#For like serious can you imagine what a whole season with either on Team full time would have been like

[arrow-v-flash-polls]

Which chacter would you have been more than happy if they'd joined the team for longer than a few episodes at a time?

#nyssa al ghul #hartley rathaway #katrina law #andy mientus #the flash #arrow #arrowverse #pied piper #For like serious can you imagine what a whole season with either on Team full time would have been like #dctv #the flash cw

[btr-rewatch]

Big Time Rush Season 1, Episode 1: “Big Time Audition” PART 4

Links to parts ONE, TWO, and THREE

Final post for this episode!

Highlights: Kendall can't stop questioning authority, the band falls apart before it can even get started, and we finally reach the end of this very long journey through episode one.

I must say that, so far, I'm finding the show to be every bit as funny as I remember it being. There are lines that are delivered in such a quick, snappy way that they sort of smack you in the face before you have a moment to process it. The woman from the marketing team saying, "Boys, we researched and electro-shocked focus groups to determine the exact look and name that will sell millions of records," is one of those lines.

I think part of what makes the BTR experience such a unique and enjoyable one is the fact that they basically live in a world that's like ours, but they also don't. It's our world cranked up a few extra notches, which I know is intentional (isn't the point of the show that it was supposed to feel like a live-action cartoon?) but it's still very funny to imagine this as being reality. Sometimes it seems like there are no rules in the BTR universe. People just do what they want. Ridiculous, off-the-wall things happen on the regular. Something is deeply wrong with the structure of their world, but it's never addressed in the slightest. Love it.

After going through a series of terrible makeovers (James thinks all of them are good), Gustavo introduces the guys to their first song, "Girl Time." And I love Kendall's expression as Gustavo goes through the whole spiel. I can't tell if this is Kendall Knight smiling mockingly at how ridiculous Gustavo is or if this is Kendall Schmidt breaking character. Either way, it's delightful.

Meanwhile, James is so serious about it. He's like, "Yep, it's Girl Time. Got it."

I'd also like to bring attention to the various ways Kendall has been addressed in this episode.

By Kelly: "Tall, blond, and eyebrows."

By Gustavo: "Mr. Make Us a Pop Group"

Also by Gustavo: "Mr. Question Everything I Do"

Biggest laugh of the episode goes to when Gustavo is reading all the girl-themed songs on the record wall and goes, "Girl Like You, Girl You Are My Girl, Hot Girl, Cold Girl, Girl to My Heart, Yard Squirrel Christmas—I forgot that one was there..."

That caught me totally off guard, and I'm glad I wasn't taking a sip of water at that moment because I would have choked on it.

Anyway, after screaming at the guys, Gustavo—who thinks he might've finally gotten the upper hand on his smart-mouthed band leader—decides it's a very good idea to do this to Kendall.

And the LOOK Kendall gives him.

This kid is seriously considering whether or not he wants to have his picture shown on the evening news tonight because he strangled famous music producer Gustavo Rocque with his bare hands.

Listen, I love Original Kendall, and I am going to hold onto him for as long as I possibly can. There was this restrained, vaguely threatening air that surrounded him. Kendall was playing this character as if he was a guy one wrong step away from snapping, and I am here for it.

Ultimately, Kendall opts to make a joke instead of doing anything that will get him thrown into juvie, and we get a funny news scene reporting on the small earthquake that struck the surrounding area as a result of Gustavo's anger.

When the time rolls around to finally get into the recording studio, Kendall continues to have his disruptive behavior on full display.

This episode really is just The Kendall Show, isn't it? I feel like the other three have hardly said more than a few lines?? They're mostly there so far just to react to things and occasionally chime in. For the most part, it's been forty minutes of "Watch Kendall Do Things." I mean, the other guys have their personalities pretty laid out, but there's no depth yet, and they feel more like sidekicks. Kendall is the one running this show. He's living his life, spewing out pep-talks as needed, causing trouble, kicking butt and taking names, etc.

Naturally, things only escalate from there, and Gustavo ends up resigned to his new boyband project being a lost cause.

I had to screenshot the exchanging of looks while Gustavo announces their failure via song because it's just so indicative of the way the guys will "divide" up over the course of the show. That, I remember very clearly. While they were all tight-knit, there was a prevalent pairing of Kendall with Logan and James with Carlos in terms of the ways the boys gravitated toward each other, specifically with the two who need that leadership and guidance the most: Carlos and Logan. You can see it right in this scene—both in the order they're standing in and where the glances are directed.

Carlos looks to James, and Logan looks to Kendall, which explains the overall dynamic nicely, I think.

Back at the Palm Woods, James is furious that his friends (mostly Kendall) have sabotaged his chance at being famous, and you know what? He's right. They all knew James wanted this the most out of all of them. It's literally his biggest dream! But they (*cough* Kendall *cough*) made a big joke of it at every possible turn. They (KENDALL) could have tried harder.

After getting into a fight and being pushed into the pool by Katie, the guys end up sulking around the fire.

James: "I could stay here and be a model; I'm still great-looking. Or the star of a reality show."

Carlos: "Which one? Project Idiot?"

Super funny, yet uncalled for. This fiasco really isn't James's fault, Carlos. Please direct your anger at your reckless, defiant leader, Kendall Knight.

Kendall muses that after all they've gone through, they never even got to sing together, which leads them into another—and the best—rendition of the "Giant Turd" song. They get a rousing round of applause, Kendall delivers his fourth inspirational speech (with musical accompaniment!) and they all decide they should give this thing a try.

Also I have such vivid memories of the commercials Nick played in the weeks leading up to the show's premiere. Kendall's line "One, I love singing. Two, I love singing with you guys," was always featured prominently in it, and I remember seeing the commercial and thinking, "Looks like such a lame, cheesy show." I had zero intention of watching, but then my sister and I were lounging around channel surfing on that Thanksgiving weekend and happened to catch it just as it started. It was one of those, "Might as well. There's nothing better on" moments.

Cue me proceeding to never miss an episode, seeing them in concert, and meeting them three times over those next three and a half years. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Our four lovable goofballs decide to behave and pull themselves together enough to start to resemble a band.

And they do it! They become a full-fledged boyband in two days and impress the pants off of Griffin.

Gustavo is pleased, though he still does have his nitpicks. "Carlos still can't sing. Logan still can't dance. And I still can't stand James."

No critiques for Mr. Knight, I see.

This brings us to the end of the episode. Everyone celebrates! They can stay in L.A. for the next three months! And we've learned the very important lesson that if you fly into an angry rage, get security called on you, and start a physical fight at a talent search audition, you get REWARDED with fame and fortune.

Haha, I kid. The lesson is, of course...

Well, that's a wrap on episode one! This is so much fun. I am thriving, everyone.

#big time rush #btr #btr rewatch #btr season 1 #kendall knight #carlos garcia #james diamond #logan mitchell

[acethedria]

My thoughts on cops in Drawtectives

The Drawtectives have a whole weird relationship to cops and honestly it’s very inconsistent. This is common for detective stories so I wanted to think about it more.

Warning for spoilers for both seasons and the one shot

The Drawtectives themselves

Are the Drawtectives cops? If I were to classify them, they're only like cops in the way that a Superhero is, where they effectively act as law enforcement but with morals. They’re not real private investigators, they’re fictional, and can thus be like how they are. The Drawtectives would never go after anyone who didn’t "deserve it." However you define that.

However, they’re still a form of law enforcement and I believe I would be remiss if I didn’t say that they are still putting people into prison. They’re still putting "bad" people into the hands of actual full on cops, so they’re entirely complicit in the process. This is quite common in detective stories. We love Benoit Blanc but he still is in leagues with cops so y’know in real life how good could he possibly be.

The B Team

Okay so S1 starts off with a sympathetic character as a cop. Flem Mucowsy was only added to be a front door guard but it’s still an odd thing to start the group of cops we meet with a sympathetic / pathetic guy who’s so sick he can’t even do his job correctly.

This is contrasted immediately by an overly serious Inna Urfass. She is the only competent cop we really meet in the entire season, gathering evidence, putting people into individual rooms, acting as security for the entire building. She gets close to copaganda. Especially since the fact that she is stated to be the only competent person on her team, it sort of portrays her in a sympathetic light, that she is smart and everyone around her is holding her back because she "Does her job" (paraphrasing).

Pierce Steel is an absolute idiot and so is still Bogan, but during interactions with Pierce Steel we do know that Jancy used to work with him often and even had him declared innocent for a crime he didn’t commit. This reflects quite well on Jancy, as she absolutely ensures that the innocent are not punished, although of course it doesn't question the system itself. Pierce doesn’t either cause that’s what made him want to be a cop? For some reason? Pierce is a weird character in this regard.

Imagine a bunch of unequivocal idiots being the ones to decide who gets arrested and put into the process of the justice system and who gets to walk free… oh wait.

Paladins

Well, first of all, what even is a paladin? Sorin stops corruption and worker mistreatment but he still arrested Sam Ug, so Paladins seem to be different but very similar to cops where they arrest and investigate suspects. I don’t really know what makes Sorin as a paladin captain different from Pierce Steel. Sorin is a bastard too even if he was a socialist cop, however the hell that works.

The A Team

The A Team is like actual copaganda I think. A bunch of cool cops who know what they’re doing and do cool flips and shit while coming to take down the bad guy is such a stereotypically positive view of cops. It’s such a weird contrast with the entirety of the other cops in the series. Every single other one is either an idiot, comically serious, or Sorin who’s dead and also a socialist who hates corporations. They fully just do not fit in.

The One Shot

The one shot is when the Drawtectives literally interrogate witnesses with the help of cops arresting people. It is so out of character for the Drawtectives to be interrogating people honestly. Which by the way they should not be able to do legally unless they are actual cops so I don’t know what’s going on with Fancy Town’s policing system.

The real odd bit is Norm. Norm is a cop and is kind of just treated like a run of the mill guy. Harper is treated as unreasonable to freak out about the cop who arrested you walking towards you but tbh I get incredibly uncomfortable with law enforcement officers generally despite never having been arrested. I couldn’t imagine if you see the literal officer who once arrested you walking towards you in the park. Idk Norm is such a weird character and while I like his personality, the fact that he’s a cop is such an odd wrinkle in his whole thing that I can’t like him.

Also I mean hey at least the police aren’t afraid of treating other cops like suspects? That’s a positive.

Season 2

It has no cops. Not a one. Closest we get is Felix but he just thinks he's sending people home so, not really a cop.

Leland is arrested by cops with Jancy having called them but that’s kind of just the same issue as above with Jancy working with cops in general.

ACAB

<3

#drawtectives #drawtectives spoilers #drawfee #my post

[luisjuanmilton]

Hello, Ana, I hope you're doing okay. I saw your latest posts and you got some pretty rude anons in your ask box. I'm just writing this to add my 2 cents to what's happening since Silverstone because, as much as I don't agree with a couple of things you say, I think people are completely missing the point about some of your statements and are sending unjustifiable hate towards you (as I recall, an anon was sending asks about you to another blog asking if they were on your side and that's just peak stupidity). So, I'm watching F1 since the 2001 season (yes, I'm above 40) and when Alonso became the WDC in 2005 it was the best season ever for me. Men are not my thing, so I've never felt particularly fond of any of them on a personal level, social media wasn't a thing, I'm also working on STEM, so the technical aspect of the sport always fascinated me. I'm saying all of this because when Alonso won he broke a streak of victories held by Michael from and from a sports perspective, that was awesome. Dominance in the sport is boring. I never had anything against Lewis, he's undoubtedly the GOAT and I actively supported him in 2014 (Vettel's dominance had to end) and even 2015. But since Nico retired and Lewis' dominance became unparalleled (because as much as he has the same 7 WDCs as Michael, Lewis is a much better driver, and Michael played dirty, so Lewis had way more to achieve), and I was wondering when someone would come to stop that (maybe Vettel again?) (+)

Guys this is the first part of a very long three part ask I received which continues in full after the read more, and I want to ask everyone to read it because it’s incredibly well put and well written and it’s so important. I really think it perfectly explains the situation at hand and that’s why I’m going as far as to use Max’s tag, but if you’re a Max fan who doesn’t want to read it this is your cue to not click on the read more - even if I would advise for you to read the whole thing.

(+) The thing is, with the events that happened off track I can no longer wish for such a fiercely fought championship, and the reason why is that I don't trust RedBull and Max's work ethics anymore.

A championship should be decided ON TRACK, not with lawsuits and discourses full of vitriolic racist-toned hatred. It's a fact: RedBull as a scuderia did an amazing job this year, that car is insanely fast, Max himself is absurdly talented, but at this point can we really separate things to the point of sweeping racism under the rug and focus on the championship as if nothing is happening?

I always listen to the mantra "you can't separate the artist from their work" so how can we do it? How can we look at RedBull objectively and still feel happy for their results at the cost of Lewis Hamilton's wellbeing?

I see lots of people messaging you saying you're equating cheering for Max with being racist and no, not everyone cheering for Max is racist, but AT THIS POINT, could you guys cheering for Max ignore how permissive he is?

He has so much power inside that team, he could make Horner and Marko stop their nonsense, he could've issued a statement condemning the racism thrown at the fan, he could, as a public person, take responsibility in his hands and stop that shit. But he's silent. His IG post? Adrenaline.

But now, 48hs later there's really an excuse for his silence? Guys, as much as he's angry, it's not like people are calling Lewis only a bad driver, they are offending his race, their posting monkey emojis to his social media.

In Max's shoes, would you see your rival going through that and remain silent as if your pain due to your crash and missing the race could somehow be equivalent to RACISM? I'm not demanding you all to stop liking Max per se or trying to say he's a bad driver, this is not the point AT ALL.

I was there during the Schumacher era and, believe me, Michael wasn't an angel on track. Formula One always sparkled heated debate, but I've never seen anything like this before. Lewis is silent since Sunday, a couple of drivers are either issuing personal statements or a standardized GPDA text, and Max is still silent.

And in my view, regardless of how I feel about him as a driver, as a human being, he's failing miserably. This championship shouldn't be more important than standing for Lewis against the racists coming for him.

So instead of complaining people are calling you racist for supporting Max, ask yourself for how long you can put his behavior off track behind in a serious matter like this. Instead of asking Ana or any other fan to be better in their statements, go to Max's page and demand him to say something.

You're all aiming at the wrong target. RedBull has black employees, could any of you imagine how they must feel as well? How do black fans feel?  As for the championship, I hope Lewis gains a huge advantage soon as Horner and Marko will clearly try everything to have him banned until Abu Dhabi.

Let's move our desire to have a competitive championship to 2022 when, hopefully, Ferrari will give Charles a decent car. Nothing, guys, nothing can be more important right now than a black man - black fans, black employees - wellbeing and mental health. We're crossing a line we shouldn't have and people need to be accountable for their actions.

#thanks for this anon really #it was very eye opening even for me #lewis hamilton #max verstappen #formula 1 #long post #tw racism

[rovelae]

Behind the Scenes of “Hologram”

           Today marks exactly one year since I posted arguably my most popular fic. “Hologram” is a postgame Saiouma one-shot about escapism, loneliness, and running away from the past. I put a lot of myself into this fic and I’m blown away by all the love it’s received, not only on AO3 but in Discord servers and other social media. All that excitement made me keep thinking about it, so I thought I’d share a (very self-indulgent) behind-the-scenes of sorts about how I wrote it, as well as what I think of the story.

           This essay will contain spoilers for the whole fic, so if you’d like to read it first, you can find it here. Of course, if the tags scare you off, that’s valid, but you might want to skip this post too since I’ll be quoting it throughout (so, just to be safe, expect the warnings I’ve posted on AO3 to apply here too).

           If you’re a Lorde fan you’ll recognize the lyrics in the fic summary – “Nothing’s wrong when nothing’s true,” from “Buzzcut Season.” The inspiration for this fic came to me while I was on my way to an early shift at work, and I needed a good song in my head to give me the will to live for the next eight hours. Not sure why I chose that song in particular, but maybe part of it is because I like imagining stories to go along with the songs I listen to, like AMVs playing in my head, and I’d never been able to pin down exactly what this song reminded me of.

           The mood of the music is really what compelled me – there’s something lonely about it, and the lyrics sound like the singer’s trying to convince herself that everything’s okay even when all evidence points otherwise. There are “explosions on TV”, and “The men up on the news / They try to tell us all that we will lose,” but “we live beside the pool / Where everything is good.” Despite everything going wrong, despite the notes of fear creeping into the pre-chorus, the character will “play along… in a hologram with you” and “never go home again.”

           From there, it was an easy jump to “postgame Saiou” and that was that.

             There’s a cloud of seagulls hovering in the air around him, and a dozen or so more standing just out of reach, staring him down with beady black eyes. Kokichi takes a slice of bread from the loaf he’s holding and tosses it to one of the birds, watches it catch it and stumble under the weight, watches its head bob as it tries to swallow the whole thing at once. It gets remarkably far before four other birds descend on it, shrieking wildly.

           “Mine, mine, mine,” he mumbles into his folded arms, wondering if Shuichi would get the reference.

           He really wishes Shuichi was here.

           Kokichi upends the rest of the loaf of bread onto the sidewalk and laughs at the resulting chaos until his chest aches.

