#Candice alert Candice alert

[inafieldofdaisies]

WIP Wednesday | Tagged by @direwombat ❤️

Midweek check-in. We're jumping into Chapter 3 of John and Sabrina's AU with a little snippet where he's doing a great job of picking flowers for her while Leslie and Oliver become partners in crime.

A faint ringing pulled John out of his slumber, making him turn on his side away from the sunlight coming into the room through the half-open curtains. When the sound persisted, he reached a hand to the nightstand and grabbed the hotel room phone's receiver, holding it up to his ear, face still buried in his pillow. "Hello?", he croaked out, voice raspy. "Mr. Duncan, there's a delivery in the lobby for you." "What time is it?" "10 am, sir.", the man on the other line announced matter-of-factly. Of course. His usual alarm hadn't woken him up, resulting in him oversleeping, but reality was that he was stuck in another city with a cleared out schedule. He suspected by the following Friday, he wouldn't know what to do with himself, deemed a workaholic by many. Still, compared to everything else he had faced so far, that predicament seemed insignificant. "I will be right down in a bit." He quickly freshened up after the call ended, and with a final look at the vase with flowers the bat had knocked down the previous night, he left the room.

Downstairs, the lobby was relatively busy, his gaze running over the guests piling in and out of the hotel as he approached the welcome desk. "Morning.", he uttered out in a greeting, reminding himself he needed to grab a coffee. "Morning.", the younger man at the reception echoed back. "I was told there's a delivery for me." "Yes, yes.", he gestured to a couple of bags behind the counter, "Would you like me to call someone to help you with those?" "No.", John retorted quickly, feeling in no mood to interact with people so soon after waking up, "I wanted to ask…" "Yes, Mr. Duncan?" "Are there any flower shops you would recommend?" The man wasted no time in retrieving a notepad and jotting down an address for him, "It's three blocks away, most of our guests use their services." "Thank you."

With the small piece of paper tucked safely into his pocket, he picked up the bags and divided them between his hands, which in turn made pressing the button to call the elevator a challenge. "We meet again.", a hand appeared to his right and did it for him before the woman he had run into at the prison moved next to him as they waited for the elevator to arrive. "Ms. Donovan." A smirk marred her face while she went to fix her hair that wasn't out of place to begin with, each auburn curl falling over her shoulders perfectly to a point it seemed unnatural, "Look at that, you remembered." Kind of hard not to, when you have the same last name as the woman I like. Like?

He ignored the word and sent her a polite smile as they stepped into the elevator. It was beyond obvious that Candice intentionally chose to stand closer to him, or as close as his purchases would allow in the empty space. The fact she immediately pressed the button to the third floor was another unpleasant sight. "Which floor, Mr. Duncan?" "Fifth.", he lied seamlessly, knowing it would be best if she didn't know his room number.

"How did your meeting go?", she asked and glaced at him from the corner of her eye. "It didn't. There was a setback." "Oh, my.", she exclaimed, curiosity seeping into her tone and making her bright green eyes light with intrigue, "That's awful, darling." John shook his head, his attention returning to the floor indicator, "Hardly something that would discourage me. I have a new appointment, so everything is in order, Ms. Donovan." "Well,", the doors pinged, signaling they had reached the third floor, and John had to remind himself he shouldn't exit despite his instinct telling him to, "if you do face any trouble… you can give me a call, and we will find a desirable solution, I pressume you still have my card." He pushed down the urge to snarl at how she said "desirable", the innuendo, and her intentions behind the "friendly" suggestion for help being as clear as day to him. She wanted to do him a favor, and in return, he'd be indebted to her. And if he had to bet, it wouldn't be as simple as spending a night in her bed. No, when a woman like Candice Donovan would sink her teeth into someone she had set her sights on, she wouldn't just let go, at least not before having her fill and certainly not without ripping out their throat once she was finished. "I appreciate that.", he forced another well-practiced grin as she stepped out and waved him an elegant goodbye. Her heels resonated down the long hallway as she strutted away from him, no doubt putting on a show. Everything about her appearance was adeptly selected: from her designer heels to the emerald green dress that accentuated her curves and showed enough cleavage to draw in a man's gaze while still keeping her pretense of class. John breathed out a sigh of relief when the doors closed, and he found himself on his own again. Fuck. Just what I needed… her being on the same floor. He knew without a shadow of a doubt he had to avoid Candice like the plague, even more after this lie and the way it could only further fuel the interest of someone like her.

Once the elevator got down to his floor again, he hurried back to his room, fearing with his luck, he would end up running into her if he took too long. He quickly dropped off his bags by the door and went back down to the lobby, making a stop at the reception on his way out. "Hello." "How can I help, sir?", the man's gaze shifted away from the monitor and up to him. John straightened his back, leaning against the desk in a pose he often used when addressing judges during sidebars and usually yielded success in whatever he was arguing, "I would like a room change." The hotel receptionist pursed his lips, "I'm afraid that won't be possible. We're fully booked, Mr. Duncan. Is there an issue with your room?" Against his better judgment, his hand strayed to his chin to rub his beard, something a trained eye like Candice's would take as a hint of weakness, "No. Thank you." He made a move to leave, then remembered the broken vase, "One more thing, yesterday night a bat flew in and knocked off a vase off the dining table." "I'm sorry, sir.", concern washed oved the man's features, "Is it still inside? Do I need to call animal control?" "No.", John couldn't help a prideful smile from emerging, "I made sure it made its way back out." Technically speaking, he had done just that. With some help at concocting a plan of action and further moral support from Sabrina. "I'm glad to hear that, sir." John left the hotel, convincing himself his streak of bad luck would eventually end, that making it to his destination without running into any trouble was doable.

A stroll in his new shoes felt like a mistake after almost getting drenched multiple times thanks to cars driving full speed through puddles formed after last night's late rain. Still, waiting on a driver God knew how long and then asking them to take him to a place that was within walking distance was a bit of an overkill, even for him. Breathing in some fresh air seemed like a good idea, too. A couple of minutes later, after almost passing the flower shop thanks to his thoughts hopelessly drifting back to Sabrina, John found himself in front of it just as a man pushed through its doors, seeming in quite the rush to leave. It didn't take long to figure out the reason for his hasty escape. The moment he entered the store, instead of the usual polite greeting he would have expected, he was met by a horror movie worthy shriek that pierced his ears before a bouquet flew at his head. The sudden sting in his forehead told him his hands weren't fast enough to stop the bundle of flowers in its tracks as shock overtook him. "You have the audacity to come back? After you break things off with me on OUR wedding day!", a female hollered his way as the bouquet landed at his feet, her eyes glazed over with anger to a point the mistaken identity hadn't even registered to her. The violent outburst was followed by tears that threatened to undo all the work her makeup artist must have put into her look, and the only thing he could do was blink in surprise when she flew past him, and out of the shop.

"Mister, are you okay?", a woman close to his age broke him out of his daze, "I'm so sorry." "I-", he shook his head and moved further in, overwhelmed by the mix of fragrances that attacked his senses, "I have no idea what just happened." "Wedding drama.", the woman sighed, focused on an arrangement she was working on. Assault more like it. And she fled the scene. "Anything catching your eye?", she spoke up again, finally shifting his attention to him fully as he regarded the premade bouquets and rolls of vases filled with various type of flowers. "A bouquet. Red roses. And I would like to have it delivered today." A part of him argued he had no idea what flowers Sabrina preferred, but red roses were the option he always went with and none of his past lovers ever seemed disappointed in the choice. Quite the opposite, in fact - the gesture inarguably yielded the desired result each time he would task Penny with sending them to a woman. Having a PA to take care of his every whim including sparing him the hassle to go down to the florist's personally certainly came in handy anytime he would cave in and entertain the side of him yearning for a female's touch, but after the drunk call, he was forced to make the trip himself for once. "You're in luck then, you caught our morning window for deliveries.", the florist announced as she began selecting roses for the bouquet. "How many roses, sir?" John paused, unsure of how many Penny would get normally, "60?" The woman bit back a smile, "It must be a special someone. I would advise trying to avoid getting it hurled at your person, though." "She is, yes. And I will keep that in mind." Especially for still entertaining me after getting a call in the middle of the night and staying on the phone while my room was under siege by a bat. But telling any of that to a stranger seemed like oversharing, so he settled for a simple answer instead. She reached underneath the counter and produced an empty card and a pen for him, "How about you fill this out for her while I'm preparing the bouquet?"

"Thank you.", the plain piece of paper in his hand gave him a pause, then his mind drifted back to the night Sabrina had given him a ride, "Do you by chance have a card with butterflies on it or something close?" The florist smiled as she set aside the roses she had gathered and crouched down behind the counter, presenting him with way too many options to choose from. "Ask me what I don't have.", she added with a laugh. His fingers shifted through the cards, each seeming way too colorful and like it would clash with the simple bouquet until he came across one that screamed Sabrina. The inky black butterfly catching his eye so much that looking at the others seemed pointless. "This one.", he announced then moved away to give her space to work on his bouquet and settled at the far end of the counter, leaning forward on his elbows as he contemplated what he should write inside. It was another thing Penny took care of for him. "You have such a way with words, John.", his date would whisper and stroke his hand, eyes full of awe while he'd smirk, not having the slightest clue what his PA had even written to begin with. He never bothered to ask, all he cared about was it was working. What do I say? Minutes ticked by where he came up empty after overthinking every idea that would pop up in his mind and deeming it inappropriate. Finally, he forced himself to put pen to paper, writing a simple, "Thank you for last night. - J"

Once the bouquet was finished and he paid for it, he left the shop, feeling content he had done something without Penny's help. The flowers were on their way to Sabrina's precinct, and his morning had started quite uneventful aside from encountering Candice and being hit in the face by a bouquet an angry soon-or-not-so-soon bride-to-be threw at him. He didn't want to think if that granted bad luck in opposition to catching it after a wedding ceremony. He crossed the road with his sights set on a small cafe across the street from the flower shop. He was going to have breakfast while he waited for Sabrina to call, the idea of their date fueling his good mood despite the dull pain in his temple.

"We're heading out, boys.", Graham Ross said as he and his partner at the Missing Persons Division, Vaughn, set on following up a lead. "Good luck.", Oliver retorted as the door shut behind them and he let out a yawn, spinning around in his chair to face Leslie, "So… you can tell me now." "Don't start, McKenzie." "What did she say?" Leslie sighed, "I just know you won't be able to keep your mouth shut, she knows it too, which is why,", he pointed at the younger detective, "she was hesitant to share anything about the guy in front of you." "I won't, pinky promise.", Oliver raised his pinky for good measure as he took a sip of coffee. "She likes him.", Parish hoped the shrug he gave was nonchalant enough, still trying to wrap his head around the fact Sabrina was showing interest in someone, let alone an attorney. "Look at you, stating the obvious. Give me something more, buddy, that's like telling me water's wet." He rubbed his neck, wondering how much was safe to disclose, but still knowing Oliver wouldn't do anything to actually hurt her, rather wanted his curiosity to be fed. "John", the name rolled off his tongue, leaving a bitter taste in its wake, "lifted one of her business cards so he can have her number and is now texting her." Oliver whistled, "See, I knew the whole "NOT MY GIRLFRIEND" had its intent. And Rina isn't creeped out?" "Nope."

He pursed his lips, "Who knew she'd go for a hotshot attorney from all people, especially with Candy being in that field. Though there was something about him that just seemed… off." Leslie snorted as he leaned back in his chair, "Off? As in?" "It was like his charm was only surface level. You will see when you meet him." "He asked her out.", Oliver raised an eyebrow at his words, "And not directly." "Meaning?" "Decided to act sleek and 'check' if she has any recommendations for lunch spots." "So smooth.", Oliver said, voice dripping with sarcasm and making him let out a laugh. "And she thought it was an innocent question, went as far to argue with me, Ollie… how he just wanted to eat somewhere nice. Couldn't look me in the eye when she finally saw his next text asking her to 'grab lunch'." McKenzie swiveled in his chair lightly, mug clutched between his hands as he contemplated the story, "Did she agree?" "No idea. We were in and out of interviews the whole day yesterday and by the time I got home, I pretty much passed out." "There's more, Parish…" Leslie shook his head, "Not really." "Sure, sure, and I was born yesterday." "I might have told her to go out with him." The confession made Oliver choke on his coffee, sputtering, "Come again." "You heard me."

"Jesus, Leslie.", he gave him a pitiful look, "You like her, why would you do that? You basically opened the door to someone else getting in her pants. Law pun not intended, but damn." "Ollie." "What? You think he won't be trying to? My bet is he was probably rubbing one out the second he was on his own." "I want her to be happy. And this… ain't giving me much hope for the guy." Oliver tsk-tsked in disapproval, "Just saying it how I see it. And you, my friend... need to get your shit together before someone else takes the empty spot in her life, same one you've been eyeing like a sad puppy since the moment she first walked in here. Then you can both be happy and I get to be your best man." "That ship has long sailed, we all know it." He got one of McKenzie's signature eyerolls, "And you don't know how to swim? Board that motherfucker, Parish." "I'm fine with my role, Ollie.", Leslie said eventually, "Plus. He has no chance in the long run." "Why's that?" "Rina's been waiting for someone." A chuckle escaped Oliver, "Aren't we all?" "And she's adamant about it. John just doesn't know he would be fighting a losing battle." Sabrina herself had told him as much when he had finally admitted he had feelings for her, confessing she wasn't over some man she had met long time ago, that she would never be. "Ooof, his poor ego." "Yeah. It would die a gruesome death."

