#marble elimination run

[serufu]

I talk about it publicly like maybe once every few years but something about me is that I am an avid fan of Jelle's Marble Runs, and the O'rangers this week are going to give me a heart attack, they can't keep doing this lmao

#o'rangers #why are you like this #I simply cannot argue that it does not make for an entertaining and heart pounding race week but like. #if you somehow survive the elimination race tomorrow #it will be such a miracle that you made it through this week and a course sent straight from hell to kill you specifically lol #anyway if any of you ever want to like #microdose sports and the rush and drama of it all but with absolutely zero real life stakes I can't recommend Jelle's Marble Runs enough #the casting commentary is so excellent these days too

[harlowcomehome]

Arts and concerts:

Requested by the beautiful and talented @jackharloww!

Jack had been frantically looking around the house for his keys, checking every counter and dresser possible.

“You didn’t hang them up?” You asked as he frantically started to check his pant pockets.

“I thought I did” his face was starting to grow red. He was supposed to be at the venue doing sound check already for NPLH.

“This is a fucking disaster” he threw his hands up in defeat as he sat on the bed.

“Baby, it’s fine. Take my car and I’ll keep looking” You walked over to him pushing his curls out of his face and planting a soft kiss on his pouty lips. You started to place kisses on his jawline, making him finally break out into a smile.

“I’m sorry, I’m just stressed” he took your face into his hands, giving you a more passionate kiss. You were interrupted by Hazel who watched the two of you in disgust from the doorframe.

“I found these” She had Jack's car keys hanging from her index finger as she held them as high in the air as possible.

Jack jumped off the bed immediately, grabbing them and picking Hazel up to spin her around. She giggled as her dad placed her back on the ground. “You’re a lifesaver Hazey!”

“Remember that tonight! I want my shout-out!” She giggled as Jack went and said his goodbyes to Jade who was pouting on the couch.

“What’s wrong Jadey?” Jack checked the time before taking a moment to sit with her.

“Don’t want you to leave” she mumbled.

“It’ll just be a few hours and then you three can come to the show with Uncle Clay! I promise” he held out his pinky to his youngest daughter who rolled her eyes but obliged anyway.

He gave you one more kiss before running out of the house.

“Drive safe! You have people who love you!” You always reminded him of that as he left the house, he blew you three kisses as he pulled away.

“Mommy, are we still making bracelets for Daddy's show?” Hazel already had the box of organized beads in her hand.

“Only if you tell me where you found those keys” you giggled, having a good idea.

Jade climbed down from the couch and over to you both, “I was sitting on them.”

Hazel laughed, not expecting her little sister to come clean so easily. “Jadey!”

“I wanna make bracelets” she shrugged as she climbed into the kitchen chair and waited for the two of you.

“Let’s not do that again! Your dad almost-“You paused and attempted to think of a better way to word what you wanted to say.

“Lost his marbles?” Jade giggled and you nodded knowing that’s how Grandma Maggie would’ve explained it.

You sat down at the table with the girls giving them bowls to put their beads in to eliminate some mess and then you showed them both how to tie them.

“Mommy! You’re fast!” Jade giggled as she watched your pile of bracelets quickly grow.

“My friends and I used to do this before shows in high school!” You giggled as you looked at Hazel and Jade's smaller piles.

“Do you think people will trade with us?” Hazel asked excitedly.

“I think so! Daddy made a post asking everyone to make bracelets so we are hoping the turnout is good” you smiled.

Jade was looking at the alphabetical beads for a moment before you noticed.

“Need my help bug? What do you want to put on yours?”

“Daddys girl!” She giggled as her feet swung underneath the table.

“I don’t think anyone would want that one though” Hazel giggled innocently. “Right mommy?”

“No, I think… I think someone would probably want to trade for that one” You smirked as you helped her look for the correct beads.

Hazel was confused at your response but luckily didn’t question it.

By the time show time came around, you had a combined 36 bracelets to trade. Clay drove the four of you to the venue to meet Jack before he went on stage.

“Do you think we made enough?” Hazel shook the plastic container that was holding the bracelets as you walked through the venue.

“I think that’s plenty” Clay chuckled shooting you a smile as you waited for Jack.

Jack greeted the four of you with a big hug before picking Jade up and balancing her on his side.

He bent down to give you a kiss before Hazel interrupted holding the container of bracelets up for him to see.

“What are these?” He smiled, sorting through the container. He immediately saw Jade's “daddy’s girl” bracelet and blushed thinking you made it.

“Jade made that one” you pointed when you saw his gaze.

“Oh yeah?”

“I made this one!” Hazel pulled one out of the container to give to Jack. “It’s not to trade! I made it for you!”

“For me?” Jack immediately put it on his wrist.

“I made you that one” Jade pointed to a purple and black bracelet that was sitting on top.

“You two are the sweetest! Thank you” Jack smiled as he put Jades on too.

“Hey! Where’s mine?” You teased and Hazel rummaged through the bracelets handing you one. Jade was too distracted talking to her dad to notice.

“This one’s for you!” Hazel gave you Jades bracelet still without her little sister noticing.

“Because you’re daddie’s girl right?” Hazel held her head to the side mildly confused, making you and Jack hold back laughter.

“Well, I need to go” he chuckled to himself “I need to go get ready.” He motioned for Clay to follow him as he sat Jade down on the ground beside you.

“Mhm,” you narrowed your eyes at him as you tried to contain your laughter.

“Let’s go sit down” You silently shook your head at your husband who was laughing down the hallway with his brother.

“Daddy is silly. He gots the giggles” Jade giggled too as she held your hand and walked with you.

“Yes, he’s very silly” you smiled as both of your daughters followed to the VIP area to wait for Jack to start the show.

#Jack Harlow #Jack Harlow x reader #jack harlow concepts #jack harlow imagines #jack harlow blurb #dad! Jack

[codenamesazanka]

AFO+Shigaraki Tomura/Shimura Tenko Role Reversal AU

*

Terrorist Shimura Tenko, age 26, has been sentenced to death for his heinous crimes. Morning before he goes though, he's carted over to Central Hospital.

Little AFO, age 12, is brought before Shimura to give him five quirks - this will surely overload Shimura’s brain, but since he's about to be executed anyways, it doesn't really matter.

But right before the procedure starts, Central Hospital is attacked. It's the League of Villains, here to rescue their boss. As he marbles Shimura, Mr. Compress also ends up marbling AFO and taking him along.

Hours later, in a secret hideout, the League congrats themselves on a successful rescue mission, but wonders what to do about this weird kid they've kidnapped. They’ll have to act quick - Heroes and HPSC will come for them soon. The HPSC have to come for the kidnapped kid, because, the moment the League realized who the kid is, they know AFO as the central piece of HPSC's new direction for society.

*

Four years ago, the government made a paradigm changing announcement - they've gained the ability to take away quirks and will start doing so as part of criminal justice.

This is a great thing, as it solves the century-old question about what to do with Villains. Really Bad Villains will have their quirks taken away, and put into regular security prison. Mild Villains can exchange their quirks for a shorter sentence. Dangerous quirks can now be eliminated. Human rights will be improved. Society will be safer.

—At least, it will be, once the chaos the announcement created settles down. Because the remnants of the Meta Liberation Army straight up revolted, along with other groups and other people.

The League of Villains did not start with this upheaval - they were already active two years before the announcement, led by Shimura Tenko, as just particularly notorious Villains doing whatever they wanted, whether it was heists or killing heroes or feuding with other villain groups - but they have become embroiled into the fight through a loose alliance with the MLA, and due to the HPSC holding members of the League up as the reason why the new law was enacted in the first place.

The HPSC have kept very, very top secret the exact method they’re using to take away quirks. No one knows for sure whether it was a drug or surgery or implant. There was a rumor that it was a quirk that was doing this, but it was just a rumor—until now.

Though, the League didn’t expect that it would be a kid. So what will they do with him now?

*

For all nearly all twelve years of his life, AFO (and his younger twin brother) has been in care of the HPSC. This is the first time he's ever been kidnapped, is in real danger, but he knows exactly what to do:

Nothing.

In all honesty, AFO would rather destroy this 'League of Villains' - just a bunch of insignificant insects running around causes messes and ruining everything (like his day!) - and just go home using his own power. He doesn’t like being away from Yoichi; he still has schoolwork to finish; the new chapter of Captain Hero: New Ultra is out Monday; he’s got his life to get back to.

But AFO has been relentlessly counseled and drilled by the HPSC for this exact scenario: He is NOT allowed to use his quirk. No matter what happens, he is only to wait for rescue.

Not that using his quirks might help much. AFO has never been taught to fight, and besides his own ‘Give-and-Take’ quirk, he’s got only five other low-tier quirks he had only taken this morning that he’s never used. The HPSC won’t risk letting him keep the quirks, see, so the system they’ve come up with is this: the quirks taken from criminals are transferred immediately to a Villain scheduled for execution. (Given the explosion in criminal activity and revolt over the past four years, death row has just the right and regular numbers to supply.) They’ve even got a machine just for him, just for tracking his quirk(s), invented by the famous American scientists David Shield and Toshinori Yagi, so they know exactly what he takes in and lets out.

When AFO has just his own original quirk, it’s as good as no quirk.

The HPSC has to do this, because AFO is a born villain. They know it; he knows it, everyone who’s ever met him knows it. It’s just hard to describe otherwise a child who came into this world stealing everything within reach: his mother’s life, his twin brother’s health, and every person’s quirk he ever had come into physical contact with even as an infant - the homeless woman who rescued the twins from a decaying corpse, the police who later found them while investigating a dead body that was registered in the system with a quirk but autopsy had revealed zero quirk factors left, the doctors that examined the twin babies.

AFO has heard this story many times. He’s got a too-strong quirk that’s made him clinically diagnosed kleptomaniac with a Cluster B personality disorder. Quirk counseling, behavioral counseling, regular counseling, art therapy... He’s been handled extremely delicately and thoroughly his entire life.

And that’s…fine. That’s how the world works. That’s the price of power. It’s better than being dead in the grave with the mom he killed, or out there in the chaos, if the HSPC had never found them. AFO’s on the side that’s calling the shots and set to dictate the final reality of a post-Advent world - he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. One day, he’ll grow up and he’ll become part of the HPSC and he’ll get his rightful piece of the cake - really, they’ve let him have some of it already, when he first started taking quirks away for them five years ago (first year was trial year, before they went public).

His itch to use his quirk is scratched regularly. He got to keep Yoichi, who had once almost been adopted away. Being on his best behavior means he gets most of what he asks for. The worst AFO can say is that he’s bored - which is expected, his brain is wired differently after all.

All he has to do is stay calm, play nice with the League, and wait for Heroes to arrive. Someone will come save him soon enough.

Everything is in order.

*

But of course, this encounter with Shimura and the League will be the catalyst that will destroy that very order.

(In one universe, AFO tells Tenko he'll teach him how to take his rage and give it purpose.

In this universe, Shimura tells little AFO he'll teach him how to find his rage.)

#All For One #AFO #Shimura Tenko #Shigaraki Tomura #bnha #mha #heroaca #AU #AU idea #nalslastworkingbraincell

[biscuitblinkeu]

They Like To Argue [14]

Chaennie x Fem!reader

Word Count: 3754

A/n: One more chapter I think? This gif is so cute!

……………………………………………………………………………

“Oh..” Seulgi was speechless seeing all the hands. “I honestly didn’t expect you all to raise your hands.” Seulgi placed her palm on her forehead and looked around at all the choices. She can’t have everyone watching you because some of them have things they need to do.

“Eliminate that hand, Chaeyoung. You can’t watch her first.” Seulgi said and the angel scowled, crossing her arms.

“And why not?” Chaeyoung didn’t understand why she couldn’t be with you. She was your guardian angel after all. 

“You have to meet with your parents to inform them you’ve arrived.” Seulgi explained hesitantly, knowing she wouldn’t like the idea at all.

After the explanation, despite Chaeyoung’s indifferent expression everyone could see she was furious. The irritated twitch of her lip gave it away, which she pressed together to suppress it. “Why can’t you tell them I’m here, Seulgi?” 

"Because they want you specifically. It won't be long, they just wanted to see you before it starts. You're meeting them at the main table after all. You won't be going anywhere that far from (Y/n)." She added.

"Fine, let's go in now, I want to get this over with." Seulgi put up a hand to stop her.

"We're not done yet," Seulgi said. She hasn't picked who watches you first, but the choice doesn't matter at the same time because they'll all be watching you if they’re near. "Lisa and Jennie." She picked, earning multiple groans from the remaining angels because they weren't chosen. Especially Yeji. She deserves a chance to be with you since she just met you and the others have already.

But it doesn’t go like that- not with Seulgi’s choosing. She has to listen as it’s an order. She is fine with waiting, it’s just annoying and unfair to her, despite the fact she’ll get to hang out with you later.

“All of you stop sulking. You’re all basically still watching her, just them first? You know what. I hope you can understand what I just said. But let’s just go in now, we’re already 3 minutes late.” She sighed, and everyone nodded. They did understand what she meant, which released some of their frustration. Once you got in front of the main entrance the door automatically opened, revealing a lot of things for you to take in.

You looked around the banquet room like a deer in headlights. Everything was so fancy and rich— it was unreal. White and gold-themed tables were placed around the room seated with angels, fallen ones, and demons. You then remembered something Seulgi told you about the banquet. There was a strict no fighting policy, seeing as everyone was talking equally and minding their own business.

If this wasn’t an event they’d be at each other's throats.