             To start off, I wanted to create the same lonely mood from “Buzzcut Season” in Kokichi’s simulation. He’s not exactly trapped there, but he’s refusing to leave, because as long as he’s on the fake Jabberwock Island, he can pretend the killing game never happened. The trade-off to that escapism is that the only people he can talk to are the NPCs, who aren’t complex enough to be remotely interesting to him, and Usami, who… well, tries her best, but is more of an informational / moderation program and can’t offer him what a therapist could.

           The only thing Kokichi has to look forward to is Shuichi, who he’s convinced is an extremely lifelike computer program rather than the real thing, because the real Shuichi would definitely hate him for everything that happened during the killing game. He’s so locked into this line of logic that he doesn’t let himself consider that Shuichi has forgiven him – he doesn’t even have a good answer for why the Future Foundation wouldn’t just keep the supposed Shuichi AI on indefinitely, believing it’s their way of baiting him into leaving the simulation.

           It’s not a healthy or sustainable lifestyle in the slightest, but Kokichi stubbornly refuses to do anything but wander the islands aimlessly, passing the time with ice cream and feeding seagulls until the next time he can see Shuichi.

             He dreams that DICE is here in the simulation with him, smiling and carefree as they explore the weird music venue. One of them has gotten the karaoke machine working, and another found a box of kazoos and maracas in the back room. Kokichi already pities anyone unfortunate enough to walk by the building tonight.

           “Not going to sing, Joker?” one of his DICE asks (over the sound of their youngest member shrieking through seven kazoos at once), sitting on the bench next to him.

           “Some games are more fun to watch than play,” he answers, leaning back on his hands and sighing.

           “Like a killing game.”

           The warm dream-atmosphere turns cold then, and Kokichi’s head snaps over to look at him—but his brother is gone and Kaito’s looking back at him instead, blood in his teeth and face ashen pale.

           “You... we don’t have to do this, man,” Kaito says, but it’s a lie and they both know it, and he doesn’t want to look behind him because he knows the machine’s looming over him with its unyielding steel and slow slow slow descent—

           “You’re not real,” he snaps at dream-Kaito, who doesn’t respond except to lift him up again. “Nothing’s real, none of—PUT ME DOWN! LET GO OF ME! DON’T PUT ME BACK IN THERE!”

           “Death is more mercy than you deserve,” Kaito says, and Kokichi claws and bites and kicks his way out of Kaito’s grasp like a wild animal, only to end up in front of a prison cell full of—

           DICE, his beloved DICE, trapped and hurt and afraid, bloodied and beaten and helpless.

           “Why didn’t you save us, boss?” says his second-in-command, clutching the bars with bleeding hands. “Why didn’t you do more? Now we’re all dead and it’s because of you.”

             Moments like this are my reference to Buzzcut Season’s pre-chorus, where the not-okay starts to creep into the illusion. Despite Kokichi’s valiant efforts to forget, he’s still dealing with the aftermath of seeing his family hurt and in danger, watching his friends die, orchestrating the deaths of two of them, being killed himself— and then being told every bit of it was made up to entertain an audience who sees nothing wrong with that picture. Running away is not the way to heal from trauma, and one day soon it’s all bound to come crashing down around him.

             “Do you know what this … island paradise represents, Kokichi?” [Hinata] asks, and Kokichi’s really not in the mood for a lecture but he continues anyway. “Jabberwock Island … was the setting for the fiftieth season of Danganronpa. The golden anniversary, they called it. It was my season.”

           Kokichi hunches over, hugging his arms over his torso and stifiling a scream. He does not want to think about this right now—

           “They wanted it to be the best season of all, which, unfortunately for us, meant it was also the bloodiest,” Hinata says. “Twice as many participants, deadly traps hidden across each of the islands— they even changed the way the motives worked, like when they told Fuyuhiko to cut out his own eye so Peko could have a quick death instead of suffering for days.”

           “Do I look like your therapist, porcupine-head?” Kokichi hisses. A sharp pain is pounding into his skull, and there’s a bitter, metallic taste at the back of his throat. A taste like poison and blood.

           “There was so much going on that the simulation malfunctioned,” Hinata says. “When people died, their Ultimate talents downloaded themselves into me. I’m told that the stress of so many personality grafts came close to liquefying my frontal lobe. I’m lucky I woke up at all… especially considering more than half of the others didn’t.”

           “Why are you telling me this?” Kokichi grates out through the static building in his head. If he opens his eyes, will he see the beach or the dull chrome of the machine closing in on him?

           “Because I know how much you want to forget about what happened,” Hinata says. “Believe me, I get it.”

           ….

           “These things that happened to us… we can’t erase them, no matter how much we want to. Some things have to be remembered.”

             I’d mostly like to leave Hajime’s season up to interpretation, but there are a couple things I wanted to say about it. I imagine Danganronpa is like the Hunger Games in that it’d go all out for big anniversaries. So, there were twice as many participants for the Jabberwock Island beatdown that was probably subtitled “Bloodbath Bay” or something equally appealing. The game’s formula changed from a focus on the mystery and the trials to “look at all these kids massacring each other a la Lord of the Flies,” and since the VR system wasn’t equipped to handle that many people and their deaths, it malfunctioned, giving Hajime way too many Ultimate talents and putting half the cast into comas from which they never woke up.

           Viewers either absolutely loved or absolutely hated this season, depending on whether they were DR fans because of the “blood n’ guts” factor or the “mystery and psychological thriller” aspect. Team Danganronpa faced quite a bit of backlash for actually causing the real-life deaths of half its participants, but were able to weasel their way out of serious legal repercussions because of the waivers the participants had signed beforehand (plus a lot of bribery and falling back on their longstanding popularity). So, the cast of Season 50 failed to end the killing game, but helped provide great evidence for the “Danganronpa is morally wrong” argument.

           Hajime works as a victim liaison for the Future Foundation and has been trying to take down Danganronpa since he got out of it. He’s like that in a few of my fics, actually; I like the idea of Hajime acting as a big brother of sorts to the V3 cast. It’s especially entertaining to imagine his interactions with Kokichi— though maybe not so much in Hologram, since to Kokichi he’s a representation of the past he’s trying so desperately to forget and the future he refuses to acknowledge.

             “SHUT UP!” He launches himself at Hinata, his hands wrapping around the other man’s throat as he uses his momentum to slam him to the ground. “SHUT! UP!”

           “Ko— ghk—” Hinata coughs, eyes wide with surprise, but aside from moving his hands up to grip Kokichi’s wrists, he doesn’t seem all that worried about fighting back.

           The thought only fuels Kokichi’s rage until he’s choking Hinata so hard his knuckles are white. “If you want me out of this simulation so badly, you can kill me,” he snarls. “I’m never waking up! I’m never leaving, do you UNDERSTAND ME?”

           Hinata grimaces, the outline of his avatar flickering, but he still doesn’t struggle, and Kokichi hates him all the more for it, despises him with a seething malice that festers low in his stomach. He wonders distantly if he’d actually kill this man in real life. Or if he’d be able to stop himself, feeling like this.

             Kokichi’s breakdown here is more out of fear than anger. Like I mentioned, Kokichi sees Hajime as another piece of what’s hurt him, and no matter how Hajime tries to help, Kokichi will always remember Danganronpa whenever he sees him.

             Warm yellow-orange light casts a relaxed, cozy glow over the dining hall. It’s an ambience compounded by the flickering candles on the table, which seems overly idyllic, but Kokichi will let it slide because of the adorable way Shuichi flushed when he noticed them as they sat down. Well, if he’s being honest, everything about Shuichi right now is adorable, from the way his hair keeps falling into his eyes to the way he’s nervously fiddling wth his chopsticks. Kokichi wishes he could keep staring at him forever.

           Ah, not… not in a weird way, though, just… because Shuichi’s beautiful, and when Kokichi looks at him he can forget everything bad that’s ever happened, can create some new and brighter world to exist in.

             This is an idea I wish I’d had room to explore a bit more in the story— that is, just how far Kokichi will go to pretend everything’s fine. I thought about making him border on delusional, like having him talk to people who aren’t there or forget what’s actually happening around him because he’s so lost in his fiction-within-a-fiction. It would have creeped Shuichi out a whole lot.

           Unfortunately, there wasn’t much room for that past the plot I’d already nailed down, so I focused on his loneliness and escapism instead. I do touch on it later in this scene, though— the couple paragraphs where he slips into fantasizing about being a phantom thief having a surreptitious meeting with his detective under the not-so-subtle supervision of his DICE. There would have been a lot more of that if I’d gone with the ‘delusion’ stylistic choice, to the point where even the readers would be confused about what’s real. Maybe I’ll look into writing something similar in a future story.

             Eventually, Shuichi sets down his bowl and looks away with a little sigh, and Kokichi clenches his teeth because that’s the sigh he does when it’s time for that conversation.

           “Um… Kokichi?”

           Kokichi’s only response is to exhale the breath he’d been holding in a quiet hiss.

           “I-I know you don’t want to, but… but I really need to talk to you about something,” Shuichi says. “Please?”

           “My Mr. Detective can talk about whatever he’d like!” Kokichi says with a lilt to his tone that makes it sound more sarcastic than he wants it to. He takes the last bite of curry and wishes that it burns hot enough to hurt.

           “It’s about Kaito.”

             This more serious part of the date scene is meant to reflect the little bridge in “Buzzcut Season”:

“Cola with the burnt-out taste

I’m the one you tell your fears to

There’ll never be enough of us.”

           It’s a part of the song that sounds especially bittersweet to me, a bit of self-awareness between the insistence that everything’s okay.

           Really all I think I managed was to reference it when Kokichi’s internal dialogue comments on his drink being “so sweet it tastes burnt” and then later not tasting like anything. But hopefully the mood’s still there.

             “Tell him… that I have nothing against him,” he says.

           “That’s … not a lie?” Shuichi presses.

           Kokichi shakes his head idly, still not raising his gaze. “I wanted to wreck the killing game and he wanted to save his friend. We both got what we wanted. I’d say the end more than justifies the means.”

           Was that a lie?

           (I don’t want to die Shuichi I’m sorry I’m sorry save me Shuichi please I’m sorry ithurtsmakeitstop—)

           His fingers tighten into clawlike shapes, nails digging sharply into his forearms.

             I really don’t think Kokichi would have anything against Kaito, even if here he’s not being completely honest with how much he’s affected by what happened. It wouldn’t make sense to him to hate Kaito for something he himself proposed, but I think there’d still be a subconscious barrier between them. Too much history.

             “Don’t go, Shuichi, I’m so sorry, I— that was so dumb, what I said, please don’t be sad anymore.” He’s not sure if he can’t breathe because of the exertion of running or because of the hysteria boiling over in his head. “Please don’t go, I didn’t mean to hurt you— please don’t leave, Shuichi, I’m so sorry.”

           “Oh, Kokichi….” Shuichi’s tone is strange, soft and pitying, like he sees something Kokichi doesn’t, and he shakes his head slowly as more tears follow the paths of the others.

           Kokichi goes to his knees, ready to grovel if that’s what it takes, but Shuichi follows him down, closing his other hand over Kokichi’s, and then they’re both crying and he doesn’t know why, and all he can do is repeat a mantra of I’m sorry and hold on as tight as he can.

           It’s horrible. Shuichi’s horrible. Shuichi’s wonderful, and kind and lovely and perfect and Kokichi hates him, Kokichi adores him, and it doesn’t matter because Shuichi’s not actually here but Kokichi doesn’t want to be alone, just let me pretend some more, please, please let me have this—

           “I’ll… I’ll stay,” Shuichi says at last. “I can stay a while longer.”

           You shouldn’t, Kokichi wants to say, but his mouth won’t obey him. You shouldn’t stay if you don’t want to. I don’t deserve having you here. I’m not worth your mercy.

           But there on the bridge, crying tears of relief, he soaks up as much mercy as he can get and hopes it’s enough to drown him.

             I wanted to create a contrast between them that highlights just how the isolation and trauma Kokichi’s experiencing has affected him. He has an almost unhealthy reliance on Shuichi as “the only thing that makes this world bearable,” and panics when faced with the prospect of being alone again so soon. Part of why Shuichi’s crying is because he’s realized the extent of Kokichi’s desperation. It’s not that he thinks Kokichi’s apology is insincere, but that he’s hardly heard him apologize for anything before, so Kokichi going this far has him realizing how bad things really are.

             The door rumbles and slides open when they approach, revealing the bright light of the log-out point that took Shuichi away every time, that would wake Kokichi up in his real body if he walked into it. Shuichi stops just a step away from it, biting his lip as if searching for something to say, but before he can find it, Kokichi reaches out to tug at his sleeve.

           “Shuichi?” he says, distant as the waves on the beach that he can still hear if he listens closely enough. Shuichi turns back toward him. “Before you go, can I be selfish one more time?”

           “Huh…?”

           Shuichi doesn’t move when Kokichi steps closer, reaches up to ghost his fingertips over Shuichi’s jaw and around the back of his neck. He lets Kokichi tilt his head downward, lets him hover inches away, close enough to feel their breath mingle in the night air. Kokichi pauses there to give him the chance to pull away. He doesn’t.

           So Kokichi closes his eyes and the distance between them.

             That last line is a ZEUGMA! It’s a literary device where one word refers to two more in a different way. A popular example is the hyenas’ line “Our teeth and ambitions are bared” from The Lion King. It’s my favorite grammatical trick and I’d love to see more of it in fanfic.

             Slowly, he slides his hand down to Shuichi’s shoulder, using it as leverage to push himself away. That hurts even more. He can’t seem to open his eyes, and he feels so weakened, breathless, fragile. Cracked open, hollowed out.

           When he finally does open his eyes, Shuichi’s are wide with some mix of astonishment and a dozen other emotions. Kokichi bows his head, taking a deep breath to ground himself. “Sorry,” he whispers. “I just wanted to know.”

           “Kokichi,” Shuichi breathes, like a bullet through his heart.

           “Goodbye, Shuichi,” Kokichi says, and shoves him into the light.

           Shuichi’s little yelp of surprise cuts off abruptly as he falls through the door, vanishing into the glow, and all too soon, Kokichi’s alone again in a dream that suddenly seems far too vast. Alone, with the faintest taste of Shuichi’s lips still lingering on his own.

           And he thinks, It was enough just to know you.

           It’s a lie.

             Nothing to say here except that this is my favorite scene and I’m so happy with how it turned out.

             Fake sun rises over fake ocean, fake seagulls glide through fake sky while fake wind tousles fake palm fronds. Kokichi lies on his stomach in the fake grass and talks to his fake family in the fake notebook. Gives them fake names and runs through everything he remembers about them. Apologizes, over and over, wishes he could hug each of them goodbye one last time. Wonders if it would be more painful to die or to never have existed at all.

           He leaves the notebook of his memories on the seat of one of the Ferris wheel cars on the fourth island, because one time he promised them they’d steal the London Eye together.

           He buys a can of fake soda from the fake convenience store on the first island and sits on the fake beach watching the fake waves. Wonders when he’d hit the end of the simulation if he started swimming, or if he’d drown first.

           White sand, blue sea, bluer sky. Washed out, like an amateur watercolor painting.

           He opens the soda can and raises it to his mouth, but … even the thought of drinking it makes him sick to his stomach. He sets it down in the sand and flicks it over, watching the bubbly liquid run down and sink into the sand. The color’s all wrong, like blood streaked against a metal floor.

           He walks the fake streets of the fifth island, passing fake skyscrapers and fake commuters and their fake conversations, until he finally stops outside the factory he’s never been able to bring himself to go into. Smells like oil, and metal and machines and he can hear the sounds and he’s immediately back in the hangar, dizzy on adrenaline and desperation and leaning heavily on Kaito so he doesn’t keel over and die then and there. Kaito says something about how maybe he should sit down for a minute, and Kokichi didn’t agree back then but he does now, goes down on all fours and dry heaves.

           When his vision solidifies and he can stop gasping for breath, he sits up and presses his back against the factory wall, covering his ears and hiding his face in his knees. Tries to convince himself not to imagine Shuichi’s there with him, holding his hand again, promising everything’s going to be okay.

           “I’ve got you. No one’s going to hurt you anymore,” or maybe, “Breathe with me, it’ll be over soon. You’re safe now.”

           I love you.

           He laughs until there’s nothing left in his lungs. He called these little daydreams obsession, before, but now they just seem sick and insane.

             I wanted to indicate throughout this scene that Kokichi’s gotten substantially worse. Instead of halfheartedly interacting with the NPCs or finding something to spend time doing, he’s aimlessly wandering the islands, focused on how fake all of it is. Not even talking to his sketches of DICE can make him feel better. The suicidal ideation starts to slip in even if he doesn’t realize it— a fixation on wondering what death is like, purposefully triggering himself by walking by the factory….

           The thing I want to talk about most though is the italicized I love you. I left it outside of quotation marks and dialogue tags on purpose because I wanted it to be ambiguous as to who’s saying it. If it’s Kokichi’s line, it’s sudden and almost out of place, like he couldn’t hold back from thinking it anymore. But it could be Shuichi saying it, too. Since it’s outside quotation marks, unlike the previous dream-Shuichi lines, it’s more vague, almost a whisper in Kokichi’s thoughts— like he can barely bring himself to imagine it and even feels guilty doing so, because there’s no way it could possibly be real.

           Which do you think?

           Eh, I don’t have an answer. When I hear it in my head, they say it at the same time.

             “How did you know?” he finally croaks.

           Shuichi’s breathing still sounds shaky, too. “Because you said ‘goodbye,’” he says.

           Kokichi finally looks up at him in a silent question.