Oliver opened his mouth to most likely crack another joke at the lawyer's expense when a knock sounded at the door before an young man peeked inside their division. "Morning. I have a delivery here.", he announced in a rush, "Flowers for a Miss Donovan? I was told to bring them up here by the front desk…" Leslie stared at the enormous bouquet of blood red roses he held, his expresson of disbelief no doubt matching Oliver's. McKenzie was the first the jump to his feet, and with his desk being the closest to the doorway, he erased the distance between it and the delivery guy in a couple of strides, "She's out, but I will take them." "Thank you.", the man passed him a cupboard from under his arm, "Sign here, please." Oliver scribbled his signature quickly, shooting a dramatic look towards Parish when he took the flowers in his hands. "Have a nice day.", the man called out and left as quickly as he had appeared. "There's a card in the sea of roses, Leslie.", McKenzie reported, eyes shining with dangerous curiosity. Leslie rose up from his seat and met him halfway, "Don't." But it was too late, Oliver had already transfered the bouquet to him as he plucked the card from it and opened it. "Boundaries, Ollie."

"'Thank you for last night, signed J.'", he read out loud, hollering a laugh at the last part, "Holy shit. He did not just-" "I could have gone without hearing that, Oliver.", Leslie ripped the card out of his fingers and shoved it back between a roll of roses, then turned, fully intending to place the flowers on her desk and forget about the words just read to him. Instead his feet carried him over to his own, and before he could think better of his actions or question what awful spell had fallen over him, he dropped the bouquet in the waste bin by it with a snarl. It was the black butterfly on the card that set him off and the realization it matched the two Sabrina had tattooed on her clavicle, proving "last night" could mean one thing. Oliver let out a laugh, gaze casted downward, "Jesus, talk about an extra fucker, it can’t even fit halfway in the trashcan. How many roses do you think that is? And do we think he's compensating for something else with the size of that bouquet?" "An extensive number. Blatant overkill. He's showing off, plain and simple." "Yeah. The card couldn't be more on the nose, either." "Don't remind me.", Leslie gritted out and pushed the flowers further in with his shoe, "What kind of man sends flowers to a woman with that message? At her workplace." "Maybe… it's not what it looks like?", Oliver didn't sound convinced by his own words at all, "Yeah, who am I kidding." "And she'd hate it.", it was a matter of fact statement, "Roses aren't even her favorite."

"Board that ship, because that fucker is already at the helm. But worry not, we can wash away his look of victory when we throw him back into the ocean." "You sure are going hard for those pirate metaphors, Ollie." "You started it." "What are you two up to?", Sabrina's voice made both of them jump in surprise as Leslie reacted quickly and kicked the waste bin under his desk before sinking back into his chair like nothing had happened. Oliver followed suit by taking a seat at the edge of his desk, his body obstructing her view of the flowers further. She made her way to her desk, clutching a folder close to her chest, completely oblivious to the fact they had done something bad. Sabrina faced them with a small smile, and Leslie didn't dare to wonder if it was thanks to her night with- No. Don't go there. "Lab's finally done. We got a match, now only to put out a BOLO.", she was beaming with those news, "We're getting closer, Leslie." Oliver and Leslie shared a look while she shrugged off her coat and sat down, turning her computer back on. "You're both awfully quiet. What happened?" "Nothing.", Parish said first. McKenzie in turn crossed his arms over his chest, sending a knowing smirk his way before asking, "So how was your night, Rina?" "Hmm?", Sabrina glanced at him briefly, feigning confusion, "Boring?" "That so?" "Yeah.", the fact her gaze remained glued to her monitor didn't help matters while Oliver pushed for more intel despite a warning kick from Leslie. "Boring how?"

"What are you up to, Oliver?" "Just answer the question, Sabrina.", Oliver retorted playfully, "We're bonding." She rolled her eyes, but entertained his excuse, "Boring as in, it's what I do every night - went home, made Sav dinner, crashed for the night." Silence took over the room, filled only by the clicking of her keyboard as she put up the BOLO for their suspect, and Leslie almost spilled his coffee over his jeans when Oliver broke it, "And what about our lawyer friend?" "John?" "Yes. You have any other lawyers thirsting for your attention?" "Hilarious. What about him?" Did you see him last night? Why is he sending you an obnoxious number of flowers as the most distasteful display of gratitude for sleeping with him? Thankfully, neither of them asked her that, instead Oliver went for a safer question, "Heard from him yet?" Sabrina groaned, "Leslie, you told him, didn't you?" "That he asked you out for lunch?", he wiggled his eyebrows, "Sure, he snitched, you can spank him for it later, but it wouldn't have been too hard to figure out on my own, Rina. My senses were tingling from the second the rich fucker walked in to report his luggage stolen." "Fuck.", she uttered out suddenly, pushing back her chair as she rummaged through her bag for something until she pulled out her phone, "Lunch. I will be right back." "Leslie.", Oliver whispered under his breath as they watched her rush out of the room, "I think it won't be as easy as throwing him overboard, matey. I haven't seen her run like that for anything that's not a case update."

Leslie's eyes narrowed, hating he was voicing the exact thing he had noticed, and the hand McKenzie rested on his shoulder for moral support. "Chin up, buddy.", his lips quirked up, "For what it's worth, he can take her out on a date, but you can take him out, literally. And me... I own a shovel." The door opening again prompted Oliver to resume his previous pose against the desk as Sabrina returned and put her coat back on. "Where are you off to, Rina?", he sing-songed, twirling one of Leslie's pens between his fingers. "Uh,", she cleared her throat, "I'm going out for lunch, guys." The announcement resulted in another pointed look from him aimed at Parish while Sabrina herself seemed far away, probably already out of the building in her mind. When neither said anything out loud, she bit her lip, growing uncertain, "I will be at Rue's, watching my phone like a hawk in case anything comes up from the BOLO… If you two don't think I-" "Go.", Leslie interrupted her, "You have to eat, Rina. We will keep an eye out." She nodded and shot him a smile and a small wave at Oliver as she left. "Have fun.", Oliver shouted after her before turning to Leslie, "Look at that, I'm suddenly hungry myself. Rue's sounds just divine right now." "Ollie. Don't.", Leslie's voice rose, already foreseeing the chaos the plan would cause and how it could ruin Sabrina's date with the lawyer. John. He was dreading even thinking about his name now. Oliver hoped off his desk and grabbed his own jacket, "I'm doing this alone, Parish, don't worry. A little recon. Fucker will be walking the plank in no time."

Tagging, @socially-awkward-skeleton @adelaidedrubman @poisonedtruth @madparadoxum @wrathfulrook @josephslittledeputy @josephseedismyfather @trench-rot @g0dspeeed @shellibisshe @shegetsburned @jillvalentinesday @cassietrn @purplehairsecretlair @voidika @theelderhazelnut @v0idbuggy @chazz-anova @florbelles @corvosattano @nightbloodbix @euryalex @clicheantagonist @simplegenius042 @thesingularityseries @strangefable @dumbassdep and anyone with something to share ❤️

#Oliver is pure chaos and I'm living for it... he's just beginning *mwah* (cackling at him cracking up ship jokes) #John sucks at playing catch; I guess :D #Also; I'm starting to think he's not paying Penny enough for the shite he puts her through... #Candice alert Candice alert #tagged <3 #wip wednesday #wip: a trial of errors #john x sabrina #ship: the diviner and the baptist #ship AU: lady luck and lady justice are both not on your side #oc: leslie parish #oc: sabrina donovan #oc: oliver mckenzie #fc5 au #far cry 5 oc #fc5 ocs #fc5 deputy #wip snippet #character dynamics #wip whenever #ocs #snippets #john seed #john duncan

[docgold13]

Batman: The Animated Series - Paper Cut-Out Portraits and Profiles

Candice 

The righthand woman to mobster, Rupert Thorne, Candice was a shrewd and ambitious criminal with eyes to take over her boss’ empire.  Far and away Thorne’s most competent operative, Candice hatched a scheme to neutralize the threat posed by the intrepid district attorney, Harvey Dent.  She discovered Dent was seeing a psychotherapist and broke into the doctor’s office to pilfer her session notes.  These notes showed Dent was suffering from significant psychological difficulties and Thorne used the matter in an attempt to blackmail Dent. This resulted in a disastrous turn of events that led to Dent becoming the villain known as Two-Face.  

As Two-Face waged his war against Thorne’s operations, Candice hatched a new scheme to take him down.  She posed as a police detective and convinced Dent’s fiancée, Grace LaMont, to alert her if Dent ever contacted her.  Believing she was doing the right thing, LaMont did so and this allowed Thorne and his men to get the drop on Two-Face.   Fortunately, Batman arrived in time to prevent any bloodshed.  An infuriated Grace LaMont belted Candice, knocking her out.  

Somehow Candice managed to avoid any serious jail time and was soon back to serving at Thorne’s side.  Yet she had grown tired of being a second and seized at an opportunity to take Thorne out and replace him as the boss.  

Thorne had brought in the mercenary called Bane to take out Batman.  Candice was assigned to act as Bane’s handler and she cozied up to the villain suggesting that, once he had taken out Batman, the two of them would be able to take over Gotham on their own.  Bane was intrigued by this notion.  

Batman ultimately bested Bane, throwing the defeated villain at Thorne’s feet.  Furthermore, Batman provided tape-recorded evidence of Candice’s plot to use Bane to betray Thorne.  This was the last Candice was seen and it remains unknown what ultimately became of her.  

Actress Diane Michelle provided the voice for the duplicitous femme fatale, first appearing in the seventeenth episode of the first season of Batman: The Animated Series, ‘Two-Face Part One.’   

#batman the animated series #Batman #Candice #Bane #Diane Michelle #cut-out #paper art #DCAU

[applesjuice]

Ooooooh, I don't know if it has already been said but when Akari/Kiki and Ingo goes back home, where do they spawn?

Could be a good plot that that just... fall from a space-time rift, in front of a camera, in front of an audiance.

The public seeing 2 people spawning from a portal with ancient-ish cloths: ...Wat

They wind up back in modern day Hisui, so in Sinnoh! Specifically where the temple was on Mount Coronet, so they get reverse eebied to the Spear Pillar. Its a bit of a waking up in the Temple of Time moment in OoT where everything is all different.

Them coming back doesn't immediately fix the rifts, little ones still occur in modern day for a bit, kind of like aftershocks to an earthquake before they finally stop. So Sinnoh's in a bit of a high alert at the moment, they actually paused letting young new trainers get licenses until it settles for their own safety. They dont want ten year olds getting brained by weirdly agressive pokemon

Akari actually gets hurt by one when some idiot ignores the current warnings in place. They're brought to a hospital in Snowpoint by some rangers with Ingo and thats when it gets weird. You got two amnesiac people, one who doesnt exist (Akari because not their real name). But Ingo at least knows his name so its like ok, they look for any missing people named ingo, bam subway boss ingo from unova comes up, Interpol gets involved, etc. Since Interpoll is involved Cynthia has to get involved and the more questions they get answred the more questions they have because HISUI?!?!? Arceus!?

They try to keep it hush hush because Interpol tries not to broadcast the whole ultra wormholes and space time rifts thing. Its an open secret in certain circles, like all the Professors know of it, the Leagues, etc but its kept a bit hush hush so not to alarm the greater public, or entice megalomaniacs.

Akari and Ingo were caught by some game trail footage but it was yoinked by Candice before it could get leaked. The only thing allowed were some identification photos. Ingo's was sent over to Unova to try and get in contact with his family for a DNA test to be run to confirm his identity, and that was a whole thing.

They float some pics of Akari around in Sinnoh because they figure Akari to be of Sinnoh origin. Theyre close but not quite because Kitakami.

So they're not youtube famous, though Ingo does manage to make a tweet from his Xtrans by accident when someone at the hospital got him a charger and that caused a whole mess lol.

#ask #ingo's tweet is some variation of voice to text “siri what is a train” #legends arceus au #pokemon legends arceus

[of-monsters-and-werewolves]

I fully understand why Kanye is getting the focus here: he's very well known, is one of the most influential hiphop artist in the world, and has millions of fans worldwide. So when he makes the statements he does, folks are gonna be more alert to it.

However, I would like to suggest that folks please be aware of their ability to perpetuate antiblackness whilst discussing this. Joking about the deaths of Nazis should be consistent. White people especially making jokes about brutally murdering a black man, and seemingly ignoring the other two white men he was with (three altogether counting both his Trump visit, and his Alex Jones interview), is a little suspicious, and suggests using his abhorrent views to justify fantasies of antiblack murder, whether conscious of it or not.

