#(even if I think the MUCH less popular the rolling in the graves is a sexier Nesta/Lucien) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

humanoidalien27 · 1 year

Text

Chapter list: One. Two. Three. Five. Six. Seven. Eight.

Thank you so much for the kind comments! I'm really glad you enjoy these as much as I do writing them.

Content warning: Exploding Cauldrons and Purple bubbles

.....

Chapter 4

Secrets

Nightmares weren't strangers, but it had been a while since your parents had made an appearance, let alone the Gaunts, who now had cleared up to match the way you saw them a few weeks ago.

Still, you, Ominis and Sebastian continued to press on with your classes, trying to concentrate through it.

At times you thought you saw someone watching you from the castle gates, but they'd vanish too fast.

The three of you have taken to sleeping in the room, and after being reported for not being in the common room you had to explain the situation to Professor Weasley and Fig.

Though they weren't surprised to hear about Professor Black's involvement, you noticed the castle had more suits of armor and in almost every corridor now.

"How are you doing?" The question startled you out of a daydream, making Sebastian frown. "You two don't seem to be on edge lately."

"They've had no choice but to back off," Ominis answered. "Weasley even had us followed for a while to deter them."

"So, a trip out of the castle is out of the question, but what about-"

"I can't today," you cut in, getting both of them to look your way.

"What exactly have you been doing? You're coming and going at all hours," Ominis asked.

He hadn't brought up your half-lie since the night your parents showed up, but you could tell he was burning with questions.

"And don't say extra assignments, that lie is less believable with each retelling."

"Is this anger because I won't tell you or because you're worried I'd run into either of our parents?" You asked, giving him the opportunity to dig himself out of the grave he just buried himself in.

"I'd rather you not go to random places alone, especially with our them hawking around."

"You forgot to add, Ranrok, Harlow and Rookwood- ow!"

You glared at Sebastian as he rubbed his arm from where you pinched it. He had whispered it, but you knew Ominis could hear him anyway.

"What? Why would they be after you?"

Sebastian motioned for you to tell Ominis the truth, a silent argument breaking out as Ominis waited, hearing only the shifting of cloths when either of you moved.

"Hello? Why are all so many people after you?"

"Popularity sucks," you replied quickly before continuing your disagreement with Sebastian.

"Very funny," he grumbled, shifting closer as his head cocked to the side, trying to pick up what was happening. "What's going on? Why are you two shifting so much?"

You instantly stopped as soon as the tip of Ominis's wand started pulsing red as he lifted it.

"What are you keeping from me? Is this about that relic?"

Annoyance flicked over Sebastian's features as he harshly pointed at you, then jabbed it towards Ominis.

When you shook your head, he half growled. "No, it's not about the relic-"

"Sebastian," you warned.

"He could help-"

You rolled your eyes knowing it was just an excuse.

"Sebastian, you can't help me. Natty can't help me. Poppy can't help me. Even Professor Fig can't help me. What makes you think Ominis can?"

By the time you caught into why Sebastian was smirking, you picked up the closest pillow and threw it at him.

"Natsai, Poppy and Fig know?" Ominis asked, drawing your gaze.

Confusion and hurt filtered over his features, making guilt build in your throat, but you weren't really sure why.

"Okay, Natty only found out because she was with me when the troll attacked Hogsmeade. Poppy only knows the ashwinders are after me. Sebastian only found out because I needed his help to break into the restricted section and Professor Fig...well, it was his wife's search."

"The restricted section? Why did you need to get into there?"

Already guessing he thought you were delving into unforgivable magic, you decided to clarify.

"I needed to get UNDER the restricted section. It held the next clue."

"Clue to what exactly?"

Your eyes moved his way at the venom he used.

"You're not seriously thinking that I'd dip a toe in dark magic, I hope," you asked, your tone giving the same warning it had to Sebastian. "Not everything I get wrapped up in has something to do with evil magic."

"Ranrok, Harlow, Rookwood-" he stopped himself before he could say anything else, but it had already hit the nerve you were trying to keep from exploding.

"My parents, your parents, you?"

He flinched, but didn't reply as you glared, pulling a sigh from Sebastian.

"You two are too alike for your own good."

"I'm nothing like him," you spat as you climbed to your feet and settled your eyes onto the milky ones following the sound of your movements. "Or our parents."

You moved to leave before you said anything else, knowing none of it would be kind and headed towards the Map Chamber for the third trial.

You moved slowly, your mind caught up in the memory the pensive showed you.

Isadora gradually turned from a sweet girl to a power hungry witch. Is that what you had to look forward to? Your eventual corruption? Was Ominis right about you the whole time? Just a dark wizard in the making?

"You look like you've gone five rounds with a troll," Garreth teased as he walked over. "Though given your exploits, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case."

You gave a soft, mostly stressful, laugh. "I feel like I've been troll fighting."

He sent a small sympathetic glance, before clapping his hands together. "I'm working on my next epic brew. Would you like to join me?"

Catching his enthusiasm, you couldn't help but fall into step with him as you headed to the potions classroom.

"You're not going to ask me to pinch any fwooper feathers or billywig stings?"

He rubbed his hands together as he laughed awkwardly. "No, I have everything I need this time."

You nodded, hoping that was the case. "Alright, let's go blow up a cauldron."

The results were...pretty much as you expected, though you hadn't counted on Professor Sharp walking in and getting pummeled with the potion, which had the unique side effect of making his voice high pitched.

The both of you were scolded for a continuation of uncontrollable giggles and narrowly escaped detention by offering to clean up the mess before he could tell you to.

"That was an utter mess," Garreth complained as you left the classroom.

"I don't know, trying to keep a straight face while Professor Sharp yelled at us with purple bubbles on his head and shoulders was pretty awesome."

He laughed as he nodded. "Oh man, I will never forget that. If I wasn't there, I'd never believe it."

You groaned while pressing you hand to your chest. "I laughed so hard, my sides hurt."

"At least you laughed," he replied, drawing your attention his way. "Everyone's noticed you haven't been yourself lately. Poppy and Natty were trying to think of ways to make you feel better and what better way than brewing potions?"

You smiled as you realized you had let too much slip out into your face.

"I appreciate it. I haven't laughed like that in a long time," you admitted softly. "Poor Professor Sharp though."

"He's probably already telling the story too. I'm sure he found it as funny as we did."

You weren't quite sure, but you also hadn't been looking as you cleaned and missed the half annoyed and half amused smirk he sent the pair of you as he sat at his desk.

"Just don't be surprised if Natty and Poppy drag you off somewhere later for some kind of fun."

You smiled to yourself as you wondered what they could have planned and if it would top Garreth's disaster.

You parted ways as you headed towards the room of requirement and he headed to his common room.

Though the moment you were alone again, your thoughts began to eat away at you as if punishing you for not having a distraction.

You could only push on however. Too much rested on your shoulders to let it crush you now, not that it didn't try with every step, breath of heartbeat.

You'd worry you'd lose yourself before this term was over.

.....

#ominis gaunt #sebastian sallow #hogwarts legacy #garreth weasley #professor sharp #ominis x oc #ominis x reader

50 notes · View notes

not-wholly-unheroic · 1 year

Text

Things that I am tired of seeing in the Peter Pan fandom:

Dark, edgy retellings with Peter as the villain. Been there, done that. It’s not new anymore. Be more creative.

Hook being turned into some goth Jack Sparrow wannabe. OUAT isn’t the only version that has done this, but it’s definitely the most popular. To be entirely fair, I enjoy OUAT…but Killian is NOT James Hook anymore than Rumple is Prince Adam. Also, just…Hook can be attractive while still actually looking like Hook. Case in point: Jason Isaacs in the 2003 film.

Sexually explicit retellings and drawings. I know everyone’s entitled to make their own fics and drawings, but please at least tag your stuff that’s explicit and stop making me need eyeball bleach. It’s a children’s story, and my mind would like to maintain the innocence. Barrie would be rolling in his grave if he saw some of the stuff out there.

Turning Hook into a pedophile. This goes along with the above but is even worse because YIKES. Hook is a lot of things, but a pedo he is not. There is literally no hint in the book or play that he feels that way about ANYONE, much less a kid, and it’s super gross. Just…no. There’s a quote from Disney’s Straight on Til Morning (Twisted Tale series) from one of the pirates talking to Wendy about Hook that I think about sums it up: “He might slit your throat, but the rest of you is safe.”

And finally…Hook is a former Lost Boy trope. This one isn’t terrible. I don’t mind it all that much. It’s just been done so many times, and it isn’t really consistent with the book. Hook canonically attended Eton, and he couldn’t have realistically done so unless he either went to Neverland BEFORE he went to Eton or left Eton after having been there only very briefly. But most of the “Hook was a Lost Boy” retellings don’t allow any room for Eton at all and I feel like it’s a pretty essential part of who he is. It’s why he’s so hung up on “good form.” Expressing his loyalty to Eton is literally the last thing Barrie’s Hook says before he dies. (“Floreat Etona” - “May Eton flourish.”) You can’t take that part of his history away from him and have the same character.

Okay, rant over. I just needed to get that out.

#Captain Hook #james hook #captain james hook #jm barrie #Peter Pan #rants #rants n rambles

82 notes · View notes

selfproclaimedunicorn · 7 months

Note

If my OC was canon how would the fandom treat them? - for Ella!

Oh boy. My daughter is so much to think about this with

This potentially dips into light spoilers, but oh well. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ella would get the absolute most rancid discourse. She's selfish and brash and quick tempered with a tendency to lash out, she gets to a point where she thinks threats and violence can solve most of her problems: she's her dad with morals who is capable of occasionally apologizing. Fandom would hate that (God forbid women do anything), especially since she's not really on Rhaenyra’s side anymore after they grow up (purely because of growing apart and them both being fairly self-destructive). There'd be all kinds of half-baked meta stripping her of her nuance to say she's a completely irredeemable villain who's probably abusive to her kids and is an awful, self-serving bitch who's not actually Valyrian since her mom is Rhea Royce. Takes about how she helped Yorick to turn Aemon against their dad and Rhaenyra and Viserys (never mind Aemon is a little hater all on his own) and how she doesn't deserve Vermithor/stole him from someone who deserves him more and trying to paint it like it's a bad thing that Jaehaerys is rolling in his grave about her claiming him (he's doing that because a woman claimd his dragon, regardless of what she acts like, and I think that's beautiful).

On the flip side, she kind of accidentally came fresh from the I Am Not LIke Other Girls So I Think That Makes Me Inherently Progressive self-projection factory, so there'd probably be boocoos fic of the aforementioned Fandom Types writing "fix it AUs" where Ella "gets over her internalized misogyny to defect to the feminist side of the war" because she "realized Rhaenyra is her true friend and that this will honor Laena's memory and also her dad will/does love her."

Just a lot of overall misunderstanding of her character.

Ngl, I sort of struggle to think of what people who like her would do (outside of the "I don't 100% get Ella fix-it fics. Which, if you have those caveats, do you like a character, or do you just like what you want them to represent?). I can only assume half of the Ella Stan's time would be spent defending her from people who try to make her sound worse than she is. The other half is spent on psychoanlizing her and screaming about much they revel in everything that's wrong with her or going frame-by-frame on her tender moments (with her mom, with Vermithor, with her brothers, with her friends, with her husband and kids. It's all fair game)

In terms of shipping, I may or may not have a big document on the notes app of my phone where I have listed all the potential fics I think people would write if my babies were canon. So, looking at the bits about Ella: Harwin or Larys would be her most popular ships (outside her canon pairing, I am excluding her currently unmet husband), I feel that in my bones. Episode 3 would set either of those up & people who wanna ship her with someone besides Ser Robert Tyrell would not let that go. Ella/Laena & Ella/Yarwyck [another OC/her cousin] would probably be pretty well liked too, but given How Fandoms Are, I can honestly see Ella/Rhaenyra being more popular than Ella/Laena even though that one makes less sense (to me). Also, because this is The Targ Show and it's unavoidable (especially with how close they are), I know people would ship her with Yorick/her twin brother (and maybe even her younger brother/Aemon--nevermind that he's 11 years younger than her). I don't like it, neither of them would like it, literally only their dad would like it, but it would be there.

#asks #ocs #oc: ella royce #fic: sins of the father #this was really fun #sotf commentary

7 notes · View notes

anneangel · 1 year

Text

Sherlock Holmes has become synonymous with "detective" , "mysteries" and "adventures". His deerstalker, pipe, magnifying glass and Stradivarius violin are trademarks to recognize him, and to fix himself even more in the public's mind: his personality is complex and his way of thinking is surprising.

To unravel mysteries, the astute and intelligent Sherlock Holmes is passionate about criminology, extremely detailed and with great observation skills, following the less obvious sources (to us), but which leads him to the most accurate information, showing his deductive reasoning and impressing generations of fans through the ages, becoming a classic (and that's all because we don't get into the merit of his being an excellent Chemist).

But Sherlock did not make his fame alone: 56 cases (out of 60) are written by John H. Watson (A Medical doctor M.D, and ex-Officer of the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers attached to the 66th, Berkshire, Regiment of Foot) in first person. It is fair to say that we admire and love Sherlock only because Watson adored him enough to introduce Holmes to us. Watson, a man who had so much respect and consideration for Sherlock work and charisma that he decided to make Sherlock Holmes the protagonist of a literary saga. That's why it's impossible to love Sherlock without also loving his biographer and companion, Watson.

So let's go: An eccentric and peculiar detective, unusual mysteries permeated with adventures, a loyal and helpful friend; who together form the most inseparable dynamic duo in the world of investigations, who can resist?

Got the "formula" for success? Here we close with a golden key the reason for so much "fame". Lmao.

Seriously, Conan Doyle might roll in his grave, but I can never get enough of Sherlock and Watson. I need more of these Baker Street Boys!!! Seriously, it's never enough. Be it books or adaptations, I love them everywhere. How can this be?

Arthur Conan Doyle is the only wretch who creates a dynamic duo so incredible that it thrives even when the author himself loathes such fame. And the wretch still believed that soon something better would replace them both. Where? 136 years now, dear Doyle, the more you underestimate this duo, they created a life of their own almost. Lmao.

We, the audience and fans, we that accept them so good, when not even the creator himself did.

Doyle created a classic because he created something that the public, us, never forget. This perpetuated this duo in popular culture (worldwide) Sherlock and Watson, charismatic duo (when together only) never gets obsolete even with passing years. I love them, ACD Canon or Adaptations, everything, I like so much.

And how can not?

#sherlock holmes #dr john watson #john watson #johnlock #arthur conan doyle #acd canon #sherlock x john #i love these guys #baker street

14 notes · View notes

tranquilitybasehotelcasino · 10 months

Note

hi so i'm going to a fall out boy concert soon and i'm ashamed to say i've only listened to about half their discography. are there any particular albums or songs that i NEED to check out before i go, or are they one of those bands that will just play whatever the fuck songs at the concert and don't favor more popular stuff

HI SORRYYYY I ONLY JUST SAW THIS. i don't know which half of their discography you've listened to but their setlists for this tour seem to be comprised of a lot of the hits + some lesser knowns and the occasional true deep cut, so even if you've only heard the stuff that got radio play you should be fine. i wouldn't worry too much about, like, people thinking you're lame or a poser or whatever for not knowing all the words to every song

"da hits" you'd probably need to know would most likely be chicago is so two years ago + saturday + calm before the storm (take this to your grave), dance, dance + sugar, we're goin' down + a little less sixteen candles, a little more "touch me" (from under the cork tree), this ain't a scene, it's an arms race + thnks fr th mmrs + the take over, the breaks over (infinity on high), disloyal order of water buffaloes + headfirst slide into cooperstown on a bad bet + i don't care (folie a deux), the phoenix + my songs know what you did in the dark + save rock and roll (save rock and roll), centuries + uma thurman + irresistible (american beauty/american psycho), the last of the real ones + young and menace (mania), and love from the other side + hold me like a grudge (so much for stardust)

in terms of what i think you NEED to check out, that's really subjective! my very favorite fall out boy album is folie a deux, which didn't do too amazingly upon release but has been getting a bit of a renaissance, so if you want to get more into the band even outside of your concert experience i'm gonna have to gas it. their newest album that they're on tour to promote (so much for stardust) is really, really good, and the band has been pulling a lot of deep cuts from infinity on high recently (g.i.n.a.s.f.s., the afterlife of the party, golden, bang the doldrums, etc) as well. i think not knowing exactly what they're going to play on any given night is part of the fun; some of the stuff they've played on this tour so far already is stuff that's never been played live at all before, so honestly anything could happen

really i don't think there's any thing you "have" to listen to. jam to what you know, give what you don't a chance, and just enjoy the show! i hope you have fun!

