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popculturebuffet · 3 years

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New X-Men Xtrospective Part 2: Germ Free Generation (Annual, #117-120)

Hello all you happy mutants! And welcome back to my look one of my faviorite runs of one of my faviorite super teams by one of my faviorite comic book writers!

For those of you just joining us.. it’s been a while. I did the first instalment of this retrospective back in early January as a present to my friend for christmas, as he had never read E is for Extinctoin and what with this run being vital to the current, utterly brilliant Krakoa era of X-Men. But with both Black History Month and Valentine’s day, February had no real room for this one and march ended up being just as crammed with me doing essentially the entire della arc of ducktales in one month. I didn’t mean for this retrospective to get pushed so far back, but since I gave up doing weekly coverage of Final Space I had some room on the schedule so this retrospective is back with a vengance with two entries this month and hopefully at least one a month afterword to keep it at a decent clip.

Last time I covered the background of this run and didn’t really find much for the issues after, so I won’t have to spend as much time on background.

So since i’ts been a few months, a refresher is probably in order

PREVIOUSLY, ON X-MEN: Our merry mutants enterted a marvelous new era. As Charles redidciated to the dream with new equipment and a new uniforms our hero encounter a new villian: The Mysterious Cassandra Nova, a powerful telepath who used an uwitting patsy from the trask family and a defucnt sentinel factory to slaughter the mutant nation of Genosha, killing 16 million mutants in the most horrific act of genocide against mutants ever known. And the fact there has been more than one genocide against mutant kind MIGHT, just MIGHT be the reason they blackmailed for peace with life saving drugs instead of helping willingly and freely in the current comics. Just maybe.

Cassandra was captured by the X-Men soon after but escaped and nearly got a hold of Cerebra only to be stopped thanks to a combination of former enemy, genoshan resident at the time of the genocide, and that bitch Emma Frost who snapped her neck and Charles himself who uncharacteristically shot Cassandra in the head. That night Charles took a bold step over that would change the X-Men forever and told the world on live tv:

While all of this was going on we got caught up on the team’s personal struggles, currently consisting of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast and Wolverine with Emma joining as of the issue we’re about to cover. Beast is grappling with a secondary mutation that makes him look like Aslan, the jesus of narnia and all lions. Meanwhile Scott and Jean are grappling with their non existant sex life as Cyclops possesion by Apocalypse shortly before this story has severely rattled him and caused him to close himself off emotionally.

So that’s where we pick up. Our heroes are now no longer hiden saftely in the shadows from a world that hates and fear them but are out front and center with the world watching. And we’ll see both how that helps their cause and how it puts them directly in the cross hairs under the cut. Content Warning: This review discusses Transphobia and a scene involving a school shooting. If either of these are a trigger for you or something you do not want to read about please skip this part of the retrospective for your own well being. Thank you and have a lovely day.

The Man From Room X:

We have three stories today: an annual that introduces our final team member and the main villians of our next arc, a one off that moves the main plot for the first 12 issues along, and a three part arc about said villains. Before we get into the Annual, I have to talk about it’s weird gimmick: The issue is entirely sideways. I don’t mean it’s bad though some parts are problematic I mean when bought it’d be on it’s side and in my trade I have to flip the whole thing over on it’s side to read it. It’s just a .. weird choice. Not the weirdest thing about this issue somehow but not unexpected from Grant as they like to play with the formula.

We open in said Room X, a location in China where a mutant named Xorn is kept and showed off to a mysterious group of dickweeds in suits representing “Mr. Sublime”. His jailer, General Aao Jun,, shows him off as most bad guys would : By undoing his helmet and thus disntegrating two innocent children just by looking at them. Sublime says they have a deal.

Meanwhile also in China the X-Men are there for a funeral and Emma and Scott trade insulting questions back in forth: She mocks him about his lack of sex with Jean lately and he brings up her criminal past. As for why Emma’s still with the x-men.. it’s out of pragmatisim. WIth Genosha gone, the x-men are the saftest faction to throw in with.

As for why the X-Men are in China, Charles has rapidly expanded his operations now he’s public by setting up X-Corps, a multinational humantarian aid organization dedicated to helping mutants in need wherever they sprout up. He’s set up offices in Hong Kong, Amsterdam, Mumbai and Melborne.

He’s also half assed it, at least for the Hong Kong office and only gave them two employees: Domino, who those of you not as familiar with the comics may remember from deadpool and Risque.. who I honestly had never heard of before New X-Men and frequently forget existed. I just looked her up for the first time and she’s a minor mutant who was an associate of X-Force and Warpath’s love intrest. She could compress matter causing it to implode. My assumption here is that Morrison simply picked a minor mutant at random for the job.

But yeah naturally with only two mutants charged with, according to domino “All of asia” went horribly and the x-men are there for Risque’s funeral and to find out what happened. Unsuprisingly it’s tied into our cold open: Risque had found evidence of a mutant trafficking operation and died fighting them off and Dom is naturally f eeling in over her head since said operation involves the chinese goverment, who according to her exccute most mutants at birth and John Sublime and his cult.

We soon see a press confrence from this asshole and find out what his deal is: Sublime is the head of the U-Men, a group that belivies they are a “third species” of mutants trapped in human bodies that deserve to have the surgery to make them into mutants, and thus wear weird suits until the world is pure and allows them to have surgery for it.

Yeahhhh this.. this is really fucking uncomfortable and is going to be present throughout today’s piece so let’s just go ahead and rip that band-aid off: The U-Men come off as HIGHLY transphobic. They use terms similar to trans people call themselves trans species and are trapped inside a body they don’t belong in. It’s VERY uncomfortable to read as a result and something that hadn’t really sunk into till thsi reading but once it had.. oh god does this not age well.

The one thing that keeps this from runing the run and Grant Morrison as a whole for me.. is that I do not think for one second it was intentional. Grant themself is genderqueer, nonbinary and a cross dresser. None of this means they CAN’T be prejudice, being Queer does not magically make you immune to being prejudiced. But before this Grant had the genderqueer sentient street Danny the Street over in doom patrol and a trans main character in his book the invisibles, Lord Fanny. And given New X-Men’s biggest flaw as a whole is clumsy early 2000′s unforutnate implications such as a good chunk of the things about Cyclops affair with Emma, we’ll get to that at the right time, Angel in the next arc and Dust, who was introduced as from afganastan wearing an outfit not seen in the country and speaking a language not spoken in the country. Grant didn’t make these mistakes TWICE, it’s why I still have respect for them, and this won’t be the first or last comic i’ve forgiven for being stupid for it’s time. But I will still call Grant out when I see it. Just because I respect an author just because they changed my life does not mean I won’t call them out when they fuck up. And if they prove to be truly vile, have harmed someone or what have you I will cut them the fuck out of my life. I’ve done it with JK Rowling, Warren Ellis, Brad Jones and Joss Whedon. I would do it with Grant if I truly belivied they were transphobic and instead didn’t just write something very stupid without thinking the metaphor through 20 years ago.

So anyway back to the comic book bollocks as Wolvie and Dominio prepare for an infiltration and flirt a bunch. We also find out Jun is a mutant himself with a power only Grant could dream up: his skin, hair and what have you that falls off him turns into a naked golem for a bit before expiring. And if you hadn’t read this issue before reading this review, yes that actually happened. While the first arc had a BIT of Grant’s trademark batshit insanity, the series REALLY starts to pick it up from here: This issue has a mutant with functioning star for a head, a poorly thought out bucnh of sci fi new age organ theives, and a general whose power is “makes naked clones out of his dandruff”. Oh and his fondest wish?

I just... I don’t know how to respond to that. I don’t know how you respond to an old man’s weird murder fetish that he tells a somehow even creepier cult leader while said cult leader is paying him to buy a star man, and their both surronded by the creepy old guy’s skin golems that weirdly look like mudokons. Look i’ve read Grant’s entire utterly bonkers run on doom patrol. I’ve seen a man who looks like a question mark use a bicycle that makes everyone high like their on LSD for president. And THIS is what breaks me.

So while.. THIS is going on, Dom and Wolverine plan to do it all night long on the professor’s credit card, no really he gives all his professors carte blanch to use school fun, and inflitrate, Dom through the elvator this horrorshow just took place in and Wolvie james bond style. Also I gotta say I REALLY love how Morrison writes Domino. She’s wittiy, entertaining and her power is as awesome as always, super luck if you didn’t know. It’s a real shame he didn’t add her to the team: She wasn’t on any other x-teams, with X-Force having been rebranded into X-Statix by this point. She would’ve been a fun addition to the cast.

Naturally wolverine is found out.. but that was the entire plan, for him to serve as a distraction then cut his way to domino while she steals something from the vault. As for the rest of the X-Men, Cyclops, Beast and Emma are all downstairs in the parking garage and find a secret entrance. Jean is not on this trip and that’s a major plot point for this run. This is where Risque died.. and it only get’s worse when Hank goes inside, finding a bug like child, basically htink a giant caterpillar but with tons of human arms inttead of legs with her wings cut off.

Thankfully as Logan and Dom escape above, the U-Men are dumb enough to storm down bellow.. and while they incapacitate beast with some launched tiny knives, designed to incapcicate but leave them in tact for harvest, Emma beats the shit out of them and get the info out as only she can....

Granted she could’ve just turned back to normal and used her telepathy.. but what fun would that be? Plus they have blockers and you know CUT UP A FUCKING CHILD. SO yeah fuck them, let emma have her fun.

Thanks to her they find out the U-Men are a front for illegal organ harvest, and while they can’t prove sublimes attached Emma suggests killing him. Good idea but Scott suggests the lighter approach and we find out what Dom stole, a key, something Emma can psychcially scan. She warns it might take her a bit to get something.. only to be flooded instantly and we find out who the man in the box was. Shen Xorn... i’ll let emma tell you more herself.

It’s stuff like this why, despite some serious flaws like the U-Men debacle and some stuff to come, some I mentioned above other that’s just with the plot that i love this run. Morrison just gets how to really tell an x-men story and the real tragedy of being a mutant. That just for being diffrent, you get shut out, or in this case thrown into a box when you could’ve and should’ve been something more. As emma turns herself to diamond to deal with the psychic backlash, Beast has some solemn words to share.

That night Scott rests in his bedroom while presumibly hearing some truly horrific and sexy things next door while talking to jean before clocking out.. only for Emma to head in in a sexy dress with champagne. What happened? Well we won’t know for sure for most of the run.

The next day the U-Men prepare to load and we get some scrap of what the idea was supposed to be: John talks to Ao Jun about his procedures. We see wings crudely sewen to his back and his throat implaants hurting “But one day I will fly”. THe IDEA is their supposed to be lunatics, people who envy mutantkind but don’t actually respect their culture or their sense of personhood. It’s not the worst idea and had Grant not used trans termnology for htis, it would’ve been a great one. I think he INTENDED for them to be coopting the idea of being trans and what not to maks their true intentions.. which is problematic due to debates like the ones on bathrooms where a lot of transphobic asshats make the bad faith argument a bunch of people are going to pretend to be trans to assault people.

We’re.. we;’re not even to the main storyarc yet.

But things soon go wrong as Xorn’s starhead starts to collapse into a black hole, with no solution as the x-men took the key to his helmet.. and assault the compound. Turns out the star collapse thing is Jun’s revenge on humanity for lockig him down here and he gets his neck snapped. Scott has a solution though.. and it’s stuff like this why I fucking love Scott Summers and get annoyed when people call him “boring”: He realizes Xorn is comitting sucicide.. so he’s going to talk him out of it. Not just for everyone else but he deserves to live. And while Emma points out only logan among htem knows chinese and she can’t get through to Xorns’ head due to the way his brain works, Scott has a simple workaround: Use the nearest chineses speaker to teach Scott chinese. So.. with that he talks to Xorn.

And that my friend is Scott Summers. A man who faced with powerful man whose given up, whose lost all hope... convinces him he can still go on. That living’s better than dying.. and that it does get better. The issue closes with Xorn basking in the sunlight for the first time in decades while Domino sweats having an extremley powerful unknown mutant out in the world. Scott’s already thought of that.. and signed him up with the x-men. Granted it won’t be until our next article that he actually fully joins the team, but w’ell get to that next time.