You noticed gold lining the marble wall cracks. The floor was a glossy white, and chandeliers lit up the room, decorated with crystals and materials you’ve never seen before. They hung from the ceiling, which was invisible, and instead there was the night sky.

You suspected the chandeliers were floating, but didn’t have time to question it when a long table across the room caught your attention. It was filled with food. Jennie saw you eyeing the desert table, practically eating the stuff on it with your eyes. “Do you want to go there first?” She asked, and you immediately agreed. Jennie smiled and held your hand, bringing you to the food tables and Jisoo followed along, wanting some herself. The other angels did as well.

Everyone except Chaeyoung and Seulgi followed, as they were walking in the opposite direction to the main table where the Dove, the Generals, and the top angel’s sat. When they got in sight, Chaeyoung’s father came running over to her. ”You came!” Mr. Rose smiles, pulling her into a hug. Chaeyoung just hummed, hugging back. She didn’t want to come in the first place, and she didn’t want to hug him. She’s not fully comfortable with him yet because she doesn’t have her full trust.

The next person to come over was her mother, who patted her on the shoulder. “I know you are annoyed having to come here first, but it will be quick. Did you bring the human?” Mrs. Park asked, looking around the room. Her mother and father were both interested to meet you.

…

The group of angels were taking over the desert table, filling their plates with so much food there might not be enough for the rest of the guests. You and Nayeon go straight for the desserts while the others go for the real food. While Jennie is putting stuff on her and Yeji’s plate, she’s interrupted by a sickeningly familiar voice. 

“To what do we owe the pleasure of this meeting, Grim Reaper? Who would’ve thought you’d attend a banquet?” Jennie’s jaw clenched in irritation and she passes the plate to Yeji, drops your hand, and turns around to greet them— which she doesn’t want to, but she’ll be considered rude if not.

“I was so sure you’d skip again,” they say wistfully, twirling their wine glass amusingly. “It also seems your group will inhale all of the food this year too.”

This is the exact reason Jennie hates banquets. This one, cocky angel that comes to her like a magnet, talking shit about her or being annoying. She thinks they hold some kind of grudge against her, maybe one thing from the past— she doesn’t care. “We all know you don’t get any pleasure from my visit, Shin. Cut the crap.” Jennie seethed, clutching the fork in her hand like a knife.

“Yeah…let’s go,” Jisoo said, grabbing your hand and walking you to the side tables to sit. You could tell Jisoo was annoyed, her face scrunched up with a look that revealed how much she disliked the interaction. Jisoo knows Shin will bring up how Jennie and her are the most problematic and such. Those are Jennie’s “enemies” and she’s just dragged in.

“Who was that?” You asked curiously, stuffing a piece of cheesecake in your mouth. You couldn’t help but worry for Jennie. She became really tense at their voice.

“Mr. Shin Procit,” Jisoo informed. “He’s a high-class angel who works in the council along with Chaeyoung’s mother. Nobody likes him, at least that’s what I think. Who would like him with that attitude?” She goes on, now rambling. You hum.

“Do you like the cake?” She asks, changing the topic and watches you put more in more in your mouth, making your cheeks puff up. You nod. “You're similar to Nayeon,” Jisoo said, pointing at your cheeks. “Actually..where is she?”

Jisoo looks around the room, her eyes finding Nayeon at the dessert table where everyone else was. The bunny-toothed angel was still piling up a plate, putting a little bit of everything on it. Jisoo let out a snort.

“Did you know you attract a lot of attention, girl?” A voice said behind Jisoo and you, scaring you both. When you turn around you’re met with another angel who has light brown hair, sharp eyes, and powdered with golden make-up. 

“She does, Yoon-hwi,” Jisoo speaks up for you. 

“Well, that is interesting. I just wanted to remind her- maybe you both. You have demons eyeing you across the room.” Yoon-hwi informs, stealing glances at you as she speaks, cocking an eyebrow in confusion.

“You are Chaeyoung’s human, right?” Yoon-hwi asked, and you nodded. Jisoo thinks you should’ve never answered Yoon-hwi, and instead she did the talking but it was too late. “Oh really? So this is the special human..” Yoon-hwi mutters, looking you up and down.

”You’re pretty.” That is what the light-brown-haired angel says next, surprising Jisoo the most. That isn’t a good thing to say to someone else’s human. It’s considered rude if they’re not yours. You just mutter a small “Thanks..” and look at Jisoo for help. The  dark-haired angel just gives you a weary smile, she can’t really do anything about it, because now you have her attention.

 Yoon-hwi is spotting you, which means she’s hitting on you, most likely to try and have you. It’s a rather stupid thing Jisoo thinks, along with the rules. They state you can’t interfere if another angel is spotting a human, it’s the human's choice. 

If she knew the conversation was gonna turn out like this she’d never have let Yoon-hwi speak.

 ….

“Yes, I brought her. She’s somewhere around here, with Jisoo and Jennie I believe— and the others.” Chaeyoung answered her mother who smiled. “Bring her here soon, we’d like to meet her. Also, keep her safe.” Her father said, also looking around for you. There were so many people here it was hard to see you in the crowd.

“I think she’s over by the dessert table, that’s where they went first,” Seulgi informed. She had already spotted you, who had someone new with you. Seulgi would rather make Chaeyoung look and see for herself. It would be entertaining.

“Oh, don’t you do that.” A teasing voice speaks up, being Minai’s. He’s in a white suit, with a gold tie and face decorated with jewels. “That comment was for you, Seulgi. I know what you're thinking.” He taps his forehead twice and grins smugly. 

Seulgi clears her throat, hoping to change the topic, “You look dashing Minai!” He compliments and Chaeyoung nods.

“Thank you.” He does a little bow, showing off the full outfit. “Now, Chaeyoung...” He looks at Seulgi and she rolls her eyes playfully. “Did you know the human is getting spotted?” At the word “spotted” Chasyoung scowls. “I happened to pass by the human and the others, and Yoon-hwi kept taking shots at her, she called the human pretty and kissed her hand. Jisoo is with her but she can’t do anything.”

“Well, that’s all I wanted to say. I’ll meet you at the table soon then, goodbye.” He then walks off into the crowd, most likely to find his friends. “Alright. How about we go-” Seulgi says as she turns to address Chaeyoung but stops as the angel is already gone. At that, Seulgi starts running to the area, not wanting to miss the drama.  

…

“I can’t believe Park Chaeyoung has such a lovely human. Why don’t you trade her for me? I’ll treat you much better....” Yoon-hwi lulled, reaching out to caress your cheek. As she’s about to do so her hand is immediately slapped away and yanked up by someone.

It's Chaeyoung who's suddenly next to her, glaring at her hand. “What are you doing?” She says coldly, her grip on the light-brown-haired angel’s wrist increasing so tight to the point Yoon-hwi thinks it's gonna break. 

Yoon-hwi doesn’t answer Chaeyoung, too focused on prying her wrist out of her grip, and when she does it just tightens more. She lets out a scream, which is muffled by Chaeyoung’s hand over her mouth as she feels her bones cave in, very close to the point of snapping. Chaeyoung lets out an amused hum before throwing him down to the floor.

She won’t snap Yoon-hwi’s wrist— at least not in front of you. Once Yoon-hwi is let go she scrambles up off the floor and runs away into the crowd. Jisoo can’t hold in her laughter as Yoon-hwi runs away with her tail between her legs. You are just silent and shocked. You find it funny a bit too, but not to the point you can laugh out loud about it. You’ll stay respectful.

Jennie, Seulgi, Lisa, Nayeon, and Yeji seemed to have watched the situation unfold as they were standing around you, eating their food as if it was normal. At this point, you thought it was normal seeing Chaeyoung act like that.

“Is she interesting to you?” Your angel asks with a curious tilt of her head, her facial expression blank as she stares into your eyes. The angel seemed mad, maybe irritated, with you. You avert your eyes down to the gold trill of her dress, not because you’re avoiding the answer, but because you're scared to. Your answer is a simple “no,” but Chaeyoung’s demeanor is making you think you shouldn’t speak up at all. There’s no way to tell how Chaeyoung is going to respond.

“(Y/n), look at me properly,” she says, lifting your chin. Her tone is sweet like sugar and you would’ve been fooled if it weren’t for the lingering bitterness coating it. Her eyes were another clue. They were somewhat cold and indifferent, and once you meet them she smiles— that same smile that makes you think Chaeyoung’s normal.

You think it’s safe— it has to be safe to answer now and you’re just overthinking it, yet your mouth won’t open, you don’t know how she’ll answer— if a simple “no” is fine. 

“Cat got your tongue, (Y/n/n)?” She questioned, now face to face with you with a fond expression. Your angel brings up a hand to pay your head, brushing over your hair lightly. “You don’t have to answer. I know you’re not interested in her… and if you are,” she breaks her sentence and smiles, backing up a few inches. You wondered what she would have said and what your response would be. It was left blank for a reason.

“Okay?…” you trail off, looking at her hoping for an answer, but to no avail. Jisoo speaks up, placing a hand on Chaeyoung’s shoulder. “Boo,” she drags on in fake pity, shaking her head left to right. “That’s a shame. You’re rather boring Pasta?” We were all waiting for your lovely confession.” Jisoo whispers the last part, and Chaeyoung glares at her playfully. The others think so as well. Chaeyoung is holding back again, and again. It’s be more interesting if she spoke what was on her mind. 

“So, how is the food?” She asks, picking up your plate and taking a bit of your cheesecake. Her cheeks puff out as she chews, and she lets out a hum of approval. It was good, food was probably the best thing about the banquet. The meetings were the worst.

Lisa cooed at Chaeyoung, turning and wiggling her eyebrows at you before moving towards the angel. She grabs the angel’s cheek and puckers her lips. “Chaeyoungah, kiss,” she says in a flirty baby voice, and Chawyoung scowls, her face scrunching up in disgust as she backs away.

Nayeon, Yeji, Jennie, and Seulgi break out into laughter, you as well watch Chaeyoung struggle to get away. Lisa corners the angel at the table, blocking her way of escap. She gets close enough to her cheek but does not touch it, and “kisses” her, making a smooch sound before poking the area. 

This happens way too often, and Chaeyoung knows she should consider when it does- but she’s always too late to react to Lisa, or Jennie trying to tease her with a kiss. 

“I think we should be going to the table now- with your parents,” Seulgi spoke up through the laughs, informing Chaeyoung- mostly you, of them. Chaeyoung’s parents want to meet you, so it’s best if they go now before it gets too late and they have to stay overtime.

“(Y/n) you’re fine with that, right?” Chaeyoung asked you, taking your left hand and allowing Jennie to take the other, building you to the main table.

When you got there, there were four others. Minai, who you assumed we Chaeyoung’s parents, and a boy with blonde hair. When Chaeyoung’s parents caught sight of you, her father immediately got up and pulled out a chair, motioning for you to sit down. He had striking lilac hair, deep brown eyes, and a few freckles around his nose and cheeks like Chaeyoung.  

You take a seat next to her parents, but about one seat away. You sit between Jennie and Chaeyoung— the angel closer to her parents. Chaeyoung gives her father a light smile, and it’s not nice or mean. It’s tolerant. If he tries anything she won’t stand for it. 

Everyone else sits down around the table, in order of Minai, the blonde angel boy, Seulgi, Jisoo, Nayeon, Lisa, and Yeji. After everyone is settled, Chaeyoung’s mother speaks up, saying, “Welcome to the banquet! I’m Chaeyoung’s mother, Mrs. Park, and this is her father, Mr. Rose.” She introduces themselves to you. 

“Yes that’s right, and you can just call me Rose...It’s nice to meet you.” Mr. Rose added with a smile. You return it, “It’s nice to meet you both.” You said before looking down because the angel across the table with blonde hair was staring at you very intensely. It was making you uncomfortable.

Chaeyoung noticed that and cleared her throat, narrowing her eyes at the boy. “That’s Areim.” She says, setting a hand on your shoulder so you look up. She wanted to make sure you’re the most comfortable here.

Minai scoffs as Chaeyoung introduces her, muttering something about, “spHe could’ve done it himself,” and so on. Jennie doesn’t understand why he couldn’t either, and being the person she is, she asked, “Did a demon bite your tongue off? Can’t speak for yourself?” She said daringly to the angel, who rolled his eyes.

“I didn’t feel the need,” he answered, and at those words Chaeyoung’s expression faltered. How annoying, she thought. You could sense the tension, and decided to stay out of it by paying attention to the food on the table. Your attention is grabbed by a foamy drink cased with a gold-dotted twisting shaped glass, which you go for immediately, taking a sip from it out of curiosity. It tasted like some kind of fancy wine with sweet foam on top. 

”So, (Y/n), right?” Areim decided to speak to you, ignoring Jennie’s irritated glance. You nod in response, taking another sip of the foamy drink. Areim hummed, looking you up and down. “You’re interesting.” He tilted her head as she said that, a smirk on his face in amusement. “You look like a bookworm.” He added, and you didn’t find it mean, because he wasn’t wrong. 

“How do you feel about Chaeyoung? I know you must just be repulsed by that Grim Reaper, you must hate her, I know.” He had to add, and from the side you saw how Jennie looked down briefly, a frown on her lips. You knew she had to be remembering that time you said you hated her— and you wanted to get rid of that thought. You interlaced your fingers with Jennie’s underneath the table, squeezing her hand once. She glanced at you and that smile was back on her face. 

“How do you feel about the angel, though?” Areim asked again, and you looked at him wide-eyed. Chaeyoung was silent, she decided to see how this plays out. “I mean your relationship…skinship, right?” You didn’t know what to say, what’s with all these personal questions?