9 notes · View notes

pearthery · 1 year

Text

excerpt of my work in progress fic about kagura where i write from the perspective of an oedo-mart cashier, except this excerpt doesn’t even have kagura in it, it is just my narrator and our venerable neighbour hedoro-san

///

The first time Hedoro-san entered my Oedo Mart, we all thought we were going to die. He seemed, at the time, impossibly big, possessed of impossibly large teeth and horns, and had a face that looked a lot like a terrible man-eating beast emerged straight from the lines of a sutra. My manager had frozen up next to the fridges looking like his eyes would roll back into his skull. Someone fainted, I recall. Someone else screamed until they ran out of air and fainted too. I felt like I was going to throw up.

It turned out though that Hedoro-san was an angel. After a while, he even got upgraded from angel to Bodhisattva. Hedoro-san, as we soon discovered, is much sweeter than his appearance would imply, and freakishly docile.

I've always been mild-tempered, even before I started working as a cashier. As a kid, I was known for keeping my temper, despite being surrounded by the most incorrigible little rats on the street. But still, even I would snap if people kept charging at me with swords. Hell, I'd snap if people kept bursting into tears every time I walked into a room. We're really lucky that Hedoro-san is so friendly and oblivious and impervious to damage and on the path to Buddhahood. For him, being swung at with sharp metal objects means nothing more than papercuts and reasons to indulge in Jello Mitty bandaids. He doesn't even bat an eyelid. Not even a twitch of an eyelash. Given, I don't think he has eyelashes.

"Actually," says Hedoro-san suddenly, bowing his head in grave regret. "I forgot one more thing. Forgive me for the delay."

While I'm trying to pick up the massive sacks of mulch I hadn't even known we sold, Hedoro-san continues to reminisce.

"Neither am I the only visitor to your planet to have been embraced with open arms. Often, I see that little Yato strolling about the streets, greeted happily by all who lock eyes with her and regarding them just as warmly in return. The Yato are a warrior race, did you know? Few places in the galaxy would be so amicable to one of their kind as you have been."

"Kagura-chan?" I wheeze. Hedoro-san kindly lifts up one of the bags to release my trapped arm. "I know her. Everyone loves her."

"That is the wondrousness of it," says Hedoro-san.

"Yesterday, she bought out all of our watermelon popsicles," I say, wheezing less. "I'm kind of wondering what she could possibly need it for. I know watermelon popsicles are really popular in summer, but I can't imagine what she needs that many for."

"Perhaps she is greedy for all your planet can offer," says Hedoro-san, tilting his head and making the flower on top wobble slightly. "I know that I am. Perhaps she wants to glut herself on all the sweetness that this place can give her, grasping for everything that she couldn't have before."

"Maybe," I say, nodding along. "That could be it." Though he might be making it sound more dramatic than it really is. Humans are greedy all the time and like stretching out their grubby hands towards anything that catches their fancy. It's in our nature, and even if someone isn't like that at first, they'll learn it from other people eventually.

Hedoro-san tucks all of the mulch bags under his left arm in one fell swoop. "Never have I seen a Yato who spends more time laughing and trading sweets with princesses than she does bathing in the aftermath of battles. She wears as much red as other Yato I've seen, of course, but that it isn't blood is a novelty."

"Ohhh," I say, because I hadn't known that about Yato. Not that I knew a lot about any alien races at all, honestly. "Sorry, did you say she's been hanging out with the princess," I say afterwards.

"Yes," says Hedoro-san, continuing with his small talk."It is strange, isn't it? On my planet, Kitaori-san, in the tongue of the Dakini, a princess would be known as ᯅᯬᯒᯮᯉᯪᯒᯐ. She would have earned that title after having defeated forty of her clan's enemies and composing an epic whereupon she told the tale of each of their demises, each individual being honoured with a verse—the Dakini have great respect for warriors, and those who die on their feet—each verse consisting of nineteen lines—"

#pear things #gintama fic #hedoro

4 notes · View notes

undertale-data · 3 years

Text

[Image Description: an Undertale chat box with the name "PAPYRUS", in all caps and Papyrus font, in its center. On its left is a talksprite of Papyrus sweating anxiously, and on its right is a talksprite of Papyrus wearing sunglasses. End I.D.]

The Great Papyrus is the most popular Undertale character among the fans surveyed here. 19.6% of responders chose him as their favorite. That’s a total of 519 fans! (Wowie!!)

Not all Papyrus fans are unified on his characterization, however. The most obvious divide was between fans who call him a “cinnamon roll” or “precious baby,” and those who find these takes infantilizing. A lot of people like the friendliness and optimism of this character, while others recognize this but highlight his maturity too. Fans who worry about his infantilization seem most concerned with how he can be portrayed as naive or dumb by the fandom. A portion of fans specifically mentioned this naivety as a point in his favor, though the marginally more popular take seems to be that he is not naive, regardless of how he first appears. This fandom divide seems to relate to Papyrus’s autistic or ADHD coding. Many fans relate to him as ADHD and autistic themselves.

Fans also related to him in his desire for friends. Many responders think of him as a friend and a comfort character, so at least in one way his wish has been fulfilled.

The phone calls were a major reason that fans said they felt connected to Papyrus. Thanks to these calls, he has the most dialogue of any character in the game. His humor and dialogue were often highlighted as favorite qualities.

While fans may disagree on some aspects of Papyrus’s personality, it is clear that his fans all value his optimism and kindness. His fans do not see his kindness as weakness. Many talked about the complexity of his character and the strength it took for him to show mercy to the player character, even when the player doesn’t show it in return. He believes in himself, and he believes in you! This kindness and trust has inspired his fans to be kinder themselves.

Papyrus fans were also drawn to his mysteriousness. Several responses pointed out that he is a more mysterious character than Sans, who is also often loved for his mystery. As shown in the phone calls, Papyrus will put on fronts depending on who he is around, making it even more difficult for fans to uncover his secrets. Some people in other sections of the survey found this frustrating, but Papyrus fans tend to see it as another point in his favor.

Among the greatest proportion of responses were from fans who couldn’t choose a favorite trait, or who just love everything about Papyrus. While these responses may be less lengthy, they are still as full of love as the essay-length answers. These responses tended to say phrases like “cool dude” or “Papyrus my beloved” or “THE GREAT PAPYRUS.”

(You were overcome by writing about such a handsome skeleton. He understands.)

Highlights: (under the cut)

Honestly Papyrus just feels like joy. Funny, incredibly kind, with a few mysteries/weird quirks about him that are fun to ponder over. I especially love how he often acts proud and self aggrandizing without putting others down, and in fact sometimes uses that to lift his friends up alongside him. You don't see this take on proud characters often.

Papyrus is strong. Strong in body, but also morally strong. He knows what is right, what it means to be merciful and kind, even in the face of danger or death. Some think him naive. And yet, even facing death and seeing the dust of those he knew, he did not falter or turn from his ideals of mercy and change for the better.

BECAUSE HE IS THE GREAT PAPYRUS

His optimism and his overall personality is endearing! You're always having fun with him :D

He's meeting all of my standards.

Papyrus is very under appreciated, and overlooked, and it's very frustrating to me—he's a complex character but people treat him like he's a baby!!! I like him because he's kind of goofy with how he talks and he's just very charming and kind.

He's weirder than Sans, and it wasn't acknowledged for years because he acts oblivious and dumb, even when he's clearly not. Quite frankly, I find it iconic. Also, his entire personality helps a lot.

I'm ND, trans, and projecting!

OK SO he's just a friendly guy!! A dude who likes cooking for his friends!! We love a hype man!! Also smart as hell and I feel like fanon majorly overlooks this. Making good, fun puzzles is HARD and setting up a flamethrower to go off wirelessly is complicated. Like even if that bridge puzzle didn't go off the components were complicated. Love that cool dude!!!!

I heavily relate to Papyrus as a character and consider him my favorite fictional character of all time. He is a very well-written and thought out character with several quirks and layers in his personality. It is headcanoned by some (myself included) that Papyrus may possibly be on the Autism Spectrum due to his nature, his interactions with others, and overall how he displays himself to the world we see.

I could talk about Papyrus forever, and you have made a grave mistake in allowing me to do so. He is a charming, strong spirited, well intentioned, complex character that is often wildly misinterpreted, and I think originally this is why I was drawn to him. He is presented as one thing and in fact acts as one thing (though not the same way as presented by fandom), and in reality when you look closer than you are meant to he is not, in fact, any of these things. It was intriguing to me. Secondly, and rather contradictorily, another thing that drew me to him is that he is very true to himself, when it comes to idiosyncrasies and moral values. It's true that he does not offer much in the way of personal backstory and feelings, but he offers very much indeed in the way of personality. What a guy! He wears silly crop tops and bright colors, he speaks in a manner specific to him that sometimes doesn't make sense, he cares about something or someone and goes whole hog with it -- he's passionate, damn it! I love him and his weirdo, goofy self with all my heart. He cares about other people to a fault, too. He would sacrifice everything to help someone, and his belief in the potential of both others and himself is indomitable. When faced with the responsibility of a kingdom, his friends gone, his brother lying to him, and himself all alone without a reliable support system, he recognized what he was facing and still bucked up and became determined to get through it. When faced with a murderous, over powerful enemy, someone who had killed many of his friends and fellow monsters, someone who had repeatedly been rude and borderline aggressive and showed no signs of stopping, he saw that they were having difficulty and offered to help and to care for them, and didn't regret his decision or change his opinion on what they needed and their potential for change, even when quite literally killed by them a moment after. Even in death, even directly after a betrayal like that, he never stops believing that they can get better, that anyone can be a good person if they want to be. That's important, I think; that concept of giving people the chances they need to grow and to change. I have a tattoo of that moment on my thigh, it's that important to me. I guess I really like Papyrus because even though he is fictional, watching him out there makes it easy to believe in people, in our inherent goodness and desire to love each other. He makes it easy to see that we can change, that no matter what you've done in the past or who you currently are, no one is inherently a bad person, and no one is incapable of learning how to be a good one. It is just a step by step process that we have to take day by day.

[Image Description: A wordcloud shaped like Papyrus. His gloves, boots, and cape are red; his Battle Body is blue, yellow, and white; and his bones are white. Some of the most visible words are: Kind, Love, Good, Cool, Relate, Funny, Friend, Mystery, and Papyrus. These are the words that responders mentioned most in their essays about him. End I.D.]

Read the full list of responses shared with permission by clicking this link! (The document is 25 pages long, so you may want to make a copy to prevent lagging.)

#papyrus #character analysis #undertale #undertale fandom census #results

978 notes · View notes

jojaydoodles · 2 years

Text

FMA School AU - Pt 1

If you keep reading, this doodle will make sense, I promise.

A couple of weeks ago I commited a grave sin in the form of this POST.

The response to it was so positive, I decided to actually write this thing. I have to warn you guys - I haven’t written a fic since 2014. It was waaay more difficult to focus and write than I remember.

If it reads like Stranger Things meets FMA, well, that’s exactly what it is. I’m an idiot, please don’t sue me.

A part of the story was inspired by an amazing video essay from Jenny Nicholson, titled “Dark Internet Rituals” - if you haven’t seen it, please go watch it now.

Side note: guys, if you see weird grammar and even weirder word choices, please have mercy - I only learned English as an adult and it happened through watching subbed anime, not by any legitimate course, so... I don’t really understand English grammar, and know even less about English dialog formatting. It’s completely different in my native language.

Final note: I added illustrations and one of them is Emo Kid Envy - ya be warned!

Chapter 1

It was a warm summer evening, but little Fletcher Tringham felt a chill down his spine when he walked alone by the old quarry. It wasn't his usual way home. He wished he could have had his brother or friends with him. He decided to take this route after his bike broke down, and it seemed like a good idea at first because the way by the quarry was a good shortcut. Now that he could see the eery shapes of abandoned buildings and black outlines of rugged rocks against the night sky, he was beginning to think that he might have made a mistake. All he could hear was the rustling of gravel under his feet and odd insect and animal noises.

Suddenly, the everpresent soundtrack of wildlife fell silent, as if cut by a knife. Fletcher took another few steps and stopped, his legs refusing to move. Somewhere in the dark, a dark shape moved. Fletcher's brain barely registered the movement, but something was there, right by the path, lurking in the shadows.

"H... Hello...?" Fletcher's thin voice echoed through the night, before being swallowed by the overwhelming, cold silence.

There was no answer, and nothing moved. For a second, Fletcher hoped that maybe he only imagined that large, black shape among the trees, but before he could breathe a sigh of relief, the mysterious shape moved again. It lunged at the boy with a surprising speed. The last thing Fletcher saw were enormous jaws opening up to devour him. His scream pierced through the night and, cut abruptly, died.

***

Students arriving at school on that sunny morning were met with an atmosphere of excitement. Something sinister was going on in town, according to the newest gossip, and the darker the chatter got, the more joy it seemed to bring to students' hearts. By the time Ed Elrcis and his brother parked their bikes, the story was already in everybody's lips and had reached even the most insular groups of students, from the most popular girls down to the most shunned of nerds and emo kids.

One of the latter specimens, a lean, dark-haired boy who signed his books with 'Envy' in black ink, happened to be standing close to the bike stand. He made a heroic effort to look like he was above all the drama, but he wasn't fooling anyone, his face visibly twitching with excitement. Ed ignored him as per usual, but Ed’s younger brother, Al, decided to show some mercy.

"Hey Envy, is there something going on?"

Something was obviously going on, and Envy was dying to talk about it, but he rolled his eyes and snorted contemptuously all the same. Al remained unmoved.

"Well?" He insisted.

Envy graced him with a sideways look and a sneer.

"A kid got murdered last night", he said with way too much satisfaction in his voice.

Al was taken aback.

"What?! Who?"

"Some kid in fifth or sixth grade called Fletcher-something. His brother was summoned to the Principal's office just now and the police are there, too. I wonder if they will ask him to identify the body, what do you think? How's he gonna do it, all that's left of that brat was an ear."

"Shut up, stupid!" Ed cut in. "How would you know what the police have found, they wouldn't tell you, would they? I bet there was some kind of accident and you're just being a creep, as always!"

Envy's eyes narrowed, but he controlled himself and backed away, indicating the end of the conversation. He waved his hand nonchalantly and said over his shoulder, in his usual, mocking tone: "You'll find out soon enough!"

"Why did you go and speak to that brainless ghoul?" Ed snapped at Al. "Seeing his stupid face alone makes me wanna puke, at least don't make him talk to us!"

"Sorry, big brother! I was just curious."

"So am I, but I'm not running to the next wannabe vampire to ask questions! Hey, there's Winry!"

Winry, her best friend Paninya, and a few more students from Ed and Al's class congregated near the school's main entrance. The brothers joined them and soon listened to at least a dozen variations of the hottest story of the day. The facts, when unwrapped from hearsay, made-up details, and wild guesses, were as follows: little Fletcher Tringham didn't get home last night, the police have made some gruesome discovery somewhere near the old quarry, and now three officers arrived at the school and requested that Fletcher's older brother Russel accompany them to the station. What was the mysterious discovery the police were supposed to have made was anybody's guess, so naturally everyone was outdoing themselves to come up with the most outrageous theories. The theory of the hour was that the legendary murderer Barry The Chopper came from beyond to claim another victim.

"It's just an urban legend", Ed protested. "There's no evidence that such a person as Barry The Chopper ever existed in the first place. Even if he did, and even if the afterlife was a thing, why in the world would he come to this town of all places? He was supposed to be a criminal in the Central, wasn't he?"

"You're being too analytical, Ed!" Winry rolled her eyes. "A zombie serial killer sounds more interesting than a kid stumbling into a pond at night and drowning, which is probably what happened. I feel sorry for his family."

"Y... Yeah..."

They took a fraction of a second to feel bad on behalf of the family they never met, but quickly went back to discussing the issue at hand:

"There's more to it than wishful thinking," said Al. "Did you hear about the summoning ritual that was going around? All the younger kids were doing it. They would burn their hair or fingernail clippings at three o'clock at night and then say 'Barry The Chopper' three times or something like that."

Winry frowned and hesitated for a moment, then said in a slow, thoughtful voice: "I wonder where did they get this idea from? I mean, who was the first person to tell the story? Because I don't remember anything about this 'legend' from when I was younger, not even from before the last summer break. So it's not a proper legend, is it?"

The conversation continued into class, with all students discussing their theories rather than paying attention, and teachers being equally distracted. The whole morning passed quickly, with everyone going through the motions while thinking and talking about crimes, murders, and dark rituals. The harsh reality of school life first dawned on Ed. He randomly opened his textbook, noticed that it wasn't the subject they were currently supposed to study, moved his hand to put it away, and then, suddenly, the title of the book hit him like an eighteen-wheeler truck.

"Hey, guys...?" He said faintly, his voice trembling. Al, Paninya, and Winry stopped whispering about serial killers and dismembered body parts to look at Ed.

