.

Karl tried to think reasonably, or something that could help them in this situation, but his racing mind came to nothing. They were stuck.

Sapnap couldn’t fight with his hands occupied, he had to keep his fiances- ex-partners safe. He’s done it before with them, so he saw no fear in doing it again, so he swiftly stuffed them into his mouth and made his way to continue turning the skeletons into bone meal.

“Sapnap!” Quackity yelled out but was stopped by him getting attacked by Sapnap’s tongue which quickly squished and tasted him. He was definitely in a rush.

They knew what the plan was once Sapnap tilted his head back, not that he was complaining about it. Sapnap swallowed Quackity first, then followed Karl.

They both fell in one after the after, once they were in Karl was panicking and mumbling. “Karl, what's wrong?”, “Quackity, I don’t know how to help! Or stop this! And this is all my fault!”. He sobbed.

“It's my fault we all broke up!”, “Hey, hey, hey. It’s not your fault, me and Sappy don’t blame you for anything Karl. It’s just things change y’know? I still love you both.”.

Quackity brought Karl into his lap where they cuddled, which also got a response from Sapnap with a couple of rubs, they had their lover to protect them. And they were going to get through this entire thing together. Even if they’d be stuck in this place for a while, they’d work through it. Maybe even mend old wounds.

[iwaisa]

class 1-a boys kissing their crush for a tiktok

pairings: kirishima, sero, and todoroki x gender neutral reader

warnings: mild swearing, a lil suggestive, tooth-rotting fluff

a/n: this wasn’t a request, but it just happened to pop into my head and i got really excited :D

part 1 | part 2 | part 3

► now shuffling...

he has tiktok but he never posts anything

he likes watching art and cooking videos

it soothes him and it inspires him to be productive

one day he’s laying in his bed scrolling through the endless stream of videos

there’s a little break in the cooking videos and he sees one person standing alone in a room

he’s about to scroll until he reads the text at the top

“kissing my best friend”

he’s about to scroll x2 but he decides to watch where this is going

he just wants to know how to kiss you because he’s been thinking about it since the beginning

the door opens and another person comes in

they’re nearly tackled as the other person throws themself on them and kisses them

the one person mouths something and another text box pops up saying

“i love you”

and he’s like…. damn…. oh to have that be him and you

you definitely don't think kirishima likes you back since he’s so protective of you that you kinda just have to see him as that big brother figure

which he would probably die right on the spot if he heard that

but you only think that because you assume he thinks of himself as a big brother figure

but you two are basically inseparable

always doing homework together

you sit next to each other in class

and you always help him whenever he gets in a really bad mood

it's the last day of class before summer break and the class is going on a trip to the beach

you’re sitting in the way back of the car with him and since the trip takes 2 hours you fall asleep on his shoulder

he’s so not ready for what he’s about to do

the class finally gets there and everyone begins to take off their clothes to go to the ocean

you slip off your clothes to reveal a pastel red swimsuit

good job. you killed him.

look, he’s dead now. you’re so hot that you killed him and he’s foaming at the mouth.

you catch him staring with his jaw hanging open and you laugh waving your hand in front of his face

he decides its now or never

but he’s also sweating bullets because this could go two ways

1. you return the kiss and both have the times of your lives

or 2. you don't like him like that and then the rest of the day is awful and your relationship is ruined forever

he shakes his head and tries not to think too much into it as he goes to prop his phone up

you’re waiting to see which dance he’s doing

he starts the video and jogs back to you and tells you to hop into his arms bridal style

you do, and now he’s spinning you

you hop out of his arms and both of you throw up peace signs

he takes a deep breath before slipping his hand into yours

you turn to face him and he pulls you close so your bodies are pressing together

he mumbles a quick “i really like you,” before pecking your lips

he sprints to post the video and you’re just stunned

he’s holding his phone as he turns around and sees you staring at him

uh oh, time for negative thoughts 😀👍👍

he slowly comes towards you asking if that was okay

you squeal and run towards him planting a giant smooch on his cheek

“s-so you like me back?”

“isn’t it obvious?”

“hah. right. so,,, will you please be my s/o?”

he can't ask anything without adding please because he thinks its manly

you nod while grinning and he pecks your lips again before taking your hand and running to the ocean

it wasn’t until the class got back to the dorms when he noticed his video got thousands of likes with people calling you two cute in the comments

ANOTHER BABIE 🥺🥺

on your first day at U.A., sero was the one to help you get accustomed

he showed you around the school, helped you with homework (if it was something he could understand because if not then you needed bakugou there too)

he helped you find your dorm

he even helped you move furniture into your dorm

he always complimented you and your quirk and you did the same

you noticed that he tended to shy away from talking about his quirk

until you asked him about it

“i just… don't like my elbows”

“what?? i think they’re awesome! honestly they’re kind of cute”

did he? hear you right?? did you just call his elbows cute?

damn. he straight up just fell in love with you.

for someone to compliment the part of him he was most self conscious about is HUGE for him

from that point on he trusts you with his life

he's also basically like a puppy trailing you everywhere

he's in puppy love 🥺🥺

him and kaminari are hanging out in sero’s dorm

sero’s on his hammock using the foot he has sticking out to push him back and forth

kaminari is on sero’s bed leaning against the wall until he jumps up and excitedly talks about this tiktok he just found

sero isn't all that familiar with tiktok, and he's just like ‘if y/n has it then i'll get it!’

kaminari gives sero his phone so he can see exactly what he got so excited by

he watches as two people run around in a field of tall grass while smiling and laughing

at first, he's like, kaminari… are you trying to make me jealous of two people i don't even know?

but then he continues watching as one person tackles the other

and now they’re both laying on the ground, one person on top of another

said person on the top leans down and captures the other in a kiss

sero feels his face getting hot when his mind goes to you

“uh… what are you trying to tell me?”

“what i’m saying is, you need to confess to y/n. like right now.”

sero just nods, but wonders if he could do a video like that

the next day sero asks if he can meet you at a certain address and you accept because just like sero, you would do anything for him

you plug the address into your maps app and realize that it’s a hill with a cherry blossom tree atop

you feel the pink tint in your cheeks and ears continuing to grow as you visualize sero confessing to you on top of that hill

as you make your way up the hill, you can see sero clad in nice dress pants and a half sleeved button up, showing off his elbows

you blush as you notice how formal he is, before looking down at yourself

he notices you and waves you over with his signature grin

you two stare at each other for a while before he pulls his phone out of his pocket

“i want to do something with you”

you nod as you watch him set up his camera

the countdown starts and sero waves to the camera awkwardly

he asks you to stand back, and as you do, sero shoots his tape into the tree and begins to climb up

it takes a few seconds for him to get into an upside down spider-man position, and when he does he asks you to come forward

you take a tiny step towards sero, who’s hair is now falling due to gravity

he looks like such a dork 🥺🥺

hes giving you a giant goofy grin as he says “i’m getting kinda light-headed, so can you please let me kiss you?”

you nod and bend forward as you take his face in your hands

due to your position, it's an awkward first kiss

both your eyes are staring directly at each others’ necks, and you aren’t exactly able to coordinate when to move your lips against each others’

he pulls away a few seconds after the video ends

but before he can say anything, the branch snaps and he comes falling down

you yelped as he landed on his back, rubbing his head

he smiles up at you sheepishly

“sorry for the failed first kiss…”

you shake your head, sitting next to him

“i wouldn't have wanted it any other way”

you grab his face and connect your lips with his, this time more desperate

“did i tell you that i’ve been in love with you since day one?”

you plopped your head on his shoulder and he laughs

“will you please be my s/o, f/n l/n?”

you accept and you two lay down on the grass interlocking hands and watching the clouds

your video went viral because everyone was astounded that someone was able to recreate one of the most iconic scenes in movie history

this man…. has no chill

he also doesn’t have tiktok

“what is a ‘tiktok’”

oh todoroki you beautiful beautiful idiot

you describe tiktok and how you once saw a video of someone clowning endeavor

he never got an app so fast

his first and only video is him flipping off a green screen photo of his dad and nothing else

lmao

uraraka is the one to tell him about the trend

she shows a video to midoriya, iida, and todoroki that shows two people sitting on a couch and it seems that they’re watching a movie together

todoroki and iida assume that they’re dating since they look really close

they don’t even notice the caption that clearly says ‘kissing my best friend challenge’

they’re just kinda bored of it until one person turns to face the other

when they’re both facing each other they just… start making out

like its mutual

and iida and todoroki are still like “why are they posting their make out session on tiktok???”

uraraka has to explain and midoriya is just kinda indifferent about it

a few hours later and the whole class is hanging in the common area

bakugou, sero, kirishima, and sato are in the kitchen making snacks for the movie everyone is about to watch

everyone else is littered around the room - some people on couches, some on the floor, and some just standing around talking

you and todoroki are awkwardly talking and you’re laughing at something that wasn’t really that funny but that’s okay!1!

cuz todoroki wants to see you laugh all the time 🥺

ever since he first saw you he’s always harbored some crush towards you but his childhood trauma and scars keep him back from saying anything

but he’s really so touch starved

he WANTS to be with you and he REALLY wants to kiss you

uraraka catches everyone’s attention and asks todoroki if she can borrow his phone

he questions it before handing it to her

she opens tiktok and tells everyone to just start dancing

she whispers something into todoroki’s ear and he just goes stiff

literally will not move even when the video is going

suddenly he remembers what he’s supposed to do and he very quickly grabs your face and kisses you

remember when i said he has no chill? yeah, cuz he doesn’t.

he just kissed you in front of your whole class

even the four in the kitchen who came out just in time to see you two ‘eating each others’ faces’ as bakugou yelled out

you look at the ground and todoroki just assumes the worst

he asks if he can talk to you and you say yes

so he pulls you to the kitchen and asks if that was okay

you can very faintly hear the concern and worry in his voice and you look into his eyes

“i just didn't know that you liked me back”

he processes this for a moment before giving you a soft smile

“of course i like you, how could i not fall for you?”

with this, you two wrap your arms around each other and stay there for a few moments

then you two kiss again. this time, todoroki is fully aware of the intimate action you two are doing so he accidentally freezes and burns you at the same time

he apologizes and you assure him that it's alright and that the pain will subside

once you two go back to the others everyone starts cheering as they see your interlocked hands

you’re holding his left hand and he's super hot and sweaty

uraraka congratulates you two and hands todoroki his phone

you two watch the video and you convince him to post it

he finally does and that's when you see the endeavor video

you two laugh it off and sit down on the couch to cuddle as the movie begins

the video went viral since he was viral from his last video but most of the comments are saying how pretty he is (which made you jealous but he never goes on tiktok so he assures you it's alright)

[toomanystoriessolittletime]

Sugar Bunny (1/3)

Summary: Meeting August Walker, CEO one of the most successfull real estate agencys in the states in a coffee shop of all places, turned into one of the best things that could have happened to you. You became his sugar bunny and against all your willpower you fell in love with him. Oh if only everything would be so easy, and if only August was really only a CEO of a company...

Pairing: August Walker / F!Reader

Wordcount: 2.3k

Warnings: Smut (dirty talk; d/s vibes; unprotected sex)

A/N: Okay. So this is a completely finished mini series i’m going to post thursdays. Hope you enjoy x

Masterlist

August had been gone for months. It wasn’t like you had a claim on him (his claim on you was a whole different story) but frankly, you didn’t care.

 You felt the beats of the music as you danced. You were wearing your most revealing dress, only just going below your ass, hooking up with some guy you met on Tinder. Just to piss August off. Because you didn’t know how but you knew for sure that you acting out seemed to set off an internal alarm. August always seemed to know just when you were about to do something stupid. Like some fucked up guardian angel.

 “Do you want a drink?” The guy, whose name you already had forgotten asked, his greedy hands on your hip as he leaned in to ask right into your ear. His breath smelled like something had died inside of him years ago. He was attractive, one could even say handsome, but he wasn’t August.

“Sure. Gin Tonic.” You called back, trying to speak over the loud music. He nodded, about to lean down to kiss you on your cheek, when you turned away as the music changed. You fought the urge to grin as he huffed and walked away. 

There was no way you would be leaving with him. You might have been desperate for a good fuck, but not that desperate. Swaying your hips to the music you closed your eyes, getting lost. You didn’t care if the guy came back with your drink. Your thoughts were consumed by ocean blue eyes. You used to joke that the hazel spot in his eyes was the only thing that stopped you from getting lost in them. You knew back then that it was already too late. August Walker had ruined you for any other man on this planet.

 The fact that you met him in a coffee shop of all places was out of a cheesy love story. Not that love was involved in any way. That was at least what you told yourself. Then again, you had never been in love before. You didn’t know if it was normal to find yourself wondering what August would think in every decision that you made. You still remembered the shiver you felt the first time he touched you. Like you were struck by lightning.

 “Wrong month.” He had grinned to himself, as he had given you your cup of tea you had ordered to go. You had been in a hurry to get to work in time, but when his fingers brushed over yours, you had stopped. And just looked at him.

“Sorry?” You asked, still looking at the gorgeous man in front of you.

“I’m waiting for August.” His deep voice answered you.

 Shaking your head you almost rolled your eyes, when you saw your “Date” coming back with your drink. He looked at you and you motioned with your finger in the direction of the restrooms, not waiting for his reaction as you turned around and danced yourself across the dancefloor. 

As usual there was a line to the women’s restroom, yet no one seems to go to the men's restroom. Looking over your shoulder you made the quick decision to use the men’s room. Those were cleaner anyway.

Thankfully no one was in, not that guys bothered much anyway. Leaning with your hands on the sink you looked at yourself. You looked cute, even sexy. You even wore the heels August had bought you the last time you were out with him. 

You had stopped in front of the store, not daring to ever buy shoes like that. You were struggling to pay your rent as it is, there’s no way you could afford $ 1.000 designer high heels.

 “Usually the look you’re giving these shoes is reserved for me, Bunny.” August looked at you with his raised eyebrow.

“And it always will be.” You smiled.

“You want them?” He asked, nodding towards the heels.

“Yeah. But I could never afford them.”  He continued to look at you with an unreadable expression. That was something he seemed to do a lot lately. You’ve been “together” for almost a year now. And by together you meant August showed up unexpectedly every couple weeks, stayed a short time, usually for at least 5 orgasms and then left. But not without filling your fridge at least.

A fucked up guardian angel.

Your fucked up guardian angel.

He had insisted on paying all of your open bills the last time. That was the time he asked for your thoughts about becoming his “sugar bunny”. As soon as you had agreed everything changed. You moved from your shitty one bedroom apartment into 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom penthouse with the most spectacular view on Elliot Bay. 

The penthouse had been one of August` investments. As owner of one of the biggest real estate agencies in the states, a 3 million dollar penthouse seemed to be peanuts for him. You, on the other hand, were struggling with accepting everything he gave you. You didn’t feel like you deserved anything you didn’t work for. 

Life had never been easy for you. Moving out of your parents house when you turned 16, you had gone from living in the worst places possible until you found a job which could support you on the road to your ultimate goal: becoming an interior designer. 

Since you met August, money hadn’t been a problem anymore. He paid for all your expenses, including your college debt. 

Looking at yourself in the mirror you sighed. He hadn’t returned your message from almost two weeks ago and a part of you grew worried. You were pretty sure there was some shady thing he was doing apart from the real estates. There was just something about him….

“You seem to be looking for trouble, bunny.” His voice scared you, making you jump. Turning around, you leaned against the sink, seeing August lean against the door. 

“August…” You began.

“Hush.” He shook his head, locking the door behind him. You breathed in deep, gulping as he slowly began to walk towards you. He was wearing dark suit pants, his white dress shirt rolled up over his elbows, the first three buttons opened. His signature mustache was nearly invisible due to all the scruff in his face, his curly hair longer, falling over his eyes. He tsked as he walked.

“You look like a little slut, bunny. Who is this guy you are here with?” He asked.

“No one important.” You whispered.

“Then why are you dressed like you want to get fucked by him?” August stopped in front of you and his familiar scent clouded your mind, making it hard for you to think straight.

“I want to get fucked…” You said, looking up at him with big eyes. He raised his left eyebrow.

“But not by him, Sir.” You bit your lip. He tilted his head, still looking at you and it was just this tilt that seemed to make you wetter than you had ever been before in your life. Why were you so obsessed with this man?

“Not by him, huh?” He huffed, holding up one of his hands, letting just one finger run down from your shoulder to your hand, making you shiver and gasp. He took hold of your hand, bringing it up to his lips, taking two fingers inside of his mouth and sucked. You watched him, feeling your legs go weak.

“Aug…” You began when he bent down, kissing you all tongue and teeth, his hands pulling you up to sit on the sink. Immediately you crossed your legs behind him, wanting him nearer, your hand disappearing in his longish hair, as his tongue invaded your mouth, making you moan against him. 

“You know how much I hate it when other men touch what’s mine…” He growled against your lips, one of his hands going in between your legs, slipping your panties to the side. He grinned when he found you wet.

“You’re on the pill now, right?” He asked. You nodded.

“Fucking perfect.” He kissed you again.

“Turn around and grab the sink. I want you to see who this pussy belongs to while I fuck you.” 

You hopped down from the sink as August pulled his cock out. Looking down you licked your lips, making him chuckle.

“Eager little bunny. But we’ll have time for that later.” He winked, making you blush. Turning around you leaned with your elbows on the sink, looking first at yourself, then up at August who was watching you as he stepped closer.

You felt him tease you with the tip of his cock. Did you think he would end up fucking you without a condom for the first time in the restroom of a shitty night club? No. Not really. Yet you couldn’t think of anything more fitting for your “relationship.”

“Bunny… You’re so wet…” He said in awe. You sighed, looking at him.

“I need just one….” He got on his knees behind you, diving in between your legs, licking you pussy like an ice cone.

“Fuck….” You let your head fall down. Only that could be enough to make you cum after such a long time.

“Like honey….” He groaned against your pussy before he came to stand behind you again. 

“Look at me bunny.” He said. And as you slowly looked up at him, he entered you completely in one hard thrust, making you scream from the sweet pain of his huge cock filling you after months.

“Like a glove…” He groaned, his hands on your hips as he stilled.

“You feel even better than I thought you would, Bunny.” He grinned at you in the mirror. You heard banging against the door.

“We better make this quick.” He said, before he bottomed out, only to slam into you again. The force making you hold up a hand, pushing it against the mirror.

“If I say you cum, you are going to cum.” August growled, beginning to thrust into you hard, his fingers surely leaving bruises on your hips from how strongly he was holding you. You only nodded, bracing yourself as you took what he gave you, already feeling the tingling in the pit of your stomach. 

“When we get home…” August pressed in between thrusts “I want you to wear that slutty lingerie you bought when I was away.” He fucked you faster, the sound of skin slapping against skin filling the room. “Just so I can rip them off of you and fuck you against the window so the whole fucking city sees who this pussy belongs to.” He slapped your ass hard. Moaning his name you pushed back against him.

“Come on now, Bunny. Cum for me.” He pressed. Looking at him in the mirror you fell apart, thankful that you were by now half laying on the sink, your orgasm taking your ability to hold yourself up right.

“That’s it… Are you ready for me to fill you with my cum? So you know that the only cock that is fucking you is mine?” He underlined every word with a hard thrust.

“Fill me up, sir.” You whimpered, looking up at him.

“Fuck….” He groaned, thrusting once again until he stayed deep inside you and released his cum. His warmth filling you. 

“Shit that feels so good.” He moaned. Looking at the beautiful man behind you, that was all yours, you sighed. He looked at you, a small smile sneaking to his lips, as he bent down, You turned your head so you could kiss him.

You were interrupted by another knock on the door.

Slowly he pulled out of you, making you whimper again. As he was tucking himself back in he took a step back.

“That’s a sight I won’t get used too quickly.” He said. You looked over your shoulder, seeing him look down at your pussy where you felt his cum slowly drip out of you. He shook his head before he carefully pulled your panties back to cover you.

“Come on Bunny. Time to go home.” He crocked his eyebrow. Slowly you pushed yourself up, your legs feeling like jelly. Grinning he stepped towards you, taking your hands in his as he kissed your forehead. You leaned with your whole body against him, enjoying feeling his closeness. 

This would become a problem in the future.

“Ready?” He asked. Nodding you let him pull you towards the door. Unlocking it, he opened it only to find your date and some other guys standing in front of it.

“Sorry gentlemen.” August said a little too smugly as he let you step out of the restroom first. You couldn’t bear to look at your date as you walked past him. You felt August behind you, one of his hands on your ass.

“You wanna have a drink before we go?” He asked, leaning down so you could hear him better.

“And one dance?” You asked. You saw his lips twitch.

“But only because it’s your birthday Bunny.” He winked. Blushing you smiled. He leaned down, kissing you quickly, but you didn’t let him go. Pulling your arms behind his neck you sighed against his lips as he cornered you against the nearest wall, pulling you up in his arms to kiss you properly.

Out of breath you leaned your forehead against his.

“Champagne for your 22nd birthday?” He asked.

“That would be perfect.” You whispered. Kissing you quickly again, he slowly let you get down to the ground, before his hand pulled you towards the bar.

What you both didn’t notice were the two FBI Agents watching the two of you intently. One of them being your date. And you didn’t know just how much you would treasure this as one of the last moments of being with August. The August you fell in love with.

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

Top 5 Most Hated Characters

As y’all can see, this week’s T5F is a request sent in by anon. I picked it because I guess at the time I thought it would be fun to explore some of TWDG’s least popular, and most hated, characters while also taking into account characters that I can’t stand. 

These are characters that the vast majority of us don’t like or downright despise for many different reasons. None of us are going out of our ways to defend most of these bastards, and anyone who is I get the impression they’re doing so for the sake of being Different™... though while looking around for info about these characters and what people were saying about them, I did find myself in some odd places.... come across, eh... odd fanart. 

But I guess this is the part where I say this is all in good fun and if you happen to be a legit stan of any of these people, that’s cool. Maybe you can answer some of my questions as to why??

5. Nate 

Okay, when I said that I found myself in odd places, it turns out that Nate actually has a bit of a fanbase. It’s not big or anything, from what I can tell, but big enough for me to question why because I was under the impression that we all agreed that this dude sucks.

Seriously, I would’ve put him higher on this list if I hadn’t discovered this handful of people making fanart for him and claiming him as a comfort character. While I find that an odd choice, you do whatever makes you feel comforted, y’know? Just would like to understand why. 

As for the rest of us, he’s terrible. Every time I go back to 400 days, he’s someone I never look forward to seeing. I’ve even tried not getting in the truck with him while playing Russell’s story, but in true Telltale fashion, you’re forced to drive along with this creep. 

Red flags start going off when Russell’s sharing his story about his previous group, something you can tell left some trauma with him, and Nate is just weirdly fixated on the girl Russell liked. Like yeah okay dude, I get it, it’s the apocalypse and you haven’t had any action for a while but oh my god. 

Then the whole walker thing that almost gets Russell chomped is annoying. Oh, and how could I forget about how it’s implied that he attacked the old couple before and was there to finish them off, which he does no matter what and it’s not great. 

Hell, he even uses the line Russell gave him but it’s worse because crazy eyes. And if you don’t say anything, Nate murders them right there without a thought and then continues to be a real creep. Fuck this guy. 

As the wise Eddie once said, “I don’t what that guy in my life, man!” 

4. The Stranger

Hey, have I ever mentioned how much this dude sucks? 

I don’t even have to tell you why he’s on this list. We all know the obvious reasons-- manipulated and kidnapped Clementine, which caused Lee to get bit by a walker and fucking die. No one here is white-knighting for this dipshit. 

Sure, it sucks what the Stranger went through. He lost his family and that would be enough to drive anyone up the wall. I mean, just look at Kenny. But this dude, okay. Look. Listen. I can only feel so bad for you when you lost your son on a hunting trip that your wife told you not to go on, then when you went looking for him, you literally left the car unlocked and running for anyone to come across. Then you come back and gasp. So your wife leaves you for being a moron... then when you find her dead, you cut off her head and keep it like a damn bowling ball because...??

At least that’s what I get from it. The writers probably should’ve done a better job with explaining what the hell happened but y’know. 

That’s not the only reason no one likes this guy. Oh no, you also add to the pile that the Stranger himself is dull. As a character, the dude is just.... boring. And I get that’s probably what they were going for with the whole “I’m just a guy, but you ruined my life and made me this way.” 

However, when you set him up the way you did with the talks over the walkie and the stalking, I was expecting a bit more personality outta this loaf of soggy bread. But no... boring yet crazy. Interesting combo and I’m afraid it doesn’t work. 

3. Larry

Larry?? On a list of most hated characters?? Nooo...

Yeah, surprise. Larry also sucks. Stop the presses. 

Larry is a pain in the ass to deal with for two episodes, constantly belittling the people around him and treating his daughter like shit. Oh, and don’t forget how he behaves towards Lee even if you try to be as nice as possible. Nope, he doesn’t care, he still thinks Lee is garbage and will continue threatening to reveal Lee’s secret to the group. Who cares if that could fuck up the dynamic and endanger the group? Larry sure doesn’t. 

Until the very end, this dude is just a splinter in the foot. By the time you get to the meat locker and he has a heart attack, you’re not gonna save him because you think he’ll be better if he survives. No, you’re attempting to save him for Lilly and Clementine’s sake, and if you don’t even care about that, you siding with Mr. Family Man to smash his head in. 

Not only is he a soiled diaper, he also don’t have much personality outside of asshole. He has maybe two moments where he’s shown to be just a bit chill? I mean, Lilly tells us that he has a lot of pain and that’s why he’s like this.... but that doesn’t excuse his behavior. 

Oh, and can’t forget that apparently he was obsessed with Lilly leaving the lights on so he let the power get cut, so Lilly couldn’t eat ice cream and had to let her hair air dry like a heathen. Unforgivable. 

So yeah, fuck Larry. 

2. Troy

Ugh, Troy. Fuck this guy. 

No really, out of all TWDG characters, this dude and my #1 pick are my most hated. Can’t stand Troy and the only reason I didn’t do a tie for #1 is because for a split second, Troy does show a tiny bit of humanity when Carver is beating down Carver, but blink and you’ll miss it.

Which had me a little concerned to find a handful of posts about having crushes on Troy and drawing fanart but.... again, I guess you do you? And if you can, please explain why because I honestly don’t understand. 

Just looking at the screenshot of him annoys him. He’s got one of those punchable faces, y’know? 

Anyway, when playing as Clementine, I’m always worried that he’s gonna pop up outta no where and grab her by the neck like he does later in ep3, even though I’ve played s2 a bunch to know that he’s not going to. 

But hell, he doesn’t need any excuse to smack anyone around, and there are a handful of times he can really hurt Clem depending on her choices. 

Not great, dude. 

Can’t say I’m too sorry that Jane shot your dick off. 

1. Badger

Yeah, you guys remember Badger. Y’know.... the man who murdered Mariana then laughed about it, claiming that he enjoyed watching her head explode and would do it again and again if he could? 

That’s what puts him at #1. He may not have the most screen time like Larry or Troy, but when he is around, he’s fucking awful.

He gets joy from killing Mariana, like it’s some sort of sick thrill for him to go around murdering children and other innocent people. 

Remember Francine? Caught her and used her as bait to try and get Javi to come down, and even went as far as to have some fingers cut off. Like, he gets off on destroying people, entire communities.

Shit, he seems to even get off to his own beat down. 

He’s fucking gross and outta everyone on this list, I haven’t found a single person being like “Yeah, he’s garbage but I like him kinda?” like no, you’re such garbage that even the Different™ crowd don’t want you. 

Fuck Badger. 

By the way, if you’ve never had Conrad kill him in your game, I suggest looking it up. It’s pretty good. Gives Conrad a little bit of closure after what happened to Francine, as well as give Javi some closure for Mari’s murder. 

Not a single soul wept for you, Badger. 

---

Dishonorable Mentions

-Joan. She’s boring, forgettable, and no one is out here gushing over her because most of the time, we can’t even remember her name. -Danny from Vince’s story in 400 Days. Y’know, the dude going to prison because he was convicted of SA. I’ll never understand why people go with him over Justin. Justin sucks, too, but not the same level Danny does.  -Lilly in S4. Ugh. That’s a whole other topic for another day. -Arvo, though I guess he has a bit of a following, too

---

Well there ya go. Do you agree or disagree with any of my choices for this list? Or have anything to add? I’m always down to chat.

Have any suggestions for future T5F’s? Feel free to send ‘em in! :D

---

Next week’s T5F Top 5 BROTPs

[felassan]

Thoughts on Dark Fortress #2

(This post is under a cut due to spoilers.)

So late with this one! some stuff irl was keeping me really busy and hyper-distracting me lately, but it’s finally over now so I’m back on my bioware bullshit. :D

Overall there were a lot of beautiful or awe-inspiring scenes in this issue, and a lot of great, meaningful / poignant character interactions and moments between characters. It’s pretty impressive actually how much was able to be packed in. I posted some of my favorite panels here. also omg! the action sequences! the big reveal! the ending!! woww

cool scene-setting, panned out shot of Neromenian and behind it, the Dark Fortress, to immediately pull you back into the world and ‘where we left off’. the combination of ruined dead trees, red lights, lightning and fire/smoke is very atmospheric and hints at what’s ahead

“From this... city, if we can call it that” is a sick burn and reminds you that the Qunari are technologically more advanced than most of the rest of Thedas, from their cannons to their aqueducts

more individually distinct Qunari soldiers, sth I again appreciate

! last issue there were big ‘You haven’t seen the last of Tractus!’ vibes, naturally, but I didn’t expect him to escape by stabbing and killing the Qunari using a chair-leg..!!

the last panel on the first page of Karasten is really good. the way it’s colored, the way it’s lit, the light and shadow, the fiery backdrop, cinders floating, the details of his expression.. 👌 it also makes me think to the possible future, to DA4 when mainland Thedas may be continuing to face the entirety of the Antaam

in Vaea’s acrobatics scene on the bridge, I know rationally that she’ll be fine but couldn’t help but worry for her. again I like how they don’t shy away from showcasing Vaea’s specific abilities. also the attention to detail - you’d think some rocks are just some rocks, but it highlights the risk she’s undertaking that if she falls it’s into rough seas which could dash her against the jagged rocks :’S. Vaea, gooooo!

Fenris’ “Enterprising girl” line has big “Clever girl” meme energy :D

my heart can’t take Fran and Autumn leaning over the edge after Vaea in worry ;; or Aaron looking back in concern over his shoulder ;; or Fran’s tender reassurance ;; or Autumn’s Worried expression ;; the care and bonds which have grown between this group of characters ;;

notice Aaron starts drinking when Vaea’s away from them and they’re beginning to grow worried about her safety. the poor man’s nerves and stress levels

Fran touching the vegetation while she’s considering if she could use her magic to open the entrance from the outside is a nice touch

did Marius leap in front of Fenris and Fran there when the entrance opened?? damn, he’s quick. and the three of them look all scary and formidable here ready for combat. notice how the curve of the door and the spikes that go into the ground, and the composition of this panel, make it look like they’re standing in front of an opened dragon’s maw? ‘teeth’, a rumbling ‘roar’.. some nice foreshadowing here.

the reunion panels are so cute. Autumn’s lil tum as she jumps and Fran and Fenris’ lil smiles of relief and at Autumn’s reaction to seeing Vaea, then a rare happy beam from Aaron.. feel.. the love ;__;

red lighting in the tunnel sets a dangerous, dramatic build-up mood

👀 more info on Fenris’ past, on the specifics of the process which gave him his markings. in the panel where he says that it took a long time, his shadow on the wall behind him reminds me of the shadow of his past that has dogged him for so long :(

Fenris and Marius height difference

discussion of the process shows the power difference between blue and red lyrium. blue lyrium took a long time, red lyrium is almost instant

Autumn is such an intrepid little explorer and alert scout, tail and ears up, head forward. good girl!

