#''no look he's powerful see he just reversed time on an entire building on his own!!! now watch 2 guards hold him back <3''

[the-broken-truth]

Blot-Mates - Yuu & The Overblots [Prologue]

Summary: A potion explodes in Crewel's Class, causing the Dorm Wardens and Jamil to lose half of their power and be separated from their Overblot Forms. In an effort to maintain peace between the Originals and the Overblots, Yuu suggests that the Overblots stay in the Ramshackle dorm, which has recently been renovated. It remains to be seen how the Overblots will fare under the supervision of the Prefect of Ramshackle.

[Note: The Yuu Variant is Male with Enma Yuuken's Body Build, Yuuka Hirasaki's Fighting Skills, and Yuuta Mito's Cooking Skills.]

[Note: This Storyline will be written in Script Format.]

Parts: [Prologue] (Here) - [Ri] - [Leo] - [Azu] - [Jami] - [Vi] - [Idi] - [Mal] - [All] - [Epilogue]

[After receiving an SOS Text Message from Deuce Spade while repairing something around the school, Yuu [L/N] headed to the classroom of his Unofficial Adopted Father, Divus Crewel, who was scolding the Adeuce Duo like the bad puppies they were. Yuu walked over to them and asked what happened. Deuce explained everything that happened, resulting in Yuu pinching the bridge of is nose while his other hand rested on his hip.]

Yuu: Let me clarify the situation - You two (Pointing between Ace and Deuce) mistakenly added the wrong ingredient to the potion, resulting in a Separation Potion. Unfortunately, the potion affected the Dorm Wardens & Vice Head Jamil Viper. As a result, they are now separated from half of their magical power, which is currently within the Overblot Forms. These were separated from them and are now present in their own bodies. Did I miss anything? Please let me know if there are any other details.

Crewel: That is pretty much the entire situation, in summary, Pup. I'm going to see if there is an antidote, but I have never seen this kind of potion that would separate an Overblot from its Original Body, seeing this happening to the Overblots of Night Raven, is something confusing.

Yuu: Do what you have to do, Papa Crewel. Where are they?

Crewel: Crowley's Office.

Yuu: I'll take care of this. (Turns on his heel and starts walking away in the direction of Crowley's Office)

[Yuu walked up to Headmage's Crowley and opened the door, moving his head just in time before a blast of magic could hit him in the face. Yuu looks at the room, which was completely tossed around, while the Headmage was cowering behind his turned over desk while fearfully looking at the 14 students in his office. Each of the Originals were glaring at their Overblot Forms, the room filled with shouting about who was the 'Real Half' and who would be considered the 'Faker'.]

Yuu (Inhales before yelling over everyone else - if he had magic of his own, the very room would have rumbled from the power in his voice): SILENCE!

[The Original Bodies and the Overblot Forms look in the direction of Yuu, who is standing there with his hand pinching the bridge of his nose and his eyes closed while his other hand is on his hip; his well-known 'This is giving me a headache' pose.]

Riddle/Overblot Riddle: Rose/Prefect!

Yuu (Lifting his hand to silence them): Don't worry, I already heard everything from Professor Crewel and he is currently figuring out how to reverse what has been done. (Looks at everyone) Considering what I just saw, I can tell that The Overblots are not going to get along with their Original Hosts.

Overblot Leona: You think, Herbivore?! I don't want to be in the same room as this bastard! (Points at Leona)

Leona (Snarling at Overblot Leona): We're the same person, You Inked Bastard!

Yuu: Shut UP!

[Everyone is silent once again - not wanting to anger the Ramshackle Prefect.]

Yuu (Exhales and lowers his hand from his nose while his other hand remains on his hip): Until we find out how to reunite all of you with your Original Bodies, The Overblots are going to stay with me in Ramshackle.

Overblot Jamil (Smirks as his hair snakes hiss at Yuu): And what makes you think you would be able to handle all of us in the same dorm, Little Desert Flower?

Yuu: If I can kick your asses while you are all at full power... (Glares at Overblot Jamil - making him & his hair snakes freeze in fear) What makes you think I can't destroy you with only half of your power?

Overblot Jamil (Gulping before nodding): N... Noted, Prefect.

Yuu: Good. Now, Overblots, follow me - we are going to Ramshackle so I can get you all situated in your rooms.

[Yuu turns and walks out of the office with the Overblot Forms followed behind him without saying a word - leaving very shocked Dorm Wardens, Jamil, and Crowley.]

Malleus: Why do I get the feeling that I shouldn't leave the Overblots alone with the Child of Man?

Leona: We are all having that feeling, Lizard...

[The Door of Ramshackle opens and Yuu walks in with the Overblots walking behind him.]

Overblot Riddle (Looking around): Ramshackle looks...different than the last time I saw it, Prefect.

Yuu: I made sure to renovate it with the funds I had accumulated, to ensure that it is presentable for guests. (Turns to face the Overblots) Before we move forward, I need you to understand something: Ramshackle is not linked to any of the Great Seven - their rules and ways do not apply here. My rules apply here, and as the Prefect of Ramshackle, you must follow these rules, or else there will be issues. Nobody here is your servant, and you are not anyone else's servant either. You are here to relax and leave everything to me. If you want to do something to keep yourself from getting bored, you can go ahead, as long as it doesn't cause any harm to anyone or cause any conflict. Do you understand?

Overblot Leona: And just who the hell are you to command us, Herbivore? We still have more power than you do.

[Yuu walks over to Overblot Leona and gets in his face - no fear in his eyes.]

Yuu: And even with that power, I still kicked your ass. Do you really want a repeat of that experience, Carnivore?

Overblot Leona:... (Exhales) Fine.

Yuu (Steps back): Good. Now, let's find you all decent rooms for you all. (Looks at Overblot Leona) Tell me something, Leo - you like a sleep, just like your original, but you are not fond of bright places.

Overblot Leona (Raises an eyebrow): Leo?

Yuu: Considering the Dorm Wardens and Jamil are going to be coming here from time to time, I don't want to call you all by the same name. I've decided to fragment their names to give you names.

[Yuu points the Overblots & naming them.]

Yuu: Ri, Leo, Azu, Jami, Vi, Idi, and Mal. Are you okay with that?

Leo: Fine... I don't care.

[The Rest of the Overblots nod.]

Yuu: Okay. Leo, I have a room with some blackout curtains and it says rather cool in there; I think that room would be best for you.

Leo: What about the noise?

Yuu: It's fair away from the rest of the rooms, so there is not enough noise to disturb you.

Leo: Show me.

[Yuu gestures for the Overblots to follow him - everyone heads upstairs and takes them to Leo's Room. Leo walks in and instantly hopes in the bed and falls asleep within 3 seconds.]

Yuu: I'll let you know when dinner is ready, Leo. Sweet dreams. (Closes the door and looks at the rest of the Overblots) Okay - let's get you all into your rooms.

[Ri's Room is located downstairs with a clear view of Yuu's Garden, which is filled with Roses and can be seen from Ri's Window.]

[Az's Room has a massive tub that can hold him and his tentacles comfortably - Yuu would bring him some salt for him.]

[Jami's Room has a balcony with a lounging chair and enough room for him to break dance if his hair snakes didn't get in his way.]

[Vi's Room has a large bathroom and closet with some handmade outfits - turned out that Yuu was able to renovate Ramshackle with the funds he gets from his handmade creations; if Vi's Host wasn't a model and high-brand shopper, he would have thought Yuu's creations were designer.]

[[di's Room was just Yuu's Gaming Room that happened to have a very soft bed in there. Yuu's relationship with Idia allowed them to have a gaming night every Saturday.]

[Mal's Room was the closest one to Yuu's Room - Yuu knew how Mal's Original Host was overprotective of him and he knew that Mal was not going to be able to rest easily unless he was the closest to Yuu.]

[While the Overblots were relaxing in their rooms: Yuu was downstairs making dinner while Grim was yelling at him.]

Grim: ARE YOU CRAZY, HENCHHUMAN?! HAVE THE OVERBLOTS HERE?! WHAT IF THEY TRY TO KILL YOU?!

Yuu: They won't. I know they won't.

[Yuu places the food on the table: Beef Steak & Rice Bowls, drizzled in steak sauce.]

Yuu (Placing the last bowl on the table and lifts his head to see the Overblots standing in the hallway with their eyes on the food): Are you guys gonna stand there or come eat?

Jami: You... You made dinner, for us?

Yuu: Of course I did. Please, come sit and eat, I need to get the drinks and honey butter bread rolls. (Goes into the kitchen while the Overblots take their seats. Comes back with the bread rolls and drinks)

Yuu: Here you go. Tea for Ri, Vi, Az, and Jami - I have soda for Idi, Leo, and Mal.

[Placing the drinks in front of them before taking his seat. He sends a silent prayer to the Great Seven before starting to eat.]

Jami (Takes a bite): Prefect... This is very good. What kind of dish is this?

Yuu: Something from my world - Beef Steak Stripes over White Rice drizzled with Steak Sauce.

Mal (Holding a Bread Roll): Why does this bread smell so sweet?

Yuu: I used Honey Butter.

Leona: It's still good. This would be better with dessert.

Yuu: I have some Plain Cheesecake & Strawberry Cheesecake in the fridge.

Ri: Cheesecake...? What is that?

Yuu (Smiling): I'll give you all some for dessert later. Just enjoy your dinner. (Keeps eating)

[The Overblots look at Yuu for a while before they continue to eat in silence.]

[END - TO BE CONTINUED]

#Blot-Mates AU #Male Yuu #Overblot Boys #twisted wonderland

[vasito-de-leche]

;NSR MAYDAY - General Headcanons

Compilation of general headcanons and analysis about Mayday and other Mayday related things.

I just needed an excuse to fleshen out / analyze Mayday and any HCs I have for her bc I'm thinking soooo much about this game <3 there's also Zuke stuff in here because you can't talk abt one without the other lmfao

Aside from music, Mayday and Zuke share an interest for fixing, modding and tinkering with machines (any piece of tech discarded out in the streets).

Their approach to reverse engineering all the tech they get is different - Mayday focuses on recycling to build something entirely new and more powerful, while Zuke focuses on fixing and perfecting whatever it is that he's tinkering with, to make it more precise.

This is most notable with their respective instruments. Mayday's guitar is 100% built from scratch, spare parts and passion, it's also modded and tuned to her liking. This means that she's literally the ONLY person who can understand how it works, and why she couldn't replace her old guitar once it was destroyed at the end of the game. Meanwhile, Zuke opts for using NSR-brand drumsticks - the best of the best in the market - which he mods to work better with his way of playing.

The workshop in their base is attributed to Zuke because he's the one who cleared out the area to have all of their little projects located in an organized spot, since most of their living quarters were filled with unfinished projects, wrenches and bolts everywhere and so on. This is because Mayday has a very short attention span and gets attached easily, so she never has the time to finish anything nor the heart to discard her projects - especially when she keeps drawing faces onto everything.

A lot of their equipment was just made by Mayday herself, since she needed speakers strong enough to withstand the power of her guitar without getting fried after every performance. Many of their mutual friends see Zuke as the genius of the duo, but he insists that Mayday is the one doing most of the carry for B2J.

Both Mayday and Zuke got into music because of their loved ones.

It's canon that DK West is the reason Zuke got into music, and I like to think family was also one of the main reasons Mayday got into music, namely rock. One of her dialogues in-game mentions how her grandma used to listen and sing to the Goolings with her using an old radio, despite not knowing the lyrics nor understanding the music.