This issue is great... while the U-Men stuff is pretty bad and isn’t going to get better, the tale of xorn is excitiong, Aao Jun is an intresting antagonist and the sideways gimmick suprisingly works. So now we’ve finshed our apitizer let’s get on to the main course.

Danger Rooms:

We open in well.. the Danger Room with Beast training a new student.

This is Beak. Beak is my faviorite character Morrison came up with and one of my faviorite X-Characters. Beak is a bird like boy who can fly, it’s just a struggle and due to looking diffrent and not having the most impressive power has very low self esteem. It’s also part of something Morrison took a concerted effort to do: introduce more mutants with genuinely odd apperances and drawbacks. Like we saw with Ugly John last time and Aao Jun in the previous issue, Morriosn really likes adding weird mutants but he also uses it to give a genuine downside to being one. While this isn’t NEW to x-men, Morriosn upped the scale and number of characters like this with weird powers and apperances. We see a bunch of human passing ones too but the backgrounds just jammed with all sorts of unique designs and students. It’s also the point where the school became far more crowded like the movies, a good call on my part both to help those coming in from the movies, and to help sell the mutant baby boom going on. After all it wouldn’t make sense if the school was just about 5-7 students and a bunch of grown adults doing superhero stuff like usual would it.

But we get to see that Hank is a good teacher, as he reminds the boy that he’s getting better and won’t be an x-man overnight, and worries about him to the professor, wanting the boy not to slip through the cracks, figuratively, and not to feel like an outcast.. especaily here. But Hank dosen’t feel blue for long, metaphorically he was blue long before he became the lion minus the witch and the wardrobe, as he has a date to night.. and so does Charles.

Or rather he did.. his girlfriend trish, a long time love intrest of his and a reporter.. breaks up with him. Over voice mail. While in washington. And the reasons she gives are not great

Yes Hank’s transformation is radical.. but not only was it not his choice... she’s being a coward, sending the message it’s okay to dump someone because hteir a mutant or because they happen tobe diffrent and that efffects your career. Again it’s moments like this that make the run soar over the more awkward bits.

Meanwhile Logan’s off doing logan stuff, i.e. gazing at a deer. Wow. Jean followed him. Both notice a space ship: Despite recently outing himself as a mutant, leading to an increased number of students and a bunch of rioting morons at the gates, Charles has decided NOW’S a good time to take a vacation to the Shiar empire. As for why Jean’s really out here, her marriage to Scott isn’t doing so good and while Logan encourages her to stay it’s just not that simple: Her telekenisis is coming back, stronger than ever. She feels the most alive she’s been while he’s shutting her out and feeling his deadest. She tries to turn to logan for comfort but he shuts her down. Just wait two decades jean... he’ll open up to a threesome. In all seriousness though having Jean try and come onto Logan .. will backfire slightly on later storylines. But we’ll get to that eventually.

In the basement Hank is studying Cassandra or rather a virtual version of her since her body is naturally in storage. And he’s found out something disturbing: She’s Charles Genetic Twin.. oh and it gets way worse. The Professor’s weird behavior? Barely staffing the hong kong office, leaving suddenly with rioters t the gates, outing himself? About that...

Cassandra tourtures Hank with the possiblity he’s devovling and then tries to mind controlli him into cleaning himself with his diploma when Beak enters. The good news is this allows hank to shake off her control and tackle her, showing off why hank mccoy is fucking awesome in the process.

That is the Hank McCoy I know, love.. and miss dearly. The one we’ll probably never get back sadly after what others did and what Percy’s had to do to reconclie with all they did.

Unfortunately beak being around means cassandra can force him to beat beast into a coma with his bat. She plans to tear Charles dream down around him and make him watch.. and cryptically says he tried to kill her. She then cheerfully leaves Jean in charge.. and talks about just how much damage one could do with an entire interstellar empire in the wrong hands....

This issue is also excellent and sets up the next two arcs nicely while giving us a nice peak in hank’s head. Great stuff. The artist also hid the word sex in a lot of the images see if you can find them.

Germ Free Generation Issue 1:

So now we get into our main story for today. This story and the one before it were drawn by Ethan Van Sciver whose a talented artist.. but also highly contrversial for being a conservative. I myself.. don’t know what he’s said or did, though calling himself “Canceld Superstar’ on twitter really isn’t a good sign. So I really can’t comment on it but I also know someone would mention it if I didn’t bring it up and if you know what he did please enlighten me.

So we open with a school shooter who also scooped out a guys eyes and is part of the U-Men. He get shot by the swat team while making his speech> it’s an effective opening but one that’s become more uncomfortable to read with each passing day due to school shootings going up and up in number. And mass shootings in general and I... I need a second. I need something to relax me

Thank you Stoopy. Your doing Odd’s Work.

So the news reports on this and we soon see how Jean watches the news.. by using Cerebra to read the minds of every person on the planet. Neat. Everyone’s talking about them. We also get a hint for later as we hear on the suicide of one martha johanson who wrote the note in her own blood. She’ll be important later.... and I mean that both in the context of this retrospective and for the fact she’ll go on to be part of x-men in perpetuity.

This is also where another great concept of Morrison’s pops up: Mutant culture. After all mutants are a minority, they should have their own culture. It’s something Hickman’s era has taken and ran with, but it’s a damn good idea and one that it shoudln’t of taken almost 20 years for someone else to use given Decimation was undone way back around 2012 in Avengers Vs X-Men, aka that event half hte articles on the mcu around the fox sale used as either their image for the article or asked about happneing. And yes that is a pet peeve of mine: while I do think like Civil War AVX could use a movie version to make it better, I don’t think it’s an event that could be done right away and would have to be almost entirely redone anyway given the context for AvX is entirely couched in decimation i.e. something NO ONE wants in any x-adaptation.

So it turns out while watching the news in a next level way Jean is also talking to Logan. “Stay out of my personal fantasies”. Yeah I .. I don’t think your ready for a hairy canadian dry humping a transformer.. specifically killbison. And yes.. that is an actual transformer and why yes, I have been waiting to bring him up.

And he is , and I am not making any of this up, part of a group of decpticons known as the breastforce. Your life is better for knowing that and you are welcome.

Anyway as you’d imagine a genocidal old woman in her brothers’ body leaving the X-Men to fend for themselves after having a teenager bludgeon one into a coma after publicly outing them with a rabid bunch of bigoted morons at the gates has not gone great. Henry is still out and despite the short staffing Jean needs logan to stay where he is as he’s close to an emerging mutant and within range to go get her.

Emma of course has never been so fucking irate in her whole life and is plotting various forms of psychic tourture with the help of her proteges the Stepford Cucokoo, 5 teenage mutants who functoin best as a unit and are easily some of MOrrison’s most prominent additions to the x-cast. Unlike a lot of the x-kids, they’ve been featured prominently in every era of x-men after this including the current one.

Jean decides for a less “Make them hate us even more” approach, but no less pissed off, opening the gates and going out directly to chew out the assembled bigoted morons, pointing out the ones carrying “Mutants Go Home!” signs are especailly dumb as this IS her home. And while she dosen’t point this part out, it’ the same for all of them: most of the mutants are either adults who choose to live here, teenagers who along with their parents choose to live here, or in the majority teens who have no where else to go due to either being abandoned by their families or it being way to dangerous for said families for them to stay due to bigoted assholes like the ones holding mutants go home signs.

A member of the press asks if she’s willing to talk to the media and she refutes most of his bullshit allegations: He asks if their building an army, she and Scott respond they are not and are simply educating mutants and protecting them. When he counters with the fact their living weapons and wearing uniforms... she counters with the fact she’s wearing them to protect herself, rightfully, from people like her, and the x-men are an aid orginzation going where needed to protect the world and while asshole points out no one apointed them.. jean shuts him down by pointing out there are no mutants in goverment and a genocide just happened, so someone has to do the job. Another random asshole tries to pipe up with “Genosha declared war on us” and Emma senses this is just going to go round and round and round and simply presses the assembled mob’s “bliss buttons” in their brains to knock them out. Non violent but honestly warranted: A dangerous part of bigoted assholes is they’l bring up racist bullshit to try and couch it like an actual conversation. None of these complaints really hold water if you looked at the x-men’s history for more than 5 minutes. Yes Charles is training them to fight and yes hte ingial class was an army but every class since has only been trained for self defense: they still got into adventures and what not, but it was usually by their own choice or because they were thrust into them by circumstance. Xaviers is exactly what jean said and endudgling these morons, while good on paper, only makes them seem legit.

Jean retreats to the infirmary where she’s on the verge of breaking down from the sheer weight of everything. Cyclops proves that despite not being the best husband right now... he still loves his wife, offering to go look into Sublime with Emma and hoping Hank wakes up. Turns out his mind for now is a big blank room.

So she can��t get any info off his skull, and neither of the two think what happened with Beak adds up. Something is up here. Their also coming down with colds which will be important later. And just as important.. Magneto is becoming a symbol among people and merch sales with his image are on the rise. We then get this.

So Jean is trying to be a supportive, honest wife, and while the questions incredibly insulting.. his answer is equally so. Spoilers, as mentioned we do get an answer long after this.. and they did not. So Jean is wrong to be suspcious, at this point, but is at least trying to be polite about it and gave him the benifit of the doubt.. and Scott basically said he slept with her without actually saying it despite not having to. You could’ve said “no we did not have sex, we simply talked all night”. It’s not ENTIRELY better given the horrible state of their relationship right now, but it’s still better than HEAVILY implying he rocked her body to the break of dawn for no damn reason.

So we meet our next major addition to the cast Angel Salvador, an abused teen who is a mutant.. and whose abusive and molesting step dad beats her and throws her out over this. The scene’s a bit overdone, coming off like an after school special.. but it’s what happens AFTER that’s truly heartwrenching.

A poor scared teenager clutching herself, finding herself homeless alone and desperatly wishing she wasn’t what she was. It’s just a striking image and shows how well Grant uses the mutant metaphor. I could easily see myself in that position had my parents not been good peopl and had I come out far sooner as bi. The idea of desperatly hoping your not what you are simply becaus eof what hell it brings, despite all the joy it can bring too. . it’s heartbreaking to hear.

Naturally though things don’t get much better as the next morning the U-Men have found her, calling her a freak and successfully kidnapping her.. if only because while she uses acid spit to escape, she flies into a power line.

We then get Sublimes meeting with Emma and Scott and a BETTER use of teh u-men as while Grant made the horrible mistake of calling them “transpecies”, seriously what the fuck were you thinking, the way sublime frames it here is a MUCH better, much less accidently bigoted concept.

The idea isn’t bad: A group of humans jealous of the mutants powers, blatantly ignoring the horrible downsides and mountain of persecution that comes with being one. Grant just made the mistake of couching in in Trans metaphors, clearly trying to have the U-Men steal from Trans People too as a way to make themselves seem legit. And I say if you want superpowers.. fine.. wanting to be a superhero or a mutant is fine, the issue with the U-Men is their copoting a culture, trying to be part of mutantkind without having any of the drawbacks and by actively butchering them. It’s why the concept HAS shown up elsewhere; it’s not TERRIBLE, Grant just made a bad creative choice that’s only gotten worse as Transphobia has ramped up further and further.

Sublime denies it when our heroes bring up Hong Kong.. but naturally he’s simply just keeping them talking long enough to bring out his trump cards, an army of u-men and a brain in a jar he uses to incapacitate them.. and announces his plan to use the school as an organ farm for his third species.

Meanwhile Logan finds the U-Men in their truck preparing to rip angel apart.. and given he snikit’s soon after.. i’ts very clear whose REALLY about to get ripped apart.

Germ Free Generation Part 2:

Part two begins wth Sublime monologoging about how Mutantkind are just cattle to them and reveals the brain is martha’s, her sucicide having been faked and her brain currently being controlled to use as a weapon.

So while Johnny monlogues we find out what happened with Wolverine last issue he didn’t cut up the guys yet as they fired their little flichete guns at him... it was about as useful and effective as you’d expect and the massacre you were expecting occurs. Though in a nice bit of reality the fact wolverine’s soaked in blood and just killed a bunch of blood shockingly does not make the already frighttend teen feel he’s safe and she spits acid on him. Logan pours some stuff on the acid, figuring rightly a black ops murder farmacy would have something to counteract it and tells her she’s safe now .. and tells the guy behind him not to try it. He’s stupid and does anyway and likely gets a claw to the head off panel.