“I just... worry about you, my girl”  ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚  I’ll be so sad if these are death flags for Aaron and he doesn’t make it out of here. also note Fran in this panel, who recently had to kill her own father and is still dealing with that, watching the strongly paternal moment between Aaron and Vaea :(

love Vaea’s faith in Aaron and her sense of humor. also I don’t know why, maybe it’s because Vaea met Sebastian, but her “Maker, no!”, although in a completely different and light-hearted context, reminds me of Sebastian’s “Maker nooo!” at the end of DA2 hh

the reference again to Hawke, who Fenris saw haunted by what they tried to do - save their mother - and couldn’t :’(. also with the shadow in this panel, here’s another person struggling with the shadow of his past qq. this is later emphasized again in Aaron when he continues to talk about his past and in the panel is a chain and manacle. smart visual metaphors, a must in the comic medium with limited space

mushroom skull 💀🍄

“It isn’t about what I’ve done. It isn’t about my failures. Or my choices. It’s about their impact” - he’s misty-eyed here as he thinks back to Ostagar.. does this line btw seem almost meta to anyone else btw? :D it feels like a meta reference to the experience of DA players and PCs, who are always having to deal with the impacts of their choices

I wanna point out that I was right on reading issue #1, when I said “I’m positive that in panel 2 here, it’s the exact moment when he sees Cailan die” ;;

So Aaron is also a veteran of the Battle of Denerim

reference to the Hero of Ferelden - “Those were someone else’s battles”. I’m being captain obvious here but I can’t help but [heart pitter-patter] at any and all references to the HoF

I like the.. parallel? is that the word? Aaron’s stories were him trying to inspire people to make a change, or him trying to convince himself of that. and now here’s Vaea, inspiring Aaron with her words in these panels. the little guys can make a difference! in the world of Thedas, you don’t need to be a big bombastic hero or a Player Character to have an impact 

lmao Fenris right on cue. the moments of humor/light-heartedness are nice because they break up the tension and are sprinkled throughout without derailing build-up or taking away from dramatic story impact. yknow?

yeah Aaron!! leave it behind. leave it to rot with mr mushroom skull (and hey the mushroom skull was there for a reason). again tho if this is a death flag i 

Fenris straight down to business with the tactics

its cute how close Autumn has been sticking to Fran

Tessa checking in on Fran again, as she did in issue 1

Could Vaea’s “Well, shit” be an homage to Varric? :D they have met

I also wanna point out that I was right on reading issue #1, when I said “My guess is that the thing Tractus shows Marquette and Nenealeus is probably a chained up dragon or similar”

the poor dragon :’( big dragon the Qunari had in Trespasser vibes

the sword has a really cool design, kind of reminds me of something a samurai might be depicted wielding

👀 lore-drop! so ancient elven arcane warriors used lyrium-infused swords. this seems to confirm the sarcophagus is an ancient elven artifact, no? makes sense, wasn’t it said that the sarcophagus’ design was based on the architecture/outfit-design type elements of a specific faction, and that this was done intentionally? it looks kinda ancient elfy in make, right? also about the lyrium-infused swords of the arcane warriors, well well well.. remember that the Evanuris and the ancient elves mined the bodies of Titans for lyrium, for power and to use as a resource. here’s an example of that use

as I read through this portion I became increasingly concerned for my boy Shirallas.. we really are in it now aren’t we 😭

the Qunari are launching STRAIGHT-UP ROCKETS ohhhh

pretty ‘lightshow’ over the wall in the “Let’s hope the fortress is as secure as Danarius boasted” panel hh

protective older brother Fenris, impish younger sister Vaea. love that dynamic, we love to see it. sheepish and exasperated Fenris is so cute

the Bone Pit dragon fight with Hawke and co reference!

I wonder how long the dragon has been captive here, and how Danarius/Tractus was able to capture it

lore-wise what are the implications here? when Fenris’ ritual was being undertaken, the sword and the sarcophagus were bombarded with magic, fire spells. in this one they aim to have the dragon bombard it with fire-breathing. is it just fire that makes it work/powers it, or is there magic in dragonfire, in dragons? it reminds me of “Your heart beats with the old blood, as well. Where do you think it comes from? It sings of a time when dragons ruled the skies. A time before the Veil, before the mysteries were forgotten. Can you hear it?”

purple color for the dragon’s growling sounds/typeset is a great idea

lets.. goooo!!!!

Marquette is such a nerd. later on when he activates the sarcophagus he has mad scientist vibes

the dramatic reunion face-offs begin!! as the prophecy foretold!!!!1

true to form, Marius DOES have nothing to say ahahaha, even at this, his personal climax. maybe Marius dies in the next issue, but Tessa lives and gets to go back to Charter

these Venatori look almost Star Wars

Shirallas my boyy.. nooo... don’t do it 😭

ah ah ah! try casting magic with no ARMS

Francesca a beacon of blue light and goodness

the splash combat page is masterful. everyone playing a part, so much going on, everything happening at once. a thing that sticks out to me about it is Aaron’s outstretched hand and alarm as he watches Fran fall 

Autumn with her lil hackles raised

“The Venatori have returned” dun dun dunn

goodbye Shirallas 😭😭😭

the composition of the second to last page with triangle/diamond-shaped panels and the framing of dragon wings is awesome

the Dread Wolf rises, “the Tevinter Imperium will rise again”.. on-point on-point cohesion

there he is, the red wraith

Super Saiyan Shirallas

what a note to end an issue on

wow wow wow!!

and separate to the above, some speculation based on the cover of Issue 3: the piece of metal looks like a broken collar coming off Shirallas, like the one there was on the cover of Issue 2 coming off the dragon. also he’s all bulky now with draconic talons/claws (reminds me of in-world legends of Reavers who dug too deep of their own power after drinking dragon blood and whose bodies consequently began to manifest subtle reptilian traits actually). I’ll be interested to see what results of this allusion between Shirallas and the dragon!!

[mimik-u]

“Homeworld Bound” Thoughts:

I wasn’t going to watch this one today, but then I realized that I really missed the Diamonds and wanted to consume novel content, so!

OOH, good on the show for taking us directly to the aftermath of “Fragments” instead of putting space between the episodes. That’s just... a really good choice narrative wise.

Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl’s expressions are so distressing here. He’s been gone for three days; they must’ve been so worried.

Jasper steps aside to reveal an absolutely ruined Steven.

He just technically killed a gem and then resurrected her. How intensely will that forever lie on his psyche? Oh my g od

NO, NOT JASPER PASSIVELY MAKING THE DIAMOND SIGN IN THE BACKGROUND AUGH

“You can’t just disappear for days without telling us!”

Steven silent walking up to the Observatory as the Gems continue to freak the fuck out is harrowing. And Dee Dee Magno Hall is killing it with her voice acting here. The simultaneous fear and anger and horror in her voice. Oh my g d

“You guys... I love you, but you can’t help me anymore. I’ve been avoiding the only people in the entire universe who can.” 🥺 This is sad, but I’m also, like, problematic grandmas time!!!!!

“Find something better to do with your life.” God, Jasper’s look of disbelief and sadness here. I didn’t really delve into this during my “Fragments” watch because I was just roridoodwrjfkrkeke reeling, but her reaction to being accidentally shattered is psychologically devastating???? I’d wager that she simultaneously respects the fact that she’s been subjugated by a being more powerful than her, that she’s grateful to Steven for being both subjugator and savior, and likely, she’s conflating this new loyalty with her former loyalty for Pink. This is a really complex psyche (a tragic one most of all).

Garnet: “Steven, remember, we’ll always be your family.” I’m so fucki n emo

AWHWHWH, HOMEWORLD IS SO BRIGHT AND COLORFUL NOW!!!

YO!! Homeworld has a democracy now!! The Zircons!!!!!!!

THE WALL GEM IS MOVING??????? KWOEOEIDJDKSJS

Can u imagine being a wall cursed with sentience. that is so funny on so many levels

But it’s also really interesting, too. If the Wall Gem is a gem in the way say Topazes are gems, which, judging by her mobility, she is—then her explicit purpose in Era 1-2, as molded by presumably Yellow, was to b a wall omg. (Or, arguably, I think it can be argued that the inanimate object Gems, like Comby, were probably accidental sentient creations, made in relationship to their proximity to the Diamonds during their various secretion rituals!!)

Anyway, I love thinking about Homeworld worldbuilding. It’s fascinating.

SQUARE PERIDOT

SPIIIIIINELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

Her heart eyes!! She looks so happy!

Steven, angry af: “Spinel, what is wrong with you?” / Spinel: Oh, you know—the usual.” KEKDSKDK

Also, Steven really wanted to say fuck there. NEKDDKKSSKKS

“I was such a wreck then, but I am so much better now.” We stan character growth 😭😭

One thing I have loved the Crewniverse so much for doing is never taking away the physical signs of gems’ mental distress, even after they’ve gotten better: Blue’s eye bags, Volleyball’s eye, Spinel’s running mascara. That is so important.

YELLOW SITTING AT HER LIL VANITY!!

IT’S LIGHT INSIDE HER ROOM! THERE R FLOWERS! THRIVE, QUEEN, THRIVE.

YELLOW REVERSING HER GEM EXPERIMENTS OH MY G D

FUCKING QUEEN!!!!!!

(I’m sorry in advance. The rest of the live blog is just going to be screaming about the Diamonds.)

“I can permanently alter any physical form!” She’s so proud of herself. 😭😭😭 I fuckin’ love her.

Yellow laying down on the ground like that is SENDING ME SKSKSJSJ.

Ugh, and her being such a good mom to Spinel. I’m cry in f

“If anything’s out of proportion, it’s your temper. You can be big if you want to, or you can be small if you want to, but if you’re going to be upset no matter what, then this problem isn’t physical—it’s emotional. Go see Blue.”

I really like her advice here because it’s advice that comments so clearly on her own character arc. At her lowest, she was quick to anger, aggressive, and temperamental, which she diagnoses in Steven here. Additionally, she was the Diamond who was concerned largely with physical actions. She coped by maintaining the Empire through conquering planets and maintaining the minutiae of leadership; she thought the only way to receive justice for Pink was through the physical act of destruction. And in doing so, she pushed her own emotions deep, deep down until they manifested in anger, aggressiveness, and temperamental outbursts. This hurt the people she cared about, and it hurt herself most of all.

Also, “Go see Blue. That is her department.” Ejdoiddjdjjsjdjdks, “go see ur other grandma.”

BLUE FLOATING ON A CLOUD!!!!!

“Your powers have been causing you dramatic mood swings? That seems awfully troubling Steven.” God I love her

“You don’t seem troubled.” This is a really interesting line because it comments on how Blue’s emotions, especially her negatively charged ones, used to be so visible all over her; indeed, she both wittingly and actively used to project them on other Gems, forcing them to feel her suffering, too.

OH, SHE GOES ON TO SAY THE EXACT SAME THING EOEODODISSJJS. LISTEN, I REALLY VIBE WITH BLUE.

“Back before you came into my life, Steven, I wanted every one to feel the pain I felt. I realized I must make up for my awful behavior by bringing joy to others.”

Another thing I’ve appreciated about the writing in this episode: So far, both Blue and Yellow have used the adjective awful to describe their former actions. It’s the self-awareness and the refusal to try to excuse themselves that powerfully shows how much they’ve grown. And it’s their continuous endeavors to keep moving forward, to help the Gems that they’ve hurt, that indicates that they’re willing to constantly keep growing and atoning.

NFOFOFDKSSKSKSK, THESE CLOUDS ARE JUST HER VAPORIZED TEARS HELP.

Sick vape clouds, Blue

I’VE HEARD THE SONG BEFORE, BUT EVERY TIME SHE SINGS, I LOSE MY SHI T

LISA HANNNNIGAAAAAAAN

This is such a pretty line: “Cold palace walls, and endless empty halls, haunted by echoes of laughter.”

BLUE ASCENDING THROUGH THE CLOUDS AUSHAHHSHD

BLUE MAKING HEART CLOUDS FOR SPINEL!!

BLUE CALLING SPINEL N STEVEN HER LITTLE REASONS WHY.

“I’LL NEVER MAKE YOU CRY.” This line is particularly lovely because I think it plays well with Steven’s line to her in “CYM:” “How many times did you make her cry?”

BDJDJDJSJDJ, BLUE LAYING ON HER CLOUD LIKE YELLOW LAID ON THE FLOOR.

The way she sings the last “loving you.” 😭😭😭😭 I’m gonna weep. I love her so fucking much.

“I found happiness. If that's not something you think you deserve, then I suspect this is an issue of self worth. I suggest you go to White for assistance with such matters.” 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 And like Yellow did, Blue gets to the heart of her arc cleanly.

Before Steven and before her own emotional reckoning, she didn’t think it was her place to be happy: “I know my purpose isn’t to be happy.” But in learning to love others, Blue has found true, inner happiness, which she literally shares with others. Wow.

And I think there’s something powerful in her distinction between true happiness and self-worth. You can’t find one without espousing the other.

White’s room is so pretty. 🥺

THE FLASHING STROBE LIGJTS DDNJDFJDJDNF.

SPINEL WHITE DIAMOND?!/!:$;8;83&:&:

SHE FUCKING LETS OTHER GEMS CONTROL HE R HELP.

SPINEL MAKING WHITE TAP DANCE FICODODOFODJDNDJSJDJDJJDDJDJ

Steven’s horrified expression omg

“I’m scared I’m gonna hurt people; I guess I already have.” God.

And that’s another thing that this episode has called to mind. Blue, Yellow, and White alike once used their insane powers to hurt other Gems and to hurt themselves, and here, throughout this series, we see Steven discovering that same capacity for destruction and self-destruction. Along with the systematic oppressions they facilitated, a big part of the Diamonds’ modus operandi was that their powers were directly correlated to their mental states and their various inabilities to confront their own selves and effect inner change. The corrective wasn’t necessarily Steven; the corrective was him helping them to do that initial act of introspection and looking inwards. And so, too, will Steven have to do the same by the end of this series. But I presume that his family, all the people and gems who have loved and cared for him, will in effect be his Steven, just as he has always been for them.

“Half a Diamond, half a creature of Earth—in all the universe there's no one else that could know what you’re going through, so maybe it's time you talked to yourself.” This is so viscerally sad. White hits the nail on the head here. Steven’s human friends/family and his gem family and even the Diamonds, who come the closest to matching his own strength, can never fully understand him. It’s the tension that underscores a lot, if not the entire show.

White briefly touches Steven with her nail, and you can viscerally see the trauma on his face; he hasn’t forgotten her act above all, wrenching his gem out, nearly killing him.

“I’m... I’m a Diamond.” Steven, in looking at White Diamond, realizes that she’s a mirror of himself. Holy fucking shit

“I don’t want to be you! I don’t want to be anything like you!” HOLY FUCKING SHIT

“Don’t hurt me! She can’t hurt me! I’m controlling her...” And here, Steven doesn’t light upon the essential thing... in making White punch the wall, nearly knocking a huge rock into him, he’s the one hurting himself.

This show, oh my g o d

“She’s the one who should be afraid.” STEVEN?!!!!????!??!

“No, stop it! I don’t like this!” / “Please, you’re scaring me.” OH MY GO D

HE FUCKING MADE HER SLAM HER GEM AGAINST A PILLAR HOLY HE LL

“What... what was that?” Christine’s delivery here. Holy shit. 😭😭 And both of them are surrounded in the carnage of Steven’s wrath. Holy fucking shit.

This act is fundamentally different than him accidentally shattering Jasper in “Fragments”; this was an intentional attempt to hurt White, to crack her, to break her. Holy fucking shit

Spinel, Blue, and Yellow waiting for Steven outside of White’s door has my heart a little and a lot tender 🥺🥺🥺🥺

SPINEL SINGING I CAN MAKE A CHANGE SO DRAMATICALLY DJDIDJDJDJDJD. (But yeah, lmao, this will absolutely be the conclusion of Steven’s arc at the end of Future.)

“Steven! Let us help you, Steven!” The Diamonds are so concerned (mirroring the Gems back at home, too). 😭😭

He leaves a flip flop behind like Cinderella lmao

“Steven, let us help you!” / “We’re your family!” 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

And just as he implored the CGs, he tells the Diamonds not to follow him either.

Steven is completely and utterly alone.

Not by necessity.

But God, by choice.

Okay, this is my new favorite Future episode.

[cotncandyboifics]

1989 [High School AU]: Chapter 8

AO3 Link

Masterpost

Chapter 1 ~ Chapter 2 ~ Chapter 3 ~ Chapter 4 ~ Chapter 5 ~ Chapter 6 ~ Chapter 7 ~ Chapter 9 ~

Pairings: slight Logince, eventual Prinxiety & Logicality

Word count: 2,407

Story summary: Roman Prince is your stereotypical Jock, with everyone swooning after him. Every day a crowd of people follow him around, only to disperse at his personal whim. In reality, he's lucky to have such good acting skills that help him cover up the disdain he has for his life. He only wishes he could use his skills properly.

Patton Whitelock's always there to lend a helping hand, no matter who you are. If you need a favor or just need someone to talk to, go to him. In reality, he's been taught from a young age that kindness should be held above all else. No one suspects that he took it the wrong way.

Logan Montgomery is the smartest boy in the Senior class. He's stern, and most people are too intimidated to speak to him. In reality, he despises most all of his fellow students. He sticks to his studies and doesn't stray, for fear of being stuck in his father's shadow his whole life.

Virgil Black is the most emo kid in school, let alone 12th grade; everyone knows to leave him be. In reality, he's very fortunate. He has two parents who love him dearly. But everything beyond his life, everything within his mind, is utter chaos and turmoil.

what will happen when they're assigned a biology project together?

General CW: food, swearing, implied s-lf h-rm, non-graphic descriptions of s-lf h-rm scars, graphic and non-graphic descriptions of anxiety attacks and panic attacks, drug abuse, minor character intoxicated on heroin, non-graphic drug overdose description, sickness/description of sickness, blood, non-graphic descriptions of needles, (will be added to as I write more)

Chapter CW: food, (let me know if i missed anything please!)

Author notes: alternate title: Virgil's very subtle epiphany. also Patton has a gay panic moment lol

...

Slam.

Monday morning. Mr. Berry was slapping a small poster on each student's desk like a stamp, one-by-one and painfully slowly.

"This," he began, "Is the official welcome to the schoolyear; audition posters for the Fall Talent Show." His bloated belly hardly fit between the desk rows, and students made futile attempts to scoot away from him before they were bombarded by his tyrannical tummy. "As a retired thespian and a life long supporter of theatre and the arts," he continued, bringing his pile of posters to his chest in his passion, "I highly recommend you at least consider looking into auditions. Everyone has a passion, or at least a hobby, and the talent show is a perfect freelance opportunity to show off your skills."

Roman rolled his eyes too dramatically. This was upsetting him more than he thought it would, and his eyes shot daggers up at his large superior as he slammed the next poster onto Roman's desk.

"Auditions will be held next week, on the specified dates. The show itself will be two weeks later, I believe on Friday night. Be there, and I will award you some extra credit points. All you must do is present me with your ticket, which must have your name on it," he eyed a few mischievous students in the room, "With a stamp on it from the Talent Show admissions booth, on the following Monday." As soon as Mr. Berry had given a poster to Virgil and moved on, Virgil quietly crumpled it and shoved it into a random part of his backpack, proceeding to fold his arms on his desk and put his head down. This caught Roman's attention, and his subconscious latched onto formulating a teasing remark for after class as a distraction from his own feelings about the Talent Show.

After class, the usual place where Roman and Virgil were shortly alone and had a short interaction - most often consisting of some insufferable tease from Roman or occasionally a debate spurred by Virgil making a witty side comment - the two met once again. After their first class of the day was usually the only time they were both at their lockers at the same time, as it happened, and Virgil was always thankful that it was the only time. Since their assignment to the Biology project, however, Roman had taken to walking with Virgil from their English class to their lockers and beginning his bouts of banter prematurely.

"Not a fan of the infamous talent show, are we?" Roman paced quickly over to Virgil, who had just made it outside the classroom door as they'd been dismissed. Virgil huffed in defeat as his attempt to escape before Roman could catch him had been fruitless.

"It's ridiculous," Virgil didn't slow his pace for Roman, and began essentially speedwalking down the hall. Roman was slightly taller than him and was able to keep up, but still got a little out of breath doing it. "Hey everyone, come and show everyone in the school something you really enjoy so they can all collectively judge you and make you self conscious about your interests and - oh no! you don't wanna do it anymore because you feel horribly inadequate? shoooot. Sorry man, no one could have seen that coming. Oh well, better luck next year when you'll just ruin a different passion for yourself!" Virgil flailed his hands at the end of his mini-rant.

"How can you stay that sarcastic for that long consecutively? I'm honestly impressed," Roman said, huffing as they arrived at their lockers. Virgil's permanent frown seemed to somehow deepen. "Though, I guess I really can't argue, Count Woe-laf. I see your point. The pressures of an impromptu performance are... undeniable." Roman focused his attention on the padlock hanging from the latch of his locker, while Virgil looked to him with widened eyes.

"Really?" He didn't look away from Roman until he would look back.

"What?" Roman defended.

"It's just..." Virgil focused on his own padlock now, "You never agree with what I say. It always becomes a debate," he pulled his locker open lazily, pulling his backpack off his shoulders and putting it on backwards so that he could more easily exchange things. When Roman didn't reply, he continued, "like... I don't know. Why is it any different now?"

Roman was exchanging things as well, and didn't have an immediate answer. Well, he knew the answer (or in this case, answers), but it wasn't one he was even ready to admit to himself, let alone anyone else, and especially let alone Virgil. He just eventually shrugged.

This reaction only further alarmed Virgil. He opened his mouth to continue his flabbergasted interrogation, but the bell rang right at that moment. Roman slammed his locker shut suddenly.

"Well, that's our queue I suppose. See you tonight, Incredible Sulk." Roman elbowed Virgil in the shoulder a bit awkwardly and began skipping down the hall to his next class. That left a dumbfounded and nearly-panicking Virgil standing in front of his open locker in an almost completely empty hall.

He wished Roman would stop leaving him like that.

...

Roman had texted the Biology Project group chat that weekend, saying he had an important football practice on Monday that went until 5. they'd have to have their meet-up at Roman's a bit later in the evening. Logan simply waited it out by heading to the school library to get his other homework done, while Patton and Virgil shot the breeze, walking down random hallways of the school.

The two of them were grabbing a snack from a vending machine when Virgil checked his phone. It was 4:50. They got their respective snacks - Patton got a strawberry Pop tart and Virgil got a Sunny D - and made their way to the designated meeting place. It was a concrete bench at the front of the school. They expected to find Logan there, but he wasn't. The two of them simply sat on the cold bench and exchanged bits of each other's snacks, and continued talking until Virgil noticed someone approaching.

He figured it would be Logan, but this person was shorter and more filled out than Logan. He trained his eyes better and realized that it was Roman. Roman, who happened to have a towel around his neck and sopping-wet crimson curly hair unabashedly on display. A drip of water rolled down his cheek and along his jawline, and Virgil realized he was staring. Roman finally got within conversation distance.

"Like what you see, Charlie Frown?" He teased. Patton looked to Virgil, noticing his awe, and giggled.

"Hah, in your dreams, Meta Knight," Virgil deflected half-heartedly, still finding it hard to pull his eyes away from Roman's unfortunate perfection. It was only worse that Roman knew just how attractive he was.

"Why's your hair all wet, silly?" Patton asked, standing energetically to greet him.

"We rinse off after practice. I considered leaving my shirt off so i could just get a clean one when i got home, but i knew that might be a bit too much to handle for some of us," Roman elbow-nudged Patton, who just giggled again and pushed his glasses up. Virgil knew that was extremely forced, especially after their conversation on Friday.

"Well," Roman checked his wristwatch, "Where would my nerdy Wolverine happen to be? It's ten past, and if there's anything Logan certainly is, it's punctual."

"Quite right you are," a stern voice came from behind them, to reveal Logan's lengthy form approaching casually. "My apologies for my tardiness. I got quite engaged in a particular Physics problem." Roman turned to him smiling, and pecked him on the cheek. Virgil didn't need to look at Patton to feel his friend's heart sink through the floor.

"Shall we then?" Roman turned to lead the way on the five-block journey to his house.

...

"hmm, that reminds me," Roman said from his sprawled position on his bed, "what are all your sexualities?"

That sure caught everyone's attention. The clock beside Roman's bed read 6:28 PM. Logan was studying their plants and taking notes, Patton had been cooing quietly to Roman's pet turtle, and Virgil was sitting in Roman's spinning desk chair scrolling on his phone. They all looked at Roman at once, and then at each other.

"Heh," Roman sat up, "My apologies for blurting such an intrusive question, I was just looking up at my-" he gestured toward his ceiling- "glorious flag, and it made me wonder. No man must answer that which he does not desire to." Roman was blatantly referring to the Bisexual flag that was pinned to the ceiling above his bed. They all looked at it, and back at him. "I suppose it's obvious now, but yes, I am undeniably bisexual," He faux bowed.

The silence wasn't doing anyone good, so Patton broke it before it got too much more awkward. "I, I'm gay," he said sheepishly, continuing to observe the turtle. Virgil gave him a soft smile, and decided to offer himself up next.

"I'm pan," he seemed to recoil further into his hoodie, if that were even possible. Logan turned to the other three, adjusting his necktie.

"I'm not usually one to admit this to many people, but since you have all been so transparent and calm about such personal information," He started, "I am comfortable telling you that I am Asexual."

No one regarded this with much surprise, except for Roman. "Oh really?" He said, seemingly surprised and embarrassed. Virgil scoff-laughed at him.

"What, upset you can't make your sexual fantasies a reality?" Virgil teased. Roman gasped, bringing a hand to his chest in an offended gesture.

"Excuse me!" He exclaimed, a look of disgust contorting his face.

Before a classic Roman-Virgil debate could ensue, Patton decided to share his thoughts.

"Well, I, I mean, I'm not ace but I, I guess sex isn't really so important to me," he was fiddling with his ring yet again.

"W-well, it should never be the centerpiece of any relationship!" Roman declared. They all looked at him skeptically. "what? I mean, personally, I prefer grand gestures." As he spoke, he stood and walked to Logan. "In my opinion," he produced a pristine bouquet of deep red roses that none of the others had noticed anywhere in the room before, "they are the key to any person's heart."

Logan seemed tame, Patton thought. As if he were performing. If he were being his normal self, he would have been very confused by where Roman had hidden the bouquet, and how it looked so perfect after being concealed. Instead, he just took it with a very gentle sweet smile, and thanked him quietly. Instead of Logan, Patton was now the one confused.

Virgil's face was red, and his neck a blotchy pink; thankfully he was mostly hidden under his purple bangs and hood. He huffed and excused himself to use the restroom. Patton noticed this time, and grabbed his arm before he made it out of the room.

"You okay?" he whispered gently to Virgil. Virgil just looked at him, mustered a small smile and a nod. Patton knew exactly what that meant. Virgil was okay, he just needed a moment. He returned the smile, and released his gentle paternal grip on Virgil's arm, allowing him to leave.

There was the sound of someone calling Roman's name from another part of the house, and Roman excused himself, rushing off to find its source.

Logan slipped his phone into the pocket of his navy slacks. "Well, I must be going now," He began. Instead of reaching to gather his things, he trained his acute attention directly on Patton, who was startled by the sudden focus on him. "Patton, do you have a ride home today?"

"I, uh, well," He tried blurting out an excuse but none came to his mind. "No, not exactly..."

Logan was slowly approaching, and Patton tried to back up but hit the terrarium containing Roman's turtle after just one small step. "Would you like a ride? My parents would be more than happy to assist in your safe transport home."

"Well, well I really don't want to intrude, or-" He stopped dead when Logan placed a slender hand gently on his shoulder.

"I insist. It's no intrusion or burden to them. They appreciate being able to help others when they can, especially people whose company I enjoy." Logan didn't feel as though he was figuratively lying through his teeth, but he knew that his parents didn't exactly feel that way. The nature of the situation was more that they took kindly to those that Logan worked well with on academically related subjects, such as people from his study group or the like.

Patton caught himself before letting the thought "you enjoy my company?" escape his lips. He just smiled. He knew there was no way he could get himself to deny Logan's offer when his heart was taking the reins.

"I would.. really appreciate, a ride home, yeah," He said quietly. Logan was just looking into his eyes with a tenderness Patton hadn't seen before. He pushed away any thoughts that Logan may have looked at Roman the exact same way during their date. He hoped he hadn't, and cursed himself for hoping it.

"Wonderful," Logan pulled himself out of their shared momentary trance. "I will let them know. I'm sure they will find it a pleasure to become acquainted with you. They should be here in less than five minutes, so I suggest gathering your belongings." Logan's thumbs padded across is illuminated phone screen as he spoke, until he once again slid it into his pocket and began collecting his things along with Patton.

Virgil entered once again, hood off and face slightly red and wet. it was clear that he hadn't been crying due to the sporadic nature of the droplets of water across his face; it looked more like he'd just haphazardly washed his face in the sink and hadn't bothered to wipe the remnants away. Patton smiled at him brightly.

"Ah, Virgil," Logan addressed as he slung his bag over his shoulder, "It was pleasant to see you again. We are on our way out now. Are you ready, Patton?" He looked to Patton, who also slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Yep! Logan's giving me a ride," Patton blatantly could barely contain his excitement in his ever-growing grin, so Virgil only returned it with a small thumbs up.

"Alright, ill see you guys in class tomorrow," He hugged Patton tightly, and half-heartedly saluted to Logan without making eye contact. Logan simply nodded to him, and the two left shortly, leaving Virgil alone in Roman's room.

[just-some-gt-trash]

Part 2 of the prince Patton with dragon Virgil? I love part 1!

Yes I love it to :D And OMG you guys are giving that little fic tons of love, thank you very much!

Also, this is now called Winging a transition

Shout out to @winterswrandomness for the title and @i-can-get-extra-with-my-ships and @thetomorrowshow for helping me with the plot!

There is more planned for this au, but you can ask about it, send prompts or request other part if you see I’m taking too long to update lol.

———————————————————————————————————

The castle where Virgil lived was enormous, and most of it was in ruins, except for the four towers it had, each one of them containing a different princess, since there weren’t many unoccupied castles around, every tower of the castle needed to be used, and Virgil was the only dragon taking care of his princesses, and now his new prince, having developed a friendship with each one of them, despite not being supposed to talk to them.