Whereas Zuke was influenced by his brother's rap career to give music a try, it was kind of the reverse for Mayday - rock music became a big interest for her from a young age, and her family supported her wholeheartedly. They would take her to concerts, buy merch for her whenever it was possible and basically hype her up. Her father can probably name every different phase and era in Mayday's childhood and teenage years based on the groups she was into at the time.

Judging from dialogue, I think it's implied that Mayday was born and raised in Vinyl City, and that she never really travelled outside. So it's not impossible for her family to attend her first concerts (in small, local venues as a teenager, before she and Zuke even met) and her proper debut in B2J. Her family is also the first ones to receive official B2J merch, shirts that she and Zuke designed and that look AWFUL but that they love all the same.

I think this family aspect also ties in nicely with the base game, specifically Yinu's fight since it's the first moment of tension for Mayday and Zuke in which they realize they might not be the good guys for hijacking concerts.

For Mayday, music is a lifestyle, not something to be forced onto people - she goes directly against NSR because of the EDM enforcement and the rock ban, after all. So it makes sense to me that she becomes a bit too engrossed in fighting Yinu's mother, someone who is directly puppeteering her own child and represents parents who live vicariously through their talented kids, to the point where she also forgets that Yinu is a child. A fact that she also initially brushes aside herself since Yinu is part of NSR.

I don't know, I just like when characters are flawed and multifaceted! Mayday and Zuke should be allowed to be hypocrites, as a treat.

Mayday taught herself how to play.

My personal agenda is to also hype up Mayday for being a music genius at 21, so yeah! I like to think she's 100% self-taught, which parallels Zuke's musical education rather nicely. They're both extremely good in their own unique ways.

She used to play by ear, trying to figure out how to play her favorite songs when she was younger, and later began to actually study music notation and so on.

When spontaneously coming up with new melodies and songs for B2J, she mostly uses her phone to record herself singing, as opposed to Zuke immediately needing to jot down everything.

It took awhile for Mayday to pick up and use Kul Fyra's guitar.

After the events of the game, Mayday ABSOLUTELY needed some time to properly process everything - her dialogue is all about realizing that she was in the wrong and reconsider the reason she picked up music in the first, wondering if she began to rebel against NSR because she couldn't cope with B2J and rock (two things very dear to her heart) being rejected, etc. So she wouldn't have had the heart to use her idol's guitar without coming to terms with a lot of things first.

My favorite headcanon to think about is that the cutscene at the very end, during Tatiana's speech, is of Mayday and Zuke performing after B2J's hiatus, after they both help each other mature and grow up a bit. And Mayday using Kul Fyra's guitar is symbolic of her renewed love in music and taking Tatiana's words to heart - "where I have failed, I want you to go beyond".

Mayday doesn't have any powers unique to herself.

I KNOW, I KNOW - it's kind of UNFAIR since EVERYONE has WORLD BENDING ABILITIES AND WHATEVER. Even Zuke is implied to have inherited DK West's shadow puppets and all, BUT consider THE FOLLOWING....THAT'S THE POINT.....

Every major character in NSR represents a type of musician or figure in the industry - and I'm not sure if it was meant to be read like this or not, but Zuke reads as that type of person who has really good connections with important figures, who had the chance to pursue higher education and afford expensive equipment, who is knowledgeable when it comes to the ins and outs of the industry BECAUSE he was there to see and experience it all firsthand (if we're taking into account the fact that DK West was implied to be a revolutionary activist related to NSR). He's even the one who is the most reluctant to go against NSR and gives them the benefit of the doubt, which can easily be attributed to him being the calm and collected, reasonable half of the duo but also because he personally knows EVE (and DK West if you count him as an important major figure). He's a huge fucking nerd with a degree and it makes sense that he's the one giving ALL the information about the music industry when interacting with all the objects around Vinyl City.

But May? Her dialogue is all about more common things, the way she talks about certain people shows that she knew them personally, that they were friends or acquaintances from all over town instead of the important figures Zuke speaks of. She complains a lot about the fact that from a surface level, NSR does look like a bunch of sellouts and really offers that underdog vibe in B2J. She has NO connections to ANY major character in NSR other than being a fan of Kul Fyra. We know virtually nothing about her backstory too.

So to me it makes sense that Mayday lacks any sort of unique and incredible ability, as she IS part of the little guys that B2J fight for. The underdogs that get brushed aside for whatever reason, because they're not relevant or seen as profitable and so on. She represents the artists who are naive, full of passion for their craft and determination to make their dreams work regardless of how cruel the industry might be.

My personal hot take is that instead of powers and some innate talent, Mayday offers something else: deep connections with people.

This example might not click with everyone since it's how I personally perceived the music and all and I actually know absolutely nothing about music other than It Sounds Good and It Makes Me Want To Dance, but yknow!

When listening to the B2J solos, there are times when Zuke's solo is very aggressive and almost takes over the entire song, which makes sense since it's a solo and they ARE trying to win over EDM. But Mayday's solos blend in so well with the base track of each boss fight, like she really is trying to match their vibe using her own genre rather than fight for the spotlight.

This is most noticeable in Eve's fight - both Zuke and Mayday's solos match Eve's base track perfectly. You can understand why Zuke would match her, since they know each other intimately and when you explore Dream Fever, he's the one giving ALL the in-depth explanations about Eve's vision when creating her sculptures and art. But Mayday would have no reason to match Eve at all, she doesn't understand any of her art let alone know her as a person. And still, the ONE thing Zuke tells Eve at the end of the fight is that if Eve came to know Mayday the way he does, she would like her as well. Zuke is happier being Mayday's friend and bandmate despite the fact that he's Mayday's antithesis, than being part of a big company and records label with his super hot girlfriend.

I like to think that Mayday's solos, the fact that she is Zuke's direct opposite in almost every way, that she's closely tied to the regular people and citizens of Vinyl City and that piece of dialogue from Zuke are a testament to Mayday's ability to really reach out to people through music. Not to say that her power is just friendship, but just the fact that she can adapt and come to understand anyone - as long as it's in a musical setting.

Personally I like it more when Mayday is just a regular girl without unique powers, but you could take these aspect of her and turn them into its own power!

#nsr #no straight roads #nsr mayday #nsr zuke #nsr headcanons #i care so much about every character in this game

[wen-kexing-apologist]

Bengiyo's Queer Cinema Syllabus

For those who are not aware, I have decided to run the gauntlet of @bengiyo’s Queer Cinema Syllabus and have officially started Unit 2: Race, Disability, and Class. The films in Unit 2 are: The Way He Looks (2014), Being 17 (2016), Naz and Maalik (2015), The Obituary of Tunde Johnson (2019), Margarita With a Straw (2014), My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), Brother to Brother (2004), and Beautiful Thing (1996)

Today I will be writing about

My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) dir. Stephen Frears

[Run Time: 1:37, Available- Amazon, Hulu, Language: English]

Summary: “An ambitious Pakistani Briton and his white boyfriend strive for success and hope when they open a glamorous laundromat.” (from IMDB)

Cast: * Daniel Day-Lewis as Johnny * Gordon Warnecke as Omar

___

Hmm. Okay so, before I get too far in to this, I feel like this film was the hardest one for me to follow from a plot standpoint (so far). There were a lot of little things happening that took a bit for me to really understand, and that caused some challenges in how I engaged with this film. I will admit at this point that this was a movie I probably need more historical context for (ie some of the political commentary in the film, the state of Britain at the point in which this film was made, etc.) but my brain is fried from life stuff, and I do not have the energy to do that research right now. 

gif by @itsmyfriendisaac

Fundamentally, I do think there is something extremely interesting in the role reversals here of the Pakistani immigrant family being the richer, more successful characters, compared to the white people in the film. And this makes sense because what I was able to get through the movie is the racism that came out of Pakistani immigrants moving to Britain, establishing lives, and then becoming the scapegoats for the suffering of poor white people (when obviously they are not the actual problem). 

Omar comes alive at the thought of getting to make something out of his life, rather than just be a caretaker for his father. A father who has become a victim to the racism and vitriol he has witnessed in Britain. A man who gave compassion, advice, care to young white boys only to see them march against him when they grew up. 

I loved the visual commentary about how women can be forgotten, every time that Nasser’s wife walked by a room, quiet, unnoticed, and soaking in all this information about Omar, Tania, and Nasser’s affair. 

I did love the visual commentary around ever looming danger. This standstill that Johnny’s old crew came to with Johnny, Omar, and the laundrette. A show of numbers, a threat of violence, that never triggered because there was no reason to do so. Johnny still had power and influence over his white friends, and that kept them quiet. But they loom. They are an ever present danger that Omar just ignores. Omar and Johnny continue to live their lives, build out the laundrette, try to achieve success despite the ever present danger. Which is as strong as a visual metaphor you can get towards existing as a part of one or more oppressed groups. 

I like that fundamentally, Omar did all of this to show his Dad that he could be successful. Because he wanted to show his father that everything he’d heard said about him by the white boys he went to school with, and by Britain were wrong. That he was successful, and he had white people working for him. And how that is only revealed when Omar and Johnny have done the work of selling coke, refurbishing the entire place, and then opening it. I like that Omar’s father does not consider his son opening this laundrette as a success, because he wants Omar to be educated. Because he understands the importance of education, and how a lack of education makes people susceptible to propaganda. I also appreciate that Omar was spared from hearing that. 

I love that Omar and Johnny’s feelings for eachother are never really disguised. Like, if you are queer, you can see from the second they are reunited that those two have almost certainly fucked before. But that good old fashioned heteronormativity is what really seems to shield them from suspicion by most people (besides Tania it seems). 

And for as brutal of a beating as it was, I did genuinely enjoy the scene both for the commentary around how no one really is ever safe. That once your former in-group decides you are now part of the out-group, you are no longer safe. And further, that Omar very adamantly, casually, and happily took care of Johnny and treated his wounds and did not let him leave because he does love Johnny. I love that the film ends with the two of them in the laundrette, with Omar kissing the back of Johnny’s neck, in front of a couple shattered windows. Why? Because for me, it speaks volumes about how Omar views his relationship to Johnny and the world. He treats Johnny rather than worrying about his laundrette, because he loves Johnny, and Johnny is hurt. The windows can be replaced. 

gif by @oscarskirt

For/By/About 

By and About 

The writer of the film is bisexual, and the main characters are queer, which puts it in a By and About Queers category. I am on the fence about the For Queer people, because again, with most of the films in Unit 2, I feel like the Race, Disability, and Class aspects of the film are more of the central voice. For My Beautiful Laundrette, the race and class aspects seem like the heavier hitters, but the reason I’m on the fence is because there are some aspects of Johnny and Omar’s relationship that aren’t verbalized that I feel like may only be picked up on (easily) by a queer audience. 

Favorite Scene 

gif by @eriklehnsherryes

I really loved the scene where Johnny and Omar are fucking in the back room while Nessan and Rachel are dancing inside the laundrette. I appreciated that it felt like it was used to highlight the legitimacy of both of their relationships/love for one another. And that both fucking (and spitting champagne in to Omar’s mouth) could be presented in a way that felt romantic because it was paralleled to a couple dancing lovingly together. 

Favorite Quote

“We must all have knowledge if we are to see what is being done to whom in this country” 

A quote said by Omar’s dad to Johnny. I like it because it addresses what I think is the core of this film. And it shows in very few words, why he ended up this way, why he wants Omar to go to college, and where his ideology and life experience lies. 

