#love a good bloodflow scene

[bis-muth]

Dude its Fucked Upnthat youre relbodging nope rn bc i just watched it for the first time last night wtf crazy good shit

god this is the first anon i've had in years lmaooooo glad you liked it dude!!

#danny answers #anonymous #nope 2022 #the fucking blood rain gets me SO good #love a good bloodflow scene #yes i'm obsessed with the shining too why u ask

[tigoteus]

WHY is the trope "genius in their mid 30s to early 40s who solves crimes" so common when much funnier alternations of it exist, of whom some of them are:

local genius, who solves crimes, is 80 years old. bonus points if it's a group of local genius grandparents that all come with typical old people behaviours.

local genius whom it only takes a look to read you just memorised astrological birthcharts and can vaguely guess someone's birthday. they don't know shit about "reading someone" based on anything else than birthcharts.

local genius wants to solve crime, but gets their application rejected then joines a group of other geniuses that just fuck around and solve crime. bonus points if they even have a better quota in solved cases than the police.

local genius wants to solve crime, gets rejected and instead uses their genius to hinder everyone from their work. they are bored and they are going to make it everyone's problem.

local genius uses the duck test ("If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.") as their only evaluation for literally everything. they work as a lawyer, they never judged a person falsely.

local genius has a really uncommon and niche topic, such as for example knitting, in which they're good at. they get consulted to a crime scene. apparently no one understands that this is not their level of expertise. bonus points if all their knowledge of knitting can be applied to crimes.

local genius does not want to solve crime and they must have told that the poor guys that get sent to their door at least every second day a hundert times already.

local person is not a genius but for a reason they cannot explain everyone thinks they are. by sheer luck they manoeuvre the challenges their wellmeaning but pestering neighbours/friends/collegues present them.

not very funny but i think it would be quite cool: local genius is the most mentally and physically healthy person among their friends and family. everyone wants to know their secret, but all there is to is it that they just run into the woods for two hours every day where they scream really loudly and muse.

local genius swears up and down that loud heavy metal music is helping their bloodflow thus helping them think. local genius in this case has to think really intensely at night.

local genius and love interest™ fall in love over their shared ramblings. they listen to each others niche topic rants for hours without end, because they know how it is on both ends.

add on the things you'd like to see in the "local genius" trope

#i tried with editing the text to make it more appealing but #i think i failed #sorry! #now i am talking #writing #writer #creative writing #writing inspiration #writing prompt #writing stuff #writing prompts #creative writing prompt #creativity #writeblr #writing tropes #writing trope #art prompt #art prompts

[kuroosdumbslut]

when you have to use your safeword w/ Kuroo, Daichi, Iwaizumi, Oikawa

*warning for sexual themes, but nothing explicit*

Kuroo:

he was a little rougher than normal today, and you weren’t complaining at first!

but it started to become too much and you started to feel more pain than anything so you called out the magic word: oxygen

kuroo stopped immediately, waiting for a moment before pulling out and backing up a little to give you room to breathe

when he noticed you started tearing up, he quickly was beside you, cradling you and rocking you gently in his arms

you’d never dropped into subdrop but it was...pretty jarring to experience

kuroo wont leave your side unless you ask him too; he’ll run you a bath, give you a massage, food, you want something? he’ll get it for you

be prepared to be pampered for the entire week, poor kuroo feels so bad about what happened, even though you both put a safeword in place for these instances, he cant help but feel like he really fucked up

he may need reassurance too, but even then he wont stop pampering you for a while

Daichi:

it was during a scene, one you’ve done before but with a little added roughness to hopefully try to block out the stressful day you’ve had

you’d had a rough day and thought maybe playing and doing a more rough kind of scene would help you unwind and relax, and daichi agreed, but not before making sure to go over the safewords and check in colors with you

now, usually degrading is super fun for you and the “punishments” even more so, but today it just felt...awful

you’ve teared up during scenes before, but you started sobbing, shakily saying “red” when daichi paused to do a check in with you

he understood that bad days happen, and he understood that sometimes, where sex helped previously, sometimes it does the opposite and makes it worse

he’ll undo any restraint you both decided to use, massaging the tense muscles and little imprints to get the bloodflow back, and today he opted for a shower instead, holding you securly in his arms as he helped clean you up, letting you cry it out for a while

it’s not the first time you’ve had to stop a scene, but its the first time you’ve had to stop where you just broke down

daichi knows not to take it too personally, knowing you probably had somethingnon your mind or something that happened during the day that made it harder to enjoy what usually has you shaking with pleasure

he makes sure to absolutely spoil you, food, snacks, movie marathons, hell daichi would even call out of work for a few days if you really wanted him to

Iwaizumi:

you’re use to iwaizumi being a little on the rougher side, you liked it that way!

so, when he brought up the idea of trying something nee, you were all for it, albeit slightly nervous just because it’s new territory for you

safewords in place as always, he began, and at first, it felt amazing

but that anxiousness wasn’t ebbing away like it usually does, so you tap twice to his side, saying “apple”

iwaizumi stops everything and looks at you, asking whats wrong. he nods in understanding when you confess that you’re just too anxious to continue exploring this new kink/fetish/toy and just want to cuddle for now

iwaizumi is super understanding and knew going into it that it would be a 50/50 chance if you liked it or not, and he’s more than happy to just cuddle, its one of his favorite things to do with you

so, all the sex items are put away, you both get cleaned up and jump into some comfy clothing and cuddle up on the couch to continue watching whatever show you’ve yet to finish

expect him to be quietly mumbling how much he cares about you and how he’s so glad you aren’t afraid to tell him to stop when you need to

he really, honestly could care less about getting his rocks off; he’d rather make sure you’re doing okay physically, mentally, and emotionally

Oikawa:

it was a normal sexual encounter with oikawa; no toys, no kinks, no fetishes

you felt a little off for the day, but brushed it off as you being stressed, and oikawa was more than happy to help you unwind

he treated this time the same as if you’re getting tied up and spanked; he went over the safewords, color code, hand taps if you’re too overwhelmed to speak

you loved that he did that, it made you feel so safe, but for some reason. today just wasnt the day for sex

while everything felt fine, you just werent in the headspace to continue having sex

“volleyball” he paused immediately, checking you over before even asking what was wrong to make sure you weren’t in pain

with an exhausted giggle, you assured him that you just weren’t in the mindspace to continue having sex, requesting instead to get comfy and have some dinner while cuddled up on the couch

oikawa placed a sweet kiss to your forehead, happily agreeing. secretly, hes so relieved he didn’t hurt you or cause you to be uncomfortable, so he helps you up, keeping an arm around your waist in case your a little shaky on your legs, and helps you clean up, passing you your favorite sweats, a shirt and your bed jacket for extra comfort

if you want him to make food, he will gladly make it for you, and if you’re in a take away mood, he’s on the phone ordering from your favorite place

similar to iwaizumi, he will praise you and express how happy he is that you’re not afraid to tell him when you arent in the mood anymore (i hc that hes had encounters where the other person wasnt honest with how they felt during sex and used it against him during the fallout even though they were the ones lying and saying it was all good when he asked)

#haikyuu #haikyuu!! #haikyuu x reader #kuroo tetsuro x reader #kuroo tetsurou x you #kuroo tetsuro x you #kuroo tetsurou x reader #kuroo tetsuro #kuroo tetsurou #daichi sawamura #daichi sawamura x reader #daichi sawamura x you #daichi x reader #daichi x you #iwaizumi hajime #iwaizumi haijime x reader #iwaizumi hajime x you #oikawa x reader #oikawa toru x reader #oikawa toru

[cputrbug]

Outlander 603 Temperance

I have been waiting for this Fergus' storyline since the show started. Fergus is my favorite side character. He's been kind of marginalized the last two seasons, so it's good to see him front and center. In the early books, Claire views Fergus as "Jamie's". Only really in the last few books has she referred to him as her son. Even still, it seems that while he loves and respects Claire, he views Jenny Murray as his mother. One of the adaptations the show has done is to really expand on the Claire/Fergus relationship. He has been her son since before Culloden and 20 years apart didn't fray that bond. The conversation she has with him at the top of the show is really good. He opens up to her more than he has anyone about his fears for Henri-Christian. Speaking of Henri-Christian. What an adorable baby. Not quite sure if it's a real baby or robotic (if it is, high fives to the prop dept!) Kudos to RogerMac for the rescue. He can't shoot. He can't hunt. He can't lead men, but he's an Olympic-level swimmer who can outrun a river current and can raise the dead (although Claire gets blamed for that). He's almost redeemed himself from his Season 4/5 asshattery. I loved the scene with Jamie and the boys. Germain is the cutest little kid, and I hope they keep his personality from the books. The fight between Fergus and Marsali was hard to watch. These two have been rock solid together since they stepped on the boat in Season 3. To see them so fractured is difficult. Fergus is drunk which is not a good look for him and Marsali has had enough of that crap. They will of course make up because if any other couple besides Jamie/Claire have the soul-deep connection, it's these two. The Macs are solid too, but Roger can be a chauvinistic idiot and Brianna can be a brat so they are less so, IMO. Drunk Fergus may not be a good look, but drunk pissed off Fergus is not to be trifled with. The woman who called Henri-Christian "grotesque" deserved more than a drink to the face. What surprised me about this scene is Claire's "How dare you!" because it's been established that Claire Fraser likes to slap people and this woman should have gotten a good one. The husband steps in to take out Fergus and we all get reminded that Fergus C Fraser may have been a cute little French pickpocket back in the day but as a man he's a dangerous dude who can kick your ass with literally one hand. The scene I have waited 6 years for did not disappoint. Fergus decides his family is better off without him and he tries to slit his wrist. Jamie sees him in the forest and realizes what he's going to do. Being married to a time travelling doctor has a lot of upsides for Jamie and one is medical training. He quickly puts pressure on the wound, ties off the arm to restrict the bloodflow while he's trying to bring Fergus back from the edge. The bond between these two is really great and Cesar and Sam knock it out of the park. When Jamie said "It's you we need. Do you understand? My child, my son." - yep I was crying. So far, for me this is the best episode of Season 6. I might even put it into my all time Top 10.

#outlander 6x03

[linerwriter]

Battlefield

Y’all knew this was coming. I don’t have much to say.

TW: mentions of blood and battle, minor character death

Bodies. Blood. The stench of death. These weren’t unfamiliar concepts to a man nicknamed Warriors. But he hadn’t expected to see them again for a long time.

Swing. Slash. Back away, don’t let them get close. Jab at an opening. Strike to kill. Commands floated through the captain’s mind, body on autopilot. The scene was familiar to him; thousands of enemies descending on the army, a hive mind connected to something. He had hoped that none of his companions had needed to know what war felt like, but it was too late now.

They had landed away from the battle, but the sounds of conflict evidently reached them and they were fighting. They barely had time to get their bearings, but they couldn’t ignore the call to help. The land they were on was vaguely familiar, like an old photograph they never paid attention to.

He could see Wind out of the corner of his eye, facing off a much smaller group. No matter how much their youngest member said he was just as good as them, old habits died hard, and Warriors would be damned if he got the boy killed. A bokoblin started to creep up behind him, but Twilight managed to take it before harm was done.

“Does anyone know where Wild is?” Twilight yelled over the swords of weapons clashing.

“Didn’t he enter the portal with us?” Legend yelled back. “Behind you!”

Twilight spun around, slicing an enemy in half. “Thanks!”

“Keep yourself aware,” Warriors slipped into an old, commanding tone. “You never know when something could sneak up on you.”

“Aye, aye, captain.” Legend rolled his eyes, shifting back into a fighting stance. He frowned, “I think they’re starting to head to the castle. I’ll stay back here with Wind; you two go ahead.”

Warriors nodded, “Fire off a fireball if you need help. We’ll see you in a bit.” He held Legend’s gaze, Wind coming up behind the smaller man. “Hylia be with you.”

Legend jerked his head in a nod as the two ran off. Twilight quirked a brow, “What was that about?”

“Old habit.” Warriors said grimly, tracking their surroundings. “Never knew when you were gonna die, but if Hylia was with you, you could at least die peacefully. Hang on, I think I hear something.” The two stopped, listening intently. They could faintly hear the sound of someone breathing raggedly near them and stepped closer to a bush to find the source.

They were distracted by sounds coming from the main battle, “The champion is here!”

“Fall back, the champion will help!”

“Gather the wounded, the champion will take care of them!”

Twilight and Warriors shared a look, “Champion?” Twilight breathed. “I thought he let go of that name.

Warriors made a split-second decision, “Go. If we are where we think we are, and when we think we are, he’s gonna need your help. Meet up with Time and the others and tell them where we are. Got it?” Twilight nodded, “Then go. I’ll be fine back here.”

Twilight made to run, then paused for a second and looked back, “Hylia be with you.”

“With you as well. Now shoo!” Twilight smiled then ran off. Warriors turned back to the bush and muttered to himself, “Now or never, I guess,” and ripped away to leaves.

On the ground was a man, a soldier by the looks of his uniform, and one pretty high up. He had short brown hair and green eyes, and his face was bloody from a broken nose. The reason for the ragged breathing was obvious: a stab wound was in the middle of his body, close to his heart.

The sight punched a breath out of the hero. He was brought back to all the times he had seen his comrades fallen, people he had trained and grown up with, gone. A rattled cough brought him out of his mind and back to the present.

“Sir, I need you to stay with me.” Warriors knelt down next to him, fishing out some spare bandages.

“Who’re you?” The man wheezed, clutching his chest.

“My name is Warriors, sir, and I’m here to help. I need you to let go so I can help you.”

“Leave me, I’m not worth it.” The man waved him away, his eyes glossing over.

Warriors’ face tightened, “Sir, I doubt that is the case. Now, if you will let me see your wound-”

“Fine, fine,” the man laughed, then winced in pain. “You sound like my wife.”

“I get that sometimes.”

“Do you, now?” The man settled down to let the hero work. “Always moving, ordering me around. Never stopped me from loving her.”

Warriors smiled, “Sounds nice.”

“She’s a joy. I have two kids, boy and a girl. She was always willing to help, always knew what to do.” The man grew quiet, then whispered, “Dunno if I’ll ever see them again.”

“I’ll make sure you do. It’s my job.”

The man opened his eyes and stared quietly at his face. The only sounds came from the battlefield as Warriors wound more bandages to staunch the bloodflow. After a moment, the man spoke.

“Hey,” the man’s gaze searched Warrior’s face with surprising clarity, “You look kinda familiar.”

Warriors quirked an eyebrow, focused on his hands, “How so?

The man was quiet for a moment, searching his brain. Finally, he spoke, “My son. You look like my son.”

“Yeah? What’s he look like?” Warriors asked. The man’s eyes were flickering back, his body limply relaxing. Warriors shook him, “Hey, stay with me. What’s your son like?”

The man smiled, reflecting on good memories. “He’s the best son you could ever ask for. He has his mother’s hair, golden as wheat, and eyes as blue as the sea. He’s a little smaller than you, but you both have the same nose.” He coughed up blood, shooing away the younger soldier with a wave when Warriors’ head shot up. “He was so energetic and rambunctious when he was younger, always had a smile on his face. Ever since he took up the sword, though, it’s been missing. I wish I could’ve seen it one last time.”

With each word, Warriors’ could feel himself tense up. It couldn’t be, yet… “What’s your son’s name?”

The man smiled again, one Time gave whenever he was proud of them, “Link. If you make it out of this alive, tell him I love him, will you?” The man closed his eyes and let out his final breath.

Warriors’ eyes widened. He shook the body desperately, yelling for him to wake up. The body started to grow numb beneath him when he finally gave up, staring hollowly at his hands. The noises of battle and death faded to the background as memories of a smaller, more solemn body filled his head. Finally, he sobbed, folding his head into hands.

What am I gonna do?

#linkeduniverse #linked universe #twilight #warriors #wind #legend #wild and time are mentioned #minor original character #tw for blood battle and minor character death #angst no comfort

[docholligay]

I didn't actually watch Maleficent, I love the character but her tragic anime backstory wasn't a story i was interested in hearing, & from what I've seen I made the right call and it's not a film I personally would enjoy. Anyway I am INTRIGUED by your Revolution Story take on SB and would like to hear more about it & how Maleficent took that away. :D

Warning to anyone reading this: I really disliked Maleficent, so if you loved this movie, as I know many tumblr folks did, this may not be the post for you. 

So Sleeping Beauty as a revolution story, is basically the only way I really ever think of it, it was one of my favorite movies as a kid and this idea of rising up even thought you are a much weaker and smaller person, as a group, you can get things accomplished and overthrow the evil. 

I always found Sleeping Beauty to be very “guest starring Prince Phillip” and I liked it that way. The three fairies are much weaker than Maleficent, the humans cannot stand against her, she is a tyrant and a dictator with all the vanity of a petty slight bringing down entire kingdoms, with no thought to anything at all. The three fairies aren’t even powerful enough to undo her magic, but they now they can lie in wait, and they can shelter the chance to change something, and they do! It is only through them that Prince Phillip is able to kill Maleficent and do anything at all. it’s a princess story, of course, but I’ve always taken it as much more than that. It’s about community rising up together against a terrible foe that outpowers you. 

Which is why Maleficent sucks so bad, among other reasons. Sure am glad they made the three fairies totally blundering fools, caricatures instead of characters, so Angelina Jolie could chew scenery and be the unquestioning good guy. 

That’s part of what sucks so much about Maleficent, is it purported itself to be a more complicated take on the story but it’s not complicated at all, it just flipped the script on who the bad guy is. It’s almost fucking comical the way they make Stephan into the bad guy, complete with implied rape scene, I mean COME ON. It’s such a basic and pathetic take on the story instead of any of the really interesting stuff we might have done if we wanted to make the story more complex. And so many people liked it because Maleficent is COOL AS HELL, and so they wanted her tp be good and be the ~damaged woman~ and I was just like, OH MY GOD, JUST LET EVIL CHARACTERS BE EVIL. YOU CAN STILL ENJOY THEM. 

Anyway, that whole sense of revolution story was what I was hoping to bring into my Harumichi rewrite, that I never really did anything with, but here is the opener to that:

“Mama, slow down!” Her voice was plaintive, rising above the dew-jeweled grass that so often had held her attention, she and her friends stringing it along spiderwebs like delicate diamonds, each queens of their own realm.

Her mother turned. “Rei, we MUST hurry! She’s coming!”

“I want to go home! Where’s my mama?” The small fairy to Rei’s right fluttered her blue wings, her pigtails hung by her head in exhaustion.

Rei’s mother hung her head. “We can never go home, Usagi. Your mother—both your mothers,” She looked over at her third charge, hair hanging in her face as she panted. “Were so brave. We must be brave for them.”

“What does that mean?” Usagi whined softly.

But Rei’s mother did not explain, simply took the red ribbon from the braid down her back and tied it around the bright blonde hair of the little girl in the orange dress. “Quickly now.”

They crashed through the underbrush, dragged behind, desperately clinging together. There was a roar, coming from behind them, closer and closer, the beads of sweat noticeable on her mother’s face, yanking the girls to their feet as they fell, too tired to fly, the trees grabbing at them, no longer friends, but a fence between then and freedom. They stumbled into a small clearing, and Rei's mother listened closely to the sound. There was a look of panic on her face as the roaring and baying grew closer.

“The Hellhounds!” She picked up Usagi and flew her to the top of a nearby tree. She came down and scooped up Mina and Rei, placing them on the same branch. She looked at them, her face pleading. “No matter what happens, you must not say a single world, girls, do you hear me? Not a single word must escape.” She glanced back down to the ground, searching. “You girls must stay together. You are our only hope. Mina, be clever. Rei, sharpen your iron will. Usagi, remember the kindness that we are all fighting for.”

Before the tiny fairies could respond, she flew back down to the ground and stood, waiting. Out of the bushes, fearsome and savage, the beasts came, their paws killing the grass beneath them, each blade crying out in a fearsome shriek. Their eyes lit with the fires of hell, their bodies jagged and dark, even in the shadows, somehow darker than the shadows themselves, conjured of nightmare.

They leapt at her, tearing a piece of her dress from her body. She extended her wand, blasting them off, the brilliant gold flames throwing long shadows through the forest, blood and light dancing in perfect concert.

A hollow, low laugh crackled across the small glen, the Hellhounds called back to their master. Through a green fire that somehow froze and consumed, she came like an angel fallen. She was deathly pale, her cheeks sallow and harsh as the coldest night. She smiled, but it proved somehow crueler than any scowl, as if each tooth was a knife tearing at innocent flesh, her tongue red with the salt of it.

“Risa.” Her voice was like glass shattering.

Risa stood up straight, defiant against her power. “You have won a small and insignificant battle.”

“Oh silly little girl, I have won it all. I am your Queen.” She tightened her hands on the scepter, and it seemed to slither beneath her grasp. “And you, my little subject, have been most disobedient.”

“Fairies have no queen, you have taken our world by--” She was shocked to the ground by a sharp line of green lightening, a gasp running through her as she lay on the ground.

But the girls stayed silent, bearing quiet witness.

“Risa, my dear, you and your two little friends have proven most bothersome to me.” She walked forward slowly, a glacier advancing, crushing. “But soon that will all be but a memory. Ikuko begged, you know.”

“That's a lie!” She barked.

“When will you learn? The truth, whatever it might have been, is only written by the survivors. You will beg, too, in the stories. How our great and noble Queen crushed a rebellion of ungrateful and, they will say, intensely brutal and cruel fairies, who should have been seeking to uplift the weak, but sought only their own power. A tragic story.” She gave the same low laugh, sinister and pulling as the undertow of a smooth river. “You should have Seen this, Seer. Diablo, my blade.”

