#that I somehow Am the competent and well adjusted person (they think) they’ve been working on

[taardisblue]

.

[phoenixyfriend]

Commander Buir

Follow-up to this post. Not in any particular order, just spitballing ideas, with contributions from several friends on discord.

Like presumably it takes long enough for them all to meet up again that Anakin and Cody do, in fact, end up treating each other like family, just so I can have that good good "well, guess I'm Dad now" energy. Shmi isn't entirely sure what's going on but she's not a slave anymore and her kid seems to like this rando mando, so.

Anakin gets to have a mom and two dads, though one of the dads is arguably younger than him.

Also when they all meet up again and Cody explains the "General Skywalker got shrunk" thing, there are three reactions: (General) Obi-Wan: Oh, Anakin. Obi-Wan: [gestures to take him, ends up with an armful of clingy padatoddler] Anakin: You can't blame this on me, Obi. Obi-Wan, a little teary, because babies cause emotions: Of course I can, you absurd human being. ------ Rex: That's... my general. Anakin: I am, Captain. Rex: Cool cool cool I'm gonna go stand where I can't, uh, break you. Anakin: I'm not THAT fragile! ------ Ahsoka: [gasp] Skyguy is SKYKID! Anakin: Padawan, this is-- Ahsoka, grabbing him and cuddling: Oh my goodness you're adorable this is the best day ever. Anakin: This is humiliating, Snips, put me down. Ahsoka: Never.

Anakin hates being a toddler because of the lack of independence but Cody keeps picking him up when he's cranky and just holding him until he falls asleep and that's... nice.......

- The brain limitations aren't quite as bad as the situation with Sokanth and Ylliben in the other AU, but - Even if his brain is mostly adjusted he’s still got a tiny body with different needs that he’s not used to. Like, he needs to sleep more but he’s got more energy than usual when he’s awake and it’s all weird.

Cody carrying around toddler Anakin like "God you give me ulcers but you're adorable, you little shit."

Inconveniently tiny body aside, Anakin has a pretty great time in this au. His family are all together and safe and within reach. His wife isn't around, but toddler brain means he doesn't have the Romance Drive, so that's not as bad as it could be It could be significantly worse.

@atagotiak asked: Does Anakin get annoyed about being called cute? - To which I say, He bites the first few times but Shmi tells him that's Naughty so he stops. - Babies are cute so you packbond with them before they’re annoying, Anakin is cute as a self defense mechanism - He’s extra annoying so he needs to be extra cute

You know how you need to keep an eye on toddlers so they don't, like, fall down the stairs or put something toxic in their mouth? - They need to keep an eye on Anakin specifically so he doesn't rewire the ship they're in while they're in hyperspace. - He has less self control on account of being smol. He still has all the mechanical knowledge! Just less comprehension of y’know, consequences.

Anakin, with a sippy cup: This is demeaning. Ahsoka: Your hands don't work great enough to avoid accidents yet. Anakin: It's still embarrassing.

General Kenobi can't just kill Maul, not when Maul is baby right now (sixteen, which is baby enough) so he just. Kinda. Kidnaps a baby Sith. (It's fine. He's fine.)

General Kenobi (not to be confused with Padawan Kenobi) decides to declare Maul his new padawan because someone has to deal with this teenager, and Plo already claimed the rest of Ahsoka's training. And Anakin's three, so.

"What do we do with Maul?" "Eh, I can handle him. I dealt with teenage Anakin getting arrested for illegal pod-racing twice a month, I can work with this."

Maul bites, but only slightly more often than Anakin, it's fine

Ahsoka definitely bullies Maul whenever possible

Consider: Rex holding very still because Anakin wanted to be tall, so he climbed Rex. Being unexpectedly climbed is better than being unexpectedly yeeted. It's still extremely nerve-wracking. - Cody is perfectly capable of running around with a backpacking toddler General, but Rex freezes like a statue. - Ahsoka finds this hilarious

You know how little kids like to be thrown around and swung in circles and stuff like that? This must get even more ridiculous with force users. Can throw a child real high and catch them safely. - Rex panics whenever Ahsoka throws her chibified Master

Literally everyone except Rex loves being yeeted. Even Maul can appreciate a good tactical yeet no shut up he's not having fun this is TRAINING - Rex is Suffering - Cody, a very Tired Dad, deserves to mock his vod'ika a little, as stress relief - Rex, a certified Little Brother, shoves Cody off something tall. Jokes on him, Cody thinks freefall is fun too.

Tia asked: So the people who didn’t exist yet got flung bodily back in time and Anakin did the mental time travel. Why did Obi-Wan not become Padawan Kenobi? (I mean “because I want it that way” is def a good enough answer I’m just wondering if there’s any reason.) - Which, well, it really was mostly "I want to" but here's two options, both of which come down to Blame Daughter and Father. 1. They figured a responsible adult Jedi Master was needed to convince people. 2. Nobody was supposed to get de-aged but Daughter figured they needed to make Anakin less liable to kill things for a few years. - Also IDK the Force God-Manifestations also took away any risk of rapid aging and early death from the clones because uhhhhhhhhhhh I said so

Rex and Ahsoka are fumbling their way through a relationship where ages are just really confusing and awkward, so they're keeping it to just kisses and cuddles for a bit.

Cody is so tired he doesn't even realize anyone's hitting on him until it's been three years of co-parenting with Shmi and his General. - Somehow Anakin knows Cody is in a relationship before Cody does. Cody has never been so embarrassed. - How did he manage to be less observant than Skywalker? -- it was sabotage; all his brain cells were taken up in managing said Skywalker -- Because Skywalker was up at three in the morning whacking a training droid with a stick so he didn't have the energy for Relationships

Also Shmi's come-ons are super subtle, while the General's are... well, Cody's gotten very used to ignoring anything ambiguous on that end because fraternization rules, and also because Obi-Wan flirts a lot with everyone. So.

Please imagine Cody and General Kenobi walking around with Anakin tucked into a toddler sling while they do whatever work they've ended up with at the Temple. - Yes, Cody is helping the Jedi figure out the best plan of attack to take down this slave ring because his grasp on tactics is phenomenal and he knows how to deploy people at greatest efficiency, but also he's got a nosy toddler on his hip who keeps offering his own insane-but-competent ideas. - General Kenobi ends up with a Council Seat just on account of, like, being the kind of person he is. As often as not, he's got Anakin tucked into his robes, chewing on the ear of a stuffed tooka or something.

IDK what Shmi's doing but apparently Legends had it that some of the administrative and support positions in the Temple were held by non-Jedi civilians? So probably something like that.

GENERAL KENOBI LECTURING PADAWAN MAUL WHILE ANAKIN'S BALANCED ON HIS HIP AND GLARING AT MAUL FOR STEALING HIS DAD

General Kenobi: Ahsoka's babysitting. Anakin: I'm her master, I don't need babysitting, this is-- General Kenobi: Fine, then you need supervision, so that you don't blow up a training salle again. Anakin: And you think Ahsoka would stop me? General Kenobi, eye twitching: Fine, I'm leaving you with Plo.

Even if he’s mentally an adult Anakin always needs supervision Look at canon! Anakin was left without supervision for like two days and he became a Sith

Quinlan gets distracted by how attractive General Kenobi is and tells Obi-Wan "dude, you're gonna be so hot once you can get rid of the stupid haircut" and Obi-Wan pushes him into the nearest pond.

They end up with this weird "Uncle Jango" situation (uncle to Anakin, via weird brotherhood-ish to Cody) because Rex and Cody are just like "Uhhhhhhhhh yeah okay" about him eventually, and Jango just like. Drops by. Trying to Earn Affection Of Blood Kin by bringing weird gifts for them and their (ugh) Jedi.