“Don’t ask her that,” Jennie spoke, clearly still annoyed. When Areim hears her voice, he scowls. “She never said I couldn’t. Now why don’t you shut up and let me speak? I haven’t met her.” He said in a snarky way, turning back to you. “I hope those questions weren’t intrusive. You don’t have to answer.” As he speaks his tone was much more softer than the harsh one he used with Jennie. You decided you didn’t like this guy all that much.

Nobody understands how he can be nice to everyone except Jennie. They think it’s something to do with status, maybe the fact she’s a Grim Reaper and he’s an angel. That doesn’t make sense though, because they’re all angels themselves, and they have no problem with Jennie.

You focus your attention on the drink, glad he didn't make you answer. “Stop being such a bitch.” Jennie snaps and you splutter, a bit of your drink spilling from your lips. That was unexpected. Chaeyoung notices and grabs a napkin, wiping your mouth for you.

“Ah, they’re about to start this year again?” Jisoo lets out a chuckle, looking to the side when Seulgi glares at her to shut up. You’re partly confused by the comment, wondering if they do this often.“Is that appropriate at the table? Calling each other names?” You asked quietly, looking at Chaeyoung for an answer.  

Chaeyoung shrugged, “It's appropriate at this point..we all got used to it.” She laid her head on your shoulder. “It’s entertaining.”

“A bitch?” He questioned, his mouth corners pricking into a sinister smile, twitching as he tried to hold his composure. “You’re the bitch here Jennie! Always running your damn mouth when it’s not needed.” 

“Back at you.” Jennie leaned back in her chair, making him splutter in disbelief. Areim’s face goes red with embarrassment and anger having his own remark turned against him.

Chaeyoung’s parents were watching this unfold, and Mrs. Park was regretting letting Areim sit here again. She thought they’d get over their little rival bickering. She really hoped this banquet year would be different.

“You’re the bitch who misses the banquet almost every year. A straight disappointment. You disgrace your family. I’m surprised you even came to this one.”

“Oh? I have fun being a disappointment, don’t you know? And was I supposed to miss this one too? Miss a banquet with my human and my angel? Oh my, I could never!…” Jennie gasped dramatically, holding a hand to her forehead like a damsel in distress as she fell on Lisa’s shoulder. And, Lisa playing along, began to fan Jennie. Areim narrows his eyes at them and scoffs. He doesn’t answer for a while and that’s when Jennie thinks he’s done throwing a tantrum, but he’s not.

“Your brother (a collective gasp was heard) would’ve wanted—” Areim attempted to argue back, but was immediately cut off by a scythe floating at his throat. The curved blade pressed against his skin, and if he moved the slightest bit it would cut. He gulped, eyeing the teddy bear figure dangling on its end with fearful confusion.

“If you finish that sentence I’ll kill you.” Jennie said lowly, lips tugging into a wide grin. She had enough of him— enough to the point she’ll kill him in front of everyone right now. Areim went too far bringing up her brother. Which everyone knows shouldn’t be spoken of because he’s long gone.

It only takes a single slice of a Grim Reaper’s Scythe to sever an Angel's head.

Would you like to continue?

#biscuitblinkeu #blackpink x reader #fanfic #blackpink #fem reader #jennie x reader #rosé x fem!reader #jennie x fem!reader #park chaeyoung x reader #rosé x reader #somethingpeculiar.biscuit

[adventure-showdown]

What is your favourite Doctor Who story?

ROUND 1 MASTERPOST

synopses and propaganda under the cut

The Queen of Time

Synopsis

Somewhere outside our universe, she is waiting.

A god-like immortal, living in a realm of clocks. The hours tick slowly by as she plots and plans. She is readying her trap. A trap for a very special man in a very special police box.

Hecuba has all the time in the world. But for the Doctor, time is running out.

Propaganda

It's a really interesting lost story in the vein of The Celestial Toymaker, where the Doctor is held captive at the world's worst dinner party while his friends are forced through a gauntlet of time-themed traps and puzzles. (6&7)

Paradise 5

Synopsis

The Doctor and Peri visit the planet Targos Delta to check in on old friend Professor Albrecht Thompson, only to discover that he has vanished. He was last sighted taking a shuttle to the holiday resort of Paradise 5, then never seen again.

The Doctor's curiosity is piqued. They must investigate, but they must do so stealthily...Peri will go undercover on Paradise 5, while the Doctor hides in the shadows. Because paradise holds a terrible secret beneath the white marble and golden trimmings. The mute Cherubs have a story to tell. And the Elohim are coming.

Beware.

Propaganda

Peri finally gets to be the star of the show! Really really good episode for her! (@finalpam8000 )

The Elite

Synopsis

The Doctor offers Tegan and Nyssa a trip to the paradise world of Florana, but instead the TARDIS takes them to a domed city on a planet scarred by warfare. A world where everyone is young, and fighting for the glory of the Elite...

Hidden away in the Cathedral of Power, the High Priest is watching. It knows the Doctor, and his arrival changes everything... (anonymous)

Propaganda

The best Dalek story never made. (@finalpam8000 )

I am the Master

Synopsis

There is a message for you. It comes from a long way, from a dying world. No, not a dying world. A killed world. And the message is from the killer.

Please attend carefully. The message that follows is vital to your future...

However much longer that may be.

Propaganda

the master has a fun time :) (anonymous)

Forever Fallen

Synopsis

Until now, an offered chance from the Doctor has never stopped the villain's schemes.

Until now, the android armies, the powerful space stations, the mind-control rays, have gone unchecked to disastrous effect.

Until now...

...But then what happens?

Propaganda no propaganda submitted

A Full Life

Synopsis

Adric's life is full of death. His parents died when he was a child. His brother died a few months ago. Now, travelling with the Doctor and Romana, everywhere he visits, people die. But now they have arrived on Veridis. And on Veridis, the dead come back...

Propaganda

It made me break down into tears. (@finalpam8000 )

#round 1

[fieldofdaisiies]

Ars Amatoria | ch. XXI

-all rights reserved-

Elucien AU word count: 3,1k words warnings: none

masterlist

Where there was sacred stillness in the dome minutes before, where peace and calm had prevailed, a sudden disruption shatters the peaceful atmosphere. Chaos erupts as the silence is shattered by an unexpected attack. 

Shouts of alarm ring all around them and fear pierces through the hearts. 

Lucien spins around, his thoughts only with Elain. But he can’t see her, can’t make out her figure, there is too much movement. 

And in a swift and brutal assault, dark figures clad in masks and armed with knives and swords surge forward. 

The lunge themselves at Eris and Lucien, and the younger Vanserra brother knows in this moment that this was planned and Jacobo’s former kindness was nothing but pretence. 

Lucien can dodge the hand with the knife that comes flying at him, but Eris is not quick enough. Or Lucien thinks so. 

It is Azriel who jumps in between the attacker and his lover, acting as a shield, the knife effortlessly piercing through his skin when a loud wail parts his lips and Eris releases a scream almost of the same sound. 

The dome becomes a battlefield, stained by violence and terror as the attack unfolds and people try to escape, running for their lives. 

The benches splinter and crash under the impact of the attack as people try to escape by running over them, their once-sturdy frames are nothing more than reduced to shards of wood. 

Cries of anguish mix with the clashes of weapons and the loud footsteps of many people echoing across the marble floor. People scatter, seeking refuge behind banks or trying to escape by shoving other people out of the way, their faces etched with terror. 

And one of those people is Elain. She tries to grab the hand Lucrezia extends to her, but her damp fingers slip. She is not focused, her thoughts only with Lucien and finding him in the turmoil. Someone bumps into her, harsh, her feet slip on the ground and her head…her head comes in contact with the back of a wooden pew. It knocks her out in the instant, blood pooling around the wound. 

Lucrezia tries to push back through the people, getting to her daughter-in-law but she can’t make it. She is pulled along with the crowd of people trying to storm outside. Lucrezia is screaming, both for her sons whom she can no longer see, as she knows the attack was meant for them, but also for Elain whom she can’t reach. 

The helplessness makes her feel nauseas and she cries out once again. 

Amidst the battle that unfolds, Jurian rises to defend his friends, grabbing the sword of a fallen attacker. 

Time freezes as the battle continues, every second filled with danger and uncertainty. The people who can’t escape the confines of the dome, silently pray for safety, seeking comfort in whispered pleas amid the turmoil.

“Eris!” Lucien calls out. “You need to get out!” The younger Vanserra brother knows that the attack is first and foremost all aimed at Eris, and that they want to get him out of the way. Or—

He feels the slash the knife causes to his neck, having been to distracted with finding his brother. Both brothers need to be eliminated. 

He knows in this moment. Bot need to be gone in order for Jacobo to rise to power. 

With Eris’ passing the bank would fall into Lucien’s hands and nothing would change. 

Lucien thrashes his foot out, pushing back his attacker who knocks his head on a bench and lifelessly falls to the ground.

 Lucien is quick to collect his dagger, holding it tightly in his hands. 

He wonders how many people came armed, hoping that not only the enemies did. The echoing clash of steel against steel reverberates through the interior of the dome, intertwining with anguished cries and screams. Pews are overturned, as people get more desperate in their pursuit of escaping against the whirlwind of desperation and fury.

As the brothers are confronted with their attackers, the anonymous assassins, Jacobo and Tamlin are probably already on the run, a safety measure if anything goes wrong during the attack and Eris and Lucien emerge as winners. 

A tiny, barely there kernel of hope blooms in Lucien’s chest when he finally spots Eris with a knife in his hand. 

With every thrust, the clashing of their daggers and knifes hollows through the dome in these moments. The atmosphere is tense, filled with a palpable energy as the brothers fight against their attackers. 

Flickering candles create shadows on their sweaty skins. And still, even with the knife that scratches his skin and is only mere inches away from his heart, all Lucien can think about is his wife. 

Her safety, her well-being…

 A loud scream escapes from his mouth, filled with pain and fear, when he spots Elain lying on the ground. 

Time seems to slow down, giving him a chance to take in the shocking sight of the gaping wound on her forehead. He is overwhelmed by shock and horror, feeling like his whole world is shattering into pieces. This can’t be his beloved wife on the ground. 

In his panicked state, he loses his balance and accidentally trips over Azriel, who is also lying on the ground. 

Lucien's mind is clouded with terror and confusion, making it difficult to understand what is happening. He struggles to regain his composure and rushes towards his loved one, desperate to make sense of the terrifying situation he is facing. He moves through the people that all become a blur around him. 

As the anonymous attackers close in around Eris, he braces himself, his muscles tense with a mixture of fear and determination. 

Adrenaline courses through his veins, making him fight even harder. He won’t lose this. And especially not after they harmed Azriel. They will pay. Each one of them with pay with their life. 

The clash of metal against metal fills the air, each strike sounding like thunder within the dome's walls. 

But Eris fights mercilessly, with sheer force, using his hands and feet and the knife in his hand. Dust dances in the beams of sunlight as he looks around the chaos and mess left behind. Blood stains the pristine floor, portraying the auwful reality of the fight. 

The church slowly empties, only the members of the Vanserra family left as well as Jurian behind. Lucrezia who fought her way back in, now cradling Elain in her arms. Vassa is behind her and soon collapses onto her knees, next to the two women. 

But there are two of the attackers left. 

Driven by his pain, Eris shoves one back, but not before he thrusts his knifed hand into the other ones chest, piercing through flesh and bone, a loud scream ripping itself free from his throat. And then he lands his final blow — making the other attacker fall lifelessly to the ground. 

It is in this moment that Lucien breaks down on the ground next to Vassa, his mother and his wife. His heart is racing with panic, as his hands fall to Elain’s lifeless body. 

“Elain.Elain.Elain.” Her name hollows through his mind, as he takes in her parted lips, the closed eyes and the blood trickling down the side of her face. His mother is weeping, face streamed with tears, as her chest rises and falls with her sobs. 

In the aftermath of the attack, time stands still as the interior of the dome is filled with nothing but silent sobs and ragged breath. 

“Her heart,” Lucrezia weeps and curls her hand around Lucien’s wrist, pulling his hand over Elain’s chest, placing it right above her heart. “It is still beating. She is injured but alive.”

Lucien swallows a sob, lifting his head before whipping it back to the awful sound that erupts behind him. 

Eris’ wail drowns out every other noise, filled with pain and so much anger. 

But then, his tall figure rises from the ground. He tosses the knife in his hand away, growling as he stalks towards his brother, his mother and his sister-in-law. Jurian and Vassa. 

“These men hurt my family and I will make them pay. Each one of them. I will make the Hybern family pay,” he spits. 

His eyes, filled with nothing but pain, land on Elain and everyone can see the sheer venom boiling inside of him. “They will be hanged. Each on of them!” 

His face and body bear the marks of the battle, blood and dirt coating his skin. His eyes reflect pain and anger and when he steps outside the dome he commands the few men left there, his supporters, to capture Jacobo, and all the members of the Hybern family. 

“Go after your brother,” Lucrezia cries out, shoving Lucien’s shoulder. “I am staying with Elain. She will be fine, go after Eris. Please.”

 It is like a part of his heart is destroyed, leaving Elain back but he knows his mother is right and so Lucien follows after his brother. On his face there are visible bruises and cuts, his shirt torn as blood drips out of many small cuts. He follows after Eris, his stroll determined and with a destination in mind. Lucien can barely catch up with him. 