Focusing on the interview for a moment, all three men are useful to the far right movement. Kanye has massive reach, and is a convenient minority they can turn to, akin to Candice Owens or Andy Ngo, to insist they're not actually racist or homophobic to any politically illiterate audience. Alex Jones is an efficient propagandist spouting conspiracy theories here there and everywhere to bring people in and keep them there, whilst also platforming the shittiest people in the movement, and expanding his and their network further.

But Nick Fuentes is - arguably - the most dangerous of the three, and he seems to be the least talked about outside of specifically antifascist groups and spaces. Admittedly, part of this is because this may be the first time folks have heard of him, second perhaps after his other public meeting with Kanye alongside Trump. IGD News have a lot on him, as do other antifascist sites and accounts.

For those unaware, Nick Fuentes is a Neo-Nazi and white supremacist with basically every reactionary opinion you can think of and more. He has also been positive towards Hitler, took part in the Unite the Right rally, has publicly advocated for killing multiple groups of people, including women, Jewish folk, and Black folk, wishes to install a dictatorship, founded the AFPAC (America First Political Action Conference), and regularly both attends and organises rallies for his followers, known as Groypers. Many of these followers took part in the Jan 6 capital attack, harass people online and off, and are associated with many other violent far-right and white nationalist groups. He has - again, arguably - the most explicit networks and connections with other open neo-Nazis, and has criticised the likes of Turning Point USA and Ben Shapiro, seemingly for not being far-right enough.

My point here isn't to downplay Kanye's views or to shame people, especially Jewish folk, for hating him or wishing him death. Moreso it's a call for solidarity, and consistency, and a push for action amongst antifascists who are able to do so. Jewish liberation against Nazi's cannot happen at the expanse of the Black community. And neither can be free without the liberation of those living with bipolar, another thing mentioned in these discussions.

The far-right have connections with each other, but they're also infamous for infighting. We infight too, but we're much more receptive to the idea of dialogue and solidarity with each other, and we'll need it if we want to fight back.

#kanye west #fascism tw #antifascism #non fandom #racism tw #antiblackness tw #anti nazi #fuck nazis #antisemitsm tw

[be-with-me-so-happily]

Summary: Y/N (stylist!yn) applies to be a styling intern for the One Direction crew during the Where We Are tour. As she gets better at her job and closer to the band and crew (especially Harry Styles), some of her dreams seem to be coming true, but so are some of her fears.

~~~~~

CHAPTER 29 -

I COME ALIVE WHEN I HEAR YOUR VOICE

A/N: Fun! I'm having fun writing these chapters! I hope you're having fun reading them!? Thanks to @behindmygreyeyes for letting me talk out my ideas and get some perspective for this chapter. And as always, Mae @watermelonsugacry for putting up with every single question I ask.

>> Warnings: Some language, a little angsty (I think?)

~~~~~

June 13th, 2015 - Concert Day

Since your little emotional breakdown a week ago in Cardiff, you've been trying to avoid any run-ins with Harry. It's too difficult to see him with Candice. You want to keep away so you can keep yourself together.

You get to the Brussels show venue early, as you usually do, to get things done quickly. You put out a plain black t-shirt and black jeans for Harry, disappointed that he's not taking many style risks anymore. Niall will get a white long sleeve shirt and denim jeans. You make a mental note to encourage him, again, to venture out.

You make your way down to catering, hoping to grab a quick smoothie, and then keep yourself busy the rest of the time.

"Oi! Y/N!" Louis shouts from behind you, as you walk down the hallway.

You swivel around.

"I've been looking for ya!" He says, bounding up to you.

"What's up? You're so… bouncy…"

"I'm pumped up right now!" He grins.

"Why's that?"

"It's the first time we are performing 'No Control' live!" Louis exclaims.

"No way!" Your mouth drops open.

"You've gotta come watch!"

You suddenly tense up.

Louis grabs your shoulders. "It would mean a lot to me, but you don't have to, love."

Your heart flutters knowing that you want to support Louis, even if you don't want to see Harry.

[But he will be moving around on stage, it won't be too bad]

"I'll be there Tommo. I won't miss it." You smile.

"You're the best, babe!"

"I know." You giggle. "I'll see you out there."

You turn back around and make your way to catering again, needing that smoothie now even more.

[Definitely not a coffee, your nerves are now on full alert as it is]

~~~~~

<< HARRY'S POV >>

He hasn't stopped thinking and worrying about you since that last show in Cardiff. Niall told him it's not his job anymore, and he is probably right, but even as just a friend, he wants to make sure you're okay.

Only… he doesn't think he can be your friend. Not just your friend. He wants to uncomplicate those feelings, even by a small amount.

Harry woke up early and ran down to grab some coffees while Candice still slept. His mind was racing, and he just wanted this morning to move by quickly.

He arrives back at the room to see Candice sitting up in the bed.

"There you are." She smiles.

"Sorry, went to get drinks." He states, handing her one of the coffee cups.

He sits on the edge of the bed and takes a sip of his black coffee, staring at it as he holds it in his hands.

"Candice…"

"Yep."

"I…" he sighs. "I'm so sorry. I… umm… I have to end this."

She chokes a little on her coffee and scoots next to him on the bed.

"What?"

He closes his eyes and shakes his head. "I need to end it. It's not fair to yo-"

"Not fair? Not…" She scoffs. "It's Y/N."

"Huh?" He asks, lifting his head up in her direction.

"It's Y/N, right? You have feelings for her." She states.

Harry sighs for the third time. He opens his mouth but words can't come out, so he just looks her in the eye with an apologetic expression.

"I can see it, Harry. Every time you're around her." She sighs and shakes her head. "I was wrong to think I could change that."

"I'm sorry Candice. I did like what we ha-"

"But you wasted my time, Harry!" She shouts, a few tears forming in her eyes.

"I thought I could get over her, that I would be over her!" He admits.

"Over her?" She growls.

"Shit." He mutters. "Y/N and I dated last year."

"Right." She nods. "So, I was just a rebound. Someone to get over her with? I really didn't stand a chance, did I?"

He groans. "I didn't think-"

"No, you didn't think, at all. You didn't think about how it would hurt me!" She covers her face with her hands. "You shouldn't have dragged me into this."

He runs his hand through his long curly hair and then over his face.

"I feeling fucking terrible." He shakes his head.

She sits there, silent.

"Everything is so fucked up." He adds.

"Yeah, it is. What you did is really fucked up." She inhales deeply and puts her hand on his. "Just don't fuck it up with her, okay?"

His eyes shoot over to hers. "What?"

"You fucked it up with me… but… it was never me you really wanted." She looks down at her coffee. "So… just… don't fuck it up with her. Don't break her heart too."

He winces. "I already did." He whispers.

"Oh." She replies. "Well… if she's worth all this bullshit then fix it."

[Can't really do that, you're with someone else]

"I'm really sorry, Candice. I really am."

"Shockingly, I believe you." She responds.

He gives her a little smile, but she gives him a little frown back with hers.

"But that doesn't mean you're not an asshole for this." She adds.

"Fair enough." He nods.

"Let me get my things. I'll be out of here soon."

~~~~

Harry gets to the venue early, knowing that's what you like to do, being the hard-worker that you are. He doesn't even know what he's doing, or what he wants to say, but he wants to see you.

Walking through the halls, searching for you, he comes up to the dressing room, but stops before getting to the doorway.

"So, what exactly happened with Ryan?" Niall asks, clearing his throat.

[Something happened with Ryan?]

"They broke up." Natalie replies.

[Broke up?]

"Why?"

"Oh, the dickhead didn't want her coming back on tour!" Harry hears her scoff. "He basically almost demanded that she stay."

"What? Asshole." Niall states.

"And he accused her of cheating with Harry."

[What a wanker]

"Woah. That's rough."

"He was always jealous of Harry because Y/N… well… you know…" She states.

"Is she okay?"

"About the breakup? Yeah. She's the one that ended it."

"That's our girl!" Niall chuckles.

"But about Harry? I don't know." She states. "I think she still fucking loves that idiot."

[What? You still love him? Okay, now he has definitely got to find you]

He doesn't wait any longer and walks through the doorway, pretending he didn't hear anything the two of them were just talking about.

"Hey, Nat, where's Y/N?"

She gasps as she turns around from the sudden surprise of him being there.

"What the fuck, Harry?" She shouts.

"For fucks sake, man!" Niall adds.

"M'sorry… but… please?" Harry begs.

She puts her hands on her hips and shrugs. "I don't know. Busy somewhere?"

Harry looks around, as if he'll find you standing right there. He sighs.

"Why are you trying to find her?" Niall asks.

Harry's eyes switch back and forth between their faces. "I just want to talk to her."

"Candice doesn't care that you're roaming the halls looking for Y/N?" Natalie snaps.

"I… no… I broke up with her this morning."

"You broke up with the Victoria's Secret supermodel?" She asks.

"Yes…" He responds.

"Really? Why?"

"We, umm… we just weren't working out."

Natalie folds her arms across her chest and Niall raises his eyebrow at him.

"Mhmm…" Niall states, quizzically.

Harry rolls his eyes and throws his arms up in the air. "For fucks sake. She wasn't Y/N, okay? Is that what you want me to say?"

The two look at each other and chuckle. "Yeah, pretty much." Niall replies, letting out a big laugh.

"Look, Harry, she's hurting enough. Don't stir things up any more than they already are. Please." Natalie asserts. "She deserves to be happy."

He nods. "I know. I want her to be happy."

"Wait…" Natalie says, scooting a little closer to Harry. "You broke up with Candice to be with Y/N?"

Harry furrows his brow. "No. I knew, well I thought, she was still with Ryan. I didn't know they broke up."

Natalie inhales sharply. "Oh, you heard that? Damn. So… you… broke up with Candice figuring you don't even have a chance with Y/N?"

Harry nods and clears his throat. "Yes."

"Damn it, Styles!"

"What?" He asks, eyes widened.

She squints at him. "I was still leaning towards hating you."

~~~~~

As time gets closer to the start of the show, you and Natalie hide out in the common room with a handful of the other crew.

You are fidgeting with the hem of your shirt, staring down as you roll it up, and then down again.

"Honey, we don't have to go out there." Natalie states.

You clear your throat. "I just want to support Louis."

She sighs.

"And we can stand on the other side this time." You add.

"Alright. For Louis." She nods.

"Plus, I can't wait to hear and see it live." You admit.

"It's going to be yummy." She winks at you.

"Not family friendly."

~~~~~

'Diana' is about halfway through when you walk out from backstage. You take a deep breath.

[It will not be like last time. You're on the opposite side. And it's a completely different song anyway]

As soon as 'No Control' starts to play, and Niall starts to sing, the crowd goes crazy with cheers. You join in, but only shortly, as you realize that Harry is walking by on the side where you are standing.

[Why does the universe hate you so much?]

(No Control)

Sweet, where you lay

He spots you, but it's a blank look. Not a smile. Not a frown. Just… blank. Almost like he would be gulping if he weren't singing. Surprise? Nerves?

Just a trace of innocence

on the pillowcase

Something hits him in the stomach, and you can't help but laugh as he bends over and gives a silly expression.

The chorus starts and you turn your attention to Louis. He is on the other side, but you can still see him, and beam with pride as he sings out. This is his song, for sure.

Taste, on my tongue

I don't want to wash away

the night before

Harry runs his hands down his body as Liam songs his verse. You roll your eyes a bit, and notice he took a quick glance at you again. But it feels a bit awkward, because he's not serenading you or anything, he's just… looking…

"I thought Harry would dance around more." Natalie states, leaning in so she doesn't have to about too loud.

"Yeah, you're right. Maybe he doesn't feel good?"

She chuckles. "Or he could just be distracted by the fact that you're here."

"Stop." You glare at her.

"No, I mean, like he wasn't expecting it."

You shrug. "Maybe."

When the second chorus starts, you turn your attention back to the other guys, and throw up your best 'rock on' hand gesture when Niall looks down at you, jamming out on his guitar.

Harry walks over to him right then and points his fingers over him in his Mick Jagger impersonation. It always gets a laugh out of Niall, and you can't help but giggle too.

Right after that, Harry starts walking closer to your spot, but turns back around when he looks at you again.

[You thought this may be upsetting and sad for you, but this is just weird]

Niall nails the bridge and Louis starts the last chorus, giving you a bit of relief that the awkwardness will soon end.

The pedal's down

My eyes are closed

No control

The song ends and Harry's hair falls in his face. As he flips it forward a bit more, he glances over to you one last time through his curly locks.

You can't help but frown, turning to Natalie and motioning for the both of you to head backstage again.

As soon as you are through the curtain, you whip around to face her.

"Is it just me, or was Harry being really weird?" You ask.

"I don't know." She shrugs, looking away from you quickly. "He's weird as it is."

You chuckle.

You both tidy up the dressing room and start packing up. Amelia walks in with a big smile, as she sees you two.

"My angels. My job is so easy with you two here." She walks over to help, and scoots right up next to you as you remove clothing from the racks.

She leans in. "Are you glad Candice is gone?"

"Oh. I didn't know she went home." You reply. "Thought she'd stay longer."