           “You never say goodbye,” Shuichi says, rubbing his sleeve over his eyes. “It’s always….”

           “‘See you later,’” Kokichi finishes for him. Despite himself, a tiny huff of astonished laughter escapes him. “I didn’t even know, not until a couple of hours ago. And you figured it all out from one word?”

           Shuichi bites his lip at that. “You kissed me,” he says.

           Kokichi’s stomach twists and he looks away. “I said I was sorry—”

           “No.” Shuichi squeezes his hand into a fist and lets it fall to thump against Kokichi’s chest, like he’s trying to knock some sense into him. “It was so honest, and vulnerable, and… and I know how much you hate showing how you really feel.” Another tiny sob catches in his throat. “And so it felt like … like something you’d do if you weren’t going to s-see me again.”

           “Shuichi….” Kokichi trails off as Shuichi muffles his cries in his hand again. He’s so breathtakingly smart. There’s no one else in the world who thinks that way, no one else who could possibly be that attentive and that clever. Not a programmer, not a team of shrinks… how can an AI manage it? How is it that Shuichi always manages to take him by surprise? How can he see straight through him when he least expects it?

           Kokichi’s hand reaches up to Shuichi’s cheek. Reverently traces the path of the tears falling down it.

           “I wish you were real,” he confesses in a whisper.

             Kokichi’s stubborn. So, so stubborn. And he’s not used to being cared about, if the way he does everything by himself is any indication. So it makes sense to me that he’ll refuse to believe anything good can happen to him even in the face of convincing evidence. He’s pretty self-hating for someone so arrogant.

             Kokichi’s weak, deep down to his core, weak for this man. Already knows he’d do anything for him, and the thought is terrifying—that one person could have that much power over him, even if he doesn’t realize it.

           But what if he has realized it? Couldn’t this all be an elaborate ruse, a lie he knew Kokichi would be so desperate to believe that he wouldn’t bother questioning it?

           …Shuichi’s never hurt him, though. Only that one time, when he really deserved it. Shuichi wouldn’t … betray him, even for what he thinks is Kokichi’s own good. They’re… different from each other, that way.

           But still….

           “I’m so scared, Shuichi.” It’s barely a whisper. “I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

           “You won’t be.” It’s so hard to be skeptical, lost in his eyes. “I’ll be right there with you, for as long as you want. I won’t let you feel like this anymore.”

           Promise me, he wants to blurt out. Promise you’ll stay. Promise me you’ll never leave me, Shuichi, he wants to demand, but that’s wrong, that’s manipulative and selfish and everything he doesn’t want to be for Shuichi anymore.

           Shuichi, of course, says it anyway.

           “I promise, Kokichi.”

…        

           “Kiss me again,” he says. “Please?”

           Shuichi leans in close, then pauses, his brow furrowing the way it does when he catches him in a lie.

           “I’ll kiss you again in the real world,” Shuichi says. “Okay?”

           Kokichi shakes his head. “Shuichi, please.” Please, I don’t think I can do this. Please, I don’t want to wake up to a lie. Please, one last kiss for me to remember in case it was all fake.

           Shuichi reaches out to tilt his chin up and Kokichi closes his eyes, savoring every second, burning it into his memory.

           Shuichi’s soft breath ghosts over his lips.

           “Trust me,” he murmurs.        

           Kokichi’s eyes flutter back open, searching his face. Shifting him around on the white board in his head, seeing what categories he fits into this time. Weird, of course. Suspicious, maybe not. Trustworthy?

           Trustworthy….

           “I do trust you,” he realizes.

             Kokichi’s still hesitant to accept all of this— Shuichi kissing him didn’t magically fix everything. He’ll still doubt all the way to the log-out point, but at least now he realizes that this simulation is only hurting him— that if things are to get better they’re going to have to change, too. He’s got a long way to go before he’s all right, but he’s not going to have to face it alone anymore.

             And that’s a wrap!

           Once again, I’m really proud of this story, and I feel like I grew as a writer because of it. There are a few things I would change if I wrote it again, but for all its flaws it’s still my baby and I like how it turned out.

           Thanks again for all your support for “Hologram,” and thanks even more if you actually waded through all this nonsense of a director’s cut. It’s a huge confidence-boost to think that people liked what I wrote, and even wanted to hear what I had to say about it. If there’s any interest, I’d love to review some of my other fics here, or theorize or brainstorm or whatever else  you’re into. (Ask me what Byakuya’s Thing is in my superhero AU, I dare you 😉)

           I do have a WIP in my folder of bits and pieces currently titled “boy finally gets that kiss”, and it’s a post-Hologram scene from Shuichi’s point of view to just sorta… tie it all together, have them talk things over again… and kiss, of course. We’ll see if anything comes out of that.

           Until next time!

#Rov talks #Hologram #Saiouma #Oumasai #Behind the scenes #Director's cut #Fanfic review

[elexuscal]

Media after COVID-19

I’ve mentioned before that Covid-19 is going to almost certainly have a huge impact on our lives. These impacts will be varied, far reaching, and affect varied elements of our lives.

I”m gonna focus on media cuz it’s fun and relatively easier to predict.

To start, we’re gonna see a reeaaal slow down in most main stream films and TV shows. Can’t film if studios are closed, after all- and who wants to risk putting movies out if you don’t know when people will be going to theaters again?

That said, don’t expect this to be immediate. There’s gonna be plenty of stuff in post-production which might have some delay, but still be coming out.

Expect things like books, podcasts, indie games, etc- all stuff that can mostly be done at home, in smaller teams-  to keep chugging along. I personally fully intend to fill my Media Void with them

Also, I’m expecting at least one YA novel about a world where Touching Is forbidden because of a Terrible Plague. Protag Girl accidentally touches Love Interest Boy- the scandal!- but sparks fly. Protag Girl will turn out to be immune. 

But, okay. What about once the Mainstream Media gets back into full swing?

There’s that one post going around about A Straight White Middle Class Couple that falls in love again. This prediction is completely accurate. 

There’s that one post going around about the ‘America- Fuck Yeah!’ piece on how the US singlehandedly stopped the pandemic. This prediction is also completely accurate.

I like to hope, however, there will also be another, much better, more accurate dramatization of the Covid-19 response that will take a global perspective and show Proper Science in it. 

I’m fully expecting a “Based On a True Story” heart-string puller about some kid and/or grandparent who gets coronavirus and how Nearly Dying Taught Them To Live. 50/50 on whether they survive or not, irregardless of whether the person its based on did or not. 

A Zany Comedy about a hapless dad who gets stuck as his kids’ sole caregiver during quarantine. Hijinks ensue. 

Please give me at least one murder mystery where the closed door set up is they’re all stuck inside cuz quarantine.

Zombie stories are gonna be coming back in a biiiig way. I know folks. We’re still barely over the last wave of them. Whether or not it’ll last depends on whether the reaction is ‘sweet catharsis’ or ‘actually this is a little on the nose’. 

Sit coms/dramas set in the real world are gonna have to tackle the question of how to address This Whole Thing when they first come back. There will be a few approaches:

A number will just ignore them flat out. Easier that way, don’t have to mess with current plots/timelines.

A handful will wave it away with comments like, “When did you grow a beard?” “y’know, in quarantine.”

Plenty will have A Single Episode about the epidemic. The comedic ones with be Self-Isolation Hijinks, while the serious ones will involve a cast member actually getting sick. Quality will vary hugely.

Soooooo many physical distancing bottle episodes. I’m looking forward to this, cuz I’m a sucker for a good bottle episode. 

I’m predicting one or two series/seasons specifically set during Covid-19, for its full duration. I’m expecting quality to either be fantastic or awful, no in between. 

Adult animated comedies like South Park are gonna have a field day, one seconded only by...

Medical procedurals. You can just imagine.

At least one of those medical procedurals will win an Emmy.

Annnd... I think that’s what I’ve got. Anyone got anything to add on? 

#covid-19 #media

[kitkatopinions]

What makes you like May so much? I notice that despite her relatively little screen time and character development, she’s in a LOT of your top 3 ships. Not hate or anything, just always curious when people latch on to minor characters

Alrighty, let’s unpack May Marigold. Like you said, she doesn’t have a lot of screen time or character development, but even if a character isn’t featured much, there are still ways you can like them right away. Funnily enough, some of the reasons I like May are the same reasons I liked Qrow from his first season even though he didn’t get a lot of focus and we knew very little about him.

1. Mannerisms, body language, and attitude

I like expressive characters, I like characters who are dry or feisty or both, I like characters who can be in tense situations and look totally bored, I like joking characters and mock politeness and winks and attitude. May has a dry wit and an air of devil-may-care behavior around her that I find really appealing in a character. But she also has a society upbringing and it leaks into her actions here and there and that adds interest. She feels really distinctive. Also since the mains have started all seeming a bit... interchangeable, May is a nice change of pace in that way. Everyone in the above image is making pretty much the same face, but May, who looks like she couldn't be more bored.

2. She's someone I want to root for

When Team RWBY wanted to pretend they were in a situation where they could save everyone and everyone could win, May recognized what they were too stubborn and illogical to. May was the voice of experience and reason in that situation that point blank told them ‘there’s no saving everyone, you have to choose.’ And I mean, I was on Ironwood’s side in volume seven before he shot Oscar, but May not only has a point in what she says and in her goals, but has follow through (something Ruby didn’t have.) She wants to launch Amity Tower and so accompanies Team RWBN while feeling assured that Ruby’s friends are making up for her loss in protecting Mantle, she resolves to help Mantle after the Tower is launched with the statement that Atlas has soldiers defending it while Mantle does not and therefore she’s of better use there, and then she does what she says she was going to and goes to protect the people of Mantle even though she did it alone because Team RWB couldn’t choose anything. While Team RWB was hiding out in a mansion drinking tea, May was actually determined to do something. May is a flawed character, she calls Penny ‘robo-girl’ and gets called out for it, she’s aggressive with Marrow, she’s partially responsible for the delay of Amity being launched, and she seems to follow Robyn with too much devotion imo (considering my dislike of Robyn lol, I think this is fair.) But she’s also determined to help those in need and is willing to follow through, and uses actual logic to see the situation for what it is and understands her own limitations. Between annoying protagonists with impossible idealistic standards that act like they never have to change who feel very insincere, former heroes who have gone crazy and who might be actually fighting and trying to do good but are also down to murder anyone and therefore can’t be supported, and villains who are getting ‘redeemed’ in the sloppiest and least convincing ways possible... May stood out as someone who is trying to be both smart and caring, brave and compassionate, but realistic. Ironwood was no longer allowed to be seen in a good light and so was turned into a puppy kicking maniacal ball of crazy willing to torture and bomb just to get his way, and Ruby was not allowed to be seen as wrong or failing and so the whole narrative was about how good and right she was even if she didn’t accomplish her goal or earn a victory because hey, at least she made a rousing speech and yelled at anyone who wanted to do something she deemed not enough. May was allowed to be a moral character who just disagreed with Ruby, she was allowed to make mistakes without it either being treated as monstrous or quickly covered with pretty words about how everyone knows she’s still great. May was allowed to be a character without the authors constantly reminding us of what they want us to think of her. Maybe if she’d been in one of the earlier seasons, she wouldn’t have been as compelling to me (because that wasn’t a rarity lol,) but compare her to Ruby now and she’s amazing. Also she told Ruby she was wrong, and she may have softened it later, but still, it was one of the better parts of the whole volume. Ruby needs more people who are willing to give her hard truths, instead of people who are going to agree with and support her no matter what.

3. Potential

When it comes to characters, the first thing I really look at is if they’d be good in fan fictions, how I’d use them, how I could see them interacting in this or that scenario, and what dynamics I think they’d have. A lot of this has very little to do with actual canon, like wondering how she’d fit into a fake organization full of OCs I’d written into a couple of fan fics or wondering what her dynamic would be with the redeemed Roman Torchwick and Emerald and Mercury that I’ve often centered my stories around. But some of it is stuff like ‘How would May see Winter? What sort of tension might May have with her in Vacuo?’ ‘How would May get along with Sun and Neptune in Vacuo?’ ‘When the others get back from the void, what will May be doing?’ Much like I took to the cocky but clearly more under the surface winking argumentative Qrow in his very first season, I like what little I’ve seen of her and hope I get more of what makes her an appealing character to me later. And much like I got attached to Neo after even her very minor appearances in the first three seasons and started including her as the babied little sister figure of Roman somehow three times more cut throat than him that takes his word as gospel, I like May for what I can see her turning into in my fics even if she’s never given a lot of focus or room to grow or (God forbid) gets her character thrown to the wolves.

Also, as for shipping her with people, I feel like since she hasn’t yet taken a lot of screen time and we are wondering at how she’ll interact with people once things aren’t so tense, it’s easy to imagine her with a lot of people just because I haven’t been put off by any interactions and relationships that were badly handled or that just don’t vibe. I think I’ve listed her in the top three ships with Ilia, Sun, and Blake, and omg I just realized how funny it is that I listed May as a possible romance for all three of them. XD These ships are pretty casual, as I was looking for numbers and I’ve shipped Sun and Blake for so long, it’s hard to picture them with anyone else and there are pretty big road blocks in shipping them with many of the other mains, and I hadn’t really considered many ships for Ilia before writing the post. May just happened to be a ship I saw that I thought ‘that could be pretty cute, actually.’ However, thinking about her and Sun...

Idk, I just think it’d be neat. If BlackSun can’t be canon, this just might be my second choice. Sun is a bright, caring, loyal optimist who isn’t afraid to get serious and emotionally vulnerable and is also down for some low grade crime here and there. He values independence, he’s not pushy, but he’s also not afraid to challenge and call people out. May is cynical and a bit jaded, puts her trust in people maybe a little too much, but is also feisty and sharp witted and has a quick tongue, and she’s compassionate and willing to get her hands dirty and put what she thinks needs to be done over what others want and she’s realistic and gutsy. Also he’s got blonde hair and blue eyes and she’s got blue hair and honey colored eyes, so... Yeah. I don’t know, because it’s so hard trying to ship anything other than BlackSun for him, but there might be something the writers could work with there.

#rwde #this post contains #rwde content #rwby bashing #anti rwby #anti team rwby #canoncrit ironwood #team rwby bashing

[ezzydean]

our fate, your hands

6 times the ace kissed the setter’s hands +1 time the setter kissed the ace’s hands

for @notsuchasecret

happiest of days my friend

1 Yamamoto

Tora sits down next to Kenma, back against the gym wall, and takes a deep breath.  It doesn’t do anything to settle him, not like he had hoped it would.  His feet twitch, his fingers tap out a meaningless rhythm were they’re pressed against the floor.  He rolls one shoulder and then the other and then the first again.  Kenma huffs softly and leans towards him, keeps leaning until he’s pressing his shoulder into Tora’s.  It helps a little, helps ground him.  But Tora’s mind is still whirling, still spiraling, still showing all the opportunities he missed in that last practice game.

He pulls his hands into his lap and starts tapping his fingers against each other as he replays that last point in his head.  If he had moved a little faster.  Or maybe stepped back a little sooner to let one of the others take it.  Or maybe—

Tora stares down as his brain freezes and tries to process the sight of Kenma’s right hand resting on top of his own hands.

Kenma has switched his phone to his left hand to play whatever game he has on it and Tora’s watched Kenma play his games enough to know how much slower he is with his left hand.  How much more concentration he has to use to tap the screen in the right places.  How much trickier it is to make the right swoops and slides across the screen.  How much Kenma dislikes doing it.  Kenma doesn’t look at Tora but he presses a little closer and wriggles his fingers against Tora’s palm.

Tora picks up Kenma’s hand and presses a kiss to the back of it before tangling their fingers together.

Kenma rolls his eyes but he takes the gesture for what it is: a quiet thank you for being there.

2 Tanaka

It wasn’t nearly as tricky as he had imagined, stepping into the role of ace of Karasuno’s team.  Sure Asahi left him some pretty big shoes to fill but he had already been playing with Kageyama as starting setter for a year and even with Hinata on the team Ryuu managed to make a kind of frightening duo with Kageyama without much effort.  Kageyama trusted Hinata with his crazy bizarre almost instinctual quicks and on the fly changes.  But Ryuu trusted Kageyama to put the ball in front of him when it counted.

Kageyama sits down onto the bench next to him, gaze serious and thoughtful as he stares at the volleyball Ryuu has been spinning idly as he waits for practice to start.

“What’s on your mind?”

“They trust me,” Kageyama says, voice quiet but sure.  He isn’t questioning his place, isn’t questioning the team or their thoughts.  He’s just stating a fact.

“They do,” Ryuu agrees.

“They put their trust in me every game and I have to pick the right people to put the ball in front of, the right hands to connect it to.”  He stares down at his own hands for a moment before looking up and meeting Ryuu’s eyes.  “Hinata’s the one I put it in front of for the wild plays.  The ones that shouldn’t work but do.  You’re the one I put it in front of when I need it work.  When I need the team to know we can do this.  That no matter what we’ll keep going.”

“Oh,” Ryuu says.  

He’s not sure why he does it.  But he reaches over and grabs Kageyama’s left hand and kisses his knuckles.  Kageyama watches him, curiosity sparkling in his eyes.  When Ryuu just shrugs instead of explaining himself Kageyama lets out a quiet laugh and tilts to the side to lean against Ryuu’s shoulder.