"Okay, Rex'ika, I stopped by Shili--" "What?" "--and apparently this is a delicacy there, so just... your girlfriend will like it." "She's not my girlfriend." "..." "Okay, I can't call her my girlfriend. Jedi have rules about that sort of thing, and--" "This will make your Jedi happy, probably. Just take it, kid."

Baby Anakin got his arm back but for some inexplicable reason still has The Eye Scar. He matches Buir.

[djemsostylist]

Every once in a while a show sort of creeps up on you, you know? You don't really expect much of it, and then it sort of quietly wows you. Ada Masalı is that show.

At its surface, AM is about a city girl who falls for a small town boy, and all the clichés that entails, and that is the core of the story. I think that's part of why it's so good--bc this story had a premise and it's kept that premise solid. City girl moves to small town and falls in love with a local and everyone learns lessons along the way.

But AM takes the tropes and clichés and does them well. I've written before about how they take the basics and give them just enough "oomph" to make them special. I'll quote myself here, if I may:

Haziran and Poyraz both seem to fit into pretty typical roles: gruff, silent man and bubbly, talkative woman. But they’ve given each character enough nuance to move them out of the typical mold. Yes, Haziran is bubbly and talkative and a little overly loud, but she has a reason for it–silence in her childhood meant anger and fighting with her mother, and she learned how to fill the silence with talking. She is also very competent at her job, genuinely kind, smart, and driven. Poyraz is the “strong, silent” type, but he manages to subvert the “asshole” which far too often comes with the role. Like Haziran, he has some difficulties in his past, but he also seems well adjusted, smart, genuinely kind, focused, and again, competent. He and Haziran are true equals in this show, which is rare in romcom couples, particularly Turkish ones. They both are in similar financial situations, they both seem to have similar philosophies and outlooks, and, perhaps most importantly, they are both head over heels for each other and they both know it, even if they are unable to say it out loud just yet.

At the time when I wrote the above piece, I believe we were just before episode 6 or 7, so the secret hadn't been revealed yet, and at the time I speculated that it was likely to drop before their relationship started, and I was correct. This show continues to take the obvious and turn it on its head.

Poyraz and Haziran are one of the few dizi couples, and certainly the only romcom couple, I've seen where they have entered into a relationship that isn't built on a fragile house of cards held together by mutual attraction. This couple is completely and totally all in, and it makes sense. They've had conversation upon conversation about their parents, their past, their fears, their insecurities, their concerns. They've seen each other vulnerable and hurting and scared and been there for each other at their lowest. They have complete and total trust in each other, in their love for each other, in their relationship.

There is attraction yes, certainly, god is there ever, but there is also a deep affection. They like each other, which may seem a silly thing to fixate on, but so many times with couples I ask myself "okay, but do they even like each other though?" and in this case, they genuinely do. Poyraz loves her rambling and her overreactions and the way she hops from one idea to the other but somehow always manages to make it work. He loves that she works hard and never pawns off the hard jobs and he loves how genuinely kind and caring she is. He memorizes everything because he liked her before he loved her, and that's huge. And same for her. She loves his kindness and his empathy, his ability to fix broken electronics and his stubbornness when it comes to getting his way. She loves his honesty and his pride and the way he can't ever really say no to her. I think she also really loves that he doesn't let his past affect who he is. There's a connection between them that started with a spark but grew into something actually real.

The best bit, though, is that this is the first romcom couple I've seen (there may be more) that enter the relationship on completely equal terms, no secrets, and no uncertainties. All their secrets from each other were cleared up long before they ever said I love you. They are both in a similar place life wise--financially they are both probably around equal in terms of overall assets, they both have equal romantic histories (probably a series of short term relationships but nothing big or long lasting), they both value hard work and honesty and kindness, they are both mature adults who have been "out" of their parents house so to speak (yes, both still live with their respective parents, but neither play the typical "kid" role--they both are honestly more in the caretaker role), they are both college educated with business acumen. They both have had difficulties in their past, but neither allow those issues to hurt others--they both possess enough self-awareness to know how their issues effect them personally and they both work to ensure their issues don't become someone else's burden. Poyraz helping her with her fear of water or Haziran talking him through his mother are not them burdening each other, or using their issues as a reason to avoid a relationship--on the contrary, they build their bond by supporting each other through their pain. And, and this one is perhaps most important, they both love each other equally, and they both knew it before it was ever said outloud. That Poyraz could say "I love you" and Haziran could say it right back, no hesitation, speaks volumes to where they are both individually and as a couple.

Perhaps what's been the most refreshing is them communicating, constantly. When these two fight, they share their issues, their anger, their irritation, and then they work through it. The way they talk through their issues, every time, is honestly stunning for how completely refreshing it is. When they get mad at each other, they don't act like everything is fine while actively treating the other like crap--they explain the reasons behind their anger/irritation, they listen, they talk. The scene this episode of their banter after their fight on the first date was incredibly refreshing--bc it wasn't actually fighting. Haz was upset bc Poyraz ruined their first date--which he acknowledges, apologizes for, and then makes up to her, and she accepts. Their playful flirting in the kitchen the next day is just that--fun and playful and both of them are in on it. It's not Haz treating him like shit under the guise of "comedy", it's not him purposely being an obnoxious pain in the ass. It's them being cute and flirty and light after their fight the night before, which they already solved with a text conversation.

What I love most about their relationship is that I buy it. Completely. These are two people who aren't going to run when things get tough, who aren't going to play coy about their feelings, who aren't going to fight just to fight. We've seen them be honest and straightforward in their feelings, good, bad or otherwise. We've seen them fight for each other and their relationship. We've seen them encounter problems (whether in their relationship or in life) and work through them, together. And perhaps the greatest part of their relationship is that they allow each other to be exactly who they are. They are both allowed to feel the things they feel, and the other lets them. They are given a safe space to be themselves, and to know that they will always have the support and love of the other person, no matter what.

I said I thought this show was about love, at it's core, and all the ways love manifests, and I still think that's true. But I think this show is also about happiness--and about the idea that we can't always know exactly what is going to make us happy. True happiness can't always be predicted--what you think might make you happy isn't always what actually does, and sometimes that's a hard thing to accept. All of the characters on this show have a view of the world and what will bring them joy, and one by one I think we are seeing that change. Sometimes what makes you happy is the thing you didn't expect.

This show is hardly perfect. It's a dizi, and it has it's flaws. And without knowing how long it's set to run, the chances of it losing focus is not an impossibility. But this show continues to delight and surprise--from introducing new characters like Batu who are far more than they appear, to continuing to keep us guessing with old ones, I think AM has the chance to be a romcom people remember as being special. I'm hoping right now for between 20-25 episodes, which would allow us to explore their island and it's story in the detail I think it deserves, without leaving too much room for nonsense to creep in.

I think I'll leave this here for now--sometimes a show is more than it seems, and sometimes a show is exactly what it seems. AM is both and neither, and I'd be willing to argue that it's the summer's best. The focus in the diziworld seems to be entirely on the summer's other two romcoms, but AM stays quietly getting better by the week. I look forward to what these writers have in store for us in the weeks to come!

[twokinkybeans]

Stark On Ice: Starker Figure Skating AU Chapter 1

Summary: Six months ago, the broadcasters asked Tony to participate in Celebrity Spin-Off; an annual TV series where celebrities get paired up with a professional figure skater and compete against each other. Well, he’d laughed in their faces, wondering why they’d even ask. Were they really that stupid? He had better things to do. “If you can find me a male skater who lets me lead, I’m in,” he’d scoffed sarcastically to brush them off.

He didn't expect them to take his answer seriously.

