#weird the last two images i cannot see

[fuckyeahgoodomens]

Good Omens graphic novel update: June 2024

Welcome to the June update. A lot of behind the scenes work at the moment but we're grabbing the travel sweets, popping in the Bentley and hitting the road. More on that below.

Admin

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Events

We've had a lot of queries about when the Good Omens team will be attending events more formally, after some Aziraphale and Crowley spotting at conventions we'd been to previously. Well, we're excited to confirm the first: Good Omens HQ will be at ACME Comic Con in Glasgow, Scotland this September.

We'll be bringing the actual-real-life-home-to-Crowley-and-his-plants Bentley from Season 2 of Good Omens, the first time the car has been made available publicly for fans to come see and get photos with, ahead of its journey back to the set and the start of Season 3 filming.

We also see Quelin Sepulveda, aka Muriel, has been announced for the event for some additional ineffable joy.

You can get your tickets for ACME Comic Con here. We hope to see some of you there.

While we won't be rocking up with the Bentley to this next one, we want to let you know about Ineffable Con which, though sold out in person, is also taking place virtually in July. The fan-run event hosts great panels, auctions and more, with money raised going to Alzheimer’s Research UK, in memory of Sir Terry Pratchett.

Where next? We have - not an exaggeration - a list of about 200 events somewhere from when we asked fans this on Instagram and while we can't promise quite that amount of convention attendance, we're certainly looking to do some more things in future with Good Omens at large. Watch this space.  

Good Omens items...

This month has largely seen prototypes and samples for the wider Good Omens merch store arriving, and while we can't share those yet, we are certainly excited to see more fan product suggestions coming to life. That does, however, leave our public item updates a little slim on the ground.

To make up for that, here's some new panels from Colleen:

Also known as, "What could possibly go wrong?" And:

Also known as, "Well why don't you ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇!@#▇" or words to that effect, we'd imagine.  

Update from Colleen

Following such a positive response to Colleen's piece last month, bringing you behind the scenes into making the Good Omens graphic novel, we are delighted to say that she has agreed to write something for our updates going forward! For June, she's going more in depth into the process of flatting and the technicalities of colouring on screen vs print. Over to you, Colleen.

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I mentioned the other month that I use a flatter to help me with technical work on GOOD OMENS, and here is a great example.

This is my original, hand drawn line art.

And this is the flatting file which was created using the MultiFill computer program.

It will put your eyes out.

The raw image above demonstrates how the color art lines up solidly under the line art. If it doesn't do that, you get a weird phenomenon in print called ghosting, a tiny little line of white around each segment of color. I had this issue on one major project and ended up redoing every single color file after I got a look at the first printing. Nearly two weeks of work.

The same image with the line art on top.

The layer order looks like this.

Background copy is the clean, line art layer.

I scan the art at 600 dpi, then make the blacks pure black, the whites pure white. Then I convert back to greyscale, then RGB, then duplicate the layer. Then I delete the white on the upper layer so the line art layer is transparent but the blacks on that layer are not.

If you have blacks on a layer that has been multiplied, you can see slight color through those blacks. You want pure black.

The lower layer is where I use the MultiFill program to create the digital flats. First you use MultiFill to drop in the random colors, then the companion plug-in Flatter Pro to make those colors seal under the black lines.

This probably sounds like a silly thing to worry about, but if the flat colors don’t line up perfectly under the black line art, you get the dreaded ghosting I mentioned. You can see it below in this image. It’s a tiny little white line that will appear around the black lines and color areas.

This drives me nuts and is an absolute nightmare to fix.

It’s a very common problem, especially for people who work for web and don’t anticipate the problems going from web to print.

What looks great on your computer can cause big problems in print.

From here, my flatter Jul Mae Kristoffer, who is way over in the Philippines, does flatting that is more in keeping with the areas of color I want to isolate. As you see on Layer 1.

But again, this is still pretty ugly, and not what I would use for final color. Flatting is a technical issue, not a creative one, though in some cases a flatter will make choices you may use. Most of the time they don't.

Here is my final color page.

Sometimes my MultiFill flats are so wonky I have a hard time getting my brain to snap out of what I see before me. If I get stuck, it's a good idea to just pick at it and come back to it later.

If it really, really bothers me, I’ll take the MultiFill flatter layer and desaturate the color so it doesn’t poke my eyes out.

Here’s an example. The digital flat file.

The desaturated flat file that doesn’t make me want to poke my eyes out.

And the final color.

Sometimes I just put in a solid white layer so I don’t see the flats at all. Flatting is there to allow you to easily pick spots to color in, and doesn’t usually appear in the final work.

Sometimes I want to create my colors using transparent color over a white ground, which is more delicate in the final.

Here’s an example from Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. I also selected all black line art here and converted it to sepia to give it a vintage look. Except for the fairies. They’re green.

A colorist must also consider color settings.

Different clients can have different requirements. I find these color settings, which I got from the Hi-Fi Studio, to be pretty solid. I use them as my default for all my projects unless otherwise requested. If your publisher has other settings, they’ll usually send you a csf file which you can upload to Photoshop. The program will save your files and you can just switch between them as you need them.

This tells the printer things about the paper and the spread of the ink you will use. That’s what dot gain means - it makes printed color look darker than intended, so you set up your files to account for it.

When you hover your pointer over each box, it will tell you what each setting is supposed to accomplish.

Another really important thing to consider when coloring comics is color range.

I’m coloring this book in RGB range, but for print you use CMYK.

I’m about to confuse the heck out of some people with this post, I’m afraid. But here we go.

Here is this shot in RGB color setting.

And here is the same page calibrated for print in CMYK.

The biggest shift is in the reds. Print cannot match those reds.

You may not see much difference here, but it’s the sort of thing that drives artists crazy.

A computer should be perfect for conveying exactly what you want, right? It's all just 0's and 1's, binary information, and that information should be the same from one computer to the next?

Nope. Not even close.

First off, computer monitors must be calibrated. You can use a computer program or a tool that measures the color on your computer screen and then adjusts the color to an industry standard.

Have you ever been in an electronics shop where a bunch of TV shows were on display, all of them playing the same show, and have you noticed how different the color was from one TV to the next?

It's like that.

I freely admit I don't pay a whole lot of attention to calibration, but if I were a professional photographer I would. I'd have a little spectrometer attached to my screen and software would adjust my monitor to the best possible standard range. As it is, I just use the default setting on my computer and hope for the best.

If your monitor is properly calibrated and your art is shown on another monitor that is properly calibrated, the art will look almost identical from one monitor to the next.

YAY!

But from one monitor to the next, that's about where the resemblance ends.

Colors are calibrated to something called RGB, or Red, Green, Blue.

All colors come from a mix of red green and blue. At their greatest intensity, all the colors in the spectrum together become pure white light.

This is why RGB is called ADDITIVE color, because you ADD colors from the spectrum to get ALL colors, and all colors create the entirety of the rainbow, and pure white light.

Your computer monitor, your phone, your television, all images are created via light using RGB, a gamut that covers all possible colors that can be created.

That's a lot.

And that's why some of the colors you see on your TV or phone are so deep and intense.

For the widest possible range of color and intensity, you use RGB.

Unfortunately, there is what you can create with light, and then there is what you can create with pigment or ink. And that is why printing what you see on your computer almost never looks exactly like what you see in a book.

For printing, you must use a color setting known as CMYK. This stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Key/Black.

In printing, the pure blue is actually Cyan and the pure red is actually Magenta.

CMYK color range is not created by addition, but by SUBTRACTION. In order to get the color you want, you reduce the percentage of one of the four colors for ink mixing. Mixing all colors, instead of giving you white, gives you black.

The gamut of CMYK is limited to what can be created with ink.

You've probably heard the term four color press? This is what that means. Four colors, with each color of ink run over the paper on rollers which, combined in varying layers of opacity, create all the printing colors you see.

But remember, what you see on your computer monitor and what CMYK gamut can handle are two different things.

Now, I’ve been really careful with the color settings on Good Omens, so there haven’t been any big surprises, but let me show you a snippet of a project I did for the French fashion house Balmain.

The RGB version:

And then this shot after it was converted to a CMYK file for print.

That's a pretty big difference.

Now, you see this shift mostly with vibrant colors, such as that pink there. But other colors hardly changed at all, right?

That's because this issue is about range of color. CMYK and RGB occupy a shared range which you can see demonstrated by this graphic I got from Wikipedia.

The graphic shows the RGB ranges supported by various digital formats. SWOP CMYK is the most common range my publishers use. Note that the bounding box line shared by the RGB and SWOP CMYK formats shares about half the range space. So whatever RGB colors you use that are outside that range will be digitally converted to the smaller SWOP CMYK range.

And you may not like what you end up with.

As you can see, some of the most ethereal and intense colors get lost outside of the SWOP CMYK boundary.

A look at the Dark Horse Comics color settings in Photoshop. Theoretically, this information should prevent your art from looking like mud on publication.

Now, after I just told you the dangers of coloring in RGB then converting to CMYK for print, I tell you I am coloring Good Omens in RGB anyway. There’s a couple of reasons for this.

Remember, RGB give you a greater range of color, so it can be to your advantage to preserve your original files using a format that gives you the greatest range.

Again, here is the unaltered file.

You can see what the CMYK result will be simply by clicking the Proof Colors button here. This will show you how the art will convert.

And the Gamut Warning will show you which colors are out of gamut range for print.

The intensity of that magenta and that purple in the top right are not going to print true.

This is how it will look in final.

So even if you do what you think is perfect color on screen, there is no way it can perfectly convert to print. Almost everything will involve a little bit of compromise.

Even though you have to consider the color shift issues, preserving your files in RGB gives you greater wiggle room, especially if you get lucky someday and get to work with a printer who can print in 6 colors. Or maybe some technology you don’t know about will pop up and make printing super glorious. Who knows.

Regardless, you should keep an eye on that gamut and color for CMYK print, while preserving your master files in RGB.

Until next time.

[withoutyouimsaskia]

Sometimes It's Fated (Sandman Short Story Part 2)

Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

​GIF: Originally posted by @harleytudinous

Pairing: Morpheus/Dream of the Endless x AFAB reader

Summary: Reader Self-Insert. After restoring the Dreaming and locating the missing dreams and nightmares, Morpheus turns his attention to finding you, the human he believes fate has chosen for him. (Title inspired by Placebo's "This Picture".)

Warnings: Minors DNI. Dark!Morpheus. Soulmates. Angst. Obsessive and possessive behaviour. Tension. Threat. Dream manipulation. Masturbation. Voyeurism. Plot related cigarette use. Dubious consent.

Word Count: 2.5k

A/N: So I know I initially billed this as a two shot but the story has run away with me in the most lovely way. Part 3 will be coming soon. Thank you for all your kind responses to part 1, it honestly means so much to me. Hope you enjoy this one too. All my love, Saskia xx

Sandman Masterlist

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The veil of sleep comes down upon your weary body with a feather-light touch, trying to coax your mind back into the world of dreams.

Dreamscapes have been a whole new experience for you in the past month of your life. Before, you would wake with no recollection of what had played out. Not even the slightest inkling. Now, you remember everything.

They are staggering; bursting with details and ideas beyond your most outlandish daytime imaginings. The emotions that are conjured by them, both when asleep and also awake are just as bold.

And even though it's been 23 nights since it started you are still finding them predominantly jarring and disorientating. You are baffled by how other people cope with the sheer vividness. The unpredictability. Maybe they have become desensitised. You can only hope that the same will happen for you in time.

One thing you tell yourself with each sunrise:

Thank goodness they weren't nightmares.

At least, you don't think they are. There's no resemblance between yours and what you have heard others describe over the years, nor to those outlined in a dream decoding book you had checked out of the library last week. There's no obvious threat or fear. No re-living of traumatic events. Just weird subtext.

The first dream found you standing barefoot on a beach. A mirage distorted the particulars of the scene making it impossible to see further than half a meter in front of you. The temperature of the sand under your soles was verging on painful and as such, it forced you to walk into the unknown before you.

A groaning wind started to brew and lifted the sand into sparkling flurries. You shielded your eyes from the abrasive particles.

The sun was at its apex when you heard the ear splitting bangs. Unmistakably gun shots; you didn't last much longer in the dream and woke with a start.

For the next week, your dreams had been like a series of video clips edited into a supercut.

Raven wings. Black cats. Hellfire. Ruby red glow. Sprawling library shelves. Landscapes hewn by earthquake fissures. Hotel corridors. A handsome, blond haired man wearing sunglasses, holding a blood covered knife.

If you didn't know any better, you would begin to suspect that your new box of tea bags had been laced with a psychedelic. Alas, no. Your hypothesis was unequivocally disproved when you friends had been completely unaffected after stopping by for a Sunday afternoon catch up.

This quick fire of snapshots eventually stopped, transforming into lucid long form dreams. You often think back to the first one where it happened.

Standing in the the empty room, and the appearance of the figure dressed in black. The colour that had flashed in their midnight eyes had the quality of liquid silver. Sometimes you wonder if you see the same image in other dreams, standing in amongst a crowd.

From that point on, regardless of what dream you are in, you cannot shake the intuitive prickle down your spine that tells you someone is watching you.

You reason that it is nothing to be concerned about. Humans dream, and you cannot deny that some of them - swimming in a sea of clouds, re-visiting childhood haunts, trying out superpowers - have been quite fun.

You roll over on to your left side and close your eyes.

You dream.

The room you see is expansive in breadth and depth. Impressive windows bring brilliant light into the space which bounces off the ivory stone of the floors and walls. There are statues positioned at equidistant intervals, implying that the chamber is a gallery of sorts.

One effigy, fashioned from bronze, and rich in colour draws your attention. The lines and curves of its form intrigue you, despite not knowing the creature it was portraying.

You are about to move on when the feeling of being watched sparks through your skeleton.

Everything changes.

Clarity gives way to haze. Sun is swapped for moon.

You see a man across the room. He stands with a perfect posture. Graceful, powerful. His elbows are bent, fingers interlaced, palms facing upwards. Sheer black fabric floats around his frame. It moves languidly, giving glimpses of his bare body beneath.

The man's face is imperceptible. The distance between you too great but somehow you know you are the focus of his attention.

His robes fall to the floor with a gossamer sigh. The pale, unmarked skin of his slight form glows beautifully in the moonlight. You look down in embarrassment as arousal flushes through you, and you see that you are suddenly as naked as he is.

You gasp, and snap your gaze back up.

The sight you see is rather unexpected. The man is intimately touching himself.

You feel compelled to mirror him. You immediately reach between your legs. The man groans as you make contact.

All it takes is a little bit of attention on your clit before you are ready to slide two fingers into your core. The noise you make at the feeling of the stretch is salacious. The man echoes you with a sound that is just as dirty.

It spurs you on and you burrow deeper.

You curl your fingers until your legs are weak and quivering. You long to sink to your knees so you can finish in a more comfortable position yet you can't. An invisible force is preventing you.

It keeps you on display.

Just like the statues to your left.

You wonder if it is for the man's benefit.

You try to focus on him but it is impossible to do so through the trembling glaze over your eyes. All you are able to sense from him now is the sound of the rhythmic pump of his palm around his cock and his panting breaths.

Desperate whines escape your lips. You are teetering on the edge of an orgasm but you can't seem to lose your balance and fall into the abyss. The unsteadiness in your legs is too much of a distraction. You rub at your clit again in the hope that it will bring the satisfaction you need.

It does nothing.

You are so frustrated by your body's disobedience that it is almost painful.

"Please. Please. Please," you mutter under your breath.

A voice suddenly speaks next to you ear. A velvet voice with the timbre of a thunder rumble. It pours like a soothing syrup into your brain and commands you to do exactly as it bids.

"Let go."

You climax intensely, crying out in relief, squirting all over your fingers and onto your hand as you legs finally give way.

The fall jolts you back into consciousness and you wake with a barely contained scream of pleasure in your throat and adrenaline lighting up your nervous system.

Daylight is peeking through a little gap in the curtains. You take a deep, grounding breath.

That was obscene.

The context, the actions, the sounds. That sultry voice at the end. From the throbbing in your vulva and the twitching of your legs it seems like you didn't just finish in the dream.

There is really no point in looking it up in the dream decoding book.

You were clearly horny on a subconscious level. Or craving attention, hence the exhibitionist behaviour. The latter is not usually in your nature to seek out but if it is the reason, you might not have to wait long before the desire is fulfilled. There is a work event happening this evening that may require you to accept an award and address the crowd.

You love this time of year where community projects get recognition; a nomination alone is a sure-fire way of garnering publicity which in turn helps the charity's outreach.

But first, a normal day at the office. You throw back the covers and go straight to the bathroom to rinse off the evidence of your wet dream.

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

Your right hand connects with the metal push plate of the function space's front door. The heels of your boots click and clack as you cross the threshold, moving from floor board to paving slab.

It's fortuitous that you brought a long, thick coat with you this evening for the wind is wintery and unforgiving. You stay close to the wall of the building to try and shelter from it as much as possible.

The pavements are slick with recent precipitation, streetlamps bouncing off of the water with caustic white light.

Then you see him; a figure cut from shadow.

He's breathing in such a laboured way that you wonder if he is sick.

Your phone is still inside the venue, currently being guarded by a colleague along with your bag but it wouldn't take long to retrieve it and call for medical assistance.

"You okay?" Concern colours the simple question.

His reply comes quickly and assertively, "I am well, thank you."

You nod, not entirely convinced for the stranger's response was as stiff as his posture, and reach inside the pocket of your coat for the box of cigarettes and lighter stashed within.

You settle one of the sticks between your lips and use your thumb to bring forth a flame. The crackle of smouldering paper and tobacco perforates the damp air and you take a needy drag. The nicotine taints and tantalises in equal measure, filling you with guilt and relief. You've been trying to give up but the little voice inside your head had won this evening. You close your eyes and focus on the pleasure it brings before flicking some ash into the tray mounted to the wall.

Your attention now back on your surroundings, the stranger steps into the scope of the streetlight. The angles of his cheekbones, jaw and nose are accentuated to an incredible extent in the gleam. His dark hair is being buffeted about the wind, locks of it very close to falling in the blue eyes that are unwaveringly trained on you. He begins to talk again, showcasing his deep baritone.

"I'm afraid I wasn't entirely honest with you just now. It is not how I envisaged our first interaction transpiring. I hope that you can forgive me for my deception."

You laugh nervously and take another quick drag. "It makes no difference if you're honest with me or not. I don't know you."

"You are correct. You don't know me. Not yet -"

"Oh," you cut in quickly. "I'm not looking for a hook up."

While you cannot deny that he is arrestingly beautiful, you are technically working and have never been one for one-night stands.

"You mistake my meaning. I have been searching for you for so long. I oftentimes doubted your existence however I was wrong and I find myself humbled to be in your presence at last."

The grandiose declaration is one of the stranger things you have heard in your life and you used to deal with drunken patrons when you worked at a university bar. Maybe he was intoxicated; it would explain a lot.

"Look, this might work on other people but I just came out here to have a cigarette -"

It is his turn to interrupt you now. "You will have no need of those going forward. Your addiction to them will be replaced by me."

"Excuse me?"

You are trying to sound incredulous, however, inside you are rather frightened by the turn the conversation has taken. His gaze is not helping either.

The crystalline eyes are embodying every part of the descriptor; a hard, chill inducing blue. Ash drops from the smouldering cigarette as a tremble of fear rattles through you. The man sees this and the ice suddenly melts to a warmer hue.

His tone turns soft and gentle. "We are supposed to be together. Our union is fated."

He's staring at you expectantly even after your two attempts at rejection. You swiftly stub out the part-finished cigarette and take ownership in ending the interaction.

"I've had enough of this. I'm going back inside now. If you try and follow me, I will speak to the venue's management. If you are still here when I leave later, I will call the police."

You turn towards the door.

He calls your name. Your full name. Middle name too.

Despite your brain chanting at you to go inside, you can't stop yourself from looking back at him. "H-how do you know my full name?"

The profound rumble of his voice resonates deep in your ears. "I know everything about you, Y/N."

He's right in front of you now. His posture is bordering between desperate and predatory. Like he can't quite decide if he is seeking comfort from you, or if he wants to consume you.

You are fumbling behind you to find the door handle. "Please get away from me," you say hoarsely.

He reaches for your hand.

You jump back and struggle to get out of his grip but his strength is inhumanly strong. His skin of his palm is glacial against yours and yet somehow, the touch makes heat snake up your arm and settle in your chest.

You become aware of an internal feeling that you've always had, like that of chapped lips. Low level but something that constantly nags. Something that existed every minute of your life until the moment he touched you.

You grip his hand and look up at his face in astonishment.

"Good. That's it. Look into my eyes. See what you know is there."

You do as he says, totally stunned by the depths that seem to reside within them. It's as if there are universes suspended inside. Maybe there are. Perhaps you could float among the celestial bodies if you asked him to show you how.

You feel so alive and overstimulated that you welcome the delirious thoughts taking over your mind.

You welcome him.

It's like there is a cord connected between your heart and his that is shortening in length. The intensity scares you.

"Give into the pull," he urges darkly, sensing your anxiety.

You obey, feet moving of their own accord and then you are standing before him, just centimetres apart.

He smiles triumphantly and presses you flush against his body.

His free hand comes up to cup your jaw, fingers brushing the sensitive skin of your neck. More heat sears through you from the additional skin-on-skin contact.

Your peripheral vision closes tighter and tighter with every passing moment. The outside world is gone.

He leans in further and you wonder hazily if he is going to kiss you or break your neck. Both options are equally viable given the behaviour he has exhibited. You keep staring at him regardless.

His irises flash silver as he intones his next sentence. "Y/N, I claim you as my soulmate."

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

Taglist: @herfantasyworldd @kpopgirlbtssvt

"Am I your dream girl? You think of me in bed. But you could never hold me. You like me better in your head."

[starsainzjr]

Pairing: Lewis Hamilton x Southeast Asian!reader Faceclaim: Kelly Marie Tran Requested: Yes No

✷✷✷✷✷

yourusername Colorado

Liked by lewishamilton, georgerussell63, carmenmundt and 40,862 others

yourusername Unbelievable time in Colorado with the love of my life. Oh, and Lewis was there too

View all 10,972 comments

roscoelovescoco Yous the loves of my lifes toos!

lewishamilton I see how it is, you're just here for the Roscoe access

georgerussell63 I mean, can you really blame her? yourusername You're the real love of my life, Lew. Just don't tell Roscoe lewishamilton We can bribe him with treats

carmenmundt That looks like it was the best camping trip ever

yourusername Can confirm

lewismylove Wake up babes, Lewis and Roscoe content just dropped

l.h.eight Dude what the hell I just woke up. Let a girl be conscious before you attack her with Lewis and Roscoe content

lewishamilton

Liked by yourusername, carmenmundt, georgerussell63 and 704,936 others

lewishamilton Favorite place with my favorite girl. We'll be back and ready to race next weekend

View all 30,984 comments

yourusername Favorite place with my favorite boy 🥰

lewishamilton Best way to spend the last few weeks of peace

georgerussell63 @/yourusername Where did you find the horse????

yourusername I'll never reveal my tricks georgerussell63 Alright then keep your secrets yourusername 🧙🏻‍♂️

l.h.eight Seriously the most perfect couple on the grid

lewismylove I love it when he goes full fanboy with her

hamil10 He really is her biggest fan and it's absolutely adorable

yourusername Brackley, England

Liked by lewishamilton, carmenmundt, mercedesamgf1 and 40,822 others

yourusername Team dinner!

View all 10,525 comments

lewishamilton Had a perfect date for a perfect evening

yourusername Three years in and you still manage to make me blush lewishamilton That's the goal, love yourusername ☺️

carmenmundt Such a memorable night! We'll miss you both next year!

yourusername Love you to bits Carmen!

l.h.eight I cannot believe this is the last time we'll get team dinner content from YN 😭

hamil10 I KNOW it really is the end times

lewismylove They are literally my comfort couple. The middle picture? They're so damn cute

yourusername Bahrain

Liked by lewishamilton, carmenmundt, mercedesamgf1 and 41,039 others

yourusername Almost time for lights out! Let's go @/lewishamilton!

View all 11,600 comments

lewishamilton My biggest cheerleader. I love you my darling

yourusername I love you too, handsome. Go knock 'em dead

roscoelovescoco Mys pawrents ares the bests

yourusername Love you too, Roscoe

mercedesamgf1 Lucky charm is here! Let's get it done this weekend!

lewismylove Stop he is actually so adorable. Like are you kidding? If that's what I saw picking me up from the airport I would never ask for anything again

hamil10 Real. So so real bestie

l.h.eight I'm sobbing I love them so much

lewismylove Seeing them in red next year is going to be so weird

lewishamilton

Liked by yourusername, roscoelovescoco, carmenmundt and 399,171 others

lewishamilton Amazing past few days with my two favorite people on the planet. Nice to rest, but it's back to work this week

View all 40,014 comments

yourusername I'm so honored to be listed with Roscoe

lewishamilton You have top spot, don't tell him I said that

yourusername 🤐

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All photos from Pinterest, Instagram, or Google Images

[eveningepiphany]

pirates gold | H.S series, part two

[part one]

[series masterlist]

summary: challengers are arising as life on the ship continues. not only that, but all kinds of tension is building between you and harry. good and bad... and something that feels forbidden to even entertain in your minds eye.

warnings: swearing, tension, fluff, sexual mentions, talks of violence, harry being so so fine, mentions of kidnapping, one bed trope.

a/n: i cannot believe how long this took me to write, I’m praying I can do part three in half the time. thank you for your patience my loves<3

———

There are plenty of moments you are left wondering how in control of your life you actually are.

If you truly have any power at all— because sometimes it feels like everything is spinning relentlessly out of your grasp.

Well, especially under your current circumstances. Since your last 4 days have been spent as someone else’s prisoner.