She chuckles. "Right. Well, I'm sure she would have if they didn't break up…"

Your eyes shoot over to her. "What?"

"Oh! You didn't know? Shit." Her gaze snaps over to Natalie, whose mouth stretches out in an uncomfortable and guilty expression.

You glare at her. "No I didn't."

"Well… I'm just… gonna get a snack or something and just not… be here…" Amelia states, immediately walking out of the dressing room.

"What the fuck, Nat?"

"What?" She throws her hands up in defense.

"Why didn't you tell me?" You ask.

"I… I don't know… you've been so upset lately… that's why I didn't say anything, and why I told him to stay back." She admits.

"You what?"

She walks over and puts her hands on your shoulders. "Y/N/N, I'm sorry. I just… I hate seeing you hurting. Especially since I had been pushing you to feel your feelings, and go after what you wan-"

"It's not your fault, Nat!" You interrupt. "And… it was actually nice."

She drops her hands and raises her eyebrow.

"I mean… it was nice to…" you clear your throat. "To feel loved. Even for a moment."

Tears start welling up in both of your eyes.

"Are you going to talk to him?"

Confusion takes over you again. You feel sick and giddy all at the same time. You're not sure if you want to open that door again.

"I don't know." You sigh. "I just… I don't know."

~~~~~

June 19th, 2015 - Concert Day

You have stayed away from Harry again, trying to process all of the confusion that once again seems to be clouding your mind.

Even with the limited styling options, you've kept yourself busy, and today will be no exception. But first thing on the agenda, Lou invited you to get dolled up a bit this morning. She has so much fun doing it and you aren't one to turn down that offer.

With your makeup done and your hair curled, you have a little pep in your step when you get back to the dressing room. You find the Bluetooth speaker Amelia has been using while the three of you work, and you embarrassingly decide to play one the 'Four' album.

[The songs have been stuck in your head lately, so why not let them out?]

(Steal My Girl)

She be my queen

Since we were sixteen

We want the same things

We dream the same dreams

Alright

Alright

You dance around as you hang up the clothes. You stand back and look at Niall's rack.

[One day you'll get him in a printed shirt]

I know, I know

I know for sure

You instinctually pretend you are sliding your fingers along the neck of a bass guitar, just as you saw Harry do that time they performed at Universal Studios.

A huge laugh erupts from behind you and you spin around.

"M'sorry." He covers his mouth with his hand.

Your mouth is halfway open and words seem to be dissolving in your brain.

"That was funny." He states. "No, like, amazing, because… umm… because you copied what I did…" he sighs.

[You have got to stop singing around here]

"Yeah." You try to clear the lump in your throat. "Umm… so… what's up? Do you need help with something?"

His expression drops. "No. I just, umm, wanted to say hi. Haven't seen ya… in a while."

"Yeah. I've been busy lately."

[Lie. Kind of a lie]

"Right. Okay. I'll let you get back to it." He gives the most subtle smile and turns to walk out.

Your heart starts to race and your breathing quickly becomes rapid. You don't want him to leave just yet.

"Harry!"

He spins around fast, eyes wide.

"I found a shirt the other day. And, well, I grabbed it for you. Just as an option. If you wanted to switch it up at all."

You feel as if you just word vomited all over the place, but feel a sense of relief when his smile grows and he walks closer.

"M'kay. Let's see it."

You turn back to the rack and let out the deep breath you didn't realize you had been holding it.

You grab the plain, cream button up shirt with extremely subtle cream texture detail on it.

"It's not wild. More of an in-between option of your previous styles." You shrug.

He beams a wide grin. "Are you bored with the t-shirts?"

"Oh god, yes!" You blurt out, smacking your forehead with your palm. "Sorry."

He chuckles. "S'alright."

"Why did you stop wearing the fun button ups?" You ask.

He starts to blush, but then he frowns and looks to the ground, shrugging.

"Didn't care much anymore."

"But you wore some when I visited South Africa, and for the shows in Cardiff…"

He clears his throat. "Yeah, well." He looks up at you and meets your gaze.

You inhale, sharply but quietly, then look back at the shirt you're holding, before he can see the blushing that wants to appear on your face too.

"Well, this is just an option to throw into the mix."

"I want to wear it." He replies.

"Yeah?"

He nods. "Yeah."

You smile and set it at the front of his rack. You try to reset your face while you're facing away from him, but it's not working. Then, as if your brain switches off, you hear yourself talking about something you shouldn't really care about.

"Hey." You state, still not turning to face him. "I'm sorry to hear about you and Candice."

"What?" His tone changes, and you can tell he isn't smiling anymore, so you turn to face him.

"You two broke up, right?" You wince. "Rumors… ya know?"

"Yeah." He frowns a bit. "It just… wasn't working."

"Oh."

"And, umm, I'm sorry to hear about you and Ryan… ya know, rumors." He smirks.

"It wasn't working either." You shrug.

"He should've been supportive. He shouldn't have tried to make you to stay." He growls. "He's a dickhead."

You chuckle. "To be fair, you never liked him."

"F'course not! What's to like?"

You chuckle again and shake your head. His eyes seem to graze over your head and back to your face.

"Did you visit Lou?" He smirks.

You giggle. "Yeah." You touch your hair a bit. "She's been playing around with it here and there."

"It… it looks really nice."

"Thank you." You mutter. "Yeah… so…"

"So." He replies.

"I should probably…" you point over your shoulder to the clothing racks.

"Right. Yeah." He replies.

You turn around, holding onto the rack and closing your eyes, trying to stabilize your breathing.

"Y/N?"

"Yeah?" You twirl back around to face him.

"Wanna come watch a song?"

You inhale, sharply and quietly again.

"You know, like, dance and sing to a live One Direction song, instead of from a speaker." He smirks.

You glare at him. "Hmm."

He clears his throat. "Please?"

The breath is taken from you again, and you feel that familiar but long absent feeling.

[Butterflies]

"Okay." You smile. "Which one…?"

He points to the speaker. "That one."

~~~~~

Natalie is standing there, in the dressing room, with her hands on her hips.

"I'm so fucking confused. So… you're going to watch a song? Again?"

You shrug. "Yeah?"

"And why?"

"He asked me to." You reply. "Well, he asked if I wanted to."

"And you said yes?"

You nod.

"Why?"

You frown slightly, but stop to think, because you don't actually have a specific answer for her.

"I don't know. I just want to. Feels like it'll be fun this time." You start to feel that inconvenient heat rise in your cheeks, so your drop your gaze downward.

"Okay, cool! If it'll be fun, can I come?" Natalie asks, causing you to snap your head back up.

"I thought that was a given…"

~~~~~

<< HARRY'S POV >>

As the guys are gearing up to go out on stage, Harry feels his phone vibrate in his pocket.

:natalie: are you stirring things up again?

:harry: no, i'm not trying to

:natalie: because she is happy today

:natalie: and i don't want to see her hurt again

:harry: i don't want to either

He sees the typing bubble appear, and then disappear, but then reappear again.

:natalie: which side should we be standing on

He gets the biggest smile on his face, then excitement and energy pump through his body.

:harry: your left, looking at the stage

~~~~~

You and Natalie decide to just head out there for the beginning of the show, since 'Steal My Girl's will be playing right after 'Clouds'.

The crowd is loud and vibrant. You love and have missed the energy, and now you think you can finally enjoy it again.

You watch as Harry moves all around the left side of the stage. You realize what you're doing and look back to the others, watching them have their own fun. Liam is doing his usual dancing and twirling, Niall is rocking out on his guitar, and Louis does his little bounce in place.

The next song is the one you've come to see and you get anxious.

"You good?" Natalie asks.

"Yeah! Great actually." You reply, unintentionally biting your lower lip a bit.

"Okay." She smirks, shaking her head.

She be my queen

Since we were sixteen

We want the same things

We dream the same dreams

Alright

Alright

Harry's bouncing around a little, singing to fans, and seems to recognize someone in the crowd.

When Niall's part comes up, Harry does the move that he had made fun of you for doing earlier.

[Why is it so hot when he does it?]

You try to shake your thoughts off and just enjoy the song as Liam starts the next verse. But your eyes are moving over to Harry again. You can't help it.

While they are singing their last 'na na na' of the chorus, Harry looks down at you and smiles. It sends a rush of goosebumps all over your skin.

She belongs to me

It takes you back to the times he invited you to watch them perform 'Right Now' last year. The same giddiness and butterflies fill your stomach.

You take a deep breath, trying to calm and control yourself.

As Niall sings his next part, you look straight up to Harry, waiting to see if he does his move again.

I know, I know

I know for sure

Sure enough, he licks his finger and pretends to slide his other hand up the neck of a bass guitar. He looks over at you and grins.

[You need to stop getting flustered]

You start to feel warm all over, and suddenly become very aware of how you're reacting, especially because it switches when he starts singing about never letting her down before.

It tightens your chest a little.

The guys start to move down the walkway, so you are able to shake it off and go back to belting out the rest of the song, like Harry had suggested you do.

The song comes to an end, so you and Natalie make your way backstage

You reach the dressing room and Natalie gently grabs your wrist to turn you around.

"So, what's going on, Y/N?" She asks.

"What do you mean?"

"I just want to know where you stand, how you're feeling."

"What the hell are you talking about?" You cross your arms over your body.

"Y/N/N, you were humming the song all the way back here!" She puts her hands on her hips.

"So? I like the song…" you scowl.

"And maybe also like the person who was standing in front of you and singing it?" She raises one eyebrow at you.

"I… well… I mean, yes. You know how I feel." You state. "But it was just… fun!"

"If you say so." She rolls her eyes.

"Why do you care anyway?" You ask, matching her stance with your hands on your hips. "You hate Harry."

She clears her throat. "He fucked up, big time. I hate that he hurt you."

"But…"

"But… You seem happy today, and I love that."

You walk over to your best friend and grab her face. "It was just the song."

[Except it wasn't]

"Okay, honey."

"I think."

She swats your arm and shakes her head.

"You're impossible."

"Trust me." You reply. "I'm annoying myself too."

~~~~~

You hear the fireworks and the cheering that occurs during 'Best Song Ever' and you finish packing up the stuff for the trip to the next show.

Thudding of footsteps can be heard in the hallway and the guys all pop into the room.

"Fuck, I'm knackered, lads." Louis exclaims.

"I do just want to go to bed." Niall agrees.

"Then what are you doing here?" You chuckle.

They both look over at you. "Love, it's ritual now. We come back here after the last show in each place. Since there was only one here, that's tonight." He nods.

"You came to see me? Aww shucks, you don't need to do that!" You joke, dramatically holding one hand on your chest and waving the other towards them bashfully.

"Oh geez. We've lost her, lads. She's gone insane." Niall states.

You all laugh.

Harry follows Liam through the doorway, and he grabs a water bottle before making his way over to you.

"So?" He asks.

"So… what?"

"Feedback?"

"Oh! Yeah! Definitely better live!" You chuckle.

He gives you a wink and those old butterfly friends of yours return.

"Told ya." He smirks. "Kinda like old times right?"

"What?"

"You coming to watch part of the show… me asking what you thought… now all we need is cooki-"

You don't even realize you have a tear until it starts to trickle down your face. You frantically whip around, pretending to cough, and wipe it away.

[Hopefully he didn't see that embarassing display]

He shoves his pants into his jean pockets and let's out a deep sigh. "It's just nice, to be friends again."

"Yeah." You smile. "It is."

His eyes are glued on yours and he scoots closer, causing your entire body to tense up as you can feel his warmth and smell in his aroma. It takes your breath away and you have to remind yourself to let in some air.

[Keep. Your. Composure]

"C'mon lads, time to go! Dad is getting grumpy." Louis shouts, as he points to Liam.

You exhale in a big sigh, and you swear you can just barely hear him growl. He clears his throat and stands up straight.

"Maybe I'll see ya around." He winks.

"Maybe…" You shrug jokingly.

They all walk out and Natalie comes bounding up to you.

"Yeah… okay… it was just the song…" she squints at you.

"Mhmm." You smirk. "Just the song."

~~~~~

Series Masterlist || Chapter 28 || Chapter 30

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[btc-official]

Candice from Phineas and Ferb. she's girl but almost always fails to get her siblings caught in their shenanigans.

[ACCEPTED]

however the phineas and ferb character is spelled candace while i’ve only seen the other spelling used to set up “candice dick fit in your mouth” so i am on High Fucking Alert right now turret defenses active

[crystalelemental]

Unit Teambuilding - Irida

Barring Flareon, I think Glaceon is my favorite Eeveelution.  It's such a cute design, and while I hate ice in real life, Ice types are actually one of my like...second order favorites.  Psychic, Grass, and Fairy outrank them, but I do love Ice types.  So it always bugged me how bad Glaceon was in the main games.  Ice is notoriously bad, and Glaceon is one of those Eeveelutions with almost nothing to its name.  But once again, Masters delivers to me something beautiful.  A Glaceon that isn't just good, but is legitimately one of the best Pokemon in the game. And Irida’s the guaranteed lodge unit next month per the reveal trailer they put out, and is highly likely to have Flareon as the opposite to Adaman’s Vaporeon.  What a time to be alive.

