#smokescreen whump

[goodwhump-temp]

Smokescreen Whump | Transformers: Prime

IM BACK. 2x19 Human Factor - Just trying to help :(, tackled, nearly obliterated x2 2x20 Legacy - Near car crash, cover blown, captured 2x21 Alpha / Omega - Hit by artifact blast x2, missing/assumed KIA, knocked down x2 2x22 Hard Knocks - Caught in forest explosion, knocked unconscious, guilt/guilted, hunted, knocked down, unconscious, dragged, captured 2x23 Inside Job - Restrained, memories invaded, very. very. large fall., punched mid-air, assumed KIA

3x03 Prey - Sneaky lil guy on a mission 3x05 Project Predacon - Disappointed, knocked down (explosion), shot, unconscious, thrown 3x10 Minus One - Loud noise, knocked down, pinned/electrocuted, unconscious 3x11 Persuasion - Guilt 3x13 Deadlock - Shot, arm injured

[smokescreenimusprime]

Since we all love Smokescreen here, do you have any possible smokescreen focused fics you can recommend? 👀 I've been dying for some more content about him, but can't seem to find any

Unfortunatly there aren't that many, but I have managed to scrounge up a few(but a lot of them haven’t been updated for a while which no shame, I’ve done the same thing, but it’s still unfortunate)

Detours by Greyriver20 where Smokescreen avoids capture from Soundwave but still leaves. It’s just starting out but it’s very fun and I haven’t seen a fic with this concept yet

Watermarked By Your Ancestry by Wolvesowl where Smokescreen is the presumed dead kid of Jazz and Prowl and has some extra traits to deal with. Unfortunately this one hasn’t been updated for a couple months, but it’s a good read

Little Prince by Quiet_Shadow, which is actually finished! Smokescreen is Megatron and Oppy’s kid from their Megatronus and Orion days, but he’d been kept secret since Orion was scared what Megatron would do. However, Megatron ends up finding out during Smokescreen’s capture

Transformers Prime: Amalgamous by SilverBeetle, a fic where Smokescreen is actually Amalgamous Prime and doing what he can to keep that secret. (This actually inspired my own idea for an AU similar to it but I haven’t gotten around to posting about it yet)

Against Better Judgement by sloop_slorp which is just. Smokescreen whump with comfort way later. Basically his captured went WAY worse, to the point Knockout helped him escape, and he’s just trying to pick up the pieces. It’s finished and also has a completed sequel! Please head the tags though, shit gets dark in this one

and finally, Silly Little Fears written by yours truly. It’s a short one shot of me exploring Smokescreen’s trauma and how he perceives it

If anyone else has any more fics, please feel free to add onto this, I’d greatly appreciate it 💖

I really want to write some more longer fics in the future, and I have like. 5 WIPs in my docs and I just really need to actually get them done but Brain Won’t-

[hardygalwrites]

Saw @thatsgonnaleaveamark and thought, "yes, I'd like to do this."

Rules: pick four of your favorite characters from four pieces of media and let your tumblr people decide which one most suits your vibe

It was actually rather difficult for me to choose only four characters out of my admittedly small roster of "most favourite characters ever of all time," but I tried my best to at least keep it varied by only picking each one from a different form of media (western animation, web show, video game, and book series, respectively)

Tagging: @the-lupine-sojourner

And anyone else who may still be following me! I know it's been a hot minutes since I engaged with pretty much the only tumblr community I actively engaged with (the whump community), but I hope you're still around!

[bebx]

Sorry to bother you with this ask. I hope it's not inappropriate (you don't have to answer this if it makes you uncomfortable.)

To put things shortly: I like whump (and, among other things, you're a great wump writer and a nice person, which is why i turned to your ask box). I love hurt/comfort fics where the blorbos i ship go through hell and back only to fall (back) in each other's arms (and, yeah, I love a happy ending).

I've always thought that the *feels* I get come from me worrying about them, from how moved by their resilience I am and, of course, by how worried/protective/feral their partner gets (+ the comfort and reassurance that comes after). I saw it as a "normal" reader (or writer) experience to have such stories move your guts.

Only, recently, I've seen people talk about what they call their "whump awakening" aka the first time they felt "whumpflies", usually between the age 4 and 10. And I realised it happened to me as well.

I can't help to see in those "whumpflies" some kind of s3xual thing (or is it not? and is it something everyone experience to different levels?) and came to see myself as some kind of p3rv' who's been revelling in the suffering of other since a young age. Like what I thought came from my crying at how much they love each other/at how brave they are was just me craving for crude pain. What I thought was some normal reader experience (feel for the characters) was just me mind m4sturbating? I thought I cared and liked my ships and characters which made me feel the feels but was it all a smokescreen?

I do know I have a kink for loss of consciousness (as a fantasy only!!) but, although it may seem hypocritical since when i indulge in it, the scenarii leading to it are mostly whump, I always saw it as something different, definitely separated from my love for whump/hurt comfort (more like something to do with holding/releasing pressure, witnessing and allowing vulnerability).

I also realise that being on the ace spectrum this could be it: my entire s3xuality could only be watching people hurt???

I feel like i must precise that I do not wish to hurt anyone irl. (by the way, I don't especially feel like I want to hurt characters either, more like...put them in situations and be with them if it makes sense...but maybe it's all the same). And yes, I know it's perfectly ok to be into sm but I never really felt it was it?

Now I feel like my entire reality has been shattered. I have projects, fics in the makings, fics i'd like to read, but I'm afraid i'll never manage to do it again. I'm afraid all my assumptions are right and self disgust is all i'll ever be able to feel. I do not know if what I'm having is an panic attack for it's been more than a week now that i've been feeling like that and panic attacks are not supposed to be that long. I wanna scream, cry, stop thinking but i can't. All I manage to do is hold on to a pillow and keep breathing though not in a calm way. I can't sleep at night and i hardly manage to do it during the day.

I tried watching tv but keep thinkings of AU's ideas for fics I'm afraid i'll never be able to write again. Itried drawing but there's always a time i want to throw away the pen. I'm not working this week but i wouldn't manage to anyway. All I do is worry, scream internally, sob pathetically or eat - occasionally but probably too much at a time. I don't read my mails, only repeatedly reload me tumblr wall to see people post about ships and fandoms i crave to come back to but feel like i've lost (even a funny or innocently fluffy fanart doesn't seem to make my heart jump at this point) and it's tearing me down inside as it's such an important part of my life - of me!!

I am already taking pills to help with unrelated anxiety disorder so i can't just keep taking more! I live with my parents so I am not alone but how could i speak to them about it? I'd have to explain I write/read fic and make them understand how much it means to me. Then the part about s3x and my fears ...it's really difficult. I also have an appointment with my therapist next week so i probably should have waited instead of annoying you (which i am once again very sorry about) but this week has already been hell so the thought of waiting for another week was just too much. I am just so tired of being stressed and of hating me and of seeing no future

I just want things to go back to how they where but i can't seem to reconcile all those thoughts spiralling in my brain. I am lost and afraid. Imagining fics/plots has always been not only a joy and a passion but also a way to calm myself down and right now i can't do it and the thought of never being able to do it again is just killing me I...I'm sorry, i just wrote this all mess to you and wondering if with your knowledge and a calmer mind you could have any answer? advice? Experiences to share? i just had to write it down and reach out to someone for i felt like i might have exploded and I'm desperate enough to be annoying...

So thank you if you read it to this point and double thank you if you choose to answer, even if it's just to say you don't really know what to say!