Score

8/10 

I think this film falls to the classic blunder of trying to say too many things in too short of a time. As a result, we only get glimpses in to characters, and it is harder for me to see and understand their motivations.

#queer cinema syllabus #bengiyo queer cinema syllabus #my beautiful laundrette #my beautiful laundrette (1985)

[penig]

a question of power, Pt 1

"Hastur was a Duke of Hell. Crowley wasn't even a local counsellor." Good Omens, the Book, 1990, p. 186 of my (apparently 1st edition, 1st printing, sweet; too bad the dust jacket's so torn up) hardback copy.

This is probably the only definitive statement concerning Crowley and Aziraphale's power levels we will ever get. Between Gaiman and Pratchett's cavalier attitude toward worldbuilding and the ineffable accounting of supernatural powers that human minds can't properly conceive, we're on our own quantifying this stuff. Certainly anything we figure out now may be confirmed or contradicted or cast in an entirely new light when we finally have the entire story in front of us.

Will this stop us from trying before we get all the data in hand? No, of course not.

Personally, I only care insofar as it relates to characterization, but to some people it matters a lot. And Crowley looks a lot more powerful than a local counsellor, on the face of it, in the video adaptation. (Which is where the "Crowley was Raphael" headcanon comes from. Personally, I despise that headcanon, but you do you.) Whereas Aziraphale often comes across as barely powerful at all, and reluctant to use what power he has.

This is unsatisfactory for those of us who want equality between partners. And we want to be satisfied with the story, don't we? So let's look at what we've got and examine the ways we can justify seeing them as equals, and where that gets us.

First, and most obviously: Crowley can stop time. That seems really powerful, and we don't see anyone else do it - which doesn't mean nobody else can. The way we see it used, however, implies that it's not something other angels and demons are accustomed to. Crowley stops time as Satan comes up through the ground, even though Satan is presumably more powerful than he and Aziraphale put together by several factors. So either he expects Satan not to notice it's happening, or he expects the effect to stop when Satan notices and acts to end it. Crowley also stops time when they swap bodies and checks to see whether anyone's looking, the implication being that it's not a showy power, that unless someone in the know is looking straight at the phenomenon, they aren't likely to notice it.

What if stopping time is a specialist skill? What if it's a power routinely used only by starmakers? In fact -

In the S2E1 teaser, we see Crowley crank up the new nebula to start it running. What if what he's doing there is not just powering the nebula itself, but initiating time in that area of space, to give all the processes the room they need to happen? What if that's his role, or part of his role, among starmakers - not building stars, directly, but starting time for them, or switching them over from the outside-of-time angelic workshop to the material plane where time runs? What if he's one of the few angels ever made who ever learned that skill? And what if, being the curious heedless little bugger he is, he extrapolated from that skill and taught himself how to do the reverse, and stop time in a localized area?

That's a lot of what ifs, but it would also explain a lot, reasonably parsimoniously, including the question of why nobody else is hanging around the nebula ready to hold the scroll for him and he has to call in Aziraphale to lend a hand. Everybody else had finished up their part of the job, and gone home. I am open to other suggestions, but I quite like this one.

Second, in the second series he easily accesses a file which should only be available to thrones, dominions, or above. When the archivist goggles at him he shrugs it off - he used to work with those guys, and they never change their passwords. But why did he have their passwords? Was he their supervisor? Was he a higher rank and security clearance? This, and Saroquel's recognition of him, are the best evidence the Raphael people have gotten to date.

Okay, sure if that floats your boat - but I've worked in a lot of offices. I've never had a supervisor who was any good at system security (or the work itself, not the work I was doing). Even when I was temping, I generally knew more passwords than the boss did. In my offices, the person who knew all the passwords was the snoopy little clerk who a) had legitimate reasons to get into everybody's workstations, b) read over people's shoulders, and c) liked to know what was going on and be one up on everybody else, including playing pranks on them. What's more likely, that somebody put Crowley in charge of other angels, or that his coworkers were the kinds of people who set passwords like "password" and Crowley was a nosy bastard? I rest my case.

Third, he drove the Bentley through hellfire and on to Tadfield, still burning - but we know, because God said so directly in the show, and the authors implied it in the book, that this is because Crowley had developed what, for a demon, was basically a superpower: he could imagine things, including that he and his car were getting through the fire, and shape the world with it. If we adopt the popular fanon that the Bentley is sentient and supernatural in itself (possibly as a result of prolonged contact with Crowley and Aziraphale) he even had help there. It's a power that doesn't originate with his demonic nature, but with his acclimatization to Earth.

Fourth, he can detect things that are obscure to others, including to Aziraphale. He "smells" when the hellhound finds the Antichrist. He can tell when someone's looking. He clearly has finely-honed senses. The only other character who seems able to do anything unusual with the sense of smell is (of all angels!) Sandalphon, who can "smell evil" in the bookshop, but apparently can't tell the lingering scent of a demon who sat all night in the space drinking from Jeffery Archer books. This seems more subtle than we are accustomed to think of power, and it may in fact have been developed out of relative helplessness, a skill honed by hypervigilance, rather than an innate trait. Or it could be innate and individual, or tied to the type of angel he originally was, or related to his beast aspect - we simply don't have enough information on the point.

All the other powers we see him use - shapeshifting, size change, transformation of objects, passing unnoticed, influencing living people (and plants, and rats, and cars), transportation along the telephone lines, mending his car - are things that seem to be routinely available to angels and demons of all ranks. He calls fire to sign the invoice for the Antichrist, but it's a modest amount of fire compared to what Hastur lights a cigarette with, and seems to hurt him. Driving 70 miles per hour in central London must involve superhuman reflexes and a capacity to clear people and cars out of his way. It's all treated in story, and can easily be assumed by the reader, as bog-standard demonic factory settings that anyone can do.

This is probably as long as anybody wants to read through, so I'll have to make another post about Aziraphale and the relative power levels between them.

#good omens #good omens book #good omens series 1 #good omens series 2 #meta #power #non sims

[twstddream]

Hello, I want to theorize on Ace’s unique magic. Translations done by @twstarchives

Deuce, Epel, and Rook all have hints to their Unique Magic in their max lvl lines. Epel saying he feels he could put anyone to sleep, which is his Unique Magic exactly. Rook says there is beauty in the world that can't be seen unless you have mastered a certain art. Deuce’s is a bit vague, but it kind of connects in my mind?

Max Lv Up Deuce “I’ve never had anyone join me for intensive training as persistently as you have. I feel like I’ve been steadily making progress ever since I met you.” 

 And his Unique Magic is steadily building up and absorbing surrounding magic to fire back with.

---

Max Lv Up Rook “There exists beauty that can’t be seen unless you’ve mastered an art. Très bien! I’ve been shown another new world thanks to you.”

Rook’s UM is “I See You” which allows him to pin point the location of anyone/anything he has marked with his magic.

---

Max Lv Up Epel “I feel a strong power rising in me, like an ice-cold poison. It feels like I could put anyone to sleep... maybe?”

Epel can create magic glass coffins that can act as both an offensive and defensive spell, whatever is captured in the coffin being put into a deep sleep.

---

So I want to take a look at Ace's max lvl lines and see if I can figure anything out.

Max Lv Up Ace “This feels incredible. Now that I’ve got this, it’ll probably be a lot easier for me to back up a certain someone who can’t use magic.”

I think Ace will be able to temporarily lend someone his magic. Because his line is the only of the entirety of the cast that mentions helping you and not you helping them. He’s also the only one to mention your lack of magic, that might just be him teasing you, but I think it could be the hint for his unique magic. And he says it'll be easier to back someone up, so his Unique Magic might be a support/defensive magic, to contrast Deuce's offensive magic.

The only things I could come up with are, as I said previously, 

1. Him lending you his magic for a short while. Perhaps just his special wind magic, or the entirety of his magic. Whether it’s entirely transferring it to you for a short while, leaving him unable to use magic until it’s returned. Or it’s a duo thing. Just, surprise! You have magic now, too!

2. I love the time loop theory, but I don’t think it’s entirely plausible, so here’s the crack theory that his magic is rewinding time to back you up from whatever he’s rewinding time from. Either to the beginning of the game, or like, 10 seconds in the past.

3. His Unique Magic could be summoning a magic card soldier. It can act as both a (living) shield, and an offensive unit. It’s a separate entity that Ace can command, but once it sustains enough damage it disappears or something. (Akin to Weiss from RWBY and her summoning glyphs.)

To add onto this idea, maybe summoning the card soldier is similar to an overblot phantom. When he uses his UM it can release the built-up blot and get rid of it via the card soldier

-

I think #3 is most likely, since it matches with his interest in magic tricks. It includes the card, and can be used to trick the opposing force (separate entity that acts independently, but under the orders of Ace, like a phantom)

EDIT: My friend is super smart and said “...his unique magic being able to quite literally "back you up" and reverse time a little bit. Pretty cool idea, nice play on the time loop theory and nice play on words” THEY ARE A GENIUS AND THEY DON’T EVEN PLAY THE GAME HOW ARE THEY SO TALENTED????

That’s all I have for now, please let me know what you think! Thank you for reading this far :)

#twisted wonderland #twst #disney twisted wonderland #disney twst #deuce spade #rook hunt #epel felmier #ace trappola #twst theory #twisted wonderland theory #unique magic #A King's Contemplation #Phantom's Lapidary

[blueisquitetired]

ABANDONED WIP WEDNESDAY

This is the second part of the last WIP Wednesday, which I can't link here because I'm writing this in the past and it hasn't been posted yet. I'll fix it later.

Here's the final WIP that I'll be posting in this major batch- I've hope you've enjoyed them this past month or so!

Anyway, this is the outline of the entire fic overall, as well as a scene from later on in the narrative!

Heroes and Villains- Ingo is a Dad Now (Part 2)

Length: 2,132 words

Rating: G

No archive warnings apply

Akari has light powers. (Get it? Light? I’m hilarious) This is a VERY powerful ability as you can do things like lasers and their ilk- but also illusions and invisibility. She can manipulate light which means she can make you see what she wants you to see. The commission obviously really wants her abilities, but she is a stubborn authority defying teenager. With amnesia. Her first memories are waking up in the commission building with them being oh so worried about her :(( and her catching their bad vibes immediately. She plays along though, before eventually breaking out and running away. She ends up being taken in by the (Pearl clan equivalent, I forgot what it was called lol) a few weeks after Ingo and immediately reverse adopts him due to the shared amnesia. Her claim to fame is “well he could be my dad. We don’t have any proof either way >:))” (they don’t particularly look alike) She also super wants to be a villain- but Drayden’s organization is not letting the teenager fight for them. (Except in very specific situations where she is in no danger they just need her illusionary abilities- and Ingo is there to make sure she doesn’t run off to punch someone)

the main plot line is (humorously) her relationship with Emmet. She’s able to easily connect the dots about him being Eeletross and is very not pleased with having a hero that can rat her out hanging around. Of course, they end up getting along just fine, especially because Emmet thinks she’s just paranoid and there’s no way the commission is after her

and then she goes missing

Ingo  is besides himself, praying desperately that it isn’t the commission- but as time passes it becomes increasingly obvious that that’s what happened. Emmet is still in denial of course, and in his free time is looking for the devious criminal that stole his niece away (part of him is tempted to report the crime to the commission in order to get more help looking for her- but he promised, he’s not gunna break that promise) Something that makes this even sadder is that Akari had confessed to Emmet at one point that it was an inevitably. She’s knows that she can’t hide forever, that the commission will find her and take her away eventually- so she’s just enjoying the time she has now before it’s all taken away from her.