Which, you couldn’t have predicted would lead you into the bathroom of your own captor and being left to bathe with his own personal collection of things.

Being in there was a shock enough as it is because… of course you’d noticed how well-groomed he appeared. But to see that he actually had things like soap and hair wash…

Another stereotype you presumed, was that pirates were horrendous when it came to maintaining a sense of personal hygiene. But it was another thing you were evidently incorrect about when it came to Harry. And seemingly the rest of his crew as well.

As you washed off in the shower, scrubbing away the collected dirt, dust and sweat off of your body, you felt almost like a new person.

It felt inexplicably good to use soap again, which is a luxury you took for granted much too often back home. But finally getting rid of all the residue on your skin was an amazing feeling. Including washing away the salt from your ocean dip a few days ago. Which was stuck in the crevices and creases of your skin, like it was slowly dehydrating you from the outside in.

So you took probably longer than you should in his shower… but it didn’t seem as time ticked on that he was in his room or at the bathroom door.

Not even when you eventually stepped out from the water, drying yourself off with a rag-like towel. Looking at yourself in the mirror, taking in your frame, and how the skin under your eyes is a tad less sunken in after a long shower.

Maybe it was from stress, or lack of sleep. But either way, you rubbed your fingers underneath them. Attempting to smooth out the remaining darkness there, as if that would work.

Settling on the fact what was left of them was only temporary, you decide to just get into the clothes Harry had given you. Pretending it doesn’t weird you out as you slide his black shirt over your body.

It was far from tight on you, and the fabric probably could’ve swallowed you up as it clung to you. And as you pulled the soft pants up, they were equally as big.

You gazed in the mirror again, looking at how his clothes fit you. Struggling to envision him in such simplistic clothing.

Suddenly, his body filling out the once baggy pants and shirt is taking up the confines of your mind. They certainly would fit him properly. And likely hug the muscle built on his chest... you have to swat the mental image away, before it conjures into something more.

So immediately, you jump to distract yourself. Eyes roaming around the bathroom until they lock onto the cabinet beneath the bathroom bench.

Your hands don't hesitate, coming to the cupboards to open them, pulling the handles so they unlatch.

It’s sadly sparse inside. Almost entirely empty despite a few miscellaneous items. A hair comb, a dagger sheath and a… sewing kit? You frown at the sewing kit, unable to imagine him doing anything as delicate and time consuming as hand sewing.

However, he does wear intricate outfits. He seemingly prizes them, actually. So, it seems fitting that if wear and tear got to them, he'd be keen to fix them. That's the conclusion you're going to go with anyway.

But regardless, in the small wooden confines, there is nothing you can steal for your own benefit. You think of shutting it, but in the silence something urges you to open the small plastic box anyways.

You drop onto your knees, sliding the container to the edge of the shelving, and hooking your fingers into the latches and pulling the lid upwards.

There are several little threading needles— even clothing pins— placed among regular cotton thread in an array of colours. But there’s also multiple wads of fishing line, which immediately makes you wonder why it's in there. Trying to pinpoint what kind of clothing needs fishing line as a stitching.

You’re about to pull it out, but conveniently, there’s a rattle outside of the door. One that indicates someone is coming into his quarters. You hold back a frustrated sigh, suddenly wishing you had of taken a shorter shower.

Your body kicks into quick movement, hurrying to click his sewing box shut and put it back where it was in the first place. Pushing hard on the latches that now suddenly don’t want to cooperate with your haste.

It’s silent outside of the footsteps that trail to the bathroom door, making you wince as the latch on the cupboard echoes a tiny clack as it’s shut.

The feet stop at the door, and your breath is held from where you’re kneeling. Not sure if you’re hoping for Harry or not.

“Y/N?” His voice calls with a rap on the door, “y’decent?”

“I—“ you slowly rise from the floor, cringing at the creak of the boards beneath your feet as you stand.

“Yea… yep.”

The lock jingles and the door swings open, revealing Harry— who looks no different to how he did almost an hour ago. Black blouse, black pants. Nothing had changed.

You feel suddenly vulnerable standing in his clothes in front of him, and you have to force yourself not to wring your hands at the bottom of his long shirt.

“Mm, nice to see you actually showered, ‘stead of tryin’ to break out.” He comments, nonchalantly stepping in through the door. Eyes scanning you in his clothes.

As he steps closer, the only difference you notice is the red bruising around his knuckles, on the hand hung down by his waist.

“Oh, I tried.” You mused, attempting to push confidence in your tone— adverting your gaze away from his bruised hand.

He hums, still staring at your frame, “To no avail, I see.”

“I suppose not.” You remarked, to which he shrugs. His body language is casual, but you’re still unconvinced that everything is normal.

Now you're staring at him, trying to decipher what the fuck is happening right now. Given the fact nothing about this seems planned.

“But I am confused...” You prompt, and to it, he cocks an eyebrow.

He steps forward, “Go on.”

“What exactly have you done in the last hour?” It comes from your mouth as an accusation. One that draws out a rash laugh from him pink mouth.

“Why is it you assume I’ve done something?” He's awfully close to you now, and it highlights the features on his face. Ones you're desperately trying to pay no attention to. But it's much harder to ignore the fall of his hair over green eyes when its up close.

“Because that just seems the most likely.” You stated. Walking to brush past him—shoulder passing his chest with a light touch— the bathroom feeling far too cramped for the two of you. And the air around you had suddenly gone hot with tension on your end.

You make your way out into his quarters, making use of your need for distance, and deciding to inspect the room while you could.

Harry turns on his heel, watching as you now suddenly walk around his bedroom like it was your birth right. Hands trailing over frames on the wall, and picking up random objects he’d strewn on the floor.

He sighs at this, part of him wanting to stop you from snooping around his place, but he’s also undeniably curious at your mannerisms while looking around. The way your eyebrows pull down into a frown as you pick up an array of things. Including odd ones, like a bag of dried out barnacles, and whetstones block he uses to sharpen his blades with.

“I bought ya up here t’shower. Because unlike many, I have a hygiene standard, darlin’.” He says, and you turn from where you were touching the cover of his unmade bed. Fingertips noting the softness of it. He sleeps here… your brain announces as though it’s unfathomable to imagine him at rest in his own bed. Which was tucked into the corner of the all-wood room, three circular windows running beside its edge.

Looking at his hand again, finally getting the courage to bring it up.

“And your knuckles are swelling up. All bruised. They weren’t like that earlier.”

He smirks, completely bypassing your question, “looking at my hands, ay? Didn’t pick you to be that kind of girl.”

You sneer at his stupid tease, irritated at his arrogance.

“Just seemed all rather impromptu, and now you’re back here with bruised up fists that you didn’t have earlier.” You challenge, after walking slowly away from his bed.

“You don’t stop until you get an answer y’like. Is that right, princess?” He scoffs.

But he knows you’re brilliant at reading someone, tragically so. And it’s obvious you’re not as stupid as he wishes. Because he watches as your eyes narrow, clear that you know he’s dodging your questions for a reason.

“And you don’t give answers unless it suits you best, I take, captain?”

To that, he chuckles, and decides to prove you right, walking over to grab your wrist with the unscathed hand.

“M’clothes are a bit big on you…” he comments, partially using it as an excuse to drag his eyes down your body again. Completely changing the subject.

“Tomorrow, we’re pulling into port, we’ll buy some stuff that actually fits you.” Despite being the one to decide this, there's a pang of disappointment in his chest at you getting out of his oversized clothes. He ignores it. The hand that's becoming all too familiar to your wrist is leading you out of his quarters, and your eyes dart to take in the room a final time. Hoping to commit it to memory.

“That’s a bit doting. Are you going to take me with you, or is that a far fetched wish?” You drawl, already figuring you’ll be locked away while they roam about. Buying you clothes while you sit prisoner.

You should probably just be grateful for the fact he is willing to spend gold on you, given the circumstances. But who would you be kidding if you tried to portray that right now. ‘Thanks for buying me clothes while I sat locked up in your jail cell!’ He would audibly cackle if you said that.

He chuckles at your bitter sounding tone, “I’d bet you’d be rather upset if we went into town without you.”

You scowl at him, having to bite your tongue as to not say anything rash, choosing not to respond at all.

He’s taken you outside of his room, and locked his door with the small ring of keys he keeps on him. Beginning a slow walk along the corridors of the ship, seemingly in no hurry at all. He pulls your arm to rest firmly between his elbow and ribcage as you stroll the halls, as though you’re on some kind of leisurely walk.

To your silent annoyance, he rolls his eyes with amusement, knowing you'll hold quite the grudge if he doesn't take you out when the ships docks at Sintir. “I’ll think about it, dove.”

The two of you walk in quiet for a minute. Clacking of shoes against decking echoes through the hallways below deck. You get lost in thought, until his voice quickly coaxes you out it.

“We’re stopping for two nights.” He suddenly clarifies for you, “After we buy you some suitable clothes, maybe you can come into town after dark.”

You’re skeptical of his offer, given that it’s not a guarantee. But you’re desperate to just get off this ship for a bit. Not even in an attempt to escape, you know that wouldn’t work even if you tried. Purely to be on land again, and around people who aren’t felons at sea.

So you soften your frown a bit, going quiet for a few moments. You decide to try the hopeless approach, no matter how weak your faith is in it. But maybe you'll get some pity from the man beside you, “I miss the towns, and being on solid earth, that’s all. It's all I've ever known.”

You were already embarrassed at how the helpless tone sounded on your voice. Maybe because is wasn't genuine, but either way, internally you gagged a little.

He laughs abruptly at your words, almost shocked that you attempted to persuade him with that.

“No need to pull the damsel in distress card.” He’d shook his head, smiling wide with humor at your expense, “My decision is impartial to a poor attempt at manipulation.”

“It’s not manipulation!” You turn to snap at him, dropping the meek mannerisms just as quickly as you put them on.

“Oh but it is, darling.” He bumps your shoulder with his own, turning a corner that reveals another set of stairs, “y’bad as any other pirate. Outside of the shitty lying.”

You shake your head, huffing out air from your nose as he leads you up them. The annoying thing is that he's right. However you still fight to prove your point.

“Can you blame me? I just want to go into a town and do something normal. Have a little stability amongst this shit show!” Your grumble made him chuckle, as it seemed to always do. Like as if he could not take a word you say seriously, even if he tried.

“I suppose I can’t fault you for it.” He hums, pushing a hatch open after unlinking your arms. He went through it first so he could help you up. Hands steadying you once your feet come in contact with the floor. Because suddenly, you’re on the bow of the ship. The afternoon sun out and warm on your skin as the waves are calmly lapping over themselves.

You momentarily forget that you’re pissed off with him. All you can focus on is the fresh air and golden sun.

His eyes take in your deep inhalation, and the way you look so relieved to be outside. Understandable given the fact you spent 2 days locked in a tiny room.

A feeling he can’t name stirs in his chest. And the voice in the back of his head is suddenly encouraging taking you into Sintir while the ships docked there.

“It’s… nice out.” You exhale, your gaze veering to him momentarily as you speak. His green eyes are locked onto yours, and you quickly make to slide your attention back out on the blue water.

Which is easy to look at, since it doesn’t technically end. Just melts into the equally blue horizon where the sky meets the sea.

“It almost always is, up this far north.” He nods, pushing the sudden emotion away. “It won’t stay that way once we leave the port. There’s a storm well in due this week.”

You mentally file away that you’re up north, but a part of you gets anxious with the idea of being out while there’s a storm.

On land, you always enjoyed them. They brought a sense of serenity to you. The thunder and rain sometimes came so loud in Kelna it drowned out everything going on in your life. Temporarily, of course, however it was nice while it lasted. But on water was a different story. You’d heard they’re rocky rides, treacherous even. That ships often enter a storm, and don't come out the other side.

“Don’t look s’worried.” He comments at your suddenly terrified energy, he places a palm on your back to usher you forwards.

“Just that I really don’t want to die out here.” You sigh, not denying the fear since it’s clearly that obvious.

You walk willingly wherever he’s decided to take you, sharing a short wave to the man up by the ships wheel. He had messy head of hair, one that you imagined when it was windy, would blow all over the place.

“Have faith in us, Y/N. We’ve weathered many storms jus’ fine.”

“Oi, H,” the scruffy pirate you just waved at calls down to his captain, as he tracks down the stairs with you. Going from the steering deck to the main deck.

Harry tilts his head over his shoulder, pausing on the stairs where you both stand, indicating he’s listening with a nod. You briefly trail your eyes over his side profile. The curve of his nose, and the cut of his jaw.

But his crewmate barely gets a couple words out before he’s interrupted shortly after, “How did ya go wi—“

“Fine, Liam.” Abruptly, Harry cuts in. Not rudely, but curtly.

The man on the wheel, who now has a name to you— Liam— alternates his gaze between the two of you suddenly. Like he’s dawning upon why he just got interrupted.

“Ah, I see.” He nods, quickly busying himself with what he was doing beforehand.

Harry continues walking you down a set off stairs, back down to main deck.

“I’m going to assume that was about earlier, and has something to do with why you dragged me out of my cell.” You say, attempting indifference.

“You’d assume right.” He nods, but you wait for him to say something more— which he doesn’t.

You sigh in frustration, “I'll also take that's why I'm still up here, and not locked back up."

You're trying to gauge yet again how much of his actions are kindness, and how much of them are out of an attempt to gain something.

"Not why you're out here, 'm tryna give ya a bit of sun." He brings you to a stop at the far left of the main deck, smirking as he talks, "I've got to patch up a old sail, incase we need it. No better place to do it but out here."

He pays no mind to you as he kneels down to a storage unit a few feet away from you in the floor, unlatching it, and hauling out a huge canvas sail it. The sheet crinkles as he carries it out, and dumps it on the wooden deck.

You frown, wondering if he's the only one on the ship who can do any sort of needlework... because it seems like the only reasonable option as to why he's doing it himself. So you ask, "Why exactly are you doing it?"

He laughs, striding back over to pull a much larger sewing kit from the bottom of the storage space, and also sheet of spare canvas.

"You are filled with clichés of us, darling. What is makin' y'ask that?" He chucks the kit and extra fabric down, following to sit shortly after.

You're still standing as you try to conjure up an answer that doesn't sound unbelievably stupid. But he is cross-legged, pulling the damaged side of the sail over his muscular thighs.

"Because..." You pause, still unsure how to phrase it as you stare at him. You're looking at his side profile again, and it's lit by the overhead sun.

He glances your way, essentially looking up at you from where he's positioned on the floor. He finishes your sentence for you, "'Cause I'm a captain? And why would I do something productive for myself and my crew when I could make someone below me do it?"

"Well... basically."

"You're going t’find out very quickly the dynamic between me ‘n my crew." he pulls open the sewing box, filled with larger needles, and thick thread.

"I may be their Captain, but we’re all like brothers. I see them as that, not as my workers. They are my team, and we help out whenever and wherever we can." He states, sounding completely sincere, "And, I'm the only one that can actually hand sew things, so here we are."

"Here we are..." you parrot quietly, almost finding it endearing the way he talks about his crew mates.

Delicately, he’s threading up a needle and starting to take it through the sail and its new panel, lined up over the relatively large tear. His hands are steady, hair fallen over his eyes as he concentrated on starting the stitch. You stare at the dark bruising over his knuckles, and you swear that wasn’t as deep a shade earlier.

Without thought, you slowly sink to the ground, back resting against the side of the boat, not waiting long before you start to ask him more questions.

“Whatever happened to put that large of a hole in your sail?” You’d quizzed.

He knew it wouldn’t take long before you started to pry him with more of your wonders, “A cannonball.”

Your face can’t hide the shock, because of how casually he answered you. Your lips were parted in surprise at his response when he glanced over to you. A smirk over his mouth, popping a dimple on his cheek.

“Jus’ a run in with another ship.” He mused, “They tore a hole in our sail, and we tore a hole into the side of their boat.”

You almost sputter a laugh, of course he has to brag about not having lost that altercation.

“I hope you have a winning streak under your belt.” You shake your head, smiling a little.

“Why? Because I’m carryin’ such precious cargo.” Alluding to you with a charming cadence to his voice.

You’re stretched out in the sun as he watches you, and you almost look happy. If he didn’t know any better. But maybe you are a little. Circumstantially, you’re probably far from it. But in this moment, you look calm in a way he hasn’t seen before.

“Obviously. And all this would be for nothing if I go down with your ship and you don’t get your gold.”

“Tragic really, after putting up with y’through all this. Including jumpin' off m'own ship.” He teases.

“It’s been like, 5 days. I cant have been that annoying outside of the jumping thing.” You can’t tell if you’re offended at his jabs like you should be. You wish you fully were, but the banter is almost pleasing to have with him. It gives you something to laugh at. And also gives you an excuse to be insolent with him.

“Mm, if only y’knew…” he sighs in faux exhaustion, a tiny laugh escaping through his façade.

The way the ship cruised through the waves was inexplicably calming to experience up here. With the sun and the warm around surrounding you.

His hands were weaving the needle through the material, it’s mesmerising to watch. He’s definitely skilled at it, since it has hardly taken him long to get one side sewed on.

“You look quite content over there.” He comments, not looking up from where he was.

The observation stuns you a little, because of how true it was.

“I… it’s hard not to be after being in a tiny wooden room for 2 days straight.” You answer, but it doesn’t feel like the only reason why.

“Y'know,” he begins, “I excepted someone like you to have the worst set of sea sickness, and to be constantly terrified, but you've seemingly proved me wrong.”

“Have you underestimated me?”

“Possibly.” He remarks. And you don’t answer him again.

You're struck with the realisation that you actually don’t hate being above deck. Or really on the ship— outside of the reasons to why you’re on it. You think you might have underestimated yourself.

Like a reel of film, your mind flashes through images of a life like this. Outside of the damn cell at the bottom of the boat.

One where you spend your days free on the water. Both free in regards to your imprisonment here— but also from your life and looming responsibilities at home.

You envision yourself suddenly in the most pirate-like attire, standing up on those huge masts like they do in fictions sold at the bookstore— the odd one that would romanticise the life of piracy instead of completely defacing it.

It hits you like a slap in the face. One that stings and burns on the side of your cheek, lingering for days after it initially impacted.

You have to forcibly squeeze your eyes closed, because there is no room to have feelings like that in your already muddled brain.

Harry speaks up from where you forgot he was sitting, “What exactly is Kelna like?”

“Prison.” You blurt, hand almost coming to slap over your own mouth in surprise.

Your head is in disarray, and that somehow slipped its way out. Because all the sudden, you realise you almost felt more trapped in your own home than you honestly do here.

You tried to escape this ship out of fear that you would be killed— or sent somewhere worse— but when that element is removed from the equation, you’re certain anything is better than Kelna.

“Im kidding—“ you hurriedly spew out, but his head is turned to frown at you, “it’s nice… it’s great. Very lovely people and we have… yea. It’s great.”

Of course, you love your family. Some of them. Your younger brother and older brother, your younger sister. But outside of your siblings, there were few people to love.

“Sound like y’trying to convince yourself more than me.”

You guess you kind of were in a sense. And a part of you wanted to just say how much you never wanted to go back, if that were an option. You only ever told your older brother Poe about how desperate you were to get away from the court. One person. One soul out of this whole world of them knows.

Only Poe knows how terrified you were that Misha— Kelna's infamous prophet— would come to the podium to speak the most misconstrued riddle, that supposedly announced you were to take the crown. Your own stomach churns at the concept.

But revealing that to Harry felt like giving away a vulnerable piece of yourself. He doesn't deserve to be the second person you entrust with something so pressing for you. Which you remind yourself that you swore not to lay an ounce of trust in this man’s hands. That your impartialness to a separate life here is due to your life at home. And that freedom on this ship is unlikely.

“I’m not…” you breathe out in defeat. Trying desperately to steer clear of the subject, because its easy to drag you into a pit of ever-welling anxiety.

However, he can sense your complete shift in energy. This is your first time really talking about home. And it seems like you have more than bitterness to it. He expected a whimsical answer. One that showed your longing for return, or that you even valued part of being in a court. But he got nothing of the sorts.

It slips from his soft mouth before he can stop it, “Are you not safe at home?”

He’s completely disregarded his sewing venture, and has turned to look right at you. His features have softened, and he looks genuinely a little concerned. But you brush it off for deceit. Of course he would want to know something like that. Want to pick away at your seams until all the sudden you're unraveling in the palm of his hands, tearing your whole village down with it.

“Yes!” You jump to clear that up. Secondly feeling like he's almost babying you.

“Probably safer there than I am here.” You bark, but it’s hardly true if you really think about it. Attempts on a royals life are always a threat, and it’s happened to your family members before. Which transcends into a whole other story, equally as painful for you as anything else at home.

His brows pull into a frown. He realises he’s struck something sensitive here. The topic seems to make you recoil completely. Your body language has changed, just like that. Straight from relaxed to on edge.

“I feel like there's a pretty equal risk." He provides, picking back up the threaded needle. Seeing what more he can coax out of you.

"I—" you cut yourself off.

"I am fine." Your tone is conclusive.

"Is that why you always sneak out of your royal residence in the middle of the night?" He pushes, a sarcastic lilt to his deep voice.

"That isn't any of your business!" You groan, "I'm not asking why it is you're a felon at sea, or your tragic past life that's lead you here, am I?"

"But you probably wonder..." he smirks, impartial to your jab.

"I don't, you ass!" You state defiantly.

"I'm just trying to gauge how much you actually like your homeland."

You scoff in disbelief, "Oh, piss off. You just want something to hold over me."

It's clear to him something much deeper is going on than what he initially thought. But its also evident that you are far from interested in talking about it now. So, he files away what information and suspicion he had, and finally allows the subject to change.

"Whatever princess... y'getting mouthy, and I've gathered that usually doesn't end well for either of us." he rolls his eyes in amusement, "You'll have to to tell me what kind of clothes you like, so I know what I'm in for."

"It only doesn't end well because you're so goddamn pushy." You huff.

"This is why you ended up locked in a cell for two days." his tone is airy, considering the topic, "Also, best of y'to recall I'm the one who decides whether or not ya coming off the ship tomorrow."

You hold back your bitter quip at his reminder, but not the deep sigh from your lungs. You feel stressed. Overwhelmed even. Which is the only good thing about your tiny room below deck, its stable. You know what you get down there. Yourself, and no personal questions that leave you reeling.

He finishes his double stitch in silence. Thinking of you, and wondering what exactly your perception of your home life is. In a long answer— not the short and guarded ones he's currently receiving.

You sit, still in the sun, but feeling significantly more riled up than earlier. That's when Harry stands from his work, and your eyes dart to the patch that's now one with the sail. Intricately sewed in place, with a clearly detail-oriented eye.

"An' she's done." He nods proudly, talking to himself as he picks the complete task up from where it was spread on the deck. Carrying it back into where it came from— along with the closed sewing kit. Laying it folded in the floor compartment and latching it closed.

His hands brush themselves off along his black pants. They admittedly fit him perfectly. Nipped in at his sculpted waist, and outlining his likely firm thighs.

His green eyes slanted down to you, as if he could feel your own gaze burning into his tanned skin. He smirks, a dimple popping out on his cheek as he looked at you.

He was trouble.

He looked at you like you were a game to be played. A challenge to be conquered. And somehow you met him right at that very level. You wanted to prove something to him— and the thing is, you don't even know what.

Its not something you can reverse, or take back. It's already long started, the second you pushed back from his demands when you first met.

His legs that you were just studying stride over to where you sit. He towers over you, examining you with a silent and smug smile.

"A corset, perhaps?" He proclaimed without context, and your face twists in confusion.

"Although, I've heard they are very hard to get on and off a woman." It clicks in your brain he's currently talking about you. Imagining you in the likes of a corset.

It's like he was pondering it aloud just for his own sick enjoyment, because he keeps going as your expression quickly bleeds into a scowl.

"And, there is no doubt in my mind you'd drive your own elbow into my stomach before you let me help lace you into a corset. Or out of it." His voice has dropped an octave, and his chocolatey hair has fallen over his forehead again. For such a heinous topic, he has the face of an angel. Maybe a fallen one... but an angel nonetheless.

"You would be correct." You confirm, "And I spend enough time in corsets at home. God forbid I wear one when theres no need for it."

He suddenly juts a hand out for you to take, which you stare at for an awfully long time, analysing the dark marks over his knuckles. Eventually settling to let him help you stand. It pulls you up effortlessly despite its visibly injury, and you feel the rough parts of his large hand as it cups yours.

"Espcially if im going to be laying around in a cell, whats the point in that?"

He still has grip on your hand, "Oh, dove, y'not going back down there for a little bit."

Your gaze narrows immediately. And you ask the first question and only question that makes sense in your mind.

"Who else is down there?"

"Someone who deserves to be left in the room with the cuff holders on the wall. Attached to them."

Your stomach sinks a little, recalling him saying thats sectioned off for people who have done truly bad things. Seems like it would explain his battered up knuckles perfectly.

But with the closest thing you’ve gotten to an answer all day, you’re quick to mentally move onto what the effects you the most.

"Where am i gonna..."

He says with a completely unfazed expression, "With me."

“With you?”

“That’s what I said, no?” He raises his brows, “unless you’d rather be down there with him. Who we’d then certainly have to kill once he knows you’re here.”

“Christ.” A wave of shock rocks through you at his vulgar wording, “can you put me nowhere else?”

“No.” He states, starting to walk with your hand gripped in his, “it’s just for the night. Don’t worry s’much.”

“Don’t worry? You just told me you would have to kill a man if I chose to stay away from you.”

You’re glaring at him as he holds open a door for you— one that leads to another kitchen room— despite you’re bitter look, he’s unbothered entirely.

“Let’s get you something to eat. Allow ya to process the fact you’re stuck with me for a night.”

———

Your night was significantly different to all the others you’d had on the ship this past week.

