#and its not just his hijacking it goes all the way back to them pretending during the first games

[recreationalpasta]

CREEPYPASTA ON PURGE NIGHT:

(tw mentions of gore and trafficking rings.)

Jeff The Killer

Always gets incredibly hyped before hand but two hours in and he's bored, keeps going just to up his body count for bragging rights.

Probably robbed a store for a butterfingers

Favorite thing to do is find the most dangerous person and hunt them down. See who kills who faster.

Spoilers: he always wins.

Sometimes he keeps killing just to hear people scream at him about the purge being over, he enjoys shattering their false senses of security.

Ticci Toby

Can barley contain himself leading up, excited to not have to hold back and be so stealthy

Practices ax throwing in hardware stores

Loves to be as brutal as possible, gets a little too into it. Sometimes people have to shake him to get him to realize the times already over.

Immediately whines that it's over and tries to compare kill counts with anyone else who participated.

Definitely goes to a playground to fuck around, might even break equipment on purpose for a laugh.

EJ

Finds his way into a medic van and rides around all night helping people get patched up. Easy excuse for kidneys if necessary and he gets to practice medical skills on more than the pastas.

The people in the vans definitely realize he's not human and taking organs but don't say anything because he's helping far more than he's hurting.

Accidentally intimidates anyone who would think to attack the van just with vibes alone.

Likes to go on walks in street clothes, it's the only time he doesn't feel like he has to hide.

Jane The Killer

Hunting Jeff and helping any victims he accidentally leaves alive.

Uses most of the time breaking up trafficking rings because she doesn't have to worry about cops getting in her way.

Uses the chance to stock up on feminine hygiene products for the girls, never know when they will not have access.

Often accepts Nathan's help/company

Kate The Chaser

When she's Kate, she often assists EJ or guards the perimeter of the current hideout. Anyway to feel useful.

When she's the Chaser she's known to wipe out streets of purgers, dragging them away down alleys and slicing apart their weapons. Everyone knows when they see her mask to give her a wide berth.

Often one of the few nights she doesn't have time to feel guilty about her past.

Clockwork

She stole all the art supplies. ALL of it.

Donates some to relief centers or charities, along with keeping an eye out for their safety

Creates large beautiful murals along buildings, they are known to stop fighting nearby. Partially out of adoration and partly out of fear of what she will do if you mark it up.

Sometimes if she's particularly angry at someone for ruining her art she ties them up as a gift for Helen.

The Bloody Painter

Doesn't go out. Finds the whole thing annoying and a waste.

His art becomes a lot more violent, less grace and care. He usually doesn't let these pieces see the light of day because "they aren't my best work."

Pretends he doesn't appreciate it when someone's gifts him a purger.

Masky

Finds the whole thing to be pretty hypocritical and foolish. He uses the opportunity to secure their Basecamp.

Always ends up at the nearest orphanage, relief center, or mental institution. No one will ever know how many wounds he's wrapped due to his efforts for their safety.

Checks spies on everyone throughout the night to make sure they are alright. He's always in their corner. He will chew them out after he saves their ass though, just to hide his own sigh of relief.

They are all in this together, he can't lose anyone else.

Hoodie

Spies checks on everyone the same as Tim, mostly hijacks security systems and cameras to do it.

Thinks its funny to call a pasta when danger is coming up only to text them instead and hang up. Enjoys seeing their reactions.

Often the one who has to volunteer to try and snap Toby out of his bloodlust.

Keeps a few extra magazines for his handheld.

Nathan The Nobody

Sticks to the shadows, usually crawling along ledges and drainage pipes.

Same idea as Jane, whatever targets she isn't hitting, he is.

Absolutely fucking brutal about it, we are talking cryptic messages in blood and bodies dragged into shapes of words. Pisses him off that it never seems to fully stop the rings wherever they go.

Takes hostages far past purge time to get "information" most of the time this ends up just being catharsis.

Last question is always about his sister, he hasn't gotten a answer yet.

Scavenges for the group.

Sally

Usually doesn't participate, doesn't like the loud noises and the pastas still try to let her enjoy some semblance of a childhood. Most of them get incredibly protective when she does participate,

Jeff cheers her on just because he thinks it's fucking hilarious.

Usually sticks in the house with Kate, sometimes watches Helen paint if she can get away with it.

She has a underlining fascination with gore so it's hard to get her to not be attracted to the displays of it.

No small children have to worry if they are anywhere near the current pasta hideout, it's one of the only reasons Sally will break the rules and leave.

Always knows if Masky or Hoodie are watching her, it's some kind of sixth sense but she lets them think she didn't notice. She finds it sweet and like a fun game of pretend.

Judge Angel

Spent months gathering case files and connecting dots. She uses this as a night to mass exterminate her targets with extreme prejudice.

Sometimes she breaks into a court house and sits in the judges chair, just to feel what it's like. Sometimes she cries while she does not that she would admit it.

Watches nearby prisons, some targets are hard to reach and she's hoping they will make it easier for her by trying to escape.

Ben Drowned

Drones.

More drones.

Constantly trying to beat his "previous high score"

Jeff gets SO pissed he can't ever kill more then Ben, says he's cheating and a pussy not getting his own hands dirty and depending on machines.

Finds it the PERFECT opportunity to play practical jokes, not to anyone's amusement.

One time he stole all of Jeff's knives only to figure out Jeff stole his controllers. Ended up with a standoff in the living room that masky begrudgingly negotiated.

Nina the Killer

Enjoys the chaos but gets hella annoyed when she's hunting just for them to get killed off by some rando.

Very much feeds into horror movie tropes, sometimes she dresses like iconic horror villains just for fun (if she sees anyone else doing the same thing she guts them on sight. It was her idea first.)

Likes to scare or intimidate people through security cameras, sometimes managed to convince Ben to join in on a "stealth level"

Loves it when people underestimate her, she usually sticks to shadows to hide her scars

Sometimes gos to the rare parties she can find, immediately slaughters anyone "killing the vibe" often the dj too if they don't like her song choices.

Stalks Jeff and tells Jane where he is just to watch them fight for a laugh, sometimes she helps Jane and they both get a good bonding moment out of it.

#the purge #creepypasta #creepypasta hcs #jeff the killer #jeff the killer hc #ticci toby #ticci toby headcanons #ej creepypasta #eyeless jack #eyeless jack headcanon #jane the killer #jane the killer headcanons #kate the chaser #kate the chaser headcannon #clockwork #clockwork creepypasta #clockwork headcannon #the bloody painter #helen otis #the bloody painter headcannon #masky headcannon #hoodie headcannon #nathan the nobody #sally creepypasta #judge angel #ben drowned #laughing jack #nina the killer

[theartofdreaming1]

As usual, my thoughts regarding this week’s prompts and random thoughts on chapters 25-27 are below the cut.

heart

The imagery that really caught my attention this time was Peeta pointing out the changes in the moon to Katniss: The only indication of the passage of time lies in the heavens, the subtle shift of the moon. So Peeta begins pointing it out to me, insisting I acknowledge its progress and sometimes, for just a moment I feel a flicker of hope before the agony of the night engulfs me again. - So for one, we see another example of Peeta focusing on the small details in life (which I’ve previously hypothesized to being an important element in his recovery from his hijacking) as well as Peeta being the one to give Katniss hope, even if it’s just for a brief moment. Also, it’s a nice parallel to Katniss looking at the moon and desperately wishing for it to be “her moon” back in chapter 23. As a nocturnal person, I also love watching the moon from my living room window🌙

mind

Hmmh, I don’t think that Katniss and Peeta’s win was predetermined - although I do believe that by introducing the romantic angle, they significantly improved their odds. A Career winning the Games is not really that special and exciting, since it happens so often (although Careers generally satisfy that excitement for violence/blood/gore, that plenty of Capitol people seem to share). As a volunteer from District 12, who achieved an extremely good training score and proved herself to be very capable in the arena already, Katniss definitely had an edge by playing into the classic underdog story, which offered another exciting “narrative” for the Capitolites to follow - that, coupled (heh) with the romance angle Peeta introduced? Katniss (and Peeta) definitely had the entertainment (and excitement through novelty) factor on their side. Ironically, Cato’s chances of winning were not as good as he expected, precisely because he was playing it by the book.

soul

Poor Peeta (and Katniss), it hurts that their relationship was in such a rocky place by the end of the book. Especially those weeks right after the end of Book 1, when there were still cameras around District 12 and they had to pretend while hurting must have sucked big time🥺

Chapter 25

Ugh, the muttations are just so unsettling... *shudder*

Honestly, I’m just so impressed by Peeta’s presence of mind to draw that X on Cato’s hand, after he had just most of his calf ripped off, only to be grabbed and put in a headlock by Cato! He and Katniss work insanely well under pressure

God, Cato’s death is just so gruesome and awful... In the end, his “gift” from the Feast doesn’t help him win at all, but instead ends up prolonging his suffering a cruel amount... I wonder if in general these “gifts” come with a string attached (aside from the expected danger of trying to get them, I mean) - because the Gamemakers also intend for Katniss’s “gift” (medicine for Peeta) to force an even more cruel outcome on her - saving him from blood poisoning only to be forced into killing him herself... 🤔

I’m not sure if this is exactly medical protocol, but I’m terrified that if he drifts off he’ll never wake again. “Are you cold?” he asks. He unzips his jacket and I press against him as he fastens it around me. - Katniss is terrified of the idea of Peeta dying; at the same time, Peeta worries about her freezing - I can’t with these two 😩

Peeta begins to doze off now, and each time he does, I find myself yelling his name louder and louder because if he goes and dies on me now, I know I’ll go completely insane. He’s fighting it, probably more for me than for him - Katniss can’t lose any more people she cares about 😢; on a different note, Peeta fighting his unconsciousness “probably more for [Katniss] than for him” points out one of the crucial elements Katniss brings into Peeta’s life - she is that someone for whom he will fight - including for his own life and well-being - even when it feels easier to give up... Having that person in your life that keeps you going can make all the difference - if Katniss hadn’t had Prim and promised her “to really, really try” to win (and later also made Rue the same promise), I’m not sure she would have made it this far; it’s the thought of Prim anxiously watching her after Rue’s death, that forces Katniss to keep going, to not give in to despair after that particular traumatic event - Peeta, on the other hand, didn’t really have that kind of person in his life, as he will point out on the beach in CF (and Katniss acknowledges herself that the only person who will be devasted if Peeta dies is her)... that is not to say that neither Katniss nor Peeta aren’t fighters on their own - but it helps to have someone that inspires you to not give up

the adrenaline pumping through my body would never allow me to follow him, so I can’t let him go. I just can’t. - We’ll see the mirrored version of this by the end of Mockinjay 

Pity, not vengeance, sends my arrow flying into [Cato’s] skull. - Another act of rebellion, technically (sure, this can be spun as Katniss killing Cato so she and Peeta may win - before Peeta dies from blood loss - but we know better - Katniss’s motivation was compassion for her supposed enemy)

We inch down to the tail of the horn and fall to the ground. If the stiffness in my limbs is this bad, how can Peeta even move? - Peeta is tough as nails, yo!

Before I am even aware of my actions, my bow is loaded with the arrow pointed straight at his heart [...] I drop my weapons and take a step back, my face burning in what can only be shame. “No,” he says. “Do it.” [...] “I can’t,” I say, “I won’t.” - In spite of her initial reflex, Katniss chooses Peeta/ chooses not to kill him; it’s a recurring theme in their relationship (despite her wariness of others, she chooses to open up to Peeta eventually; although she vowed to never marry and have children, she’ll choose to have a family with Peeta); also, my psychology-brain just noticed how this moment illustrates how harmful thoughts/impulses don’t have to determine your actions and are not an indicator of who you are - it’s about what you choose to do

“You’re not leaving me here alone,” I say. Because if he dies, I’ll never go home, not really. I’ll spend the rest of my life in this areny trying to think my way out. - Again, makes me think of MJ; also, I think that from this point onwards, Katniss and Peeta are officially linked together forever; the bond they forged during this traumatic experience will connect them to each other until the day they die

“On the count of three?” Peeta leans down and kisses me once, very gently. “The count of three,” he says. - My heart😭

Chapter 26

... while our muscles are immobile, nothing is preventing the blood from draining out of Peeta’s leg. Sure enough, the minute the door closes behind us and the current stops, he slumps to the floor unconscious  [...] Through the glass, I see the doctors working feverishly on Peeta, their brows creased in concentration [...] I’m not sure, but I think his heart stops twice. - Peeta was in such a bad shape by the end of the Games; I’m still kinda salty that the movie really glossed over this fact :/

... they’re taking Peeta but leaving me behind the door. I start hurling myself against the glass, shrieking and I think I just catch a glimpse of pink hair - it must be Effie, it has to be Effie coming to my rescue - when the needle jabs me from behind. - Oh geez, in Catching Fire Katniss will also get sedated in a hovercraft because she’s upset about being separated from Peeta 😢 (also, Katniss thinking that Effie is coming to her rescue 😭)

While she [Lavinia, the avox] adjusts my pillows, I risk one question. I say it out loud, as clearly as my rusty voice will allow, so nothing will seem secretive. “Did Peeta make it?” She gives me a nod, and as she slips a spoon into my hand, I feel the pressure of friendship. - Katniss is so considerate of Lavinia’s situation, and Lavinia’s giving her a gesture of comfort and support; they’ve never been able to have a proper conversation (Katniss doesn’t even know Lavinia’s name), but still they managed to build up such a bond - compassion certainly is a strong thing to behold 😭 (and this whole scene is just through and through about compassion, with Katniss asking how Peeta is doing!)

Home! Prim and my mother! Gale! Even the thought of Prim’s scruffy old cat makes me smile. Soon I will be home! - Katniss is so excited to see her home and her loved ones again

I want to get out of this bed. To see Peeta and Cinna - Aww, the two people she grew closest to over the course of the past weeks (Haymitch will be added to that list in just a smidge)

Or do I hear a man’s voice yelling? Not in the Capitol accent, but in the rougher cadences of home. And I can’t help having a vague, comforting feeling that someone is looking out for me. - Thank God for Haymitch! 

And behind one of them [doors] must be Peeta. Now that I’m conscious and moving, I’m growing more and more anxious about him [...] “Peeta!” I call out, since there’s no one to ask - Katniss is sick with worry over Peeta; romantic feelings or not, she cares so fricking much for him by now!

I run for them [Effie, Haymitch, and Cinna] and surprise even myself when I launch into Haymitch’s arms first. When he whispers in my ear, “Nice job, sweetheart,” it doesn’t sound sarcastic. - These reunion scenes are so intense and heartwarming! And then Katniss asks about Portia and Peeta because their presence would make this scene complete 

when I asks for seconds, I’m refused. “No, no, no. They don’t want it all coming back up on the stage,” says Octavia, but she secretly slips me an extra roll under the table to let me know she’s on my side - It’s moments like these that help humanize Katniss’s prep team - they might be shallow, they might be completely oblivious and ignorant, but they aren’t that bad [of course, the prep team chattering about their mundane lives while talking about the event that ended with the deaths of 22 children shortly after, leaves a bad taste in our mouths]

I immediately notice the padding over my breasts, adding curves that hunger has stolen from my body. My hands go to my chest and I frown. “I know,” says Cinna before I can object. “But the Gamemakers wanted to alter you surgically. Haymitch had a huge fight with them over it. This was the compromise.” - God, the idea that the Gamemakers wanted to give a boob job to an unconscious, malnourished 16-year-old girl makes me sick 🤢 (Also, what’s the flipping deal about boobs?! As a pretty flat-chested gal, I’ve always been annoyed that there are barely any bras my cup size that are not push-up ones; I’m not self-conscious about it, so stop making me pretend that I’m bustier than I actually am!)

“I thought it’d be something more... sophisticated-looking,” I say. “I thought Peeta would like this better,” he [Cinna] answers carefully. Peeta? No, it’s not about Peeta. It’s about the Capitol and the Gamemakers and the audience. Although I do not yet understand Cinna’s design, it’s a reminder the Games are not quite finished. - Ugh, that sinking feeling when Katniss and the reader realize that the Games are still not over... Sidenote: Peeta flirted up a storm with grimy, bloodied Katniss and complimented her when she wore Cinna’s first, absolutely badass costume (”You should wear flames more often”)... Katniss’s girlish outfit  has nothing to do with Peeta and she knows it... Cinna could have dressed Katniss up in a trash bag and Peeta would have been smitten - although a trash bag by Cinna would probably still look pretty good ;)

“How about a hug for luck?” Okay, that’s an odd request from Haymitch but, after all we are victors. Maybe a hug for luck is in order. - Aww, Katniss actually wouldn’t have minded giving Haymitch a hug just because - sadly, this is about survival tips instead :/

But what was it Haymitch said when I asked it he had told Peeta the situation? That he had to pretend to be desperately in love? “Don’t have to. He’s already there.” Already thinking ahead of me in the Games again and well aware of the danger we’re in? Or... already desperately in love? I don’t know. I haven’t even begun to separate out my feelings about Peeta. It’s too complicated. - Poor Katniss... she didn’t have the time and peace of mind to sort out her feelings regarding Peeta before they all got tied up and muddled with her need for survival. Now she’ll be having an even harder time trying to untangle that mess :(

Chapter 27

Then there’s Peeta just a few yards away. He looks so clean and healthy and beautiful, I can hardly recognize him. But his smile is the same whether in mud or in the Capitol and when I see it, I take about three steps and fling myself into his arms [...] He rights himself and we just cling to each other while the audience goes insane. He’s kissing me and all the time I’m thinking, Do you know? Do you know how much danger we’re in? After about ten minutes of this, Caesar Flickerman taps on his choulder to continue the show, and Peeta just pushes him aside without even glancing at him. - Man, their reunion here always gets me - it would be so fricking good if Katniss didn’t have to worry about their potential doom 😒😔 - she barely has time to just be happy to see Peeta alive and well before slipping back into survival mode while Peeta is just genuinely thrilled to have her in his arms, completely unaware of the pressure and immediate danger Katniss experiences in this moment... It hurts so bad

I’m with Katniss - How did the previous victors endure rewatching those horrible moments from the Games?! I guess because they had to, but oof... I think I’d just completely shut down, blocking out the footage shown, ugh

But I do notice they omit the part where I covered her [Rue] in flowers. Right. Because even that smacks of rebellion. - In such a callous and cruel place as Panem, any act of compassion can be regarded as rebellion, it’s crazy. In a place filled with apathy, hedonism, greed, and cruelty, the most radical things you can exhibit are love, kindness, and respect!

A wave of gratitude to the filmmakers sweeps over me when they end not with the announcement of our victory, but with me pounding on the glass door of the hovercraft, screaming Peeta’s name as they try to revive him. In terms of survival, it’s my best moment all night. - Again, another instance where Katniss’s genuine feelings/reactions to Peeta are get muddled with her need for survival

The one thing I never do is let go of Peeta’s hand. - irrevocably linked with each other

Despite Haymitch’s running interference, I’m determined to see Peeta privately. - Katniss just wants to have an honest and open talk with Peeta 😢 (I get where Haymitch is coming from, and maybe in this instance it’s the right call, but we’ll see a similar situation in the beginning of CF when Haymitch advises Katniss not to tell Peeta about President Snow’s visit and that time, it doesn’t go so well...)