Risa slowly raised her head to the tall and dark figure, watching as she drew an iron blade, the hilt wrapped in cool silver licked with flames of gold, a large emerald set on the guard.

Risa looked upon her death, and she smiled. “I have Seen the end of this war, and it comes not at your hand.”

“Fool. Weak, and a fool.” She raised the blade.

Risa's voice was like a song through water, somehow felt in the bones rather than truly heard, and even her executioner paused before her as the last words dripped from her lips.

When bloodflower bloom across the vale

and the moon grow pink and pale

'Fore evil reigns o'er all the earth

will come a child of human birth

And when she pass a score of years

The Faery blood and Faery tears

shall rise in her, our vengeance sent

And then shall fall Maleficent

The blade came down.

In a tree, a small fairy child whispered, “Mama.”  

#thepreciousthing

[uneasylisteningradio]

Audio & Playlist for Uneasy Listening Summer Special 2020!

“why are we here” Heyyy once every few years I do a summer show and here’s one for this weird summer!

link to downloadable audio

Playlist: Bay City Rollers - Saturday Night (Uneasy Listening theme song) Stiff Richards - No Fun at the Beaches - DIG

DJ speaks over The Avengers VI - Theme from A Summer Place

Jan & Dean - She's My Summer Girl - Popsicle The Pentangle - Springtime Promises - Basket of Light The Shocking Blue - Hot Sand - Venus/Hot Sand Nikki and the Corvettes - Summertime Fun - Nikki and the Corvettes

DJ speaks over The Iguanas - Surfin' Bird

Bananarama - Cruel Summer - Bananarama Really Red - Barbeque - Teaching You the Fear Tommy Dae & the High Tensions - Summertime Girl - Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini / Summertime Girl Dusty Springfield - Summer Is Over - Dusty Superchunk - 100,000 Fireflies - The Question Is How Fast Trash Kit - Beach Babe - Confidence The Kinks - Wait til the Summer Comes Along - Kinkdom

DJ speaks over The Debonairs - Lonely is the Summer

Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson - Summer of '42 - From South Africa to South Carolina The Take - Summer - Little Bands Lou Christie and the Tammys - Make Summer Last Forever - Lou Christie Strikes Again Brigitte Bardot - Mister Sun - Show Guilt Parade - Surfin' Nuclear - Coprophobia

DJ speaks over Big Boys - PIL Beach

Public Enemy - Fight the Power - Fight the Power Neutrals - I Hate the Summer of Love - Kebab Disco David Bowie - Memory of a Free Festival - Space Oddity The Exploding Hearts - We Don't Have to Worry Anymore - Shattered Sportchestra! - On the Beach - 101 Songs About Sport Stevie Wonder - Beachstomp - Stevie at the Beach

DJ speaks over The Phantom Surfers - Surf Rider

Yoko Ono - Midsummer New York - Fly Roger Miller - In the Summertime (You Don't Want My Love) - The Return of Roger Miller The Gordian Knot - The Year of the Sun - The Gordian Knot The Ramones - Rockaway Beach - Rockaway Beach/Locket Love Robin Ward - Wonderful Summer - Wonderful Summer / Dream Boy The Ejectors - Fade with the Summer - Hydrohead The Servants - The Sun, a Small Star - The Sun, a Small Star

DJ speaks over Naked Hippy - Surf SongX - 4th of July - See How We Are Wendy Rene - Bar-B-Q - Bar-B-Q/Young and Foolish Celtic Frost - Eternal Summer - To Mega Therion The Pogues - Summer in Siam - Hell's Ditch 

DJ speaks over Swell Maps - The Loin of the Surf

Sandy Denny and Stawbs - Two Weeks Last Summer - Strawberry Sampler #1 Hüsker Dü - Celebrated Summer - New Day Rising The Yellow Balloon - Follow the Sunshine - The Yellow Balloon Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - This Summer's Been Good from the Start - The Blue Trees Donovan - Sand and Foam - Mellow Yellow The Cure - The Last Day of Summer - Bloodflowers

DJ speaks over Paul McCartney - Hot as Sun/Glasses

Bruce Springsteen - The Girls in Their Summer Clothes - Magic  Guided by Voices - Dayton, Ohio-19 something and 5 - Dayton, Ohio-19 Something And 5 The Hardy Boys - Let the Sun Shine Down - Wheels Ruth Etting - A Faded Summer Love - Guilty / A Faded Summer Love  Peach Kelli Pop - Girls of Summer - Peach Kelli Pop  John's Children - A Midsummer Night's Scene - Midsummer Night's Scene/Sara, Crazy Child Netjajev Society System - Surfside Abduction - Surfside Anthems Volume 1 

DJ speaks over Artificial Peace - Spook Surf

Chrysalis - Piece of Sun - Definition Seompi - Summer's Coming on Heavy - Summer's Comin' on Heavy/Lay on the Floor NOTA - Summer of 82 - NOTA Velvet Underground - Who Loves the Sun - Loaded The Pixies Three - Summertime USA - Party with the Pixies Three

DJ speaks over X-Ray Spex - Warrior in Woolworths (demo)

Archies - A Summer Prayer for Peace - Sunshine 

#radio #community radio #wprb #college radio #summer #music #playlist #podcast #gotham #rock #punk #pop #soul #surf #garage #power pop #post punk

[thejapanesemapletree]

A l l O f T h e m. 31: Seiya/Shiryu 42: Ikki

Okay, wig

1: How long have you been in the fandom? Like uhhhh a month or two, from around the mid of November.

2: Favorite character? Aiolos because I adore He.

3: Favorite Bronze Saint? JABU. I love him because he is so fucking stupid. Himbo Rights.

4: Favorite Silver Saint? Marin!

5: Favorite Gold Saint? Aiolos! I also like Mu because he is a good dad.

6: OTP? (Me/Aiolos) Hyoga/Shun is the only one I have read fics for, so probably that lmao.

7: Other ships? I think Camus/Milo is funny because they seem like that couple that has constant explosive breakups and then get back together the next day.

8: Favorite Saga? (Sanctuary - Asgard - Poseidon- Hades) I luv the classic Twelve Temples Arc and meeting all the Gold Saints.

9: Favorite Female Saint? MARIN MY GIRL

10: Favorite God/Goddess? (Hades - Athena - Poseidon- Odin-ETC) I vibe with Apollo and the armor crop top he has going on.

11: Favorite Movie? If the Hades OVAs count... yes.

12: Headcanons you have? All the female saints are bisexual and you cannot change my mind.

13: How did you join the fandom? I was researching anime/cartoons that are popular in Latin America for a school project, and lo and behold... Saint Seiya.

14: When did you join the fandom? When I was doing the research in November or so.

15: Why did you join the fandom? I decided to watch a few episodes of the anime on Netflix to Get Woke about it in order to discuss it, and then I was sucked in never to return.

16: You have a crush on a character? Which one? HHHHHH I love Aiolos;;; 

17: Saddest character death? AIOLOS!!! He did not deserve his fate :(

18: Saddest backstory? If you don’t say Ikki here then you’re wrong.

19: Saddest/Most tragic Love Story? Miho and Seiya because Miho treated Seiya better than Saori usually does lmao. There are not a whole lot of canon love stories so IDK what else.

20: Opinion on Athena/Saori? I like how her coming into herself as a goddess also parallels her becoming a better and more caring person, especially towards the people risking her lives for her.

21: Manga or Anime? Anime. All-The-Bronze-Saints-Being-Related? I don’t know her.

22: Do you want to cosplay as anyone? I’m planning on making an armor Shun cosplay and a Kiki cosplay for a con in August uwu

23: Moment that made you cry? Not cry really, but Aiolos’ death and the kiddies finding his last writing in his temple were both OOF

24: Moment that made you laugh? When Misty ripped his clothes off for his vain, dramatic scene, and Seiya just rose out of the ocean and basically said, “You put your clothes back on and let’s finish this.”

25: Moment that made you Facepalm? ALL THAT REVERSE BLOODFLOW ACUPUNCTURE BULLSHIT. LEARN BASIC MEDICINE PLEASE. 

26: Favourite pair of brothers? Shun and Ikki!

27: Favourite pair of twins? Saga and Kanon are the only ones I really know lmao

28: Thoughts on the “Galactic Tournament”? YOU’RE MAKING 13 YEAR OLDS FIGHT TO DEATH ON TELEVISION EXCUSE ME??? MA’AM???

29: Least favorite character? Let Deathmask and Shura know,,, I just wanna talk.

30: If I could make two characters interact more, who would they be? I wish Poseidon and Hades had some interaction just so I can see Ancient God Brother shenanigans lmao 

31: Opinion on [ship name] [Seiya/Shiryu]? TBH when I first watched the series and Seiya and Shiryu were acting all goofy and nice with each other I was like damn... they should kiss. But then Shunrei appeared lmao

32: If you could kill a character, who would it be? I would kill Shura again just because I’m that spiteful. But also, Tatsumi should get a fucking prison sentence for how he treated the Bronze Saints as kids lmao

33: Saga or Kanon? Kanon

34: If you could bring a character back to life, who would it be? Me, leaning into the mic: Aiolos. (But also his bro, Aiolia)

35: Marin or Shaina? Why would you pit them against each other they’re GFs :(

36: Favorite character backstory? Hyoga’s backstory with his mom is so OOF, but also so good

37: Least favorite character backstory? RIP to Shion turning his back to Saga for one second and getting obliterated but I’m different (I also think the plot point of a character having TWO PERSONALITIES AND ONE IS EVIL UWU is so overrated smh)

38: Do you have any merch? I just ordered some pins >:)

39: Favorite chapter? Seeing the backstory with Aiolos training Aiolia... chefs kiss

40: Character you wish hadn’t died? Aiolos  Cassios did not deserve his his fate either :( And Esmerelda!!! Damn!

41: Character you would give more Screen Time? MY LASS, MIHO (And also Jabu)

42: Opinion on *insert name* [Ikki]? The Watchful Twunk over a pack of feral teen Twinks... he is a dearly needed part of the team

43: Favourite Teacher/Sensei? At the risk of saying Marin again, I also like Dohko because he LOVES HIS KIDS

44: Most wasted character? All the other Bronze Saints besides the main ones tbh

45: NOTP? If you ship Saori with people TWICE HER AGE, or people MYTHOLOGICALLY RELATED TO HER, you will die by my hand

46: Favorite AU? AU where Aiolos lives I think an AU where Aiolos actually becomes the Pope and raises Saori/Athena as his own bean would be cool

47: Favorite character from the Hades Saga? Pandora is Goth GF material

48: Most attractive character? Aiolos Shaka, despite being the world’s largest prick, is also very beautiful. Shaina is also an attractive young lady.

49: Favourite Song? PEGASUS FANTASY (the Latin American Spanish version is lit)

50: After Saga’s death… who would you nominate to be the New Pope? Mu, following in the footsteps of his master, is a Gold Saint with his shit together, as seen by his parenting of Kiki, and he therefore would make a good Pope.

[lupienne]

Well, since it's that time of year, I dug up this unfinished scene from Days of his Wives. Wife Shanda makes spiked eggnog and Negan and the girls enjoy it around a fire up in the penthouse. However the combination of Negan getting too drunk and Nova trying to pry into his past brings out the Bah Neegs-bug. He's getting coal for sure.

---

“It just seems kind of fuckin' pointless, like the festival ain't even my fucking proclivity. Gift giving. Stupid cheesy staff parties at work. Ms Ornell trying to get me under the mistletoe but her goddamn breath always smelled like a moldy sock. Nice rack though.” Negan belched. 

Amber stared at Negan over the rim of her cup. Sherry was trying to look less interested than Moo Cow, but the ole Saint had that catty, calculating look in her eyes. 

“...Yeah. I never had kids, you know. You know? I ever tell you that? I guess I told you I ain't interested in making any right now. But fuck – you know, that would be the fun thing about Christmas. But no, it was all about getting fussy little things we didn't need, just to fill up the space under the tree, and then opening the shit up and fake-laughing. Pretending that we really gave a shit about this tradition cause that's what everyone used to do – they used to fucking fake everything.”

“I still fake everything,” Sherry said in a loud mutter. Negan turned his lip down sourly, and chugged more eggnog. 

“...Nobody really liked Christmas. Don't fucking lie to me and say that you did. Opening another goddamn polo shirt, in some color or pattern I'd never pick in a million lightyears, but having to smile and say 'Oh thanks, honey! I motherfucking love it!'” 

Nova sipped her nog and then slyly asked, “...who are you talking about, Neegs? Who was getting you polo shirts?” 

Negan jolted in his seat. “...Hmmm?”

“Who were you spending Christmas with...?” Nova smiled. “A girlfriend? A hot wife?” She smirked. “A boyfriend?” 

Negan fumbled to put down the cup, nearly spilling it. “Look at the fire, shit, it's just about ready to go out.” He stood up, staggering over to the wood basket. 

The flames were roaring, and Sherry cocked an eyebrow. “Negan, it doesn't need any more wood. Don't waste it!” 

“Shut up...” He mumbled, and Sherry stood up, her eyes flashing. He grunted and dumped the wood back in the basket. Returning to his seat to slouch sullenly, the eggnog back in his grip. 

“...So who was it?” Nova pried again. 

“The merry trip down memory-fucking-lane is over,” he growled, and even Nova was hesitant to tempt the darkness that was starting to cloud his eyes. “You bitches don't learn – none of that shit matters any more.” He tipped the cup and drained most of the glass in a long, slurping gulp. 

Nova scowled. “Who you calling a bitch? Asshole.” 

“Yeah, I'm a fucking asshole. You want to find out how much of one – then you just keep pushing me.”

Sherry rolled her eyes. “Why don't you go hit the sack, Negan? You're getting cranky.” 

He slammed the glass down on the side table, the remaining eggnog sloshing out. Rising up to his full height, a long wolfen growl emitting from his throat. “Why don't you...” He burped. “....stop telling me what to fuckin' do, Sherry? I'm sick and goddamn tired of you thinking you're the one with a dick around here.” He thumped his chest. “I'm the man in this house. I'm the fucking King Dick Motherfucker.”

Amber cowered back into the cushions as Negan staggered over towards Sherry. Jasmine sat stiff and straight, but her hands were creeping under her hair, covering her ears against the loud explosiveness of his voice. 

“You got anything to say to that, woman? Huh? You want to boss me around to my fuckin' face?!” He leaned down, thrusting his nose against hers. Sherry's teeth bared in a snarl. 

“Do you want your chestnuts roasting over that open fire? Then back the fuck off, Negan! You're fucking drunk! Go lay the fuck down!” 

“Lay the fuck dowwwwwn!” He mocked, but he moved back, almost tripping over the coffee table. “Put a cork in that piehole. This is the fucking shit I mean! You think your threats mean jack shit to me! I'm the top Fucker around here. I built this place!” He hiccuped. “If I wanted, I could throw all you bitches out in the cold. Put you down at the bottom of the points ladder.” 

Jazzi pressed her hands tighter. Amber's eyes were wide with fear, but the other three wives wore varying expressions of annoyance. Sherry's lip curled in contempt.

“Oh, you wouldn't like that, would you?” Negan's face was marred with an ugly sneer.  “You'd have to do more than spread your legs and open your mouths.” 

“Negan!” Sherry snapped, but he was lost in his tirade, his gaze snapping to Amber. 

“Wouldn't get by giving absolutely shitty head. Nobody else would pay you for that shit. It's practically an insult.”

Amber's lip trembled. 

He glared at the quivering Jasmine. “And you, you weird-ass weirdo? Might as well knock you off and hang you on the fence for all the fuckin' good you do. You'd be real close to your fucking walkers then.”

“Negan!”

“Oh, maybe you can make a living off those little fucking paintings of yours. Let's see how far they get you.”

Shanda narrowed her eyes.

He chuckled, his eyes sweeping over Nova. He swayed on his inebriated feet. “Won't be eating five fuckin' shares of rations a day anymore, will you, little tubbo?”

“Negan, that is enough!” Sherry slammed down her own eggnog. Nova's eyes welled with tears before she unleashed an epic wail, jumping to her feet.

“You're such a dick! Fuck you!”

Negan laughed.

“Like you're Mr. Perfect!” Nova yelled. “You hump a fucking baseball bat, your stupid hairline is receding...and...and...you're not even that hot! I bet you couldn't ever get girls like us before, you fucking jerk!”

Negan merely just hiccup-snorted at that, his eyes squinted in amusement. “You chose me, babe. I didn't beg you to ride my dick. You think you can do better? Then get the fuck out. That goes for all of you.” He set his hands on his hips. “You fucking hear me?”

Sherry's eyes were burning green under her fierce brows. He seemed unaffected by her dagger gaze.

“Yeah, I mean you, too.” He puffed his chest out. Swaying on his drunk feet. “Sherry. You ain't exempt. You think you're fucking special. But you don't mean shit.”

Nova wailed – and Sherry wasn't even sure why. Because maybe if she, the first, meant nothing... then surely Nova, the fourth, meant even less. 

“Go to bed,” she said, her voice icy. “Before you say even more things you regret.” 

He laughed. “Regret? That's a fucking good one.” He whipped around and moved towards his bedroom. But his motions were uncoordinated. His leg slammed into the coffee table edge, and even the alcohol didn't dull the pain in his shin enough. He roared out obscenities, swinging his injured leg up to grab at it. And then his balance was gone entirely. He stumbled and fell. His long body sprawling across the floor, but not before his temple hit the edge of the end table. 

The crack was awful, and he curled into a groaning, bleeding lump of drunken man.

“Shit.” Sherry rushed to him, her own coordination rather poor. 

“Why...why'd you hit me?” he mumbled. “...you bitch.” 

“I didn't hit you, you fucking idiot.” She scowled, trying to pry his hand away. He was clutching at the wound. “Let me see! Nova, go get my first aid bag!” 

“No!” Tears streaked the teen's face. “Fuck him! He can lay there and bleed!” 

“He's fucking drunk,” Sherry said. “And he's acting even stupider than usual – you know he doesn't mean it. Go get the bag!”

“How can you even want to help him,” Nova blubbered. “He's being so mean!”

Sherry growled. “Jasmine, can you get the bag for me?” 

The skinny blond stood, but Nova stormed into the bathroom before she could take a step. She came back and threw the bag alongside Negan's head. 

"Ow,” he mumbled, as Sherry pulled his hand away and ran her fingers over the wound. It was a small bleeding nick.

“You're fine,” she said. “You just gashed yourself. Dumbass.” 

Jasmine had edged closer. “Can you see his skull.” 

Sherry gave her a dirty look. 

“I can help clean it.”

“I don't need help...and no, you can't see his skull, thank God!” 

“Why is she crying?” he asked, as Nova continued to ham it up.

“Because you're a dickhole.”

Negan squeaked and jolted as she wiped the bleeding gash. “Ouch! Somethin' bit me!” 

“No, it didn't. Stay still.” He was leaning his head away from her.

He wrinkled his nose as she pressed gauze hard to the wound, trying to stop the over copious bloodflow. Head wounds...they always bleed more... She assured herself. He'd be fine, but she wouldn't be a bit sympathetic if his head pained him for a few days.

“...Why am I dickhole?” he slurred. “Ouch.”

“What do you mean?”

“...Why do I act like one?” His eyes were unfocused, following her hand as it dipped into the kit to retreive a bandage. 

“I don't know. You tell me. You're a fucking mystery to me, Negan. An idiot wrapped in an enigma.”

“You're funny.” He burped. “Ha ha.” 

#fanfic #comic negan #days of his wives #fixed it up on the PC #nonsense #unfinished stuff

[keeroo92]

Crimson Tide Ch1 (V x Reader)

This is the sequel to Savior, Bloodstain, Hellfire, Shadow. It might not make sense unless you’ve reath that one first.

September 12th, 4:38 am

V

V stood utterly still as he watched your blade descend into Urizen’s chest, piercing the massive orange eye that hid the demon’s heart beneath it. He felt your cold blade slice through his own flesh as he crumpled to the ground, his body sharing every sensation that his other half was experiencing. Enormous granules of his body flitted away as he fell; his arms and legs were almost completely gone by the time he struck the ground.

His chest heaved as his panicked final breaths came and went, fearful sweat broke out on his forehead as his dilated eyes darted across the scene. His final sight was of you, illuminated in blue light as a pillar of glowing power burst forth from Urizen into the sky. You screamed in agony as the light rose, but everything faded to black before he had a chance to even call your name.

____________________________________

V bolted upright with a gasp, his heart pounding as he caught his breath. He glanced beside himself in bed to check on you, his emerald eyes finding you yawning as your bleary eyes blinked open from his cries.

“V? Was it the same nightmare again?” you asked him tiredly. He nodded, sighing as you wrapped your arms around him comfortingly the same way you did every time he woke you that way. Waking next to you always helped him calm down again, your presence able to soothe the last echoes of his tormented dreams away.

“It’s alright, love. You made it, the Qlipoth is gone,” you murmured kindly. You held him close until the sun finally broke the horizon, its radiant glow illuminating the bedroom you shared in golden light. The unpainted drywall reflected the rays brightly onto the mattress the two of you lied upon on the wooden floor. Finding a bedframe hadn’t been a focus for either of you, at least not yet. A small dresser was the only other furniture in the room, only the necessities until the rescue mission was completed.