Masterpost (to be posted) Find On AO3

---

Chapter One: Let Me Entertain You Tony readjusts his jacket as he walks into the large building that is the Midtown Ice Arena. It’s a few minutes before 7 AM, and he already downed a triple espresso on his way here - amusedly ignoring Happy’s complaints about it being so damn early. He will give the man a raise soon. Tony can’t say he’s a morning person, but having to get up this early every single day for three months in a row helps to get used to it. Today is different, though. He feels jittery and on-edge just thinking about today’s events. It’s the final rehearsal. Tonight he’s going to skate in front of the entirety of the States. He knows many people won’t even bother to watch the TV series, but the idea has him slightly nauseous anyway. His first live show…

Live show.

Tony chuckles sarcastically at himself as he sits down on one of the benches in the changing room. Live show. Six months ago, the broadcasters asked him to participate in Celebrity Spin-Off; an annual TV series where celebrities get paired up with a professional figure skater and compete against each other. Well, he’d laughed in their faces, wondering why they’d even ask. Were they really that stupid? He had better things to do. “If you can find me a male skater who lets me lead, I’m in,” he’d scoffed sarcastically to brush them off. 

He’s still not sure why they took his answer seriously, but they had. Tony Stark doesn’t back out of a promise, though. So, here he is, lacing up his skates after three months of intensive training, ready to work through his choreo together with his assigned partner Peter Parker. From what Tony’s heard, Peter is a pretty big deal in the skating world. He’s a sweet, enthusiastic 21-year-old who has enough talent and skill in pair skating to participate in the Olympics, yet he’d chosen not to. Instead, he tours across the US with Stars On Ice, coaches young kids at Midtown, and has a YouTube channel where he and his partner MJ post routines with traditional gender roles reversed.  Tony admires Peter’s passion. The man doesn’t like other people very fast, but Peter was something else entirely. He’s endearing in a way. It’s easy to like him. Which, thank god, is a positive thing. They’ve had to train together for a minimum of eighteen hours for the past three months - both on ice and off. Tony had been surprised to see that the theory classes and off-rink practice were just as important.

When Tony finishes lacing up his skates he walks towards the rink, finally knowing how to do that without looking like a waddling duck. A smile creeps onto his face when he spots his partner on the ice already. The boy moves around ever so graciously, practicing his triple axel. A few days prior, Peter told him he hadn’t done it in a while, and he and MJ intend to use it in their new YouTube tutorial, so he’s been wanting to perfect his landing. It’s not like he pops it, but the boy isn’t content very easily. Tony enjoys watching him rehearse no matter how he lands. He’s so beautiful out there. Like he was born to skate. After landing perfectly three times, Peter slows down to give himself a short break, and that’s when he spots Tony at the entrance. The man waves awkwardly and Peter grins. “Mornin’, grumpy-head!” Peter laughs as he skates towards him.  “Well, look at you. Always a beaming ray of sunshine, aren’t ya?” “You know me too well, Mr. Stark. Hope you didn’t forget to apply your sunscreen today!” Peter jokes, jumping off the ice to give Tony a short hug. Tony hates to admit he likes that Peter greets him like that every single day. The boy isn’t scared of him, unlike most other people. Another reason why Tony likes him. He grunts as a response to the joke and nudges Peter. “Think it’s time to start training. Steve here yet?” Tony asks, looking around to see if he spots their coach. Peter shakes his head. “No, his car broke down a few blocks from Midtown, he’ll be here soon enough. Let’s start warming up so we can dive right into the sequence when he gets here.” “Yes, coach.”

-

“Why- Why do these outfits have to be so glittery,” Tony jests as he eyes himself in the mirror. He’s wearing a tight and stretchy black button-up with thick, gold seams and shiny gold beads all over it. Thank god his pants are a simple plain black. Peter is adjusting his hair right next to him. The metallic gold tee hugs the boy’s skin so incredibly tight that Tony can’t help his gaze from wandering down a little, peeking at the boy’s gorgeous abs. Peter grins as he follows Tony’s gaze. “Well, I guess that’s why,” Peter retorts, and Tony blushes. He sniffs, staring at his own reflection again. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” “Says the man who asked for a male partner. I still don’t-” “Oh shush,” Tony cuts him off playfully and waves his hand in the air. Peter simply chuckles and finishes styling his curls. They’re silent for a moment and Tony’s thoughts wander. He hadn’t meant to stare like that. Yes, he was bisexual but that doesn’t mean he liked Peter like that. They were already making headlines on entertainment websites. He can’t even imagine what’d happen if they’d actually feel something for each other. That’d be insane and highly unprofessional. The kid is too young, and- No. Tony doesn’t even have to make excuses for himself. Peter is nice. That’s it. 

Thinking about them making the news doesn’t exactly settle his nerves. People are interested in them. Tony Stark on skates must be high-end entertainment for many people in itself, but the fact that they’re a male couple… He knows the public’s eye is on them tonight. “So tell me, kid. How does one contain nerves for a show, uh?” Tony asks, trying to keep it casual but failing massively. A gentle smile tugs on Peter’s lips. “Experience. Trusting yourself,” he starts. “You know, Tony. You won’t be flawless tonight. But that’s okay, remember? No one will be. Flawless is not what we aim for. Chemistry. Engaging the public, and-” “-just having fun on the ice,” Tony finishes for him with a nod. Peter has told him this many times before, but the reminder does settle his nerves. Tony’s a beginner, but he’s got the name and his charm. And Peter... They’ve got a pretty good shot. “Exactly. Now, tell me- what are you most nervous about?” “Honestly?” “Well, yes.” “Dropping you.” Peter sighs and takes a step closer to Tony.  “You won’t. You’ve only dropped me once, and I wasn’t even hurt. Even if it were to happen, I know how to take a fall. We’ll be alright. You’re one of the best skaters in this competition. You’re gonna ace this.” “Thank you, Pete. Hey, for what it counts, I’m glad you’re my skating partner.” “And I’m glad you’re mine.”

-

Tony’s throat is dry, his heart beating rapidly in his chest when his fingers tangle into Peter’s. The boy is so close to him, just like during practice. It grounds him. The floor manager smiles at them. “Good luck out there, you ready for it?” Tony nods, his lips pressed together in a thin line. Smile. He should smile. Peter squeezes his hands once and Tony takes a deep breath. He’s got this. They’ve got this. The floor manager signals, “-Standing by…” Oh, God. This is it. Tony sniffs. His hands feel sweaty, his stomach knots together once more. As much as he appears to be comfortable in public, the moment right before always has him on edge. Any moment now. His gaze focused on the floor manager. Waiting for her cue.  “And go!”

Tony forces his most charming smile on his face when he skates forward in unison with Peter, the cheers of the audience enveloping him. They stop in the center of the rink and he guides Peter in front of him. The boy’s arms are crossed in front of his chest. Tony puts a hand on Peter’s right shoulder. It’s quiet for a second, but then the familiar tune starts playing and Tony licks his lips. Peter smirks, pushing his skates into the ice to circle around the man, Tony’s gaze tracking him until he’s in front once again.

Hell is gone and heaven’s here There’s nothing left for you to fear Shake your arse come over here Now scream 

Peter twirls and presses into Tony’s side. They grin at each other and skate forward, towards the edge of the rink. Tony’s nerves finally settle when he focuses on just how smooth Peter glides over the ice. The loud music cuts off the sounds of their blades crushing the frozen surface beneath them, but Tony hears it in his mind instead. He knows exactly where to turn, where to move. Peter sends him a little nod right before they go into the crossovers. Tony doesn’t like crossovers all that much, it makes him feel stiff and uncoordinated. Yet, somehow his body seems to do it on autopilot today, simply mimicking Peter’s lead. 