Then Peeta’s there looking handsome in red and white - for someone who isn’t sure whether she’s into him or not, Katniss sure mentions how good Peeta’s looking a lot 😏

“Well, there’s just this and we go home. Then he can’t watch us all the time,” says Peeta. - 👀👀 Peeta is so thirsty here; reminds me of when he pulled Katniss close to him in the cave before they set out to hunt... He clearly believes she’s also “already there” regarding their relationship; he’s never this “suggestive” (can’t think of a better word right now) with her once she lets him know that she doesn’t really know how she feels about him - I feel a sort of shiver run through me and there’s no time to analyze why - Katniss totally isn’t averse to what Peeta’s suggesting here, either (though there’s probably also a healthy amount of fear mixed in with the thrill of being wanted - letting people in can be terrifying)

I can feel Peeta press his forehead into my temple and he asks, “So now that you’ve got me, what are you going to do with me?” I turn in to him. “Put you somewhere you can’t get hurt.” And when he kisses me, people in the room actually sigh. - It’s me; I’m people 🙋🏼‍♀️ (also, the “turn in to him”?!?!! it just suggests such a closeness, I can’t-)

Katniss burying her face in Peeta’s shirt when she’s afraid she might cry learning that he lost his leg 🥺 (how awful it must be to be constantly on display while you’re dealing with your private feelings, ugh)

“... The moment when you pulled out those berries. What was going on in your mind... hm?” [...] It seems to call for a big, dramatic speech, but all I get out is one almost inaudible sentences. “I don’t know, I just... couldn’t bear the thought of... being without him.” - It might not be a super eloquent way to put what she was supposed to say, but this way, Katniss is being perfectly honest (and frankly, if she’d had the chance to properly process her feelings, she would have been able to voice this sentiment with less hesitation)

I go back to my room to collect a few things and find there’s nothing to take but the mockingjay pin Madge gave me. Someone returned it to my room after the Games. - For one, Katniss didn’t think of that pin (again), but also - was the pin returned to her simply because it’s standard procedure or did someone (like Plutarch, for example) arrange for Katniss to get the pin back, to keep her connection to this symbol going?

I stare in the mirror as I try to remember who I am and who I am not. - Poor Katniss! She’s been through so much, experienced so many traumatic events in short succession recently (aside from the trauma she already had), already had problems defining her identity beyond sheer survival, and now the Capitol also keeps pushing an identity onto her and a romantic relationship, when she hadn’t even had the chance to figure out how she felt about that yet

“... Haymitch has been coaching me through the last few days. So I didn’t make it worse,” I say. “Coaching you? But not me,” says Peeta. “He knew you were smart enough to get it right,” I say. “I didn’t know there was anything to get right,” says Peeta. - Oh boy. It’s always so painful to see Peeta realize that he’s been completely out of the loop; again, we’ll see how Katniss and Haymitch adopt a similar strategy in the beginning of CF: banking on Peeta’s good social skills and eloquence and keeping him in the dark. In a way, it’s a sort of compliment they pay to Peeta for being good with people, but, by not telling him, they are also using him for their purpose (which is motivated by caring for and wanting to protect Peeta, but still). Peeta is right to be upset about it - he has always been very clear about not wanting to be used as a piece in anyone’s games, really. And, as we will see later in CF, they are way more effective as a team when they are open and honest with each other.

“It was all for the Games,” Peeta says. “How you acted.” “Not all of it,” I say, tightly holding on to my flowers. “Then how much? No, forget that. I guess the real question is what’s going to be left when we get home?” he says. “I don’t know. The closer we get to District Twelve, the more confused I get,” I say. He waits, for further explanation, but none’s forthcoming. “Well, let me know when you work it out,” he says, and the pain in his voice is palpable. - It’s just so goddamn painful😢 They’ve both been done so dirty by that forced star-crossed lovers of Distrct 12 routine. (Sidenote: I appreciate that Peeta actually gives Katniss the chance to explain herself here - still, it’s too much to deal with on the spot so I can understand why Katniss ended up dropping the ball, even though it’s frustrating to read.)

That it’s not good loving me because I’m never going to get married anyway and he’d just end up hating me later instead of sooner. That if I do have feelings for him, it doesn’t matter because I’ll never be able to afford the kind of love that leads to a family, to children. And how can he? How can he after what we’ve just been through? - Oh Katniss, you certainly are skipping a couple of steps here; I’m pretty sure there are some options in between dating and being married with kids you could look into. Also, she’s just assuming that this is what Peeta wants, but she doesn’t know that at all - As someone who also has this stupid habit of imagining how whole conversations could possibly transpire and then resigning myself to the hypothetical outcome of said imagined conversation instead of actually having them: Don’t do that. ‘Never assume - it makes an ASS out of U and ME.’ 

I see Peeta extend his hand. I look at him, unsure. “One more time? For the audience?” he says. His voice isn’ t angry. It’s hollow, which is worse. Already the boy with the bread is slipping away from me. I take his hand, holding it tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go. - Ma babies! They are both so hurt and both just want to be with each other 😭 But they’ll need some time apart, to figure things out before they can do that.

#thgagain #thg #hunger games #everlark #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #my sketches and drawings #thg meta

[itsclydebitches]

Another thing about how rwby views trauma survivors reacting to their abuse or unfortunate background is that it frames the solution to healing is by serving in armed forces. Weiss and Blake joined Beacon to escape their abuser. Ren and Nora joined Beacon after the loss of their families. Winter joined the military to escape Jacques and I'm assuming will become the new Atlas general after Ironwood's death. The Huntsmen Academies are all framed as these safe havens (literally with Mistral) for anyone who can carry a weapon, meanwhile anyone who can't or doesn't want to join, or joins a group outside of the institution is depicted as bad.

To say that this is all muddied would be a huge understatement because even if we put aside the complicated message of, "Overcome your abuse by learning to punch back," at this point the combined huntsmen-military is no longer presented as a means of escape. Rather, between the rewriting of Winter's history – she has apparently been manipulated by Ironwood this whole time rather than choosing the military as a means of escaping her abuser – as well as the military aligned huntsmen – FNKI aren't heroes like RWBYJNOR anymore, willingly protecting their home, they're children who have been forced into this conflict – there's now this major divide between fighters-on-their-own and fighters-as-part-of-the-institution. We could even read this as extending to the huntsmen academies themselves, given that one has fallen, one was destroyed, and the other lost its figurehead. They used to be presented as havens for struggling individuals... now, not so much. The plot's message is not that heroes win by banding together through established structures that were designed to help those coming from bad circumstances (note how aware Ozpin is of these backstories: Qrow's bandit tribe, Blake's White Fang history, looking into Ruby's defense of the store, etc.), but rather you win by rag-tag individuals making decisions based on friendship.

Yet simultaneously, that divide is by no means neat and tidy (since plenty of stories have that latter message). As we've discussed elsewhere, RWBYJNOR is ingrained in these structures despite the story rejecting them. They got their initial training at Beacon (how many fans have argued that they learned enough there? That they're basically full-fledged huntsmen already? So, that school was pretty important, yeah?). They worked with Ironwood for months. They're using the prestige of their licenses to get people to listen to them. They're hijacking military equipment to give the world orders to prepare for an attack. Ruby became a general in all but title in that moment, in the same way that Weiss became the Remnant equivalent of a cop when she tried to arrest her father. Volumes 6-8 suddenly wanted to send an anti-military message without considering the context of their story (what does a military mean in a world where unambiguously evil monsters attack, as opposed to a world where these "monsters" are minorities?) and they failed to separate the heroes from the structures they so passionately reject. You cannot have the group stand in opposition to Ironwood and everything he represents while also encouraging the audience to oohh and ahhh at Jaune whipping out his huntsmen license to lead a group of civilians to safety. The supposed cruelty of the former and supposed heroism of the latter are meant to exist simultaneously, despite the contradiction. We went from the message that huntsmen academies, including Atlas', are a haven from abuse, poverty, etc. but now, suddenly, certain types of escapes are no longer morally sound. So just ignore how many of the heroes took the "wrong" path.

And then on top of all of that we have Rhodes. RWBY is pushing the individualism message hard nowadays – that a group of friends is better than a general and his soldiers just ignore that Ruby is their leader and they all follow her orders – yet it's Rhodes' individuality that is criticized in Cinder's flashback. He, as a single person, tries to take on the complex situation of helping an abused child and he failed. The fandom's reaction to his efforts is pretty telling because most kept falling back on structural solutions: "Why didn't he just call CPS? Why didn't he get her admitted early like Ruby? Why didn't he approach some superior to fix all this?" Most fans seemed to grudgingly acknowledge that kidnapping Cinder and raising this traumatized kid on the road while hunting grimm was... not the best idea, so they turned to the very things they've rejected in Ruby's part of the story: laws that people have to follow, schools with an hierarchy that can serve as support, someone above you whose orders you follow and whose seniority can help you in a tough situation. In Cinder's flashback people wanted Remnant to have structural solutions because, clearly, leaving one flawed man to fix this situation on his own didn't turn out so well. They (and the writers) just don't want Ruby to have to obey those same structures because Ruby is the title hero they've grown to love over eight years. We feel like we know Ruby and we assume that if Ruby is in charge she'd totally make the best decision. But Rhodes? He's a stranger, someone we see for less than ten minutes, so his flaws are far easier to home in on. Few are willing to acknowledge that Ruby is Rhodes on a much larger scale, trying things because she wants to help, but ultimately doing far more harm because she's incredibly inexperienced and is just running on her own, individual ideas, not any of the structures in place that are meant to deal with such crises. Rhodes' "Idk what else to do, so I guess I'll teach a tortured kid how to defend herself and hope for the best" is Ruby's "Idk what else to do, so I guess I'll drop Atlas on Mantle, leave with the Relics, move everyone to Vacuo, and hope for the best." The primary difference is that while Rhodes is punished through his death and the narrative makes it clear that this was the wrong choice (Cinder murders everyone and becomes a villain), whereas Ruby's screwups are continually framed as heroic. And that's because the show can't make up its mind about this structural vs. individual approach. Do huntsmen need to be held responsible for their actions, or do they need complete freedom to do the right thing with the belief that anything that goes wrong was completely out of their hands (Yangs' take)? Well, that depends entirely on which huntsmen we're talking about. RWBY's idea that some people are intrinsically good and others intrinsically bad means that the writing – and the fandom – can demand rogue huntsmen be held accountable while simultaneously cheering the group running away from arrest; curse Clover for following orders while simultaneously gushing over how loyal the group is to Ruby; condemn lies that Ozpin gives while simultaneously justifying the ones Ruby gives, etc. RWBY has no clear message, just the insistence that whatever our heroes does is good. The path they've taken, learning to fight to escape horrific situation is a good thing. The path Rhodes laid out, teaching Cinder to fight to escape a horrific situation, is a bad thing. It comes down to the characters, not the situation.

Finally, yeah, there's a complete lack of acknowledgment that either option – structural or individual – alienates those who don't know how to fight. This is seen most clearly in Whitley who asks why he'd want to be a huntsmen when he can afford an army, yet when armies are painted as unquestionably bad, the story won't admit that this leaves Whitley stranded. He had no way to escape his abuse like Winter and Weiss did. He had no way to defend himself when Weiss shoved a weapon in his face. The story never had to grapple with where it's left characters who can't fight and who shouldn't make the evil choice of relying on soldiers because Whitley unexpectedly got on Weiss' good side and gained her protection. It doesn't matter anymore because Whitley is a Good Guy now who the group will take care of. But if he'd continued to disagree? Gone to his room instead of calling Klein? If, in the future, he does something that annoys his sisters and they decide to ignore him like they did before? Well, Whitley is screwed. In a world besieged by grimm – with attacks growing with each volume – he wanted to rely on an army to help solve these problems. But then that was said to be wrong, the general died, and the army, far as we can tell, was left behind to die as well. So what's left? Rely on the huntsmen. Just hope that there are enough (there aren't), that you get a good one (not a Lionheart, or a Raven, or a Cardin, or a Dudley, or...), and that the good ones care enough to bother protecting you. Even if the story hadn't gone out of its way to show how terribly flawed individual huntsmen are – from Lionheart's devastating betrayal to Qrow teaming up with Tyrian – from a practical perspective it's just not enough. Volume 8 showed without a doubt that in a war like this, one built on a witch's ability to summon endless grimm, an army is necessary. Salem would have been into Atlas in a second without those soldiers holding her forces back. Yang, Jaune, and Ren wouldn't have gotten to the whale without that army. Yet the story never acknowledges this, instead pretending like the few individuals we see – the limited numbers the characters keep admitting are horrendously limited – could have somehow saved the day without that assistance. Everything we're seeing nowadays – which characters can use these institutions to escape abuse, which can lie to help the war, which should rely on structures as opposed to their own ideas and physical power – is a mess of inconsistent, often contradictory messages.

#rwby #rwde #mymetas #abuse tw

[writer-room]

Siblings: Chapter Four

AO3

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

Summary: The Bats reflect on how their thoughts about siblings have changed over the years. Some opinions stayed, others didn't.

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

Tim didn’t know how to feel about being an only child.

He didn’t think about it all that often, there weren’t many kids he talked to at school who mentioned their siblings all that frequently. And, in some parts, he didn’t mind it so much.

The kids who did talk about siblings complained, whether their siblings were older or younger. There were those who said their sibling took up more of their parents attention, which was something Tim was already lacking in. Some said that they never had any time to themselves, something that Tim had an overabundance in, but still cherished. Others said that the accomplishments, and failures, of their siblings reflected onto them, making their parents expect more or less of them. Tim couldn’t afford that either. His parents already didn’t think much of him, he didn’t need it to be any less. And if they wanted more, he worried he wouldn’t be able to meet their expectations.

And yet…

Sometimes he liked the idea of someone else in that empty mansion. Someone to talk to when the rooms felt too large, when the loneliness was suffocating him. He liked the thought of sharing his recent theories, photos, and the like with someone. Wondered if he could go on for as long as he wanted without being interrupted.

Maybe they’d be someone who didn’t call him by a name that wasn’t his, then feign forgetting. Who didn’t treat his binders like they were assaulting their eyes. Who didn’t scrutinize his every movement for faking.

That’d be nice, he thinks. 

But there were pros and cons, he reasons. And for all he knows, if he had a sibling, they could’ve been just like his parents. Or they could’ve been kinder. Not like he’d ever know.

He had more important things to worry about than hypotheticals and wishes.

“Before you scold me, know that I took a five hour nap earlier today and I’m only getting a snack.”

Steph and Duke blinked at him from the doorway to the kitchen, their expressions a sharp contrast between exasperated and concerned, respectively.

“Wow, five hours?” Steph snarked. “That’s a new record. Are you dying?”

“Not yet,” Tim said, opening the fridge. “Give it a few weeks and I’m sure you’ll see rumors of my tragic defeat at the hands of, I dunno, Flamingo.”

“There’s a supervillain named Flamingo?” Duke exclaimed, staring at Steph incredulously.

“Oh, yeah, it’s a whole thing.” She nodded. “He had a scuffle with Jay and his kid a while back.”

“Jason has a kid?”

“Why are you up, anyway?” Tim talked right over him. “Duke I understand, he’s the disgraced child of the sun. But you patrol at the same time as every other nocturnal person in this house.”

“Hey-”

“I actually had to pretend to have a normal sleep schedule, my mom was getting worried and I didn’t want her finding me sneaking in with my full Spoiler getup on.” Steph explained tiredly. “I’m still trying to recover.”

“Tragic,” Tim hummed, pulling out a container holding a ham sandwich. 

“The only thing that's tragic is your outfit.” Steph snorted, looking him up and down.

Tim blinked, looking down at himself. His outfit consisted of a pair of knockoff Batman shorts, knee-high pastel dinosaur socks, and a long red robe that absolutely did not belong to him hanging loosely off him, exposing countless scars littering his body.

“I look awesome,” Tim said, popping the lid off the container. 

“Damian’s gonna start asking what battles you got your scars from again,” Steph tutted, striding further into the kitchen with a confused Duke following her. “Know that I will not be on your side when Dick notices and gets worried.”

“I’m more worried about Dami seeing this one,” He said, brushing the robe back slightly to reveal a poorly stitched surgical scar on his upper abdomen. “Because then he’s going to ask what happened, and then I’m gonna have to tell him that's where my spleen used to be, and then he's going to be reminded that oh, yeah, his brother has a missing spleen, and then he’s going to be treating everything like its diseased-”

“Does...he keep forgetting you lost your spleen?” Duke blinked, concerned. “I feel like that’d be something you were kinda always aware of…”

“Eh, everyone's worried about a different scar whenever they see ‘em.” He shrugged, glancing down as he traced over one of the surgery scars along his chest. “Which is frankly a little rude. I earned this right to be shirt free.”

“Hell yeah you did,” Steph grinned before her eyes dropped to the sandwich Tim was attempting to eat. “Isn’t that Cullen’s?”

“He didn’t label it, therefore it’s mine.” Tim said simply.

“Harper’s gonna kill you,” Duke warned warily. 

“Only if she catches me,” He said, taking a bite of the sandwich. “Why’re you guys here, anyway? Grabbing a snack?”

“Lookin’ for Babs,” Steph said, hands in her pockets. “Someone on Twitter started a war about which Batgirl was better, and Babs will probably get a kick out of being remembered as the ‘missing Batgirl.’”

“Oh she’ll be pissed about being remembered that way.” Tim agreed, shoving the rest of the sandwich in his mouth. “Babs will see it in five minutes or less, though. Swear she has a sixth sense for whenever someone mildly associated with the Bats is mentioned.” He mumbled.

“You wanna hijack the thread before she finds it?” He suggested.

“Hijack it?” Duke echoed.

“We’re gonna yell about random stuff that doesn’t contribute to the conversation until all hell breaks loose.” Steph explained, already pulling out her phone. “Tim?”

“How do you feel about discussing why the sun lightens hair, but darkens skin?” Tim suggested, leaving the container on the counter as he brushed by Steph.

“You just want to piss off someone from Metropolis.”

“It’s law as a Bat that I have to torment Superman whenever I possibly can.” Tim shrugged.

“Does that include me?” Duke blinked. “Because I personally think tormenting Superman is a bad idea.”

“Clark wouldn’t hurt a fly,”

“Yeah, but he’ll give me the face of disappointment and I don’t think I can live with that.” Duke protested.

“He can barely even manage--where are you going?” Steph looked up, only now realizing Tim was leaving the kitchen.

“I’m starting the mayhem on the big screens.” Tim grinned, looking back over his shoulder.

“Please don’t tell me he’s going to use Twitter on the bat computer,” Duke sighed.

“He’s totally going to use the bat computer,” Steph smiled, following after him. “C’mon! It’s initiation time.”

“Do you guys just call every weird thing you do initiation?” Duke called, hurrying behind them. “Because I’ve been told I’m part of an initiation five times in the last week.”

“You’re stuck in initiation until this becomes the norm,” Steph said cheerfully. 

“Of course,” Duke muttered.

Tim’s robe billowed behind him like an amateur cape as he wandered towards the door leading towards the steps into the Batcave. He threw open the door, the sound of it slamming echoing and startling the bats on the ceiling.

“Jesus!”

Harper jumped from the swivel chair in front of the computer, wide-eyed as she blinked up at the trio at the top of the stairs.

“Hey, Harps,” Steph greeted, hopping onto the stairs railing and sliding down. “We’re here to cause problems on Twitter.”

“Oh, well, in that case, by all means.” Harper snarked, getting up and grandly gesturing to the countless screens. “Not like I was using it for actual work.”

“Were you using it?” Tim asked, pointedly glaring at Steph to keep his recent adventure to the kitchen quiet.

“...looking for tasers to modify count as work, right?” She said after a moment.

“Technically,” Tim nodded,  ignoring Steph’s smug look that absolutely signified she was going to blackmail him later. “But you can just use Dick’s old escrima sticks. He goes through a pair every two or three weeks, but most still work pretty well, he’s just too lazy to fix them.”

“Sweet,” Harper grinned. She then paused, taking in Tim’s appearance as he slid into the seat she was previously occupying. 

“Why do you look like you’re auditioning to be the pretty girl who dies in a low-budget slasher?”

“First of all, how dare you assume I wouldn’t be the first one to die for representation points,” Tim said, pointing an accusatory finger at her. “Second of all, it’s called having fashion, and also being allowed to do whatever I want.”

“You have terrible fashion sense,” Harper snorted, crossing her arms as Steph and Duke came up beside her. “But fair, I can respect that.”

“See?” Tim said, looking at Steph. “Some people can afford to not be rude.”

“Keep talking and I’ll lose more blackmail material,” Steph calmly threatened.

Harper glanced between the two, to which Tim quietly, and quickly, turned back to the screen and ignored the both of them. Harper raised a brow but didn’t comment. Tim made a mental note to sneak into one of Jason’s unused safe houses after this was over. Steph couldn’t keep quiet for the life of her.

“What are you starting, anyway?” Harper asked, crossing her arms and leaning on the back of Tim’s chair. “A sob story about the Opportunity rover?”

“Another day,” Tim promised, opening up Twitter on the countless screens. He opened another one on the other half of the computer, which Steph quickly stood at and got her own Twitter set up. “Right now, we’re questioning how the sun makes hair lighter, but skin darker. And we’re dragging Clark into it.”