Rebuilding Sparda manor was turning out to be a slow process, but one he enjoyed. It was rewarding to be able to sleep in a room he had constructed himself, to cook in the kitchen he had so carefully rebuilt. There was still a lot of work to be done, and though you helped when you could, you were more focused on training for the journey to rescue Dante and Nero than on construction.

“We should get up soon, little fox,” he commented softly. You hummed in agreement but didn’t move, not quite ready to release the poet. Though he didn’t say it loud, he was loathe to break the embrace too.

 So warm… there’s nowhere I’d rather be than beside her.

A knock on the door broke his thoughts as Nero announced breakfast was ready. V planted a soft kiss on your forehead as he pulled away with a smile, and you tousled his hair playfully as he stretched. Even after months of recovery, he was still caught off guard by the strength of his body. He remained lean and lanky, but his ribs could no longer be seen with the naked eye. He felt powerful, like his old self as he stood tall.

Your exaggerated wolf whistle made him smirk as he walked to the dresser. He could feel your eyes watching his newly filled out form move as he selected clothing for the day, a set of dark pinstripe pants and a black button up shirt. You had taken great pleasure in dragging him shopping a few weeks ago, spending what he deemed to be far too much money on acquiring him a new wardrobe.

He had enjoyed the experience immensely, especially the way your eyes would light up when he showed you something he particularly liked. At first, you had tried to get him to try brighter colors and more understated styles, but none of it had felt right to him. Eventually, you had surrendered to his preference for darker, more intricate pieces. You had called his style a cross of gothic and punk rock and after you showed him some examples, he’d had to agree.

You came up to join him, wrapping an arm around his waist as you leaned on his shoulder. A pair of tight jeans and a pretty blouse soon graced your skin. V loved watching you dress. There was something so delightfully intimate about the slow concealment of flesh, though he had to admit that watching you put on stockings was a different sort of enjoyable.

“What will you be working on today, V?” you asked suddenly as you held out the hairbrush. He strode over and took it from your hands, lazily stroking your hair as he replied.

“I thought another bedroom would be helpful, somewhere for Trish and Lady to stay,” he replied quietly. He handed the brush back to you and sat back down on the bed so you could reach his obsidian locks. It had become a morning routine to brush one another’s hair, another small enjoyment he never took for granted.

“Good thinking. Maybe after lunch we could go for a walk together, just the two of us?” you replied questioningly. He hummed in agreement, always happy to accompany you. You smiled in return, giving him a soft peck before opening the door and heading downstairs to the kitchen.

____________________________________

September 12th, 11:52 am

“Ha!” you cried as you spun into a low thrust targeting Trish’s unprotected belly. The blonde twirled away gracefully at the last second, dodging your skilled blow. She smirked as she beckoned you closer, attempting to goad you into another attack but you’d been training with her long enough to know better.

“Not a chance,” you informed her with a matching smirk, and she chuckled.

“Good, you’re learning,” she replied. Even with the compliment, she darted forward and tried to slash at your calves, but you blocked her blades with your own easily. Your skills had come a long way since the Qlipoth, mostly due to your constant training and practice. You were determined to be able to fight just as well as Nero when you entered the underworld to rescue your friends.

“Nice one, Y/N! Let’s take a breather,” Trish commented, already reaching for her water bottle. You sat down on the side of the practice room, taking a deep draft from your own bottle as she joined you.

“Right, what can we eat in the underworld?” she quizzed you. A long moment passes in silence as you reviewed all she’d told you about the hellish place you were heading for.

“Demon grass and bloodflower?” you answered hesitantly. Trish grinned and nodded, clearly pleased at your retention.

“We might also be able to find some less disgusting demons, they’re technically edible but do not taste good,” she reminds you with a grimace. You cringed at the thought but nodded; you’d need to know every possible food source.

“And how about water?” she inquired.

“We’ll have to bring plenty of iodine, should be able to refill from the boiling lakes periodically,” you answered easily. Trish nodded; her lessons had been effective and you were incredibly grateful to have such a reliable source of knowledge on the team.

“Good. And how are we going to find Dante and Nero?”

You sighed, still unsure how that portion of the plan was supposed to work. You knew the theory, but it still didn’t make much sense to you.

“V should be able to sense the sword of Sparda and guide us. If not that, then we’ll need to contact a spirit and ask for help,” you answered. Trish smiled approvingly at you, her confidence in you making you warm inside. In the last few months your respect for the woman had grown immeasurably, her cold demeaner hiding a sharp mind and even sharper instincts. Her teachings had helped you become much more capable both in battle and outside.

Lady had trained you a bit as well, though her style was much harder to pick up. Not to mention the fact that the poor woman was almost constantly depressed from the loss of Dante, and she didn’t often have the energy to teach… You suspected the brunette even had a little crush on the legendary devil hunter but couldn’t be sure without seeing how she acted around him.

Regardless, you felt ready. All that remained was to find a damn open portal.

That was turning out to be the hardest part of the rescue plan. The few open portals the group had found had been tiny, nowhere near large enough to fit a human through. There had been one that looked acceptable, but it had closed even as you were all racing toward it. Everyone was running out of patience; the longer it took to reach the Underworld, the less likely you were to find your friends still alive.

For all you knew, they were already dead.

 Don’t think like that, they have to be alive!

You shook the thought away and took another long gulp of water as Trish stood to put away her practice weapons. You stowed your own and joined her on the way to the kitchen for lunch, hopeful that Kyrie had made chili or her famous grilled cheese. It was nice to have another person around who could cook; you and Kyrie would generally split the task between you, none of the others even remotely capable of boiling water.

You remembered with a low chuckle the time V tried to make breakfast for everyone. He had set off the fire alarm by making toast, ruining a pan with his attempt at scrambled eggs. His sheepish smile as you had raced down to check for a fire had been adorable, but he hadn’t been allowed to cook since. You hoped that once everything was calmer you could take the time to teach him, the image of making a meal together one you desperately wanted to make into reality.

In the kitchen, you find Kyrie stirring a large pot as Lady sets the table. One look at the brunette’s face tells you everything you need to know about her mood today – she wore a glazed expression, her mouth twisted into a frown as she laid out the silverware. Kyrie didn’t look much happier, the barest glimmer of hope still visible in her eyes.

You knew that Nero’s beloved was barely holding on to hope, her bright spirit slowly dimming as time passed with no progress. She was an incredibly kind woman, her heart finding room to care about you and V with ease. The very first time you had met her, while delivering the news of Nero’s sacrifice, Kyrie had opened her arms and hugged you.

“Need any help, Kyrie?” you asked her gently. She shook her head as she served lunch, a meaty stew full of root vegetables that smelled like home. As she finished dishing out the meal, V came inside from where he’d been working on the next section of the house, his sleeves rolled up and putting his lightened tattoos on display to your eager eyes.

Griffon followed right behind him, Shadow padding behind. V leaned over to press a gentle kiss on the crown of your head before seating himself at the table beside you. Griffon landed on his customary perch over the hearth, Shadow coming to rest under the table amongst the feet of everyone waiting at the table. The two of them didn’t need to eat, but occasionally they enjoyed a morsel from your plate and had taken to hanging around during mealtimes to see if you had any leftovers.

 Not this time, guys. Kyrie’s stew is too good!

“Still nothing?” Kyrie prodded the group at large, asking the same question she did at every meal. You shook your head solemnly, eyes expressing your silent remorse that you still had no portals to try. She sighed sadly and fiddled with her spoon, taking sparing bites as if only going through the motions. It broke your heart to see her this way, knowing from what Nero had told you that she’s usually full of smiles and joy.

 We’ll bring him back to you. I promise.

The rest of the meal passed in silence, each member of the group lost in their own thoughts. You snuck a small chunk of bread to Shadow and Griffon and they happily accepted their snacks as V helped clear the table.

“We’re going into town, do you need anything?” he asked Kyrie. She caught you feeding his summoned friends with a small smile and replied.

“Bread, it seems. And some milk, please.”

The poet hums in acknowledgement and returns to your side, taking your hand and pulling Griffon and Shadow back within him as the pair of you left Sparda manor behind. Looking at the home from the outside, it looks almost completely rebuilt. The stonework has been assembled well, the roof repainted in a bright red hue. Even the tree in the front had been replanted, a swing hanging from its lower branches. The landscaping still needs some work, the grass mostly brown and dead and shrubs strewn about haphazardly. There would be no restoring the bay – the Qlipoth had skewed the elevation so that the water refused to fill the previously submerged area.

Still, the home looked better every day, thank to V’s hard work. You laced your fingers through his and smiled as you commented on his progress.

“It looks amazing, V. You’re making real progress,” you told him happily.

He squeezed your fingers tenderly, smirking at you in return. Walking into town didn’t take long, a mere ten minutes until you reached the section of the city that was your target. There are scant few people milling about, mainly clustered around neighborhood boards with all kinds of notices pinned up. Most of them were of family members who had been lost during the catastrophe, either with photos or phone numbers listed for those who were searching for their family even after all this time.

Local newspapers had an entire page dedicated to listing the names and phone numbers of the few who had escaped, while radio stations generally had a weekly call in show where people could call in and be broadcasted asking for any information about their lost loved ones. It was all too rare that someone was reunited with the person they were seeking; most of the lost had undoubtedly been transformed into the terrible husks. You had yet to find any of your old coworkers or acquaintances, though you also hadn’t tried very hard.

Regardless, life in the city was slowly returning to normal. The numerous missing persons had resulted in absurdly low rates for renting apartments, the abundance of vacancies quickly being taken advantage of. Almost every business in the city was also hiring, far too many employees gone and never to be heard from again. New residents were flocking to the city in droves, especially the fools who didn’t believe the wild stories being told about what had transpired.

The city itself has been slow to recover, massive hunks of rubble still decorating some areas. The smaller pieces had been removed quickly enough, a single pair of hands enough to clear most of the debris. Yet for anything larger, the citizens had to file a request with the city or tow it themselves to a designated rubble recycling point. It was a slow process, but certain neighborhoods looked almost back to normal already.

 Humanity is really something. Even though this city was the site of such a horrible event, people came back and are rebuilding. Amazing.

“For he saw that life lived upon death,” V intoned; apparently his thoughts mirrored your own.

“It makes me wonder if anyone has moved into my old place yet,” you commented with a sly smirk. He barked out a laugh, smiling at you as the pair of you reached the department store.

Inside, the displays were only partially full, the NOW HIRING sign in the window evidence that the store was still understaffed. You grabbed a shopping basket and followed V to the section with hardware and tools. He led you quickly to the aisle with screws and various construction implements, taking the basket from you as he deposited a fair number of items within it. You recognized a few things, but others left you mystified.

With a small smirk he added a few lengths of rope and you couldn’t help but blush at his playful expression. He was still exploring his sexual tastes, his curious nature giving him a new wild idea on a regular basis. Not that you minded; he always made sure you enjoyed his experiments and took excellent care of you if he wore you out too much with his… attention. There had only been one particularly awful moment so far when he’d instinctively tried choking you, bringing back the painful memory of Lara despite how much you wanted to enjoy it.

He’d felt terrible, of course. Apologized profusely as the fear faded away from your eyes after you’d gasped out your safe word. He had held you gently, carefully keeping his hands far from your neck as you calmed your racing heart. Oddly enough, you found no anger at his forgetfulness, no resentment that for a split second he’d forgotten about your traumatic past. Only gratitude that he’d so instantly reacted and known why you had to stop without you having to explain.

Not once had he slipped up since then, his insistence on asking permission sometimes so over the top that it broke the mood slightly. Even so, you loved his explorations. You shuddered slightly as you remembered some of your favorite moments so far. As it turned out, V was a bit voyeuristic and loved watching you dress, so only last week you’d put on a little show for the poet, much to his delight. Another of his new discoveries involved silk and wax, and you felt yourself clench at the thought.

 Oh boy, gotta think about something else before I lose it.

You looked at V again to find him smirking in amusement as his eyes dilated, small glints sparkling in his wide pupils in a signature of his lust.

 Shit.

 Too late…

“There’s something I’d like to try, if you’re willing,” he began in a low purr. The tone you couldn’t resist, the vibration oh so lovely on your eardrums. You were putty in his hands.

“Hmm? What is it?” you replied coyly. He grinned at the obvious arousal in your voice and you batted your eyelashes at him playfully. He carefully placed the shopping basket on the floor and took your wrist, pulling you along with him as he led you to the bathroom. He headed toward the men’s room until you forcefully planted your feet.

“V! The ladies’ room will be cleaner,” you whispered under your breath. He spun around and waved you forward to check for other occupants. You let out a sigh of relief as you opened every stall with no trouble, quickly beckoning V inside with an excited smile. You moved to lock the door once he entered, but he stopped you with a mischievous grin.

“Ah, but it’ll be so much more interesting this way…” he murmured, already leaning closer to plant his lips on yours with a low growl. You loved it when he got like this, when he took control. He reveled in his newfound strength and you couldn’t get enough of his dominant side. You moaned into his mouth as he pushed you against the wall, his long fingers wrapping around your waist and tugging at your jeans hungrily. You chuckled as he moved his mouth to your collarbone, sucking harshly at your flesh and marking you as his just below the hem of your shirt.

You tangled your hands in his obsidian hair with a sigh as he pushed you to the largest stall, the one meant for disabled patrons. His hands gripped your hips tightly as he spun you around, tugging your tight jeans down to your knees and forcing you to bend over, your hands at rest on the metal bar meant to help people lower themselves onto the toilet. He tugged his own pants down, his cock springing free. He stepped forward to rub his head against your wet folds, eliciting a low moan from your swollen lips as he explored your wetness.

 Yessssss….

You shifted your hips in a futile attempt to get him inside you, desperate for the delicious feeling of fullness only he could give you. His dark chortle as he stepped back again was such sweet torture, his control so aggravating even as it thrilled you.

“Now, now, little fox. You know how this works, you have to use your words,” he purred, the sound of his voice alone making you tremble. You bit your lip but knew better than to protest.

“Please, V… please take me,” you sighed breathily.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it? Here’s the hard part,” he grunted out, throwing his hips forward to slide home in a single deep thrust. The sudden intrusion made you gasp, but the second he started to move it became a long moan.

Then you heard the door open as another person entered the bathroom. You glanced at V over your shoulder, watching in dawning horror as he grinned darkly. He leaned over to whisper in your ear.

“Ah, an audience. What perfect timing. I’ll leave it up to you if they hear us, yes?”

 Oh, no…

He planted one hand on the wall, the other circling around your body to probe at your aching bundle of nerves. You had to bite your lip to keep yourself silent, his stimulation almost overpowering in its excellence. His skilled fingers circled your clit teasingly, pressing against it at the exact point he knew you loved as the bystander entered another stall with a cough.

 Don’t make a sound!

He rubbed harder, faster. You tasted blood as you bit your lip even harder, yet you refused to admit defeat by saying your safe word. And it felt so damn good…

 Ah, don’t stop!

You heard the other person start peeing as he slowly drew his hips back, inching his way forward again as they gathered toilet paper. He flexed his groin at the perfect spot, his fingers still applying the perfect amount of friction to your body as he sent you over the edge to a shattering climax as the toilet flushed. The sound barely covered your long moan of pleasure as your muscles clenched your release, your arms shaking as they held you up on the silver bar.

The other stall opened, footsteps retreating to the sinks as V began thrusting with more intensity, his cock twitching as he approached his own release. It felt so amazing you no longer cared about getting caught as you angled your hips to meet his, standing on your tiptoes to achieve the perfect slant. His panting breath got louder as the water turned on, his hand moving from your clit to push your lower back and move you the exact way he needed.

You felt his nails on your skin as he groaned deeply, a hearty surge within you signaling his pleasure as he emptied himself inside you. You clenched your inner muscles around him, milking him as he pumped through his orgasm with a heavy sigh. You could picture the look on his face with perfect clarity; his eyebrows drawn together, eyes closed and mouth open as his cheeks flushed.

 He always looks so good when he comes.

The water shut off; footsteps retreated back through the door as the pair of you settled. You couldn’t help but laugh as the high or release mixed with the high of not getting caught in your mind, and V joined in shortly, his rumbling enjoyment echoing in the warm air surrounding you as he pulled away with a soft plop.

You cleaned yourself up easily, the location of your fun turning out to be oddly fortuitous. You gave V another deep kiss before peeking out the door to make sure the coast was clear. With not a soul in sight, you and V exit the bathroom easily and go back to your shopping.

____________________________________

Just as the two of you lined up to check out, V felt his cell buzz in his pocket. He pulled it out curiously – he hadn’t given his number to anyone outside the group, and none of them had ever contacted him before now. The screen showed a new message from Lady, and with a quick scan of his fingerprint, he checked what she had said.

 Fnd portal. Get back rn.

 What…?

He held the phone out to you, unsure what the letters meant. You smiled excitedly at him, almost hopping as you restrained a shout of joy.

“They found a portal V! We gotta go!” you cried happily just as the cashier announced the total. Seeing that everything was already bagged, V quickly pulled out the card you had gotten for him and paid, seizing the bags before the cashier even stuffed the receipt inside. The two of you dashed home at full speed and V once again mentally enjoyed his newfound endurance and strength.

 A portal! Let’s hope this one’s big enough!

 Indeed! This may be the chance we’ve been waiting for.

 I hope so, tired of waiting around!

V sent back an internal chuckle as he ran, easily keeping pace with you as you reached the front door to your home. The instant the door opened, he heard Nico’s voice from within.

“What the hell took ya so long!? We gotta go, NOW!” the southern mechanic cried. V brought the shopping bags to the kitchen, depositing them on the dark marble counter and racing over to where the group stood around a huge table in the dining room. Lady sat nearby on a laptop, her techno-literacy hard at work as she typed so fast her fingers were a blur. She had taken up the role of searching the web daily for leads, checking various forums and blogs for hints of an open portal.

“It’s only an hour away!” she called out, smiling for the first time in months. Kyrie squealed from her position nearby, her small feet pounding the floor as she rushed to the kitchen to pack every possible snack she could find. You sprinted to the closet to get your already packed backpack, full of medical supplies and iodine tablets.

Trish went straight to the training room to gather everyone’s weapons while V raided the linen closet for blankets and pillows, hastily stuffing them in sleeping bags. Nico’s van already had all the spare clothing and ropes, even a few pieces of climbing gear in case your group had to ascend. Lady grabbed a spool of wire and her trapping supplies, her weapon already in hand as the printer spat out the directions.

The group assembled almost simultaneously at Nico’s van outside, all of you clambering on without a second thought as Nico took the driver’s seat. V sat next to you on the couch, holding your hand in his as the mechanic turned the key and the van reversed out of the dirt driveway onto the main road, Nico urging every last scrap of speed the old vehicle could manage as it screamed toward the portal.

#fanfic #v x reader #dmc5 v #dmc5 #dmc #dmcv #my writing #Crimson Tide #lemon

[bigherosixfeels]

Fan Friction REVIEW

A moment of silence for Krei's old lab on Akuma Island. It was indeed a key location in their origin story and it will dearly be missed.

The episode begins with one of the previews we got at comic-con. A fictional tale involving our team narrated by Karmi. All is well in San Fransokyo with the exception of a massive fire burning the inside of the San Fransokyo Biometric Laboratory. Luckily, Big Hero 6 is ready to save the day (and in adorable chibi versions too!). Karmi introduces each member with her own names for them. Wasabi is Chop Chop, Gogo is Speed Queen, Fred is Flame Jumper, Honey Lemon is Tall Girl, Baymax is Red Panda and Hiro is Captain Cutie!

At the scene, Hiro tells the team they have to save his "beautiful girlfriend" and they rush inside the bio lab. As the team run down the hall, Karmi narrates how Hiro didn't feel the flames burning, but rather the "burning of his desire to save his one true love". They get to the lab, but Wasabi burns his hand trying to get in. Gogo sees another way and skates up the wall vertically; breaking open the air vent. They make it inside, but they have a fire to put out. Wasabi slices a water drinking fountain in half and Fred and Honey Lemon work together to make ice showers. It successfully puts the fire out!

Hiro reaches the door to Karmi's office, but it won't open. Baymax tells Hiro to stand back that it's time for overdrive mode. Overdrive mode reveals incredible powers with a hint of anime references. Baymax breaks the door (and the wall) and Hiro rushes over to Karmi. They rush over to each other. Hiro holds Karmi in his arms and they look at each other lovingly.

In the real world, Hiro wonders what this story is. Fred excitedly explains that someone wrote fanfiction about them! Hiro clicks on the username which reveals a photo of Karmi. He's not amused.

Meanwhile, Momakase is in prison and has apparently been jumping up to the ceiling to mark how many days she's been in her cell. She also has special bars for her cell so she can't escape. As she sighs, a prison guard walks by and slides an envelope in her cell. She opens it up and it reveals to have a paper inside with Obake’s logo on it and piece of a graphene blade. Obake, dressed as a prison guard, tells her that he can thank her later. She’s very pleased to have this and wastes no time breaking out of jail.

Hiro and Baymax are flying around, but Hiro is too distracted by Karmi’s story to focus. He questions why she’d call a superhero ‘Captain Cutie’ and thinks her story is stupid. Fred disagrees and thinks it’s genius and building up to an epic saga. Wasabi chimes in and thinks it cool that there's fanfiction about them since it implies they have fans. Honey feels like a celebrity, but doesn't think she's all that tall. Gogo gives her a look and Honey says, "Okay, that's fair".

On a wind turbine, Hiro paces as Baymax explains that creative expression can be a positive way to connect with people. Hiro sees his point, but he still doesn't like it and believes the stuff Karmi has them doing in the story isn't possible. Gogo notes that she's never tried skating vertically before and that it's possible. Fred wonders what the fans of the story will call Hiro and Karmi and brainstorms ship names based on his new 'Captain Cutie' nickname.