I’m a burning effigy Of everything I used to be You’re my rock of empathy, my dear

Tony feels powerful in a way, his movements loosening up with every passing second. It’s time for their waltz jump. He turns around to transition into backward crosscuts and then shifts his weight from the right outer edge to the left one, throwing his right leg up in front. He gasps when he feels how smoothly he lifts off the ice. He’s flying through the air, weightless, and a quick glance confirms that Peter is too. When his right foot hits the ice again, he bends his right knee and extends his left leg behind him. The applause envelopes him like a warm blanket and the adrenaline coursing through his veins is an exhilarating sensation. He did it. He did it!

So come on let me entertain you Let me entertain you Let me entertain you

Tony turns around again to find Peter skating in his direction with a proud and goofy grin on his face. Tony’s heart leaps out of his chest when he realizes his partner is just as impressed as he is. Their hands find each other as they increase their speed to make it through another set of crossovers. Tony doesn’t even worry about them anymore at this point. Everything is just fucking amazing. 

Let me entertain you Let me entertain you (let me entertain you) So come on let me entertain you (let me entertain you) Let me entertain you (let me entertain you)

Tony takes a deep breath when he realizes it’s time for their lift. He sets off for his continuous three turns and feels how Peter starts leaning into him. The man prepares for the boy to jump up from the ice gracefully. When Peter does so, he easily catches him and they spin into their rotational lift. Tony loves this one - loves to have Peter in his arms bridal style while spinning around and around and around while remembering his words. Don’t be afraid of the speed. Stalling is falling. Tony doesn’t feel like they’re falling. No, it feels like they’re floating, setting off for space.

Come on come on come on come on Come on come on come on come on Come on come on come on come on

Peter moves slightly, indicating it’s time for Tony to help him back down again. They transition into forward strokes toward the center once more and slow down. Their arms are spread wide proudly. Peter then circles Tony just like he did in the beginning, leaning into Tony’s side when the music comes to an end. He can’t help wrapping an arm around him to pull him in closer, bathing in the applause and the cheers that are thrown their way. Oh my god. They pulled it off. He can’t believe they did it. Of course, he doesn’t have Peter’s finesse but fuck. As Peter would say, they aced it. Together. 

---

Next Chapter: To Be Posted

[kingbennyboyyy]

benny’s RWBY rewrite: team JNPR

 it’s time for part 2 of my character ramblings, and this time i’ll be focusing on team JNPR! while i’ll be going into individual characterization and themes for these characters, my main goal is to analyze their uses are narrative foils for team RWBY. one of my main critiques of the show as-is is that there’s too many main characters, so i’ve opted to delegate team JNPR to side character status. this is nothing against them, this is purely a structural decision. with the preamble out of the way, let’s get to team JNPR!

jaune arc:

- ah yes, vomit boy. i’ll admit, my personal opinion of jaune isn’t the best: i thought he took up way too much time in the first few volumes of the show, time that should have been spent telling the viewer about the rules and power systems that exist in the world. despite this, i think jaune as a character has the potential to do a lot for the main cast. as a character in his own right, he’s defined by his bold nature, contrasted with his deep emotional concern for the people around him. i think that his issues with cardin can stay (so long as cardin is less of a cartoon bully and more of an actual issue), and i think that somebody else should have issues with cardin: weiss.

- i think that the contrast jaune and weiss have is part of the reason a romance was originally written between the two. they have very stark similarities and differences: both of them care extremely deeply about their family names and expectations, and act somewhat carelessly to keep up appearances. jaune cheating his way into beacon, and weiss’ spoiled princess routine, are both direct results of them taking their expectations very seriously. i think that cardin should be the key to both of these characters thinking more critically about what their family names mean to them. for weiss, it could be cardin expecting weiss to be in on some kind of malicious prank against velvet, or even blake after defending velvet. for jaune, it could be cardin insulting jaune’s living up to his family name, or even (and this is mostly me being dramatic) breaking his family heirloom after insulting its effectiveness as a weapon. dealing with cardin should bring these two characters together despite their initial difficulties in getting along. both of them should have to think critically about what their families represent, and if they even want to live up to those expectations.

nora valkyrie:

- now i like nora a lot. i think she fills in the position of “traumatized happy-go-lucky tank” very well, almost better than yang does. she and yang are a bit too similar for me to feel comfortable pairing them up, though. nora’s later development is what intrigues me most: having grown up with ren for a majority of her life, and having had to keep the trauma of losing her hometown and her family to herself by masking it with overwhelming joy and energy, she holds a lot of conflicting feelings and emotions. as much as she comes to resent it, the role of the ditz that smacks things with a hammer is a role that has its benefits. this masking of true emotions with a wall of a conflicting one is something i’ve described in another character: blake.

- as different as these two characters appear to be, they do have a lot in common. both blake and nora have expressed concerns with being defined by the people they surround themselves with. i am in no way at all trying to say that ren and adam are similar characters or people, but i am saying that they debatably play similar roles for nora and blake. for nora, ren is her rock, the person who keeps her grounded, and the person she’s had to change and mask aspects of herself to appease. adam, although much more abusive and violent, forced blake to do similar things: to mask her emotions, do what was expected of her, and to give and give until all that was left was a tool. for both of these characters, learning to be more authentic without fear of hurting the people around them is key.

pyrrha nikos:

- i fucking love pyrrha. the fact that we only had her for two volumes is a crying shame, because i think that her place in the story is really important. it’s easy to forget that past the fantasy high school backdrop, these are children training to become killing machines, who will almost certainly die in battle. pyrrha has embraced this expectation: she’s one of the most competent fighters in her age group, has essentially a cult following, and has somehow gotten through that being pretty well-adjusted. however, the burden of excellence has made it impossible for her to make decisions for herself, for fear of letting down the people who have placed her on a pedestal. this fear is a pretty stark contrast to another character: ruby.

- ruby and pyrrha should have been much closer in the original story. it would have made her death hit ruby a lot harder, but i also think that these two working together makes total sense. pyrrha is the ideal that ruby is striving for in her huntress training, and the two having a mentoring friendship would be really nice. as much of a good fighter as ruby is, she has room to improve in the leadership department, and learning from pyrrha would be great for her. in addition, she and pyrrha have opposite issues: ruby knows what she wants to be, but not what she has to be, and pyrrha knows what she has to be, but not what she wants to be. where ruby’s naivety and optimism drives her to make decisions based on her personal ideals, pyrrha’s comparative maturity makes these decisions much harder. ruby would not sacrifice herself to become the maiden in the same way pyrrha did. i think that pyrrha’s death should be a lesson for ruby: a lesson in sacrifice. it should remove the rosy tint from her gaze, and show her that being a huntress isn’t just about fighting monsters and saving lives- it’s also about giving up your own.

lie ren:

- finally, it’s ya boy. ren is a really interesting character, especially when contrasted with nora. he and nora went through the same trauma, but he came out the other end much different. ren’s semblance is literally masking emotions, and he’s come to do this extremely well. while he’s more recently exhibited a propensity for exploding, for the most part, he’d much rather sit and broil in his angst and anger than let it be readily seen. similarly to blake and nora, he’s the opposite side of the emotional coin to our final main character: yang.