“If anyone asks, I had no part in this.” Duke said, watching the two typing with a frown. “Initiation doesn't include learning how to taunt Superman, right?”

“Eh, we can settle for you becoming close with a Kryptonian,” Steph shrugged. “Dick and Bruce share Clark, Jay’s got Bizarro, Cass and I got Kara, Babs I think counts with her, too, Damian’s got Jon, and Tim has Kon.” She listed off.  “Harper and Cullen took the ‘bully Superman’ route without befriending any of his family, which is a coward's way out, so you can take, I dunno, does Chris still exist in this timeline?”

“I can call in a favor from Bart to reset the timeline again so he exists.” Tim said with a casual shrug, pulling up the thread arguing about the Batgirls. 

“I’m sorry, what--”

“Finding Kryptonians who aren’t already taken is hard!” Harper protested, talking over Duke. “And Clark likes you guys being friends with his family. The only issue he has is Damian getting testy and Tim making heart eyes at Kon every five minutes.”

“I do not!” Tim squawked, whirling around in the chair to glare at the traitors he dared call family. In his head. Family in his head.

“You do,” Steph and Harper chorused.

“I’ve met Kon for less than twenty minutes and even I know.” Harper added. “I’m sure Duke knew.”

“I...yeah…” Duke coughed into his fist and turned away. “But in my defense, the gossip around here is practically shouted down the halls twice a week.”

“You were subjected to Dick having another crisis about Jay dating Kory for two months, weren’t you?” Steph said, trying to hide a snicker.

“There were so many things I didn’t want to know,” Duke whispered, face horror-stricken. 

“Eh, at least Jay hasn’t brought up Talia around Dami yet.” Tim shrugged. “At that point, it’s better to just vacate the premises.” 

“Wait--”

“Point is, you either befriend the Kryptonian or you torment them. That’s the rules.” Tim talked over him again, scrolling down the thread and boredly looking over the arguments. “You ready, Steph?”

“As I’ll ever be,” She grinned, giving a thumbs up. “How long till Babs notices and takes this whole thing down?”

“Few more minutes, tops.” Tim shrugged, already typing. “You two wanna give any input?” He asked, glancing behind him to Harper and Duke.

“Ask if Kryptonian skin can be used as extreme sunscreen,” Harper suggested. “That’ll rile him up.”

“Now I’m just curious if it can,” Tim said, but obediently began making his comment.

“You could just...ask?” Duke tried, clearly not taking in any of what was happening.

“Nah, Kon’s half human, I don’t think it works the exact same.” Tim shook his head, not looking back. “Kara would destroy me if I tried, Bizarro has the same problem, Jon wouldn’t know, and Clark would start telling Bruce he’s worried I’m deranged again.”

“Aren’t you?” Duke raised a brow.

“Only if I feel like it,”

“And when he forgets to sleep for ninety-eight hours.” Steph spoke up.

Tim rolled his eyes, tuning out his siblings as they continued to talk. He posted his comment before sparing a peek back at them, currently throwing off ideas to their hijacking plan like it was an everyday occurrence. Well, to Steph and Harper at least. But, to Duke’s credit, he appeared to be getting more used to it on prodding from his...sisters? Hard to tell, Steph was her own classification of family member. They were some weird choices for family, at least.

Tim watched them for a moment before turning back to making another comment on the logistics of sunscreen, a smile on his face.

He couldn’t find it in him to complain. Too much, at least.

#dc #dcu #dc comics #tim drake #trans tim drake #trans character #stephanie brown #harper row #duke thomas #barbara gordon #twitter #dumbasses #siblings #batfam #bat family #writing #my writing #fanfic #ao3 #fanfiction

[anistarrose]

Summary: Stan finds a recording from a fateful puppet show, a few disjointed memories fall into place, and the Pines family has some tense conversations.

Relationships: Ford Pines & Stan Pines, Dipper Pines & Ford Pines & Mabel Pines & Stan Pines

Characters: Stan Pines, Ford Pines, Dipper Pines, Mabel Pines, Bill Cipher (posthumously)

Set in early September, probably a little less than a week after Dipper and Mabel went home.

(It felt good to write some Stangst again! Title is from Monster Town by Go! Child because when I can't think of titles on my own, I go to my GF playlist for inspo, and that song jumped out at me today)

***

“We should probably bring a backup camera on the boat,” Ford mused, in a tone that made it impossible to tell whether he was talking to Stan or just to himself. “Maybe even multiple backup cameras. There’s no telling what the Arctic climate could do to their circuitry, and people hardly take cryptid reports seriously even with photographic evidence, never mind with just an eyewitness account and an excuse about a broken camera —”

“Easy, Sixer.” Stan set down his fully-packed suitcase at Ford’s feet, satisfied with its contents. “I’ve got a camcorder up in my room, or maybe in — actually, I can’t remember where I decided to keep it, but it’s probably still in the house somewhere. If I can find it, you can add it to your camera horde.”

Ford zipped open Stan’s suitcase, revealing hand-knitted sweaters and Hawaiian shirts in approximately equal numbers, and sighed. “Some brave wardrobe choices you’re making here. Or have you forgotten that the first beach we’re stopping at is in Alaska?”

“Well, someone’s gotta lead the fashion revolution in the Arctic Circle, and it sure ain’t gonna be you,” Stan called as he headed upstairs, provoking a resigned “hrmph” from Ford.

Stan decided to look for the camcorder in his bedroom first — because while his memory still had some scattered gaps, his gut instincts rarely lead him astray, and checking his room had been his first impulse. Sure enough, he found it sitting on a shelf and covered in slightly less dust than the adjacent stack of magazines, just as he ever-so-vaguely remembered it.

“Better make sure this thing works, before Ford declares it too unreliable for yeti hunts or whatever,” he muttered to himself, leaning back onto his bed and fumbling for the power button. The camcorder blinked to life, presenting an interface that was probably hopelessly outdated — but Stan didn’t care, while Ford would have no way of knowing what modern Earth technology looked like.

What’d I even record on this thing anyway? He selected a random video from June, was greeted with his own voice singing the first line of the Stan Wrong Song, and immediately deleted the recording. With a sigh and silent vow to never let Ford learn of the song’s existence, he moved on to a video from July.

Once again, it was Mabel’s handiwork — heh, no wonder I couldn’t remember what I used this thing for, since the kids were always borrowing it from me — but this time, Stan himself wasn’t in frame, though the craft supplies strewn about the living room were enough to stir dormant memories.

“Dipper! Puppet Dipper! Smile for the camera!”

Dipper yawned, then somewhat half-heartedly mimicked the motion using the sock puppet on his hand. “Puppet Dipper’s not really feeling up to it this morning.”

“Did Puppet Dipper stay up too late trying to solve a mystery? Bwap!” The footage blurred as Mabel nudged Dipper with a sock puppet of her own. “Do I need to make him a little puppet-sized pillow?”

“How about… some puppet-sized sunglasses, for a puppet detective?” Dipper suggested.

“Good idea!” Mabel agreed. “Then no one will notice when Puppet Dipper falls asleep standing up!”

Stan shook his head and smiled.

Man, I wish I’d found this back when my memories were still a mess — Mabel kinda skimmed over the whole puppet saga in her scrapbook. Wonder what else got recorded from that week…

He selected the next video chronologically, noticing that it was also the final recording on the device, and the smile vanished from his face.

“You can’t stop me!” It was Dipper’s voice, yet not Dipper’s voice — all fury and arrogance, and the camcorder’s cheap speaker crackled with static, like the voice was too much, too wrong, too alien to properly record and then replicate. “I’m a being of pure energy with NO weaknesses!”

Without a doubt, Dipper’s body was onscreen, but he was staggering towards Mabel with arms twisted at impossible angles. He lunged for the journal in her hands, eyes glinting the same gold color as the emblem of the six-fingered hand —

Stan hit the power button, rolled over on the bed, and buried his face in his pillow as the wave of memories crashed into him.

Brushing off Dipper’s sorry state as sleep deprivation, until the kid collapsed on the way out of the theater. Seeing the cuts and bruises all over Dipper’s hands as Stan helped him to his feet, and grilling the kids on what happened the whole drive to the hospital. Not getting an answer beyond “sleep deprivation.”

Not being able to give the doctor an answer beyond “sleep deprivation.”

Telling the twins’ parents it was just “sleep deprivation.”

A tense phone call, assuring Mr. and Mrs. Pines that Dipper’s recovery would be swift and tha Gravity Falls was still safe for their children. Stan’s hands shaking as he holds the phone, having no idea if that’s the truth, if he’s doing the right thing.

Mabel crying over a crumpled-up scrap of paper — a note? — she’d found in the car, and refusing to show it to Stan. Half-overheard secrets, whispered between the younger twins when they think Stan isn’t paying attention — apologies, worries, and murmurs too soft to be in any way decipherable.

Dipper, still with bags under his eyes, spending the next few days doing almost nothing but looking over his shoulder and burying his head in the journal. Stan pretending not to notice, but secretly finding it far too familiar for comfort.

Later memories, too — memories of demons, and handshakes, and feeling his body go numb. Memories of a voice, a furiously shrieking voice — both terrified and terrifying, but more than anything, alien.

Now, far too late, Stan recognized it.

***

“We’re calling the kids,” Stan barked, barging back downstairs, and Ford jumped.

“What’s wrong? Are your memories —”

“Better than they’ve ever been, actually.” Stan stormed directly to the living room table, flipping open the laptop on loan from Soos and clicking the video chat app. “Good enough to figure out something that apparently no one thought it might be important to tell me!”

“Are you sure?” Ford put a hand on Stan’s shoulder. “We can still call them, but let’s talk this through first, make sure you’re not missing any gaps —”

Stan paused, cursor an inch away from the call button beneath Dipper and Mabel’s profile picture. “Did Dipper tell you about the time Bill possessed him?”

Ford started to say something, stopped, and tried again. “I… I assumed you knew. I’m sorry.”

“Did you know I ended up taking him to the goddamn hospital afterwards?”

“No,” Ford whispered, and Stan felt Ford’s fingers dig into his shoulder. “Call the kids, Stan.”

Mabel must’ve been online, because she picked up almost immediately. The video opened with her sitting in her kitchen in Piedmont, Waddles in her lap. “Grunkle Stan! Grunkle Ford! Guess what I —”

The joy drained out of her smile when she noticed her grunkles’ grave expressions. “What’s going on?”

“Mabel, pumpkin,” Stan murmured, trying to tune out the sound of his heart thumping in his chest, “could you go get your brother?”

“I’m here, I’m here!” Dipper slid into view, almost falling off his chair, and Mabel scooted out of the way so they could both comfortably face the laptop. “Is something wrong?”

“Not anymore,” Ford explained, “but Stan and I wanted to talk about… communication, among other things — Stan? Are you sure you’re alright?”

Stan wiped the sweat from his forehead and shuddered, forcing himself to take a deep breath as he stared at the computer.

Dipper’s back home. Dipper’s safe. They’re both safe, and they’ll never have to worry about Bill again.

“Stanley?” Ford echoed, increasingly distressed. “Please, if —”

“I’ll be alright,” Stan managed, because even he wasn’t a good enough liar to convince anyone he was alright at this exact moment. “Promise. But kids, why didn’t you tell me when Bill hijacked your puppet show?”

Dipper and Mabel exchanged a guilty look.

“Was it because you thought I’d take away the journal?” Stan regretted his ‘only self-defense’ stipulation for the third journal more than almost anything else he’d said that summer, because he’d always known deep down that it wouldn’t stop the kids — and in hindsight, he would’ve much rather known what trouble the kids were getting into, not have them hide it from him with their late nights out in the woods and nonspecific excuses.

“At first,” Dipper replied. “But we ended up worrying a whole lot more about you sending us home early —”

“Your parents almost made that decision for me,” Stan admitted. “They were ready to drive up here and come get you when they heard what happened. I dunno how I convinced them to let you stay —”

He sighed. “And maybe knowing the truth wouldn’t have actually helped me that time — but it would’ve been nice to know how big a lie I was telling when I told them this town was safe for you kids, y’know?”

He regretted voicing that thought immediately, but regretted it even moreso when Dipper looked away from the camera, mumbling: “I’m sorry, Grunkle Stan.”

“Stan’s not trying to guilt you,” Ford spoke up, “but we want you to know you can talk about these things honestly with us — and that goes for both of you, Dipper and Mabel. We’d never want to punish you for something that was obviously… someone else’s fault.”

Thank god one of us has finally learned to think through what we say before we say it, Stan figured.

“I’m sorry too, kids,” he added out loud. “For getting angry at you a minute ago — ‘cause I’m not angry at you, I’m angry at Bill for what he got away with right behind my back, and I… I just…”

He brushed a finger across their digital faces, a gesture that no doubt failed to translate to the video feed Dipper and Mabel were viewing, and smiled. “Thanks for picking up so fast, ‘cause I really needed a reminder that the two of you are safe and sound and all.”

The kids smiled back, visible for just a second before Mabel leaned forward to hug her laptop and the screen went dark.

“Anytime, Grunkle Stan.”

***

“Coffee?” asked Ford, ever the early riser, as Stan trudged into the kitchen the next morning. “You look like you need it.”

“Gee, thanks, Sixer,” Stan groaned, slumping into the seat across from Ford at the kitchen table. “I’ve heard of backhand compliments, but now I’ve gotta live with your backhanded coffee offers too?”

“Sorry. I’m sympathizing, not mocking — I promise, when I woke up today, my eyes were just as bloodshot as yours are now,” Ford replied, sliding Stan a mug of steaming coffee. “How are your memories?”

It was a routine question as of late, but Stan still managed to botch it completely.

“Too good,” he muttered under his breath, and earned a quizzical look from Ford.

“Pardon?”

“…Good enough that I can remember all kinda things to feel shitty about,” Stan reluctantly admitted. “Like not even noticing when Dipper was possessed, for one thing. I spent the whole summer worrying about him, except for when he was actually in danger —”

“Oh, Stanley,” Ford sighed, “that’s not your fault. You know Bill was an expert liar; he scammed too many people to count —”

“Yeah, but I shoulda seen through it!” Stan brought his fist down on the table, and the contents of his mug sloshed precariously close to the top. “Of all people, I should’ve known better —”

“Right.” Ford grimaced. “Right. Because no one else who should’ve known better was ever tricked by a dream demon for a whole lot longer than a few hours —”

“Shit. Ford, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it like —”

With a controlled glowering expression and deliberate motions, Ford stood, marching across the kitchen with all the fury and hesitation of a slow-moving thunderstorm.

“I didn’t mean it was your fault! I’d never — ”

“…I know.” Ford came to a halt at the door, bracing one hand against the frame. “But if you can say as much about me, then… then why can’t you just say that about yourself?”

“What?!”

“You would’ve caught on soon enough, if Mabel hadn’t defeated Bill when she did — I wasn’t there, but I’m sure of that because I know you, and I know how well you know Dipper.” Ford shook his head. “I didn’t catch on to Bill’s lies for years. I gave him free reign to hurt people for so much longer than one evening —”

He crossed his arms, and his imposing silhouette in the doorway seemed to shrink.

“So if you’re not blaming me for anything to happen this summer, then you’d better not blame yourself, you — you knucklehead.”

“Are you kidding me?” Stan leapt out of his seat. “It’s no wonder you didn’t see through Bill’s lies, when your whole life, you had me watching your back — and then I wasn’t there for you, when you needed me more than ever —”

“Because I pushed you away!” Ford shouted, whirling back around to face him. “Do you know what I realized while I was trying to fall asleep last night? That if I’d just stood up to Dad when he kicked you out, if I’d just done the right thing for once in my formative years, then the end of the world as we knew it would’ve been averted altogether! No falling for Bill’s flattery, no arguing over the zodiac, no Weirdmageddon! We could’ve had it all, but we just couldn’t live in that better world, all because I convinced myself you were suffocating me —”

“But it sounds like maybe I still am, huh?” Stan growled. “If all I do is just make you furious like this —”

“No,” Ford gasped, all the hostility in his voice and his glare immediately melting away. “No, no, absolutely not! I’m not furious at you, Stan, I’m…”

“Furious at yourself,” Stan accused, “for being even worse than me?!”

“No! Don’t even say that!”

Before Stan could process what was happening, much less protest it, Ford was hugging him, burying his face in Stan’s shoulder.

“Maybe — maybe I am angry at you, after all,” Ford admitted, “but you’re my hero, Stanley. My inspiration. If am angry with you, it’s — it’s just because you’re too damn stubborn to forgive yourself…”

Stan gingerly placed a hand on Ford’s shoulder. “…Yeah, and you’re one to talk.”

“I won’t deny that,” Ford mumbled. He went quiet for a few seconds, and when he spoke up again, his voice was quieter, yet slightly more composed. “Maybe we need to just… call a truce. Find something positive to agree on. We’re both too stubborn for this argument to end with either of us admitting we were wrong —”

“At least for give-or-take the next forty years,” Stan interrupted, punctuating his words with a bitter laugh.

Ford barked out a laugh of his own, loud and cathartic, and withdrew from the hug, removing his glasses to rub his eyes. “If Dipper and Mabel were here, they would have told us to stop being stubborn old men a while ago. I wish they were here.”

“They’d probably also tell us it’s more Bill’s fault than either of ours,” Stan added. “And… I guess they’d have a point.”

“I can see the logic in that.” Ford smiled faintly. “I’m sorry for making this about me, by the way. You opened up to talk about your own issues, and I —”

“Hey, I made it about you just as much as you did, Brainiac,” Stan reminded him. “…But damn. You think we’ll ever be able to talk about our feelings without shouting our lungs out at each other?”

“We’re still no good at thinking through anything before we say it,” Ford replied, “though I guess we must be getting a little better, since we didn’t even stop speaking to each other this time.”

“Thank god. I’m tired of not talking to you.”

The two of them settled back into their seats at the table, and Stan reached for the morning paper, but Ford spoke up once more.

“I know forgiveness, especially self-forgiveness, can be… complicated,” he told Stan in a low voice, “so maybe I’m biased, speaking as someone who’d rather not grapple with my own personal guilt — but even more important than whether you forgive or blame yourself, I think, is acknowledging that you made mistakes, yet still deserve good things from the universe. And that goes for you and me both.”

Stan took a sip from his mug, pleased to find its contents were still warm. “Good things like coffee, and adventures sailing around the world?”

Ford chuckled. “My priorities exactly.”

#gravity falls #stanley pines #stanford pines #dipper pines #mabel pines #gravity falls fanfiction #rosalia writes fic

[bwprowl]

Me vs. The Mitchells vs. The Machines

The Mitchells vs. The Machines is a really cool movie. Seriously! It’s the Spider-Verse crew continuing to be at the top of their game, doing their damnedest to elevate and evolve 3D film animation in a way apart from the ongoing Disneyfied edge-sanding seen elsewhere. Several sequences, especially the final fight scene at the end, are absolutely jaw-dropping. A lot of the writing of the movie is also genuinely clever, with some cool tricks of weaving in Chekov’s Guns that you don’t even realize WERE Chekov’s Guns until they’re deployed, but then make perfect sense. And I also just have to say there’s something oddly heartening about a movie that does a lot to target Millenials in terms of nostalgia, but not so much via our shows and movies and music the way other project might go about, but specifically by tapping the internet meme culture of the early-00’s that’s so media-unique to that emergent generation. There’s some genuine heart visible in so many of the levels of how this thing was made that I can understand its touting as an instant classic and the waves of praise and popularity that have followed its release.

Unfortunately, I can’t so unilaterally praise this movie, mostly because I can NOT stop thinking about how poorly-implemented and mis-framed its central familial conflict is.

Oh yeah spoilers for this movie I guess

So I’ll need to detour at first and talk about A Goofy Movie, which isn’t much of an issue for me since I fucking love A Goofy Movie. And watching The Mitchells vs. The Machines my initial takeaway was a pleasant observation that someone had basically grafted A Goofy Movie to The World’s End, which could have made for an extremely fun time for me. A Goofy Movie, so it goes, centers on the conflict between a father and child trying to understand each other, spurred on by the father conscripting the child into an impromptu road-trip which the child initially resents but eventually leans into as a vehicle for understanding as the family members open up to each other and end with a greater appreciation for their familial bond as well as healthier, more open lines of communication. There are comical misunderstandings, dramatic misunderstandings, and escalating Wacky Adventures that keep the trip feeling suitably cinematic in scope. And as The Mitchells vs. The Machines continued on, I kept finding myself rounding back to that comparison and asking “Why am I not getting into this as much as I do A Goofy Movie?”