And then, months after Akari goes missing, Emmet is assigned to help a new recruit with physical training. It’s Akari.

Emmet finds a way to pull her aside and goes “what are you doing here??? Ingo’s worried sick! I thought you hated it here!” But Akari just kinda looks at him and is like “how do you know I don’t like the commission!?! Are you a mind reader??? And who’s Ingo?”

and then Emmet gets to have a crisis because a) she was right all along and b) she got her memory wiped again

Turns out that this is just a thing that happens with Akari!! She’s very hard to manipulate the old fashion way so they’ve had to resort to memory wipes! If she was anyone else they would declare someone as difficult as her just not worth it- but Akari is powerful. Her illusions are much too useful to just toss aside- so they keep going at her, locking her up under tighter and tighter security every time she escapes, becoming increasingly frustrated that despite the fact she has literally no memories that they cannot erase her subconscious feelings about the commission… which is that she very much does not like or trust them. They just need to find a way to break her, and then they will have all of this power at their disposal. It might take a while but they can do it. They’re quite patient after all.

Pen: Question: does Akari meet Ingo or smokestack first?

Not sure! Since this is from Emmet’s POV that stuff isn’t really important? He just finds his amnesiac brother and the next day sees a teenager crawling through the window via fire escape

I think she just showed up one day, amnesiac teenager on the run who got taken in- and then immediately imprinted on Ingo

Like, Calaba or something was supposed to take care of her but she declared Ingo is her dad now actually and they all have to just. Roll with that.

Other fun things to consider:

Emmet having no idea how to tell his brother that he found Akari in the hero commission

Emmet breaking Akari out and then having Akari just casually let slip to her dad that she’s so glad her uncle is a spy that could break her out

they actually break Akari

Vision is just our eyes taking in light bouncing off of stuff, so if you could bend that to your will….

This isn’t just a hyper realistic illusion that can affect one person- she can make illusions that everyone sees and no one can tell the difference

Her power is terrifying and the commission needs it

unlike most of my AU’s she’s a legit teenager here Complete with the teenage invincibility concept backed up by the fact that she’s super powerful, has amnesia, and is living the yolo life because she thinks she could be spirited away any minute

No one lets her be a super villain so she does that on her own. She was climbing in through the window because that’s just ‘how she is’. When she’s comfortable she has zero filter, self preservation instincts, or craps to give. (This terrifies Ingo)

It’s not like she goes to public school either- she can’t. She’s completely homeschooled and while she does well at that…. gestures she has free time

Everything she does is underlined with the knowledge that she is constantly minutes away from “death” (an erasure of personality and memories) so it’s not worth wasting time

She grows attached quickly but is extremely flighty, constantly putting on a don’t care attitude. she’s terrified, but what else is she supposed to do? Nothing she does really matters in the long run- the conclusion is still the same

I like the thought that she was an orphan kid. Ran away from every orphan program she was ever in and lived on the streets. Tuning her powers on her own. It’s why she’s got wandering feet even when she has a home (plus, being as hardened to societal programs makes her horrid at listening to orders)

Akari initially suggested that Ingo was her dad as a joke basically. She wanted to hang out with him more and that was the excuse she gave. She didn’t expect him to actually start acting like her dad and is high key terrified about how attached to him she is at this point

And, as promised, the small scene:

(Set after Ingo has met up with Eelektross and Akari several times in secret during Akari's on the field commission training)

The apartment is as silent as it gets when Ingo sits at the kitchen table, head in his hands and sigh on his lips. Melli had gone over to a friends place for the evening and Ingo didn’t have any plans that could delay this… conversation any further.

A conversation with himself. One that he has been putting of for quite a while.

Letting out a groan, Ingo slumps so his head is resting in his arms, the darkness helping him confront the mental beast head on.

No use putting it off any longer.

He starts with the facts, lining them up mentally like a legion of toy soldiers. Heroes are bad. Akari is a hero. Akari isn’t made bad by the fact the commission took her in- she’s still Akari and he still loves her.

Which means…. Some heroes can technically be good.

Ingo groans again as he lets his head drop all the way to the wooden table. He’s barely four facts in and he’s already completely over this “conversation” ….but it needs to be done, and Ingo doesn’t trust himself to try again if he aborts now.

Where was he? Oh right.

Some heroes can technically be good.

Right that…. He shifts tracks.

Eelektross hates him for killing his brother.

Honestly, Ingo can’t even blame him for his anger. If some hero came along and murdered Emmet, Ingo is fairly certain he would react the same way.

Elektross no longer thinks he killed his brother.

Which is because- No, not yet. Ingo doesn’t want to touch that one yet.

Elektross no longer hates him, and apologized for accusing him of murder.

Which is… much more then Ingo was ever expecting really. But more baffling-

Elektross has been taking care of Akari and taking her to see him.

Why?? How did he even know Akari was his child in the first place?? According to Akari that was the first thing he said to her- asking her what was she doing there and that telling her that her dad was worried. But not many people knew about Akari in the first place- or at least not in relation to him. The only real people who would know Akari would be the other Hisui residents and-

Nope. Backtrack.

Electross had been taking care of Akari and had been going behind the commissions back in order to let Ingo see her. Some heroes can technically be good. Elektross is technically a good guy.

Oh great, now Ingo feels nauseous. Squeezing his eyes shut eyes even harder, he try’s to get his roiling gut to accept the conclusion he’s come to.

But it’s true! Elektross has proven himself trustworthy time and time again- from the aforementioned Akari watching to just the fact that he HAS to know Ingo’s secret identity in order to know that he’s Akari’s father…… and Ingo hasn’t had the commission knocking on his doors. Yet another part of his mind whispers- but he has no idea what eelektross would gain by waiting, so he puts that thought to the side as well.

Which leads him back to…. Elektross knows chandelure is alive. Elektross knows Ingo couldn’t have killed chandelure because he saw his face. Elektross recognized Ingo. Elektross must have known Ingo before his memory loss.

Oh he hates where this is going. Full of nervous energy, Ingo begins to pace around the kitchen, anxiously biting at the skin around his fingernails.

Elektross- No. Reroute.

Ingo did not steal chandelure’s powers- Emmet says he has always had them. Chandelure’s powers are extremely similar to Ingo’s. Ingo appeared shortly after-

Nope nope nope nope. Ingo falls into a crouch as he begins to clutch his forearms, desperately holding back his frantic breathing. He needs to- He needs-

There’s Lichtenberg scars on his arms. Emmet hadn’t wanted to talk about those.

Ingo finds this route a bit easier to take, his breathing evening out as he releases his death grip on his arms.

Emmet found him shortly after elektross saw his face. Emmet wasn’t surprised by the burn scar.

…Emmet knew Akari was his daughter.

Aaaaaand he was back to pacing, hands flapping in an attempt to rid himself of anxious energy. It wasn’t working.

Emmet was- Ingo was-

Emmet was a good person, which is why he couldn’t be a hero. ….but heroes can technically be good. Technically. Especially if- their parents died when they were pretty young right? So hypothetically…

Ugh no this wasn’t working either. How was he supposed to….

Gray zones. Right. Some half remembered psychological thing that Ingo had no idea where he learned- maybe before the amnesia? Yes so, gray zones. Not everything is black and white. People can change. People can be good people but make bad mistakes. People can be-

Ingo is chandelure. Heroes are bad and if Ingo was a hero then that means Ingo is bad and-

He rushes to the bathroom to throw up, barely having enough time to pull up the toilet lid before puking his guts out. He’s pretty sure he’s crying.

But if Ingo is chandelure that means that-

Emmet is Elektross.

Emmet’s been taking care of his daughter for him.

Something in Ingo gives as he slumps in place, the agony of the previous reveal buried in the wake of the sheer relief he feels at the moment. Because Emmet is a good person who loves Ingo and Akari- and he will take care of her and help get her home.

And that’s more important then anything else isn’t it?

The rest of the night was spent in and out of a long running panic attack over the chandelure thing- but by the time the sun had risen Ingo had mostly made peace with himself. Mostly.

#blue’s writing #submas #akari pokemon #heroes and villains #subway boss emmet #subway boss ingo #WIP

[heliosrisingheroesimagines]

Would you be willing to do the Venus Signs for the Yellow West too? I loved reading the previous headcanons so much! - from a fellow astrology geek 💖💫

(Me not doing this for the groups with my top 2 fave characters..... for shame

For Junior's I imagined him a little older and little more mature, when he'd be more invested in romance than as a baby like he is in canon rn lmao)

WEST SECTOR VENUS SIGNS

Dino Albani:

Pisces Venus. Dino has always been a highly intuitive person, not to mention emotionally intelligent, so it’s only natural that the connection you felt with him was almost instantaneous. He’s a partner who wants to have fun, finding creative ways to bond and experience life together. You’ll never experience a love more unconditional than the one Dino displayed for you, though his Aries sun makes him rather direct so don’t think he’ll allow you to run from any problems you might have.

Faith Beams:

Aries Venus. Faith is someone who needs that excitement, that thrill, a real challenge since people throw themselves at him with reckless abandon. He wants a person who can keep him on his toes but isn’t annoying about it, still displaying an interest but making it known they won’t let him give them anything less than the world. He naturally takes the lead but it always sparked his interest when you decided to take the reins, trusting you not to lead you both to your demise.

Keith Max:

Scorpio Venus. On the surface, Keith doesn’t seem to fulfill the ‘Scorpio Venus’ stereotype of ‘obsessive’ or pro-active but he’s a person who loves deeply. He wants to know you intimately and that includes knowing the negative parts of you, the ones you’d be embarrassed or horrified for others to see. His vices are on display for all to see, which he hated, but it didn’t quite feel right if he didn’t know what your weaknesses were too. Ultimately, he wanted to know and love the real you, which meant having to dig a little deeper as frustrating as those conversations may be.

Leonard Wright Jr:

Taurus Venus. Ever the hard worker, Junior is motivated to work twice as hard to provide you a life that you deserve. Loyalty was a serious thing to him, and there’s no one else that would catch his eye after he determined you were the one for him. He doesn’t get people who cheat or those who have a partner yet still flirt with others, because he felt no inclination from the moment he set his heart on you. You find that he’s a true romantic, always trying his hardest to set up nice dates for you to be alone together (and he even wrote a song for you once, but he’s too embarrassed to bring that up later in your relationship).

EAST SECTOR VENUS SIGNS

Asch Albright:

Leo Venus. Asch is a man whose lived in luxury his entire life, so it’s only natural he wants to give his partner the same life he had. He will not let you accept anything less than extravagant and he will complain if you try to make him tone it down, wondering if you just don't know what it's like to be loved by someone like him. He liked when you looked good together and would be even happier if you were considered a power couple, thinking the name fit you both perfectly.

Billy Wise:

Gemini Venus. You’re in for a ride with Billy, if you couldn’t tell from what you know of his personality already, but you’ll never have a dull time. He can run hot and cold but not because his feelings for you fluctuate, but because committing wholeheartedly to a person makes him nervous. Giving your heart away is a big deal, and making friends was far different than falling in love, though the pain of losing that might be equal in his mind. You’ll have to earn his friendship first and even then it might take time, but Billy’s constant flirting and allowing you to get closer to him than he’s ever let someone get before.  