"What is it?"

"Er... Do we have chemistry class next?"

The sheer terror of this revelation rendered them speechless for a moment. Al was first to recover.

"We could skip it this time", he proposed nervously. "We could claim emotional trauma after what happened this morning..."

"No one's gonna believe that Ed and I are such softies," Paninya pointed out. "Besides, we already skipped chemistry last week and the week before. We're gonna get expelled!"

"Is there nothing we can do?" Winry cried out, oblivious to the chatter in the class dying down around her. "That psycho is going to do some experiments today, it's going to be really, really BAD!"

She suddenly realized that her friends look past her head, at someone standing right behind her. She turned around and looked up into the face of Mr. Falman, the history teacher. He looked down at her with an expression of deep resentment.

"Is my teaching interrupting your conversation, Ms. Rockbell?", he asked coldly.

"No, sir! I'm sorry, sir!"

"Good! It would hate to be wasting your precious time, Ms. Rockbell."

It's never a good sign when a boring, serious teacher tries to be funny like that. It usually means that they are A. uncharacteristically angry, B. plotting petty revenge, or C. - both. Moments later, the whole class was furiously scribbling, taking a surprise test, while cursing Winry Rockbell's high-pitched voice under their breath.

***

During the five-minute break between classes, Winry, Al, and Paninya ran to get their textbooks from their lockers, accompanied by resigned Ed, who already had the right book with him. Students were scrambling to get away and out of Winry's way, she was so visibly boiling over. She looked ready to take on any horrors awaiting them in the chemistry class. As it turned out, the trials of the morning were not over for her yet, because when she got to her locker, a small crowd of students had gathered in front of it, blocking the door. There was something so strange in how they stood and stared at the nearest window, Winry temporarily forgot about her feelings and looked at the window as well. Outside, there was the running track and some trees - same as ever. Winry blinked, shook her head, pulled one of the students - a girl from her class - closer, and asked:

"What's going on? I don't see anything?"

"Look at the wall of the west wing, over there!"

Winry looked. Paninya, Al, and Ed joined her just then and also stared in disbelief. Someone just climbed through a window and disappeared inside the school's west wing. Using windows as entrances or exits wasn't uncommon, however, this particular window was located on the third floor of the building.

Paninya whistled.

"Who was that?!" Ed demanded after he regained his ability to speak. "Did anyone see their faces?"

"Well, we'll find out when we get there", said Al. "It's right next to the science class, isn't it?"

The mystery figures were, in fact, waiting in front of the science class as Al suggested. They were a boy and a girl, both very much foreign and not in the least willing to explain themselves. The boy waved away all concerns by simply stating:

"We were afraid we'd miss the class, haha! What luck the window was open, right?"

He had long black hair, spoke with a slight accent, and smiled a lot for no particular reason. The girl remained quiet and ostentatiously disinterested in everyone who wasn't her fellow window climber. Their names were Ling Yao and Lan Fan, both exchange students from Xing. Winry found out as much before the bell rang and it was time to go to class.

"Are they siblings?" Paninya wondered, looking at the weird pair sideways.

"More like a couple", said someone else.

"Definitely complete weirdos", said Ed.

Seemingly oblivious to the commotion they stirred, the two foreigners strolled right into the classroom and took first seats in front of the teacher's desk. They didn't have a lot of choices, really, as all the students scrambled and fought for literally every other seat in the classroom. It occurred to Lan Fan that, when sitting down, every student moved their desk a little bit further away, towards the classroom walls. They all seemed suspiciously jumpy, too.

"Young master", Lan Fan whispered in Xingese, "I think they are scared of something."

"I noticed that."

"Could it be that they know...?"

The door opened again and the teacher walked in - a lean, overdressed individual, who's face closely resembled a neurotic ferret. Ed Elric was the one who came up with this surprisingly fitting comparison and was very proud of it at the time. During their first chemistry class, he passed it as a note to fellow students, adding a nasty little drawing. The tiny piece of paper reached everyone in the room except Envy, because no one liked Envy that much and trusted him even less. To Ed's dismay, the teacher, Mr. Kimblee, turned out to be an expert in rooting out student insubordination. He quickly noticed that something was going on behind his back, found and confiscated the compromising note, and then proceeded to use what could only be described as psychological torture to get the truth out of the students. Finally, one of them broke down in tears and gave away the unlucky artist. Since that day, studying chemistry has become a real school of survival for Edward Elric.

This time, at least, there were some potential new victims that could draw Mr. Kimblee's attention away from his usual targets. On top of that, they choose to sit in the front, making it impossible for the vengeful teacher to make anyone else sit there and help him with his experiments.

Mr. Kimblee put away his books and notes neatly on his desk, looked at the new students with a kind of forensic interest, then took a long, careful look at the rest of the class. His face was saying: 'I know that you all think you escaped me, but it's my responsibility as a teacher to show you the reality of this world'.

"Alright, children", he said, "we are going to learn a little something about nitroglycerin..."

"Oh no..." Winry looked like she was going to faint. "We are so dead!"

Ed felt pangs of conscience when he looked at the backs of the two foreigners, who just sat there and patiently observed as the teacher assembled a makeshift mad scientist's lab. They were completely unaware of what was going to happen and no one could blame them - they hadn't seen one of Mr. Kimblee's infamous 'experiments', nor did they have to jump on top of the desk when the floor caught fire. Ed got as close to Ling Yao and Lan Fan as he was willing to risk and hissed a frantic warning:

"Hey, new guys! You better take cover NOW!"

Before they had the chance to respond, an explosion shook the classroom walls.

***

The three of them - Ed, Al, and Winry, were riding their bikes home after school. The Rockbell's house where they all lived was far from the center of the town, barely any cars would drive there. They could spread out and ride next to each other, talking freely. All three had some leftover soot in their hair and clothes, with Ed being the most affected. He seemed a little out of it, probably a result of a slight concussion. While he kept quiet, Al and Winry kept harping on the mysterious origins of their new Xingese classmates. Not that there was any doubt as to what country they came from, but the events during the chemistry class raised a lot of questions.

"How did they dodge all of that?" Al asked for the tenth time, with a hint of resentment in his voice. "They were sitting right next to Mr. Kimblee, how come we got hit much harder than those two? I never saw someone jump so fast, like... Like in a movie!"

"Maybe they are training in martial arts?" Winry mused. "Don't they have some martial arts in Xing? I'm sure you guys were talking about it all the time when you were kids. What do you think, Ed?"

"Hm..?"

"I think we should try and talk to them tomorrow," Al went on. "I would pay good money to find out why they came here to study - it doesn't make sense for an exchange program to send talented students to a backwater place like this, does it?"

Ed finally awoke from his daze and decided to join the conversation.

"Forget about them, Al, we have more pressing matters to worry about!"

"Like what?"

"Like..." Ed looked at Winry and hesitated. She sighed, rolled her eyes, and sped up her bike.

"I can't hear you!" She shouted over her shoulder. "You can talk about your stupid secrets, not that I care!"

The brothers watched her cycle away in silence before Ed continued:

"I'm talking about that kid, Fletcher. I would love to know what's going on."

"Don't you think it was just an accident like Winry said?"

"Well," Ed grinned. "If that's the case, I'm going to rub it in Envy's face for the rest of my life. We should go to town after dinner and look for the place where it happened, or maybe search for some clues. Maybe we could follow the police on bikes, what do you think?"

Al looked a little torn between his own curiosity and the instinct to act more mature and be more careful than his older brother. There was also another thing getting in his way, which he wanted to deal with as soon as possible.

"I have something to do in town later," he said guiltily, "but I can meet you there if that's ok with you."

Ed looked a little surprised but decided not to press the issue. If Al wanted him to know what he was going to do, he would've told him what it was right then and there.

"Ok, let's meet at nine in front of the police station. I think we could start by figuring out what the cops are doing about this case..."

***

A couple of hours later, Al stood in an alley, hidden in the shadows, observing a small flower shop on the other side of the road. The shop itself wasn't of great interest to him, but he wanted to see its new employee, a middle-aged man with long blonde hair and a beard. He's seen him once before and almost fell off his bike. Ever since then he tried to catch a glimpse of the man from afar, just to make sure.

The man looked like Ed and Al's missing father. Al didn't tell his brother anything about it, he worried that Ed would react in his usual impulsive manner and ruin any chance of actually talking to their dad after so many years. Besides, Al wasn't even sure if the man he saw was really their father or not - he had no memory of him and had only seen his face in an old photograph. It also seemed too ridiculous, for his father to suddenly show up after a decade and get a job in a local business, without as much as sending a word to his kids.

To kill time, Al read various posters plastered on the wall near him. Some were advertising old movies, some promised to fix any vacuum cleaner, while others made Al blush a little. Only one poster was new - Al has seen it in a few places already this week. It was a wanted poster distributed by the police, asking the public for information about an armed and dangerous fugitive. No name was given, only a somewhat awkward-looking sketch of a man's face and a description. The man had a large, x-shaped scar on his face. Al wondered how anyone looking like that could possibly hide for more than a day. Apparently, this man managed to evade the police for quite some time despite having the opposite of inconspicuous appearance.

The flower shop was closing down, but the person Al had been waiting for didn't come out of the door. The owner, a young woman, left already and spoke to someone inside before closing the door and going to her car. The lights inside were still on. It was slowly getting dark outside.

Al decided to leave and come back at another time. He only had twenty minutes left to get to the station and meet Ed. To make it in time, he had to cut through the park and take the path along the wall of the old cemetery. It wasn't a very appealing prospect, but at the moment Al's main concern was to avoid anything that could give Edward any reasons to ask pointed questions. Besides, he reasoned with himself, he took the same route many times before. Just because another kid died when taking a shortcut through a creepy place, it doesn't mean that he, too, will meet his demise. Right?

He didn't feel half as convinced minutes later when cycling through the dark, overgrown park. Every shadow seemed to be stretching its cold fingers towards him and every little noise caused his hair to raise on his head. When he finally got out of the park onto the path, he was so relieved, he barely registered when something moved on the top of the cemetery wall. A dark shape dropped right in front of him, he didn't even have the time to break or turn - he hit it head-on at full speed. The impact sent him flying, he hit the path hard. Thankfully, the path has never been paved and was overgrown with thick grass. He was almost sure he didn't break anything, but he could feel burning pain in both elbows and knees, and he felt the sweet taste of blood in his mouth.

After the first shock of surprise and pain died down, a cold realization dawned upon him. He just hit someone. that someone was jumping over the wall, and clearly didn't count on anyone seeing them... Although his bloody knees and elbows hurt like hell, Al quickly got up and looked around for his bike. As he turned, he suddenly found himself standing face to face with a tall, imposing figure. There was just enough light from the faraway streetlights to recognize a faint outline of a stern face and a white scar on the man's forehead.

It occurred to Al that if someone with a large scar on their face wanted to hide from other people, an abandoned cemetery was just the perfect choice for them.

224 notes · View notes

agentofscifi · 3 years

Text

Success is the Best Kind of Revenge Ch. 3

Heels click onto the floor of my office as Chloe pushes open my doors. My hands were currently holding up the train of a dress hung on Juleka. Alix follows after Chloe, tinkering with some kind of camera in her hand. Over the years, as we all graduated from University and done pretty well for ourselves.

Juleka ended up changing her major in school after three semesters. Instead of going into performing arts for instruments, she went and got a composition degree. Juleka wrote music for a variety of artists and was one of the most sought-after songwriters. When she wasn’t doing all of that, she was modeling for my company. Juleka did a variety of photoshoots for several companies, mine included throughout her University Years. After I opened up my first few stores, we signed a formal contract. She’d been working for me for almost a decade. She split her time between Paris and Nashville in America.

Alix decides to focus on a degree in art history. She worked at an Auction House company in Paris, moving between the various countries of Europe to authenticate pieces of art and then handle their sales. She was rather successful at her work, earning many bonuses for rather extremely successful sales. Alix’s unique style and comfortable professionalism made her easily approachable to buyings. She was rather blunt, and it did her well in her job. On her off-hours, Alix did some minor modeling and promoting much of my athletic pieces. Alix’s popularity grew as she competed in several X-Games in and after university. She won several titles in skateboarding, BMX freestyling, rollerskating, and snowboarding before retiring after a slip-up when snowboarding. She shattered her kneecap, broke a leg, her collarbone, and dislocated her arm in two places. She still did BMX biking, skateboarding, rollerblading, and snowboarding, just not in a professional capacity. That being said, little kids still asked for her autographs all the time.

Chloe graduated from the London Business School with Honors and then proceeded to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York to get a Graduate Degree in Global Fashion Management. She modeled some of my designs, worked connections, handled all my brand’s social media accounts, and finalized contracts. Now, she had several people working underneath her, to handle the day-to-day operations. Either way, Chloe handled all of the Brand’s business dealings and flourishes.

As for me, I attend the London College of Fashion. I got a Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design and Development with honors. After those years, I went to Milan to attend Istituto Marangoni International for a Master’s Degree in Luxury Accessories Design & Management. After that, I relocated back to Paris. My first boutique opened up quickly after that along with a small factory with a loan from a bank. I ended up having to open a second factory within three months due to demands. More boutiques opened up worldwide as the Brand became a household name.

“Hello Chloe, how is everything?”

“We got invitations to a reunion for Lycée. Alya sent them, as she was the class representative when we all graduated. Personally, I think she wants to get her hands on you or Juleka for an interview. You know her journalism career is in the gutter.”

Alix snorts. “And who’s fault is that?”

Chloe rolls her eyes. “Her’s. The idiot ruined her blog when she was a teenager and she never changed. She still does idiotic and frankly dangerous things to get a scoop. Sure, she does some basic research now, but the girl’s been detained several times for endangering people and disrupting the peace. No University would touch her, and no place will hire her.”

Alix looks up from the camera. “So, you didn’t inform everyone in the fashion journalism world about her history, knowing it would spread to all major news and journalism networks.

Chloe raises an eyebrow. “Look, this company’s image is important. I was not going to let Miss Blogger ruin it for 15 minutes of fame. She dug her own grave.”

I sigh. “This is great and all, but are you all going?”

There’s a snort right behind me. “Not on any of our lives. We will not be sinking that low.”

“Chloe!” Juleka’s face is red and slightly scandalized.

“What? Why would we go to this reunion? To see how everyone is doing? It’s rather simple. Alya’s a tabloid writer. Nino is a barely successful DJ who works at a music store to help pay his bills. Max is an IT guy at a company. That fake research paper haunts him to this day. Kim works at a gym. The drugs screwed his athletic chances over and he never planned for anything beyond going to the Olympics. Nathaniel works at an art store and does nighttime classes. He’s unsuccessfully worked with 7 different writers for his comics after leaving Marc.

Now, Myléne and Ivan are happy, at least. Myléne works as a secretary and Ivan as a grocery store manager. Both are part-time so one of them can stay home with their kids at a time. They have millions of photos of their family on their Instagram accounts. Neither one can do much with charities. The fraud they committed was spread around the charity communities fast.

Rose, Adrien, and Sabrina are the only ones who did what they wanted to do. Rose had a few years of fame with her music before getting married and settling down as a youth music teacher. Adrien moved to America and works for a University. However, I know for a fact that he will not be returning to Paris for anything less than a funeral or a wedding. As for Sabrina, after some therapy, ended up as a Detective in Marseille.”

“Didn’t you pay for her therapy?” I tie off my last stitch and let the train fall to the platform.

Chloe purses her lips. “I owed her that much. I screwed her childhood up, majorly.”

“Did you stalk everyone to find out all of this?” Alix has a mischievous look.

Another eye roll from Chloe. “I didn’t need to. In this day and age, all you need to do is type their name into the internet and all of their social media pops up.”

I hum. “What about Lila?”

“She’s still in prison. Tried another appeal a little while ago, to no avail. Her long list of offenses and the “assisting a terrorist” change isn’t something any judge would want to touch, even with a 10 ft pole.”

Juleka simply shrugs. “Back to the point at hand. I’m not going to this reunion. Rose is the only one I wanted to keep in contact with, and she’s not going. It’s her five-year anniversary with her husband. She’s going to Spain that week.”

Alix shugs. “I’m not going either. Kim has tried to contact me so many times to help him get back into the sports world. I am not giving him another chance. Besides, there’s this huge auction going on in Russia for that week. I am not missing that for a few hours with our childhood classmates.”

I look at Chloe. She raises a perfect eyebrow. “Not a chance and you are not going either. Heavens forbid Alya posts something on that new blog of hers.”

I set my needle and thread down on a work table and gesture to Juleka to get changed. “I’m not going if none of you are. Besides, there’s this fashion show in Milan that weekend. It’s for freshly graduated designers to show off their talents to possible employers. I was planning to go to find some who would specialize in Fashion Contour. I’ve been doing quite a bit of work in that field and want to get a fresh pair of eyes that will eventually take over that area of our brand. I was also hoping to look for someone to start a Make-up department. One of your people mentioned the idea at a meeting.”