- these two have very different demeanors: one of them is calm, cool, and collected, opting to simply tolerate things that bother him. the other one is almost exclusively at 11, wearing her emotions on her sleeve at all times. however, these exaggerated displays of emotion both serve the same purpose: to mask their suffering. where ren sits in his emotions, slowly and methodically boiling off feelings that are inconvenient,  yang is the kind of person to pour gasoline over her feelings and throw a match onto the pile. make no mistake, these two characters are 100% prone to lashing out, and both of them often lack the ability to see how their explosions harm the people around them. ren and yang, at the beginning, shouldn’t get along. ren should see yang’s emotional nature as a distraction from more important matters, and yang should see ren as a doormat, perfectly willing to be walked all over. however, something should unite them (their loved ones being endangered, perhaps), and allow them to see how similar they are. maybe they’re surrounded by grimm, yang’s semblance has accidentally activated, and her holding onto ren is burning him. ren and yang talk about emotions, how deeply they both feel them, and where ren comes away learning to emote more freely, yang comes away learning to be more cognizant of what her anger does to people. these are both deeply emotional people, but they need to learn that being completely unhinged or completely repressed are far from perfect.

with that out of the way, i hope you’ve enjoyed my thoughts! they’ve gotten a bit more jumbled as time went on, but i really think that team JNPR’s role in characterizing the main 4 is a really important one. as for what happens after the fall of beacon, i think that they should go their separate ways, ren, nora, and jaune splitting up to contend with the death of pyrrha. this mirrors the split of team RWBY, where yang goes home to recover from her injury, ruby, no longer accompanied by team JNR, goes off on her own to try and stop cinder’s forces, weiss is taken home by her family to contend with its newly-illuminated legacy, and blake ventures off to put a stop to adam. i think they should reunite at the end of the volume, after a bit of emotional work is done. but that’s a discussion for another post.

[whocalledhimannux]

TBATD Chapter 21 Note

~spoilers abound~

So here’s the thing about this ending:

I’ve had it planned from, essentially, the moment I came up with this AU.

I’ve been second-guessing it since that moment.

My personal struggle with this chapter (and, to some extent, the previous three) is because the focus of the plot shifts somewhat--for most of the fic we’ve been firmly with Katara, on how she adjusts to her life in the Fire Nation and her relationship with Zuko. And now the culmination of the plot is essentially on Zuko becoming Fire Lord and Aang becoming the Avatar--which, to be fair, is what happens in canon, too. In my version, Katara also doesn’t technically win her fight with Azula. And up until literally five hours ago, she didn’t fight Azula, because I assumed that Aang would go into the Avatar state in a rage the moment Katara was threatened with lightning, and I was concerned that reducing Katara to a healing role was kinda sexist. Then my dumb ass remembered that I established earlier in the fic that Aang actually does have legit control over the Avatar state in my fic because he’s been working on it for ~two years and it’s totally fine for Katara and Azula to have more back-and-forth until Aang decides to step in.

SO. My worries about internalized sexism have been somewhat assuaged, but I had already written out a shit-ton of meta about this ending so I’m just going to keep at it. Basically I dithered over this for months, but the fundamental ending never actually changed. Every time I tried to think of alternate endings, I came back to the real catalyst for this fic, which is Iroh’s insight from The Old Masters: 

Even if I did defeat Ozai--and I don’t know that I could--it would be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord…Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor.

I mentioned this way back in my first chapter note; when I sat down to write this fic, I decided I wanted to change the established world as little as possible. I wanted Katara and Zuko to have all of the issues with each other they had in canon. I wanted the essential position of the Fire Nation and the South Pole to be the same. I wanted their friendships and familial relationships to be the same. I even tried to keep Zuko’s field trips! And I wanted Iroh to still be right about the politics of this slightly altered world.

Throughout the fic, I’ve touched on the ramifications of Iroh’s decision to kill his brother, in his relationship with Zuko, in Azula’s response (albeit hidden until like… now), in the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes’ perception of the Fire Nation, and a little bit in the Fire Nation’s perception of him as a ruler. Basically, he’s not trusted, nationally or internationally. And while Katara is, in my canon, very very well-liked, there are still some political limitations for her as a princess. So she can’t fix it until she’s Fire Lady--and she can’t be Fire Lady until her husband is the Fire Lord. Hence, Zuko becoming the Fire Lord takes a little bit of the focus in these later chapters.

Annnnnd then we get to the other part of Iroh’s statement, which is that the Avatar needs to be the one to end the war. Yeah. I think, if anything, that’s even more true in my fic than in canon. Think about it from the POV of, say, an Earth Kingdom general: “So, you’re telling me that they’ve had five Fire Lords in the last ~10 years, the first one died under mysterious circumstances after conveniently elevating his second son to the throne, the second one was killed extrajudicially by his brother, the third one was also accused of killing his nephew and abdicated to the fourth, who was then accused of being behind aforementioned assassination and was then usurped by the fifth one in a brawl that’s apparently totally legal by their standards… and I’m supposed to trust these people to be my friends?”

Somehow, I can’t see that working out. But the Avatar stabilizes things. The Avatar brings balance to the world, and is a neutral third party who can truly broker the peace… if and only if the people recognize his authority. Aang, in the world of this fic, disappeared for a hundred years, came back, died, came back again, and has been dicking around for two years while the adults solved all the problems. In canon, the world needed Zuko to be a good Fire Lord and Aang to be a fully realized and respected Avatar in order to achieve a true peace, and I felt that this fic needed those two things too.

I know that, since Aang didn’t appear for a big chunk of this fic, it might seem like a bit of a cop-out, but… I always felt energybending was a bit of a cop-out in canon, too. Sure, it makes sense when you know the broader context, but there was verrrrry little foreshadowing in the show itself prior to the series finale–and least for this fic you had the foreshadowing of canon!

Yes, that does mean that Katara doesn’t WIN-win the agni kai in this fic, but tbh I don’t know if she has to? Something I appreciate about Katara’s growth in the show is that, in Book One, her waterbending abilities and her access to combat instruction are really her main hangups… and then they’re not. From Book Two on, she is recognized as an unquestionable waterbending master and one of the most competent benders in the world, and she feels comfortable in that role--her conflict in the remainder of the show is more about her personal relationships and her “dark side,” so to speak.

The agni kai is a fitting end for her storyline in canon because it happens during the comet, when she should be at a massive disadvantage. Take that away, and like… yeah, Katara beat somebody. What else is new? I don’t think she has to prove her worth in this universe. She’s been living in the Fire Nation, which is comfortable with female fighters and doesn’t assume she’s weak… and she’s been earning a reputation as a total BAMF for the last couple of months.

Katara’s conflicts in this fic have been on those other insecurities: whether bloodbending is wrong, if her anger or resentment are justified, how she fits into this new home, how she connects with her old one, her relationship with Zuko. So the fact that she has showed up, that she’s publicly defended the nation, that she risked her life to save Zuko, those are all things she gets “credit” towards and things that wrap up her main character growth. Katara ending this fic as an incredibly popular Fire Lady with a strong, stable marriage is a win from my perspective.

BONUS: this was my favorite ending for Azula.. I am working on a follow-up fic that will follow Azula. I’ll be upfront with y’all in saying that it is not finished and will not be up for a few months, at LEAST. (The reason I was able to update this fic every two/three days is because I spent four months writing it w/o posting a word.) I always kind of wished we’d seen Azula’s breakdown drawn out a little more in canon, and I was reeeeaaaaally pissed when I saw how Azula was treated in the beginning of The Search. When I considered Azula’s end in this fic (and how she might progress in a follow-up fic), I thought long and hard about what rock bottom would really look like for her, specifically what kind of issues she might be dealing with instead of the generic “craziness” that is treated pretty terribly in the comics, and what recovery would look like.

I think being without her firebending is unquestionably Azula’s rock bottom. Her identity as a prodigy means everything to her. From her perspective, she’s never really been loved by her mother or her uncle or Zuko–it’s all been Ozai, and his love has been predicated on her success. In canon, she got a glimpse of how easily Ozai would turn his back on her, and that’s her real breaking point; in this fic, she never got that, so while she has been dealing with grief in a pretty terrible, unhealthy way, her real breaking point is the loss of The Thing that ties her to her father.