Breaking news is broadcasted and Bluff Dunder reports Momakase's escape from prison. Gogo calls Wasabi to let him and Fred know. It seems like Fred can't believe it, but the news he's actually looking at is about Krei's old lab on Akuma Island being demolished soon. After being told the news of Momakase, Fred says he has different news alerts than the rest of them. He's very attached to the island since it's a key location to their origin story.

Hiro wants to get back to Momakase and has Baymax scan her. He tracks her location and their off (not before Wasabi can make a teasingly call Hiro 'Captain Cutie' though). Momakase is running loose on the streets, but Hiro and Baymax have caught up to her. She doesn't seem the least bit intimidated by being followed and continues to sprint down an alleyway. Hiro jumps off Baymax and the duo runs after her. Baymax points out how fast Momakase is and ends up getting stuck between two walls. As the chase continues, Obake sends out one of his drones to the location. Momakase starts jumping to higher ground, but Hiro catches her by the ankle! Unfortunately, Obake's drone shoots at him, causing him to lose his grip and fall down. Although Baymax is still stuck, he was able to launch his rocket fist right at the drone which breaks it. Momakase ends up getting away. Honey asks what happened and Hiro tells her that Obake happened.

The next day at school, Fred is surprised to hear about Obake and Momakase working together. It's not good, unless of course you're into super villain fanfiction and Fred brainstorms some ship names for them too. The last thing Hiro wants to talk about his fanfiction and he accidentally bumps into Karmi who's currently working on chapter two of her fanfiction. Hiro would rather her not explain it because he doesn't get it. Karmi thinks that Hiro doesn't have a soul unlike her and lots of other people. Hiro asks if she thinks it's okay to write fanfiction about real people. She asks why he'd care and is quick to say he doesn't. Karmi has places to go and announces that chapter two will be live that night which excites a lot of fellow students. Fred is also excited, but says he might read it eventually seeing how unhappy Hiro is about it. Who are you kidding, Fred?

In Obake's lair, Momakase has a knife pointed to his neck and asks what he's supposed to be. He says he's someone that finds Big Hero 6 to be tiresome. Momakase tells him to join the club, and that's actually what Obake was going to offer her. He's giving her the chance to eliminate their mutual enemies. He shows Momakase the research he's been doing and states that he knows who they are, what they can do and who they fight. One of the photos he has pulled up is the recent news of Momakase being on the run with her picture of being arrested back in Food Fight. Obake asks if his club sounds fun and Momakase throws a knife at his screen; landing right on a picture of Hiro. She accepts his offer to his club and he gives her a scan-jammer to wear so she can't be tracked by them. She likes the club.

Later on, we see the beginning of chapter two from Karmi's fanfic. She recaps the end of the last chapter and it now shows their chibi forms safe and sound. Chibi Hiro is lovingly holding chibi Karmi in his arms. Fred is reading the story out loud, but Hiro cuts him off. This disappoints Fred since he was planning to do the voices for everyone. Hiro doesn't understand why Fred is giving Karmi the clicks. Honey defends her, saying she's just having fun and questions why Hiro cares so much. Gogo states that Hiro is embarrassed by Karmi's crush on him. Hiro is quick to say he's not, but Baymax says that the increased bloodflow to his cheeks is a common sign of embarrassment...which embarrasses Hiro even more.

Changing the subject, he tells Baymax to scan for Momakase, but he's unable to locate her. This weirds Hiro out since there's nothing wrong with Baymax's scanner. Gogo comes to the realization that Momakase has a scan-jammer, but Wasabi comes up with the idea to scan for heat signatures since graphene conducts heat. It works, and Baymax detects graphene at Securitech. This confuses them since it seems like Momakase is trying to break back into prison.

Suited up, they fly over to Securitech and quietly enter inside. Baymax scans again for graphene and detects a small amount on the streets. Gogo decides to go after her since she's the fastest. As the rest of the team looks around, Hiro questions why they don't have an alarm. Fred assures they must since it's a security company and questions if Momakase was even there since there aren't any signs of her anywhere. Wasabi lightly hits at the wall and it reveals a bunch of slices in the wall which results in a door falling apart. Oh yeah. She was there.

Momakase is on the run, but Gogo is right behind her. They run through an alleyway, where Momakase jumps up the walls and makes an escape. Gogo says she's lost her, but then remembers the idea of skating vertically. She gets her skates going at a fast speed and is able to successfully get up the wall! She's impressed that the velocishot worked and goes to catch up to Momakase.

The others are now in a top secret room of Securitech. Honey touches some bars, which end up turning on all the lights and all the computer screens (except one) slice in half. The one still intact has an icon of Momakase's face evilly cackling. Fred isn't a fan of it since it doesn't properly capture her bone structure. Now, they can only assume she has everything that Securitech was working on. Honey is still confident in her not getting away since no one out-runs Gogo.

Momakase and Gogo are continuing their chase on the rooftop of various buildings. Gogo throws her disks at her, but Momakase slices them in half. She also takes the time to slice her skates in half while Gogo is in mid-air. With that, Momakase is able to get away. Gogo is surprised that she's been out-ran.

The next day, everyone at SFIT can't stop talking about Karmi's fanfiction and it's driving Hiro insane. He tries to avoid all the chatter about the story and the shipping between his superhero persona and Karmi, but he can't seem to get away from it the whole day. He eventually loses it and screams, but realizing that he's around a bunch of students that don't understand his discomfort, he rushes off in embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Fred and Honey want to try out making an ice shower from Karmi's story. They decide to test it out with a koi pond. Fred has to steam it up and Honey will freeze the steam. First things first, they had to get the koi fish out of the pond. With all the fish safe and sound, Fred creates some steam and Honey uses her chem-balls to freeze it out. She accidentally freezes Fred on top of it, but it's a good first attempt! Hiro shows up and Honey explains that since Karmi was right about Gogo's vertical skating, they wanted to see if she was onto something about ice showers. Hiro isn't into this idea and believes that Gogo's was just a lucky guess. Honey suggests that it would be easier for Hiro to accept that Karmi likes him and then he can appreciate what she has to contribute. Fred chimes in and says he can't get her to stop writing which gives Hiro an idea.

He knows Karmi won't listen to him, but would definitely listen to 'Capatin Cutie'. He rehearshes some practice runs of what to say with the gang. He starts off with Wasabi and states that Karmi has gotten "too much about them right." He states that his name is, in fact, Captain Cutie. Captain Jeff Cutie. Him and his team can't risk any more of their secrets being exposed. Wasabi is confused by the Jeff part. With Gogo, he says that Karmi isn't a good writer and should stop, but she thinks that's too harsh. With Honey, he asks if she's aware of the phrase 'copyright infringement' and that his lawyer (Baymax in a suit) is prepared to take legal action. Honey doesn't think anyone would believe Baymax is a lawyer. He tells Baymax to say his line and he says, "I object." Honestly...I'd buy it.

Later on, Hiro is pacing around the outside of the bio lab. He knows that she leaves at seven every night, but she's not around. He assumes that she's writing chapter four. Honey then tells him there's something he's going to want to see.

It cuts to a video of Momakase speaking directly to 'Captain Cutie'. He tells him to meet her at Akuma Island by nine or else he'll never see his "beautiful girlfriend" again. Karmi has been kidnapped and she's tied on a chair. Hiro realizes that they're inside of Krei's old lab which is supposed to be demolished that night. He knows that Karmi needs them...and she's not his girlfriend!

The team rushes over to the island. Since Momakase knows they're coming, so they decide to split up. Whoever gets to Karmi first is supposed to signal the others. Honey wishes everyone good luck and Fred wants to do a group cheer that no one else joins in on. Fred and Wasabi are sneaking around as Fred sings about being back on the island "where it all began". When they get far enough, Wasabi begins cutting through a wall. Fred wants him to go faster and tells him it doesn't have to be a perfect circle. Wasabi explains that he'd need a lot more tools for that. Momakase is able to make a perfect circle with two of her knives on the wall across from them.

Honey and Gogo sneak in another way and quietly lower themselves down, but unfortunately, Momakase is watching them. She throws her knife and it cuts through Honey's rubber, causing both girls to fall. Honey uses a chem-ball to break their fall. It's a two-on-one fight! Momakase kicks Gogo down, but Honey is quick to use her chem-balls in various ways. She traps herself in a pink bubble again and by the time Momakase cuts through, Honey has created a hole in the floor to get away. She bursts out of another hole and manages to temporarily stick Momakase to the ground until she cuts herself free. Honey throws an ice ball to the ground which causes Momakase to slip. She gets back on her feet, but before she can make another move, Gogo attacks her with full force. She ends up slicing another one of her disks, but Gogo manages to knock her down. She gets back up, only to slide back down due to another one of Honey's ice balls. Gogo tells her she has nowhere else to go which is what Momakase was going to say to them. She throws her knives and they cut through many pieces of metal from the lab, which fall onto the girls.

Hiro and Baymax are in the security room. He figures they can use the old security system to locate Karmi. Luckily, the system is still functional and he finds Karmi. There's no sign of Momakase, but also no sign of the others.

They make it to the room that Karmi's trapped in and Hiro rushes over to her. Her mouth is tied up and when he takes it off, she tells him to be careful because it's all a trap. With a press of a button, they get locked up inside a high-tech prison cell. Some lights shine on, revealing the other four tied up. Momakase welcomes Hiro and tells him he's a good boyfriend. He almost breaks character, but switches back to his pretend deep voice and tells Momakase she won't be getting away with this. She'd say she already has and activates the bars. She admits that she actually broke a sweat to trap them.

With Wasabi untied (thanks to Gogo who was untied thanks to Karmi) uses his blades to cut the bars, but he can't break free. Honey creates an acid ball, but it bounces off the ground and hits the chair Karmi was sitting on. Momakase reveals that the cell was designed specifically for them and she thought of everything. Hiro believes it was Obake that thought of it all. She got the intel from him, but the ideas were all hers. Fred asks what her and Obake call themselves and throws out the shipping names. His money is on Momabake and she comments on how those are stupid last words. She reminds them all that a disintegration device is about to wipe out everything on the island and asks Hiro if it was worth it to reunite with "his girlfriend". Karmi gets excited about Momakase calling her his girlfriend. The countdown begins for the disintegration and Momakase flips out of the lab. Wasabi decides to scream since no one else does.

On a speed boat, Momakase reports to Obake that Big Hero 6 is trapped. She thought Obake has plans for the boy, but only if he's good enough. He's confident in his and the others surviving.

We're now at the second comic-con clip we received for this episode where Fred is stating what we already know about the prison cell and the building about to demolish. Honey states that this isn't good which concerns Gogo because when she says that, that means it's really not good. Karmi asks if they know another way out, but none of them have an idea...except for Hiro. Hiro pulls out a chip and commands 'Red Panda' to engage overdrive mode. The chip changes Baymax and he transforms into his powerful overdrive mode self! Karmi is excited to see that the idea from her story is real. Hiro explains that after reading her story, he made some tweaks to the armor which will drain his battery, but will be enough to do some damage. Baymax's wings turn into a sword and when electricity charged up, he's able to slice through not only the bars, but a wall of the lab as well. Baymax transforms back to himself, but is on low-battery due to the amount that was drained.

They all have to hurry up since the disintegration will happen in four minutes. Hiro asks if Baymax can fly them out, but he's too drained to do so. He tosses Baymax over to Wasabi to assist out. He then takes Karmi's hand, who blushes at the gesture, and tells her to follow him. They all begin to rush out of the lab (two minutes left until it gets demolished). The lab is beginning to explode, but everyone has made it at the wired fence. Wasabi is about to slice through them, but Fred reminds him to say his line and he says, "Time to make chop chop!"

They get to the edge of a cliff and Karmi suggests swimming, but there's no time for that. Honey and Fred decide to try out the ice shower again and call each other by the nicknames in Karmi's story. Honey tells Karmi she'd be okay with her rethinking her name. Fred breathes fire in the water and Honey creates an ice slide from the steam. She also suggests coming up with a different catchphrase. They all slide down the ice and the demolishing spreads further. They've escaped just in time!

The ice shatters into pieces, but they all land safely on a huge piece. Hiro and Karmi exchange an awkward smile. Fred exclaims that Honeyzilla saved the day and explains to Honey that's what they'd be called if people shipped them. He has a list of ship names for everyone on the team and lists off all the Wasabi ships because he banks on Wasabi being a fan favorite because he's so cool.

Karmi still can't believe that Hiro creative overdrive mode because of her. Hiro says she's the one that saved the day and Karmi assumes this means he liked her story. Hiro is about to tell her that he doesn't want her to continue writing, but ends up telling her that, "As long as there's a Captain Cutie, there will always be justice." Karmi, who's very happy now, says that it's the best day ever and hugs Hiro who ends up smiling. Our heroes saved the day!

We transition to the next chapter of Karmi's story where our team is happy with what Karmi did and Hiro offers her to become the seventh member of the team. She's all in! Then, chibi Hiro gets down on one knee and asks for Karmi's hand in marriage.

In real life, Hiro is covering his ears and doesn't want to hear anymore. Fred tells him he was only kidding...it actually ends with them kissing. The episode ends with a mortified Hiro.

This was an interesting episode!

I gotta say, I definitely enjoyed it more the second time watching it. Even though there are certain elements of this episode that I didn't particularly enjoy, there was still a lot that I did like a lot.

First things first, THEIR CHIBI FORMS ARE SO CUTE GAHHH!!! I loved that we got to see them like that and it was definitely an enjoyable way to do Karmi's story. The anime references were a great, hilarious touch too.

I really liked that Karmi's ideas did end up being beneficial to the team. Even though Hiro thought it was impossible at first, the others really did want to see things could be done and they can. Hiro deciding on using overdrive mode for Baymax was incredible. The only issue is his battery being drained, but it ended up being what saved them all (in addition to the ice shower).

All the references to fan fiction and shipping were pretty good too. It is funny to see how aware they all are of ships. Also, Fred mentioning that he thinks Wasabi being a fan favorite was so sweet!

Obake and Momakase (or should I say Obakase/Momabake) are now working together! Momakase is definitely one of my favorite villains, so it's great to see her back in action and working with our biggest bad guy. They do make a really good team given that Obake gave her intel and the ideas she came up with were all on her own. She's going to be a great new member of Obake's villain club for sure. Looking forward to seeing what else she'll be contributing in future episodes.

I felt so bad for Hiro. I'm glad he mentioned that it can be uncomfortable to write stories about real people and we did see how much the stories and the feedback from other students affected him. He ultimately made the decision to not tell Karmi to stop writing, but I still feel bad that he wasn't able to voice his discomfort.

I'm glad that Karmi's story was received positively and it's good to see that a self-insert story didn't result in bullying. I think what made her stories so enjoyable was the fact that it was shown in chibi form. I think it would have been really interesting to see how she was kidnapped, but that's okay.

I was really impressed with Hiro when he grabbed onto Momakase's ankle at the beginning of the episode. Even if he got shot down by Obake's drone, that was seriously cool! And I loved the entire fight sequence between Momakase and Honey and Gogo. It was done so well!

Also...Lawyer Baymax. 10/10 idea.

Even though this may not have been my favorite episode, I did like it and I think it was a good break from the mystery and intensity that were the previous two episodes. It felt good to laugh out loud here and there!

On a scale of one to ten...I'd rate Fan Friction a 7.6!

#my reviews #i know i had some critical things to say but i honestly did like this episode #hiro #baymax #wasabi #gogo #fred #honey lemon #karmi #momakase #obake #bluff dunder #big hero 6: the series #bh6: the series #bh6 series spoilers #big hero 6 #bh6 #fan friction

[cookieswriting]

Mistaken (9-1-1, Abby x Buck)

((Set after Abby returns from Ireland, short multichapter fic))

“Thanks, ladies! I’m sure I’ll be back same time tomorrow!”  Buck waved with his free hand to the baristas as he nudged the door open with his hip, charming smile on his face.  The three women behind the counter waved back as he turned.

“See ya Buckley! Tell the crew we say hey.”

The blonde fireman kept the tray of coffees balanced in one hand as he lowered his sunglasses onto his nose.  Warmth seeped into his skin, the sun soaking into his dark uniform and making him grateful for the clear skies.  While staying tucked away in Abby’s apartment to get reacquainted after nearly three months with half a world between them (followed by two weeks of opposing schedules until Abby could finally get back into her routine at work) as rain pummeled the window was lovely, Buck was looking forward to taking her out for a day on the lake.

He was jarred from his thoughts when a solid form crashed into him from the side, flipping the coffee out of his grasp and sending him sprawling into an alley.  Before he could regain his bearings, weight settled onto his hips and sharp, burning agony stole his breath away.  “Gimme your gun, pig,” a low voice growled in his ear.  Buck groaned, the fog of pain slowing his thoughts and in turn his response.  “Now!”  Trembling hands scrabbled with the gray sleeve at his attacker’s wrist, and the firefighter couldn’t suppress the yelp when the knife was yanked back out.  The pressure on his hips disappeared, and his radio was yanked from his shoulder.  From there, the man’s free hand searched his pockets, easily finding his cell phone and wallet. Dammit.

“D-Don’t have...a gun...not a...cop…”

The second time the blade cut into his abdomen, he managed to stifle any noise.  “That badge and your pretty blue uniform look an awful lot like you a cop.”  Wild brown eyes searched for any source of threat, and pained blue eyes fought to catalogue the man’s visible features

“F-firefighter,” Buck breathed, pain pulsing in time with his heart.  A shadow fell across his face as his attacker leaned over to get a better look at the badge on his chest, and the man cursed.

Evan Buckley barely had time to register the white and blue sneaker swinging for his head before it connected with his temple and darkness crashed over his consciousness.

“There’s a cop down in an alley, it looks like he was shot or stabbed in the side...he’s unconscious.”  Awareness returned to Buck in the form of sharp pain and something shaking him.  Memories of the attack that took him out of commission surfaced, and he would have lashed out defensively if not for the gentle grip on his wrist.  “Easy, man...easy.  I’m here to help, I’m on with 9-1-1.  Just lay still, I think you’ve lost a lot of blood.”

“9-1-1?” As though the reference to dispatch flipped a switch in his brain, adrenaline seemed to flood his system.  Buck looked up to the guy leaning over him and reached for the phone.  “Can I?”

“A-are you sure you’re up for it, man? You don’t look so good.”  Buck nodded tiredly, so the man relented, switching on the speakerphone and setting it on the ground beside Buck’s head. “Here, go ahead…” The fireman winced when the man started unbuttoning his blouse.  

“Has the officer regained consciousness?” Relief flooded Buck at the familiar voice, and he sagged back against the ground. One step eliminated, which was good since he wasn’t sure how long the adrenaline would hold up. “Mr. Adams are you still there?”  

“What’s up...with everyone calling me a cop today?”

Buck could picture the stunned face of his girlfriend as she processed what was going on.  “Buck? Please tell me you stumbled across the scene and are not my victim...”

“Abbs, I need you to send out an APB-” An involuntary hiss escaped him when his undershirt was carefully pulled up and away from his wounds.

“I need you to tell me what happened and where you are.” He hated being responsible for the fear in her voice, but he had to get the warning out...

“Abbs, Abby...I need you to listen...there’s a white male, 6 foot wearing blue and white nikes...navy blue hoodie and dark jeans...tattoo...a-ace of spades...on his neck...looking to kill cops.  He saw my uniform and assumed…” Exhaustion threatened to pull him back under, but he steeled his resolve.  “You’ve gotta put a warning out. This guy’s out for blood, and pretty ballsy...he got me three blocks north of the station.  Broad daylight,” he breathed weakly.  Steady hands pressed against his side, and Buck cursed himself for groaning.  

When Abby spoke again, her voice wavered.  “The APB is out...and your squad-”

The mention of his team gave him another surge of adrenaline, fear overpowering his desire to rest.  “Wait! I don’t know how long I was out, or where this asshole went...could still be around, waiting for backup to get here.  Don’t dispatch-”

“I’m not going to let you be a martyr right now, Fireman Buckley. PD has already been informed and your squad knows to be careful.  All you need to worry about is not bleeding out before they get there, do you understand me?”

A breath of laughter escaped him, and he prayed she couldn’t hear the fresh wave of pain it triggered.  “Uh oh, you used my full name.  I’m...in trouble.”  His job finished, Buck finally allowed himself to sink into the peaceful cushion of darkness, where he could hardly feel the tremors of cold under his skin, or the pressure that his rescuer was applying to stem the bloodflow.

“You will be if you don’t hang on.  Your team’s almost there.”  She was always taking care of him…

“Yeah...I hear the house siren.  Thanks, Abbs…”  Even though he could hear both Abby at his rescuer trying to get his attention, the fireman couldn’t cling to consciousness anymore.

911911911

Horror seized the breath in Abby’s lungs as the other end of her line fell silent for an agonizing moment. “Buck?! Buck! Evan!” As she listened to rustling, the dispatcher fought to shove down her panic.  As awful as their first date had been, she’d go back to that day in an instant if it meant that she were right beside Buck and not on the other end of a damn phone call, possibly listening to his death.

“A-Abby?” The timid voice snapped her out of her spiral.  “It’s Mark, um...he’s passed out, what do I do now?  I can hear the siren but it doesn’t sound close enough.”  