They go to a diner to eat and find a local asshole who threatens them with a shot gun to leave once angel uses her power to digest and goes on a rant about how he snapped his own son’s neck to prevent him being born a freak. Just.. fucking hell this arc is not good for my depression. We get some more angst from Angel and whiel her dialouge is not the best, i’ts a too bit mark millar flavored edgelordy for my taste and if I wanted that i’d go read Ultimates or Ultimate X-Me, her pain is real and Logan helps her through it.

Back at the Mansion the U-Men are on their way to strike, whlie Jean unaware continues to buckle under the weight of all the shit she’s had to deal with, feeling SOMETHING is making them weak with the colds and something worse is going on and thus tries going to Beak’s mind instead and gently helps talk him through it, showing her grace and empathy.. and in return finding out Charles was the one responsible. The alarms flair up and Jean tries calling the police now that’s an option.. but it goes exactly how you’d expect.

Also a second artist took over for this issue and the next Igor Kordey. He’s fine, but not nearly as good as Quitely or Van Sciver and it shows. Meanwhile Beast awakens and heads for the body drawer with Cassandra’s body, and professor’s mind in it.

However Jean’s finally had enough and got her second wind. She’s outgunned, outmanned and left to her own devices. And she’s fucking fed up with it. She steels herself and assembles the students. This is obviously a last resort.. but some of them can defend themselves and their going to need to. But today they won’t be learning.. they’ll be teaching and as the U-Men call them defensless Jeans simply asks “Are you sure about that?”

Germ Free Generation Part 3:

So we come to the finale of this arc. Angel is once again an ungreatful brat to logan and he opts to just leave her there if sh’es going to be like that pointing out being a mutant sucks, it’s going to keep sucking.. and she needs to deal with it instead of lashing out at him and herself over it.

We get back to the U-Men, one of whom is utterly flabergasted they want to him to cut of Cyclops head... only for Emma to awaken.. and take back her regular form meaning she has her telepathy back. The only reason they were able to get her ealier is she was in diamond mode which is stronger but lacks that, a nice way to check and ballance her new powers. She quickly takes them out and disables Martha.

Back at the school we get one of Jean’s definting moments for me and a true chance to show how badass she can be. Before this while Morrison wrote her well, and his version’s still my favoirite, she didn’t really get to do much and was motly in the background. This arc has been her time in the limelight, having trouble grappling with all the stress of running this place by herself.. and emerging from it stronger, more capable and ready to kick some racist weirdo ass. She tries a few diffrent tactics first, having a mutant with a voice power project it to make them think their san invisible army and having the cuckoos fuck with their heads but when both fail, Jean REALLY gets to show off. Thier blade ammo gets turned into a cool looking 3 dimensioinal shape with her telekneisis, and in a cool moment and a wise use of something gross makes the only one of them with useable powers throw up, before issuing a badass boast, wreathed in flames all while she crumples their guns into uselessness. and tears open their suits.

Bad ass.. and logan and Angel arrive just in time for the cecendo as hte u-men flee in terror

The Phoenix has been Reborn. Jean Grey has risen from the ashes and returned to full power.

Meanwhile Sublime is pankcing.. and it gets worse when Emma shows up, fully enraged after all of this and has some words for him.

Iconic. Emma prepares to drop him out of a building but Scott rightly tries to get her to back off, pointing out the pr nightmare it’d create and the fact that they have enough evidence ot shut him down. Martha however has other ideas and gets him to let go of his own accord, falling to his death.. but given he’d aranged a stunt for the press apparently this gives our heroes deniability and Martha her revenge.

So we end this three parter as Jean revels in her new power, and Beast returns with an announcment:

Final Thoughts for Germ Free Generation: This arc is pretty good if forgetable. The struggle of Jean to run the school herself and her rising from the ashes of her own pain at the end with the power of the phoenix at the end is fantastic, finally both giving her a chance to shine.. and a worrying sign for her friends given what her phoenix force copy whose memories she has a copy of, long story, did is awesome. The other parts are okay and ehhhhhhhhh though. Scott and Emma’s investigation into the u-men while having a really good climax, is pretty standard x-men stuff, and Wolverin’es trek with angel is just okay with Angel being highly intolerable during this arc, with Morrison trying a bit TOO hard to make her a “realistic” teen instead coming off as horribly unplesant. She’s supposed to just be lashing out but comes off obnxious as a result. That said this arc does furhter a lot of Morrisons best idea and introduce more, and is a great setup for our next arc, which we’ll get to in two weeks. Soooo

Next Time On X-Men: We find out just what the hell Cassandra Nova is, what her plans are, and what happened with her and charles as our heroes come down with a cold as the might of the shiar empire bears down on them. It’s IMperial in two weeks.

Next Time ON This BLog: Speaking of long Delayed Projects, I finally return to The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck as a young Scrooge starts his prospecting career, learning the ins and outs from a rich new mentor, and finding the price tag striking it rich comes with. Raid a copper hill with me tommorow.

If you liked this review, subscirbe for more, join my patreon, and if there’s a comic you’d like me to cover suggest it in the comments or outright comission a review from me via ask. See you at the next rainbow

#new x-men #grant morrison #cassandra nova #shen xorn #beast #hank mccoy #jean grey #cyclops #scott summers #wolverine #logan howlett #angel salvadore #beak #barnell bohsk #the stepford cuckoos #the u-men #john sublime #marthan johanson #ethan van sciver

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2, Episode 2 Easter Egg and Reference

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Spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 2, Episode 2, “Kayshon, His Eyes Open”

In The Next Generation episode “The Most Toys,” Kivas Fajo tried to keep Data forever. The idea that someone thought it was okay to “collect” was an oddly self-referential concept for Star Trek even in the 1990s. Just like now, the idea of a Star Trek collectible was a thing hardcore Star Trek fans thought about all the time. But, other than the fact that everyone would actually want to “collect” Data, “The Most Toys” wasn’t actually about Star Trek collectibles.

But, the newest Star Trek: Lower Decks episode, kind of is? In “Kayshon, His Eyes Open,” the crew of the Cerritos encounters one of those famous collectors, while the crew of the Titan deal with some very familiar transporter clones. It’s almost like this is an episode that is filled with as many Easter eggs on purpose. Here’s everything we caught.

Beta Shift

When Jet joins the Lower Deckers at the start of the episode, it’s implied they are on “Beta Shift.” This seems to check-out with Season 1, in which it was clear that the Cerritos was on a four-shift duty rotation, which included the night shift known as “Delta Shift.” (This idea was first introduced in the TNG episode “Chain of Command,” an episode Lower Decks LOVES to reference.)

Sonic Showers

Although sonic showers are referenced a lot in Star Trek, we’ve only seen sonic showers a few times. The first time was in The Motion Picture, and since then we’ve only glimpsed the showers. The visual effect for the communal sonic showers here is very similar to TMP, but the idea of communal showering for the lower officers vaguely references the novelization of The Motion Picture, too. If you know, then you know.

Collectors

Again the idea of various “Collectors” in the galaxy references Kivas Fajo and “The Most Toys.” This is what Freeman means by “they all tried to collect Data.”

Dr. Migleemo

Notably, the Cerritos’s counselor, the avian Dr. Migleemo returns in this episode, once again, voiced by Paul. F. Tompkins. Echoing Counselor Troi’s non-standard uniform, Migleemo appears to wear whatever he wants while on duty, even sitting on the bridge.

Items Owned By the Collector, Take 1

When the landing party for the Cerritos first boards the ship, just in the first room alone there are a ton of Easter eggs. Getting all of these is gonna be tricky, but we’re gonna give it a go. Here’s what you can spot when you pause the first couple of shots in the first room of the Collector’s Ship.

Captain Picard paper mache head from “Captain Picard Day” (TNG, “The Pegasus”)

The Game (TNG, “The Game”)

Baseball Bat and ball (Possible DS9 Sisko reference?)

Giant Unicorn (Possible Blade Runner reference?)

Marty McFly’s Shoes (Back to the Future)

Terran Empire Flag (TOS, “Mirror, Mirror)

Khan’s Necklace (The Wrath of Khan)

Valiant flight recorder (TOS, “Where No Man Has Gone Before)

Gold TOS Uniform

Giant Pink Tribble (TAS, “More Tribbles, More Troubles)

M-113 lifeform (TOS, “The Man Trap.” Also, this is AT LEAST the third time the Salt Vampire has appeared on Lower Decks. And, having the M-113 lifeform as a collectible not only references “The Man Trap,” but also, “The Squire of Gothos,” in which your boy Trelane had an M-113 creature as a museum piece, too!)

Special Shout-Out: Betazoid Gift Box

First appearing in TNG’s “Haven,” this was a talking box that was meant to “bond” with the person who got the gift.

The existence of this artifact here is also possible a double reference to two other things: In “Haven,” the face of the Gift Box was played by Armin Shimmerman, more famous later as Quark on DS9. But, on top of that, back in 1994 the Star Trek: The Next Generation Collectible Card Game (published by Decipher Inc.) had a very powerful card based on the Betazoid Gift Box. If you played the game, you know this was a rare and useful card that was well…very collectible.

Special Shout-Out: Whose trombone is that?

We briefly see a trombone in one of the collector’s cases, which seems like an easy reference to Riker. But, which one? Because this episode also directly references “Second Chances,” and Will Riker’s duplicate Thomas Riker, it’s possible that this is the trombone that Will gave to Thomas at the end of that TNG episode. Briefly, here’s the case for that being Thomas Riker’s trombone: In the DS9 episode “Defiant” Thomas Riker tried to steal the Defiant, but was later arrested by Starfleet. Presumably, this would mean all of his stuff would have been confiscated, including his trombone!

Keyshon is a Tamarian

Tamarians or “the Children of Tama” originate in the TNG episode “Darmok.” In case you forgot, Picard cracked the case with this species by learning they spoke exclusively through metaphor and analogy. Mariner mocks this by pointing out all you have to do is listen for “context clues.”

Riker loves…Rogue Squadron?

Riker tells Boimler to use “attack pattern delta,” on the Pakled ship. This seems to be a reference to The Empire Strikes Back in which Luke tells the snowspeeders of Rogue Squadron, “Attack pattern delta, go now!”

Items Owned By the Collector, Take 2

Here’s another go at seeing how many Easter eggs were jammed into like less than 2-minutes of screentime.

Kataan Probe (TNG, “The Inner Light”)

Vulcan lirpa weapon (TOS, “Amok Time,”)

Klingon bat’leth (TNG, DS9, Voyager et al.)

Andorian dueling weapon (Enterprise, “United.”)

Shark in a Tank (A reference to the real-life artist Damien Hirst, probably?)

Mars Rover

Kadis-kot game set (Voyager)

Château Picard wine crate (Picard)

Isomagnetic disintegrator (Worf’s bazooka from Insurrection)

Tendi is later holding:

A trident scanner (Scotty loved this thing in TOS)

And…a Kurlan naiskos (TNG, “The Chase,” a very big episode for canon!)

Kahless’ fornication helmet

Tendi says that this specific Klingon artifact is clearly something Kahless (the Klingon Jesus) wore while…well, the name speaks for itself. But which Kahless? Hmmm? The fake clone Kahless from “Rightful Heir?” or the real-deal Kahless from the 9th century? The Kahless reference gets doubly meta, because, as you’ll see later, Lower Decks eventually references the very first reference in canon to Kahless, too.

Data’s Picasso-esque painting of Spot

Barely visible, just as Mariner and the gang are trying to escape, we see Data’s painting of his cat Spot, first seen in the TNG episode “Inheritance,” and later in the background in the movie Generations.

Boimler’s description of the Enterprise-D

Let’s combine two scenes here! In two pivotal moments in the episode, Boimler is defending the honor and relative coolness of the TNG adventures on the Enterprise-D, which he just calls “the D.” Here’s what it seems like he’s referencing.

“They went to other dimensions… (This seems to reference the idea that “The D” did go to another dimension in the episode “Where No One Has Gone Before.” It also could reference “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” but nobody would remember that.)

“They fought the Borg…” (This references “Q, Who,” “The Best of Both Worlds,” and “Descent.”