As Eris walks through the crowd, the air crackles with a unique blend of tension, curiosity, and awe. Many of the people crowded there expected the Vanserra brothers to be dead. They did not expect them to be alive after the attack. They had feared for the worst, for what would come if the Hybern family won. The once bustling streets of Florence have transformed into a murmuring sea of shocked people.

Eris’ face, usually adorned with kindness and politeness, now carries the burden of recent the events. Determination flickers in his eyes, fuelled by the chaos that has unfolded moments before. Despite the weariness etched into his features, he maintains a strong composure, reflecting the strength of his being. And so does Lucien, standing strong and tough behind him. The crowd parts slightly as Eris and his younger brother move forward. The eyes of the onlookers are fixated on the Vanserra brothers as they stroll forward, up the steps of the Palazzo Vecchio. 

Whispers ripple through the crowd of spectators, their voices laden with surprise and respect. They witness two brothers who have faced unimaginable terror, but came out as survivors. Eris’ steps, measured and purposeful, echo through the cobblestone streets and he comes to a halt, turning to the ground. Noblemen and commoners alike stand beneath him, watching him, waiting. They are captivated by his strong presence, the power that boils beneath his skin, flooding through his veins. His presence serves as a reminder that amidst the darkness of this moment, there is always light. And within the heart of Florence his heart beats for all the people and it won’t be stopped. Neither will he be silenced. 

Lucien is standing at his brother’s side, and so are other lords that supported his brother, so is Jurian, as they stand on the Piazza della Signoria. The oldest Vanserra’s brother’s posture is tall, his shoulders squared and he conveys nothing but power. 

The words that spill form Eris mouth drip with venom and rage as he speaks. “Today the Hybern family tried to murder my brother, they tried to murder me and people close to me.” 

As pain radiates from his body and courses through his being, he pauses, and collects his thoughts. “The Hybern family has a long history of treason and murder. But previous crimes have gone unpunished as they could not be proven. But now…now I want the entire Hybern family to be hunted down, and wiped out. I want their financial assets seized and given to the people. And I want their coat-of-arms removed from every building, every document, every coin and every surface in this city.” He pauses for a moment. His posture is nothing but ethereal power and he lifts his hand. 

And then, with the full force of his being, he shouts, “I want the Hybern name expunged from history!”

This earns him applause and loud cheering from the people crowded around them. Lucien clasps his brother’s shoulder in his hand, bringing him in for a tight embrace. 

A rider has been sent out to Rhysand’s forces that are now on the way to the city, aiding them in finding all members who have been part of the attack. 

✢ ✢ ✢

He meets them in the dungeon of the palazzo, Briar is shivering, shaking and crying and so is Tamlin. But despite their desolate state, Eris has only little compassion for them…as he should. “We did not know. She did not know. Spare her life. You can hang me, but spare Briar,” Tamlin pleads, kneeling as he begs for his life, for her life. 

Eris is sitting in a sprawl, in his chair, looking down on them. The sweat and blood have dried on his face as he regards them, nothing but disgust blooming inside of him. Tamlin looks like a sitting duck and for a moment Eris wants to believe him. But he can’t.

“We knew nothing. We—“ “Shut up!” Eris shouts, his voice nothing but a growl as little droplets of spit fly from his mouth. 

Trembling with anger, his voice quivering, he speaks with raw anger, accusing them of their betrayal. “Your family betrayed us, my sister-in-law might not survive this and neither…” His voice quavers, his lower lips quivering. “And others might not either.” 

He balls his hands into fists when he leans forward. “Only through Elain did you two meet. You would not be here without her…and now you betrayed us like this.” 

He trembles with fury, his anger reaching a boiling point as he gazes upon their weak figures, laying his heart bare to them. “Tell me one good reason for why I should spare you.” Spare them…

Other members of the Hybern family and their allies are already dangling from the buildings of the city, hung up and for the population of Florence to see. It is their punishment, for their betrayal and the pain and terror the brought upon the city. Eris still has no idea how Azriel is, if he…if he survived the attack. He does not know how Elain is doing, is she is alright. Lucien left after the announcement, going to his wife to check up on her. 

Eris could not blame him for it, could not blame him for leaving him alone to deal with. If he could he would have done the same — be with Azriel, hold him, kiss and tell him, no matter who is watching, that he loves him. 

“She did not know, Eris. Please, I am begging you.” “He did not know either. Tamlin did not know,” Briar cries out, her devastation so palpable and poignant it tells Eris that they might truly not be lying. “Jacobo has not told me anything since my marriage to Briar. I think he started to suspect something. With voting for him, supporting him, I thought I get him to speak, suspecting that he might be up to something.” 

Eris does not care about it. He never wants to see them again. He wants them to be—

“Exile!” It is all he says, tilting his head at the nobleman and his supporters in the room so they would take care of it. He gets up from his chair as the men in the room gather Briar and Tamlin, bringing them outside where they would climb into a carriage that would take them to their destination. To their exile. 

He never wants to see them again in his life, but he also won’t take their lives if they are innocent. Especially Briar, as she really seems to have a purely good soul and heart that likes Tamlin a lot. They shall live a life in exile - not a wonderful way to live, but they are alive, other than Tamlin’s uncle. 

Eris confronts Jacobo only moments later, his shoulders squared in a display of strength and power. His presence commands attention as he stands tall before him, displaying unwavering determination. 

“Why?” he asks, his voice low and pained, exhaustion nearing in waves. “Why do you keep hating us?”

“It is you who hates us,” Jacobo answers, his hands bound in front of his body, his posture still strong, his voice tinged with bitterness. “Because you are some jumped-up wool dealers. You may own the richest bank in the world, and could build a thousand cathedrals, but you will never be a noble family like us. We were destined to rule, and you know that.” 

His chin quavers as he speaks the words, but Eris is not affected by it. 

A feeling of dullness fills his chest as he keeps on looking at him. Of course, the Vanserra family and bank have not done everything right, but they never acted with violence. 

“Is that the only reason you tried to kill us? Power and the thought that you should rule this city?” In disgust, Eris looks down at Jacobo, his stance resolute and his demeanour filled with nothing but confidence. 

“God is our only judge. We did what we believed to be right.”

“Was Tamlin involved?” 

Jacobo smirks in answer and then shakes his head. “I couldn’t trust the idiot anymore. After meeting his wife he changed and that not in a positive way.”

Eris shakes his head, his throat starting to ache as he closes his eyes, pain so poignant inside of him it nearly suffocates him. 

“I…” His voice breaks. “We tried to make peace with you. And it failed. It ends here and you lose.” As Eris turns, he commands his men to take Jacobo and hang him from the building, deigning him no other glance. Everything has been said, there are no more words needed. The decision has been made. Alea iacta est. 

Exhaustion is like a heavy coat on top of him when Eris returns to the family home. It is calm, too calm, and he stumbles through the door. And finds his mother, carrying a basin filled with water and some cloths stained with blood hanging over her arms.

 “Mother how…Elain?” he asks. 