3 Ushijima

Shirabu talks a lot about things like being worthy enough to play with Wakatoshi.  Being talented enough.  Wakatoshi isn’t sure about the whole being ‘talented’ enough or ‘worthy’ enough thing.  Those are odd quantifiers for ‘enough’ in his mind.  You’re either enough or you’re not.

Shirabu is.

Wakatoshi watches as Shirabu tapes his fingers, careful and precise in his motions, and nods in approval when Shirabu notices his watchful gaze.  Shirabu nods back, flexing his fingers as he tucks the roll of tape back into his gym bag.

He’s not sure what stray spark of thought and muscle reaction makes him reach out as Shirabu moves to walk past him but it’s probably the same one that encourages him to wrap his fingers around Shirabu’s wrist — and has it always been so delicate looking or is Wakatoshi’s hand just that large in comparison? — and press a careful kiss to the outside edge of Shirabu’s wrist — the one he sprained earlier this spring and had cursed himself out for hurting for the entire time it took him to heal.

Shirabu looks startled but Wakatoshi simply tells him, “You are enough,” before heading across the gym to start his stretches.

4 Azumane

There’s been a lot in Asahi’s life that he just never really understood.  Things that he’s never fully grasped.  Things that will forever be unknown to his mind.  He’s okay with that.  He doesn’t want to, or need to, know everything.

Except for when it comes to Suga.  Suga and his ability to stir things up and drag Asahi along on the most amazing adventures.  Suga who pulls him out of his funks and makes him smile.  Suga who challenges him.  Suga who never forces him to give more than he can.

Which just makes Asahi want to give Suga everything he can.

Suga who has had his back even when he’s been dragging Asahi down hallways and forcing him to face his biggest fears on and off the court.  Suga who never stops trying and never lets Asahi give up.

He has often been a creature full of hesitation, full of doubts and worries and forever chased by little gray clouds of worry.  But he doesn’t stop to think, doesn’t give himself the chance to worry about anything, when he sits down next to Suga under the tree outside the gym.  He just takes Suga’s hand and presses a soft kiss to his palm, doing his best to convey everything he wants to tell Suga and can’t with the simple gesture.

5 Ushijima

Semi sits down two seats from him stares at the side of his face until Wakatoshi turns to look at him.  When he does Semi simply continues to stare.

“What is it?”

Semi blinks at his question but doesn’t respond.  He just nods to himself like Wakatoshi just answered some question of his.  Which is strange because Wakatoshi hadn’t even known that Semi was asking anything.  He just turns back to the magazine he has open on the table in front of him and lets Semi go back to whatever it was he had been doing.

Twenty minutes later Semi is staring at him again.

Wakatoshi grabs Semi’s wrist and tugs at it until Semi moves to the chair next to him with a questioning hum.  The sound cuts off dramatically when Wakatoshi brings Semi’s wrist up and kisses the delicate skin just under Semi’s palm.  Semi lets out a soft little noise when Wakatoshi presses his lips against that delicate skin a second time.

Wakatoshi will never really understand people.  But that’s okay.  Because he’s found the ones who understand him well enough that it doesn’t matter in the end.

6 Kyoutani

It’s just another day.  Classes he drags himself through.  Lunch that’s mediocre without being entirely bland.  More classes.  Practice.  He sprinkles in arguments and eye rolls and scoffs, seasoning his day with irritated responses and head shakes from his classmates.  Same as any other day he’s repeated hundreds of times and will repeat hundreds more.  Even the shouting match he gets into with Yahaba while Watari watches them with that disappointed look on his face even as his eyes sparkle with amusement is the same as always.

Until it isn’t.

One second Yahaba is jabbing at Kentarou’s chest with his finger and the next Kentarou has hold of Yahaba’s wrist and is pressing kisses to the tips of Yahaba’s fingers.

Yahaba stares at him in shock.  Watari snorts.

Kentarou raises his eyebrows, daring Yahaba to respond in some way.  Yahaba just watches as Kentarou finishes kissing the fingers on one hand and then grabs the other to do the same thing.

Yahaba has always had an odd way of showing that he cared, that he wanted his teammates and friends to be okay.  Kentarou figures that it’s only fair to thank him in just as odd of a way.

+1 Koganegawa

It… hadn’t been the best of games.  He had tried, they all had, but it just hadn’t quite been enough.  Kanji is irritated and frustrated with himself.  But as he watches Futakuchi take a deep breath and run a tired hand down his face he realizes that he’s not the only one feeling this way and he’s sure that it’s a dozen times worse for his captain.

Futakuchi scrubs at his face and runs his hand through his hair and presses his palms against his forehead and Kanji just wants to make it better.  To make things easier for his captain, his ace.

When Futakuchi growls and starts to dig the heel of his hands against his cheeks Kanji steps over and grabs his wrists, pulling Futakuchi’s hands away from his face.  He kisses the edge of Futakuchi’s palm.

“We’ll do better next time,” he promises, lips brushing against Futakuchi’s warm skin.

Futakuchi stares at him in surprise for just a few seconds before takes a deep breath and nods.

“Of course we will,” he says.  “I’ll make sure of it.”

Kanji grins and lets go of Futakuchi’s wrists, stepping away to grab his bag from the bench.  It might not have been the best of games but they wouldn’t let that stop them.  Futakuchi wouldn’t let that stop them.

That’s why he was the ace, after all.

#haikyuu #hq writing #things for cal

[onyour-right]

A Dickkory fic - Role Reversal

*Strides in several months late after I said I was gonna have this out by the time season 2 finished airing* I don’t even have any excuses for myself other than my motivation to write them was at such a low, but I hope this kinda makes up for things. 

This fic is Kory kinda struggling to deal with a few of the events that have happened, of what her sister’s presence on earth means, and then of course our ole boy Dick comforting our girl.  

Please feel free to comment on what you liked/disliked (but keep it respectful). Positive feedback is always necessary. 

Word count: 2,600+

Kory lies wide awake in her unbelievingly spacious double bed, her green eyes fixed unseeingly on the pasty white ceiling as numerous thoughts race through her mind and leave her unable to fall asleep.

It’s not the first night she has had trouble falling asleep, nor is it the second the third or even the fourth. Ever since she’d had to kill Faddei, a friend to her despite everything else, and then somehow lost her powers, there was a restlessness that clung deep to her spirit and left her feeling oddly vulnerable in a way that she wasn’t at all used to.

She knows she’s been acting differently around the others, and knows that they’ve picked up on it too. She’s seen the worried looks that Gar shoots her way when he thinks she isn’t aware; she feels the frustration that bleeds through her every interaction with Dick, of him wanting to push but not knowing how far to go. Even Rachel, who is generally a lot harder to read and a lot less obvious with her affections, seems to be hovering close to her as if she’s worried she might take off at any moment. 

Kory loves them all; some days it overwhelms her just how much she does, and on her bad days she finds herself wishing she didn’t love them as much as she did. It’s why it makes the presence of her sister on earth that much worse. Blackfire has already shown her ruthlessness, her lack of remorse in doing what she needs to do to get what she wants. It would be absolutely nothing for her sister to take any one of their lives, to take away what few people Kory now has left.

Her mind drifts over to Gar, sweet, precious Gar, who is unbelievingly loyal and deserving of so much goodness he has yet to receive. Then Rachel, who nestled her way into Kory’s heart fiercely and unapologetically, who challenges her in so many ways. And finally Dick, the man who already arouses feelings so deep within her that she knows that if both of them could just figure it out...

She can’t be the reason they die. She can’t watch any of them die. It would be too much. It would devastate her. She can handle a lot of things, but she can’t with this, she can’t -

… She can’t breathe.

Kory presses her hand firmly against her chest, against the hammering of her heart, in futile hope that it will help abate the pressure mounting. It does not. She feels as if she’s boiling under the covers, her skin disgustingly clammy to touch, and she doesn’t know where she’s going, but she knows she needs to leave.

She barely registers throwing back the covers and slipping out of her room, or moving through the dimly lit hallways of Titan Tower on the night cycle.  

When she stumbles towards the security door leading to the rooftop she wastes no time in yanking it open and rushing out into the cold, night air, where finally she’s able to take in a deep breath when the fresh breeze washes over and settles deep into her skin.

Kory stays like that for a long while, her eyes shut and her face tilting upwards towards the moonlit sky. There’s something about basking in the silence, she thinks, something almost beautiful and peaceful that she so desperately needs.  

She is unaware of how much time passes until her quietness is interrupted by a familiar baritone voice that comes from behind her.

“Kory.”

Her eyes open almost instantly at the sound of Dick’s voice, and even though she needs this bit of peace she’s found and is reluctant to break it, she still spins round to face him.

“Dick,” she says with surprising softness, surprising given the weariness that she feels, that sinks right through to her bones and makes her ache.  

He looks adorable in his half asleep state; wearing his blue pyjama bottoms and white tee, with his ruffled brown hair that has Kory longing to run her fingers through it. She can imagine his reaction if she were to tell him just how cute she finds him in this moment, he would most likely let out a disgusted scoff and grumble something unintelligible under his breath that would only make her laugh.  

Kory watches him quietly, watches the worry and concern playing out so plainly on his face as he looks at her, and it startles her, because he never used to be so open with his emotions. She wonders when he’d changed so much.

When it becomes clear that she’s not going to say anything else, that she’s allowing him to take the lead in this conversation, he steps towards her and speaks.

“I got an alert when the door to the rooftop was opened, I wanted to see if you were okay.”

She nods slowly, letting out a thoughtful hum as she does. A small part of Kory wonders if he knew that it was her all along, and it makes the corner of her lips pull up into a gentle smile even while the lie trickles easily from her mouth.

“I’m fine, Dick, I just needed some fresh air.”

He furrows his brows and a disbelieving frown settles on his face, his gaze dropping down to her bare feet and then lifting back up to meet her eyes. “So fine you couldn’t spare the time to put on a pair of shoes?”

Kory feels herself tensing up at his words and folds her arms defensively across her chest. She keeps her gaze firmly on him. She won’t look down and give him the satisfaction of being right, of catching her out in a blatant lie; and she definitely won’t respond to him, with his tone of voice that she doesn’t much care for.  

He seems to realise his own misstep seconds after because his gaze softens suddenly, and a heavy breath loosens from his mouth as he takes another step closer to her. “You’ve been different lately. Not just with me, but with the whole team.. I’m just worried about you, Kory.”

Not for the first time does she find herself taken aback by his emotional maturity, although she doesn’t necessarily know why. It’s not as if he hasn’t shown his concern over her well-being before, or hasn’t gone out of his way to check on her when he knows that she’s not okay; but there’s something remarkably different about this moment that they’re sharing right now. His honesty makes it harder for her to maintain her façade towards him, but she finds that for the first time in her life she’s at a loss as to how to express herself.

“I’m-” Kory starts, trailing off into a hesitant silence when the words seem to fail her, she continues a moment later. “I appreciate your concern, Dick, I really do, but I don’t need it, I’ll be fine. I think you should be more worried about the kids though, especially Gar, y’know? He’s had a rough time and I-”

“Kory- ”

“ - think he needs some sort of help,” she continues, as if he hasn’t said a word. “Maybe someone professional to talk to. I know that it’s quite common to seek mental help after facing a traumatic event. And I mean he’s -”

“Kory- ” Dick tries again, but either she doesn’t hear him or can’t seem to stop the words falling from her mouth.

“ - just a kid, he’s so young and I -”

“Koriand’r!” He shouts finally, his voice sounding even louder in the stillness of nightfall that surrounds them.

The rest of the words die out on her lips and her eyes widen almost comically as she can do nothing else but stare at him in shock. She doesn’t think Dick has ever raised his voice to her, even when they argue it’s never with raised voices. She wants to say it bothers her, but she really can’t. An emotion that seems wholly inappropriate given the serious nature of their conversation courses through her body, and for the life of her she can’t figure out whether it’s because she likes the way her proper name falls from his mouth, or if it’s something else entirely.

Dick releases a heavy breath, his chest rising and falling as if she drives him breathless. She can see the frustration laced in his eyes again, and it makes her guilty that she’s the cause of it.  

“We’ll sort Gar out I promise you, but I can’t do that without you. He needs both of us.”

Kory feels her body deflate at his words, and a stretch of time passes where they seem content to just watch each other; Dick’s gaze searching and Kory’s gaze filled with an array of conflicting emotions. This time it’s her that takes a step forward to him, her hand reaching up to rest against the side of his face with her thumb lightly stroking his cheek.

Some of the worry clears from Dick’s expression when she steps close, and is replaced with the same emotion that Kory recognises flows through her body. His stare drops down to her full lips and his mouth parts invitingly, and the faint  hesitation Kory felt floats away because now she knows that he wants her too.  

Kory ducks her head down and closes the space between them, capturing his lips in a searing kiss that he returns with just as much intensity.

It’s been a while since they’ve last been as intimate as this. After defeating Deathstroke and then the  death of Donna, it’s taken some time for all of them to settle into their new norm and relearn old dynamics, and yet the way their bodies still move so in sync with each other is like no time has been lost at all. It’s overwhelming in the best of ways.  

They stumble backwards until Dick’s back hits the metal door and he lets out a soft grunt against her mouth, both his arms snaking around Kory’s waist to pull her flush against him. She’s forgotten how good it is to be allowed to touch any part of him that she wants – his chest, his hair, his face, and in turn to feel his hands on her. It fills her with such a staggering amount of pleasure.

Eventually they part for some air, panting heavily as they try to catch their breaths. It’s only a mere few seconds later that Kory leans forward again with the intent to claim his lips again, but when Dick inches his head back a stab of rejection so strong buckles through her.  Has she read him wrong?

Kory tries to step away from him then, but his arms turn tight around her and prevent her from walking away.  “Kory,” is all he says, low and soothing, like he already knows the assumption she’s jumped to and is trying to reassure her.  

He’s studying her face with that deeply intense manner of his, and in that moment she realises. It’s not that he doesn’t want to, because of course he does, it’s that he’s not letting her forget their conversation, he’s not going to let her brush this off as nothing.

She huffs lightly and averts her eyes, fixing them on a random spot on the wall. Her resolve starts to slip the longer she feels the heat of his gaze on her; stubborn man, she can’t help but think, even though the irony of her comment is not lost on her.

Kory’s voice is quiet when she finally admits to him, to herself. “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore, Dick.”

His lower lip juts out slightly while he listens, the gentle expression on his face akin to understanding. “Because of your sister?”

She nods, biting down on the inside of her mouth and turning back to him. “And my powers. One of the last conversations Faddei and I had was about my purpose, my responsibility, and now I – she’s stolen them both from me and I don’t even know what to do about any of it. I feel,” she pauses, letting out a bitter sigh, “I just feel powerless.”

Dick’s brows knit together and a frown creases his face. “The last thing I would ever call you is powerless, Kory. I can’t say I know how any of it feels, but I know that if anyone can figure out what to do it’ll be you,” and at the incredulous look that crosses over Kory’s face he adds, “maybe not right now, but you will. And you don’t have to do it on your own.”

Kory’s vision suddenly starts to blur from her tears, and a warmth spreads through her chest. It’s the type of warmth that is welcome, that heats her whole body down to her toes despite the bitter chill. She stretches a hand up and combs her fingers through Dick’s hair, the faint beginnings of a genuine smile on her liips.

“When did you get so wise?”

He snorts at her question, his lips twitching in amusement. “I have my moments.”

It almost makes her smile fully, but her expression only turns downcast as her thoughts linger once again on her sister. It was never Dick choosing to be  alongside her that she doubted, but it was exactly what worried her. “She could kill you, Dick.”

“I’m not so easy to kill,” he retorts jokingly, trying to lighten the mood, but Kory only seems utterly unamused and mere seconds from ranting at him and so he turns serious.

“I know this life I’ve chosen, Kory. And if the worst-” he breaks himself off before he can finish that sentence, sighing. “I’m not going to regret wanting to help you.”

Kory stares at him, her eyes scanning his face for any subtle traces of insincerity. She finds none. She wants to argue that Dick doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into, but he’s a grown man, and who is she to dictate to him what he can and can’t be willing to do. Her royal privilege doesn’t transcend to earth, and even it did she would never.

Dick leans forward, brushing a kiss against her lips. It’s fleeting and leaves her wanting more.

“I was once told that the best way to figure something out is together with someone that you trust.”  

Amusement colours her face as she vaguely remembers having the conversation he’s mentioned. It feels like such a long time ago now, and even though they went through a faire share of problems back then, she still suddenly finds herself missing those early days.  

Kory arches a brow teasingly. “And yet it took you so long to listen?”

Dick shrugs a shoulder, dropping another kiss on her lips that lasts just a little bit longer, and holds a little bit more promise. “I’m listening now, Kory.”

She nods, her head tilting to one side as a broad smile can’t help but bloom across her face this time. “Together does sounds good.”

He hums, offering her an outstretched hand. “Let’s go back to bed.”

Kory doesn’t even hesitate, she places her palm in his and lets him lead her back to his room.  

                                                              ***

Later on, when Kory’s skin is slick with sweat for a different reason this time, and Dick’s arms are locked protectively around her with his lips pressing against the back of her head, she’ll think that maybe, just maybe, they’ll be okay.  

#dickkory source #dickkory #dick grayson #koriand'r #dick x kory #G writes #dc titans #brenton thwaites #anna diop #i love my parents y'all

[formless-monkeys]

What is your favorite relationship(s) in the show (romantically or platonically, doesn’t matter!)