“Feel his neck under his jaw with your first two fingers, is there a pulse?”  It took everything she had to pretend that she was talking this stranger through saving the life of another complete stranger, and not -

“Yes, but it’s pretty fast.  So is his breathing...and his skin’s clammy.”  In line with hypovolemic shock.  Hurry, Captain Nash…

“Can you see the wound?”

“Yeah, I’m putting pressure on it right now.”

“Good...good.  Has the bleeding slowed at all?” Just keep it together until the others get there...keep it together, Clark, Buck’s life is counting on it.

“Yeah...a little.  I...I think the ambulance is close.  Should I go wave them down?”

The thought of Buck being left even for the moment had Abby snapping out “No!” She waited until he gave a soft noise of understanding to continue.  “Stay with him, keep up the pressure until they make it to you and give you direction from there.” Muffled thuds carried across the line, and garbled voices came through.  Mark was clearly turned away from the phone, voice somewhat distant as he called out to the first responders.  Tears of relief threatened to fall as the tense, worried voices of Nash, Hen and Chimney finally became clear.  “Mark?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Thank you.  What you did will...probably save his life.”  Fear left her stumbling over her words, and Abby clenched her shaking hand into a fist.  It will save his life, she insisted to herself.

“I hope so.”  

She barely registered the goodbye before the line went dead, and the dam holding back her emotions shattered.  Fingers curled gently over her shoulder, and Abby turned to her fellow dispatcher, Stephanie, with a hand over her mouth to smother her sob.  

“He’s in good hands now, Abby, why don’t you sign off and wait to find out what hospital they’re taking him to?”  The redhead nodded, fingers mindlessly going through the motions of logging out as she prayed that Buck would be okay now that his team was with him.  As soon as she finished, Stephanie nudged her towards the break room to wait anxiously for a text from one of them.

#9-1-1 #9-1-1 on fox #9-1-1 fanfic #abby x buck #abby clark #evan buckley #buck

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Bonus- Star Wars Re-Watch notes

As a follow-up to the Star Wars reviews I’ve been posting for the past few weeks, I decided to post the notes I made during my re-watches for the movies.  The only movie that isn’t included among these notes will be the ones for Solo.  That’s because I wasn’t able to take notes in the thearte.

Hope you enjoy

Phantom Menace notes-

• I wonder if they’ll ever change the logo to 21st Century Fox. • So this all started with the debate on taxation for intergalactic trades?  Why does this remind me of how the revolutionary war started? • Hah.  Female C3PO. • Why is that catchphrase mostly associated with Han when everybody has had a chance saying it? • If they didn’t want them to be recognized as Jedi, why wouldn’t they go in disguise? • RIP, random unnamed people. • Force Power = Holding your breath for an extended period of time? • Hate to break it to you, Amadala, but I don’t think they’re interested in a peaceful negotiations. • Hi, Jar Jar! • Love that line, Qui Gon. • So, they just happen to be carrying underwater breathing apparatuses?   • If it’s that easy to enter the bubble houses, do many fishes accidently end up in there? • Oh, I love the elaborate fauna that exists in this world! • Did he just knock Jar Jar out with the Force? • How did the Queen manage to change clothes so quickly with the invasion going on? • I’m no expert, but I don’t think a contract is legal if it’s signed under duress. • Haha.  I gotta admit, I love that droid’s sass. • Surprised no one got grazed with all the gunfire. • Hi, R2! • That was a lucky shot. • R2 was catty even back then. • Of course everyone was blown up except for R2. • Lesser of two evils, I guess.  Reminds me of that scene from Avatar: The Last Airbender.  When Zuko and Iroh were trying to decide if they should risk getting caught by Azula or venture into the Earth Kindgom where they were considered enemies. • What’s Darth Maul’s story? • So, what’s the relationship between Naboo people and the Gungans?  Do they normally remain segregated? • Why would R2 be going with them? • Has Anakin never seen a young girl before? • So Watto’s species is naturally smarter than Gungans? • Why would Jar Jar think that a good idea?  Do they not have merchants in Gungan City? • Wait.  So….they can’t send transmissions, but they can receive them without an issue? • How can a protocol droid help his mom?  Especially since she’s a slave? • Also, how would Anakin have the time and resources to build one? • Revenge for what? • So you’re saying only Force-sensitive people can participate in Pod Races?  Or are humans usually less agile than other species? • Hang on.  So Watto enters this kid into the Pod Races, but he won’t let him build his own racer? • Great, a Jesus kid. • So, only Padmé cares enough to help free him from the jet engine thing? • How’d he get cut again? • Ah, the Midichlorian thing. • So, has Darth Maul been visiting every planet systematically?   • So, who’s Ani’s friend?  Why would he have come to the race when the other kids didn’t? • So. I’m guessing the main languages of Tattoine are Huttanese and Basic? • Hmm.  Are those flags representing the racers’ native planets? • What a dirty cheater!  He’s that threatened by this one kid, or is doing that to all the other racers? • Who’s the other Hutt with Jabba?   • And now we commence with the boredom. • Wait, was that Willow? • The Tuskin Raiders must be pretty bored to be waiting around to shoot at the racers. • What exactly is the route for this race? • Did he just Force Command that loose bit of pipe? • Well, that backfired on Sebulba. • JAWAS! • The Hutts must be pretty scary, if the threat of going to them is enough to get Watto to relent. • What kind of undershirt is that, anyway?  It looks like it’s made of sticks • Why were they running?  Did they know they were being chased? • Another small hint of who Padmé really is. • Why would she need to remember him?  Was it specifically stated they’d be parting ways? • You’ve known each other for three days.  Why would they care for each other already? • Did Jar Jar just comment on the Queen’s attractiveness? • Another costume change? • I like Mace Windu. There’s just something about him that puts you at ease. • He’s not as awesome as Yoda, though. • Is that Padmé or the decoy? • How old do you have to be to become a Jedi?  Do you have to be a toddler? • Never understood how fear could lead to anger.  Like, what if you’re afraid of leeches?  Or Vermicious Knids?  How would that fear lead to anger? • Awww.  They should have gone with Bali of Alderaan.  He’s a cool guy! • So, is Palpatine a native of Naboo? • Oh, is this where Obi Wan got the whole Point of View thing from? • How many times does this Queen change outfits? • What a twist! • So, the Gungans are basically canon fodder? • Is that the same technology they used to make the bubble city?  What exactly keeps the blaster fire out but lets actual people in? • Is that really the best hiding place Anakin could find? • Yeah, ‘I’ll try to override it,’ he says.  While reaching for the helmet.  He’s totally doing this on purpose. • Who keeps designing these places with walkways over gaping pits?  And not including railings?  Seems like a pretty stupid architectural flaw. • Yeah, but you can still go back to the planet while staying in the cockpit.  Just saying • What’s the purpose of these timed forcefields in this room?  Why were they installed in the first place? • What’s that supposed to do, dude? • Yeah, that’s a death.   • Why do we never see blood in these movies? • And of course the camera focuses on him when that question is asked. • What exactly is that static light ball?

Attack of the Clones Notes-

• So, basically, a bunch of planets are declaring themselves independent from the Republic?  Why does this sound like how America declared independence from Britain? • Hi, R2! • Wow!  Spoke too soon, dude! • Ah, so Padmé is still using decoys.  RIP, Decoy Lady. • Hmm.  Is Yoda suspicious of him?  That look he gave Palpatine just now… • So it’s been ten years since Phantom Menace? • Oh, Anakin.  Stop flirting with her. • Um…it might not be a smart idea to have this argument in front of them?  Just a suggestion. • Anakin’s attraction to Padmé seems very creepy to me.  He met her when he was nine.  And they haven’t spoken since then.  That’s not love, that’s obsession. • How’s that for a wake-up call? • Haha.  ‘You’ll be the death of me.’  Nice foreshadowing, movie. • The Death Sticks scene. Classic. • Yeah, Jedi Masters.  I respect you and all.  But it’s probably a bad idea to send the hormonal 19 year old to act as bodyguard to his crush. • Shut up, Anakin.  You could use a healthy dose of humility. • You’re not grown up!  You’re 19 years old! Talk to me in 10 more years. • So, what’s the story behind Obi-Wan’s friendship with this Dax character? • Wait.  If Droids could think?  Is Obi-Wan racist against Droids? • Was that a sex joke? • Well, aren’t we overly confident, Librarian Lady? • Wow.  Seems like everyone is racist against Droids. • Yoda, I love you. • So they really needed a kid to point out that the information about this planet was erased from the archives?  That doesn’t say much for the adults in the Jedi order. • So on Naboo, the Queen is more of a president? Serving a few terms and then stepping down to allow a new ruler step in? • Is this the new Queen of Naboo? • Oh, Anakin.  Shut up.  You’re kinda unlikable. • That’s right, Obi-Wan.  Play along.  Don’t let them know you’re completely in the dark. • Padmé, how can you be seriously charmed by him?  He’s being really creepy. • Ah.  A bounty hunter is here.  And you’re looking for a bounty hunter.  Coincidence? • Suppose it shouldn’t be surprising that these clones look like Stormtroopers? • Are they really swapping first kiss stories? • You’re talking about a dictatorship.   • And Padmé is on the same page as me. • PADMÉ!  THE WARNING BELLS AREN’T GOING OFF IN YOUR HEAD AFTER THAT REMARK?!  HOW TIGHT IS THAT BRAID OF YOURS?  I THINK IT’S CUTTING OFF THE BLOODFLOW TO YOUR BRAIN! • Yep.  There’s the bounty hunter’s armor. • Am I supposed to ship these two?  Cause I really don’t. • So. This order was made ten years ago.  Right after the end of the last movie, perhaps? • You’re telling me that Anakin never was allowed to visit his mother at all in the past 10 years?  I know Jedi mandate means you have to let go of your past, but come on. • Hello again, Watto. • Saturn Planet!  Saturn is my favorite planet. • Baby Boba Fett is a very violent child.  Laughing when he thinks his father just killed a Jedi. • Who finished building C3-PO? • Ah.  Young Owen and Beru.   • Why exactly would Tuskin Raiders abduct a woman?  For what purpose? • Padmé is still changing her wardrobe in every single scene.  Where does she get all her clothes?  Does she have a team of seamstresses following her everywhere and making these things for her? • Cameo of the Jawas. • So these are the Separatists. • Oh, of course she doesn’t die until right after Anakin gets there. • Ooooh.  Darth Vader theme. • Anakin, everything must die someday.  It’s the natural order of things. • Sooo…..no concern over how he just confessed to committing genocide, Padmé? • Who do the other two graves belong to? • So it’s Padmé’s fault Anakin is defying the Jedi Council. • So Count Duku was the Jedi who taught Qui-Gon? • Well, the Jedi didn’t sense Darth Maul before he appeared before them.  So it’s not that impossible that Darth Sidious eluded detection, too.  Just saying. • So, what does Yoda think about Palpatine getting these supreme powers? • At least the décor for this epic battle scene makes sense.  They’re in a robot manufacturing factory. • R2 can fly now?  When did that become a thing? • How do you know R2 is always getting into trouble, 3PO?  You’ve spent next to no amount of time with him outside of Tatooine. • You cut that a little close, R2. • Gotta admit.  First time I saw this movie, I thought this was going to be how Anakin lost his hand. • Wow.  So, we’re about to die.  Now will be the perfect time to admit I’ve been falling in love with your creepy, obsessive personality. • Obi-Wan’s sass is delightful. • Oh, I LOVE the creatures in this world!  And I really want a pet Nexu. • Smart move, Padmé. • Another Force Power- the ability to tame animals.  Awesome. • Mace Windu is awesome. • Ouch!  Yeah, that’ll leave a mark! • 3PO really is pointless. • Perfect timing, Yoda.  You’re the best. • Um… Is Daddy Bounty Hunter’s head still inside his helmet?  Baby Boba Fett is going to have quite the job scrubbing the blood off the interior • Death Star blueprints! • Does Yoda sense something? • You kinda asked for that, Anakin.  Only fools rush in. • Why do they never bleed when they lose a limb? • YEAH!  GO YODA! • So Yoda taught Dooku, who taught Qui-Gon, who taught Obi-Wan. • And Dooku escapes, despite everyone’s best efforts. • Imperial March theme! • Still don’t get why Padme fell for this creep.

Clone Wars notes-

• Ha!  Text crawl! • Oh, no text crawl • What is this?  A documentary announcer? • Jabba the Hutt has a son? • Why is it always Obi-Wan and Anakin?  Oh, right- they’re the main characters. • What was it Mace Windu said about Jedi?  That they were keepers of the peace and not soldiers?  That’s sure changed.  Obi-Wan is a general now. • Wait.  Did Obi-Wan say he got a new Padawan?  I thought you could only have one Padawan at a time.  That’s what they said in Phantom Menace. Isn’t Anakin still Obi-Wan’s Padawan? • Wait, she’s Anakin’s Padawan?  How?  I thought only Jedi Masters could train Padawans.  Since when is Anakin a Jedi Master? • How old is Ahsoka Tano supposed to be?  Anakin is saying she’s too young to be a Padawan.  But he was nine when he started training under Obi-Wan. • Jedi don’t run?  That seems like a dumb rule? • Oh, Obi-Wan.  You’re kinda extra, aren’t you? • How does it feel to deal with such an impulsive, headstrong Padawan, Anakin?  Now you know how Obi-Wan felt. • I just noticed.  Since when does Anakin have a purple lightsaber?  Yeah, his lightsaber broke in Attack of the Clones, but….didn’t he have a blue one in Revenge of the Sith? • And Anakin is still a jerk. • Does Anakin have a grudge against the Hutts?  Considering he lived on Tatooine…. • Wow.  That’s brutal! • Hmm...  I kinda like this background music. • Aw, a Pink Astromech droid with R2?  I ship it! • Too bad you never learned the lesson about humility, Anakin. • Is the protocol Droid Jabba’s utilizing the one we saw being ripped apart in Return of the Jedi? • So who’s this lady? • We still have an hour left?  What more is there to say?  They found the Baby Hutt. • Oh, that’s a diabolical move, Dooku.  Framing the Jedi for the son’s kidnapping. • Does Baby Hutt speak yet?  If so, he’d be able to set the record straight to his father. • Wilhelm Scream! • Why does he call her Snips?  I think I missed the reasoning for that nickname. • Props to this guy.   That was a brave move. • Do they know Mystery Lady? • Captain Rex is pretty cool. • I guess Baby Hutt physiological system isn’t compatible to this planet.  Is that why he’s sick? • Seriously, who is this Vestris person? • Okay, I know the Soldier Droids are the bad guys, but they’re hilarious. • RIP to those guys. • Well, that some getaway. • Wow, she’d make a good babysitter. • Ohhhh.  He was remembering how the Tuskin Raiders killed Shmi, wasn’t he? • Wow.  So you’re claiming that Baby Hutt is dead now? You’re gonna look mighty silly when he shows up alive and well. • Oh, hi, Padmé.  I didn’t think you’d appear in this movie. • Did R2 complain like that the first time he went to Tatooine?  Just saying, he’s been there twice before.  By now, you’d think he’d be used to it. • Wow!  They’re playing a different song? • Hey, who’s this voice actor?  He sounds familiar. • Well, that didn’t accomplish anything. • Oh, don’t get Anakin started on sand, Ahsoka. • Ah, maybe that scene wasn’t so pointless. • Oh.  Uncle Hutt is helping Dooku.  Now it makes sense. • How are you going to get out of this one, Padmé? • Hehe.  I like Baby Hutt. • Ah.  So 3PO now hangs around with Padmé the way R2 hangs around with Anakin.  I find that interesting since 3PO later sticks with their daughter and R2 is closest to the son. • I knew it!  He sent Ahsoka ahead with Baby Hutt. • R2, I think Ahsoka could use a little bit of help. • Oh, I was gonna say.  I didn’t think 3PO would have come here on his own.   • Doesn’t Anakin speak Huttnese?   Why didn’t he react until after the translation? • Kinda ironic.  Anakin helps save Jabba’s son, and Anakin’s daughter will eventually kill Jabba.

Revenge of the Sith notes-

• Huh.  Another kidnapping plot • Kinda like how Obi-Wan has kept R4 as his signature Droid. • Um… you might want to keep it down, Obi-Wan.  R2 is still in enemy territory. • Why is Anakin listening to him?  The fact that he’s ordering the death of someone without a trial isn’t very befitting of someone who claims to be a fan of democracy • Again with the Tusken Raider sounds.   • Why isn’t Palpatine’s attitude making Anakin suspicious? • Wilhelm Scream! • Well, that was a conveniently placed open door in the elevator shaft. • Where did this Grievous guy come from, anyway?  They pretty much introduce him out of nowhere. • I just thought.  Where did R4 go?  Did I miss that? • Oh, I guess she was destroyed during that gunfight.  Shame. • Didn’t Obi-Wan try to discourage Anakin from getting too chummy with the politicians? What changed his mind? • Okay, I don’t ship these two, but I admit.  I can appreciate the situation they’ve found themselves in with this pregnancy • Ugh.  This sappy dialogue.  Gag. • So Padmé is planning to go in ‘vacation’ for a few months? • Wise words from Yoda.  Shame he wasn’t there after Shmi died. • Again, why isn’t Anakin’s attitude about less democracy causing more concern? • Since when does Palpatine need to be represented on the Jedi Council? • Yeah, Anakin isn’t a Jedi Master.  So why was he given a Padawan in the Clone Wars series? • Can we get that story?  The one that shows how Yoda is on good relations with the Wookiees? • It’s treason to spy on the Chancellor? Well, wasn’t he basically asking you to spy on the Jedi Council? • Oh, he’s a good man, is he?  Yeah, he only told you to kill Count Dooku in cold blood and then expected you to leave Obi-Wan to die.  Yeah, he sounds LOVELY. • Oh, NOW you’ve considered the possibility that you misinterpreted the prophecy? • I like how Padmé is also having her doubts.  Because the Republic has become more of a dictatorship than a democracy. • And no one is going to point out how that statement about being unable to let go of their power might apply to this guy?  The one who stayed in office longer than he was supposed to? • That sounds horrible.  Preventing people from dying. • Let me guess.  You were that apprentice, weren’t you? • Ugh.  The Wookiee roars. • Was that a Tarzan yell? • Does Obi-Wan know they’re secretly married? • Dracula alien? • Oh, I want one!  I want the bird lizard! • Nice.  Four lightsabers. • What was up with the camera zoom into the eyes?  Never do that again, movie! • Okay, so Palpatine isn’t even pretending he hasn’t studied the Force anymore. • Oh.  That was….a bit anti-climactic. • Okay, Anakin is doing the right thing here, reporting to Mace Windu. • Can they sense each other?  Is that’s what they’re trying to convey? • Welp, RIP to those guys. • Aw.  I liked Windu.  Booo. • Awww.  Yoda is sensing this. • Really hope Lizard Birdie survived that fall.  He seemed so nice! • Yep.  Yoda is really feeling it now! • Sorry, dude.  Yoda doesn’t go down that easily. • Oh, hi Bail!  Did Padmé send you? • Shame this kid didn’t make it.  He had guts, taking them all on at once. • So Chewbacca was around even back then.  I wonder what a Wookiee’s lifespan is. • Hey, don’t leave out the fact that the Chancellor is a Sith!   • Great line from Padmé. • Yoda’s already checked the security footage, hasn’t he? • I really get the feeling Obi-Wan already knew they married in secret. • Oh, so NOW she’s hearing the things he’s saying. • YEAH!  I love Yoda!  He’s awesome! • Okay, this scene is pretty heartbreaking, I will admit. • So, how far along is Padmé supposed to be?  If Padmé is visibly pregnant, did anyone ever wonder who the father was? • Yeek, Anakin is a stubborn one.  Burned alive and he hasn’t died yet? • Hi, Luke and Leia. • Nice POV shot there. • RIP, Padmé. • Oh, NOW you care about Padmé?  Didn’t seem that way when you were keeping her in a Force Chokehold • Okay, I get why they want to keep the twins hidden, but…. isn’t that kind of obvious, to send Baby Luke to his father’s stepbrother?  Granted they only met once, but…..you’d think that would be an obvious place. • So R2 didn’t get his memory erased.  Meaning he remembers ALL of this! • Awesome how they’re playing everyone’s theme songs over this sequence. • And I love this final shot.  Great way to end it.