Lucrezia shivers, tears streaming out of her eyes as she starts to sway, and a silent sob splits her lips. 

~~~~~~~~~~~ taglist AA: @octobers-veryown @velidewrites @areyoudreaminof @acourtofthought @liftyourhipsformelovex @hallway5 @stickyelectrons @honeysuckle-daydreams13 @bibliophiliaxvignette @thelovelymadone @sunshinebingo @arabellatheauthor @autumndreaming7 @nestas-workwife @rarephloxes  @tuzna-pesma-snova general el. taglist: @rippahwrites @shadowhunter2003 @my-inner-crisis @ladyelain @acourtofthought @itwasalwaysaboutthetea @multifictional  @moonlightazriel @aayo-whatt @brekkershadowsinger @sunshinebingo @gracie-rosee @a-frog-with-a-laptop

#elain x lucien #elucien #elucien au #acotar #acotar au #acosf

[marvelmusing]

Shower Thoughts

Pairing: Billy Russo x Reader

Summary: The past comes back to haunt you and Billy during your holiday, and the following altercation takes a toll on Billy.

Warnings: mentions of blood, and canon level violence.

A/N: this is my first solely angsty piece in a while so it’s a little short, it’s kinda an AU where Billy did some mercenary work for Rawlins instead of betraying Frank.

My Masterlist

»»---------------------►

The splatters of blood have dried on your hands, and your fingers ache in a manner that was once familiar to you. Your trigger finger in particular feels raw.

Some of the tension leaves your shoulders as you slot the lock of your hotel door shut. You’re tempted to call out for Billy, but you don’t want to startle him. The memory of his dark eyes widening at the sight of you pulling out a gun plays on repeat in your mind.

A few of Billy’s old associates, from his time working for Rawlins, had decided on taking Billy out during your visit to Monte Carlo. Luckily the two of you had managed to eliminate the threats, and make it to safety. You both had contacts in law enforcement, so the two of you were safe for now.

This wasn’t how you wanted to address your less than pleasant past. Long ago, you and Billy had shared the details of your past with one another. It was one thing to accept the mistakes you had made, but it was another thing entirely for the past to be dragged back to haunt you both.

Walking through the bedroom of your hotel suite, you follow the sound of running water towards the bathroom.

The sight before you shatters your heart.

Billy is sitting at the bottom of the shower cubicle, fully clothed aside from his shoes. The water drips down his face, soaking his clothes through to his skin. His legs are folded, nearly to his chest, and he’s staring down at the tiles beneath him.

You slide your shoes off, before stepping into the shower beside him. The water soon soaks through your clothes and your hair, and the marble wall is cool against your back. Billy doesn’t acknowledge your presence, but some of the tension in his shoulders softens as your side presses against his.

Billy’s eyes move from the tiles to fixate on his hands.

“Can’t get it off.” He mumbles, his voice strained with vulnerability as he rubs at his hands. You look down at his hands, the skin is red raw from scrubbing but aside from that his hands are clean. “No matter what I do - never gonna get away from what I did.”

After a little rubbing, your own hands are clean, and you take one of Billy’s hands in yours. You run your hands gently over each finger and knuckle. Billy takes a shaky breath as he focuses on your touch.

You reach up behind you, turning the shower off with a small creak. Bringing his hand to your lips, you press a small kiss to each knuckle.

“My hands are just as bloody as yours. Do you love me any less?” Billy meets your eyes for the first time, wide with horror at the thought of you not feeling loved by him.

“Never.” He answers quickly. His eyes are rimmed with red, and your heart aches at the thought of Billy crying.

“You deserve to be happy Billy.” You insist, guiding his head to rest against your shoulder as you wrap an arm around him. “And I will do everything I can to make sure you’re happy.”

His hands stay clutched around his body, even as he relaxes in your hold. With one hand, you smooth over his damp hair in an attempt to soothe him.

After a long moment, Billy curls his arms around your body, seeking out your warmth. Once he’s wrapped around you, he tightens his hold, keeping you pressed against him. You press a kiss to the crown of his head, and you hear him sniffle slightly.

You’re panicking a little, desperate to help Billy, but uncertain as to what he needs. The adrenaline from the fight earlier and prioritising Billy’s safety had been the only things fuelling you. Without them you’re feeling exhausted and upset.

Almost completely wrapped up in your own thoughts, you barely hear Billy as he mumbles shakily into the crook of your shoulder.

“Love you.”

Your stomach flips, and you tighten your hold on Billy, eager to never let him go.

“I love you too, so much.” Billy’s fingers clutch at your damp clothes, and you shift slightly to look down at his face. “Let’s get you dry, love.”

»»---------------------►

Billy Russo Tag List: @blackbirddaredevil23 @restingbitchsblog @tiredbeebo @rafaelakelley @theysayitscrazy @hummelmi @nyx2021 @skybridgerton @dragon-of-winterfell @profoundme444 @misstimeless @booksandbenbarnes @blanchedelioncourt

If there’s a strike through your name tumblr wouldn’t let me tag you for some reason, sorry

#billy russo #billy russo x reader #billy russo x y/n #billy russo x you #billy russo x female reader #billy russo drabble #billy russo imagine #billy russo fic #billy russo fanfic #billy russo the punisher #the punisher au #marvel au #marvel x reader #ben barnes

[the-tiktok-rogue]

Alex’s plight another skully fic

it had been a couple months since this had started, the coughing fits, the headaches. the tall faceless thing that stood around stalking him.

He tried confronting it in the past, then running from it, then he didn’t know what to do, it felt like everyone was plotting against him.

Alex was about to answer his door when he saw through the spy hole a figure in a skull faced mask

“get off my door stop or i’m calling the police”

“You can’t run from this forever” the voice barraged his brain.

“You’re trespassing, I could easily shoot you.”

“that wouldn’t do you very good” the voice was now behind him

Alex jumped and turned around, there it was, that skull faced figure.

“I have information for you about the being, the operator.”

“The Operator? that thing has a name?? and why the fuck is it following me that thing has been ruining my life!”

“You are infected. You have a virus that will infect others.”

“You mean i’m contagious?!”

“You have been for a while now.”

Alex’s heart started racing his mind spiralling how could he keep this under control, how could he be with Amy when all of this was over, he couldn’t infect her too.

“How can I be cured?”

“Death is the only solution”

Death. Alex’s mind spiralled more. if he’d spread his infection to the other cast members, then he’d have to be the anti body….he couldn’t believe he was thinking this but…he remembered Tim had this sickness too back in brian’s house, had he spread it to him?….would he have to kill Tim?

“I see now. I’m going to have to kill all the other infected. I’ll start with Tim.”

the skull man’s expression changed, he looked worried.

“I said death was the solution. But I didn’t mean killing, I can collect the infected at the end of their natural life span and-“

Alex had already made up his mind and was going off to find Tim.

weeks passed, Alex had as far as he knew killed Tim, and Brian.

Who was next?. Sarah.

he took her to the hospital basement for ‘re-shoots’ of brian’s school scene, in the day time, then while sarah’s back was turned in the basement, he picked up a rock and bashed her skull in in a fit of rage, Alex was overcome with it, he bashed her head in until her eyes bled and she died…then he left.

he realised he was filming the whole time so when Alex came back home he rewound his tape, over the footage, he also hadn’t washed sarah’s blood off of his head, so he quickly ran to the bathroom and washed his head.

who was next. Seth.he lied to Seth and said everyone had disappeared and he needed his help.

he brought Seth to that same basement and tackled him stabbing him with a piece of glass, cutting his neck and watching him bleed out, Alex left.

when Alex came back home he fell to sleep, and his dream the skull faced man in a dark place walked up to him.

he took off the skull faced mask and Alex saw Sarah and Seth’s faces

“why, why did you kill is Alex” Sarah’s face asked crying

“We were your friends Alex, why did you kill us?” seth’s face asked

both faces asked why why why louder and the loudest being a screaming WHY?!

Alex woke up in a cold sweat crying

“i’m sorry…i’m so sorry Sarah…Seth…I had to, I had to to protect Amy.” Alex justified to himself

after sacrificing Jay Alex went off to be with Amy, 3 relatively normal years passed of living with Jessica and Amy, until Alex saw on youtube, a channel called marble hornets. It was Jay! he had somehow survived and he was friggin uploading again.

He couldn’t let Amy get infected, he couldn’t let this walking virus continue AGAIN.

he raced to his car, quickly telling Amy a lie

“Visiting family in my hometown for the week, i’ll be back soon babe”

he drove all the way to collage town, then realised, if Jay was still alive then so was Tim and possibly Brian. fuck.

He continued to watch the youtube channel and saw these totheark responses not from Jay, by process of elimination it was probably Brian, as Tim seemed normal in the interview. He’d kill Brian first that thorn in his side.

He went to Brian’s house, with a gun this time, and broke in, he found a person in a hoodie and frowning mask, tackled him and unmasked him, yep, that was Brian, Brian wrestled him off but Alex shot the bullet casing. Alex didn’t hear anything after that so assumed he’d killed Brian, about time to be honest.

Alex quickly left. Jay would be next.

A couple weeks passed and Alex continued watching the youtube channel, Jay had conveniently posted his apartment in entry 24 and Alex recognised it, he brought some matches with him and lit the apartment ablaze then he drove home.

The Skull faced one had appeared at his house outside his door but he ignored it, only managing to hear one line from him.

“she will die.” Alex tuned it out and ignored, just another lie he thought.

Alex felt better already, Brian was gone and Jay, sure he hadn’t killed Tim but considering how normal he was in entry 15 Alex didn’t care, he clearly wasn’t infected anymore, Alex relaxed knowing he could live his life with Amy problem free-

until Amy walked in with a camera.

his heart dropped, like walking in with a pipe bomb about to explode, he tried warning her to turn off the camera, he knew the camera brought the operator about, just like 3 years ago, and before he knew it. like clockwork it appeared.

He watched his girlfriend fall down the stairs and quickly urged her out the window to the second story of the house, Alex held back tears knowing Amy was infected.

“God forgive me Amy.” he said before pushing her off of the ledge of the house. he legs broke and he heard her scream out in pain, she was alive but she wouldn’t be for long. Alex pulled his gun out, and climbed down.

“Alex…help me please” she muttered gurgling blood.

like putting down old yeller he pulled his gun out and sobbed

“Amy, this is all Jays fault i’m so sorry. I tried so hard to protect you, but I have to do this.”

he shot her in the head multiple times, then ran as the operator appeared taking the body.

Alex struggled to sleep that night rolling around in bed, when he dreamed again Amy’s face appeared on the skull masked one.

“Why did you kill me Alex?….I loved you don’t you love me.” Amy sobbed beginning him for a response

“Alex you broke my heart. I’ll never forgive you.”

Alex woke up in a cold sweat

“IM SO SORRY AMY” Alex screamed crying into his pillow. he passed out again before coming to.

He checked twitter and Jay was still alive! and posting. fuck it he liked that totheark so much, maybe Alex should pose as him, Alex compiled some footage and edited it to glitch out like totheark videos, then he edited the footage of Amy, cutting it off before they jumped out the window, he put it all on tape, and mailed it to Jay, and waited.

years passed after that, and many things happened, Alex killed Jay in benedict hall but he still had nightmares, nightmares of Jays ghost begging for forgiveness.

“why did you kill me Alex, I only wanted to help, I wanted to find jessica, WHY????”

then something even more horrifying Alex saw his own face screaming. was Alex going to die?

months passed and Alex was fighting Tim, Tim slit his neck, this was what his dream meant….all those years, he was going to die.

Before his vision faded to black he saw Amy, her hand touching his and pulling him up

Amy smiled “now we can finally be together, I love you Alex”

Alex cried and smiled “I love you too.”

#leo rambles #fanfic #marble hornets #alex kralie #alex x amy #angst #mh comic spoilers #mh skully

[blue-kyber]

Oh, heck, I completely forgot I had an AO3 account until someone gave my story a kudos.

I forgot about this one. :) It was a lot of fun to write.

I never thought I'd write a fan fic about marbles, and yet here we are.

((jelle's marble runs fan fiction))

Link to AO3 - "DOOMED"

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

--------------DOOMED-----------

DOOMED

“StarryStarryStarryStarryStarryStarry!” Rapidly charged down the hallway of the marble league training facility.

Starry had to dodge to the side to keep from getting rammed into by the Savage Speeders' youngest and most hyperactive member. Thank goodness she had quick reflexes, “What, Rapidly, what?”

The young racer skid to a halt and bounced like she’d downed five energy drinks and a handful of sugar sticks - which was slightly higher than her resting status. “Guesswhatwegettodo?! Youwon’tbelievewhatwegettodo!”

“Rapidly–”

“Theyjustsaiditeinthecommonroom! Iwasn’tsupposedtooverhearit,butIdidand–”

Starry blinked, barely catching anything resembling words, “--I don’t know what you’re saying–”

“Trytoguess! GoOn. GuessGuessGuessGuessGuessGuessGuess!”

“Whoa, kid, slow down. Pretend you’re Bolt for a minute.”

Bolt passed by at that exact moment and paused, “Ouch.”

She cringed, “Didn't know you were there.”

“Whatever you say, Fifth.” He kept going. The sandwich in the Thunderbolt’s common room calling his name was more important than a racer with a head full of space dust.

“Not so fast, Sparky,” she grabbed his arm hard and yanked him over, “You speak ‘Rapidly.’ Can you translate for me?”

He stared at her. “Please? Who raised you.”

She sighed, “ Please translate for me?”

“Ok,” he kept his voice calm, “But you take that back. You know I had to race with pontil pox that season. The whole team caught it from Bumble.”

“I remember. It went around like the plague. That was awful.” It hit her in the last season. It started from the Bumblebees, and spread through the rest of the teams like they were pollinating flowers. She'd never seen so many green faces in the marblebase at once. The only team not hit were the Hazers. They isolated themselves from everyone and only showed their faces during a race - which fit their vibe, if she had to be honest. Cloudy was the one who kept sending soup to the rest of the teams. “Ok. I was out of line. I take it back.”

He pointed at her, “And I get your dessert.”

“What? No way,” she contested, “Chocolate swirl is my favorite.”

“I know,” he folded his arms, enjoying the fact that he had the upper hand, “These are the conditions. Ice cream or you get to play guess work with Itty Bitty here.”

The littlest Speeder hadn’t stopped bouncing on the balls of her feet. 

He didn’t give her much choice. She shoved her dessert ticket against his chest, “Fine.”

Bolt, happy with the win and extra dessert, tapped the short teenager on the head, “Ok, Rapidly. Go.”

Rapidly looked up at the tall racer with bright eyes and repeated everything with some added hops of joy.

“Uh huh,” Bolt nodded, “Uh huh… Ok. Who’s ‘we?’”

The kid rattled off the teams too fast for Starry to decipher. This added to her theory that the Savage Speeders had their own language.

“I see.”

“What?” Starry’s eyes shimmered with curiosity, “See what? What did she say?”

Bolt, the bearer of information, felt like a wise marble atop the mysterious Misty Mountain. He knew Starry couldn’t resist curiosity, and enjoyed this moment of teasing her.