“They insurrected!” (This seems to reference Star Trek: Insurrection, which was not the Enterprise-D, but instead, the Enterprise-E! The Lower Decks writers surely know this. Why doesn’t Boimler know this? Maybe the game of telephone in the Federation is a little inaccurate? In LDS Season 1, the news of Data’s brother seemed to travel…very slowly?)

“They had a regular string quartet.” (This references several TNG episodes, notably “Sarek,” and again, “Inheritance,”)

“Riker was jamming on the trombone” (A ton of TNG, including “The Next Phase,” “Future Imperfect,” and of course, “Second Chances.”)

“Catching love disease” (Probably TNG’s “The Naked Now”)

“Acting in plays” (This mostly references Riker acting in one of Crusher’s plays in TNG’s “Frame of Mind.”)

The remains of Spock Two?

In the spooky skeleton room, we see what appears to be a giant humanoid skeleton wearing a blue TOS–era Starfleet uniform. Who is this? The best guess? This is the giant Spock clone from The Animated Series episode “The Infinite Vulcan.”

Excalbian Bones and Abe Lincoln

Toward the end of the episode, the gang is trapped in a diorama that seems to have an alien and a skeleton of Abraham Lincoln. This references the TOS episode “The Savage Curtain” in which the Excalbians produced copies of Lincoln, along with Kahless and Surak. This episode was the first reference in Trek canon to both Kahless and Surak, and so, basically created the backstories of both Vulcan and Klingon cultures through historically inaccurate versions of those people. Funny, right?

Transporter clone

When Boimler beams the away team out through the distortion field, Riker says “oh, I’ve heard this tune before.” This references the TNG banger “Second Chances,” in which Riker’s transporter duplicate was discovered on a planet years after the fact. In this sense, Boimler’s transporter clone got off easy. Also, the idea that one of the transporter duplicates makes different decisions that the other also references “Second Chances,” in which “Thomas” Riker ends up being a different person than Will. The idea that both can’t serve on the Titan anymore might reference the idea that the TNG writing staff considered killing off the “first” Will Riker, and replacing him with his duplicate. This would have meant Data would have become the first officer in Season 6, and Riker, the operations officer. It didn’t happen, but from the point of view of the Titan crew, something like this basically DID just happen.

The Riker lean

While talking to the Mr. Boimlers, Riker puts one foot up on a couch. Classic Riker lean. Classic.

“Computer play Night Bird”

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Just before Boimler leaves the Ready Room, “William Boimler” and Riker are sharing some Romulan Ale. Riker says “computer, play ‘Night Bird.’” This also references “Second Chances,” in which Riker is unable to play the trombone solo for this song, which Troi teases him about endlessly. “Night Bird” also appears to be a made-up song. But who knows, maybe William Boimler will be able to master it? Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2 airs on Paramount+ on Thursdays.

The post Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 2, Episode 2 Easter Egg and Reference appeared first on Den of Geek.

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testedtommyau · 3 years

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Tested Tommy Chapter 5: Act 1, scene 2 (part 1)

Warnings: Flashbacks, PTSD, panics, child ab/se in memories

Eyes lit up as the noise of keys in a lock was nearby, it was time for food. Tiny paw-like feet pattered to the bars of the cell, eager eyes waiting for the kind giant to give him something to consume. The large figure walked inside and placed the bowls on the ground, the little creature crawled forward, sniffing at the bowls.

“Gotta eat up, Tommy.”

Tommy.

They always referred to him as that, is it a sound to notify they were communicating with him? It didn’t matter at the time. He took the food from the bowl and sat down, eating with his hands. The cell door closed with the figure leaving, they never stayed with him for the food, it was rather lonely. He would like for someone to stay with him. Maybe one day.

The food as always was… bad. He didn’t want to be ungrateful, but it was BAD. The taste was like licking the floor. But he had to eat, or he got extreme pains in his tummy. The water was fine though, nice and cold and washed away the dreadful taste. ‘Tommy’ went back to the corner of the cell, tail curling up towards him to use as a pillow. He wanted someone there with him, it was very cold and lonely. Tommy closed his eyes and drifted back to what felt like eternal waiting.

“Here it is.”

Oh! More giants, does this mean more food? Or maybe one will stay. Tommy got up on his little feet and hurried over, spots lighting up to see the figures entering his cell. The tall figures were all in white, tilting his head he walked closer and curiously sniffed.

BLEH!

Tommy recoiled from the strong smell of whatever was on their outer layer of covering, it felt like something badly burned the inside of his nose.

“It has been with us for six years now.”

“Do you think it's strong enough to start?”

“Only one way to find out.”

One of the figures reached down and took Tommy’s hand, his big glowing eyes stared up at the giant and followed when it stood up and started walking. It was taking him out of the cell! Tommy’s tail swayed as he happily followed the giants that were kind enough to let him out, are they going to take him to a new home?

The area was huge, everything was so big and bright now. There were more giants exiting and going into movable holes in the walls. The one holding his hand took him further down the halls, down to a darker area with a few scattered lights. Tommy gazed up at the giants and was taken inside a room, he looked up at the room sign. 874.

Pointing up to the sign he made a little tune. The scientists stared in awe at the bubbles floating out his mouth, a couple of them popping against the sign.

“That’s number 874.” One of them answered. Tommy did not understand though, maybe later he’ll remember how that sounded and he’ll know in the future.

The room was scary, the giants there were more covered up then the ones that took him here. Their faces covered and like a blank screen. Tommy whimpered and hid behind one of the giant’s legs, hoping it’ll protect him. Instead they picked him up and walked closer to the figures. The little creature squirmed and tried to get away, only to be put onto a table and held there. He sang out more bubbles, the colours fading from greys to black. He wanted to go back, this place was scary, he didn’t want to be here.

“Okay, okay, listen we need to have a pow-wow.”

Tommy shook from his sleep as Gordon announced himself to be in need of conversation with everyone. Bubby and Coomer were already sitting up and alert, only with Bubby’s rather grumpy expression directed towards Gordon. He obviously did not want to be woken up just yet. Under Tommy’s arm was Benrey, still snoozing peacefully. Though he didn’t want to wake up the adorable sight he reluctantly shook Benrey awake.

“Wha…?”

“T-Time to w-wake up.”

Benrey groaned and moved up with a huff, helmet tilting over their face before Tommy moved it so it sat correctly on their head. They shared a smile before Gordon went on again about needing some ‘pow-wow’ with the group.

“Everybody sit around, gather around…”

“Mr F-Freeman d-d-don’t herd me like a… like a sheep in a f-f-farm.” Tommy snapped as he plonked himself down into the circle they had created. Gordon gulped quietly and nodded.

“Right, right.”

“I’d like to have a good ol’ yeehaw with you.”

They all looked over at Bubby for a moment.

“What the fuck does that even mean-Where’s the guard?” Gordon asked, Tommy worriedly looked at the spot beside him where Benrey once was which was now empty. The clanging on the other side however alerted them to Benrey’s whereabouts as they jumped up and sat on a barrel, looking rather proud of themselves.

“Do you have to sit on something…?”

Gordon’s voice trailed off as he self-admitted there was no point to questioning the ‘guard’s’ actions. He turned his attention back to the other three.

“We got to get you some more bullets. Oh, Tommy have you- have you ever fought or like, killed anything?”

Tommy stared at him silently for a moment. Gordon couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable at his gaze. The stillness let him take in some extra depth of Tommy’s features, the scars on his face, a near invisible red line around his neck, the way his brows got closer together as he stared.

“Yes.” Was all he replied.

Tommy had to admit it was quite amusing to see the nervous shock in Gordon’s eyes.

“Um, you good at it…?”

Strange question, Tommy shrugged before he noticed a pigeon walking around on the floor.

“I c-c-can show y-you on that pigeon.”

Gordon’s nervous expression was replaced with one of confusion as he looked to see the pigeon that was indeed there.

“How did a pigeon get in here?” He asked Dr. Coomer and Bubby, but neither could provide an answer.

“So, y-you want me to kill i-it?” Tommy offered again. Gordon shook his head but before he could tell Tommy no he had already punched it so hard it broke its neck and it dropped dead on the ground. Gordon stared silently for a moment then back at Tommy.

“Okay uh, what about a gun? Should I give you a gun? Be easier then punching if we come across more of those… things.”

Tommy thought for a moment, it was a more tactical weapon for distanced kills without risking someone noticing his use of powers. As he was about to answer, Benrey started to sing sweet voice again, the balls of teal surrounding the pigeon in front of them.

“Uh, what are you doing?”

“They’re hungry.” Tommy answered for them as Benrey kept singing. “T-teal mean, mean n-needs meal.”

“Okay uh, anyway Tommy I dunno if you can use a gun or not. You seem to not be processing what I say to you.”

Tommy felt heat boil up inside him again, he can understand perfectly! It’s this- this mere human ball of arrogant flesh that can’t comprehend that he is perfectly capable of such things. A loud siren-like tune interrupted Tommy’s mini internal rage as Benrey promptly shot the pigeon, blood splattering all over the ground.

“Was that a threat to us? In any way?”

Benrey ignored Gordon’s question and moved over to join the circle.

“Barney?”

What? That’s not their name.

“Wha?”

“T-that’s not their name.”

Tommy’s glare could be felt on Gordon’s neck, he was about to correct himself but another pigeon became victim to Benrey’s gunfire as blood splattered onto both of them.

“The fuck man!?”

Gordon stood up and brushed the blood off vest he could and let out an annoyed sigh. Turning on his heel he stormed off alone down the hall. Benrey visibly tucked their head into their collar nervously.

“Did I- did I fuck up bro?”

They looked over at Tommy who scooted closer and took Benrey’s hand into his, reassuring them that they didn’t do anything wrong.

“Guess we got to go follow the bitching babyman before he does something stupid.” Bubby grumbled, he got up and followed the direction Gordon went, Benrey, Tommy and Dr Coomer got up and joined to follow.

Benrey’s hand wrapped around Tommy’s, giving it a comforting squeeze. Their touch helped ground him as they walked. This place made him nervous, the walls of the facility too high and narrow, like a tunnel.

“All good bro?” Benrey asked, their eyes stared up at Tommy, a hint of worry in them. But as always their adoration shone through just from looking at Tommy. It made his heart swell to see how much the smaller alien cared for him.

“Yes, e-e-everything is o-okay.” He promised, he felt the other press against him and purr softly. Soft warmth radiating off them both as their arms looped together.

“Uh, nothin’ gonna hurt us, yeah?”

Benrey’s eyes were hopeful, little sparkles in the bright yellow of their undamaged eye filled with aspiration to start a new life. Tommy would ensure they get it; they deserve it more than anything. There was a soft touch of Benrey’s clawed hand against his cheek, their gentle thumb tracing along the line of freckles on his face. Eyes fluttered close as the two stood together, the world became still in each other’s company. Tommy’s hand met Benrey’s as he held it against his face, his breathing shook as the tenderness was becoming overwhelming from how badly he needed it. Benrey always knew how to help him.

Benrey was everything to him.

“Where the fuck are you even going?”

Tommy and Benrey looked over to where Bubby was nagging Gordon about which direction they should go. It was a fucking tunnel, no other places to go. Benrey piped up and told the group to go ‘this way’ which was just forward, but someone had to give some sense of direction, right?

They found the end of the tunnel led to a ledge connected to the next route; Benrey peaked at the metal bridge which led to yet another high drop below.

“Don’t look good bro, got uh, lil connecters ain’t lookin’ so strong. Probably weak as shit.” They muttered, moving back to press against Tommy.

It also didn’t help that a portal opened, and an alien popped up out of nowhere and fell onto the ledge, breaking it as it tumbled to its death and destroying their initial path. Well, at least Benrey was right on that it wasn’t very stable. Tommy quickly pulled Benrey out of the line of fire of whatever the fuck the alien spewed out while Gordon frantically checked if everyone was okay.

“Yep just… um.” Benrey wasn’t too sure what to do now, the ledge was gone, and the humans can’t just float to the other side. Maybe there was something below?

“This way. Let’s go.”

Gordon paused and looked at Tommy, who just gave him a small shrug and followed Benrey.

Benrey and Bubby took a peak down the ledge. Minus the walkway below, the pit looked bottomless. Definite instant death if one was to fall in.

“Oh no, no, no, no.”