Taking care of them implied look fro food and water, and the dragon was just returning from one of his trips to gather those supplies, using his mouth to hold the cloth that had the meet ad his claws to carry the buckets with water, ready to deliver them to his princesses and prince.

The first tower held Princess Sage, she had glasses like Patton and was very smart, her tower was the only one that had a clear ceiling so she could watch the stars, Virgil managed to get some astrology books for her, he landed next to her tower and turned into his humanoid form, he carried half of one of the sheep he hunted and one of the buckets with water, he also had some fruits and several edible types, remembering all the times Sage had lectured him about the importance of a healthy diet.

He flew all the way to the window of the tower “Good morning” he said, getting inside of the room and leaving the food on the table.

“More like good afternoon” Sage said, closing her book and left in on her bed before standing up “You’re later than usual, did something happened?”

“There’s a new one” said Virgil, not really wanting to reveal Patton’s gender to the others yet “I just had to get a bit more food” he walked to the fireplace and blew a soft flame on the wood “I have to go now, I still have to go with the others”

“Right, I’m always your first stop, but I’m looking forward to spend time with you when you can, if you would like that of course”

Virgil sat at the frame of the window and looked back to the princess “You know I’d love that, see ya Sage” he said, jumping out of the window, he grabbed the stuff once he landed on the floor and flew to the next tower.

The second princess, Julie, was actually the first princess to be put under his care.

Julie was under a curse that forced her to speak with lies, as well as having half her face covered with snake like scales, this made her very cold and distant when Virgil started talking to her, but whit time, they grew closer, being hr one of the princesses he has a stronger relationship with.

He landed inside her room, the fireplace was always on, Julie was always cold due to her snake side, and Virgil constantly made sure she had a source of heat, he let the food on the table and started separating the portions he needed, closing his homemade bag and turning to see his princess, who was asleep on her bed.

Virgil smiled and got closer, kneeling at the edge of the bed and brushing the hairs away from the princess face “Good morning, or as Sage corrected me, good afternoon”

Julie woke up slowly, yawning and smiling when she saw Virgil “Hi, I’m not glad to see you, I haven’t been missing you”

“I’ve missed you too, sorry, I’ve been busy with the new addition of the castle”

Julie sat on the bed and Virgil stood up “Another one? That’s terrible” she groaned at her words “You know what I meant”

The dragon nodded “And I’m sure you two will be great friends”

“I hope not, do you have to go already?”

“I have, I’ll finish delivering food and then I’ll spend time with you, how does that sound?” Virgil asked as he grabbed his stuff.

“Awful”

Virgil smiled and got closer to the window “Glad we agree, be back soon Juls” he said, once again jumping out, one more princess to go.

As he flew to the third tower, something landed on his shoulders, Virgil stopped mid air and looked at the creature, a small green dragon “Shouldn’t you be with Rose Rem?” He asked it, getting a small groan as a response, the small dragon, turned to Virgil’s bag and tried to make his way inside “Oh no you won’t” Virgil grabbed the dragon, trying to keep him still as he struggled “I’m not going to have another lack of food problem because of you, I promise I have your food, but let’s go with Rose first alright?”

Virgil didn’t even wait for an answer,continuing his way to Rose’s tower, the little dragon on his arms was named Remus, he was Rose’s twin, who was cursed to stay like this on the daytime, at night, he would return to his humanoid form, keeping the horns, wings and some scales, just as Virgil when he was transformed, their parents were overprotective, and they thought having extra security for their lovely daughter would be more han ideal, not even caring on trying to break their son’s curse, that’s why he was stuck with him, being the only one who could actually get in and out of the towers, he was quite a troublemaker.

He landed on the room as usual and saw Rose walking around the room “Come on Remus this isn’t funny, if Virgil finds out I l-“ she turned around getting face to face with Virgil “Virge! What a lovely surprise” she said nervous.

The dragon left his bag on the floor, grabbing Remus with both hands and giving him to the princess “lost someone?”

Rose took his brother and he climbed to her shoulders, curing around her neck “I’m sorry, he’s just so slippery, I didn’t even noticed when he got out”

“Don’t worry about it, I just came to give you two your food, try to keep it away from Remus” the tiny dragon growled in response “You’ll be feed, but you know what happens when you eat too much”

The princess scratched Remus’s head “He’s just grumpy because you haven’t come to see us” he growled again, as if trying to deny it “yes you are”

Virgil smiled slightly as he got the food out o his bag “I’m sorry, as I told the others, I’ve been busy with our new one”

“Oh right, Remus saw him the other day”

Virgil froze “Him?” He said turning around to face the princess.

“You don’t have to hide it, Rem heard you two talking and explained it to me, I’m fine with it , but I understand i you don’t want to tell the others yet”

Virgil sighed relieved “Thank you, it’s been hard for him to feel comfortable”

Rose smiled “You should try to do something with that dress tho”

“I know” Virgil grabbed his bag and looked towards the princess’s desk, spotting her sewing materials, those were some of the stuff she managed to sneak into the tower, he saw her fixing a dress when Remus ripped it, and she made little costumes for the small dragon with different cloths Virgil managed to find “Wait, you know how to sew, you could make him a suit!”

“I... I don’t know, fixing a small scratch and the things I do for Remus are one thing, but making an entire suit?”

“Please, could you at least try?”

The princess sighed “Alright, but I’ll need material, and you owe me a big one”

Virgil smiled and walked to the window “Sure thing Princess, see ya” he said, jumping out and flying to the last tower, Patton’s tower.

When he arrived, he was greeted with a bear hug from the prince, making him smile “I wasn’t gone for that long Pat”

“I know, but I missed you” Patton broke the hug and grabbed the bucket with water Virgil had “Let me help you” he said carrying it to the table.

“You don’t have to help me, this is just part of my work”

“But you don’t need to do everything by yourself”

Virgil smiled and rolled his eyes “fine” he said leaving the rest of the food on the table “I have something else to do, do you need help cooking this before I go?”

Patton shook his head “can you just turn the chimney on?”

The dragon nodded and blew a flame on the wood, lighting it up “It won’t take that long, hopefully, I’ll be back as soon as I finish” Virgil sat on the edge of the window and jumped down, returning to his original form mid air and flying away, he had to find something for Rose to work on.

[kurtty-drabbles]

Pirate au Redone (part 2)

N/A: So it continues. I´ll try to make this in 5 pieces IF is possible. I want to explore the Maximoff´s family dynamic ( Wanda and her kids) and Jean and Scott´s relationship with their kids such as Cable and Rachel. And well, I think I can do a better job than Marvel.  BTW, I never even travel to New York so my image here of New York is more focused on how media show this place...

@dannybagpipesarecalling @djinmer4 @bamfoftheundead @everykurt @muninandhugin

The streets of New York with a cacophony of sounds provide by peoples and the cellphones and other machines-the News on display in every big screen on New York City is only one thing and no one is sure if they´re tired of such news or if this is important anymore- and the main anchor leading this news is stating the message with all professional that makes her the number 1 in the field. "Prof X announces the existence of Krakoa and the trade remedies in exchange of amnesty for the mutants and their past crimes. Senator Kelly is absent of this trade, but, senator Osbourne speaks in favor of the mutants and the president of US fully welcomes the mutants"  and the people are shaking their heads about this or something else.

Wanda Maximoff is one of the 1% looking at the news with little interest-in fact, she sits on the street on a red building and notices the stares of awe and waves at the other residents who wave a bit awkwardly- and looks at her watch. "Is almost 15hs..watch. "Is almost 15hs....any minute now" her tone is tone as she fidgeted with her crimson cape.

"Mo..." her eyes look up to see Tommy Sheppard in his casual outfit and Wanda offers a small smile- she notices and felt a pang of sadness as he wanted to call her mom but avoid doing it- and Tommy continues speaking with his casual tone (yet, she can see he´s confused and how his feet are ready to run just like Pietro would) "Wanda...are you ok?"

Her eyes show a certain crestfallen as she speaks with a melancholic tone. "Do the world needs to end for me to visit you?" she tries to joke but her watery eyes are ruining any attempt of joke and Tommy´s feet come an inch closer to her. Only an inch.

"I´m sorry...Wanda" he repeats and Wanda refuses to think about the past-she prefers to think about the present and the reason for her to be here as she often says "the past is in the past"- and now the boy, no, the young man looks unsure of what to do or say. "I´d not know where Billy is...I think he´s on an adventure with his boyfriend...you can try next week, I mean, Dr. Strange told he will be back in a week" Tommy explains and now Wanda frowns.

"I know...and I´m not here to speak about your brother. I´m here to speak about you." her tone is firm as she taps a seat on the stair next to her. "sit with me, Tommy...I want to talk with you" and the young man is still unsure.

"I don´t know...where Billy is" is his answer.

"I know where your brother is and I want to speak with you" and her eyes widen as her mouth gasps for a moment and closes quietly. "Was a bad mother to make my son to truly think there´s a favorite? Was a bad mother to make him think I wouldn´t care for his life?" and Wanda looks up and slowly meet Tommy´s gaze. "In House of M all I wanted was a family and yet I can´t keep tabs of you and Billy...maybe the universe is telling me something about wanting a family...and my own mental health" she begins.

"I wanted a family and let myself be dominated by many people who took advantage of me and my powers and almost cost me everything..." she sighs as now Tommy is sitting next to her. "I can´t change the past nor I should but I want to be present in your life. You and your brother..."

Tommy looks to his front watching people looking at the famous Scarlet Witch, some ignoring and some are just minding their business- in the sense of superheroes in C list are walking and doing patrol without bait an eye to Speed and Scarlet Witch- and speaks again in a neutral tone. "What if this whole reincarnation thing is bull crap? You said Magneto is not your father ...and no offense, but, reincarnation, Mephisto and all that story seems far too complex for me"

Wanda nods and can´t deny how the story looks for an outsider, let alone for the ones involved. "You´re right...it does sound complex...let me explain the best I can...Magneto is my biological father, yes, but I hate him enough to lie to his face to cause him pain..." she let a mirthless chuckle escape her lips. "by this logical this make me his daughter even more...all I want was to cause him pain and, well, in the end, I was silly to think this would cause any trouble" Wanda concludes.

Tommy says nothing about Magneto and Wanda is more than happy for that.

"But as for you be the reincarnation of my son...Tommy, does blood truly matters? Maybe you´re not my reincarnated son, maybe Billy isn´t...maybe my sons were just a trick from Mephisto...but, I still would like to be your mother, I would still be part of your life if you let me" Wanda confessed looking at him with watery eyes and she grins softly as she notices the young man is wearing his goggles for some unknown reason.

"Yeah...if you want" he tries to sound cool, but, Wanda can see his real emotions and hug him-for once, he doesn´t pretend to hate the hug-and Wanda asks what he was doing after the Young Avengers was shut down.

"I´m sort of detective...sort of, the terms are sort vague" he explains. "Uhm...do you remember Hope Summers?" he begins wanting to confide this information with someone and Scarlet Witch may be the best person or maybe confess this to your mother is the best idea here.

"Yes, I recall her...is she alright?"

"No, she is dead...like, super dead"

"A mutant hate crime?"

"No...I think is something more insidious...she dies when Krakoa was, uhm, crafted? I don't know the right word to use in this freak show, but, I think there´s a correlation here" and he looks at his mother afraid. "do they ask..." Wanda shakes her head. "And rest assured me and your uncle won´t go either...also, I´m no longer an Avenger either"

"Oh, I heard that...Tony Stark mess up...what you´ll do now?"

"Open my school of magic, of course, and you´re always welcome to visit me or even help me"

"I...I would like that"

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jean Grey can remember her teenagerhood with total clarity -maybe, is a blessing of her powers or one of its curses, after all, Jean doesn´t like to remember certain parts of her past- and as she enters in the new accommodations of Krakoa one can´t help by comparing to the first time she enters in the Institute. How time flies.

Scott is there, as she knew he would, tapping his feet on the ground- how Krakoa has such facilities to house everyone? Many questions are now emerging from her mind. She recalls with all the morbid details of her death and her resurrection and how her mind was ...taken by numbness and euphoria at the same time- and is looking at anything but Jean Grey.

"How the soup?" Jean asked breaking the ice as Scott lift his bowl to show he was eating cereals. "Ok, let´s talk, Scott...what´s in your mind? And yes, this comes from a telepath..." Jean sits in front of Scott - she remembers his visor in her "nightmare" Nate puts everyone through and is amazing how the shape of this visor didn´t change in the slightest- and waits patiently his turn.

"I hate here!" Scott confesses quietly to Jean. "I hate how Professor X is making what me and...Emma" if he thought Jean would make a fuss or big deal over his time with Emma, well, Scott is wrong " tried to make with Utopia, yes, I know is a pretentious name, but I hate how he´s making something I tried to make and is being praised as the savior while I was the mutant Hitler as some call me" and he concluded with his teeth grith so hard that it clenches his jaw.

"Go on" Jean speaks in a neutral tone. "You have lots of things you want to talk and I´m here...I´m here now, Scott and I want to listen" and Scott continues.

"I hate how the Avengers took down Utopia without a single question...it was meant to be a sanctuary for mutants after M day and then...Prof X says he´ll revive all the mutants in the history and again, people speak as if he´s the only hero ever..." he sighs tiredly now.

"I hate how we´re always dying or being hated" and Scott continues. "And I hate the choices I make ...in regards everything" and now he lowers his head. "I have doubts, guilty and I want to cleanse them, not start anew" and now Jean speaks.

"You´re thinking, and no I´m not reading your mind, you´re thinking about Madeline Pryor, right? Me too...I´d think about her and what she could have been and what should have been" and she narrows her eyes now. "and you want me to talk about our kids too...and we should!" she rubs her temples for a moment. "For starts, I´m ashamed of Nate...what he makes me do in his dreamWorld, what we made Bishop endure...how we´re all out of our mind...I pity Kurt...and I sympathize with Meggan as any sane woman would" Jean explains seriously.

"About Cable...we killed him and I only feel...relief" Jean confesses holding her face for a moment nervously. "Do I want kids? And this is something is bugging in my mind forever...no, Scott...I don´t want kids" she reveals crossing her arms.

Scott nods and speaks calmly now. "I know...I truly know. I love you, Jean, and yes, I want a family, but, kids are not a requirement for us..." and Jean´s eyes relax at that but stop as Scott mentions what she saw it coming. "You took Cable under your wing even though he was from Madelyne...why you never tried with Rachel?"

Jean looks away from his eyes and thought in leave the conversation, but, Jean is not a teen anymore. "Let me put this way, Scott, if in another dimension forsaken by the Gods, I and Logan had a baby and this baby travels here and wants me and Logan to created another version of him or her...would you think I would do it just for lols?" Jean asks a bit peeved and Scott is not impressed.

"OK, you don´t need to be her mother...but, it feels like you had a favorite, and Rachel was never in your mind..." Scott trails off and Jean looks slightly ashamed.

"Maybe I was trying to live a fantasy on Nate. He is our son and that would nullify Madelyne´s existence...and that´s petty and cruel of me..." Jean confesses. "I can support Rachel as a teammate and as a gay mutant, yes Scott...I have eyes, ears, and a brain and when she was with Kurt was pretty clear it was a beard!" and she concludes. "I can support her in this...but I don´t want to be her mother"

Scott touches her hand. "I can be her father, but, is my decision, and if you don´t want...no one should force you. Family is still a fragmented thing for me, but, is still precious" Jean squeeze his hand tightly now.

"I know...I know. Oh, Scott...we have lots to talk about"

"Time to talk about me and Emma?"

"Oh yes!" __________________________________________________________________________________________

Logan is over the moon as in Krakoa it opens many possibilities and the Canadian is so over joy he´s ignoring the silent elf on the quiet council-Logan pick beers for himself and is practically dancing-and now notices the elf after a comical swirl makes the elf enter in his view. "Kurt...Kurt, I have a shot...I have a shot with Jeanie"

Kurt is too busy thinking about everything. Introspection is something he hates, but, is his only companion lately. "Well, I´m curious now" Kurt lied. "Why you think you have a chance with Jeannie?"

"Kurt is the law...make more babies" Logan has a big smile and Kurt´s fist clench as he makes an excuse and leaves. Logan is alone and Kurt is suddenly realizing that if Iceman is no longer making dumb jokes, then, Kurt is the one doing the jokes, and sadly, no one is getting is a joke.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Kitty Pryde is watching the shore beach and count until 3 as she slowly looks to her right. "Hello, Yana!" Kitty beams at the sight of her friend and Magik offers her ghost smile and informs her about Krakoa and the smile on Kitty dies.

"Tell me what´s the difference between Utopia and Krakoa?" Kitty asked and Magik explains in short words.

"Utopia wasn´t a creepy cult" Yana responds bemused and adds. "Uhm. Piotr is saying mean things about you..."

"Yana...I left him at the altar...I would be surprised if he was singing praises about me" Kitty answers deadpan. Yana sighs in relief as Kitty is not hurt, angry or sad with the news.

"Do you want to see Krakoa?" Yana asked and Kitty is bitting her inner lip.

"Not really..." and if Kitty was elaborate on her answer it was cut short by Emma Frost -looking fabulous as always- and offering her usual demand. "Hello, Kitty...can we talk?"

[itsediadmlove]

Endgame................

I’ve never believed I had any right to be angry at GRRMartin for the endgame he was going to provide us, nor about the time he took on writting, I’ve always believed ASOIAF to be his creation and should be so until the very end, and I still do. I’m neither writting to put any blame on the Ds about such a thing as the endgame. Yet, despite of the direction the story finally took I believe I can put some blame on them, again not for the outcome but for the shit they have made beyond that.

D&D: There are several things I’m more than willing to blame them about.

1- The way they spent HBO money and OUR time. Again this is not about the story itself but the way they organized this season. We all knew there were only 6 episodes left and a full lot of shit to do, so things being rushed coud be anticipated. Apparently (cause I don’t know) they were given the chance to make a 10 episodes season and they choosed not to because they thought it wasn’t needed, and they were maybe right and still what they did was absolutely unsatisfying. Why? For me it’s pretty simple, they didn’t gave themselves enough time to build up things the right way. But the truth being said, even if they had 10 fucking episodes they would have messed up. The problem was not the amount of minutes this season but how they used it, at some point they missed the concept of the show they were running. GOT/ASOIAF can be setted in a medieval fantastic world, it can be an epic story, but what it has always been is a political thriller. Yet those dickheads choosed to spend 1/3 of the remaining onscreen time (and probably 2/3 of the budget they were trusted with) in fucking long battles (if KL destruction can even be called a battle). As far as I remember, the longest battle that have taken place in the books was when Stannis attacked KL, in the books I remember it took like 6 chapters (3 of them were Sansa’s who wasn’t even in the battle), readers felt disappointed about how shitty the battle of the blackwater was back in season 2, yet we understood the show’s timetable needed to be done with it quickly and the budget was the one of a TV show with a huge amount of characters so we wern’t very bothered by it. GOT/ASOIAF have never been about battles,  those are things that just happen and it’s awful yes, but have never been the main core of the story and yet they spent such a huge amount of time on them when the show had so little time to get a closure,I REPEAT MYSELF 1/3 of our time, I believe the most of the money for what? Two fucking long battles which were not amazing at all (Drogon blowing up KL was beautiful yes, but never worth 45 minutes of my time). SO NO, IT’S NOT THINGS WERE RUSHED BECAUSE OF THE TIME LEFT, THEY WERE RUSHED BECAUSE THEY BETRAYED THE ESSENCE OF THE SHOW THEY WERE RUNNING BY SPENDING TOO MANY TIME IN SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T MOVE THE STORY LINE FURTHER AND EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER ARC PAID FOR IT.

2- The broken trust. This 2 morrons were given the chance by the very GRRMartin to be the first to deliver the endgame of the most intriguing and complex story I’ve ever watched or read. They had a responsability toward him and again they failed. THE FUCKING FINALE WAS ACTUALLY LEAKED. I mean, this on itself is an insult to the kind of show they were supposed to do, a treason to all the time GRRMartin spent on writting his books. It’s not what the endgame was, to be frustrated about how life works it’s granted on GOT/ASOIAF. But letting it to be leaked, not just one episode, but all of them... Letting the more discussed, argued, especulated show in history end to be leaked is something I can’t forgive them for.

3- Setting things up that never paid off: I just felt that every single camera focus, political conflict... Was set for nothing... GOT has never been like that, the truth was hidden by the scrypt but told on how the show was actually plaid. Never got a Sansa/Cersei/Dany display and, no matter who of them you stand, just that was frustrating. Non epic dialogues, instead we got 10 minutes of council unimportant small talk (not even about politics) and brothel joking (THE FUCK???). Even if someone tries to say something of the like that it was all to subvert expectations all of that was ruined because they let the fucking endgame to be spoiled. It felt that it was all for nothing but fuck us, and if it was that way well, then it was all for fan disservice which is even wworse than fan service because no one gets satisfied about it. Tenth of minutes of threats, angsty looks, anticipation, political moves, drama, plot, build up made garbage which actually means that the most true moments to the show were battles which is just..................................................................................... ehem. This season battles became what were never meant to be and the rest of it was just nothing at all.

Now, enough with the D&D criticism, I don’t want to go any further and the cast was amazing: Emilia really got me this season, she is way better of what I ever thought her to be, magnificient work for you, Sophie as good as always, Kit you did all that could be done with just as little as they gave you (your BoW sequence while running in the courtyard was amazing and never expected less since the BoB), Lena my only complaint is that I missed you as much as Jaime missed Cersei (Cersei may be the one character that was better in the show than in the books; the scripts plaid their part but so you did)... And so on. You did amazingly all along and YOU can be proud; you all were the best part of it.

Let’s go to GRRMartin. As I said above I’m ok with the ending being such, not the one I would have picked but well, I dont get to chose, isn’t it? I’ve always been amazed by just how realistic the story was, how cynical you are yourself, how complex every character you designed has been and how you brought it together to make a story that made sense, a story that was always able to make you expect things that never happen and yet, with the given time, would reveal to go in a far more logical way making you understand, accept and keep going with it... Maybe I am wondering because I know I would never get a further explanation, clue or hope, but for someone who have always remained true to pracmatism, realism and individualism of his characters there are a few things I actually can’t understand, not as a reader/watcher, nor as a political scientist.

Things I can understand:

-Jon going to the wall: I guess Grey Worm demanding it was true to Grey Worm’s character, he did bullshit for 2 seasons, and actually doing the very same mistake as Robb or even worse (he fell in love with a dangerous and unstable mass murderer who was ready to burn his family alive, or at least, that is what the show told us). He deserves it for knowing nothing and yet managing to forget the half of it. Yet, if Grey WWorm leaves with the unsullied... Why would he carry on his sentence... This is GOT but well, as the show putted it, it makes some sense for him to carry his sentence to the end, but George, book Jon is not this kind of honorable man who goes for honor but a dutifull bastard able to betray every single oath he once took for the greater good. Good luck pulling that off.

- Dany dying: Again, Dany falling to her extremely dark side has been very foreshadowed in both the books and the show, she has done horrendous things, a lot of people has, my personal problem with her is that, half of the times, such cruelty was absolutely unnecessary. Yet Dany stans do have a point; Dany suddenly falling for that side of her coin just because a few persons that were close to her died and people not cheering for her was extremely poor. That woman who (unwillingly) killed her husband and unborn baby, led a bunch of ill, old people as well as children through a dessert while watching them die... Going nuts for such childish reasons is pittysome for her character. Most of your character have always been grey, even the ones we perceived as evil were given the chance to prove their humanity, even while doing terrible things, they had the chance to be sympathetic to us, and we were given the chance to know the most of them and agree even with some of their worst accomplishments. This season Daenerys (who I repeat I haven’t liked for 4 seasons already) was definitely going to go dark, but she was deshumanized while doing it, in a way that was impossible to understand and yet hard to call madness. I hope you do better about her because I want to think that it was all Ds’ fault (I’ve had a hard time deciding who to blame about this) giving her to much screen time and yet being unable to make us understand wtf was going on with her so suddenly (there is a huge difference between being sad or angry and burning small folks from a dragon for 45 minutes, maybe 5 mins of it until realizing what she is doing, 5 mins on a dragon back is more than enough time to burn a huge amount of people, and that is reason enough not to support her as a queen). The problem is not that build up, anticipation, foreshadowing, that was done, but just how much of a villain she became to just not give a frikking damn about all this innocents life, or not expressing a single regret (what she did in the books after randomly eviscerating and crucifying alive 163 defeated persons in the main square of Meereen in front of their families until the rot enough to fall apart, yes mates, it was just that cruel).

- Grey Worm: all in him made sense; leaving (why would he stay???) wanting  some punishment for his queen’s traitors... But the fact he was actually believing one of those traitors to actually carry out his sentence because said traitor promised? Because his family promised not to give him any shelter?

- Bran being king; well... I understand and I don’t. The truth being said he knows how to fucking play the game without getting his hands any dirty, when he told Tyrion that this was the main reason he went down south I just thought that he actually could do a nice job there, that is Bran for us all people.

- Democracy... bullshit: I didn’t like how it was pushed away as an option, it was almost like a joke which makes sense from a feudal lord perspective but the actual truth is quite different. Democracy never works in a non posmaterialist society; desinformation, lack of stability or knowledge, extreme supersticion... Who would believe the people from the bread riot were worthy of having a vote that would decide the future of the realm, such people are extremely manipulable as it happenned with the high sparrow, or how it is remembered Baelor the Saint, one of the worst kings the seven kingdoms ever had.

Things I can’t understand:

- BRONN AS MASTER OF COIN: Being true I don’t believe it to be your fault George, you were upset about his fate and it makes sense ( SO Ds THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING BY GIVING THE MASTERSHIP OF COIN TO A MAN WHO LITERALLY SEEMS TO NEED ALL OF HIS FINGERS TO COUNT UP TO TEN, THE SEEMINGLY MORE COMPLEX AND TECHNICALLY DEMANDING MASTERSHIP OF A RAVAGED AND BANKRUPTED REALM, I DON’T KNOW WHAT STAR WARS BULLSHIT YOU ARE APPARENTLY RUNNING RIGHT NOW BUT IF I WAS THE PRODUCER YOU WOULD GET FIRED TODAY JUST BECAUSE OF SUCH BULLSHIT).

- Northern independence... and Bran as a King: Why would the north be independent? I come from the Jonsa fandom to all of you and they were a huge amount of people there wanting it but it made no sense. It has been the very first fucking time in seasons that I’ve felt like beating Sansa. One king is peace, and in future generations, moreso with the crown working as it does now, wars between the north and the suth will start again, leading to more disasters, come on George... Does the north really deserve independence? Have they suffered more than anyone else? Some people seem to believe so but it’s not true. During Aegon conquest the north was the part of the 7kingdoms which suffered the less because Torrhen Stark kneeled on time before any battle took place. There have been 2 cultural groups that have suffered Targaryens far more than northerners and just as culturally differentiated from the andals as northerners are. Those are Dornish (Rhoynars), who are famous for resisting Targaryen rule for centuries until Daeron the good succeeded in diplomacy by marrying a dornish princess and giving princess Daenerys in marriage to the prince of Dorne. They have their own succession system (far more advanced that the rest of Westeros). Have they recently suffered less George? Because, if you are going to go with some random prince of Dorne which was never introduced (I expect you not to) that would mean that all prince Doran, Arianne, Quentyn (already happenned), Trystan, Oberyn and Sandsnakes would all be dead by then. And finally the Ironborns: they are first men, they have their own religion and culture, they suffered the first attack from Aegon the conqueror (King Harren the Black was the king of the Iron Islands) remained independent even longer than Dorne (the hedge knight short stories and their mention to Dagon Greyjoy prove me right) and their family has recently fought 2 wars in order to get it back (Balon rebellion and the five kings war). In such wars both of Balon’s oldest son died and Theon was taken as a hostage for his whole life, and in the second, castrated and tortured because of it. So George... And Sansa, why should the north remain independent while the rest doesn’t? Sansa is Bran fucking sister, she is related to him in a closer way than any other fucking lord and yet she is the only one not to accept him as King? THE ACTUAL FUCK? I mean why would anyone else remain in the 7 Kingdoms if the north doesn’t? How can any lord accept such bullshit when they are not related to him and his bloody sister doesn’t? How can anyone defend Bran as a King when he accept such a thing and still say he is unbiased or fair? His actually best lordship support comes from the fucking north! How can Bran first act as a King be accepting his authority to be jeopardize in such a way? I need you to explain it way better on the books George, I really do, because right know it feels like an experiment that would last 2 days and end with Bran and his council heads on spikes.

PLEASE PEOPLE, I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE, WHO YOU STANNED, WHAT ENDGAME YOU WOULD PREFER, IF SOMEONE GETS ANY CLUE, PLEASE JUST ANSWER THIS CALL OF HELP BECAUSE... WELL ALL OF YOU KNOW ALREADY.

[insanely-creative-things]

Big Hero 7: The Series

Big Hero 7 S2

City of Monsters Part 2

*Cora continues to struggle in Chris' hold all the way down to the sixth level floor. Once there Cora takes notice of something else: She's not the only person trapped there. Her Grandmother tied up and gagged as she sees Cora with horrified eyes.*

Cora: Grandmama!

'Liv': Hello Cora.

*Cora turns her head to Liv, walking towards them with the smugness of a snake.*

Cora: You!

'Liv': You certainly look happy to see me.

Cora: Just so you know, I knew you were behind the monsters! I always knew!

'Liv': And how did you figure that out?

Cora: The ceremony for you at SFIT, he quoted the tempest which happened to have a character named Sycorax. He was trying to tell everyone that you were the reason he's turned to a monster!

'Liv': So that's why you've been so damn difficult to join us.

Cora: You never had my trust since you snubbed Hiro cause Baymax was Tadashi's.

'Liv': *Glaring* You don't know how that boy ruined our lives...

Cora: *Raising an eyebrow* Ruined your lives? W-what are you talking about?! And what do you want?!

'Liv': Right now I need you and your grandmother to do one thing...

*She goes over to a capsule where the frost melts to reveal an identical looking woman behind the capsule. Cora's and Kaguya's eyes widen in shock in response.*

'Liv': Save Liv Amara.

*Cora stares down at her feet as the memories of Baymax's lie detector and how he responded to her claim now made sense. This woman is not Liv Amara because she is someone entirely different... This Liv Amara is innocent while the one in front of her is guilty.*

Cora: So if she's the real Liv Amara.. then who the hell are you?

'Liv': Aw, that's a little rude. If you must know, I'm her twin.

Cora: Her twin?

'Liv': Yup. I'm Diane Amara, for short. Di. I tried everything to cure Liv, for you see she's been struck by some rare disease. I thought the gold would help... but it didn't.. that's when I found about your little medicine.

Cora: *Slightly growing scared* Medicine?

Di: The healing potion. The one you created that so happened to heal Karmi's wounds.. wounds that was meant to last a month ended in a span of a day?

*The blue haired teen froze in place as she processes all that Diane is telling her before looking up again.*

Cora: But then... why with all the monsters?

Chris: Research is pretty expensive and we didn't want to overstep our budget...

Cora: So you're saying I save your twin and you'll call off the wedding and get everyone better?

Chris: Not exactly.