Still wishing you a good day!!

hi, anon! so sorry you experience these feelings. firstly, I just wanted to let you know that you are not annoying me at all and that I deeply appreciate you thinking I’m a great writer who you trust enough to turn to with what’s been bothering you. secondly, your feelings — how you feel — are completely valid. I myself had my first “whump awakening” when I was at a very young age. I think it was when I was about 7 years old? I’m not entirely sure, but I was very young, and back then I didn’t know what it was called, only that I got these sense of euphoria whenever I imagined a scenario in which a character I liked, at that time, went through extreme physical pain, sustained severe injuries. I never told anyone about this, because I didn’t think they would understand. it wasn’t like I thought there was something “wrong” with me, but I did know that I was different than most of the kids my age, because most of them would react differently to the concept of, you know, pain and injuries (I didn’t know about the concept of whump back then.)

that being said, knowing what I know now, I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with liking whump. I’m actually glad to know that there’s a whole community (precisely on tumblr) here where people who are into whump can talk about their experiences, their enjoyment, their whump awakening or even their own creations whether it be in terms of writing and/or drawing, etc. and I’m happy to know there are actually so many people who are also into whump.

now you mentioned you were recently convinced that whump is a sexual thing. I mean, to be honest, whump can be a sexual thing for some people (keywords; for some people, not everyone who enjoys whump sees whump as anything sexual-related at all) within the community. I mean, since there are so many people in this community, of course, some may be enjoying whump for sexual purpose, and that is not a bad thing either (as long as no one in real life is hurt or harmed in any way, of course).

from how I see it, it’s mostly people who aren’t in the whump community — aka people who don’t understand the concept of whump and think we are “red flags” for liking pain and suffering that are strictly fantasy / fictional — who tend to say “people who are enjoying whump are enjoying it because they’re perverts” which is not. true. at. all.

(sure, whump can be a sexual thing — a kink — for some people within the community. because whump is a fantasy, and there is no “wrong” way for one to enjoy the fantasy they creat in their minds and sometimes bring to life in the forms of writing and/or drawing. again, as long as no one in real life is hurt or harmed. so even if you — general you — enjoy whump because it’s your kink, it still doesn’t make you a pervert.)

I mean people can enjoy whump for entirely different reasons. some enjoy whump because for them whump is their kink. some use whump as a way to cope and recover from their trauma (whether or not it’s sexual). some just enjoy whump because they just like whump in a way that’s not sexual-related at all. for what it’s worth, I’ve actually seen a lot of people in the whump community who are asexual.

so what I’m saying is, different people enjoy whump for different reasons, and they all are valid.

if you’re asexual and you enjoy whump = you are completely valid.

if you (general you) enjoy whump because it’s a kink to you = you are completely valid.

if you enjoy whump because it’s your way of coping with your trauma = you are completely valid.

if you enjoy whump because you like it when your blorbos find their way back in earth other’s arms or when they’re taken care of after the pain they were put through (aka the comfort that comes after) = you are completely valid.

or if you enjoy whump where it’s “hurt no comfort” because you just like it when your blorbo goes through hell = you are completely valid.

as long as you’re not hurting anyone in real life, your reasoning in regards of your enjoyment of whump is valid. you are valid.

being in a fandom should always be about the joy and the fun of being in a fandom, because fandom is supposed to be your getaway from reality where you can just enjoy whatever you enjoy. it should always be your safe place. though I do understand that, while in a fandom, you’ll most likely come across things you’re not comfortable with or things that upset you. my best advice is to ignore these things (block and mute as freely as you like) and only focus your time and energy on things that bring you joy.

don’t let other people’s opinions take that joy away from you.

if there’re fics you want to read, read them and enjoy them unapologetically. and if at any point you feel like they’re not for you, you can simply close the tabs and move on to other fics you feel like checking out.

if you have ideas for fics about your blorbos you want to write, write them unapologetically. if you want to draw some whump art about your blorbo, draw them unapologetically. there will always be people who enjoy the same thing you do (maybe even for the same reason) who will appreciate your talent. or even if you don’t feel like posting/publishing them on the internet — for any reason at all — and just want to keep them only to yourself, that is entirely okay too.

because the most important thing is, when you write a fic or draw a fanart (or even when you read something), it should be for you. not anyone else.

how you enjoy a fandom, how you enjoy whump, should be about you and only you.

you don’t have to speak to anyone about it if you’re not ready or if you don’t feel comfortable talking to them about it. at the end of the day, you don’t owe them anything. because whump is not something you have to explain to your friends or family, it’s your personal getaway and you don’t have to explain anything to anyone if you don’t want to.

though I recall you mentioned that you were seeing your therapist next week. if you feel comfortable talking to them about it, I think it might help make you feel better. because your therapist would most likely have a better answer for you.

last but not least, I wanted to remind you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. your mind is lying to you about all these unpleasant thoughts you have about yourself. I know how hard that can be, how real and convincing these thoughts can sound. because I’d been there. but the bottom line is that no matter how terrible these feelings get, they are lying to you. and there is absolutely nothing wrong or abnormal about your enjoyment of whump, of your blorbos. you are definitely not a “pervert” for being in a fandom or for enjoying whump, no matter what other people might say. because how can one be a pervert for finding their safe place in fictional things that don’t hurt anybody in real life at all?

I’m not sure if this is the answer you were looking for, but I hope it helped at least a little. and I hope you can get back to fully enjoying what you enjoyed soon. but most importantly, I hope you feel better soon. a little reminder that your mental health is the priority here. I’m sending my love your way, always. ♡

[aewrie]

adjacent to that because i have thoughts re: dom/aggressor perspective

the post kinda brings this up, but also not really, and it's one thing that bothers me a bit with these discussions

(recommend reading the linked post for context first)

like, enjoying extreme kinks/whump/etc when it is the role of the dominant/aggressor that appeals to you is also fine. consensual/fictional sadism is fine. people tend to go 'oh no, xyz fantasy is fine because most people fantasize about being the one in the receiving end!' and like, true, that is very common, and fine, but a fantasy of being the one who has the power, who is in control, is also ok.

'creepydoms' absolutely do exist. people using kink as a smokescreen to enable their abuse do exist. that's why you vet your play partners. but dominants, sadist, what have you, are not horrible abusive monsters by default for their preferences.

and. boy was there little material to be found when i was researching top/dom drop. because yea, that exists! people talk about subdrop, and how subs need/deserve aftercare, and need boundaries, and safewords, the whole deal, but nowhere near as many mention that all of this applies to doms/tops as well. their boundaries matter. their consent matters. they deserve care and compassion.

in bdsm, negotiation, safewords, etc are not there to 'protect' the sub from the dom, they're there to help ensure everyone has a good experience. feeling obligated to entertain a partner's intense kink as a dom can go extremely wrong extremely easily just as much as it can in the reverse situation.

and dom drop, even when you do enjoy a thing? it can be seriously bad, and not made easier by the knowledge that you've taken on a role of someone despised, who is at complete odds with your actual moral compass; no matter how well-established good consent was, no matter how much of a good time everyone might have had. it was harrowing reading when i found first-hand accounts instead of general surface-level educational material.

(my opinion on all of this was not different before but holy fuck did reading those comments cement it.)

no one's supposed to feel like that after engaging in fantasy or consensual play. feeling like you are a horrible monster is not a punishment to bear for a fantasy/kink, regardless of the role you take on (or in case of fic, the pov you enjoy). things can go wrong; people can go into stuff unprepared, they might not realize how something might effect them until shit already hit the fan, a drop might come well after a scene when you thought you were fine. but people, including tops/doms, are supposed to get something good out of these fantasies and scenes.

[tarnishedpeonies]

A bad trip is...not always just a bad trip.

[whump-a-la-mode]

Would it be possible to get the aftermath of a heroic whumpee who went up against someone incredibly far out of their league? Kind of along the lines of that one time Dazzler went up against the Juggernaut on her own (A heroine with light projection powers vs a villain with the power of unstoppable force) and ended up being beaten to the point where she was too weak to move. The other heroes become her caretakers for a little while. I loved that arc and could really use something similar.