Anon you will regret opening pandora’s box. Or not. In any case, this post is going to be very long because I’m full of love. Also, anything marked romantic does not need to be romantic for me to lose my shit over them. In no particular order, either. Just in the order I thought of them.

1. The Black-eyed trio

Characters: Otto, Sparx, and Gibson.

Type: Platonic, Romantic,

Explanation: These three are grouped together by virtue of not being obscenely powerful and serving more practical uses on the team. Also, their eyes are all the same color. Besides the poetic connections of the colors of their design, they were alone in the robot together while the other three monkeys were out training.

Sparx and Gibson’s interactions give me life, going from playful jabs to genuine fighting right back to ride-or-die is amazing. The beginning of Night Of Fear, the battles in Brothers In Arms, and a bunch of small moments throughout the series are wonderful for this.

I could write an essay about Otto and Gibson, and someone else already has, but I’ll summarize it as ADHD autism solidarity with a side of Shut The Fuck Up Gibson. They care about each other and learn to respect each other in a way that’s better for both of them. I know a real-life Gibson to my Otto and learning that she’s just pretentious and doesn’t really hate anyone, and figuring out that we’re both equally brilliant and incredibly similar has made life a million times better.

Otto and Sparx don’t have as much development as Gibson with both of them, but their jokes together and general trust is amazing. Sparx is the dumb monkey and Otto supports him in his himbo endeavors. 

These three together make an unstoppable technical team, and the only reason they probably couldn’t be a superhero team on their own is because of the raw power and fun dynamics brought by the other half of the team. 

Romantically, these three would make the DUMBEST polycule ever. There is no true mediator here. It’s three dumbasses figuring out how they could possibly share a twin-sized bed when they have the ability to just make a bigger bed. Gibson calculates the most efficient 3 monkey makeout and none of them follow the statistics. They all give Chiro equally useless and conflicting advice on homework. Trying to give them a mediator in the polycule just makes me go back to shipping polymonkeys because I literally can’t decide if Antauri or Nova go better with them.

2. Quiet trust and encouragement

Characters: Otto, Antauri

Type: Platonic, Romantic

Explanation: When Otto is being dismissed by the other monkeys, or by the show itself, Antauri is usually the first to say “that’s bullshit, Otto is wonderful”. Circus Of Ooze is a notable example, but there are little moments in other seasons as well. 

I just love the idea of the historically MOST SERIOUS and strongest monkey, sometimes even elevated to god-like status by some fanworks... paired with the monkey that has been infantilized and disrespected to no end. I personally like making Antauri have to lean on Otto, just to subvert that even further. 

Beyond spite, I ship this simply because I like their dynamic. Antauri needs someone to ground him with more tactile physical things, and Otto needs someone to share his more nebulous thoughts I can’t imagine the others listening to. I love them.

Also, I want Antauri to unlock his true dumbass potential. He has the abilities, but not the will. Be silly with Otto. I want to hear him snort-laugh.

I literally forgot all the silver monkey stuff but I got three fics about that you know I go nuts over mechanic x robot shit.

3. The monkeys and their human son.

Characters: Chiro, Antauri, Nova, Sparx, Gibson, Otto

Type: Familial

Explanation: This family gives me joy. They were forced together through astronomical means and they made the best of it. 

Everyone living in the robot is absolutely fucked up. They help each other in the darkest of times. They lift each other up when it’s light. They are a perfect team and nobody can be missing without it feeling wrong. But they can add people!

“Girl Trouble” as a concept is AMAZING to me but my secondhand embarrassment is so strong that I hate the episode. But never once is any of the monkeys resentful of Chiro. Not even Mandarin is like “wow I wish he didn’t take my place” no he’s also struck with the urge to nurture this kid to his fullest potential. Whether you see the team as a bunch of older siblings or 4 dads and a mom doesn’t really matter, they’re a family.

I mean, this also has a sprinkling of shipping all the monkeys in a really domestic way because I like seeing my optimal future in characters I like, but like literally all of these, it doesn’t need to be romantic for me to go nuts. I just think it would be fun to throw just a big monkey wedding or whatever. And funnier for Antauri to go “Chiro I’m having a baby. The baby is you” and holding up adoption papers because on the principle of Toby “Radiation” Fox I love that joke, especially when made much less weird than the original context.

I have a set of characters who is just 5 people in a polycule raising kids and living life because I really love this concept as a family.

4. Evil Coworkers

Characters: Mandarin, Sakko

Type: Romantic, Platonic,

Explanation: Why the hell are these two, in particular, working together? SK could’ve put Mandarin with literally anybody else and he chose what on the surface appears to be the LEAST compatible person on the account that they’re both monkeys. Some bitter asshole who now looks like the epitome of toxic masculinity and this tiny pink pet who used his femininity both as an advantage and a style. They’re different but it ends up working really well for both of them because they’re different in ways that cover each other’s bases. It’s wonderful. Pink and Orange go well together. Green and Purple go well together. Mandarin and Sakko go well together. Also, they clearly trust each other. During almost the entirety of “Hidden Fortress” Sakko was presumably just chilling inside of Mandarin’s armor. Mandarin trusted him enough to have Sakko in a place where he’s able to mess with his cybernetics, and Sakko trusted Mandarin enough to go into the battlefield with him and probably get tossed around.

If they were both human and in a more modern media, then they would definitely be shipped in the straightest way you can get without actually being straight. The Straightest Gay Ship. 

5. A Witch and her Accidental Evil Coworker

Characters: Skelemandarin, Valeena.

Type: Platonic, Romantic, 

Explanation: These two have been through some shit. Skelemandy was made to serve Skeleton King only to have that purpose yanked away from him. Valeena was groomed to idolize and serve Skeleton King for nearly her entire life. They were forced together by SHEER CHANCE and they both hated it. Arguably they both died at some point. 

They both have absolutely NOBODY they can trust so let’s make them trust each other. All hilarity and sweetness comes from that. 

Their dynamic is so good that I have them on a blog for a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FANDOM and people love them with no context. 

This is the only cross-species ship I have (besides chinmay and the antauri ships but that doesn’t count), but the fact that Skelemandy isn’t actually a monkey and needs no cybernetic assistance to be human-level sentient makes it a lot less weird. Just put them on equal ground power-wise (like by nerfing Valeena’s magic) and you have the ingredients for bonding. 

They have like, no cute moments in canon, but that’s why we have fics and art. They have potential. I want them to help each other figure out who they are without their purpose. I want them to survive this horrible life together. I want them to figure out how to trust again. I want a lot but Valeena is fucking dead.

But she doesn’t have to be.

(Also Valeena is REALLY HOT and Skelemandarin is just me as a monkey)

6. Gay Dads

Characters: The Alchemist, Captain Shuggazoom

Type: Romantic, Platonic

Explanation: Oh my stars. Oh null. Oh me oh my hhougfhfakjghf. These two have the angst of Mantauri but on crack. 

They only appeared in about two episodes each and all three episodes are top tier. They call each other “Friend” multiple times in their shared episode. THEY’RE FRIENDS!!!!!!!!! The face Al makes when he realizes that Cap is visiting makes me really happy. The fact that Cap had this whole Batman Double Life thing and he shows the Alchemist BOTH OF THEM is amazing. The alchemist is a hermit living in the woods and he lets Cap into that life. 

There isn’t a lot shown, much less than everything else here. But that makes every single fanfic so much richer since they’re almost completely based on headcanons. Friends who have a mutual crush on each other but are No Homo about it? Secret boyfriends? Husbands with 6 monkey kids? An Old man and a grumpy Skeleton making it work? Literally just platonic friends? Dude, you can do whatever you want. 

The tragedy of these two losing each other to one big horrible event crushes me. It influences my every move in my creative work. I have an entire character dedicated to reuniting these two in the most astronomical and ridiculous way possible because the alchemist angered the gods but she thinks he needs some company in his eternal punishment.

I want Clayton to unlock Al’s less serious, more fun side. I want them to work together. I want them to hold hands. GHGHGHDFBG UTTHTYE CNAZSNT EBCV ASUA ER

7. The girl power duo

Characters: Nova, Jinmay

Type: Familial

Explanation: These two were my only comfort during the uncomfortable nightmare that is “The Hills Have Five”

Nova was the one who trained Jinmay, and it seems like they hang out a lot offscreen in season 4. They fulfill the early 2000′s cartoon archetypes of girl and Girl, so they’re supposed to get along. If they didn’t I probably wouldn’t like Jinmay.

Nova is a really good big sister/parental figure to Jinmay, who never had any family to speak of. 

Anyway, this entry has to be shorter because most of their bonding is in “The Hills Have Five” which is either #1 or #2 in my least favorite episode list. Not because it’s bad, but because it makes me viscerally uncomfortable. I really wish literally any other character than Jinmay was in her role in that episode. Or that the “taken to an offscreen area by an adult man while she screams” just wasn’t there. SHE’S 13!!! Nova did literally all she could to help. 

I really like that scene in questionable where Valeena kills almost the entire gang. It’s what they deserve.

Look I just really like Jinmay and I always have. She deserves a good Mom.

8. "My Second In Command”

Characters: Antauri, Mandarin

Type: Theoretical

Explanation: The fandom has really made this ship go from “literally nothing to stand on” to “integral plot point in a lot of fics”. Seriously. I have TWO screenshots that vaguely imply these two ever stood next to each other on the battlefield. This was entirely title-based and fan-made until ProjectAfectivity interviewed Ciro. Yeah he knows Antauri but only as well as the rest of the team. Anyway. Wow. This ship.

This is by far the worst breakup in history. These two, despite what Antauri says, were on equal ground at some point. According to Ciro (and fan speculation), they trained together. This (and other Mandy ship) changes wildly depending on if you think Mandarin was corrupted by the portal or not. Maybe Mandarin was once a kind leader who just crossed the wrong boundaries and paid for it. He could’ve held Antauri gently before battle. He could’ve been the monkey Antauri went to when he needed someone to talk to. He could’ve hyped the team up like Chiro does.

Or maybe, they were constantly fighting against each other in small ways. An incredibly unhealthy relationship, yes, but an interesting story. I like stories where Antauri isn’t this all-knowing pillar of stability. He’s got weaknesses. One of them may have been Mandarin.

Now that’s a good nickname from one to the other.

Imagine Antauri, in a moment of complete trust, declaring Mandarin his weakness. A sweet sentiment. They both know the other is incredibly strong, and trust that the other would never take advantage of that connection. They love each other. Until...

9. "My Closest Ally”

Characters: Otto, Mandarin

Type: Theoretical

Explanation: Okay I'm looking at the screenshot I put for this entry while also having watched Evil Ages recently. My brain is making uncomfortable connections. Combine that with the fandom and the show’s general treatment of Otto and I’m about to slam my head into a wall. I really do not like that, but I feel like there’s somebody out there who does. 

Anyway, this is Gibotto and Ottauri but with all the spice that shipping Mandarin with one of the other monkeys brings. When done well, it’s all the respecting Otto that comes with Ottauri and all the intimate partnership of Gibotto. And the Angst of Mantauri, but a lot more grounded. 

It paints a lot of stories. A story of a single point of comfort in a world Mandarin thinks is out to get him. A story of powerful validation from the one authority in Otto’s life. Of letting your guard down. Of trust, then breaking that trust.

I’d LOVE to see some things with Mandottotauri because that’s epic and cool and poggers. Don’t see a lot, though.

10.The Hets, I guess.

Characters: Jinmay, Chiro. 

Type: Romantic. Platonic. Canon.

Explanation: Look two entries on this list are polyamorous and four of them are mandarin so I have to say SOMETHING for the heteroes following me. Picked this ship over Spova because when I was a young child still suffering from comphet, I never watched the last episode of the show. I only saw up to season 3 at the most. This was the only canon ship for me. And out of all the ships, it’s the most relatable. I’m currently a teenager with black hair who looks really good in eyeliner dating a girl with pink hair who can pick me up and is unbelievably sweet. Except we’re gay and polyam. Wait a second I totally had a crush on Jinmay as a kid and now my gf is the Jinmay in this situation. Oh my god I was going to make this comparison if I did Spova too and I liked Nova.

ANYWAY

These are two LONELY kids. Chiro had bullies during school, and now he doesn’t even go to school. Jinmay hasn’t really had friends at all. Two kids with places in their universe that they aren’t too sure about, and just need someone to lean on. Their date was cute. They instantly bonded over their love of monkeys and I love that. 

The super robot is sometimes an analog for Chiro, in the first two season at least, and the way the super robot held Jinmay’s hands to keep her steady on the COB while her head flew in was SO SWEET. Chiro’s instant recognition and reaction to Jinmay’s head being thrown at the team, as well. He really loves her.

I think it’d be interesting if she didn’t love him back, though. I might take a stab at writing that.

#srmthfg #super robot monkey team hyperforce go #srmthg #chinmay #Mandotto #Mantauri #Mandareena #Manokko #Captain Alchemist #Ottauri #Polymonkeys #Gibottarx #Anonymous

[precuredaily]

Precure Day 201

Episode: Yes! Precure 5 Go Go! 03 - “Syrup the Delivery Boy’s Friend” Date watched: 10 July 2020 Original air date: 17 February 2008 Screenshots Transformation Gallery Project info and master list of posts

MEH!

Last time I said I was pretty sure this episode was packed with more exposition.

I was wrong.

The Plot

Coco is writing a letter to Milk to explain what they’re up to and ask about the status of the Palmier Kingdom. As he finishes, Syrup shows up, and Coco asks him to deliver the letter. Instead, the delivery boy dumps a bag full of letters onto Coco’s desk, explaining they’re from Milk. Nozomi says that since Milk took the time to write them all, Coco should properly respond to them. Individually. Nobody stops to say that maybe he should write one long letter that responds to all her points, because making jokes out of Coco’s misery is more fun. Meanwhile the girls all decide to go to the store for snacks. Because.

this is Rin’s “I give up” face

Meanwhile, Syrup decides to crash on top of the clock tower when his partner Mailpo shows up. Mailpo, for the record, is just an LCD screen with arms and legs, but they are the best mascot in this show. They spit out letters from their face-screen, which Syrup then delivers to their destination. In this instance Mailpo summons another letter from Milk. Syrup is frustrated and decides he’ll just take a nap and deliver it later, because there will probably be more anyway. Mailpo just wants to be a good little toy, so they set off to find the recipient themselves. Mailpo eventually stumbles upon Komachi and presents her with the letter before disappearing into thin air.

Over in Eternal, Anacondy drills Scorp about Precure. He admits that they weren’t especially strong, but they came at him from all directions. Bunbee chimes up that he’s familiar with this strategy, and Anacondy requests that he write up a thorough report.

Back at the plot, Komachi (now accompanied by Nozomi) looks for Mailpo, and they run into Syrup who is also looking for his friend. They coax him into letting them ride on him so they can search from the sky. While this is happening, Mailpo continues wandering aimlessly around the city, when they are accosted by a shadowy figure (Bunbee) who gives them a special letter to deliver. While trying to find their friends, Rin, Urara, and Karen along with Coco and Nuts spot another Palmin and give us a refresher on how to use the CureMo to catch it. It’s an apple. The girls all meet up and find Mailpo, who has a special delivery.... for Nozomi! It’s a letter. They think it’s from Milk until they open it.

you were expecting a letter from Milk but it was ME, BUNBEE!

Then the man himself appears on a nearby rooftop and explains to the girls that he works for Eternal now. He informs the audience how he survived his seemingly fatal fall from Nightmare HQ: he caught a ledge and then remembered he can fly. Then he transforms, as do the girls, and they clash. Bunbee is surprised by how much stronger the Precures are now, so he turns a mailbox into a Hoshiina. It knocks the girls around for a minute, and Bunbee takes the chance to seize Mailpo, believing they have the Rose Pact, but this just pisses off Mint, who chides him for taking advantage and diminishing the friendship between Mailpo and Syrup, so she unleashes her new attack: Precure Emerald Saucer. She summons a ring around her waist, raises it above her head as it fills in, and then hurls it at her opponent. It’s an interesting change from last season, where she was a shield user (though we know she could use them offensively). I imagine there were complaints that it wasn’t exciting enough. Anyway, her attack misses but causes Bunbee to drop Mailpo when he dodges, and then Dream uses Shooting Star to destroy the Hoshiina, and Bunbee flees.

A few days later back at Natts House, Coco and Nuts collapse after finishing writing the last of their response letters to Milk (to say nothing of how many more may have come in in the intervening time). Karen comments that they apparently haven’t slept in 3 days while they wrote them. (side note: please do not do this, it is not worth it) They ask Syrup to deliver them and he refuses because it’s too much work, but Mailpo jumps on the table and starts sucking them up, to everyone’s surprise. Syrup tries to stop Mailpo, screaming about how he refuses to deliver this many letters, and the ending plays.

The Analysis

I must once again point out that the art quality on display here is uh..... not great. To be fair, it’s not awful or anything, my screenshot gallery will make it seem worse than it really is because close-ups tend to be better but they don’t tell the story as well. If I got all close-ups I’d have to take more pictures and I’ve had a bit of a problem doing that. This is the first time in a while I’ve had fewer than 100 screenshots and I kind of want to keep this energy. ANYWAY.

I don’t hate this episode, I want to emphasize that early. But it doesn’t do much for me either. It just... exists. The main point is to establish Mailpo, who had previously appeared with little fanfare in the previous episode, so little that I didn’t bother mentioning them because I knew this episode showcased them more. Also I am referring to Mailpo with the singular “they” because they don’t display characteristics of any gender. Mailpo is Mailpo.