Cora: Not exactly? What do you mean by that!?

Di: The Mizuchio Clan's inheritance. I want it.

*Cora gasps as Chris goes over to the blue haired teen and offers her a glass of water.*

Chris: Ya see, we're in a debt with the Madame of the household. After all, where do you think we got this giant company from? A fundraise? Then we learned about your daddy and you... Diane marrying him-

Di: Means not only will Liv recover, but we will rise up to power and fortune! Nothing will stop us from getting what we want. But we'll worry about that a little later, we do have 3 days before the wedding. In the meantime; aside from going along with the bridal shower, the rehearsal dinner at SFIT, and all the mushy stuff, you'll be working with your grandmother here on making that potion. You have until the sunset of the third day, and if you hadn't been making process... who's to say something happens to your precious friends and boyfriend?

*She picks up a glowing rose to which she lets out a drop of acid onto the petals, making Cora gasp as it quickly wilts and turns black as coal.*

Cora: *Gasps in horror*

*Chris unties the ropes of Kaguya as the older woman rushes to her granddaughter's side while the other two head out and lock them inside. Cora runs towards the door and starts banging it as a vain attempt to break her grandmother and herself out, despite knowing they are now trapped in the clutches of the Witch of Sycorax.*

Hiro: This is going insane! Liv now has Cora and her father in her hands and her grandmother isn't responding!

*They all met up at Grandville's office as Commander Carter and Chief Cruz are on the line with a face call.*

Wasabi: There's a pretty good chance that Liv Amara had captured Kaguya as well to use as leverage against Cora.

Fred: What are we gonna do?!

Honey Lemon: For all we know, Chris and Liv could mean anything by behaving.

Gogo: She could easily send monsters our way as a distraction to keep us from saving Cora, her grandmother, and her father.

Grandville: *Shakes head as she paces around* And she had the gall to arrange a rehearsal dinner here at SFIT tomorrow night for them while she has one of my students held hostage!

Carter: Either way, you all must remain vigilant and continue fighting those monsters. I'll even send Globby in as back up for you and contact Ice Frost as well. Chief Cruz, keep yourself and your men's eyes open for any clue as to arrest Liv Amara, and when you do contact Big Hero 7.

Chief Cruz: Understood loud and clear.

Carter: Over and out... *To the team* and good luck to you all..

*The face calls ends as Hiro and the gang are left in silence to which they noticed on Kage's silence.*

Grandville: Kage?...

Kage: *Looking up* We'll need more heroes if Liv does choose to release all those monsters... we need Orso Knox and Mothra...and Ned Ludd.

*They all look at Kage with wide eyes as they heard him express his idea on recruiting the two monsters on their side to fight back.*

Fred: Oh~ We're really getting them to join us? That's so cool! And definitely worthy of phase two!

Gogo: But where would we even find them?

Honey Lemon: And Cora is the only one who can understand Knox.

Kage: We need all the help we can get so we need their help now... and I am not letting that witch get away with taking my family hostage.

*Hiro's brow furrows in determination as he nods in agreement with Kage's plan, as without thinking they shake hands on it. After what felt like hours Cora stopped pounding the doors screaming, and even when she looked for any cables connected to the doors she couldn't. She turns her head to her grandmother, staring at the vials in front of them.*

Cora: Grandmama...what do we do?

*Kaguya sighs as she looks at her granddaughter with eyes filled with worry before she ultimately sighs in defeat.*

Kaguya: We do... what she told us to..

*Cora starts to shake her head slowly in disbelief, knowing that this is something so serious that her grandmother would find their situation hopeless.*

Kaguya: I had hoped that when I do teach you this potion it would be at a healthier time... now then... lets put on some gear and look around. I bet half of what we need is in here.

Cora: And the other half?

Kaguya: From the sea.

Cora: The sea?.. *Gets an idea* Wait... that means Diane and Chris would have to take us outside for the ingredients if they want it finished!

Kaguya: Or they could easily demand us the location and leave us here... Not that they'll get it. I have the rest of them at home.

*And Cora's hope deflates at the idea as she knows its most likely be true. Kaguya spots the first ingredient they need for their potion.*

Kaguya: Cora, start the burner to boil the water. *Picks up an empty vial* We got work to do...

*Orso knox is swimming through the ocean as Mothra flies above to keep a look out for anyone during their outing in the sea. While she's flying she spots familiar faces on a ship called 'The Kreifisher' waving at her and calling out. Mothra's eyes widen as she recognizes who they are before she lowers down to signal Orso Knox that they are found by their allies and that it seemed urgent that they talk to them.*

Wasabi: Do you think they heard us?

*Soon enough Orso Knox hops onto the yatch as Mothra lands on the railing.*

Gogo: Does that answer your question?

Baymax: Hello Orso Knox, Mothra. How are you?

* Mothra lets out a happy chirp before she goes over to Kage and sniffs him, to which she proceeds to cuddle.*

Kage: N-Nice to see you too...

Hiro: *Clearing his throat* M-Mr. Knox... Something bad happened.. big time. Liv Amara has taken Cora, her dad, and grandmother hostage at Sycorax. She's planning on marrying her dad to get her medicine!

*Orso Knox's growls heavily as he hears the new, his claws digging into the floor while Mothra looks on with what appears to be worry.*

Honey Lemon: We need all the help we can get should Liv Amara use the monsters on us while Cora and her family are trapped. Think you two can help us?

*To their surprise, Orso Knox huffs as he nods, to which Mothra mimics him as to say she is in agreement.

Hiro: Good, so far here's what we got covered. Now we have to get-

Fred: Ned?! Ned Ludd you there?

*The team are at Muirahara woods underneath the tree house. Soon enough Nedd pops his head out to see the gang, some moth like creature, and a gangly man beside them.*

Ned: What are yalls doing here?

Hiro: We need your help against Sycorax!

Ned: Sycorax? What for?

Fred: Long story short: Liv Amara tricked Cora's dad with some love potion and got her handsome assistant to basically hold Cora hostage along with her grandmother! Its possible they need her for some healing potion!

Ned: Healing potion?

Hiro: A-Anyways, if anyone could sneak in and break any tech its you!

Ned: I truly am sorry but not interested in going to the city folks and all their techno munbo jumbo.

*Honey Lemon then goes forward.*

Honey Lemon: and Liv Amara stole Bessie and turned it to a monster!

*That catches Ned's attention as he hops down to meet all of them.*

Ned: What? You saying them folks from Sycorax turned my Bessie to a monster?

Gogo: Yup. A rock bear chimera.

Ned: Well then why didn't you say so?! I'm coming Bessie!

Hiro: Whoa whoa wait! We can't rush in now! If we do anything drastic they could hurt my girlfriend and her family in response.

Ned: So then whats your plan little boyo?

Hiro: When D-Day comes up in three days-

Fred: Aka the huge wedding between the villain and the heroine's father.

Hiro: Half of us breaks into Sycorax to break her family out of there and find any files that can connect her to the monster attacks tomorrow night, while the other half will stall the wedding long enough for us to expose her. We'll still keep a look out for any monster attacks till then.

Gogo: Sounds solid.

Wasabi: You can count on us Hiro.

*Hiro nods before he looks up to the tree, reminded that this house used to be lived in by Cora's own mother and grandmother. Such an odd place. But that goes to the back burner.*

Hiro: Hang on Cora, we'll save you before you know it.

*With that they return home until they give a signal to Ned to come join the fight. Globby and Miyuki are on board with the plan as they promise to be vigilant. Day one is passing through with the sun setting down. Cora and Kaguya are at work on their potion with about half of what they need ready. And that so happens to be when the door knocks to reveal Chris holding trays of food for them.*

Chris: Dinner time ladies! I hope you enjoy your mahi mahi!

*He places the trays in front of them before he turns back on them.*

Chris: And hows the potion going?

Kaguya: Its coming, but we are missing half of the ingredients for it.

Chris: And where can you get the ingredients?

Kaguya: My house.

Chris: I see.. well, eat up and rest up! Cora is gonna join her new mom for their dress fitting tomorrow and its gonna be a long one!

*The two flinch at his cheery announcement, he knew what this truly meant to them and he either is oblivious to their pain or he's as much a sadist as Diane Amara. He locks the lab where Cora begrudignly starts eating her fish.*

Cora: *Muffled while eating* Stupid Di Amara and her stupid assistant giving us yummy food even though *Swallows* They're holding us hostage and are gonna ruin our lives!

Kaguya: Now is not the time to let your anger blind you from possibilities. Hiro and his friends will come and save the day and we will find a way to stop her.

Cora: Oh that's so easy to say! We hadn't gotten close to discovering anything about Diane and the monsters! Ugh! I just can't stand it! I hate being helpless! And I hate how she keeps smiling even though she's gonna marry my papa and hates me and my friends and boyfriend.*Sniffs*

*Cora pushes away the rest of the food, letting the situation sink inside her as the girl breaks down in tears. Kaguya sits beside her and wraps her arm around the girl.*

Kaguya: My little Cora... *Sighs* I do not know how it will go, but to give up hope is to give up everything in life. Its never easy, but you've grown so much not only as a hero, but as a woman as well. Your light has guided others as much as it has guided you. Come here...

*Cora snuggles close to her grandmother as the old grandmother starts softly singing a song from her childhood.*

Kaguya: Hush now my storeen.. close your eyes and sleep... Waltzing the waves.. Diving the deep... Stars are shining bright.. The wind on the rise.. whispering words.. of long lost lullabies~

*Cora's eyes slowly close as she let herself sleep on, tired from the entire day feeling lost and scared, content to be in the arms of her grandmother.*

Kaguya: Oh won't you come with me... where the moon is made of gold... and in the morning sun, we'll be sailing free... Oh won't you come with me, where the ocean meets the sky and as the clouds roll by... we'll sing the song of the sea~...

*To her joy, Cora is fast asleep, no longer troubled by today's events. They only have tomorrow and the night after that, where if Diane Amara succeeds she will take Cora away to the clutches of Nozako and trap her. Far away from her world.. a world she had yet to explore and discover...*

Kaguya: I will guide you my darling.. and the moment hope comes through.. I'll hold you close, my melody... and sing the song of the sea.. with you~ Sing the song of the sea... with you~...

*Somewhere at the bays of San Fransokyo, Kage and his Baymax are with Mothra and Orso Knox, keeping an eye for any ships that may be targeted or working for Liv Amara. They land back to their cave where Orso Knox curls up to a ball and starts to sleep. Kage yawns in return before Baymax gets up.*

Baymax 1: It is recommended that you get 7-9 hours of sleep for your body and mind to function properly.

Kage: Of course Baymax… But to go back to an empty house?...

Baymax 1: *Blinks before hugging him* It will be alright, there there. I will accompany you with your sleep so you may rest better.

*Mothra's eyes look down as she heard his words and her mind starts filling up with faint echos of warmth beside her in bed. Some of a toddling child crawling under the covers of her parents... then of the boy in her heart being the one beside her.. no one should ever sleep alone. She carefully nudges Orso Knox awake, to which catches Kage's and Baymax's eyes, and walks towards them. She points to herself, and then Orso Knox, then to them, and makes the gesture for sleep.*

Kage:... You want to sleep with us?

*Mothra nods to answer. Then she makes a plea with her hands to join them. Orso Knox rumbles with concern before he gives in, diving back into the ocean.*

Kage: I guess we're not sleeping alone tonight..

*After carefully sneaking underground Kage and Baymax gets Mothra and Orso Knox to the house. Mothra chirps curiously as she looks around while Orso Knox goes down to the basement to sleep on.*

Kage: Alright, make yourselves comfortable... I suppose mattresses are a none issue...

*But before he goes on to his own room he spots Mothra staring at the butsudan. He quietly goes over to see her staring at the two women in photo frames. *

Kage: Um... If you wanna know.. the woman with blonde hair is... was.. my brother's wife and Cora's mother, Akemi. What I've heard is that she is a gentle beauty, compassionate and brave... just like Cora...

*Mothra then points to the other picture, the one of Chara. Kage swallows his throat before he goes to continue.*

Kage: That... is my beloved. Chara Bonete… she was my joy and light as much as Akemi was to Mizuchi… but... sirens had stolen her. And I don't know where she is... I don't know if she remembers me after all this years... I'm not the young man I used to be.. but even now she remains in my heart...

*Mothra felt her heart melt at his description, filling her with joy and happiness, and if she had tear glands she would cry as well. She hugs him gently, crooning softly as if to hum her own lullaby. Kage, though confused, soon grows touched by her affection, hugging her back.*

Kage: I suppose.. you also have some waiting for you...

*Mothra nods softly. Soon Baymax comes back and takes both him and Mothra to Mizuchi's room, sleeping in between the two. An hour or so Knox awakens, unable to rest before crawling upstairs. There finds Mothra, Baymax, and Kage sleeping together. He gives off his own smile before curling up between them, resting with what made up an odd family to comfort a man who had his own taken away.*

_____

*The very next day it cuts to Hiro Hamada getting ready for the day, just getting dressed when Cass comes up to his room.*

Cass: Oh you're awake! How'd you sleep?

Hiro: I-I slept fine.

Baymax: You were tossing and turning in your sleep. You were not fine.

Cass: Woah, really? *To Hiro* Did you have a nightmare?

Hiro: Something like that...

Cass: Hiro... I know you and I have both been very busy with work and all your study groups, but don't be afraid to come to me if you wanna burst out whats in your chest. I've talked to Kage from time to time and... he's getting better in a way.

Hiro:That so?...

Cass: No matter what you do Hiro, I'm always proud of you. Just like how Tadashi is proud of you too.

*Hiro gives a small smile at her before hugging her tightly. Then he lets go and joins off to school with his friends waiting for him. Cass sighs before returning to work. She couldn't imagine hearing the news about Cora's father's wedding coming up, especially since Mizuchi...never mentioned seeing someone before... in fact... why wouldn't he at least told her in confidence about Liv Amara? Especially since marrying Liv Amara would also mean Cora would be gaining a mother and a brand new life? And what's odd is that he hasn't even received her calls when she heard about the announcement either. Something felt wrong about this whole thing and she can't pinpoint what it is.*

Customer 1: Hello! can you bring over some soymilk?

Cass: Coming right over!

*Cass comes forward with her pitcher of soymilk, choosing to focus on her work today and plan how to talk to Hiro later on. At SFIT Hiro had arrived with his friends to which they found the staff hard at work at setting up the rehearsal dinner tonight as with the rest of the students chattering on about the dinner and the upcoming wedding.*

Honey Lemon: Wow... the wedding sure is on everyone's mind...

Gogo: Its honestly a little uncomfortable...

Wasabi: Yeah, I mean.. we know what Liv Amara is as a person but they still worship her!

Hiro: *Turns his head to his heads* That sounds just like when Karmi's fanfic got super popular, where she inserted herself as my 'girlfriend' and Cora's BFF despite knowing she treats us like shit.

*That got the gang to flinch as they recalled that moment, and how in reflection they didn't do much help until later. Hiro then pulls out his phone to call Kage.*

Hiro: Kage? Are you with Globby and Miyuki?

Kage: Indeed I am. They're going to look after the city while you start your plan tonight.

Hiro: Thanks Kage. Bye. *Hangs up phone* Anyways, tonight we sneak into Sycorax and break Cora and her family out of there... assuming Liv doesn't take Cora out for tonight of course-

*That's when he had the misfortune into running into Karmi.*

Karmi: Watch where you're going Hiro!

*Hiro dusts himself off as he stands up.*

Hiro: Nice to see you too Karmi...

Karmi: Don't mention it. Anyway, this wedding is gonna be huge! And I am personally invited to the dinner party tonight! Can you believe that!

Hiro: Don't I know it...

Karmi: I know. Nobody is as lucky as me.

Gogo: You do know that Liv is marrying Cora's father right? Which would technically make Liv *Cringing to himself*… Cora's step mom?

*That got Karmi's attention, recalling all the times she had been a menace to Cora and Hiro. And knowing how giant her father is, if she tells Liv about all the nasty things she said about Cora, it would not end well for her.*

Karmi: Oh look at the time! I gotta go bye!

*She runs off down the hall where she slips on the floor tile and lands flat on her face before running again. Gogo raises an eyebrow at Karmi's path before looking back at Hiro.*

Gogo: and she, is a biotech genius?

*As of while, Liv took the time to call Cora off for school for sometime to prepare for the wedding as she, Chris, and Cora are taken through the city and park in front of Cora's house.*

Liv: Chris wasn't kidding when he said you live in some shack.

*Cora sticks out her tongue in defiance before her door was opened by Chris. The blue haired teen goes up, getting out her key to open her door. It felt odd to return to her house after being absent from it for two night. Even so, she continues forward, and goes towards her grandmother's room upstairs. She swallows before she opens the door, knowing that she had to get the ingredient needed. Inside she is surprised to see that its mainly lit by lanterns, her book shelves containing herbs and books. Soon she finds jars just above her head containing the missing ingredients needed. Cora grunst softly as she realizes that there's no chairs to stand on properly. She hated being short, and there was no way in hell is she requesting help from Chris to reach it for her.*

Cora: OK now think...

*That is when her foot slightly tilts back... a few floor boards were loose. She picks up the floor boards to reveal a trunk inside. Cora's eyes widen as she smirks to herself, now glad that she has a footstool to reach for the ingredients. After propping it up Cora balances on top of it and grabs the rest of the ingredients and places it in her bag. But the longer she stared at the trunk, the stronger her curiosity grows as she wonders whats inside..*

Cora: Just one peek..

*She places her bag aside and opens the latches of the trunk, opening the lid to find oddities she never knew her grandmother would posses. There were sea shells of course, but there were also other vials of liquid with odd sounding names, and the main feature being a gold breast plate armor, forearm guard with a thin opening on the sides, and a helmet that reminds her or roman soldiers.*

Cora: why would Grandmama have armor like this?

Chris: *coming from downstairs* Hey Cora! You need anyhelp?

*Cora snaps out of it when she realizes that Chris' voice is coming downstairs, meaning that he is inside her house wondering whats taking her so long.*

Cora: Nothing Chris! Just getting the things ready!

Chris: Well hurry up and get down here! You have to pick up your dresses and get your hair done for tonight's dinner!

*Cora sighs forlornly before she makes sure to shut the door and hurry downstairs as to not give any reason for Chris to join her. While Cora had been upstairs Chris spotted the butsudan containing Akemi's and Chara's pictures. He got closer to spot behind the golden blonde photo a necklace made of Rose petal telling shells formed into a flower... the same necklace as the photo showed. He smirked maliciously at the photo of Akemi before he slowly licked his lips as his minds begins to wander away...*

Cora: I'm going down!

*Immediately he places the photo back at its place while stuffing the necklace inside his shirt when he sees Cora reach downstairs. Once they reach back to the car outside Diane points to Chris.*

Di: You go off and run back to Sycorax and give it to the old hag. Cora and I have a busy schedule ahead.

Chris: OK then!

*Chris then whispers something to Diane as he hands her something...He runs off through the streets, leaving Diane to drive through the city with Cora. The day turns into evening where everyone is getting ready. Globby is assigned to watch over the party and Miyuki is out in the streets taking over hero duty should any other crime be happening while Hiro and his team get ready for their stealth mission. Once dressed in their ultra armor they wait for the last of the employees to leave.*

Gogo: that looks about the last of them. *To Honey Lemon* Ready Honey?

Honey Lemon: Got it Sweetie!

*She throws out s small chem ball to get the doors stuck so it wouldn't be completely closed.*

Hiro: Its go time!

*The team goes forward with their plan: Fred and Wasabi acting as back up to stand guard while Honey Lemon and Gogo search through Liv Amara's office for any files on her computer that could relate to her crimes. Hiro and Baymax are to go below ground and find the lab to break out Cora and her family. They come forward with their plan; ready as they'll ever be. The dinner meanwhile is setting up nicely, with everyone dressed in their best chattering happily about the wedding tomorrow. Grandville is there of course, being the dean of the school and therefore had to attend. She sighs before she joins in the conversation with the others. Globby is hidden in the leaves as he looks out for any suspicious activity coming forward.*

Student 1: I see them!

*They all turn their heads to see the three main events of tonights dinner. Liv Amara is dressed in a hot red off shoulder long sleeve with black heels while her hair is styled up in a bun. Beside her is Mizuchi, standing tall and proud with his white tuxedo and grey vest, his hair slicked backed, making him more mature and dashing. Cora is standing in between them, in her coral pink dress that is slightly above her ankle showing her white flats. Cora felt herself shrink as some people comment on how lovely the engaged couple look and how cute Cora looked between her father and her soon to be new mother. Grandville comes forward to greet them, her eyes catching Cora's to show that this event is just as uncomfortable to her.*

Grandville: It is an honor to have you back at SFIT in celebration of your wedding tomorrow.

Di: Its nothing much Grace. I'm just happy to have this moment with my new family. Its also not everyday you get a marine bio genius as your new step daughter am I right?

Grandville: Indeed... Well, lets get the festivities started.

*The three adults head to their seats and just when Cora is about to follow them, Karmi comes in, dressed in the same dress that had been worn to the namesake ceremony of the Amara Biotech center. She is giving her best, strained smile towards her. Now Cora's discomfort shifted from the fact that she's attending an event under the threat of her loved ones to being near her bully who's trying her hardest to smile genuinely.*

Karmi: Hi Cora! Wow you look great!

Cora: Thank you... um... this is certainly something...

Karmi: I know right? Liv Amara is gonna get married to your dad!

*Cora flinches at her words before the blue haired teen moves on to the table where her father and Diane are waiting. And to her disappointment Karmi is seated next to her as well. Grandville is standing up tall as she hold the microphone.*

Grandville: May I have your attention? Thank you... it has only been months ago when SFIT was proud to introduce the namesake of the Amara Biotech center and her many accomplishments in such short amount of time. But tonight's festivities isn't just about Liv Amara's successes, but also on her path to a new chapter: Her incoming marriage with her fiance...

*At Sycorax Honey Lemon and Gogo unlock the door to Liv Amara's office to which they start searching around to find anything to incriminate her.*

Gogo: I see Liv's computer! I'm gonna go check it, you go see if there's anything in her files.

Honey Lemon: You got it!

*As of while Hiro is with Baymax where they reach in front of the door that leads to the lab that had trapped Orso Knox long ago. Hiro approaches towards it where he knocks loudly.*

Hiro: Cora? Are you there?

Kaguya: *Slightly muffled* I'm not my granddaughter but she's alright.

Hiro: Kaguya! Are you alright? Where is Cora?

Kaguya: She's at SFIT with that witch and her father for that dinner event!

Hiro: How did Liv even manage to get Mizuchi to marry her? He already knows about Liv!

Kaguya: I don't know how but I will find out so he can snap out of this stupor! Can you unlock the door?

*Hiro stands back and sees that since the break out, Liv had upgraded the lock from a passcode to handprint entrance. He grunts in frustration as he pulls it out and starts rewiring the cables to set Kaguya free.*

Hiro: Baymax, you join Honey Lemon and Gogo upstairs and help them with the search. I'll stay here and break Kaguya out.

Baymax: Understood.

*Gogo had gotten the computer on but she couldn't seem to have gotten the code to unlock it. Honey Lemon had pulled out each file one by one and couldn't find it close to being related to the monsters.*

Honey Lemon: any luck sweetie?

Gogo: Liv Amara certainly made sure to lock it up good. I can't seem to penetrate through it that would let me in.

*Honey Lemon goes to the desk where she starts to pull open drawers.*

Honey Lemon: she could have something that could clue us in what password it is...Hold on... *Pulls out a book from drawer* She read The Tempest too... *Opens up a page with a highlighted quote* 'Cursed be I that did so! All the charms of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you. For I am all the subjects you have.. The rest o'the'island'... Hmm...*Gets idea* Try typing Caliban!

*Gogo looks at Honey Lemon before she types it in where she is easily logged in.*

Gogo: Good call Honey.

Honey Lemon: Caliban was the son of Sycorax in the Tempest. And since Orso Knox knew about the tempest and Liv did too, she would choose a password close to her!

*Gogo nods as she immediately finds somethings.*

Gogo: Security cameras! Going back as far as the time of Orso Knox's first appearance as a monster!

Honey Lemon: It could have recorded Liv Amara and Orso Knox or more!

Gogo: Looking for it.

*And so she starts typing and searching for any videoes that will show Liv Amara and any other villain aligned to her.*

Grandville: And now... A toast to the groom!

Guests: To the groom!

Grandville: To the bride!

Guests: To the bride!

Grandville: From SFIT, who is grateful to be by your side! To your union, and the hope you'll provide for each other the love and guidance needed for you future together...

*Grandville's eyes catches Cora's and seeing her melancholy aura emitting from a normally hopeful girl made the dean pause. Still... this will pass. It has too.. for both their futures.*

Grandville: And may you always be satisfied.

*The guests cheer before they begun their dinner and chatting together. Grandville sees Cora looking at her father and Liv Amara staring at each other with love, Karmi trying to converse her in whatever subject she's rambling on, and wished she could rush over and give her a hug and remind her that she is not alone... just like how she comforted Kage all those years ago. She takes a sip of her cider, trying to keep out her mind the idea that Cora's life will be doomed the moment Liv and Mizuchi got to say 'I do'.*

Hiro: Come on!

*Hiro continues to struggle through the cables while Kaguya starts packing the ingredients to a makeshift bag to keep Diane Amara and Chris. Even if the cure is solely for Liv, she could see greed in her eyes. Baymax had arrived at the office where he sees the horrified and disgusted faces of Honey Lemon and Gogo at the computer screen.*

Baymax: My neural scanners senses that you both are feeling horrified and disgusted by whatever contents are in the computer.

Gogo: You have no idea..

Honey Lemon: I'm gonna download them and hand them over to Chief Cruz.

*She pulls out her flash drive and plugs it in, with Gogo selecting the footage where it showed Liv Amara's villainous acts while erasing the ones containing them right now. But when Baymax goes over to take a closer look, he so happens to knock aside a paperweight where they hear the sound of a wall sliding through. The three turn around to see the familiar, mutated eyes of Momakase.*

Momakase: Hello girls~

Baymax: Oh no.

*The three dodge when Momakase launches herself forward with claws open to when they were busy with Momakase, Sparkles sneaks through the office and sees Fred and Wasabi standing guard.*

Sparkles: Oh this will be fun~... Yoo hoo! Over here!

*The two turn around to see Mr. Sparkles taunting them before running outside. Fred and Wasabi get into their stances.*

Fred: Give it up Sparkles! We got you beat with fire and lasers!

*Sparkles smirks as he soon transforms to his giant self where he chuckles manically. Fred goes in to the attack with his fire, to which Sparkles moves out of the way before Wasabi joins soon after. Hiro soon feels his comlinks be overridden with messages.*

Gogo: Momakase is here! She's on Honey and I-

Wasabi: Sparkles got on Steriods!

Fred: we're doing good so far!-

Honey Lemon: But we need to move forward now!

Kaguya: Hiro! Your team needs you! Go!

Hiro: But what about you?

Kaguya: I can live another day at this prison, you cannot.

Hiro: Alright...

*Hiro runs off where he contacts Baymax.*

Hiro: Baymax, use Rocket Fist on Momakase when you get an opening!

Baymax: Understood.

*Honey Lemon is holding onto the computer as it had yet to fully download the videos to the flash drive while Gogo keeps Momakase busy to give her girlfriend time along with Baymax. Gogo jumps up where it gives the nurse bot a clear view of the mutated thief. He fires his shot where it knocks Momakase to the wall, making her grunt in pain... and awakening something behind the wall.*

Gogo: Thanks Baymax.

Baymax: No problem.

Honey Lemon: *Sighs in relief* OK... I managed to download three of the videos inside, now lets just move somewhere else to-Augh!

*Gogo pushes Honey Lemon out of the way and into Baymax's arm as a green blast hits her instead, sending her sprawling to the floor.*

Honey Lemon: Gogo! *Gasps in horror*

*Bessie the rock bear chimera roars at the remaining two before it starts charging up its blast. Gogo gets up and runs along with Baymax and Honey Lemon with computer in hand to dodge away. The reach down to the main lab where all the workers had joined together and see Hiro reach upstairs in time.*

Honey Lemon: Hiro! There you are! We have to get out of here! Bessie is out and it blasted Gogo!

Hiro: Fred and Wasabi also need our help too! Did you at least get some info about Liv?

Honey Lemon: We did… But we only downloaded about three videos.

Hiro: That's more than enough. Now lets go!

*Honey Lemon ejects her flash drive off and give it to Hiro in time for Bessie to come charging and blasting the computer, rendering it useless. The three climb on Baymax before they fly out the doors and join Fred and Wasabi.*

Wasabi: There you are!

Fred: What took you?

Hiro: Bessie is behind us! Keep an eye out to not get hit by its blasts!

*And so the team jump up to switch monsters. Hiro, Baymax, Gogo, and Honey Lemon going against Sparkles while Fred and Wasabi go against Bessie. The Rock Bear Chimera swipes his claws at Fred and Wasabi to which they jump back as Honey Lemon uses her chem purse and chem boots to make a goo that will trap the Fungi monster in his place.*

Globby: For a giant party I'd thought it be more lively..

*Globby is still at the party where he watches over the three people he's been told should be in his line of sight: Liv Amara, Mizuchi Mizichio, and Cora Mizichio.*

Kage: How is the situation going on your side Globby?

Globby: Ah!

*He falls down splat which caught some guards' attention, but being a gelatinous blob had given him perks, such as being able to flatten yourself to the literal floor.*

Globby: sorry about that! Its still a little weird knowing that you used to be my former boss and we're on this mission to-

Kage: I am very aware. Now tell me, what is happening at the party?

Globby: Nothing much. Everyone's just chatting. Though Cora has been followed by some girl and let me tell you, that chick is clearly too in her space.

Kage: Is she wearing her hair in a pony tail and have the pink phone with a virus emblem on it?

*Globby looks at the girl next to Cora, wincing at how Cora looks uncomfortable when Liv stands next to her while placing a hand on the blue haired teen's shoulder.*

Globby: Yup... why's that?

Kage: That so happens to be Karmi: a biotech intern of Liv Amara and Cora and Hiro's bully.

Globby: Their bully? And Liv Amara's intern? Yesh… No wonder Cora looks like she wants to be anywhere but here.

Kage: Hmmm...*Mutters softly* Not to self, get evidence of Karmi's behavior and send it to Grandville...

Globby: What was that?

Kage: *Changing subject* So other than that neither Cora or Mizuchi are in real danger?

Globby: Nope. They're doing pretty fine right now. How's the others?

*Kage is at his house with his own Baymax checking in on others.*

Kage: Ice Frost is at Night Market Square... Mothra and Orso Knox are at the ocean...Hold on...

*He notes that Gogo's commlink is down to which he quickly goes in to check on Big Hero 7. Sparkles strains as he tries to pull himself off the goo while Baymax fires his rocket fist at him. Hiro had landed to the ground to help Fred and Wasabi push back against Bessie.*

Kage: Hiro! Whats' going on? Why's Gogo's commlink down?

Hiro: Kage! Bessie got Gogo's tech but she's alright, she's with Honey Lemon and Baymax dealing with Sparkles while Fred, Wasabi and I got Bessie!