I can hardly describe how much I love this prompt. I absolutely adore it, and I can only hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! I think I’m somewhat familiar with Dazzler, though when I looked through the wiki, I couldn’t find anything about this story? The wiki may just be incomplete, though. It reminds me of a story arc of the original ms. marvel, too!

This is absolutely one of my favorite kinds of whump, and I really hope that I did it justice. Thank you so much for the ask!

CW//Medical settings, poison, therapy, paralysis, inability to speak, self-hatred, low self-esteem, hair-pulling

The metal doors at the entrance to the Metropolis General Emergency Room swung upon with the force of a thunder clap. And, just as thunder, they too heralded lightning.

Or, at the very least, light.

A pair of lab-coats pushed forth a gurney on ratta-tatta-tattling caster wheels, footsteps crashing on the floor in even rhythm. Close behind, an entourage of two sprinted in close pursuit: A pair of heroes in civilian clothes.

“Lux!”

To the person laid upon the gurney, the voice felt to be emanating from a thousand miles away. Or more. Maybe a couple thousand, or a million... It was hard to think about numbers when their mind was stuffed with cotton, and their vision was dominated by blurry white ceiling tiles.

“What in the world happened to them?” The doctor that spoke had had all sense of clinical professionalism drained from their tongue.

“We don’t know.” A hero, outfitted in jeans and sweater, replied in a single, slurred sound. “We just found them, and-”

It was too loud. Far, far too loud-- Lux felt as though the full force of the ocean had made the sudden decision to crash into their eardrums. And, beneath at all, the caster wheels refused to stop their clitter-clatter. Spikes piercing their temples, they let out the tiniest of cries.

A tiny sound, and all eyes were on them.

“Lux!”

“Lux, what in the world happened to you?”

“What the hell did you do?”

“Talk to us!”

“Wake up!”

“Wake up.”

“Lux. Lux, what did you do?”

Lux, what did you do?

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 

The support beam shook against the force of the body, hurled at it. Shudders rocked from the base to the top, threatening for the thousandth time the structural stability of the building.

And the structural stability of Lux’s ribs.

With several hoarse coughs, the hero struggled to hands and knees, joints wobbling as though the ground they were braced against were the epicenter of an earthquake.

They could taste it.

They could taste what they had been inflicted with, more than they could feel it. The wound upon their side had long since gone numb-- at the very least, the poison had that benefit to it. Now, the sensation had migrated to Lux’s tongue. A bitter flavor of burnt coffee.

Even if they had the chance, they had no desire at all to examine the gash that had been torn across their side. They’d heard the stories, seen the headlines.

Lux knew what happened to Mercury’s victims.

That was why they were here, after all.

“Had enough yet, kid?”

The voice was booming, sounding from the other side of the half-toppled warehouse. In their weakened state, Lux could barely raise their head high enough to meet the eyes of their foe.

Mercury’s height was unimportant, as was their general stature. After all, it was hard to focus on his body. It was hard to focus on anything but the claws-- terrible, wicked things curling outwards from his knuckles.

A single slash from them, and flesh would begin to curl away, to rot. To necrose.

The wound they had been inflicted with was already a death sentence. But, not an immediate one-- Lux had a bit of time left on death row.

A bit of time to make this right.

Shivering, the hero stood to their feet, facing their opponent from a hundred foot’s distance. It was the most ridiculous of match-ups. A chihuahua against a pit bull. A garden snake against a cobra.

That didn’t mean that Lux couldn’t try.

“Firefly wants another round, then?” The villain’s voice curled, almost as venomous as their blades. “Try me, kid.”

And try they did.

Hands balled to fists at their side, Lux took one, single step forth, stomping onto the warehouse’s concrete floor with a decisive strike.

It was as though a bomb had gone off.

The world was swallowed, all at once, by white. Light engulfed each shadow, each color, until the universe was as blank as unexposed photo paper.

It was merely a distraction, a smokescreen. But they needed time to recover. Time to catch their breath.

Time to remember why they were doing this.

In the world of heroes, Mercury had a particular nickname-- “The Untouchable.” He was the lion in the zoo. No one dared get near him, much less touch him. It was a death sentence, to be slashed by his claws. The heroes were terrified of him, and that gave him a free license to tear the world to shreds.

It was from one of their villainous informants that Lux had heard of the plan initially. The water supply. Mercury had found a way to distill the poison held within their claws, and they intended to release it into the city water supply.

To kill every last citizen of Metropolis.

But the others turned merely a blind eye. No one would touch the villain. They had resigned themselves to dealing with the aftermath.

That would mean deaths. That would mean ‘acceptable causalities.’

To Lux, there was no such thing as an acceptable causality. Only a problem that needed to be solved.

Their teammates had insisted, begged, nearly, that they not be so careless. But, when had Lux even been known as the careful one?

Not once in their life.

“Stop this, Mercury!” The hero snapped into the expanse of white. “Just-”

Lux did not so much as see the fist before it connected. Did not so much as feel the claws, raking their neck.

Not before the world went from black to white.

Lux, what did you do?

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

“You did it.”

Those were the first words that Lux heard clearly, after escaping from their haze. Consciousness teased them as the world above turned from colors to shapes to vision.

White tiles, spotless and all in a row. Their perfect nature was threatened only by an out-of-place beeping that nearly forced the hero to once more fall to sleep.

But, they managed to cling to consciousness as they turned their head to the side, revealing a figure, interrupting their view of the tiles overhead.

A figure. A person. A-

“You did it, Lux.”

Nora. Nora, their friend, their teammate, their comrade. Not Mercury. Not a villain. If Nora was here, then they were safe. The hero had an almost supernaturally calming way about herself, located somewhere between her wispy tangle of black hair and the way her movements imitated the performance of a dancer.

But, wait- Why wasn’t she in uniform? No, now she bore only the clothes of a civilian.

No. No, of course she wasn’t wearing a uniform. Lux had gone on a mission, yes. But it hadn’t been with their team.

They’d tried to stop Mercury, and-

“The water’s safe.” Nora’s voice was only just as smooth as her movements. “Mercury’s been contained. You did it.”

“And by god, what were you thinking?!”

The shout sent a stabbing agony through the side of Lux’s skull. That was more so the reaction they had expected.

Nickel. The most paranoid superhero on planet Earth.

Lux struggled to open their lips, to bring forth an explanation. To state that they had been doing what was right. That they had been doing what a hero should have done.

And yet...

And yet, their lips refused to so much as twitch. Too, their tongue sat dead in their mouth, numb and useless.

The only muscle in their body that functioned was their heart, which in that moment began to race.

“You could’ve died!” Nickel’s tirade continued, despite the fact that the target was showing not a single reaction. “Or worse! You could’ve died, or worse, or both! That was so stupid.

Don’t give me the silent treatment, dammit. Explain yourself!”

Lux wanted so desperately to do so. Their heartbeat turned, now, to a pounding tattoo within their skull, the pedal of a bass drum, slamming against the inside of their cranium.

They couldn’t move.

A twitch of the head. A blink, maybe. That was all. That was all they had left.

Lux had saved the world.

Their vision began to swirl.

Lux had saved the world, but what had they given up in exchange?

Telling when the hero fell unconscious was nearly impossible. Yet, when their eyes at last drifted closed, it became clear that whatever wakefulness they had had was now extinguished.

That left two heroes, one proud and one paranoid, leaning over a hospital bed. Shivering both in their own rights, Nickel and Nora stood. It was with great care that the room’s entrance was pushed open. The doctor that did so walked backwards-- their hands were quite thoroughly occupied by a clipboard.

Nickel and Nora said not a word, as speechless as their teammate. They both knew that this was the bringing of news.

This doctor was the bearer of their friends fate.

“They’re going to live.”

That was what they started with. 

“With medical care, Lux will survive this ordeal. However, they will need to stay under intensive care until their immediate symptoms subside.”