“Bolt,” she smacked him.

"Ow. Ok, ok." And he forgot she often hit back, “She said she heard that we all get to run an amazing race. It was supposed to be a surprise, but they didn’t know she’d been playing hide and seek in the common room with Billy, Pulsar, Aryp, and Mimo. She said it’s my team, yours, the Speeders, the Hazers, Team Momo, Mellow Yellow, the Orangers, the Raspberry Racers, Balls of Chaos, and the Midnight Wisps.”

“Ten teams. Either it’s going to be a series of short races with eliminations, or a long track. What race is so amazing that Rapidly’s acting like she OD’d on sugar?”

Rapidly took a deep breath, forcing herself to slow her speech, which was painful, “We…get…to…run…the–”

“--I said Bolt, not Clutter,” Starry said, deadpan.

Bolt folded his arms in agreement with her. He had beef with Clutter, “I’ll allow it.”

Rapidly tried again at a normal-ish pace, “We get to run the next Halloween Race! Isn’t it great?!”

Her eyes shot open.

Marblearth stopped spinning.

Time froze.

Starry suddenly felt like she teetered on the event horizon of a singularity, about to be spaghettified, “The Halloween Race?!”

Even Bolt seemed to pale a little at the thought.

“Yeah, isn’t it awesome! It’s gonna be so cool! There’ll be spidersandghostsandwitchesandpumpkinpieandciderandthatreallycoolhauntedhouseand–”

She gripped her shoulders, “They fed Jack ‘O Lantern, Casper, Bloodmoon, and Frankenstein to the spiders last year! We can’t run that race!”

“Whynot?”

“Because it's a death race! You lose, you end up spider food, or worse! Besides, that tower is structurally unsafe, and I’m pretty sure it’s haunted.”

Rapidly’s lips curled up a mischievous grin, “What’sthematter,Fifth? Afraidofthedark?”

Bolt translated for her, matching the kid’s expression.

Starry took personal offense to that, “I am not afraid of the dark…anymore.”

Bolt failed to conceal a snort behind his hand.

“And don’t call me that.”

“Justadmitit,spacegirl,” Rapidly slowed down, poking her lightly and quickly in the chest, “You’re scared.”

Her lips pursed in a tight line. This little speed gremlin had slowed down deliberately to enunciate that. Her grip of terror turned into a grip of ‘do not test me.’ “Listen here, you little dust mite, there isn’t a track in existence that scares me. Ok? I can roll anything you throw at me.”

“Except this one,” Bolt said matter-of-factly.

"Except this one," she repeated without thinking. She glared at him, to which he just smiled. “I am not afraid of the track. Who’s bright idea was this anyway? Who do I need to shove into a locker? The Wisps?”

Rapidly answered.

Starry looked up at Bolt for a translation.

“The Ghost Crew.”

Exasperation crossed her face, “Of course it is.”

Rapidly bounced out of her grip and down the hall, “Thisisgoingtobesoawesome! Ican’tbelievewe’retheoneswhogettodoit! I’msoexited! I’mgonnatellMimo.”

Bolt translated.

“Don’t do that,” Starry whined after her, “Mimo’s afraid of their own shadow.” 

Bolt noticed her expression and frazzled hair, “You are scared.”

“I am not scared, you idiot.”

“You look like a kid facing their first severe thunderstorm. I’ve seen that look a million times. You’re wearing it like a pro.”

The expression on her face proved him right. Bolt had this uncanny way of seeing through her masks. She hesitated, “Ok, yes. I’m scared. I’m still afraid of the dark, ok? You happy now?” 

“You’re from space. Space is dark. How can you be afraid of it?”

“You’re from the land of electricity, and you're afraid of Tesla coils.”

“...Touche,” he pointed at her, "And I have a good reason for that."

Her emotions overtook her, “Plus I’m afraid of spiders. I hate them with a severe passion. There’s way too many legs, and they’re all skittery, and too many eyes, and they’re huge, and they eat marbles, and they lurk in the dark,” she shuddered, “And there’s ghosts in that tower!”

His eyes widened, “Actual ghosts?”

“Actual ghosts! Astron was up there once, and he told me that he saw them. Ghosts, Bolt! He saw real ghosts! He said one of them looked like Jack ‘O Lantern! And Greg turns evil! He has a dark side," she whispered, terrified, "The ghosts of marbles who fail that track are doomed to haunt it forever,” she gripped his shirt, “I don’t want to be doomed to haunt that track forever with my death commentated by an evil Greg! I’m too young and talented and beautiful to be spider food!”

“The brave Starry admitting to her faults. I gotta remember this day."

She punched him in the shoulder, “I am not going.”

He rubbed at the sore spot, “I don’t want to go, either. I agree with you; that place gives me the creeps, but I don’t think we have much of a choice,”

“Oh, yes we do,” she tightened her jaw and stormed off. 

“Oh boy.” He ran after her.  

---Several minutes later…

“ YOU DID WHAT ?! ”

Multiple marbles around the training facility froze as though they’d been caught breaking the rules by Starry’s loud, anger-filled voice echoing through the facility. 

Bolt winced. He felt that vibe punch him in the gut. He was glad he wasn’t Cosmo right now.

“YOU LOST A BET TO SPEEDY?! ”

Cosmo held up his hands, “It’s not as bad as it sounds.”

“You fought him in a dumpling eating contest! What is wrong with you?!”

“I had him on the ropes for half of it.”

“He can pack away the marble weight of every racer in this room! His name is Speedy! What did you think was going to happen?”

He held up his finger, “I personally think this is a win. We get to run a new track and overcome new obstacles. This is a challenge. I thought you loved challenges.”

“Do not roll this around on me.”

She looked at Quasar chilling on the couch eating cookies watching the drama unfold like a t.v show, “Did you know about this?”

“I had nothing to do with it,” they said in their usual stoic tone, “All I said was that someone needed to take Speedy down a peg, that’s all,” they shrugged.

She poked Cosmo in the chest, “You go to the Savage Speeders right now and correct this.”

He spread his arms, “Sorry, Starry. There’s nothing I can do.”

“I am not going through that rickety haunted house!”

“Remember your breathing exercises for your emotional dysregulation.”

“I am not emotionally dysregulated!”

Quasar leaned over to speak to Bolt, who’d stepped back to the couch away from the line of fire, “She’s emotionally dysregulated.”

“Mmhmm,” Bolt agreed.

“That’s why she’s not captain,” they ate a cookie.

“Ah.” It made sense to Bolt. Starry was passionate, and a talented racer, but could fly off the handle. Case in point. 

“I can’t back out,” Cosmo held his ground, “How would it look if Team Galactic rolled out of an honor bet? We’d be the new laughing stock of the league. You're the best racer we have, Starry.”

"Rude," Bolt frowned at the team captain's audacity to say that in front of another teammate.

"No, no," Quasar gestured with a half eaten cookie, "he has a point." 

“How long do we have?” she swallowed the lump in her throat.

“A week.”

“A WEEK?! We can’t train for that in a week, you meteor brain!”

“Cool your jets, Star. Look at the bright side.”

“What bright side? There is no bright side to this!”

He grinned at her, continuing to back up toward their common room door, “Consider this a chance to finally overcome your fear of the dark.”

“That’s not a bright side, Cosmo! Don’t roll away from me. Cosmo! COSMO!” 

The sound of the door sliding closed sealed her fate.

Her skin became as pale as her uniform. “That’s it. We’re cracked,” she flopped down onto the arm of the couch, “We are so cracked. We’re doomed,” she grabbed Bolt’s arm and started sobbing into his sleeve, “Doomed! We’re going to be spider food! We’re gonna be ghosts!”

“I’m not,” Quasar said, “Astron, maybe,” he crunched on a cookie, “Clutter for sure.”

“We’re not cracked yet,” Bolt patted her on the head, “There there, Fifth.”

She sniffled, “Don’t call me that, Sparky.”

Bolt exhaled with his arm out and just let her turn it into a tissue. The Thunderbolts weren’t going to be thrilled about this either. Except Lightning. They'd be charged about it. That many teams involved meant that the dumpling eating contest had been a ten marble race, and everyone else lost.

Quasar silently offered him the cookie box to take a treat, which he accepted with his free hand.

This was going to be a long week.

#writing #writeblr #fanfiction #jelle's marble runs #my writing is all over the map #fun stuff to write #They're marbles. #Anthropomorphic marbles #Starry has anxiety

[blackrosesmatron]

MINI CHARACTER PLAYLIST

Share at least five songs that remind you of your muse, or that you associate with your muse's character arc. Including lyrics is optional].

Tagged by: @shimmerbeasts, @playgroundmonsters, @piltover-sharpshooter (thank you all for tagging me in this!)

Tagging: Whoever hasn't done it yet and would like to join this meme thread!

under readmore because this got quite long!

A Little Wicked - Valerie Broussard

"A little wicked" That's what he calls me 'Cause that's what I am That's what I am (...) Beware the patient woman, 'cause this much I know No one calls you honey, when you're sitting on a throne One of these days a-comin', I'm gonna take that boy's crown There's a serpent in these still waters, lying deep down To that king I will bow, at least for now (...) (...) Hands red, hands red Just like you said I am, a little wicked

LeBlanc doesn't consider herself 'evil' and sees the concepts of 'good' and 'evil' as mere stories for children. However, she acknowledges that she is 'wicked' by definition, as she prioritizes her own objectives above all else and is willing to do anything to achieve them. She is patient and manipulative, not hesitating to act submissive to gain trust. She has committed numerous sins without shame.

Black Magic Woman - VCTRY

Got a black magic woman Got a black magic woman I've got a black magic woman Got me so blind I can't see But she's a black magic woman She's tryna make a devil out of me You got your spell on me baby You got your spell on me baby Yes, you got your spell on me baby Turning my heart into stone I need you so bad magic woman, I can't leave you alone

Her preferred method of manipulation is to establish an emotional bond with others, creating a sense of dependency. This allows her to ask them to do nearly anything without having her target questioning or denying her requests. While this approach doesn't apply in every case, it is undoubtedly her favorite.

I'm not a woman, I'm a god - Halsey

I am not a woman, I'm a God I am not a martyr, I'm a problem I am not a legend, I'm a fraud So keep your heart, 'cause I already got one

This song reflects the complexity of her relationship with herself. While she values herself above others, believing she is the true Empress of Noxus, she acknowledges she didn't attain this position fairly, which could lead some people to see her as a 'fraud' (to herself, she believes she has right over everything she conquered, despite everything). She enjoys being a problem for others, particularly those she dislikes or seeks to antagonize her. She avoids genuine emotional connections with others and prefers solitude, doing it out of fear mostly, but she will never admit it to anybody!

You should see me in a crown - Billie Eilish

You should see me in a crown I'm gonna run this nothing town Watch me make 'em bow One by one by one One by one by (...) Your silence is my favorite sound (...) Count my cards, watch them fall Blood on a marble wall I like the way they all Scream Tell me which one is worse Living or dying first Sleeping inside a hearse I don't dream

This applies to numerous moments in her life, from orchestrating her village's self-destruction to instigating wars to maintain her power. She desires to be the most important figure, commanding and leading, and will go to any lengths to achieve this, demanding respect or eliminating those who oppose her.

They call me Devil - Friends in Tokyo

I will tell you lies I'll crawl inside your mind Grab hold of your eyes I will make you mine And I'm gonna take my time They call me devil My heart is empty They call me devil Just try and tempt me I'll steal your soul I'll eat you whole Ain't no other way They call me devil And you should be afraid

This is almost a threat. When she targets someone, she never lets go. Once LeBlanc sets her sights on someone, they are doomed, regardless of her intentions for them.

I often listen to more songs for inspiration when writing for her, but they cover the same themes as the ones I've described before. Nonetheless, I'll share their names and links so you can hear what reminds me of her, either through the lyrics or the general vibe of the song.

End of Everything - Must Save Jane

Watch me Burn - Must Save Jane

Castle - Halsey

Villain - KDA

Horns - Bryce Fox

You are no Good - Hidden Citizens

I'm gonna do my Thing - Royal Deluxe

Bad - Royal Deluxe

She's my collar - Gorillaz

Cravin' - Stileto (particularly one of my fave!)

Me and Mine - The brothers bright (could possible have mentioned this one as well, considering how possessive she is with everything she already conquered for herself).

Seven Devils - Florence and The Machine

When you say my name - Chandler Leighton (another honorable mention, because gods, this woman Loves being adored!)

Liar - Jake Daniels

God - Jake Daniels

Control - High Rule

Take me to Church - Hozier (Justine M. Cover version)

#“The best lies are beautiful.” (Musing) #“Smoke and mirrors.” (Aesthetic) #“Watch closely.” (headcanon) #V: “I am everywhere. I am everyone!” (Default verse) #That was fun! #thanks for tagging me in this <3

[spell-cleaver]

Day 18: False Death

(And Day 30: Failure)

@angstober​ 

Warnings: Second person narration, very creepy thoughts from Palpatine, possession, etc.

Vader steps into your throne room when the red guards allow him to and kneels at your feet. The benevolent smile you fix onto your face isn’t unfamiliar anymore: you thought you had finished with it once the galaxy was yours, twenty-five years ago, but you find that Vader responds to it far better than cruelty, when serving this master.

He is a dark stain on your luxurious red carpet. You notice with a slight curl of your lip that he had not bothered cleaning the mud from his boots before entering and has soiled the hall of your power with his own unkemptness, but you dismiss it. You have all the resources in the galaxy with which to clean it. But the undying loyalty of Lord Vader is something not so easy to maintain.

Historically, at least. Now, you find it almost boring how little a challenge it is.

“What is it, Lord Vader?” you ask. It is clear something is bothering him. He never managed to hide his emotions, mask or not. Not from you.

He keeps his head bowed. “The threat has been neutralised,” he says. “Chandrila’s population are pacified. We have many Rebels in custody, but more are dead.”

“Good. Civilian casualties?”

“The Rebels refused to withdraw, and Chandrila’s leaders did not see reason. We were forced to bomb the capital.”

“Anything left?”

“Imperial troops were evacuated, as were any valuable resources. The quarries nearby were left untouched.”

“Only the residential city was harmed?”

He senses the satisfaction in your voice and perks up. Dares to lift his head slightly to look at you, but your glare sends him cowering back down again. He knows his place, after all he has done.

“All civilians and civilian leaders were destroyed,” he confirms.

“Good. With our Death Star still in construction, I rely on you to remind planets what we can do.” You smirk, glancing over at the person chained to the floor to the right of your throne. The carpet does not extend that far: she sits on cold, black marble, shot through with white streaks like the light that has always threatened Vader’s darkness. You gave up on eliminating that light two years ago. Now, you harness it. “It’s a shame they forget Alderaan so quickly.”

Princess Leia meets your gaze levelly and coolly, but her composure does not fool you. Her eyes are rimmed with red and bloodshot. You wonder how long it will take before they turn gold.

“Alderaan will never be forgotten, Your Highness.” She spits out the title. You give her a gracious smile, resisting the urge to roll your eyes.

“Your work has been amazing.” You turn back towards him, still kneeling penitently at your leisure. You stand from your throne and walk down the steps from the dais to lay a hand, small and tanned, on his large black shoulder. It is easy to sense how he leans into that touch, craves it like the oxygen his respirator feeds him. Just to cement the effect, you let him raise his helmet to look at you and smile at him. “Thank you, Father. I wouldn’t be able to do it without you.”