Bubby backed away in fright from the mere sight of the drop, Benrey instead staring down with a look of awe.

Gordon’s eyes widened when he saw the two near the ledge and panicked.

“No! No! Benrey that’s so far down, please get back!” The fear in Gordon’s voice was noticeable, he was properly scared for Benrey being hurt as Bubby had already started to step away. Tommy knew a fall like that wouldn’t do much damage as they could float, but the worry in Gordon’s voice was a bit endearing. He had already risked himself to remove the headcrab and now Gordon was worrying over another stranger’s safety. Humans were strange.

“Right here to the test chamber!” With that, Benrey hops off and falls.

Gordon ran to the ledge to look down with a gasp, Tommy watched him and listened to his panicked breathing as if he expected a dead body to be splattered on the ground below. Knowing Benrey would be fine, Tommy climbed up the pipes and walked along them, he looked down to see Benrey had got up and left in the direction of the next door.

“Are you okay!?” Gordon called out.

“Right this way.”

And Benrey was off on their way again. Gordon only stared in stunned silence. At least they were okay. But now how the fuck were they going to re-group?

“Gordon are you coming or not?”

Startled, Gordon looked up to the ledge where Bubby was.

“How the fuck did you make that jump?”

Tommy continued walking across the pipes to get across, he felt Gordon’s eyes rest onto him as he kept going.

“Oh, Tommy’s got the right idea!”

Tommy pretended to not hear that, but he did feel a little fuzzy at the sort of compliment. Now to get back to Benrey, wherever the fuck they have ran off to.

“Hello Gordon!”

“Hello… Dr Coomer…! Oh my god…”

While listening to Gordon’s voice tiring out of re-greeting Dr Coomer, Tommy kept his eye on Benrey now that they’ve found them. His hand was wrapped around Benrey’s as he didn’t want them running off again. The room was strange to say the least, most peculiar was the boxes suspended in the air, what was the purpose of that? Tommy and Benrey looked at the ledge below them and it was an even BIGGER drop.

“D-Do we have to do this?” They could both hear the fear in Gordon’s voice.

Benrey didn’t bother answering and slipped from Tommy’s grip to jump onto one of the hanging boxes. Not wanting to leave Benrey to disappear again, Tommy quickly jumped onto a box. He tried not to look down, it was a pretty big drop.

A loud scream was heard behind him and Tommy spun around too fast, thinking Gordon was falling to his death. No, the human had landed on a ledge. But his focus was broken and the swinging of the boxes threw him off balance.

“Tommy!” Benrey called out as Tommy slipped and failed to grab the ledge.

“TOMMY!” Gordon almost foolishly ran off the ledge in an attempt to grab him, Tommy let out a scream as he fell into the darkness, out of sight.

Hurt.

Everything hurt.

Tommy was curled up in the corner, hugging his tail and shaking from the unbearable new feeling coursing through his body. He looked down at the fabric around his arm, it was tinted red with liquid that was spilled from his arm. Why did they do that? It hurt so much.

The doors open at the usual feeding time, he should go show the nice giant what happened. Maybe it would try and fix the pain. Tommy got up and hurried towards the giant, little squeaks coming from his mouth as he tried to call them over, showing the bandage on his arm.

The attempts were in vain however. The giant ignored Tommy and simply shoved the bowls into his cell, soon exiting and Tommy was once again alone. And in pain. With a whimper tears started to trickle down Tommy’s cheeks, the sting of rejection stronger than before. What was wrong with him? What did he do to make the giants hurt him?

He couldn’t bring himself to eat, he wasn’t hungry at the moment. Pushing his food away, Tommy went back to his corner, curling up and closed his eyes. Hoping this nightmare will end soon.

Tommy snapped his eyes open and stopped just before slamming into the ground, his body glowed as he levitated himself to his feet. Luckily, he was too far down to be seen by anyone, though they probably thought he was dead now. Minus Benrey of course. But now that he was alone without humans watching him. He could phase through the wall and get back up to the ledges, hopefully without being seen.

The sound of the group’s voices helped guide him back. He managed to phase out of the wall behind a crate and climb over it with his thin frame.

“Tommy!” Benrey rushed over and hugged him tightly. Tommy quickly returned the hug, holding Benrey close to his body. His eyes trailed over to Gordon as he caught his breath, the adrenaline seeming to subside from his system and a tired smile grew on his face when he saw Tommy was okay.

“Tommy? How did you make it back up?”

Shit, he had to come up with a reason that wasn’t ‘I went into the wall and came up through the wall.’

“It’s, like a big slide! I just uh… I-I l-looped around and c-came back up.”

That was totally believable, right?

“Um… sure, sure.”

That didn’t sound like he was convinced, but it’ll have to do.

Benrey’s ears twitched under the helmet, the elevator noises were rather annoying. They fiddled nervously with their vest as the others waited. Bubby looked over to Benrey and gave them a pat on the back, they looked over and gave him a smile but it soon faltered back to a frown.

Bubby turned over to Tommy and grabbed his sleeve, Tommy flinched back with a glare but noticed Benrey gripping at their sleeve. Their eyes wide and darting around the elevator. Dr Coomer and Bubby walked around to Gordon, his back turned to Benrey and Tommy luckily as Tommy held them close, feeling their body shivering.

“H-Hey, what’s w-w-wrong.” Tommy whispered into Benrey’s ear, the smaller alien buried their face into his chest, skin turning a deeper shade of blue as they sniffled.

“What’s going on?” Gordon asked, before he could turn around Bubby pulled out his gun, pointing it at Gordon. Tommy’s eyes darted to the sight, watching Bubby try to distract Gordon while he attempted to quickly soothe Benrey. Gordon may know Benrey isn’t human, but he’s seen the cruelty that comes out of humans when they face Benrey’s body morphs, the last thing they need is someone making them feel worse for being upset. Tommy could feel their skin stretch as more eyes popped up, he looed down and saw two sets of faces warp out as they shook in his hold.

“Shh shh, y-y-you’re okay, i-it’s okay…”

“Can you, not point your gun at me?” Gordon asked, it was at least keeping him occupied.

Benrey’s claws grew as they clung to Tommy, his own hands soothingly stroked Benrey’s back.

“W-w-we’ll be out soon… I p-promise…”

“Don’t… don’t like the… the, the moving boxes… Never w-went to good places.” Benrey muttered under their breath, Tommy’s hold around Benrey tightened, his eyes flashed for a second of gold.

“N-No, we’re not, no going there…” He reassured, Benrey started to calm down.

“Could you not point that at me!?” Gordon repeated, Bubby kept a stern blank face at the man.

“I’m not pointing it at you, I’m just, indicating that I have a gun.”

Bubby looked over to Benrey and Tommy, the morphing seemed to be nearing its end.

“and you should continue looking at me.”

“This seems like a weird threat…”

Tommy focused back onto Benrey, he moved the helmet up and ran his fingers through Benrey’s hair. It was a quick soothing spot for them, closing their eyes they started to purr. Their skin returned to a pale blue and the warping stopped. Tears were still running down their face but that was okay, Tommy softly kissed them away.

“Want off…”

“I-I know, we’ll, we’ll be off here s-s-soon. Sooner then uh, then a slice of cheese m-melting in a fire.”

Benrey chuckled at Tommy’s words, they sniffed and wiped their tears as the elevator dinged when they reached the wanted floor. At least that was finally over.

“Another soda spiller!”

“What the fuck did you just call it?” Gordon asked, Benrey looked at him and repeated ‘soda spiller’. Before he could question that any further, he could see a ‘rope’ hanging from a gap in the ceiling. He peaked above and shot the barnacle, its guts spilling onto the floor.

“Alright time for more soda!”

Gordon smashed the vending machine and the drinks spilled out of it, the gang hurrying past him to engulf in the drinks, making ungodly slurping sounds once again. Benrey noticed a little bug crawling on the machine and picked it up, they inspected it for a minute then tossed it into their mouth with a loud crunch.

“Ew no don’t eat the spiders!” Gordon yelled, Benrey ignored him and kept crunching it much to Gordon’s disgust. Tommy picked up a few extra cans and walked over to Benrey, the two sat down on a table and drank at their soda. The cafeteria was… interesting, one of the few rooms that he doesn’t remember entirely despising. It had a few nice smells to go with it but now it was mixed with destruction and alien guts, though it wasn’t like the original was something to praise at. Benrey pulled out a packet of crisps that they snagged from the broken machine, munching on it and leaning against Tommy’s arm. He felt Benrey’s hand wrap around his own, it felt nice as always. Fingers intertwined as Tommy rested his head on top of Benrey’s helmet, closing his eyes.

“Tommy?”

Tommy looked over to the cell bars, recognising that this sound is directed towards him. Though he does not want to go towards them. Last time he did it ended in pain; he didn’t want to feel that again.

“C’mon boy, over here.”

The giant knelt down and held its hand out, offering its touch. Tommy eyed the hand suspiciously, what if it takes him to another place of pain? But in the giant’s hand was something, new? Tommy curiously walked over and sniffed at the object; it was wonderful. It smelt like something he could give a try. Nothing like the garbage he was eating before. He snatched up the object and bit it, it crumbled in his mouth and provided a jolt of pleasant taste in his mouth.

“You like the cookie, Tommy?”

Cookie. Is that what this thing was? Tommy looked up at the giant, crumbs on his mouth.

“Cookie?” the giant repeated. Tommy stared up at it and kept biting at the… ‘cookie’.

The giant held out its hand again and now Tommy took its hand, being led out of the room and given another cookie.

Tommy cried in the corner; he was fooled again. The pain surged through his leg as he shivered. What did he do so wrong to make them so angry to hurt him?

Tommy shivered as fresh tears fell from his cheeks.

Please make it stop.

Please make them stop.

Please take the pain away.

Please.

“Please stop running into those!!”

Tommy jolted from his thoughts; Bubby fell to the ground coughing horribly as Gordon shot at a barnacle which had attempted to eat him. He watched Gordon rush to Bubby’s side and attempt to clean off the gunk off the grumpy old man’s clothes. Tommy chuckled quietly as he watched Gordon chase after Bubby.

“Look Gordon! A rope!”

Benrey tapped Tommy’s arm and pointed up as Dr Coomer was swooped up by a ‘rope’.

“HELP ME GORDON!”

“STOP RUNNING INTO-THEY’RE NOT ROPES!!” Gordon cried out, his gun made quick work of the alien and Dr Coomer dropped down as if nothing had happened.

“Look, Gordon, a rope!” he repeated.

“You guys are fucking scientists!! Use your reasoning!?”

Tommy could hear the frustration growing in his tone. His heart sped up as he watched the human’s face grow red with anger, like he’s close to snapping. Tommy squeezed Benrey’s hand, he could handle it easy. But seeing a scientist get mad never ended well.

Benrey noticed Tommy’s discomfort and stood up, gently tugging him away while Gordon continued his snapping match.

Benrey and Tommy found a hallway to themselves, though it probably wouldn’t be long before the others caught up again but, in the moment, they could be alone quietly. Another flock of birds cooed in their presence, flapping their wings and moving out of their way.

“A-a-are you okay? Y-you were rather upset earlier.” Tommy asked, his hand still in Benrey’s.

“Yeah bro I’m uh, all good now, just dumb head sights ya know?”

Tommy could see Benrey was still bothered by it, he wished he could make it all better. That now they were finally out the pain will instantly leave. But it seemed that was not how the world worked unfortunately. The pair were still suffering, Benrey was still dealing with random episodes that freak them out. It wasn’t fair.

Tommy looked at Benrey’s eyes, at least one thing he knew would always be okay is how Benrey made him feel, he pulled them closer and gave Benrey a soft kiss on the lips. Benrey smiled against him and stared into his eyes when they pulled away. Tommy took Benrey’s face into his hands, thumbs stroking across their cheeks. He needed to ensure they were there with him, that they knew he was there for them. Benrey closed their eyes as Tommy traced a line over one of Benrey’s scars on their lips, he placed a gentle kiss upon it.

“God there’s so many birds!”

Tommy and Benrey jumped away from each other in surprise as Gordon climbed down to the room they were in; the moment was nice while it lasted.

“Did we have like uh, like a bank of birds in black mesa?” Gordon asked, looking towards Tommy and Benrey. Bubby muttered ‘what the hell?’ while the other two shrugged.