Rouge One notes-

• Planet! • A Saturn-like planet! • I can’t remember.  Do they ever explain the significance of that crystal pendant? • Okay, I get that Lyra loves her husband and all, but why would she run out like that?  It seemed like they had this whole escape plan worked out.  Besides, she had a responsibility to be there for her child. • Well, I guess she figured this bloke would be there to step in, but still! • And now Jyn is in jail.  For what, exactly? • Ring of Kafrene.  This trading post place is on an asteroid, from the looks of it.  How do they maintain a breathable atmosphere? • Kyber Crystals? • Well, that was kinda a jerk move. • This planet is called Jedha?  Is the fact that it kinda sounds like Jedi relevant.  Based on that fallen statue, was this the site of a sacred Jedi temple? • I wonder what these other guys’ stories are…? • Okay, so they came here specifically to get Jyn?  How did they know she was there? • Hi, K2S0!   • So this is Yaven 4, right? • Wow, they got a good replacement for Mon Motha.  She looks just like the original actress! • Bail Organa!  Why did they give you the Luke theme just now? • And was that the other Rebel leader?  The one who briefs everyone before the battle of the First Death Star? • Hi, Tarkin.  RIP, Peter Cushing. • Ah, so this is the site of an old Jedi temple? • Okay, but what do you plan to do when you find out that he’s not lying, dude? • Hey, those are the guys from Mos Eisley!  Are they currently on their way to Tatooine?  Considering what happens to this planet in a couple hours…. • So, what’s this guy’s story?   I get he was once a guardian of the Jedi Temple, but….was he Force Sensitive but just didn’t have a Jedi to train him?  Because I’m guessing he sees through the Force. • Where’d she learn to fight like that? • Nice fake out. • Seriously, you can’t tell me this guy isn’t Force Sensitive! • Really wish we learned out how these two guys met. • Haha!  ‘Are you kidding me?  I’m blind!’  I love the humor in this movie. • Okay, I get you were trying to keep her safe.  But it was a jerk move that you went about it that way.  You could have at least been honest about why you were sending her away. • So, according to this movie, the Death Star has a ‘volume’ button of sorts. • I’m guessing these six are the only people who made it out of the area alive? • I wonder.  Did Yoda and Obi-Wan sense this event through the Force? • Ah, can’t do it, can you? • Dude!  That was uncalled for!  He just told you they had nothing to do with it! • How was this guy not initiated into the Jedi order? • This is actually pretty good social commentary on what war does to soldiers, and the dangers of following orders blindly. • Does Vader live on Mustafar now?  You’d think he’d prefer to keep off this planet considering he believes this is where Padmé died. • Okay, I’m a bit confused.  They want to keep the Death Star a secret.  So how was it a good idea to destroy an entire planet roughly a week later? • Well, you’ve done a 180, Jyn.  Just a short time ago, you were content to just live with your head in the sand. • Aw, Bail Organa.  Wanting to contact Obi Wan again.  Shame you had to remain on Alderaan. • Hehe. ‘Are we blind?!’ • Probably a weird thing to comment on, but why do only the Imperials have Mouse Droids?  Why doesn’t the Rebellion have any? • Maybe because you’re a blabbermouth, 3PO?   • Nice that their arc has been completed; her giving him the blaster. • Gotta say, Cassian.  That was pretty stupid, calling him on the comlink at that precise moment.  If he closed the door, don’t you think there might have been a good reason? • Hyperspace Tracking?  Really?  If they had eliminated that file when they did…. • Then again, there’s probably a copy on another planet.  Considering this base will be destroyed in a few minutes….. • RIP, K2-SO.  You were the best. • Same to you, Chirrut.   • That thing was straight out of a video game! • Wow, that IS a cool move! • That’s one chilling image. • Kinda satisfying that this punk can see his death coming. • So, I’m a bit confused.  Was Leia among the ships converging around Scarif?  I thought she was supposed to go fetch Obi-Wan.  Did she just decide to take a detour first?

A New Hope notes-

• This text crawl is even cooler now that we know the details of Rouge One. • Wait, this text says Leia is heading home.  But wasn’t she going to Tatooine to fetch Obi-Wan?   Though I realize George Lucas hadn’t ironed out the details yet. • Always wondered what the story was with that other Protocol Droid.  The White 3PO. • How were they not hit while crossing the hallway? • Wasn’t R2 just with 3PO?  How’d he manage to distance himself long enough to meet up with Leia? • Hey, they mentioned the mines on Kessel! • What kind of insult was that?  What part of his statement warranted calling him a philosopher? • Pretty ballsy of Leia there, considering her ship just left Scarif. • Oh, shut up, 3PO.  You haven’t even traveled that far. • Eh, forget about him, R2.  You don’t need that whiny prissy pants.  He’s useless. • Jawas!  You know, I kinda wonder what they look like without those cloaks. • Well, that’s a convenient coincidence that they were both picked up by the same Jawas, despite going in different directions. • How does 3PO not know Leia?  Is the restraining bolt altering his memory? • And how would you know that, Beru?  Didn’t you only meet Anakin once in your life? • I never noticed how odd these scene transitions were. • What kind of a noise was that? • What? Since when did Anakin make any mention about wanting his son to have his old lightsaber? • So Palpatine has eliminated the Senate altogether? • Wait, he constructed it?  I thought the credit to that went to Galen and Krennic?  Who’s this clown? • Isn’t the Death Star already operational? • Yeah, so dangerous I won’t even bother going with you to assist you with my considerable powers. • Never quite understood what that orb thing was supposed to do. • I just thought.  Why did Luke not know about the Force until Obi-Wan told him when practically everyone else had a conscious knowledge of it?  Did his uncle purposely keep him in the dark? • So, what was this guy’s problem?  And how did they get off Jedha before it went boom? • Corillia mention.  Kinda cool how that ended up being Han’s home planet. • So the orb was a mind probe? • This scene seems pointless.  Didn’t the Greedo scene cover all of this?  Not to mention how Jabba is too small in comparison to how he looked in Return of the Jedi. • And it’s way too soon for Boba Fett to appear. • Didn’t they already buckle themselves in?  Kinda silly that they unbuckled again to visit the cockpit. • Yeah…. Weren’t they supposed to keep the Death Star from being noticed? • I wonder if Obi-Wan sensed the destruction on Jedha and Scariff, too. • Isn’t the exact same way Chewbacca lost against Tobias? • Luke, you didn’t even hear about the Force until a few hours ago. • What was with that smile, Obi-Wan?  Do you know something? • Heh.  Vader starts gesturing AFTER he’s done talking.  Bad dubbing work? • Interesting how everyone associated that statement with Han when everyone has said it. • Does Chewbacca know Obi-Wan was allies with Yoda?  We did see him and Yoda were pals during the Clone Wars. • I want a mouse droid. • And Vader senses Obi-Wan’s presence. • How does Leia know Obi-Wan goes by Ben now? • Well, him and the Emperor…..  Tarkin knows Palpatine can use the Force, too, right? • And Han just had to through in a loud yell as he jumped, didn’t he? • It’s just his imagination?  Then what made that sound, genius? • I can’t believe that worked!  Maybe it’s because of the whole Droid discrimination? • Huh.  So those guys walking past in the background obviously have no peripheral vision. • Yeesh, Leia.  Weren’t you on the Senate?  I hope you didn’t insult all other non-humanoid species like that. • Wilhelm Scream! • So Luke just happens to have a tether cord on his belt? • Hey, who’s that other Astromech Droid? • This lightsaber battle is kinda boring when you remember their last battle had them surfing down a river of lava. • Does anyone else find it strange how Luke didn’t seem shocked by hearing Obi-Wan’s disembodied voice? • Heh.  Gotta admire Leia’s decorum.  She could have easily been all ‘oh, boo hoo, the guy you met yesterday died.  It’s not as if your entire planet got blown up.’ • Big explosion for a one-man ship. • How on the world did you get all tangled up like that, 3PO? • Hey, don’t act like the Millennium Falcon can’t be tracked, Han.  Enfrys Nest was able to track it, remember? • Didn’t you already know about the weak spot, Leia?  Or are you still having doubts about Galen’s trustworthiness? • That was a pointless atmosphere shot. • Zebra Astromech Droid! • Kinda low-key disappointed we didn’t get a better idea of the friendship between Luke and this Biggs person. • Oh.  Calling the fat guy Porkins.  That was in poor taste. • Should have stayed on target. • Pride comes before a fall, Tarkin. • RIP, Biggs.  We hadly knew thee. • I wonder when Vader starts to suspect that this might be his son….. • I wonder what made Han change his mind.  Did he just decide he couldn’t ignore his conscience?   • Did he just call her Carrie? • I wonder who loaned Luke that outfit, considering he only came here with the clothes on his back. • So why doesn’t Chewbacca get a metal, too? • And the movie tries to create tension by not revealing R2 is okay right away…..

Holiday Special notes-

• Pretty sure this opening text crawl was added in by Star Wars fans and wasn’t part of the original broadcast. • Jumping right into the action with Han and Chewbacca evading Star Destroyers. • This introduction segment makes it look like this is going to be a Star Wars-themed variety show.   Well, if the shoe fits…. • I don’t remember most of these celebrities. • I want to know who decided against including subtitles in the scenes focusing on Chewbacca’s family. • Gotta say, it’s kinda hilarious.  This is supposed to be a holiday.  And they’re not letting the kid enjoy himself.   • Wait.  Do the Wookiees have garbage men on their planet? • Since when do they have cameras in the Star Wars universe that could enable them to have framed photographs? • Hey, the holographic chess board! • And the first pointless segment- Holographic acrobat parade. • And they’re giving the kid more chores.  I thought it was a holiday on the Wookiee planet.  Let the kid enjoy himself! • And Luke makes his cameo. • When did Luke meet these guys, anyway?  And why does he have to do maintenance on his own ship?  Doesn’t the Rebel Alliance have people for that? • Hey, if you’re not going to pay attention to R2’s warnings, you shouldn’t have asked him to keep an eye on the ship. • Well, that’s what you get for not listening to your Droid! • So….off-duty Imperials continue to wear their Imperial attire when they’re off the clock? • The Imperial guy couldn’t see right through that obviously coded message? • And they’re just recycling footage that never made it into the movie. • Okay, so are you going to stop forcing the kid to do chores? • Oh, no.  We’re getting a cooking show now. • I wonder what the rates are for shipping Bantha meat to other planets. • Stir, whip, stir, whip, whip, whip, stir.  WAAAAH! • How many arms does this cooking transgender lady have? • And back to Han and Chewbacca. • Now back to the Wookiees. • Why are you pronouncing Kashyyyk that way, guy? • Oh, it’s that merchant bloke. • Well, maybe they let you through because your ship wasn’t seen joining the attack against the Death Star. • Oh, goody!  He got me something electrical that I have to put together myself!  Exactly what every kid wants! • Oh, dear.  This segment. • They were aware that kids would be watching this, right?  I wonder how many parents went nuts and quickly changed the channel upon hearing what this woman was saying. • Is Grandpa Wookiee doing what I think he’s doing? • And she just starts singing.   Well, I guess it’s better than the….alternative.  They had to keep this Rated G, after all. • Oh, and we got Leia and 3PO. • How does everyone know Chewbacca’s family? • You can understand Chewbacca but not Mala? • Finally, 3PO is being useful!  Too bad he couldn’t act as translator through the rest of the special • Even though I’ve just met you, old man, I trust you! • I notice they never really explain what Life Day is. • FAKE OUT! • Oh.  The Nazi undertones are just seeping through the screen at this point. • And a Jefferson Starship music video. • And this is actually keeping the Imperials’ attention. • Well, then you’re a lousy general, guy.  If you can’t always control your men…. • Wait.  So you’re telling me someone makes animated cartoons about the members of the Rebel Alliance in this world? • Ah, a new planet.  Pannah. • Is that the Purplesaurus Rex? • And Boba Fett • Who puts a sleeping virus on an amulet? And why were they after the amulet in the first place? • What, he can’t even watch his cartoons? • Well, this is convenient, that the Droids can intercept a transmission that’s being made miles away. • No, he’s not Vader’s right-hand man.  He’s a bounty hunter.  So Vader just hired him. • They have stuffed animals of Banthas in this universe?  Wow. • Really?  We get an instruction video now? • So this world has Droids and Androids?  How come this is the only time we see an Android? • Maybe this is why.  Androids keep malfunctioning and breaking down. • Ah, more recycled footage. • Is this really required viewing for all Imperials? • Hi, Bea Arthur. • Does this guy have a volcano in his head? • And he has six fingers. • Oh, this guy.  Under normal circumstances, he’d be a bit of a jerk.  He’s the guy who thinks the waitress/cashier/etc. is flirting with him by simply being friendly, as per her job’s requirements. • Is there really that much Rebel activity on Tatooine for them to impose a curfew on the whole planet? • Bea Arthur sings! • Oh. Volcano Head stayed! • Dang it, Kid!  You can turn that thing off now! • Too late. • And he doesn’t immediately shoot the kid? • Ah, now Chewbacca and Han show up. • Wow, were Mama and Grandpa just standing around when Lumpy was being chased by the Stormtrooer? • Oh, this guy again. • What do you plan to do when they find the body? • What are they doing? • Now they’re in Snuggies? • Where are they? • Oh, no.  It’s an entire Wookiee choir! • Wait, where did all of you guys come from!? • Han, didn’t you just go back to the Falcon? • Do the other Wookiees even know who these guys are? • Tree of Life?  What are you….? • Oh.  Carrie Fisher is singing. • Chewbacca looks dead! • And random footage from A New Hope, reminding us we could have been watching a better movie. • It’s still going? • Okay, Chewbaca.  You and your family enjoy your invisible holiday dinner. • Finally!  The end credits!

Empire Strikes Back notes-

• Yeah, the Yaven 4 base was probably compromised anyway, since Vader survived the battle. • Wait, why is Luke leading them now?  Shouldn’t that be Leia’s job? • Ah, so Vader has figured out who Luke is, then?  Wonder what tipped him off?  Shame we couldn’t see his reaction to that. • Hmm.  I wonder how Luke adjusted to being on this ice planet, considering he spent his entire life on a desert world. • Wow, Tauntan Creature.  You couldn’t have warned him sooner? • I see you, movie, with you keep cutting to Leia so we can see her reaction to Han telling that other guy that he’s leaving. • Hehe.  I wonder what all those other random people were thinking as they passed by.  ‘Oh, boy, are those two at it again?’ • And when it comes to loyalty, Han gets top marks. • Well, that was convenient, that his lightsaber didn’t fall off before they reached the cave. • Didn’t Qui-Gon instruct you?  Well, I guess Yoda technically instructed you, too, as he taught you about Force Ghosts. • Aw, it’s Rouge Two.  *sniff* • So what earned this guy the prestige of being Rouge Two? • Ewwww.  George Lucas did know about the twist involving these two by this point, didn’t he?  If so, double ewwww. • Dang it, Chewbacca!  Why’d you have to alert the Probe Droid to your presence? • What were you going to say, Luke?  It looked like you were getting ready to say something. • So he can Force Choke Hold someone through a transmission.  Wow, that’s actually impressive. • So it’s official now.  R2 predominantly stays with Luke while 3PO is virtually claimed by Leia.  Interesting how the twins claim the droid the parent of the same gender had. • How did the Falcon get this damaged in the first place? • Would have been nice if they were able to tell us what R2 was saying.  Considering Basic uses a different alphabet. • I really do wonder if Han WAS secretly Force Sensitive . • Ah, our first hint of what Vader looks like without the helmet. • Yeah, you pretty much walked into that one, Leia. • Oh, and Tatooine wasn’t a strange place to find a Jedi Master? • So, obviously, Yoda knows who Luke is.   Meaning he’s acting like this to get an idea of his true nature.  But what about R2?  Wouldn’t he be able to recognize Yoda? • Ah, unplanned L3 reference. • What was with that third hologram that fizzled out?  Was the ship he was on that one that got hit? • Oh, was this how he figured it out? • Ah, Luke.  You failed Yoda’s first test. • So….that means Mynocks were living in the Space Worm’s stomach? • Why are you taking the weapons?  Yoda just told you that they weren’t needed. • So, obviously this was supposed to be symbolic of the fact that Luke could easily end up like Vader, but I wonder if it was also meant as deeper foreshadowing of who Vader really was…. • Hi, Boba Fett. • So, why exactly is Vader so interested in the Millennium Falcon? • Why does the Lightspeed feature still no work? • Dude, it was working!!!  Why did you give up? • Seriously, Han is really proving how cleaver he is in this movie! • Ah, Boba Fett anticipated that maneuver. • So, have Han and Lando met since the events of Solo? • Yeah, another.  That you didn’t bother to train at all. • I kinda like how we’re slowly but surely seeing Lando’s growing turmoil.  A nice lead-up to his final turn to good. • I wonder.  Does Vader recognize 3PO? • Hey!  Someone actually installed railings! • Ice Cream Machine!!!! • So, was that a garbage chute? • What exactly is Luke hanging from? An anti-gravity device? • Well, he probably didn’t think you were ready to know, Luke. • Wonder how L3 feels about the Falcon being piloted by Lando again.

Return of the Jedi notes-

• The Empire really loves their Death Stars, don’t they?  You’d think they would have decided to cut their losses. • Why no subtitles? • They really don’t tell 3PO anything, do they? • Oh, now they give us subtitles! • Wow, that scene was kinda dark. • Ugh, what is this song?  What was wrong with the last one?  Hasn’t Lucas heard that less is more? • Didn’t they say they were putting a restraining bolt on 3PO? • Hi, Lando! • So, with all the changes they made, they couldn’t make that effect look better? • How long were they waiting behind that curtain? • Yeah, how long has it been since the last movie?  Luke’s strength in the Force seems to have gotten stronger. • I wonder.  Does Jabba know he’s looking at the son of the Jedi who helped rescue his kidnapped son during the Clone Wars? • I wonder how long Lando was hiding out in this place.  How many sacrifices to the Rancor has he seen? • Aw, I feel bad for the Rancor keeper. • Well, that was an unceremonious way for Boba to go out • Aw, I REALLY hope Max Rebo got off before that barge blew up! • How is his training now complete?  Was he self-training between movies? • RIP, Yoda. • Oh, now he calls him Obi-Wan?  After he repeatedly referred to him as Ben prior to this scene? • So why couldn’t they inform Luke of his sister before?  I know they wanted to keep Leia’s identity a secret, but they could have mentioned a sister and introduced other potential candidates. • And Lando is a full-fledged Rebel, now? • Oh, Hi Mon Mothma!  Where have you been hiding all this time?  We’ve seen you helped found the Rebel Alliance with Bail Organa.  So why are we only seeing her now? • So, what was with Han’s feeling?  It’s not as if anything happens to the Millennium Falcon during the upcoming battle. • So Luke and Vader can sense each other’s presence, now? • This could be a good ride idea.  Endor speeder bike tour! • And enter the Ewoks! • This is even cuter when you realize Wicket is roughly 6-years-old in Ewok years. • Of course you didn’t sense it, Emperor Palpatine.  You underestimate the strength of family bonds. • What kind of animal was that? • Okay, I get the Ewoks have never seen a Droid before, but why do they think 3PO is a deity? • Hehe.  Luke is so amused by this. • So, they plan on eating the guys, but Leia gets the guest of honor treatment?  Odd. • I don’t get it.  They think 3PO is a god, but they don’t listen when he tells them to release Luke, Han and Chewbacca? • Is 3PO giving a full recap of the last two movies? • How does Leia remember Padmé at all, considering she died when she and Luke were only a few minutes old? • Oh, you’ve always known, Leia?  Then why were you kissing him in the last movie? • Well, would Padmé’s name hold meaning to you? • Bet that Ewok is having the time of his life! • Oh, Lando being clever and figuring it out! • Wow.  That’s a lot of Imperials. • Really?  They think it takes six troopers to capture one Droid? • And now that 3PO has served his purpose, he’s back to being useless and annoying • Ah, so Wedge is still around?  Wonder why he didn’t play a bigger role in the movies other than one of the Rebel Pilots. • You’re telling me none of the retreating Imperials paid any mind to Luke dragging Vader along? • So, who repaired R2? • Ah, the new ending. • Okay, I’m totally okay with showing the other planets.  But I do NOT LIKE this new ending music!  Give me the Yub Nub song! • And get that Haden Christianson Anakin off my screen!  Give me the original Sebastian Shaw Force Ghost!

Ewoks: Caravan of Courage notes-

• Oh, wow.  The old logo for Lucasfilm! • And we have a narrator in this movie? • And there’s a troll. • Are those ponies?   The Ewoks have Ponies, now? • With the narrator, this seems more like a nature documentary on Ewoks. • So this is Wicket’s family, then.  He has a father, mother, two older brothers and a baby sibling. • They have goats, too? • Wait, the little girl is back at the ship?  Then why couldn’t the parents find her before? • Haha.  The Ewoks really don’t like male humans, do they? • Strange bonding scene between the girl and Wicket. • She just said she didn’t feel so good, Mace.  I think it’s obvious she isn’t okay. • Ah, Ewok Slapstick. • Wait, so is this the Tree of Life they mentioned in the Holiday Special? • Mace, probably not a good idea to stick your hand into a strange hole in a tree on an unfamiliar planet. • Yep, that’s what you get! • And now we get a ferret?  Why are all these Earth animals on Endor? • And now, Wicket is learning how to speak Basic? • Cindel, I know you’re a kid, but do the Ewoks look as if they have a starcruiser? • What do you mean, they’re just animals, Mace?  This is the Star Wars universe.  You must have seen other Alien species before.  And the Ewoks are clearly sentient. • Was that a werewolf? • Mace, is it really smart to sneak out in the middle of the night?  You know nothing about this moon, or what kind of nocturnal wildlife there is. • And now you’re building a fire?  Wow, you’re dumb! • Finally! A strange Star Wars creature!  Though the effects are laughable, compared to the Rancor. • And now the Ewoks are there? • So Lokrey the Shamin…can use magic?  Magic exists in the Star Wars universe?  Or is what they’re calling magic actually the Force?  Can Ewoks be Force Sensitive? • The Giant Gorax, huh? • And the other Ewoks speak Basic now, too?  How did they learn to speak Basic so well? • Okay, that was a nice moment.  The Mama Ewok knowing her husband and sons are heading off on a journey they might not return from and reacting to it in an understandable way. • So we got Legendary Ewok Warriors, now? • So Deej and the two older brothers just get winged headdresses?   What purpose would those serve? • Why do you think there’re stopping, Mace?  They’re picking up their final band member. • Ah, a female Ewok.   • So….what was this test supposed to do?  The crystal turns into a lizard and then it’s a mouse?  What did that mean? • And what’s the deal with this lake?  How does it trap people below the surface?  A little context would be nice, Narrator? • And we have a legion of Tinkerbells? • HAHA!  I like that one Ewok.  He just looks around at all the mayhem and decides to just go back to sleep. • So the fairy thing feeds on laughter?  Is that what this supposed to convey? • That’s one powerful blaster to obliterate a rock. • Mace doesn’t recognize a spider web? • Okay, you destroyed the web.  But how do you plan on getting back? • Did the spider survive the fall, or is this a different one? • So, two Ewoks weigh the same as a human? • Nice fake-out, movie. • Yeah, that’s right.  You chopped down the spider web bridge. • So the Tinkerbell thing has a point in the movie. • Well, you got over your sorrow quickly, Mace. • Ah.  So you’re all just going to Tarzan swing across the gorge? • Didn’t the rest of the Fairy Family get absorbed into the candle? • Ugh, what a sappy ending line from Mr. Narrator.