The evening had come on relatively quick. You’d sat above deck after he fed you some fruit, and watched the sun set as his crew gathered to share a pint.

You observed their dynamics, and the way a few men got themselves silly on one too many beers. Stumbling all over the deck.

Harry stayed closer to sober though—a bit tipsy, but nothing drastic— and as evening bleed into night, many of the boys had turned in for bed around midnight.

His blonde crew mate had shouted out for you to come down and have a pint, but you laughed it off. His drunken plea seeming far out of line considering the circumstances.

Not long after most of them had left, Harry came up to where you sat. You were perched atop a step on the stairs, and you know he’d been watching you. Making sure— as you stayed a fair distance away— that you didn’t disappear.

His hand had gestured out to you again as he had apparently come to collect you. You stood without it’s help, and he snorted a bitter laugh.

“You're infuriating, you know? Unbelievably so. And I feel it all the way in my stomach.” The lilt in his voice is intoxicating. He sounds like he disdains you, yet is addicted to the feeling all at the same time.

He’s standing the step below yours, and once you had fully straightened out, you were slightly above him. It almost gave you an added boost of confidence, “Right in here?”

Your hand reached out to breach the minimal distance, brushing your pointer and middle finger against where the skin of his stomach is.

His hand grabbed around your wrist, staring at you— he pressed your palm flat against his chest— you could feel the warmth of his skin beneath the sheer black blouse he was still in.

His bruised knuckles are pressed over yours. The dark spots a mosaic of blacks and blues— you wonder how bad it would hurt if you pressed down on them. Just out of spite, of course.

“Right there.” He affirmed.

“Too bad you have to room with me tonight.” You sigh in mock sympathy.

He looks like he’s about to say something else, when he bites his tongue and does his usual thing— tugging you along wherever he plans to go.

His leftover mates say goodnight as he walks past— all of them regarding you as well, surprisingly.

You’re lead to his quarters as you’d suspected, and you’re now faced with the situation of how this is going to all pan out.

Once inside the dark room, he lights a wall candle with a match— that he pulled from god knows where— casting the space in a golden glow.

He is quick to then shed the black material that’s covering his chest over himself without hesitation. Your gaze skates along the muscled skin of his back. Littered in black ink and scars that immediately piqued your curiosity. Ones that you undeniably want to trace over, and enquire how exactly they got there. Which feels like an odd thought to be entertaining considering how much you push to hate him.

His hands unlatch his belt, still adorning all its weapons. And he walks to the foot of his bed, laying it atop the cover.

“Would I be correct to assume I’m taking the floor?” You put forward, and his head turns over his shoulder.

“That one’s up t’you. Unless you’re that desperate to get away from me.” He drawls, the alcohol making him a tad drowsy now that the buzz has worn off.

A part of you begs to be stubborn. To say no. But the other half of you in rioting to lay down on a mattress for the first time in almost a week. Because you couldn’t physically sleep another night on the hard wooden floor.

You breathe outward, walking over in silence as you climb beneath his sheets without warrant.

He tries to ignores it, but a small smile breaks out over his lips before he can stop it. So he turns swiftly around, unzipping his black pants and shedding them off his long legs.

“What exactly are you doing?” You shrilly ask, palms ready to shield your eyes if he decides to strip the only remaining fabric below his laurel-adorning hips.

“You’re not sleeping naked next to me.” Certainty riddles your tone, and there is no way you’ll budge on it.

But to your statement he laughs, “M’not naked.”

“Not far off it either.” You murmur, observing as he walks over to the candle he not long lit and blows it out.

The room falls into darkness, all you can hear are the plodding of his feet on the wood floor.

Once he’s next to the bed, you hear his voice, “You’re on my side, by the way. S’budge up.”

You scoot over without words, and feel the mattress sink as his weight comes onto it.

“Better than the floor, no?” He asks quietly, and you can feel the heat radiating from his body.

“Undecided.” You whisper. “Comfier I suppose.”

His breath is quiet and consistent as you both fall quiet. You’re certain he falls asleep before you, because you’re awake for a while. Staring at the ceiling wondering how you got here yet again.

But eventually, the tiredness you’ve been feeling for the last couple days catches up on you, and it lulls you into a deep sleep. Unbroken from any uncomfortable surfaces or loud noises. Just peace.

Peace until you stir for the first time in the morning.

When soft light is shining through the circular windows, and you realise how truly warm you are. All the edges of your consciousness are blurred and hazy with your sleep induced state. You nestle into what you thought was the mattress, but register somewhere in your head that your body is pressed against someone.

And after that, it’s confirmed when they move. A slight roll, and a warm heavy arm that drapes over your waist, tugging you closer.

Your eyes dart open, and are met with the sideways view of a swallow on a collarbone. It stops you dead in your tracks. Because slowly you realise your plastered to someone's side. Harry's side. Legs thrown over his hips, head nestled into his neck.

You're frozen for a moment. Because he smells so nice. But alarm bells are sounding in your head. Too close to the enemy, they riot.

The rigidness of your body stirs him again, rolling him further into you. Legs intertwined, and the bridge of your nose bumping against the curve of his throat. Now he's truly swallowing up all your senses. His scent is genuinely intoxicating. Salty, just as you'd imagine a pirate would smell— of the ocean and all that lies beneath it. But it has a woodsy tone to it, deep and masculine. One you wonder how he just naturally carries.

His tattoos are gorgeous up close, chest chiseled and dusted with soft dark hairs. You use the finger that’s between your body and his to brush gently over the butterfly on his stomach. Tracing the details, despite how wrong it feels. In your moments of timid admiration, you don’t realise his eyes have opened. Green and glazed over with sleep, it takes him a solid minute to register what he's watching you do.

An intake of breathe, and his gravelly voice pressed out the only thing he can even think of saying, “g’morning.”

Physically, you flinch. Startled at his sudden consciousness. Finger withdrawing from its tender movements, your heart pounding.

“I— hello.” You whisper, unsure how long he’s been awake.

He stretches, which in turn scoots his body down the bed, leaving you face to face with him. A pink tongue juts out over his lips— wetting them.

“I should’ve established a no-cuddle policy.” You state, eyes wandering the plains of his face.

To this, his morning voice rumbles a laugh, “are you trying to blame me for this? ‘Cause you’re on m’side, touching up my chest, dove.”

You turn your head over your shoulder, glancing to the gap from where you originally feel asleep and where you are now. Red flushed over your face, It does look incriminating on your end.

A guilty sigh falls from your lips before you purse them together. Not having an explanation for how you ended up like this.

“S’okay.” His voice was so deep, and it sunk into your ears. Almost drawing a shiver out of you. It was attractive.

You can’t tell if that observation is coming only from the fact you have just spent a night curled into his chest. But it’s all you can think about.

“Didn’t mean to.” You say, the closest you were coming to an apology.

“Mmm, I bet.” He murmurs, his hand leaving from where it was on your waist and going to comb through his hair.

Perfectly tousled from sleep, he brushed through it with his fingers. You take the opportunity now that his hand has left your waist, to sit up, averting your eyes from the way his touch glides through his soft hair.

You look out the window, and immediately you’re shocked. You see land. Not even that far away.

“Oh.”

“What?”

“There’s land…”

“Ah,” he also props himself up with his elbows, “so there is.”

“Best we get ready.” He shrugs his bare shoulders, and you quickly jolt your head this way.

We?

He’s far from shy as he threw the covers off himself, with the daylight streaming through the windows, his whole body was on display.

You wondered if he realised the kind of body he had on him. Because undeniably, seeing him in just boxers makes your throat bob.

“Do you say we because you intend on taking me off the ship?” You ask, a silent plea behind your words.

“Tonight.” He states, glances back to see the palpable excitement spread over your face.

You rush out of bed, a sudden burst of energy at his confirmation. He is shocked as suddenly your arms collide with his bare waist.

“Thank you. Thank you.” You really are grateful, and you’re so desperate to get off this boat for a bit.

His lips part in surprise, “that’s… y’welcome?”

You hold him longer than you should, a part of you a little ashamed at your lack of self discipline. Because you should be able to contain yourself. You eventually pull yourself from him, smiling in a way he hasn’t seen before.

“We’re probably gonna dock in… 20 minutes? We’ll be gone for most of the day. I’ll come back and get you at evening.”

It sounded like a long time to wait. But you are sure you could do it. So you nod, enthusiastically.

You go and sit yourself on the edge of his bed, wondering where you’re going to end up— what the town will be like, where you’ll go— all while watching Harry go through his closet for an outfit.

It reminded you almost of how a royal would dress, particularly about what came out and what would go with what.

He stands with his back to you, still just in boxers. He has a nice ass.

You mentally scold yourself, yet unable to look away from him as he pulls a maroon pair of pants over his hips. They’re left unzipped as he gets a off-white linen shirt to tuck into them. However the shirt was left almost entirely unbuttoned. And his cross necklace sits between his pecs that are on full display.

He belts his weaponry around his waist, taking it off the wall from where they were hung. Odd of him to leave them so in the open, when you could’ve stabbed him in the night while he slept.

“Are you leaving me in here?” You ask, watching as he collects a few last minute things from around his room.

“S’long as you don’t trash the place.”

You think about teasing him, but decide not to risk it. You piss him off, then you’ll likely get put somewhere without anything to snoop around. And also miss out on getting off the ship tonight.

So you just nod. And at that, he’s satisfied.

“Well, m’off then. Don’t do anything stupid, Princess.” He raises his brows, face serious until it breaks into a small smile.

“I won’t.” You lie, because how are you meant to guarantee that.

He walks out, and obviously locks you in. You wait an hour, until you’ve been docked for a while before you start to dig around his room.

Not forgetting to take some time looking out the window to figure out where the hell you are in the world. Nothing was geographically giving it away, but once you saw a small fishing cart on the pier, you read Sintir fishery.

Sintir is so far away from your homeland, you let out an audible gasp when you read it. There’s no fucking way, you’d thought.

But as you walk away from the window, you register that it has technically been a week since you’d been taken.

You ponder it as you start to go through his things. You feel like some kind of home invader. Rummaging through a trunk under his bed, raiding draws, and flicking through his racks of clothes. Digging into pockets as though you were waiting to happen upon something of value.

It turned out to be the smartest places you looked, because in a thick raincoat, you fucking found it.

A key. One he has to have forgotten about, since there’s no way in the world he’s left you in here without being certain there’s no way to get out.

You ran to the door of his room, and held your breath as the sharp metal got pushed into the lock by your eager hands.

You turned it, jostling it a bit. And it clicked.

Quietly, you reach for the handle, gently pulling it down and breathing out as the door unlatches.

There’s no time to wait as you slink outside. Clicking it shut, and slowly trying to recall your way back down to the chambers.

Every noise has you on edge, and you’re terrified to get caught. Waiting to turn a corner and one of his crew mates to be there, catching you in the act. But it’s not enough to stop you. You may have made a few wrong turns, but you end up in a hallway that jogs your memory.

You make your way down the stairs to the cells, unable to keep your footsteps entirely quiet. It’s without warning you realise the space down there is in fact still occupied by someone… just like you’d initially feared.

You’re met with a guttural groan, and suddenly your anxiety nearly triples. It’s masculine— and when you reach the bottom of the stairs, still out of view from the cell door— you can confirm it when the voice echoes out from the dim room.

“Let me out, you… you fuckin’ bastards.” Whoever it is sounds exhausted, like they’ve been teetering on the edges of life or death for hours.

When you don’t reply he lets out a wet and chesty cough as he continues, “I don’t care about tha’ whore no more! The princess means nothing to me.”

Your heart is racing at the mention of yourself, and the man sounds like he’s dying. It’s certain in your mind now this man’s face was probably what caused the bruising on Harrys fist.

A heavy bang comes from his cell, sounding like metal cuffs being slammed against a wall.

His speech turns to slur as you slowly back yourself back up the stairs. Curiosity always kills the cat, you think. And you wished you’d stayed in Harry’s room.

“Or jus’ kill me already!” He begs, tone shaking with exhausted rage, “already beat me to a pulp after I called that royal a good f’nothing slut. S’cmon!”

That was your cue to leave, and as you break off into a near run down the halls, you’re shaking the whole time.

Yet somehow, despite what anyone would’ve expected, you made it back to Captains quarters without a single run in. Not a soul knows you found a key.

You slide down the relocked door once you’re inside, and pant with not only the physical exertion, but the anxiety you just put yourself under.

It takes a fair while before you can move again, but your hands skate along the floorboards beneath you, tracing the wood grains to calm down.

Rising, you go back to his closet to put the small key back exactly where you found it. Not taking chances in trying to harbour it for yourself.

The room is deafeningly quiet, it forces your mind to hear the likely dying man’s words on repeat. And wonder if Harry really punched the man because he called you a slut…

The only person that knows is him.

He only knows that the second that sack of shit opened his mouth and said the only thing you’d be good for is ‘a quick fuck and some gold’ he absolutely lost it.

He only knows the feeling of pure, red-hot anger that took over him until he slammed the side of his fist into the slimy man’s face. More than once. He’s not sure how many times, until it was bloody, and until his knuckles already had a bruise festering below the skin— darkening by the minute.

And god, can he not stop thinking about how it made him feel. It was all consuming. It solidified that you were not going back down into the cells. He would rather have you in his own bed than within a 5 metre radius of that scum.

So as he walks through the town, splitting off from his crew to go by you clothes, he realises that you’re making more of an impression on him than he thought.

And while he piles up half a wardrobe for you, not even worrying about how much it’ll all add up to, he clocks just how… infatuated he’s possibly become with you.

Just how he’s suddenly ended up in this position. Where he hates you, yet wants to protect you— and even sometimes dote on you.

God— It’s dangerous.

That feeling that lingers when he thinks about you. Both a good and a bad one.

You were dangerous for him… and he’s still trying to decide how much, and in what way. But the biggest thing, is he’s worried for when he finds out.

Whether it’s going to be when you stab him in the back— either metaphorically or physically— or when you trace your delicate touch over his bare chest, so gently his mental resolve cracks along with the walls guarding his heart.

His conclusion as he checks out with a plethora of clothes for you, you’re either going to kill him, or he’s going to end up killing for you.

Oh, and that he’s certain he wants to kiss you. But that’s a whole other thing he has to mentally unpack.

———

taglist:

@saturnheartz @slap-me-harry @ilovehsstuff @ameerakane20 @matildasatellite @harrysslut7 @sunflowersey @styleswiftie @anotheryoutubefanpage @straightontilmornin

thank you everyone for your undying support, you are all the best!! i love you

comment or reach out to be added to taglist—🤍

i really hope you guys enjoyed this part since i have rewrote it and reread it that many times i seriously have no idea if it’s any good HAHA

[adrunkskeletonsduck]

Tʜᴇ Wᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ Yᴏᴜʀ Wᴏʀᴅs | Pᴀʀᴛ 2

➜ Pairing: Aonung x fem!Sully!reader

➜ Warnings: fighting, angst, mentions of body image issues

➜ Word Count: 0.9k

➜ Notes: I almost lost the entire fic

Pᴀʀᴛ 1 | Pᴀʀᴛ 2 | Pᴀʀᴛ 3

Aᴠᴀᴛᴀʀ Mᴀsᴛᴇʀʟɪsᴛ

You’d been threading together a new necklace and humming a low tune to yourself when your attention was pulled from your work. You looked up at the sound of someone entering the Muri pod, your face dropped instantly as you saw it was Aonung, who seemed hesitant, almost nervous, as he stepped inside. His words from earlier that day still rang loudly in your ears, he was the last person you wanted to see at the moment. You’d busied yourself right after as a means of distraction, but the work your mother had provided could only distract you so much from the building sense of dread for yourself.  

You averted your gaze back to your work quickly, continuing your task.  

“Neteyam will kill you if he sees you here,” you stated, and Aonung flinched at the distaste in your tone. Distaste for him. He didn’t respond, not because he didn’t think you were worth his time of day but because he was unsure what to say. His stomach churned with anxiety and suddenly he felt like this had been a bad idea. Why was he even here in the first place again? To apologize to you, right, but what was he even planning on saying?  

You stood, tying of the necklace and setting it by your feet before crossing your arms over your chest. “If you’re here to torment again then just leave, I’m not in the mood for this.”  

He looked at you, guilt weighing in his eyes as he spoke in a hushed tone. For a moment you almost felt bad for being so harsh on him. Almost.  

“No, no that’s not why I’m here,” he finally said, and you raised an eyebrow. 

“Then why are you here?” you asked  

He cleared his throat awkwardly, “I’m here to apologize,” this time his words came out more confidently, and you didn’t have to strain to hear them, still you scoffed.  

“An apology won’t do anything.”  

“Then how can I make it up to you?” he surprised even himself with the question, he had never gone to these lengths for anyone, simply because he had never cared to. So, what made you so different from everyone else that he found himself chasing after you like this? 

“You can’t.” Your words were like knives in his chest, and he took a sharp breath in feeling himself growing desperate and impatient.  

“Look I really didn’t mean any of those things I said. I don’t think your body is weird, I think it’s beautiful. I think your beautiful- “  

“Your words just don’t come from nowhere Aonung! You said it and you can’t take it back or anything that those words will put me through! So, no you cannot make it up to me!” Your mouth was moving on its own accord, and the volume of your voice going up until you were screaming at him.  

Aonung stood frozen across the room, fists balled at his sides and jaw clenched shut tightly. There was a long, drawn-out silence between the two of you once you’d finished. Aonung was the one to break it after a moment. 

“I don’t understand why you’re so upset over this,” he started, “It was one stupid comment and I didn’t even mean it! You’re being ridiculous-” you strode across the room, cutting him off with a loud smack as you reached out and slapped him clean across the face. The action made his head jerk to the side roughly and his eyes widen. You were just as stunned by your actions as he was but you swallowed your surprise and looked up at him.  

“Get out,” you whispered, glossy eyes staring at him fiercely. He was fuming with anger and you could practically feel it rolling of him in waves as he turned his head back towards you, but you stood your ground, raising your voice again when he didn’t budge, “Get out!” you yelled again.  

This time he listened, spiting curses at you as he walked out, one hand still balled into a fist by his side while the other rubbed the cheek where you had slapped him. Even after he was well out of sight, you stood there staring after him until the tears welled in your eyes began to drip down your face, until your hands began to shake and your body began to heave with sobs. You fell to the ground, one hand clutched against your heart as you cried, strangled sounds leaving you.  

You couldn’t understand why this was happening to you, or what you’d done to deserve it. This stupid insecurity had weaseled its way into every corner of your life, and killed every flower in your garden. You wished so badly to get rid of it and every time you began to think you had it would come back and smother another spark. It wasn’t fair that you had to carry this burden. 

You looked behind you, focusing onto the necklace you’d been working on that now laid discarded on the ground. You could barely make out its shape now through your tears, but you didn’t need to see it to know where each colorful bead and stone laid. It had been for him and you weren't even sure why you’d finished it after the incident earlier that afternoon. Maybe you just hadn't wanted your hard work to go to waste, but now you were sure it would, because you really didn’t see either of you coming back from this.  

Maybe you’d just have to give it to Tsireya instead. 

@cherridile @oomietopia @yeosxxx

[sunriseseance]

Promo Theory Brain Dump

I Have Thoughts and now I am making that other people's problem.

GENERAL THOUGHTS: I think this season is going to center around the fact that you cannot just paint over the cockroaches in your life and have them go away. They got rid of their powers, they have lives to live, and by all rights they should be happy. They're not, and it's because their trauma still exists, and they are still the Hargreeves (even if they do not want to be). I think being without their marigolds is killing them. I think the universe is probably tearing itself apart in some way or another. I think that's why this mysterious subway exists. They CANNOT escape their pain, they have to actually face it. Which is why I think their powers come back wrong/weird/better when they do get them back. Will they end up in the original timeline? Who knows. But I think they are going to have to actually, materially confront their shitty father and the shit they've gone through in order to save the world. What will that look like? I don't know, but it seems they have a ways to go given that they are still DOING SHIT WITH HIM!!! I am excited to see, and to hear any thoughts y'all may have. Ok, theories under the readmore.

One last trip to the moon 🌚:

Luther....@anglophile-rin said stripper and that was my first thought as well. HE's got the ones in his pants, he's covering his crotch, he's holding the umbrella in a kind of salacious way. We see the one dollar bills, he is number one, and he is outweighing his space helmet full of cash. Why? It's a deliberate choice that they did not have to make. He sits on a lot of sitting surfaces very normally. They chose for the balance to be off, which I think means it matters. I think it is about internal balance, or perhaps self worth. He is figuring out that he is more than the moon trip, finally unpacking it (as it seems this season is circling back to a lot of life and trauma from season one). I think there is also something to the fact that they used the moon with the face. Personifying it. And maybe he's a stripper.

One last slice and dice 🔪

Diego is split between two worlds. He has the boxes on his left (packaged up, and mirroring both the box in Lila's and his emoji from the first set of promos). Interesting that the Umbrella is also on his On the left, but it is closed (indicating no current need for it). He only has a knife that he is holding by the blade in his right hand (which makes sense to me). He is harming himself and turning his back on his family and closure by choosing the "right" thing. This is probably the most brilliant one IMO. I wish I knew what the boxes were about more specifically. Interesting that in Lila's, the boxes have baby bottles.

One last starring role 🎬

STARRING ROLE I KNEW IT. Allison is the answer to it all. She kept her marigold, and she caused all of this (one way or another), and she is miserable, and she has to fix it. She got herself the limelight and she HATED it (more circling back to season 1), just like she hates this world. The detergent is interesting to me. It feels... quaint compared to international superstardom. It also feels domestic, except that it is her face on a bottle that would be in a domestic space, not her. Just her image. I do think the bottles are for Ray and Claire. She did all this for them, and she has to do it again. I think she will be back to stardom, but I think this is more about her being the key. I think she will have to play a part. The first episode is clearly named for her, "The Unbearable Tragedy of Getting What You Want" is literally the story of her life. She has to fix this.

Also she looks so fuckin cute I love her so much.

One last Cleanse 👻

Klaus knows shit we don't. As @bisexuallilapitts pointed out, Episode 4 is called "The Cleanse" and is about how the world needs cleansing (with sage, not with soap. I wonder if his cleanliness thing ties into Allison's detergent at all). It seems clear to me that he is aware of something and it is terrifying him. In the trailer we see him hung upside down in what looks like a shitty motel (s1 anyone?), and we see him performing a seance, and we see him with his fucked up You Look Like Death tat. Interesting, also, that cleanse and clean are linguistically tied. That would also echo his s1 arc, esp if some part of this is related to Dave (like the gas mask, maybe?). Germophobia/agoraphobia are one thing, a gas mask is a whole other fucking ballgame. I think he is having visions, and that he is going to want to fix this (for selfish reasons), and that as the prince of death he will have a unique part to play in righting wrongs. In addition, the bubble wrap looks more like someone trying to dispose of a body than someone trying to protect themself. Note that he has the ghost emoji again, instead of the sponge (and his goodbye tat). He has to face his new fears and his new troubles, and the old ones as well. I am interested in the fact that he is standing far to the left (farthest of all, in fact!) if we work with the theory that right is heroism/trauma and left is healing, I think that makes sense. I also think he fits into that first ep title perfectly. I want to know what he knows. Whatever his arc is, it will be tragic and wacky and insane and important. Glad to see some color on him.

One last time jump 💼

Okay so those are commission files, and his emoji is the briefcase instead of the hour glass. Five is finally going to deal with his commission trauma. He got the world safe, now it is time to reckon with what that means. He's also all the way to the right, with the umbrella and the files to his left. The files are open, but the umbrella is closed. I think this will have to do with closure. Five has to work through his past (literally) and find peace. More echoes of s1.

One last fight 💀

Christmas lights???? OK???? This is the one I am far and away least confident abt. The skull is, I think, a triple meaning. We are going to find out how Ben died (referenced in s1 as the thing that really tore the family apart), but this Ben is also a killer, and their Ben is dead. That I get. We also know that this Ben felt really sad about not getting to be with the Boys for the bachelor party, about not getting to be a part of things, and we know he got arrested. Christmas is a time for a lot of stuff, but it is absolutely a time for family. That is the only meaning I can derive from that.

One last chance to save the world 🎻

Viktor has nothing to his right, and the umbrella comfortably in his left hand. He also, from the trailer, seemed the most well adjusted to this new life (makes sense, given his old life). He has his bar rag on his person, and he has his closure and his family in his left hand. He looks relaxed, and content. What is left, then? Well, finally righting his wrongs. "The End of the Beginning" is the name of the final episode, which subverts the first season's finale title. He saves the world this time, with his violin (thank you emoji), to bring it all back around again. Closure. Peace. I think his arc will be about accepting those powers back so he can do what he always needed to do. I also REALLLLY hope they address the book, as long as they are bringing back season 1. That said, I am so happy for him.

One last disguise 👠

Oh fuck! Baby bottles in a box, a map of the multiverse, and the umbrella to her left, her far right. Her emoji is a red shoe (the handler), and her caption references a job she does not want to be fuckin doing!!! She wants her family, she wants her life, but she has to don the shoes in order to save those things. I imagine her arc will be tied with Five's intricately (and Diego's ofc). " I wonder why she was sobbing in the trailer. Has to be something there, right? She wasn't in season one, but she was all red shoes in s2, so I am counting that as her callback. She has to unpack what the Handler did to her, and what kind of person she wants to be moving forward. She started that work, but hasn't ended it.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAND FINALLY

One last family reunion 🧐

His item is the marigolds and his emoji is the monocle (do we finally get to learn the secrets? Will Kracken go diving to find the monocle he dropped in the water in s1? Find out in 43 days lol). Clearly, he still has power over his kids, power that they will need to take from him and dismantle in order to heal. Ominous and disgusting as hell that he literally has their essences hostage. I think that their powers are their history, are their trauma, so they have to have them back in order to move forward. IDK what his arc will be, except finally finally finally getting what is coming to them.