But I think that also offers her the best chance for true recovery and redemption, because it strips her of the delusion that she is perfect and untouchable and doesn’t actually need love. Azula defines herself by her success, and what is she without success? She would say nothing; Katara, Zuko, et al, would say you’re still a person, actually, still a human being deserving of respect and love and forgiveness. My version of energybending and recovery is going to be a bit different than how it plays out in LoK, because Selective Death of the Author, and I think her recovery of her bending in my way will parallel her recovery in general quite nicely.

So. that’s a lot of meta for an ending I changed halfway through. I have spent so much time thinking about this fic and it’s truly been a joy, even when it’s been a pain in the ass. Thank you all so much for sticking with me.

[v-thinks-on]

We Know That We Need, But Not What - Part 1

First | Next

“Admiral Kirk, you have been assigned to remain on the USS Enterprise and serve as its captain for its next five year mission,” the fleet admiral declared from the Enterprise viewscreen.

James Kirk couldn’t hold back a smile. After two and a half long years of fighting tooth and nail, the Enterprise was finally properly his once again. “Thank you, sir,” Kirk said as calmly as he could.

He glanced over his shoulder at Mr. Spock, impossibly back where he belonged at Kirk’s side. A skeptical quirk of his eyebrow was the only response Kirk received, but he could see the trace of a smile across Spock’s face.

Kirk turned back to face the viewscreen. “Sir, as the captain of the USS Enterprise, I would like to request Commander Spock as my first officer.”

The fleet admiral gave Kirk a wary look, like he was pushing his luck, but he replied, “Request approved.”

Kirk’s smile broke into a grin. “Thank you sir.”

The fleet admiral continued, “After the V’Ger incident, there have been some disturbances on the border, mostly the Klingons, but we’d be surprised if the Romulans passed up the opportunity to try something. Your inaugural mission is to patrol the Neutral Zone, make sure they know we’re still here, and if they’re up to anything, put a stop to it.”

Kirk nodded in acknowledgement. “Yes, sir.”

“Good luck, Captain.” With that, the fleet admiral signed off. His image on the viewscreen gave way to the open expanse of space.

“Mr. Sulu, bearing one eleven mark fourteen - give her warp seven,” Kirk ordered and leaned back in the captain’s chair to watch the stars race by in glowing streaks.

He let out a sigh of contentment as his gaze swept around the bridge of his ship. It wasn’t quite the same as he remembered, wasn’t familiar yet, but he would rectify that soon enough. What mattered was that he had made it back - they made it back.

He looked up at Spock, standing at his shoulder, almost as though he had never left. The half-Vulcan watched everything with a faintly bemused expression, as though he was humoring them all with his presence. But he wouldn’t be there if he didn’t want to be. Somehow, he had returned to Kirk’s side.

Kirk grinned at his first officer, a little more helplessly than he would care to admit. Spock’s eyes flickered down to meet his and Jim felt a rush of warmth. But Spock had already moved on, his piercing gaze fixed upon the viewscreen ahead of them. Then, with a single decisive movement, he turned around and went back to the science station behind the captain’s chair.

They weren’t on a pleasure cruise and Kirk wasn’t one to sit idle for long, even as they passed through open space. He turned around one last time to glance over at Spock, but his dutiful science officer was busy with whatever he was working on, and besides Kirk had a ship to refamiliarize himself with.

He picked up a PADD and dove into the virtual pile of technical manuals with gusto. He remained submerged for the next few hours, surfacing only to make minor adjustments to their course. Finally, his shoulders, aching from bending over the screen, demanded that he sit properly upright. He stretched his arms above his head and rolled his neck. A tired groan earned him a sympathetic glance from Uhura, but nothing more. Spock hadn’t moved since Kirk last looked up.

“Adjust bearing, seven mark two,” Kirk ordered.

Just as Sulu made to comply, Spock cut in, “Captain, I believe that course would be four point one percent less efficient than our current heading.”

Kirk’s whole body tensed at the interruption. He turned around in his chair to give Commander Spock a pointed glare. The Vulcan sat at his station facing the helm, defiance in his firmly set eyes, his posture ramrod straight. He would not budge and Kirk was sorely tempted to make him.

But Kirk had gone this way before. It hadn’t worked then and it wouldn’t work now. He could compete with Spock even less than he could compete with Decker. And this was Spock. He knew what he was talking about if anyone did.

Finally, Kirk turned back around to face the helm. “Belay that order, Mr. Sulu,” he said, “Continue on the current course.”

“Yes, sir,” Sulu replied without argument.

Kirk settled back in his chair and, with a final glance up at the helm, forced himself to return to his manuals.

Admiral Kirk read for a few more hours before they finally came into range of the nearest outpost on the edge of the Neutral Zone.

He gestured for Uhura to open a channel. “Admiral Kirk to outpost six.”

The image of a man in an austere office appeared on the viewscreen. “Finally,” the outpost’s commander exclaimed by way of greeting. “You’d think the whole Federation blinked out-”

“We’re here now,” Kirk cut short the commander’s rant. “Have you noticed any activity from the Romulans?”

The commander grimaced. “Not exactly,” he admitted, “But I swear they’re up to something. We all feel a lot safer now that we’ve got a starship, that’s for sure.”

“Just a moment,” Kirk protested, though he tried to keep his tone light. “You don’t have a starship; we’re here to patrol the Neutral Zone. Report any unusual incidents directly to me. If anything happens you can send a distress call and we’ll answer it.”

“By then it’ll be too late!” the commander insisted. “We haven’t seen any Romulan ships, but I swear they’ve been here. They’re like ghosts on the sensors; one moment something’s there, the next it’s gone, and it’s happened too many times to be a coincidence. They could attack and we wouldn’t even know they’re there until it’s too late!

“They’ve been tampering with our computers too. There have been glitches, just little things, but something’s been worming around in the system. Mark my word, Admiral, they’ve noticed the blackout just like we did and they’re using it to prepare for an invasion!”

“If the Romulans are preparing to invade, that’s all the more reason for us to patrol the sector and let them know we’re here,” Kirk replied, his arms crossed over his chest. “We’re not here to act as your personal guard dog.”

“But Admiral-”

Spock interrupted, “Sir, if a Romulan vessel has frequently passed by this outpost, it would be logical to do as the commander suggests and remain here, as it is likely it will return.”

“Exactly,” the man exclaimed.

Kirk’s hands clenched the arms of his chair. “Our mission is to defend the whole sector, not just one outpost,” he said with every intention of ending the discussion there.

Undeterred, Spock retorted, “I am aware. The Romulans have taken the Federation’s absence from the Neutral Zone as a sign of weakness. The most efficient way to deter them is with an immediate show of strength. Therefore, the optimal course of action is to remain where we are and allow them to come to us.”

Kirk turned to face Spock. “We will patrol the Neutral Zone. Have I made myself clear?”

“Your insistence on a suboptimal course of action is not rational.” Spock raised his chin, proud and unfeeling as a proper Vulcan.

“That’s an order, Commander,” Kirk snapped and turned back to face the viewscreen. “We’ll be in the sector. If anything unusual occurs, report it immediately. Kirk out.”

The screen blinked out.

“I’ll be in my quarters,” Kirk said, and with that he stood and strode off the bridge.

When at last Spock’s shift was over, Kirk went straight to his first officer’s quarters. He pressed the button by the door and waited, his hands clasped firmly behind his back. He heard the chime sound inside, and then nothing, but he did not budge.

Finally, the door slid open to reveal Spock, adorned in long, dark Vulcan robes that brought out the alien angles in his gaunt face. He seemed to evaluate the admiral, as though he did not need to touch Kirk to assess his thoughts. But whatever he found, it did not ease his skepticism.

At last, he asked, “Captain, is there something you require?”

“Require? No,” Kirk replied with a trace of a rueful smile. “I was wondering... if you wanted to play a game of chess.” He gestured in toward Spock’s quarters and then hastily returned his hands to behind his back.