It turns out to be a point of motivation, actually. In A Goofy Movie, Goofy dragooning Max into the cross-country fishing trip is immediately borne out of his (however misinformed) desire to keep his son from going down a wrong, potentially delinquent or criminal path. Goofy has concerns about the lessened connection and communication with Max, sure, but that’s a symptom of his inability to communicate his actual worries about Max’s behavior to him, not the sum total of the problem he feels needs fixing. Goofy is under the impression there are genuine problems Max is going through, and while he’s got the actual particulars wrong, he’s not really that far off, since Max still IS the kind of kid to elaborately hijack a school function or make up extravagant lies to get attention from the girl he likes rather than just talking to her and asking her out like a normal human-dog-person. Goofy’s objective is firmly centered on helping Max for Max’s sake, and he’s only taking up a few weeks out of Max’s summer and causing him to miss a single party in order to do it.

I lay all that out so you can try to understand my headspace coming at critiquing The Mitchells vs. The Machines and negatively viewing its own take on a plot concept I ostensibly love by default. The problem, as said, is one of motivation. In The Mitchells, Rick’s dissatisfaction with his relationship with his daughter Katie is purely that: Dissatisfaction with their relationship. Katie herself is, by all accounts, doing spectacularly. She’s got a healthy relationship with friends and other family members, she’s gotten accepted into a prestigious film school, and her YouTube account seems to pull pretty keen numbers (With all the tech jokes in this movie it’s a wonder there’s never a riff on her shilling NordVPN or Raid Shadow Legends). The conflict between father and daughter is purely a case of them growing apart in her teen years demonstrably because Rick has no understanding of her current passions and makes no effort to do so, which leads to him having consistently questioned and doubted her ability to succeed in her field. The film frames the impromptu road-trip as his attempt to ‘fix’ the issues between them, but the only thing broken by the presentation of the story is Rick’s approach to parenting in the first place. He could easily have made Katie warm to him on the way out by replacing or paying for the laptop he broke and throwing her a subscription to her YouTube channel, but then the movie would be shorter and we wouldn’t be able to pretend the conflict was anything other than his own pursuit of self-centered actualization.

That’s the other issue, of course, the way The Mitchells vs. The Machines consistently rounds back to the point that Katie is somehow shouldering half the responsibility for the father/daughter communication breakdown. But as stated above, it really has hardly anything to do with her. Katie’s succeeding on her own terms, and the only outreach she would theoretically need to do to her dad would be to make HIM feel better, something he could do himself if he’d only actually pay attention to the cool videos she keeps trying to show him and not constantly deciding that HE knows that SHE will fail. It’s a fundamentally one-sided conflict from what we’re shown, and yet the other members of the Mitchell family continuously treat Katie like she needs to accommodate her father’s personal whims and not hurt his feelings despite the fact that he’s the one who went behind her back and canceled her flight, even forcing her to miss her first week of college (!) simply because he felt sorry for himself that they didn’t like the same things anymore. Again, Katie’s doing great, it’s Rick that decides to make his problem the entire family’s problem, and while I’m going to hesitate to refer to this behavior as out-and-out abusive, it is still absurdly selfish and pointedly poor parenting. 

The movie seems to nominally strive for balance in the conflict, not making it entirely Katie’s job to fix her dad’s hurt feelings, and indeed having a whole sequence where he realizes what a Big Jerk he’s been about not trying to understand or support her passions, and resolving to actually Make An Effort moving forward. The problem is that this is still framed as one half of the equation, as Katie supposedly gets to understand where her dad is coming from, which...makes her feel better about all the times he said she would fail and so she should rely on and appreciate him more? And the reason that’s a fundamental issue is annoying, because it means we have to talk about Rick’s Stupid Fucking Cabin.

Look, I hate doing this. I personally try very hard to keep in the mindset that stories are stories and things happen in them because they are stories. I am loathe to attempt picking apart the points of particular plot points, but the problem is that this Stupid Fucking Cabin is positioned as the heart of the humanity of the entire movie, yet it hinges on a sequence of decisions that no actual human being would ever come by. First off, do you have any idea how long it takes to BUILD a home like that, let alone as one guy apparently doing it himself? Rick spent the better part of his twenties building this big Fucking Stupid Cabin to fulfill his lifelong dream of ‘Living in the woods’, only for his wife to get pregnant once it was finished, leading to him just dropping like that? Was there no planning in this family? Was Katie an accident that Rick immediately was this endeared to? I mean, he totally seems like a pro-lifer. But then why do they need to sell the Stupid Fucking Cabin on account of a kid coming along? How were Rick and Linda planning on living out their lives there if not with resources that could support them as well as a kid or two? Rick could have just raised his kids in the woods in his Stupid Fucking Cabin and they would have stood a better chance at turning out like little duplicates of himself and his own interests like he clearly wanted. That’s to say nothing of this sequence of events being framed as a ‘failure’, despite that fact that Rick handily succeeded at what he set out to do, only to turn around and abandon the thing he succeeded at himself on seemingly the same sort of impulsive whim that leads to him dragging his whole family on a road trip because he doesn’t understand YouTube. There are motivating factors to these decisions he made that could inform the whole context of this supposedly tragic backstory, but we aren’t privy to anything resembling them, and the result is a plot point that seemingly only exists to make Katie (and the audience) feel bad for Rick in the third act of the movie.

The real answer is the ultimate assertion of this thing by the finale, that Katie should be ‘grateful’ to Rick for his ‘sacrifice’ of his dream that supposedly allowed her to be in the place she is now. Except Katie had no part in Rick’s bizarre impulsive choice to build a Stupid Fucking Cabin then sell it as soon as a kid popped out so he, I guess, could feel some sense of important familial contribution. That’s to say nothing of the point about parental figures who make grand, sweeping gestures nominally for the good of their kids, but are effectively and emotionally unavailable in the day-to-day engagements of their lives. Because unlike Goofy in A Goofy Movie, Rick isn’t actually doing what he’s doing for Katie’s sake. Her motivation for most of the movie is to move away from home and go to college, a completely normal-ass thing that children do. Any of Rick’s outreach or efforts to ‘fix’ relationships and situations are purely for the sake of his own hurt feelings, and the way Katie’s mother and brother consistently push her into going along with them only highlights the overt way this whole family’s problems are hung up on the insecurities of of this single stubborn jerk. But then, that’s my other major misgiving with The Mitchells vs. The Machines: Its expected exaltation of the default biological family as some hallowed unit for which it is a tragedy to fall into any degree of dysfunction. This is with pointed dismissal towards the idea of Found Family, seen as a distraction, an obstacle to Katie realizing who her TRUE people are, and coming around to a sense of fulfillment because she managed to massage her dad’s ego for long enough that he stopped being totally dismissive of the things that brought her joy. You see, Found Families are fun, but they aren’t REAL or SPECIAL because they already accept and appreciate you for who you are, unlike these people you’re biologically obligated to share living space with for 18+ years whom you have to forge bonds with through varying degrees of communication breakdowns and compromises in self-agency.

With all that in mind, it highlights some of the smaller issues in the movie’s setup as well. This is perhaps petty, but jeez was I annoyed with the film’s framing of The Mitchells as this ~craaaazy~ ~weeeeiiiird~ family which included such outlandish quirks as ‘Dad who doesn’t understand technology’ and ‘Young boy who really likes dinosaurs’. And the wishy-washy tone of the familial conflict is echoed in the ‘The Machines’ part of the plot, which mostly led to me sitting on edge throughout the whole film as I wondered how it was going to come down on the subject of those kids and their darn smartphones. It ultimately doesn’t go full anti-technology, which makes sense given how much of Katie’s character revolves around using the stuff, to say nothing of the predilections of the people who actually, uh, made this movie. But the most it can manage is a halfhearted “Maybe unregulated big tech bad?” which even then is undercut, mostly I assume because of the various big tech companies involved in producing and streaming this thing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m overall glad it doesn’t go full "durr hburr technology is bad fire is scary and thomas edison was a witch", but a lack of any insight or ideas on that front means that the familial relationship element is the only conceptual element it really has to stand on, and I just spent over 1800 words breaking down why that fundamentally didn’t work!

It’s an aggravating situation, because lord did I want to love The Mitchells vs. The Machines. It’s gorgeous, it’s got some clever bits in the writing, and it can honestly sling a punchline like nobody’s business, there are some KILLER jokes in there. But it just became impossible all the way through the end for me to engage with the heart of the movie, its central connective conflict, on the terms it wanted me to. Now it’s admittedly possible that, perhaps like Rick Mitchell, that’s my problem. I’ve seen a lot of love for this movie from my peers, and it does make me question my own projections: I don’t want to get TOO personal on main, but I admit that it’s entirely possible that people who’ve enjoyed an actually functional fatherly relationship would better engage with the emotive connections this movie wants you to make. But even with that caveat, I was able to find my own way to resonate with the similar stakes of A Goofy Movie just thanks to the more effective way that one was framed, so if this one couldn’t hook me, maybe it was The Mitchells vs. The Machines’ fault after all.

#the mitchells vs the machines #the mitchells #movies #criticism #rant

[c-c-cherry]

I simply must ask... could you spare some spooky Halloween headcanons? I know it’s not quite Halloween yet but I’d love to see your spin on a jojo Halloween!

Oho....hohoho...you have no idea what kind of a beast you’ve awakened in me...

Halloween is arguably the best holiday ever because free candy, costumes, and the weather is fucking PERFECT. (also idk what’s up with the rest of y’all but Canadian thanksgiving is in the middle of October so I’m still riding the high of good thanksgiving food by the time its Halloween (AND I’m half-American so we celebrate it in November too hehehe)

But long story short I love spooky season (and autumn in general) with a burning passion and I am SO willing to go hard on jjba spooky headcanons

Thanks again to @jjadegreen for alway being my best headcanon bud!!

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Part One:

-For the sake of this, I’m making them like 13 or something, like maybe not even a year after they met

-In 19th century England, it was actually pretty typical for them to have a bonfire on Halloween!!

-Halloween costumes were popularized a few centuries ago in France so you bet our phantom blood buds were wearing costumes and shit :)

-I doubt the rich participated in such “unruly” stuff like lighting shit on fire and bearing torches and whatever (but you never know)

-Like George probably spoiled Jonathan with candy as a kid and let him dress up with his school friends and that was it lol

-Dio though OH MY GOD-

-You know based on where he grew up that all that wild shit definitely happened

-He can’t say that he misses living like that, but there’s some kind of weird nostalgia that comes with it

-...which is why Jonathan is really confused when he catches Dio sneaking out of the mansion in the middle of the night

-Begrudgingly, he tells Jojo his plan and this boy’s eyes LIGHT UP

-Instead of being a “stupid, crybaby, tattletale,” as Dio puts it, Jojo is like,,,super hyped

-“Oh! I have an idea! Why don’t we sneak out in costumes so no-one knows it’s us??”

-The sheets on their beds may have two holes in them now, but it's worth it

-They hijack a horse or some shit and skeet over to a giant bonfire

-Dio thinks it's gonna be a drag since Jonathan is there to watch his every move, but it's actually,,,really fun

-As a kid who’s barely ever left his sheltered property, Jonathan is having the time of his life and Dio never thought he would be happy to see Jonathan so happy

-It ends with the two of them sitting by the river, absolutely exhausted from the rush and Jonathan pulls out this bag of shit from his pocket and is like

-“It’s candy!! :D”

-Dio could never really afford things like sweets on Halloween growing up so he’s a bit touchy about it but OH MY GOD that shit is GOOD

-Probably one of the only times where they actually bond properly

-BUT IF THIS IS MY POCKET DIMENSION THEN I CAN SAY THAT THEY BECOME FRIENDS >:)

Part Two:

-I’m just gonna start out with the fact that Joseph is fucking OBSESSED with candy. You know those kids you knew growing up that loved it more than anything on this goddamn earth? *cough cough @jjadegreen*

-That is Joseph

-And now that he consumes that type of shit with the power of mastered Hamon at his fingertips,,,holy shit man,,,it's like a child’s sugar rush but 100x worse

-Caeasr is put in charge of Jojo to make sure he doesn’t do anything idiotic *which he definitely will trust me*

-The MOMENT he goes to the bathroom, Suzi pops in like “JOJO!!!! :) Let's go trick or treating!!!”

-He can’t say no to that, bro,,,he and Suzi are tight ;-;

-While Lisa Lisa is out to meet Speedwagon and Erina and bring them back over to where everyone else is, Joseph sneaks out with Suzi and the two of them dash off into the streets of New York

Caesar: *steps out of bathroom*

“Jojo, what the hell do you and Suzi want for dinner?”

*silence*

“...Jojo?”

*Hears the screams of of children in the distance*

“JOJO, NO—”

-So turns out Joseph’s way of trick-or-treating at such an old age is just terrorizing young children and ransacking them for candy

-Suzi Q is just totally unphased by how awful this is and just thinks its the funniest shit

-Caesar is running out into the streets of New York like ???? and spots Joseph being himself and he could probably just pretend he doesn’t know them

-But,,,Joseph may be an idiot but he’s his idiot and Suzi Q is his bimbo best friend so he goes out to drag them back home

-Erina, Lisa Lisa, and Speedwagon are already home by the time they get back and Caesar sits Joseph down and chews him out in front of everyone

-Erina is super pissed and lectures him about “Joestar values” or whatever and tells a really embarrassing story about how a kid took his candy once when he was little and he cried about it for DAYS

-Caesar is still really angry about it so he replaces all of Joseph’s gummies with sugar free ones (you goddamn know the ones I’m talking about) but he didn’t know Joseph WOULD EAT THEM ALL AT ONCE

-He is so fucking sick on November 1st

-Also off-topic but Lisa Lisa gives out dental floss or some shit on halloween

Part Three:

-Honestly all Jotaro wants to do is buy candy for himself, hole himself up in his room like he always does, and just munch and watch shitty horror movies 

-But of course he has actual friends now

-Kakyoin tackles him before he can get his ass upstairs and suggests that they go out and trick-or-treat

-To which Jotaro thinks is a joke and laughs because he’s not only 17, but also 6’5” but Kak’s face looks dead serious

-Kakyoin goes on this long, detailed ramble about how he meticulously made the best Halloween route for them to get the best candy

-Now THIS is when Polnareff abandons whatever he and Avdol are doing to join in on the stupid plan they have

-When Kakyoin comes back with a handful of white sheets, they already know what he’s thinking and its brilliant

Kakyoin’s 5-step, foolproof Halloween plan:

Step one: It’s already established that stands can hold non-stand items (like when Star Plat whipped Iggy across the desert) so what’s stopping them from being able to have sheets over their heads?

Step two: They faze a bit of their stands into the ground so that they at least resemble the height of children (plus non-stand users can’t see anything besides the sheets so it's perfect)

Step three: Polnareff pretends to be the father of these shy children who can’t speak (he looks the oldest) while Jotaro and Kakyoin hide nearby so their stands don’t de-summon

Step four: Hit up every good house in the neighbourhood

Step Five: Candy.

(Kak used to put a sheet over hierophant all the time as a kid and always got twice the amount of candy each year)

-It actually works pretty well, aside from the fact that Star would sometimes scream “ORA” in a really deep, manly, not seven years old at all voice whenever the people at the door would try to speak with him or make him say ‘trick-or-treat’

-They finally reach the richest house in the neighbourhood, where the snootiest lady lives (but she has a shit ton of candy leftover every year since no one goes there)

-Once the stands knock on the door, she starts saying stuff like “ohh, let me see your faces so I make sure you aren’t too old for this” and ducks under to look at the sheets…

-...Only to find that there’s literally nothing there

-She looks up at Polnareff like 👁👄👁 and Kakyoin seems to get the message because one of hierophant’s tentacles grabs her ankle and she SCREAMS and throws her entire candy stash at them, slamming the door behind her

-Half of them are full-sizes chocolate bars. Candy acquired.

-When they get back, Joseph is so fucking angry that they didn’t invite him out for Halloween shenanigans  >:(

-Avdol and Holy have a very nice chat, meanwhile. They answer the door while everyone's gone and are so sweet to the kids about their costumes :)

-Also Avdol is 100% the kind of person to bake pumpkin seeds and season them and shit

-Kakyoin sorts all his candy and puts it on a spreadsheet and also make a pie chart just like he does every year

-T’was a very successful halloween

Part Five:

-Giorno is probably short enough to go out if he really wanted to

-But he has maturity issues and there would be no way in hell that the Bucci Gang would catch him going out in a costume and begging for candy

-So as soon as all the daily tasks and shit are met Giorno locks himself in his room

-He honestly wants some candy and to watch spooky movies with the gang but he just feels like an outsider to all of that stuff since he never did it

-So Bruno slips a thing of dracula-themed chocolate pudding under his door and leaves him be :)

-Narancia and Mista DO go out, however

-Not only do they go out and steal shit, but they also go and hit up houses for candy just for the fun of it

-The moment the clock strikes 6 Trish is OUT of there

-Girl is hitting up as many parties as she possibly can and eventually meets up with Nara and Mista at some shitty Halloween party and end up just buying really shitty beer and going to the graveyard or something

-Fugo wants none of that shit

-He’s perfectly content sitting with the black cat that Giorno made him and watching shitty reruns of whatever’s on

-Bruno takes out his tacky Halloween apron that definitely looks something like this

-Fugo helps him make all this really good spooky-themed dessert shit and helps him sort the candy in the nut and nut-free bowls :))) (because Bruno really goes and does that)

-Abbacchio seems like the kind of person who would go really fucking hard with Halloween decorations

-Like, no explanation why, he just loves it and everyone knows not to get in his way

-The moment October 1st comes around, this man is in his ELEMENT. He’s READY.

-It’s the one month where he looks anywhere near normal compared to other people and man is ready to rock that shit

-Later that night they go to check on Giorno and find him asleep surrounded by bags of candy

-Turns out he snuck out and had a good time after all :’)

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You’re wondering why I skipped part 4, right? ↓ ↓ 

I’m sorry to disappoint y’all, but I don’t think I’m gonna be doing much for Whumptober this year! (I’m just shit at monthly challenges in general lmao) but I think y’all need a breather from all this giant dump of whumpy stuff coming this month, so I, your dear friend Cherry, have decided to write fics throughout the month that I dub SOFT HALLOWEEN :D  (with uhhh a side of whump and hurt/comfort and all that shit because I can’t help myself)

It’s gonna vary (hopefully from parts 1-5)! I didn’t add any part four headcanons in here because Jade and I are literally writing part 4 shenanigans first and we didn’t wanna spoil anything :)

SPEAKING OF SPOILERS here’s a horrifying, blurry, teaser picture that’s only gonna make sense once you read the fic:

Isn’t it beautiful?

Hope you enjoyed these!! Tell me what you want the Jojos to do on Halloween!

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Ok so apparently its not normal to sort your candy by type, count it all out and then put it into a spreadsheet which then gets made into a graph? Because I did that. EVERY. FUCKING. YEAR. Ask Jade​. She was there every goddamn time. Please I’m begging you someone else tell me you did shit like this I need to know

#jjba #jjba headcanons #halloween #halloween headcanons #jojos's bizarre adventure #phantom blood #battle tendency #jojo's bizzare adventure golden wind #vento aureo #stardust crusaders #jonathan joestar #ask-c-c-cherry #joseph joestar #jotaro kujo #giorno giovanna #spooky month #:)

[waveypedia]

What’s In A Family?

(ao3 link in reblogs)

~

In his twenty-something years of life (not that he’s an adult) as a definitely real boy, Boyd has had (he mentally counts on his fingers) five families.

He’s lucky. He doesn’t know anyone else with so many families. He’s an anomaly; an outlier.

Not in a bad way.

His first family was formed the moment he opened his eyes. A young, slightly nervous chicken smiles gently back at him. Waves of reassurance and safety wash over Boyd before his internal, online dictionary can define his feelings.

“All systems online. Welcome to the world, 2BO!”

Boyd loves the way young Gyro says his name. There’s so much exhilaration, triumph, and love in his tone. During his time lying in the junkyard, before he powered off for good, he would replay that memory in his mind. His first moment, his core memory.