Okay parting thoughts. Of course it is releasing on 8/8. There are 8 Hargreeves now. Of course they released this 43 days before the show. 43 children. It is interesting that the numbers change based on who is in the picture. I realy do think this is the season of healing and coming to terms with what happened to you. I think this is the season of finding peace, and taking it. I think this is the season of family and friends and love. I am so excited for this season I love you all so much mwah mwah tell me what you think tell me your theories say hi!!!

[coffeegnomee]

I wanted to write about how far Zam has come with his character for like a week now and now he’s acknowledged it himself so I finally grabbed all the quotes.

Let’s go down memory lane shall we? 

DAY 1 

24:00 “There’s a ghost that haunts my dreams [...] I see him in my sleep. He tells me to kill people. But I don’t want to kill anyone”

“I have to hold it in.. [...] I wish I had like horror sound effects to play and images of every lifesteal member dead and I could flash them across the screen” does that. 

ZAM: “*lights armadillo on fire* “give it a slow, painful death” PENTAR: “for someone against the whole idea of killing, you seem to have a gruesome way around killing things.” ZAM “I’m still me” [armadillo dies.] “I can only resist the urges so much [evil giggle]”

10:07:00 after Pentar kills him “It’s not about being above anyone by not killing people, I would just prefer not to. Because last season I feel like I was.. Something else. And I don’t want to do that again. I don’t want to be that again. You know?”

“Because it’s not supposed to be some morality, ‘I’m better than you’ kind of thing, you know? I don’t want to be on some like high horse. It’s more of like, I just don’t wanna let the demon out, you know, that type of thing”

Reflecting on the first two days, I wrote this about Zam: This season looks like an internal battle of his personal desire to complete a minecraft challenge™ (no kills) vs his desire to do lore and change his character multiple times. And I just don’t think the challenge wins long term. A challenge isn’t what makes him love lifesteal, it’s the lore. 

Day 4 7/9/24

1:01:05 “‘zam has no enemies’ no, it’s not that I have no enemies, it’s just that if I kill people, I’m going to become like a monster. Like way worse than anyone else on the server. You know? And I like don’t want that reputation if I’m like just peacefully building. [...] ‘oh bro’s scared to hurt others then?’ yup! [...] ‘bad things will happen…. (meep)’ yea last time I hurt someone, last time i tried to hurt someone, bad things happened. And i just… can’t do that again, you know?”

1:21:40 killing bogged in trial chamber. “It feels nice cutting things down, I don’t think I’ve been doing enough of this. [...] I’m going to kill all of you, I’m going to kill every single one of you. [...] is it weird to say that I’ve missed this? Even though ‘this’ is just cutting down a bunch of skeletons, just jumping up and down and left clicking [...]  [evil giggles (and not to anything in chat)] [...] my sword might say “im so sorry’ but I’m not sorry, I’m not even a little sorry right now” 

2:19:05 “”also Zam is emo’ (chips) “no i’m not! I’m so happy! I’m the happiest i've been in a long time. That’s why I have my nipple out. That’s not true why did i say that” 

4:04:50 Wemmbu killed Spoke. ZAM: “[opens statistics] it still says zero. It still says zero. It still says zero it still says zero. So I’m fine. I’m fine. Cause it still says zero.. [walks around base] I’m fine. It’s perfectly fine. ‘0 plants potted’ (arch) okay actually that’s what I got the clay for so.. Thank you for saying that actually, very convenient timing. [goes to shed to smelt] [blows out breath] I’m just gonna chop down trees. I’m just gonna chop down trees and I’m just gonna leave this group and I’m gonna chop down trees and I’m gonna have a fun time and nothing bad’s gonna happen. And everything’s gonna be a-okay [hannah logged on] I thought Mapicc logged on I cannot lie. Okay maybe I’m scared. [Mapicc logs on] [gasp, crouches] motherfucker. Motherfucker [under breath]”

Dies to Mapicc three times. 

5:26:00 is thinking about how he’s doing a character nobody else on lifesteal has done before. Puts on a lore song. “‘If there’s one thing you’ve been consistent in the last two seasons, it’s been steady in your morals until the end’ (chips) yea. But here’s the thing though [giggle] does it matter? Or like, what’s it called. Am I restricting myself? Do you guys think? Most definitely, right. And it’s like. I dunno, a big part of me feels like it would be nice to like, let go, and just like, join in on all the violence, and everything, and all that stuff. You know? Like it would be nice. It would be nice, I think. Maybe. Maybe not, I don't know… [evil giggle] ahhh. [long pause, arch in chat said ‘once you do it you can’t go back though’ he doesn’t read it out] [lore music cuts out] [very seriously] no that’s stupid. No. I’m not gonna. I’m not gonna. [blows breath] I’m not gonna let myself go as far as I did last season. I’m not gonna let myself do anything like that again [tehe giggle] [huffs out breath]”

5:28:18 “‘it was fun tho’ (chips) it was, but it was fun at the expense of others. It was fun… but it was damaging to the server.. It was. I dunno. I don’t think it’s who I want to be. I don’t think I was born to be…That. you know? I don’t know. I feel like that’s not who I am. I feel like that was never who I was.” 

7/13/24 end fight day 

~2:38:00 ZAM: “‘its not ok to kill people but it's ok to ask people really nicely to kill people you don't like’ I’m allowed to persuade people’s opinions, I think, and I can only do that when I’m really really mad. [...] But i dunno. [sigh] I’ve messaged both opposing teams so i dunno, I don’t care enough though. Whatever. This is beyond me."

“Joker zam went back into his closet’ (meep) that’s true. I was possessed for a second there. [messages MC chat saying that] ‘my evil self wishes for me to kill everyone. I won’t tho.' 

7/14/24 day he kills planet

Hour and half of Pangi messing with him while he gets more and more frustrated at the shulker farm. 

1:28:50 Zam flies after Pangi and crits him out, but he stops. “I can’t crit him out like that, I’m gonna get my first player kill and it’s gonna ruin all my lore” 

1:40:00 pangi is still singing, Zam bows him, then tries fishing rodding him. He comes up the farm PANGI: “hey PrinceZam, do you need therapy?” ZAM: “shut up you always got some noise to make, shut up. [...] I bet you’re my first kill this season” PANGI: “BAHAHAA” ZAM: “just kidding I won’t kill anyone. Just kidding. Just kidding just kidding. That was a joke. That was a joke. I won’t kill anyone. [blows out breath]” PANGI: “okay PrinceZam.” 

1:47:00 ZAM: “what the fuck just happened to me. Dude, I need to stop. He keeps, he keeps trying to get me to get my first kill, bro. He’s trying to get me to get my first kill. I can’t. I can’t do it. I can’t do it. It’s getting harder and harder, with each and every day, to hold back [sigh] oooh kay. ‘Why aren’t you killing anybody’ because as soon as I kill one person, I go down a dark dark path. And you don’t want to see that dark dark path. ‘WE DO’ I don’t. K fine, maybe you do. I don’t. A great darkness lurks within me. A great darkness lurks within me. It’s consumed me, ever since, ever since I was young. ‘Your dark side is banging on the door, let the poor guy in’ no. noo. I’m gonna build a closet in my house. ‘PLEASE DO IT’ where could I even, oh I know where I could actually build a closet right now, let’s do that right now actually hold on. Unironically lets do that right now” 

6:24:44 zam goes to bacon in his base, “Whenever I sleep, he comes to me. So i try not to sleep in that bed anymore” BACON: “[baffled] how did that even start. Like how did you even, what, how did this even become a thing in your head” ZAM: “[ignoring] there’s a demon in my closet, any time, any time I die he comes closer to possessing me.” BACON: “okay what is the demon trying to get you to do.” ZAM: “kill everyone” BACON: “oooohhh. Oh I like that. Okay okay” ` 

Then there’s the fated Bacon stream 

2:39:00 bacon and planet meme around about the build battle rules and Zam snaps, “if you want to be a bitch about it you don’t have to fucking play, goddamm. Dumbass fucking planetlord and baconnwaffles. I hate both of you. Fuck you guys. I’m going back into the house… i’m going into my closet” 

They clean up spawn a bit, he comes back out swinging at them. Then goes on top of the lighthouse and starts shooting them from a distance. 

Planet takes off all his armor and pops like a grape.

Then on Spep’s stream he stalks Spep around to the End islands, generally just looks really threatening. Says he won’t remember this when he wakes up, but Spep will. 

7/15/24 

~14:00 ZAM: “[strained] dude, pangi I killed planet” PANGI: “[strained too]I know. Hey, it wasn’t your fault” ZAM: “i shouldn’t have even had a bow” 

He builds the tree and writes his first oath 

In the first draft he wrote “I cannot do anything that goes against the interest of the entire server”

he changed “entire server” to “majority of players” to “most players” 

And changed “attack any player” because chat went crazy about him not being able to punch anyone, to “kill any other players” 

7/18/24 

Flame and mapicc start fighting

22:40 ZAM: “dude I did give mapicc a heads up there, I can’t lie. [realizing] I’ve been playing all sides, I can’t lie. This is interesting. I’m just chummy with everyone, I dunno, i don't do it intentionally. I do it a little intentionally, i can’t lie, but not like, intentionally”

33:20 ZAM: “I really don’t like the idea of playing both sides, but like, like- I’m trying my hardest not to, [...] Like if you shove 100 dollars in my face like I’m probably gonna take it right? Like like [giggling], it’s just like, ugh, it’s so stupid [laughing] i don’t like this. I don't know, I’m opportunist I guess. I’m just an opportunist I guess because I'm pacifist and I don't wanna die." So. But like also I really just don’t like the idea of being someone who plays both sides, it’s so awkward” while watching the fight from a distance. "

7/20/24 

From 2:43:00 to 3:15:00 hops between group chats and instinctively gets information and relays it to everyone else. Actually just leaks every word he hears lol. 

4:51:10 “imagine flame goes on a killing spree just so he can pay you to make more builds lol’ (citrus) dude. Is the blood on my hands then? That’s something I was wondering, what if this becomes bad. To where they’re like murdering people just for the sake of like, whats it called, paying me. ‘Yes you're evil then’ (sin) aw shit. It’s my fault. I mean I guess it depends on how bad it gets. I felt really bad when they killed jepex for me. I can’t lie, in the moment I thought it was really funny but looking back, it’s literally the same as like. Like I think me asking them to kill someone is the same as me killing them myself, it lowkey does not matter. So I’m lowkey like having another moral dilemma right there, on that one. ”

“I’m gonna stop asking people to fucking kill people for me that’s stupid, i don’t want to do that anymore”

This is so interesting, because day 1 he just wanted the statistic, and it was okay for him to do traps or gaslight people and all that. Then it was no traps, no violence. Then it was it’s okay to influence the opinions of people who already want to kill the people I want dead. Now it’s like, even that is not okay.

7/21/24 building Flame’s volcano in one day

45:00 [unprompted] “do you know something I was thinking of, which like, i just feel like it would be so easy to turn like, any tree, at spawn, into a trap. It would be so easy right? [...] I’m not gonna do it! Just like a fun idea. [..] [starts making the trap] but then it would make it real. I shouldn’t do this actually. I- i shouldn’t do this. This isn’t a good idea. Nevermind. Nevermind. [rubs face] Ooh my god, back to building back to building. I’m building I’m just building. [puffs out breath] I’m just building. I’m building a castle. I’m not why would I - why would i even make a [giggles] why did I even do that in the first place.” 

2:43:00 breaking the bedrock of the end fountain to make a concrete duper “i feel really good at this. Like too good at this. It’s just holding down q, it’s not that special. But fuck. ‘It’s in your blood’ I don't want to be the guy that left behind, that broke all that bedrock, you know? I don’t want that to be my legacy, I don't want that to be my reputation. I don’t want that to be what I leave behind. Aw geeze. [breaks last bedrock] oh my god. [frustrated] That was effortless”

7:31:30 “‘it’s ok you can blame all your blunders on the demon’ (seri) [lore] what if there was no demon. [not lore] new headcanon. Just me trying to justify my acts. [soft giggle] waittt.. [pause] thank goodness the demon is real, so. the demon is real. Only i can see him” 

8:23:00 crashout over not being “able” to defend himself.  “‘its okay zam we saw how you are at the end of every single season’ (citrus) yea, you guys have. The deep darkness that’s within me, [giggle] ugh. ‘They’ll see… one day’ (mer) I don’t want them to see, no, that’s the thing, i don’t want them to see. [..] It’s just like, like I Could fight, it’s just such a hassle, to like, get into it, and then not, you know. Cause like, okay, okay, here here, let’s envision it, lets say I do want to fight people, right? theoretically, but, I don’t want to let out the evil evil darkness that’s within me, right? How the hell am I gonna do that when I’m constantly taking fights, constantly losing, constantly getting overly attached, overly invested in conflict, like how am i gonna, how am I gonna contain the demon within, if I, what’s it called, if I, if I’m constantly getting myself into fights? You know? ‘Getting good’ (chips) no but like I’m being dead serious, like cause, what’s it called, eventually they’re gonna hit me in a way that is gonna make me want to go full force, there’s no point in trying to fight if I’m not gonna go 100% all in, you know? So. I dunno. Maybe if I get better at my self control and discipline” 

So there’s two things. One, “it’s a hassle” is classic burnout. And you just have to wait for burnout to leave. And two, he is very self aware that someone will do something that will make him get invested. But he won’t flip that switch until that happens because there is no point. Which is very valid and wise. 

It’s such an interesting conversation, because it’s the first time he hasn’t made breaking his oath into a silly lore moment. It’s really settling into being a real part of him. He’s being honest about what fighting would actually do.

10:36:00 talks to jumper about his pacifism and their parallels. He tells her about how he knows he’ll get too invested and he wont want to hold back. As opposed to being unable. 

7/24/24 

53:10 Zam goes to the trial chambers again “dude wait these slimes have strength, are they gonna kill me? Dude I wanted to feel something but now I’m just not feeling anything actually. I was, I was, I was expecting more of a challenge”

7/25/24 day 1 peace trials

16:30 “do you think SB737 is going to kill me if he finds me? His layer’s off, I think he ran away from spawn after that one. I could see him trying though. I’ve lowkey, dude, lowkey i've been wishing someone would kill me, unfortunately I did starve to death, so now I don’t wish someone would kill me anymore. But like, it’s just been sooo peaceful, building these past few days you know? Like i haven’t ran into any kind of metal peril in soooo long like that’s crazy you know. It’s been a hot minute.”

First time he talks about wanting to be chased. 

37:00 annoyed about SB butting him in D teir for how easy he would be killed.  “‘zam is the most aggressive pacifist’ yea! Cause I mean how else am I supposed to let my anger out other than with my words. I still have emotions. They're still there” 

7/29/24 

1:07:24 still ignoring Bacon “If I’m gonna be a pacifist and not kill people, I should be able to hold a grudge somehow” “my only fighting method” 

Plotting the shift in zam’s mindset is like making a color spectrum and it’s just ever so slightly gradient-ed and before you know it it’s just all red.

8/17/24 

58:00  MANE: “but think about how many hearts I’ve given you before Zam”  ASH: “WAIT. ZAm is accepting hearts from people That Kill? That’s not very peaceful of you zam. That goes against your oath. You’re just accepting heart that has, that puts blood on your hands. I’m not even joking about this” ZAM: “I-, I don’t. I don’t think it does.” ASH: “You’re benefiting from the spoils of the death that you claim to be so against”  Zam jumps away from the conversation at the same time. nervously? 

ZAM: “[calmly] if kills have already happened what am I supposed to do to stop it. I only care about myself not killing people” [parkouring over to the roof of the house] ASH: “You literally” ZAM: “not other people. The server can do whatever the fuck it wants. I don’t care” PANGI” aaahhhhh” ASH: “That’s the most. That’s the most selfish view” 

ZAM: “I learned from you! The best side to play is all sides, right? That’s what you said [...] hypocrytical as fuck” ASH: “I mean, I’m not claiming to be any good person, I’m just saying your whole oath and code of honor is” ZAM: “I’m not either. I’m trying to be a good person but, hey” PANGI: “You’re doing a really bad job I can tell you that, Zam” ZAM: “yea. [swings around to look at pangi] coming from you is crazy” 

1:03:00 “‘you’ve only done build commissions for incredibly violent people huh’ (arch) that is something to consider huh, am I [sharp breath in] let me put on the lore music hold on. Am I. and I, I don’t think I’m the worst person to- okay. No. you know what? It doesn’t matter. Because there are worse people on this server. So I’m not that bad by comparison [...] You know I’m doing better than I did last season [...] So I’m okay. I’m happy with my choices I feel like. I dunno. I mean like gaining, gaining hearts is not the worst thing in the world, it’s kind of like the point of the server is it not? I dunno. Hmmm ‘i mean violent people are the ones who have the hearts’ (citrus) exactly! Yea, my only, the only people I CAN do business with is the violent people”

“But by taking hearts from them am I not encouraging them to kill more? Yea, that’s something to consider as well, you know? Cause, but it’s like. Ugggghhh let me read through the oath again. ‘Are they killing other violent people or innocents’ (arch) that’s true! I mean. They kill innocents when they feel like killing innocents it depends on the person i’m dealing with. [...]  I can’t control what other people do. It’s not selfish [heavy emphasis. Meaning ashsawg’s comment] it’s just like, me controlling what I can control. You can only control, you should only worry about what you can control, and what I can control is limiting myself.”

“I mean shit. What do I even want these hearts for” 

“‘you got one kill’ ‘you killed planet’ okay okay okay you killed planet okay. I hate how many people are talking about that. [..]  ‘YOU CANNOT DENY IT ZAM’ yes I fucking can! Yes I fucking can! Because I shot at him as a fucking like bit, because was obviously never to kill him, and he took off all his fucking armor. I’ve been over it! I have been over it like a million times it’s insane! I gave back the heart too like what. [opens statistics] Like it doesn’t even count. [closes statistics] It does not count. ‘You’re still killing’ [mocking] you're still killing. Okay actual like bot opinion. Bot take. Actual bot take is what this is. Insane. Like actually insane. The fact that people are still on this is craaaazy like actually crazy. ‘PANGI HASN’T’ oohhhh that’s what this is about. That’s what this is about. That’s what this is about, it’s about pangi, and and pangi being better than me okay.” 

“That’s what this is about. It means nothing to me. Means nothing to me. I don’t care. PANGI LITERALLY- okay. Okay. okay. Okay. okay. Okay. okay. Okay. [giggle laugh] pangi is a pacifist because he wants to be. But that’s like. Dude, woogie 1 for 1 took my thing. Dude, it’s crazy how many people are pacifist why did everyone like take my thing I mean like the whole point is proof of concept is prove that it’s possible, right, but like heh heh. It’s also lame that other people are taking my thing. [more deranged leaning giggles] ‘everybody wants to be princezam.’ (mer) oh my god. “

8/19/24 

~1:11:00 found Mapicc in his base. MAPICC: “and i just like, when are you gonna kill people” ZAM: “pppffff [mocking/flabberghasted] ‘when are you going to kill people?’ [reduced to laughter] MAPCIC: ”mmhmm” ZAM: “I’m not!” MAPICC: “see that's so weird.” [...] ZAM: “you start critting me out I don’t fight back” MAPICC: “actually?” ZAM: “no like genuinely, yea” MPAICC: “wait. Okay [pots up and takes all armor off but helmet and boots]” 

1:34:00 “a little terrifying i can’t lie. it’s weird. I feel like after an encounter like that I’d have a teammate to go talk to about this. But there really isn't anyone like that this time around”

8/22/24 

3:30 about the mapicc infestation “It was a very interesting fight. Honestly one of my favorite fights of the season” 

19:40 “ohh ‘kaboodle the pacifist’ (evi4) Wait kaboodle the pacifist? Are we fucking serious. Yo. okay. Okay.  i’m not even going to say nothing bro. I’m not even going to say nothing. I’m. I’m not even going to say nothing. I’m not even going to say nothing. I’m not. I’m not even [starting to laugh]  going to say nothing, bro [deep breath in and out] how come the one season. Like the one season, that i do it and it’s like interesting, everyone else decides to do it. In season 4 no one copied subz. Everyone made fun of him. But now, but now i do it and everyone wants to fucking be me okay. Okay. no okay. No okay. No like. Bro. [so sad] [...] ‘Everyone is just scared of the big pvp-ers’ (arch) that’s true. It’s not even. It’s not even like me. Oh my god. It’s not even because i’m cool. No it’s not even because of me, it’s just they don’t want to get killed”

27:00 kab asks if she can talk to zam and get advice “oh bet. Oh i love giving advice to my fellow pacifists. My favorite thing to do ever” /sarcastic

31:40 Woogie drops in “Zam is amazing at making people peaceful”

34:00 “if your goal is pacifism, then yea, he’s passing, but if your goal is to not get murdered by people then you probably shouldn’t be destroying other people’s builds, you know. That’s how you start wars” about pangi’s pacifism. 

Which is ALSO interesting. Because zam cares about not starting wars because he doesn't want to get emotionally pulled into a fight.

ZAM: “its like i’m in a skit. And like, as soon as i start questioning one character, and another character comes out and is like “ooh i’m also a remake of you!” what the fuck is happening” 

“You know what’s keeping me going is that i’ll probably outlast them” 

42:40 “is this a bad thing? Am i bad for not wanting them to be a, [laugh] to be peaceful like me? Is that a bad thing? I mean like, i feel like, uhg. But it’s like, they- [sharp breath in] what is- what have THEY gone through? To want this change” 

“Like kaboodle is doing it to save her skin. Woogie is doing it to save his skin, like. It’s very different i feel like. It’s just very different. I [whispers] oh  my god. [spins around] what did. What do they know! What do they know. Oh my god. Fuck damn. I think that’s why i’m upset. It’s not that like, [long pause] bruh.” 

“How can i rise about the rest. That's what i want to do now. That’s what I wanna do now. I want to rise above the rest. That’s what i’m thinking about right now, i’ll be honest. How do I [sharp breath in] [blows air out] like. This is-. [grumble] this is stupid. This is dumb. I shouldn't even think about this. You know what this is dumb."

48:00 “it’s not like a fun thing to do. Like. I- being a pacifist has been like, it’s it’s had its moments i guess. I dunno though. Definitely, i’ll admit it, not the most.. fun. But uh. Thats. that’s besides the point. That’s okay. That’s.. that’s fine [deep breath in and out]” 

“‘being a pacifist isn't for everyone, you have to truly believe in the rules and know your own limits so you can be pacifist’ (hexlarry) but like that’s the thing, do i even like, fully believe in it? Cause now i’m starting to question myself. I mean I did it not so that i could save my own skin. I did it so that i could, i dunno, just avoid repeating prior mistakes. And things like that. Sooo. because getting myself into fights would probably lead me down a very very dark path and i don't want to [sharp breath] i don't wanna do all that so by avoiding conflict at all costs I, I can, what’s it called, hmmm [spins around] fuck [princezam distress noises] [...] ‘has something changed’ i dunno. I’d hope not”

“‘it feels like they’re mocking you a little’ (evu) a little bit! I guess so. That’s kind of true as well honestly. I dunno. Hmmm, it’s very. Very interesting. Very interesting turn of events. I dunno. It’s not that i feel like it’s my thing. I feel like everyone should be allowed to do it, it just feels like the way that they’re doing it kind of is like, i guess it is, i dunno. It’s a little bit like.. Hmm yea ‘it’s an easy way out to them’ (arch) to them, to them it doesn't have any of the same significance it does to me. They're doing it because they want to live longer, they want to hold onto their hearts longer, i’m doing it because I like- i essentially need to- ugh. I dunno. I’m doing it- hrmmm. No, i’m doing it because… Because i want to. Because I want to. I want to. It’s my decision. I want to do it. I dunno [jumps around thinking for a while]” 

The last part is said in the same tone he used during the Abyss arc when his team wasn't logging on to help him.

“It’s not about what other people have done though. It’s about me upholding an oath i guess. Me.. avoiding [giggle] repeating mistakes and stuff. Umm. i dunno ‘it’s a conflict with myself’ (mer) exactly. It’s entirely. Entirely within me. And that was a situation that, admittedly, I had control over. I could have just not shot my bow at him. It’s a lesson learned i guess. But. I dunno. I- I just hate it. I hate it so much because that was not meant to happen at all. Like. it’s ridiculous. Its just ridiculous i feel like. I dunno. ‘Bro is still talking about this’ yea because I care about it.”

8/23/24

5:38:00  WEMMBU: “you’re profiting off the economy of people being murdered” ZAM: “I don’t know if that’s true at all even. That’s just. [trying to talk while wemmbu is talking over him] Anyone who lives on this server is profiting off the economy bro. I don't know what you’re talking about. [...] That that’s like breathing air on this server is benefitting form the economy bro” WEMMBU: “and you’re the one that’s saying you’re and innocent soul bruh” ZAM: “i’m, somewhat innocent. I’m innocent to the point where I won’t lure someone to spawn so you guys can kill them. That's how innocent I am” WEMMBU: “wah wahh wah” 

And he leaves the group

ZAM: “Get me the fuck out of here. I simply participate in society. All i do is live and breathe air and try to live an honest to god living.”

~5:51:00 “‘Oh so you agree you’d be responsible in that scenario’ (arch) yea! If he’s going out of his way to kill people For That [the build he wanted to commission], like to pay For That, I feel like yea, I feel like then I’m definitely responsible. [...] But mane, flame, mapicc, they already have the hearts, I know they withdrew them from their hotbar, they did in front of me, it did the sound. So, yea. And flame just had a heart bank that he went and grabbed. So. yea no, those hearts were already acquired. They were, like, those kills happened, it’s over. It’s good.” 