So, Mailpo, moreso than most fairies, seems to be meant as a toy first and foremost. As I said they’re just an LCD screen in a cute casing with penguin limbs. (surprisingly though, I wasn’t able to actually find a toy of it) Nevertheless, they have an innate charm to them. They’re kind of like a Pokémon, all they do is say their name... or the first syllable anyway: MEH! They’re very endearing, they waddle around and just do their best. They suck up and spit out mail like nobody’s business. You can’t not like Mailpo. 10/10 best fairy in this show. We stan a legend.

Speaking of toys, there’s a slightly higher than usual emphasis placed on them in this episode. I mentioned that we got a repeat on how to catch Palmins with the CureMo, but there’s also the curious case of some kind of interaction between the CureMo and Syrup. When the girls are getting ready to board him, Syrup has Komachi touch her CureMo to his wing, similar to scanning a pass at a train or bus terminal, and his wing turns into a set of stairs.

I have to assume this is some kind of feature on the toy, but it’s hard to find information on 12 year-old Japanese toys.

The most notable theme on display is responsibility. It’s not pounded over your head or anything, just shown in a few places. If Syrup had taken responsibility and delivered the letter, Mailpo wouldn’t have gotten lost. Coco and Nuts dodge their responsibility to write response letters to Milk, and at the end they’re exhausted from trying to catch up. Ironically the most responsible character present is Bunbee, who faithfully pulls off his duty to study the Precures and actually comes up with a decent plan to lure them out. I don’t know if it was meant to even be a theme of this episode at all, but that’s what I picked up on.

Some passing thoughts: Mint’s new attack is badass, I wish she’d gotten to use it to actually finish off the Hoshiina rather than just attacking Bunbee but oh well, she’ll get her chance to shine. The comedy on display is good, and there’s a fun callback to the previous season when Rin jokes about Karen’s grape juice and Karen responds by threatening not to buy Rin’s orange juice. I could watch a whole episode of the two of them just playfully annoying each other.

And once again I have to point out the logical shortcomings on display: when they receive a mountain of letters from Milk, they decide to respond to each one individually instead of doing the sensible thing of reading them all, assessing common themes and points, and responding with a single letter that covers all the bases. Japanese culture idolizes working yourself to exhaustion and taking very few breaks, it’s a serious cultural problem and it manifests in their art as well because it’s just so commonplace. I do have to once again say: please do not sacrifice sleep for your dreams or goals, or even your obligations. It’s bad for you.

The main objective of this episode is just to develop Mailpo and Syrup’s relationship, since they’re the new characters, and it works well enough. I already said it makes Mailpo very endearing and Syrup warms up a bit as well. He’s still stand-offish but not as much as in the previous episode. Mailpo brings out the best in him, and when Mailpo goes missing, Syrup feels guilty and wants to find his friend again. However, a second, more subtle goal of this episode is to remind the audience that Milk is still out there, in active communication with the team. It would be easy to write her off as being away in the Palmier Kingdom, but they make it a point to physically show her, if only for a minute, ensuring the audience remembers she exists and is relevant. For..... reasons.

Pink Precure Catchphrase Count: 0 Kettei!

#Precure #Pretty Cure #Yes! Precure 5 Go Go! #YPC5GG03 #PCD201

[piratewithvigor]

Out Of Sight, Out Of Our Minds: Chapter 1

Summary: After a freak accident lighting a stove, Hawkeye suffered severe flash burns that have left him blinded. Most people recover within a week or so, but as the days drag on, BJ becomes more convinced that Hawkeye isn’t most people.

Word Count: 2050

A/N: This is a birthday present for the wonderful @the--blackdahlia​ who inspired me to get back into a writing groove after months of inactivity. It’s a retelling of the season 5 episode “Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind”, so there will definitely be spoilers ahead.

BJ had never liked baseball all that much. He was a little too scrawny as a kid to play with the others and listening to games on the radio bored him senseless. That never stopped Peg from dragging him to Seals Stadium on the weekends he couldn’t come up with any work-related excuse. She’d been a fan ever since the AAGPBL had established a team in her hometown of Kenosha and though her loyalties changed upon her move to San Francisco with BJ, her craze for the game had never wavered. BJ never exactly wanted to spend his afternoons in a ballpark that was too hot and sunny, watching a game that always felt just a little too long, but watching Peg get so thrilled was worth the three dollars he spent on the tickets. 

Of course, it wasn’t late in the afternoon, nor was it warm, and he wasn’t seated in the plastic chairs of the ball park. It was nearly three in the morning, with a chill breezing through his tent in Korea and Peg wasn’t there making the sounds of baseball bearable. He’d heard Hawkeye mumble at Frank to turn off the radio at least a dozen times and no matter how firmly he pressed his thin pillow against his ears, information about the bout between the Dodgers and the Giants kept leaking in. It didn’t even seem like Frank actually cared who won. Just what the score was. He never cheered, not even the little hissed ‘yes’ when either team scored like Peg did. It sounded more like he was just listening to know. Especially when BJ heard the tell-tale scratch of a pencil against paper. Probably some kind of slimy scheme to get ahead in life, as Frank was known to do. But this late at night, BJ couldn’t bring himself to care. The only thing he heard that made him smile was the announcement of the 4-3 concluding score and the promise of a rebroadcast at noon. 

“Shut it off, Frank,” Hawkeye mumbled, pulling his thin blankets further over himself. “It’s 4-3 in the morning.”

“Stop dreaming and go back to sleep,” Frank shot back, switching off the little radio as he moved around in bed, assumedly trying to find a position on the cot that would retain body heat, but also fit between the limits.

“That makes good nonsense.”

BJ loved Hawkeye, really, he did, but the man had a serious problem with always needing the last word. 

Now that the static-filled broadcast had been shut off, the tent seemed almost quiet. Korea was never dead silent, BJ had learned, but he took what he could where he could get it. As long as they weren’t being actively fired upon and there were no choppers going overhead, it was quiet in his books. He was finally starting to doze off when the door to the Swamp opened and at least two pairs of feet scuttled in. BJ hoped to God they were just very large rats. Rats didn’t make much noise besides the occasional squeak of fright. 

“Hawkeye?”

Rats didn’t ask for doctors by name.

Rats.

“Wake up, Hawkeye, the stove in our tent went out.”

“Again?”

This wasn’t the first time the nurses had had issues with their stove this winter. It only happened once or twice when it first started getting cold, but when the winds got more violent, the stove seemed to be going out once a night. If BJ didn’t know any better, he’d think the nurses were just scheming to get Hawkeye alone in a room full of nurses and not have his wits about him. 

“It’s freezing in there.”

“It’s warm in here.”

“There are four of us.”

BJ nearly chuckled at the resignation in Hawkeye’s voice as he pulled off his blanket to stand. 

“I knew I should have gotten a bigger bed.”

“Could you people hold it down?” Frank piped up, his voice grating at BJ’s nerves. “I mean, show some consideration.”

“I don’t remember leaving a wake-up scream,” BJ grumbled. Consideration, his ass.

“Thanks, Hawkeye, you’re the only one who can fix it.” BJ was pretty sure that wasn’t true and given Hawkeye’s tired mutters of disdain, he felt safe in assuming the feeling was mutual.

“BJ?”

“Hmm?”

“If I’m not back in five minutes, don’t come get me.” If he wasn’t so tired, BJ might have chuckled. 

Out of the corner of his partially-opened eye, he watched the light above Hawkeye’s cot shut off and his roommate shuffle out of the tent behind two nurses who were bundled up as tightly as they could be to avoid what had to be a bitter chill outside. 

BJ stretched out a little as he turned onto his back to stare at the ceiling. Sleep was evading him all-too-rudely and likely would continue to until Hawkeye was back and snoring quietly. Ever since Peg and he had started sharing a bed all those years ago, BJ had begun to find it impossible to sleep without someone nearby. Frank was all the way across the tent and there was a stove between them; impossible to hear. He’d been worried coming over- there had been plenty of stories of what MASH units were like back home, but no details of the sleeping arrangements. He’d breathed an enormous sigh of relief when Hawkeye told him they’d be bunking together and an even larger one that evening when he realised his bunkmate snored loudly enough to drown out the distant sounds of gunfire. If he ever needed it, he just pretended the lanky man ten feet away was his beautiful wife, ten inches away. And if the homesickness was especially bad, he pretended Frank’s little fidgets during the night were Erin rustling in her crib. Sometimes it worked well enough to soothe him back to sleep. Other times, it left him in worse shape than he’d began. Korea had proven itself time and time again to be a lonely place, but knowing that he had people around him made it somewhat more bearable. 

Between the stove warming the air around his feet and the thoughts of his family swirling around his head, the sleep that had been struggling to overtake him was finally succeeding in pulling BJ’s eyes closed. Until an explosion close enough to shake him out of any sleep he could have gotten rang through the camp. That would have been plenty to set him upright and his heart racing, but it was the collective screaming that got BJ out of bed (thank God he’d had the sense to wear shoes to bed). He paused in his scrambling just long enough to throw on his bathrobe before bolting to the nurse’s quarters. Hawkeye was stumbling out of the tent as he arrived, palms pressed to his eyes and screaming, all the while surrounded by nurses who were screaming just as shrilly. As worrisome as it was, at least Hawkeye was still able to walk. Plenty of soldiers had come through their OR who never learned of such luxury. 

BJ reached him the same moment Colonel Potter did, but Potter, ever the leader, backed away from the forming posse to organise them. Flash burns were serious business and it was necessary to get Hawkeye to the OR as quickly as possible. BJ knew he heard Potter say something about an ophthalmologist, but it was hard to hear over Hawkeye’s screams of pain, the nurses’ screams of panic and the sound of his own heart pumping in his ears. 

The next few hours were a blur to say the least. The sleep deprivation was already messing with his head, but hearing Hawkeye in so much pain was what was really knocking BJ out of his rhythm. He’d never seen anyone in that much pain without there being a substantial amount of blood involved. As much as he hated it, BJ had grown comfortable with blood. It was easy to fix: if it was where it wasn’t supposed to be, he had to stop it from getting there. Sometimes that involved stitching, or removing parts that were too broken to be fixed, or just removing things that weren’t supposed to be there, but there was almost always blood. In this case, there was absolutely none. The closest thing to red was Hawkeye’s bathrobe and the toasted skin around his eyes. The worst part about the whole situation was that there was nothing he could do to help. He was no ophthalmologist- didn’t know anything about the inner workings of the eyes beyond what he learned in first year biology. 

BJ wasn’t sure how Radar accomplished it, but the ophthalmologist in question, Major Overman, arrived long before the sun was up and true to the reputation BJ had gathered of him, was swift in his examination and bandaging. It was awful, but the truth of the matter was that it was all there was to be done. Padding the eyes and wrapping a long length of bandage around the patient’s head so the padding wouldn’t move. It would let the eyes rest and after a week or so, if vision came back, everything would be okay. If not…

“How’s that feel?”

“Blind.”

BJ would have probably chuckled if the situation was different. The mood of the room seemed to express the same feelings. The Major didn’t even crack a smile.

“Okay, Hawkeye, you take it easy for a couple of days. I’ll be back Friday.” 

Nearly a week away. As nervous as he was, BJ could only imagine the terror Hawkeye was feeling. But he never showed it. Never showed it unless you knew him, that is. He always told jokes to keep the atmosphere lighter, but he laughed at them. There was no laughter here. Not even a smile. 

“Listen, one important question. Will I get to keep my nickname?”

“Let’s hope so.” The Major spoke for everyone there. They called him ‘Pierce’ often enough, That was different. Too impersonal. His name, but never his name.

“Just wondering if I should rent a seeing-eye dog or buy one.” The joking was getting weaker. Hawkeye was slowly accepting what had happened and it looked like everyone who had gathered around his cot could feel it too. 

“See you Friday.”

Major Overman packed his gear and was escorted out of the post-op by Potter, asking something about a General O'Reilly. If BJ hadn’t been so on-edge, he would have maybe even laughed at the idea of Radar being a General, let alone a General who was so mad that he scared a clerk into a rushed shipment of an ophthalmologist. But instead, he was leaning on the end posts of Hawkeye’s cot, watching a nurse yell her sympathies at him. There was something about the injured and sick that made people forget what their actual ailments were and caused them to be treated as invalids. Based on Hawkeye’s wince, it was clear his partner-in-crime was already feeling the sting of the different treatment. 

“You don’t have to shout, the sides still work.”

“We’re sorry,” she corrected herself, lowering her voice to a library-esque whisper.

“That’s alright. Next time, get a union man.”

“Hawk, if there’s anything you need…” It was generally said as a passing sympathy that didn’t really mean anything, but BJ wasn’t sure what else to say. He was a caretaker deep down and lord knew Hawkeye was going to need some help during the next few days.

“Well, if you’re going by the PX, you could get me a colouring book and some crayons.” Hawkeye’s head was angled towards him, but he wasn’t facing him by a long shot. Whether because it didn’t matter or because he didn’t care, BJ wasn’t sure. Nor was he sure he wanted to know the answer.

“I think you’re sick enough to qualify for the big box. I gotta go.” He was smiling, but BJ was sure Hawkeye could hear the worry in his voice. He tried to keep calm and carry on, no matter what the war threw, but this wasn’t something he could just walk away from. He wanted to be there.

“BJ?”

“Yeah?”

“Visit me a couple hundred times, will ya?” The request was small and quiet, almost desperate. 

“At least.”

#Writing #Out Of Sight Out Of Our Minds #MASH #Fanfiction #Hawkeye Pierce #BJ Hunnicutt

[dragon-kazansky]

Going North - Chapter one

NOTE: This is going to be a slow burn story. It will follow the plot of the series, but after Lyra part with Lee in the series, the story will then mainly focus on Lee and reader. The first 3 chapters are just of you, Lyra and the Gyptians. I'm not yet certain on how this will end following the end of Season 1, but I’ll make sure it’s got a good cliffhanger on it. Please enjoy!

Chapter 1 - A boy goes missing

Just outside Oxford your workshop could be found. You are an engineer who loves to tinker with gadgets. Nothing satisfied you more than taking things apart, seeing what makes them tick, and putting them back together again. You also had a deep interest in old cars and airships, looking out for the odd one that would fly over. You saw one yesterday.

Your daemon, Oliver, who settled with the form of a snowy owl, often says you work too much. As you sat at your desk and tinkered with the pocket-watch in your hand, you could feel his beady eyes on you. You put down your tools and turn to him, lifting your very steampunk-like goggles.

"Yes?"

"I didn't say anything." Oliver blinked slowly.

"You want to say something."

"Perhaps you should take a break?" He looked down at the watch, many of it's components were littered across the table. "Some food will do you good and a break is much needed."

"I had a big breakfast."

"Alright, but don't blame me if you're hungry later." He turned his head away and began to peck at his feathers.

You sighed as you pushed away from the desk and got up. Your boots began to click on the wooden floor as you made your way over to the fridge. You grabbed what you needed to make a sandwich. You placed everything onto the counter and grabbed what was left of your bread loaf. Oliver flew from your desk to a perch that you had built for him near the kitchen.

Most days were quiet. Your shop was small, only those who knew where to look could find it. Most of your customers were regulars because they knew where to look. You were always happy to provide for them and make their wishes come true in the form of wind up toys and cool gadgets. You made just enough to get by.

You were happy. Just lonely. Your only companion was your daemon, Oliver.

You gazed out the window and looked up to the blue sky. The weather was nice, perhaps you should get out of your workshop and go for a walk. Oliver will thank you for it, probably. Your adventurous side was eager to go out and explore. As much as you loved your little shop, you also enjoyed being outside.

You finished your sandwich and put it on a plate, taking it back towards your desk.

"I'll eat this and then we'll go out. Maybe we could make the journey to the Gyptians? I have a few things they might like." You looked over to a box full of trinkets you had put together. Every so often you would go down there and gift them with things you made. You considered them friends of yours, accepting no payment from any of them. Sometimes you would show the children how to take things a part and put them back together again. It was fun.

"I'm sure they would like that." Oliver cooed.

Before you were able to take a bite out of your sandwich, a firm knock sounded at the door. You lowered the yummy food back onto the plate and turned to the door.

"We have a visitor, lunch will have to wait." You gave a big sigh and got up, making your way to the door. You pulled it open ready to give your usual greeting to customers. You were stopped short when you saw who was at your door. "Farder Coram, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

You let the man in and closed the door behind him and his daemon. He didn't often come up to your shop, so it must be important. The only times he ever came near your shop was to request you to visit. You got the feeling, judging by his expression, that it wasn't the case this time.

"We have a problem. We need all the help we can get." He looked at you, his gaze serious and unwavering. You knew something was wrong.

"What is it? What happened?" Your voice was laced with worry.

"One of our own has been taken. He's been missing since last night."

"Oh my goodness! Who is it?" You knew many of the children over there, you couldn't imagine the worry going through their families minds.

"Billy Costa."

You felt your heart plummet. You had made him a little wind up car for his birthday last year. He adored it so much he carried it around with him for ages. His mother told you he loved it. She must be going out of her mind right now. You would never be able to sleep at night if you didn't do anything.

"What are we waiting for?"

The Gobblers. believed to be a myth by most, would appear to actually be real. The Gyptians certainly thought so, and so did you after so many children were disappearing. The belief in a myth was better than having no answer at all to what was happening.