Chloe nods and starts to type into her phone. “I’ll tell my assistant to look through the applications we have to see if anyone fulfills the requirements for that job. Just find that new department head.”

I give Chloe a nod as Juleka hands me the dress from before. A custom-made wedding dress for a woman who happened to be Juleka’s exact size. One of the many I had made of the years since I’d started my fashion business.

Some part of me wanted to thank Lila. If I was honest with myself, I wouldn’t be where I was if she hadn’t arrived at my class and taken everyone’s loyalty. They weren’t bad people, but thanks to Ms. Bustier, they were a drain on my energy and abilities. Now, however, I was one of the most well-known and successful fashion designers with over two dozen people for me in Design. I could not be happier.

Ch. 1 ~~~~~ Ch. 2

#alya salt #lila salt #miraculous ladybug #marinette deserves better #bustier salt #lila is exposed #success is the best kind of revenge #ml salt

190 notes · View notes

allmightluver · 4 years

Text

All Might’s Mental Health is Declining

Toshinori Yagi wanted to be a hero, wanted to help people ever since he was a boy

and with Nana’s help, the quirkless kid got his wish.

But being a hero isn’t for the weak of heart. You’re going to fail. People are going to be hurt. And ultimately, you’ll be alone. Toshinori had to learn this quickly in his life as Nana, his mother figure, died for him at an early age.

The other person in his life, Gran Torino, trained him to the best of his abilities, but was a no nonsense, brutal teacher.

His methods were effective, but scarring, as Toshinori has been terrified of him ever sense.

He was sent to America on his own to develop his quirk, where he eventually learned to become a hero. But again, that meant work was his life, and he had no social life. Sure he was popular with the media, but as far as developing a lot of personal relationships, he wouldn’t have time for them. Plus, as typical of a hero, in order to keep everyone safe, All Might couldn’t be seen with people he was close to. He most likely kept himself busy the majority of the time to keep from being lost in his own thoughts. People need companions, it’s part of our make up. Toshinori’s surely had to have been a very lonely life.

And then All for One happened. And defeating him almost killed Toshinori, in fact, there’s no good reason he’s still alive, other than to pass on One For All, he should be dead. *Warning graphic details following*

All for One said himself (English Translation), “A wounded hero is a most frightening animal. Do you know that even now, I sometimes dream of you charging at me with your entrails strewn across the ground.” His entrails. His internal organs. All Might was gravely wounded, yet he still forced himself to fight All For One, even while the hole in his side freely leaked his own body’s contents. In the picture above, All Might kneels above All For One’s lifeless body in a pool of blood, a mixture of both their blood. AFO’s head crushed.

I cannot stress enough the mental impact of this singular event. All Might stood for absolutely NO killing. He would resolve conflict while being careful NOT to kill or even critically hurt anyone. But in this instance, Toshinori killed a man. And the way he did, crushing a man’s head with his bare hands until the skull gave way and his brains were scattered on the pavement below. For someone who believes in no killing, this was a brutal execution. One that, unfortunately, had to happen for the safety of the world, and only All Might was capable of doing it.

This alone must have severely messed with his head. While he lay in hospital, only capable of healing, AFO haunted his dreams and thoughts. He took another life, blood permanently staining his hands. And now he has to mentally pretend this never happened and act as if everything is fine to the public who hadn’t heard of this fight.

Despite the mental trauma from this, the physical trauma was worse. While he could fake the emotional lasting effects, he couldn’t hide the physical.

This injury took a lot more of him than just his mental stability. It took his stomach, a lung, most likely his spleen, and perhaps more internal organs. Living like this now means lots of medications. Supplements to make up for the lack of stomach, drugs to protect against infection, and pain medication to list a few. Something that big has to hurt like crazy. And all that scar tissue pulling while you try to fight? Torture. He’s most likely had countless corrective surgeries from the scar tissue alone, which only reopens the wound and leaves less and less skin to work with. You can see how caved in the scar is, indicating just how much of his body is missing. His destroyed respiratory system forces blood to fill the remaining lung he has left when he overexerts himself, which is all the time. He probably has to have blood tranfusions regularly to make up for the loss, as well as other injections to assist his body in running properly. There’s probably an oxygen tank by his bedside to help when he’s choking on his own blood in the middle of the night. His body wasting away until his very skin stretches like plastic wrap over nothing but bones. Muscles being eaten away in replacement of food.

But what sucks the most? The time he can be All Might is decreasing more every day. The one thing he’s wanted his whole life, to help people, is starting to become difficult to do. He has to hide his true form from the public, he doesn’t want them to fear for their lives if he can’t help anymore. Now he spends more and more time in his own mind because he can’t distract himself anymore. And what’s worse than the mental pain is the physical accompanying it.

Now BESIDES all this happening, we also have Nighteye’s betrayal. Sir, the man who was his sidekick for years, the guy he’s probably been able to grow the closest to, betrays All Might’s trust and looks into his future. And what does he see?

In six to seven years, Toshinori will meet a villain, and meet a gruesome demise. The betrayal makes him and Nighteye go separate ways, losing a friend.

Now with his declining health and the death sentence hanging over his head, Toshinori has to think about what he hoped he wouldn’t for years yet. He needs a successor. Someone to give this power to before it’s too late.

Insert Izuku.

A young, quirkless boy who just wants to help people. Sounds familiar. Izuku is an obvious choice despite everyone telling Toshinori he’s not the right fit. (Like Nighteye whom Toshinori tried to tell, but was only shot down.) So once he hands over One for All to Izuku, the problem, despite the boy destroying himself as he tries to use it and Toshinori being unsure how to help him, is that his power is decreasing even faster now. Which, of course, is to be expected, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to deal with. His time limit is drawn shorter and shorter until All for One starts to make a reappearance.

So not only did Toshinori not kill him, all the trauma he went through was for nothing, but now the world is in danger, again. And he doesn’t know if he can help them. Which means he has to involve his young ward in this mess that killed his mentor, almost killed him, and could potentially kill the boy as well.

So he tells Izuku of the origin of One for All and All for One. But he doesn’t tell the boy that by the time Izuku fights this guy, Toshinori won’t be around anymore.

He doesn’t let on how much the power is draining out of his body, and doesn’t enlighten the boy on his own upcoming death. Which unfortunately means he has to lie and give Izuku a false sense of security.

And then, All for One shows up.

And this time, All Might’s true form is exposed to the public. His weakness. Now the world knows that All Might isn’t invincible. Despite this, he’s still able to force his broken and exhausted body to beat All for One again, while using up the last of One for All, and leaving it up to Izuku.

Now he’s that quirkless boy who wants to help people again, only this time, he can’t.

Now he can’t be a hero, the one thing that’s kept him going all these years. And people on the street who don’t recognize him right away, criticize how he looks, which again, is out of his control. So he continues to hide himself in shame.

Gran Torino has told him he’s not being a proper mentor to Izuku, but the boy is already surpassing him with his schooling from other teachers. So, without heroing and mentoring, all Toshinori has left is being a teacher.

And unfortunately, Eraserhead has told him he’s also mediocre at that as well.

Then Izuku meets Sir Nighteye, and questions Toshinori about their relationship, while also questioning his own successor-ship.

Which leads to a very emotional scene of Toshinori telling Izuku exactly what happened all those years ago, as well as his death sentence that, oh by the way, is coming either this year or the next.

Toshinori is fairly emotionless while explaining this to the boy, I imagine he’s fairly disconnected with his own emotions by this point.

But seeing how upset Izuku was is enough to make him try and console the other that he won’t simply roll over and die, that he’ll go down fighting.

And THEN, he gets word that Sir Nighteye is in grave condition and most likely won’t make it through the night. Even after their falling out, Toshinori goes to his friend’s side, and the resemblance is scary.

Now he can see why Nighteye looked into his future, to see if Toshi had any chance on living. Being put in this position, he can understand. You can even hear Toshinori’s voice break (Japanese version) when he tells Sir that he needs to stay alive to allow Toshi to repent for his sins. But Nighteye can’t stay. And when facing the man who’s always been known for his smile, who can’t do it anymore, Sir says to him: “Smile. Live on, Toshinori.”

But for what?

The most recent episodes have a relatively emotionless Toshinori.

Like in today’s episode, the best he can give Izuku is a small smile, barely anything. He doesn’t even emote when he catches Hatsume’s stray baby.

He clearly still has the reflexes of a hero, but he can’t physically be one anymore. His health is too fragile. *Manga spoilers ahead*

Then there’s this scene with Aizawa.

He had long since accepted his own death, maybe even longed for it. But Izuku made him decide to try and live, even though he’s not sure how to anymore.

This poor man has been through Hell. And now he feels useless and helpless. Thank God he finally said something to Aizawa, but he needs more than just this, he needs to have a purpose again. I hope Aizawa and the others can help him find it again.

#toshinori yagi #all might #my hero academia #mha #manga spoilers #gore #depression #toshinori yagi has depression #mental illness #boku no hero academia #bnha #Yagi Toshinori #meta

5K notes · View notes

athenadione · 3 years

Text

pizza and feverish confessions

No one:

Me: DID SOMEONE SAY WHUMP

Okay so it’s only light whump, with an emphasis on comfort. Will I go to the grave believing that Damian is a big softie when it comes to sick Raven? Absolutely.

Words: 3,909

Rated: G it’s all appropriate... this time ;)

Pairing: DamiRae

Click Here to read on A03

It starts out with a warm, fuzzy feeling in the back of her head. A little dizzying, but not enough to disrupt her equilibrium, so she brushes the feeling aside and chalks it up to a flare of her empathy. Throwing up a few mental shields to keep the plethora of auras at bay, she continues walking down the street with the rest of her teammates, nearing Pizza Corner.

A popular hotspot for locals, they have to request seating ahead of time so that the employees can prepare for a visit from the Titans. It’s always a daunting task to go out in public. The employees have to barricade a spot near the back of the restaurant for them to eat in peace, and constantly combat the flow of customers that walk in all for the chance to meet them. Obviously, they don’t do it often. The sheer amount of work it takes for them to dine-in never takes less than an hour. But today Gar insisted, and Kori can be a sucker for cute, green kittens; So naturally, they made a reservation.

The restaurant is already buzzing with activity by the time they turn the corner, still about a block away. Hosts and waitresses are shuffling people out and the crowd is growing considerably, all looking for a chance to get an autograph or picture with a Titan. They’re used to all the chanting and the yelling, but today it bothers her a bit. Already she can feel a tension headache blooming just behind her eyes, and she resists the urge to rub at her temples with her fingers. Maybe she stayed up reading too late last night.

She says nothing about her ailment and continues walking, appearing unaffected to everyone that doesn’t know what to look for in her face- a light grimace tugging at the corners of her mouth, and eyes that flutter shut a moment longer than necessary.

A few employees jog out to escort them the rest of the way, and Kori thanks them warmly, resting a hand on one of the men’s shoulders. The way the man looks back at Kori can make any woman mad with envy. Complete, undivided attention and adoration. Really, she can imagine literal red hearts leaping outwards from the pupils of his eyes accompanied by the loud sound of an ahooga horn. It nearly makes her snort, but instead she arches a delicate brow. With a reminder to herself to watch less Cartoon Network, she allows herself to be ushered into the building by another employee.

When she feels the brush of a well defined chest against the length of her arm after stepping inside it takes her a moment to realize it’s Damian. He must have stayed close behind her from the way he’s angled his body, shielding her from view. She remembers a time when his body wouldn’t even be able to take up half the space of the door. Now, at twenty two, he can easily provide coverage from the crowd- which she’s certainly grateful for. One would think after nearly a decade of superhero experience she’d be used to the publicity. Reluctantly, she admits that she’ll probably always be a little uneasy when it comes to large crowds.

“Beast Boy, stop flirting and get in here!” Jaime is seen tugging on the Changeling’s arm, practically dragging him in the diner. Gar comes begrudgingly with promises to the horde of females surrounding him to come back later for pictures. The foray of giggles that is heard a few seconds after leads Raven to believe that he’s said something else that’s borderline inappropriate, and from Damian’s eye roll she knows that he heard exactly what it was.

“Come on Beetle, I was this close to getting that blonde chick’s phone number!” Gar laments, rather dramatically Raven thinks, and continues his protests all the way to the door.

“Hurry up you two, we’re ready to be seated.” Kori says, shooting Gar a glance, the warning to behave clear in her eyes. Raven admits that she’s impressed when Gar doesn’t immediately shrink back like he used to.

“Sorry Star.” He mumbles, letting Jaime pull him past both her and Damian to follow behind Kori. Raven watches them a moment, willing the dull throb in her head to ebb, but it doesn’t cease. A light frown crosses her features when she realizes that she’ll likely need to meditate an extra hour today for the pain to subside. And perhaps take a few ibuprofen.

Behind her, Damian steps around her and lowers his gaze to meet her eyes. “Raven, are you okay?” He asks, touching her arm lightly. “You have a headache?”

Raven blinks, the only evidence of her surprise that Damian had been able to read her so well. But then she remembers that they’ve been teammates for years, and of course he would be able to tell, just as she can tell that the lilt in his tone is concern, not annoyance.

“Yeah.” She breathes and closes her eyes again. “I’m okay, I just need to meditate when we get back to the tower.”

When she opens her eyes again she sees him press his lips together and narrow his eyes like he doesn’t believe her and he’s definitely going to argue with her...but to her relief he says nothing, just gestures to the large booth where the others are already seated.

“Come on, the sooner we eat the sooner we can leave.”

She nods lightly, aware of how the movement heightens the pain of her headache, and turns to walk to where Kori is waving for them. Then Damian places a hand to her lower back and begins to guide her through the clearest pathway to the booth, unaware of the light blush heating her cheeks. Even after all this time she still hasn't gotten the courage to admit to herself what the pang in her chest is when he does little things like that.

Shoving back emotions that she refuses to interpret, she focuses her attention on the booth ahead of them, giving Kori a shrug when she sends her a curious look.

“Man they always have the best veggie pizzas. I wish I could eat here everyday.” Gar states to no one in particular. Jaime takes offense, wrinkling his nose in disgust. “How can anyone come here and eat vegetarian pizza? That should be considered felonious.”

“For once, I’d have to agree with Beast Boy.” Damian tells them both, stepping up to the booth first, then he reaches out with an open hand for her to take it. His hand is cool, contradicting the heat that she’s feeling from her headache. He gestures for her to step into the booth first and she scoots beside Jaime. Then he follows behind, effectively closing her in.

“Are you serious? Did everyone hear that?” Gar’s eyes widen in excitement, and he jumps in his seat, nearly sloshing his drink. “I want this in writing.”

“Don’t get used to it.” Damian quips back, eyes scanning the menu. The pout that Gar sends him makes Raven smile, mildly amused at the way his canines protrude over his upper lip.

Any plea that may have come from Gar’s mouth is silenced when the wait staff swoop in to get their orders. As quickly as they left, they come back with her and Damian’s drinks, and they are already set to make their pizza. Fast and succinct, the waist staff pride themselves on their service, and they deserve a considerable tip for the effort they’ve already given to allow them all to eat here. She makes a mental note to mention that to Kori when there’s a light itching in the back of her throat, and she takes a few sips of her water to combat it.

Conversations between her teammates continue, and Raven’s content to remain silent and listen to their banter, leaning back into the cool upholstery of the booth. The haziness in her mind grows, accompanied by a lightheadedness that makes her breathe deep, repeating her mantra to focus. In one corner, she finds a tear in the mahogany leather. Eyes beginning to glaze over, the longer she stares at it, the more black dots begin to swim along her vision.

At some point she vaguely recognizes Dick’s voice across the restaurant, joining them in his Nightwing suit. The joy she feels bubbling from Kori’s aura is enough to bring her back to the present, vision now clear, and she sees Dick slide in beside the Tamaranean. Everyone shifts to make room and Raven’s thigh brushes Damian’s when it’s her turn to scoot over.

“Hey guys, how’s it going?” Dick asks the entirety of the table. There’s a series of replies, each ranging from a curt “Fine,” to “I’d be better if I had my pizza right about now,” to a bemoaned “Thanks a lot Nightwing! It was already hard enough getting phone numbers with Robin around, now it’ll be impossible!”

Raven just nods in greeting, knowing that Dick won’t consider her silence as rude. Something she’s thankful for. Dick takes it all in stride as he always does, and he easily fits in with their group dynamic, bantering back and forth with Gar and Jaime all the while shooting the occasional tease to Kori. He even manages to make Damian smile once or twice- a considerable feat to accomplish.