Nora stared blankly for a long moment, before whispering:

“They aren’t moving. They aren’t talking.”

The doctor could manage only the more sympathetic of nods. Again, they repeated themself, but, this time, with an addition:

“Lux is going to live. But, most likely, they will never be the same. The poison has taken its toll on their system. There’s no cure. No antidote.

One day, they may be able to move, or speak. But, they have a very, very long road ahead of them.”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 

Very, very long was an understatement.

No, the doctor would have been better have describing Lux’s journey as a highway from Moscow to Las Vegas.

“The rains in Spain fall mainly on the plain.”

“Da ra’zz spa- ff mm a pla.”

“The rains in Spain fall mainly on the plain.”

“Za ree z’pa fa ma- play.”

“One more try. The rains in Spain-”

“Nnn- oh! No!”

The lab-coated doctor sitting before Lux set down their clipboard with a heavy sigh, sending only another bubble of rage rising in the hero’s chest. They balled their hands into fists, shaking them furiously before placing their open palms upon their temples.

Lux hated this. Lux hated every last minute, every last instant of this. They hated the doctor. They hated the doctor’s office they had to sit in, walls covered from floor to ceiling with charts of vowels and consonants. More than anything, they hated their exercises.

It should have been simple! Eight words. Eight simple words. If they could repeat them properly, then they would never have to go to one of these stupid appointments ever again.

But, they couldn’t. They couldn’t say eight simple words. In fact, they couldn’t even say one.

A month in the hospital, and Lux could not so much as speak. It made them want to tear their hair out! In fact, they would do that, had they had the motor control for it.

But, they didn’t. They didn’t have anything.

The last month had been the longest of the hero’s existence. Hell, those thirty days had felt to be longer than the rest of their entire life, put together! Thirty days and thirty nights of utter hell.

When they had gone off to face Mercury on their own, Lux had been very well prepared to die. They had not been prepared for this.

From the outside, the progress that the hero was making was undeniable. They had begun in a state of complete and utter paralysis, able to move their head, their eyes, and not a thing else. It was only with thrice-a-day physical therapy that they had begun to move. First, it was only moving their head. Then, their arms. Their legs. By the end, they could even sit up, with the help of a helping hand.

Every day, Lux’s teammates visited. And, every day, they congratulated their friend on their progress.

But, as far as Lux was concerned, it had been a month, and they hadn’t made an inch of progress. As hard as they tried, they were still laid up in a hospital. Still broken. Still useless.

They knew that their friends were trying. They knew-- it was evident on their expressions. Those constant, stupid looks of pity. They would never speak about their own lives, about their missions. The villainous plots they’d stopped, the battles they’d won. No. They focused only on the mundane: Where they’d gone for lunch, how they’d spent their evening.

It was out of pity. Lux knew that. It was all pity. But, in all truth, those were the only moments during which they ever felt, truly, like themself. Like Lux.

Like a hero.

So they’d heard, the media had praised them, lauded them for their victory. But they never spoke of the sacrifice it had taken.

Their friends’ visits were the only parts of the day that Lux had to get forward to. The rest of their life was filled with... this.

“Lux.” The doctor coaxed. “You need to do your exercises. You’re already getting so much better! But you won’t make any progress if you don’t try.”

“Don’ thwaa ex- thwaa ta.”

“Don’t want exercises, want talk?”

Lux narrowed their eyes. But, that had been what they were trying to say. The fact that it needed to be repeated, interpreted, however, made them feel sick.

“You need your exercises, Lux. How about we just try one more time? I know you can do it. You’re already doing so well!”

Eight simple words. Eight simple words, and Lux could be a hero again. Eight words, and they could be a person again.

“Okay, Lux. Repeat after me: The rains in Spain fall mainly on the plain.”

“Tha ran-”

Yet, that was all they could make out. Lux’s throat ran dry of words, void of syllables. They couldn’t speak before, and now, they couldn’t so much as make a sound.

They never cried in front of others. Never. Yet, that rule had been broken in the hospital already a dozen times. And, so it seems, this would make thirteen.

Lux’s chest was wracked with heavy sobs as they buried their face in their hands. Soon, tears leaked from beneath their shaking fingers.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 

“I’m right here for you, Lux. Lean on me all you need.”

Nora’s voice carried the same cadence as water, meandering through a stream. Too, of course, did her gestures. A gentle, yet firm hand took Lux by the wrist, wrapping their arm around their comrade’s shoulder.

“It’s going to be hard, okay? It’s going to be hard. It’s okay to get tired. And you don’t have to get it on your first try. Or your fifth. Or your hundredth.”

Lux stopped listening on the last part.

This was it. The final gauntlet. Nearly an entire season spent within hospital walls-- now came their test. Everything counted on it. As far as they were concerned, it was a matter of life or death.

If they succeeded, they were home free. They could be brought home by their teammates-- of course, while still attending outpatient physical therapy, but still! They would be home.

And, yet, if they failed? They would be placed back in their hospital room. They would continue to be useless, a burden on both doctor and friend alike.

Everything was riding on this. Lux took a deep breath, and opened their eyes to face their challenge:

A hallway.

They had studied it extensively. Seven feet in width, and perhaps twenty in length. A tiny little thing, used only to get between two particular rooms. It was in the very depths of the hospital; that was why they were using it. There was no chance of distraction, of interruption.

“Are you ready, Lux?”

“Yesthh.”

“Okay.”

Their weight was leaned, nearly entirely, upon Nora. But, that didn’t matter. It wasn’t a test of standing on their own. If that was the test, they’d never get out of this hellish place. All they had to do was make it to the end of the hallway, with help. They could go slowly. They could lean. They could rest.

They only had to make it to the end.

Nora placed one foot forward, waiting for Lux to do the same, which they did, slowly and shakily. It was in this manner that they moved. One foot, one foot, staying always in the slowest of locksteps.

For Nora, it was simple.

For Lux, it was agony. Their knees felt mere milliseconds away from buckling, legs straining under the weight of the rest of them, even as the vast majority of it was leaned onto their friend.

Five feet. Five tiny, minuscule steps. That was how far Lux made it.

And then they were falling.

They did not remember the fall, not really. One moment, their knees had given out. And, the next, they were on their side, on the carpet.

Shaking.

This had been it. This had been their chance. All they had to do was walk down a hallway, that was it! Then, they could have gone home. Then, they could have been with their friends.

Then, they could have finally been a hero again.

And they’d failed. They’d failed the simplest of tasks.

In that moment, a certainty struck Lux like a dagger to the chest: They were never going to get better. Never. It didn’t matter how many exercises they did, how many doctors they saw. This whole thing was pointless! They were going to be worthless until the end of time.

On the floor, Lux screamed. It was a babbling, incoherent thing, as most sounds they made were. Too, they began to thrash, slamming their fists into the floor as they howled in anguish.

Then, they weren’t thrashing anymore. They couldn’t.

Lux had no need to open their eyes to tell what was happening. They knew Nora’s footsteps, knew the sound of her racing over. The feeling of her, hauling them into her arms. Holding them close.

They knew, also, the sounds of doors opening. Of more footsteps, familiar footsteps. Of chattering voices. Their friends’ voices.

Their whole-

Lux’s breath caught in their throat.

In order to avoid distraction, it had only been them and Nora in the room. They had assumed that it was only Nora who had visited that day. And, yet, they knew these voices.

Their whole...

Their whole team. Their whole team had come to watch. They counted every voice, every pair of footsteps. Every last one of their friends had come to watch them succeed.

But, they’d only watched them fail. Lux expected heckling, expected to be berated.

They did not expect the half-dozen pairs of arms, wrapped around them. They didn’t expect to be the center of a group hug.

“You’re doing so well.”

“You got so far!”

“Just a little more practice, and you’ll be back out there fighting crime in no time.”