Gray Reverse:

Cancer Venus. Gray needs some security and affirmations, even with his confident (very slowly) building up; he needs to know he’s not a burden on you, that his faults aren’t deal-breakers, and that you’ll love him despite the great amount of patience it requires to be with him. He’s naturally thoughtful and intuitive, knowing what you need before you even know, and there’s a part of you that wanted to tease him on what an expert boyfriend he was. He truly loves you unconditionally, to the point it’s almost worship, which can throw others off but you know better than to take advantage of your loving boyfriend.

Jay Kidman:

Sagittarius Venus. It goes without saying that Jay was a difficult man to pin down, something that might be odd for a man who had a wife at one point, but he admitted to being swept up in the adventure of it all when he was young. He tries to take romance a little more seriously now which is why he doesn’t ‘commit’ to long-term arrangements often, a man who fully enjoyed his singleness as he focused on being a hero. He’s someone who needs the space to be who he is but once you show you not only support him but seek out a life and adventure of your own, he’s more than happy to change what could’ve been a temporary connection into something more permanent.

#Helios Rising Heroes #Helios Rising Heroes x Reader #Helios Rising Heroes Imagines #HeliosR #Helios Rising #Helios Rising Imagines #Helios Rising x Reader #Keith Max #Dino Albani #Faith Beams #Leonard Wright Jr #Asch Albright #Billy Wise #Gray Reverse #Jay Kidman #Venus Signs

[sneezemonster15]

Besides naruto and sasuke, who are some of your other favorite characters?

Gaara. I related with him the most in the entire manga. His backstory was the moment when I got truly hooked. Kishi had me by his claws. I was very invested in his story and it was quite apparent that he was one of the crucial characters that would affect the plot and the protagonist in the process of which, both will undergo change, and so there was a lot of anticipation there.

Neji. While I appreciate him more in retrospect, because this was a boy who stood in the middle of the stadium where all the kages and jounins and the civilians were gathered, and fearlessly talked of oppression supported by the system at the risk of being rendered paralysed or half dead by his slavemaker curse, at the time I liked how he carried himself. Intelligent and talented, a no nonsense dude. And he shut Hinata up who was deliberately egging him on. I loved their fight during chuunin exams, I would not have minded if he were allowed to keep going on... He is individualistic and strong, he is a non conformist and has solid reasons to be that way, I appreciate that.

Deidara. He is just so much fun. Kishi can write all sorts of villains, that's one of his many strengths. He doesn't have a tragic backstory like others, and he doesn't suffer from savior complex or mad acquisition of knowledge and secrets of the world, or retribution (except for Itachi, but that's just another art driven shenanigans of his). He does it for art, lol. He is just a crazy, artsy guy who loves arson. Lol. And that makes up for interesting, engaging action.

Orochimaru. Another wonderful villain. He creates a sense of dread, a certain squirmy quality that is also very thrilling and suspense building. He is so cunning, always one step ahead. He always has an Uno reverse card in his sleeve. Lol. And his wit. Lolol. He is so catty and incisively so. He is also the product of this system and he has a very real insight into this world himself but he has been desensitized. He uses the system itself for his own objective, that benefits his own self. He is certainly a very interesting character in his own right. And he is the only adult who takes a serious stand for Sasuke and that means something. Because it is done in front of all the dead kages, no matter how strong they were.

Madara. Crazy mofo. I happen to love characters that are hella strong, intelligent, stylish, have a sense of humor and are justifiably arrogant. I love how he keeps roasting the five kages, acting like the cat playing with the little mice just for fun before killing them off. I like bloody mayhem in a battle, and this man is so skilled and so powerful, it just makes for such good and humorous action. Not to mention his crazy obsession with Hashirama, he is strong but has his vulnerabilities and doesn't care to hide them, I mean the man just plants his ass on the ground like a stubborn child in a cereal aisle when Hashi sends his clone to fight him, like he just won't be mollycoddled. He is enjoying the battle so much. He exemplifies battle lust. Also, I liked how he was not so predictable. Hashirama sends Sasuke to somehow reason with Madara seeing he looked like Izuna. But Madara wasn't having it. He won't be manipulated. The way he was backstabbed by that piddly ass Black Zetsu, just like Hashirama did, was just cruel man. Kishi and his cruel parallels.

Kakuzu and Hidan. I say both of their names because their rapport is what brings out both their characters. They are snarky, stylish, well Hidan is, smart, strong and form a good team. Their fight with Naruto, Shikamaru and the rest of the team was pretty enjoyable.

I would say Temari, she is bold, sharp, strong, confident, displays strong leadership, with a level head on her shoulders. But of course, her character is not very explored, and I wish it was. I also like sand siblings' dynamic. Kankuro also has his good moments, funny dude. I would have also liked to see Tenten been given a chance. Oh Kish..

Gai. He is a kind man, always positive but not in a toxic way. Persevered despite his handicap and worked haaard. Strong, sensitive, vulnerable, has a close bond with his team, and is the perennial cheerleader. He cares for his friends, subordinates, and doesn't back away from a fight. He was already knocking on death's door when he decided to tackle Madara, and he did it with such aplomb. Impressive. His interaction with Kisame is also quite funny. I like Kisame as well. Such a gentleman. I also like his backstory, quite a complex one.

Yamato. The perennial nanny. The babysitter. He used to work for Root so he doesn't know how to deal with other peoples' individuality. But he tries. He takes his team out for a nice stay at an expensive inn, treats them to good food, all so that his team can bond and not be at each other's throat all the time. He does care about his team, and he is always trying to be the peacekeeper. I also like his dynamic with Naruto. At first, Naruto finds him scary/weird but then finds out he is just a pumpkin on the inside. So he teases him and plays pranks, and Yamato reacts just like how an exasperated older sister would to a naughty younger brother's pranks. Lol. And he is strong and smart. He has some good comedic moments, and he learns not to take himself so seriously. I would have liked to see him in action during the war arc but sadly, Kishi decided not to have him.

Suigetsu. That boy knows how to self preserve. He is bold, funny and a little devilish. He likes chaos and doesn't care for anything other than his own interests. He owns the way he is. He doesn't pretend to be anything different. He doesn't submit to Sasuke, he calls Karin out, he makes fun of Juugo, he takes everyone on. He is entertaining. But he also supports and helps Sasuke in his effort for revolution, he is adamant about it too. I also like his pointy teeth. Heh.

#ask #naruto #deidara #orochimaru #madara #kakuzu #hidan #kisame #gai #temari

[edgesystem]

Bone Velvet

My very first Big Bang! And my first grishaverse fic. And my first real use of this tumblr account. Lots of firsts, really. Thank you @grishaversebigbang for existing so I can make random stories and get awesome art out of it.

Materialki: @ferrisraccoon Link

@polekands Link

Summary: 

Mal has spent his entire life in the shadow of his popular and competent childhood friend, Alina Starkov. But when a terrible accident exposes his ability to summon light, he is torn from everything he knows and taken to the little palace for training. Given true power for the first time in his life, Mal finds himself in a position where his choices will affect all of Ravka.

A role reversal AU where Mal is the sun summoner instead of Alina.

Ao3 Link

Alexei

One marker in, Alexei decided he was finally going to confront Alina, and it only took until the third marker for him to actually do it. The boards of the sand skiff creaked slightly as he made his way to the strange blue light Alina sat directly underneath, sketching the beginnings of a new map.

She was stunning, as alway. There was a vibrancy to her, an inner glow that always took Alexei’s breath away. He was not alone of course. Her natural aura combined with her delicate shu features and made her widely popular. Alina had numerous suitors, both in and out of the cartography corps. Yet she never seemed particularly interested in any of them. Alexei himself had given up some time ago.

“What are you making? He asked her.

Alina smiled slightly and Alexei tried not to faint on the spot. “A map of the fold.”

He peered over at the piece of paper, trying to glimpse her work in the dim light. He could make out a few decrepit buildings, the markers for the skiff and even a volcra nest slightly ahead of them. Alexei could barely see an inch away from his own face, but he was certain the map was accurate. Alina had a knack, something no one could properly explain.

“Is that why you did it?” Alexei asked, “So you could map the fold?”

“Did what?” Alina laughed nervously. Her smile could melt all of the ice in Fjerda

“I saw you in the map room.”

Alina’s expression quickly transitioned into a distressed frown. “I didn’t mean for everyone to get transferred. It was only supposed to be me.”

“I’m not mad.” Alexei reassured her, “I just want to know why.”

There was a brief moment of silence when Alina’s eyes drifted over to the side of the sand skiff. Alexei was already fairly sure he knew what she was looking at, but he turned around anyway.

Sure enough, standing at the edge of the ship and glaring into darkness was a wiry scrap of a boy. He looked rather sickly, which made him seem even younger than he was. Malyen Oretsev, the unfortunate boy who won what the first army called the nightmare lottery. The only person Alina seemed to ever pay attention to.

“You should tell him how you feel.”

“What? No. We’re… we’re just friends.” Alexei couldn’t help but find the situation sadly ridiculous. Here he was, standing next to the girl he was in love with, encouraging her to be honest with her feelings. Perhaps he should take his own advice. As much as he felt like he’d given up any chance of the two of them being together, he was starting to think he would still cling to that hope until the words were actually spoken.

There was only one way to know.

“Alina?” he started, thankful that the dark hid his trembling hands.

“Yes?” she asked

There was a great jolt that sent the low-light lantern to the ground. It shattered, enveloping the skiff in darkness. Alexei didn’t think. He acted on a deep, irresistible instinct that sprung into motion before he could even process what he was doing.

He struck a match.

Witch an ear-piercing shriek, the volcra descended upon them in an instant, dozens of them swarming the ship with their sharp teeth and leathery wings. He felt a claw tear into his shoulder and the pain forced him to drop his match. He winced as the dark void lit up in flames, silhouetting the grim scene as volcra attacked first army and grisha alike.

There was a part of him that knew he was a coward. That part wanted to stay, to help the rest of the cartographers. But he was merely a mapmaker, no real help to anyone. And that deep instinct was beginning to take hold of him again. The pure cold need to survive overtook his body.

Alexei ran.

He was over the skiff and running through the thick dunes of the fold before he could properly think. Desperately, he tried to think of the brief look he caught of Alina’s map in order to gain his bearings. But it was difficult to find a cardinal direction in the pure darkness. For all he knew, he was merely running further into danger. Alexei turned back to the burning ship, attempting to use the light to find any possible landmark.

That was when the light started. It washed over Alexei like a wave, causing the volcra around him to scatter. Shielding his eyes with his hand from the brightness, he caught two figures in the center of the blast.

Hovering several feet above the skiff, dangling from a volcra’s talons, Alina Starkov hung limply. The only tension was in her hands, which were turning white from how firmly she was holding onto the person beneath her.

That person was Malyen Oretsev, the surly tracker boy, and he was shining like the sun.

#grishaverse #grishaverse fic #shadow and bone #big b #gang 28 #malyen oretsev #sun summoner au #the darkling #grishaverse big bang

[posletsvet]

hi arina!! i don’t know if you’ve talked about this before, but i was just curious; what’s your favorite jjk chapter? either one that you just generally enjoyed and/or really liked the writing in

Hi Eli!! <3

Oh, that's a tough one! Not to be predictable in my preferences, but when it comes to arcs, my two all-time favourites would be Hidden Inventory/Premature Death and Shibuya Incident arcs. I think what really seals the deal for me with the Hidden Inventory Arc is that Gege had to convey so much in the span of what is really just a handful of chapters, and what comes out of it as a result is a condensed, powerful message wired through and through with intense emotion. The architecture of characters' psychology is beautifully written, too. The same goes for the Shibuya Incident Arc, though in this case I'm looking more into the fights' choreography, and this arc contains fights that still have a lingering impression on me. And since this series is choke-full of characters fighting, that has to count for something!