Kage: And where's Momkase?

Honey Lemon: Unconscious at Liv Amara's office.

Kage: Then you need to defeat them right now! Given Momakase's stamina and her newly mutated form she'll be up and about in-

*Hiro jumps back as does Fred and Wasabi when Momakase jumps up and lands in front of Bessie. She smirks at them before launching forward again. Wasabi gets in the way and uses his own plasma shield and dagger to the combat her graphine blade claws, leaving Fred and Hiro to play keep away from Bessie. That is when Honey Lemon makes the mistake to use her chem purse bazooka to shut Bessie's mouth, only for it to rip it openly and blast her, resulting in her falling to the floor where Baymax catches her.*

Gogo: Honey!

*Momakase flips over and kicks Gogo in the head and stepping on her back to pin her down. She then uses her claws to free Sparkles out. Fred uses his lights to blind Sparkles only for Bessie to strike him again and having Sparkles caught in his hand.*

Fred: OK! This is clearly not going well!

Wasabi: I'm coming Fred!

*Wasabi runs towards the fungi monster to only have Momakase kick him straight in the stomach and pushing him towards Bessie's way, resulting in his powers to be nulled and void.*

Hiro: Looks like its up to you and me Baymax!

*Hiro hops up to Baymax as they fly up and circle the monsters, while hiding the flash drive in his clothes. Momakase gets on Sparkles' other hand and growls.*

Momakase: Launch me!

*And Sparkles does so, sending her flying to Baymax and grabbing onto his wing before slashing it.*

Hiro: Augh!

*Baymax's flight is off balance without his wing and are in threat of crashing down. Momakase hops away while Baymax grabs Hiro to shield him from impact. Hiro quickly grabs the flash drive and throws it aside of Sycorax, using his own tech to guide it safely away from the monsters. They land down with a mighty crash. Hiro opens his eyes to see Baymax entering safety mode due to the crash and surrounded by the monsters. Bessie then comes forward to shoot Hiro with her laser beam, rendering him powerless. The entire team struggles as Momakase and the others drag them to the lab below, and are quick to knock them out unconscious. Smirking at their victory Momakase gives a quick call to Diane. The woman had happened to be standing by Cora as they greet the guests. Their smiles plastered on their faces, but are false.*

Di: Excuse me, I'm receiving a call. *To Cora* Could you be a dear and stand by Chris?

*Diane walks away, answering her phone. And once she hears it, her smile became genuine... genuinely scheming and malicious.*

Di: Thank you for your service. I'll be sure to reward you handsomely after all this is over...

*She hangs up the phone and turns her head to Cora, now with Chris by her side. When the blue haired teen and the assistant look up they see her cunning smile and Cora's blood ran cold. Each time a smile like that appears, it could only mean that things are going in motion for Diane as part of her plan... and something truly horrible must have happened for her to be smiling that giddily malicious. And Kage was no better either, his eyes remaining wide open as he processes what Hiro had managed to tell him before it all went static.*

*Big Hero 7 is now in the clutches of Sycorax.*

___________

*They finally drive back to Sycorax where Diane takes Cora to the lab while Chris takes Mizuchi somewhere else. Cora turns her head to see her father one last time to which they quickly catches eyes. And when Mizuchi did... something pinged inside his mind.. it was small but it was there.. and it was important... *

Mizuchi: Chris?...

Chris: Yeah?

Mizuchi:... Do you know why Cora appears so downtrodden?... I thought Cora would love Liv.

Chris: And..?

Mizuchi:... I don't know... I need to talk to Liv about this... maybe there's something about Cora I need to know if she's this uncomfortable with the wedding coming tomorrow.

*Mizuchi goes the other direction to the Sycorax building to talk to Diane and Cora about all this. Something inside him had been screaming since the dinner party. Liv may be his chosen bride that he had given his heart too... but his daughter is his whole world. But before he could even open the door he felt something pinch his neck, making him drop to the floor unconscious. Chris looks at Mizuchi, almost glaring as she takes Mizuchi back to the car.*

Chris; Its wearing off...

*When the team woke up they see Kaguya adding the last of the coral rings into the pot and immediately call out to her. She had just explained the entire situation before the door opens to reveal the team tied up as Baymax lies down unresponsive by Kaguya.*

Cora: Oh no!

*Cora tries to run only for Diane to hold her tightly by the wrist. She goes over to the team and sees Hiro's suit.*

Di: So this is the team that's been a bane in my existance for the past few weeks! Lets see who you really are.

*Using her hands she removes Hiro's helmet, leading to an angry glare.*

Di: The kid with the robot?! You're Electro Magnetic Alpha? Then that would mean... *To Cora* You're Aqua Girl...

Cora: Yup.

Di: So you've always been a nuisance. *To the team* And each of you are their friends, with Omega Danger being Baymax. Man... in hindsight it should have been obvious.

Honey Lemon: Let us go now!

Di: No.. not yet.. you'll have to wait tomorrow after sundown. Then I'll think about letting you guys go... Don't want you all ruining my wedding.

Hiro: I don't know how you even got Mizuchi to even agree to marry you!

Di: You really wanna know?

*She pulls out a tube of lipstick to which starts to glow pink. Baymax, using what strength he had left analyizes the lipstick.*

Baymax: That lipstick is composed of concentrated chemical reactions of passion, possession, and lust.

Di: Bingo. When I met up with him that night I got this baby ready to go. And my goodness, the moment we kissed he couldn't keep his hands off me~

*Cora's frown deepens at Diane before the woman chuckles.*

Di: Not like that Cora. He merely hugged me and held my hand... But that's only one kiss. The second kiss is where things get more.. interesting...

Honey Lemon: So when you and Mizuchi kiss at the wedding-

Fred: Mizuchi will be under a love spell...permanently!

Di: *To Cora* And he'll forget he even had a precious baby girl in his heart~...

*Cora starts to shake slightly as at that moment, Chris comes in and sees what's in front of him.*

Chris: Oh! You got Big Hero 7! And they're those group of people around Hiro and Cora!... In hindsight you all did smell familiar...

Wasabi: *Somewhat grossed out* Smell?

Di: I genetically engineered Chris to be the perfect assistant.

Chris: Part gorilla, part canine, and part foodie.

Fred: Wait... Gorilla?! Where's that gorilla part showing up?

Chris: *Winks* You'll see.

*The gang are soon thrown into the cells and locked tight while Kaguya catches Cora as Diane pushed her to the old woman's arms. That is when Diane pulls out something that gotten Kaguya's and Cora's attention: Akemi's necklace.*

Di: *Puts necklace on* Tell me, does this necklace it suit me?

*Cora's eyes went from shock to rage as she rips herself off and runs towards Diane, who at the moment is startled as the girl starts throwing punches.*

Cora: Give it back that's mom's!

*Chris joins Diane's side and starts to pull her from Cora as she continues to reach for the necklace. Chris then has to punch Cora which sends her back and knocking a beaker of water... onto Kaguya's lap. Cora gets up to see Diane and Chris lock the door soon after and then realize that she had knocked herself into her grandmother. But when she turns around to help her, both her eyes and the team could only stare as Kaguya lays on the floor... her green mermaid tail in place of her human legs.*

Cora: Wha- Gr-GRandmama you're a... a

Fred: Mermaid!

*With Chris and Diane they check over her being to see if they're any scratches. When they found none they continue on their way; slightly commenting on how much anger could be installed in such a small child.*

Di: Is Mizuchi doing well?

Chris: Somewhat... I think the chemical is starting to wear off. He's asking not only where Cora is, but also why she's appearing so uncomfortable... seems like he's the type of person that won't just marry any one if they don't get along with his child.

Di: Hmm. I'll need to refill it soon. The potion is coming along. Assuming there's no more minor setbacks, we'll be in the clear.

*Kage is shaking as he tries to communicate with Hiro and the team despite knowing the reality of it all. His Baymax had to ultimately pick him up and hold him to help him calm down.*

Kage: My god... they got them...

Baymax: There, there. It will be alright.

Kage: No it isn't! The only hope for my family's rescue is gone and are now in Liv Amara's hands! Face it Baymax! We've lost!

*He rips himself off the nurse bot before he sinks down to the floor, curling himself into a ball. He starts to sniff as the wave of vulnerability washes over him, at this point not caring if its seen by Baymax. What else is there now? Liv Amara had won, and had taken everything away with a snap of her fingers, leaving him all alone... just like Nozako... But Baymax isn't having that. He waddles over to Kage.*

Kage: B-Besides... what can I even do to help them?

Baymax: You have saved Cora by taking her to the ocean for her mermaid blood... And had even helped Hiro and Gogo at the pizzeria as well.. Why don't you rise up and find a solution like before?

*There's a lot of things he could tell Baymax: Because he had stalked all of them, had used Tadashi's image to manipulate Hiro to joining his side, and had been the reason behind Cora's nightmares. But all he could say is this.*

Kage: No one would ever want someone like me to help them...

Baymax:... But Cora, Papa, Kaguya, Hiro, Wasabi, Fred, Honey Lemon, Gogo, Aunt Cass, Grandville, Globby, and my other self had helped you anyway.

*That got Kage to look up to Baymax as he shows video recordings of the times Kage had shared with the gang and their laughs. How with Grandville there's the rekindling of their friendship, how Aunt Cass made jokes and had him help around the café, enjoying reading Globby's text as he goes on about the super hero training program... and all the warmth and love Mizuchi, Kaguya, and Cora had given him at their home. Its there that he got a plan, his mind running to over drive mode. He gets up and starts contacting Miyuki and Globby.*

Kage: Globby! Ice Frost can you hear me?

Globby: Yeah I hear ya! Cora, Mizuchi, and Liv had left the party already though, so whats up?

Miyuki: Did Hiro and the gang get any info.

Kage: they got captured by Liv Amara's monsters and are now held prisoner of Sycorax.

Globby and Miyuki: What?!

Kage: No time to panic now. We're still going with Hiro's old plan in regards of tomorrow with some added changes: *To Miyuki*Orso Knox, Globby, Ned Ludd, and Mothra are going to break them out of Sycorax. Come hell or high water... You, my Baymax, and I will stop the wedding.

*The dawn of the third day rises and everyone is up and about for the wedding that night. From last night the rest of Big Hero 7, Cora, and Kaguya are still awake from Last night had not been a rather pleasant time after seeing Kaguya's mermaid tail on full display, leading to confused shrieks and Baymax trying to calm the situation down. After getting her dry Kaguya proceeds to tell them her entire side of the story: From her home city Oceanus, meeting her lost beloved James, her initial potion creation, how they had survived through the human world before meeting Mizuchi, the sirens, Hiro and Cora's disappearances, and Orso Knox. And all of that lead to Cora staring at her grandmother with disbelief and distrust, hurt that this is the second time she had been lied to be her own family... third if she had added Kage's identity as Obake. It had been a very long story, so long that they had only realized morning came when Diane and Chris have come down to the lab.*

Chris: Oh wow! You all look like you haven't slept all night! We gotta freshen you up Cora if you wanna look good for tonight~ *To the team and Kaguya* Don't worry, I'll make sure to take pictures of the wedding for you all to look at.

*Diane gets over to her own chemistry set where all her chemicals are stored. After quickly assembling them and one insta-freeze later she got back with a fully rejuvenated lipstick for her lipstick tube. She looks at Kaguya and then the pot*

Di: Is it ready?

Kaguya: Yes...

Di: Set it on Liv's capsule, now.

*With the help of Chris they prop it up to the tubes where it soon injects her with the potion. And soon, its showing signs of progress.*

Di: Yes! Her vitals are gaining strength! I bet by the end of the day she'll be all better! Just in time for my return as Diane Mizichio. *Grabs one small vial with the potion*.. and I'll consider this your wedding present.

*She then heads out to the door where Chris takes Cora outside, where the last thing they saw was her smug, preening grin. Once locked behind doors the team look at Kaguya, who is staring at the door with tears streaming down her eyes.*

Kaguya: Why must this be this way?...

Hiro: Kaguya?

Kaguya: I wanted to tell Cora when she was ready, I think sixteen at best... but seeing me like that, in the most critical and dangerous part of this day... I don't know if my own granddaughter would forgive me after being exposed to so many lies.

Honey Lemon: That's not true Miss Kaguya!

Hiro: A-and I meant what I said about loving Cora no matter who or what she is! Yeah, keeping the fact that she's half mermaid along with Mizuchi keeping the whole Yakuza lineage thing a secret was not a smart move in the long run, but that shouldn't change how she views herself as a person! If anything, after we get out of here you can have plenty of time to teach her about her mermaid heritage!

Kaguya:... you're right. The very least I could do to make up for it is to guide her in the ways of a mermaid.

Gogo: If we can even get out the door...

Hiro: Don't forget, we still have the other team out there! They can break us out!

Wasabi: But who's gonna lead them? I know Miyuki's competent but-

Fred: She's more of a suggestions girl than a planner.

Hiro: They already have a leader... and he's the only hope for our rescue now... Kage.

*Throughout the day Kage is hard at work setting up the plan Hiro laid out with Globby and Miyuki, going over strategies and their strengths/weaknesses. Globby is tasked with delivering Ned Ludd to the city for the time while Miyuki heads over to get Mothra and Orso Knox to relay the news and the plan. As of while, Chris, Diane, and Cora are around the city getting ready for their wedding tonight such as getting their hair styled, picking up dresses, and making sure they are properly scheduled with the events... to which they run to a slight hiccup.*

Di: So you're saying that the officiary isn't gonna be there in time? Isn't there anyone else that could take over?

Clerk: I'm sorry Miss Amara, all the others are booked..

Di: *sighs* Fine... thanks for telling me...

*They walk out the building where Cora could not help but grin slightly to herself. Hopefully this would give her friends some time to catch up to the wedding before the last I Do. And all around they went on until they got to where the ceremony will take place: by the clear bay on the docks. The people are hard at work setting up everything from the seats, the arch for the couple to take their vows, and where to serve the food. Diane and Chris discuss rearranging it to something else after relaying the news while Cora stares out to the sea. Kage's eyes pierce with focus on his creation: Battle armor for Baymax, and himself. His Baymax's color scheme will be a navy blue color with tints of red version of the other Baymax while his own is black and red with pink accents. He will have a visor similar to Wasabi's, and Hiro's weapons modified to his size and a mini computer on his fore arm armor to hack. Orso Knox and Mothra fly through the city with Globby acting as a buddy guard to meet up at a designated place Kage arranged with Miyuki using her ice to travel back to the city with Ned Ludd not far behind her on a moose. Finally, it was an hour before the wedding will start and guests are piling in; from other competitive companies like KreiTech (Who only agreed to attend when he learned of the whole thing from Carter in hopes to see Liv finally exposed as the snake she is), to some professors such as Grandville, gulping softly at how ready the ceremony is, to some of her staff from Sycorax. Karmi is bouncing up and down as she repeatedly smooths her own dress as she waits by the side of Grandville. At a building not too far away, Diane and Cora are both getting dressed for the day. Diane is dressed in a mermaid cut dress with a heart shaped neckline, adorned with pearls in her updo hair, with the finishing touch being Akemi's necklace around her neck to which tied behind is the vial of the healing potion used to save Liv Amara. Cora is in a coral pink, off shoulder knee length dress pearls on her neckline as well, her hair set with waves added with soft blush and pink gloss on her lips.*

Di: Dang it! I left my lipstick in my purse. Chris?-

Chris: I'm on it!

*Chris rushes back to the car where he quickly picks up the purse and checks over the lipstick. Once he sees that's its not melted he heads back slightly springting only to bump into a man and spilling both of their stuff. Chris grunts in frustration before he picks up everything, muttering about he should have been given the graces of a dolphin... Lenny smirks from his trench coat and fedora as he stuffs a similar looking colored lipstick in his pocket. *

Di: Finally!

*Diane quickly applies her lipstick to her face before she turns around to face Chris.*

Chris: Looking smashing Dian-

Di: Sh! Not yet! Have you checked Cora?

Chris: Going to right now!

*He heads over to Cora's door and opens it to see Cora still staring blankly at her relfection.*

Chris: well, aren't you as pretty as a rose bud... just like your mother...

Cora: *Turning her head away* Like Diane?

Chris: Of course not silly! Diane is alright, but I mean your actual mother. I could see where she passed on her good looks. You're dad must've been a lucky man to have had someone like her in his life.

Cora: Yeah... because they actually love each other to want to be in each other's lives..

Chris: Aww don't be so pissy… you wanna go out and talk?

Cora: No... I rather wait here and just wait for the ceremony to be done already...

Chris: *Condescending* Are you having a little tantrum, little Cora?

Cora: Don't call me that.

Chris: Why not? Its such a cute name for you, Little Cora-

*Cora takes off her shoe and starts whacking him on the head in retaliation. He was at first off guard before he grunts in frustration and shoves her to the closet and barricading it with a chair.*

Cora: Hey! What are you doing?!

Chris: I had thought about at least getting to know you better and make some pleasant memories after tonight, but now all you'll remember before Diane kills you and whisks your dad all the way to Sutamura to get your inheritance is nothing but a dark closet. See ya later~

Cora: No! No!

*Cora starts banging the door already, trying to push back despite the lock and chair before Chris locks the room with another key. He heads back out to Diane, who is just about ready to have heels on.*

Di: How's Cora?

Chris: Under the weather sadly, she's not exactly in the mood for guests so.. she'll be in the closet for a while.

Di: Figures.. so long as we can get her out before the ceremony so she could at least act like a person would be fine enough.

*The two chuckle quietly, silently celebrating their impending victory. At the designated place globby is there with Orso Knox and Mothra as Miyuki keeps Ned from wandering off.*

Globby; You see Kage anywhere?

Miyuki: There!

*They see two figures emegre from the dark, dressed in their armor and ready for combat.*

Globby: Wow Kage! You look sharp!

Miyuki: Defiantly something new for you two.

Kage: Thank you both.

Ned: So where's Sycorax and this wedding?

Kage: The wedding is at Fisherman's wharf and Sycorax is outside of San Fransokyo. Now *Activating Visor* lets get this party ready.

*At the actually wedding, Mizuchi is waiting around the aisle, looking nervously at the crowd and feeling suffocated by his suit. While the white tuxedo with red rose and slicked back hair made him dashing, he couldn't help but feel so exposed. And this nagging feeling would not go away! He then sees Diane Amara walk down the aisle as did the guests... without Cora by her side. Chris is by the music stands clearing his throat as he makes his announcement.*

Chris: Thank you all for coming for tonight's special event. There has been however one hiccup, the officiary is running a little late so I thought we could pass the time by having the first dance!

*But dancing was the last thing on his mind as Mizuchi whispers to Diane.*

Mizuchi: Liv where is Cora?

Di: She's fine sweetie, she's just getting the jitters.

Mizuchi: But you know I can't start the wedding without my daughter-

Chris: *Cutting through and directing spotlight at Mizuchi and Diane* And I would like to dedicate the first dance to Liv Amara, and her soon to be husband Mizuchi. The guests urge the couple to dance together(Aside form Krei, Lois, and Grandville for obvious reasons) before they do.*

Chris: Where have all the good men gone and...where are all the gods?...Where's the street wise Hercules to fight the rising odds?~

Mizuchi: Are you sure its alright to do this? I want to share this night with my daughter too.

Di: Its alright my love. Sides, you'll love this night so much that you won't even realize its been gone.

Chris: Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?... Late at night, I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need~... Hit it!

*soon the music adds in the vocalization of a choir as the music rises up.*

Chris: I need a Hero!~

*Kage is flying on Baymax as he is joined by Miyuki, using her own ice through propel her through the air along with Mothra, while on the ground is Orso Knox, Globby, and Ned Ludd.*

Kage: Remember the plan! *To Orso Knox, Mothra, Globby, and Ned* You four head to Sycorax and break out Big Hero 7! They are guarded by Momakase, Sparkles, and Bessie!

globby: Heard ya loud and clear boss!

Ned: I'm coming Bessie!

*The four fly off to Sycorax while Kage gives a determined look to Miyuki before heading their way to Fisherman's wharf.*

Chris: I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the end of the night!~ He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast and he's gotta be fresh from the fight! I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light! He's gotta be sure and its gotta be soon and he's gotta be larger than life! Larger than life~

* Globby, Orso Knox, Mothra, and Nedd ludd are sensed through the sensors Diane had installed last night to which rises the monsters hidden in her keep to defend it. The sensors just so happen to get Big Hero 7 and Kaguya awake from their slumber as they wonder what is going on. Momakase, Sparkles, and Bessie are facing the four on their way... with the leader growling at Globby.*

Momakase: Oh its you!

Globby: Aw.. I missed you too Momakase… not!

*Bessie comes rushing in and fires its blast, leading to three of the four to dodge out of the way. But Ned instantly recognizes the green glow and rock formation of the bear.*

Ned: Bessie! Ya'll go fight off them freaks! I'll handle Bessie!

*Ned jumps up and lands in front of Bessie, keeping her busy while Mothra, Orso Knox, and Globby go against Momakase and Sparkles.*

Chris: Somewhere after midnight.. in my wildest fantasies.. somewhere just beyond my reach, there's someone reaching back for me!~Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat! Its gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet!~

*Mizuchi continues dancing with Diane as the guests look on, his face expressing concern and questioning what is truly going on while Diane simply smiles and winks at her groom. Grandville looks around, hoping to see any sign of rescue. Cora is continuing to push through the door, not giving up knowing that this door is made of wood, and she will not waste it and let her papa marry Diane. Kage and Baymax go through city with Miyuki hoping across the streets to catch up before landing up to join him. Orso Knox knocks back Sparkles while Globby fights off Momakase, leaving Mothra to fly down the stairs all the way to the lab, where she starts clawing at the pass code and banging the door.*

Honey Lemon: I think that's-

Hiro: Mothra!

*Mothra chirps in agreement as she continues to claw the key pad, finally destroying it to the point the door opens up, to which she flies over to the cells and starts pressing the buttons to release them... only for a knife to nearly hit her if not for Globby's globbiness.*

*The cells open up where Hiro directs Mothra to pick up Baymax while they try to either run out the room or help Globby against Momakase. Hiro had been the one along with Gogo to stay behind to fight Momakase, landing in a kick to her back while she fought Globby. The capsule beating softly as it nears its opening.*

Chris: Up where the mountains meet the heavens above! Up where the lightning meets the sea! I could swear there was someone somewhere watching me!~ Through the wind and the chill and the rain! And the storm and the flood! I could feel his approach like a fire in my blood~!

*Hiro, Gogo, and Globby lead Momakase upstairs when they saw the capsule nearing its completion and would not risk the real Liv Amara to her. Honey Lemon, Fred, Kaguya, Wasabi, Mothra, and Baymax run up to the main floor where they see on the floor a non-mutated Sparkles beneath Orso Knox, next to Ned Ludd on top of Bessie. They move out of the way where Momakase is slashing her claws only for Gogo to punch her in the face and Hiro landing a swift kick, landing her on Bessie's path where the rock bear chimera blasts Momakase, destroying the chip inside her and rendering her back to normal and unconscious. While the gang make sure to call the police and tie them up to a tree without their weapons, Hiro quickly spots the flash drive hidden safely and picks it up.*

Honey Lemon: *Hugging Globby* Thank you guys so much!

Globby: Aww shucks.

Hiro: Globby, you go take Baymax back to the Lucky cat for safe keeping... we're going to that wedding! Come on!

*And with that, Mothra carries Fred, Wasabi and Gogo while Orso Knox has Hiro and Honey Lemon riding his back joined by Ned and Bessie. Cora finally breaks through the hinges and runs towards the second door and notes its stronger material. She looks around and finds several wire coat hangers nearby, to which she grabs it and starts bending its metal as she looks at the key hole.*

Chris: I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero till the morning light~ And he's gotta be sure and its gotta be soon and he's gotta be larger than life~!

Kage: We're halfway there! But its not enough time!

Baymax 1: I recommend Overdrive mode.

Miyuki: But doesn't Overdrive mode drain your battery?

Kage: And I hadn't modified you yet for the other battery reserve!

Baymax: Time is of the essence. and flying makes me a better health care companion.

Kage: OK then... Engage Overdrive mode!

*The moments that over drive mode is announced felt like it moved in slow motion... *

Baymax: Overdrive Mode Engaged.

*Until they are suddenly sent flying through the air soon approaching the fishermen's wharf where the wedding is taking place.*

Chris: Oh he's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast and he's gotta be fresh from the fight! I need a Hero!~

*Mizuchi and Diane are now seeing each other's eyes as the former lifted up his bride, now taking this chance to kiss him. And when his lips is about to meet hers...*

Kage: Stop!

*Mizuchi turns his head along with the guests as they saw what appears to be Omega Danger landing on the aisle while two supers hop down to face them.*

Kage: *To Liv* You there! Back away from my brother!

Mizuchi: Kage? W-Whats going on here?

Di: Excuse me? Last I checked you two were not even on the guest list!

Miyuki: Perhaps its cause we could see a rat from a mile away!

Baymax 1: Y-YeAh! A-A-A rAT!

*The two supers note that as predicated, Omega Danger is at lower battery, acting like a drunk as he falls to his face and attempts to walk ahead despite it.*

Di:Who are you two to call me a rat?! And even Omega Danger! Who are you two anyway?

Hiro: They're honorary members of Big Hero 7!

*That is when they see more coming on their way... Big Hero 7 and the rest of Kage's team. Diane shrieks away as Mothra's wings beat before landing as Hiro hops off and joins kage. *

Hiro: Diane Amara! You are under arrest for all the monster attacks on the city of San Fransokyo!

Guest: Diane Amara?

Guest 2: But her name is Liv!

*Now the guests start to chatter as accusation like glances at Diane start forming. Now sweat is developing on the bride's brow. But

she soon regains her composure before shooting back an accusation. *

Di: And how could you be so sure it could be me when Sparkles had admitted to being the one behind the monsters?

Hiro: That does sound true... but we have two witnesses.. and one of them is at your wedding... where is Cora?

Cora: Right here!

*Cora is seen running from the building and towards the wedding, breathing heavily as she tries to slow her heart.*

Di: Oh Cora! Where were you?-

Cora: Chris locked me in the closet and you did nothing!

*The guests look at Chris, who is now nervously looking at them as he nervously chuckles. Mizuchi looks at Cora as his mind starts to become more clear and focused.*

Mizuchi: Wait... Chris locked you in the closet?! What kind of woman did I agree to marry?!

Cora: You'll see soon.. along with everyone else. *Notices Orso Knox behind the team.* Hi Mr. Knox.

Di: Knox?!

*Orso Knox comes forward where he places himself in front of Cora, growling at Diane Amara as Hiro stands by his side.*

Di: W-Wait a minute! How is he even alive! You killed him!

Hiro: No, we faked it. Cora here, *Winks at her* explained that Orso Knox had been trapped by you and living in a cage when you should had cured him already... then we found this...

*Knox shows his arm for them to see the chip within. Diane lightly swallows as Ned comes forward with Bessie as she aims her blast at him as Hiro takes Cora away, to which it finally dies down to reveal a (Thankfully clothed) human man in its place... but the look of anger remained in his eyes.*

Di: M-Mr. Knox! Y-You!-

*Knox quickly closes the gap between them and punches her straight in the face, resulting in the bride having a black eye.*

Knox: Save all your lies Amara! You had transformed me into that thing to keep me quiet when I found out about your more heinous deeds! I would be still be in your 'services' if not for that young lady and Big Hero 7! Not to mention you had transformed all those villains to monsters for your bidding!

*Hiro pulls out the flash drive from his body, to which Diane immediately recognize to have more evidence inside. She then looks at Chris to which he throws a the microphone towards his hands, making him drop the flash drive to the ground and Diane immediately grabbing it.*

Diane: Well then.. If this is how it goes.. *To Chris, holding her phone* Get Cora.

*Chris nods to which Diane pushes a button, where Chris starts growing in size, now nearing the stature and muscle of a gorilla.*

Fred: OK... now I see it.

*Chris hopes over to Cora and holds her in his hands while Diane runs towards the car.*

Mizuchi: No!

Diane: Come and get us if you want your precious daughter so badly!

*Diane starts driving off while Chris drives off and away from the wedding with Cora in tow.*

Cora: Seriously?! Not again!

*Mizuchi, his mind kicking to full gear, starts growling before he starts to run after them along with Hiro and Kage. The guests are left flabbergasted while Big Hero 7 and Kaguya are left with the stunned silence. The team start directing the guests away from the wedding while leaving behind a stunned Grandville, a tight lipped Kaguya, and a flabbergasted Karmi. *

Karmi: So.. she was a fake this whole time!?

Kaguya: Yes.. And you two seem to be like peas in a pod personality wise...

Karmi: W-What?

*Kaguya goes over to Grandville where she pulls out Cora's phone and immediately starts pulling up certain videos. And when Grandville sees what it contains... her frown is directed on Karmi.*

Grandville:*To Karmi* Miss Karmi… you and I will have talk.

Karmi: *Gulps*

*They got through the city streets but Kage and Hiro quickly loose steam as they see Mizuchi no where close to exhausted as he trails after them.*

Hiro: Damn it! How are we gonna catch up to them?! Both our baymaxes are out of commission!

*That's when they see Mothra fly up towards them and holds out her arms.*

Kage: Why don't we hitch a ride with her instead?

*The two are quickly held in Mothra's eyes as they fly through the city where they see Mizuchi running faster, the speed tearing apart his tuxedo jacket due to the amount of movement. It was then that they see where exactly they are heading towards. Sycorax. Once Diane and Chris reach them the woman grabs Cora by the wrist and starts dragging her inside the building. That's when they see the three people along with an enraged father in tow.*

Di: Keep them busy. I am going to deal with this brat!

*She drags Cora down to the lab while Chris heads on to battle with Mizuchi, who starts throwing fists at him.*

Kage: Mizuchi we're coming to help!

*The three land down as Chris starts to pin Mizuchi down, kneeing him in his stomach multiple times. While it did cause Mizuchi to grunt in pain, the adrenaline rushing through his veins along with the wires running through his blood. Mothra flies up top where she lets out her screech to disorient the genetic mutated man for a moment before Mizuchi lands a punch to his face.*

Mizuchi: Take your chances and go! Save my daughter!

*Kage and Hiro head inside the building, running past the villains tied up while Mizuchi makes sure to preoccupy Chris along with Mothra. The door opens up just for Diane to throw Cora to the ground.*

Di: You and your little friends and boyfriends just have to fuck up everything don't you!

*She starts throwing vials to Cora, who quickly moves out of the way as to avoid being hit.*

Di: You just have to be so fucking difficult!

*She throws another beaker at her which sends glass shards flying and one of them hitting Cora's leg, to which the girl yelps in pain. Diane soon spots a patch where she gets a brand new idea. Cora's eyes widen before she gets up and starts running through, avoiding the now manically pissed off woman with the monster patch in her hands. Hiro and Kage get down to see Diane launching herself and pinning Cora to the ground. Kage runs towards them and pushes Diane off hard, resulting in flash drive falling off, glaring at her heatedly.*

Kage: Get your hands off my niece!

*Hiro rushes over to Cora's side and hugs her tightly.*

Hiro: You alright?