“You’re almost there!”

“That’s the furthest you’ve been able to walk yet!”

“We’re proud of you.”

Lux’s tears did not stop.

And, yet, they realized something:

They were no longer tears of sorrow.

[dincobb-ao3feed]

by GuenVanHelsing

Reports of smoke out in the desert spurs the Marshal and the Mandalorian to set out from Mos Pelgo to investigate a crashed speeder, looking for any survivors in need of help. But the smoke is a smokescreen for something else entirely...

Words: 3812, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: The Mandalorian (TV)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: M/M

Characters: Din Djarin, Cobb Vanth

Relationships: Din Djarin/Cobb Vanth

Additional Tags: Canon-Typical Violence, Post-Canon, no good deed goes unpunished, Whump, Sharing a Bed, Force-Sensitive Cobb Vanth

[ao3feed-lokiangst]

MultiFandom Imagines, Oneshots, and More.

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2NdJSND

by mhtun23

This is exactly what the title says, this book contains imagines, one-shots, references, and headcanons for multiple fandoms. There will be rules and more information in the first chapter. I will be accepting requests in this book, information on requesting will also be inside.

Words: 369, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Transformers - All Media Types, The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers: Prime, Transformers (Bay Movies), Supernatural, Sherlock (TV), Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Vampire Diaries (TV), Big Hero 6 (2014), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Other

Characters: Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes, Steve Rogers, Loki (Marvel), Tony Stark, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, Wanda Maximoff, Thor (Marvel), Stephen Strange, Avengers Team, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Sam Wilson (Marvel), Scott Lang, Peter Parker, Peter Quill, Pietro Maximoff, Leonard "Bones" McCoy, James T. Kirk, Spock (Star Trek), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Pavel Chekov, Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester, Castiel, Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, John Watson, Jim Moriarty, Alec Lightwood, Isabelle Lightwood, Jace Wayland, Clary Fray, Draco Malfoy, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Hiro Hamada, Tadashi Hamada, Cass Hamada, Fred | Fredzilla, Wasabi-No Ginger, Honey Lemon (Marvel), Baymax (Marvel), Gogo, Optimus Prime, Jazz (Transformers), Ironhide (Transformers), Ratchet (Transformers), First Aid (Transformers), Autobots (Transformers), Bumblebee (Transformers), Sideswipe (Transformers), Sunstreaker (Transformers), Prowl (Transformers), Arcee (Transformers), Bulkhead (Transformers), Fortress Maximus (Transformers), Rung (Transformers), Wheeljack (Transformers), Smokescreen (Transformers), Ultra Magnus (Transformers), Drift | Deadlock, Megatron (Transformers), Starscream (Transformers), Knock Out (Transformers), Breakdown (Transformers), Tailgate (Transformers), Cyclonus (Transformers), Donatello (TMNT), Raphael (TMNT), Leonardo (TMNT), Michelangelo (TMNT)

Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader, Steve Rogers/Reader, Loki (Marvel)/Reader, Tony Stark/Reader, James "Bucky" Barnes & Reader, Clint Barton/Reader, Steve Rogers & Reader, Bruce Banner/Reader, Wanda Maximoff/Reader, Thor (Marvel)/Reader, Tony Stark & Reader, Loki (Marvel) & Reader, Stephen Strange/Reader, Avengers Team & Reader, Natasha Romanov (Marvel) & Reader, Sam Wilson (Marvel)/Reader, Scott Lang/Reader, Clint Barton & Reader, Peter Quill/Reader, Natasha Romanov (Marvel)/Reader, Wanda Maximoff & Reader, Pietro Maximoff & Reader, Bruce Banner & Reader, Sam Wilson (Marvel) & Reader, Stephen Strange & Reader, Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Reader, James T. Kirk/Reader, Spock/Reader, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott/Reader, Pavel Chekov/Reader, Sam Winchester/Reader, Sherlock Holmes & Reader, Mycroft Holmes/Reader, John Watson & Reader, Jim Moriarty/Reader, Alec Lightwood & Reader, Draco Malfoy/Reader, Fred Weasley/Reader, George Weasley/Reader, Harry Potter/Reader, Neville Longbottom/Reader, Ron Weasley/Reader, Draco Malfoy & Reader, Hermione Granger/Reader, Luna Lovegood/Reader, Cass Hamada & Hiro Hamada & Tadashi Hamada, Donatello (TMNT)/Reader, Leonardo (TMNT)/Reader, Raphael (TMNT)/Reader, Michelangelo (TMNT)/Reader

Additional Tags: Fluff, Angst, Whump, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Fluff, Angst with a Happy Ending, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, I'm Bad At Tagging, Relationship(s), Interspecies Relationship(s), Siblings, Sickfic, Platonic Relationships, Protective Siblings, Domestic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2NdJSND

[afterspark-podcast]

G1 Episode 33: Transcript

Episode Show Notes

[This can also be found on AO3!]

[Stinger]

S: Grapple and Hoist heave the Negavat- well no, Grapple and Hoist-

O: They heave it, they heave it good! [laughs]

S: [laughs] Yes.

[Intro Music]

O: Hello, and welcome to the Afterspark Podcast, and episode by episode recap of the Generation 1 Transformers cartoon.  I'm Owls!

 S: And I’m Specs.

O: Today we're going to be talking about episode number 33, ‘Auto Berserk’.  Let's talk about giant robots today, shall we?

S: Sure.

O: And no doubt you've noticed, dear listener, we are again in our coronavirus void, uh, recording at our respective apartments because we don't have much of a choice right now.  So we do apologize if there are any sound issues.  We are doing the best with what we've got right now.  And today, we open with a test of the  Negavator!

S: Which the Autobots seem to actually be doing but the humans appear to be uh, participating or monitoring to uh, some degree.

O: Which, you know, after this is all done the Autobots congratulate Wheeljack on a job well done and some scientists are  extremely  happy when this giant ass tower disappears.  Of course, immediately after one says, “Don't forget your tape recorder.”

S: Soundwave is practicing his passive social engineering.  You know, like you do.

O: Like you do.  So Soundwave attacks, and the Autobots move to intercept him.

S: Red Alert is like, really mad that Inferno isn't staying with him, and Inferno just thinks that his boyfriend is cramping his style.

O: Oh, poor Red.  Uh, the Autobots  really  don't want the Decepticons to get their brand-new toy of destruction.

S: I have to question what the practical purpose of this thing is?

O: I mean, presumably, destroying Decepticons?  I don't know!  For uh, non- for them practic- you know, being like, they're all for peace, they do an awful lot of ass-kicking, I'm just saying. [laughs]

S: Yeah…

O: So, Soundwave then sends out all of us cassettes, all at one time.

S: They attack the bunker that the Autobots are in, collapsing the door and trapping them.  And Grapple is sad that they're destroying his beautiful, beautiful, bunker.

O: Poor Grapple, he just doesn't want his hard work- hard work ruined, it's always ruined.

S: Honestly, that has to be incredibly depressing, having everything that you build destroyed.

O: And you just know it like, happens with extreme reg- regularity, right?  Like, everything they build gets destroyed by the Decepticons, basically. [laughs]

S: Yup.

O: Um, so Soundwave is moving in on the Negavator, but Red Alert is controlling it remotely and shooting back at him.

S: Red Alert is playing as a realest video game.

O: Shoot the Decepticon!  Red Alert really doesn't want to be left alone, as Inferno again says he wants to go out and help the others before leaving the room.

S: Grapple and Hoist begin to clear the rubble from the entrance allowing the Autobots to escape.

O: They begin fighting with Frenzy and Laserbeak, but Optimus steps in front of the Negavater making it so Red can no longer get a clear shot at the Decepticons.

S: [sighs] Optimus.

O: [laughs] “I'm helping!”