And his core creator, his core father.

Gyro and Boyd formed his first little family. They were a unit. The two of them against the world. Boyd loved sitting in the lab while Gyro ran tests and completed intern tasks. He would ramble on and on about various scientific things and projects.

(Dr. Akita was there too, and, for a time, Boyd considered him part of his little family as well. But Akita was always distant. He gave Boyd calculating looks he would only come to understand much, much later. Akita never joined them unless he absolutely had to, and he never directly addressed Boyd, or treated him like a real boy, the way Gyro did. Boyd didn’t realize that until Gyro stopped, twenty years later, and Akita revealed his true colors.)

Boyd has always loved science. It’s in his blood. (Well, it would be, if he actually had blood.) It’s in his programming (the good part). But he mostly loves it because Gyro loves it.

Gyro talked endlessly about all kinds of science, especially robotics and coding. Boyd soaked it all up. When Gyro was caught in a ramble of ideas and defining unknown terminology never crossed his mind (more often than not), Boyd would search them up himself inside his brain. He relishes the rush that comes with learning. Boyd takes that original practice and tucks it close against his heart. He uses it to keep himself occupied when Gyro and Akita were busy with other brilliant, world-changing experiments (which only stung just a little), or for the endless ages he was stuck at the junkyard, or late at night, the darkness like a thick, smothering blanket around him, when Mark Beaks or Doofus or whichever family he’s with has fallen asleep.

It’s a link to his past, before he even realizes it. It stays with him when the memories of Gyro and Dr. Akita are incomprehensibly fuzzy and pushed to the back of his mind (but never gone, never gone).

(Someday, in the not-so-far future, Boyd will sit with the kids he’s come to know as part of another family, and pore over studies and science about nature versus nurture. He, Huey and Webby are at the forefront of the research, with Lena trying and failing to pretend she’s not that interested. She hangs just behind them, peering over their shoulders and squeezing Violet’s hand so hard it must hurt, but Violet’s face almost never changes. Dewey and Louie are there as well, less interested in the science itself but just as invested in the final result as the rest of them.)

Besides, while Boyd relishes the pursuit of knowledge, he always prefers when Gyro is a little less hyperfocused on his own projects, and realizes that Boyd doesn’t have the knowledge and experience that comes with three degrees and a mentorship in robotics like he does.

He loves it most when Gyro explains the science and the terminology himself. Out of all the interesting things he’s learned, those are always Boyd’s favorites.

Of course, that all comes to an end far too soon. Boyd doesn’t realize it will end until it does.

He has no memories of Akita hijacking his programming and turning him into a weapon for destruction rather than a beacon of protection. Boyd is thankful for that, more than anything in the world (except for maybe Gyro’s existence, and that Boyd found his way back to him). The last thing he wants to do is know.

Although, maybe, just maybe, a tiny part of him whispers, if he was conscious during that time, he could’ve stopped it. Maybe he’s partially responsible.

Boyd isn’t sure he wants to find out.

He just hopes, with all his heart, that it will never, ever happen again.

He’s a definitely real boy, not a weapon.

Boyd’s memories of the loss of his first family and the aftermath of Akita’s his rampage are few and far between.

(When he looks back on it, after Team Science’s visit to Tokyolk, he thinks he might remember Inspector Tezuka’s fist crashing into his face. He thinks he might have been conscious for a single moment before he blacked out. He remembers sparks and a pain that might have come from guilt for something he shouldn’t be guilty for.)

He remembers a train, and a plane, both very similar in that he was tucked away in an overflowing cargo bay, without a good view. He was tossed in a dump with other malfunctioning electronics. (But he’s not a malfunctioning electronic device! He’s a definitely real boy!)

The junkyard is his clearest memory of the liminal space between Tokyolk and Mark Beaks.

He remembers staring up at the sky, watching it fade from day to night to day again. He remembers calling out - for Gyro, for Akita, for anyone. (But mostly for Gyro.) He remembers nudging and talking to some of the other electronics, looking for something sentient, just like him.

The pure joy that overwhelmed him when Mark Beaks found him, only slightly dampened by the fact that he doesn’t like hugs (Gyro likes - liked - hugs). Boyd rides that wave of euphoria through the two days he spends with Mark.

Social media is completely new to Boyd - it didn’t exist when he was created, and Gyro and Akita were never the type to care what strangers thought of them online. But Boyd loves it, because with social media comes fun activities with Mark.

Beaks messes with his programming after he brings Boyd home from the junkyard. He programs Boyd to be his son, and to think Beaks is his father.

In the junkyard, Boyd wished on all the stars he could see for a family. But it feels so wrong, and he can’t figure out why.

(The memories of Gyro and Akita, but mostly Gyro, are buried deep in Boyd’s memory banks. Beaks shoves some small filters over them, so they won’t be easily accessible, but they’re still there. They will always be there.)

Boyd marvels at how different Duckburg looks from Tokyolk (not that he spent much time outside the lab, not that he can remember). He loves Waddle Headquarters, with its trampolines of various heights and desks made of candy. It’s a kid’s paradise, and Boyd is a kid.

But Beaks doesn’t treat him like a kid. Sure, he takes him to family-fun attractions like the aquarium and the park, but, at the end of the day, Beaks only views Boyd as a tool. A piece of machinery he can use to his advantage, and abandon when he doesn’t need him anymore.

Because that’s what Beaks did to Boyd. He abandoned him. Once Beaks lost Doofus’ bags of gold, he was done.

Boyd’s second family was open-and-shut, in only two days.

But it’s not all bad, Boyd reckons to himself during his first, sleepless night at the Drakes’ house, across from his brand new brother. (A brother! Boyd has never had a brother before!)

He has a third family now.

Life with the Drakes is different from any life Boyd has lived before. They have mountains of toys and games, and a seemingly bottomless fund to buy new ones. He has a brother, a playmate (although he never seems all too enthusiastic to play). He has two loving parents who dote on him in a way Boyd has never experienced, although it comes closest to his earliest memories with Gyro. He goes to school, a rich private school, where he’s years and years ahead of all his science and math classes, and all his schoolmates don’t seem to know how to react to Boyd’s genuine, enthusiastic kindness. (He does make a friend, Skye, who reacts to his friendliness with overwhelming bouts of her own.) He becomes a Junior Woodchuck, with Doofus. (He still sticks out, but he loves learning, and he even has an acquaintance (almost-friend, almost-friend), Jason.)

It’s the closest Boyd has ever come to feeling like a real, genuine kid.

(Not that he isn’t - he’s a definitely real boy. A definitely real boy.)

But something still feels a little off.

Maybe it’s Doofus’ quiet hatred of him, which Boyd never quite understands. Or the way the Drakes seem indebted to him, which makes Boyd uncomfortable.

Or, the fact that Gyro is missing from the equation.

But Boyd doesn’t try and puzzle it out until much later, because he’s happy. He’s a definitely real boy and he’s treated like one.

And then Boyd meets Huey, and finds three new families all at once.

His world turns upside down.

He finds Gyro again.

But it’s not Gyro. It’s not the Gyro he knows. It’s not the sweet, patient Gyro who guided him through various tests and experiments,  comforting Boyd when he was scared. It’s not the kind, knowledgeable Gyro who was always more than happy to share all the schematics and details of whatever experiment he was working on. It’s not the fatherly, loving Gyro who tucked him in at night, even when he didn’t sleep, not really, and comforted him when Akita scared him for reasons he didn’t quite understand yet.

This Gyro screams, leaps up on a table at the sight of him, and gets as far away from Boyd as he possibly can. This Gyro calls him “it” instead of “he” and almost never addresses him directly. This Gyro is defensive, and abrasive, and mean in ways Boyd could never have imagined Gyro would be.

It hurts. Oh, it hurts so much.

Boyd just wants his Gyro back. He just wants his father back.

But Huey and Fenton are there to soften the blow. Huey, Boyd’s first real friend who shares his interests (Doofus is only his friend because he has to be, and Skye, for all her amazingness, couldn’t care about science if she tried). Huey sticks up for him in the face of furious, terrifying Gyro. Huey calls him “he” and “Boyd” and treats him like a definitely real boy (which he is).

Fenton is less understanding, but he comes around. He doesn’t quite understand that Boyd is a real boy. He’s stuck on the fact that Boyd is a machine. But he believes in Boyd’s goodness, and Fenton’s grin after Boyd comes back to himself warms Boyd’s heart.

Fenton believes Boyd can be a hero. He wants Boyd to use his robotics to help other people, rather than hurt.

(Boyd would just prefer to not use them at all.)

Huey, Fenton, and the new, angry aggressive stubborn Gyro, along with Lil’ Bulb, who tops Doofus as a sibling in every way, become Boyd’s fourth family.

But, unlike Boyd’s previous families, it comes with unignorable, unmistakable pain. Gyro, and Fenton to a degree, don’t believe in him. Huey does, but (and Boyd doesn’t know this) there was a moment, after Boyd hurt Fenton, where Huey stared after him with pain and panic clear on his face.

(But even when faced with impossibly clear evidence that Boyd is evil (he’s not, he’s not), Huey roots for him and his goodness. Fenton comes to his senses and cheers along with Huey when Boyd regains control.)

Boyd can’t remember what he did under Akita’s control. But he does remember the moment Dr. Akita wrestled with his will. It was right after Gyro showed him the false core memory (not that any of them realized that), and Gyro’s accompanying explicit dismissal, which felt like a punch to the face within itself. That hurt the most out of everything, but it’s an emotional pain rather than a physical one.

But the pain that comes when Akita hacks and overpowers his systems is physical. Boyd feels it coursing through his circuitry, a moment of blinding, paralyzing pain and panic. I can’t do it he’s taking me back I don’t have control I can’t control myself he’s gonna hurt everyone I’m gonna destroy the city I’m a monster they were right-

And then nothing.

Nothing, until Gyro’s voice, cracking with surrender and panic, reaches Boyd’s conscious, buried under Akita’s mindless worldbreaker program.

“You are a definitely real boy!”

Boyd rights himself and hurls for Gyro at dangerous speeds. In a fleeting moment, his conscious wrestles and tussles furiously with Akita’s hidden programming. There isn’t enough time for him to consciously think about it, but somehow Boyd knows that everything rests on this very moment. If he doesn’t overcome Akita’s programming, Gyro, and probably Fenton and Huey, will surely die.

Boyd is overcome by pure panic, but it’s a motivating panic rather than a freezing one. It spurs him into action, to push every last inch of his energy into battling Akita’s evil programming. To save his family.

Luckily, thankfully, he comes out on top, just in time. Boyd slams on the brakes and crashes, as gently as physically possible given the speeds he was just hurtling at (so, not very gently, but importantly not so hard that he kills or injures his target), straight into Gyro’s arms.

Gyro squeezes Boyd close, and it feels like a tuning fork against Boyd’s sternum. After everything, the innate sense of wrongness Boyd has always felt in his previous families (after Gyro) is gone.

This is where he’s meant to be.

Boyd can feel Gyro trembling, with effort and emotion, and he’s sure that if it was possible, he’d be trembling too.

He opens his eyes (blue) and lets the joy and euphoria of the moment overcome him. Huey and Fenton cheer for him from the ground below (they’re safe) and Boyd finds his family.

The road to get there was a little rocky, but they’re stronger for it.

Boyd treasures his fourth family close to his heart, but he’s overjoyed to meet his fifth family as soon as the Sunchaser touches down in Duckburg. Boyd’s future (as always) is uncertain and unknown to Boyd, but he knows one thing for sure. He has a forever family now, and Gyro is in his life again. He’s there to stay.

Team Science accompanies him to the Drakes’. Boyd loves his third family, but he’s disappointed to leave Gyro. They (the parents, beyond Boyd’s conscious understanding) have always been kind to him, but he feels most at home with Gyro and Team Science. Boyd fits back into his normal routine easily, but the sense of wrongness has returned. Only now, Boyd thinks he understands it.

One day, while Boyd is “playing” with Doofus and texting Huey and his siblings, the doorbell rings. Boyd answers it to find Gyro and Scrooge, the patriarch of Boyd’s fifth and newest family, standing awkwardly on the doorstep. Even Scrooge, weathered and experienced in his 150+ years of age and life, seems a little nervous and out of place, for reasons Boyd won’t understand for a couple hours. But when Boyd breaks into a grin bigger than his usual enthusiastic demeanor (which is saying something) and tackle hugs Gyro against his knees, they both relax into their purpose. They know what they’re doing is right.

While Doofus plays with his superfluously expensive toys and wonders what in the world he did to deserve this torture (a lot, buddy), Scrooge, Gyro, and the Drake parents draw up a custody agreement.

Gyro is the closest thing Boyd has to a biological dad. He’s come to his senses and wants time with his son, and his son wants time with him.

Boyd is far too nice to tell his current parents he wants another. Gyro, for all his aggressive stubbornness, is too awkward to waltz into the Drake mansion and demand his son. But Scrooge, while far from the kindest and most tactful duck, understands family. And, as Gyro’s pseudo-father, and therefore Boyd’s new grandfather, he will fight for his family.

He also knows far too well what it’s like to be forcefully cut off from one’s family.

So not only does Boyd now spend a good chunk of his time with Gyro and Team Science, he also spends a lot of time with his fifth family, the McDuck clan. And he’s never been happier.

He splits his time between the Drake mansion, with doting parents and every possible thing a kid could wish for; the lab, familiar like the one from his childhood but different, and not in a bad way; school, with Skye and Jason (which is pretty much the same as it’s ever been); Junior Woodchuck meetings, where Boyd and Huey break off from the group to do things their way; and the McDuck Manor, which has so many wild but loving new family members.

Boyd makes fast friends with his fifth family. Scrooge, Della, Donald, and Mrs. Beakley, somewhat unconsciously, jump at the chance to have another child under their care, and a sweet one at that. Donald notes with a beaming smile how easily Boyd fits into the ragtag group of kids, which seems to grow every couple weeks. Soon he’s not even the newest addition, after Launchpad brought Gosalyn to the manor once, and she just kept coming back. Scrooge and Della note this, and also note how much happier Gyro and Huey seem. Gyro especially.

Boyd is sometimes overwhelmed with the sheer amount of people that the extended McDuck clan encompasses. He keeps an itemized list stored in his database (...famous adventurer and thief Goldie O’Gilt, Moonlander General Penumbra of the Planet Moon, famously lucky cousin Gladstone Gander, the immortal Greek hero of legend Storkules and his sister, Selene, immortal Greek goddess of the moon…). It grows and grows. Boyd’s families have always been small, so the change is more than welcome. (Not that he doesn’t love his third and fourth families, or fault any for their size. But after a lifetime of minuscules, Boyd loves having people, family, everywhere.)

Boyd notes euphorically that no one gives him a second glance for being a robot. His fifth family is filled to the brim with crackpots and weirdos, both in personality and humanity. His grandfather is 150+ years old, an adventure capitalist, and the richest duck in the world. His grandmother is a retired spy, and her granddaughter, a spy in training. He has not one, not two, but three superhero uncles/fathers. His new sister/cousin is a shadow given life through the magic of friendship (read: a definitely real girl).

Boyd bonds with Lena, and Webby, over their outsider, inhuman syndromes. He bonds with Della over her metal leg and their robotic parts. He bonds with Fethry and Donald over the feeling of being neglected and not listened to.

But he also bonds with Lena because she’s cool and magic and a big sister to look up to. He bonds with Della because she’s been to outer space, which must be far more fun than any flying Boyd’s ever done, even with his rocket feet. He bonds with Donald over his brilliant, futuristic Paperinik tech, and Fethry over all the knowledge he learned in his time alone in the underwater lab. (It opens up a whole new area of science for Boyd to explore!)

Between his families, Boyd finally feels like he belongs.

But even so, one of his favorite parts of visiting the mansion, with all its allure and magic, is leaving. Because Gyro almost always comes to pick him up.

After Boyd has hugged everyone in the mansion at least twice, he takes Gyro’s hand and waves goodbye. They walk down the long driveway, to the small car Gyro bought when he started driving Boyd around. Gyro asks Boyd about his day, to which Boyd is more than happy to launch into an enthusiastic, detailed recount of his shenanigans. Gyro listens with a fond smile and love in his eyes as he drives. Sometimes back to the Drake mansion, sometimes to the lab… but sometimes, to Gyro’s little apartment.

They’ll eat together and watch How It’s Made or read a scientific journal, or work on a small experiment together if Boyd’s lucky. Then Gyro will tuck him in, and Boyd will close his eyes and begin his sleep program.

He’s comforted by the fact that, at the end of the day, it’s still him and Gyro against the world.

Boyd Gearloose has five families. One of them is defunct, and one is problematic at times, but it’s still one of his families. And three make him one of the happiest real boys in the world.

He’s also one of the luckiest real boys in the world, he supposes as a small smile curves his beak, beneath the thin blanket newly gained purpose other than shoved away in the corner of Gyro’s tiny closet.

Boyd is a definitely real boy, and he has so many people and so many families who love him for it.

~

oh my god I haven’t written for Ducktales in so long. I haven’t completed and published a fic in over a year, and the last one was kinda bad :P. So this is so nice!! I’ve really missed writing. I have more fics in mind, especially another Team Science family/Dad Gyro fic that’s more of a traditional fic than a character study :P

My first character study! I took a lot of creative liberties with Boyd’s past and future, and how he felt during the Astro BOYD episode, and how his tech works (it was inspired by Cinder and Iko from the Lunar Chronicles, because they’re cyborg/robot and struggle with society’s dehumanization of robots and cyborgs, similar to Boyd’s character, but use their tech to their advantage and change the definition of what it means to be human.) 

I want Boyd to stay with Gyro and Team Science after Astro BOYD so much, but I know the Drake parents love him, and his presence is so good for that family. So long as Doofus doesn’t pull any stunts, I don’t want to take him away. Just because his “bio dad” is back doesn’t mean he should leave his current family, but that doesn’t mean Gyro should get sidelined either. So this is my idea of a compromise!

I’m in love with the idea of Boyd, after not having a lot of family and friends his whole life, being absorbed into the McDuck clan and suddenly having an influx of loving family. <3

#boyd gearloose #boyd beaks #boyd drake #gyro gearloose #huey duck #fenton crackshell-cabrera #ducktales #ducktales 2017 #dt17 #ducktales fanfiction #wavey writes #scrooge mcduck #dr akita #astro boyd #team science

[polymathart]

Moon!Varian Alternate Story

Varian goes with Rapunzel and Co. to the Dark Kingdom.

All throughout the journey, Varian remains bitter towards all of them. But slowly he begins to warm up to them again. But he refuses to admit it.

In Vardaros, Varian has an extremely brief “date” with Vex. It is in Vardaros that Varian actually gets his bad boy outfit. He also stumbles on some hints that his mother might have once been in the city...

He bumps into Hugo for an extremely brief second among the crowd.

Throughout “Keeper of the Spire,” Varian is in the background trying to steal books and documents. Cass is always the one to catch him and make him return it.

During “Happiness Is...” Varian envisions his dad. He among all of them is the most livid and bothered when the Idol is taken away. While everyone else agrees to what happiness really is, Varian broods in the background, still feeling robbed.

When Eugene is “stabbed” during “Max and Eugene in Peril on the High Seas,” even Varian is shocked. This is the first indication that Varian is beginning to care about everyone.

Adira mentions that Quirin was part of the Brotherhood. This new information occupies Varian’s focus for most of the episode.

Cassandra still sings “Waiting in the Wings,” but this time the only person who overhears her other than Hector... is Varian. Varian talks to Cass and insinuates that she should help turn on Rapunzel, but Cass refuses and storms off.

When Rapunzel faints in the Great Tree, even Varian is worried for her but immediately rejects his compassion for her and anyone else, saying that they deserved whatever could’ve happened to them there and he wouldn’t have been heartbroken one bit.

Varian reluctantly agrees to help Rapunzel and Eugene during “You’re Kidding Me!” In fact, for a brief second he offhand mentions that he doesn’t think that they would make bad parents at all.

Varian meets Zhan Tiri who pretends to be Demanitus. She claims she can free Quirin and reunite Varian with Ulla. She also guides Varian in translating the scroll.

Cass is still Gothel’s daughter but she doesn’t turn on them. Instead she is angry but upfront about it with Rapunzel and it takes a while for her to reconcile.