“Are these like, test animals?”

It was a perfectly fine question to ask, he’s probably right as well. But Tommy felt his heart stop for a moment at the mention of tests despite them not being directed towards him.

“W-w-where you c-c-conducting experiments? Ma-maybe they got loose.”

Tommy looked down at the birds, Bubby and Benrey making quick work of shooting them dead.

“What? No, I didn’t know about any of this.” Gordon replied, he stood by Tommy watching the bloodbath in front of him.

“Were you in the bird division doing any bird tests?”

“NO!”

The NERVE of that Freeman! Even considering that he would ever do such a thing, death was one thing. But the life of experiments!?

Gordon could see the anger in Tommy’s eyes and backed away.

“Then what are they doing here?”

“I don’t know.”

The gunshots finally got to Gordon as he snapped. “Why are you killing them!? They’re just birds!”

Benrey stopped firing for a moment and looked over to Gordon, Dr Coomer inspected the carnage and spoke up.

“We could cook and eat these for food, Gordon!”

“Right so we’re going to eat them? That’s the only acceptable excuse for this!”

“They shouldn’t be here.” Benrey interrupted and went back to their shooting.

“Didn’ let them in.”

Tommy watched the last bird fall to the ground in blood, Gordon’s face still stunned in horror.

“Right this way.” Benrey said as they moved down the hallway.

Gordon let out a yell of terror, Tommy looked down where Gordon fell, and the turret was firing at him. That was a rather valid reason to be screaming. Benrey grabbed Tommy’s hand and jumped down behind a crate, Gordon already seeking shelter at the next point while it kept firing.

“Tommy it can shoot through the boxes!” Gordon warned. A headcrab pounced at him but he quickly shot it before it landed.

“Wha?” The turret shot through and hit Benrey’s arm, they let out a hiss of pain.

“B-Benrey!”

Tommy picked Benrey up and bolted, Gordon screaming at him to get to cover fast as Tommy slid down to where Gordon was, the torrent finally halting its fires.

“Is he okay!?” Gordon asked, Tommy leaned back against the wall and sat down, holding Benrey’s bleeding arm.

“Is all good bro, will uh, be healed up in-ow fuck, no time!” Benrey reassured, Tommy letting out a sigh of relief. Dr Coomer and Bubby in the meantime managed to disable the turret, leaving it safe when Benrey got up and looked around the corner.

“Has it stopped?” Gordon asked, Tommy walked out to see Dr Coomer and Bubby there unharmed.

“I-It can’t hurt you, if you’re s-s-smart.” Tommy said, smiling.

“T-that’s why we’re a-all scientists.”

Gordon let out a little laugh and walked over to Tommy with a pity smile on his face. Excuse him?

“Buddy, buddy, that’s not how it works.” Gordon got uncomfortably close to Tommy and placed his hand on his cheek. Tommy’s eyes widened as he whacked Gordon away.

“D-Don’t touch m-me!!” He yelled, turning a heel and storming off. Tommy walked a fair way ahead of the group, why did he touch his face!? Did he think he was going to let Gordon that close to possibly harm him? He’s not stupid.

But also…

Tommy reached up and touched the cheek Gordon had his hand on. It… was closer to how Benrey touched them then how other scientists touched him. While it was uncalled for, he was slow and the touch was placed almost carefully. He felt his face heat up and he shook. This wasn’t the time.

His hand rested on his belt and felt the outline of his gun, he pulled it up and cocked it. It felt weird at first, pointing it to how he saw the guards do so with one hand. Finger on the trigger.

Footsteps approached as the rest of the team caught up with him, Gordon’s eyes widening as he noticed the gun in Tommy’s hold.

“Right uh, you ready to test that thing?” He asked. And Tommy pulled the trigger.

“Dude!?”

Gordon stepped away and Tommy’s own eyes were now wide, he didn’t mean to fire it!

“Um, y-yeah.”

Though it did feel rather fun. He pointed it up, away from Gordon and fired again.

“No, no, no! You don’t just shoot it when there’s people around.”

He gestured to Dr Coomer and Bubby who were below the ceiling which Tommy shot at.

“That w-was test.” Tommy replied, the two locking eyes now.

“You don’t need to test a gun, okay?”

“Y-y-you d-don’t need t-to tell me w-what to do!”

Gordon’s frustration grew as he stepped forward, only for another gunshot to be heard and a dent appear in the suit. The two looking towards Bubby who was aiming the gun at Gordon.

“Seriously!?”

“… Sorry my bad.”

“H-How’s the arm?” Tommy asked Benrey, they looked down at the hole in their shirt but the wound itself was near gone, mostly a scar.

“Pretty good bro.”

Tommy smiled and kissed Benrey on the head.

“Oh my god another guard, thank fuck.”

Benrey looked up to see Gordon talking to a guard, dread sank down their stomach but luckily Dr Coomer gave it a good punch in the leg.

Oh, oh shit now he’s shooting at Gordon!

Benrey whipped up their gun and shot the guard in the face, he fell to the ground. Headshot!

“Why would you do that?!” Gordon snapped.

What? Benrey raised a confused eyebrow, they, they saved him? Why was he so upset?

“Assume if we threaten anyone! They’ll assume we are a threat!” He continued yelling. Tommy moved in front of Benrey with a death glare to Gordon, silencing him without a word. He looked at Benrey who was behind Tommy, the look in their eyes hurt and confused with a few blue orbs floating from their mouth.

“I… Just, god please stop killing people…?”

Tommy shook his head. “No.”

Gordon gulped quietly as all four of them stood before him, almost against him. Tommy could see confusion and fear in Gordon’s eyes.

“Don’t hurt him.” Benrey piped up, to Gordon’s surprise. Tommy’s eyes softened as he looked at Benrey. Then back at Gordon.

“L-Lets go.”

Sounds of gurgled grunting caught Tommy’s attention, breaking away from the group he spotted a few more aliens. Nothing he hasn’t fought before. He looked at his gun.

But now…

Tommy took out the gun and lined up his finger with the trigger, the alien spotted him and charged forward only to be repeatedly shot with bullets, Tommy firing at increased speed, covering the alien in bloody holes.

“Tommy going ham!” Gordon cheered, Tommy didn’t stop shooting and felt his body fuel with adrenaline at Gordon’s encouragement. The alien attempted to run but Tommy watched it drop to the ground as its body couldn’t handle anymore bullets.

“Go off Tommy!”

Tommy pointed his fun up and fired at the barnacle, finger still pressing the trigger fast.

“Holy shit you got a trigger finger.”

He went into the room the alien tried to escape into, Bubby following behind. Not much seemed to be in there.

“Tommy you said you’ve never held a gun before!”

Tommy looked over to Gordon, uniform splattered with blood.

“Th-This is all instinct, Me Freeman!” He replied.

“Instinct?”

Tommy nodded.

“I-I, I’ve d-done stuff l-like this a lot b-b-before. Just not with a g-gun.” He explained.

“Oh, uh, okay um… You’re good at it.”

“… Th-Thanks.”

The two stood there in silence for a moment, Tommy’s eyes refusing to meet Gordon’s.

First to break the tension was Tommy walking out the room, Gordon watched and saw the man had once again gone to Benrey. It was probably best to keep moving anyway.

The days went by, too many to count despite the tallies littering Tommy’s cell room.

The cell door opened but Tommy didn’t come to the giants, they were not happy when he refused to come over the other times, the purple and dirty yellow marks on his skin aren’t from the pain rooms. They were from the giants when he did something that made them angry, not coming over made them angry. But why would he come near? They keep taking him to bad places.

“It’s time to go.”

He did not go towards the voice. He didn’t grant a glance over to them, simply stared into the corner of the room.

“Do you want another cookie?”

No. No he does not want to go near that ‘cookie’. Every time he was given a cookie it ended in pain. Every time he went near the giant’s and left the cell only ended in pain. Tommy hugged himself tighter, covering his face as he heard the footsteps get closer. Readying himself for the pain that is soon to come.

“Tommy? Come here, now.” The giant demanded. Still meeting refusal, he could hear the frustration grow.

“I will not tell you again.”

Then don’t.

Get it over with.

“Yo! It’s the soda!” Benrey called out, Tommy shook his head a little and looked onward at the red light of another machine, rushing over with them to the soda giver.

“Oh, hell yeah, you guys want some more soda!?”

Gordon aimed his gun and shot the machines, the soda spilling out once again as the team flocked around with greedy mouths. Gordon chuckled at them all and took care of the aliens around the corner.

Tommy came up behind Gordon.

“M-Mr Freeman?”

Gordon jumped a little and looked towards Tommy. He put a can of soda into Gordon’s hand.

“B-Benrey said y-y-you need to h-have some soda.”

He looked at the can, a Sprite tm can. He was pretty thirsty… Gordon popped open the can and took a refreshing sip, he noticed Tommy still standing there.

“Oh uh, thank you, and Benrey. Um.”

Tommy stayed silent.

“Listen I uh…” He looked to the others who were busy slurping the soda still. “I’m really sorry, again. For upsetting you and Benrey earlier. It’s, it’s all very overwhelming.”

Tommy looked at him, listening.

“And murder is just, it’s just something most humans don’t go wanting or having to see. But I also shouldn’t have touched your face without asking. I also don’t really like people doing that.”

Tommy felt his chest ache as Gordon talked. This human was going to be the death of him somehow, it was just unclear as to how he would do so.

“It’s, it is r-r-rather, stressful. Th-The situation I-I mean.” Tommy admitted, taking a sip of his own soda.

“Yeah…”

“Yo bro, got the lil science boy to drink something? Get that nutrients?” Benrey barged in, they gulped down a soda, swallowing loudly. It made Gordon laugh at least.

“Yeah, I’m drinking the soda, thank you.”

Benrey grinned and let out some yellow sweet voice. “Niiice.”

Gordon smiled wider at the two, Tommy let a small curve slip before ensuring he was back to a stern look. It was good enough to make Gordon appear more relaxed at least.

“Are you mother fuckers going to hurry up or what?!” Bubby yelled, the three looked over to see Dr Coomer and Bubby were already at the next room. How the? They were just drinking the soda only a second ago!

Oh well.

“’M tiiiired.” Benrey announced, promptly dropping onto the cold floor and staying there. Looks like they were resting for a bit then. Tommy sat beside Benrey and pulled them onto his lap, Gordon sat down in front of Tommy while Dr Coomer and Bubby sat together.

Benrey moved their head to rest on Tommy’s chest, yawning with sharp teeth showing. Gordon’s heart skipped a beat at seeing them snuggled up like that, and the soft hold Tommy had around them.

“So, what about your guy’s lives? Got any family Dr Coomer?” Gordon asked.

“Well, I did have a wife, but they took her in the divorce!” He replied, still smiling wide as if he didn’t just say something that’d raise an eyebrow.

“They took your wife in the divorce?”

“Hello, Gordon! Yes.”

“What the, what do you mean TOOK your wife?!”

“Now Gordon I believe it is rude to press on personal matters!”

He did have a point…

“Yeah, shut the fuck up, Gordon.”

Bubby put it a lot less nicely, but Gordon couldn’t help but chuckle at the old man’s bluntness. He turned to Tommy, who was still protectively holding a near asleep Benrey.

“How about you Tommy?”

“Hm?”

“Got any family, like where are you from?”

Tommy sat there in silence for a moment.

“I… I d-don’t know I’m an o-orphan.” He replied. Gordon’s face changed to one of sadness but didn’t say anything. Benrey opened their eyes for a moment to quickly shoot the pigeon walking closer, no one can take Benrey’s cuddle spot.

“B-But I have a dog!”

“Oh really? What’s your dog’s name?”

Tommy stared at Gordon for a moment yet again, his head saying the words but he couldn’t quite get it out…

“S-sunkist.”

There we go.

“You, named your dog after soda?”

“I-It’s a good n-n-name for the p-perfect dog.”

Gordon kept giggling. “You really like soda, don’t you?”

Wasn’t it obvious? Tommy rolled his eyes.

“Yeah.”

Tommy looked back down at Benrey; their face squished against his chest. He brushed some hair out of their face and looked back up at Gordon.

“So um, what about Benrey?”

Tommy’s eyes flicked down to the ground; his arms pressed them closer to himself.