But I'm getting carried away while not really answering your question, aren't I? That's probably because it'd be almost impossible for me to pick an individual chapter to call my favourite. And even if I could, it would depend on what chunk of the story I currently have spinning around in my brain at all hours of the day.

That being said, I do have a list of chapters that at least as of now stand out to me the most (I couldn't for the love of me choose just one, sorry):

Chapter 136: This chapter follows the resolution of one of my favourite battles in the entire manga, and, to tell the truth, I was torn between listing it or the 132 one here. But as the former is rather lore-heavy and introduces some fascinating points about the jujutsu world structure and how it functions, I ultimately decided to go with that one as I'm a sucker for thoughtful world-building. We also get one of the earliest insights into Kenjaku's character in this chapter, both their goals and motivations, and I'm forever fascinated with their manner to indulge in excessive monologues, I love this! Moreover, Yuki makes an appearance, so do I really need to say more?

Chapter 214: Sukuna taking over Megumi's body was a tragedy in the making from the very beginning, one that both characters and the audience could see approaching like dark clouds gathering over the horizon. It was tangible, it was recognized, it could be prevented. Still nothing substantial was done to avert it. It wasn't meant to be, but it still could not happen in any other way -- a prophecy in reverse. Excrutiatingly painful as it is, I find something alluring in this sort of fatalism. Sukuna's words in this chapter is also something that keeps haunting my mind as they bring up a very, very interesting discussion of the human condition. Does our ability to feel pain and still endure define us as human beings, or is suffering something we need to transcend in order to be one? Also, I love the tidbits of information hinting at some things yet to be revealed about Yuuji scattered across this chapter!

Chapter 236: If I'm being honest, it's hard to navigate through my discordant thoughts and conflicting impressions of this chapter, but perhaps that is the point as my mind just keeps coming back to it over and over again. Not to mention that I cried my eyes out over it. Aside from all the emotion that's colouring my perception, this chapter presented me with a fascinating conflict and really put the cogs inside of my brain into work. While we do get a profound insight into Gojo's character, the conversation he holds with his dead friends alone allows for so many different takes and interpretations that he still remains an enigma. I also adore Gege's use of the 'unreliable narrator' trope as this chapter drives home the point that everything characters say should be taken with a grain of salt. It somewhat made me re-evaluate my experience as a reader as one's reading of a certain character or event really says more about that person than it does about the story.

Honorable mention: Chapter 125: Nobara's backstory has a very, very special place in my heart and I can't quite place my finger on the reason why (I mean, aside from the obvious one).

I guess that would be it, thank you so much for the ask!!

#i'm sorry it's way too long and probably very confusing #my mind wanders off even if i try to keep myself on track #jjk #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen spoilers

[hermesserpent-stuff]

yo @adgaea i may have popped off with the peter bites tombstone idea

Peter really really dislikes these parties. He only says yes because he hates leaving Harry alone to deal with them. But he really would rather be anywhere else, especially after last time. At the first opportunity he tugs Harry to a balcony where he can finally breath and think. Harry gives him a sympathetic pat on the back. But eventually his friend says he has to return to talk to the people his father expected him to. Peter elects to stay outside and sit in a chair he had dragged out there. A gust of wind has him closing his eyes and smiling. He can hear the sounds of the city from his perch and he is content to let his senses reach further out, soaking in the city, his home. 

The cold of the night only serves to make him a little sleepy, but not uncomfortable. He breathes it in, letting himself revel in the slight sting the cold has in his lungs. He hears a car horn and the music from the party. He can smell the awful lemon cake they were serving and the general smell of New York City’s smoggy skyline. He feels the cold and the swirling wind that he could leap out and join in a merry chase between the buildings if he were in costume. He knows if he were to open his eyes he would see the skyscrapers that cut against a night sky that was full of light pollution that choked out the stars. Home. His home.

He is so lost in his utter contentment, the touch to his shoulder has him reacting on instinct. He turns and bites down hard to get the hand off of him. Peter jumps back, his back hitting the wall and his feet and hands clinging instinctually. Why had his spider-sense been silent? Then, as his eyes widen and his brain refocuses due to the metallic tang of blood in his mouth, he realizes what he has done. He has just bitten Tombstone who presumably was just trying to innocently wake up the totally normal Peter Parker. Tombstone looks stunned at Peter and then his hand before falling backwards with a solid thump.

Ah. Poop. Curse his Parker luck.

Fortunately, Peter had somewhat prepared for the ramifications of biting someone with his paralyzing venom. But he really, really had hoped to not expose himself as having strange powers to an enemy. Still, he has to act now. So while he blabbers through apologies he pulls out the antidote he had created and put it into an EpiPen-looking device. 

Would the needle be able to pierce Tombstone's skin? The thought occurs to him as he is kneeling down beside the much larger man’s paralyzed frame. It would be less safe, but he should probably inject him using one of the holes made by his stupid sharp fangs. He says another round of apologies and stabs Tombstone’s hand. And then he sits and waits. It is a little unnerving to have the frozen man staring at him with a slack face and Peter finds himself twitching and rocking in his hunched position at the man’s side.

Tombstone slowly regains movement in his body and Peter helps him sit up. The crimelords expression is unreadable.

“You're Spider-man.”

Peter pales and considers leaping from the building. That might be the safer option right now. But he stays crouched. He needs to make sure that his venom has been fully reversed. So instead of confronting the statement he just decides to open another line of conversation.

“Can you roll your wrists and shoulders for me?”

Tombstone silently complies, even flexing his fingers. Good. 

“Can you tilt your head, and maybe bend your knees?”

Tombstone complies once again, still watching Peter closely. Peter lets out a soft sigh of relief.

“Okay, cool. Great. The venom looks to be out of your system. There shouldn't be any long-lasting effects, but I can't promise that ‘cause normally I only bite myself and I'm immune, and honestly, I am really sorry, because I promised myself I wouldn't use venom unless necessary, and this was definitely-”

Tombstone puts up a hand and Peter’s mouth clacks shut. Gosh, he can still taste the blood. His entire face flushes.

“I knew you were a chatterbox but this is a new level.”

“I'm really sorry.”

Peter says rocking back on his heels and once more considering flinging himself off the building. He had his natural webs. He could do it. Swing swing. Gone. 

“While I appreciate the apology, I think we have other things to discuss.”

Oh. right. Tombstone is a crime lord. He might have kept him safe at that other party, but he is 100% definitely a real threat that Peter should be really worried about knowing his identity. Tombstone would probably want to talk about Montana’s betrayal, or make threats, or-

“Why would Spider-man be so afraid of Norman Osborn, and yet trust me?”

Peter blinks and twitches. 

“You don't ring my spidey-sense.” A confused look. “I have… alarm bells. In my head. A sixth sense for danger; I don't fully understand it. And he makes it go off, especially lately. I'm not entirely sure why, but he’s a danger and my brain knew I needed backup. So I chose you. You are weird and I don't agree with what you do, but you have an image to maintain and are strong enough to deal with Norman. Both verbally and physically. And… Montana trusts you enough to keep working for you, so you have to have something going for you. My uncle doesn’t hang out with or work for people that are worthless.”

Peter says, deciding that honesty is the best route. Tombstone tilts his head in thought again. 

“You really are a child.”

“I resent that. I’m a teenager.”

“A slightly older child.”

Tombstone amends and Peter huffs.

“I should have left you paralyzed”

“Oh? I'm not sure you could have. ‘Never looking the other way’, right?”

Peter is not above a half-hearted kick at a downed man. Peter knows he has no power here. The raised eyebrow in response is somewhat worth the kick.

“Yeah. That's right. But I definitely think you could survive being bitten again. Don’t tempt me.”

The eyebrow raises higher.

“Threatening me Peter?”

Peter blows a raspberry as he sits fully on the ground and rests his chin in the palm of his hand.

“Yeah. I’m threatening you. I’m sure you’re quaking in your boots.”

“Indeed.”

Peter is unsure where they go from here. If Tombstone threatens him into a deal, Peter would honestly have to consider murder. But Tombstone says nothing of the sort. The man rises to his feet and offers Peter a hand to stand up. 

#hermes speaks #spider nephew au #tssm peter parker #tssm tombstone #tssm spider man #tssm #fanfiction writing #Youtube

[medicus-mortem]

@ikkaku-of-heart​ asked: 🥂 or 👫

Starter Call Prompts

send🥂for a celebratory starter | send👫for a reunion starter

   Trafalgar Law looks out at his partying crew and feels a wave of pure relief. Finally all of them have gathered once more. They all found him, everyone of them coming back to their captain. A family reunited after a crushing defeat, after death threatened to take them all away. The one family that he didn’t lose. He just had to believe. Belief never got him anything before. No higher power saved his family from affliction and war. Nor did familial love save Corazon from his brother’s cruelty. But this time, his crew saved themselves. He was powerless to help, to do anything, but here they are again. Battered, some changed by the ordeal, but alive and together.

   It makes his cracked heart sing louder than the guilt that roils in his gut. Because of course he blames himself for their losses, for what was taken from them. Their home. Their mementos and tools. Their ship, the Polar Tang. Everything now sunk to the bottom of the ocean, but he has a plan for that. While he recovered on Wano, the island he had Bepo navigate the two original Hearts to, Law wasn’t entirely idle. He worked and he schemed. They’ll grow strong again and this time they won’t get blindsided by someone as idiotic as Blackbeard.

   His gaze passes over the celebrating crew, past the bonfire where they warm themselves against the Ringo province winter, and to the remains of one hulking nautical weapon. Pluton, one of the ancient wonders of destruction. A weapon the World Government itself fears. The Surgeon of Death ripped it out from beneath Mt Fuji. The former shogun, Kozuki Sukiyaka, said they couldn’t remove it without lowering the walls of Wano but what are walls to a man with Trafalgar Law’s power?

    All the monster is waiting for now is for his brilliant engineer to reverse engineer her remains. Then, with what they can salvage from the Polar Tang’s wreckage, they’ll build a whole new ship. One that will make Law’s goal a reality.

   “How excited are you to get into that thing?” Law asks, nudging Ikkaku with an elbow. He turns a grin to her, golden eyes reflecting the fire light. His hat once again sits on his head. She brought it back to him and yeah it needed a clean and she’d clearly done some repairs to it, but it’s where it belongs. Just like she is.

   “I’m kinda excited to see how this ancient tech works. Maybe my medical equipment can get an upgrade.”

#ikkaku of heart #Boring Question // Answered Ask #As Planned // IC #[I do not care if Oda doesn't make this canon #this is my canon now]

[turnipatthelibrary]

Time for 2004's Spider-Man 2

I like the opening credits "in case you forgot what happened in the first film" sequences

LOL would we all be abusing our super powers to get our day jobs done? I think we would.

I just love how pathetic this version of Spider-Man is. Like yeah, you'd fail at everything too if you were trying to be a college student and hold down a job and have a social life and be a super hero. Why doesn't he just live with Aunt May? This man can't pay his rent but he's obsessed with do-gooding.

Introducing Perpetual Sun Man!

Okay, he did legit get in a car accident on the way to MJs play, but also he just couldn't resist spidering it up.

Yeah, you really get to see how burning the candle at both ends and all the trauma from the first movies just fucks his life all up. Pathetic Spider-Man is a choice.

'member payphones?

Oh but he could make it to Dr. Octavious's unveiling. So clearly he loves this guy more than he loves MJ, or so I'm sure the plot will say.