Eventually they all settle down again and her eyes begin to feel bleary once more. This time a light shiver follows all the way up her spine, and she barely contains the shudder that threatens to wrack through her body. It does cause her to lightly brush against Damian’s thigh again though, and she’s very aware of his keen, inquiring eyes on her. Looking up, she sees the question in his gaze.

And she wants to put the concern she feels in his aura at ease, but at this point the ache in her head has pretty much developed into a migraine, and any jarring movement sends her head spinning, so she just gives him a small smile, if a bit forced. And as much as she’d rather go home and lay down in the dark, everyone’s having a good time, and they don’t get to go on public outings often together. She doesn’t want to ruin it by cutting their trip short. Besides, she’s been through much worse.

Even so, when their pizza finally arrives Raven only picks at hers, taking a few small bites for show, but her migraine is starting to make her feel nauseous, and the itch in her throat is scratchy, making it uncomfortable to swallow.

After a while, a heat begins to sizzle over her skin even as she’s bundled in her thickest cloak. Beside her, Jaime is arguing with Gar over which pizza is the best on the menu. It escalates to a point where Gar begins to point out how many slices of each kind of pizza everyone’s been eating until he gets to her own plate.

“What’s wrong Rae, you don’t like your pizza? You love pepperoni.” Gar pipes up from across the table, a piece of veggie pizza in one hand and a crumpled napkin in another. His brows are drawn together in disapproval when she follows his eyes to her plate. Only one slice of the two that she had taken from the pepperoni and cheese pie in the middle of the table is half eaten.

Aware of everyone’s eyes on her, she feigns nonchalance as she fights back another shiver. “Yeah, I do. It’s good.” She swallows, then takes another sip of her water to moisten her throat, looking back down at her plate. “I guess I just don’t have much of an appetite today.”

Beside her, Damian narrows his eyes and turns in the booth to observe her blatantly, ignoring Dick and Kori’s curious glances. Feeling a bit self-conscious under his intense stare, Raven wraps her fingers inside her cloak, pulling it tighter around her body. His eyes sweep her figure pensively, then rest back onto her face, taking in the glazed expression on her face.

After a few more moments he crosses his arms and gives her a reprimanding glare. “You’re getting sick.” He deadpans.

Immediately words of denial bubble up her throat, still conscious of everyone’s attention. “I am not. I’m fine.” She says, and as punishment the pain in her headache blossoms tenfold right at the base of her skull.

Despite the clouding in her mind she can still feel the brush of Damian’s aura, a tinge of both worry and frustration lapping at her empathy. “Tch. You’re a horrible liar and this is ridiculous.” He vaguely motions at the table they’re sitting at. “You shouldn’t be forcing yourself through lunch when you’re feeling unwell.”

The others voice similar echoes of concern with promises that she shouldn’t feel guilty for staying, and Raven sighs because this is what she has been trying to avoid. She waves off their concerns. “I’m okay, really. Let’s just enjoy the rest of lunch okay? I’m fine.” She repeats.

“I think we’re all ready to go back anyway, right guys?” Kori asks before Damian can argue with her further, looking at Jaime and Gar. Together they nod and begin to shuffle as one when Kori and Dick step out- Dick leaving the group entirely with the check in his hand.

Guilt swells in Raven’s chest, knowing how much the team had looked forward to being together on a relatively calm day like this, which is so very rare. “Wait, Star.” She winces as the raspiness grows in her voice. “You said you wanted to go to the mall first, we still have plenty of time.” Kori’s been wanting to go for weeks now.

Scooting out of the booth to follow her teammates takes more effort than she’d like to admit, but Damian hovers close by, taking her elbow and helping her step down. His gloved hand around her arm is much colder this time, causing a shudder that she can’t contain anymore.

Standing is not a good idea, Raven thinks. Her legs wobble and she locks her knees to stop them from shaking, and gods why is it suddenly so hot in here? She completely misses the first half of Kori’s response.

“...and besides, the dress I want to buy will still be there the next time I go.”

The world tilts on its axis, or rather Raven tilts, taking the world with her when she takes a step. The sudden lightheadedness she feels is so overwhelming she doesn’t even notice that Damian still hasn’t let go of her arm.

Someone within the vicinity of her incapacitated hearing begins to speak. Is it Gar? His voice sounds so far away now and her movements feel sluggish. There’s a light ringing in her ears that increases in tune with the pounding of her head, and through it all she feels that she’s broken out in a light sweat.

“Raven?” She looks through bleary eyes to see Damian’s face contorted with alarm. It makes her want to reach out and cup his face because he’s normally so stoic, and the worry creases above his brows don’t suit him at all. What would he do if she reached up on her tip-toes to kiss them until they receded?

She never gets the chance to find out, because the black specks dancing at the edge of her peripherals fill her vision all too quickly, and before she’s able to take another step forward her knees buckle, falling into Damian’s arms as swiftly as she falls into unconsciousness.

“Oh my god, Raven!”

She’s not fully conscious when she catches hints of low whispers near her, nearly drowned out by the beep of a machine next to her ears. Groaning softly, her senses are overcome with the aching in her leg muscles, and how hot her skin feels against the sheets she’s tucked underneath. A shiver wracks her body and she involuntarily curls into herself on the bed she’s in. Cords follow her body, attached to the pulse oximeter that she briefly notices is on her finger, along with an I.V. in her arm.

Faintly, she hears the sound of the t.v. playing in the background. She thinks it’s Scooby Doo. Either someone had turned it on for her when she woke, or Gar’s been in this room recently. Nonetheless, it’s enough to make her realize with mild amusement that she reminded herself to watch less Cartoon Network, not more.

But that amusement is short-lived when there’s a dip in the bed, the movement making her moan as the aching in her legs heightens, and she opens her eyes hazily.

It takes her a few seconds to focus on the figure beside her. “Dami…?” She croaks and immediately regrets speaking from the sharp pain in the back of her throat. “Ah..hurts.”

Luckily Damian isn’t one for small talk and he just rubs her upper arm lightly. “I know, don’t speak.” He says gently, “You have strep throat and the flu. Your fever got worse overnight.”

Damian presses something cold and wet to her forehead, and she sighs in reprieve as it soothes her heated flesh. Her eyes flutter shut once more and she’s already drifting off to sleep, barely hearing his next words. “Get some rest habibti. I’m here.” The darkness takes her under, and this time she welcomes it.

The next time she wakes she thinks she must be delirious.

Damian is mere inches away from her, pressing his lips to her temple in a light kiss, and whispering something to her in his native tongue.

If she wasn’t so sick then this would be heaven- waking up to his soft kisses. And maybe it still is in her own mind, because she’s honestly not sure if this is real.

A wave of nausea disrupts that train of thought and it courses through her stomach. She shoots upwards into a sitting position, head spinning. And she must’ve done this before because a small trash can is placed directly under her mouth as soon as she sits up, and she grasps at it weakly, vomiting up bile. Hands gather her hair gently at her nape, holding it back for her as she continues retching. Then she’s just dry heaving for a few minutes after there’s nothing left to throw up, and her stomach twinges achingly.

Someone starts rubbing soothing circles at her back and cooing into her ear, and she finally has the energy to glance back, recognizing those familiar emerald orbs that look back down at her in sympathy. When it’s clear that she’s finished he takes the trash can and places it next to her bed, within reaching distance. Gratefully taking the hand towel from his outstretched hand to wipe her mouth, she wonders if she should feel mortified at the fact that he’s seeing her in this state, but another shiver wracking through her body halts that train of thought too.

“Raven?” She must’ve spaced out at some point because she’s now leaning back against the fortress of pillows that have been fluffed for her, and Damian is hovering above her.

He reaches out an ungloved hand and tucks a stray hair behind her ear, and she wishes she had the courage to ask him to keep stroking her hair like that. “How are you feeling?” He asks her.

She just shakes her head, not trusting her mouth to speak. Also, her throat feels raw after vomiting. The lingering taste of bile makes her grimace.

“Try to sit up for me, you need to hydrate.” He calls out softly and she wonders how she didn’t notice the glass of water in his hand before. Bracing shaky palms into the mattress, she manages to pull herself up enough to earn a hum of praise. A straw makes its way to her mouth and she accepts it without argument, knowing from the set of his jaw that if she tried to she would certainly lose. The few sips she’s able to stand helps ebb the burning sensation in her throat, and Damian encourages her to take a few more. Then, she’s shaking her head and pushing away the glass. He relents, murmuring his approval. Soft, low tones. “Good. That’s good, Raven.” A hand threads through her hair again and she leans into his touch, taking the small comfort he’s offering despite how out of character it is for him to be so...intimate.

The soft, rhythmic brush of his fingers through her hair distracts her from the ache in her legs, and the dull throb of her headache. It helps tether her to consciousness enough to open her eyes more clearly and see the gentleness in his gaze as he watches her.

When she opens her mouth to speak her tongue feels like cotton, but she continues anyway. “You...don’t have to stay.” Her voice sounds like she’s been screaming in terror for hours until finally succumbing to an unbearable torture, and she winces at how pathetic it must sound to him too.

He just shushes her and continues threading his hand through her hair. “I’ll leave if you insist, but I’d rather stay...if that’s alright.”

All she can do is nod. They fall into a comfortable silence, which Raven cherishes. Damian’s always seemed to know when silence is needed, and he gives it to her often. Having him here, helping her while she’s in such a vulnerable state sends another sensation through her chest, filling her with a different kind of warmth. Not the kind of feverish, sweaty, and boiling heat that’s bogged down her mind the past couple of days (It’s been a few days right? Truthfully she doesn’t really know). But it’s a warmth that slowly spreads throughout her entire being, pouring over into her soul that leaves a light tingling in its wake. It’s stronger than anything she’s ever felt before and it swells in her throat until it formulates into words, spilling out of her mouth before she can stop it.

“I love you.”

Another shiver reverberates through her body, and the combined ache of her muscles and persistent fever takes her back under- so much so that she doesn’t even realize the significance of what she just said. She just knows that it makes Damian give her a smile that she’s never seen before. One that softens every feature in his face, and lights his eyes in such a way that mesmerizes her through the fogginess of her affliction.

“I know.” He says in a hushed timbre, leaning down to press his lips to her hairline- an act that makes her sigh in content, despite her dazed state. “I love you too.”

He stays with her, fingers playing languidly with the strands of her hair as he murmurs into her ear- a mixture of both their common language and arabic, and she clings to the gentle undertone of his words, relishing in this new, welcoming warmth that’s now unfurling all the way down to her toes. She continues to listen to his voice as it lulls her back gently into unconsciousness.

And she knows that he’ll be there when she wakes up again, just as surely as she now knows in her heart that she loves him.

And he loves her back.

#damirae #damian wayne #raven #teen titans #fanfic #oneshot #whump #light whump #hurt and comfort #hurt and comfort feels #fluff #full text #sickfic

132 notes · View notes

aurora077 · 3 years

Text

Ask not for whom the clarity bell chimes, it chimes for thee.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13913863/1/Ask-not-for-whom-the-clarity-bell-chimes-it-chimes-for-thee

Summary: What’s an esteemed sect leader to do when his nephew wants him to spend time with his estranged brother? He hides, of course. Unfortunately said nephew is stubborn... wonder who he got that from? Now he’s forced to talk about -ugh- feelings.

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

“Uncle!” Jin Ling panted, moving apart the lapels of his tent to find him sitting there with a cup of tea, “There you are!”

Jiang Cheng snorted, “Where else would I be A-Ling?”

His nephew scowled. “You could be sitting with the rest of us.” He fought the urge to roll his eyes. Jin Ling had been setting him up. It was the third night hunt that he’d gone on with those friends of his that he’d actually invited Jiang Cheng to. Of course normally he’d follow Jin Ling anyway but Jin Ling used to scowl at him and pretend he was part of the scenery like the Ghost General who’d become his unwitting junior-stalking partner. He was surprised the first time he was actually invited. It wasn’t until this last time however that he realised what his nephew was trying to do. Because on every occasion that he was invited someone else was too. Someone who his nephew tried very hard to get him to interact with.

“Go back to your friends A-Ling. You don’t get much time with them as Sect Leader now do you? If you’re taking precious time away from your sect for this the least you can do is use it well.”

“How can I go back without you? I invited you, you know. Even Wen Ning is sitting around the fire with everyone and he doesn’t even need to warm up!”

“Don’t be stupid A-Ling you know very well that my presence will just make things awkward.” As it had the past two times. The juniors were more subdued when he was around and Lan Sizhui looked constantly anxious and alert because if an argument started he would inevitably land up playing peacemaker. The Ghost General seemed to have exhausted his anger in one shot the night he shouted at him in his own home no less, and now spent the time fidgeting around him like he was a bomb ready to explode whenever they weren’t busy spy-- protecting the kids. To say nothing of the other guest. Only the loudmouthed Lan seemed completely fine with his presence and he had to admit, the kid had guts.

Well, except when confronted with ghosts apparently. A matter that gave him no small source of amusement when he really thought about it. It made the last night hunt slightly tolerable because it put him in a good mood --a cultivator afraid of ghosts! Who ever heard of it? (He found out this little fact when the unorthodox Lan was faced with the ghost of a butcher and was apparently way more terrified of the ghost than of him, given that he screamed at the sight of it and clung to Jiang Cheng like a particularly large baby...a move that startled him enough for Zidian to lash out and banish the ghost without him even consciously doing it. Lan Jingyi couldn’t look at him for the rest of that hunt without turning beet red. It was hilarious. Contrary to popular belief, he did have a sense of humour. And if the action led to Jin Ling sticking closer to him than usual while petulantly glaring at the Lan all the while, well he wasn’t going to complain...much.)

His thoughts sobered as his nephew, already worked up from running around to find him only to realise he was just in his tent all along, lost his composure. “I’m not being stupid! Is it so bad to want you two to get along?”

“Aha! I knew it. So you admit you’ve been inviting me so that Wei Wuxian and I would what, fall into each other’s arms and cry and be bosom buddies again?”

Jin Ling flushed, “You don’t have to make it sound like that jiujiu!” Then he deflated and said in a smaller voice, “You’re the only two people I have left to call family.”

“And don’t say the Jins are my family, you know they’re not!” he snapped before Jiang Cheng could even open his mouth. Not that he would have said that anyway, the only other Jin he had considered family in that viper’s pit was Jin Zixuan who was cold in his grave.

“I just want the only family I have left to be on good terms, is that too much to ask?” his nephew continued, pouting slightly. A habit that he had been steadily leaving behind as he got accustomed to his role as Sect Leader Jin. He knew Jin Ling must have been incredibly upset to let it show. Indeed his eyes were starting to look shiny.

But Jiang Cheng was tired. Jin Ling was young enough to be optimistic. Jiang Cheng hadn’t been that way for a long, long time. He was prepared to be angry with his nephew for this when he finally confronted him about pushing him and Wei Wuxian together, but one look at that round pouty face made all the anger drain out of him suddenly as he was transported back to a young Jin Ling asking him about his parents after being bullied for being an orphan for the first time and being unable to answer without being choked up himself.

“A-Ling,” he said softer than usual, “Sometimes things just don’t work out the way we want them to.” “I should know,” he said bitterly, staring into his tea with a frown, recalling how the one thing he was most sure about all those uncertain years ago came back to bite him in the ass in the most horrible way possible. Even in the depths of his despair he had never regretted what he did to save Wei Wuxian. Now though...if he had only known what it would lead to... But how could he have ever even fathomed what would happen? Wei Wuxian did the impossible time and time again. His own sacrifice was rendered completely worthless. Just like him he supposed.

“But can’t you just try to get along with him?” his nephew continued, ignorant to his musings.

“I’m polite to him aren’t I? I don’t just flat out ignore him. And we haven’t even argued,” he said grumpily, still frowning at his tea like it personally wronged him. There was once a time when arguing would have solved everything. They’d air out their grievances and come out all the better for it. But Wei Wuxian didn’t seem to be inclined to do that any longer. That he’d attacked him instead of falling back into their routine that day in Lotus Pier’s ancestral hall was all the evidence he needed, even before Wei Wuxian said what he did in the temple.

His nephew huffed, “That’s not what I mean by get along and you know it!”

“It’s a two-way street A-Ling!” he bit out. Forcing himself to restrain his steadily rising temper he continued, “I’m aware you want us to act like a family but I don’t need to remind you of what happened on that horrible day do I? You were there. You heard him. He didn’t care for apologies. For him, it was a lifetime ago. He wants the past to stay the past. And it was all about repayment. Everything he did, he did because he felt he owed my parents and your mother.”

The bitterness crept back into his voice, “He wants nothing more to do with me or the Jiang sect. The least I can do is respect his wishes. After all, I’d be nothing without him, as his Ghost General took pleasure in reminding me. The only one who was foolish enough to hold onto things all this time was me. Besides, you weren’t there A-Ling, the first time around. I wasn’t enough for him then, what makes you think I’d be enough for him now? He has his Hanguang-Jun to hang off of, he has no need for a brother he never even considered one. And why would he? It’s not as if that accursed Jin Guangyao was entirely wrong anyway.”