Battle for Endor notes-

• And we open on Cindel and Wicket • Hey, the principal from Breakfast Club! • And Wicket speaks fluent Basic now. • They have school in the Star Wars universe? • And we’re jumping right into the action. • She can turn into a crow? • She seems remarkably calm for someone whose mother and brother died. • Kid, your whole family is dead.  I think it’s okay if you cry a little. • So the Ewoks are putting all their hope in Wicket and a 6-year-old?  (I don’t know how old Wicket is in Ewok years, but I’m guessing he’s still a kid, too.) • And people say the Stormtroopers have horrible aim? • Um…. They’re not the least bit concerned by the pile of loose bones? • So you plan on catching the flying creature on a glider? • And they’re completely unharmed after crashing?  At least have Cindel get some scrapes and abrasions. • And what is this guy supposed to be? • Cindel, you’re way too trusting.  For all you know, this guy could be in league with the guys who killed your family. • Yes, this is a great idea.  Go into someone’s house and immediately start snooping around. • Yeah, I get where this guy is coming from, but he’s not the least bit curious as to why this little kid is all alone? • Dude, they’re the ones who made the muffins! • Heh.  He used reverse phycology just now, didn’t he? • Did I miss the part when they introduced that critter as Teek? • Well, we’re finally seeing Cindel experience some psychological scars. • So, I guess these guys don’t get how technology works and think it’s a magical talisman? • You can make a pie out of flowers? • Also, weren’t you going to go looking for where the Ewoks are being held?  But instead, you go flower picking? • Noa, aren’t you the least bit concerned as to why they’re out in the woods without their parents? • Heh.  Nice callback to the last movie. • And I guess Wicket has completely forgotten all about his family, and how they’re all probably being tortured and killed. • Okay, she can’t sing, but she’s only 6, so it’s okay. • And the Witch Lady found them? • Cindel’s the only one who hears the voice calling her name? • Oh.  I hope that wasn’t a chamber pot. • Oh, now they hear the voice! • Again, Cindel is far too trusting.  I know she’s a kid, but still. • Yeah, how do you explain technology to people who only know about magic? • What exactly was in that water?  Alien Piranha? • Are they playing Sabbec? • Cindel!  Don’t you know when to be quiet!? • Well, that was a clever stunt. • Heh.  I see what you did there, movie.  Nice continuity in hearing the guards crying out when he cut the rope. • Noa, I don’t think it’s your place to put Wicket in charge of the Ewoks.  After all, his parents and brothers are probably there. • And the Ewoks now know how to use space cruiser guns? • Though I do like how the design of the gunner seats are similar to that of the Millennium Falcon.  It finally feels like a Star Wars movie. • Ah.  I guess that one is Deej. • Wow.  Sword vs staff. • Though what is that head carving on Noa’s staff supposed to be?   • Welp, that’s the end of that. • Oh, now Cindel is crying.  She didn’t cry when her family were murdered, but she cries when she’s saying goodbye to Wicket? • So Teek lives with the Ewoks now?

The Force Awakens Notes-

• Yeah, that makes sense.  Enough people looked at what the Empire did and said ‘yes, that was a brilliant idea!’ • Nice effect of the ship obscuring the planet there. • And there’s BB-8. • So, are we supposed to recognize this old man? • I almost commented on how this was the first time we saw blood in a Star Wars film, but I guess we kinda saw blood in A New Hope, when Obi Wan chopped off that guy’s arm. • So, what’s the story with this guy?  I get the feeling he was an old friend of the family.  Did he frequently have dinner with them? • I remember instantly liking this guy.  It’s the first time we saw a Stormtrooper, or any member of the Empire, having a reaction to what they were doing.  (Though the original Stormtroopers were all supposed to be clones of Jango Fett.) • So, was there a big battle on Jakku that we never knew about?  Considering there are all these crashed Star Destroyers lying around. • Wow.  That’s a really cool way to make food. • And an AT-AT Walker, too?  What happened on this planet? • How do people understand the beeps and whistles? • Does Poe know who this guy really is? • I see you cleaned the blood off your helmet. • Think I heard a Wilhelm Scream! • So these guys were raised from infancy, I guess?  Since they’ve only ever had numbers and not actual names. • I guess Luke’s name is even known throughout all of the First Order? • Were these the sinking sands that Rey was talking about? • I wonder how long he’s been walking through the desert. • Was there ever a headcount of how many applauded when the Millennium Falcon first appeared? • That was a risky maneuver! • Anger management, dude! • Also, I notice they mentioned the Falcon is a Corellian freighter.  Not many people acknowledge that. • Hehe.  The thumbs up from BB-8 • Hi, Han and Chewbacca!  Long time, no see! • A Raptar?   • Trillian Massacre? • Also, was there ever a book about how Han lost the Falcon? • Okay, cinematically, I get why these things didn’t eat Finn right away, but why didn’t he get eaten immediately like those other guys? • And they reveal who Kylo is in the middle of the film. • I think you impressed Han, Rey. • Heeee!  The holographic chess board! • This looks like a nice planet to live on! • So he knows Finn isn’t really in the Resistance. • What do you mean, she’s an acquired taste?  I loved Maz instantly! • Has nobody told this punk that Grandpa Anakin/Vader changed his mind and turned against the Dark Side? • So, what exactly triggers this vision of Rey’s?  Is it the fact that Finn leaving is making her remember how she ended up on Jakku? • How did Maz find the lightsaber?  Didn’t Luke lose it on Bespin? • They really love their Death Stars, don’t they? • Did Chewbacca ever use that thing before? • I think there was a book explaining the backstory between Finn and this other Stormtrooper. • Personally, I would have had the reveal that Poe survived be a bit more dramatic • So the Force can knock someone out now? • Ah, the Leia theme! • Oh, shut up, 3PO! • How long has it been since they saw each other? • Why were people apparently in an uproar over Leia not hugging Chewbacca?  She just did! • Awww.  I love the relationship between Poe and BB-8. • R2! • Who is this Snoke, anyway? • Bwaaahaahaa!  Kylo’s actual face looks weird.  This is the kind of face you’d think would be filled with acne. • I wonder what Rey’s Midichlorian count would be. • I LOVE THE STORMROOPERS’ REACTION!!!!! They’re like NOPE! • Hey, it’s Admiral Akbar!  And is that Nien Nunb? • Heh.  I kinda like how Han has become a believer in the Force. • Like that callback to A New Hope. • After all these years, they still use the same red alert sound? • When did Rey learn how to speak Wookiee?  Is it just because of her heightened Force Sensitivity? • Okay, I know that one character is Carrie Fisher’s daughter.  I wonder if she’ll play a larger role in Episode 9…. • Nice touch, showing Leia feeling Han’s death through the Force. • How exactly did they get ahead of them? • Interesting touch.  When the two lightsabers touch, it turns purple.  Nice attention to detail. • So now, the old Luke theme is Rey’s theme? • That’s cool, how she’s using the terrain in the fight. • Wait, why is the planet splitting apart again? • Oh, the fuel cells?  Was that because of Chewbacca’s bombs? • So, what exactly triggered R2 to wake up? • Is that someone’s grave?  Whose is it? • Hello, again, Luke!

The Last Jedi notes-

• The first time the Text Crawl is virtually pointless.  Absolutely no time has passed since the last movie. • Heh.  Is Poe just messing with him?  Ah, yes he is. • Haha.  Nice bit of humor with BB-8. • Okay, I get where Poe is coming from, but I think he’s letting his pride get the better of him here. • Yeah, they scored a victory, but at a cost. • Wow, that was an abrupt way to wake up from a coma. • Was nobody in the medical bay to stop Finn from walking around aimlessly? • Hahaha. • And the Porgs. • I just thought.  What did Luke do with his ROTJ lightsaber?  The one with the green blade?   • Oh, is it inside the submerged X-Wing? • Did Luke not sense Han’s death? • Seriously, did no one tell this guy that Vader turned good in the end? • Well, if you didn’t want to be found, then who created the map? • Oh, is that where the blue milk comes from?  These creatures? • That’s a big fish! • Is this the moment when Luke first realized Rey was Force Sensitive? • That’s a fair question, Luke.  Your sister and everyone else deserves an explanation. • Admiral Akbar! • Well, they did foreshadow this in Rouge One.  They had a file dedicated to Hyperspace Tracking in the Imperial database. • Oh, Leia and Kylo are sensing each other’s presence. • Mouse Droid! • Okay, this is an awkward scene, considering Carrie Fisher’s death. • Super Leia! • Haha!  Chewbacca and the Porgs. • This is a nice reunion! • Love the callback! • So they killed Admiral Akbar off-screen? • I don’t like Holdo. • Okay, first time I saw this, I wondered if that bomber who sacrificed herself was Rose’s girlfriend or something.  But they turned out to be sisters. • Hi, Maz. Bye Maz. • So they can communicate through the Force now? • I like the Caretaker Nuns. • Haha!  Luke, you nerd! • So, this island has a similar area to that cave on Dagobah? • Oh, so that’s why he didn’t sense Han’s death, then? • That is a good question. • Oh!  The rain crossed over! • Space horses! • Tragic backstory unlocked. • HAHAHA! • Luke does have a point.  The Jedi Counsel overlooked quite a lot. • Wait, so this guy could open the cell door at any time? • I can’t be the only one who is reminded of Trico when I see these guys. • So you killed your father because he was holding you back?  Is that what I’ve heard? • It’s like being in one of those mirrored elevators. • What is touching fingers supposed to do? • Yeesh. What a tangled web. • YODA! • Nice bit of wisdom from Yoda. • Wow, this movie is giving me whiplash. • Well, if they’d just TOLD HIM THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!! • Okay, who even was Snoke? • Well, that was anti-climactic. • Dawww.  I want a crystal fox! • Awww, I love Poe and BB-8’s bond. • Millennium Falcon! • Does Chewbacca keep that Porg? • He just said that, dude! • Well, okay for you, girl.  But now everyone’s gonna die! • Okay, that scene is kinda hard to watch, considering…. • Haha.  That was cool! • Oh, NOW you figure that out! • Oh, they’re both sensing Luke dying? • Didn’t they already meet? • And there are the Jedi texts. • So now what?

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#star wars rewatch #star wars prequels #star wars original trilogy #star wars new trilogy

[acomplexjourney]

Stories from surgery

This post is a few days late now, but I’m all done with surgery! I worked some long days, but fortunately I got Christmas Day and New Year’s Day off. I did not get the preceding days off, more on that below. . .

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, there were only a couple of surgical cases scheduled for the afternoon, but I would be working with the surgeon “Dr. C.” for the first time. I was a little worried because I had heard stories of how Dr. C. loved to pimp residents on their surgical knowledge. Also, I had already been berated by Dr. C. once over the phone when I made the mistake of calling him with a question without talking to my attending physician first. Still, Dr. C. was all that was standing in the way between me and Christmas with my family, so I made it a point to show up an hour early to prepare.

When I arrived at the pre-op area at noon, I saw that Dr. C. already had an emergency case. It was a 78 year old male with an incarcerated hernia in his abdomen. This meant that the bloodflow to a section of his intestines was cut off and if we didn’t operate soon, those organs would die. I caught Dr. C. as he was walking out of the patient’s room and introduced myself as confidently as I could. He said “nice to meet you,” and then walked briskly away as he worked to get things ready for the case. Hoping Dr. C. would not remember our earlier phone call, I followed him silently, trying to stay out of his line of fire. This strategy seemed to work until we got into the operating room. I did not scrub in, but Dr. C. still managed to remember to ask me a pimp question. “What are the three most common causes of small bowel obstruction?” Every resident learns in medical school that adhesions from prior surgeries is the number one cause of small bowel obstruction, so I immediately named that cause. Then, Dr. C. gave me a few seconds to think some more before before pointing at the patient on the operating table. “Hernia,” I said. When he asked me the third cause, I replied, “I don’t know.” I winced as I prepared for the surgeon’s wrath, but he simply said in a deep voice “TUMOR,” and then moved on with the case. Fortunately, Dr. C. actually remained in a fairly pleasant mood for the rest of the afternoon. Maybe he was feeling the holiday spirit? Maybe the friendly anesthesiologist who played Christmas tunes during the operation and recounted the hilarious appendectomy scene from the movie Spies Like Us helped? In any case, the patient did well and my one day working with Dr. C. turned out to be an overall good experience. I even made it to my grandparents’ house in time for Christmas Eve dinner and was fortunate to be able to spend Christmas Day with the rest of my family as well.      

New Year’s Eve

On New Year’s Eve, I was excited to work with “Dr. T.” Dr. T. is not only one of the nicest surgeons I have ever met, but also one of the nicest people in general. He is a family man, who took the week of Christmas off to spend with his wife and two small children. When you work with him, the song “Dominick the Donkey” will quickly will get stuck in your head, because it is Dr. T’s ringtone (which he will also occasionally dance to when his phone goes off). And his patient’s love him, because unlike many doctors nowadays, he focuses on them and not his computer. Not to mention the fact that he is a very skilled surgeon.

What I was not so excited about was having to stay in the hospital that evening for an operation with Dr. T. During rounds that morning, we saw a 58 year old female who had been in the hospital for a few days with abdominal pain. Imaging had shown possible appendicitis, but it wasn’t a clear cut diagnosis. Because the patient was still in more pain that morning than the rest of her clinical picture would have suggested, Dr. T. offered to remove the patient’s appendix, which she agreed to. The only issue was the next opening for a non-emergent surgery was 5 PM! So I sat around the hospital all afternoon without much to do. Then, I had to wait even longer because the orthopedics case before us ended up running late and of course there was no other surgical staff available for us with it being New Year’s Eve. I watched fireworks celebrations from around the world on YouTube to pass the time until they were finally ready for us around 7 PM. I was super annoyed that I was stuck in the hospital so late, but then as I began scrubbing to cleanse myself for the case, I noticed myself begin to calm down. A strange thought popped into my head that there was no where else I’d rather be at that particular moment than right where I was. Even though I had promised my grandparents I would join them that evening, I reflected on how few people in the world ever have the opportunity to stand at an operating table during surgery. If Dr. T. and I attempted to cut out this patient’s appendix in a house across the street from the hospital, we would be labeled as psychopaths and arrested. But in the context of a hospital, our surgery was not only legal, but encouraged! I knew that once I graduated from residency, I would no longer have the opportunity to help with surgeries. I figured I might as well make the best of the experience while it lasted.  

Dr. T. opted to do a laparoscopic appendectomy and I got to hold the camera the whole time, which even though I am no longer a medical student, I still found really cool! Well, almost the whole time. Dr. T. did have to help correct the field of view from time to time. The surgery was a success and I got out at the not too unreasonable hour of 9 PM. And Mother Nature granted me safe passage to my grandparents’ house, where they had food and good company waiting for me before the East Coast rang in the new year.

Paying attention

If you don’t mind, I’m going to get a little philosophical here. Since I’ve finished watching the Hulu series Looking for Alaska (which I’d highly recommend by the way!), I’ve been thinking a lot about something John Green, the writer of the book which the series is based on, said. When asked about his definition of the meaning of life, Green responded “To try to use the gift of human consciousness to pay attention.” “Paying attention? That seems like a pretty insignificant cause to dedicate your life to,” I thought when I first heard this. But John Green is pretty smart, so I decided to think some more about his answer to one of the most profound questions humans can ask. While there is still more pondering to do, one idea is that paying attention is important because of the actions it can lead one to. Here are three examples from my surgery rotation.

-Recommending a pregnancy test on a 38 year old female who had been in the hospital for a couple of days with severe nausea and vomiting. Even though we were pretty sure her symptoms were being caused by small bowl obstruction, pregnancy should of course be considered in every reproductive age female who comes into the hospital.

-As I was changing in the locker room, I noticed a wallet on the floor. Recognizing that most people would probably not store their wallet on a locker room floor and that the next person who came along might not be so benevolent, I looked inside the wallet to figure out who it belonged to and promptly returned it to the owner.

-Noticing a Foley catheter bag that was in the wrong place prior to the team transferring a patient from one bed to another. We made sure to put it in the right place to avoid causing unnecessary discomfort for the patient.  

These are all simple things, but things that I easily could have missed if I was not paying attention. And because I noticed these things, I was able to take actions that helped other people. Maybe some of you will agree with me when I say that even though technology makes our lives better overall, it also makes it harder to pay attention. Allow yourself to be aware of what you are paying attention to every day and also try to notice the things you are missing. It may be worthwhile paying attention to something new for a change.    

Note: identifying details have been changed for patients mentioned in this post.

PS- A good video in which John Green pays attention to a sunset over Lake Michigan.  

[spamzineglasgow]

SPAM Festive Special: tom leonard, 1944 – 2018, i.m.

In this special piece to move us towards the close of the year, Rhian Williams remembers the Glaswegian poet, writer and critic Tom Leonard, who passed away on the 21st December 2018. 

       lower case posits in-the-presence-of        lower case is presence        lower case is company[1]

> my friend, jane, records how, when leading seminars in modern poetry, tom leonard would ‘light a candle at the start in recognition of “the universal human as inclusive and absolute”’.[2] it is that flame – its quality of intensity and of fade, the darkness around the wick, the gold that haloes it, the soft white at its very edges; a trinity of light – that i think of, and that i write by, now, this day in december, as i remember this man of letters.

light, dense, warm, yellow. light, thin, white, attenuated. light, time, presence.

> it was a still, muffled day in december last year, as i was shopping for groceries, in the shop where tom shopped for groceries, when i checked my phone, and read an email from another friend, nicky, who let me know that tom had died the day before. the shortest day of the year. which had not been one of those when the light is bright and intense – the glorious winter sunshine – but one when a lead-like, restrained, grey light had leaked only blankly in the air. a quiet day. a brief interlude, a space between darknesses.  so tom had moved with it, solsequium,[3] a burnished ‘pot marigold’, a mothering light turning with the sun into the darkest space of the year – the edges of a diurnal pausing, according to shetland tradition, when one should set down one’s work for the holiest day, anticipating the miracles and translations of the holy labour, of the returning sun.

       stepping into that space        out of the past        surrounding        this place, become        an accompanying darkness;[4]

leonard’s work – radical, political, fiercely intelligent, sharply, sharply engaged by (and always advancing of) the ideological work of language, of its plasticity, of arrangement on the page ­(‘poetry is the subliminal history of linguistic shape | ahem’)[5] – was profoundly welded into presence. the ‘being here-ness’ of human experience: the light in which it stands (‘seductive bright light | of the evening narrative’)[6] and the breath – the spiritus – that marks its paces (‘poetry is the heart and brain divided by the lungs’).[7] his work was experimental in the most serious way, and i see its legacies in scottish poetry today, its sidelong glances at language, at its mendacities, the tell tales of public life. but also its vitality, its telling of stories, its bloodflow. (tom, a true intellectual, but never bloodless.) leonard’s legacy is clear and important: it is evident in a generation of poets (jenny lindsay, nick-e melville, iain morrison, kathrine sowerby, harry josephine giles, as well as jane goldman, come to mind) who regard poetry and poetics as actions, as interventions, as means of revelation.

> at this time of year – at the marking of the winter solstice, the miraculously burning oil in the temple, and the birthing of a messiah – i find myself thinking about the domestic space ­– the hearth – that fuels that birthing (‘the sacred heart | above the winterdykes | set roon the fire’).[8] of the shifts around presence, being, light and time that i see in leonard’s body of work as comparable to parenting through reciprocity (‘i wish you would touch me more | it makes me feel happy | and secure’).[9] of the vestal work of home-making that i find infusing leonard’s writing: what we might call radical mothering, where mothering is a verb for attentive nurture, for the act of nourishing, for advocacy, for the defence and advance of storytelling. labours which may be (and are) taken up by carers regardless of gender and whose object need not be a child as such. i am talking specifically about the passion contained when leonard remembers his shame at his father’s vocalising during private reading and is encouraged by an audience member to find the use of phonetic urban dialect, ‘rather constrictive’: ‘The poetry reading is over | I will go home to my children’.[10] i am talking about his remarkable feel for the rhythms of daily domestic duty, peeling spuds, going on messages, controlling one’s breath as one walks to the shops. over and again, leonard’s poems mark the habits of a particular class of daily life, intimating the textures and fabric of a life of cooking, laundry, ‘sitting in the garden | behind the toolshed | reading Thomas Mann’,[11] listening to the wireless. fiercely attentive, and alive. now, of course, leonard’s poetics were exquisitely sophisticated – i’m not even remotely saying that his work is ever uncomplicated reportage of private domesticity – but it didn’t surprise me to learn from his sons at his funeral of tom’s presence in the home, of his habit of taking a breather in the day to listen to radio 3, sat on the sofa with tea and a biscuit. or to be gifted his recipe for lentil soup.

       the roar of a lawnmower        pause        the roar of a lawnmower        pause        the roar of a lawnmower[12]

for what i learn from leonard’s poems, and from leonard’s writing about poems and poetry (verse, from vers – to turn – as in ploughing a field, or mowing a lawn), is that there is a selfhood in poetry that is its animus, its means, its occasion, and its strength of expression. that poems come about from there being a story to be told (‘I was really relaxed talking to the young man I know the story of this place | I grew up in it I have eyes and ears’),[13] and the process of that telling may be quite unselfconscious as it drives towards enunciation, or even be ‘mechanical’ in the sense of algorithmic experimentation. but that self – or ‘a’ self – then becomes conscious as it manifests. that the lyric self – by which i mean the sign of presence in poetry – is not absorbed utterly by private experience, but rather it enters the rhythm of the poem and its shape on the page (all poems have rhythm as all living things breathe, and everything takes shape), and thereby intersects with time, with history, and with material records (‘in our own being | but never wholly separate, only a part | of the time we live in, and with others occupy’).[14] it comes into the world (is birthed?) and so it becomes an agential position: the expressive, poetic subject is an action, a vortex, a meeting point.