General Overview Ice Zone has entered the meta.  The type that needed this buff the most...got it last.  Incredible.  On the plus side, they picked a doozy of a sync pair to give it to.

Irida's main claim to fame is her field effect setting.  Ice Zone is accompanied by her passive, Watch for Ice, which summons Hail upon its use.  Both effects go live simultaneously, which is a massive benefit to many Ice-type pairs. Moreover, her main passive, Space Spreads over Hisui, ensures all comps benefit from these conditions by protecting all allies from Hail, powering up their moves during Hail (amount unspecified, probably 20% given SS Lana), and quickly charges gauge.  Her main attack, Icy Wind, debuffs speed per hit and is AoE, and her grid offers both Satisfied Snarl 9 and Mind Games 9 for a lot of debuffing potential.   Her Buddy Ice Beam is a one-shot -4 to special defense as well, making her incredibly fast-acting for Gauntlet.  Irida's got the second strongest Ice-type sync nuke in the game, losing only to SS Silver, but being around 50% stronger than Ghetsis at full capacity.  Like Adaman, Irida has some really nice tools for tanking on the special side, and her final passive is Vigilance, which is not only fantastic as a side to protect from rogue Sure Crit AoE moves in Gauntlet, but gives her a lot of freedom with lucky skill as a tank.  Irida has a metric ton of utility.

So okay, what's the downside?

Starting from the top, Irida has no MPR on her Zone.  This is incredibly damning, as unlike a pair like SST Red, her expansion of the effect is not innate, and it's only Extension 3, leaving a lot to be desired.  While she gets a third application, it's only through entry, which is a damning method of access, as you burn a lot of your timer on team setup.  Her debuffing covers a wide range of stats, but is only -1 per hit, which is very slow-acting around her other traits, so she’s slow to set up multipliers.  To compound this issue, her buddy move kinda sucks ass.  -4 special defense is nice, but it's single-target, and 1MP.  This is not something that impacts all targets in a 3v3, and the lack of repetition limits its impact on stages where special defense buffs happen regularly.  Her sync nuke, while respectable within her type, is only okay by broad Tech standards of the current meta, and to access that full power sync, you MUST give up Hail Alert, which is its own nightmare because her sync's natural ability is Hail being active.  Lastly, while her tank set exists, being hit with First Aid 2 and no other pop healing means she will not be as consistent nor reliable as Adaman, who tops out at 70%.  I don't think she'll be pulling in his solo rates for Gauntlet.

As an added frustration, Irida's support skews special.  She's SC Ingo in that way, where the debuffs are focused on one offensive type, leaving the other fairly high and dry.  As a result of her choice, she works well with Ghetsis, Lorelei, Pryce, and BP Candice, but in exchange, she works worse with the top Ice-type damage dealers in Hala, Winter Leon, and SS N, as well as options like Summer Steven, Candice, SS Silver, Winter Nessa, and the most tragic of clowns, Wulfric.  Because more Ice-types are physical than special, her decision is questionable.  But, as a tradeoff, the Sinnoh Spirit Master Passive, combined with her ability to support any team, even if they're not reliant on Hail or even Ice-type, serves her much better than Adaman.  Adaman had so few options to work with in Sinnoh it's hilarious, but Irida has a metric ton of specially offensive partners in Sinnoh.  Cyrus, SS Cynthia, NY Dawn, Lucas, SS Cyrus, and especially Fantina love her contributions.  And debuffing special attack is a rare commodity that, partnered with boosted move damage and protection from Hail, means she works well with Devastation/Overpower picks like Alder and Diantha, who are tough to shop for.

I'm going to be honest, Irida is like...the ideal design for a sync pair in my book. She is exactly the right level of stupid good at her job, but notably flawed to not feel disgustingly overpowered.  Fantastic range of support through a unique zone, a struggling weather condition, and debuffs.  Acceptable but not exceptional damage contribution, so she helps net the KOs but doesn't overshadow her partners.  Fun variety with potential tank sets.  Irida offers so much without feeling overbearing, and after the absolute bullshit of third anniversary and Galar Neo Champions, I legitimately thought DeNA just forgot how to balance a Master Fair.  Glad to see we're back on "Good but still fun."

EX and Move Level? Same as Adaman.  Given sync is a big draw, Irida could really use the 3/5 for damage.  1/5 can be used just fine for support, but you do lose out on the valuable Mind Games and field effect extensions, so be mindful of what you're using her for.

Team 1: Irida, Pryce/Lorelei, SC Jasmine/SS Dawn/P!Mallow Let’s start with a simple one.  Pryce finally gets to matter with Irida.  Hail gives Starting with my personal favorite angle, Irida salvages the missing pieces of Lorelei.  Oh, and Pryce too.  Both are specially offensive options that are Not So Great.  Pryce loves having the full 60% move damage bonus of Hail with extension, while Lorelei just needed as much as you can hand her.  Support is striaght-forward.  SC Jasmine offers quick-acting crit and Safety Net strats.  SS Dawn is a great pick for Ramp Up 2 Lorelei, thanks to her own All Ramped Up.  P!Mallow is a slower option that works really well for Gauntlet.

Team 2: Irida, Ghetsis, Lodge Dawn/Melony Another F2P adjacent team.  Ghetsis is a great beneficiary of Irida, thanks to her speed debuffs setting up his natural multiplier.  This frees him to use Noble Roar Double Drop to instead set up multipliers.  The choice of support is a matter of power or consistency.  Lodge Dawn powers up Sinnoh Spirit, and you will be seeing her a lot on this overview.  Irida and Ghetsis both need +2 special attack, and after that can focus on gauge and bulk, which is all Dawn does.  Melony is the alternative, that offers Precision Pals on trainer move to ensure Ghetsis' Glaciate always lands

Team 3: Irida, BP Candice, Glacia/Lodge Dawn Another F2P adjacent one, and I reference this specifically because I have a vision of making BP Candice workable.  Glacia is another that offers the exact +2 special attack needed, and can buff crit rate per attack, solving some of Candice's setup.  Irida once again offers every form of damage increase possible to provide to Candice.  The specific joy I have is in the idea of EX BP Candice.  Did you know she has Super Syncer?  Explode sides with all the powerup Irida offers, then SEUN Blizzard with max capacity.  I gotta try.  Glacia's a notable partner due to the appreciation of Hail.  She gets more recovery and much improved physical defense this way, and Irida's reduction of special move damage through Master Passive is much appreciated.  But if you want full Sinnoh, Lodge Dawn is here as always.

Team 4: Irida, V!Agatha/V!Bruno/Colress, S!Steven/W!Leon/Hala Irida may not support the physically defensive offensive pairs, but listen.   She doesn't need to.  Physical defense debuffing is incredibly easy to support.  Many do it themselves.  More importantly, we have Variety Agatha as an ideal candidate, and Bugsy's Scyther as a backup, who pack Leer as a debuff.  If you're really ambitious, there are Screech options too.  If needed, given their effective self-setup, you can run Colress for Screech support instead of a support, or let Irida tank, depending on the stage’s offensive abilities.  I also want to draw particular attention to Hala, who's always been a pain because he lowers speed and wants it to stay lowered for his multiplier.  Irida packs two forms of gauge acceleration.  She can help patch up Hala, but you’ll want a support with good speed.

Team 5: Irida, Fantina/Giovanni, Lodge Dawn/Lodge Morty Let's begin the non-Ice discussion.  Irida's passives blocking hail damage and offering a DPS boost while Hail is up, means she supports anyone.  With a Master Passive to boot, this can add up to a lot of extra firepower.   Fantina is probably the biggest winner of this, given her tech nuke of Smarty-Pants.  Irida's Mind Games 9 and Buddy Move allows Fantina to get to full power sync easily. Lodge Dawn gets the stats Fantina needs quickly, while providing full Sinnoh Spirit benefits.  Otherwise, Morty provides better matched Theme skills for Fantina.  While not Sinnoh, I'm going to add Giovanni as someone with Smarty-Pants/Brainteaster that Irida supports, so we can keep track of how many types she's working with.

Team 6: Irida, SS Hau, SS Mina/Lodge Dawn SS Hau is a particularly funny option with Irida.  Thanks to his passive skill of applying +1 special moves up next on every field effect activated, his combination with SS Mina was already known for producing some good damage.  What happens when you add in someone who adds two effects on entry, and per use of their Zone?  What happens when they further boost your Buddy move's DPS through a Master Passive and added damage under Hail? Irida and SS Hau will truck stages really well.   Mina is better defensive backbone and more field effects, Dawn is better Master passive effect.

Team 7: Irida, Alder/Diantha/Karen, Lodge Dawn/SS Mina Really trying to justify pulling Mina here.  Irida can debuff special attack!  This is a rare multiplier to worry about, but it functions well for both Alder and Diantha, who need that debuffed as fast as possible.  Lodge Dawn offers a the usual, but also has Struggle Bug for even more special attack debuffing.  SS Mina allows Alder and Diantha to start blasting turn 2.  Of note, both Alder and Diantha are DPS units.  We're playing to Diantha's Devastation nuke a bit, but her DPS is where it's really at.  And Irida offers two stacks of bonus damage, of at least 20% each. 40% more move damage, on a dude with Hyper Beam, and a lady with Hit the Gas 5/Fairy Power 5 Moonblast.  While not as overpowering, Karen also benefits from these debuffs.

Team 8: Irida, Cyrus, Lucas As mentioned, Sinnoh has plenty of powerful special attackers, and Irida can tank.  What better way to use that ability than a dual strike comp of two solid DPS units, with ideal self-setup?  Lucas and Cyrus want for nothing offensively, and the Dragon Zone effect overriding Irida's Ice Zone doesn't matter so long as Hail remains.  This is also Full Sinnoh, so 50% bonus move damage on Roar of Time.  Have fun.  While you can do Rain with Hydro Pump, this kinda invalidates Irida's main reason for being here, and relegates her to a glorified special defense debuffing tank.  Who loses some bulk because no Hail.  I'm not going to say it can't be done, only that it shouldn't.  And who knows, if SS Cynthia ever gets a grid expansion like she desperately needs, maybe she’ll work well in a comp like this instead.

Team 9: Irida, NY Dawn, Support Dragonair Another way to use Tank Irida is to place the frail support bot on the side. Dragonair tops off Irida's special attack, and notably caps Dawn's crit rate thanks to Dawn's double buff.  Dawn complements Irida's tanking well thanks to an immediate -4 Attack through Featherdance.  Interestingly, you can swap Dawn as the main tank.  She's evasive, and gains nice benefits from the Master Passive as well.  There are options

Team 10: Irida, Cheryl, Thorton/Darach/Volkner/BP Candice Let me tell you about Cheryl.  Cheryl and Irida are BFFs now.  Irida can actually tank, while Cheryl has a tough time with physical assaults.  Irida cannot heal herself reliably, but Cheryl provides +2 to both defenses on a healing trainer move.  Cheryl also tops off Irida’s special attack, and provides a bit of speed as well.  For Gauntlet purposes, Thorton is a good flinch rate, Darach debuffs attack where that may be needed, Volkner supplies paralysis (and flinch), and BP Candice just does the damage thing.  All of these are chosen for Sinnoh reasons, but you can use something more consistent for a specific role as needed.

Final Thoughts I feel like you can always tell when I’m really excited about a sync pair, because I’ll have like ten team options when I talk about them.  Irida’s going to be a delight.  I love her kit.  I love that it’s Glaceon.  I love that she actually compressed Ice Zone and Hail into one unit, defying my expectations.  I love that they threw in Mind Games 9 for no reason.  I love that she can tank.  I love how well she works with some of my favorites in Sinnoh.  I love that she has legitimately great supportive effects beyond her primary role.  I’ve always leaned more Team Diamond Clan, but Irida is so the favorite now.

Reverence ended toward Almighty Sinnoh (False Time), now Almighty Sinnoh (Blessed Space) is my True Deity.

#unit teambuilding #irida

[talkingtea]

But what are the odds CP gets stuck with 3 terrible show runners. AJK told her not to go online in the wake of the racist harassment she received instead of actually standing up to denounce it, he nepotism hired the Dani’s and for the kicker he was a sexual harasser. TH didn’t bother to tell CP her character wouldn’t be killed in S3, didn’t give Iris her journalism arc ( but he can give it to Lois 🙄) and famously said there aren’t enough black people in Canada to hire for shows unless they shipped them in (is this the triangle trade😡) And now EW who at first seemed to be so committed to making Iris a priority but instead two of his three seasons has kept her separated, neglected & hurt, has her firmly locked in the “strong black woman” trope, destroyed WA and makes no secret who is favorite women and characters are (spoiler alert it’s not Iris and Candice). That’s some shitty luck.

It truly is the worst kind of luck. Hopefully on her next project, whenever that may be, she has much better luck

[workedshootrpg]

RESULTS: DAY 3

(See Day 3 welcome post for descriptions of the challenge and elimination game.)