 S: Don't play chicken with something that…

O: Can disintegrate you, or something bigger than you in one shot?

S: Or send you to the negative zone or whatever the hell it’s supposed to do.

O: [laughs] “You're going to the Shadow Realm!”

B: [laugh]

S: Yeah, so, because Optimus does the dumb thing, this allows Rumble to gain access to the cockpit of the Negavator.

O: Because this  has  a cockpit, despite Red Alert controlling it remotely.

S: [sighs] I don't know, man.  They wanted a backup and in this case the backup was a bad idea.

O: In this case the backup was a back door for the Decepticons to get into their cockpit!

S: Oh god, a literal backdoor.

O: Yeah.

S: [sighs] And that-

O: We have multiples of that this episode. [laughs]

S: Yeah, they really do.  But the Negavator is shot, and Rumble gets out before he's able to inflict any damage on the Autobots.

O: Soundwave and company retreat, but Rumble leaves a parting gift in the form of a rocket that manages to hit Red Alert who’s all- in- who’s all the way in the bunker, may I might- may I remind you!

S: Yup, it is a major tracking thing- honestly, Red Alert just got hit by the plot.

O: Which considering it's a Red Alert centered episode, they had to get him somehow.

S: Yeah, Red Alert needed to get some whump.

O: [laughs]

S: So he- Red Alert’s buried under rubble, crying out for Inferno.

O: Hoist is able to free him, but when Inferno arrives afterwards, Red is very angry at him for leaving.

S: Yup, later Red Alert talks to Optimus, seeming progressively more paranoid the longer they talk.  He even thinks that Inferno wants his job.

O: I feel I can safely say, no one wants your job, Red.

S: Yeah, Red Alert has clearly been badly affected by Rumble’s rocket as his head keeps fritzing out and causing him pain and distress.

O: Despite this being  very  obvious to anybody looking at him, Optimus doesn't order him to go, you know, get himself checked out, go get help.  He may strongly suggest it but he doesn't order it, this was his first mistake.

S: [sharp intake of breath] Yeah... the Autobots head back to base while the Cons watch on their TV monitor from, you know, their own base.  And Megatron calls Soundwave an ‘incompetent fool’.

O: Ah-hem!  Um, EXCUSE me?  Soundwave is the most competent Con you have, except for maybe Laserbeak and/or Ravage.

S: Don't you know?  No one's as good as Megatron, even when Megatron fails.  Plus... Megatron just really, really wants the big gun.

O: ...Does he- does he need a gun friend?

S: He wants to compensate for something.

O: I think he already is, isn’t he? [laughs]

S: Oh, he is, but he needs more compensation.

O: He turns into a gun and has a giant Fusion Cannon, you cannot tell me he’s not compensating for something! [laughs]

S: Well, if he wants to comp- he wants to compensate more.

O: [laughs] He must compensate  more  for his clone of Optimus Prime, got it!

B: [laugh]

O: You know that thing lives in a closet somewhere, Specs!  You know it! [laughs]

S: Yeah, I know.

O: [laughs]

S: I know. [sighs]

O: [laughs] This, and Russian Ravage, these are the only two uh, reoccurring jokes we have, we're sorry people.

S: Yeah…

B: [laugh]

S: [sighs] Starscream volunteers to go get the Negavator for him.

O: Which doesn't seem to be what happens, as the next thing we see is Megatron and Rumble on top of a ridge overlooking the Autobots.

S: Optimus hears something, but when he asks Red Alert to analyze it poor Red fritzs again and says that everything is fine.

O: And they are driving through a canyon, of course.

S: Yeah.

O: So, Rumble causes a rockslide that falls on top of Ironhide and Optimus, and then Megatron orders the rest of the Cons to attack.

S: Grapple and Hoist leave the Negavator unguarded, as they rush in to help, with Hoist-

O: [interrupting] Megatron’s very happy about this development!  Sorry.

S: Yeah, it’s okay.  Hoist, I think, was driving the Negavator?

O: Yeah, I think so.

S: But don't ask me how- how anything- somehow the Negavator’s cockpit is one size fits all.

O: Oh yes.

S: And then Smokescreen attempts to hide the Negavator by generating some smoke.

O: The Seekers drive- er, drive?  Fly through the cloud and temporarily lose their ability to navigate.

S: That this is honestly a terrifying thing that Smokescreen’s smoke can do. [sighs]

O: Yeah, especially for flyers.

S: Yeah. [sighs] So two of the Seekers run into each other, and then Starscream runs into a wall.

O: The smoke does not appear to detour Megatron much though.

S: He does kind of bang face-first into the Negavator.

O: [snorts] True.

S: And then he gets into that one-size-fits-all cockpit and now he’s the one controlling it.

O: I mean like, okay- I mean- at least Megatron can mass shift?

S: That’s a good point.

O: Like, Rumble’s roughly people sized I could see him fitting, you know?  Um, even, you know, uh, Hoist isn't super, super big.  But Megatron getting in there?  That's- that’s a stretch unless he's mass shifting.

S: Yeah, but Hoist- Hoist somehow has managed to fit in Grapple’s ca- Grapple’s coc- not cockpit…

O: Uh, like his cab?

S: -driving compartment.

O: Yeah.

S: Cab, yes.  So, I don't know, maybe Hoist can also mass shift?

O: Everything can mass shift from Cybertron. [laughs]

S: Maybe?  Ramjet [laughs] lives up to his name by ramming into the Negavater and knocking Megatron out of it.

O: “I've got morons on my team!” [laughs]

S: That is true.

O: He does-

S: I mean, most-

O: -he does. [laughs]

S: Yeah, most the Decepticons are not... not the brightest.

O: I mean, the Coneheads especially, I feel like aren't terribly bright.

S: And Ram- Ramjet, his entire thing is hitting things with his head.

O: And- that can’t be good on the old positronic brain.

S: Yeah…

O: [laughs]

S: Hopefully, they have good health insurance.

O: They’re Cons, you know they don’t. [laughs]

S: Yeah, that’s true.

O: They don’t even have a doctor, Specs!

S: I think that Constructicons, at least fanonically, fit into that role, but…

O: Probably, but they didn’t have a doctor for the entire first season!  Allow me to phrase it that way.

S: Starscream and Soundwave are probably the closest they had to doctors.

O: You're probably right, and that is scary.  I don't think I’d want Starscream operating on me, personally.  Just saying.

S: Yeah, huh, so the Cons retreat, leaving Starscream behind.

O: The rockslide is going to take  days  to clear, apparently?

S: But why do they need to clear it?  Why do they spend so much time driving in canyons?  Do they like off-roading?  Most of them aren't even built for off-roading.  So what's the point?

O: Nobody knows.  Optimus asks why Red Alert didn't warn them, to which Red Alert says, “They're all out to get him!”

S: And Optimus says that Red Alert uh, needs a complete overhaul. [sighs]

O: Well, okay, maybe don't praise it like that.  He's already paranoid as hell, he doesn't need help!

S: Optimus needs to go through some sensitivity training I think.

O: Yeah, we'll just- we're just gonna have, you know, a Leadership Summit that both Optimus and Megatron need to attend for vastly different reasons. [laughs]

S: Yeah.  Ah, Red knocks down Inferno and Grapple before running off into a forest.

O: Starscream watches all this and says that Megatron will regret abandoning him.

S: Starscream wants everyone to regret everything to do with him.

O: Pretty much.

S: I feel like.

O: I- I feel like, probably, many people do regret things that involve Starscream.

S: Yeah.  Red escapes into a city in his alt mode, and the others give chase.  And Ironhide finds what he thinks is Red Alert, speaking soothingly to him and gently picks him up.

O: Can we talk about how gosh darn cute this is?  Ironhide’s a good friend! [laughs]

S: He is. Ironhide and like, Perceptor can run the sensitivity training.