Cora: I will be... *Spots the flash drive* Go get the flash drive, I'll send over a message to Chief Cruz.

*Hiro nods before he does so, with Cora getting up and finding a computer to start typing up a message to Chief Cruz along with the evidence provided. Once in his hands Hiro rushes towards Cora while Kage keeps Diane away from them. Mothra continues flying around Chris as Mizuchi continues battling him.*

Chris: For a demonic titan you're pretty weak. Must be an age thing.

*Mizuchi head butts Chris while Mothra zooms down to land a punch with her own fists. The videos starts playing one by one as the message processes them, confirming what they had witnessed. Orso Knox pinned down and stabbed with the chip, making him grow into the very monster he was; High Voltage being held against their will as she inserts her own chips to their necks under the threat of death... but the third one was what caught Kage's attention after he knocks Diane's head to the capsule, rendering her unconscious.*

Cora: No way...

Hiro: Its- Its...

Chara: my name is Chara Bonete Ma'm...

*The video shows Chara, holding her cup of tea handed by Chris while Diane sits beside her, listening closely.*

Chara: I was at sea looking for help... there are others trapped on an island and I need your help!

Di: We're you all shipwrecked?

Chara: In a way yes... by mermaids... I know it sounds crazy but its true. The sirens kept me and others far from their homes. I can tell you where the island is! I also need to find someone... a man. He has black hair and blue eyes and his name starts with a K!

Di:... Give Chris and I a moment... we need to process this...

*They walked out, leaving Chara alone. They see Chara getting up, looking curiously around till she finds a computer. Curios she logs on... and found something that caused her to scream. Diane runs back where Chara starts backing away.*

Chara: W-Why did you turn that man into a monster?! What did he ever do to you?

Di:... He knew too much... and apparently so do you.

*She pulls out the drill used for High Voltage and Chara starts running away. Finally it showed the following... Chara throws a tray of acid to the lady, hitting her in the face resulting in a scream. The scream had made Chara jump back so much that she fell backwards to the chemicals used for the chips along with two insects models of a moth and a water strider. Diane squirms wildly as Chara screams in pain as the chemicals morphed to a black goo, engulfing her before she is transformed to the very monster fighting Chris right now.*

Cora: Holy shit...

Kage: Oh my god! Chara!

*Kage immediately heads towards the door only for Diane to stab him in the back with a scaple. Hiro stands in front of the Cora as the last video is fully uploaded to the message. Diane then pulls out the scalpel and holds it to kage's neck.*

Di: Press that send button and he's dead!

*Cora and Hiro look at each other then to Kage, wincing at the closeness of the scalpel to his neck. They get out slowly as Diane directs them back outside... where the capsule begins to slowly open. Chris is pinned to the floor by Mizuchi's fists, growling as Mothra lands down. That is when Mizuchi looks up to see Diane holding Kage hostage while Hiro and Cora's hands were up in the air. Chris knees Mizuchi to the stomach, giving it his all to which Mizuchi finally growls in pain. Mothra sees Kage held under threat, and all she knew is that the man is in danger. She flies towards him with arms open to grab him away-*

Kage: Chara look out!

*A fist hits the back of Chara's wings, to which she is sent to the floor, with Chris now placing pressure... a sickening crack forming down. She is then thrown over the ledge... heading towards the water below.*

Cora: No!

Kage: Chara!

Mizuchi: Chara?

Di: Now. Mizuchi, get to the fucking yatch down below where Chris will place this rat somewhere he could be less of a nuisance. *To Cora and Hiro* And as for you two. I'm gonna make you my new monsters and lock you below the lab at Sutamura for the rest of your days! I will not allow you ruin my plans!

*She is then punched in the back of her neck, making her let go of Kage, while the hand holds the necklace with the vial of the healing potion. Liv Amara then grabs the phone from Diane and presses the button which changes Chris' stature to normal size, making him look at her with shock and confusion. Kage uses this moment to run off and dive away to the ocean to rescue Chara. Liv Amara then looks at Hiro and Cora, giving her the necklace and vial... along with an additional vial of the healing potion.*

Liv: I don't know if this is enough for you to heal Chara and Kage's wounds... especially after what my sister had done to you...

Di: Liv! Y-You're OK!

*Liv looks at Diane and all she has on her face is disgust and shame, silencing Diane.*

Liv: I've already sent the message to the police. They'll be here soon.. you guys go... My sister and I have already done damage to you all... And we'll pay the consequences..

*Hiro and Cora walk away slowly before they run off, heading to the side off path along with Mizuchi, away from their sight.*

Di: W-Why Liv?! We were this close to getting everything we ever wanted!

Liv: But not like this... this is as much my fault as it is yours...

* Cora throws the vials of the healing potion to her father to which he catches easily. Mizuchi is already at the waves swimming through as Hiro and Cora look out at sea with concern. Finally they see him emerge from the ocean, with Kage and a still mutated Chara in his arms, carrying them to the sand banks. Thats' where Big Hero 7, Kaguya, and Orso Knox arrive to see this. Kage had obviously received his half of the potion as his wounds were gone... but he appeared.. younger... the sea salt had mixed in a bit as Mizuchi fed it to him... But Chara's body still appears broken, her sapphire heart exposed and cracked. *

Honey Lemon: Oh no!...

Knox: *Running towards them as he looks at Chara* oh dear god no...

Kage: Chara! Chara please stay with me!

Gogo: Wait.. Chara?

*The team looks at Hiro and Cora, to which from the look in their faces confirmed that yes... Mothra is in fact Kage's lost beloved, mutated into this... and loosing strength.. Chara managed to open her eyes slightly as she looks at Kage, trying to hold her hand close to his heart.*

Kage: H-Here! This potion should at least heal your wounds!

*He grabs the second vial and pours in to Chara's mouth, some of it streaming down the side as it joins the ocean water touching her.*

Kage: Everything will be alright Chara… I promise... I should've realized sooner who you were... I hope you can forgive me...

*The creature blinks softly before she moves her hand to Kage's face while the other moves to her sapphire heart... pointing it before to him...then... she muttered out words... raspy yet filled with what warmth is left...*

Chara: I... see... you...remember me... I go... happy.. Kage… my heart... yours... always...

*That's when her hands fall away, her eyes closing.*

Kage:*Tears streaming N-No! Please!... I can't loose you!... I love you...

*He holds her close as he starts sobbing into her now cooling body. Cora sobs on Hiro's shoulder as he holds her close, the team dropping their heads in respect. Mizuchi and Kaguya joining the hug around the two teens. joining in mourning of the one held in Kage's arms.. taken from him far too soon. That is when a small faint color of the potion starts seeping to the creature's body, growing around it, catching everyone's attention. Kage lets go as it now wrapped around her, embracing her and lifting her up to the air, her bug like features finally melt away to those of a human... claws becomes hands, wings dissipate into air, hair flowing smoothly, and clothes she wore before taking place. She then floats down to the ground, facing away from the group... the sapphire heart placed at Kage's feet. Kage couldn't move an inch even when the body does. She looks down to see her hands, human hands... to which she turns around to reveal the face of a young woman, strawberry blonde hair framing her freckled face and green eyes. Kage continues to stare at the woman as she starts smiling widely before looking at him with warmth.*

Chara: Kage… its me!

*Kage finally steps forward, looking closely at the woman before catching her green eyes. And all doubt he held before is washed away.*

Kage: It is you!

Chara: *nods* I'm me again...

*The two continue to look into each other's eyes before they go to finally kiss together, the two lovers reunited at last.*

Honey Lemon: Woo!

Fred: Alright!

*The all cheer and celebrate at the couple and their victory over Sycorax that night. After Chief Cruz received the message he sent out his police cars where he arrested Liv, Diane, and Chris while the police shut down the lab by the early sunrise. A police van arrives as it takes the three inside and driven off to no doubt the docks: This time for their way to imprisonment... with a driver similarly looking a lot like Lenny.*

Dunder: Well, this has been quiet a turn off events. Turns out the evil twin has been behind all the monster attacks all around San Fransokyo. Police managed to apprehend the escaped villains but are still on the search for High Voltage. Sycorax is shut down and all employees are held under investigation. The biggest question is now open for all: What happens now?

*The TV is playing on as the gang, Globby, Miyuki, Mizuchi, Hiro,and Cora are decorating the house for a welcome home party.*

Wasabi: Man, its hard to believe that this is all over. Liv- I mean.. Di is now imprisoned-

Gogo: And most of the bad guys we fought are back in jail.

Fred: Except for High Voltage. We're gonna go to that later.

Cora: Yup... and since learning about that fact of my heritage at least I can understand a little now...

*Mizuchi and Hiro look at Cora as she connects the lights to the stairs. Mizuchi had been informed by then that she had learned about Kaguya's secret along with her mermaid heritage. It took a while for Cora to talk to Kaguya again as they both explained to her the reason they kept her mermaid half a secret. After much talking it was decided that Kaguya will no properly educate Cora on her mermaid heritage along with her friends and boyfriend, so that they not only gain an understanding of Mermaid culture in general, but to understand her grandmother and their heritage more. While it had been shaken by the reveal, it would take more than that to tear apart their bond.*

Mizuchi: Anyway, I heard that Kaguya had showed Professor Grandville those videos?

Hiro: Oh yeah! I mean, you could hardly believe what we looked like when Grandville got Cora and I together to tell us that Karmi's expelled!

Cora: Yeah, because she showed my videos of Karmi being the worst... And you know what? I'm pretty happy she did. I mean, I still don't know how to feel about learning being half mermaid by my grandmother... but at least that little bitch gonna be gone forever.

Hiro: Me too...And sides, you can learn all about the ocean.

Cora: Yeah! I'm pretty excited about it! Man its gonna be an experience... well.. after this...

*The door in front of them opens up to reveal Kaguya standing beside Kage and Chara, both dressed in new wardrobe as they see a welcome home banner and greeted by everyone.*

Everyone: Surprise!

Mizuchi: You are looking good brother, as do you Chara.

Chara: Thank you.

Fred: You guys do looke great! Younger even! Like, in your twenties young!

Kaguya: that's cause the salt water had been mixed with the potion. Without it, it simply heals wounds.

Hiro: I see... and again. We're sworn by an oath.

*Cora walks up to the two of them where she hugs them tightly.*

Cora: Welcome hone Chara… and Uncle Kage…

*Kage and Chara then hug the girl back, smiling at the girl's greeting.*

Fred: well what are we waiting for? Lets get this party started!

Minimax: I agree! Commence the celebration!

*Music starts playing from both Baymaxes, repaired and functioning normally, as every one greets Kage and Chara happily. Hiro then goes to Cora where he kisses her on the lips, making Cora smile warmly as she wraps her arms around his neck.*

Chara: Does that remind you of anything Kage?

Kage: I think so... but what I am more interested is if you want to dance?

Chara: I'd love to.

*And so the jovial atmosphere rings through the house, the warmth and light returning to their house, because as far as they know, they are free from the clutches of the witch of Sycorax.*

A.N: Again! I had to re-write the whole chapter after reading it whole and realized it added stuff that didn't amount to anything and exposed stuff too soon. Anyways, I hope you love this chapter! Love you guys! I will try to catch up to the other episode chapters but for now, let me rest. Thank you all so much for your patience and reading Big Hero 7 The series!

[gumnut-logic]

Bo

This is a repost, a fic of mine you might have seen before, but I think it bears revisiting as I am rather fond of it. A friend of mine has thrown a prompt in and chosen Bo as the character to write about. So I think this is a good a time as any to share this again.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

-o-o-o-

Title: Bo

A TAG Secret Santa fic

Author: Gumnut

15 – 18 Dec 2018

Fandom: Thunderbirds Are Go 2015/ Thunderbirds TOS

Rating: Teen

Summary: Virgil meets a new friend, and, damnit, Scott was going to kill him.

Word count: 6184

Spoilers & warnings: Possible bushfire/wildfire triggers in the first part. For the rest none, except for vague nudity and fluff. Christmas fic. Gen.

Timeline: Origin story

Author’s note: Okay, so this is the first time I’ve ever participated in one of these so I’m new to this.

My prompts were

1.         Virgil covered in tinsel

2.         Tracy family Christmas

3.         Christmas Rescue Miracle (with Virg please)

The first one prompted all sorts of images not suitable for a PG audience. Hubby also suggested I blow up a tinsel factory. Overall, I did attempt to include all three prompts in the one fic. I hope I have succeeded in providing some enjoyment at least.

This does not belong to either Sotto Voce or Warm Rain and is pretty canon compliant. It is currently standalone. Consider it a possible origin story, there may be more, if I can think up some new plot lines. If you have any ideas, please let me know.

Many thanks to @tagsecretsanta for all her wonderful work putting the gift exchange together, and thanks to @photowizard17 for the inspiring prompts, @i-am-chidorixblossom for cheering me on when I couldn’t post daily and obsessively like I usually do, and to @the-lady-razorsharp for giving it an American beta so I don’t trip over being Australian (though the summer Christmas certainly helped :D).

Disclaimer: Mine? You’ve got to be kidding. Money? Don’t have any, don’t bother.

-o-o-o-

“It’s the last house at the end of the street, Virgil.”

“FAB, Thunderbird Five.” It was said without the usual spark. The grey of the destroyed landscape sucked everything from everything. A pall of smoke and haze, black remnants of lives, homes and the tragedy of the night before.

International Rescue had been called to a massive bushfire in the Yarra Ranges in Victoria, Australia. The CFA had had it under control the previous day, John keeping an eye on it anyway, but an unexpected change in wind direction in the evening had it jumping firebreaks and tearing through an unprotected valley and directly through a township.

With the vast tall forests of mountain ash, eucalypts full of volatile oil just waiting to burst into flame, combined with the hot and blustery northerly, not even IR could stop the firestorm from taking lives and property.

Thunderbird Two had her fire suppression equipment, but the massive plane was a speck against the wall of flame.

There were forces of nature that just couldn’t be stopped.

The Tracys dodged and nabbed trapped people. Thunderbird Two deployed a huge water cannon, sourcing water from the local reservoir, as the CFA water bombed around them, desperate to protect what lives they could. But nothing was stopping the fire.

It tore through the town leaving agony in its wake.

Dawn was grey and dismal, but it brought rain. The sky rumbled, threatening to spark more fires in the ranges, but the deluge came and dampened the remaining flame enough to once again get the front under control.

But it was too late for the town.

It was gone.

Virgil walked the length of the street, his exo-suit rubbing on aching shoulders. Burnt out cars and collapsed homes lined the road from one end to the other. The skeletons of black trees marched off into the distance behind it all.

Haze hovered above ash-clogged puddles in the pavement.

It wasn’t what Christmas morning was supposed to be.

The last house at the end of the street had fully collapsed in on itself. A burnt-out car sat in the driveway, its trunk lid and one of its doors open.

Virgil closed his eyes for a moment, knowing what that likely meant.

He steeled himself and walked past the remains he knew he was going to find in the car.

Nothing could be done.

Nothing.

He focussed on the whine of his suit as his boots stepped in wet ash and strode across the front yard to the remains of the house. He had to clear his throat to speak to John. “Tell me where, Thunderbird Five.”

“Possibly in the basement? The lifesign is below ground level.”

The house had been old, the wooden floorboards disintegrating in the heat. Virgil leapt through the remains of a wall, landing on rubble in what had likely been a wine cellar. The heat had been so intense, that glass bottles had become slag.

Glass crunched under his boots. “Right or left?”

“Eastern side, southern corner.”

There was a mass of rubble collapsed against the only standing wall of the building.

“This is International Rescue. Can anyone hear me?”

He turned up the pickups on his exterior mikes.

Nothing. It was probably a blip. How the hell could anything survive this holocaust?

His shoulders dropped.

But then...something? A whimper?

Maybe?

Virgil began digging.

It took him a good fifteen minutes of solid work to move enough burnt masonry to reach a hole in the wall at the very base of the structure. And in what appeared to be the bottom of a dumb waiter he found the lifesign.

The little puppy whimpered at him, trembling with fear.

Aw, hell.

“John, lifesign is a dog.”

“One moment, Thunderbird Two.” The puppy stared, the green, yellow and blue of Virgil’s suit reflected in its brown eyes. “There is no dog registered at that address. Deliver to the local authorities. You are needed to airlift some survivors to Melbourne. Report to Scott on the other side of town.”

“FAB, Thunderbird Five.”

Virgil slid his arms out from the suit and bent aching knees. “Hey, little one, do you want to come with me?”

The puppy shivered and looked him up and down, hesitating.

“I’m with International Rescue, we’re here to help.” He took a step closer. “It’s okay, I promise.”

Maybe it was something in his voice, his stance, or simply because the puppy had no choice, but as Virgil reached into the box it was sitting in, the puppy made no protest as he picked it up.

A quick examination for injury revealed her to be a girl. She shuddered up against Virgil’s chest. “Don’t worry, it’s all over, you’re safe.”

Sliding one arm back into his suit, he started making his way out of the ruined building, turning his back on the tiny hole that had somehow saved the little dog’s life.

-o-o-o-

Perhaps it was because she sat so quietly with him. Perhaps because it was Christmas Day. Most likely it was because Virgil had reached his limit of pain.

When he found the RSPCA tent, specially set up for lost pets, he gently handed over the little puppy. She let out a whimper and began crying.

No barking, just this godawful crying that tore at his heart.

“You will be fine here, little one.” The attendant was one of those kindly older ladies and she hugged the gangly bundle of fluff to her chest as Virgil turned to leave, Scott in his ear.

But the puppy let out such a scream of anguish, Virgil turned around without thinking. She was struggling in the volunteer’s arms and before either of them could react, she managed to wriggle free and dash over to him, her little body trembling on his left boot.

He reached down and gathered her into his arms. “You can’t come with me. I can’t-“ But she was rubbing her head up under his chin, little sounds in her throat.

And he couldn’t.

Just couldn’t.

His eyes met the eyes of the lady volunteer and she smiled. “We will keep her details if you would like to take her with you. If anyone contacts us, we can let you know.” And the volunteer was just as hopeful as the puppy in his arms. After all, there was no life at the RSPCA unless a home was found.

He looked down at her little brown eyes again.

No, he couldn’t.

Damnit, Scott was going to kill him.

Maybe for just a few days?

The excuse provided a simple solution, so he took it.

Without a word, he handed his IR contact details to the volunteer, and, puppy in hand, turned his back to the tent and strode towards the big green hulk parked in the distant haze.

“Well, little one, you have definitely made an interesting choice. Let me introduce you to my big green partner.”

-o-o-o-

It was well past Christmas lunch, or rather the lack of it, before IR was given the all clear to return to base. During the entire time, the little puppy sat beside Virgil’s pilot chair, apparently unfazed by the deep bass rumble of Thunderbird Two.

When he picked up both Gordon and Alan the dynamic changed just a little.

Gordon dragged himself onto the flight deck first, a groan in every step. “Christmas just gets more exciting every year.” It was true. Nine out of ten Christmas Days were side-swiped by a disaster, to the point that the Tracy Christmas tradition was a modular and movable celebration nowadays. No guarantees and no defined day. It happened around December twenty-fifth, there about, when they could, between call outs.

Suddenly the little puppy was in his lap.

“What is that?”

Virgil looked up. His brother was covered in soot and looked as tired as Virgil felt. “This is Bo.” And he had no idea where the name came from, it just seemed right and the moment clicked.

“Bo?”

“Yeah.” Newly christened Bo peered up at Gordon around Virgil’s arm. “She survived the fire.” A swallow. “Her family didn’t.”

“Oh.”

Alan, as always, had more energy than any of them, and showed it as he waltzed into the cabin. “So why aren’t we moving?”

Bo let off a sharp bark.

Everyone jumped.

“What the hell, Virgil?”

Bo was literally glaring at Alan.

“Hey, Bo, calm down, that’s just Alan. He’s annoying, but tolerable.” The little puppy looked up at him, her gorgeous brown eyes just melting him inside. He was so gone.

“Hey!” That from Alan.

“Scott’s going to kill you.” That from Gordon, who was approaching slowly.

“Yeah, I know.” It was a sigh.

Gordon crouched down beside Virgil’s chair. “Hey, little one, what gave you the idea to attach yourself to this big oaf?” Pulling off one of his gloves, the aquanaut reached out and offered the puppy his hand. She eyed him warily before tentatively sniffing at his fingers.

She sneezed.

Alan snorted.

Bo blinked and stared at Gordon for a moment. The aquanaut kept still and eventually she sniffed at him again, before nuzzling at his hand. He blatantly took that as permission and gently rubbed behind her ear. “You are a cute little thing, aren’t you.”

She licked his wrist.

“Oh, I can see why our heavy lifter fell for you. You’ve got it all in those brown eyes of yours, haven’t you.” Gordon shrugged. “Though I will admit they are the best colour for manipulation.”

“And he speaks from experience.” To Virgil’s surprise, Gordon actually jumped. “Did you forget I was here? Not absorbed by those brown eyes are we?” He couldn’t help but smile at his brother. At least one was as besotted as he had to admit he was.

Yes, Scott was definitely going to kill him.

“Shut up, Virgil.”

Bo backed off, once again hiding behind Virgil’s baldric.

“Hey, Gordon, watch the tone.”

“Sorry, Bo.”

“Are we actually going home at some point? I have a date with my bed.”

Gordon stood up, pulling out the co-pilot’s seat. “No rush, Allie, she’ll wait for you.”

“Augh.”

“Sit down, Alan, I’m just finishing pre-flight.” Tired and cranky could easily become nasty if not attended to.

Bo curled up, nestled against his harness, as Alan grumpily pulled out his seat.

“Virgil, where the hell are you?”

Speaking of tired and cranky... “Launching now, Thunderbird One.” As if prompted, he received clearance from Australian Air Control.

TB2 rumbled beneath as he activated VTOL, ash and dust swirling up around them. As soon as he had enough height, he engaged her rear thrusters and tore off over the Alps, across the coast and out into the Tasman.

“ETA fifteen minutes.” At least they weren’t too far from home.

Bo fell asleep in his lap.

-o-o-o-

Virgil was on the verge of joining Bo in slumber as Thunderbird Two spun slowly in her hanger, eventually coming to a final stop.

So tired.

Beside him, Alan poked Gordon awake. “Ugh, what? Oh.” You could almost hear his brain booting.

Virgil worked around Bo as he did his post-flight checks, his brothers, well, mostly Gordon, groaning as they got to their feet and waddled towards the hatch. “C’mon, Virg, Alan’s pining for his bed.”

“You two go ahead. I just need to finish post-flight.” He didn’t turn around, but he could feel Gordon’s eyes on him.

“Sure, whatever.” And he heard the hatch lower to the hangar floor.

His brothers gone, Virgil let himself relax back against his chair, his shoulders sagging. He let out a long breath. “So, Bo, how are we going to do this?”

The puppy woke as if on command and turned to stare up at him. Gently her tail began to wag.

Virgil let a tired smile cross his face.

Encouraged, Bo jumped up and put her two front paws on his chest, reaching up, trying to lick his face despite not quite being tall enough.

The smile became a grin.

“Okay, okay.” He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up as he pushed his seat backwards and stood. Immediately he was bathed in puppy drool. He couldn’t help but laugh. He surfaced above her licking and cradled her in his arms. “We need to get you some food.” His stomach rumbled ominously. “We need to get me some food.”

And a shower. A shower definitely wouldn’t hurt.

If he could hold off the sleep.

If he didn’t call it a stagger, it wasn’t a stagger, but he had obviously been sitting in his seat for far too long ferrying all those survivors to Melbourne on repeated trips. It was his turn to groan as both his back and legs complained loudly at the sudden demands for movement.

Bo started chewing on his glove.

Somehow he made it back to his rooms without encountering anyone. Shutting the door, he let Bo loose on the floor and began stripping off his uniform, hitting the buttons on his preprogrammed shower cubicle. Moments later he walked under the spray and let it wash the day from his skin.

God, that felt good.

As his muscles relaxed under the heat, sleep became more and more attractive, and by the time he stumbled out of the water, all thoughts of food had vanished.

He took the three steps across his room from the ensuite and threw himself facedown on the bed, still partly wet, still naked.

He was asleep within moments.

-o-o-o-

He was being kissed.

Her lips were warm, her tongue wet, her whiskers soft against his stubble...

Uh?

She licked his eye.

Wha-?

Virgil, always slow to respond upon waking, opened said eye only to get an eyeful of slobber. A soft paw thwapped him on the cheek. Huh? he blinked attempting to clear his eyesight, a hand coming up to defend himself.

Fortunately, his brain came online and memory kicked in. “B-Bo?”

A tongue wrapped around his nose and left it wet.

Ugh.

He wiped his face with his hand, stretching backwards on his pillow, desperate to get out of reach.

The puppy landed on his chest, her paws kneading his chest hair, her little claws completing his wake-up process rather abruptly.

Oh god.

“Bo, down, honey, down.”

He was completely ignored.

Sitting up, he attempted to grab her in his arms, but missed. The little puppy landed on things that puppies had no right to land on. Or stomp on for that matter.

He winced.

“Ooh, okay, come here.” He lifted her off his lap, holding her close, her tail pummelling his belly. “I’m awake, okay.” Again he found himself pinned by her brown eyes. “Aww, c’mon with the cute, Bo, you’re going to melt my brain.”

“Assuming you have a brain to melt.” And Scott was standing in his doorway.

Virgil glared up at him. “Don’t you knock?”

“I did. Grandma sent me to tell you that Christmas dinner is ready.”

Virgil frowned at his brother over the top of Bo’s ears, ignoring the glare the blue eyes were directing at the puppy in his arms. “I thought we’d do Christmas tomorrow.”

“We don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. Grandma thought it would be best to sneak it in tonight, since it is Christmas Day, after all.” Scott’s lips thinned. “Where did you get that from?”

“She’s a rescue.”

“Usually we leave our rescues on the continent we find them.”

“She had no one.”

“Unfortunately, that is nothing new.” And one of his hands had moved to his hip.

Virgil sighed. “Scott, it’s fine, it’s only for a few days.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

Virgil held back his retort. He knew to pick his fights and now was not the time. “Her name is Bo.”

Scott looked at him and then at Bo. “Hurry up, your dinner is getting cold.” The ghost of a smirk. “And don’t forget to wear clothes.”

“Funny, funny, ha, ha.” But his brother had left.

Virgil let his shoulders drop. “Sorry, Bo, I think you’ve got your work cut out for you.”

Bo just licked him some more.

It wasn’t until he went looking for his boots that he discovered the wonderful deposits Bo had left for him on the floor.

Ugh.

And apparently one of his favourite boots had served as a meal also.

He closed his eyes and sighed again.

Half dressed, he cleaned up the mess, and five minutes later he waltzed downstairs, Bo in his arms and barefoot. Time to face the inevitable music.

-o-o-o-

A Tracy Christmas used to be snow, roast turkey, stockings by the fire, the occasional Christmas carol and family.

Since starting International Rescue it had changed.

Firstly, they were in the tropics. The only fires available in those temperatures were ones that required firefighting equipment. Having grown up with snow, it was still extremely weird. But it had its advantages. For one you could go outside in the minimum of clothing, something Gordon took advantage of every day of the year. There were no snowball fights, but these were fast replaced with water fights. There was no ice skating, but there was water skiing if anyone could get up the energy to get the boat out. And surfing, let’s not forget Scott’s attempts at that. Virgil would admit that he didn’t mind a little surfboard action himself. He wouldn’t say he was very good at it, but at least Gordon had never had to save him like he had Scott.

There were still Christmas trees and tinsel and stockings that no-one ever considered wearing hung from the nearest mantelpiece-looking piece of furniture.

There was still turkey and roast potatoes and all the yummy food crucial for a good Christmas meal, but it was often cooked outside in barbecue ovens and seafood and cold food had been added to the menu. In fact, the traditional dinner had become more of a banquet by the pool.

As Virgil walked out onto the patio, he couldn’t help but smile at the Christmas tree that had obviously been hurriedly moved out here from the comms room. It sat a little lopsided and the star on top was having a few issues with gravity. That was new, as was the liberal tinsel and Christmas lights strung from palm tree to palm tree, across the pool and back several times.

“Fifty bucks says Gordon tries to water volleyball the tinsel at least once.”

Virgil smirked as he stepped up beside his next youngest brother. “Not touching that one. I value my money.”

John was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt and had a beer in his hand. Bo was immediately interested in this new person. She strained towards John, her nose literally twitching towards the hand holding the beer.

His brother must have caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and instinctively took a step away.

“Oh, sorry, John, this is Bo.” Bo was climbing over his arm, desperate to get closer to the astronaut. Virgil held her tight, worried she would fall.

“Uh, hello.” John turned towards them, frowning. “Since when do you own a dog?”

“Since this morning.”

“Does Scott know?” They both instinctively looked over at their eldest brother who was hovering over one of the barbecues energetically discussing something with Grandma - probably how not to burn the food.

“He does.”

“And you still have it?”

“Her.”

“Her.”

“Yes.”

“Good luck with that one.” John drank his beer.

“She had no one else.”

John arched an eyebrow at him and then frowned. “Oh, Virgil.” His shoulders slumped.

“I am an adult now, John. It won’t be like last time.”

“God, I hope not.”

Virgil stared at his brother, only to see the genuine concern in his green eyes. A sigh. “It won’t happen again.”

John reached out and gently touched his shoulder. “No, it won’t, because you will remember that you have four brothers who are all here for you, won’t you.” God, that green gaze was penetrating.

“It will be fine.”

Bo yipped at John, her tail beating Virgil’s chest.

The astronaut smiled and offered the little dog his hand. She sniffed and licked him almost immediately.

“I think you have been approved.”

John smiled and Virgil couldn’t help but do the same.

“Virgil!” And Grandma was arrowing in on his position.

“Incoming.” John was smirking.

“Hey, Grandma.”

But his grandmother only had eyes for Bo. “Who is this?”

Virgil smiled again. “This is Bo. Bo, this is Grandma.”

Bo whacked him with her tail and literally leapt from his arms into his grandmother’s.

“Woah.” Suddenly with arms full of wriggling puppy enthusiastically licking her face, his grandmother was laughing. “Oh dear, you are a cutie. Let me have a look at you.” And she held Bo out at arms length, her eyes critical. “A little hard to tell at her age, but my bet says she’s of boxer stock, around three months old. Such a beautiful brindle and that face.” Virgil couldn’t help but agree. Bo looked like she had dipped her face in a pot of ink, her brown eyes surrounded by gorgeous black coat that quickly bled to brindle down her back with a spot of white on her front. “Where did you find her?”

Virgil looked at his feet, remembered why they were bare, and looked back up at his grandmother. “This morning’s rescue. She lost everything.”

Grandma turned her attention back to Bo. “Oh, honey. You survived the fire?” Bo licked her nose. “Well, you are safe here.” Grandma curled her arms around the puppy and scratched her ears. “Has Virgil fed you anything yet?” She glanced at him and he shrugged. He got frowned at for his trouble. Grandma turned away, walking towards the barbecues with Bo in her arms. “Let’s get you something to eat.”

Virgil rolled his eyes.

“Well, that didn’t take long, did it?” John was still smirking at him.