“What exactly do you mean by that!?” came an offended voice. They both whipped around in shock.

“Wei Wuxian, were you eavesdropping?” he snarled, “Just what do you think you’re doing?”

“I just came to see if Jin Ling found you, but never mind that! Explain yourself! How could you say a thing like that?” he said, outraged, pushing his way fully into the tent.

“Did I say anything wrong, Wei Wuxian? Please, do tell. What did I say that you didn’t say or imply yourself?” he said, angry that Wei Wuxian felt the need to intrude on his space and then had the nerve to get offended after eavesdropping on a private conversation.

Jiang Cheng wasn’t a total idiot despite being made a fool of time and time again by this man. If there was one thing he was particularly good at, it was knowing when he wasn’t wanted. He’d had a lifetime of practice after all.

The core in his body was given out of a sense of duty. After Guanyin Temple he recalled his parents’ last words to Wei Wuxian. Was it any wonder he felt like he had to give away the one thing that he cherished most if it would save Jiang Cheng? The people who brought him in from the streets and raised him had beseeched him with their last words to protect their children with his life, and so, he did. Maybe not in the way they would expect but in giving away his core, he also gave away his life as a cultivator. And debt paid, Wei Wuxian ran off to be with people who he chose for himself.

Jiang Cheng had slowly reconciled with the idea of having a core that wasn’t his because if he didn’t, what would be left of him? Yunmeng Jiang needed him and so did Jin Ling. He had no choice but to carry on like he had been doing for what felt like his whole life... for his sect and his nephew. The weight of responsibility that he had didn’t go away just because his once shixiong embodied his sect motto more than he did. His entire life revolved around duty; once again he recalled how the one thing he did that went against duty, that he did out of love, caused a chain reaction of misery.

Wei Wuxian seemed stunned, his mouth opening and closing like those fish he had liked to catch so many years ago.

“Do you really think like that?” he croaked, “After all we’ve been through, you think I don’t care for you?”

“All we’ve been through?” Jiang Cheng hissed, leaving his now cold tea and standing up to face him with a stormy look on his face,“Why are you now talking about all we've been through? What I know about all we’ve been through, Wei Wuxian, is that the one thing I wanted after losing my home, my parents, and the rest of my sect, was my second in command by my side. The second in command that my sister called her blood brother* in a way I was never allowed to. I had thought that despite the fact that we were unable to label our relationship thanks to my parents, that we understood what we were to each other. That he would do as he promised and stand with me. But what did he do instead of staying by my side? Out of a sense of duty to the sect, he mutilated himself to give me his precious golden core, his life force as a cultivator, without telling me! Without asking me if I would let him do that to himself for me. He made me believe that I regained my own and that the alcoholism and lazing around was because he didn’t respect me enough to support me as sect leader in a time where the leaders of the other sects would pounce at the first sign of weakness. He avoided meetings and banquets where he should have rightfully stood beside me and I wondered, what happened to his promise of support?”

Jiang Cheng’s body was heaving, having let out the words that had clogged up his chest for over thirteen years.

He continued, more softly now, resigned and tired, “He left out crucial information about himself that could have allowed me to see the situation for what it was. He let me think that he didn’t care if we lost face in front of the others, during a time when we couldn’t afford to lose face. Then he ran off to the Burial Mounds to save the rest of the Wens and refused my protection.”

(I'm afraid you don't know that the Wen cultivator whom Wei WuXian wanted to save was called Wen Ning. We owe him and his sister Wen Qing gratitude for what happened during the Sunshot Campaign he had said, in defense of Wei Wuxian. It wasn’t enough. The hatred for the Wens was too great, and they hadn’t been aware of the Jin sect’s machinations at that time. But if he couldn’t save them he could at least save Wei Wuxian. Except Wei Wuxian hadn’t wanted him to. Just another failure to add to his list. Jin Guangyao was right after all. Maybe... if he had insisted… But it wouldn’t have changed a thing would it? Since unbeknownst to them there was Jin Guangyao himself working against them. So in the end it was a lie wasn’t it… the idea that he could have kept Wei Wuxian safe was a lie. Because the Jin sect wanted his seal all along. Whether he was in the Burial Mounds or in Yunmeng that fact would not have changed. But knowing was one thing, and feeling was another. And Jin Guangyao had known this and taken advantage of it.)

“Jiang Cheng…” Wei Wuxian said, sounding pained, “I…”

“You wanted me to renounce you,” he said, interrupting brokenly, “That was your grand idea. You let me think that you didn’t respect me rather than telling me outright that you couldn’t do certain duties anymore. Even if you had to lie and say it was Wen Zhuliu’s fault it would have been better than making me think you didn’t care. Why...why didn’t you trust me?”

His voice cracked but he shakily continued, “That fight we feigned...why would you let me injure you like that? You had your Ghost General break my arm but you had no core. Had I known, do you think I would have stabbed you anyway? Was our relationship that poor? Just because we never labelled it does that mean it didn’t exist then Wei Wuxian? I thought that we understood…”

He broke off to choke back a sob.

“You said you could control the resentful energy...the seal. I trusted you. I may not have reacted very well when the sect leaders tried to drive a wedge between us but I trusted you regardless. I trusted you even though you had been acting unreliable. I trusted you up until the moment A-jie died to protect you. You think you’re the only one who lost it then? The only one who went mad with grief? Do you think if you hadn’t died from the seal’s backlash I would have killed you? Because even now I don’t know the answer to that question. But what I do know is that the two of you broke me; one after the other you died, just like that. We promised that it would always be us three didn’t we? If it wasn’t for A-Ling I might have joined you then and there sect be damned.”

He was too far in the past to notice the strangled sound his nephew made in the background on hearing his words. Wei Wuxian, though, was as stiff as one of his corpses (or even more accurately, his annoying husband). He couldn’t seem to make a sound if he tried. His heart was pounding, disbelieving of the words he was hearing. Shellshocked, he just let Jiang Cheng rant.

“Then, when our old school friend somehow manages to scheme his way into bringing you back to the land of the living and clears your name in the process, what do you say? Take it as repayment to the sect Jiang Cheng, let’s not mention it again. Forget it. It’s all in the past. As if I could ever forget it. As if I’ll ever get the image of A-Jie dying in my arms out of my mind. As if the image of you getting torn apart by corpses right in front of me hasn’t been seared into my brain for all these years. And you want me to forget it. You come back and run off with Lan Wangji. You come to Lotus Pier and what do you do? Go to make bows in the ancestral hall with freaking Lan Wangji. The man who we all thought hated your guts even before the whole Yiling Laozu schtick. It’s been easy for you to forget and move on hasn’t it? I’m the only one stuck with these memories. I’m the only one who held on to promises,” he scoffed self-deprecatingly, “Falling apart in front of everyone in that temple and claiming you owed the sect was all I could do given that you would never come back for me. But you abdicated yourself of that responsibility too so what else could I say? Don’t talk about all we’ve been through Wei Wuxian. In the end, I’m the only one left who cares about that.”

“You’re wrong!” Wei Wuxian yelled, the accusation of not caring seeming to strike a chord, breaking him out of his state of speechlessness, “How could anyone give up a core for duty? I said it was repayment because I didn’t want you to feel obligated to me. I know we have our differences but I still know you enough. Don’t tell me now that you know that you don’t see everything you did to rebuild the clan differently! You’ve always felt inferior because of me and I never wanted to put you in that position. How could I have told you what I did? I didn’t want to hurt you, and don’t say you wouldn’t have been hurt because you would have! How can you say I don’t see you as a brother? How can you not have known how much I…”

He trailed off and started again, eyes glossy, “In the end, your life was worth more than mine and I did promise your parents I would protect you. I cared about you much more than I cared about cultivation. I didn’t want you to give up, and you looked like you would. I wanted you to live and be the leader you were always meant to be. I found a method that would work and in the end it wasn’t a hard decision to save you. Even if I didn’t survive it, I would have been happy to have been of use to you. You could not be lost; you were Yunmeng Jiang’s last hope. I could be replaced. And I was right! Look how well you’ve done. The Jiang Sect is flourishing now, better than before and it’s all thanks to you. So if I had the choice to change whether I gave it to you or not, I wouldn’t. I’d do it again!”

“You really are arrogant aren’t you?” Jiang Cheng intended to sound harsh but instead he sounded closer to despair. “You think that because you think something is so then it must be. You think everyone else feels the same way about you as you do. You’re the only one who thought that you could afford to be sacrificed. Nobody who cared about you thought of you as disposable. Funnily enough I’m sure your irritating husband would actually agree with me for once.”

“Lan Zhan’s not--”

“Shut up! Who asked you to destroy yourself? Do you think I wanted this? Do you think A-Jie wanted this? It’s why you made sure we sent her away isn’t it? I only realised it later on. She would have put a stop to it. You did what you wanted to do as always. Mother and Father’s wishes came before my own with you didn’t it? So what if I was depressed? How was that worth your life? Do you think I would be happy that you lost your cultivation because of me? Whatever ‘inferiority’ I felt I’ve never once wished for you to be destroyed because of it. But you don’t seem to acknowledge other people’s feelings for you, do you? We loved you, you complete imbecile! How could you for one second think that we’d be okay with you dying to give me a core? You said you may not have survived it well that much I gathered on my own! Nobody ever did such a thing of course the risks were high. Did you ever consider what would happen if you did die? Would Wen Qing just bury you in secret and a-jie and I would be left wondering what happened?” he said, openly crying now and not even bothering to try and stop it. Not like Wei Wuxian hadn’t seen him look even worse than this. But he continued his rant nevertheless. A few tears couldn’t stop him now that he was on a roll.

“I would wake up with a brand new core and one brother less, which is exactly what happened except you came back from the Burial Mounds… but there would have been no coming back from dying then. You’re only here now because your famously ignominious death got you summoned as an evil spirit!” he paused to wipe his nose and continued, voice devastatingly melancholy,“Do you know how I felt when I found you missing? I came down that mountain expecting to see you waiting there with that annoying grin of yours, but you were gone. Vanished into thin air and nobody could tell me what happened to you. I feared the worst. And I was right to! Nobody’s ever walked out of the Burial Mounds. We had no idea where you were and everyone was whispering that you were dead. A-Jie and I refused to believe it; how could you be gone? All I could think of was that maybe if I hadn’t gone up that mountain you wouldn’t have been in a position to get captured in the first place. It was all my fault. What was the point of me getting back my core if you died because of it when in the first place I lost it to--”

He stopped. No. He couldn’t say that. He never meant for Wei Wuxian to find out what he did. After the events at the Guanyin Temple he’d considered coming clean but had held back. It would have seemed as if he was lamely throwing it out there. Like ‘ha it isn’t only you who can sacrifice’. It would just seem petty and like he was trying to one-up Wei Wuxian, and to him that would have diminished the worth of his actions. He’d done it without hesitation, expecting to die but preferring that to the alternative aka letting it be Wei Wuxian instead. He hadn’t done it to get acknowledgement. (He was man enough to admit --to himself at least after lots of time to think in the aftermath- that Wei Wuxian probably felt the same, except if the Wens had caught him, Wei Wuxian would have surely died, whereas without a core Jiang Cheng just felt like dying. So really in the end there was no need for Wei Wuxian to risk his life because Jiang Cheng would not have actually lost his.)

Surprisingly, Jin Ling had actually noticed his hesitation --which on later consideration made him realise his nephew was really growing up and he’d had some strong feelings about that-- but by that time it was too late even if he intended to say anything. It wasn’t as if Wei Wuxian had the time of day for him then anyway. He hadn’t even glanced Jiang Cheng’s way before making off with his stubborn donkey… and Lil Apple.

“When you lost it to what?” Wei Wuxian said hoarsely, still disbelievingly processing what was being said to him and latching on to the thing he actually knew instead, “I’ve never faulted you for wanting to retrieve your parents’ bodies. You were grieving.”

Jiang Cheng was flabbergasted. His tears stopped abruptly in his shock. He had never actually given much consideration to how Wei Wuxian determined he was in Lotus Pier and why. When he had woken up in Wen Qing’s domain all he’d been told was that Wen Ning helped Wei Wuxian save him. At the time he was too empty and hurt to think much about anything further than that he was alive and broken, and then all the other shit in his life happened and he hadn’t given that question a second thought. But to think, all this time and…

“That’s what you thought I was… Okay yes, that’s why I was in Lotus Pier,” he said decisively. He couldn’t believe Wei Wuxian thought he was that foolish but better he believed it was because Jiang Cheng was a grief stricken child that went back on his own. He wouldn’t blame himself then.

Except Wei Wuxian’s eyes narrowed. He may have been struggling with many complicated emotions but his mind was still sharp. “Jiang Cheng,” he said slowly.

“What!?”

“You went back for your parents’ bodies, right?”

“...”

“Right?” he said, stalking forward and clasping Jiang Cheng’s shoulders urgently. “Yes! That's what I said! Have you developed a hearing problem now?” Jiang Cheng barked defensively, half-heartedly struggling in his suddenly tight grip.

But Jiang Cheng hadn’t said that, he did.

“What did you do?”

“Nothing!”

“Jiang Cheng! Why were you in Lotus Pier?”

“It doesn’t matter! Let it go, Wei Wuxian. It’s all in the past like you said.”

But Wei Wuxian had a sick feeling in his gut.

“You didn’t go back on your own, did you?” he said, chest tightening as his certainty grew.

His grip went slack. “You didn’t choose to go back. So why…”

“But I did choose,” Jiang Cheng said, a rueful smile forming on his face. It was his choice to step out from where he was hidden and distract the Wen soldiers. Although arguably, in the moment, there was no choice at all because letting them take Wei Wuxian was never an option.

“No…. No, if it wasn’t for your parents then you wouldn’t leave shijie. You wouldn’t have chosen to go back. You’re not stupid. You wouldn’t have tried to take back Lotus Pier by yourself.”

“As you said, I was grieving. Maybe I was reckless. You were there, you would have taken care of a-jie.”

“No, shijie was sick, you wouldn’t have left!”

He remembered going out to buy some food and medication for Jiang Yanli, who was too ill to take care of herself. There was a moment when he’d been afraid he’d be caught by some Wen soldiers but then they’d been distracted and he’d breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the Wens had caught up too quickly and he had to get the others out of there asap. He’d gone back with the supplies intending to let them know only to find that Jiang Cheng was gone.

But… thinking of it… hadn’t they left him alone because someone shouted ‘I’ve got him’?

No!

It couldn’t be.

“Jiang Cheng… Tell me you didn’t.”

“I can’t tell you I didn’t leave Wei Wuxian, clearly I did,” Jiang Cheng said, rolling his eyes.

“No not that. You got caught on purpose. You…” his voice cracked.

“Why would you say that? Who would be foolish enough to get caught on purpose. You’re overthinking. Didn’t you just say I wasn’t stupid?” Jiang Cheng retorted.

“Didn’t you just say that maybe you were reckless?” he fired back, tearing up, “How could you… Why?? Why didn’t you just let them take me?”

Jiang Cheng scoffed, “Well aren’t you full of yourself. Not everything is about you, Wei Wuxian.” Why wouldn’t Wei Wuxian just drop it? Didn’t he know there was only pain going down this road?

He laughed, a broken hollow thing. “No, not everything is about me. But this is. My memory is full of holes but I remember that day. I remember how it felt to find you gone. And now, now I remember what happened before I found you missing. Why did you do it?”

He tightened his grip on Jiang Cheng once more and shook.

“You should have let them take me. How could you do such a foolish thing?” he almost screamed, tears leaking down his face.

“How could I do such a foolish thing? How could you carve out your core and give it to me?” Jiang Cheng growled.

“You were the new Sect Leader! Why would you give up your life like that? I promised that I would protect you with my life. Why would you throw it away for me? Your mother was right, it was all my fault. I wasn’t wor-- mmph!” Jiang Cheng covered his mouth.

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence! Were you not listening to a thing I said?!! Who gives a shit about worthiness? Do you think a-jie was thinking about worthiness when she threw herself in front of that blade for you? I certainly wasn’t thinking about worthiness when there were Wen soldiers about to capture you and take you to Wen Chao for his torturing pleasure. Who was going to let him take you? He dared?! Did I just stand aside when that Wang Lingjiao demanded your hand? And not in marriage! Why would I stand aside for some measly soldiers?”