Spock seemed to consider his words - at least, he took his time in answering. Finally, he said, “Very well,” and led the admiral inside. Kirk could not help but note that Spock’s hands remained safely tucked away, out of reach.

Spock’s quarters were darkly lit. A woven mat lay across the bed, Kirk presumed for meditation. The room was sparsely decorated; only a few of the most practical alien artifacts were displayed upon the shelves.

Spock ordered the light back up to a more typical level and motioned for Kirk to sit at the table, facing away from the rest of the room, as Spock went to retrieve the board. He soon returned and Jim smiled a little at the sight of Spock bearing the familiar three-dimensional chess board.

Spock quirked an eyebrow at him and some of the stiffness in his jaw seemed to fade away.

He offered Kirk the white as was his duty as the host, but Kirk shook his head and let Spock keep it, instead taking the black king from the box.

They arranged their pieces in silence and then the game began.

Spock went first and began setting up his usual strong defense.

Kirk, for his part, played cautiously, waiting for Spock to set the tone.

Spock kept his distance all through the game. He played ruthlessly, sometimes taking piece after piece, but he hardly left his side of the board. When the game was done, he cornered Kirk’s king from afar.

Only then did Spock look back up from the board and meet Kirk’s eyes. “The generous conclusion would be that you are out of practice.”

Kirk pursed his lips, but admitted, “You could say that.”

“Another game?” Spock suggested and made to begin resetting the board.

Kirk smiled a little at the thought, but instead he forced himself to his feet. “I’d prefer a change of scenery. How about the observation deck?” He tried to flash Spock a grin, but the Vulcan seemed unconvinced.

Still, Spock stood and followed Kirk out into the hall, to the nearest turbolift. They found the observation deck empty, as it usually was. Kirk gestured for Spock to lead the way to one of the viewports embedded in the wall. Though Kirk tried to stand beside him, somehow Spock left a couple of feet between them.

Kirk turned to the sea of stars drifting past at unimaginable speed. He’d made it. He was back where he belonged, with Spock back by his side. That was what mattered. The past...

Kirk let out a sigh.

“Spock,” he said at last, “What happened?” He tore his eyes away from the endless expanse of space to meet Spock’s pointed questioning gaze. “Why did you go back to Vulcan? I thought you’d accepted your human half.”

“It appeared to be the only logical course of action at the time,” Spock replied calmly, as though he had been expecting such a question. Somehow, Kirk was startled again by how rough and low Spock’s voice had become. “My decision to embrace my human heritage was made based on incomplete information. Just as you demonstrated the strengths of humanity during our five year mission, you enlightened me as to humanity’s weaknesses in our time on Earth. I concluded that the Vulcan way is better and incorrectly assumed that the only way to become a true Vulcan was to undergo Kolinahr and rid myself of all emotion.”

There was no anger or cruelty in Spock’s tone, but the words stung just as much, if not more because of it. Kirk could not meet Spock’s eyes. He fought to keep his voice level - “I understand.” He could not keep a little heat from his voice as he continued, “I assume you’d prefer to transfer to another ship with a less… fallible captain.”

“You misunderstand my intent,” Spock replied almost apologetically.

Kirk hazarded a glance up at Spock’s face, and found himself trapped by Spock’s sharp gaze, unable to look away. The desperation must have shown in Kirk’s eyes, but he kept his head high.

“My feelings for you have not changed, nor do I wish them to,” Spock explained, but Kirk could tell this was no declaration of love. “Without such emotion, I or any Vulcan would be barren as V’Ger was. And I desire to remain by your side, but as a Vulcan, not a human.”

Kirk frowned, but he was not surprised. He should have known a human relationship was too much for Spock. He had tried to go slowly, but apparently it hadn’t been enough - that was the only explanation he could think of for Spock leaving so suddenly.

Still, Kirk snapped, “You should have told me.”

Spock raised an eyebrow at him in confusion.

“You could have just told me you wanted to take it slow - that you wanted to do things the Vulcan way-” Kirk cut himself off and just shook his head. “It doesn’t matter now.”

“There is no logic in regretting that which cannot be changed,” Spock said, though it did little to reassure Kirk.

Spock seemed to take pity on him and held out a hand, his first two fingers extended in a once familiar gesture.

Kirk’s eyes widened in surprise. Hesitantly, he held out his hand to mirror Spock’s and let Spock bring their fingers together. Kirk felt a jolt of warmth as they touched.

[necroticarachnidism]

> Cae: Be Ridiculous.

necroticarachnidism

Being kidnapped isn't the worst thing that could possibly happen to you. Your captors were certainly trying their best to be cruel, but the holding cell they shoved you in after their deranged "traps" wasn't as claustrophobic as it could've been, and incredibly clean. There was even one entire piece of unnecessary furniture, in the form of an incredibly cheap and tacky folding screen. The only problem is that it's always inevitably interrupted by-

"HOW ARE YOU TWO DOING IN THERE? LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE BEEN HAVING A PRETTY GOOD TIME! NOT."

That.

You and Dualscar both groan at the voice you've become far too accustomed to over the course of this trip. At the very least the ringleader and their cronies were here in the flesh, though, which was marginally better than having to hear them abuse a squeaky intercom.

The leader pulls a set of handcuffs out of their pocket and starts spinning them around on their finger before they almost immediately fly off and fall to the ground. After picking it up they almost try again before deciding against it and handing the handcuffs to one of the other gang members.

"I'm going to need you to cooperate with my friend here. We're doing something special tonight, and it needs a helping hand from each of you."

trolljacksparrow

"Why, can't you...HANDle it yourself? You know it'll just get out of hand otherwise." You hate yourself sometimes, you really do.

It could be worse, they could be competent.

However, incompetent as they are, you are Not going along for the ride. They've been haranguing you and your friend for DAYS! You're not giving them an inch! So instead, you muster up a defensive snarl. Its difficult to be mad at them, considering how pathetic they are, but you try to think about how awful your hair looks after a week of neglect anx that gives you the Power necessary to access your battle face.

You jab a clawed finger in their general direction, fins flaring. "Listen....fuck you." Okay, try again.

You put up your dukes and bare your impressively large teeth. "Do you think we'll just hand ourselves over? Hell no! Come get some, motherfucker." Yeah the cmere  finger gesture is happening. Yeah.

necroticarachnidism

You also hate him sometimes, the puns get him a light smack on the arm. The gang seems rather happy about him playing along, though, because of course they are.

Which is then immediately squandered by his attempts to stand up to them. The one with the handcuffs growls a little and takes a step foward before being stopped by the leader.

"Listen," they say, rather flatly "we can do thi-"

"The easy way or the hard way, yes," you interject. "He's picking the hard one, please do continue."

They sigh at you, you sigh back louder, they sigh again and don't stop their associate from creeping closer as they try to engage Dualscar in a hissy match. The leader then makes a solid attempt at fishing their keys out menacingly.

"I'd prefer this not get violent, but if you really insist..."

caepaecaesurae

The tension was somehow starting to mount, despite the competence of half those involved, and threat hung in the air for nearly a second and a half before someone's phone rang.  It was tinny the first time, soft, as if just as uncertain as their captors, but quickly gained in confidence.  There was just enough time to momentarily doubt whether they had heard correctly when it called out again, more firmly, a second or two later.

Someone was definitely calling one of them, and it sounded suspiciously like the default ringtone of a popular chat program.  ...but where was it COMING from?

trolljacksparrow

Waitwaitwait theyre ACTUALLY gonna fight you??? Ohhhhohohoh fuck yesss you're gonna do ART THERAPY with their insides when---

You just look around in disbelief. After all, it cant be you.