O: Yeah, you know I- well, okay I don't know if I think Ironhide could do it, but Perceptor definitely could.  Um, admittedly, I would love to see a sensitivity training ran by Ratchet?

S: [laughs]

O: I'm not saying he'd be particularly good at it, but I am saying the lectures would be  amazing.

S: Yeah, in context this is by a place that is on fire, so a fire chief runs up and says, “Hey!  That's mine!  Put it back where you found it.”

O: [laughs] So, Ironhide puts it down and apologizes, saying it looked like a ‘friend of mine’.

S: And in the context of this... part of the reason this is funny, at least to me, is that Red Alert is a Lamborghini.

O: Fire Lamborghini!

S: Yep.

O: [laughs]

S: Ironhide had followed the fire Lamborghini to where this fire was happening. [sighs]

O: Yep, and then uh, and- you know, where Red Alert  actually is, he is lured into a garage by Starscream who puts his hand on the shoulder.

S: Ohhh, bad touch.

O: Optimus then makes an executive decision to leave Red be and get the Negavator back to a more defensible location, or back to the bunker they were just at.

S: They got to save some money, gotta reuse, um, prior locations.

O: True.

S: Or maybe prior backgrounds?  I don't know. [sighs] Grapple says, “But Red’s circuits are going to explode if we don't help him soon!”  Grapple-

O: Well, that’s news to the rest of us!

S: Yeah.  Grapple has uh, has his priorities straight, I guess.

O: [laughs]

S: I don't know.  The fact that this is how they choose to convey this information to the viewer, I mean, that is kind of weird.

O: It really is, it really comes out of  nowhere!   But Optimus says their energy level’s too low to withstand another Decepticon attack.

S: Oh, they got to get back and share those beds.

O: Which are presumably portable, that they've set up in the bunker?

S: Maybe? Oh fu- or god- or they brought a bunch of quick charge packs or something that they charged up using the beds.

O: I’m just thinking, like, you know, um, like a camp- like the Cybertronian equivalent to a camping cot.

S: Well, I was thinking it's like a nap in like, a box or something.

O: [laughs] Like a na- a nap in a bottle?

S: Yeah, I don't know.  Ah.. and then meanwhile Starscream is gaslighting poor Red Alert into letting him get to the Negavator.

O: You know, with the good side of buttering him up, and Red is so out of it he ultimately agrees to this.

S: The Autobots put the Negavator in a really stupidly designed bunker with incredibly convenient air holes.

O: All the more for Red Alerts to get in!

S: Ravage spies on Red and Starscream entering the base, while Megatron also watches or watches through Ravage’s...

O: I think so.

S: Screen relay?

O: Which is weird, he’s not usually the one doing that.  Ramjet and Thrust though, are apparently very ready to weld their own air commander to a wall.  Volunteering to catch up with Starscream.  But Megatron has an even better plan, why do work when other people can do it for you?

S: Well, I mean, conservation of resources.

O: True.  True.

S: Back with the Autobots, Smokescreen and Wheeljack are going to try and find Red Alert.

O: Golly!  I hope we can find our friend before he explodes.

S: Well, I mean, they've got the ‘master of explosions’ on task so… Hopefully he can find them or-

O: [laughs] Again!  We're putting Wheeljack in charge of stopping explosions!  This does not seem like the best use of your uh, your ‘accidental explosion expert’.

S: Maybe he's just good at finding them before they happen?  So...

O: [laughs] He’s attracted to explosions, that's why they're using him.

S: [laughs] Red and Starscream enter the tunnels under the bunker, trying to avoid some horrible eldritch abomination of a machine.  And honestly, it really is.

O: Starscream screeches, “I don't want to die!” before brute forcing his way through a gate.  And they reach the Negavator.

S: Starscream sounds oddly breathless about this.

O: Look, Megatron is happy about well-built shit, Starscream as a science nerd.  That's just the truth, man.

S: True.  Red Alert hops into the machine and shoots the gate, making it disappear and allowing him and Starscream to get the Negavator out.

O: Megatron shows up.  Him and Starscream bicker, you know, normal.  Good thing Starscream does some real smooth-talking, cuz Megatron sounds  kinda  jealous here, not gonna lie.

S: Mm-hmm, but Red's not super happy about relinquishing his newfound power.  And, I mean, he's gotten a taste of that power so he's- who would want to let it go without a fight?  Not that, that paranoia he's dealing with us helping him right now, at all.

O: Right.  Red and Starscream struggle, but Red Alert is miraculously healed when he's hit with a shot from Starscream's Null Ray.

S: Or at least forcibly dragged into sanity.  Or back-

O: For a limited time.

S: -back into his right mind, yeah.  He gets into the Negavator and uses it against the Decepticons turning the tide of the fight into the Autobots’ favor... and I don't think we mentioned that the Autobots finding it out about them getting in there at all?

O: [laughs] They do, and they all just they just sort of shout at Red to stop, and it was just, Megatron showed up like three seconds later.  It felt very pointless.

S: Yeah.

O: But Optimus and Ironhide waddle to victory.

S: [laughs] The Cons retreat, but the Negavator blows up anyway and somehow this leads to a lot of smoke.  So why are the Autobots coughing?

O: A bad habit they picked up from their squishies? ...Or at least that's what I'd say, if Megatron hadn't also been doing it earlier when he was in the middle of Smokescreen’s smoke. [laughs]

S: Yeah.  Red Alert dives in... like, at this point I think most of the Autobots are like, outside and Red Alert is still inside, in the- in the bunker and Inferno dives in- or rus- rushes in to help him.  Because Red's been caught in the explosion.

O: Another explosion, and the rest of the Autobots think Inferno and Red are both dead.

S: Optimus says, “I should have gone myself!”  All self-flagellating- flagillating? Flagellating?  I can never remember how it’s pronounced.

O: I- I just think- Optimus, do- do you need to talk to somebody?

S: Oh, they need a therapist.

O: Yeah! Er- poor Rung.  Rung should have existed in G1.  I think everybody would have been healthier if Rung existed in G1!

S: Oh yeah, but Red and Inferno are fine.

O: Red apologizes, Optimus tells them, “It's fine.”

S: Red says something about friendship, friendship, blah- blah- blah, and then the episode ends.  And also this entire time, Inferno is cradling Red Alert in his arms in a princess carry.

O: [laughs] Definitely!  They're definitely boyfriends, no one can convince me otherwise.  But join us next time for episode 34,  City of Steel!  Learn more about six do-it-yourself projects utilizing your Optimus Prime.

S: [laughs] Yup.

O: [laughs]

S: We've got some uh, fanfic recommendations for today.

O: Yes we do!

S: Which I think you were actually just going to say too.

O: [laughs] We’ll get there, one way or another we'll get to the fanfic.

S: Okay, so, the first one up is  A Most Reluctant Noah  by The Starhorse.  It's based on the G1 cantu- cartoon, um, rated G, it's Gen, there's no pairings.  Characters are the G1 Autobots.  There may be some Decepticons, but I think it's just the Autobots.  This is one that I-

O: I’m pretty sure it’s just Autobots.

S: Yeah, I haven't read it in a while, but it's one that I do remember enjoying.  So, in summary, “First it rained...and then it rained more...and then it just kept on raining…”  And so, the theme for both of these is, Red Alert, basically being a pretty…

O: Central character?

S: Yes, thank you.  And this is a complete one shot, it was actually written, er- The Starhorse wrote it for someone?  Eh.. I think because of a contest?  I don't actually remember what the contest was, it's mentioned- I believe, in the- the notes.

O: Probably.

S: Yeah.  Uh, the second one is  Overkill  by Ultionic.  It's G1 cartoon, rated G, it's Gen, no pairings, and the characters are Optimus Prime and Red Alert.  And in summary, “Optimus thinks that Red Alert’s new security system for the Autobot base may be a little, um, over the top.”