Varian finds out about Cass’ background and the two bond over their struggles and their negative feelings towards Rapunzel. Varian secretly angry that Cass reconciles with Rapunzel, as if she, too, betrayed Varian and was siding with Rapunzel.

Varian goes AWOL. The gang returns to Corona where the Saporians have still taken over. They have raided Varian’s lab and combined his alchemy with their magic to create their bombs.

Rapunzel frees Quirin when Corona is liberated. She tells him about Varian. She also confronts her father for being part of the reason Varian turned dark. Cassandra at the same time decides she needs some time alone after all this fighting. She and Rapunzel are still civil, but it is clear to Rapunzel that something is changing in their relationship.

“Beginnings” still happens with Rapunzel wondering if she and Cassandra’s friendship was reaching its end. She realizes that if the two of them made it work in the past, there’s still a chance they can be friends again when all this is over. She is also reminded by Eugene that she will figure out how to reunite with Cass, and perhaps even Varian...

Varian finds the wreck of the caravan. Instead of Cass destroying her portrait with Rapunzel, Varian finds Cassandrium among the wreck, revealing Cass kept it the whole time rather than throw it away. Confused and enraged by both his feelings for her and her “betrayal,” he shatters the necklace.

During “Be Very Afraid,” Cassandra returns and accompanies Rapunzel to the Demanitus Device. They visit Quirin who gives them Varian’s amber potion. Cass sees Varian’s blue ribbon and invention from “Great Expotations” and admits that she, too, hopes Varian will reform. At the Demanitus Device, Cass and Raps bond over the very first time the two of them were there. Rapunzel briefly senses Varian on the other side of the rocks. Cass also sees her fears of being cast aside as second-fiddle to Rapunzel when she is Queen. Varian witnessed this through the rocks.

“Islands Apart” does not happen. Instead it focuses on Rapunzel again making Frederick see the wrong he did to his family and to his kingdom. Cass has a conversation with Cap about his plans to retire so that Cass can finally be Captain. However, Cassandra reveals that she is questioning if Captain of the Guard was still her real dream.

“Race to the Spire” is still mostly unchanged. Varian takes the Brotherhood Mind Trap. Rapunzel meets Zhan Tiri. Varian activates the Mind Trap, unaware that Quirin is out of the amber and thus also affected by the Mind Trap.

“Cassandra’s Revenge” is now “Varian’s Revenge.” Cass is the first to confront Varian. First Varian tries to use Cass’ fears that he witnessed thru the red rocks to sway her to join him. “Nothing Left to Lose” happens with roles reversed. Cass is taken prisoner by Varian. Eugene stays beside Cass while she’s trapped. They bond especially over their feelings about their parents and also that they care about each other despite all their rivalry. Varian is blown off the Tower. Cass, Raps, and Eugene all look for him but he is nowhere to be seen.

Outside Corona, Varian finds Quirin free. At first Varian wants to find a way to free Quirin from the Mind Trap’s power, but when Quirin begs Varian to surrender the Moonstone, Varian once again feels betrayed. He also believes his whole quest to try to free his father has been in vain as well as hijacked by Rapunzel. He briefly wrestles with Quirin for the Mind Trap. Varian has no other choice but to activate it and order Quirin’s allegiance. Varian is mortified at his own actions but nevertheless forces Quirin, Adira, and Hector to follow him before anyone warns Rapunzel of his arrival.

“Once a Handmaiden...” is now “Once an Alchemist...” Varian realizes who “Demanitus” really is. She claims that Ulla is still alive and can only be brought back by her. Varian has two options: continue helping Zhan Tiri so that he can find Ulla, or make amends with Rapunzel and stop Zhan Tiri. Varian has a breakdown and decides to make amends with Rapunzel. But when he sees everyone up in arms, he breaks. He summons the Brotherhood and takes over.

During the Eclipse, Varian wanders the halls while spitefully destroying anything remotely related to the Royals, Eugene, Cass, etc. He stumbles into Rapunzel’s room and sees the villain portrait she made of him, believing that that’s how everyone had and always will see him.

Zhan Tiri takes over while briefly comparing Varian’s downfall to Ulla’s. Rapunzel and Varian finally talk to each other. Rapunzel shares the wisdom she also shared with Cassandra: Plus Est En Vous. She explains that even though he has done so much harm, she still believes in Varian to change and do the right thing, and that he is capable of being far more than just a villain. The rest mostly plays out the same. This time both Cass and Eugene are the ones who perish on the Castle Steps. Rapunzel brings them back. Rapunzel, Eugene, Cass, Angry, Catalina, and Lance hug. And Rapunzel yanks Varian into the hug.

In the end, Eugene is Captain. Varian is ready to begin his quest to find Ulla. Cassandra knows what it’s like to not have someone there to call her mother, let alone a good mother. So joins him both for the adventure and to help him find his mother. And their very first stop is Vardaros to pick up a certain Hugo who might be able to help, too...

#tangled the series #tts #varian #cassandra #rapunzel #rapunzel's tangled adventure #rta #eugene fitzherbert #lance strongbow #angry and catalina #the brotherhood #zhan tiri #ulla #quirin #moon!varian #tangled au #varian and the seven kingdoms #hugo the human #vex #vexian #cassarian #cassandrium #nothing left to lose #The Wind Is Still In My Hair #I Still Live My Dream #The Lanterns Still Float #Tangled Ever On #Tangled

[pinkysfaultorbrainsfault]

pinky and the brain - s1e3a: tokyo grows

episode summary: inexplicably existing in post-war japan, brain hijacks a shrink ray he just found laying around in order to make it a growth ray. he intends to dress pinky up as terrifying local monster gollyzilla, and pretend to defeat him, so the japanese people... elect him... president. of. japan.

all i’m gonna say is shinzo abe’s replacement has a hell of a lot coming to him if that’s a job requirement.

the rundown:

IT IS TOKYO IN 1956.

you can tell because it says “tokyo 1956″ in big letters at the bottom of the screen.

as we take a detour into acmeshito labs, senior-ly produced by tom ruegger,

we see a fellow sacrificing his shoes to the shoe gods. (sorry about that weird line at the bottom. vlc player has just decided it’s doing that now, i guess. nothing i can do about it.)

inside, some other lads, who have all been produced by peter hastings (my, the man gets around) are shrinking tvs for fun and giggles.

“at last! professor mifune! you have perfected the process of shrinking electronic devices, so we can sell them to americans for a lot of money!”

hm.

“yes, shimura, and now i say to you! miniturisation will be very,

BIG.”

and then they both shuffle over to stand in front of each other and laugh in a weird stilted way.

HA. HAHAHA. HAHAHA. i’m not sure if this is making fun of japanese people, or a common trend in japanese media (or voice acting?) at the time, but, um, i’m uncomfortable.

thankfully, the newly miniturised radio advertises that Legendary Prehistoric Monster Gollyzilla has been spotted, and apparently

the emperor wants mifune’s scientific opinion on gollyzilla

GOLLYZILLA

so maybe it’s best for mifune and shimura to get the fuck out of dodge.

so the two of them make a hasty retreat - after toeing their shoes back on, of course.

but who are these two!

brain looks pensive. i don’t know what’s in that waterbottle, but he’s having a tiny mousie crisis. pinky is narfing at him with little to no concern for his mental state.

still, crisis or not, brain has a world to take over. he mentions to pinky that the scentific equipment before them will be “invaluable for his plan to”

“TAKE OVER THE WORLD.” we really do get one per episode, huh.

“you mean you’re going to shrink down all the electronic so only mice can operate them?”

which is a reasonable idea, i think. brain counters it with “don’t be absurd, pinky, there’s no future in minaturisation,” and clarifies that is is big things that strike fear into the hearts of humans.

like that ridiculous legend of gollyzilla. <gay little hands on hip pose>

as pinky ponders whether Kay Ballard is In The Union (sorry, pinky, she’s dead) brain explains that his intent is to alter the shrink ray into a growth ray, to “become a four hundred foot tall mouse and save the world from gollyzilla.”

“but you just. said there was no such thing as gollyzilla, brain.”

“there is now, pinky.”

did we really need another closeup for that line, guys? really? is it not enough to have the mouse say his lines without shoving the camera into his face? must the man deepthroat the camera every time he has things to say?

anyway brain’s plan is to dress pinky up as gollyzilla and “save tokyo” from him. you can tell because the camera angle makes it look like his head is on gollyzilla’s body.

this random man takes a toke from his old timey pipe. “yes, i see.” he says. this is not explained.

as brain reverses the shrink ray into a growth ray, pinky makes his debut.

TADAAAAAAA POIT.

“what do you think, brain? pretty scaaaaaaary, eh?”

“yes, pinky. terrifying. stand by.”

boop.

there probably won’t be a lot left of the lab when brain is done, unfortunately.

but hey! check this out!

“narf.”

“where are you, brain? i can’t see you.”

“i’m down--”

bonk.

well, he’s clearly dead, so i guess that’s this review over.

jokes, of course. lucky for us, brain is still alive, and he has brought a little megaphone with him! awwww.

“now, go on your rampage, gollyzilla!” he’s very hype for that, it appears. pinky tries his best not to disappoint.

NARF POIT I AM PINKZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS

AARGHGGHGHH RAAARGHGHG ARGH.

it’s this random man again. “yesss, i see.” i don’t know who he is, or why he’s here, and i am scared.

but never mind him. we cut to this adorable straight couple chilling on this bridge.

“i love you, fumiko.”

“and i love you, hershel.”

awwww.

unfortunately, famously heterophobic legendary monster gollyzilla is here. “hello!” he says, cheerily. “i’m on a rampage. narf.”

fumiko and hershel get the fuck out of dodge.

still, pinky’s having fun, and that’s what matters.

though bits of his costume are coming off.

“oooh, i can’t see through this thing!”

“oh.”

“oh no! the giant monster is moulting!”

rip that guy, i guess. upon attempting to recover his lost glove, pinky accidentally spikes his tail on a nearby building in the process.

“egad. i’m all a tangle!”

he gives it a yank, for good measure,

and ends up catapulting himself into the abyss.

the random man is back. “yesss, i see,” he says. what does he want? what is he doing here? please don’t smoke in front of me, sir. i have real bad asthma.

meanwhile, brain is making himself “the largest mouse on earth, and hero of the planet.”

donk.

this frame is terrifying so obviously i’m making everyone look at it.

“people of tokyo! do not fear! i, brainodo, have come to save you!”

i’m not sure they’re convinced. the army have shown up, by this point.

“it’s another giant monster! even more ugly than gollyzilla!”

rude.

brain suggests that, perhaps, he is actually an artificially enlarged labmouse here to save them from gollyzilla, and maybe they could thank him by making them emperor.

the military do not agree.

so, yknow, maybe it’s best that he goes to look for pinky.

“how can i save the city from gollyzilla with no gollyzilla!” yells brain, as he steps on a school bus and either, 1, kills like 40 children, or 2, ruins the setpiece for melanie martinez’s 2019 music video “wheels on the bus.”

(no one’s watching us don’t give a fuck wheels on the bus ou ou)

anyway it’s a good thing that pinky has decided to spontaniously burst out of this lake. man’s really commiting to the role, huh.

again, he’s having fun.

brain is less impressed.

after admonishing pinky for running off,

brain reminds him to “make the battle look realistic”. their plan, of course, depends on it.

TAKE THAT, YOU HORRIBLE BEAST

ouch.

pinky sure is putting a weird amount of effort into this battle. and pyrotechnics??? yeah.

bonk.

bonk.

yeet.

as brain unflomphs himself, and prepares to strike back, pinky comes over to see what’s going on.

“scuse me, brain.”

“go away, pinky. can’t you see i’m fighting with pinky?”

“oh, but. wait.”

“how can you be fighting with me over there, if i’m over here?”

“it’s a very simple principle, pinky! it’s because!”

“that’s the real gollyzilla.”

and by the looks of things, he’s not very happy.

conclusion:

pinky’s first instinct, upon seeing The Real Gollyzilla (please stand up, please stand up) brandishing a building at them, is to pick brain up and flee in terror.

it’s very cute. he just scoops him up and nopes him away. not today, gollyzilla. not today.

gollyzilla, unfortunately, seems pretty bloody determined to make it today.

unfortunately, in his quest to deliver brain to safety, pinky walks right into a pylon.

bonk. they fall over. ):

and unfortunately, they fell directly onto what was once acmeshito labs, which activates the growth ray in the process.

it’s this guy again.

who are you??? what the fuck do you want?? why are you just smoking your pipe and looking at me like that and saying yesss, i seeeee. what do you see??? did the newslady send you??? what do you want from me??????

he gets shot by the growth ray. good. die.

the mice, as you can imagine, are not having a great time of things right now.

gollyzilla is fully prepared to bonk them on the head.

but oh! what is this?

random man? is that you? are you our hero, random man? is this your redemption arc?

do you see now, random man? what do you see?

well, he just yeeted a building, so jot that down.

he seems to be preparing himself to yeet gollyzilla, too.

same.

the mice duck out of the way as the fearsome creature is launched like an olympic sport. good thing tokyo 2020 got cancelled, i guess.

air lizard. nyoom. unfortunately they land on the remains of acmeshitu labs,

and nudges the growth ray in the process.

it goes a bit haywire.

the mice look on, perturbed, as it starts firing at random objects.

like this building.

and that fire hydrant.

and that building.

and this, uh.

city?

um????

oh dear.

at least acmeshito labs is going back in for repairs.

“it’s a shame we’re not giant any more, brain.”

“we are, pinky. unfortunately, so is everything else. our relative smallness remains.”

alright. that’s the end of that one, i guess. that’s going down as a solid outside influence.

brain: 5 ½ pinky: 6 ½ outside influence: 11

brilliant, brain!

but oh, wait, no. is earth like, 400 times its’ previous size, now? surely that can’t be good for the universe????

what are your thoughts, bbc science focus?

well. that’s not good.

#patb #pinky and the brain #before each night is done they'll prove their mousey worth #by the dawning of the sun they'll cause the biggest extinction event earth has ever seen #they're dinky.

[disconnected-from-reality]

Fanfic Rec: 00Q Part 3

It’s been more than a year! I have totally been procrastinating in doing this if I’m truly honest. A lot of things happened in my life as well! There are good and bad things, but what matters most is that I still have a number of fics to recommend for you! I haven’t stopped reading, don’t worry. 

Also I think it’s a good time to post my list. The next Bond movie has released its trailer and the 00Q crumbs we got from the trailer got a lot of shippers back on board. If you’re that person, you might want to check these fanfics out! 

To see the other parts, click here for part 1 and for part 2.

Let Love In by dhampir72  [Words: 21,437 | Teens and Up Audiences] They're still learning that love is more of a journey and less of a destination. [A series of interconnected vignettes].

Ulysses by girlbookwrm [Words: 89,065 | Teens and Up Audiences] “Paperwork for the new head of Q-Branch,” Tanner said. “Of course.” The words were like glass in his throat. Smoke inhalation was a bitch. His brain felt slow and foggy, like it was full of smoke too. “Who shall I take them to?” M lifted one white brow. “They’re for you, Quartermaster.” Bond and Q are drawn together by names, work, and a certain Aston Martin. In which Q is kidnapped once, Bond is poisoned twice, and Eve is a badass on at least three occasions. AKA that time I tripped and wrote 80,000 words of 00Q. All titles unapologetically stolen from Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Espionage is a Family Affair by nagapdragon [Words: 78.403 | Mature] It's common knowledge that angels make good weapons and terrible soldiers. They're hard to kill, hard to catch, and leave a swathe of destruction wherever they go. That's why MI6 likes them. James Bond, Agent 007, is one of the most devastating weapons MI6 will admit to having. Explosions follow his every whim and he's nearly impossible to kill, despite the best efforts of terrorists worldwide. He's second only to the weapons MI6 pretends don't exist- archangels are only a theory, after all. Aren't they?

Bond to You by therunawaypen [Words: 5,749 | Mature] Bond isn't a name. It's a rare breed of people that have designated soulmates, to whom a Bond will be eternally faithful to. Every child dreams of being a Bond's Chosen soulmate. James uses his status as a Bond to seduce many a mark into thinking they're his Chosen, while deep down he resents his identity because he has been unable to find his Chosen. Then he meets Q that fateful day in front of that painting.

How Q Hacked Online Dating by JayPendragon [Words: 23,836 | Explicit] “How does that lead to…?” Eve waves her hand at the mess behind Q’s back. Q feels his expression morph into a sly grin. “I have a new plan. I’m going to stay on these dating platforms, but I’m going to treat them as databases. Rather than waiting for an algorithm to set me up, I'm going to try reverse-engineering this entire system.” In which Q works in the private sector, still winds up friends with Eve, and applies science to his love life. Obviously, Eve gets involved.

Leading Edge by Batsutousai  [Words:  7,251 | Teens and Up Audiences] All fae-born were raised on stories of how cruel dragon-borns were, how they had no care for anyone outside themselves and their greed, that they would sell their own mother's soul to the devil before allowing themselves to be hurt. They were told that all dragon-borns were to be killed on sight, and taught spells that would do just that, if ever given the chance. It would be just Q's luck that one of his agents was dragon-born.

Pen and Paper by Salios [Words:  5,300 | Teens and Up Audiences] Q wrung his hands anxiously, teeth gnawing at his lower lip. It was a bad habit, biting his lip, but he couldn’t help it when he was nervous. And he really did have reason to be nervous. Well, excited to the point of nearly crippling nervousness, actually. Today he’d finally get to meet his boyfriend of three years. For the first time ever.

people can surprise you (or not) by pdameron [Words: 10,538 | Teens and Up Audiences]   “I’m not you, Bond. I don’t exactly have a technique for getting rich strangers to like me.” “Just do your naive cute puppy thing, and they’ll be doting on you in no time,” Bond replies as he pulls up to the grand estate. “My what?” Q asks incredulously. Bond doesn’t answer, simply giving him an indulgent smile. The fucker. (or: 00q meets Gosford Park. Except not really.)

A Common Solution by SailorChibi  [Words:  17,654 | Teens and Up Audiences] Bond has been ignoring his biological needs. Boothroyd is retiring and MI6 is in need of a new Quartermaster. What do these two things have in common? They both have an easy solution... if only M can get Bond to extract a certain hacker  NOTE: This does not have the “James Bond/Q” tag, but I’ll add it in my list anyway.

Taken by Nana_41175 [Words: WIP | Explicit]    Or, the cheating fic that *nearly* is! Q is engaged to be married, but not to Bond. Excerpt: Bond blinked. “Boyfriend? What do you mean, boyfriend?” “I mean exactly that,” said Moneypenny. “Honestly, what’s the matter with you? Q’s been seeing someone for over a year. And if I’m not mistaken, Daniel is going to pop the question on him this evening. Dan asked me for advice on the ring, after all.” NOTE: This is currently a WIP fanfic, but it’s almost done with 2 chapters left to be posted. Would be a bummer if I don’t add it, right? 

His Keeper by Nana_41175 [Words:  45,482 | Explicit] Protecting the Quartermaster entails a special set of circumstances, and Q is the last one to know. Excerpt: “Your identity has been compromised,” M said as he leaned forward in his chair, his features grim even as his tone remained even and calm. “I am standing you down from all your duties in Q branch. Kindly hand in all personal computers and devices. I am placing you on administrative leave, effective immediately. You need to disappear for a while, Q, for your own safety. Think of this as the holiday you never had these past two years. We will get down to the bottom of this and repair the damage done; otherwise I shall have to ask you to step down. ”Q gaped at him, finally speechless. “At any rate, quartermasters are entitled to double-O agents as bodyguards, when the need arises, and he personally volunteered,” M continued as though he’d not just dropped the equivalent of a bomb and a death sentence through slow torture rolled into one, “and I do agree that under the circumstances, 007 would be the best choice as your bodyguard.”

Daddy and Uncle James by 1MissMolly [Words:  26,115 | Teens and Up Audiences] James Bond can remain cool and collected in the most trying of circumstances. He is an expert at hand to hand combat and marksman with numerous weapons. He can seduce any woman or man he chooses. He has the highest success rate at achieving his goals, and he has his sights on the young Quartermaster. The only thing standing in his way is the only thing that will surely defeat him. A six year old girl named Elizabeth Park. Bond's planned seduction of Q is interrupted by the arrival of Q's daughter, Lizzie.