You can sense the watery smile he is giving you in return. His pride—for you—booms through the Force. Princess Leia scoffs.

The solution to eternal life, eternal power, and eternal control over the Force’s Chosen One was so simple, in the end. Skywalker waltzed right into your trap. You could not have baited it better, with those white-marble cracks running through Vader’s heart, calling him like a moth to the flame. It did not even take much goading to make him snap on the bridge of Death Star II: only a few hundred deaths beyond the viewport and the imminent demise of the rebellion, the impenetrability of his father’s loyalty, and his realisation that he had nothing to lose.

He had everything to lose.

You would have ordered Vader to defend you, if Skywalker tried to strike you down. But you changed your mind just in time. You could sense his rage, how his shields were coming undone. He was so focused on his father; he cared little for you. You are not even sure he knew you were Force-sensitive until your head had parted with your shoulders, and you were blinking up at Lord Vader with new eyes, younger eyes, with his distant voice screaming at the back of your head.

He did not scream for much longer. You took care of that. You took care of him; now, he is yours. Even if that gambit cost you your second Death Star, it was undoubtedly worth it. A third will be built; in the meantime, the Rebels’ morale has shattered beyond repair to see their hero become their enemy.

Vader’s gaze, pathetically blue behind his eye plates, stops staring into your young face and turns to glare at Princess Leia for her impertinence, half rising. “Luke—” he says.

“Father,” you say gently, putting a hand on his arm. Really, he revisits this issue every time. It grates. “It’s alright.” You have Skywalker’s speech patterns and accent down perfectly, by now. Not that Vader spent enough time with his actual son to know the difference. If he were forced to choose, right now, his real son or his fake one, you are reasonably certain he would choose you.

You are the son he has had the last two happy years with. You are the son who makes him proud. You are not the Rebel he regretted.

“She is not a threat,” you continue. “I tolerate her. Leave her be.”

Princess Leia’s muttered yet almost makes you laugh out loud. What an insolent girl—you understand why she and Vader’s upstart son got along. But she will come around eventually.

You wouldn’t have bothered having her captured were it not for rumours of the lightsaber. Princess Leia, seen at various Rebel strikes wielding a white lightsaber that she cut down loyal Imperial men with. You had been curious. And when you met her fully, with the power and sensitivity Skywalker’s body affords you, you knew it was a worthy instinct to indulge. Princess Leia’s Force-sensitivity, heretofore utterly unnoticed, rivals all but Vader’s. Skywalker’s included.

Another body? That would be a difficult fight, indeed; she would be ready for you, unlike Skywalker. But she has been here for nine months, kneeling beside you, trying to tug at heartstrings her friend no longer controls, and having long, long conversations. You are wearing her down. It is only a matter of time. And if you can turn her to the dark side, train her…

Well. The defection of Princess Leia would shatter the Rebellion almost beyond repair. But she and Skywalker always were close, according to your spies. If you turned her so thoroughly you could make her your empress? Not only would you have a powerful, loyal servant, one whose very existence undermines the Rebellion’s, but any offspring of Skywalker and Princess Leia would be incalculably strong. And a child’s mind could be moulded to allow you to control it from its first day in the galaxy.

It could take years. You are aware of this. But you are both young, and as a long-term plan, it seems worth the wait. If Princess Leia fails, Jade is still loyal to you. She would serve the same purpose excellently, even if her Force potential is a candle next to Princess Leia’s star.

You do not think you will need that, though. Princess Leia still listens to you. She is convinced that her friend can be reached, that Vader has done something to him. Skywalker’s faith in his friends was mutual, you see, and mutually foolish. You will use Princess Leia’s against her, as well.

“She disrespects you,” Vader growls. “Luke, I will not tolerate anyone who does not adore you.”

Princess Leia adores Luke Skywalker. She will grow to adore the emperor he has become.

You affect a sad smile, like a boy whose friend has decided to shun him. “I understand,” you admit in his shy, hesitant tone. “I deserve—”

“You do not.” Vader glares at her. “Do not allow her to make you doubt yourself. She will not undermine you. You give her control over you she does not deserve.”

“Father, do you think I’m blinded by my affection for my friends?” You let it come out biting.

“Yes, my son.”

He is so blinded by his love for his son that he does not realise his son is gone. Again, you try not to laugh. You turn away instead.

“I love you, Leia,” you tell her, walking back up the steps to her side. “You understand why I’m doing this?” You reach out a hand to her cheek. “I have to—”

She bites your finger. You jerk back, but the blood isn’t yours, and Princess Leia is choking, anyway. Vader marches forwards, his fist squeezing tightly, and tears weep from Princess Leia’s eyes as she claws at her throat.

“Stop, Father,” you said. Then— “Lord Vader, I order you to stop!”

He doesn’t, so you stop him. The burst of lightning that erupts from your hands does the trick. He cowers back.

You crouch in front of Princess Leia. “Are you alright?” You have always been excellent at faking concern.

She glares at you. “I know who you are,” she whispers.

“Your friend.”

“You are not my friend. You tried to destroy him.” Her throat is hoarse, raspy, but she keeps choking out her vendetta. “But Luke. Luke. I know you’re in there.”

This does not bother you. Princess Leia knows just how effective Imperial brainwashing has been in the past, how they have turned loyal Rebels against them. She is simply seething with denial that it could happen to a friend who was hers.

“Leave, Father,” you order, turning away from her. The ice in your tone brooks no argument. Lord Vader, hopelessly obedient to the son whose love he craves, leaves. You settle back onto your throne; only now do you let yourself smile.

All is proceeding perfectly. Vader’s fanatical devotion succeeds even your wildest dreams. If Princess Leia is resorting to such ridiculous claims already, she is clearly close to breaking. The galaxy is yours. It will not be long before that grip is utterly unquestionable. It will not be long before your eternal reign is assured.

This is where you are wrong.

Princess Leia still kneels on the floor beside you, the black dress you make her wear as an inverse copy of her Alderaanian Senate gown pooling around her like ink, and she watches you more closely than you can understand. She sees you smile. She sees your manipulations. But, most importantly of all, Princess Leia can see the only thing in the galaxy that you cannot. My sister can see me.

Do you think you can crush my soul?

Do you think I am gone?

And do you really think that you would have so thoroughly fooled my father into thinking that you were me if he could not sense me here, still lurking in the corner of my own mind, wholly aware and untouched?

You are not the great actor or manipulator you think you are. Your overconfidence is your weakness. I have been here for two years. I have seen how you operate. It has been slow, painstaking work, but I am coiled in every cell, every nerve, every brain signal, and soon I will be able to take back what you have stolen. And then I will use this throne you have given me to set your empire on fire.

You have failed, Your Highness.

I am a Jedi, and I will soon be set free.

#angstober #angstober 2022 #my writing #random words on a page #luke skywalker #sheev palpatine #darth vader #leia organa

[awlumii]

“...No, darling, listen. We've talked about this."

But of course you don't remember, you sighed. The moments those dazzling red eyes flared up, you knew that you had to start over. Again.

"Look, for the last time - that pounding sensation in your body? It's called pulse. It's an energy. See the laser gun there? That's where the pulses should go. It's not-" you inhaled sharply, clearly having gone through this more than once, "...it's not love. It can't be love, or whatever other feeling you called it. Why does this happen every time?"

When nothing came back but silence - with fervent eyes - you let out another sigh. In your arms was a stack of parchment covered in messy handwriting and sketches. You halfheartedly skimmed through them, knowing full well the answer you seeked was not contained in the pages.

Minutes later, a weary smile climbed up your face. With a flick of your wrist, the materials all flew callously to the ground.

"Well, we'll see. The laser still needs some work, but I can name it Lancel0t's-Very-Own-Excalibur if you like that word so much. But darling, you must stop using that word so casually. Especially around me. You're not supposed to... I'm not building you to love," you mutter, eyes downcast. "Witches shouldn't be loved. And I know you can do better than that, alright?"

You pace across the floor as you kept muttering, the heels of your boots clicking against the smooth marble floor in a repetitive tap-tap-tap. Your delicate fingers danced across the holo-screen of the silver machinery, feeding it with untested formulas and new commands. Soon the colours running through the machine and his veins started to change - the pink disappeared and the black crept upon, the green faded and the purple moved on.

Mutters turned into spells, spells turned into a song. Your melodic voice became the only audible sound for him, your figure the only lively thing in his darkening vision. At last, you came to a stop in front of him, so close that he could see the shiny gloss of pink on your lips, the faint flush on your cheeks.

"I want you to have everything. Eyes brighter than stars. Armour darker than night. Bones stronger than steel. Mind sharper than a blade. Everything, as soon as I know how to do so. And then... maybe we'll be together." You sighed.

The colours were draining. The colours were draining, but you still knew that your voice was heard. Across the glass, those eyes - those breathtaking eyes - were silently burning with each word you uttered, like stars going into supernova.

"I'll have to reboot you again to eliminate unstable factors. Don't worry, I'll make it quick. It won't be long before we first meet again."

A more genuine smile spreads upon your face, but it's tinged with sadness.

"I’m sorry, Kazuha.”

His red eyes were saturated for the last time, then all the slots were waiting to be filled again.

----

"This is Lancel0t," you say, gesturing at the man clad in jet-black armor, a sword strapped to his side, red eyes distant and unfocused. "As you can see here, it's conditions are stable and adapting well to the potion." You hand a clipboard to your leader, who flippantly turns a couple of pages. "I've done a physical assessment and put it through some training, and I can affirm it is apt for combat."

They turn their head to face you, and you can feel their gaze piercing through yours, as if scrounging through your head for a sign of weakness.

"I'll have it sent out for combat in three days."

You blink, confusion in your eyes. "Pardon?"

"You've created a weapon, have you not?" they ask, turning the clipboard over in their hands. "Surely such a creation can withstand anything."

Your blood froze but you steeled yourself nearly instantly, dread filling your system. Lancel0t's gaze suddenly flits to you, his eyes betraying none of his emotions- but you could feel that it was a look of concern for your well-being. Even after your most recent reboot, he still manages to act in such unpredictable, human ways.

His small acts of rebellion reminds you of your Kazuha. It's no wonder you're so hesitant to send him out.

"I feel like that is a bit too soon-"

"You graduated at the top of your class, did you not?" your leader asks, but it feels more like a statement.

You nod, eyes narrowing. "... Yes."

Once again, they flip through the pages, almost disinterested. "Your research is thorough and definitely what I've needed to see. Not only have you created an immensely powerful weapon, but a serum to keep our sacrifices to the minimum." they throw the clipboard atop a desk, and you cringe at the sharp clatter of plastic hitting metal. "You said so yourself that your weapon has been put through tests, and your research shows me just how powerful it is. I don't think it's too soon for it to face battle," they pause, and your blood freezes when they catch your gaze, eyes narrowing into slits. "unless it's not as strong as you say it is."

"That is not what I meant-"

"Then what did you mean?" they said, effectively cutting you off.

The reply is nearly instantaneous. "Nothing."

They stay silent, merely gazing at you and Lancel0t. It feels as if an eternity has passed before they nod and walk to the door, their steps almost drowned out by the sound of your heartbeat thrumming in your ears. They stop at the door, hand wrapped around the iron handle, and utter your name.

You flinch momentarily, cursing yourself for the small moment of weakness.

"Yes?"

"I never thought someone as cunning as you would be so attached to a weapon... But I suppose it's what happens when you use the body of your beloved for such an experiment."

You feel your hackles raise slightly, something seething in your chest, but remain quiet.

"Leave it at the main hall on Monday with a copy of your serum and its recipe. It's time we turn the tide of war to our favor."

They leave you in stunned silence, the gentle click of your door echoing through your lab.

———

heya zuzu! i live 😎 it’s good to be back :] i hope you’re doing well!

it’s been a while but take this random sci-fi/fantasy idea i had going on (based off of ga1ahad and scientific witchery by mili)

again, it’s a pretty random idea, but it has angst potential and i’ll make it my mission to drag kazuha through the wringer /lh (speaking of which, cyborg kazuha has got my brain doing laps. i think i may just go insane right now)

(this will also serve as a wish if good luck for your cyno pulls— hopefully diluc will stop haunting you now 😔)

- 📖 anon

i really hope you know that i always look forward to the days when you grace my inbox with your presence and your writing. ❤️ this is such an amazing concept and i can see myself reading a whole book about this fr

(diluc stop antagonizing zuzu challenge -_-)

#[ 📭 — incoming! ] #📖 anon #my beloved 📖 anon has returned and brings me to my knees in awe once again #i actually saw this this morning when i was waiting for an uber after dropping tomo off at the clinic #and i read it over and over and over and over #and each time i conjured up a clearer image of this story #your mind works wonders 📖 anon #i really hope you know that #kazuha x reader #[ 💭 — thinking! ]

[laresearchette]

Friday, August 04, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: EVA THE OWLET (Apple TV+) WITNESS TO MURDER (A&E Canada) 9:00pm WOMEN ON DEATH ROW (A&E Canada) 10:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT? SECRET CELEBRITY RENOVATION (CBS Feed)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA THE LOST FLOWERS OF ALICE HART MAMBA’S DIAMOND WNBA: ATLANTA DREAM AT PHOENIX MERCURY

CBC GEM CHATEAU DIY (Season 6) HEY DUGGEE (Season 2)

CRAVE TV 65 BLIZZARD THE CHI (Season 6, Episode 1 *Season 6 Premiere) THE DISHWASHER EAST HARBOUR HEROES (Season 1) GOOD MORNING CHUCK (Season 1) THE JOURNALS OF KNUD RASMUSSEN MONKEY BEACH NATURAL BORN KILLERS ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST PACO RHYMES FOR YOUNG GHOULS SIMULANT SUPERBAD

DISNEY + STAR BULL SHARK BANDITS BULL SHARK VS. HAMMERHEAD THE RANDALL SCANDAL: LOVE, LOATHING, AND VANDERPUMP RETURN OF THE WHITE SHARK SAVED FROM A SHARK SHARK EAT SHARK

NETFLIX CANADA THE BIG NAILED IT BAKING CHALLENGE FATAL SEDUCTION (Volume 2)