       But then he began to accept that he was a writer.        It was a matter of language and consciousness. The link between the                                                                                                               two.[15]

even as this process hints at abstraction (‘as he grew older he stood in separate relationship to himself’), it is actually a return to the flesh, in leonard’s beautiful, active verb: ‘he was able to body himself conceptually as a totality’.[16] … so i learn from leonard that poems are things that are done with and for bodies (‘Gin a body meet a body’),[17] and are caught in the dialectic of giving and of standing back, like mothering.

> jane also told me that tom loved the work of psychoanalyst, donald winnicott – i hadn’t remembered that consciously; it was just a feeling of correlation i had when reading leonard’s work and when reading winnicott’s work on physical touch and play, on the parenting labour that is simply, exhaustingly, that of helping our children to find their own pace and breath. but today my copy of leonard’s Reports from the Present: Selected Work, 1982-94 actually falls open here:

Breath, breath, breath, breath, breath. If only Winnicott had gone further with that aside about the baby’s first perception of breath, median between inner and outer, its role as the point at which the defences are down. Maybe he did, I just haven’t seen it. So much of his stuff is great, so exciting to read. All that stuff about the sucking-blankets (his ‘guggie’, mine used to call it) ‘transitional objects’ and their elation to culture, the first experience of symbols in time. That ‘potential space’ where play occurs … ‘It is play that is the universal, and that belongs to health.’ Good on you, Mr Winnicott. A very healthy man.[18]

in Winnicott, in leonard, in breath (that which brings together time with flesh), and in play, then, we find the scene of reciprocity:

        this time         breath

        held         between us

        each time         familiar

        each time         new[19]

so often violated – as leonard’s work distils in startling realisation – by institutionalised aggression and belittling, by militarism, by capitalist ideation (‘jesus christ that cunt was a cop!’),[20] in leonard’s poetics, reciprocity is staged through timely proximity, and is a route towards settling into the ‘now’. ‘we lightly hold hands as we sometimes do | until the first to be falling asleep begins to twitch and tonight it’s Sonya’:

        I am aged 51 years and nine months and nine to ten days[21]

reading of one of the longest days of the year from the dim of one of the shortest, i find the milky light of glasgow at 3am in june (‘the sky in the north is translucent like a lake’) illuminating the ‘now’ as a quiet scene of resistance, outwitting interpellation; an experience of the self, of the body, and of time that has evaded capitalist value. ‘from within he came to realise himself as an instance of the universal human’.[22]

> the calendar turns, light thins out and attenuates, darkness creeps (‘The three wise kings, who have travelled | All the way from Burns & Oates in Buchanan Street, | Peer at the infant under a torch-bulb’),[23] but rhythms and habits persist:

       the future, knitting the future        the present peaceful, quiet        as if

       the same woman knitting        for a thousand years

tom, i miss your voice, i miss your wisdom, i miss your knowledge. i miss your compassion, i miss your understanding. your not here-ness is painful.

> and the world keeps turning, the sun keeps rising. the marigold blooms.

                                                                               glasgow, 16 december 2019

~

Text and Image: Rhian Williams

Published: 23/12/19

[1] Tom Leonard, ‘the case for lower case’, Outside the Narrative (Exbourne & Edinburgh: etruscan books & Word Power Books, 2009), p. 178.

[2] See Jane Goldman’s contribution in Tributes to Tom Leonard, ed. Larry Butler (Glasgow, PlaySpace Publications: 2019).

[3] ‘To follow the sun’ and the term for the marigold in Middle English. It is used in a conceit by Ayrshire poet, Alexander Montgomerie (1550-1598) that is used as an epigram to Leonard’s ‘The Present Tense: a semi-epistolary romance’, Outside, p.110.

[4] ‘respite in the reading’, Outside, p. 107.

[5] ‘100 Differences Between Poetry and Prose’, Outside, p. 63.

[6] ‘Plasma Nights’, Outside, p. 196.

[7] ‘100 Differences Between Poetry and Prose’, Outside, p. 63.

[8] ‘An Ayrshire Mother’, Outside, p. 209.

[9] ‘Nora’s Place (14)’, Outside, p. 156

[10] ‘Fathers and Sons’, Outside, p. 54

[11] ‘Pollok Poster 1’, Outside, p. 13

[12] ibid.

[13] ‘The Fair Cop’, Outside, p. 189

[14] ‘proem’, Outside, p. 65

[15] ‘A life’, Outside, p. 214.

[16] ibid.

[17] Robert Burns, ‘Comin thro’ the Rye’

[18] ‘The Present Tense’, Outside, p. 113.

[19] ‘touching your face’, Outside, p. 182.

[20] ‘The Fair Cop’, Outside, p. 189.

[21] ‘June the Second’, Outside, p. 181.

[22] ‘Three Types of Envoi: A humanist (2)’, Outside, p. 213.

[23] ‘My Parents’ Living-Room at Christmas’, Outside, p. 53.

#tom leonard #rhian williams #essay #essays #poetry #glasgow

[heyymonkey2]

First Night Back in Fuuga Ch 42: Making Up

Ao3 Link to Chapter 42

Summary: Yona and Hak release their tension; Soo-Won learns gamechanger information about the past

"Ahhhhhh!" Grunting, swords, and sweat fill the training grounds.

The Sky warriors haven't worked so hard in their lives as they have in the past few days. They have a new fear in them about Hak. And an undeniable respect for him as a warrior. If any of them are working against him... they certainly must be conflicted about things right now.

That is not a man to fuck with.

Joo-Doh glances around the field. "Where's the Thunder Beast?"

Hak is frozen. Rip the rest of this gear off? Or... charge the princess and take her in my arms… Wait. Did she just ask me if I MIND?!

Yona watches her personal warrior as still as that first time she kissed him in Ogi’s back alley hideout. Given what happened between them after, she knows that this reaction from Hak is actually some kind of confused ecstasy.

They both know his mind doesn’t allow him to believe he deserves the good things that happen in his life. Being loved. Wanted.

But Yona knows how her husband feels about sex. She’s felt the rapture in his trembling body and the loss on his softly parted lips while he’s been inside her. She’s seen the wonder in those beautiful blue eyes as all his inhibitions and insecurities have flitted away as he's lost his mind. Sometimes, Hak is just a mortal man.

So no matter what’s going on between them, she knows there’s a chance...

The way a mischievous smile rises on Yona’s face, Hak knows he’s about to be fully at her mercy. This girl is literally the only Koukan in existence who can bring him to his knees, begging and obedient. She can land him there in seconds.

Yona advances, eager and hopeful. She boldly reaches forward. Feels his hardness through the cloth of his pants.

Hak does a sharp intake of air like he’s just held his breath for two minutes. His eyes cloud over as he feels her small hand grip and stroke him, coaxing him to need her. Now. And he's needed her for days, desperately.

Yona doesn’t let go of him as she reaches her other hand up to gently guide his face down to hers. He’s intoxicated by her touch, her smell, her want of him. As he follows her lead and takes her lips with his, he feels his hips involuntarily press forward against her hand, yearning all the way to her body.

As the tip makes contact through all the fabric between them, all the blood in Hak’s body flashes with heat. He wraps his arms around Yona and pulls her tighter against him still.

Their kiss is deep and slow. To someone watching, it’d look like they’re trying to devour each other. But really, they’re desperately trying to get as close as possible. Though nothing could be enough. And so they press their soft surfaces hard against one another. Their tongues flick and rub between their mouths.

Yona moans into Hak. He wants to make her moan more -- when she starts getting loud, that’s when she really starts melting into his arms.

And Yona is melting -- the way he moves his mouth over hers, encompasses her figure within his broad shoulders, her thighs can’t help but get weak. Her core tightens inside, aching for him to enter and take all his pleasure from her welcoming body.

“Yona,” he praises as he gasps for a respite, to orient himself in this sudden rush of passion.

But she’s already pushing his pants down. And he’s already dropping the robe from his shoulders.

There’s a better place, a better way for all this. But etiquette has been all but replaced by need now. There’s no space for thinking, only doing. And it’s all so natural.

Hak moves his hands down to Yona’s hips and tugs slightly to tease them up. Yona responds by jumping up. He pulls her against his abs as she wraps her legs around his torso.

Hak carries her toward a table as they continue making out and her wetness slips across his abs. There’s no time to take off shoes or finish getting Hak’s clothes off. He sets her bare bottom on some fabric on the table. He looks deep into her eyes to see if this is all OK.

It’s a sacred moment shared between them. Their gaze into one another with sincerity, love, and hope. Words aren’t needed. But all humans still try-

“I missed you,” Hak professes.

Yona feels a shock of joy, then replies, “I wanted you.”

Yona can see the words touch him as they hold their gaze. Then he swoops down to kiss her and she can feel his smile against her lips.

Hak’s hands ghost down to her hips and-

“Hhh,” Yona feels him enter her.

Hak’s hands splay out across her back to hold her steady as he begins to thrust. As his movements become more powerful, the table begins to rock. Yona gasps out in pleasure as everything on the table -- except her -- begins to fall off. Cups. Weapons, Sharpening stones. Shoes.

“Nng. Yes. Harder, harder,” she begs.

Hak complies, his mouth parted and breathing heavy. Yona throws her head back, her hardened, swollen breasts moving like waves beneath him.

The door’s closed. Odd.

Joo-Doh reaches out to try the knob when he hears it -- something pounding against the wall. A man’s grunts. A woman’s cries of pleasure. Things falling??

The Sky general raises a single hand to halt all the warriors who were following him. “I think we should return to the grounds.”

The halted warriors suddenly notice the sounds. One half of the fighters blush while the other half glance over with fascination.

“Hak!” Yona’s voice carries through the wall as the banging gets louder.

“Now!” Joo-Doh threatens, mortified.

All the warriors' eyes go wide as they scurry to head back to work.

Joo-Doh turns to see Jae-Ha standing at the end of one of the porticos.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on the door,” Jae-Ha affirms.

Joo-Doh pushes air out of his nose, then huffs back to the training grounds.

Jae-Ha smiles at the scene. Way to go, Little Brother. I knew you'd get your priorities straight.

“Ahh ahh,” Hak comes into Yona in long spurts, his hands tensing against her back and his dark hair a mess against his cheeks and forehead.

“Mmm,” she smiles, leaning her forehead up against his. She’s never orgasmed multiple times from a single penetration like that before. She’s in awe how the pregnancy has made her walls so sensitive from the extra bloodflow.

Hak sneaks a peck onto her lips, then trails kisses down her neck. Yona moves her hands up over his gorgeously-defined pecks, her thumb tracing over scars along the way.

“Hak?” Yona asks.

“Mm?” He’s distracted but trying to listen.

“Hold me?”

He glances up from the arm he was kissing and smiles at her. In an instant she’s in his arms being carried.

Hak stops to assess the room and smiles wryly at how much they knocked onto the floor. Then he sees his robes. He lays them out on the dirt floor, then lays Yona on them, putting some of his clean robes over her to keep her warm. He pulls her into his arms.

They lie there staring at each other, he playing with her hair, she gathering her courage.

“It’s really hard on me... when we don’t do that,” Yona admits with a blush.

Hak stops moving to process this. “...on you?”

Yona tries to understand his shock. “Wait… you wanted to, too?”

A corner of Hak’s mouth pulls back as he runs a hand through his hair and considers how to answer that one. “Princess… I plan to live a very long time because it’s my job to make sure you live a very long time. And for that entire time, you don’t ever need to ask that question. The answer is always gonna be yes.” He lets out a breath, then adds, “You have no idea.”

Yona snuggles up against him, “That makes me happy.”

They canoodle for a good while longer before Yona has the courage to bring up that other topic...

“Jae-Ha told me about the gift.”

Hak scowls toward the door. “He did, did he?”

“And that he told you about Lili.”

Hak immediately softens and looks down at her.

Yona looks up at him with her big amethyst eyes. “Are you mad at me?”

“Mad? Because someone made a move on you when you were pretending we weren’t together?”

Yona considers that response with a super cute hard-think face. Then, “Oh. When you say it like that… it doesn’t seem like such a big deal.”

“I’m sad though.”

“Huh?”

“You were afraid to tell me.”

“Oh. Hak… I just… I don’t know, It felt like something wrong had happened at the time. And you don’t know Lili like I do. I still wanted you to be open to giving her a chance.”

Hak keeps his sad gaze on Yona. She still sees him as coming up short in forgiveness. He doesn’t need to wonder why.

Yona switches the subject- “Would you ever consider using concubines? I know it’s normal in the history of the palace, it just never occurred to me as something we’d ever... do.”

“Never.”

The speed of Hak’s reply gives Yona’s heart a flutter. “Really?”

“I wouldn’t ever do something that could damage our relationship. And I don’t even want to. Why would I? I’m next to the coolest, most badass and beautiful wife in Kouka. I’d be an idiot to take my eyes off you for a second.”

Not that he cares to mention it, but he also spent most of his life watching the sole object of his affection show affection toward someone else right in front of him. He knows that fucking agony. But he has nothing to complain about anymore. He’d do it all over again for Yona.

"Just checking. Sometimes you are an idiot, you know."

Hak looks at her adoringly. "Me? Never."

Yona slips out from under his robe and climbs onto him. He gracefully rolls onto his back, welcoming any and all advances. She moves her hands into his hair as she kisses him.

"As long as you're all mine, I'll take every version of you."

Hak smiles. "All of them?"

Yona considers. "Most."

"I'm a package deal."

"Behave."

Yona feels his hardness against her back. She starts feeling the heat rise in her again. As she leans in for another kiss, she whispers, "Don't behave."

Hak nibbles her lower lip, then she lifts herself and slides down onto his most sensitive place. They begin to make love again -- slowly, intimately.

Joo-Doh is back. Jae-Ha looks down from the red roof and shakes his head no.

Moments later when Joo-Doh arrives back at the training field, he looks to the west at the setting sun.

“Head to dinner,” he commands.

“In our gear?” The warriors never do this.

Joo-Doh doesn’t say a word but starts heading toward the dining hall himself. Enough already.

The soldiers trade impressed glances. There’s some serious stamina going on back there.

In their third round, Hak is thrusting deep into Yona from behind. She’s on her knees with her legs close together, which makes it as tight as possible for him.

They’re both loud and sweaty at this point, but in no way tiring of their intimacy.

Yona reaches under herself to grab his balls and massage them as he continues. He bends down over her so he can knead one of her breasts.

Hak’s face is almost pained from the pleasure as he climaxes into her once more. Yona savors the amazing feeling of his warmth filling inside her. She tingles at every extremity and cherishes the effort to catch the breath he took away from her.

When he pulls her back into his arms, they confide once more about the recent days apart. About the ridiculous requests, gifts, and company. How easily things like that could get overwhelming and split them apart. But that they’re a team and need to put each other first. No more secrets. No more days without touching.

“Are you sure you still want to be king?” Yona asks.

“That’s a silly question,” Hak snorts.

“...I thought it was a good one.”

“I’ve never wanted to be king.”

“Oh. Then why’d you-”

“I need to be king. That’s why I don’t want to be consort. As much as I’d love to be your sex slave husband, Princess,” he loves her shock at that sentiment, “the more power I have, the better I can protect you. And the better you’re protected, the more Kouka will flourish.”

Yona is touched, “You’ll even put up with the ridiculous nobles and court politics for that?”

Hak turns his head to smile at her, “Anything.”

He reaches out and holds his hand just an inch from her ever-so-slight pregnancy bump, then he closes his eyes as he closes that gap and touches her there. He feels that fullness he’s been dreaming about. And he’s so damn happy he could cry.

It’s the most incredible thing he’s ever felt.

Yona sees Hak’s expression… and it’s better than any laugh or smile she’s ever been delighted to put on his face.

It’s the most incredible thing she’s ever seen.

Yona and Hak are starving as they wander into the dining hall at the end of everyone’s supper. They’re both looking a little disheveled, but glowing. And luckily Jae-Ha had a change for Yona so she’s clothed in more than just a cloak.

Joo-Doh watches them, grumbly but also a little touched. He knew those kids since they were so small… it’s not so bad to acknowledge that not all of that ended in tragedy.

The Sky warriors there are still in their gear -- a topic of much conversation. One thing is for certain, the rumors of the torrid romance and surely-coming heir from Kouka’s soon-to-be new rulers won’t be dying down anytime soon. It’s all starting to build into something of a proud legend.

And moments later when Hak announces in apology to the still-geared-up warriors that they won't be working these hours any longer, the fascinating mythology around him only grows.

"Having something to fight for makes the best warriors. Make sure you see your families. I don't need us forgetting why we're here."

Soo-Won stares into the fog at the edge of the woods once again.

The village is surrounded by a thicket in every direction. It’s a perfect shroud to keep someone from entering this hidden place. And it’s beyond frustrating for anyone waiting for that very thing to happen.

“Worse than watching water come to a boil, I’d imagine,” Ik-Soo suggests as he arrives behind him.

Soo-Won smiles softly but doesn’t turn to face the priest-now-friend, “I have faith.”

“Isn’t it amazing?” Ik-Soo joins in awe, “Only when we accept we don’t have control over when or how things manifest, then can we truly see.”

Soo-Won suppresses a laugh, fully aware that they’re two guys staring into a dark thicket, one of which with a mat of hair over his eyes.

“Come with me.”

Ik-Soo leads Soo-Won out the other side of the forest to where he can look over a hill. The moon shines down on them now. And even in the darkness of night, Soo-Won can see more than he ever could from the village.

“It’s brave of you to show me a way out,” Soo-Won offers.

“I have trust.”

Soo-Won takes a deep breath. He feels his heart calm to be standing in an open expanse. It’s been too long. And it's unbelievable that he's standing here, painless, inside and out. Well, mostly. He just needs to see Yona. When he sees her, then...

“Your goals have always been set on the wrong thing.”

Soo-Won looks at Ik-Soo, curious what he means.

“Seeing the princess right now is something… but it’s not the root. It won’t cut out the pain.”

“...I’ve never met anyone who can heal others like Yona," Soo-Won confesses. "Maybe she could even heal me.”

Ik-Soo folds his hands together and lets out a deep breath, amazed by what he just heard.

“Then there’s something you must know. The final piece I will share with you.”

Soo-Won looks up at the moon and braces himself.

“I’m ready.”

“As I mentioned before -- after the beheadings at Xing, your father lost everything. Not just the crown… he had seen a darkness within himself with which he could not cope. Neither could his father nor his brother -- King Il. But the person who could see past that, to the man he once was and could once again be, was Yona’s mother. They developed a close friendship and she helped him heal. For that… he fell in love with her. Which is exactly what led to her death.”

Ik-Soo turns to look at Soo-Won. The once-king is no longer looking at the moon, but directly back at Ik-Soo. Tears in his eyes.

“King Il? Did he kill her? Tell me she was unfaithful to him. Tell me it was he who…”

Ik-Soo knows why the boy is begging for that to be true. But there is only one truth.

“She wasn’t unfaithful. But that did not stop the jealousy. Neither King Il nor your father ended her life.”

Soo-Won gasps as he lowers his head and tries to breathe. He’s realizing something that’s shaking the core of his foundation, his life. And in his heart, it all clicks right into place. Like he always knew. And always denied it.

“Should I give you some time alone?”

Soo-Won shakes his head, angry, determined. “No. I have... wasted… too much time.”

“I hope you understand now why the princess cannot be your path to salvation.”

They stand in silence for a time before Ik-Soo begins to wander away.

“Wait,” Soo-Won calls after.

Ik-Soo turns.

“Tell me… my father. That’s the only part that doesn’t make sense. If it wasn’t King Il who murdered him… I know it couldn’t have been…,” Soo-Won cannot even bear to say the name, “Then who?”

“After Yona’s mother died, Soo-Won... your father ended his own life.”

And for only the second time in his entire life, Soo-Won collapses to the ground against his will. And he sobs.

The first time was as a guilt-ridden friend, silent heaves in secret the night Tae-Jun told him Hak and Yona had fallen from a cliff and died.

This time, it is as a left-behind son, agony at the realization that the years of pain from missing his idol, his father… were by his father’s own doing. And that without intention, Soo-Won himself had almost taken the same way out of darkness.

No. Never again. Now alone, Soo-Won clasps his hands together and prays up at the moon for strength. He will never again try to take his own life. And he will save Hak and Yona’s.

He rises to face what he has to do. He can tell Yona everything when she gets here. It’s time to end what his parents started, once and for all.

#akatsuki no yona #first night back in fuuga #lemon #hak x yona #fanfic