A series of barks and a yelp from Grandma, and suddenly Bo was dashing amongst legs in his direction. “Woah.” He crouched down and caught her as she leapt for him. She wriggled and licked, her little body trembling under his hands. “Hey, hey, honey, it’s okay, you’re safe.” She snuggled up under his chin. He couldn’t help but return the hug.

Grandma approached, worry on her face. “I’m sorry, Virgil, I didn’t realise.”

“It’s okay.” He reached an arm around his grandmother, bringing her into the hug. “She’s just had a scary day.” He pulled both of them close.

Scott was glaring at him from a distance.

John smiled at them and drank his beer.

Bo started chewing on his collar.

-o-o-o-

As the evening progressed, Bo slowly let herself part from Virgil as each of the members of his family, bar Alan and Scott, came to say hello or fed her from the table. There was one interesting moment when the little puppy encountered Sherbert for the first time.

Bo yipped.

Sherbert yapped.

And as the entire party fell silent, the two dogs stared each other down.

Virgil was poised for a rescue and Penelope was not far behind him, but a moment later Bo licked Sherbert across the nose, Sherbert gently butted the little puppy with his head, and from that point onwards they were best of friends, Sherbert quite proudly showing his new friend around.

But never out of sight of Virgil.

Bo and Parker had a staring moment not long after, but Sherbert barrelled on in and head butted the driver, snapping him out of it. It wasn’t long before the little puppy had him rubbing her ears as well.

Kayo stood her distance, assessing Bo as much as the puppy was assessing her. A calm arched eyebrow slowly rose as Bo tilted her head up at the security specialist. She pressed her lips together and faced Virgil. “There will be training.”

Virgil blinked and his sister turned and stalked off. Bo eyed her the entire time, only finally distracted by a yelp from Alan as Gordon threw him in the pool.

The engineer was left wondering if he should be worried or not.

The meal was delicious, of course. Scott had managed to keep Grandma away from the barbecues and MAX had been on task for a good part of the day. There was the mandatory turkey, and this year a couple of large snapper had been baked to perfection, along with some crayfish, oysters, salads and roast vegetables. This was followed by pie, oh, so much pie, Christmas cookies, and Christmas pudding with custard and the option of ice cream.

Virgil, as usual, made sure he took advantage of all the options. Consequently, post-banquet found him sprawled on a pool lounger staring up at the stars amongst the tinsel overhead. Bo, who had also eaten probably more than she should have, was curled up between his feet.

The soft sounds of quiet carols and muted conversation wafting across the water lulled him gently to sleep.

-o-o-o-

Scott felt like Scrooge. He was tired, worried and even a little angry. He was not enjoying himself, no matter how hard he tried. Grandma had cornered him at least twice, her hand on his shoulder trying to soothe his ire.

The annoying thing was that he wasn’t even sure what he was angry about. The rescue hadn’t been the best, but they had done what they could and some lives had been saved that otherwise wouldn’t have. The team had performed well, no one had been injured, they were all back home safe and sound.

And there was food, family and Christmas. There wasn’t really much more he could ask for.

His eyes settled on Virgil, asleep on one of the loungers, oblivious to the tinsel being draped across his hair by Gordon behind him.

Scott sighed.

But then a little head bobbed up between his brother’s bare feet and Bo barked at Gordon quite firmly.

Virgil was obviously far too out of it to wake, but Gordon looked appropriately abashed at the challenge.

Scott found himself smiling.

Realised he was smiling, dumped the smile and frowned.

Gordon scampered off leaving a sleeping Virgil in a crown of silver tinsel.

The little dog leapt off the lounger and chased after the aquanaut.

Okay, he had to admit the dog was adorable. He could see what had captured his brother’s eye, and Scott certainly had no objection to adding to their family.

But Virgil...when Virgil loved, he loved with his whole heart, and last time he had lost a pet, it had been bad, so bad.

They had lost so much in their lives already, why volunteer to lose more?

He sighed. It was stupid to think that way, but part of him could remember that devastated teenager, the depression and the mess that followed. Virgil had been as broken as the rest of them when their mother died, but when his dog died two years later, his reaction had been so self-destructive he had needed counselling and a therapist. Scott didn’t know if the two incidents were related or if it was how his brother connected to pets, or whatever. He only knew he never wanted to see his brother go through that again.

Their father was missing, and here was Virgil with a pet once again.

Sure, he was an adult now, and had tackled so much loss since, but...

Another sigh.

A yip and he looked down to see said dog staring up at him with a mouth full of tinsel, tail wagging.

“Gordon!”

“Yesssss, masster?” His brother sidled up with a bow.

Scott rolled his eyes. “Did you want to face your brother having to tell him that his new puppy died choking on tinsel?”

“Oh, shit.”

“Exactly.”

The aquanaut scooped up the little dog and with gentle words extricated the tinsel from her mouth.

A moment later Gordon held her up to his cheek and Scott had the experience of two sets of brown eyes staring at him adoration.

“Oh, for the love of-“

“A puppy?” Gordon grinned at him. “She is a rather cute, isn’t she?”

“Leave it, Gordon.”

His brother frowned. “What’s chewing on your underwear?”

“Gordon-“

“Hey, it was a legit question, bro. You’re a grumpy ass on Christmas Day. Where’s the merry? We have food and there will be presents. And there is a puppy. You couldn’t ask for more cuteness.” Gordon held up Bo who attempted to lick Scott’s nose.

“Gordon-‘

“Nope, so not going down with you, bro. We’ve earned some happy. We’re all here, in one piece, it’s lovely weather. Cheer up, for goodness sake.” Despite himself, Gordon frowned. “Here have some puppy love.” And suddenly Scott found himself with his arms full of wriggling Bo. Gordon turned and walked off, eventually calling out to Alan, no doubt looking for mischief.

Bo tilted her head to one side and stared up at him.

Aw, hell, weaponised cuteness.

She jumped up and licked his nose.

Scott sighed.

Voice low. “You know, you better look after my brother. He’s a good man and he does a lot of good things.” A swallow. “He’s a little prone to heroics. Perhaps we can team up in that department and help keep his butt alive.”

Her tongue lolled out one side of her mouth and she grinned.

“Maybe try that on the Hood and solve all our problems.”

He gave in and drew her close to his chest, rubbing under her chin.

“I really hope we don’t regret this.”

-o-o-o-

“PRESENTS!”

Alan’s voice cut through his slumber and shook him awake. Wha-?

“Time to wake up, sleepy head.” Scott’s voice.

A sharp little bark.

Bo.

He flung his eyes open, and immediately squinted at the fairy lights floating in the light breeze far above. A blink and to his left a shadow formed into his eldest brother. His blue eyes were smiling as he sat on the next lounge over, holding Bo, scratching her gently. She was obviously enjoying it.

Virgil frowned. “I thought you were pissed at me.”

“I was.” His brother shrugged. “I got over it.” Bo was licking Scott’s fingers.

Wow, the ability to tame the savage big brother. The little girl must be heaven-sent.

There was a whir of wheels and MAX tore out onto the patio decked out in tinsel and lugging brightly coloured presents. MiniMAX darted in behind him carrying a smaller present which was deposited carefully on the table before he disappeared inside only to return with another.

“You okay?”

“Huh?” Virgil peered up at his brother before stretching the length of the lounger. Several joints cracked and the ache across his shoulders from the morning vaguely made its presence known. A yawn. “I’m fine. Just tired. This morning sucked.”

Tinsel slid down his face. He sighed and threw it off. Gordon was getting repetitive.

Scott dipped his head, attempting to hide a smile, and looked down at Bo. “True.” He scratched her under her chin one more time before offering her to him. “Here.”

Bo didn’t bother to wait for him to sit up, she bounded out of Scott’s arms and onto Virgil’s belly. “Oof.” She then danced up and down on it.

Scott grinned at him. “She’s not going to be little when she grows up.”

“Augh, she’s not little now.” He managed to capture her enough so he could sit up, but she struggled free excitedly and dashed from his arms, jumping on the lounger, just as MiniMAX buzzed over with a small present.

Bo barked at him and MiniMAX dodged to deposit the present in Virgil’s lap. He caught it, but with his hands now occupied, he wasn’t fast enough to grab Bo before she let off another bark, jumped excitedly and latched her teeth onto the little robot.

The result was immediate.

MiniMAX shrieked, several of his legs caught in the puppy’s mouth, and with a whir of rotor blades, took off madly across the patio.

With Bo hanging on.

“Bo!” Virgil dropped the present and made a grab for the pair, but missed.

Every eye turned to see what the commotion was about. Virgil stumbled over the lounger and kicked it out of the way. He was vaguely aware of Scott doing something similar. “Brains!”

MiniMAX was obviously panicking. The little robot darted about trying to shake off his assailant. Bo was whining in her throat.

Virgil dashed after them.

Despite the puppy’s weight, MiniMAX still managed a great deal of height, Brains’ ‘build ‘em tough’ policy obviously carrying through to his robots. Despite having the strength to carry the puppy, the off-balance mass hampered MiniMAX’s navigation and they were wobbling all over the place.

All Virgil could see was a tragedy in the making. The pool, the concrete, anything horribly solid. He ran beneath them, desperately attempting to reach the now whining puppy. Family members and furniture were dodged and shoved out of the way as he clambered after them.

A chair ended up in the pool. Gordon squawked and almost joined it. Virgil leapt off an empty lounge, made a grab for them, missed and ended up in the Christmas tree.

Fake pine needles jabbed him in the face as he went down in a pile of tinsel and Christmas baubles. He swore, his clothing caught, his hair caught, and his everything tangled in tinsel, but he made it to his feet just in time to see Bo let go.

“No!”

Oblivious to everything other than the puppy falling, Virgil finally got traction under his bare feet, took a running leap and grabbed Bo from the air. He instinctively wrapped himself around her, rolling in midair, tinsel and baubles flung in all directions.

As he plummeted into the pool.

The splash took his senses, muffling exclamations, and repeated shouts of his name. There was dark blue, and wet, and, for a moment, blessed silence.

Then logic reasserted itself and he kicked for the surface.

Sound, light and cool air on his skin. He blinked water out of his eyes as he lifted Bo up so she could breathe, his legs kicking to keep them afloat.

She whined at him as if to tell him off, sneezed, and began enthusiastically licking the saltwater off his face.

He couldn’t help but grin, and he knew he wasn’t the only one as laughter drifted across the water.

“You trashed the tree, Virg.”

“I don’t think he cares, Gordon.” He looked up to see Grandma smiling at him.

And no, he didn’t. As Scott poked him with a pole to help drag him to the edge and Bo decided his ear might do for her next meal, he suddenly felt joy. It could simply have been relief, but he was going to tack it up as Christmas joy and enjoy it while he could.

-o-o-o-

“Only you, Virgil.”

“It wasn’t intentional.”

“I have no doubt of that, it never is.”

“Aw, c’mon, Scott.”

“If it was intentional then I would have to accuse you of doing it deliberately just to get out of helping with the Christmas dishes.”

“We have a dishwasher.” Bo let off a bark as MiniMAX flew past dragging a bag full of recyclable cups, plates and cutlery, giving Virgil and his dog an extremely wide berth. “And there are hardly any dishes.”

“You are still getting out of clean up.”

“C’mon, Scott, you know me better than that. Ow!”

“Sit still. I’ve almost got all of it.”

Virgil leant back against the lounge, Bo curled up in his lap. “I’m not particularly happy about this either you know.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“I know that, Ow!”

“Well, if you would watch where you were going, you wouldn’t have collided with the Christmas tree. And what’s with the bare feet anyway?”

“Bo ate one of my boots.”

Scott snorted and pulled out yet another tiny piece of glass Christmas bauble from the bottom of Virgil’s left foot. “She hasn’t been here twenty-four hours yet and she has already caused havoc.”

“She’s a puppy.”

“I noticed.” Scott sighed, peering through his magnifying visor at his brother’s foot. “I think that’s all of it. Please don’t do that again. You’ll be limping for a week.”

“I’m not planning on it.”

As Scott wrapped his foot in gauze, he eyed the puppy on Virgil’s lap. “And you, young lady, I thought we had a deal.”

To Virgil’s surprise, Bo’s head bobbed up and she looked distinctly guilty.

Scott arched an eyebrow. “Hmm, don’t let it happen again.”

Bo yapped at him.

Virgil stared at both of them. “What?”

“None of your business, you just lay back and look after yourself.” And Scott was smirking.

Ooookaay.

He relaxed back against the lounge and stared up at the fairy lights above.

Bo stomped up the length of him and licked his eyeball.

He coughed up a laugh and grabbed an armful of wriggly puppy.

“I think that was a Merry Christmas, Virg.” Scott held his injured foot and grinned. “Merry Christmas.”

-o-o-o-

FIN.

[scarlettlawyer]

Part 6 of my commentary/reaction of the fanfiction series Phantoms & Mirages by @renegadewangs And uh – there’s actually a small (but relevant) commentary on Turnabout to the Past in this post too… :P

Also looks like I’d better start organising the links to the previous posts more properly, so:

(Chasing Phantoms): Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 

(Haunted Specters): Part 4 | Part 5 |

So picking up with the same chapter, swiftly and subtly over the course of the fic, the phantom has been dramatically repositioned by the narrative. And now, all of a sudden, as the connections get made… Just after being shown Actual Child Phantom and having that sympathetic image fresh in our minds, the narrative suddenly goes “Haha! So anyway! Bobby and Simon parallel the phantom’s parents! :D” and throughout this chapter, because of the severity of the phantom’s injury and their weakened state, Bobby and Simon have been forced to make sure that he, well, doesn’t die. So now all of the sudden the phantom is kinda like… their child that they need to look after…

It’s almost as if… the narrative is equating the phantom with being a child… their child… And that alone is… really, really amusing. It was very funny to me. It was just about hilarious. It was the best thing. I couldn’t get enough of it. You actually managed to construct these parallels wherein the narrative positions the reader to see a direct parallel between, on some level, this fully grown man guilty of countless murders and a child. To see him as a kind of child that needs vital assistance from Bobby and Simon, rendered momentarily weak and helpless by circumstance.

Time and time again, the phantom has been built up by the series as extremely intimidating, scary, DANGEROUS, what have you, but in this moment, in one fell swoop, at least in terms of how I saw it, the narrative appears to dish out a kind of retribution. The phantom’s character is, to an extent, made fun of in the best possible way, amidst his transformation into protagonist and beginning to grab at the sympathies and concerns of the reader, Bobby and even Simon. Because however much our perspectives might have shifted somewhat at this point, no one is under any true illusion here: we all know that the phantom is a colossal jerk who has done terrible, terrible things. For the narrative to point at him, an adult, a criminal and a murderer, and say to the reader, “oh, just look at this poor little child” is on some level to outright mock him, and to strip away much of the character’s ability to intimidate in any real sense at this point. It is also a repositioning that mainly only the reader is privy to; he is not being made fun of directly in the story or being subjected to any true retribution directly over this outside of the karmic frustrations and indignities of being temporarily unable to properly fight back against Bobby and Simon’s assistance. But Bobby and Simon are not provided with the insight into the direct parental parallels. No, the “lol the phantom is a child” perspective namely resides with the reader, now, and its as if we are given every permission through it to dunk on him, as he should be dunked on, ‘cause he sucks and ruined lives lol.

The flashback to the phantom when he was a small child was nothing but angsty, make no mistake, but that does not make any narrative plays on his current adult self being a child any less amusing, and vice versa – it doesn’t in any way take away from the horror and awfulness of the child abuse flashback.

The phantom’s trauma is not funny, nor is his suffering – rather, the narrative positioning him as Bobby and Simon’s child is.

I also want to expand a little on how Simon assaulting the phantom was to an extent mirroring him as a small child being assaulted by his abusive father, although I touched on it briefly in my previous post.

In one situation, the phantom is an innocent, helpless, actual child, just doing his own thing… In the other, he is, well, the opposite of “innocent”, as well as actively baiting and anticipating the attack. And Simon striking out, naturally, is seen by the reader as being so much more justified. It is the same person – the phantom – being attacked in both situations, but different in the ways I’ve iterated. And the attacker could not be more different either, with such a very, very different connection and history with the phantom. And the reader sees the two situations as they occur in such different lights.

And yet still, there manages to be a handful of similarities between the two occurrences, such as the phantom not fighting back in either.

It’s so interesting to think about.

Not to mention that this series has been saying over and over again, he’s a monster, look at this monster, what a MONSTER… and then flips the script, everything over and puts that word into this new light.

Continuing on…

“Lex Luster… He was killed.”

Me reading this for the first time: “LOL nice try author, but I know he isn’t really dead. This is just one of your bait-and-switches, your red herrings isn’t it? Let’s see… wasn’t the phantom only just saying that this Lex Luster would take advantage of the break-in to garner sympathy and spread lies? Well, he probably had his sights set on an even greater plan. He must have faked his own death in some kind of clever elaborate ploy that will only serve to benefit him!”

The narrative as it continued to chug along, with no hints of a sudden He’s Alive reveal emerging: Uh, no he’s… he’s really dead, dude.

Me: “…What? But that makes literally no sense. I… I know that Lex Luster is supposed to be an important character. Isn’t he supposed to like, be a protagonist in future or something? I guess not, unless it’s through flashbacks, or maybe this really IS all we get of the character… So like, wait, that’s all we get of the “Lex Luster” character? Were… Were we supposed to care about that guy?! Because I’m sorry but… I really don’t see it. That guy who just got killed off, Lex Luster? I didn’t care about him. I’m sorry. (Maybe even though he wasn’t featured much, maybe he’s a bit of an Ensemble Darkhorse and/or the author had his character fleshed out behind the scenes in ways they didn’t get to showcase?? Hmm… Well either way… At least based on what I know about the guy… Don’t see why he was important tbqh).”

…WELL.

Also, I love the three of them just sitting down and playing a little blame-shifting game over a murder. Gosh I love this trio.

Haunted Specters, Chapter fourteen

“… I don’t… I…” The Phantom pressed his palm against the side of his head, leaning forward in his seat. “How is this possible? Who would dare impersonate me? Who would dare use that face?”

1. The phantom being at a loss for words – I love it

2. HE SOUNDS SO FULL OF HIMSELF… THIS MAN WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE NO SENSE OF SELF… So imperious… “WHO would DARE impersonate me?!” Get a load of this guy! :D

3. I honestly didn’t think you could do another kind of “Bobby impersonates the phantom” in terms of ironic phantom impersonation reversals on the same kind of level. I was wrong. “Someone impersonates the phantom using the phantom’s real face” is a scenario that had never, ever crossed my mind before. BUT IT’S SO GOOD. IT’S SO GOOD. Delicious. The phantom gets a nice big taste of his own medicine.

4. Also, this curveball felt Ghost Trick levels of mindscrewy when first revealed. XD

[…] the ones who’d been in the courtroom the moment the Phantom was attacked by a sniper […]

Oh you mean Bobby’s thera- okay I’ll shut up now. He just gets so many early references okay.

“I’ve lost track. However, there are two names that I’m sure you hope to hear. Calisto Yew and Shih-na.”

YES. YES. YES. CHEERING SOUND EFFECT Y’ALL, SHE MADE IT! SHE MADE IT TO THE NARRATIVE

It had almost felt like the narrative was really dancing around her… It felt like a “dropping-references-but-no-role-in-the-story” type deal but like, really pushing it, with maybe one too many references... And I’ve read more than one phantom fic where the phantom had links to her… But I just told myself “well, not everyone’s gonna go that route. Duh. And it makes sense in a realistic way. I mean, it’s highly unlikely that Calisto/Shih-Na and the phantom would know each other or have ever interacted with each other. So I certainly respect the author’s decision to not include her at all in the story and have it so the two don’t have any ties, after all it can be seen as a little cliché and the author may want to avoid that, as a decision it’s bold and respectab- WAIT NEVER MIND SHE’S HERE SHE’S ARRIVED SHE’S AWESOME THANK YOU”

And then I’m like… WAIT… SHE’S KNOWN AS MIRAGE IN THIS SERIES?!

SHE WAS THERE… THE WHOLE TIME… RIGHT IN THE TITLE.

Me, a FOOL, reading the series Phantoms and Mirages: It kind of sucks that she isn’t in this because she’s such a great and fun character, but I certainly respect the author’s decision

GOOOSH…

I swear I’m confident I would have been more inclined to check out this series prior to this year if I had actually known this little fact.

AND ALSO????

Okay, okay… and like… Teenage phantom flashback??? Was NOT expecting it. It was an even greater shift. The interaction with Mirage… the banter, the neutrality of it… & the fact that this fic actually gives him someone who had affection for him like this way back in his past, despite his emotionlessness? It’s ah, humanising? Fleshing him out? I was finding it hard to believe that the story was really treating the phantom’s character in this way… Because it felt way too good to be true. Because I probably just had my phantom bias goggles on. Because of the way the last fic had treated the phantom’s character, I also found it hard to believe. But more and more, I could not deny it… I was really starting to nod along and go, hey. It’s not just me. The author is pulling these strings on purpose, constructing the character and the narrative in this way, in this light…

“Agent Fulbright. Why does it strike me as if you’ve got a dead animal on your face?”

Aww man, this is harsher in hindsight given the later reveal that Bobby’s so self-conscious of it… But this exchange following this line/the line itself was super funny

“Of course. It’s a method that was perfected over fifteen years ago. I believe the Hotti Clinic is one of many locations around the world that specializes in facial reconstruction.”

NICE ONE.

Me: that sounds a little farfe- Oh wait nvm that has a very solid basis in actual ace attorney canon.

Haunted Specters, Chapter 15

Perhaps, in a way, the spy even meant to protect a gentle person like Sam from a gunshot wound.

Hmm, food for thought! Oh, protect from a gunshot wound like Simon's inclined to protect Sam from risk of electric shock later?

“A need to craft?” “It keeps the headaches at bay. Aside from that, this has always been my preferred pastime. If I were to have something of a hobby, this would be it.” A hobby… How peculiar. The Phantom had shown a tendency to adopt the hobbies of his personas, from fixing clocks to pursuing justice, yet here he was with a pastime of his own. A rather disturbing pastime, yet a pastime nonetheless.

And you gave?? The phantom a kind of hobby??? The stuff only starts pilin’ on after this, let me tell you.

And this whole scene too is just… Simon talking to the phantom neutrally. It’s…!

And it’s so cool that we basically get to see child phantom pull off the equivalent of his Dual Destinies jump in this chapter.

Haunted Specters, Chapter 16

“What a ridiculous question. It’s because I am male.” “Identifying yourself as male implies identity, Phantom.”

I HADN’T BEEN EXPECTING THE NARRATIVE TO ADDRESS THIS I HADN’T BEEN EXPECTING THE NARRATIVE TO ADDRESS THIS. This was SO great and refreshing to see, especially since it had been a tiny little thing bothering me somewhat from the very start. I’ve already brought it up more than once in these commentaries. You might have noticed, but although I use he/him for your version of the phantom, I tend to use they/them when talking about the phantom in general.

It wasn’t always like that with me, though! When I first finished Dual Destinies I was constantly using he/him. I mean, it’s what the phantom is referred to with consistently in-game, after all. And I never reconsidered it at all until I saw it brought up/discussed among other ace attorney fans as an issue. But even then, my perspective was pretty much the same as Pengychan’s – there’s, if I recall correctly, an author’s note in Turnabout to the Past addressing the pronouns issue, where it’s stated something like “well, the phantom lacks a sense of self to the extent that they don’t have the self-reflection required to challenge the notion + they don’t care/aren’t bothered by it. They just stick with he/him because it’s the default that gets applied and don’t have enough sense of self to even question it.” And I couldn’t have agreed more. And I still agree? It’s a completely reasonable and justified perspective/interpretation.

But over the years, I’ve just slipped more and more into the they/them habit to the extent that it started feeling more “correct” to me. I’ve read really really great fic where the phantom is afab and they/them is consistently used by the narrative the entire way through. All of a sudden, he/him phantom started feeling kind of jarring to read, even when it had felt like the most natural version to me in the past. It was almost like I started becoming more fond of they/them phantom hahaha. But both sets of pronouns have equal claim. (And I tend to use they/them for general, all-encompassing phantom because it includes everyone’s interpretations and still doesn’t exclude he/him interpretations. So it captures ‘em all!).

“Effort? In what way?” “Women need to watch their posture. Their nails. Their hair. Their appearance is always judged.[…]”

Okay honestly, looking back, I think this was another statement I looked way too much into at the time and misconstrued. The brevity, and therefore lack of specification, leaves something to be desired to me here…

For example: Nails…? That feels like it reaches straight into the realm of stereotypical for me. Obviously – I mean, obviously he’s making a comically HUGE generalisation here, that’s just a given. Maybe the “nails” comment is more about… “some women” idek but when I first read this, it kinda felt like he was sitting there going “being a woman is so difficult, always needing to maintain perfect, painted nails blah blah blah…” Like dude. It’s nails. Nobody cares. If a woman isn’t preoccupied/obsessed with manicures or whatever, there tends to be 0 difference between men and women when it comes to nails and how they are maintained. And hair, too, it’s like… myself and plenty of women I’m sure hardly give our hair much thought at ALL in day to day life, even if on average the focus may be a little bit more than it is for men.

I realise that I probably read this the wrong way though, and what he’s actually saying may be more akin to “regardless of how a woman personally feels about her appearance, and how little she personally cares about maintaining her appearance, that appearance is still going to be more heavily judged”??? But that still seems kinda… Like that doesn’t really impact much how difficult it is to portray a woman. That’s only a comment on how other people would treat them… Like there’s a greater risk involved if the disguise itself is more closely examined cause he doesn’t want to be discovered, but…

Another thing though is he’s probably making general comments that aren’t supposed to be particularly accurate and/or specific. I just look into things and make assumptions way too much. :P

Like the one thing I’ll give him is the whole posture aspect… to an extent. Societal influences/expectations DO go both ways and men have their own expectations to comply with, even in the realm of posture. But I guess the takeaway here is that for the most part, the scrutiny for men is less + the posture of “men” is often stuff that would come more naturally to anyone, men or women. It’s women who, when it comes to femininity, tend to be required to actually modify in ways that don’t come as naturally. And also a lot of “men’s posture” is seen as default and/or they have more claim to default posture.

Even if he has some kind of a point… What he’s saying sounded, to me, ridiculously exaggerated. At the time on the first readthrough I interpreted him as kind of saying “as a woman, like ALL women, you have to be constantly aware of yourself, carefully adhering to femininity in everything you do in unnatural, practised ways.” And like… HAHAHA… nah? Women tend to just live their lives and most of the time they are acting in ways that come naturally. But there are times when this kind of pressure comes into play but not to that extent. Not constantly. It obviously depends on a given woman’s circumstances though… Because I’m sure for some, life circumstances do require putting on a constant show of hyper-femininity. Which would tend to be… exhausting.

And yes, women’s appearance and behaviour is subject to scrutiny by society, and such scrutiny, and being aware you are under such scrutiny, can modify one’s behaviour to the extent that it is less natural. But at THE SAME TIME this also struck me as being kinda bogus. “Women need to watch their posture” uh… I guess? To an extent, in that society reckons there are certain “ladylike” ways to sit and conduct oneself, but those instances are still quite specific and are not necessarily a CONSTANT, FELT presence… pretty sure most women going about their day are just living their life. Well, you could also say that being “trained” by society into conducting yourself in a certain way and having a certain posture and what have you so that it becomes what comes naturally and is no longer noticeable is also a factor.

There are valid points in most of what he’s saying, exaggerated or no. For a variety of reasons, portraying a woman comes with difficulties.

But also…

In a way, that justification struck Simon as a rather weak excuse to cover any traces of true identity.

The whole thing is that there is something buried away. And this is one form of that something bleeding through. The text lampshades the flimsy nature of the excuses, hints at this.

So at the end of the day… There is actual narrative reason in this series for the phantom being he/him from the beginning. It also arguably allows for a smoother transition between “the phantom” and Lex later on. So yeah… I’m fully on board.

Also like… Just like how women are people with a huge variety and spectrum of personalities… Men are equally varied and, depending on the personality, can potentially be very difficult & demanding to portray (like you know… BOBBY – original Bobby). Hands down there are men way more difficult to portray than an “average” woman, no question. PLUS… the whole self-awareness demands don’t apply when the phantom kinda needs to always be self-aware of his every action when in a persona regardless. Especially the more difficult and demanding ones. SO THE TAKEAWAY HERE at least for me definitely is… The phantom is a big dummy in denial about having some kind of self and the fact that this self has a sense of “maleness” attached to it.

Or perhaps the Phantom truly was looking at the matter so objectively that he couldn’t grasp the difference between biological and psychological. The difference between sex and gender.

Simon, pulling up a helpful and informative tumblr post: “You see, there’s actually a difference between the two!”

“…Simon Blackquill. You’ve no need to lecture me on such things, as I have done far more research than you on matters such as these. I know what applies and does not apply to me, such as the simple fact that I am aroace.”

“Don’t. Odd as it is, it’s grown on me.” A moment’s pause, then Bobby snorted. “It’s grown on me too. Literally.”

xDDD

Haunted Specters, Chapter 18

The only thing he could take comfort in was the fact that Sam Specter looked far more exhausted than he felt. It had to do with the recent migraine attack, no doubt.

Using “Sam Specter” but meaning the phantom… Sam Specter is supposed to be an act. Sam Specter has been said to always look tired. Yet Simon is looking at him here, seeing the phantom underneath, but still using “Sam Specter”…!

Not that either of them could approach him to ask whether he was holding up alright

APPROACH WHO? ASK WHO? Simon is referring to “Sam” but he knows that Sam is an act, a facade and there is no point… This is just a hypothetical sentence though; it doesn’t say that he wants to check on him… And even if he does it could be rationalised away with “well he needs to remain intact for the plan to go off without a hitch” but…!

Bobby seemed genuinely concerned for Sam. Seemed to be genuinely interested in the words of someone who wasn’t even real. Perhaps, after two weeks, the line between the Phantom and Sam Specter was beginning to blur for him as well. Perhaps he was foolish enough to believe that due to the Phantom’s utter devotion to his personas, Sam was just as real as any other human. 

YOOOOOO

Same though. SAME. Because for so long I thought the author didn’t care too much about the phantom, I put way too much stock in Sam. “The narrative wants us to care about Sam, not the phantom. Because the other way around is too good to be true… right?” I also thought maybe Simon was still slightly underestimating the phantom’s level of self-deception at the time as well.

But guess what? Sam is a trap. You find yourself growing attached or caring about Sam in ANY way, you are in a roundabout way caring about the phantom. The person just behind the façade. And once you’re in too deep, all that’s left is for the façade to be yanked away. A sleight of hand wherein you realise oh, oh no…

Over the past few chapters, there’s been a sudden rush of information and situations that just, it all happens so fast, it seems.

“That’s why you need to remind Agent Fulbright not to get too attached to his new friend. You and I both know there’s only one acceptable ending to this sorry tale.” Only one acceptable ending… Execution. […] Either way, the Phantom’s fate was unavoidable. Unavoidable and of his own choosing. Death.

And when I read this, I grew very serious. I nodded to myself in complete agreement and internally said, in all seriousness… “yes.”