The smart arms alone are a piece of impressive technology. Imagine the accessibility applications! Why didn't he market these!? Ah yes, because inevitably all the inhibitor chips malfunction and then you have a legion of evil octo-arms running around. Actually, I'd watch that movie.

Okay, but like fundamentally the process for fusion worked though right? If he just hadn't pushed it.

"The power of the sun in the palm of your hand" is a Sunny-D commercial. I need to see this as a Sunny-D commercial.

LOL like father like son, you gotta say "I'm the boss!" like a little baby or it's not true.

aaand cue the bloodbath. Why all the villains in this franchise gotta have the whole multiple personalities thing going on? And where did he find that hat?

Okay, but I feel bad for Harry though, poor little baby, always striving for his father's love, then asked to take over his entire company and not doing a great job because he wasn't properly prepared and yeah, as far as he knows his best friend knows who murdered his father but won't talk to him about it. Like, damn.

LOL Crime up 75% without Spider-Man? Really? One dude? Was the only thing holding back the tide of crime in the city? What did they do before Spider-Man

None of them deserve Aunt May.

This dingus doesn't have health insurance but he's gonna just go ahead and jump off a building.

Awww hell yeah trope of telling the person you love that you don't love them to protect them. That's good shit right there.

Oooh, Doc Ock SMASH! LOL, I literally had to pause the movie I was laughing so hard when he took his sunglasses off with one of the metal arms. Oh dang, then Spiderman SMASH - Hulk ain't the only one can fuck up some stuff

Somebody would have pushed the emergency stop on that train tho

I absolutely love the idea that all the people in that train car just wordlessly decide to grab him up and lower him down and not tell anyone they know what he looks like. We ain't snitches!

Spider-Man's not dead - he's right behind you!

Come on, smart boy, use that big science brain of yours to shut it down

Oops, you forgot MJ was there

Aw, tragic villain "I will not die a monster" That's also good shit right there.

Hur dur, Spider-Man will always have enemies and I can't take that risk, she was freaking at risk even when she didn't KNOW you were Spider-Man, dummy!

Oop bye bye fiancé, I'm in love with my best friend. Happens to everyone at least once, right?

AVENGE ME! Best friend Spiderman reveal, Dad Green Goblin reveal, Harry is not having a good day.

Oh shit, she going through with it? Wait, no she's not. Okay, leaving someone at the alter real messed up though and she looks so elated about it LOL

Peter, kiss me like one of your French girls. I do like the role reversal of him always chasing her in high school and then her kinda chasing him after that.

Alright I'm just gonna say it, I liked this one better than the first one.

#Spider-Man 2 #movie commentary

[melvin-dukowski]

Battletech eras.

Age of War: It’s the future and space colonization has given way to pseudo-feudalism and outright feudalism. This means the many different nation states are de facto controlled by one family and or a bunch of megacorporations. Because we have big scary warships we fight wars by parking our fleet above a planet and blasting it from orbit until they surrender or are all dead. Because everyone realized that border skirmishes shouldn’t result in millions dead we end up with the Ares Convention which outlines rules of war but also effectively legalizes it. Because demilitarization is only something hippies who believe in “human rights” want, all the Great Houses begin looking into alternate ways to kill each other without scaling back military spending. Some mullet having asshole back on Terra (Earth) decides to sink all the budget on some 100ton walker called the Mackie. Despite being kind of bad it did well enough to enter production. Thus beginning the Age of the BattleMech. Everyone immediately gets back to beating each other up over basically nothing.

Star League: A while later a descendant of the mullet having asshole named Ian Cameron is named Captain-Director general of the Terran Hegemony. An idealist, he wants to bring about an era of peace and cooperation. After annoying the other five houses enough they agree and Star League is born. A sort of EU type arrangement. They build up a singular military called the SLDF so the house militaries don’t need to be so big. Now that the Inner Sphere is together in peace Ian Cameron decides the one thing he hates more than war is those filthy rednecks out in the Periphery who won’t join his club, beginning a massive war against the different Periphery nations. One named the Taurian Concordat holds out for about 20 years and the SLDF resorts to nuclear genocide to finally defeat them. After that things are mostly smooth sailing for 200 years unless you’re in the Periphery, then you pay double tax and have no pay. This comes to an end when an asshole named Stefan Amaris kills the current ruler of the Star League and the entire royal family. The SLDF was out in the Periphery fighting a rebellion at the time so Amaris actually takes control. Deciding this is bullshit, the SLDF’s leader Aleksander Kerensky launches a blitzkrieg on Amaris’s own fiefdom. Thus beginning a 14 year long civil war where the SLDF and Amaris’s army beat seven shades of hell out of each other while the house lords just sit and do nothing. It ends with Kerensky’s forces liberating Terra and bringing Amaris to justice, but it’s clear that the Star League is dead

Succession Wars: With the Cameron family exterminated and the SLDF exhausted the Great Houses decide to strip Kerensky of his rank and formally dissolve the League. Kerensky is too principled to take power himself and tell the Great Houses to get back in line but smart enough to know that they’re all gearing up for the mother of all wars. He decides to take the third option. Him and 80% of the remaining SLDF fucks off into deep space along with as many wmds and advanced military hardware they can. The former communications office of the Star League also forms the ComStar corporation which may or may not become a religion. With Kerensky gone and a whole lot of real estate up for grabs the Great Houses begin a long series of wars. The first two see unrestrained war crimes and mass industrial destruction. By the time the third had started a lot of technology was gone and the overall tech level regressed a few centuries. The third sees mostly skirmishes and low intensity slap fighting for over a hundred years. The tabletop game’s main timeline starts around this point at the end. Then they find some stored tech and reverse the decline, and two of the houses unify and begin a fourth war to style on everyone else. Everyone prepares for a fifth for about a decade until...

Clan Invasion: Okay so remember the SLDF? Well the exiles settled a some worlds out there and after a bunch of drama the son of Kerensky created the Clans. A revolutionary society based on a caste system, eugenics and Call of Duty. They actually advance technology, breed 8ft tall super soldiers and make cool mechs that are OP compared to what ever trash the Inner Sphere’s got. They scout out with a fake merc company that ends up going native not giving back reports to the Clans so they decide to invade. Because using less resources is more honorable they only allow four clans to invade with three in reserve. The invasion steam rolls at first but 1v1 me scrub isn’t sound military strategy and logistics become a nightmare. The Clans would declare what they were going to attack and with what forces, and were shocked when the defenders would lie about what they were going to counter with. Meaning the Clans would get kited by guys in swamp buggies sometimes. Eventually the totally not a cult phone company stops the invasion by issuing a “fair fight” where the phone company just grinds the Clans down. The Clans are salty about this and begin in fighting which sees Clan Wolf split into Clan Mary Sue (good) and Clan Mary Sue (evil). The rest of the Inner Sphere recreates the Star League to beat the shit out of the clans, specifically Smoke Jaguar for being warcrime happy. They finally style on the Clans on their home turf and so ends the Clan Invasion

FedCom Civil War: Did you know that royalty is usually not a stable way for good leadership? Well two of the successors to the Steiner-Davion marriage end up being generic cold hearted bitch and generic luke skywalker clone so it was always gonna end up in violence. Just as the Davions and Steiners made their marriage everyone’s problem they also made their divorce everyone’s problem. The Free Worlds League and Capellan Confederation take back their stolen turf and the remaining Clans solidify their position. Jade Falcon rebuilds its man power by raiding science labs for recruits and the green warriors get to cut their teeth on actual combat, Ghost Bear gets super into Space Sweden and the two get hitched, both Wolves mostly try to out do one another, Diamond Shark makes bank and Nova Cat are a bunch of weebs. Ice Hellion attempts and fails and Hell’s Horses attempt and somewhat succeed.

Wars of Reaving: Basically the writers realized there’s too many clans. Basically the Clans were beyond salty about the failure of an invasion and it boils over in an orgy of warcrimes. After deciding the treaties were bullshit they elect a new ilKhan in Brett Andrews. Instead of beginning a new invasion he decides to go off on about “taint” and begins a campaign to purge other Clans. The Wolves, Jade Falcons, Ghost Bears, Hell’s Horses, Snow Ravens, Goliath Scorpions, and Diamond Sharks are told to fuck off. Fire Mandrill falls apart, Burrock is absorbed, Ice Hellion is also absorbed into Goliath Scorpion, while Blood Spirit and (ironically) Steel Viper are annihilated.

Jihad: Because the Star League was useless in stopping the FedCom civil war it disbands. This pisses of a splinter group of ComStar called the World of Blake. They split off because ComStar was totally not a cult and people who thought so can go fuck off and they made a direct competitor. But the WoBbies are fuckers and through a nuclear tantrum. They unleash nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and an army of fancy mechs and cyborgs. It’s a vaguely defined era of extreme violence that only ends when a dude named Devlin Stone unifies everyone else to buttfuck the WoB into next weak with nukes. Stone then creates the Republic of the Sphere in and around Terra.

Dark Age: This era kinda sucks. The writers thought they were bringing things back to basics by making things go to the succession wars style of setting. Basically a 50 year peace time falls apart and communications go dark so everyones back to fighting. All your favorite characters are either dead or geriatric and not a whole lot of interest really happens. Goliath Scorpions nation build a bit in the deep Periphery but thats about it.

ilClan: The current era. Basically Wolf and Jade Falcon invaded the Republic of the Sphere cause it was falling apart. They duke it out in Canada over who gets to be the top clan. Because Wolf can’t loose they win and become ilClan, the leaders of a third Star League. Jade Falcon becomes a body guard clan and Smoke Jaguar are revived for reasons. Hell’s Horses are mad because they didn’t get a chance to fight, Ghost Bear doesn’t care, Sea Fox (nee Diamond Shark) are making money still and Clan Mary Sue (good) are reabsorbed and now Wolf is the ultimate Mary Sue. People start beating up on their former occupation zone.

#Battletech #MechWarrior #Tabletop Games

[geezhigoquae]

Reaching

Stephen Strange x Christine Palmer

Word count: 696

A/N: Found this in the notes app on my phone from when What If was on air back in September 2021. I remember there was meant to be three chapters so I'll write the others if I remember the plan.

Christine.

He groaned, twisting his body on the cold concrete. Power - power stolen over centuries - stirred in him, like a throbbing ache, the dull beat of an anvil.

It was wrong. It was so, so wrong.

Christine.

The sky was darkened by his grief, his madness and pain. The city, cars, buildings, people, streets were fading away, being stripped from existence.

Christine!

His heart was not gone - not entirely, but it was hardened beyond recognition. Like a wilted flower, poisoned by grief. His mind was inflicted too, and was driven to a blinding madness blocking out everything but what he chose to see.

He did not hear the words of the Ancient One, when she pleaded him to stop, when the echo of her soul from another universe reached out to help his.

The words did not reach his heart.

Christine.

Nothing could have convinced him to pull back. Not even himself. He’d come too far, sacrificed his everything, for one more chance. One more chance to touch her again and not watch her die in his arms, as he had so many times. One more chance to hear her voice, hear her laugh, and to watch their lives pan out without ending so abruptly on that night.

He was not a god. He had reached too far, taken too much, twisted the laws of physics and reality to such an extreme that it destroyed him. Only now did he see his arrogance.

“Is she worth it?”

Stephen turned around to her.

There was a disappointment in her eyes that broke him more than all his grief, multiplied over and over and over again, than years upon years of reaching for power, of a sadness that could end all this existence; all to have her again. His own reflection stared back at him through her eyes. And it was terrifying.