You grabbed your coat and hat and locked up the shop behind you all. You let Coram lead the way.

Your shop wasn't close to the Gyptians current location, so it meant a lot that he came all this way. He could have sent a letter or anything, but he came to you in person to ask for your help. It felt good to know they relied on you in dark time such as this. You would do everything you could to help them out.

When you arrived everyone was rushing about. There were people grouped up around tables, looking at maps. Some were grabbing gear, preparing to search in small parties around the area. Though you would be shocked if they found so close by.

Lord Faa was waiting for you both as you drew nearer. You bowed your head in respect, as many did while he led you the rest of the way.

It appeared no one had found anything as of yet, which only made you all the more worried.

"Where is Ma Costa?" John Faa asked, shaking hands with a young man.

"We told her to wait on her boat in case Billy returns there." He explained.

"And the rest of our people?"

The young man gestured to everyone else in the room. "State Police have shown no interest."

"Hmm. No surprises there." Faa said.

"So we're organising teams of our own. We've got a group that went North from Magdalen Bridge up the Cherwell. Nothing. We divided Jericho, we staked out the Airship Station."

"John, the Gobblers will have got him out of Oxford by now." Coram said. You could only nod. You feared that to be the truth.

"You think it's the Gobblers?" Tony, Billy's older brother, asked. He came over and stood on the other side of Coram. "The Gobblers haven't took my brother. That's just a children's story."

"No. The Gobblers are real. John Faa and I have visited six different Gyptian communities all having children taken, all the same way." Coram said, looking very serious.

"Yeah, but why? What can they want with them?" Tony asked, shifting his gaze to John and back.

"That we don't know. We don't know what they do, but we will find out." Coram replied. "We have word they are taking the children to London. Maybe it's the best way to hide them, but we must go and try!"

"Wait, leave here?" Tony asked. "No, no. Ma would never agree to that! Billy's lost, he's not been taken."

"Continue the search." John said. "Cover as much of this area as we can today. And if we do not find him here, we'll go to London and find him there."

The group parted. You gazed at Tony with a sorrowful gaze. You didn't know what to say. There wasn't anything you could say.

By morning there was no sign of Billy or any of the missing children reported. Any sightings of the Gobblers were either well hidden, or they were no longer here. You were there when Billy's mother needed to cry. Tony could only watch as her heart broke. Her son was missing and no one could find him.

This only left London. If rumours were true, then the chance of finding him there were much greater.

The discussion of London hadn't really been had. It was kept between yourself, Farder Coram, Lord Faa and a few others. Discussing this with Billy's mother would be a difficult task on the fact she probably wouldn't want to go. She believed Billy to still be near home.

The search for Billy continued continued.

The boats were brought to a stop while you discussed among yourselves on your next move.

Maggie, Billy's mother, climbed off her boat to see what was happening.

"Readying the boats?" She came over to you all. "Are you thinking of leaving, Farder Coram? My son's still out there."

"Farder Coram has done nothing." Lord Faa said from beside her. "I am halting the search."

Maggie gestured for him to come over to the other side of the boat so they could talk privately. You watched with baited breath as they talked quietly. You couldn't imagine how she much be feeling. Her world be feel like it's falling apart knowing her boy is out there somewhere, but you had good faith that the elders of the Gyptians knew what they were doing. The best chance of finding her boy was to listen to them. You wouldn't have agreed to help if you thought otherwise.

Lord Faa was telling her it was the Gobblers, but she didn't think there was any evidence to suggest Billy was with them. Unfortunately, that's the whole point. That's why they were mostly rumour. There was never any evidence to suggest they even existed.

"We are going to London, fighting those Gobblers, and getting our children back." He stated firmly, turning around and coming back to you all.

You didn't move your gaze from Ma Costa. You knew she knew he was right, but of course she needed to think.

If Billy was able, he would have come back. He has been taken. You know in her heart she knows that. Like any mother, she doesn't want to believe it.

You got to her side and take her hand.

"Come on." You don't look at her with pity. She doesn't want that. You take her, and Tony who had come to check on her, back to their boat, staying with them for a while. You make her sit down and put the kettle on. You can't soothe her mind, but you could distract her for a little bit. You wanted to ease her a little bit. At the moment that was the most you could do.

London.

A great city with many places. It's vast, therefore there's a lot of ground to cover. Luckily, rather than going in blindly and searching the city from top to bottom, you have a lead.

"A van has been seen leaving and entering here. We've not confirmed children on board."

"We've not confirmed? We need to be confirmed."

"The Gobblers are efficient, well-protected and well-funded."

"So good that people think they're a myth." You stated, looking up at the group. "It's how they operate. No one believes they exist."

"So you're saying we know enough?" Lord Faa asked.

"I'd state good odds that the van is Gobbler and it's being used to transport them." The young man said, confidence laced in his voice. Someone must have had a reason to believe as such. "We've been searching for days. This is the best lead we've got."

"So tomorrow we attack. In the morning we gather our best men. Go in fast through the front door. Take on whatever lies on the other side." Farder Coram said.

"Prepare the men. We strike with force." John Faa added. He grabbed his hat and got up, leaving.

You looked at the map in thought.

Within the next hour you all grabbed what you may need and headed out. You followed Lord Faa to the building where the Gobblers were supposedly hiding out. There wasn't any sign of life.

"Stop at nothing. We will rescue these children." Faa said.

Everyone headed in. You stayed with Faa as he asked you to remain by his side, his reasoning unclear, but you were not going to argue with him. When the others had managed to break in you followed him inside, keeping an ear out for anything. Oliver flew above your heads. You followed him all the way to the top, Coram staying close behind you.

You couldn't hear any other sound other than the Gyptians who had gone on ahead.

Faa opened the door at the top of the stairs, everyone lifted their weapons and prepared for a fight, but you peered in and gave a sigh. The room was empty. Not a soul in sight.

But someone had been here.

Bunks beds were lined up on the other side of the room. To the right was a long messy table. The children had most defiantly been here, and too long ago either if you had to guess. The Gobblers had moved them quickly. A gut feeling told you they would have been here yesterday, even this morning.

You could have missed them by hours.

You looked at Coram. His silence was enough of a message for you. You both followed Faa into the room and looked around.

The windows were boarded up, the place was mucky and disgusting. To even think they were staying here was enough to break your heart further.

"That's Billy's." Coram said, picking up a vest from the floor.

"Oh God no." You muttered. This would break his mother's heart. Knowing her son was here, but you all missed him.

"This proves they were here." Farder Coram stated. You nodded softly. You had all been on the right track. There was still hope.

"The Gobblers must have known we were coming and moved them." Faa said, walking past Coram. If they did know, that explained the state of the room and why it looked like they were in a rush to leave.

"What do they want the children for?" You asked. They wouldn't take so many without a reason.

No one said any more and with a silent look from Faa, you all headed back. There was nothing else here to look at. The journey back to the boats was made.

It was important to tell Ma Costa about your findings, but you didn't want to be the one to tell her. You weren't sure what she would do. As you climbed into her boat, the others following behind you, you interrupted her yelling with Tony. You looked at them both, trying not to show your worry. She turned her back on you all and faced her kitchen counter.

She knew you hadn't found him because he wasn't here.

"Can I help?" Faa asked her.

"You can find my son." She stated bitterly.

"We were so close, though, Maggie. If you would have seen..." One of the others said.

"We never should have left Oxford." She said. "He's probably still there, lost, looking for his ma."

"He's not in Oxford. He's in London." You told her, though warily. "The Gobblers took him and we'll find him."

"And if you're all wrong?"

"We are not wrong." Coram said, pulling the vest from his pocket. He handed it over.

Maggie took it from him gently, as if not believing what she was seeing. She began to sob, holding it up to her nose and embraced this little bit of Billy she had with her now. No one said anything as she walked past them, crying her heart out into the knitted vest. She needed time to gather her thoughts and come to terms with that billy was right there for just a moment.

Lord Faa stopped Tony from going after her and followed Maggie. You excused yourself from the scene, not wanting to overbear her emotions.

You wait and see what the plan is from here.

Tags:

@awyr @fandombeehive @charmed-asylum  @sigynbandraoi-blog@procrastinatingmurder  @beebofrank13 @gemellath @eagleandthebutterfly @kpopgirlbtssvt @raeofstarshine @melancholicsthings

#lee scoresby x reader #lee scoresby #his dark materials #Going North #lin manuel miranda #chapter 1

[elopez7228]

Scenic Route 11/47

Read on AO3 : https://archiveofourown.org/works/18268208/chapters/43229774 

Start over : https://elopez7228.tumblr.com/post/620919089893933056/scenic-route-0147

***

Rey swept a lock of hair behind her ear as she shouldered her bag and put a leash on BB8. The place was cozy, with rustic wood paneling and classic leather futons. She recognized a few members of The Knights as she entered the lobby. The drummer, the backup singer, and the towering, black-clad silhouette of Ben himself. He had his back turned to her, his shoulders even broader than she last remembered.

“Looking for someone?”

Rey jumped, turning around. Mohawk girl—the one who had been all over Ben at the concert last time—stood frowning before her. It felt like the room temperature had plummeted, and Rey tried her best to recover her sangfroid.

“Hello, I’m Rey. You’re the guitarist aren’t you? I really liked your concert in Denver that night...Ben said I should come by.”

“What do you want with Kylo?”

Rey noted that her companion was sticking to their stage names and she decided to do the same.

“I don’t mean any harm, he did me a favor a while ago and I want to thank him, that’s all,” she tried to remain casual.

“I’ll pass it on. Anything else?”

Okay...she hadn’t realized he had a security team. And she was done with being manhandled and manipulated. For two whole weeks she had been treated like some half-witted puppet on a string. She stood a little taller in her heels.

“Yes, actually. I’ve got a date with Kylo, and since you seem to be his secretary, we’ll have two coffees, thanks,” she replied tartly.

Without waiting for a response, she left mohawk lady and walked towards Ben at a steady pace. Noticing her approach, the girl talking to Ben signaled for him to turn around.  

Rey smiled nervously. Were they going to come to blows again? For a fraction of a second she imagined his unforgiving glare, the same one he had when he ran into her in the street. A look that had frightened her, actually.

But he turned on his heels and smiled.

Was that a smile? The corner of his mouth curved into something wicked, a smirk somewhere between satisfaction and victory.

Rey barely had time to open her mouth before BB8 started growling and twisting at the end of her leash. She looked at the dog in surprise, BB had always been so well behaved! Now the dog crouched defensively on her front paws, bearing her teeth and snarling menacingly.

Ben too, was no longer smiling. His eyes were locked on the dog and his expression was equally defiant and bitter.

Shocked, Rey pulled on BB8’s leash to regain her attention and reprimanded her through gritted teeth, “BB8! Stop it! What’s gotten into you? You should be ashamed of yourself!”

But the dog kept growling, back arched. She barked aggressively when Ben tried to move. Rey grabbed her by the collar as she addressed him with an apologetic smile. “Pardon me,” she said, rolling her eyes slightly in embarrassment, “I’ll go put her in the car so she can calm down.”

Again, she didn’t wait for a response as she made a beeline for the sliding doors of the entrance, holding BB8 firmly by the collar.

She made it to the parking in record time, brusquely putting the dog in the backseat. BB yelped, casing her anger to evaporate. She turned to the canine and scratched her gently. “Well, BB? What was that all about? You can’t just harass people like that. Stay here—the window is slightly open and your water bowl is right there. You need to relax,” she took a good look around before whispering, “but if that blonde woman returns, don’t hold back, alright?” She petted her a little more before closing the door firmly. Just as she finished locking the car, Ben appeared before her, as tall as ever.

“Is that your car?”

Rey chewed her lip, suddenly hyper-conscious of the embarrassingly sorry state of such a hunk of junk.

“Yes. Well, not really. It’s on loan to me for the duration of the road trip.”

“And this antediluvian thing still works?”

“For now, yeah. We’ll see how long it’ll last on the road,” she replied.

She didn’t know what else to say. Ben shifted, looking past her into the car. He stepped back swiftly as BB8 appeared at the window, barking with rage. Rey grimaced apologetically.

“Evidently, BB8 doesn’t like you very much. Sorry, it’s the first time I’ve seen her react like this. She’s usually really adorable,” Rey admitted.

“I don’t think I like her very much either.” Ben retorted, and Rey couldn’t tell whether that was a jab or just plain cynicism on his part. “Is she your dog?”

“Yes. Well, not really. She’s on loan to me for the duration of the road trip. Didn’t we have this conversation already?”

“Do you want a coffee?”

Rey’s face lit up. Her kingdom for a coffee!   She turned around and made the "I’m watching you" gesture to BB8 before walking towards the hotel.

“I think a coffee would do me some good, yeah.” She said as she turned to Ben.

“Wouldn’t you like to take a shower first?”

She stopped in her tracks. Is that how he wanted to play it? Lifting her eyes to his, she held his gaze. His eyes widened, the corners of his mouth curving slightly. Oh, he was going to pay for that. She was going to take him up on it. Her hands fisted at her hips.

“Actually, I would, thanks. And are there any washing machines available at the hotel? I’d like to do a load of laundry as well,” she replied matter-of-factly.

“I..think so.”

“Perfect,” she said, holding out her hand to him. He looked at it in confusion.

“I need your room key,” she clarified, “So that I can take a shower. That’s what you meant, right?”

Ben chewed on his lip, fumbling in his pockets. After a moment of hesitation, he handed her a mag-stripe card. They made it back to the lobby area when Rey decided to continue pushing her luck. She turned to Ben with an angelic smile. “Which room again?” she asked loudly.

“Er...212,” he responded, sensing that the situation was getting out of hand.

“Thanks, for everything.” she grinned, not waiting for a response as she headed to the elevators. She flashed what’s-her-name a saccharine artificial smile on her way out (Rey didn’t know her name but she knew her type). To her satisfaction, the poor girl was absolutely tongue-tied.

When the elevator doors closed, Syed exploded. She turned to Ben, seething with rage. “Who was that bitch?”

Ben looked down on her with disdain. At full height, he was a good head or so taller than her. “Your new mission,” he articulated, his expression stony. “She’ll be under surveillance from now on and it goes without saying that she’ll be under your protection. If anything happens to her I’m holding you personally responsible.”

“Are you kidding me? That’s out of the question,” Syed tried, but her voice had lost some of its confidence.

“I’m absolutely serious,” Ben continued, ignoring her protest, “And practice discretion. You’ve done enough to make her notice you, it’s time you worked to make her forget you. Make sure she doesn’t suspect anything.”

Syed’s steady stream of insults continued all the way to the elevator. Ben sighed wistfully as the doors closed once again. He needed to put an end to this problem; hell hath no fury like Syed. He shouldn’t have slept with her. It was fun while it lasted but he hadn’t anticipated the complications. Their physical relationship had put an end to the strict professional hierarchy that had existed until then. Now Syed was freewheeling. He would have to keep an eye on her.

Arriving in front of his room, he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t have the key—Rey had run off with it. He supposed he could knock, or text her. But then what? Be alone with a hotel room with her? When she was about to get out of the shower, no less? He imagined her then, wrapped in a hotel towel, her hair in damp waves. It troubled him so.  The last time they were alone together in a hotel room, nothing had gone to plan. He had left the room furious and drenched in coffee.

But that night...he closed his eyes, leaning against the wall. That night at the Four Seasons, Rey had been drunk and disoriented from the trauma. She had gotten into his arms and he had carried her to the room. And she had been so light, so fragile. And even when he set her down on the bed, she was held onto his neck. Ben bit his lip at the thought.

He had wanted to gently let go of her, but she hugged him tighter, blindly seeking his mouth. "Finn, please." She uttered the name over and over, speaking in half-coherent phrases of love, regret, and sadness.

It took every once of Ben’s inner strength and patience to not respond in kind. Not to return her touches, to break the kiss. To leave her lying on the bed, alone. But he had kept the feeling of her breath on his skin, shuddering at the near-painful tension.

When his legs gave out, present-day Ben sank to the ground, his elbows resting on his knees. He leaned his head back and contemplated the ornate ceiling. He turned at the sound of a throat clearing. It was Rey. She was standing there in the empty corridor. It was hard to tell which of them was more surprised to find the other in this particular location.

“What are you doing here?” she was the first to break the silence.

“I could ask you the same,” Ben replied, “Weren’t you supposed to take a shower inside?”

Rey’s lips twisted into a flustered pout. “It’s just—I mean we barely know each other. I couldn’t bring myself to go into your room, with your stuff everywhere and...undress in your bathroom, and I didn’t bring a change of clothes...”

“I see.”

She leaned against the wall and slid down next to him. “Here,” she said, handing him the mag-stripe card again, “I won’t be needing this.”

“Thank you,” he said, sliding it into his pocket.

“So, what now? Do you still want to order us some coffee?”

Ben’s eyes widened at the thought. “Right here, in the middle of the hallway?”

“And why not? We can’t use your room—that would be too intimate—and the lobby is out of question—your guard dog looks ready to bite me, and mine is more than willing to bite you. Can’t we just stay here in neutral territory and order room service?”

Lord, where could he start...Ben wanted to start by scoffing at both instances of the term guard dog, followed by addressing her exact perceptions of intimacy...except he was able to convey exactly none of that through the lump in his throat. His body temperature spiked; Rey tended to have that effect on him. She left him speechless, breathless, and mildly confused. It was intoxicating, really. Her mere presence was a unique form of intoxication.