They were to head for Fulbright’s apartment, a location that was already known to the Phantom either way. He’d made it perfectly clear he didn’t want the spy knowing about his own apartment- Aura’s apartment- in order to have at least one safe location should things go awry.

Huh… I guess what it comes down to here is the phantom’s lack of memories… Because he should know about Simon’s apartment. But he wouldn’t now, due to the fall…

Haunted Specters, Chapter 19

“Nice beard!” she remarked, grinning so widely Simon wondered whether it might hurt her face. “Are you going for the middle-aged Obi Wan Kenobi look?”

THIS IS ATHENA’S SECOND STAR WARS REFERENCE IN THIS SERIES… what a tiny yet consistent running thread.

“Sam,” Bobby called, hoping to get his attention. In retrospect, that’d been a bad move. Sam started so badly that he accidentally shook the pocket watch, sending tiny gears and screws all over the floor. A few words of Cohdopian escaped him- perhaps curses that Simon couldn’t understand.

SDKBDSJBK HOW MUCH OF THIS REACTION IS GENUINE… PLEASE TELL ME AT LEAST SOME OF IT

He drew a steadying breath and turned to face them, eyes narrowing when his gaze fell on Athena. For a moment, there was nothing. Then his expression brightened to the point where Simon found it almost suspicious. Sam pushed himself to his feet with a flourish and approached her. He prattled something in Cohdopian and leaned forward in a bit of a bow. Then he took Athena’s hand with his own, pressing his lips against the back of it, causing her to giggle.

ASKJBADLBJADKLNADKNL?

OKAY THIS IS! HAHAHA, LET’S UNPACK THIS

I JUST… I

1- The phantom knows DAMN well who Athena is

2- The phantom ACTIVELY DECIDES to do this. Not only that, but he ACTIVELY DECIDES, on Sam’s behalf – a real person who used to be alive that he stole the identity of - that this is how Sam Specter would react to meeting Athena. That Sam would treat her like this and have this opinion of her. (Or, who knows… Maybe Sam just tends to be this way towards women in general and Athena isn’t getting singled out…?)

3- I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE HE DOES THIS OMG

4- HE KNOWS FULL WELL HOW MUCH THIS WOULD IRK SIMON AND BOBBY.

5- HE OBVIOUSLY HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING FOR CERTAIN THAT THIS IS HOW SAM WOULD REACT TO ATHENA, SO

6- THE PHANTOM IS A GODDAMN TROLL, ‘NUFF SAID

“What did he say?” “He uh… He said that she’s the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen,” Bobby rolled his eyes, mouth drawn in bitter distaste. Words failed Simon completely. His mouth opened, then closed itself. He gave Sam’s shoulder one last squeeze in warning before releasing him. This time, not even Fulbright seemed entirely willing to overlook Sam’s behavior, as he was watching the man closely as well.

Haaahahah. You did it. You actually put in brief joke phantom/Athena.

You know what makes this better? Much later, way after this scene, prior to the end of Vanquishing Mirages, I messaged another one of my friends basically saying “Hey… So I haven’t finished it yet so I can’t say for absolute certain… But so far, this may just be one of the best fanfiction series I have ever read.”

He replied something akin to, “LOL, yeah, imagine if you kept reading on only for it to suddenly turn into romantic Athena/phantom? Bet you’d kinda regret saying that then.”

To which I was able to gleefully and jokingly reply, “…Oh, it’s been done.”

Haunted Specters, Chapter 20

He considered following anyway, allowing the Phantom to suffer for the sake of stopping Fulbright from doing something foolish, but then… It wouldn’t be the Phantom who would suffer. Most likely, it’d be Sam Specter, who had nothing to do with any of this.

BUT THE F

SAM ISN’T- THE PHANTOM IS-

Nevermind.

“If he can feel emotions now, maybe we can straighten them out! Maybe he can be rehabilitated to-”

Me: Bobby, no. Don’t.

Okay, so when I read this… the prospect of the emotions getting “straightened out” was something that piqued my interest. It was something I knew I would like to see. But to whatever extent they could be “straightened out”, although I figured it would be fascinating to see, I figured it would be very limited. Even something limited would be quite significant, but…

…I still agreed with Simon. It would ultimately change nothing in the grand scheme of things. That man – the phantom – would still have to die in the end. He needed to die. That’s the only way this could end.

I wouldn’t have denied wanting to see his emotions get straightened out before he meets his end though, however limited the results may be. I felt the same tug Bobby did – I wanted him to be helped. But helped prior to an inevitable death.

Let us return to this earlier segment that I commented on:

”[…] You and I both know there’s only one acceptable ending to this sorry tale.” Only one acceptable ending… Execution. […] Either way, the Phantom’s fate was unavoidable. Unavoidable and of his own choosing. Death.

And I’m going to expand a little more on what I essentially thought when I first read it beyond my simple “yes” that I supplied before:

“Absolutely. No way out of it. So narrative, make it so. He has to die. I’ll be waiting. I will hold you to your word. Everyone from Bobby to the narrative and the reader have been getting awfully familiar with and caring for the phantom with the new sympathetic slant the story’s been taking. Almost suspiciously so. But it changes nothing. He must die. It is the only acceptable ending to this story. Tragic? Sure. But there’s no real alternative. None.”

You might be a little like “whoa, whoa – hold up. Isn’t he your favourite character?! The whole reason you started this series?”

To which I’d reply: “Absolutely. And he needs to be executed and/or die, if this is the route the narrative ultimately seems to be heading in.”

“…By all means, allow Bobby and Simon to become unwittingly invested. Make the phantom sympathetic. Pile on the angst. But in the end…? Execution. Death”

Why? ...I’d been hurt before.

And to understand this oddly firm stance… Apologies, but I need to briefly talk a little bit about Turnabout to the Past. XD

Turnabout to the Past is a narrative that is constantly building up to the phantom’s inevitable execution – or rather, Robert LaRoche’s execution, by the end of it. We – the readers - grow to care. Simon grows to care. Athena grows to care. About him. This care, and LaRoche’s changes and regaining of identity, do not grant him full redemption. He is still required to pay for his crimes. This never changes.

From the way the story is set up and construed, Robert LaRoche’s redemption actually hinges upon his execution. In an odd kind of way, although he can make progress towards redemption, full redemption cannot be granted until he is dead – regaining his identity, changing his behaviour, and having other characters become invested in him on its own is not enough, even though they are all contributing factors towards redemption. Full redemption is still withheld from him until his execution can be carried out.

Like many people who read Turnabout to the Past, I bawled my eyes out. The “execution” scene left me a complete and utter mess. The whole ending – all of it – just ruined me.

In the end, he cheats death. In doing so, he cheats himself out of a full, complete and proper redemption. It is a huge act of betrayal. He betrays Simon, he betrays Athena, he fundamentally betrays himself. He is forced to leave the Robert LaRoche he struggled so hard to regain behind once more.

Simon wanted him to face death. That’s what he wanted him to do from the beginning. That’s the promise between them. But he doesn’t. The promise is broken.

I felt betrayed by LaRoche, too. I cried so hard and so much at his “execution”. And for what?

As much as the execution scene wrecked me, as much as it hurt, as painful as it was, however much I was crying, it felt right. He had to die. This was what the entire fic had been building towards. It was “the only acceptable ending to this story”.

But he cheats death. And I felt betrayed, and I felt angry towards the character for doing something like this to me, to Athena, to Blackquill, to himself.

Athena and Blackquill are grieving. They are grieving over him. And for what? For what?! How could he do this? How could I forgive him? How could he not only betray Athena and Blackquill but also cause them so much pain and suffering – grief – in the process?! Grief based on a false premise. Grief for… For nothing.

…Inevitably, I got the hell over myself, and came back to read the super cool sequel. :P We wouldn’t have gotten such a cool sequel if it wasn’t for that betrayal…!

Obviously, this fic is not that fic. This series is very different, so the exact same rules do not, cannot apply. But I still had some baggage lying around, and I was essentially (unfairly) taking it out on this fic’s version of the phantom. “Well, someone has to die. LaRoche didn’t die. He cheated death. So this phantom isn’t allowed to. So don’t let him get away.”

Well obviously, you already know that I’m happy with how things turn out, so… It’s a foregone conclusion that this perspective changes at some point as this series continues!

Simon hadn’t bothered to bid him farewell. He hadn’t truly gotten along with Sam either way.

!!!!

Bobby looked torn for a moment, as if he wasn’t sure what to say or how to even say it. “… But don’t hurt her, okay? There’s no real reason to injure her, so… Don’t. And try not to get hurt yourself.” “Yes, mother,” the Phantom droned. Bobby didn’t reply.

YOU JUST COULD NOT RESIST MAKING THIS JOKE COULD YOU, and I absolutely can’t blame you. I LOVE it.

ALSO I’M JUST SDJDSJLNLNDS? This is supposed to be a sarcastic quip right? But I’m NOT SURE HOW MUCH SELF-AWARENESS THE PHANTOM HAS WHEN MAKING THIS JOKE…

Haunted Specters, Chapter 21

The… The confrontation between Mirage & the phantom… The phantom was always the one in control during the flashbacks with Mirage. He was always the one who had power over her, both in the sense that he is the one teaching her new skills and is therefore “in charge” and kinda of a higher rank, and he also wields power over her – unintentionally so – in the fact that she holds affection for him.

And now that’s turned on its head. The phantom is on his knees, powerless, grasping, begging. Mirage has all the power. Mirage is the one in control. Probably for, well, the first time ever, she’s actually seeing the phantom losing control, powerless, weak, she is wielding power over him.

So on the one hand, part of me is kinda like “yeah, show him who’s boss, show him what’s what, it’s your turn to be in control now!” But on the other hand I was like. “NOO MIRAGE I THOUGHT YOU WERE COOL… WHY… I TRUSTED YOU… LOOK WHAT YOU’RE DOING TO MY FAVE… I THOUGHT YOU CARED?? HOW COULD YOU…” And ultimately, the second perspective won out.

Also, the casual way she talks about killing people coupled with how she treats the phantom towards the end of the scene is a reminder that, however much of a fun and exciting character she is, she is still a dangerous criminal involved in the facilitation of things like uh, HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

The Phantom had had another breakdown.

It started feeling like a running, constant occurrence at this point. Really felt like the characters could really start using one of these:

They’re definitely gonna have to reset it a few more times, too. :’D

SAM’S NOTE. SAM’S NOTE. OH NOOO. SAM’S NOTE. I AM FEELING KINDA SENTIMENTAL OVER A FICTIONAL FAKE PERSONA’S DEPARTURE FROM THE NARRATIVE GOD DAMMIT. How?!

Sam was a literary trap, aiding in dooming us all.

Towards the end, treating Sam Specter as a real person was no longer a knowing act of self-deception on Simon’s part, but had rather become a habit that he’d fallen into. A habit that comes awfully naturally now. One that he sometimes may not even be aware of, and sometimes may need to consciously wake himself up from.

The explanation that I’ve finally settled on… is that it was never about how “human” Sam is. Because Sam will always be artificial. He can never become 100% real or human. The real Sam is already dead and cannot be resurrected. It was never even about Sam. It had always been about the phantom. The phantom that was always hiding just underneath.

There’s something else, too, towards the end of this fic. Before, when the parents-and-their-child dynamic was set up, and the trio were all forced to live together in a temporary truce, I referred to it as a special liminal space wherein they were sectioned off from the rest of the characters and the rest of the world. In this strange little space, they and the reader had to ignore the extreme oddity of the circumstances to some degree in order to function properly and make sense of it. Simon and Bobby can tell themselves that this is only temporary, and that soon enough, everything can just go back to normal again once they abandon their little liminal space over in Cohdopia and everything wraps up. That is a false promise.

After an extended interval, their liminal space gets broken, intruded upon. First by Lang, who enters their odd little circle that is still being propped up. Then by Athena. And they return to America, too. They’re not in Cohdopia anymore in a secretive little apartment no one else knows about. The location changes. They’re not completely sectioned off from the other characters anymore. But things have changed. Things are changing. Bobby does not “snap out of it”. He only becomes more steadfast and entrenched in his support of the phantom.  Simon is clearly, well…! He’s being influenced. And the phantom is still able to interact neutrally with the other members of the cast. The new light and perspective shed on him by the fic does not suddenly vanish, he doesn’t suddenly “change back” to whatever he seemed to be before. Of course not. There’s a line of continuity here, and the dynamic changes between the cast cannot be boxed away, sectioned off, erased.

The phantom’s child abuse flashback is a sudden, powerful jab that disarms the reader, however momentarily. Then there is parent-child dynamic in the current cast revealed. With the reader distracted like this, a sudden onslaught is unleashed in the chapters following. An onslaught of flashbacks, a whole host of neutral interactions the phantom is shown having, both in past and present. Neutral interactions, which on its own is quite a feat. Considering how, well, despicable he can be, HAS been. How he has always been “the enemy” before. And yet we are given so many neutral interactions. Not positive per se. Just… neutral. But that alone is enough. And in Mirage in the teen flashbacks, we actually get to see someone from the phantom’s past who cares about him. As a person. There’s other little things too, like the aforementioned sort-of hobby revealed. The flow, the outpouring of all these little things just starts and it does not stop. It will not stop. At the end of this fic, heading into the next one, we are already teetering on the edge of… Something. And it’s only going to increase in volume, become more palpable, grow stronger from here on out.

There’s also little scattered things here as well, like the phantom looking out for Bobby in his own way. And the mask… the mask that is not like the others. I feel that there have been many, many narrative sleights of hand that have come into play, subtle enough that it makes them difficult to document. And I can’t document them all, because there’s just so many.

And then in the epilogue, the bone sliver gets revealed, and it’s like HMM… HMMMM… Food for thought, folks. Food for thought!

…Oh and I forgot to comment on this under the appropriate chapter’s banner, but uh, I absolutely loved Bobby’s whole “call him back in fifteen minutes” exchange with Simon xDDD.

So that looks like Haunted Specters pretty much wrapped up, I think. Vanquishing Mirages up next!

[tybalt-you-saucy-boi]

Hello! I was curious to know what some of your favorite Mindcrack moments are in all of their years of existing?

Bro. You are in for a motherfucking LIST.

Off the bat, every single Team Canada Prank. I’ve practically memorized the Sky Shrooms and King of the Ladder episodes. That moment when Guude realized Etho was part of the prank and said “We? Who’s we?” and Etho stuttered and fell backwards off the mushrooms to his death was the first moment in my life that I truly felt alive. #TheOfficeIsAGoodShow #RealMenUseTheirRingFinger

Von Swaying Guude’s house changed my whole outlook on Minecraft. How could someone make something so darn ugly and yet so beautiful? It’s the epitome of doing something for the sole purpose of shit starting creating and having fun rather than aiming for perfect and never finishing. Zisteau is a great addition to any video 10/10 educational content

Just about every moment in Guude/Nebris/Pakratt/Arkas’ TerraFirmaCraft Reloaded series. Had to pause videos multiple times to write down quotes and even then I passed up some good ones! I fully intend on rewatching the series from each perspective. Arkas getting slain by bear, Guude and Arkas secretly growing mushrooms and getting high, Pakratt confusing dolomite and diorite, literally everything Arkas does, THE COWS, that last episode of absolute chaos wtf Pakratt

UHC #ForTheKidsSeven with Single Malt scotch’s skyblock base and rampant cheating from every team except Nebris’. I fucking LOVED that near-kill with the anvil, and all the chaos as the border shrank. Four players stuck in a 1x1 column! The arrow volley between SMS and SkyblockJr. Can this happen every UHC?

Speaking of UHC, Etho and BdoubleO’s epic fight in season 11! He was absolutely on the ball with those potions, I was sure he’d die before he could use them all. And Etho’s fight with Guude right before that was hilarious! Guude high as fuck on percocets and Etho like completely confused at what Guude was doing. The original UHC skybase by Zisteau #I’mALavaExpert and Anderz reaction to the skybase, and then to Guude’s dogs

The whole portal thing in season 3 with Pause, Kurt, and Beef too! That has remained one of my favourite UHC moments since I saw it, there is nothing more classic. Every single season I hope someone will make a portal for no reason and end up in someone else’s base with them. #TheWolfTheWolfAmazing!

Zisteau’s E-Pranker Montage. I legitimately cry every time I watch it, particularly during 0.5 (the fourth prank) when he rebuilds Bdubs’ first house from his Building With BdoubleO series. Bdubs’ moment of realization hits me like a train even though I know it’s coming. Like, if someone built my first Minecraft base to prank me I think I would die on impact, but like in a good way.

And back to UHC! Season 14 episode 5. HOOOOOOLY FUCK! 2spooky4me should have totally been a UHC team! Remember when Zisteau played UHC? It just isn’t UHC without him to be honest. And besides the #BadYouTubers and #ImALavaExpert moments from Super Hostile and Ninja Turtles, Parkas had a great season as well! Shit, everyone was awesome! Parkas listening in on BTC finding a silverfish, Doc listening in on Ole Yeller right before Zisteau-ing himself and swearing, Baj hiding nether wart, every single drunken drink Genny did, Parkas towers “we should smelt some stone to make bricks”, snnnnowballs! :D, HEY JSANO! WHY YOU RUNNING JSANO?, “ooooh, we’re right behind you haha” “BTC, they’re actually here.” Pakratt was slain by generikb, Avidya’s spooky voice echoing around Seth and Anderz “You wouldn’t hurt an old teammate, would you?” “I dunno. It’s been awhile.” Just. God this was a good season.

Season 19 with Vechs and BTC! You’ve heard all the famous quotes, “how did I get stuck with you of all people” “Vechs, Vechs. I don’t hate you anymore” “He’s not dying. He’s just mad right now.” “Did it come from your hand, knocking a teammate off the ledge?” “THAT WAS A MOD!” etc etc. I also like MC’s half heart midnight desert dash, although it took a good 10 years of my life from the stress. Oblivious Pakratt running away from his teammates as they yell after him and then wondering why he hasn’t found anyone yet. Seth’s reaction to MC’s diamonds. Coe’s post commentary, again, you know the quotes: “Left. Chicken. Right. Chicken.” “This bucket has wheels!” “Are you gonna put that dirt in a chest?!” etc. Kurt finding Beef “Sharpness Five diamond sword!” and PiMP turning around. F1 and PiMP in general. SwedishZen and Millbee with the melons.

Obligatory mentions: “NOOO YOUR DOGS KILLING ME!!!!”, 2Germans1Hole, Zisteau crafting a clock and finding every excuse to use it during the game so that those 4 gold didn’t go to waste, Rob’s jukebox battles, Anderz fighting spiders when a creeper wanders into his hole, Bdubs’ “real” season 9 ending, Nebris going God-mode “HIT ME ALL YOU LIKE”, Nebris and Pause double kill, Nebris and Pyro double kill with Bdubs watching and cleaning up at half a heart and then Etho cleaning up again and finding the potions B left and Bdubs interrupting his video to do facecam to explain that he’s a nice guy who shares and leaves gifts for others (basically whenever Bdubs does facecam in UHC. Let’s face it, when Bdubs whips out the cam you know you’re in for a good show), Team Uppercats season 10. All of it.

Trouble in Terrorist Town when Pyro and Coe pull a long con on Pause and Guude in like episode 9 during the last round. I had to pause the video to take it all in, I was just in awe. That series is one of my favourites! I always watch from Pause.

In original DvZ when BTC got warned for breaking a cake. Also Pause’s helmet!

Team Canada CTM uhhh forgot which series, but Pause and Beef getting stuck in a hole, Etho dying, placing TNT over their heads, and singing “Pause and Beef, best of friends” while Beef panics.

Etho calling Pause fat as a joke and Pause taking it serious and then Etho going “wait, are you actually fat?’ lmao.

Pause yelling about vacations on episode 37 of the podcast with BdoubleO “STOP TELLING PEOPLE I’M GOING ON VACATION IT’S NOT A VACATION!!!!!!!” and every time he’s yelled about vacations or muted his mic.

Baj reading a question and mid sentence switching to talking about the curry he had last night, and then there’s a pause and the rest of Nancy Drew fucking loses it.

On the podcast, Kurt’s “Wake me up, boys!” That whole episode was a blast!

The whole “sitting or standing?” debate and the guests’ reactions to it.

Doc accidentally killing Notch on the Mindcrack server, and Dinnerbone confused about him not dropping an apple.

Doc’s zombie death loop from season 4 with Anderz saving the day and then promptly dying.

B-Team mafia in survival of the fittest, Etho killing Genny, and B and Etho teaming up afterwards. Also B and Pungence talking excitedly at the end was adorable, you can really tell they’re brothers lol. And Etho drinking out of the outhouse! Bdubs’ comment on that video killed me lol. And Etho forgetting his push-to-talk and failing to team up with Doc.

The whole got-dang B-Team trial.

End of season 3 tour “On a scale from Baj to Anderz” “Arkas, say something about your build.” Arkas: “Hello.”

The original Death Games, when Etho reveals his secret to Nebris particularly, and all the trash talking. Also Millbee, MC, and Nebris coming to kill him and Kurt logging on in the middle of it.

Prop hunt, and all the wiener and erect jokes. “Am I erect?” “I just saw a can spying on me while I was trying to put my wiener in the toilet!”

Pause and Rob getting girlfriends in Orespawn, and Rob naming his after Pause, and Pause murdering his.

Andrea talking about waking up with spiders in her mouth in an old Triple Eh Mondays episode.

Nebris “sensually” feeding Beef a banana (and practically begging to do it to) on the Mindcrack marathon, and Beef completely ruining the mood lol

Zisteau accidentally launching CaptainSparklez back into a lava tree column and “Dude, it’s okay. You can just kill me” after Jordan’s hit him about 40 times.

#ForTheHorse

MC accidentally killing his one and only teammate JSano during UHC season 22

Sevadus and Seth playing blindfolded lego with Chad’s underwear on Sev’s head, lots of swearing, bugs in the lego, “Are you sure it’s the grey lego?”, “I don’t think I like kids anymore” etc

All the Pyro and Baj burns on Quiplash, ie “What’s something that absolutely does not make you think of a penis in any way?” “Baj”

Coe and Pak playing that stupid horse/giraffe volley ball game with the stretchy legs and neck, and Coe doing the silly accent

Bdubs calling Nebris a psychopath in Nebs’ first FTB episode because he jumped a dangerous ledge for 2 (TWO) pieces of glowstone dust

Nebs coming outta nowhere and jumping in Etho’s car when he was about to test his race track

The first few episode of CrackPack and the battle between Etho and BTC, and Beef and Nebris

The first building game with potatoes on sticks, the second accidentally dirty and racist building game with bloody toilet capsules, the third actually dirty building game with a viking hat with a penis inside

God, I could go on forever, but I’ve already spent over an hour and a half on this.

[invokingbees]

I finished Dark Souls 2

So you know what that means!

Absolute fucking Biblical CUBIT of text under the break.

Dark Souls 2 is an oft-maligned game. Once a radically different product, its director was fired half way through and replaced, and the game pretty much rebuilt from scratch using already existing assets, story included. The first time I played DaS2, I didn't like it. I played a caster and had much less experience with the series than I do now, so suffice it to say that I gave up and respecced into a pure strength build because of Fume Knight and vowed to never play the game again because I found it so unenjoyable. But after being disappointed with Sekiro and needing a Souls fix, I reluctantly picked it up again, and with much more experience under my belt, I found myself actually really enjoying it, even more so than my three playthroughs of Dark Souls 1, which to some people, is tantamount to blasphemy. So let me talk about why I feel this way.

In Dark Souls 1, you are the Chosen Undead, with only a scrap of legend to lead you on a quest to save a world on the brink of falling into capital D Darkness. Of course that's all bullshit and is basically a conspiracy against humanity by the gods of fire who feared an age of humanity, an age of Dark. In Dark Souls 2, things are a little different. It appears to have been many many ages since the first game, so much so no one remembers Lordran, no remembers the gods, or Anor Londo or anything. It's been possibly hundreds if not thousands of years. You are again an accursed Undead, who has found themselves in the decrepit land of Drangleic, which long ago was brought to its knees by a war with the Giants from across the sea, after Drangleic's king, Vendrick, took something from them at the bidding of his mysterious queen, Nashandra. Vendrick sought a way to cure or circumvent the Undead Curse which turns all undead, eventually, into mindless Hollows. Alas, although Vendrick was close, he didn't make it, and fled from his queen and his kingdom after learning of her true nature and reason for sending him off to conquer the Giants. You, the Bearer of the Curse, like in DaS1, must collect powerful souls, but instead of linking the first flame and becoming glorified firewood, you must prove yourself a worthy monarch, traverse the continent, gather the Great Souls and take the Throne of Want, to inherit the Fire and conquer the Dark, to overcome the curse, or to leave it and seek something else.

Dark Souls 2 has a more personal scope and is actually the main reason I really liked it. You arrive in Drangleic 'without ever really knowing why' but find your objective fairly quickly. You're gently nudged by the Emerald Herald (the level up waifu) to seek the king and eventually discover he was looking for a way out of the curse. In DaS1 you're fed a grand narrative about the fate of the world and the gods and how you'll be the hero to save it all, but in DaS2, you're the bearer of a curse, a lost soul who's stumbled upon possible salvation and has no real other option but to pursue it. It's a salvation with a lot of responsibility, and you must ask yourself (and are asked by the King's brother, the nefarious Aldia) if that's really what you want. In the end, taking the Throne of Want inherits the fire and links it, takes the power of the gods and keeps it all running, but Dark Souls 2 gives this action a much more personal angle. You could have easily been fed a tale that the king needs a successor and that you must prove yourself in his trials, but no, Vendrick went hollow a long time ago and there's just nobody left to pick up the pieces. But it's all there, if you want it. And Nashandra does so hope that you do.

The idea of Want plays a great part in Dark Souls 2, which really cements the personal angle the game takes. The curse of life is the curse of want. The desire for power, security, knowledge. Vendrick wanted a way out of the curse. But this want factors into the game's real antagonists, the Shards of Manus, Father of the Abyss, who fled through the world and became the queens of four lands, all of which fell to ruin. They were weak creatures, they sought safety, they were envious, fearful, and Wanted. And you have to wonder, are they even to be faulted for what happened? Perhaps. But what about you? Your journey isn't a necessity, it's a want, you rail against fate. You kill and take souls because you want a way out of the curse, to surpass Vendrick's failures.

Dark Souls 2's atmosphere has this almost fairy tale-esque, mythical feel with kings and queens, giants and castles, crowns and thrones, but with the weird and dark twist of Souls lore. There is nary a mention of Gwyn, the first flame, I don't think the game has a single demon outside of the one in Shrine of Amana, and for all the complaints of the game calling back too hard to DaS1, I never felt it was anywhere near as intrusive as people say it is. DaS2 almost could have been its own thing. The different approach to its fantasy feels refreshing, moreso than Dark Souls 3, although truth be told I love that game's idea of an exhausted world being artificially forced to continue and falling in on itself. Dark Souls 2 doesn't even present a world ending threat, because there's other lands out there, Volgin, Forossa and Mirrah come up numerous times and seem to be doing just fine. Drangleic is a ruin to pick through for answers. There is no rush to link the flame, everything is placed upon your want to succeed. Quite meta, in a way.

Lore and atmosphere-wise, I'm very fond of Dark Souls 2. I love the whole lead up to finding Vendrick, hearing about this king, going through the land, fighting your way through the castle, feeling like your hot on his trail, fighting his royal guards, his personal bodyguard and then...you find a mindless husk wandering an empty room. That's a fantastic reveal.

Gameplay-wise, though, it's now time to get tough on DaS2. The game has issues, I won't lie, and they're just enough to bug me.

One thing that really bothered me are the weapon movesets which are, for the most part, abysmal. Nothing feels particularly satisfying and most of the choices just feel janky and awkward. Combat in the game is perfectly serviceable and at time it does feel good but the combat, really, is just fine never anything more. It never feels particularly meaty, but sure, Souls games aren't combat games and this isn't Bloodborne which required a more in-depth combat system. Casting is another matter, Souls magic never felt very good but DaS2 has a pretty good amount of variety to its spells.

The main game has some great areas, but also really just terrible ones. The two most glaring areas, for me, are Black Gulch, a frankly bullshit almost straight hallway lined with poison shooting statues that eat your weapon durability like no one's business if you want to be rid of them (also, this game's durability is a joke). It also has OHK grab enemies and worm enemies designed to just completely block movement. It's a bad, bad area with a shit Dirty Colossus rip off boss as one of its Great Souls bosses. Of course there's also Shrine of Amana, an area that was once nearly unplayable and was reduced to just frustrating and unenjoyable. Instant death drops everywhere, a near constant movement penalty, ranged attacks coming from all sides, all the time. Bad fucking area. There's certain sections of other areas that stick out, too, like the run to the boss in Huntsman's Copse, or the foggy forest in Shaded Woods with almost literally invisible enemies.

As for the bosses, they're mostly forgettable. They range from pretty cool gimmick battles like Looking Glass Knight, to complete fucking trash like Royal Rat Vanguard or Authority. I really appreciate DaS2's amount of DeS-like gimmick bosses, especially since DaS3 went real hard with the JUST LIKE ARTORIAS stuff but shit like Executioner's Chariot, tone it down for fuck's sake. At least take out the necromancers if you must have skeletons. I wil say, DaS2 gets flak for having lots of dudes in armour, but to me, it fits the tone of the game, even if some of them are a bit crap. The base game's final bosses, though, are a shame. Nashandra is barely a fight and Aldia even less so. He's immensely tedious and there's just nothing fun, interesting or satisfying about it. He sticks out as one DaS2's worst moments and was clearly added as an afterthought.

The DLCs, I'm actually not the biggest fan. Most people say the DLCs are better than the main game, but Brume Tower? Kinda sucks. It's drab, its boss is frustrating, there's not much to do, Maldron the Assassin is there. Shulva, Sanctum City? Much better, great aesthetic, nice level design, but then it throws in LMAO POISE enemies all over the place, and not just that, but the constant threat of poison and the return of Black Gulch poison statues. Eleum Loyce? Has the best bossfight in the entire game, that's for sure, my heart aches for the Burnt Ivory King, but there's little things here and there and that sour a mostly fine experience. The return of Maldron the Assassin, for one, and of course the fucking spiky rat fucker Wheel Skeleton 2.0 bullshit enemies who can and will kill you in seconds.

Also the intro where you meet the Firekeepers is just fucking awful, oh my GOD.

Overall, Dark Souls 2's bad moments are bad, they're terrible, but let's not forget Dark Souls 1 had the entirely of Lost Izalith, the Demon Ruins and Blighttown, and Dark Souls 3 has TWO poison swamps. The good parts of Dark Souls 2, its amtosphere, its art style, its general tone, are sorely overlooked and sometimes outright ignored in favour of, in my opinion, overbloated nostalgia for Dark Souls 1. Dark Souls 2 has a lot going for it, it has combat mechanics like power-stancing which is great, it has a totally overhauled NG+, it has variety and weird gimmick weapons and armour the ass, it has fantastic fashion, it's a good fucking game and deserves praise for the good things it did. And like the other Souls games, criticism for the things it fucked up on. But regardless, I'm glad we have them, and I'm really glad I've played through Dark Souls 2 again. It deserves to be played.