O: [laughs]

S: And again, Red Alert themed.  This is a one-shot drabble and it's complete.  And it was pretty short but also pretty fun.

O: Fun at any length is always a good thing.

[Note: Our apologies, the author has removed  Overkill  since we recorded this episode, so it’s no longer available.]

S: And I think you have fanart recommendations for today?

O: Yes, I do.  So our um, recommendation for today is KKing.  Um, they have a Tumblr, a Pixiv and a Twitter, and they primarily were doing Beast Wars and Animated, but there's quite a lot of different art.  Um, they have a lot of humorous comics, or kind of sketchy drawings and for today we have um, Megatron and Dinobot having a discussion that's kind of serious.  (Ah, Beast Wars Megatron.)  But I really like it, uh, and then HONOR uh, Dinobot-

S: [laughs]

O: -which is a delight.  And then um, a Mega- a very Megatron Christmas.  It- it is also a delight it's literally one of my favorite pieces of fan- fan art ever um, because I love Beast Wars and it's just a bunch of the Predacons and it's completely, wonderfully, absurd.

S: The number of hats that Megatron is wearing or-

O: Yes, yes!  Well, no, I don't think he's wearing a hat I think he might have a bag?

S: His dinosaur head is wearing- oh, I thought that was a hat that his dinosaur head was wearing.

O: Oh no, no, no, I meant on his back but yes, the dinosaur head is wearing a hat as is his ducky.

S: Yeah, actually the ducky and the dinosaur head are what I was thinking of.

O: [laughs] Yes, for those of you haven't seen Beast Wars, Beast Wars Megatron has a ducky, that I shit you not, shows up in at least multiple scenes. Um-

S: He’s also got-

O: In his jacuzzi of evil. [laughs]

S: Yes, I was gonna say he's got a jacuzzi.

O: [laughs] Jacuzzi of evil!  I mean, look, if you're gonna hold council with your bastards you might as well be comfortable doing it, right? [laughs]

S: Yeah, for some reason I've just had the sudden... I don't know [sighs] mental assertion that someone in that show basically had rollerskates

O: Uh, you're not wrong, because Megatron's second frame absolutely is a- is a rollerskating t-rex.  I shit you not, there's an entire scene where he's rollerscoot- rollerskating slowly around someone in a vaguely menacing fashion.  It's amazing.

S: It’s-

O: You all wonder why I love Beast Wars so much.  This is why I love Beast Wars so much.  I get good writing, and I get completely stupid shit like this! [laughs]

S: It's been a while since I watched it but, that's probably what came to my mind.

O: [laughs] I’m just saying, Beast Wars Megatron is a  delight.   “Yesss~”

S: Okay, and that just about wraps it up for us today.  Remember to check us out on Tumblr or Pillowfort as Afterspark-Podcast for any additional information, show notes, or links we may have mentioned.  You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter at AftersparkPod (all one word), and various other locations by searching for Afterspark Podcast such as AO3, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Youtube, just to name a few.  And feel free to send us questions on Tumblr or Youtube.  Till next time, I'm Specs.

O: And I’m Owls.

S: Toodles.

[Outro Music]

[goodwhump-temp]

FULL WHUMPS LIST;

Shows, movies, anime, & cartoons (Organized Alphabetically by TV Title)(pinned) - Message me if any of this is outdated! Organized whump of my posts

LIVE ACTION

Ray Palmer | Arrowverse Jake Peralta | Brooklyn-99 Tangerine | Bullet Train Richard Castle | Castle Ryan | Castle Johnny Gage | Emergency! (1979) John Carter | E.R. Peter Bishop | Fringe Simon | Firefly Malcolm | Firefly Mike Schmidt | FNAF Movie Tom Mason | Falling Skies Matt Damon | Jason Bourne Jake Green | Jericho (2006) Hawkeye | M*A*S*H Steven Grant | Moon Knight Thomas Shelby | Peaky Blinders Shawn Spencer | Psych Daniel Jackson | SG1 Trip Tucker | Star Trek: Enterprise William Riker | Star Trek: TNG Rodney McKay | SG: Atlantis John Sheppard | SG: Atlantis Sam Winchester | Supernatural (S1-S15) Mark Wahlberg | Ted 2 Hughie | The Boys Shaun Murphey | The Good Doctor Dick Grayson | Titans Rust Cohle | True Detectives Cordell Walker | Walker Ryan Gosling | Multiple movies Owen Strand | 9-1-1 Lone Star

ANIME

Hajime Nagumo | Arifureta: From Commonplace To World's Strongest Ciel Phantomhive | Black Butler Ichigo | Bleach Yukio Okumura | Blue Exorcist Rin Okumura | Blue Exorcist Akutugawa | Bungo Stray Dogs Atsushi | Bungo Stray Dogs Yuu Otosaka | Charlotte Lelouch Lamperouge | Code Geass David Martinez | Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Allen Walker | D. Gray Man Saiki K. | Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Natsu | Fairy Tail Grey | Fairy Tail Yuki | Fruits Basket Edward Elric | Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Edward Elric | Fullmetal Alchemist: 2003 (+ the Movie) Shoyo Hinata | Haikyu!! Nanase Riku | IDOLiSH7 Kuroko | Kuroko No Basket Cheng Xiaoshi | Link Click Lu Guang | Link Click Deku | My Hero Academia Natsume Takashi | Natsume's Book of Friends Yuito Sumeragi | Scarlet Nexus Kirito | Sword Art Online Cid Kagenou | The Eminence in Shadow Naofumi | The Rising of the Shield Hero Ashiya Hanae | The Morose Mononokean Vanitas | Vanitas No Carte Yuri | Yuri On Ice

CARTOONS

Boimler | Star Trek: Lower Decks Ezra Bridger | Star Wars Rebels Bumblebee | Transformers: Prime Optimus Prime | Transformers: Prime Ratchet | Transformers: Prime Smokescreen | Transformers: Prime Jack Darby | Transformers: Prime Lance | Voltron: Legendary Defender Robin | Young Justice Blue Beetle | Young Justice Batman | Justice League / Unlimited, JLA + Movies..

GAMES

Johnny Cage | Mortal Kombat

[goodwhump-temp]

Jack Darby Whump | Transformers: Prime

IM BACK. 1x03 Darkness Rising Pt.3 - Briefly captured 1x04 Darkness Rising Pt.4 - Goodbyes 1x05 Darkness Rising Pt.5 - Brief motionsickness, SNATCHED, thrown, worried, comforted 1x09 Convoy - In danger, on a derailing train 1x12 Predatory - In danger, chased, thrown (by explosion), pinned 1x15 Shadowzone - Caught in explosion (offscreen), missing, stuck with a zombie 1x17 Crisscross - Held at gunpoint, pinned 1x19 Rock Bottom - Shot at (Megatron), cave collapse, alone 1x23 One Shall Fall - Compared to Optimus 1x25 One Shall Rise Pt.2 - Optimus bonding (18:45) --------------------------------------

2x02 Orion Pax Pt.2 - Dangerous mission 2x03 Orion Pax Pt.3 - Dangerous mission, attacked 2x11 Flying Mind - Security bot attack, surrounded by decepticons waking up from paralysis, saved by Ratchet 2x12 Tunnel Vision - Stuck on malfunctioning train 2x20 Legacy - Smokescreen bonding/bad influence, chased/outnumbered and alone 2x25 Regeneration - Hostage 2x26 Darkest Hour - Hostage, captured, evacuated --------------------------------------

3x01 Darkmount, NV - Worried, discovered, shot at, knocked down 3x02 Scattered - Feels helpless 3x05 Project Predacon - Almost lobbed 3x07 Plus One - Protective, worried 3x10 Minus One - Loud noise 3x11 Persuasion - Future talked about, tackled/saved 3x13 Deadlock - Emotional goodbyes