ESPN THE OCHO!!!!! (TSN2) 1:00am: Stern Heads-Up Pinball Invitational 1:30am: USA Mullet Championships 2:00am: 2023 ACL Pro Shootout Championship 3:00am: Disc Golf Pro Tour Championship 4:00am: Marble Runs 4:30am: Financial Modeling World Championships 5:00am: 2023 Table Hockey World Championships 5:30am: Death Diving 6:00am: Teqball 6:30am: Auctioneer's Championship 7:00am: Microsoft Excel eSports: Elimination Race 7:30am: Truck and Tractor Pulling 8:00am: One Wheel World Championship 8:30 am: Arm Wrestling Reborn 9:00am: Extreme Axe & Knife Games 10:00am: Omegaball Women's Invitational 11:00am: Bullshooter 12:00pm: Omegaball Men's Invitational 1:00pm: Professional Cuesports League 2:00pm: Kickball Championship 3:00pm: The Ocho Show 4:00pm: 2023 Wiffleball All-Stars 5:00pm: Major League Table Tennis 6:00pm: Slippery Stairs 7:00pm: ACL World Championships 9:00pm: Viii Sports 10:00pm: Pillow Fighting Championship 11:00pm: 2023 FootGolf World Cup 11:30pm: Stein Holding Competition 12:00am: 2023 Corgi Races 12:30am: World Dog Surfing Championship 1:00am: Dodgeball All-Star Showcase 2:00am: 2023 Table Hockey World Championships 2:30am: Truck and Tractor Pulling

HLINKA GRETZKY CUP (TSN4) 1:00pm: Semifinal: Canada vs. United States (TSN5) 1:00pm: Semifinal: Czechia vs. Finland

MLB BASEBALL (SN1) 2:00pm: Atlanta vs. Cubs (SN) 7:00pm: Jays vs. Red Sox (SN Now) 7:00pm: Mets vs. Orioles (TSN3/TSN5) 8:00pm: Rays vs. Astros (SN1) 9:30pm: Dodgers vs. Padres

CEBL BASKETBALL (TSN5) 7:00pm: East Play-In - Brampton Honey Badgers vs. Scarborough Shooting Stars (TSN5) 9:00pm: West Play-In - Edmonton Stingers vs. Winnipeg Sea Bears

LEAGUES CUP SOCCER (TSN3) 8:30pm: Round of 32: Chicago vs Club America (TSN3) 10:30pm: Round of 32: Monterey vs. Portland

LEGENDS VS. MODERN ICONS (Cottage Life) 8:00pm: The competition kicks off with a cage match between the Colosseum, the ancient world's top arena, and Wembley Stadium, the most expensive football venue ever built; a look at their architectural features and which one offers the best fan experience.

CFL FOOTBALL (TSN4) 9:00pm: Argos vs. Stamps

GIANT POP-UP CONSTRUCTIONS (Cottage Life) 9:00pm/10:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Workers gather in India to build a railway underpass in just five hours; they battle stifling heat and deadly obstacles to reconnect the tracks and ensure they're safe before the first scheduled train roars through.

STIMULANT (Crave) 9:00pm: A humanoid A.I.'s attempt at winning a grieving widow's heart puts it in the path of a government agent trying to stop the rise of machine consciousness.

NATURAL BORN KILLERS: DIRECTOR'S CUT (Starz Canada) 9:00pm: Two young lovers (Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis) embark on a blood-drenched killing spree that quickly propels them to celebrity status.

#cdntv #cancon #canadian tv #canadian tv listings #legends vs. modern icons #the ocho #hockey #mlb baseball #cebl basketball #leagues cup #cfl football

[crusherthedoctor]

💖 💙 🧡 📺 🎸 🎤 🎧 💡 🍡 ✨ 💫 🦔 👽🧍😘 ☺️🎙️ ✍️ 🤔 😳 🫡

It's a good thing I've already done half of these. XP

💖 Favourite Character?

Wow, that was eas-*BANG*

Seriously though, I cannot stress enough that the haha funny round moustache get a load of this the more the merrier man is my favourite character of all time. In anything. There are characters I like, there are characters I love, but Eggman will always have a special place in my heart.

I can enjoy different types of villains so long as they're fun or interesting. But we all have our preferences, and Eggman ticks every box on my personal list, and does so with effectiveness, hilarity, deadliness, and memorability. His themes are top class, his aesthetics are grade-A, his genius and creativity is legit, and ahhhhh he's so good. <3

Is it any wonder why I take issue to him being portrayed as a helpless fool? Or a defanged softie? Or a launch pad for other villains to piggyback off of? Or a Bowser-flavored father figure for characters who aren't even interesting on their own?

📺 Favourite TV show?

I assume the OVA doesn't count since it was a "movie", due to being tragically short-lived.

So by process of elimination, I choose AoStH. It's about as much of a non-Sonic cartoon as the rest, but for a Looney Tunes Lite, it is amusing most of the time, and it has Long John Botnik, so I gotta give it a pass. And while AoStH Sonic is… well, very Urkel, he was at least reasonably smart, which is more than can be said for his SatAM counterpart.

AoStH doesn't annoy me nearly as much as SatAM for its overwhelming influence that continues to this day with Archie and IDW, Boom for how everyone at the time overrated what was essentially a standard animated sitcom with Sonic characters shoehorned into the expected templates, and Prime for having an insufferably empty-headed Sonic, and everyone else being either unlikable or bland.

Underground is so forgettable to me that it loops back around to being a positive for it, since that means it doesn't actively piss me off enough like the aforementioned three, lol. As for Sonic X… I'm willing to give the first season a pass despite its heavy quantity of Chris, since I have some nostalgia for it, it has the unironically great and heartwarming Helen episode, and the questionable portrayals of certain characters (Eggman, Amy, Knuckles, arguably Sonic himself to a lesser extent) weren't as bad as they'd later become. Seasons 2 and 3 can fuck off though.

🎸 Favourite Stage Theme?

That's a certified Too Fucking Hard for me in a franchise that's full of bangers, so I'm gonna pick two zones/stages per game to make it only 90% difficult for me to choose instead of 100%.

Sonic 1: Star Light and Scrap Brain

Sonic 2: Hill Top and Wing Fortress

CD JP/EU: Quartz Quadrant Past and Stardust Speedway Past

CD US: Stardust Speedway Good Future and Metallic Madness Present

Sonic 3: Marble Garden and Launch Base

Sonic & Knuckles: Sandopolis and Death Egg

Fighters: Black Bed (Aurora Icefield) and Fire Stone (Giant Wing)

3D Blast Genesis: Rusty Ruin and Volcano Valley

3D Blast Saturn: Rusty Ruin and... the Special Stage

Sonic R: Can You Feel The Sunshine and Living In The City

SA1: Windy Hill and Tricky Maze (THIS ONE WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO NARROW DOWN TO JUST TWO)

SA2: Deeper (Death Chamber) and Space Trip Steps (Meteor Herd)

Advance 1: Ice Mountain and Egg Rocket

Advance 2: Music Plant and Techno Base

Heroes: Ocean Palace and Final Fortress

Battle: Holy Summit (arena) and Death Egg (arena)

Advance 3: Cyber Track and Chaos Angel

ShtH: Circus Park and Final Haunt

Rush: Ethno Circus (Mirage Road) and What U Need (Dead Line)

Riders: Metal City and Digital Dimension

'06: Aquatic Base and End of the World

Secret Rings: Let the Speed Mend It (Sand Oasis) and High and Broken (Levitated Ruin)

Rush Adventure: Haunted Ship and Sky Babylon

Zero Gravity: Aquatic Capital and Gigan Rocks

Unleashed: Rooftop Run Night and Skyscraper Scamper Day

Black Knight: Deep Woods and... actually, that's the only level theme I really like in this game, the rest are pretty forgettable

Colours: Planet Wisp and Aquarium Park

Generations: Speed Highway and Crisis City

Lost World: Sea Bottom Segue and Hidden World

Mania: Press Garden and Titanic Monarch (THIS ONE WAS ALSO HARD)

Forces: Moonlight Battlefield and Mortar Canyon

TSR: Roulette Road and Sand Road

🎤 Favourite Vocal Track?

I'll be unconventional and go with Live Life. Ironically, I don't care for the other vocal tracks in Black Knight, as I find them generic and unmemorable, but Live Life is a really uplifting one that I think deserves more appreciation.

I've always had a particular fondness for What I'm Made Of as well. And despite preferring the JP soundtrack for CD on the whole, Sonic Boom is still really catchy and infectious.

🎧 Favourite overall soundtrack?

How am I meant to narrow it down to one?

The answer: I can't, so instead I'll just list the ones I consider to be S-tier. Note that I am indeed taking the question to heart and judging them by how strong I consider them overall, rather than singling out one or a couple of tracks specifically. Otherwise I'd be listing the entire non-Chronicles catalogue. (The Last Scene in SA2, Aquarium Park in Colours, some tracks in ShtH…)

Sonic CD (JP/EU)

Sonic 3 & Knuckles

Sonic 3D Blast (Genesis)

Sonic Adventure 1

The Advance trilogy

Sonic Mega Collection (yes, I'm serious)

Sonic Heroes

Sonic '06

Sonic Rush Adventure

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity

Sonic Unleashed

Sonic Mania

Team Sonic Racing

💡 Spinoff you’d like to see?

Dr. Crusher's Negating Mandating Machine™.

Serious answer, I'd like another Tails game of some sort, in the hopes that it would let the fox regain some of his fandom respect in a legitimate, non-Wildly Inconsistent-speech way.

I'd also be open to a Blaze spinoff, since there's a lot you could do with her world, and maybe it'd allow us to finally see Marine again under a pen that's hopefully not Flynn's. And since Blaze herself is still one of the most popular and less controversial Modern characters, I can't see a lack of audience being an issue.

🍡 Classic, Adventure, or Boost Gameplay?

Classic overall, but a little of Adventure as well in the form of SA1 and the Advance trilogy (even if the latter is semi-Boost if anything).

✨ Dream Sonic Game?

I've always preferred the S3&K/Mania/Advance approach to alternate characters, because I feel they strike the delicate balance of being different enough to offer something unique for each character, but still consistent enough to not detract from the overall style of gameplay. They also handle the matter of story completion the best IMO: if you want to stick with one character for the adventure, you can actually do so, rather than be forced to juggle different styles in one story (SA2), or for the game to suddenly hand over the controls to someone else halfway through the stage ('06).

That's honestly about it, aside from the obvious stuff (good soundtrack, pleasing aesthetics, etc). I don't think I'm impossible to please in that regard. The only other bullet point I can think of is that I'm not inherently opposed to different goals for different characters, but it's important that they don't come at the expense of the core gameplay. For example, I'm alright with Knuckles' treasure hunting conceptually, since you're still platforming and going fast like you would in any other installment. It's when you throw in the dipshit SA2 radar that it becomes a problem.

🦔 Favourite version of Sonic? (the character)

Game Sonic. The original, and the best.

I still have issues with him, but after seeing writers miss the point with him again and again in adaptations, with his portrayal ending up being obnoxious for one reason or another in the process, it's made me grow to appreciate the good qualities and low-key nuance of the original template.

🫡 Coldest Sonic Take?

My opinions seem to always be in opposition to that of the overall fandom's, so to think of one that's actually popular… hmm.

S3&K is still liked, right?

#Crusher's Asks #Opinion #Sonic the Hedgehog #Miles Tails Prower #Blaze the Cat #Dr. Eggman #Sonic Music

[rafawriter]

Marble Race: ML22 E16 FINAL: Elimination Race + CC | Jelle's Marble Runs

#youtube

[originsword]

     So many attempts were made to break the sphere looming over the broken city. A dazzling lance that fell from the sky, combined with that familiar pillar of light to strike awe throughout the landscape... Two harrowing beams of darkness, fired consecutively and piercing through the orb with such dreadful force... The blinding light from what could only be the Sword of Selection— so many grand, devastating strikes... some of which clearly put the lives of the users at risk. And yet it seems nothing can truly shatter the orb of darkness...

     So, what could Shirou possibly contribute to this dire hour? Should he pour every possible ounce of magic energy into recreating that holy blade of the planet, even if it costs him his life? That would just be a futile sacrifice, if even the original blade couldn’t crack the target. Is it possible to drag that orb into his Reality Marble? It’s too far away, and there’s no guarantee that the countless forgeries would break the surface. In truth, maybe any effort on his part would be for nothing... He isn’t a Servant tasked with protecting humanity. He isn’t a Master that faces incomprehensible odds with the tools and power necessary for a fighting chance for a better tomorrow. He isn’t even a chosen warrior of the Counter Force, empowered by the very planet to eliminate any and all threats through any means. How can he hope to measure up to so many stronger people...?

          ”... They’re all so amazing...” A moment of weakness. Every hero has them, right...? In this moment, Shirou feels so insignificant. It was never his goal to become something larger than life... yet right now, he feels no greater than an ant in the face of these giants. Any effort on his end would be laughable... He knows this. Shirou understands the futility of it all... And yet— he still holds up his hand. From nothingness, a bow is given form. It is a sturdy and powerful bow, surely capable of flinging any arrow into any target he can see. In the other hand, red light cuts through the darkness around him.

     There is no point in this action. What can one arrow do what those pillars of light and darkness could not? He knows this... and yet— this is another impossible dream he won’t run away from. In the end, Shirou will remain a forgettable dot on the beautiful tapestry of this battle. But that’s okay. The hero he wants to be doesn’t seek glory for the sake of glory...

          I just want to save them. All of them... even if it’s impossible.

     In his hand, a spiral sword is given form. He’s only seen this blade twice... but that was more than enough. Caladbolg, modified for long range combat. The air around him is shaking in face of this sword, even if it’s nothing more than a fake. The mage slowly takes a knee to steady his body, the bow placed before him with his target in sight. The spiral sword is carefully placed against the steel frame, the hilt against the string. A slow draw of the hang brings the sword back, its form gradually getting thinner to become more like an arrow. The air around him cackles with power, Shirou is pouring as much magical energy into this one arrow as he can. It can only be improved so much... But this is, at the very least— a blade that only Shirou Emiya can create.

          Are you watching, Archer? I told you... I’ll catch up to you one day.

          “I am... the bone... of my sword...”

     He takes aim, eyes of the hawk seeing nothing but the target. The bowstring draws blood as he keeps pulling back with his fingers. It felt like his body would fall apart at any moment, only held together by iron and steel. Screeching metal fills his ears with every movement— is he imagining things? That doesn’t matter right now. The arrow is complete, and the moment of truth is at hand.

          I have no regrets, this is the only path. My whole life was...

          “Caladbolg——!!”

     The arrow takes flight, cutting through the air with dazzling light. A single, thin stream of light trails behind the strike. From a distance, it would be easy to miss. This lone, fake arrow flies without glory, but will still forge a path to a better tomorrow. The darkness of the orb threatens to engulf the light as it gets closer, making it all the more insignificant when faced with the reality of the danger. It is only when it makes impact that the true force is unleashed.

     The surface of the sphere endures the rupture of the exploding sword, the violent force of Calabolg released without restraint. Shimmer blue erupts from the impact, followed by a red, fiery pillar of energy. The sheer, destructive might that can level hills and mountains alike continues to rupture across the sphere’s surface.

     ... In the end, the result is the same. There is no outward show of damage, the target remains. And yet, as Shirou collapses against the uncaring ground beneath him— there is a faint sense of relief that washes away the grinding steel in his body. He was able to pull it off... His body might not be able to take much more, but Shirou was still able to keep it together for this long. It wasn’t the most powerful strike by far... maybe it was relatively unnoticed, perhaps it will be swiftly forgotten about when compared to the other efforts. But that was okay... He was still able to help in some way.

     If that was enough to inspire at least one person to press on, then that was the only reward Shirou Emiya could ever ask for.

#[EVENT] Subsistence: Part II #Subsistence Finale