He’d come to terms with the fact that taking the blade was his sister’s choice. He’d done the same after all, in a different way but nevertheless… he did. If this was a few years, heck months, ago he’d probably still be painfully in denial. Yanli’s death had unhinged him. And it had taken Jin freaking Guangyao to deliver a proverbial slap in the face for him to start to reflect on his own behaviour, as well as that of his siblings, with a clearer mind. Despite the fact that he’d come to the conclusion that Jin Guangyao was wrong about a great many things (given that he conveniently didn’t mention that he would have manipulated things in the Jin’s favour no matter what Jiang Cheng did), it had been the push he needed to work through his years of resentment. It had taken a while and was probably still going to take some more time, but he’d been learning a great deal about himself.

Which is why he was so mad at Wei Wuxian, whose tears were dripping onto the hand Jiang Cheng was using to cover his self-deprecating mouth. “How can it be that Lan Wangji hasn’t managed to get you to stop that? You’re sickeningly in love with each other and the entire cultivation world knows it, yet you have the nerve to come here and say you’re not worthy? To my face? A-Jie would be sad. Your sickening husband would be sad.” He was sad.

He grimaced as Wei Wuxian licked his hand in an attempt to dislodge it, possibly because he insulted Lan Wangji again and Wei Wuxian had a compulsive need to defend the man.

“Nice try,” he grinned, “But I’ve changed A-Ling’s dirty diapers, a little spit isn’t going to gross me out.”

His nephew, whose presence had been totally forgotten by both of his uncles, squawked in indignation. Jiang Cheng didn’t acknowledge it. If he had turned to look, he might have seen that the boy was shedding silent tears the whole time in solidarity with their emotional meltdowns. Jin Ling also briefly had the thought that Ouyang Zizhen would have loved to witness this spectacle and would definitely have declared it novel material.

Ignoring his nephew’s reactions, Jiang Cheng addressed Wei Wuxian, “Do you think that Lan Wangji would say you aren’t worth sacrificing for? Do you think he’d say you’re replaceable?”

Unable to speak, Wei Wuxian just shook his head. Lan Zhan would be hurt if he said those things.

“And why do you think that is Wei Wuxian? Why would Lan Wangji not think that?” He squished Wei Wuxian’s cheeks, forcing him to speak with fish lips. “B..cs e lv.s muh?”

“Exactly.” He finally let go of Wei Wuxian’s face.

“Jiang Cheeeng *hic*” cried Wei Wuxian.

“What!?” “I love you too,” Wei Wuxian said while sobbing some more and throwing himself at Jiang Cheng.

“Who said anything about love? Get off of me!”

“Y..*hic* youuuu did!” He clung to Jiang Cheng and refused to let go until Jiang Cheng gave in (but not before struggling a bit, had to at least look like he resisted) and hugged back just as fiercely. The two of them stood there holding each other and weeping for a solid quarter of an hour.

Wei Wuxian felt raw inside. He had never expected that Jiang Cheng would… It had never occurred to him that Jiang Cheng distracted their pursuers just to save him. Him. Jiang Cheng had let himself be taken instead. Jiang Cheng who was so prideful and who had blamed him for bringing ruin to Lotus Pier. That Jiang Cheng had been angry with him and yet saved him anyway. Saved him knowing that he was likely going to die for it. Saved him because he loved him. What else could he do now but cry? He felt wrung out. Like his world had shifted.

---

“Sooo…” said Jin Ling, clapping his hands together once decisively and smirking slightly (after drying his own tear-filled eyes), “Since you guys ended up falling into each other's arms and crying, that means that the only thing left is for you to become bosom buddies again.”

“Brat!” Jiang Cheng sniffed, pulling away from Wei Wuxian to threaten his nephew, “Are you looking to get your legs broken?!”

“No thank you!” he cried, rushing out of the tent quickly, only to bump squarely into Lan Sizhui who only managed to keep them both upright thanks to the infamous Lan arm strength that Jin Ling may or may not have been admiring surreptitiously the entire trip.

“What are you all doing out here?” Wei Wuxian asked, upon fixing his face and following Jin Ling out and seeing the rest of the juniors and Wen Ning nervously huddled outside of Jiang Cheng’s tent.

“Senior Wei!” fretted Lan Jingyi, “We were so worried!”

“Yeah, we thought something might have happened since you guys were taking so long to come back and we came to check it out but then we couldn’t get in! We had no idea what was going on inside,” said Ouyang Zizhen who had tear tracks on his face. He had clearly expected Wei Wuxian to come out as a corpse.

Wei Wuxian was stunned and looked at Wen Ning for confirmation.

“I would have tried to break in but A-Yuan stopped me,” said Wen Ning sheepishly and if he could blush his face would have been bright red.

“Are you all stupid?” snapped Jiang Cheng, “Am I a person that looks like I have a death wish? Who would take care of my sect if Hanguang-Jun murdered me?”

“A..ah I told them that Jin Ling would have come for help if anything was going on,” Sizhui piped up, “ I told you guys not to worry so much.”

Responsible as always, that Lan Sizhui. How someone like Lan Wangji raised a well spoken boy like that was a mystery to Jiang Cheng. Though he guessed Lan Xichen would have had a hand in it too. The boy did remind him very much of the Lan Sect Leader. Only in temperament however, looks-wise… well he stopped that train of thought before it could go too far. Some things were probably best left unacknowledged, though he was spending way too much time observing the juniors and the Ghost General on night hunts not to notice… well again, best to let sleeping dogs lie.

“Finally! Someone with sense,” was all Jiang Cheng muttered in the end.

“But how come you couldn’t come in?” Wei Wuxian asked curiously.

“Ah well…” Jin Ling rubbed the back of his head, “I kinda sorta maybe put up a privacy ward when you two started airing grievances. No need for the whole camp to hear about family business.”

“This kid…” Wei Wuxian laughed, secretly pleased that Jin Ling seemed to have accepted him. “Come here!” He slung his arm around Jin Ling’s neck and held him in a death grip to ruffle his hair. “Let go of me!” Jin Ling protested, pushing half heartedly at his arm. Two soft jingles followed the movement.

“Wait,” said Ouyang Zizhen, eyes widening, “Did you hear that?” “Is that…” queried Sizhui, also noticing the sound.

“It’s a clarity bell!” announced Jingyi, “ Senior Wei, why do you have a Jiang clarity bell?”

“Ah well.. It’s mine?”

“Huh, since when?!”

“Uh since I joined the Jiangs?”

“Why do you sound like you’re questioning it, idiot!?” said Jiang Cheng, barely refraining from whacking the back of his head. He did remember that his shixiong’s new body was frail.

“Ah hehe, I’m not, I’m not,” he raised his hands placatingly.

“But we’ve never seen you wear it, Senior Wei,” said Ouyang Zizhen innocently.

“That’s because I gave it back when I defected,” he said sheepishly.

“Then why do you have it now?” questioned Lan Jingyi, somewhat bluntly.

“Kid, has anyone ever told you you talk too much?” said Jiang Cheng.

“I’m not a kid!” he pouted, at the same time that Jin Ling said, “All the time!”

And well sure he technically wasn’t a kid anymore, at 21, but if Jiang Cheng admitted that then his 19 year old nephew wouldn’t be a kid either and Jiang Cheng wasn’t ready to accept that yet.

Lan Jingyi shot a rancid look at Jin Ling, who cheated and hid behind Sizhui, and turned back to Wei Wuxian like a dog with a bone. (Which was a hilarious analogy because, you know it’s a dog and they all knew what Wei Wuxian thought of dogs.)

“Does this mean you’re going back to the Jiangs then, Senior Wei?”

“As if his husband would ever let that happen,” Jiang Cheng snorted before he could answer.

“Hanguang-Jun lets Wei-qianbei do whatever he wants!” Lan Jingyi said, unable to hide the starstruck tone he used with Lan Wangji’s title.

Jiang Cheng sighed, “I forgot I was with the Hanguang-Jun fanclub.”

Lan Jingyi turned red and was ready to retort but Wei Wuxian cleared his throat and derailed the tirade before it could start. “Nobody’s going anywhere except to bed. As for the bell, Jiang Cheng just returned what was originally mine in the first place. It’s not a big deal.”

It absolutely was a big deal.

He couldn’t believe Jiang Cheng had held onto it all this time. He was sorely tempted to burst into tears again. Much like Chenqing, it was kept in pristine condition. Before they left the tent Jiang Cheng had shoved it at him like it was burning and told him to come home sometimes (“even if you have to bring your prissy husband with you”). It so was a big deal. Jiang Cheng and Lan Zhan did not like each other at all. He privately thought that as much as he loved Lan Zhan and wanted to show him Lotus Pier, he’d make the first few visits on his own. Best not to push Jiang Cheng too much.

“Well I’m happy for you, Young Master Wei,” said Wen Ning, smiling as much as his face allowed. He at least had an idea of what it meant. Not just in general, but to Wei Wuxian.

“Thank you, Wen Ning.” He smiled softly at his friend.

“Well, I’ve had enough talking for one day,” said Jiang Cheng, “I’m going to go to bed. If you’re all going to continue talking, please do it somewhere that’s not right in front of my quarters.” And with that he bid them all goodnight and ducked back into his tent.

“Ah yes, I think it is past your Lan bedtimes is it not? You two also need to skedaddle,” Wei Wuxian said to the little Lans.

“Of course Senior Wei, we’ll head in now,” said Sizhui who promptly did as he said and turned to step into a tent.

“Hey! Why are you going into the Young Mistress’ tent?” called Jingyi, “Weren’t we supposed to share?”

“Ah well Jin Ling offered,” Sizhui explained.

“You just want to take advantage of his very fancy sect leader tent,” accused Lan Jingyi.

“Hehe guilty as charged,” he said,“Goodnight Jingyi. And to you Wen-qianbei, Wei-qianbei, Zizhen.” He left all four of them standing there and went to bed.

“No fair, I want to sleep in a fancy sect leader tent too. Ours is not nearly as comfortable,” lamented Jingyi.

Wei Wuxian couldn’t share the sentiment because his Lan Zhan always made sure he was the most comfortable. But he also couldn’t resist teasing Jingyi.

“There’s a very fancy sect leader tent right here,” he smirked, “Enter at your own peril.”

Lan Jingyi blanched and squeaked, “Never mind!”

Zizhen laughed heartily at him, “Better luck next time buddy!”

---------

Author’s note: * Since I read the translation of MDZS I am not sure how Yanli refers to Wei Wuxian in the novel other than as a brother which in English does not convey as much as the Chinese text would. In The Untamed episode 25 however when she is defending him from Jin Zixun she refers to him as didi, which I have gathered is what you would call a younger blood related brother, rather than shidi which would be the term for a martial brother. Since I don’t know Chinese though correct me if I’m wrong ^^;

Also I don’t recall the novel mentioning if wwx had a clarity bell or not so I am working with the assumption that much like the Lans’ forehead ribbons, the Yunmeng Jiang disciples would have a clarity bell... in The Untamed, Yanli gives him one when she shows him her wedding dress but I am taking creative liberties and saying he already had one as a member of the clan. Maybe main family members and disciples have different ones like the Lan ribbons but I’m leaving that up to interpretation.

45 notes · View notes

jq37 · 3 years

Text

The Case File – Mice and Murder Ep 1

The Case of the The Pernicious Party

Hello, hello, hello! It’s been a hot second but your resident D20 recapper is back to tackle the newest season: Mice and Murder! Y’all had to know I wasn’t gonna sit out the murder mystery, are you kidding me???

I might be playing around with the format a bit in the coming weeks to make sure I have the best possible system for keeping track of possible clues, suspects, and theories as we untangle whatever web Brennan weaves for us this season so don’t be surprised if things change a little.

Anyway, without further ado, onto our mystery!

Summary

In case you missed it, this season takes place in an alternate, Zootopia/Wind in the Willows-esque universe where all the characters are animals but history seems to have happened in more or less the same way--for example there was still a King Charles but he was a King Charles Spaniel (cute Brennan). Our story specifically takes place in the English village of Tufting Meadows.

We start with Katie’s character--Gangie Green (Weasel/Thief Rogue) in the graveyard of the Anglican Chapel (Our Lady of Prayerful Paws). Gangie, we learn, is an orphan who was kicked out of the orphanage at some point for thievery. Obviously, he’s not reformed of the habit because he is here to do some graverobbing. On a nat 20 (that Katie hilariously doesn’t notice even though her total is like a 29) Gangie can see through the window of the rectory that there is a weeping window inside--Catherine McCabbage who is being (dubiously) tended to by Raph’s character, Vicar Ian Prescott (Owl/Bard, College of Eloquence).

Ian comes from a line of men of the cloth but he’s not exactly the best speaker despite his subclass. He’s doing his best though! The widow’s husband (Conor McCabbage) died at the local mill in what has been declared an accident but she suspects foul play. She’s been hearing his voice on the wind and wants Ian’s professional opinion on whether this could be a sign from God or if her husband might be speaking to her from beyond the grave or something like that. Ian gives a very muddled and not very comforting answer but seems pretty sure that something sketchy did in fact happen. Then, he sees a crack of lightning outside which illuminates the graveyard where he gets a glimpse of Gangie.

He goes to check it out (and Gangie fully has an elderly goat he’s dug up slung over his shoulder) but “gravedigger” is his legit job so Ian decides to assume whatever’s going on is legit and not ask too many questions. He goes back to the widow (who, before she leaves, says that maybe sometimes people need to work on God’s behalf) while Gangie takes the body Loam Hall (a massive manor, built into a hill).

We cut to the next day and our next two characters!

At 22B Hamsted Street in a pretty well appointed home are Ally and Grant’s characters. First up, we have Lars Vandenchomp (Huge ass Doberman/Battlemaster Fighter) who is so tough looking but also so Swedish sounding--it’s A Lot (so, incredibly on brand for Ally). Lars is security for Grant’s character Sylvester Cross (Fox/Inquisitive Rogue) who is a kinda (to use Grant’s word) “foppish” Sherlock Holmes type. He was hired by Squire William Thornwall Brockhollow to figure out what happened with Conor McCabbage (and clear him of negligence in running the mill) but he couldn’t find any evidence of any funny business, making this the only case he’s never cracked. He’s not as young or popular as he once was so this is, understandably, bumming him out. He’s even more bummed out when he realizes that William has invited him to his 60th birthday party that’s happening that night (as kind of a prop to show that he did his part in trying to solve the mystery) and Lars has already RSVP’d yes. He grudgingly agrees to go as it’s one of those asks that’s really more of a veiled demand but decides to pull the money he was paid from the bank first so he can return it and really stick it to the guy.

Finally, we cut to our last set of PCs who are on their way to Tufting Meadows via a very luxurious train. Inside are Sam and Rekha’s characters! Sam is Buckster $ Boyd (Peccary which is like a small boar/Mastermind Rouge) a Texan Oil Tycoon who acts exactly how you’d expect a Texan Oil Pig to act. Yes, you pronounce the dollar sign as “dollar sign” (even though as we find out later his middle name is Cassius so it’s like Cash which I think is super cool). With him is Rekha’s character, Daisy D'umpstaire (Raccoon/Assassin (???) Rogue another American (from South Carolina) though it seems she’s My Fair Lady’d herself into an upper class socialite (her last name was previously Dumpster). They’re traveling with their accountant, an Armadillo named Armond who seems kinda skittish and concerned about their travel expenses but Buck tells him that to make money you gotta spend money and they’re gonna make a *ton* of money on this trip. They’re also so so mean to him for absolutely no reason.

When the train stops, they’re greeted by Templeton Padhop (a frog, natch) who is the chauffeur of Loan Hall, sent to fetch them. A wheel on his car is broken so he joins in on the Armond abuse immediately and has Armond roll into an Armadillo ball and replace it. Poor guy. When they show up they're greeted by a footman--a pug in a bowler hat named Milo Snout.

Meanwhile, Lars and Sly (Oh, Sly fox, I see what you did there Grant) are similarly greeted by another footman--a lizard named Basil Baskins. On a 23 perception check, Lars sees that Jeremy “Jez” Brockhollow is inside (the son of William who is a badger btw) and also clocks Gangie (who they know as a career criminal who disappeared like a year ago). Gangie doesn’t notice Lars though.

Ian, who is also invited, shows up at about the same time as Sly but very quickly, the conversation is taken over by Lucretia “Lucy” Brockhollow, William’s older, eccentric sister who immediately gets into it with Lars about astrology and the occult (she thinks bad stuff is happening because of a curse let loose when Sly’s old rival--a rabbit named Fletcher Cottonbottom who is the son of his former employer--opened an Egyptian tomb). They’re thick as thieves right away because Ally is a nonsense magnet. And not like a regular magnet, one of those big electromagnets.

Daisy and Buck spot William’s kids--the aforementioned Jez and his older sister Constance--along with their husbands Dr. Corbin Magpie (Constance’s and obv a magpie and a doctor) and Osmond Sheffield (Jez’s who is a Ram and a lawyer). Daisy is too stuck in her conversation with a truly unhinged squirrel (Lady Eugenia Bristlebrush who clearly does not know she’s in a murder mystery because she just keeps talking about how much she hates and wants to kill everyone) to hear what’s going on but she indicates the conversation to Buck who is able to eavesdrop and hear that they’re lamenting that Catherine--the widow--RSVP’d no which is gonna look really bad, like they didn’t invite her (bad PR).