8/24/24

2:13:00 “that was interesting. What a day. I almost hopped into a fight. Probably wont do it again, that was a one time offer. But. i dunno. I was willing to die for a cause. I wasn’t going to hit him.” 

“Maybe i faltered. Did I falter? By willing to fight? I wouldn’t hit him. I don’t think. Maybe I’d hit him. I don’t- [scoff] would it be fine as long as i don't kill him?” “it’s my rules” 

“Yea mapicc did get really excited when i mentioned pvp. That was really interesting. That was cool. I do have no critting yea. Hmmm. i dunno. I did just want to support my friend flame ‘you're just helping out a friend i think thats in the servers best interests’ (arch) that’s true. Yea. if i, i dunno, cause like the main goal is to just work in the server’s best interests. And i guess in that situation that, specific, little situation, fighting flame was actually in everyone, everyone who’s online’s best interests. Ironically. So yea. Despite it normally being the wrong answer, violence was kind of the answer to fixing that problem there. ” 

2:18:00  “I’m worried though. Like I feel like the lack of violence encourages me to like, i dunno” 

“I think people should be more violent, i think that’s fair, that’s what this server is about. I haven't changed my stance on that, the server is about killing people. It’s not about [giggle] the atrocities I’ve committed, that’s for sure” 

“‘That’s not very pacifist I mean’ like that’s whatever, it’s princezam then. It doesn’t matter. Pacifist is just the moniker I chose, but if it’s not fitting it’s not fitting. I’m doing whatever I believe” 

“‘the blowing up builds and killing weaklings was your more problem. not your violence inherently’ (arch) exactly. And unfortunately I feel like with any sort of violence [tsht] unfortunately all paths lead to that road. You know? Everything will just eventually get me there. I think it’s better to swear it off, you know. It’s just, It’s just for the better”

Flame blows up spawn.

2:52:00 “And my heart count too. I was trying to get to 20 but like - what does that even do, what is that even good for, if i can't do anythin- if i’m powerless to stuff like this, if i’m powerless to this. This. Like what’s the point, even like what’s-... I feel like everything I’ve done is just like actually completely futile now. Like, none of it matters. NONE of it matters, not even a little, if other people are just going to take up the mantle. What like, what’s the POINT?... I don't get it. I mean holding out, not giving in, despite all of this, would prove me as a way stronger player than him, but WHAT GOOD DOES THAT ACCOMPLISH. SO WHAT?! Like, he’s just going to do this again, like why does it matter? Why does it even matter? What the- what does moral highground get me? What does moral high ground even get me. Why did i think this was even a good idea even a little bit, [so loud] OH MY GOD. [pause] ‘It doesn't even mean anything to anyone but me’ (arch) exactly. This. oh my god. It’s not just to myself though (arch) it’s ahhh Fuck. It’s supposed to make up for everything I did- For just everything I did in general really. That’s what it’s supposed to be, but, like ah, does anyone care really? Does anyone care? Other than me? At this point I don't think so. There’s bigger problems. ‘Spawn looked the best this season’ it did. It really did. It really really did. It really did. [tabs out for a long time, just silent] i can't’ believe this. I can’t believe this. [sigh] oh my god. [leaning head back] Dude. and like. Oh my god. Yea no one is going to do anything that’s true. The fact of the matter is [laughing as talking] no one is going to do anything about this. Because no one cares. And that’s what he’s going to realize. [...] That’s all fine to me, it doesn't matter. It doesn’t matter. This is definitely the furthest I’ve wavered, on this path of mine. Dear god. [blows out breath] and i was the only one here to do anything about it oh my god [silence] ‘they did call me ground zero’ [puts head in hands while reading it] is it my fault? Is it my- wait you’re right. [breathing heavily] it kind of in a, in a weird, fucked up twisted way, it kind of is my fault. Because my stupid pacifism stuff it it spiraled out of control and got to woogie, got to pangi, it’s it’s like [grrr grumble] (all of chat is screaming that it isn't his fault.) I, oh my god. Oh my god. Dude like. I actually feel so dumb. I feel like I’ve wasted the past month or two. I’ve actually just feel like I’ve been wasting my time. Like, like none of that matters. Actually none of that matters, I feel like, anymore. And like, because I did all that, everyone else copied me. Everyone copied me, they were right! No, they were right. That’s the messed up part of this, is that they’re Right. And that they probably will get a fight out of this, that’s the Fucked up part of this” 

3:04:00 “If I fight them I give them exactly what they want. It’s so fucked up. There’s no, there's no winning option here. There’s nothing I can do to win” 

Realizes he can just rebuild. Rejuvenated in one second flat. 

“Do I just keep rebuilding it over and over? [...]  But I don’t care! I’m not giving up. I don't care, I don't care!” “this is literally what I do. What am I tripping for? This is literally what I do”

3:35:30 “I feel like most people would not have the mental fortitude to experience what I just experienced and then Not Fight. Like that is an absurd thing to do. But it’s a me thing to do. So” 

3:37:00 “i know i don't have all of my screws together, but i definitely, i think i could win a battle of mental fortitude if I wanted”

Talks to everyone and forms Gaia’s Hand

5:46:00 wrapping up stream along “dude I know like, i’m real confident and real happy and shit, but I , I am terrified. I am terrified [stares into a big cave thinking] i dunno. I'm not gonna second guess myself but. It’s just- it’s a scary battle. It’s a very scary battle. I dunno”

“Mean, I’m not alone. That's true. That definitely helps [...] I feel like the last time I spent a lot of time repairing spawn it didn't end too well. Lowkey that’s when everything went horribly wrong, actually. i feel like it’s just been downhill since there.”

“I am doing this to spite flame, but at the same time the thing I care about the most is just having the server where spawn can't just get destroyed. I dunno. That’s what I care about the most”

5:53:40 “‘you and your attachments to spawn’ (seri) [wistful] it’s, it’s the heart of the server. It’s the heart of the server. And, i dunno, I can’t, i can’t help myself but protect it. In every way that I can. I dunno. It’s just in my nature. Which is ironic, considering the atrocities I’ve committed.” 

8/29/24

44:30 “support the people trying to ban them and the builds won’t get destroyed anymore’ (chips) that’s true. But do the ends justify the means? Like sure I will get spawn builds being safe, but I’m, I also am taking some part in someone getting banned off the server. which, i dunno. I feel like i don't want to be a part of” 

45:00 “Is it for the greater good, or it for my greater good. It has to be objective, it can’t be a skewed biased point of view” 

1:05:20 “i can only control myself, and only the small few who have joined me” “kaboodle and woogie” “Ironically they’re truly the only ones who are part of gaia’s hand”

Week long break for MMCR

9/9/24

11:40 ZAM: “I’ve kind of realigned my look on the server [...] Everyone’s goal goes back to, like, killing. So I feel like if I help anyone I’m like sort of contributing to the violence on the server, which is something I- which I can’t prevent obviously but it’s not also something I’d like to contribute to. The whole point is I don't want to contribute to violence and you know, kill people I guess. I dunno” 

How far princezam has come. It was never about actual pacifism… except now it is. He truly is a pacifist now. He used to be a bad pacifist and now he’s just a pacifist for real. How interesting. 

19:00 “That’s just the spite and hatred in my heart. I’m full of hatred recently, that’s something i’ve noticed as well. Definitely something i’ve noticed” 

44:00 “I feel like nothing accomplishes anything. I feel like anything I would do would just make things worse. I dunno. Maybe that’s just me though. Maybe that's just me and the way I feel. I dunno” 

“I just want to win. You know? But how do I go about that even? There’s nothing to win against."

~1:27:00 “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” “interesting phrase considering the circumstance I’m in. [...] yea i mean violence is good to those who love it. I’m just unfortunately not one of those people. At least at the moment. [pause] Well I wouldn't say at the moment actually. I would say I’m not one of those people. For sure. Used to be. Not anymore.” 

1:53:00  “when i think of goals, the first thing that comes to mind is like, laying in a field of flowers. That’s what I want to do. That’s what I want to do. I dunno”

9/11/24

~40:00 “it makes me question what my path is, cause i’m not, i’m not i’m not i’m not  i’m not a killer or anything at least i don't want to kill anyone, i don't want to be doing that. Soo where does that leave me?  What am I gonna do, what am I princezam gonna do.” 

[supermaks]

Do you maybe have like max x fernando lore? Love them and love ur blog!! <33

Max is Nandos favorite nephew and also his psychosexual angel of death in this essay i will

ok so before we get into max and nando lore we need to establish some CRUCIAL Nando Alonso historical context. When max got called up to f1 Nando had already been racing f1 cars for 14 years which first of all.😐 And like I think its fair to say the last .. umm lets be kind and say, 6 he was literally going thru like the 7 circles of hell. Ferrari had just finished doing their ✨thang✨ ((completely obliterating a drivers soul)) to the point Nando was like 'remember that team that kickstarted my descent into madness and, aha, coincidentally, the unstoppable success of the kid who beat me his rookie year and that I literally tried to snitch on and had like a spanish spy stay wid me in the garage because I was SO normal about it and hinged and not at all very um , racially threatened. Yuh ok lets try that again. Oh and its their first year wid Honda too thats PERFECT yes thats exactly what I need I'm a GENIUS'. So in 2015 he signs wid Mclaren and literally during TESTING gets fucking zapped by his own car, allegedly, c0nks the f out and swerves that mf right into the wall. We're talking testing.

Listen. Im trying to establish that by the time our fav anti christ gets to the big show Nando has been going thru it for a minute. His teams consistently fail to deliver, nothing ever goes his way, his car is trying to kill him, and like, cannot stress this enough, lewis hamilton is very successful. Lew hammy is so successful he might become thee most successful. Nando is normal about that.

So here comes the babbiest of all evil babies and nobody knows what his deal is, he talks funny and hes weird and has no regards for his public image. But he's promising. So promising in fact that he could threaten afore mentioned most successful random individual who beat Nando his rookie year. And Nando is like. vengeful adoption. Vengeful child care. Nando's imprint on baby Max is both a long term evil plan and also just like. Immediate realization that Max is different like he's different. ((Not like Lewis is different but lets not get into that rn lmfao)) Max isn't gonna be a media darling. Max isn't gonna be a celebrity. Max is gonna be an f1 champion. And Nando has spent 14 years subjecting himself to cars far below his skill so he can keep being an f1 champion. So while somebody like Seb vettel is like 'why that baby aint got no coat on' ((for two minutes before the baby bites him and hes like no fuck this baby)), Nando is like, somebody give that baby a gun. Nando gets asked about Max's readiness for f1 and says, 'I think before we say anything we should wait to c what he does'. And then when 'what Max does' turns out to be like, borderline crime, in many occasions, actual crime, Nando is still like see, he's perfect ☺️

Like for example spa 2016, Max pulls a defensive move on kimi that has people calling for his teenage head for like the 3948th time that season and Nando straight up says no he didnt do anything wrong. And bro pulls out receipts he explains that shit wid the usual Nando rulebook rizz. For max. A teenage war criminal.

Lets talk Spain 2016 tho. Spain 2016 is actually super important for max/nando lore. Max's first race wid red bull-- and his first win. Start of something new. Inevitable. He absolutely packs Seb on turn 3, same exact way Nando had 3 years before. In 2016, though, Nando's far away from Ferrari and a race winning car. Honda PU gives up and he DNFs. Still hauls ass to congratulate the kid

Its very sweet and kinda tragic and a perfect reflection of their careers at that point. Max bursting on the scene wid the potential of a thousand suns, Nando basking in the sunlight from his place on the sidelines. Its not enough but its still good because its Max and Max is his guy.

They also play soccer together once for that charity match thing in Monaco and Nando kinda stunts and yk frustrated soccer drop out max must've felt some type of way about that.

These are from hungary 2017 and I have no idea whats happening or why they're in a bean bag enclosure but I think they're important

On Max's side of things, I think Nando's camaraderie must've caught him off guard. Getting into f1 at 17 ur not really expecting to make any friends lmfao. But Nando had his back from day one, and loudly, too, and I think for somebody like Max, who was raised on loyalty and commitment and respect from an overwhelming paternal figure that gave him everything except stability, that must've meant a lot to him. Especially because it was Nando like. Max oozes respect for that pensioner bro, in a way that I dont think he does for anybody else in the game. His rookie year Max said Alonso was his biggest inspiration because he kept at it despite not having the car. Yk Max didnt have the car for a few years either. He sees Nando as somebody whos been to battle, just like Nando saw a lil soldier coming into f1.

When Nando had his nicki minaj brb moment in 2018 Max said he regretted never having the chance to race against him. He'd raced against Lewis and Seb, but never Nando and Nando was the one he used to watch on tv racing those two. Meanwhile old man is giving interviews telling people Max is the the best driver in f1 and the only reason he bothers put on f1 those days is to watch Max. ((😐))

2021 is the apogee of many things and one of them is definitely max/nando lore. Nando is back. Max has the car. And Nando will be seated. And he will watch. And when Max does win, Nando calls it 'justice'. Its so fucking intense and deranged but rn we're just focusing on the narrative and appreciating it for what it is: Nando couldnt do it, but he knew Max could, and Max did. His guy did.

I swear they've been honeymooning for almost 2 years now. Nando stopped giving a fuck a long time ago but lately hes literally like this is a Max ONLY event fuck the rest of yall. First Max's 2 titles are worth more than Lewis' 7 because something something deranged pensioner noises. Then Max has talent that you cant teach and hes always been like that since go karts and he's going to be one of the all time greats. Also we're both villains and we're not politically correct ((white men are insane)). And then Max is like yes Nando is my good friend and he talks to me and I like to ask him about stuff and I take him on my plane to races and we get on well despite our age difference because age doesnt matter. 🙂police.

Also literally one of the most important gifs of all time from last year when Max won the wdc shut the fuck up thajnk you

Which brings me to one of the most important podiums of all time. Like the lyrical poetry of this shit are u joking

This gonna be the longest season ever and who knows if it’ll happen again already in Baku or whatvr maybe it won’t but like. We’ll always have Australia 2023.

Also in the post race presser there was such a quintessential max/lando moment I need to break it down to finish this and like go jump off a building lol

So here u have classic old heads + verstappen post race presser where they get to gentle bully sweet boy until he blushes. This time it’s like Nando talking some shit about how he has to leave because he’s annoying and lewis kinda joins in like ‘he’s still talking’ and Max is all squinty and ekfkwmdk it’s fucking cute ok whatvr. But what I really love about it is that Nando interrupts Max and gives him shit but then makes sure to put his arm behind Maxs back like. Don’t get it twisted. Hes my boy. He literally does the ‘this is a pro max post’ banner irl

Anyway here’s a cute compilation bye

[kenjakusbraincum]

IGHT HERE WE GO THIS IS OVULATION AND BREEDING CAUSE HAHAHA….send me to jail before I embarrass myself………

Sukuna loves your cycle. Especially when you are ovulating and bleeding. Sukuna somehow knows every step of your cycle with pin point accuracy, and I believe it’s through his sense of smell. Like when you your body is getting ready to ovulate he can smell it coming and he pays very close to attention to you, he sees the way you start craving something sweet. Watches you sneak into the kitchen to grab something that will satisfy you. He makes sure Uraume or the servants are constantly making sweets. He probably makes Uraume make them because he trust their skill more than then any other servant.

He’s ears perk up when you hiss at the slight soreness forming around your beast. Most of the time he will pull you on his lap and undo your robes just enough for your breast to spill out so he can massage and play with them. He might even suck on them but won’t go so far as to fuck you…not yet.

He watches the way waddle a bit because of the slight pain that starts creeping up. When the two of you are together he hold you close so that his body heat will ease you and will wrap his arms around right where your womb sits. On one had it’s also to ease the pain but also in anticipation. He knows you are fertile, and that if he fucks you, there’s a high chance of you becoming pregnant. It makes him even more possessive of you and makes his need to breed you soar. If only these nuisances weren’t around. He would breed you in front of them but at the same time he doesn’t want anyone to see his pet in such a state. That’s for his eyes only.

Finally when the two of you are alone. He takes you. He makes it very clear that you are not going to leave this room until you are so full of him you cannot move or else his cum will spill out. And he doesn’t want that, he wants to make sure his seed takes root and creates something made out his love for you and your very being. He will probably leave so many marks and bruises on you. Bite marks on your sore breasts, nipples swollen from how much he kept sucking on them. Your stomach might have some light marks or love bites to show your womb some love. (His dick/s aren’t enough, he needs to make it very obvious.)

I like to believe that when you’re fertile he likes to spend a good amount of time eating you out. Because your taste is so much sweeter than usual. As a reward he doesn’t use his normal mouth, he likes to use his belly mouth. Because he know how much you like the feeling of his belly mouth encasing your entire cunt. He has to have one pair of arms on your hips and another holding your hands because you go weak and limp at the feeling. It helps ground you but the sight he sees…your form trembling and head thrown back. The sweat forming on you making you shine with the bit of moon light coming in. It’s ethereal and special when you just so happen to be fertile.

S-should I start writing fic?……………..

PLS EITHER WRITE IT OR KEEP WRITING TO MY INBOX BECAUSE I LOVE THIS SM <333 Unleashing my breeding kink to the fullest in these last couple of asks...

Is a man who tracks your cycle really that much to ask for? I'm not saying Sukuna excuses bad behavior, but if it's in line with your moody days he's definitely more lenient about it. Him instructing Uraume when to keep extra stashes of sweets and snacks that you can enjoy when you start to crave it !! UGHH!

I also love the image of Sukuna possessively keeping a hand on your belly like that. That is his, entirely his to do with it whatever he wants!! And I like that you describe his wish to make you a baby not just as his possessiveness but also his love for you!! Sukuna expresses love in weird ways. He would die before he ever said ''I love you'' but he would do stuff like this... Ah plssss

I would 10/10 read a fic with these themes if you decided to write it!!

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure 01x38 - Resurrected! Demon King VenomVamdemon! / Prophecy

Previously on Digimon Adventure: Tailmon's support group came together to help her finally get away from Vamdemon. They all turned up and together they jumped her abuser and beat him to death. A happy ending for everyone; Don't look at the episode title.

Vamdemon disappeared in a flash of light, which isn't quite what a Digimon's death is supposed to look like, but surely he's gone, right? Well, the fog barrier sure seems to disagree....

We open at the wreckage of the Fuji Broadcasting Center, which I still cannot believe the show blew up on-air as a serious plot point and got away with it. XD

Taichi: DAMN IT!!!

Irreverent as ever, Taichi angrily kicks Vamdemon's discarded mask for stress relief. It doesn't go very far, but it does make a metallic sound when it clatters around on the ground so apparently it's made of, like, iron or something. Didn't expect that.

(Blissfully unaware that the mask, like all Digimon clothing articles, is technically part of Vamdemon's digital body so its continued existence is a huge red flag. A Digimon does not leave their pants behind when they die.)

While Taichi's working out his frustrations, the others confer about the lingering fog.

Yamato: Defeating Vamdemon wasn't enough! Mimi: Oh no! Does this mean we'll be trapped here forever?

An alert tone from Koushiro's laptop interrupts the conversation. He pops open the laptop to find an email notification waiting for him. Everyone gathers around, including Yamato's dad Ishida Hiroaki who unceremoniously extricated himself from the ruined TV station and joined us at some point.

Dude was dodging Bakemon for like an hour or two inside Fuji earlier. He's sneaky like that.

Koushiro: It's from Gennai-san. Chibi Gennai: Good news, children! I've found a clue to help you defeat Vamdemon.

Attached is an image of text inscribed in a stone wall.

Chibi Gennai: This is a prophecy I found in the ancient ruins. "First, the sky will be covered by a flock of bats." Then it says, "The people will chant the name of the Undead Digimon King. When the clock strikes the number of the Beast, the Undead Digimon King will reveal his true form as the Beast. When angels fire arrows of hope and light at the loved ones of those they protect, a miracle will occur."

Well, that all sounds like a lovely time. We're about to get Book of Revelations up in here. Tonight we're gonna party like it's 999.

In the dub, Tai of course does not yell obscenities at Myotismon's mask.

Tai: Gimme a break! (kick) Matt: That lousy fog barrier's still up. Mimi: So beating Myotismon didn't solve anything! (Email) Izzy: Hang on! We've got mail Gennai! Chibi Gennai: Wonderful news, my friends! I may have found the way to defeat him once and for all. Although this looks like a Graham Cracker, it's actually an ancient text which I've translated! "The sky will be darkened by the wings of many bats. The fallen people will invoke the name of the Undead Digimon King and when the clock strikes the Hour of the Beast, the Undead King will reveal himself in his true form as the Beast. Then angels will shoot arrows of hope and light at the loved ones of those they've been sent to protect, and a miracle will happen. Please always recycle." That last part seems weird but good luck!

With the exception of the "Please always recycle" bit, they adapt the prophecy very faithfully. Even to the point of keeping in the religious references to the Beast and the word "miracle".

Also, Dub Gennai quips that the wall looks like a Graham Cracker which... Fuck, now I can't unsee it. He is not wrong. I want to eat that prophecy.

The kids have no idea what to do with this prophecy.

Sora: Hey, does he say anything about making the fog go away? Koushiro: Uh, well.... Hikari: Onii-san, we should hurry up and go find Mom and Dad. Taichi: Yeah, you're right. Jou: I also want to see how my home is doing. Mimi: I'd like to change soon.... Taichi: Alright, we should get going.

Poor Mimi. Can you imagine having to show up to the final boss fight in your PJs? She is the only one in the party who didn't get to dress for the occasion.

And, yeah, we should be courteous of Jou as well. He was out of Odaiba when all this started. He slept at a bus station and has not seen his family since yesterday. Granted, by this point, all of these kids are used to sleeping in unconventional places, but still.

Dub Sora's a bit more interested in the prophecy itself than her Japanese counterpart was.

Sora: Well, that was about as clear as mud. Can you make heads or tails of it? Izzy: Uh, well.... Kari: Listen, Tai, maybe we should try to find Mom and Dad. Tai: You're right. Joe: I wouldn't mind checking out my place either. Mimi: And I'd like to change my pajamas. Or at least get a matching robe. Tai: Yeah, let's go. No reason to stay here.

I can't say for certain that Mimi flubs her line, but I feel like she flubs her line because she should be saying she'd like to change out of her pajamas. The line she delivers suggests she wants to change into a different set of pajamas.

It could be a flub. We know they didn't do second takes of anything. But it also could have been a pragmatic edit to make her dialogue fit her lip flaps, resulting in a line that doesn't really make sense but you still get what she means from context.

The first stop is the Odaiba Mansion.

Well, first stop for most of them. Mimi breaks away from the group to go get dressed, and the crowd doesn't go with her for that. Because that would be weird.

Koushiro retrieves his parents, who've been safe and sound within the Digital Barrier this whole time. Masami has questions, but fortunately we now have an adult in the party who can explain things on his level.

Masami: What is going on here? Hiroaki: Here, let me explain.

I'm not sure how much he knows beyond "Remember when our kids went to summer camp? Well, they came back with monsters." But I'm sure Masami will appreciate having a grown-ass man to talk about it with.

While the grown-ups are talking, Mimi runs across the street to join the group. She does not live at Odaiba Mansion. In fact, she was in such a hurry to get dressed that she's still fixing her hat to her head when she arrives.

Mimi: Thanks for waiting! Huh? Jou-senpai isn't here yet? Sora: No, not yet. He lives up there.

Sora directs Mimi's attention to one of the windows above them in Odaiba Mansion.

In the dub, Masami comes off a little more frustrated. Just a bit.

Masami: Alright, can't someone explain what's going on? Hiroaki: It's a pretty long story, but I'll try. (Mimi arrives) Mimi: Hey, everybody! Wait for me! Sorry I'm late! Huh? Aren't we missing somebody? Sora: We're waiting for Joe. He's still upstairs.

Mimi's line here is weird. She makes it sound like we scheduled to meet up here. But we aren't meeting up; We came to Odaiba Mansion as a group so that Izzy and Joe could check on their families.

In the original, Mimi calls out Jou-senpai by name because he's the only other person besides Mimi and Koushiro who would be missing.

This isn't a bad line, it's just... contextually awkward.

Upstairs, Jou has a look around his apartment, but it's no less ransacked than everyone else's.

Jou: DAD!!! MOM!!! ...my brothers aren't here either. Pukamon: They must have been taken with the others. Let's head back. Jou: Yeah....

While Jou's back is turned, the closet door behind him slowly opens - complete with rising horror chords. Something is here. A hand slowly emerges from the blackness, gripping Jou by the shoulder.

Jou: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!! Pukamon: BAKEMON!?!? Boy: That's rude. Don't go around calling people bakemono.

As a reminder, Bakemon gets their name from the word bakemono, which are ghostly shapeshifters who impersonate humans, animals, and other objects in order to manipulate and deceive.

Jou: Sh-Shin-niisan! You're safe! Shin: Safe? What do you mean by that? (Shin climbs down out of the closet) Shin: (suddenly alert) WHERE THE HELL DID THIS MESS COME FROM!?!? Pukamon: The Bakemon did it! Shin: ...W-Who's this guy? Jou: Uh... I'll explain everything later...

Shin has a whole matting in there with a pillow; He slept through this entire thing. The Bakemon just... missed him when they ransacked the apartment because he was asleep in the closet.

Jou: By the way, why were you sleeping in the closet? Shin: I've always slept in here, ever since we moved to Odaiba. Did you not know that? Jou: (clueless nod) Mhm! Shin: ...But we've lived together this whole time....

Jou's having a real Koushiro moment right now. From there, he and Shin head downstairs and regroup with the others outside.

Hiroaki: So, you'll go to Big Sight and check things out. We'll look for a way to break through this fog. Takeru: Right!

He's not super clear who "you" and "we" are here, but he's looking at Jou when he says "you" and he has Yamato and Takeru with him when he says "we". We're splitting the party but the specifics aren't super evident.