“Isn’t v-very n-nice. Th-that’s for B-Benrey to t-t-tell you.” Tommy replied.

“Yeah, that’s probably best. He looks so tired…”

“I-It’s been a l-long day…”

Gordon nodded and rested against the wall, Tommy looking away to rest with Benrey.

The room was quiet, Tommy’s eyes wandered at the group settling down to rest. What was life going to be like when they escaped? He’s waited for this day for so long and it’s so close to his reach.

And he hadn’t a single clue what he was going to do with that freedom. The sound of Benrey’s breathing reminded him of who else was holding out on this hope, and he promised that Benrey would see the day of freedom. He has to, he can’t let Benrey down.

Not like his ‘family’ did, whoever they are. If he even had one. There was no point in bothering about whoever they are, they abandoned Tommy. They do not deserve a place in his thoughts. His eyes gazed on to Gordon, he knew what life is like outside… Maybe if things go well he can assist him and Benrey. Maybe...

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fearsmagazine · 3 years

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VARÈSE SARABANDE RECORDS Announces RECORD STORE DAY 2021 Releases.

Varèse Sarabande Records will be releasing seven amazing soundtrack LPs on Record Store Day 2021’s newly announced release dates: The Matrix will be released as a deluxe 3-LP set, Village of the Damned will be released as a deluxe-edition double LP, The Iron Giant and The Goonies will get the picture disc treatment, and Shrek, Ghosts of Mars, and Aliens will be released as limited-edition color LPs. This annual celebration will be held through a series of Record Store Day drops, which will occur on June 12th and July 17th.

These seven Varèse Sarabande Records titles will be available on the dates listed below at thousands of independent record stores. For a list of participating stores and more information about these special LPs, visit RecordStoreDay.com.

*JUNE 12th: The Matrix, The Goonies, Village of the Damned, Shrek *JULY 17th: The Iron Giant, Ghosts of Mars, Aliens

THE MATRIX: The Complete Edition – Don Davis (3-LP Set) – *RELEASE DATE: JUNE 12th* The science-fiction masterpiece has captured the imagination of another generation with news of a new Matrix film in production. This deluxe 3-LP set is pressed on Glitter-Infused Green vinyl, expanded to 44 tracks, and housed in a stunning new art design. Also included are classic film stills and an exclusive new interview with composer Don Davis.

TRACK LISTINGS

Side A 1. “Logos / The Matrix Main Title” 2. “Trinity Infinity” 3. “Neo Con Brio” 4. “Follow The White Rabbit” 5. “Neo On The Edge” 6. “Through The Surveillance Monitor” 7. “Unable To Speak” 8. “Bait And Switch”

Side B 1. “Switched For Life” 2. “Switched At Birth” 3. “Switches Brew” 4. “Cold Hearted Switch” 5. “Nascent Nauseous Neo” 6. “A Morpheus Movement” 7. “Bow Whisk Orchestra”

Side C 1. “Domo Showdown” 2. “Switch Or Break Show” 3. “Shake, Borrow, Switch” 4. “Switch Works Her Boa” 5. “Bring Me Dinner” 6. “The System” 7. “Freeze Face” 8. “Switch Woks Her Boar” 9. “Cypher Cybernetic” 10. “Ignorance Is Bliss / Cyber Cyphernetic” 11. “See Who?” 12. “Switch Out”

Side D 1. “Boon Spy” 3. “Oracle Cookies” 4. “Threat Mix” 5. “Exit Mr. Hat” 6. “On Your Knees, Switch”

Side E 1. “Mix The Art” 2. “Whoa, Switch Brokers” 3. “The Cure” 4. “It’s The Smell” 5. “The Lobby” 6. “No More Spoons” 7. “Dodge This” 8. “Fast Learning” 9. “Ontological Shock”

Side F 1. “That’s Gotta Hurt” 2. “Surprise” 3. “He’s The One Alright”

THE GOONIES – David Grusin (Picture Disc) – *RELEASE DATE: JUNE 12TH* In celebration of the 35th anniversary of The Goonies, the beloved soundtrack by Dave Grusin will be released on an LP picture disc for the first time ever! The special release features the album cover on side A and the infamous One-Eyed Willie on side B. The track listing to this abbreviated single-disc version of the original score was personally selected and assembled by Grusin himself.

TRACK LISTINGS

Side A 1. “Fratelli Chase” 2. “Cellar And Sloth” 3. “The Goondocks (Goonies Theme)” 4. “The ‘It,’ Fifty Dollar Bills And A Stiff” 5. “Pee Break And Kissing Tunnel” 6. “Skull And Signature” 7. “Plumbing” 8. “Restaurant Trash” 9. “Boulders, Bats And A Blender”

Side B 1. “They’re Here And Skull Cave Chase” 2. “Playing The Bones” 3. “Mikey’s Vision” 4. “Triple Stones And A Ball” 5. “Wishing Well And The Fratellis Find Coin” 6. “Mama & Sloth” 7. “One Eyed Willie” 8. “No Firme And Pirate Ship”

VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED: The Deluxe Edition – John Carpenter & Dave Davies (2-LP Set) – *RELEASE DATE: JUNE 12TH* The Deluxe Edition for Village of the Damned presents the full score as heard in the film for the first time, a far more complete presentation than the 1995 Original Soundtrack which was not only truncated but made of an entirely separate mix that wasn’t featured in the film. The set does, however, include the track “Midwich Shuffle,” a fun number which was created specifically for the 1995 soundtrack, despite never actually appearing in the film. Interest in John Carpenter’s original film scores has never been higher, and his collaboration with Dave Davies of the Kinks is a one-of-a-kind moment in cinematic music history. The album includes all-new original art direction with new notes and classic film stills and comes pressed on Orange Haze vinyl.

TRACK LISTINGS

Side A 1. “Angel Of Death / Midwich Sleeps / Daybreak” 2. “The Fair (Extended Version)” 3. “Gas Station / Asleep” 4. “Awaken / The Funeral” 5. “Welcome Home, Ben (Extended Version)” 6. “Big Meeting / The Decision” 7. “The Same Dream”

Side B 1. “Baptism (Extended Version)” 2. “Baby Mara” 3. “Children’s Theme / Dilemma” 4. “The Parents Arrive” 5. “Children’s Carol (Instrumental)”

Side C 1. “Loss / Carol Of The Damned” 2. “Carlton” 3. “Ben’s Death / Ultimatum” 4. “Burning Desire (Extended Version)”

Side D 1. “Last Kiss / The Bomb” 2. “The Brick Wall (Extended Version)” 3. “March Of The Children (End Credits)” 4. “Midwich Shuffle”

SHREK – Harry Gregson-Williams & John Powell (Limited-Edition Color LP) – *RELEASE DATE: JUNE 12TH* Shrek is the second most successful animated franchise in history and celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2021. Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell are two of the most prominent composers working on animated features today, and they joined forces to create a score that is still as fun and memorable as it was when it was first released. The LP will be released on Neon Green vinyl, making it a standout addition to any record lover’s collection.

TRACK LISTINGS

Side A 1. “Fairytale” 2. “Ogre Hunters / Fairytale Deathcamp” 3. “Donkey Meets Shrek” 4. “Eating Alone” 5. “Uninvited Guests” 6. “March Of Farquuad” 7. “The Perfect King” 8. “Welcome To Duloc” 9. “Tournament Speech” 10. “What Kind Of Quest” 11. “Dragon! / Fiona Awakens” 12. “One Of A Kind Knight” 13. “Saving Donkey’s Ass” 14. “Escape From The Dragon”

Side B 1. “Helmet Hair” 2. “Delivery Boy / Shrek / Making Camp” 3. “Friends Journey To Duloc” 4. “Starry Night” 5. “Singing Princess” 6. “Better Out Than In / Sunflower / I’ll Tell Him” 7. “Merry Men” 8. “Fiona Kicks Ass” 9. “Fiona’s Secret” 10. “Why Wait To Be Wed / You Thought Wrong” 11. “Ride The Dragon” 12. “I Object” 13. “Transformation / The End”

THE IRON GIANT – Michael Kamen (Picture Disc) – *RELEASE DATE: JULY 17TH* This first-ever picture disc of this heartwarming 1999 animated film celebrates The Robot, his best friend, Hogarth, and a cast of characters. The music is by Academy Award®-nominated composer Michael Kamen (Lethal Weapon, Die Hard), who was well-known for his work with Eric Clapton, Metallica and Pink Floyd, in addition to his brilliant theatrical scores.

TRACK LISTINGS

Side A 1. “The Eye Of The Storm” 2. “Hogarth Hughes” 3. “Into The Forest” 4. “The Giant Wakes” 5. “Come And Get It” 6. “Cat And Mouse” 7. “Train Wreck” 8. “You Can Fix Yourself?” 9. “Hand Underfoot” 10. “Bedtime Stories” 11. “We Gotta Hide” 12. “His Name Is Dean” 13. “Eating Art” 14. “Space Car” 15. “Souls Don’t Die”

Side B 1. “Contest Of Wills” 2. “The Army Arrives” 3. “Annie And Dean” 4. “He’s A Weapon” 5. “The Giant Discovered” 6. “Trance-Former” 7. “No Following” 8. “The Last Giant Piece”

GHOSTS OF MARS – John Carpenter (Limited-Edition Color LP) – *RELEASE DATE: JULY 17TH* In celebration of Ghosts of Mars’ 20th anniversary, the epic soundtrack will be released on “Red Planet” vinyl. John Carpenter recruited an unbelievable cast of musicians to record the soundtrack to this sci-fi horror film, starring Ice Cube and Natasha Henstridge. Among the featured players are GRAMMY®-winning musician Steve Vai, most of the heavy metal band Anthrax (including Scott Ian), Elliot Eason of the rock band The Cars, Buckethead of Guns N’ Roses, and Robin Finck of Nine Inch Nails and Guns N’ Roses. This soundtrack is apocalyptic and an important mark in John Carpenter’s unparalleled career as a director and composer.

TRACK LISTINGS

Side A 1. “Ghosts Of Mars” 2. “Love Siege” 3. “Fight Train” 4. “Visions Of Earth” 5. “Kick Ass”

Side B 1. “Slashing Void” 2. “Power Station” 3. “Can't Let You Go” 4. “Dismemberment Blues” 5. “Fightin’ Mad” 6. “Pam Grier’s Head” 7. “Ghost Poppin’”

ALIENS: 35th Anniversary Edition – James Horner (Limited-Edition Color LP) – *RELEASE DATE: JULY 17TH* Aliens is regarded as one of the greatest science fiction franchises of all-time. In honor of its 35th anniversary, the long out-of-print original soundtrack gets a fresh reboot on Acid-Blood Yellow-Green vinyl. The soundtrack is scored by the great Academy Award®-winning composer James Horner (Titanic, Avatar, Beautiful Mind). The LP features the original Sigourney Weaver key art and original film stills.

TRACK LISTINGS

Side A 1. “Main Title” 2. “Going After Newt” 3. “Sub-Level 3” 4. “Ripley’s Rescue” 5. “Atmosphere Station”

Side B 1. “Futile Escape” 2. “Dark Discovery” 3. “Bishop’s Countdown” 4. “Resolution And Hyperspace”

ABOUT VARÈSE SARABANDE RECORDS

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underoosweb · 5 years

Text

Salvation Ch.7

WARNING: ANGST, FLUFF

5.6k words

Tags are open

PAIRING: Tony Stark x Stark!reader, Pepper x Stark!reader, Morgan x reader, Peter Parker x Stark!reader (eventually)

Everybody tried to move on with their lives. Peter went back to school, Clint went back to his family, T'challa went back to Wakanda. Everyone was broken but they tried their best.

“Hey Pepper.”

“Hi, Sweetie.”

“Can’t sleep?”

“No, you?” Y/N sighed

“Nope. How’s Morgan?” She asked while sitting on the couch across from Pepper.

“She’s doing good, I don’t think she fully understands yet but in time she will.” Y/N nodded

“How are you doing?”

“Me? Well you know, feeling weird. Everyone who survived aged 5 years and the rest of us are the same age.”

“How are you doing with Morgan?”