🚨 RESULTS FOR DAY 2 CHALLENGE: FALLING OFF THE KNOWLEDGE

⚠️ Allie Bunny & Penelope Ford’s answers will be worth 0.75 points each [1 hit] ⚠️ Anna Jay & Britt Baker’s answers will be worth 0.5 points each [2 hits] ⚠️ Maxxine Dupri & Wardlow’s answers will be worth 0.5 points each [2 hits] ⚠️ Jon Moxley & Roman Reigns’ answers will be worth 0.5 points each [2 hits]

1. Indi Hartwell & Johnny Gargano (31 points) - SAFE FROM ELIMINATION 👑

Indi: 16 correct answers

Johnny: 15 correct answers

2. Eddie Noon & Jamie Hayter (29 points) - SAFE FROM ELIMINATION 👑

Eddie: 14 correct answers

Jamie: 15 correct answers

3. Bayley & Dakota Kai (27 points)

Bayley: 11 correct answers

Dakota: 16 correct answers

4. Danhausen & Orange Cassidy (23 points)

Danhausen: 14 correct answers

Orange: 9 correct answers

5. Rhett Thomas & Xander Samuels (22 points)

Rhett: 9 correct answers

Xander: 13 correct answers

6. Liv Morgan & Nikki Cross (21 points)

Liv: 9 correct answers

Nikki: 12 correct answers

7. TIE: Alex Shelley & Seth Rollins, Ruby Soho & Wheeler Yuta (19 points)

Alex: 5 correct answers

Seth: 14 correct answers

Ruby: 7 correct answers

Wheeler: 12 correct answers

8. Maxxine Dupri & Wardlow (36 points) (18 points)

Maxxine: 19 correct answers

Wardlow: 17 correct answers

9. TIE: Allie Bunny & Penelope Ford (20 points [AB&PF]), Candice LeRae & Steph De Lander (15 points)

Allie: 11 correct answers

Penelope: 9 correct answers

Candice: 7 correct answers

Steph: 8 correct answers

10. TIE: Allie Katch & Chelsea Green, Jon Moxley & Roman Reigns (26 points [JM&RR]) (13 points)

Allie: 5 correct answers

Chelsea: 8 correct answers

Jon: 18 correct answers

Roman: 8 correct answers

11. Hangman Page & Trent (11 points) - GOING TO ELIMINATION 💥

Hangman: 7 correct answers

Trent: 4 correct answers

12. Anna Jay & Britt Baker (15 points) (7.5 points) - GOING TO ELIMINATION 💥

Anna: 8 correct answers

Britt: 7 correct answers

💥 RESULTS FOR DAY 2 ELIMINATION: WHEEL OF D--TH

HEAT 1

HANGMAN PAGE & TRENT challenge RUBY SOHO & WHEELER YUTA.

Hangman Page & Trent eliminate Ruby Soho & Wheeler Yuta.

⚠️ ALERT: Ruby Soho & Wheeler Yuta were Mercenaries.

HEAT 2

ANNA JAY & BRITT BAKER challenge ALLIE BUNNY & PENELOPE FORD.

Anna Jay & Britt Baker eliminate Allie Bunny & Penelope Ford.

HEAT 3 - MERCENARY ROUND

⚠️ ALERT: BAYLEY & DAKOTA KAI received the most Mercenary Suspect votes.

Bayley & Dakota Kai challenge CANDICE LERAE & STEPH DE LANDER.

Bayley & Dakota Kai eliminate Candice LeRae & Steph De Lander.

⚠️ MERCENARY HITS

RUBY SOHO

Day 1: Bayley & Dakota Kai (3-minute head start)

Day 2: N/A

Day 3: Allie Bunny & Penelope Ford

WHEELER YUTA

Day 1: N/A

Day 2: CM Punk & Rickey Shane Page

Day 3:  N/A

REMAINING TEAMS: 12/21  REMAINING MERCENARIES: 6/12 (3/6 TEAMS)

#;; i'll post this one early tonight #;; as a treat <3 #ws:tc2

[happyendingsong]

ORLAAAA BAYLEY CALLED CANDICE OUT ON TWITTER SHES COMING GGG . BOTH OF THEM. have missed Bayley sm figured u would like to know enjoy bullying the terrible rich people fashion decisions at the met tonight I will b joining u ❤️❤️❤️

HOW QUICK I RAN TO TWITTER OH MY GODDDDDDDDD summer of baylerae we are going to EAT 💓💓💓🎉🎉🎉💝💝💓🎉❣❣❣❣💓💓

thank you so so much for this breaking news alert i love you and cannot wait to bully celebs with you mwah

#asks!! #bretheart #FOR A SECOND i thought candice was still pregnant and was like damn bayley;s getting the whole family involved #baysha vs garganos lets go lets go lets go

[crimsnclver]

welcome to london, LYDIA BRANWELL! did anyone ever tell you that you look just like CANDICE KING? well, no matter, we hear that you are 29 and working as a POLICE OFFICER. we also hear that you currently HAVE SOME of your memories from SHADOWHUNTERS and have a tendency to be QUICK-WITTED as well as ABRASIVE.

name: lydia branwell

nicknames: lyd, lyds

birthday: june 24th

age: 29

occupation: police officer

sexual orientation: bisexual

pronouns: she/her

Lydia does have some of her memories prior to staying in London, not all of them. They come to her more in flashes, more so when she does drink the bottled water rather than the city water.

She does remember leaving behind Idris, though not why. She finds work in the police force in the city and settles into life there, finding that leaving her old life behind is easier than she had thought.

She does keep alert, however, of dark beings in the city and will protect those around her at any cost.

#wal: intro #⤷ info #⤷ info ✧ 𝑙𝑦𝑑𝑖𝑎 𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙

[inafieldofdaisies]

WIP Wednesday | Tagged by @thesingularityseries ❤️

I'm checking in with another snippet from Chapter 2 of John and Sabrina's AU where he goes (or more like tries) to visit his client in prison while she is doing her best to minimize their encounter. Leslie ain't buying it. ❤️

John stared at the endless field in front of him, checking his watch on instinct for probably the millionth time as his driver let out a string of hushed curses while he changed the flat tire the car got somewhere on Interstate 5. An irrational part of him felt like vaulting over the fence that separated the highway from the surrounding land and simply… walking off. Wondered how it would feel to be in the middle of nowhere, in a place where nobody would be around to hear the angry outburst he fought to keep under control. After messing up and texting Sabrina by mistake, he had eventually gotten dressed, dragged himself down to the lobby to report the broken shower in his room and ask for them to arrange a car for him. The man at the reception desk had been less welcoming and helpful than the woman that had checked him in, telling him that he would send someone over to fix the issue without being able to give him an answer as to when. On top of that headache, he had spent the next 30 minutes waiting for his driver to show up in front of the hotel, the delay making him wish he had his own car there so he wasn't at the mercy of others. Thanks to that now even after leaving early to make sure he would have enough time to travel to the State Penitentiary, he was tethering on the edge of being late, stuck halfway across his destination.

"Almost done, sir.", the younger man announced behind him, "We'd be back on the road in a jiffy." A couple of minutes later he finally walked around the car, still dusting off his pants from kneeling down on the ground and signaled for John they were ready to leave. "So…", the man started in an attempt to break the ice as he climbed in the backseat and pointed his gaze out of the window again, "Who are you visiting in OSP?" "I'm not at liberty to talk about that.", John retorted quickly and pulled out his phone, hoping he would appear busy so the man would give up on the small talk. It was for that same reason he hadn't made an effort to even ask about his name. He had no doubt if he was to say he was representing Nathaniel Mooney that the driver would be tempted to abandon him on the side of the road after calling him any awful word available in his dictionary. He avoided the man's curious stare in the rearview mirror, keeping his eyes glued to his phone screen as he opened Sabrina's last message. Don't text her anything else. Don't. It's just going to make everything worse. But his fingers had other ideas, already typing up a text.

John: I'm sorry about earlier.

Minutes passed where the driver whistled along to "Only You" as it played on the radio, and where no answer came through from Sabrina. She's at work, probably busy. Do I even care if she's taken the text meant for Penny the wrong way? I don't. Yes, I don't. Yet the giddiness he felt when his phone finally chirped with a message told him otherwise.

Sabrina: How's your day? Any more criminals posing as drivers?

John: No, but I am meeting with an alleged criminal in a couple of minutes. So, pray, I don't get stabbed.

Sabrina: Now you have me worried… just keep an eye on him and make sure any sharp objects are out of his reach.

John: You're saying I can't show him my collection of knives?

Sabrina: Essentially. And let me know you've made it out alive, I guess.

A smile broke free at her replies and the fact she seemed unbothered by what had happened. They gave him hope he still had a chance. A chance for what? "We're here, sir.", the driver said, making him realize the rest of his drive had passed in a haze, all thanks to her, "Welcome to Salem." John looked his watch, "And on time, thank you." "Of course. I will be waiting to drive you back to Portland." He exited the car after giving him a nod, leaving him to wait in the parking lot as he headed for the entrance of the penitentiary, its pale yellow facade standing out against stark blue of the cloudless sky. John gingerly climbed the U-shaped staircase, promising himself with each step that he would succeed what the other attorneys before him had failed at. He squared his shoulders and pushed past double doors that led inside, his measured footsteps drawing the attention of some of the visitors that were waiting in line for the metal detectors. As one person after another passed through, he shut down the urge to shift in place or worry about the state of his suit. Not how I imagined this would go, exactly. As the detectors kept going off and hindering his progress forward, he reassured himself over and over again that he'd make it in time for the meeting.

"Next.", a male deputy directing the visitors in his line gestured for him to step forward. His briefcase made it on the conveyor belt first, passing through the scanner as he covered the rest of the distance to the walk through metal detector. One step, followed by anothed. Silence. He had almost made it on the other side, or at least his shoe had before the alarm sounded. "I need you to walk back and through the detector again, please.", the officer instructed, and he complied, going through slowly only for the blaring noise to repeat again. "One more time. Slowly.", the man gestured patiently while he let out a tired sigh as he turned on his heel and attempted the walk for the third time. For fuck's sake. He had nothing on him that could potentially set off the detector. "Step forward.", the deputy beckoned, "I need to pat you down. You have the right to refuse-" "I'm a lawyer, I know my rights.", John interjected quickly, then added in a calmer tone, "You have my permission." Refusing a pat down meant he'd be turned down from his visit. The man nodded, "Arms out. Feet apart." He followed the instructions, having been through a couple of in-person meetings with other clients in prison already. The frisk felt like it had lasted an eternity until the deputy finally declared he could gather his things and proceed to the waiting area where other visitors had already taken a seat after checking in about their appointments.

"Next in line.", an older female officer called out for him eventually once he took his place in that line. "Name of AICs?" "Good morning, I have a scheduled meeting with Nathaniel Mooney.", the anticipated look of displeasure appeared in her eyes before his usual charm even had a chance to kick in. "Another one. How long are you gonna last?", she mumbled under her breath as she typed away on the computer in front of her, the remark loud enough only for him to hear. He didn't let the words strip away at the slight smile he had offered her initially, the push-back and borderline loathing were expected with the task of representing defendants like Mooney. Instead of simply gesturing him to take a seat and wait for his name to be called, the deputy sent him a strange look before picking up the phone receiver. "Yes. Mooney. Okay. I will tell him to take a seat." "Is everything in order, Officer Gale?", John asked carefully the second she hung up. A bored look was all he got as response before she slid a visitor badge over to him, then muttered, "Yes. Please take a seat. Next."

John clutched his bag and headed for a vacant seat next to a well-dressed redhead, checking his watch as he sat down and slipped the plastic encased pass over his head. Almost time. A slender, manicured hand appeared from his left, "Can't say I was expecting I would be meeting the man representing Nathaniel Mooney today." He turned, meeting the green gaze of the woman next to him before he grabbed her hand for a handshake. "John Duncan.", the introduction was made in the usual tone reserved for other attorneys and potential clients. Everything about the redhead, including her smile, appeared calculating when she squeezed his hand, and he couldn't help but wonder if she had her sights set on his case and testing the waters, "Candice Donovan." The name gave him a pause, immediately making him think of Sabrina, then he shook off the thought, reminding himself he had to stay focused. It's just a surname. His hand returned to his knee as he leaned back in his chair and trained his eyes forward, feeling her gaze remaining on him still. "Rumor is, the last one ran out of here crying. Poor girl. Not everyone is built for our field of work.", the woman whispered, "Though, I've never had a particular taste for criminal law. So messy… bloody even.", the last part felt loaded, heavy, yet she casually recrossed her legs before letting out a quiet laugh and passing him a business card. Blue eyes darted to the matching badge nestled against her champagne colored silk blouse with a perfectly tied bow close to her neckline, "And yet here you are." "Oh, no, Mr. Duncan,", her voice lowered like she was letting him in on a little secret, "I'm meeting the man on top of this food chain, not one of his subjects."