Treason, Traitors, and Treachery by Kryptaria, zooeyscigar [Words:  63,230 | Mature] All James Bond wanted was a quiet holiday on his luxury motoryacht on the Costa del Sol. Time to recuperate and think about his future with MI6. But his plans get hijacked when a traitor to the crown returns, bringing news of an even greater threat to MI6. And the traitor isn't working alone.Thankfully, neither is James.

Playing the Part by ElektricAngel [Words: 23,116 | Teens and Up Audiences] James Bond comes into Q Branch after a mission with all of his equipment accounted for and in tact, and a complete mission report in Q's inbox. Q is pleasantly surprised and more than a little suspicious. Rightly so, as it happens, because Bond makes an unusual request of him. And yet, his license to kill is not the only thing that makes the man difficult to say no to...

Breathe With Me by Flantastic [Words: 7,575 | Explicit] When James Bond goes back to MI6 following his disastrous relationship with Dr Madeleine Swann, Q wants nothing to do with him. Then there's an accident in Q-Branch...

Bittersweet by dr_girlfriend [Words:  14,229 | Explicit] The first time Bond flirted with Q, it was purely out of self-defense. The second time Bond flirted with Q was largely manipulation. The third time Bond flirted with Q, he just wanted to feel something. The fourth time Bond flirted with Q was out of sheer boredom.Somehow, flirting with Q became something of a habit for Bond.And then, it became something else.

A Bond of Matrimony by enigma_kar [Words: 12,691 | Mature] The one where Bond’s next mission involves going undercover with Q. Includes: banter, fake marriage, espionage, car chases, life-or-death situations, and Moneypenny taking far too much delight in the whole affair.

as permanent as stone cathedrals by pdameron [Words: 6,002 | Teens and Up Audiences] Q has been in love for two years, six months, and twelve days when James Bond walks away, leaving him with a bleeding head and a broken heart on a dark and noisy London bridge.

just like old times (please don’t ever change) by Rosslyn  [Words:  5,173 | Teens and Up Audiences] Sometimes when Q is alone in his workshop and there is an experiment that needs to be supervised and he can’t go home and he can’t sleep, he watches Bond’s vitals.

How Much Love Can the Weight of Water Carry? by 00QEros (Dassandre) [Words: 39,549 | Explicit] Though Bond returned to MI6 after his ill advised jaunt around the globe with Madeleine Swann, Q still struggles with his own feelings for the agent in spite of the fact that Bond is clearly not the same man as the one who walked away from their friendship on Westminster Bridge. James regrets having left London and MI6, but it is nothing in comparison to the remorse he feels for abandoning Q. However, James has made repairing their friendship his primary goal in the hope of gaining something he never realised he needed as badly as he does. But Bond really hasn’t had a good time of it lately. Breaking his leg in a freak accident, James camps out at Q’s flat when the white-washed, soulless walls of Medical become too much for him to tolerate. Unfortunately, his leg is only the beginning of Bond’s health problems, and Q is conscripted into being James’ caretaker. Confined to the close quarters of Q’s flat, the Quartermaster finds himself opening back up to the agent, but will the two men find their way to one another as they should have done years ago, or is time no longer on their side?

So I guess that’s it for now! I still have a couple in my belt, but most of them are still WIP so I’d keep them for now. I’ll be adding them once they are finished. 

#00Q #James Bond #Q(James Bond) #fanfic rec #fic rec

[nickydestati]

just an overview of my fics, mostly for navigation purposes!

MULTI-CHAPTER

 Sing, o Muse (completed)

Sing me, o Muse, of the love of Yusuf and Nicolò, stronger than hatred and all-consumer death, one that saved many men from the house of Hades, strong-greaved Greeks and Trojans alike, tamers of horses. Sing it from the moment when they first slew each other, These enemies, bound by fate to face eternity together.

Or: what if Nicolò and Yusuf met during the Trojan War instead of the crusades?

Between the Lines (completed)

Yusuf and Nicolò are characters in a fairy tale, designated by their Narrator to be sworn rivals, fighting over the heart of a woman. (In the blank space between the lines, however, a whole different story unfolds.)

Or: what happens if your characters decide to hijack your story.

The Music of Your Soul Calling Mine (completed)

In all senses but the literal, Nicky is lost. In an attempt to find himself again, he leaves Italy for a year of solitude in the US. Soon, he finds a safe harbor in the local museum, a place where he can think and find rest. A place where he one day meets an intriguing pianist by the name of Joe. It is Joe who rekindles Nicky’s dream of becoming a cellist he had been forced to cast aside, and it is Joe who stands by his side all the way to achieving it. But most of all, it is with Joe that Nicky finds everything he didn’t know he was looking for and more. 

ONE SHOT

Confession to the Crescent Moon 

After killing each other many times and failing to keep the other dead, Yusuf and Nicolò begrudgingly decided to work together to figure out what was wrong with them. In search for answers, they chase the women they keep seeing in their dreams, but it is a long and troublesome journey. Even so, the two men come to know the human behind the enemy. For Nicolò, this comes along with the crumbling of everything he has ever held for truth. But the more time he spends with Yusuf, the more he discovers a new, life-altering truth. And one night, he slips away to make a confession.  

DUOLINGO PROMPT SERIES

under the cut because there are a lot and there will be more! 🦉

1. I Am a Butterfly (also on tumblr, Joe x Nicky, modern au)

After a long and hard day at work, it's always nice to come home to your husband and an unexpected butterfly. 

2. My Wife? I Adore Her (tumblr, Andy x Quynh)

When the Guard goes dancing at a club, Andy quietly reflects on her love for Quynh.

3. He Is Not My Enemy But My Friend (tumblr, Joe x Nicky, pre-canon)

After years of travelling together, the hostility between Yusuf and Nicolò has changed into something neither of them expected.

4. Our Garden Has a Beautiful Yellow Flower (tumblr, Joe x Nicky, soulmate au) 

When Yusuf was eight years old, his mother told him about hearts and flowers and souls meant to meet. Or: another take on the soulmate-trope.

5. Is It His Jacket? (tumblr, Nile & Booker, post-canon)

Even though Nile hasn’t been part of the family for long, she feels the stinging emptiness Booker leaves behind, like a gaping wound. 

6. Who Am I? What Am I? (tumblr, Joe x Nicky)

Nicolò used to think there was only one heaven and that it was unattainable for people like him. Over the centuries, though, he has been proven wrong.

7. Saturday Night (tumblr, Joe x Nicky, college au, band au)

After years of friendship, Joe has finally mustered the courage to ask Nicky on a date, but he is in for a surprise. 

8. Why Don’t You Come With Us? (tumblr, Booker centric)

Sebastien does not know how they find him because even he does not know where he is anymore. There’s only this endless ice, this perpetual snowfall that lives within him and clogs his ribs. He’s so cold, so cold. 

9. It Is Not Enough (tumblr, Joe x Nicky, Pygmalion au)

Yusuf has always loved marble. Ever since he first set foot in the workshop where he started his apprenticeship as a little boy, he felt as if he understood it. As if it shared its secrets only with him.

10. On Which Balcony Are You? (tumblr, Joe x Nicky, modern au proposal fic)

Usually, Joe was more of an improviser, a let’s-see-what-the-moment-brings kind of man. He just followed his heart wherever it wanted to go and dove into things head first. This time, though, Joe had planned everything meticulously, feverishly almost, because this had to be perfect.

11. Who Did You See in the Mirror? (tumblr, Joe x Nicky, pre-canon)

On their travels in search for the women in their dreams, Yusuf and Nicolò come across a woman claiming to possess a magical mirror that can tell them a truth about themselves. They do not expect it to work. They expect even less that it will change everything between them.

12. Night of the New Moon  (tumblr part 1, 2, Andy x Quynh, Siren!Quynh)

It is said you should stay clear of the water when the new moon resides in the night sky. It is said something lures unfortunate souls into the depths with an ensnaring song. It is said they are never to be found again.

Andromache never believes what is said until she has seen it with her own eyes.

13. Does He know? (tumblr, Joe x Nicky, pre-canon)

“Does he know?”

Nicolò clears his throat and focuses on the scimitar again, pretending to clean the spotless metal. “Does he know what?”

“Does he know that you love him?”

14. You Do Not Believe Me (tumblr, Andy x Quynh, angst)

Andromache may have stopped the search for Quynh, but her attempts to get her love back from the grasp of the ocean will never cease. She has not given up on her, and she will prove it.

15. Refrigerators (tumblr, Joe x Nicky, crack)

When all is silent and his family has settled in the warm embrace of sleep, Nicolò sneaks out of the house to meet his secret lover.

Or: a crack Romeo and Juliet AU no one asked for.

#ok i hope i didn't make any mistakes in the links lmao #if i did please lmk!! #also duolingo and other prompts are always welcome 😌 #the old guard fanfiction #the old guard fic rec #tog fanfiction #hegel writes

[introvertguide]

The French Connection (1971); AFI #93

The current movie under review  is one of the biggest award winning police action dramas ever created, The French Connection (1971). The film was nominated for 8 Academy Awards and won 5 Oscars in 1972 for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Gene Hackman), Best Screenplay, and Best Editing. The story also includes Roy Scheider prior to his Jaws fame as a buddy sidekick. In fact, this movie was part of a string of great “buddy” movies that included In the Heat of the Night (1967), Midnight Cowboy (1969), Butch Cassidy NS the Sundance Kid (1969), The Sting (1973), and All the President’s Men (1976). The French Connection has a lot of interesting Americana connections that I want to discuss, but first let’s go over the plot. Of course that means the usual:

SPOILER ALERT!!! LEGITAMATELY!!! A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THE GENERAL STORY AND PROBABLY THE PLOT OUTLINE WITHOUT EVER SEEING THE FILM!!! CHECK OUT THE FILM FIRST AND THEN COME BACK TO AVOID SPOILER DETAILS!!!

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The movie starts in France where an undercover detective is following a heroine smuggler named Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey). This detective is then followed home by Charnier's hitman, Pierre Nicoli (Marcel Bozzuffi), and is assassinated. Charnier plans to smuggle $32 million worth of heroin into the United States by hiding it in the car of his unsuspecting friend, television personality Henri Devereaux, who is traveling to New York City by ship.

Flash to New York City, where we see detectives Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Buddy "Cloudy" Russo are staking out a club trying to nab a perp. They get a tip that some low level mobsters are part of a deal to sell a bunch of French heroin to gangs in America. Out at the Copacabana, Popeye notices Salvatore "Sal" Boca and his young wife, Angie, entertaining mobsters involved in narcotics. They tail the couple and establish a link between the Bocas and lawyer Joel Weinstock, who is part of the narcotics underworld.

Popeye goes to a bar that seems to serve only black patrons and shakes down everybody there. He secretly has an informant in the group and learns that a massive shipment of heroin will arrive in the next two weeks. The detectives convince their supervisor to wiretap the Bocas' phones. Popeye and Cloudy are joined by federal agents Mulderig and Klein, both of whom Popeye is not a fan of.

The drug car arrives in New York City. Boca is impatient to make the purchase—reflecting Charnier's desire to return to France as soon as possible—while Weinstock, with more experience in smuggling, urges patience, knowing Boca's phone is tapped and that they are being investigated.

Charnier realizes he is being observed. He "makes" Popeye and escapes on a departing subway shuttle. To avoid being tailed, he has Boca meet him in Washington D.C., where Boca asks for a delay to avoid the police. Charnier, however, wants to conclude the deal quickly. On the flight back to New York City, Nicoli offers to kill Popeye, but Charnier objects, knowing that Popeye would be replaced by another policeman. Nicoli insists, however, saying they will be back in France before a replacement is assigned.

Soon after, Nicoli attempts to shoot Popeye but misses and hits an innocent bystander instead. Popeye chases Nicoli up on a roof and eventually onto an elevated train that Nicoli makes and Popeye does not. Popeye commandeers a car and races to the next stop while barely avoiding traffic. Realizing he is being pursued, Nicoli works his way forward through the carriages, shoots a policeman who tries to intervene, and hijacks the motorman at gunpoint, forcing him to drive straight through the next station, also shooting the train conductor. The motorman passes out and they are just about to slam into a stationary train when an emergency trackside brake engages, hurling the assassin against a glass window. Popeye arrives to see the killer descending from the platform in an attempt to escape. When the killer sees Popeye, he turns to run but is shot dead by Popeye.

Popeye and Cloudy have a lengthy stakeout of the car that connects all the mobsters and has the opportunity to impound it when some gangsters see it and attempt to strip it. He and his team take it apart searching for the drugs, but come up empty-handed. Cloudy notes that the vehicle's shipping weight is 120 pounds over its listed manufacturer's weight. They remove the rocker panels and discover the heroin concealed therein. The police restore the car to its original condition and return it to Devereaux, who delivers the Lincoln Continental to Charnier.

Charnier drives to an old factory on Wards Island to meet Weinstock and deliver the drugs. After Charnier has the rocker panels removed, Weinstock's chemist tests one of the bags and confirms its quality. Charnier removes the drugs and hides the money, concealing it beneath the rocker panels of another car purchased at an auction of junk cars, which he will take back to France. Charnier and Sal drive off in the Lincoln, but hit a roadblock with a large contingent of police led by Popeye. The police chase the Lincoln back to the factory, where Boca is killed during a shootout while most of the other criminals surrender.

Charnier escapes into the warehouse with Popeye and Cloudy in pursuit. Popeye sees a shadowy figure in the distance and opens fire a split-second after shouting a warning, killing one of the feds, Mulderig, that he had been partnered with. Undaunted, Popeye tells Cloudy that he will get Charnier. After reloading his gun, Popeye runs into another room and a single gunshot is heard.

Title cards note that Weinstock was indicted but his case dismissed for "lack of proper evidence"; Angie Boca received a suspended sentence for an unspecified misdemeanor; Lou Boca received a reduced sentence; Devereaux served four years in a federal penitentiary for conspiracy; and Charnier was never caught. Popeye and Cloudy were transferred out of the narcotics division and reassigned.

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So this film has some of the most well known scenes in cinema history and I say this because they are copied a lot. The first scene when Popeye and Cloudy are on a stakeout, Popeye is disguised as Santa and receives a knife wound in his hand. This came back years later in Hot Fuzz! when Simon Pegg, as a police officer, was stabbed through the hand by a man dressed as Santa. In the Jackie Chan film Rush Hour, Chris Tucker goes into a bar pretending to shake down the group when he actually knows the group and jokingly asks his informant questions. 

Maybe one of the biggest aspects of the realism of the movie that director Friedkin insisted upon, was that the two cops that Popeye and Cloudy were based upon were in the movie. Jimmy Doyle was based on a cop named Eddie Egan and Buddy Rosso was based upon his partner Sonny Grosso. Egan and Grosso broke up the actual French Connection back in 1951. A book by Robin Moore that shares the name of the movie details the bust and this is what the movie was based on. For extra realism, the two real cops played the chief and one of the feds. Well, I say promote realism although Friedkin did not like the book and didn’t follow it as closely as he claims. There was no chase or shootout in the book. That was all there for drama.

The ending title cards were very interesting because it reminds the audience that 1) Friedkin cut his teeth with documentaries 2) the movie wasn’t going to show the whole seven month drug bust and 3) all the bad guys got away or got slaps on the wrist and the two cops were transferred out. This was a huge bust that didn’t really work out (although it stopped the trafficking) allowing the mobsters to escape and putting a stop to two careers. It is what I like most, however, because I don’t want to see a realistic movie in which the only interesting scenes are the ones that are not based on any facts. 

So should this movie be on the AFI list? Yes. It was the basis for gritty TV cop shows like The Streets of San Francisco and Starsky & Hutch. It has one of the greatest car chase scenes in cinema history. It won many awards and is known by those who haven’t seen the film. It is definitely AFI material. Would I recommend it? Well...not to kids. It has a ton of overt racism that is pretty uncomfortable to watch as well as some pretty terrible police work. The two cops were on set and they were OK with this? The film claims to be based on a real bust and the only cinematic parts of interest were made up. These white cops keep going into black bars and knocking everyone around but just chase after the French guys. White men are all detectives and assassins and mob bosses while anyone of color are just props to be knocked around to move the plot along. I would watch it again as a piece of cinema history and it is a progenitor of the 70s cop dramas, but I wouldn’t show it to my students because I don’t want them to think that it is OK for the police to rough up any number of black people as long as it might bring information about a mob boss. It is a good story with a bad message that needs some maturity to recognize the faults.

#the french connection #gene hackman #william friedkin #afi movies #car chase #action film #police drama #70s #introvert #introverts #movie review #film critique

[what-even-is-thiss]

Fic, Off of Land, Out of Water, Part 5, After.

Warning for injury and implied homophobia and questionable relationships.

First Previous Next

Abstract: Dangerous games are afoot. Logan. Is involved.

5. After

Roman looked out at the ocean, wondering silently how exactly he got here. It’s not like he hadn’t earned this after all. He had gotten himself a lawyer, and not a bad one at that. He had worked his way up the ranks, written his book, leaked his makeup routine.

But still. Here, in a condo overlooking the ocean? Now that was just ridiculous. And his boyfriend did seem to take a lot more business trips since they moved in together. He wondered about his brother’s safety slightly if a certain fact were revealed. Or that other fact. Or the third, slightly newer fact with glasses and weird freckles.

No, that was crazy talk. Crazy talk. Listen to him. He’s starting to sound like Virgil. If Virgil were into anyone enough to date them, that is. Paranoid. He’s just paranoid. He earned this. He earned this view. He deserved a little time to himself while John was on his trip.

He took another shot of tequila as the buzzer rang by his door. Who the hell was visiting at one am?

He hit the button by the intercom.

“Hello?”

“Roman, let me in. Right now.”

“Virgil?”

“Let me up, moron!”

Virgil’s voice sounded deeper than usual, like it was being damaged by something. Roman hit the button to unlock the front door of the building and went to put on a shirt. The frantic knocking started when he got back to the entryway.

Virgil grabbed him so fast that he didn’t comprehend that his brother was completely naked and dripping wet until after he grabbed Roman so hard he felt he might break and said

“Where’s Logan?”

……….

There’s a game that mer children play with brine lakes. Pools of water under the water that rest there due to their high salt content. 

Like with many games that unsupervised children play, there’s a level of danger to it. Like human children playing crack the whip on thin ice or putting dimes on railroad tracks, mer children kiss danger by luring blooms of jellyfish into brine lakes.

The nearest equivalent to the name of this game in English would be pop the bubble in the central to south Atlantic and hug of death in most other places. Logan of course, growing up in the central Atlantic, would have called it pop the bubble, and despite what he will tell you he played it quite a few times growing up with his classmates and with his best friend Virgil. Everyone did, and all parents know that no matter how many times they warn children against this game they will end up playing it anyways.

………

Virgil angrily ran the towel through his hair. The pink t-shirt that said “baby queen” on it sticking to his wet skin did nothing to improve his mood.

“How do you know he’s in danger? We’re hours away from the central coast. How could you know?”

Virgil threw the towel at him.

“I told you already! The ocean is angry!”

Virgil went into another coughing fit and Roman led him over to the sink where he promptly coughed up a disturbing amount of black sludge.

“Fucking black gold.” Virgil said.

Roman hit his back. “Come on, chemical bromance. Hack it up.”

With a few more coughs and a bit of vomiting all the black sludge found its way out of Virgil’s body. Or at least, no more came out.

“I’m no expert, but should I take you to the doctor?”

“No time! Get me your leather jacket.” Virgil said. “We need to get to Tampa.”

“Why Tampa?”

“Because Logan’s in Tampa.”

“How do you know that?”

“I just do, okay? We don’t have much time!”

……….

Pop the bubble has no winners or losers. It’s done just for the thrill of it, and quite honestly the rush of adrenaline that comes with it is very addictive.

The magical scaled parts of mer people’s bodies are highly resistant to most forms of damage, including mild hacking, biting, and jellyfish stings. The same can not be said for the human portions of skin, however. Although the human half of the body provides warmth and the ability to breathe in almost any environment and eat almost anything, it’s also open to being stung. It’s this danger that having two types of skin on one intelligent creature provides that makes this game even possible in the first place.

……….