"We're having this showdown type thing, and your phone is ringing? How are you that bad at paying attention and looking proper intimidating? What's next, I find out you had another nemesis on the side?? I'm almost hurt - and you wonder why im not going along with this? For all I know youll mistake our legs for arms and tie our feet together!" Cross your arms, huff, tut tut maybe.

......Remember what you were doing and uncross them, going back to posturing. "Anyway, violence for the violentblood - and honestly, do you really think you can take me? "

caepaecaesurae

Ring...    ...was it off to Nadaya's left?

necroticarachnidism

As the ringing started the leader immediately turned to the member of the group who hadn't been part of this incident with a very accusing look. Said member simply gestured to their form-fitting and clearly pocket-less outfit, then to the one with the handcuffs. The one with the handcuffs almost said something, then was immediately interrupted by Dualscar's monologue.

That pissed them off.

"I don't have a fucking phone! None of us having a fucking phone, holy shit, the only thing I have-" They trail off, realizing that they do in fact have something and pulling it out. It's some kind of gun, loaded with a vial. "The only thing I have is this! To drug your dumb ass again!"

"We're a real knockout with drugs." adds the catsuit one.

That was true, at least by comparison to everything else. Not only had they managed to drag you here in the first place but they had their hands on something that could fuck with your mind control. It was the one of the few things they'd actually pulled off.

Meanwhile, to Nadaya's left, the ringing sounds distinctly like it's off to your right. But they took your items, so if it's not them then...? You take a curious step closer and look intently at the area it sounds like it's coming from.

caepaecaesurae

Nadaya's claws tingled faintly, the fourth time it rang, on just his left hand.  Why was the ringing coming from so close by?  It seemed to be following the tips of his fingers, especially the thumb and little finger claws.

trolljacksparrow

Okay okay wow you are going to MURD--what. "Okay a real knockout with the drugs being plural is a bad pun since youre the only one vaguely knockouty and also quit it with the drugs okay what the fuck," you trail off just staring into your hand, and bringing it up to your face, digits with tingling sensations first. "What the fuck," indeed.

caepaecaesurae

His hand rang at him, right in his face, very distinctly.

trolljacksparrow

.........You make a phone gesture with the fingers. "What??????"

caepaecaesurae

There was a soft audible click, and a deep, familiar voice answered in a wry, almost affectionate tone.  "WVhere are you?"

necroticarachnidism

Catsuit winked at the half compliment but this was quickly overshadowed by...whatever was happening.

You personally were looking at this with clear curiosity instead of pure what the actual fuck.

trolljacksparrow

Okay, its. Sounding like your kismesis. Your magic, hope god kismesis. Oh, thank god, you're not losing your mind.

"Caesurae?? Honey is that you?? Gotta hand it to you, this is a brilliant way of contacting me," At this point, though, you were really looking forward to beating people up!

"Gimme two secs I'm gonna kick some ass first," and you deathgrin at your enemies, still talking in your hand.

caepaecaesurae

"Brilliance is one of my better traits," the voice agreed humbly.  "If you're sure, dear, I can call back in a fewv minutes, just wvanted to hear your vwoice."

Apparently the magic hand might actually let Nadaya handle this on his own if no one interjected.

necroticarachnidism

Nadaya's opponent is more baffled than enraged right now, but starts approaching the cell again when ass kicking is mentioned.

You are having none of that.

"Okay, pardon me, but I am not going to let you hang up on your fucking magic kismesis so this idiot can try to stab you."

caepaecaesurae

"Oh, hello!  Say, can you pass her the phone?"

trolljacksparrow

"Okay thats....fair enough I guess? I mean he wouldn't succeed, but, yeah. Can yall hold on on the death maze bullshit for a moment? Trés bitchinnnn'," and you pass Mindfang the....hand. You put her hand to her face.

caepaecaesurae

At some moment during the awkward fumbling, his claws would stop tingling and hers would start.

necroticarachnidism

There's almost a protest at Nadaya putting your hand to your face but you know what, you can't think of a reason for that not to work, it might as well, this is fine. Copy the phone gesture Nadaya was making.

"Caesurae, please tell me you have something planned, nobody else here does."

caepaecaesurae

"I wvas hoping to figure out wvhat wvas going on wvith you twvo, and if you needed a ride back."

trolljacksparrow

You can't help the smile on your face, you spent a week being unable to contact anyone and you miiiissed theeeeemmm... "We're starring in saw for idiots!" You add, hopefully loud enough to be heard.

necroticarachnidism

"We've been kidnapped and harrassed by mororns. Nadaya is apparently fine here fighting them but I'd quite like a way out."

That gets the group responsible looking around. Was...something going to happen?

caepaecaesurae

"Alright my dear.  I'd like you to try to accept a vwideo call, so I can send you something.  I'm sending the request nowv."

"Just... do your best."

trolljacksparrow

"You can teleport wwhy cant you just send us a phone, " This is getting Ridiculous.

necroticarachnidism

The word 'teleport' only makes the kidnappers more antsy. Meanwhile you...try your best. You make a rectangle with your hands.

caepaecaesurae

The rectangle filled with moving light!  There sure was a giant, slightly relieved looking Ampora sitting in a nice-ish livingroom.  He gave her a smile, adjusted something out of frame, and said -- "--There, I'vwe got wvhat I need."  He took a step back, produced a portable one-use transport pad, and spun it in his hands once, and then looked back towards her with a peculiar look of concentration...

...and it disappeared, and reappeared on the floor at her feet.

"--Dearest, I promise, there's a method here."

trolljacksparrow

"....You beautiful, angelic man you." Holy. Fuck. You offer Mindfang the crook of your arm like a gentleman or some shit, fins and ears perked up. "And you lot " with a menacing look at the assorted kidnappers, "better never brighten our nights again."

necroticarachnidism

Make sure the transportalizer is armed, and then absolutely take that arm, you are now the picture of elegance (minus all the appearance neglect).

After a moment the kidnappers try to scramble for the door, fumbling with the keys, but nowhere near fast enough to catch the two of you before you port away to...wherever this will take you.

caepaecaesurae

Mindfang and Dualscar are whisked away to Nadaya's ship -- and then the device they just left explodes behind them in a colorful fireball.  It might be enough to knock the saw wanna-be's off their feet, but probably not injure any of them unless they use the wrong hair products and are slow to put it out.

The moment her hands parted, Caesurae lost his connection to the video call -- but he scratched his chin, considered, and gave it a few long seconds.

...then Nadaya's pants rang.  If Nadaya swatted at his beltline to refuse the call, he'd laugh and consider it good.

trolljacksparrow

"Absolutely fucking not. I fucking hate him. Are you hearing this shit Sicari? I truly hate him."

You swat at your belt like your pants are on fire!

"Also hey Mindfang if you wanna like....use the bath here or sleep or whatever go ahead its all good - I'm gonna go....cling to him gleefully, honestly." You just. You are just Attention Starved by now.

necroticarachnidism

Rather undignified giggling at the swatting. Amporas.

"I think I'll take you up on that. I might drop by in a few hours to thank Caesurae personally, since it sounds like he'll be here for a while."

caepaecaesurae

The pants obediently stopped ringing when Nadaya refused the call.  Caesurae would be more than happy to apply attention to his missing and beloved quadmate, and to meet with Mindfang later.

trolljacksparrow

"Hey now," he couldnt contest that though. "Hey...now...listen." yeah. Yyyeaaah. Yeah, Nad's gonna dissappear to his quarters for a change of clothes at the least, and transportalize over to be very grateful and very tired at Caesurae - adrenaline barely let him sleep - but mostly just to be delighted and cuddle him.

caepaecaesurae

Caesurae missed him, and is glad he's back, and will happily cuddle him through a nap.

trolljacksparrow

The most affectionate nap. The most.