"Donovan.", an officer called out her name. "And that's my cue. Good luck, darling.", she got up, smoothing down her black skirt before she picked up her bag Hermès bag off the ground next to her chair. Her nude high heels clicked away as she approached the man waiting to escort her, swooping into charming him next. He granted a final look at the business card and slipped it inside his bag. Over the years, he had met enough women like Candice Donovan, had even been blindsided by their charisma and skilled tongues, had made the mistake of getting involved with a couple on a personal level when he was first starting in the field. The type that would frown at "the bloodiness" of law, yet be secretly the first to sense the blood in the water and strike. John spent the next couple of minutes watching the room as visitor's after visitor's name were called, new people taking their vacated seats, Officer Gale warning walk-ins they might be in for a longer wait that day. "Duncan.", a gruff voice broke through the low chatter around him, and he was out of his seat in an instant, straightening his visitor badge on his way to the deputy. The man, wearing a tag that read 'A. Flynn", towered a good few inches over him and gave him a dark stare before muttering, "Follow me."

A black steel bar door buzzed behind him and they were off down a series of white hallways, separated by similar security entryways that got him deeper into the prison. Eventually, the man in front of him came to a stop and gestured to a dark gray door before he swung it open to reveal a small private room, reserved for visits by legal teams, "Take a seat." With that, Officer Flynn left him to get situated and shut the door behind him. John slipped into pulling out all the documents he would need and arranged them in neat piles on the only table in the room. 10 minutes passed, bringing him officially past the reserved time for the meeting with Mooney. The only noise, that would put lesser attorneys on edge as they sat in the tiny sterile space without any windows, was the sound of his watch ticking. Another 15 minutes went by where he started to wonder if something had gone wrong. He set for rearranging the files again, inevitably checking his phone for any messages or calls. Nothing. Rereading Sabrina's last text. A couple of calming breaths. Regretting he had skipped breakfast. No Mooney in sight. 10 more minutes, a terrible sign considering nobody from the personnel had bothered to show their face yet. Something's wrong, indeed.

John rose up, ready to knock on the door and demand an explanation for the delay, when it opened and the same officer that had led him there appeared in the doorway, his large almost frame blocking his view of another man in an uniform. "Counsel, I regret to inform you, the arranged meeting won't be taking place today.", his lips twisted into a dark smirk, no actual regret visible across his features, "Nathaniel Mooney is undisposed." "What is that supposed to mean?", John asked, his eyes narrowing at the man's tone. "I'm meant to escort you out, sir.", the last word was said with complete disdain as Officer Flynn stepped aside and gestured for him to exit the room promptly, "You can schedule a new visit." "You cannot just cancel my client's meeting without any notice." The man crossed his arms over his chest, "Tell that to Mooney, who decided it's a good time to stab an inmate with a fork right before his meeting with his new attorney." "I still think it's inappropriate and violating his rights to deprive him from a consultation with his legal counsel. This is not a family visit you can just deny." "If you have any complaints, you can direct them at Major Sinclair. He's the one that issued the order. All inmates are threated equal here and sanctioned accordingly for not following the rules, Mr. Duncan." "That's-" Just my luck. "Unfortunate for you? Or Mooney?", his tone was bordering on leering as John began to gather his things, "I'm sure the man he put in infirmary, whose eye was almost gouged out thinks the same about himself."

He could only imagine how that would be used by the prosecution at the actual trial, just another testament of his client's violent nature and urges he couldn't control. John straightened his back and picked up his bag, passing by the two officers as he exited the room, and he could tell they were enjoying every second of sending him away without even meeting Mooney. "When exactly did the incident occur?", John inquired while he got sandwiched between the two men on the way back. "If you have any questions, you can set a meeting with Major Sinclair and discuss those.", the younger officer ahead of him, whose name he hadn't had time to observe, grumbled out. It wouldn't have been any surprise if the words were paired with another sly grin. "It was a simple question. You could have called me in advance. Saved me the trip from Portland." "It was a genuine mix-up, sir." "Or karma. Serves you right for representing that bastard.", Flynn mumbled under his breath simultaneously, clearly wanting for John to hear. Hazing. Of course. On the inside, he could feel anger gripping at his chest, looking for an outlet, but he refused to let it out or any of the well-deserved words he wanted to direct their way to be vocalized. He suspected the fork incident had taken place long before that early morning and in reality they must have had time to alert him about the "punishment" bestowed upon his client. Yet nothing of sorts had happened because he in turn was being "punished", too. For doing his job. For accepting the "shitstorm" case. For refusing to cower under their scrutiny and holding his head high. It was bound for this occurance to be just the first one of many. There was a reason, as Candice Donovan reported, that the previous woman representing Mooney had ran out crying, and if past cases were anything to go by, he was willing to bet Nathaniel's nature was only part of the issue. But if people like Officer Flynn or Major Sinclair expected obvious cheap tricks like those would make him withdraw, they were all in for a rude awakening.

John kept his face relaxed as he waited in line yet again, this time to schedule another appointment. His fingers drummed against the surface of the booth in front of him while the woman across typed in his information. "First appointment I can give you is on Monday.", she announced matter-of-factly as his fingers formed a fist. How much he wanted to bang against the glass pane that separated them. To demand to see Mooney right then and there. He did none of that, instead he forced a smile, letting his charm do the work. "M'am, I really need to meet with my client before that. My return flight is in two days." Where the receptionist from the previous night or Penny would have melted at his gentle but still firm tone that reeked of authority, the officer just blinked slowly and said, "There's a 72-hours rule in place, meaning Monday as earliest." "Officer Reece-" "First appointment I can offer you is on Monday, Mr. Duncan.", she repeated before he could even finish his sentence, "Usually you can always come as a walk-in and wait for a slot to open up if there's a cancellation or a no-show, but Nathaniel Mooney has had his visitation rights revoked for 72-hours." "That's ridiculous." "It's the minimum, sir.", Officer Reece explained calmly, "Are you taking the Monday appointment? If not, I'd have to ask to step away while you're considering your options, because there are other people in line behind you." Fuck. He wanted to scream the word out, lose it like he had that morning in the shower. "Yes, Monday it is, then.", he nodded, grateful for his unwavering facade as he took a deep breath. "I'm penciling you in for the afternoon session, 12:15 pm." "Thank you." "Have a great weekend. Next, please.", the woman called in response. Great? The little "mix-up" was going to result him in having to explain to Clive how Mooney had attacked another inmate. To change his flight back to Atlanta, his personal "punishment" Flynn called karma resulting in him having to spend more time in a city that's been nothing but brutal to him from his arrival. Hope his "5 star" hotel had fixed the shower while he was away in Salem and would agree to extend his reservation so he won't have to hunt down for another one. Sure my weekend would be great.

"How is it going?", Leslie muttered as he leaned over Sabrina's shoulder, his attention setting on the footage she had pulled up. She propped up her head on her open palm, "Nothing yet, good news is, though, I'm halfway there." "Chances are even if the camera captured the car, it'd be too dark to make anything out." A sigh broke free when she found her coffee cup empty, "I know. But it's not like we have anything else to go off until we get back the enhanced clip from across the road." "Still, the gas station was a good hunch." It wasn't a "hunch", rather a vision that had led her there, but explaining that in any way that wouldn't make her seem like she had lost her mind, felt impossible, even to Leslie. "Yeah.", she muttered quietly. "How about a break?", Leslie nudged her before walking back to his desk, "We can grab some lunch before the interviews?" "Okay." Just then Oliver walked in with a take-out bag and plopped into his chair with a sign, "Ah, man, I swear I almost fell asleep in line. Damn, if I wouldn't kill for a shower, too." "You could go home, Ollie." The suggestion made him roll his eyes, "Sure, and then hear all about it from Buchanan." Sabrina shook his head, "He won't say anything." "Maybe to the all-stars. Me, on other hand?", he muttered as set on opening his food, "No matter what good old Oliver does… he only complains." "Okay,", Leslie took a look at his watch, "we heading out or what, Rina?" "One second.", she said, taking note of how far along she was before putting her computer into rest mode. By then her partner was already shrugging on his coat. She quickly threw on her jacket as well, then grabbed her bag on the way out. "Have fun, you two.", Oliver called after them as Leslie pulled the door open for her.

"The lawyer…", Parish mumbled the second their waiter had left the table in the small bistro they frequently stopped by for a bite. "My food isn't even here yet." He raised a dark eyebrow, seeing right through the attempt to avoid talking about John for a good few more minutes, "Spill, Rina." "How much did Oliver tell you all really?", she asked slowly. "Told you, he was live texting." "Like what?" She wasn't sure if she actually wanted to know the answer, knowing full well the extend of Oliver's sense of humor and the chaos he loved to cause. "Want to see the messages?" "Not really. Just… are the other guys going to look at me weird?", she was refering for the rest of the Missing Persons team and whoever else they had added to the group chat for the birthday party they had thrown for her months back. "No.", Leslie chuckled, "Now back to the lawyer." "John." "Hm?" "His name is John." A nod, "There we go, a start." "I was headed home, you know, as promised.", her remark got a smile out of him, "Sav would have gone to bed by then…I guess I didn't want to deal with Candice for a couple of extra minutes." "Yeah." Leslie knew the situation pretty well and was among the small group of people that saw through her mother's act.

"I see this well-dressed man in the lobby, staring daggers into unconscious Lenny,", his eyes narrowed at 'well-dressed', but she rushed to wrap up the story, especially seeing how the waiter had emerged from the kitchen and carrying over their meals, "I offered my help, tried to pass him onto Stockton, but he wasn't in…" She paused to mutter a quiet thank you as her plate was placed in front of her and she dug into the food that seemed less appetizing with her stomach in knots. Leslie did the same, taking a bite before nodding at her to continue. "Maxwell said I could write up the report for him since he was stuck across town. The guy-" "John.", Leslie corrected her, "You avoiding saying his name?" "No.", she absolutely was, "John didn't seem quite happy with the idea he'd have to wait hours for Stockton to return or stop by in the morning, so he agreed to sit down with me and get his case started." "Who wouldn't." She chose that moment to take a sip of water, almost choking on it, "Leslie." "I'm just being objective." "Sure.", she cleared her throat, "I marked down everything he could provide as information. He asked to make a phone call and then was on his way." Leslie's lips twisted into a smirk, "You forgot how he shouted, 'she's not my girlfriend' about some girl he called." Sabrina huffed, "Shouted? That's just Oliver's flair for dramatics." Not really, but saying otherwise wouldn't make you drop the subject, will it… "Rina." "Fine, maybe his voice was a bit raised, so what?" "Then?"

She could feel her cheeks heat up, so she looked down to her plate as she scooped up some more rice into her mouth, before replying, "Nothing." The way Leslie rubbed at his beard told her he had sensed a lead and wasn't going to back down, "I'm waiting." "I gave him a ride.", Sabrina brushed her hair out of her face, feeling frustrated at the fact things hadn't stopped there and that she didn't want them to, "He looked… lost. I guess I thought a small act of kindness wouldn't hurt when his day had been nothing but awful. Dropped him off at his hotel. End of story." He opened his mouth to ask more when her phone buzzed with a new text, that made her raise her finger as she opened it.

John: Still alive. Any lunch spots recommendations? The last thing I need right now is food poisoning.

"You're smiling way too much for this to be news from the lab.", Leslie's voice sounded and she looked up, feeling like she had been caught redhanded when she had done nothing wrong, "That him?" She ignored his question, her food quickly becoming forgotten while her fingers typed out a reply.

Sabrina: Depends… If you're looking for a fine dining spot, I won't be your girl.

John: I'm feeling cranky, (probably because I'm) starving, and I trust your judgement, so shoot.

"Rina?", Leslie called her name, tone full of amusement. Her eyes darted up to his before returning to her phone screen, "Yes?" "So he has your number.", it wasn't a question, but rather a statement.

Sabrina: There's a small restaurant, family owned, Italian, two streets from the precinct.

The spot she had recommended him was in the opposite direction of the restaurant where she was currently having lunch with Leslie, wanting to avoid running into him at any cost because she refused to allow things to get more awkward than they already were. She put her phone down, ignoring the fact it vibrated with a reply and turned back to her food. As she raised the fork to her mouth, she could feel Leslie's stare on her, "Yes, he has my number." "You gave it to him or he somehow found it?" "Leslie…" He shrugged, chewing on his food slowly before he pointed his knife at her, "Just doing my part, Rina. Trying to figure out if 'this guy' is a creep or not. So, well?" "I think he took one of my cards off my desk…" "He's texting your work number?" "Yeah." It wasn't a complete lie. "And now he wants?" "A good place to go for lunch." "He asked you out-" "No." "It wasn't a question." Her face scrunched up in confusion, "Nothing about his texts hinted at that, Leslie." He smiled, "Can I see?" "No.", the answer came out way too quickly, causing him to let out a laugh. Just great. Yet handing over her phone and having him see all the previous messages didn't seem like the best idea. Not when he'd insist on John's intentions even more then. Worry about her. "Just trust me on that. He's never been to Portland and considering his luck, he just wanted-" "You're saying that with way too much confidence. Like you know know him." A breathed out a sigh, "Just drop it, please. Change the subject." "Fine.", Leslie nodded, "But I'm telling you, he was asking you out." "And he chose to do it in the most roundabout way possible…why?" "Because he's afraid." It was her turn to chuckle, "Afraid?" "That you will say no, 'break his heart' or more like hurt his ego, considering he's a fancy ass attorney. So instead he's hoping you'd suggest keeping him company first…" Sabrina couldn't help but roll her eyes, "I think Ollie is rubbing off on you." Leslie's gaze shot up to her phone when it buzzed again, "Now, that is him asking you out. He couldn't handle waiting."