In the dub, Shin is called Jim, presumably because it closely matches the mouth movement.

Joe: There's no sign of anyone! Bukamon: Do you think they've been captured with all the rest!? That would be sad! (Jim's hand spooks Joe) Joe: WAAAAAAUGH!!! Bukamon: DON'T DO THAT!!! Jim: Relax, it's only your brother who's totally freaked. Joe: JIM!?!? What are you doing hiding in there!? Jim: Well, I'm not playing hide and seek! Those creepy things tore the place apart. Bukamon: They are creepy, aren't they? Jim: Frankly, I wouldn't talk if I were you. Joe: Hey, don't worry about this little guy, Jim. He's a friend of mine. And I've got more good news! Myotismon's been destroyed! Jim: Just who is Myotismon? For once in your life, Joe, you actually sound like you know what you're talking about! Joe: (nod) Mhm! Jim: ...There's a first time for everything.

Yeah, so, this sucks. They threw out everything. I understand losing the bakemono gag because it doesn't translate, but they also rewrote the scene so that Jim's fully aware of the shenanigans going on. And threw out the bit about Jou's ignorance of his own brother's bed.

This is a really funny scene with an interesting piece of characterization for Jou. They carved it down into dry exposition about how cool it is that we beat up the bad guy.

There are still a couple of jokes at the end, but they're very basic jokes whose punchlines are "Bukamon looks funny" and "Joe's an idiot." The latter of which was also the punchline of the original gag, but rather than demonstrating Joe being alarmingly unobservant about his own living space, Jim just says he's dumb and that's the whole joke.

Hiroaki's directions outside are translated faithfully, however.

Hiroaki: Find out what's happening at the convention center, and we'll try to find a way through the fog barrier. Right, T.K.?

Once plans are made, Jou and Shin take Shin's scooter to Big Sight. Shin wears a helmet but does not provide one for Jou, and I have concerns about that.

Shin: Jou, are you really planning to become a doctor like me? Pukamon: Huh!? Onii-san, you're a doctor!? Shin: I'm still in med school. Pukamon: Wow, you must be really smart! Jou: (defeated) Dad told me I should be one.... Shin: That's impossible for you. Jou: (defeated) Yeah.... Pukamon: (furious) HEY!!! ONII-SAN OR NOT, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO MAKE FUN OF JOU!!! Shin: (chuckling) Fierce, aren't you? But I'm not making fun of him! I just don't think it's a suitable profession for him because he faints at the sight of blood. Pukamon: Oh. Then you're right about that. Shin: In any case, we can talk about this later. The others are here.

Cut to Taichi, Mimi, and Sora sprinting up on foot with their Digimon partners. Jou and Shin took a scooter but we made them run a mile and a half to Big Sight. XD Sora and Taichi, I can understand, but poor Mimi. Somehow being back in Odaiba is just as bad as the Digital World.

(She's doing a surprisingly good job of keeping pace with the two soccer stars. But let's be real; They're probably keeping pace with her so she doesn't fall behind and feel bad.)

Pukamon calls Shin onii-san and I love it. He's integrating into the family already!

In the dub:

Jim: So tell me, Joe: Are you still planning on being a doctor? Bukamon: Joe is smart! He can be a doctor! Jim: There's a lot more to it than that. Bukamon: Joe can be whatever he wants! Joe: (defeated) It's what my dad wants me to be. Jim: Poor dad; He doesn't know. Joe: (defeated) No. Bukamon: Are you implying Joe's not smart enough for something!? Listen, I don't care if you are his brother, you've got no right-- Jim: (chuckling) Now, calm down! I'm not saying he's not smart enough; I'm just saying it'll be kind of hard for him to be a doctor when he passes out at the sight of blood! Bukamon: Yep, that's my pal Joe! Jim: Look, I think your friends are coming. We'll talk about this later, Joe.

The main points about Joe are still made in this version: He's studying to be a doctor but only because his dad wants him to, but also he can't stand the sight of blood so that's an unreasonable goal to have forced on him by their parents.

Jim, however, continues to have all of his characterization sanded off. That Jim himself is in med school on the career path their father is trying to put Jou on as well goes unmentioned.

The dialogue is also janky in parts. "Poor dad; He doesn't know," is an awkward replacement for "That's impossible for you." Uh, if he doesn't know, then tell him? Jim implies that their dad is pressuring Jou purely out of ignorance and even sympathizes with him.

That's not really the vibe we're going for here. Jou's parents are so disconnected from his life that they're the only set of Chosen Children parents to remain unnamed to this day. And his dad is clearly trying to mass-produce prosperity through his children without regard to what would actually be good for his kids.

Inside Big Sight, the Partner Digimon besiege the remaining guard Bakemon and slaughter them. Pyokomon, Tanemon, Pukamon, and Mochimon all evolves into their Child forms Piyomon, Palmon, Gomamon, and Tentomon for the onslaught.

Who actually came to Big Sight is kind of an awkward question. Initially, we see Jou, Taichi, Mimi, and Sora. But Koushiro and Hikari's Digimon are here too. Subsequent scenes show Hikari, Koushiro, and Koushiro's parents are at Big Sight as well; They just didn't arrive with the others, even though their Digimon did. I guess maybe Koushiro's parents gave Hikari a ride?

Taichi: Thanks, everyone!

After massacring seven Bakemon, the kids make their way to where PicoDevimon's unexplained hypno-eyes conked all the adults out. They split up, each kid going off to find their parents in the sea of comatose adults.

Taichi: Mom, wake up! Hikari: You too, Dad! Sora: Mom! Mimi: Papa! Mama!

Jou and Shin are off checking on what can be assumed to be their parents, but Shin takes this opportunity to continue their conversation from before.

Jou: I thought it was only the fog that hadn't changed.... Shin: His pulse is normal. Jou: Dad.... Shin: Jou, listen. You don't have to live your life the way our parents want you to. Jou: Eh? Shin: Truth is, I'm not going to, either. After I take the national exam, I'm thinking of working on a remote island. Dad will object, of course. Jou: I didn't know.... Shin: (standing up) Well. In any case, caring for these people comes first. If only we could get help from the outside....

Shin isn't just doing what he's told; He's made a life plan for himself. Not to seize prosperity, but to do work that he feels will truly help people. He intends to live a meaningful life, and not to follow their father's uniform roadmap for his children. He encourages Jou to do the same.

In the dub:

Tai: Excellent! Good work, you guys! (Kids find the adults) Tai: Mom, wake up! Mimi: Daddy? What's happened to them!? Joe: They're all so totally still.... Are they-- Jim: No, their pulses are normal. Joe: That's good. Jim: Joe, listen to me: It's your life. You've gotta live it your way, not Dad's way. Joe: I guess.... Jim: After I become a doctor, I'm going to South America. Africa. Some place I can really be of help. Dad's already told me he doesn't approve. Joe: I can imagine. Jim: Anyway, right now, we've got to see to all these people. Joe: What can we do? Jim: If only we could get help from the outside....

The person they're checking isn't explicitly their dad in this version, so the segue into "Don't let him control your life" is a little more jarring. You can probably make the inference, though.

Again, the general vibe of getting out from under their oppressive father's thumb doesn't come through here. Jim's already talked about his plans with their dad and Mr. Kido's voiced his dissent but Jim's plan still continues as normal anyway. He is at liberty to undermine Mr. Kido openly while still living under Mr. Kido's roof, unlike Shin who has to make his life plans in secret.

This is a heartfelt and emotional moment between brothers in the original, but Dub Joe honestly feels like he's just nodding along and waiting for Jim to get back on-topic.

Meanwhile, Team Fog heads out in a life raft to see if they can pierce the barrier and reach Tokyo beyond. They've reached the point where the fog becomes a wall.

Hiroaki: It's impossible to get through this fog. Patamon: HEY!!! TAKERU'S MAMA, CAN YOU HEAR ME!?!? Gabumon: Let me try. TAKERU'S MAMA!!! Patamon: Hey, you should do it too, Takeru! Takeru: ...but....

Takeru glances over at Yamato and Hiroaki, who both look deeply uncomfortable about this attempt to contact Hiroaki's ex.

Takeru: ...she can't hear us from here anyway. Patamon: Are you sure?

In the dub:

Hiroaki: There's no way to get through this fog. Patamon: HELLO, ANYBODY!!! COME OUT, COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE!!! Gabumon: No, like this: IF YOU SAVE US, WE'LL GIVE YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT, INCLUDING CANDY!!! (beat) T.K.: Nice try.... (T.K. looks over at the uncomfortable Matt and Hiroaki) T.K.: This just isn't working. Maybe we should go back to shore.

Family drama: Deleted. Hiroaki and Matt are just sad because the fog is impassible. Natsuko/Nancy doesn't come up at all.

Back at the convention center, Hikari's spiraling again.

Hikari: It's my fault they're like this. Tailmon: It's my fault too. Sora: Don't worry! They're just sleeping. They'll wake up soon enough. (Hikari and Tailmon nod) Sora: (suddenly sad, looks down at her mother) ...isn't that right, Mom?

Sora is trying so hard to be brave for the youngest among us.

Hikari has done nothing wrong but carries the weight of guilt on her heart because she's a kind, empathetic person. Tailmon seems like she's more at fault on the surface but actually she's an abuse victim picked up out of the wilderness and beaten into obedience. So, no, she's innocent of wrongdoing here too.

...I mean she probably could have stood to let PicoDevimon die way back at Vamdemon's castle but that's a tactical error, not a moral failing.

In the dub:

Kari: This is all our fault, Gatomon! Gatomon: Mhm. Sora: Don't worry. This spell or whatever it is will wear off and then everyone will just wake up again. Kari & Gatomon: Mhm? Sora: Yeah! (suddenly sad, looks down at her mother) Isn't that right, Mom?

I like that Sora calls the sedative effect a "spell or whatever". That's a fair description. They aren't just all taking a community nap or something.

Meanwhile, Team Fog is chased from the water by that Gizamon swarm that attacked Hiroaki's team last night; That's still a thing. Gabumon and Patamon try to hold the line with their Petit Fire and Air Shot attacks, but they're picking off singletons out of a crowd.

Hiroaki: There's too many of them! Let's get out of here! Takeru: (to the Digimon) HURRY!!!

Patamon and Gabumon fall back as dozens of Gizamon emerge from the bay. The humans and Digimon climb into Hiroaki's van, but they're too late. The Gizamon pile on top of the vehicle, eventually tipping it over from their weight.

Takeru: OH NO!!!

Pan over to a nearby tree, where a flock of Vamdemon's Night Raid bats are sleeping through the day. The commotion rouses them. The bats descend upon the Gizamon, ravenously devouring every last one of them before flying off into the sky.

Once the Gizamon are gone, the humans open up the car doors and emerge.

Yamato: What just happened? Takeru: LOOK AT THAT!!!

Takeru draws their attention to the Night Raid bats, which are on their way to what remains of the Fuji station.

Hiroaki: "First, the sky will be covered by a flock of bats."

Back at the site of Vamdemon's "death", PicoDevimon overlooks the bats' arrival. They swarm to Vamdemon's mask.

PicoDevimon: Hehehehehe! The real terror is just beginning!

In the dub:

Hiroaki: WE WERE BETTER OFF LOST IN THE FOG!!! T.K.: Let's go! Gabumon: (no lip flaps) If you insist! (Everyone retreats to the van; The Gizamon tip it over, but then the Grisly Wing bats eat the Gizamon) Matt: Huh? (Everyone climbs out the doors) Hiroaki: Come on, guys. Matt: Hey, what happened to them? T.K.: OVER THERE!!! (Bats) Hiroaki: "The sky will be darkened by the wings of many bats." (Back at the site, DemiDevimon watches.) DemiDevimon: Nyah ha! Nahahahaha! Now things start to get interesting!

We finally get to check in on Koushiro; He's not checking on the adults because his parents are fine. They came to Big Sight with him. But, since they don't have anything to do here, they find a nice, empty conference hall to have a private conversation with their son.

Koushiro: What did you want to talk to me about? Masami: While we were hiding back at the house, we had a conversation and we've decided it's finally time to tell you something. The truth is, we're not your real parents. Koushiro: (quietly) ...I already knew that. Parents: ... Koushiro: I tried to pretend I hadn't heard anything. I thought that if I acted normal, things would stay the same. But I couldn't do it. The more I tried to pretend nothing had changed, the weirder it felt. In the end, I withdrew into my computer, where I wouldn't have to show my true self. Masami: There is nothing wrong with liking computers! Koushiro: Dad!? Masami: That trait of yours is part of what makes you who you are. You're just like your real father. Koushiro: My real father? Masami: He was a distant relative of mine and a genius mathematician. He was a lecturer for a university. Twelve years ago, he married your real mother. Then they had you. He was with her when they had a terrible car accident. Neither of them made it.

Hey. Hey, guess what the Japanese word for "lecturer" is? It's koushi. Koushiro carries his birth father with him, buried in his name, and never knew it.

Kae: We had a child of our own once. A little boy. But he died while he was still a baby. When we were asked if we could take you in... Well.... Koushiro: So that's how it happened.... Masami: We were planning to tell you everything when you were older. We didn't expect you to have already figured it out. This must have been so hard to deal with on your own. I'm sorry. Koushiro: No, I'm actually glad you told me the truth. Thank you. ...I-I mean, thanks.... Masami: You don't have to change yourself for us. Kae: That's right. All we want is for you to be happy.

Koushiro, who has largely resisted letting himself get emotional in the show up to this point, suddenly breaks down into tears. He finally opens up and lets himself feel. He throws himself into his mother's embrace, and Masami embraces them both.

Tentomon: (watching from a distance, also crying) Koushiro-han... Cry your heart out! Let yourself be cared for!

Something I really appreciate about this exchange is that while withdrawing into his computer has been a problem for Koushiro since we met him (Kentarumon episode really put a spotlight on it), Masami makes a point here to say that it's not the computer's fault. The computer didn't make him emotionally reclusive.

He likes computers because that's just who he is. It's the behavior, not the activity, that is the problem. And more than that, it's the motivating cause for the behavior.

The problem is the emotional scar he's carrying on his heart. The solution for which is clear, open, and honest communication that his parents have been denying him, well-meaning though they were.

In the dub:

Izzy: You wanted to talk to me? Masami: Yes, son. (sigh) When you went off and left us there in hiding, your mother and I thought we might never see you again. So we talked and decided the time had come to tell you that we're not your real parents, Izzy. Izzy: ...I already know. I heard you talking once. I pretended to myself I hadn't heard anything. Then I made believe I had misunderstood. Then I tried to wipe it from my mind and just act like everything was the same as before. But it wasn't. And I didn't mean to, but I just started drifting away from you a little more each day. Masami: That's why you buried yourself in that computer! Izzy: That's right. Masami: It's not surprising. It's who you are. You see, in so many ways, you're the living image of your real father. Izzy: What was my real father like? Masami: He was a fine man and a brilliant mathematician. In fact, he was a lecturer at the university! He and I were distant cousins. I was his only living relative. And your mother had no family of her own so, when it happened.... Late one night, there was a terrible car accident. Neither of them survived. Kae: We had lost a little boy of our own, you see. Just before. So when we were asked if we might want to take care of you, well... It seemed like, I don't know, some kind of sign. We said yes. Izzy: So you made me your son. Masami: We always planned to tell you the truth. We were just waiting for you to grow up a little bit more. But now, you seem to have found out on your own. We waited too long. I'm sorry, son. Izzy: No. No, Dad! There's no need for you to be sorry! It couldn't have been easy for you to tell me all this! And I'm... Um... Glad you did.... Masami: We just want you to know we love you, Izzy. Kae: You see, as far as we're concerned, you are our real son. Nothing can ever change that. Izzy: (breaks into tears) Mom! (family hug) Tentomon: Gee, it's times like this I wish I had a Digi-Mommy!

Yeah, this version tries but it's not as reassuring. The bit where Masami tells Koushiro his interest in computers is fine has been taken out. Here he's just like, "Ohhhh THAT'S where your obsession came from!"

Pretty much all reference to Koushiro's eerie formality, his attempts at behaving like a proper son, were cut from the dub version. As well as his parents' assurances that he doesn't actually need to change his speaking mannerisms and the like if he doesn't want to; That he doesn't need to start acting like other kids and that they just want him to behave in whatever way feels right to him.

This is the emotional climax of Koushiro's character arc, and the character arc is missing.

Still, despite these flaws, it still hits pretty hard nonetheless. It's derelict in its service to the greater narrative, but the emotional beats still resonate all the same. It's still a powerful and satisfying reconciliation between Izzy and his parents.

While Koushiro and his parents are having this moment... It begins.

Takenouchi Toshiko is the first to awaken. She sits up, raising her arms like a zombie, and starts to chant.

Piyomon: SORA!!! YOUR MOM!!! Sora: (whips around to see) EH!?!? Toshiko: Vamdemon-sama. Vamdemon-sama. Sora: Mom, what's wrong with you? MOM!!!

Cut to the FCG Building, where a dark and vaguely humanoid shadow has emerged around Vamdemon's mask. In a bestial growl, it utters:

Vamdemon Shadow: More data.... PicoDevimon: Vamdemon-sama! Vamdemon Shadow: More POWER.... PicoDevimon: Yes, sir!

Tuskmon and Snimon are still lying there unconscious in front of the Fuji building. The Night Raid bats move in on them, devouring the two Digimon to add their data and power to whatever Vamdemon is becoming.

Weirdly, there are only two unconscious Digimon for the bats to devour but when we cut to a wide shot, there are three large clusters of bats that rise up and feed data into Vamdemon's shadow. No idea who the third Digimon they ate was supposed to be.

Though it'd be darkly hilarious if Wizarmon was even still alive after all this time until right now.

PicoDevimon: Just a little longer until Vamdemon's resurrection is complete! Ehehehehehe!

In the dub... This is one of those scenes where we have a plot-centric honorific. That Toshiko is saying Vamdemon-sama adds to the ominous vibe. That's what his minions call him. It's a title of respect for one's societal superiors. The dub doesn't want to lose that eeriness, so they use the old dub standby for translating -sama.

Biyomon: SORA!!! YOUR MOM'S AWAKE!!! Sora: (whips around to see) WHUH!?!? Toshiko: Lord Myotismon. Lord and Master. Sora: Mom, what is it!? Are you alright? Mom!?

Bit more of a mouthful than Vamdemon-sama but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Myotismon Shadow: MOOOOOOOORE.... DemiDevimon: Hey there, Master! Good to see you back on your feet! Myotismon Shadow: More energy! I need more! DemiDevimon: You got it! (Bats eat Snimon, Tuskmon, and a Secret Third Thing, conferring their data to Myotismon) DemiDevimon: Won't be long now! The boss is gonna be bigger and badder than ever! Hahahaha!

Weirdly, Myotismon doesn't ask for data or power, but more generically "energy". What sort of energy he's getting from cannibalizing other DIgimon is unclear.

We go to a commercial break and, in the time it takes to pitch a new flavor of Ramune and some Hot Wheels, the rest of the adults gathered in Big Sight wake up.

People: Vamdemon-sama. Vamdemon-sama. (continuing) Taichi: Stop it, Dad! Sora: MOM!!! Mimi: PAPA!!! MAMA!!!

Fog Team arrives, walking in on this bizarre sight.

Hiroaki: What the...? Shin: Physically, they're all still asleep. So, this would be considered sleep talk.

While Shin and Hiroaki talk, the Chosen Children have their own meeting about this.

Koushiro: Uh, you know... There's something bothering me about this.... Yamato: The prophecy, right? "The people will chant the name of the Undead Digimon King." Koushiro: Right. Gabumon: The part about the bats came true too. Taichi: What was that!? Sora: What was the third line? Koushiro: "When the clock strikes the number of the Beast, the Undead Digimon King will reveal his true form as the Beast." Taichi: What is the "number of the Beast"? Hiroaki: (joining the conversation) 666. It's the number that appears in the Book of Revelations. Taichi: 666 must mean 6:06:06 PM.

Oh boy, taking all bets on whether the dub will name-drop the Book of Revelations! They've been surprisingly willing to go along with the religious references so far.

People: Myotismon, Lord and Master. (continuing) Tai: Stop it, Dad! Snap out of it! Mimi: Mom, it's me! (Team Fog walk in) Hiroaki: What's going on!? Jim: Very odd. Physically, they're still asleep. It's like they're all having the same dream. Izzy: Hey, wait a minute! Do you guys remember that prophecy!? Matt: Yeah, it fits. It says, "The fallen people will invoke the name of the Undead King." Gabumon: Well, the first part about the bats came true! Tai: Huh!? When was that!? Sora: What did the third part of the prophecy say? Izzy: Before the recycle part, it was, "When the clock strikes the Hour of the Beast, the Undead King will reveal himself in his true form." Tai: Terrific, but what's the Hour of the Beast? Hiroaki: 666. Six seconds and six minutes past six o'clock. Tai: Sounds like Triple Six is our unlucky number.

Nope. The "Hour of the Beast" is instead its own thing, which Hiroaki happens to be familiar with despite no origin for its meaning being provided.

Weird that it's called the "Hour of the Beast" but it's specific to minute and second. But if my bar sets Happy Hour to the precise minute of 5:34 PM, people get uppity. Fucking aristocrats get to play by different rules.

Still, as far as censoring things out goes, this is very "Let's kick some ass...PHALT!" They don't spell out the reference but if you know, you know. I don't think anyone back in the day had any confusion about where "The Hour of the Beast, 666" came from.

Taichi checks the time on his Digivice, watching it turn over to 6:00:00. We started paying attention to this prophecy way too late to do anything about it.

Taichi: There's not much time! Hiroaki: Get in the car!

Throwing Taichi and Yamato in the van, Hiroaki speeds back towards the FCG Building. But that's a seven-minute drive from Big Sight. Taichi never takes his eyes off his Digivice, watching the time tick away. at 6:05:59, he exclaims:

Taichi: We aren't going to make it!

At 6:06:06, the grim work is complete. By which I mean the complete and utter annihilation of the Fuji TV broadcasting station, which explodes into rubble from the force of Vamdemon's revival.

The only difference in the dub is that, when the clock strikes 6:06:06, Tai shouts:

Tai: SHOWTIME!!!

Well, I'm glad he's having fun with it.

From the wreckage of the FCG Building, the Beast rises.

Hiroaki pulls over on the highway so they can see him from a distance. Vamdemon's new form towers over the city.

Taichi: Is that... Vamdemon? Yamato: He's gigantic! Hiroaki: He truly is a beast. Agumon: Let's go, Gabumon! Gabumon: Right!

Agumon and Gabumon evolve to Greymon and Garurumon, who seem quaint in the shadow of this titanic colossus. Vamdemon nearly blows them away by the sheer force created when he turns around.

In the dub:

Tai: Is that Myotismon!? Matt: He's been taking steroids! Hiroaki: It's his true form: The Beast. Agumon: Hey, come on! Gabumon: Right!

I like Matt's quip here. XD

PicoDevimon flutters over in front of Vamdemon's crotch to taunt the children.

PicoDevimon: VenomVamdemon-sama's power has been released! Taichi: VenomVamdemon!? PicoDevimon: Being undead basically makes him immortal! VenomVamdemon: POWER!!! I NEED MORE POWER!!! PicoDevimon: Your meal is waiting for you at Big Sight! Adult Crowd: (still lying there at Big Sight) ...Vamdemon-sama.... PicoDevimon: Come on! I'll show you the way. VenomVamdemon: Let's start with you.

VenomVamdemon's voice is bestial and monstrous now. Nothing like the dignified villain we knew before.

He inhales sharply, drawing PicoDevimon towards his mouth.

PicoDevimon: W-What are you doing!? WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!

With a shrill, high-pitched shriek, PicoDevimon disappears down VenomVamdemon's gullet and is finally gone. Disassembled into data to fuel the Beast's power.

(I don't know about y'all but I definitely get a Dante's Inferno Satan vibe from VenomVamdemon's character design.)

In the dub, DemiDevimon spends his final moments of life laughing it up about as much as his Japanese counterpart.

DemiDevimon: Where are my manners!? Allow me to introduce you to the new and improved VenomMyotismon! Tai: VenomMyotismon!? DemiDevimon: That's right! The king of the undead! He's the 'un' and you're the 'dead'! VenomMyotismon: MORE ENERGY!!! I'M HUNGRY!!! DemiDevimon: No problem, boss! There's all those people just layin' there waitin' for ya! Adult Crowd: (still lying there at the convention center) ...Myotismon, Lord and Master.... DemiDevimon: Remember to start your day with a good breakfast! VenomMyotismon: I'll begin with a little snack! (VenomMyotismon inhales to eat DemiDevimon) DemiDevimon: HEY, HANG ON, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!? WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!

DemiDevimon and VenomMyotismon's quip exchange at the end there is cute. XD

DemiDevimon doesn't explain why VenomMyotismon is able to resurrect like this. He does mention Myotismon's undeath but doesn't explain that it equates to immortality. To be fair, "Vamdemon is immortal because he's undead" doesn't really make sense in the original either. We've had no problem killing undead Digimon like Bakemon or Phantomon.

But it's still an explanation for what happened here. Angewomon killed Vamdemon but undeath allowed him to linger on as a sort of data wraith, devouring other Digimon to reconstitute himself. Building on the earlier point raised when he was drinking human blood to store up power.

Soon, VenomVamdemon is on the move.

Hiroaki: He's headed towards the people at Big Sight! Taichi: We won't let that happen! Yamato: GARURUMON!!! Garurumon: On it, Yamato! Greymon: Let's go!

Greymon and Garurumon Super-Evolve to face VenomVamdemon at their full strength.

In the dub:

Hiroaki: He's going after everyone at the convention center! Tai: PUMP IT UP, YOU GUYS!!! Matt: DIGIVOLVE!!! Garurumon: You heard them, let's do it! Greymon: Yo!