There was also fear in her eyes.

He now knew what a monster was made of. Heartache, and pain. Grief and regret, sadness and an utter desperation that grips the soul. It is the hammer that beats upon the broken, shattering a creature to none more than the most terrible of sorrows. A wound that never seems to heal. It is the illusion that you can do anything to reverse your pains, when all that is really needed is to heal. It is the madness, the terrible bending of the human heart and the refusal to change or accept what is.

Not all the broken become monsters. Some become heroes, as many have.

“Stephen,” the Ancient One had said ages past, “oftentimes one’s grief can lead them to save others.”

“Well what if I don’t want to save others? I just want to save her.”

He could have been better, in another universe, another time. But instead he lay here, on the pavement of an old city block, in a universe threatening to collapse, beside the woman he’s lost it all for.

“Strange is meant to be the best of us,” words uttered in a distant universe.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

The world was breaking around him, physics and reality was breaking as the universe tumbled inward. I can fix this. I can fix this.

I’m so sorry, Christine.

He let go, purging the power from him. He tried to set it back. He tried to keep it open.

On the edge of it, he saw the Watcher.

“Fix this!” he screamed. “You can fix this!”

The Watcher fixed his sight on Stephen. “If I could fix this, I would.” His words echoed into the dying universe.

“No, no! I didn't mean for this to happen!”

“Stephen?” Christine looked up at him. “What did you do?” It seemed as though she could finally recognize him.

“No, no, no, no, no!”

He cradled her as she began to fade away, as with everything else. It felt wrong to touch her with so much darkness within him.

“I’m sorry, Christine. I am so, so sorry,” his cries left his lungs as he clung to her.

“Stephen?”

In that moment, the Watcher reached out and took one thing, before that universe died out like a briefly burning flame.

#what if doctor strange lost his heart instead of his hands #what if...? #stephen strange x christine palmer #christine palmer x stephen strange

[lordtraco-fanfics]

Nimbasa Resonance AU: Nightmares

(heavy angst and bloodless major injury warning, but it all ends ok.)

(huge thanks to @fluffy-rulos for the idea and everyone who reminded me of it!! This vacation leaves little time to write, but I hope this is still angsty enough! :3 )

"Keep going!" Ingo heard his brother through a fog. Their resonance was thin, hampered by an exhaustion beyond the simple effects of Sleep Powder.

A flickering spark jolted through them both, a lancing pain that kept them awake but hurt their ability to connect. It was hard to want to resonate with someone causing you pain.

Ingo tried to cover up the guilt he felt rumble around in his mind like the thunder after a lightning strike. Guilt at having left and hurt his family, his teammates, the only ones that could link souls with him. It was too strong to stop. Too deep to hold back.

All at once a deeper rumble built upon his own, crashing through their quiet soul-song with discordant bass. Emmet had nothing to be guilty of in Ingo's mind, but that didn't stop the onslaught of emotions from whirling up a storm.

.

Elesa kept moving, even as the guilt eroded their connection. She felt Ingo try desperately to reassure his twin through their link, but all their stamina was dwindling. Too much movement in far too long a fight had taken its toll on them all.

The frenzied roserade let out another spew of sleep powder and Elesa was yet again thankful it wasn't poison. She recalled how many of their pokemon fell to that status effect just to ensure that the trainers could survive this fight now. If they could just power through the last dredges of the pokemon's moves, it could calm down.

Another self inflicted zap to the three of them kept her awake. It hurt. Her legs felt sluggish and her lungs were burning and the resonance with Ingo and Emmet was faint as a train horn from miles away. Still, she pushed on, not to win, just to stall for time. It was the best they could do.

"This isn't fun." Emmet said, causing Elesa to pull attention away from the battle to look at the knife in her right hand. The small damaged part of the blade drew her eye. Had it gotten bigger?

The meister saw the chip first a while ago. It hadn't been that concerning. It was just a notch in the blade close to the handle. Nothing to worry about in a blade as durable as Emmet. His resolve was strong enough to strengthen his steel through willpower alone.

Could the same be true in reverse? Elesa never considered it.

She should have.

Reaching the frenzied grass type, Elesa felt the crackling of her electric soul build up charge. Her weapons fueled and channeled it downward into a Thunder Wave attack as she stabbed the ground. They succeeded at paralyzing the pokemon and stopping the assault of pollen.

She felt a bit of relief outside her own as Ingo loudly celebrated. She heard Emmet's soft voice as well but couldn't make out the words.

She should have.

As she pulled the blades out of the packed dirt, a distressing snap left her in sheer horror.

Elesa looked at the black handle, now with barely half an inch of blade past the bolster. The quiet chilled her to the core and she nearly retched upon seeing the rest of the brittle blade wedged in the ground.

The feeling of Emmet's soul was gone. There was no backlash of him no longer resonating. His piece in the equation was just non-existent, like an instrument finishing its part in a song.

"Emmet!" The white handle in her other hand burned hot as Ingo lost control.

Elesa barely flinched, just staring in a blank sea of agony and dissociation at the broken knife in her hand. For a moment she tried to pretend this was a prop. A fake kitchen knife. A prank the twins were playing. She couldn't have done that.

As if to punish her for such hopes, Emmet shifted back, his dominant left arm gouged out along with part of his side. There was no blood, no screams, just a man missing an entire arm and shoulder staring blankly ahead. His smile was gone. The light in his eyes was gone.

His soul was-

It would have been more merciful for his soul to be gone as well. This was worse. Emmet's soul was simply a dull gray orb that looked cracked with a large piece missing.

Elesa felt her ears fill with painful buzzing as Ingo screamed right beside her, shifting to reach his brother. Yet as much as he held Emmet, called his name, pressed his forehead to his, and hugged him close, Emmet might as well have been a doll.

The black of his coat filled her vision. Black, the color that fit with the color of Emmet's handle. Just as Ingo's white form complimented the jacket now held on only by a single arm. She'd never thought to ask if their choice of dress came from their weapon form or vice versa.

She should have.

The handle represented a connection to others. A knife needs a hand to be held by, to link it, guide it, help it reach a goal. The blade, in contrast, represented the purpose, the willpower, the strength to reach said goal.

Emmet now had none of that.

Elesa screamed, but she could not hear it through the ringing in her ears. Everything spiraled as fears piled on top of one another. Digging her nails into the ground and sobbing, she could only plead for it to be a lie.

"-lesa"

This couldn't be happening! She was so careful! What had she missed? How had she let him get so brittle? Why hadn't she noticed? Why-

"Elise!"

\\//

Elesa awoke to the smell of blood and was immediately terrified. She felt her hands, which she'd been so sure were digging into rocky dirt, were actually digging into the flesh of Emmet's arm. His left arm!

Still shaken from the dream, Elesa looked past the little trickles of blood her nails had caused from gouging into his arm, past the pained smile, straight to his eyes. His eyes, so full of life.

"Elise, I am Emmet. I am here." His right hand found her cheek, holding her gently as a pokeball upon handing it over at a pokemon center. His use of that nickname, the one he saved for when she was incognito with a "boyfriend", it felt so tender. It was a name only Emmet called her, as Ingo claimed Elle long ago. Separate nicknames to help her tell them apart back when she'd mix up their voices.

"Shift. Please, I-" Elesa grabbed his wrist tightly with her bloodied hand, a chill piercing through her center. Getting the air to form a full sentence felt near impossible. "-I have to. I have to see."

Emmet looked ready to say something, but folded at her pleading gaze. He shifted into a knife, pristine save for that small notch by the base. Fear enveloped her so bad that her trembling hand dropped him. Flashes of the dream plagued her mind again as the terrible snap played in her ear. But it wasn't real.

"You drop Emmet? You drop Emmet like trash?" Emmet said, the reflection of the blade showing a teasing grin as he quoted one of her favorite memes. "Jail, jail for Elesa for a thousand years!"

Elesa let out a loud laugh despite the trembling hand that came up to hide her following giggles. It was all too much. Relief and laughter only added to the pile of panic her terrors had left her buried in. Even as she laughed, edging on hysteria, nothing was ok.

A hug enveloped her, soul pressing to hers, one not cracked, one still whole, one she hadn't ruined (yet), Emmet, he was still Emmet-

A small zap came through the resonance, bringing her thoughts back around. She felt the panic halve as Emmet helped bear the weight of the emotions. She saw the strain on his smile, a testament to how bad it was. "Stop. Follow safety protocol."

They just took deep breaths together for a while until the dream faded a bit from memory.

"Are you ok?"

"I think so, yeah."

"Good. Help me wake up Ingo."

\\//

Ingo clung to his brother. Emmet felt lifeless despite the beating heart Ingo could feel plainly through the hug. Despite being pressed close, he'd never felt further away from his twin as he did now.

There was no movement, no sound save for even breaths that belied no emotion. Emmet felt empty. Empty and missing an arm. As happy as he was to see that shifting meant that his wound was fully healed, that hurt too.

Emmet's dominant arm was gone. His left arm, the one that Ingo's handle was molded around. He couldn't shift and have Emmet hold him in the futile hope of igniting some spark of personality back inside him. Surely, Ingo knew it wouldn't help if the empty husk wouldn't even return his hugs. But now he couldn't be certain.

Time passed in a blur. Elesa was gone, not even trying to console him after what she'd- what they both allowed to happen. Ingo tried not to blame her. But some level of spite remained, allowing him to not go looking for her.

If Elesa wanted space, she could have Almighty Sinnoh's entire domain. Ingo was staying by Emmet. They would not be uncoupled, even if his twin's train was impossibly derailed. He'd keep hope. He had to.

Every day was a routine of dressing and feeding Emmet. Sometimes he could act as if on autopilot, cleaning up as part of their routine. Each time he did, Ingo had such hope that something would come back. His own memories had recovered in time, why couldn't his brother…

It wasn't the same. His soul was damaged.

"Do you understand?"

"What!?" Ingo turned, no longer seeing the walls of his home, but instead a white expanse filled with black, billowing smoke.

"Heed this warning." The voice spoke somewhere else, but the black obscured everything. "Thou art not invincible. Push not past your 'safety protocols'."

"Who are you!?" Ingo yelled, looking everywhere he could. "Where is Emmet!?!"

"Seek balance. Hear his truth and share thy ideals. A trio is the best combination if run properly." The voice came from everywhere at once. "Be well, Ingo."

Before he could respond, Ingo felt a pull on his very essence. Ah, so it was all a-

\\//

Ingo awoke with a start. He felt a familiar knife in his hand and a warmth in his other. Emmet was in one piece and Elesa was there. He just breathed deep, taking in the truth he could feel.

Joining their worried resonance was second nature. He was sure the emotions would come back to haunt him the moment he was alone to overthink it all. But for the moment, he just let himself be pulled into a hug as tears threatened to fall from his eyes in a mix of grief and gratitude.

.

A little ways away, a retreating dark type glanced back and caught the gaze of the younger twin. The unbridled hatred in his stare sent a shiver through the pokemon's smokey form.

Darkrai still hoped their team would heed its warning. It sure wouldn't be trying that again anywhere near the terrifyingly protective human. There was no hope of him understanding that Darkrai was acting to protect them all. And that's ok.

#nimbasa resonance au #submas #nimbasa trio #nimbasa trio fanfic #submas fanfic #soul eater au #submas angst #angst #loss of limb #loss of self #nightmares #subway boss emmet #subway boss ingo #gym leader elesa #i wonder what Emmet's nightmare was about #any suggestions?