And so, room service found them in the hallway, sitting in the exact same positions. They were handed a cardboard tray, with two large disposable cups of coffee. Rey took the liberty of ordering foam and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of hers. She moaned in appreciation on the very first sip.

Still scalding, the coffee was a magic, revitalizing potion to Rey. Her mind and body were once again restored thanks to that sweet magic ambrosia. She took her bag in hand again, ready for unfinished business.

She turned to Ben, “I still want to get ahold of that washing machine though, the shower can wait but the laundry can’t. Want to come with me?”

Ben’s muscles rippled as his got to his feet. “A rendez-vous in the laundry room with you? How could I possibly refuse?”

He didn’t say much as they made their way to the laundry room on the other side of the building. They took the stairs in order to completely avoid the lobby. Rey was surprisingly quiet as well, as though she was miles away. Ben guessed she was trying to find the right words. Maybe she would finally broach the subject of her sudden willingness to see him again?

Once her clothes were stuffed into the washing machine, she selected the “15-min express” cycle and paid the five dollar fee. After finishing and disposing of the last of her coffee, she turned to him again. This time he could tell that she was ready to talk. She raised her gold-flecked eyes to his. “Ben, there’s actually a reason I sent you that text the other night,” she began.

“You mean, other than the fact that you couldn’t resist seeing me again?” He grinned.

“Ben—I’m not kidding.”

Me neither, he thought wistfully.

“Someone tried to steal my car the other day and now I’m not sure I want to travel alone.” She finally admitted.

Ben froze. Should he play the fool here? It seemed Phasma had made a rookie mistake, typical. Now it was up to Ben to keep Rey calm. He had to figure out the extent of her relationship with those rebels.

“Okay...were you assaulted, what happened?”

“No, nothing like that, just taken by surprise. And scared. She looked like she was trying to force the door open, and I’m sure she was following me, ever since Denver. And so I was wondering if—“

“Do you want to submit a complaint to the authorities? I’ll come with you,” he offered.

“No, no it’s not that bad,” Rey bristled, “I was hoping I could follow you on your tour across the States. I don’t feel like travelling alone and my only constraint is that I have to be in San Francisco by the 15th of July.” She shrugged, fidgeting a little.

“Well? Is that a yes or a no? I mean, either way I have to take this dog to a complete stranger with a garbage phone number,” she added, “so you know my life is going great, absolutely peachy, right now and I just—“

Ben looked down at her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked really fragile. Still, he touched her tentatively, ready to retract his hand if she rejected it. But she didn’t.

“Alright, I get it,” he seemingly conceded her point, “you can follow us on tour.”

It was perfect. She was suddenly under his protection. And of her own volition.

Everything was going to be great from now on. Well—everything except for one.

Syed is going to kill me.

#Reylo #fanfiction #Modern AU #Scenic Route

[theheightofdishonor]

Top 10 Battles in the Metal Saga (in no particular order)

Kyoya-Ryuga 

There aren’t many battles that are just about raw power the way this one is. The whole thing is just so extra, from ruining the stadium before the battle even begins to ending with Ryuga’s possession and Kyoya passing out with a dragon’s tail going through his chest. The power-play between these two is riveting. And on top of that, it’s the closest anyone but Gingka and Nemesis ever gets to beating Ryuga. However, it does annoy me that Kyoya is the only one of Ryuga’s opponents in Battle Bladers who comes out unaffected in the long-term. After their respective battles, Hikaru retires from Beyblade, Tsubasa suffers with possession, and both experience a healthy dose of PTSD but apparently, Kyoya gets away with no signs of it? I call bullshit. 

2.Da Xian - Julian 

If you didn’t love Da Xiang before, you had to after this battle. It did a brilliant job of highlighting how good Dashan is at manipulating people, and doing so “coolly, and brilliantly”. Dashan sees the scene as the opportunity it is and coaxes Julian from a disheartened shell of his former self to someone who’s willing to try again without the man even knowing. Oh, and he gets Julian to appreciate the value of his friends too. And beats him in battle easily. And delivers, “You think you and I are alike? That’s an insult, ” decimating Julian’s remaining pride. Talk about being cool. (Chao Xin should definitely take pointers)

3. Gingka vs 100 (supposedly) Face Hunters 

I had a hard time choosing between this and the battle earlier in the episode where Gingka first saves Kenta from Face Hunters, but I think this holds more impact and the one Kenta thinks is more notable. As a fight itself, it’s short compared to some of the other more epic battles on this list, and its placement is more about the consequences of it than the contents of the actual battle itself.  It’s the moment where Kenta’s admiration for Gingka really cements, and the moment that Kyoya takes a serious interest in him, shaping his relationship with two people who will be monumental in his life. Also, Gingka looks super cool and baby Kenta is adorable. 

 4.  Excalibur-Gan Gan Galaxy 

This battle has one of my favourite scenes of ALL TIME- Masamune single-handedly cutting through Sophie and Wales’s joint special move. Let me just take a second to gush about how powerful he is and how much I love him and how he deserves so much more love and did I mention he stopped the twins in their track with ONE MOVE. Your fave could never but if I don’t stop now, i’ll be talking about Masamune all day. 

The visual of Pegasus and Striker moving as one force, with the music crescendoing only for Destroyer to cut them down at the climax, is breathtaking. Seriously, I’ve watched that one scene on repeat and my breath catches. 

I love to see Masamune and Gingka work together as a team, especially because it’s not their preferred dynamic and it doesn’t always come easily to them. But when they try, they’re magic together, partially because they’re so alike. This is the only battle where we get the full force of the Y-Masamune-Gingka dynamic, a god-tier trio who can only possess one brain cell when they’re together because otherwise, they’d be way too strong. Let’s be real. If these morons actually combined their intelligence, they would have crushed Excalibur to dust. We need more scenes with them tbh

As a side note, it was not at all ok for these guys to crash the festival or for Yu to ruin a culturally important arena. It’s played off way to lightheartedly for my tastes.  It’s not even the only time they’re insensitive- in Fury, Yu and Kyoya damage ancient ruins and Gingka’s group explicitly disobeys orders to not step on a sacred volcano. The whole thing is kinda gross and the Metal Saga should address its serious disregard for other cultures. Sophie losing her shit on a literal 12 year old was funny though. 

5. The Legendary Bladers-Nemesis part 2 

This is a pretty long battle, I linked it to where the battle begins but it doesn’t end until the end of the next episode. There’s a lot about this battle that drives me crazy- like why are you people just letting Kenta destroy himself, why are the strongest bladers in the world who were specifically chosen for this battle unable to withstand for more than two hits, etc  BUT- this is when Ryuga hands over the Star Fragment which is cool and emotional enough to let everything else slide. It’s a pretty satisfying conclusion to the Kenta-Ryuga arc and rings parallel to Metal Fusion down to Ryuga pulling a Storm Pegasus and disappearing into thin air.Which talking about, I will forever be mad Storm Pegasus doesn’t ever come into play after Metal Fusion. Shogun Steel would have been such a perfect time to bring Storm Pegasus back to play and assure in a new era- such wasted potential, but I digress. 

Oh, and friendly reminder that Yu’s Inferno Blast breaks through Rago’s barrier while 8 Legendary Bladers combined couldn’t leave a dent on Nemesis. 

6. Kenta-Reiji

Talking about emotional, if you didn’t cry during this battle, you’re a liar- it’s painful to watch. The entire thing with Kenta using Libra’s performance tip and his insistence that he has to win for Yu- it breaks your heart. Reiji is such a great villain because he does exactly what he’s meant to do- make the audience be invested in him. He’s so unnecessarily cruel, so irredeamable, and this episode drills that into your skull. Even the spectators of the match can’t look on as Reiji tortured Kenta well after Sagittario has stopped spinning. 

7. Easter Island

It would take too long to name everyone involved in this, so i’m not going to. But boy is it a ride You’ve got King starting it off with Chris for insulting/defeating/humiliating Masamune- a noble cause if there ever was one. His impassioned defense of his boyfriend is one of the best speeches/declarations in the Saga and is also 80% of the reason this battle is on the list. The guy has his priorities straight, ok. Gingka says it’s either Masamune’s feelings or the world and King chooses Masamune, no questions, no hesitations. Can’t say I blame him. Especially after seeing the heartbreak on Masamune’s face when Chris insults him. But of course, the world is actually more important so 

 Gingka jumps in to stop King which as Benkai mentions, you can’t stop him from battling by actually battling him, so I don’t know what Gingka was thinking. Johannes’s lackies, including Aguma and the Beylin Fist, joins the battle, prompting Zeo, Toby, etc to also join. Then Ryuga appears and starts draining Chris’s power before Kenta stops him (thus publically revealing their affiliation to the world) and the two disappear. Literally everyone is involved, Johannes tells Chris to “man up” when he dares to show pain that Ryuga is literally stealing his power away but then vanishes because he doesn’t want to face Gingka head on yet. Can you say hypocrite? And while this was all happening, Johannes somehow managed to buy Chris’s loyalties.

It’s insane and so much fun. 

8.Tsubasa-Jack

I didn’t expect to put this on the list but I watched it recently and had a newfound appreciation for it so here it is. While the team battle with Excalibur was the climax of Tsubasa’s arc, this was the resolution. It is arguably Tsubasa’s best battle of the series. He made his recovery with Excalibur, had a practice run with the Garcias, and by this battle, Tsubasa is better than ever. There’s a satisfaction in watching Tsubasa beat Jack with ease. After struggling the entire season, it's very cathartic. There’s this one bit where Jack is complaining about battling Ryuga and how Tsubasa can’t possibly know the disappointment he felt  and Tsubasa snaps, because how fucking dare he, who the fuck did Jack think he is. Again, very cathartic.

Irrelevant, but this episode has some of the best quotes including gems like

 “What is this? A bunch of creepy pictures”; 

“Oh dear Tsubasa” queue Jack asking for a battle; 

“You’re really lacking in the culture department” - Jack to Madoka,  “

The rest of Gan-Gan Galaxy are common, unrefined types”.

 The list never ends. Do yourself a favour and watch the episode.

9. Zoe-Toby-Masamune

This is the only season where there’s no one Final Battle but instead two separate climactic moments- Ryuga and Gingka working together to stop Hades City from melting down(?) and Toby and Zeo  fighting to bring Toby back to normal. 

Unlike the Finales in Fusion and Fury, this one’s private, personal. Not only were Ryuga-Gingka battle and the Battle against Nemesis attended by a lot of people, they were also widely broadcasted across the world. In comparison, Toby, Zeo and Masamune (and Ziggurat at one point) are the only ones to witness the Finale in Masters. It’s a very intimate moment. Their friendship is fractured-Toby's brainwashed,  Zeo was manipulated, and there’s still tension because Masamune left them in a time of need. The two of them are finally confronting just how much their friendship has strained: Masamune never imagined Zeo would resent him when he only ever wanted to fulfill Toby’s wish; he’s almost offended Zeo would think so badly of him. On the other hand, Zeo wrestles between accepting Ziggurat manipulated him but also his very valid resentment towards Masamune. They both hurt each other but get past it and forgive each other for the sake of their best friend. Bey battles are when bladers communicate through each other and in this one, these three use it to find their way back to each other. 

10.  

Gingka-Kyoya

Of course, the list wouldn’t be complete without a Gingka-Kyoya battle. Despite Kyoya being Gingka’s second biggest rival, they only have 3 complete battles with a clear winner. (Kyoya is disqualified in Survival Battle, and neither won in the Championships Team battle or the one in Fury). Despite there being so few options, it was still hard for me to choose because they’re all brilliant and my opinion changes every other day. 

Honestly, I didn’t remember why I chose this battle, so I went back in and re-watched it- SO many thoughts. For one thing, Kyoya sounds like a cheesy bat man villain.  Seriously though, the battle feels so off to me because in this episode, Kyoya is more or less just another evil villain; a pale foreshadow of what Ryuga will become in the Final Battle. I’m not even kidding. This hits almost the exact beats that the Gingka-Ryuga battle will.  I didn’t like this battle when I re-watched it for this post. Gingka and Kyoya’s battles are important because of the history and bond they share and in this battle, neither of those are solidified and it’s just not as satisfying. 

I will admit though that this battle was important for them, mostly Kyoya who was headed towards unhinged-Ryuga territory before Gingka saved him. It kickstarts Kyoya into being the lovable grump we know he’s capable of being and creates a debt towards Gingka which in turn develops into an actual friendship. It’s an important step of their journey and I can’t begrudge it too much ig. If you really want to watch a Gingka-Kyoya battle for non-thematic reasons, though, I recommend the World Championships or the one in Metal Fury Ep 1

#metal saga #beyblade metal saga #gingka hagane #beyblade #metal fusion #metal masters #metal fury #beyblade metal fight #metal fight #kyoya tategami #kenta yumiya #ryuga

[nox-ceur]

Please tell me your in depth opinions of the criminal minds characters?

Allie ily

I wrote down everyone I actually remember, theres probably others that I didn’t get to but I don’t remember everyone enough to have an opinion

Reid: Ultimate favorite character. I loved him and he made the show better. Definitely baby, but also a huge badass. I hate how much he was tortured and how much pain he had to go through. He wasn’t appreciated as much as he should have been or like people were really good at ignoring the signs that he was suffering. He definitely comes off as bi idc what the writers decided. He deserves kids and deserves a nice healthy relationship where his partner does not get murdered in front of him. He would have been cute with JJ ngl, especially when her kid dressed up as Spencer for Halloween 🥺

Morgan: he definitely had the whole “hot and knows it” mindset but he was also really down to earth. He clearly cared about the team and is definitely the type to protect someone with his life no questions asked. He was willing to listen to other people but he was also stubborn as hell. He definitely tried his best make people feel safe. Him leaving was sad and I hated that part. He deserved a family though. His friendship with Reid was perfect and their prank wars were iconic

JJ: the love of my life, a literal angel. JJ was super sweet but clearly had a protective side. It was stupid how she was forced to be separated from her team. She seems to do better around other people but I think she’s secretly an introvert. Her and Spencer would have been perfect but I also lowkey love Will. JJ is a badass and definitely cares more about others than herself. She’d sacrifice herself in a second if it meant saving someone else.

Prentiss: I hated her at first but she grew on me. I thought the faking her death (twice?) thing was excessive but I guess I can understand why she did it. Especially since she was yanno being stalked. I liked her personality overall and I loved her interaction with the other characters, especially JJ. She was a badass with a secret soft side and deep deep down a little insecure. She had a cute cat named Sergio so she gets points for that. She’s absolutely not straight and that is a hill I will die on.

Rossi: has like 3 ex wives?? Gives off fatherly/grandfather vibes. Mobster in a past life?? Idk he seems like he’d fit right in with the mafia. He cares about the team like they’re his own children and even hosts dinner nights at his house for everyone?? I love how he interacts with everyone, he’s hilarious and to the point but also really caring and loyal overall. The scene where everyone is at his house for dinner is my favorite :’)

Garcia: She’s so cute and sweet and full of life! Her personality is amazing and I love how she interacts with everyone, but especially Morgan. Her outfits are iconic and she deserves to be appreciated. I loved her from the start and she’s important to the team. She cares about everyone in her own way but also won’t put up with anyone’s bs. Her giving new people a hard time is the funniest thing. She’s funny and such a fun character

Hotch: he seems so serious all the time and closed off?? He also comes off as a father figure for the rest of the team though. He does have his moments where he’s more open and stuff, and it’s clear he really does care about everyone else. Even though he misses certain things in Jack’s life, I don’t think there’s anyone who loved his son more than he did. Him finding Haley dead was heartbreaking and I think he genuinely did love her but I imagine it’s difficult to balance a relationship with being the leader of the BAU. He deserved to be happy and him leaving made the show so different.

Gideon: I don’t remember a whole lot about him, but he was close to Reid. Gives off like grandfather vibes and listened to Reid about his interests and stuff even when no one else would. He seemed like a caring person and seemed to care about everyone. His death was really sad

Luke: He has a dog! He seems to use humor as a coping mechanism. At the same time I think he genuinely was a happy person deep down but not entirely. He’s intelligent and I feel like him and Morgan would be the perfect friends. I thought it was hilarious how hard Garcia tried to not like him as a person and then as soon as she found out about his dog she was all “I don’t like you this is for your dog”. He obviously had a lot of trauma to deal with but he made a good fit for the team. He fit in so naturally. He comes off as really outgoing but deep down I think he’s more of a “keep to yourself” kind of person.

Elle: I didn’t really like her. She seemed to want to do her own kind of thing, and she assumed and jumped into decisions before thinking them through. She was really impulsive and I don’t think she handled being part of the team very well. She shouldn’t have been a field agent imo

Kate: she was only there for like a season I think but I hated her. She was such a know it all and seemed to think her opinion was the only one. She didn’t like listening to other people and tried to take charge when she wasn’t in charge. She didn’t deserve to have her sister kidnapped, but I’m glad she wasn’t a permanent member of the team.

Tara: She was cool. I liked how well she fit in. She seemed kind of closed off but I feel like she was secretly outgoing, the opposite of luke. She seemed down to earth and willing to listen to other people and really think through situations.

Strauss: she didn’t deserve to die but she ruined everything and I absolutely hated her. She was so hell bent on pulling the team apart and trying to force them to go their separate ways. She didn’t understand why they worked so well together or why they made the decisions that they made and didn’t even try to understand either.

#answered #allie