It's the 90's. I don't know what you want from me.

Once they're in their Perfect forms, WereGarurumon has a plan of attack. I know this seems hopeless, but VenomVamdemon is still just a wireframe body around a processing core covered in a character model skin. His colossal size doesn't necessarily translate to a huge increase in power.

VenomVamdemon also has a huge increase in power. But not because he's big!

WereGarurumon: Use your Giga Destroyer, MetalGreymon! MetalGreymon: Will do! GIGA DESTROYER!!!

When MetalGreymon fires his Giga Destroyer, WereGarurumon leaps and lands on top of one of the missiles. He lets them carry him to VenomVamdemon, then jumps off moments before impact. The missiles collide with VenomVamdemon's crotch, while WereGarurumon follows up with Kaiser Nail directly to his chest.

VenomVamdemon doesn't even flinch.

Taichi: That didn't hurt him at all!

In the dub:

WereGarurumon: Shall we flip a coin to see who goes first? MetalGreymon: Allow me! GIGA BLASTER!!!

They don't plan the combo attack; WereGarurumon does it on the spur of the moment. Still ineffectual, though.

Matt: It didn't even phase him!

Still motivated to bring this guy down, WereGarurumon scales his chest and leaps into the air in front of his face, cleaving open VenomVamdemon's forehead.

It does not go well. Gorey pink tentacles emerge from VenomVamdemon's wound, snatching WereGarurumon out of the air. Hahahaha fuck this guy so much.

The original name for WereGarurumon's kick is Engetsu Geri or Crescent Moon Kick, named for the projectile resembling a crescent moon. The dub opts for Garuru Kick.

Flying up into the fray, MetalGreymon's extendable claw severs the tentacles binding WereGarurumon. He unloads Giga Destroyer straight into VenomVamdemon's eyes. The colossal titan feels that one, falling back and crushing a skyscraper to rubble behind him.

(Good thing everyone in Odaiba has conveniently been gathered to one location while this city-wrecking carnage unfolds! The writers prepared for this bloodless devastation well.)

Taichi: Did they get him!? VenomVamdemon: (sits back up) My Food! MY FOOD!!! Yamato: Th-that's unbelievable....

While VenomVamdemon recovers, WereGarurumon and MetalGreymon return to the humans.

MetalGreymon: TAICHI!!! WereGarurumon: Go warn everyone at Big Sight about this! The two of us will figure out a way to stop him. Yamato: Right! We're counting on you! Hiroaki: Let's go!

The humans climb in the van and speed away from the towering VenomVamdemon, who's back on his feet and hungering for more.

VenomVamdemon: Food! FOOD!!!

The dub again names MetalGreymon's extendo-claw Mega Claw. It goes unnamed in the original.

Tai: Did it work!? VenomMyotismon: RARGH MORE ENERGY!!! I MUST FEED!!! Matt: That answer your question? (MetalGreymon and WereGarurumon return to the humans) WereGarurumon: Matt! Tai! Go to the convention center and warn the others! Don't worry about us; We'll take care of this clown! Matt: Alright, but just watch yourself! Hiroaki: Let's go! MetalGreymon: PIECE OF CAKE!!! VenomMyotismon: I AM HUNGRY!!! GRAAAARGH!!! HUNGRY!!!

MetalGreymon and WereGarurumon sound way more confident about their chances in this version.

The boys return to Big Sight. Taichi races inside to tell everyone.

Crowd: ...Vamdemon-sama.... Taichi: TROUBLE!!!

The entire group goes outside. They can see VenomVamdemon in the distance, stomping his way to Big Sight.

Taichi: Can't we move everyone to some other place? Shin: We won't make it. There's too many people. Tailmon: We have no other choice but to defeat VenomVamdemon. Patamon: I'll help too! Palmon & Piyomon: So will we! Tentomon: And me! Gomamon: Alright, I'm in too! Tailmon: (shakes her head) The rest of you stay here. Only Patamon should come with me. Gomamon: Eh!? Tailmon: You should store up energy for your next evolution. Piyomon: I hate to admit it, but Tailmon's right. We should listen to her.

Mimi takes this opportunity to ask a pretty good question.

Mimi: Why is it that when everyone evolved into Perfect, you turned back into Adult form while Palmon and the others became Baby stages? Tailmon: I have a different level of discipline from the rest of you. Let's go, Patamon. Patamon: Okay! Taichi: Alright, we're coming too!

Taichi and Yamato run off with Hikari and Takeru, along with their Digimon. Koushiro's parents turn to him.

Masami: Koushiro, let's go with them. Koushiro: Okay!

The dub overlooks the fact that the adults are supposed to still be chanting. Big Sight is silent but for Tai's voice when he enters.

Tai: CLEAR EVERYONE OUT NOW!!! (Everyone goes outside) Tai: I don't know how long they can hold them off! Jim: Even if we had time, we couldn't move all these people. Gatomon: You don't understand. You can never outrun him. We have to destroy him. Patamon: You can count on me! Palmon & Biyomon: Yeah, and us too! Tentomon: Me three! Gomamon: Hey, make that four! Gatomon: (shakes head) Mm-mm. Patamon's the only Digimon I need to come with me; The rest of you stay here. Gomamon: Huh!? Gatomon: Nothing personal; I just want all of you to save up your strength. If my plan doesn't work, you'll all be needed. Biyomon: Let's do what she says! She knows these bad Digimon better than anyone! Mimi: Excuse me, I don't mean to be a downer or anything but how can any of us hope to stand up against that guy!? He's bigger than most buildings! Gatomon: I've got a plan, like I said! Come on, Patamon, let's fly! Patamon: Mhm! Tai: We're right behind you, Gatomon! (The attack team runs off) Masami: Let's go, son! We're in this together, right? Izzy: Right!

A few notes. First, the idea of moving everyone out of the convention center is never seriously discussed. Jim volunteers that he thinks it's a doomed idea without anyone ever suggesting it, and then Gatomon changes topics to a sort of doomed fatalism.

Like, you can see how Tai, Jim, and Gatomon's lines are all supposed to connect to the topic of moving the adults, but without the context of the other version, Jim's the only one actually talking about it.

That's not a big deal, though. What irked me more was Mimi's line being changed from a valid clarifying question about Digimon metaphysics to panicking and saying we're doomed. Thanks, I hate it.

The kids pile into the van, while Patamon and Gatomon evolve into Angemon and Angewomon, flying outside the vehicle.

From the backseat, Koushiro's parents are trying to understand.

Kae: Those ones transformed into real angels! Tentomon: It's not transformation, it's evolution.

Koushiro pulls the pair of angels up on his Digimon Analyzer, giving us official rundowns for the both of them.

Angemon is an Adult-stage Vaccine-type Angel Digimon. Originally conceived as an evolution for Gabumon who could go on to evolve into SkullGreymon. Obviously a lot has changed since then, but it's kind of sweet that Takeru's Digimon evolves into an abandoned Gabumon evolution.

Yeah, originally Patamon and Angemon weren't even in the same evolutionary tree. In fact, the other Child-stage Digimon that evolves into Angemon was Patamon's brief rival Elecmon back on File Island!

Narrator: Angemon. An Adult-stage Angel Digimon. His special attack. Heaven's Knuckle, shines like gold when unleashed from his holy fist.

Angewomon, meanwhile, is a Perfect-stage Vaccine-type Angel Digimon. She and Tailmon debuted in the .5 release for Nature Spirits, though she could only be achieved through Jogress. The natural Vaccine Perfect for her branch was AtlurKabuterimon.

Narrator: Angewomon. A Perfect-stage Angel Digimon. Her special attack, Holy Arrow, releases tremendously powerful electricity. Masami: What is all this Adult-stage, Perfect-stage stuff? Koushiro: They indicate the evolution level of the Digimon. The lowest stage is Baby, and from there they level up sequentially.

In the dub, Kae's more confused than curious.

Kae: A-angels!? What's going on!? Tentomon: It's kinda complicated. Izzy: (rundown for Angemon) They Digivolved, Mom. Angemon is the fully evolved version of Patamon.... Izzy: (rundown for Angewomon) ...and Angewomon is the same for Gatomon. You see? Well, trust me on this, huh? Masami: It's nice to have outside interests but I hope your schoolwork hasn't suffered. Izzy: Dad, this is the fate of the planet we're dealing with! The survival of the human race! Don't worry, I can take a makeup test for anything I missed!

Wow, this exchange is terrible. Okay, first, Izzy continues speaking with absolute confidence about things he is completely wrong about. I don't even mean the "fully evolved" thing; I mean saying that Angemon is a "fully evolved" equivalent to Angewomon. He says out loud with words from his mouth that they're both the "fully evolved" forms for Patamon and Gatomon.

Kae and Tentomon's exchange contributes nothing to this conversation.

Masami and Izzy's final bit also contributes nothing. Masami nags at Izzy about the effect this is having on his schoolwork when, uh, we're on summer break. Nobody is going to school. Except Jou, because he's attending cram school to prepare for entrance exams.

Both Kae and Masami's bits are here to set up talk about evolutionary levels, since we're in for a shocking reveal about VenomVamdemon. The dub slides that setup into place over Angemon and Angewomon's rundowns, and then replaces it with empty banter and a very poorly-conceived joke recycled from a hundred other cartoons - Both of which erase an important point of characterization, which is Kae and Masami taking an active interest in what their son is doing. D-!

Meanwhile, the apocalypse rages on in Odaiba.

VenomVamdemon shoots rainbow lasers out of his crotch. Anything struck by them instantly disintegrates into pixels as if it were a dying Digimon. He is laying waste to Odaiba with this attack. Though WereGarurumon and MetalGreymon are keeping on their feet and avoiding his shots.

Hiroaki: S-So much destruction!

In the dub, this is a quip.

Hiroaki: I sure wish I brought the camcorder!

You know, the fact that nobody's filming this and the fog barrier is keeping the outside world from seeing it means they're going to have a hell of a time explaining what the fuck happened to Odaiba. This does not get Reset Buttoned away; This is the MCU Battle of New York for Digimon Adventure. The world will never be the same after today.

At least there's witnesses to the vampire and bakemono abductions.

Then, just like that, the fight is over.

WereGarurumon: MetalGreymon!

VenomVamdemon punches MetalGreymon, hitting him so hard into WereGarurumon that it expends both of their remaining staminas. Both Perfects revert back into Agumon and Gabumon.

Taichi: What happened!? Koushiro: They must have run out of energy.

In the dub:

WereGarurumon: Looks like trouble! (VenomVamdemon punches MetalGreymon into WereGarurumon, KOing them both) Tai: What happened to 'em!? Izzy: He must have drained them of their energy!

Izzy kinda makes it sound like he did Love Serenade or something here. His statement is accurate; VenomVamdemon hit them so hard their HP meters went to 0. But the way he says it may be a little confusing?

With Agumon and Gabumon defenseless, VenomVamdemon moves in for the kill. He isn't even going to give them the dignity of devouring their data.

VenomVamdemon: DIE!!!

Suddenly, the angels join the fight. Holy Arrow and Heaven's Knuckle hit VenomVamdemon harder than anything thus far, sending him stumbling backwards.

Angemon: The wicked power of a devil! Angewomon: We will destroy you once more! VenomVamdemon: Nye-heh... You think that you can defeat the king? KEH!!!

Meanwhile, Hiroaki pulls up in his van. Taichi and Yamato leap from the vehicle and run to their barely-conscious Partners.

Gabumon: I'm sorry. This was too much for us. Agumon: He's too powerful....

In the dub, Angemon gets told off for his unhelpful line.

VenomMyotismon: GOODBYE, SMALL FRY!!! (The angels attack VenomMyotismon, driving him back) Angemon: This won't be easy! Angewomon: Nobody ever said it would be, Angemon! VenomMyotismon: Huhahahahaha! I shall enjoy devouring you; Angel food is one of my favorites! HAHA!!! Gabumon: I'm so sorry, Matt... We tried.... Agumon: He was too much for us....

That angel food crack got me. XD Well played. 10/10 quipping.

Masami: Is that monster also Perfect-stage? Koushiro: I'll look it up.

Of note: The word Masami uses here, kaibutsu, is distinct from some of the other words translated as "monster" throughout the series. We've mostly seen kaiju and bakemono throughout the show thus far. Kaibutsu is the most "Just say 'monster'" of the lot. It's a pretty generic umbrella term for bizarre supernatural beasties, with no key distinctions that we would want to preserve here.

Koushiro pulls up VenomVamdemon's page on his Digimon Analyzer. VenomVamdemon is an Ultimate-stage Virus-type Undead Digimon. He debuted as an enemy boss battle in an anime tie-in V-Pet released on the same day this episode aired.

The "venom" of his name comes from his signature attack, Venom Infuse. The "venom" is a computer virus he can implant into an opponent that "destroys their configuration data and terminates their functions," according to the reference guide. So. Y'know. Don't get hit with that.

Narrator: VenomVamdemon. The Ultimate-stage evolution of Vamdemon. He has lost his intelligence and his sense of reason. Koushiro: ULTIMATE-STAGE!?!? Yamato: There's an evolution level beyond Perfect!?

While the kids are making this horrifying discovery, VenomVamdemon mocks Angemon and Angewomon.

VenomVamdemon: YOUR ATTACKS DON'T WORK AGAINST ME!!!

In the dub, Masami can't ask about the stages because he already screwed his opportunity to learn about that. So he has to ask a different question.

Masami: Why is that monster so much bigger than the other Digimon? Izzy: Search me!

Fortunately, Izzy still opens his laptop and pulls up VenomMyotismon's profile anyway. Even though it's not going to contain any explanation of size disparities; That shit just happens. Why is MetalGreymon so much bigger than WereGarurumon?

Izzy: (rundown) Hmm, I thought he was fully evolved but he found some way of Digivolving into an even higher level. Izzy: Some kind of Mega Ultimate Level! Matt: Hey, that's not fair! It's like changing the rules in the middle of a game! VenomMyotismon: (shrugs off attacks) STOP IT, YOU'RE TICKLING ME!!! NOW IT'S MY TURN!!!

This is where the dub finally has to reckon with all that "fully Digivolved" stuff. The existence of Ultimate-stage does come as a shock to the original kids, but not because it's been withheld from them in some way. This falls into the category of "You never asked". It simply hasn't come up before because Ultimate-stage Digimon are so rare. File Island has two Perfects but not even one of these guys.

In the hierarchy of Digimon, Perfects are like super exceptional individuals. They're village chiefs and top scientists and war heroes. They're the rare and select few who succeed above and beyond, becoming cornerstones of society.

While Ultimates are more like gods and myths. Socrates would be a Perfect; Herakles would be an Ultimate.

The dub tries to play the existence of what they call Mega-stage hard because they've said "fully Digivolved" so many times that they now have to answer for it. Though it's held back by the matter-of-fact way Izzy delivers the rundown. If anything, he should be more shocked than Koushiro.

Takeru: YOU CAN DO IT, ANGEMON!!! Hikari: ANGEWOMON!!! Hiroaki: That's it! What does the prophecy say next? Koushiro: (type type)

Nobody reads it aloud, but the final passage briefly pops up onscreen. "When angels fire arrows of hope and light at the loved ones of those they protect, a miracle will occur."

Kae: Angels... By "angels", does it mean...?

VenomVamdemon fires off two crotch shots at Angemon and Angewomon. They manage to block the attacks, deflecting them into Odaiba's gigantic ferris wheel. The ferris wheel disintegrates on impact. (YOU MONSTERS.)

Koushiro: Angemon and Angewomon. They must be the angels. Masami: Then who are the people they protect? Takeru: GANBATTE, ANGEMON!!! Hikari: YOU TOO, ANGEWOMON!!! Koushiro: Takeru-kun and Hikari-san. But who are their loved ones?

There's our old friend ganbaru, the Japanese cultural value of hard work and perseverance to overcome tremendous hardship.

Once again demonstrating how divorced he is from human connections, Koushiro has to stop and ask what "loved ones" means. Fortunately, Tentomon's a lot more worldly and can cover this.

Tentomon: Let's use me as an example. If I were the angel, the person I protect would be Koushiro-han. Koushiro: And the people I love most would be my Mom and Dad! Tentomon: Right! So the people Hikari-han and Takeru-han love most would be-- Masami: Their family! Their parents and siblings!

The camera pans over from Takeru and Hikari to Yamato and Taichi.

Koushiro: But why would they shoot arrows at the people they love? Kae: Angels... They're angels, so... In Roman mythology, Cupid shot arrows at people to fill them with love. Koushiro: Arrows that fill people with love? Tentomon: That's it, Koushiro-han! (turning to Taichi and Yamato) Angemon and Angewomon must shoot arrows of love at the two of you! Koushiro: Hey, we still haven't figured this all out yet!

Sorry, Koushiro. The idea has been delivered to Taichi, and you know how he is about careful consideration of his actions.

But that's fine because now is a time for bold action! We've done the Koushiro thing and now it's time to do the Mimi thing.

In the dub:

T.K.: YOU CAN DO IT, ANGEMON!!! Kari: GO, ANGEWOMON!!! Hiroaki: Wait a minute, the prophecy! That's it! Quick, Izzy, what did it say in there about angels? Izzy: (type type)

The dub puts a commercial break here. Then we come back to repeat footage of VenomMyotismon shrugging off the angels' attacks a moment ago. This replaces the brief glimpse of the prophecy wall, which goes by too fast to read it anyway even if they rewrote it in English.

Though the fact that VenomMyotismon stood there and let them attack him again sure makes his earlier declaration of "NOW IT'S MY TURN" pretty fucking silly.

VenomMyotismon: I'M BEGINNING TO GROW BORED OF YOU!!! Kae: What does the prophecy say? Izzy: "Angels will shoot arrows of hope and light at the loved ones of those they have been sent to protect and a miracle will happen." Okay, if Angemon and Angewomon are the angels in the prophecy.... Masami: So then who are the ones they've been sent to protect? T.K.: GO FOR IT, ANGEMON!! Kari: YEAH, KNOCK HIS BLOCK OFF!!! Izzy: That must mean T.K. and Kari. The angels will shoot arrows at their loved ones! Tentomon: It's simple. Allow me to explain. Say I'm kind of like a guardian angel. Whose guardian angel am I? Yours. And who do you love the most? Izzy: I was getting to that! My Mom and Dad, obviously. Tentomon: Exactly! But T.K. and Kari not only have moms and dads, they have something else too. Masami: They have brothers! Tentomon: In a word, BINGO!

Izzy is not confused by the concept of loved ones in this version. Tentomon whole-ass mansplains how parents work for no reason. Thanks, Tentomon.

Kari shouting "Knock his block off" gave me life. XD

Izzy: Why would you want 'em shooting arrows at your loved ones? Sounds dangerous to me. Kae: They're angels, Izzy. Maybe they're like Cupid. He was sort of an angel. When he shot arrows, they were arrows of love. Izzy: Mom, isn't that a little corny!? Tentomon: It may be corny but I buy it! All we've got to do is get Angemon and Angewomon to hit you guys with their arrows of loooo~ove! Izzy: Hey, let's not be too hasty here!

Izzy's adaptational jerkish-ness rears its head here. Izzy, my dude, I have kind of a rule: You're not allowed to call something corny or cringe when you're watching a children's show. Yeah, it's going to throw around concepts like the Power of Love conquering all evils from time to time. It's made for nine-year-olds. If you don't like it, get out of the sandbox and go watch adult TV.

Tentomon knows what I'm talking about. High five, ladybug man!

We have a plan of action. But there are two other people, besides Koushiro, who have concerns about it.

Yamato: What do you think? Taichi: That has to be it! Hikari! Yamato: Takeru! Takeru: Onii-chan.... Taichi: Angewomon's arrow of light! Yamato: Angemon's arrow of hope! Taichi: Get them to fire those arrows at us! Hikari: But if they do that...! Takeru: Both of you might die! Yamato: We won't. Right? Taichi: Right. Hikari: Okay. (holds up her Crest) My light! Takeru: (holds up his Crest) My hope!

The Crests begin to glow, sending their power up to Angemon and Angewomon. Though not Super-Evolving Angemon because he's gonna be a real dick about his Perfect evolution.

In the dub:

Matt: What do you think? Tai: It's worth a shot! Kari! Matt: T.K.! T.K.: You sure you wanna? Tai: Let's see these arrows of hope and light! Matt: You two have got to get them to shoot at us! Tai: They'll only do it if you tell them to! Kari: You really want them to shoot you!? T.K.: What if you get, like, dead or something? Matt: Never happen! Right? Tai: Right. Kari: Okay. (holds up her Crest) Angewomon! T.K.: (holds up her Crest) Angemon, listen up!

I think the kids enthusiastically manifesting their virtues into power was a little too much for the dub team. :P I mean, they already said via Izzy that this was getting too corny for them. They drew the line at "MY HOPE!!!" "MY LIGHT!!!"

I do like the dub's addition of "They'll only shoot us if you tell them to," however. He's right. This stage of the prophecy won't just happen; We have to manifest it. It was secretly an instruction manual all along.

Also, "What if you get, like, dead or something!" is now my favorite way of dodging the word "kill". Is that really better? Is it? XD

The energy from Takeru and Hikari's Crests produces two arrows and, uh, one bow.

Takeru: SHOOT THOSE ARROWS AT OUR BROTHERS!!! BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!!! Angemon: Let's believe.... Angewomon: ...in miracles! Gabumon: YAMATO, STOP THIS!!! Agumon: TAICHI, DON'T BE SO RECKLESS!!! Taichi: I'm always reckless, remember? Yamato: We'll handle this. (Yamato turns to Taichi) Yamato: Are you scared? Taichi: Not scared at all! Well, that's a lie.... Yamato: Honestly, so am I.

Yamato reaches over, taking Taichi's hand with his own.

Yamato: Hold on tight, so I don't run away. Taichi: You do the same for me.

Both of their Crests begin to glow brightly, before the arrows are even launched. Because this moment is a huge manifestation of both Courage and Friendship intermingling into a tightly-woven knot empowering and enhancing each other and holy shit, this is just such a good moment.

Angewomon draws back her arrow of light. Angemon has no bow so he has to fucking lob his arrow of hope, which is hysterically funny in a way that's potentially tension-breaking. Why no bow for Angemon, Takeru? Angewomon isn't using her Holy Arrow bow; She got a completely new one for this. Why no bow for Angemon? XD

In the dub, of course, "Believe in miracles" wasn't making it across.

T.K.: I KNOW THIS MAY SOUND CRAZY BUT SHOOT MATT AND TAI WITH YOUR ARROWS!!! Kari: YOU TOO, ANGEWOMON!!! Angemon: He's right! Angewomon: Sounds crazy! But.... Gabumon: WAIT, YOU SURE ABOUT THIS!?!? Agumon: What if that prophecy's all wrong!? Tai: You guys want a miracle to happen or not!? Matt: Yeah, miracles require a little faith!

OH NEVER MIND They just moved it over to Tai and Matt instead of the angels.

The fact that we lose Taichi's "I'm always reckless" mic drop of a line makes me want to throw things.

Matt: Scared, Tai? Tai: No, not at all! ...how about you, Matt? Matt: 'Course not! Piece of cake! (Matt grabs Tai's hand) Matt: But maybe I'll just... hang onto you to make sure you don't chicken out or anything. Tai: Yeah. Right. I'll do the same for you, buddy.

For the emotionally stonewalled kool dudez of the dub, this is a pretty sweet moment that at least captures the idea of the original scene. It's clear that they're both petrified but are too macho to admit it.

But it absolutely pales in comparison to the emotional sincerity of Taichi and Yamato's moment, as they face the perilous unknown together with only a few strands of hope and faith to grasp onto.

The angels let their arrows fly.

Angemon: AWAKEN-- Angewomon: --A MIRACLE!!

The arrows pierce Yamato and Taichi, creating an explosion of energy.

VenomVamdemon: What...?

In the dub:

Angemon: One miracle... Angewomon: ...coming up! (Arrows fly and hit Tai and Matt) VenomMyotismon: Huh!?

As the arrows strike their targets, a new kind of evolution is introduced. Not Evolution or Super-Evolution, but Warp-Evolution. This is a convenient way to reach Ultimate-stage without having to do three consecutive evolution stock animations oh my god it would be so much.

Agumon and Gabumon WAAPU-SHINKAAAAAA!!!

The rest of the episode is spent on the debut of the first (and only) Ultimate-stage Partner Digimon we're going to see in 01: WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon. We close on the pair of them silently facing off against VenomVamdemon, preparing for the incredible battle to follow next episode.

The dub deprives us of that final shot, however, and ends on an edited splitscreen of their flashy CGI animations next to each other. I guess they thought that looked cooler. (They aren't wrong.) They also add in a silence-breaker in the form of the most undersold reaction lines I've ever heard.

Matt: Whoa. Tai: Cool. Narrator: Will the DigiDestined win the battle for Earth and defeat VenomMyotismon? Don't miss the next Digimon: Digital Monsters.

Neat.

Assessment: The prophecy is cool and all but it does sort of amount to, "Oh no, a plot suddenly happened because I said so; Here, solve this riddle to make the plot go away."

This big plot-important episode has the framework of a filler episode. Gennai contacts them out of nowhere and sends them a new storyline in the mail, so they have to crack it out by episode's end. That's not too unusual; The show's always been episodic but with an overarching continuity. But the Tokyo plotline's been so much more serialized that this feels like it comes out of nowhere.

Nonetheless, while the framework's kinda janky, the emotional beats and the ominous religious vibes are so good. It nails the tone it's going for. Mostly. (Why is Angemon throwing his arrow by hand? XD)

The dub handles this with surprising care, too. Despite some of the usual fumbles, it goes all-in on the religious undertones of the plot and presents as much as it can up-front. Another pretty good but not perfect turn-in from the dub team.