Buck, introducing himself as a business partner of William, eases into a conversation with the husbands which their respective spouses also join into and we learn that Buck's dad was British and a friend of Willian’s. Buck bonds with Jez (who is a bit of a dilettante) really quickly since Buck is ready to go drinks-wise immediately (and there’s a stellar pun about the “American [Drinking] Constitution''). Through the window, Buck notices Gangie outside getting his attention.

At the same time, Ian is going from party guest to party guest, giving out the penances he forgot to earlier at church (as one does). We see him talking to the Lord and Lady Bramble (a cow and hedgehog, respectively) and while she wants to pray her way out of situations without doing any legwork, he wants to buy his way out and gives Ian 250 pounds. A frustrating but financially lucrative conversation.

Buck goes outside to talk to Gangie who has a list of names of the bodies he’s been collecting. We’re not told what Buck is doing but it seems that this list is extremely valuable to him in some way. Gangie (who Buck keeps calling Gangly, to his annoyance) pays him handsomely (like, with a 50% tip) for the list (and Gangie gives him the real list, despite Brennan saying he didn’t have to). We also learn that Gangie has allegedly been getting the orders from someone in Loa Hall and they flow from William himself.

Matilda Molesly (a mole and the head maid) invites Gangie to come in from the rain--she’s the only person who’s been consistently nice to him and he agrees to come in for tea and scones.

Everyone is ushered together by the butler (because of course there’s a butler--he’s quite literally a fancy rat named Thomas Gilfoyle) and William gives a speech where he wishes Conor well and kinda highlights that he did hire Sly to solve the case in a “Hey, I did my bit don’t blame me” kind of way. He also makes a 150k pound donation to the church (and Ian thought 250 was good) and tells his daughter not to read the praise he got for it from the cardinal when she mentions it (I wonder if that was choreographed). Sly interrupts the speech to “magnanimously” give his money back, to William’s annoyance. Buck notices that Lawrence Longfoot (a nouveau rich, rabbit photographer) takes a pic of the scene but with Sly in the foreground and William in the background.

Then, a few things happen at once (in a very cinematic way):

As the camera flashes, Mrs. Molesly drops her tray, eyes hurt by the light. Lady Calliope Fawnbrooke (Deer, Matron of the Arts) helps her up.

In the moment of dark, after the flash goes away, the butler disappears.

Buck thinks he sees a shape through the window, out in the rain.

A cheer goes up for Sly for returning the money but all Sly can focus on is one figure he recognizes in the back of the room. Daisy, who is downing her drink and not cheering for him. He downs his as well, and looks at her until she breaks the stare and leaves the room.

And this episode doesn’t end with a dead body like I thought, but with a flashback to a younger Sylvester, 12 years ago when he first met Daisy.

PC INTERPERSONAL DRAMA Y’ALL!!! Get HYPED!

Case Notes

Here is a compilation of all the characters (PCs and NPCs introduced in this episode).

Sly mentions that Ignatius Cottonbottom faked his own death as a part of some scheme which seems like a backstory point that might come back later--we now know that there exists a way to convincingly fake your own death in this world.

Sly walks with a walking stick because of some “mysterious accident” but we’re jumping into a flashback next week so it looks like we might find out about it pretty soon.

Sly also mentions he used to be the personal physician to the elder Cottonbottom so those are skills he has. I wonder if that’ll be useful to this healer-less party. I wonder if cleric was even an option in this world which seems to be low to no magic. It would explain by Ian is a bad and not a cleric.

Lars has a military background which I wanted to mention in case it becomes relevant later.

And Dr. Magpie grew up poor and still acts it a bit even though he married a very rich woman. Brennan uses the very good line, “He forces his body into the shape of an apology”

This might be a really deep cut reference but did anyone else here was the old Britcom “Keeping Up Appearances”? Cause I was getting serious Bouquet/Bucket energy from Daisy.

This is an all College Humor season and it shows. The energy of 6 (7 if you count Brennan) top notch comedians sparking off of each other, trying to one up each other is off the charts. Some of the best bits this episode:

“When God closes every door but one, you go through the door that is open.” followed by “I’m an owl by the way.”

“Time is money, here’s both” from Buck re his inscribed gold pocket watch--everyone at the table loved that so much and they’re right.

Armond going from being a third to a fourth wheel.

And the names--I already shouted out a ton on the main recap but also a rat butler (like Rhett Butler) and naming the mouse Cat(therine). Can’t forget Gangie Green/gangrene from Katie. Also points to Ally for the data stealing Eel Musk which broke Brennan a little.

I know we just went through this with Crown of Candy but what are these animals eating? Like, in Zootopia there were only mammals so we can assume the carnivores are eating like birds and fish but there are sentient birds here. I know this isn’t important. I’m not trying to do a CinemaSins gotcha. I just wonder, you know?

Y’all were waiting for all the lights to go out during that speech and then come back on and there’d be a body too, right?

If Brennan makes the bad guy a chicken or a duck or something so he can make a “fowl play” joke, he is cordially invited to catch these hands.

I have been waiting for Raph and Katie to do D20 forever. Their specific brand of nonsense on Rank Room was always amazing.

I love love love that Grant and Rekha are the PCs that have ~a past~ because they are so funny together. If you haven’t seen their episode of Game Changers, you absolutely must (it’s also a murder mystery actually!).

#dimension 20 #dimension 20 spoilers #mice and murder #mice and murder spoilers #the case file #points and also glares to camwritery for pointing out that grant also went for the silver fox pun #i will be fighting both of you at my earliest convenience

59 notes · View notes

willowcrowned · 3 years

Text

TCW is mostly just very bad, but sometimes it’s so bad it’s good. The prime example of this? The episode where the premise is that Ziro, Jabba’s southern drag queen cousin, has just been broken out of jail by a blue guy with a hat fetish named Cad Bane, and Obi-Wan and his periodic hookup Quinlan Vos have to go get him back. This is just the premise.

Let me explain my thoughts further by way of a recap:

Ziro goes back to his home planet of Swamp Planet and gets imprisoned by the council of slugs, including a weirdly buff one, who are all related to him, making this basically a family reunion but with hired dancers and tons of guns. Now, as it turns out, Ziro’s lip-injectioned frog pop star beard ex girlfriend actually WORKS for the council of slugs, and, in a truly touching scene that I couldn’t stop cackling at, she uses her proboscis lips to kiss him through the cell bars. Cut to Obi-Wan bitching about Quinlan Vos. Cut back to Swamp Planet.

Frog GF breaks Ziro out of jail and brings them to his... mother? spawner? Hutt biology is never really explained. In any case, the mountain of opaque jello with hands that is possibly Ziro’s mother or, in a less-popular reading, his sugar momma, lends him a ship to get off planet to Teth, where Ziro has hidden a journal full of dirt on each and every member of the slut council. The slug council is understandably mad about this, which is why they imprisoned him in the first place. (I am just now realizing that I forgot to mention the Dirt Journal. Let me assure you that, while a majorly important device for this episode, the Dirt Journal is in no way central to the enjoyment of it. It’s not like anyone watches tcw for the plot.) Cut to Obi-Wan and Biceps McGee bitching at each other, talking to the slug council, etc. Then they go talk to Jello Mountain— Obi-Wan flirts, Quinlan wrecks some shit, typical stuff. I cannot emphasize enough how you really could not expect anything different from these two.

Cut back to Frog GF and Ziro, who are at Ziro’s... father’s(?) grave. Again, I think Hutts are supposed to reproduce asexually, but I respect Filoni for deciding that they Fuck. Brilliant stuff, man. Truly revolutionary. Ziro retrieves the Dirt Journal, turns to Frog GF, about to betray her... and she fucking shoots him. She fucking shoots him on his father’s grave and takes the journal. I think she even blows him a kiss as he squirms about dramatically in his death throes, but I’ll be honest, I was laughing too hard at this point to pay attention.

Then! Obi-Wan, Quinlan, and Blue-Man-Group-Knockoff show up, see Ziro dead, and (for no apparent reason) have a dramatic fight about it. Personally, I think it’s a metaphor for something else, but justifying that would require re-examining every duel in tcw for gay subtext and that would take forever. (I’d like to clarify that the reason it would take forever is not because of the lack of gay subtext, but in fact because of the exact opposite.) Obi-Wan flirts with both of them, Quinlan is annoyed that Obi-Wan is flirting with someone who isn’t him (and is much more annoyed by that, may I add, than the idea of Obi-Wan flirting with someone trying to kill them), and Cad Bane is. (understandably) Mildly turned on. Obi-Wan and Quinlan Vos get tossed off (a cliff) and Bane loses his hat but escapes with his lil jetpack shoes.

Does the episode end with Obi-Wan and Quinlan capturing Bane? Does it end with them getting the Dirt Journal? Does it end with the implied threesome I was half-expecting? Absolutely not. You know what it does end with?

It ends with Frog GF giving the Dirt Journal to Jabba and revealing that she was a double agent all along, and that this was all an elaborate setup to get revenge on her southern drag queen slug ex boyfriend.

Roll Credits.

#tcw is often just a dumpster fire #but sometimes it is a dumpster fire that is also made up of exploding fireworks #you should really really look away #but you can't #you just. can't #this episode and the episode where R2 and 3PO meet some fairies are my favorites #I think the reasons should be obvious #star wars #tcw #the hunt for ziro #ziro the hutt #obi wan kenobi #quinlan vos #cad bane #star wars: the clone wars

59 notes · View notes

passionate-reply · 3 years

Video

youtube

This week on Great Albums: we are FINALLY talking about the Pet Shop Boys! They’ve only been my favourite band since I was, like, eight. Whether you want to understand the hype or you’re already Team PSB, come check out this video and hear all about 1990′s Behaviour. (Or read the transcript, below the break.)

Welcome to Passionate Reply, and welcome to Great Albums! It’s time for me to finally do a video on one of my favourite bands of all time, and the very first band I obsessed over when I was a kid: the Pet Shop Boys! Their fourth LP, 1990’s Behaviour, is considered by many to be their best work, and it’s also one of my personal favourites of theirs, so it seems like a great place to start.

The preceding Pet Shop Boys LP, 1988’s Introspective, was their deepest dive into densely-arranged, nightclub-ready post-disco compositions. Nowadays, people tend to praise it for its more experimental and baroque qualities, but it’s also very much a party album, blending synth-pop with house and rave influences.

Music: “Domino Dancing”

At the cusp of the 1990s, there was certainly no shortage of interest in upbeat, rave-y party music, and the so-called “Madchester” scene was in full swing. But the Pet Shop Boys’ follow-up to Introspective would take their sound in a different direction. They went to Germany to work with Harold Faltermeyer, best known for his instrumental synth smash “Axel F.” There, surrounded by Faltermeyer’s collection of analogue synthesisers, they would create an album that was...well, kind of a downer.

Music: “Being Boring”

Behaviour’s opener, “Being Boring,” is a track whose reputation probably precedes it--it’s one of the best known Pet Shop Boys songs, and over the last thirty years, it’s become emblematic of its era. “Being Boring” is a stark and pensive reflection on the tragedy of the young lives lost to the AIDS epidemic, and the uncanny strangeness of getting older while knowing a lot of others didn’t have that luxury. But at the same time, there’s something surprisingly jubilant and triumphant about the way that chorus rises up, almost like exultation at having survived, even though the verses feel more downbeat. Lyrically, the focus on “having never been boring” puts focus on having lived a vibrant life moreso than it does the silence of the crypt. Behaviour might be a somber album, but it’s not without a sense of hope or optimism; just listen to the track “The End of the World.”

Music: “The End of the World”

While “Being Boring” deals with the very adult gravity of death, grief, and survivorship, “The End of the World” asks us to imagine the petty romantic squabblings of teenagers, and their magnified sense of importance. While its title is a bit ambiguous, the song itself is quite clear: what is going on here is, by no means, the end of the world! Like I said, Behaviour is far from all doom and gloom, though it has sort of gotten that reputation. While acclaim for Behaviour is certainly as common among hardcore Pet Shop Boys fans as it is anyone else, I’m tempted to think that some of the praise it receives from relative outsiders is connected to this perception of it as the “serious” Pet Shop Boys album, that deals with real issues instead of being packed with fun pop songs. While I like gloomy, serious music as much as anybody, and personally prefer it to the more light-hearted releases, there’s no reason to predicate appreciation for the Pet Shop Boys on their being cerebral or high-minded. But that seems to be a common plague of a lot of music criticism, particularly of that rockist sort. The track “How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?” serves as its own sort of commentary on rock culture.

Music: “How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?”

In “How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?”, the titular question is posed to rock stars whose inflated egos make them think they have something meaningful to say about big issues like politics. The song’s rougher soundscape stands out against dreamier tracks like “Being Boring,” and perhaps kicks it slightly closer to sounding like a rock song. While I can certainly get behind a song that mocks rock and roll self-righteousness, it does seem a bit ironic in the context of Behaviour, an album that would see the Pet Shop Boys making a clear effort to tackle meaty, real-world issues. I suppose that any album released by artists who were already established in their career might be expected to include some consideration for the dilemmas that come with that territory. Another track that explores this theme is “My October Symphony.”

Music: “My October Symphony”

While never released as a single, “My October Symphony” is a popular track nonetheless. It was inspired by the life of the great Russian composer, Dmitri Shostakovich, and portrays the grave uncertainties presented to the artist by the collapse of Communism, and with it, the prevailing sense of mythology and moral values. Given the themes involved, many have interpreted it as a track that obliquely questions where famous queer artists like the Pet Shop Boys were going, in a world that had been devastated by AIDS. While it’s about a very different kind of musician, I certainly like to think it’s a track that “rhymes” with “How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?”, in that it also questions the relationship between artists and the values of the society around them.

Behaviour’s cover art recalls that of the Pet Shop Boys’ 1986 debut, Please, with a strong emphasis on empty, white space, and a small design in the center. While the relationship of its four panels is ambiguous, it could be interpreted as a representation of death--as a face turns away, the human figures disappear, leaving the still, unchanged inanimate objects behind. As children, we quickly learn that not being able to see something doesn’t mean the thing is truly gone, but nevertheless, we sometimes have a tendency to ignore things we wish would go away. Perhaps the cover of Behaviour is an allusion to the way world governments buried their heads in the sand, so to speak, regarding the AIDS crisis, hoping it would conveniently die down and vanish when it wasn’t being observed.

The title of “Behaviour” is perhaps even more mysterious and up to interpretation than the cover. There’s something very detached and clinical about that word--an impersonal ambiance. I’m reminded of the seemingly unsympathetic narrators of several tracks, such as “The End of the World” and “How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?”, that seem to cast judgment on the actions of others without taking an interest in their emotional internality. They discuss “behaviours” as cut and dry phenomena, and focus on the actions that people take. While neutrality can be cold and condemnatory, it can also be a welcome change when introduced to a subject traditionally treated with hostility. In that light, I’m tempted to think of the title as referring to homosexual “behaviour,” contextualizing sexuality as less of a fixed identity, and something that one intrinsically “is,” and more about an action, a decision, something that one “does”--a mentality that a lot of people find rather liberating.

In introducing Behaviour, I described it as an album that’s often considered the Pet Shop Boys’ best work. But their 1993 followup to it, Very, is also a strong contender for that title, in the hearts of many of their biggest fans. *Very* has a lot more in common with *Introspective* than it does Behaviour, going back to rich, dense productions and upbeat, poppy love songs. The fact that the Pet Shop Boys managed to pull off two very different, but both very acclaimed, releases back to back speaks volumes about why people love them as much as they do. Whether you like them or not, they’re undoubtedly one of those artists who some people can turn to in just about any mood, or any season of life, and that’s a powerful thing.

Music: “I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind of Thing”

My favourite track on Behaviour is its lead single, “So Hard.” It’s one of my all-time favourite Pet Shop Boys tracks, and almost certainly my favourite of their singles. With its wryly bitter narrative of two-timing lovers, and harsh, clattering analogue synthesiser soundscape, “So Hard” has a pretty different feel to the rest of the album--dark and ominous, without that wistful, sentimental aura. But that’s exactly why I like it. The Pet Shop Boys were among the first artists to deliberately adopt analogue synths for the subjective qualities of their sound, and this track employs them in a way that’s reminiscent of what artists tend to do with them nowadays. It’s punchy, with that clunky, mechanistic analogue quality to it. Not a typical Pet Shop Boys song, but a damn good one nonetheless! That’s all I’ve got for today, thanks for listening.

Outro: “So Hard”

#music #pet shop boys #album review #album reviews #great albums

15 notes · View notes