As they drove down the road a little too fast and Virgil changed into the emergency clothes in the backseat, Roman kept trying to change the subject.

“But the bigger problem here is Logan. How do we really know he’s there?”

“Logan and I are connected by the primal ancient force which is the petty bitch fight between the land and sea.” Virgil said. “Now tell me why you haven’t gone back to- ow!”

Virgil fell off the seat as he tried to pull his boots back on.

“If mother were here I think she’d say something about seatbelts.” Roman said.

Virgil awkwardly made his way into the front seat.

“Yeah well if mom were here that would mean she accepts us all now wouldn’t it?” he said, putting his seatbelt on. “Now shut up and tell me why you’re still living in Miami with that idiot.”

………

Jellyfish can’t sense in the way most creatures would, but they do have senses and they can become agitated. Mer children often make noise or bat at blooms with their tails to get them away from the unpleasant stimuli and towards the brine lakes. Many times children will come very close to being stung before they lure the jellyfish into the lake and watch them die.

Every time they come close to being stung they tell themselves “Well I haven’t been stung yet.”

And it’s all fun and games until it’s not.

……….

“...and it was just one time. I’m sure he didn’t mean it. It’s not like he got physical, okay? He’s a perfect gentleman most of the time. Like me.”

Virgil sighed and whistled high pitched first and then made a sound in the back of his throat almost like a mating whale.

“What does that mean?” Roman asked.

Virgil rolled his eyes. “It’s a saying. A man doesn’t realize that water pressure is killing him until he’s almost dead.”

They went for most of the way to Tampa in silence. Or, Roman’s version of silence. Which meant he only spoke about half the ride. Thankfully, highway patrol didn’t notice how fast they were going. Once in Tampa, Virgil seemed to know exactly where to go, even though Roman had no memory of ever visiting that place.

“No, moron. The other left. Okay, it’s up here.”

They were in a residential neighborhood with private woods behind it that led to the bay. It was pitch black out except for the occasional street light and as they got out of the car Roman couldn’t help but think that this was exactly the type of environment he could chip a nail in.

“He’s here.” Virgil said.

“Honestly I can’t believe you would… did you hear that?”

It was a masculine yell, and one that sounded very familiar. Not one that would wake someone from a deep sleep, but one that you would learn to pinpoint from a mile away after hearing it being afraid of their mother for the first time.

“Patton.” they both whispered together before jumping the fence and running towards it.

……….

Virgil was too squeamish to actually touch the jellyfish with his tail.

“They are so disgusting.” he clicked.

“I am starting to believe what you told me about the witch not letting you go anywhere.” Logan said, tying his hair back. “It’ll be slightly more difficult for you given your…” he gestured to Virgil’s mostly blank torso, “...condition, but I think you’ll be fine. Just resist the urge to let them touch the scaleless areas of your skin.”

“And why would I be tempted to do that?” Virgil asked, pulling his hands close to his torso in a very human show of disgust.

“They are very squishy looking.” Logan said in a very serious tone.

Virgil let one small laugh escape. Logan showed him the right way to swirl the water around and swim away really fast when it became too dangerous. If either of them were ones for laughing they would’ve laughed. As it was even the two most somber looking young mermen in the city with reputations for looking like they were always attending a funeral together, grinned from ear to ear.

As the jellyfish started to almost melt in the brine lake Virgil held onto Logan’s much smaller shoulders to anchor himself. At first Logan thought it was silent laughter. Then he noticed the heavy breathing.

Logan turned Virgil over and saw an angry red mark on his chest. And others on his side. They were slowly growing.

“Oh, gods and sacred tides. Virgil, can you hear me? Virgil, I can see that you’re still breathing. Virgil? I need you to answer me.”

……….

“Logan, answer me!” Patton called out.

Logan looked carefully over the waves for the first time since he had changed. The bay was much calmer than the open ocean, but not enough to quiet the screaming in his mind.

He had to be ready. He had to be, right? That’s what this must be. The call of the ocean that Virgil keeps talking about. It must be. It’s only logical. Why else would he hijack Patton’s car? If he’s doing it then there must be as reason behind it. That’s who he is. That’s what he is. If he goes in he can return to what he really is. That must be it.

Voices and footsteps mixed with Patton’s. They were almost there. All he had to do was go in. Find is way home. Finish his test. Pretend like none of this ever happened.

“He can’t swim!” Virgil called out. “I can’t swim! Not like this!”

“What do you mean you can’t swim, fishy edgelord?”

“I mean, I can’t change back right now and nobody ever taught me how to swim with a human body! Logan! No! Pop the bubble!”

The last thing that crossed Logan’s mind before the water engulfed him was “Wait. What? Oh. Oh no.”

#sanders sides #sanders sides au #mer au #roman wrote a thing #roman said a thing #fanfic #fan fic #fanfiction #fan fiction #logan sanders #logic sanders #virgil sanders #anxiety sanders #platonic analogical #analogical

[randomnotesofmyown]

Psycho Pass (16)

Episode 16 - the Gate to Judgment

Che continued explaining his opinion about Nona Tower. "As for areas where power consumption is concentrated in this tower...there's two spots. One is around the top floor, the other is the basement." Makishima wondered which one had what they were looking for.

Che commented that a radio tower was on the rooftop, so large power consumption there could be expected. However, even though they were inside Nona Tower, they could not see details of the entire basement. Makishima noticed that information was displayed only down to  basement level 4. And Che pointed out 

Che realized a PSB vehicle was approaching. Makishima said that was expected from Kogami. Then he decided to head upstairs and told Che to go to the basement so as to create a diversion for Kogami.

Kogami, Tsunemori and Kagari arrived at the Nona tower. Tsunemori found out the communication had been cut off. Kogami contacted Karanomori for help. Karanomori said if using the back door was okay, she could check the security cameras of the PSB in the tower, "but I don't want to be held responsible for this later". Kogami looked at Tsunemori, and the agent responded

So Karanomori started. Then Kogami said they needed to contact Ginoza to update him on what was happening. "It's an unmistakable fact that an armed group broke into the Nona Tower". Which communications had been cut off and, as the way the intruders broke through the entrance showed, the security system at the tower could not handle the situation.

With what the PSB chief said to him earlier came to mind, Ginoza told the Kogami group to arrest Makishima if they saw him, that man needed to be interrogated.

And Ginoza was not satisfied that Kogami only said he would try. "Trying's not good enough! What's important is the result!" He roared.

The Kogami group learned from Karanomori that the intruders splited into two teams, four headed up and four headed down.

"Where's Makishima?"

Tsunemori found it strange that Makishima would head to the top floor instead of where the government office was. Karanomori confirmed the Makishima team went to the radio tower, and wondered if they were going to hijack the ratio signal.

Kogami then asked about the men who went downstairs. 

Kagari found that fishy. Kogami decided to go after Makishima with Tsunemori and Kagari volunteered to head to the basement. Kogami told Kagari not to do anything reckless

Karanomori guided the three agents their way around the tower. Kagari at the fourth basement floor and saw a staircase revealed

"Professor, the basement should only have four floors, right?" "That's how it's supposed to be." Kagari said he didn't like it, yet he went down the stairs regardless. Cut to the Kogami and Tsunemori, Karanomori reminded them that each of the men was equipped with a helmet, and with Tsunemori around, Kogami would not be able to use his dominator. Kogami replied he had one of that helmet with him and he made Tsunemori wear it.

Kogami determined Makishima was a decoy, the real target was more likely at the basement

And Karanomri said she lost contact with Kagari.

Kogami figured Makishima and his men must have some knowledge about that facility yet, he determined it was more important to drive Makishima into a corner than to stop him from achieving his goal.

Cut back to Kagari, he tried to contact Karanomori and realized he couldn't.

Someone crept up at Kagari from behind him. The agent subdued that man and took his walkie talkie. On the other end was Che, who invited the Enforcer for a talk, saying that the basement was a large scale anechoic chamber, and that they, as the only individuals inside, had only each other to talk to. And he asked,

But before Kagari answered, Che went on saying, even if an Inspector showed up, Kagari wouldn't have to worry about being shot. "No matter what you say or do, there won't be any punishment. How does it feel to finally have your freedom again?"

"Soon we'll have freedom in the outside world, too. If we destroy the Sibyl system, the crazy world will be overturned from its very foundation." Kagari responded with a question, "are you serious?" "This isn't a joke. Behind the door that I'm facing right now..."

"You and I are the same. We're latent criminals. Just like a rat, I live by sneaking and hiding, and you're a disposable hunting dog who has a collar put on. Now, let me hear what you really think. How do you feel when you see those who took everything away from us, those who treated us like scum, killing each other all over town? Don't you think it serves them right?"

"To be honest, I was pleased. No matter when or where, I was treated as a killer beast. But now, rather than me, it's them who are the unsightly beasts. I wonder what goes through their mind as their friends' blood splatters on them." "Then..." "Don't get me wrong, you slimy bastard!"

"Who do you think you are, manipulating others and talking about letting them live or killing them? If Sibyl is God, then are you pretending to be the Devil or something? Don't make me laugh! Both you and I are trash who simply envy the happiness others have. I don't care if thousands of citizens in this damn town are going to die. But I don't like the fact that only the guys who're making them kill each other live carefree. You should be the first to die! You should die over and over, once for each person you killed!" Che replied as he was hacking into the system

"Enforcer, how many times will you have to die?" "Well, if there is really a hell the first time I die, then I'm sure Yama (閻魔様) will tell me." "I thought we could become friends." "My friends are fighting your boss upstairs. So I can't betray them. I'm gonna go there to kill you right away. Well, if you have enough time, it'd be nice if you destroyed Sibyl before I get there, then the two things I hate will disappear from this world at the same time." "I'll try my best...although the security on the last door is hard crack. 

"There are no security cameras around there, so I can't help you!" Kogami replied that that information was more than enough already. Immediately when the two got to the emergency staircase, someone fired at them. They tried to strike back, but

Tsunemori got shot. Kogami resorted to hand-to-hand combat to take down that man. Then he asked if Inspector was okay and the reply was yes, and she asked why the dominators didn't work. 

"His Psycho-Pass is being copied to their helmets."

"But you're..." "Don't let Makishima get away! This is an order!" And Kogami moved on, taking down one after another of Makishima's men before he finally approached his target.

(The last time Makishima's coefficient was 0, he was about to kill)

Makishima started, "'Justice is subject to dispute; might is easily recognized and is not disputed. So we cannot give might to justice.'"

Kogami, "Sorry, but 'I have long since learned, as a measure of elementary hygiene, to be on guard when anyone quotes Pascal.'" Makishima, "I knew you'd say that. That's Ortega, right? If you quoted Pascal, I would've said the same words to you, too." Kogami, "Us agreeing on something doesn't really make me happy." Makishima, "It seems like it would be fun to talk the night away with you, but unfortunately I'm busy with other business right now." "That's not my problem. I'll kill you right here, right now." "I can't believe those words came from a detective." The two continued their verbal exchanges for a few more minutes and then they started fighting.

Makishima got the upper hand.

Figured Kogami had been defeated, Makishima produced his folding razor as he started, "I had thought this would end in a less disappointing manner...but even so, for the first time in a long while, I was able to forget my boredom. Thank you for that." Tsunemori charged at Makishima, and knocked him over with a helmet.

Kogami asked Tsunemori to kill Makishima. With the helmet in hand, with memories of the moments Funahura Yuki died, and the last time she saw Yuki laughed coming to mind

An aggrieved Tsunemori raised the helmet high, as if she was going to smash it down full force at Makishima. 

Then...

She dropped the helmet to the floor, produced a pair of handcuffs and announced, "Makishima Shogo...you are under arrest."

Cut to Kagari and Che. They both entered the room where the core of Sibyl was located. 

Che delightfully stated the system didn't even have to be destroyed. "If we make this public, it'll be the end of this country. And this time, real riots will occur. No one will be able to stop them!" Kagari sensed someone approaching them, turned around and saw someone at the door with a dominator, and lethal eliminator mode was activated.

Che Gu-sung became a pool of blood.

Kagari recognized that the person at the door was the PSB Chief. 

But something was off about the Chief...

She pointed the dominator at Kagari, and the system decided that non-lethal paralyzer would be activated. However, the chief overrode the system and activated the decomposer mode instead.

Kagari's last words, "Oh, give me a break... This bites."

End of episode 16

Comment: Just a few words, 1) Kagari's death was tragic, untimely, and pointless. He couldn't make it to see his friends again, he didn't die killing the villain, he got eliminated at the hand of someone who believed only the dead could keep a secret. He became a sacrifice because he saw what he shouldn't have seen.

2) Tsunemori, as aggrieved as she was, managed, after intense internal struggle, to do what she as an Inspector should do and make an arrest. The voice actress's performance made me feel the struggle, the pain, the sorrow, the anger, and the resolve of Tsunemori. Another powerful moment.

#psycho pass

[sprinkle-jay]

danse macabre (aka a necromancer’s relationship with death)

Guys I wrote an Erdan character study (Also on AO3)

Erdan is still young when he learns about death for the first time. Elves rarely die of old age, considered to be nigh immortal by everyone else. Of course, it's impossible to avoid death, even in a floating city of high elves. When Erdan first learns about death, he’s very much still a child, and not just by elven standards. He doesn’t fully understand what it means to be gone forever, but his parents tell him that it’s natural, that he shouldn’t have to worry about it until he’s older, so he nods along with what they’re saying and pretends to know what they mean. For Erdan right now, death is a part of living.

When Erdan goes to study at Gladeholm University, he already knows what he wants to specialize in. Necromancy is abhorrent to nearly everyone else, but he thinks there’s something beautiful in it. Of course, parts of necromancy will always be grotesque, but he finds that he can look past those parts while he learns. Necromancy brings the dead back to life, it can help in protecting and healing, and Erdan refuses to let the undead aspect change his area of study. In his mind, when he makes his decision, death is nothing more than a cruel beauty.

He makes it his goal to change people’s minds about necromancy but all he seems to be doing is changing their minds about him. It doesn’t even seem like most of the other necromancers share his ideas about the good necromancy can bring. The other students are too interested in the other schools of magic to even glance at necromancy with anything more than contempt. So instead, Erdan ignores the other necromancers and does his own thing with his magic. He impresses the other students, corrects Ilsed’s mistake with the rose and ignores his stares. The other students crowd around him and he brings a dead spider back to life, commanding it to create art through its web. His magic is trivial for him now, he finds it easy to perform what could be considered minor miracles. When you’re a necromancer, death is temporary.

When Erdan’s parents die, there’s a part of him that refuses to accept it. The other part of him is screaming out at everyone, yelling at someone to do something, to Raise Dead and bring them back. They tell him Raise Dead doesn’t restore body parts and he freezes because something inside of him was warning him, telling him that someone would have done something by now. “Let me see them,” he insists, but something tells him that they’re right, that he doesn’t want to see their bodies. He looks anyways and immediately stumbles away from the sight he finds. At this moment, death is a horror.

He stands near their casket later, reaching down to open it again. Lucanus stops him but he doesn’t want to listen, doesn’t want to think about them being gone forever. Lucanus tells him he can’t fix them, that no one can fix them, and a quiet voice inside of Erdan tells him that his friend is right. But then Ilsed emerges from the shadows, bringing with him a lich, telling Erdan that his parents could come back. Lucanus yells at Ilsed to leave, pleads with Erdan to stop, but he doesn’t listen, throwing his friend against the wall with Hold Person. He tells Ilsed to try it and he does, bringing them back. Erdan rushes forward and hugs them but the moment doesn’t last long. They attack him and he reacts instinctively, blasting his father away and killing him again. A Fireball from Lucanus kills his mother for a second time and Erdan vows to listen to his friend’s council from then on. For the first time, Erdan realizes that death is permanent.

After the incident, Erdan struggles with his studies. Necromancy is hard for him after everything that has happened, but he’s dedicated and determined to not give up on everything he’s worked so hard to achieve. He doubts anyone views him as cool anymore but that’s the least of his concerns. He withdraws from everyone except for Lucanus, sits at the back of the classroom as he tries to bring a dead plant back to life. He can tell his friend is trying to help him but even so it’s still too difficult for him. For the rest of his time at the University, death is haunting.

At some point, Erdan acquired a cat. He doesn’t know how or when it happened, but this small black cat won’t stop following him around everywhere, and he decides to adopt her. He names her Bubbles and she goes everywhere with him as his familiar. When she dies, he’s heartbroken for just a moment before he tells himself that she’s not gone for good, he can bring her back. He hesitates for a moment as he remembers the last time he brought someone close to him back to life, but he steels himself and casts the spell. It isn’t a perfect spell but he brings Bubbles back as a skeletal cat and wizard and familiar are reunited. When it takes the form of his beloved cat, death is an old friend.

When the armies of the Nine Hells march on the Material Plane, the Legendary Heroes respond with an army of their own. It's a war between Hell and Bahumia full of blood and carnage. The battlefield haunts Erdan, corpses of friend and foe alike littering the ground as the two armies continue to clash. Not to mention his frustration with fighting another necromancer. But he carries on fighting against the armies of Hell, occasionally using the surrounding death to his advantage. As a necromancer, he should be used to death after all. After a while, he learns to tune out the fact that death is everywhere.

When he goes undercover with the Grave Robbers, he feels disgust towards his fellow necromancers. Many of them had been old friends and to see them turn against their people cuts deep. He’d spent so long advocating for necromancy, telling people it wasn’t always bad, and yet here was Libella going around and working with Galad Rosell. It pains him to even pretend to side with them, the side of necromancy he’s always tried to avoid. He’s always tried to show the beauty in necromancy, in bringing the dead back to life, but now he has to pretend otherwise and it’s hard for him to do. For the Grave Robbers (and Erdan by extension), death is a tool.

He takes no pleasure in killing Libella when he first meets the Band of Boobs. No matter what the Grave Robbers had been doing, Libella had been his friend once and it hurt something inside of him to rip her heart out. It takes some time for him to convince the Boobs that he is trustworthy, but he tells them what he knows when they agree to listen. He can sense death when he looks at them, and he knows without a doubt that Ryan the Ram is dead. He can see something else in their eyes too, and he thinks that death is ever-present.

Then Erdan finds out from the Band of Boobs about Ilsed, that Gladeholm is Akarot’s phylactery. He finds out about the Hollow Gods and listens to the discussions taking place. He attempts to remove Akarot’s essence, tries to save Gladeholm, and the city is teleported to Asmodea. He tries his best to shield the city while everyone else is teleporting away and when Moonshine contacts him and offers to teleport to him, he refuses. He doesn’t want her to die with him. And against all odds they survive, only for the apocalypse to begin. Starting right now, death is an enemy.

Not long after the start of the apocalypse, Beverly shows him a sword and it nearly kills him. Somewhere, hidden far behind his clear anger and stress, is fear. Not for himself - he stopped fearing death a long time ago - but for Gladeholm, his city. He’s a leader now and he has to make sure everyone is safe. The second attack on Gladeholm is more personal. The hijack of Gunther’s reincarnation, attacks from the dead, it all feels mocking to the necromancer. It feels like death is out to get him.

His own death creeps up on him slowly and he curses himself for being so blind, for not seeing it earlier. Of course the sword wouldn't have been that easy to defeat, of course Pestilence would have had something else planned. He isn't mad at Beverly anymore, doesn't blame the young hero, he only feels guilty that he didn't notice sooner. As Pestilence takes over his body, Erdan panics. A bit about his inevitable fate, but mostly about the fate of Gladeholm. He watches as his own body goes down to the All-Caster and kills Quiksus before casting Dominate Person on the entire city. He flinches, a strange experience when you can't control your own body, when you're essentially dead. A desperate idea comes to his head and in a flash, he abandons his body to find Bubbles. It's a stupid plan, it won't solve anything, but there's a possibility it could save even one person and he's not willing to pass on that opportunity. And while the Band of Boobs fight against the wraith, his plan does save one person. As Pestilence casts Maze on Beverly, Erdan, in Bubbles' body, leaps into the way and gets sucked into the spell too. He guides Beverly out and tells the young halfling not to feel guilty, says his death doesn't really bother him. He's a necromancer, death is like a change of clothes.

#naddpod #erdan #naddpod erdan #erdan naddpod #jay's fic tag #which erdan tag is the right one? #anyways i do recommend reading on ao3 for my author's notes #not my best work though