[googledetective]

the theories that have been presented on this cast + one of my own :)

I do want to mention that I strongly believe this is a prequel due to a conversation I had with a bunch of people on discord earlier. (Everyone was 16+, dw.)

I haven’t seen anything about the first two at all so far, so I’ll be skipping over them and onto the third guy (oh my fucking lord).

(Also this post from @nesisamess helped a lot)

Staring onto the third dude,

(both posts are made by @zitherwaifuus :)

It seems that here this guy has some sort of relationship to XF-Future Tech, which if you’ve seen Min’s side story, you’d know is the company that came into her life and groomed her to be the Ultimate Student. She received special tutoring for them and worked her ass off for that title her entire life because of that. Next, this guy shares the same tie pin she does, and it’s also very notable that she dresses up with the same button down and tie in her MV. Not only do I think she is linked to the company now, but she might be working there before she was in the game. Who knows, though.

Next, I have not seen anything on the fourth girl besides a bunch of people on discord theorizing what the dandelion in her hair could mean. Unfortunately dandelions have different meanings from different cultures all over the world, so until it’s specified about where she’s from, I don’t think there’s many assumptions we can make yet.

Number Five, the purple guy.

Everyone seems to think so far that this is Elliot Cuevas, Charles Cuevas’s deceased brother. Now let me tell you that although I can’t see it based off design, the way he looks (playful and kinda weird but happy) and the way he was described by the creator in the latest qna (a popular joyous dude), can definitely make me see this being real. The only thing that is super far fetched about this is that we know he died a long time ago, and so if this is a prequel, it would have to be at least 15 years before drdt even starts.

Here’s also some more evidence from @sunlit-haru supporting the ‘that’s Elliot’ theory.

Now we’re up to the protagonist, who mind you is definitely my favorite so far. I will eliminate the rest of you protag dickriders so I will be the only simp left.

ANYWAYS, in the about page for this, it’s stated that this is a fangan for someone who wants to be the perfect teacher. Now with the hidden quote on the drdt tumblr page about this teacher…

( @demodraws0606 ‘s post)

Uh oh. I think we’ve figured out who this mysterious teacher might be. As for who is talking to them, I’ve personally got a few ideas, but they are not backed with any evidence.

1. The mastermind from this first killing game

2. Mai Akasaki or David Chiem still

3. The mastermind of the drdt killing game

Whoever it is, I think that these games are surely related and that each current kg participant does have a relation with one of these cast members. And that previous killing game’s end is why this one is happening.

Then, based off the post up top and a few others, people seem to think this is Teruko’s brother. I’m going to give a wild theory (no evidence) that Mai Akasaki knows him, only bc of the red in his hair. Then I think Mai would’ve found Teruko, and she would’ve been trying to reconnect them. Just a theory, though. There’s no evidence based around that this guy might be Teruko’s brother though, sadly.

Last but not least, @1moreff-creator pieced together some of the text on his badge:

I’m just gonna say that I’m seriously impressed with your efforts cause I have no fucking clue that could even be readable lmao.

*UPDATE ON TEXT: holy mother of god, @xmicrophonyx is a fucking god, and deciphered it. Here you go, and we all have got to give a serious thank you to them.

Sadly I cannot link the image of what the phone number gets to, but it gets linked to a yellow pill. I don’t have any ideas on how it would relate to the game, but I think it does. It’s used for high blood pressure and heart failure. If he’s really related to Teruko, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had high blood pressure lmao.

Also, the area code for 555 is just North America.

Here’s what I found on Wikipedia:

“The telephone number prefix 555 is a central office code in the North American Numbering Plan, used as the leading part of a group of 10,000 telephone numbers, 555-XXXX, in each numbering plan area (NPA) (area code). It has traditionally been used only for the provision of directory assistance, when dialing NPA-555-1212.

The central office code is also used for fictitious telephone numbers in North American television shows, films, video games, and other media in order to prevent practical jokers and curious callers from bothering telephone subscribers and organizations by calling telephone numbers they see in works of fiction.”

I don’t understand the first part, but it seems that this is a fictional number. If someone could explain to me wtf that first part even memes, I might be able to give more info.

Anyways, it seems that this guy ended up being a teacher at HPA, before or after the killing game. But I think this was very worth mentioning.

Unfortunately I’ve seen nothing about the next two, but I want to say that the girl in all pink (#8) I think is Felicity Giles, if that’s even possible. I just feel that’s Arturo’s sister. I know, I’m a weirdo. Even if #7 looks more like Arturo, I just cannot see it.

Moving on, nine and ten! If you look at them closely they’ve got the same eye pattern, suggesting they’re siblings, or likely twins, since they’ve got the fire/ice scheme going on.

Lastly, eleven which oh my god, Arturo’s dream girl! But she’s been theorized to be Whit’s mom. Here’s the post that argues a pretty convincing reason of why.

Oh boy. That woman is pretty cool and is very elegant, and has the same shade of blond hair that Whit dyed his too. I don’t think she’s any coincidence.

But joining along on that last little paragraph of this person’s post, it’s starting to seem a lot of characters do have connections to this cast and are seemingly mentioned quite a few times.

UPDATE: oh my lord, @accirax literally went on a deep dive for us and gave us a pretty good explanation and educated guess on everyone’s talents. I’m not going to link it because they covered pretty much every logical point as to why they have their guesses. Here’s the post if you haven’t already seen it https://www.tumblr.com/accirax/728687594893885440/drdt-new-character-talent-analysis

Anyways this is just the sum-up of everyone’s theorizing + a bit of my add on to it, and huge kudos to everyone who’s been making theories so far. I’ll be updating & crediting if there’s anymore notable things that come out.

Thanks for reading!

[help-i-need-a-cool-username]

So I saw your whole ‘id kill for a boom/prime crossover fic’ and while I am not currently able to write anything I CAN just come up with scenarios so that’s what I’ll do.

Chaos sonic ends up in sonic boom SOMEHOW (maybe boom is a shatterspace? I dunno) and sonic Very Quickly Realizes that this guy is literally him (derogatory)

Shadow finds a shatterspace that he IS allowed in but the problem is that this shatterspace is boom and now he has to deal with all of these people who have no business being this goddamn tall.

Post s3 with nine left in the grim and he’s tinkering or smth and makes a portal by accident and welp. Now boom! Tails has a twin brother.

I think that the boom comics were Archie? Therefore they got affected by super genesis wave. Basically sonic and shadow were th e only ones who ‘survived’ the sgw and now they’re in sonic prime void.

Shadow falls down the hole at the end of s3 ep one and he undertales into boom. It’s never explained why that island is down there. It just is. He gets mistaken for himself multiple times and it’s a whole thing. I guess by this logic a bunch of the nine robots also end up down there. And sonic later.

Uhhh the sonic boom dimension hopping tech from those few episodes malfunctions and now sonic and shadow are having petty slap fights while hurtling through the void.

Shadow gets sonic through the portal at the end of the last episode in time except that instead of coming back to green hill it’s boom now. They’re in boom. This is now their life. Probably not but still. Sonic tries to get his and shadow’s other selves into couples counseling. It doesn’t work.

(Prime shadow voice) I cannot BELIEVE that you would SULLY Maria’s WISH LIKE THIS-

(Boom shadow voice) fucking WHO???

The boom island exists in No Place actually. There’s two knuckles variants. And also the others.

"while I am not currently able to write anything I CAN just come up with scenarios so that’s what I’ll do" THANK YOU 🩷

CHAOS SONIC IS HIM (derogatory) HAS ME IN TEARS

I want to see a prime!Shadow and boom!team and/or boom!shadow interaction SO BAD and now im just imaging Shadow and a couple robots falling out of the sky from the gorge and landing on top of meh burger 🤣🤣 OMG sonic falls down and the first thing he meets is another him which would be extra weird bc so far he's the only non-robotic Sonic

Boom! Shadow: fucking WHO???

Prime! Shadow: you dont have a Maria?

Prime! Sonic: oh no. Please tell me you at least have a Rouge?

Boom! Shadow: who the fuck is Rouge?

Prime! Sonic: Bat. About yay-tall. One of the only people that can actually put up with your shit

Boom! Shadow: *still actively fighting*

Prime! Sonic: not ringing any bells? Uh, your roommate? Your BEST FRIEND

Boom! Shadow: i dont have any friends-

Prime! Sonic: *gasp* this is a universe where Shadow is a only child?! That explains a lot actually

Prime! Shadow: how many times do i have to tell you Rouge is not my sister?

Boom! Sonic: omg there exists a Shadow who has SISTERS

Prime! Shadow: she's not my sister!

Prime! Sonic: wait does this mean you and Eggman are cousins?

Prime! Shadow: he's my nephew actually

Boom! Eggman: WHAT

Boom! Sonic: WHAT

Boom! Amy: WHAT

Boom! Tails: say what now

Boom! Knuckles: huh? What?

Sticks: i told you so!

[ecargmura]

Wind Breaker Episode 6 Review - The Fox Leaves The False Holly

Now, THIS is a well-animated fight of pure hand-to-hand combat. No flashy magics or powers needed. It’s just two delinquents going at it. Cloverworks did an amazing job giving us a fight scene as impactful as Sakura’s brawl from the premiere. I love how it was animated! Sako uses a lot of spin-kicks and punches while Hiiragi is more powerful kicks and punches. I think my favorite aspect of the fight was when Sako was going to kick Hiiragi, but faked it by grabbing his leg. That was so cool! I also really liked Hiiragi utilizing his tall height and long legs by kicking Sako from behind. It shows that the animators know how to get creative with these fight.

Hiiragi and Sako have history with each other. They used to be friends since elementary school when the former saved the latter from bullies. This was when Sako asked Hiiragi to teach him how to fight. When they were in middle school, Sako was keen on following him for the rest of his life and believed he’d be at the top in Furin. However, Hiiragi said that he was going to work under Umemiya and not take the top spot for himself. The moment he told Sako to not follow him anymore and get a new goal in life was when the rift between them happened. It seems it could be an asinine story for some viewers, but I see it as more of Hiiragi trying to help Sako avoid a potential toxic codependent relationship. He was clearly attached to Hiiragi sort of like how Sugishita holds Umemiya in high regard. However, the only difference between Sako and Sugishita is that Umemiya is already at the top so he is someone already respected while Hiiragi is someone who doesn’t want to take that position for himself. Sako could’ve been someone who could’ve been spiteful of Umemiya or Hiiragi because of this because had Sako gone to Furin, there would be a lot of tension. This was why Sako drifted away from Hiiragi and decided to join Shishitoren after Togame and Choji scouted him. Sako believes that power comes from doing things on your own, without the need to depend on anyone. The fact that Hiiragi chooses to be a follower and not a leader was what irked him.

As someone who read the manga last weekend, I want to say that there’s a very interesting theming with Bofurin and Shishitoren. All of the Bofurin members are named after plants, hence why their team’s image color is green and why Umemiya likes gardening. For example, Sakura’s name uses the kanji for Cherry Blossom. In Hiiragi’s case, his name comes from the Japanese word for Osmanthus heterophyllus, or false holly. The “ko” in Sako’s name is the kanji for fox. By extension, all of Shishitoren are named after animals. The To in Tomiyama stands for rabbit. The Game in Togame stands for turtle. The Ma in Arima stands for horse. The Ka in Kanuma stands for deer. It also helps that Shishitoren means Lion’s Head, hence the animal themed names. I think it’s super creative from a writer’s standpoint.

Speaking of Sako, I have to say that I really like his design. Wind Breaker’s character designs are so intricate. Sako stands out a lot to me. While he’s not as pretty as Suo, I still consider him a beauty. He stands out, hence why I think he’s pretty. It also helps that he does look like a fox like his namesake. No, it’s not weird to call male anime characters pretty and I’ll keep doing it.

I also liked the little banter Sakura, Nirei and Suo usually have as an audience member. Sakura’s shit talking actually gets his allies motivated. Suo’s fighting style is supposed a hodgepodge of different martial arts as his instructor was self taught. Hmmm, this does support my Suo being a successor theory…

As a manga reader, the Hiiragi and Sako fight was animated superbly. However, I honestly cannot wait for Sakura vs Togame, which will happen next week. All I can say is that Hiiragi’s words towards Togame, “You don’t know what’s going to happen” is foreshadowing the results of the match. Who do you think will win?

[powdermelonkeg]

I've seen some Reddit refugee PSAs going around, so I thought I'd contribute a few tips of my own that I haven't seen covered:

If you go to the original iteration of your post (not any subsequent reblogs, your ORIGINAL post) you can delete any comments you don't like. This does not apply to text added by reblog, only to the message bubble section.

Ublock Origin has trouble figuring out which parts of desktop to get rid of. If you want to delete a certain element (for example, the store widget), and your usual method isn't working, what you want to do is: - Right-click - Inspect Element/Inspect (Q) - Look at the thing that's highlighted, then go all the way up until you hit the nearest "div = class" marker - Right-click - Hover over "Copy," then pick "CSS Selector" - Click your Ublock extension icon - Click the gears - Find a blank space on the list that pops up and type "www.tumblr.com##" without the quotes - Paste whatever you copied with CSS Selector after that, with no space between it and the ## - Click "Apply changes"

You can hide your follower lists and liked lists. This is actively encouraged. Desktop solution: - Account (the person icon in the corner) - Scroll down until you find your blog name and click "Blog Settings" - Scroll through the page that pops up until you find "Share posts you like" and "Share the Tumblrs you're following" and toggle them off. This is the 3rd and 4th section of that page for me, respectively Mobile solution: - Your blog (the person icon in the bottom right corner) - Settings (gear in the top right corner) - Scroll down to "Pages" - Toggle "Likes" and "Following"

Desktop only: Left your Tumblr logged in on someone else's phone/computer? Worried about account security? No problem! - Account (the person icon in the corner) - Settings (NOT Blog Settings. Just Settings. It has a gear icon) - Scroll all the way to the bottom - You have a list of any logins that have happened on your account. They come with the IP addresses used to access it. It tells you where it happened, and from what operating system. Deleting those with the X next to the listing logs that iteration out. If you have any on that list that you DON'T recognize, I recommend logging them out and changing your password. Note: It says the list is only for the past 30 days. This is a lie. I have some that date back over a year.

Desktop only: You can make gradient text in your posts by following these instructions.

If your post has been blowing up and you're sick of the notifications, deleting the original post will delete its notes from your activity. THIS CANNOT BE UNDONE. If you would still like to check on the post, just not have it in your activity, reblog it before deleting it. You can continue to check the notes tab from the reblog while the original is gone.

It is common etiquette to tag spoilers for new games/shows/etc (ie, released in the last two months) as #[insert fandom here] spoilers, sensitive subjects as #[insert sensitive topic] tw, and long posts as #long post. Yes, even if you have a readmore (which you can add by clicking the weird squiggly line when you start a new block).

There is a bug on desktop involving readmore lines. Whenever you go back to edit a post that has a readmore in it, it moves the readmore down by one block. Make sure you move it back into its proper place each time by clicking and dragging.

You can click and drag different blocks of text to reorder them. Only regular blocks, though; not lists like this one. You can also do this with images you've inserted.

Desktop only: You can delete/remove tags/add tags en masse to posts using the Mass Post Editor. - Account (person icon in the corner) - Scroll down to your blog - Mass Post Editor - Select any posts in the grid you want. "Edit tags" is only for removing tags, you need "Add tags" to add more

Desktop only: You can see any blog's history of posts by typing in [blogname].tumblr.com/archive. The page that pops up looks very similar to the Mass Post Editor. You can filter posts on that blog by any of their most used tags, by month, or by post type. This is especially useful for locating pornbots. Some pornbots will try to legitimize their place by picking a random popular tag (for example, #horror) and reblogging the top 10-100 posts in that tag without commentary. See if they've been active for more than week with the archive month filter. Granted, the person may also be a new user, like yourself. It takes some deduction. But it's much easier to use the archive than it is to scroll through all of their posts until you hit the bottom.

Desktop only shortcuts: J = move down one post. Useful for scrolling fast or getting past a notoriously long post (as in "Do you like the color of the sky" and all its cousins) K = move up one post Shift + R = reblog a post. Does not add tags L = like a post C = create a new post (brings up options on what kind of post) . (period) = return to the top of the page Shift + Q = add a post to your queue. Does not add tags Shift + P = cycle through the color palette

[thecreaturecodex]

Quintessivore

Image © Paizo Publishing

[The quintessivore is a weird monster in a number of ways. For one thing, its PF2e category is "beast", when both its bizarre anatomy and unusual diet would make it seem to be a shoo-in for aberration status. Although maybe that's a result of the art; those proportions and placements of the limbs are truly bizarre, and I'm not sure if that was the original intent. For another thing, the Bestiary 3 entry is mostly taken up with explaining what quintessence is for readers not immersed in PF lore, leaving the actual flavor text for the monster rather thin on the ground. So I had room to expand, and to explain some things that the original entry leaves without comment.]

Quintessivore CR 10 NE Aberration This creature has a head like a deep-sea fish, with pointed teeth and beady eyes. It has four many-jointed limbs—two of them ending in three-fingered claws, and two of them ending in bladed appendages. Its color is a sickly gray, and its body is studded with short spines, ridges and strings of fibrous material.

Quintessivores are strange creatures that feed on quintessence, the raw material of souls and the Outer Planes. They are roughly spider-like in proportion, having long limbs holding up a relatively small body. Their exoskeletons constantly slough off strands of tough fiber, similar in texture to silk but greasier. Quintessivores cannot weave webs as true spiders can, but use their silk as if it were paper, recording their spellbooks and other writings on their secretions. 

A quintessivore on one of the Outer Planes is often docile and talkative, as they have access to effectively infinite food. On the Material Plane, however, they stalk mortal beings in order to strip their souls and consume them slowly. While feeding on a soul, the quintessivore’s blade legs are faintly luminous, and patterns resembling waves, whorls and loops appear and disappear along their length. The process of feeding on a soul empowers their magical abilities, and souls that are more powerful grant longer lasting boons.

Quintessivores are despised by almost all outsiders, as their diet is soul-stuff itself. Psychopomps especially seek to eliminate quintessivores, and these aberrations typically flee from even rumors of psychopomp activity. On the other hand, daemons are rather fond of them, as their feeding reduces the net quintessence in existence, inexorably bringing the end of all things closer. Daemons still by no means respect these mortal creatures, and both the quintessivore and the daemon typically think of themselves as the superior partner in any allegiances unless the power differential between the two is obvious.

Quintessivore      CR 10 XP 9,600 NE Medium aberration Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +19

Defense AC 25, touch 17, flat-footed 18(+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural) hp 136 (13d8+78) Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +13

Offense Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee 2 claws +15 (1d10+3 plus 1d10 negative energy and ability drain) Special Attacks ability drain (1d3 Con, Fort DC 22), feed, suspend soul Spells CL 10th, concentration +17 (+21 casting defensively) 5th—feeblemind (DC 22), passwall, vampiric shadow shield 4th—arcane eye, black tentacles, contagion (DC 22), enervation  3rd—clairaudience/clairvoyance, fireball (DC 20), protection from energy, ray of exhaustion (DC 20), slow (DC 21) 2nd—cat’s grace (x2), invisibility, scorching ray, see invisibility, web (DC 19) 1st—comprehend languages, expeditious retreat, feather fall, mage armor, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement (DC 19) 0th—detect magic, mage hand, open/close, read magic

Statistics Str 17, Dex 22, Con 23, Int 24, Wis 17, Cha 16 Base Atk +9; CMB +12; CMD 29 (33 vs. trip) Feats Combat Casting, Dodge, Iron Will, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (necromancy), Stealthy, Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +22 (+26 jumping),Climb +27, Escape Artist +26, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (arcana) +23, Knowledge (dungeoneering, planes) +20, Perception +19, Spellcraft +23, Stealth +26, Use Magic Device +16 Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Common, Daemonic, Infernal, Undercommon

Ecology Environment underground Organization solitary Treasure standard

Special Abilities Feed (Su) By spending 1 hour with a helpless living creature, or a formerly living creature no more than 2 hours dead, a quintessivore can consume its quintessence, keeping it from reaching the afterlife. A creature fed on in such a way cannot be returned from the dead, unless its soul is freed from the quintessivore by killing the creature. A quintessivore retains the soul bound to it for 1 day per HD of its victim, during which time it gains a +1 on all spell save DCs, and may prepare an additional spell of each spell level. Once this time is elapsed, the victim’s soul is gone forever. A quintessivore can only have one soul bound to it at a time. Spells A quintessivore can prepare and cast spells as a 10th level generalist wizard. It does not gain other benefits of the wizard class, such as a specialty school or arcane bond, unless it takes levels in the wizard class. Suspend Life (Su) As an immediate action, a quintessivore can suspend the life processes of a dying creature within 15 feet. A creature so affected must succeed a DC 21 Fortitude save or be unable to gain or lose hit points for 1 hour. During that time, if the creature receives magical healing, it can attempt another DC 21 Fortitude save to break the effect. The save DC is Charisma based, and includes a +2 racial bonus.

[kluskinoodles]

PART 2!!!!!!!

Sorry this one is a bit shorter because I don’t really have that much stuff for these two but I’m open to ideas!!!! Warnings for underage drinking, child abuse, and period typical homophobia. But anyways, NEXT UP IS KYLE!!

He was born Kyle Leslie Jacob Fitzpatrick on July 24, 1938 in Buffalo, New York. Kyle was born to a family full of musical prodigies and as an only child. Kyle started to play the piano at a young age and by the time he was 8 he started playing the piano for the local church that his family went to (He was Christian). His mother was diagnosed with cancer when he was just 6 years old and she died a few months later. By the time he was 11, his father, who was a famous pianist and conductor, got invited to Rapture. Of course his father took the offer, left their faith, and by mid 1949 they traveled down. HIs father took him to shows so he could shadow him while he played. Kyle hates his middle name and changed it to Jacob when he was 14. It wasn’t til 1956 his father fell ill and also died (he doesn’t have great luck with parents). And that’s where Cohen came about, now that Kyle was vulnerable, Cohen could now persuade him to be his disciple. By early 1957, Kyle agreed and started working for Cohen (who has his eyes on him since he watched him play, NOT IN A CREEPY WAY. More like “I need that talent”). Kyle’s personality is a little difficult. He follows all Cohen’s orders, no matter how horrible they are. If Cohen tells him to stay, Kyle stays. If Cohen tells him to electrocute performers, he’s going to do it. The only order he did not follow was when Cohen told him his freckles were an eye sore and to go get fixed up like Cobb did. He didn’t do it but he did develop body image issues. He might be a bit chubby but at least Cohen hasn’t commented on that. Like the other of Cohen's disciples, Kyle has done drugs before, and he may or may not be a little bit addicted to cocaine. He says it helps him "focus", but the last time he did a line, he started running around, trying to pick his freckles off til he bled, and writing on the walls and floor of the Fleet Hall stage. Cohen did make him scrub it up. His relationship with the other three is weird. Him and Martin bitch at each other a bit but make up in the end. They just don’t see eye to eye sometimes especially when Kyle starts complaining and Martin tells him to shut the fuck up. Kyle and Silas is a bit complicated. Silas annoys the shit out of everyone, calling everyone pet names, all that jazz. But Kyle has a crush on Cobb, so for some reason he just CANNOT act normal around him. He’s always at least a bit flustered, but Kyle knows that Silas and Martin are jealous of him and the attention he is getting from Cohen. But Kyle would and WILL break Silas’ nose next time he tries touching him or basically flirting with him. Him and Hector are on neutral terms, Kyle is super worried about Hector’s drinking but the others say it’s fine and that he has been drinking for a while now, which worries Kyle even more. Kyle has never seen Hector sober before. Kyle and Cohen we all know their dynamic, Cohen takes advantage of him, yells at him, all that stuff. Then bro gets blown up, Cohen KYLE TRUSTED YOU AND YOU DO HIM LIKE THAT?????? 

Lastly, It’s our favorite alcoholic HECTOR!!

Hector Gutérrez Rodríguez was born on February 14, 1922 in Spain but moved to New Hampshire when he was 5 years old. Being the youngest of 4 kids, Hector did not have a good home life. Like at all, his father was verbally abusive, and his mother did not do anything to stop him from beating his siblings and him. He was inspired to be an author or a poet when he got older, or a playwright, he couldn’t decide. Hector started writing poems for his mom when he was just 7 years old, but his dad would tear them up and hit him for being a f-slur. His father called him “perverted” and a “peodophile” because he was gay. Like Martin, Hector was basically forced to come out when he was 17 when his father caught him with the boyfriend he had at the time. After that, he ran away from home and paid for a bus to New York. After a while of not finding work and sleeping on the streets, he turned to alcohol to cope with stress. And to make money, like Silas, he started selling his body for cash and a place to sleep. He met Cohen at a bar one night in 1940, and after he showed Cohen his writings, Cohen loved what he saw and took him in. He condensed his name down to just “Hector Rodriguez” losing the accent over the i so it would be more “americanized”. After a bit of working under Cohen (1943), Hector had stopped drinking and was a recovering alcoholic, it did take him a bit long to do because he was an addict but that’s okay. After Cohen went mad and started abusing his power, Hector turned back to the bottle and relapsed. Hector had a little bit of an anger problem but he was improving (BY DRINKING). His relationship with others has already been explained in the others explanations but I wanted to add one thing. He doesn't understand why Martin doesn’t know when people are flirting with him, but he’s probably just too drunk to care. He barely writes anymore, Cohen took all the creativity he had when he drove him to drink and took advantage of him. Hector is not really picky of what he drinks, but he really does miss real alcohol and not the water down stuff. EDIT: Hector is bilingual he speaks Spanish and English THE END!! Cohen when he sees an artist with daddy issues and struggles with sexual identity:

Part one here

@js-sexchange-surgeon-steinman @arsont-t Here's part two 😊 (sorry for tagging)