Tagging, @socially-awkward-skeleton @direwombat @corvosattano @josephslittledeputy @josephseedismyfather @g0dspeeed @voidika @madparadoxum @poisonedtruth @nightbloodbix @nightwingshero @jillvalentinesday @cassietrn @chazz-anova @simplegenius042 @purplehairsecretlair @adelaidedrubman @dumbassdep @theelderhazelnut @strangefable @trench-rot @aceghosts and anyone else with something to share this week ❤️

#Candice alert. Candice alert. 😂 oof #“collection of knives” is it a joke or true... who knows 😂 #Anyone else getting the feeling Mooney doesn't feel like going to trial anytime soon? 😂😂 #Leslie turning lunch into an impromptu witness interview and being like: “give me the tea; Rina. all of it.” #tagged <3 #oc: sabrina donovan #oc: leslie parish #oc: oliver mckenzie #wip: a trial of errors #john x sabrina #oc: candice “candy” donovan #wip wednesday #wip whenever #wip snippet #fc5 au #far cry 5 au #fc5 ocs #fc5 deputy #far cry 5 oc #far cry 5 deputy #character dynamics #wip sneak peek #snippets

[tvrundownusa]

tvrundown USA 2023.02.27

Monday, February 27th:

(streaming weekly): Vinland Saga (netflix), The Madame Blanc Mysteries (AcornTV, next 2 eps), Candice Renoir (AcornTV, season 5 available)

(also new): Jeopardy! (syndicated, "High School Reunion Tournament" week 2 begins)

(hour 1): Alert: MPU (FOX, special time, 2hrs), The Neighborhood (CBS) /   / Bob Hearts Abishola (CBS), The Bachelor (ABC, 2hrs), America's Got Talent (NBC, 2hrs), Kids Baking Championship (FOOD, season 11 finale)

(hour 2): Alert: MPU (FOX, contd, season 1 finale), NCIS (CBS), The Bachelor (ABC, contd), America's Got Talent (NBC, contd, "All-Stars" season 1 finale), C.B. Strike (HBO, season 3 "Troubled Blood" finale)

(hour 3): NCIS: Hawai'i (CBS), The Good Doctor (ABC), Quantum Leap (NBC), The Watchful Eye (Freeform), True Blood (TNT, reairs),  History's Greatest of All Time (HIST, hosted by Peyton Manning)

(hour 4 - latenight):   The Daily Show (COM, guest host Hasan Minhaj), ELeague (TBS, "Ultimate Madden Bowl" finale), True Blood (TNT, contd)

[preempted, returning next week: Fantasy Island (FOX) ] [repeats, resuming in two weeks: All American (theCW), All American: Homecoming (theCW) ]

#HasanMinhaj #CandiceRenoir #UltimateMaddenBowl #television

[suchananewsblog]

‘The Flash’ Boss Eric Wallace Teases Season 9’s Big Bad & Explains What’s In Store For Final Episodes

SPOILER ALERT! This post contains details from the Season 9 premiere of The Flash on The CW. The Flash is nearly done fighting crime in Central City — but not before one final villain comes to town. The CW series’ ninth and final season kicked off Wednesday night with the introduction of some new hurdles for Barry Allen and Team Flash to overcome. The episode begins with Barry and Iris (Candice…

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[sunset-peril]

Ashes Remain - Chapter Fifteen - Still Unsolved

~~~~

December 16th, 2027

10:05am 

~~~~

Smoke rose over the ruins of Courtroom Number Four. The entire building was cleared while the police waited for the bomb squad to inspect for more explosives.

Phoenix had been in a meeting with Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth, and was unable to attend the trial in person. However, when one of Edgeworth’s personal detectives barged into their meeting, furiously scribbling on an e-notebook, and alerted to a bombing in the courthouse, his body felt fifteen years younger and he charged for the door. 

One of Edgeworth’s subordinates, a twenty-four year old prosecutor named Naia Graves, accompanied them to the scene. She was processing the charges for the Space Center bombings, and Edgeworth planned to put her in charge of investigating this bombing. 

Without knowing anything of the other trials, Phoenix knew the bomb had gone off in the Space Center trial. 

When they arrived, Graves and the bomb squad ran inside. Edgeworth met with Blackquill and Fulbright, while Phoenix scoured the area for Apollo and Athena. Being unsuccessful in finding them, Phoenix approached one of the ambulance crews arriving on scene and told them the defense attorneys in the courtroom where the bomb went off were missing. Amidst the chaos, Juniper stumbled out of the courthouse with an officer’s help. 

After securing Blackquill, Edgeworth went to comfort Phoenix. Graves’ voice blasted over his walkie-talkie. “We’ve found bodies! At least one of ‘em’s got a pulse. First responders are bringing her out while we recover the other.”

Almost immediately after she said so, paramedics rushed out of the building with a limp body in their arms. 

Phoenix’s heart plummeted through the ground when he caught a glimpse of orange hair and a yellow jacket through their arms. “Athena!!”

“Do what you need to, Wright.” Shortly after one crew got Athena on a gurney and loaded her up, another crew brought out another figure, bleeding greatly, and one heavily burned figure. The burned figure was also loaded into an ambulance, but the bloodied figure was just laid on the ground and covered by a tarp. 

“Incident report, Chief! Three bodies recovered, two female, one male. Identified as both members of the defense, and Detective Candice Arme. Arme was found dead.”   

“Thank you, Graves. I’ll have the information sent to your partner to prepare charges.” Edgeworth lowered the walkie-talkie. “I’ll drop you off at the hospital, Wright. I hope to see your subordinates alive and well.”   

~~~~

December 16th, 2017

7:15pm

Wright Anything Agency

~~~~

Wright was sitting in his office, in the dark, when his phone rang. “Ah, Edgeworth. How are things going at the prosecutor’s office?”

“We’ve got a suspect. Trial for the courtroom bombing begins tomorrow at nine a.m.. The suspect is being charged with terrorism, one count of murder for Detective Arme and two counts of attempted murder for your two subordinates.”

“Is there an attorney on the case yet?”

“Not yet, we’ve just finished indicting the charges. The hospital took their sweet time letting us know Doctor Cykes survived the bombing, so we had to wait to see if we were charging two murders or just one.” 

“Who’s the suspect?”

“A ‘Juniper Woods’. She’s in questioning as we speak regarding her charges.”

His jaw tightened. “I want the case, Edgeworth.”

“Wright. This woman is accused of trying to kill your subordinates. Why in the world do you want to defend her?”

“I’ve gotten to know Miss Woods pretty well recently. I truly believe she didn’t set off the bomb, or plan to kill Arme, Apollo, or Athena.” 

“You astound me. However, I will grant you the case. If you would come by my office tomorrow morning and fill the paperwork out, I’ll send it to the courthouse.” 

“Thank you, Edgeworth.”

“Tell me, Wright, how are they faring?”

“Athena was out cold the whole time we were there, not surprising considering she’d been in surgery for about seven hours. Apollo was definitely worse for the wear, but he was at least conscious. He seemed better once she came out of surgery. He wouldn’t talk to us at noon, but was fairly chatty about 5:30.”

“Gavin said he was severely burned. Would you say that’s accurate?”

“If you want my opinion, I’d say he was nearly burnt to a crisp. Poor guy looked like a lot. He had Trucy set an alarm to go off as soon as he could get more morphine in him. Neither of them are good by any means, but Apollo is definitely better off… He’s conscious, required no surgery… and, well, Athena is suspected to be deaf. ”

“Ah, I see. That definitely messes with the plan. However, don’t worry too much about her, Wright. Even without her hearing, she is still our greatest weapon. The power to end this flows within her veins, not her ears. Why do you think I was willing to let her out of my sight?”

“I thought it had something to do with Kay and Sebastian. I remember you telling me something back when we first talked about me bringing her onboard, something about how her circumstances were ‘quite severe.’ Figured it had something to do with their penchant for trouble.”

“Oh no, they love her. Kay especially was disappointed when I received a notice recently stating she’s ineligible for adoption.”

“Y-You were in line to adopt her?”

“She reminds me of my younger days, bearing the strength I wish I had following that dreaded day. It pleases me how someone’s taken her into their heart.” 

“That would be Apollo, actually. She’s been under his guardianship since November. Pavilion Crisis tried to seize her custody, but he wouldn’t let her go.”

“Shield’s always been a stickler like that. He’s got the whole staff wrapped around his little finger too. If our legal system wasn’t in the state it’s in, I would send my personal detectives after him and that asylum. Franziska's been chasing some horrid allegations concerning European asylums, and they make me more than a little wary of our own.”

“I heard about that on the news, something about how European asylums are allowed to execute patients with the lethal injection without going through the courts?”

“Yes. That very reason is why I could not give you many details about Doctor Cykes until she was in my custody. We could have lost her at any moment. It took many nights of sleep away from me and my team. There is much more to the story, but I am not permitted to speak of it unless absolutely necessary.” “

“Is Athena allowed to speak?”

“I’m not allowed to disclose that information. I will say, however, this all goes much deeper than a bomb on a rocket.” 

“Sounds like it. This really is the Dark Age, isn’t it?”

“Indeed it is, Wright. And if we lose this foothold we have, the courts could go under completely. With Blackquill in my hand, and Cykes in yours, we should hope it is enough. If the truth behind GYAXA’s HAT incidents eludes us once more, I would say for certain that we’ve lost our last chance.”  

Phoenix finally rose from his chair. “Yeah, it’s for this very reason I returned.” He walked to his couch, glancing down at the jacket laying there, and contemplated of all he’d fought for, and of everyone that had been lost in the fight. “Time to bring it to an end.”

He grabbed his jacket and locket before heading out the door. The battle which decided the war was starting, and he needed to revisit everything he knew before walking into court. 

Two trials were now connected, and he wouldn’t be surprised if it all went full circle back to the promise he made Edgeworth prior to being reinstated. He had the dreadful feeling Edgeworth was vastly understating when he determined all these happenings were much deeper than just a simple sabotage. 

No, the world had gotten significantly worse when the original call from Edgeworth arrived, from a European phone number, asking if he’d like a young lady to join his resurrecting firm.

There was something dark and unholy lurking beneath it all, and a horrifying possibility where Athena was the thread bringing years of crime to a head just in time for this battle was beginning to become clear. He’d fought off his wrongful conviction the year before, if they could just undo the sentence of the prosecutor who sealed the Dark Age into being, perhaps the corruption could finally start to unravel.

His phone buzzed again, but with an unsaved number. “Hello?” 

Phoenix looked up at the dusky sky, watching stars peek one by one into view as the golden sun faded beneath the skyline, before an ever-familiar voice met him on the device’s other end. “...Apollo?”

#ace attorney #fanfiction #booksivewritten #athena cykes #apollo justice #a man named terran #ashes remain amnt #ashes remain #miles edgeworth #phoenix wright #ace attorney dual destinies #dual destinies spoilers #dual destinies #it begins #mentioned franziska von karma #mentioned aa europe #mentioned ur-1 #mentioned kay faraday #mentioned klavier gavin #turnabout countdown #the cosmic turnabout #naia graves

[cyarskj1899]

Whelp, we knew this was coming 🤐

Damn, Balenciaga is Done With Kanye

This news comes after the rapper's anti-Black and anti-semitic tirades.

By

Candace McDuffie

2 hours ago

Comments (3)

Alerts

It’s official: Balenciaga has severed ties with the rapper formerly known as Kanye West. As WWD reports, the announcement was made Thursday after the brand’s third-quarter results were published. 

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Balenciaga’s parent company, Kering, told WWD: “Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist.” Though they didn’t say any more than that, they didn’t have to. 

Ye opened their 2023 summer show, infamously sporting a Balenciaga mouthguard and donning, yet all photos of him from it have been deleted from the website. The rapper’s latest collaboration with the fashion label—and it’s artistic director Demna—was the Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga line.

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It was released earlier this year in conjunction with West’s “Donda 2" experience that went down in Miami. Last year, Demna also served as creative director for one of West’s album listening events as well.

Last month, he ended his partnership with Gap Inc. In addition, his “White Lives Matter” t-shirt stunt a few weeks ago—alongside Candice Owens—kicked off a tirade of anti-Black and anti-semitic remarks. 

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Over the last 3 weeks, West has: declared Black Lives Matter a scam (and intentionally failed to separate the organization from the movement), appeared on Fox News with Tucker Carlson, declared he’s going to go “death con 3 on Jewish people” and insisted George Floyd wasn’t “really” killed by police.

It isn’t a surprise that Balenciaga wants nothing to do with him—especially since his own bank stopped all of their financial dealings with Ye. Additionally, despite working with Adidas for a decade, the company shared on October 6 that their partnership was “under review.”

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With West being suspended from Instagram and Twitter for hate speech, he shared plans of buyingright-wing social media platform Parler. If other brands are business savvy, they’ll stop their involvement with Ye as well.