“I’m shocked she even knew about me. She really is a good kid. It feels weird though being called a big sister.” Pepper laughed

“Of course she knows about you. Your dad used to tell her stories about you. Morgan always wanted to meet her big sister. Turned out he was right, he was always right. ”

“Yeah, that sounds like dad.” Y/N smiled

“I miss him, Pepper…”

“I miss him too..”

“The funerals tomorrow right?” Pepper nodded

“Is…is it ok if I sleep with you tonight?” Pepper smiled, she was suddenly reminded of the small 6-year-old girl who would never leave her side or her stuffed aliens. Y/N was holding Stitch again, it was as if it were her comfort blanket.

“Sure, come on.”

Y/N woke up to the sun shining on her face and birds chirping, she groaned completely annoyed. She heard a little giggle. Y/N opened up one eye to see Morgan staring at her.

“Good morning Y/N.”

“Morning Morgan” Y/N muffled out

“Mama said to come and wake you. She said guests are coming in 2 hours.” Y/N sighed

“Thank you, Morgan.” The girl nodded and made her way back to her mom. Y/N stood and made her way towards the bathroom, she didn’t bother to look at the reflection she already knew what she looked like. She jumped into the shower and just stood there until the water turned cold. She shivered, wrapping the towel around her body, she entered her bedroom and changed. She changed into a red and gold dress. She combed her hair, grabbed her Stitch and made her way downstairs. Everyone was in black, where she grew up people always wore colors to funerals never black. It was a way to celebrate their lives, Pepper turned towards Y/N and smiled.

“I made breakfast, eat something.”

“Thank you, Pepper.”

“Y/N why do you call mama Pepper?”

“That’s her name, Morgan.” Y/N said while munching on a pancake

“Do I call mama Pepper too?”

“Nope, you call her mama.” Morgan’s eyebrows furrowed

“I have a different mama, so I call your mama by her name.”

“A different mama?”

“Yes.”

“How come she doesn’t live with us?”

“She went to a faraway place when I was your age.”

Morgan nodded seeming to understand. Y/N snuggled her Stitch tighter against her. Happy made his entrance.

“Little Stark.” Y/N smiled and hugged Happy

“I don’t think I’m the little stark anymore Happy.”

“Hey to me you’ll always be little Stark.” Y/N smiled

“Hey, squirt.” Morgan smiled and ran to Happy

“Uncle Happy.” Happy picked her up and took Morgan to the couch. Y/N sat back down on the stool, munching away on her pancake, she heard the door open once again, only this time it was Peter. Y/N hadn’t seen Peter since that day and god did she miss him. Peter stood there and stared at Y/N, she looked beautiful as always, to Peter she always looked beautiful, in a simple red and gold dress, her hair combed back, her e/c eyes twinkle. His heart began to race, Y/N could feel her heart racing.

“Hey…”

“Hey…” The two just stared at each other not knowing what to do. Y/N stood from the stool and Peter moved, he never moved so fast. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she wrapped hers around his neck. Peter could feel the hot tears wet his shirt but he didn’t care. She used his favorite perfume, she always smelled like f/s.

“I missed you.” He heard her say

“I missed you too.” Peter slightly stood on his tippy toes and kissed the top of her head. Y/N pulled away from Peter and gave him a small smile.

“Y/N it’s time.” She looked at Pepper and back at Peter. Peter gave her hands a squeeze and started to make his way back to the yard

“Actually Peter, stay.”

Peter looked at Pepper

“Are you sure?” Pepper nodded

Y/N grabbed his hand, Stitch in the other and they sat next to each other on the couch, Rhodey stood behind the couch and Happy sat on the other side of Peter. Morgan wrapped her arm around her older sister’s arm. Y/N smiled at her and Pepper turned the iron helmet on, Pepper sat next to her youngest and a hologram of Tony appeared.

“Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn’t always roll that way. Maybe this time. I’m hoping that if you play this back, it’s in celebration. I hope families are reunited, I’m hoping we get it back and something like a normal version that the planet has been restored, if there ever was such a thing. God what a world. Universe now. If you told me 10 years ago that we weren’t alone, let alone, you know to this extent. I mean I-I wouldn’t have been surprised but come on. You know the epic forces of darkness and light that have come into play and for better or worse that’s the reality that Morgan and Y/N are going to have to find a way to grow up in. So I thought I better recited a little greeting in case of an untimely death on my part. I mean not that death at any time isn’t untimely. This time travel thing that we’re trying to pull off tomorrow, it’s got me scratching my head at the survivability of it all, that’s the thing. Then again that’s the hero game, part of the journey is the end. What am I even tripping for? Everything is going to work out exactly the way it’s supposed to. Hey bug,”

Y/N looked into the eyes of her dad.

“I really do hope this works, after I found out what happened to you, I couldn't… I couldn’t go on. I felt, no, I did, I broke my promise to you, that I wouldn’t let you get hurt and I failed, you’re gone. God I miss your smile, it reminds me so much of your mother, I never really told you much about us, I was young and in love, but… I got scared and ran away from her. Her nickname was sunshine because her smile could light up a whole room, it lit up my world at one time,”

Y/N let the tears fall and she smiled.

“I wanted to call you that but I feel like someone else is meant to call you that.” Tony chuckled and looked to his side right where Peter was sitting. Peter blushed and Y/N looked at her dad confused. Everyone in that room knew the two liked each other but they chose not to interfere.

“When you came into my life, I’ll admit I wasn’t happy, I got used to my lifestyle that I thought a kid was going to ruin it, but you…you are one of my greatest gifts. I love you. Forever and always.” Tony and Y/N smiled.

“Hey, kid. I know you’re going to be here too. I want to tell you things but in private, so if I see you remember what I said to you. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you as well. You are like a son to me, I’ll get you back. I promise. Kid, I love you.” Peter choked back a sob and looked down at his and Y/N’s intertwined hands.

“Morgan, you are one of my greatest gifts, I’m sorry I won’t be there to see you grow. But you have your mother, hopefully, your big sister and a brother. Be good and listen to them, go to bed on time or else mama will sell all your toys. I love you 3000.”

“Hey, Mrs. Stark. Remember when I drift off, I’ll dream of you. It’s always you.”

Tony smiled one last time and then the hologram turned off. Everyone choked back a sob, Pepper stood to grab the roses off the table, Happy and Rhodey followed. Peter, Y/N, and Morgan stood after, their hands still intertwined and Morgan held onto her sister’s waist. Y/N looked down at her, she turned and set Stitch down onto the couch and grabbed Morgan’s hand. The group went outside, everyone was there. The guardians, Bucky, Steve, Sam, T'challa, Thor, May, Harley, Wanda, Clint and his family, Bruce, Dr.Strange, Carol, Wong, Nick appeared last. Peter, Y/N, and Morgan stood next to May, she wrapped her arm around her nephew’s shoulders. Pepper set the roses down at the lake with Tony’s life force. Proof that Tony Stark has a heart. Mostly everyone left after a couple of hours, Peter sat next to Y/N on the front porch steps while Morgan went and sat next to Happy

“Hey, you hungry?” Morgan nodded

“What would you like?”

“Cheeseburgers.”

“You know your dad liked cheeseburgers..I’ll get you all the cheeseburgers.” Y/N smiled at Happy, she turned her attention back to Steve and Bruce

“You sure about this?” Bucky asked Steve

“Yeah.” Steve nodded, he looked at Y/N and smiled.

“Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.” Bucky chuckled.

“How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.” Steve smiled back

“Alright, you ready? I’ll pull you back in exactly 5 seconds.” Bruce said, Steve nodded while standing on the platform, then he was gone.

“1….2…..3…..4…….5……” Bruce flipped the switch and Steve was back, he made his way to sit next to Y/N.

“You came back?”

“Yeah. why wouldn’t I?”

“Peggy?” Y/N shrugged

“I saw her… she was already married with kids.”

“Oh… I’m sorry uncle Steve.” Steve’s eyes were filled with tears

“It’s fine, I got family here.” He rested his hand on her shoulder and gave her a small smile. Bucky and Sam stood in front of the group.

“Ready Cap?”

“Yeah.” Steve stood

“I’ll see you around Uncle Steve, Uncle Sam, Bucky.”

“See you around Little Stark,” Sam replied, the three made their way to Bruce, got into a car and left. Y/N sighed and looked at Peter.

“How’s school, Peter?”

“Oh… Umm, it’s going ok. Ned and MJ are still there and sadly so is Flash.”

“He still bothering you?”

“Yup.”

“How are Ned and MJ?”

“Good, MJ’s still MJ and Ned’s still Ned. The other day, they came over and we watched Star Wars together. We actually have a trip coming up for school in like a couple weeks, we’ll be going to Venice and the Czech Republic. Nothing like taking a vacation… I think we all need a vacation. Do you want me to bring you a souvenir? I can bring you a Traditional Venetian Mask, you know that umm the masks have always been an important feature of the Venetian carnival. Traditionally people were allowed to wear them between the festival of Santo Stefano-” Y/N turned to face Peter

“Peter,” he stopped and looked into your e/c eyes

“Yeah?”

“You’re rambling.” Peter blushed

“Sorry.”

“It’s ok, it’s cute.”

“Peter..”

“Yeah?” Y/N took his hands into hers, intertwining their fingers

“Will…. Will you stay with me tonight?” Peter felt his heart skip a beat, his heartbeat echoed in his ears, it beat so loudly that it seemed to want to escape his chest, blood rushed to his cheeks, his breathing became heavier, his palms were sweating and his mind filled with a thousand thoughts.

“Peter?” Peter snapped back, turning his head back to you. His eyes widened when he saw how close your face was. He could feel your breath on his lips, his eyes looked down to her lips and back to her e/c eyes. She got worried when he didn’t respond, Y/N felt her face heat up, she didn’t realize how close her face was to Peter’s.Y/N stared into Peter’s brown eyes, she really did love his eyes, they were so warm and inviting. Y/N licked her lips and looked down at Peter’s lips. She noticed Peter slowly lean in, Y/N’s heart echoed in her ears, she was pretty sure Peter could hear it. She shouldn’t be doing this, this isn’t right, they were at her fathers funeral, this was not the time nor place to be doing this. Peter might just be doing this because he feels bad, he wants to make her feel better, he really didn’t like her. This is wrong, Y/N didn’t want a relationship because they were both broken. She shouldn’t have happiness. Y/N coughed and pulled away

“Oh, Sorry about that…” Peter scratched the back of his neck.

“No.. it’s ok.”

“About tonight-”

“You know what Peter, I change my mind.” She smiled quickly

“Oh… You sure?” Y/N nodded quickly

“Yeah, sorry it’s just been a while since we’ve hung out and I wanted to hang out but it’s ok you should go hang out with your friends. I’m pretty sure you don’t want to be reminded of my dad because of me, I wouldn’t want to be around me. Be normal you know. Forget about being Spider-Man for a bit and relax.”

“But I-”

“Peter, seriously it’s fine.” Y/N looked away from Peter and looked at her shaking hands sitting on her lap, Peters eyes filled with sadness, he placed his hand on top of her shaking ones.

“Hey… look at me.” Y/N looked away, Peter sighed, his other hand reached across her, placing his hand on her cheek he turned her head to look at him. Y/N had tears fill her eyes when she saw Peter’s eyes filled with sadness.

“I will always want to be with you nothing will ever change that. You are my… best friend and I’m not going to lose you and let’s be honest nothing about me is normal I mean I got bit by a radioactive spider and climb on walls and swing around with webs,” Peter moved his hands all over the place, Y/N laughed and Peter smiled.

“There we go. There’s that beautiful smile and laugh.” Y/N lightly punched Peter’s shoulder

“Ouch, that hurt.”

“You are such a liar.” Y/N laughed.

“Y/N!” Morgan yelled, the two teens turned around

“Yes, Morgan?”

“Uncle Happy brought me all these cheeseburgers! Look!” Morgan held up a bag full of burgers

“WOAH, are you gonna eat all of those burgers?” Morgan nodded excitedly

“Woah there Morgan you can only eat 1 or maybe 2, don’t want you to get sick.” Pepper said from the door, Morgan pouted.

“But, but I want to eat all the cheeseburgers.”

“Tell you what Morgan, how about you eat them throughout the week that way you can cheeseburgers every day,” Peter said, Morgan thought about and her eyes lit up

“OKAY! MAMA LET’S DO THAT! THANK YOU PETER!” Morgan yelled

“No problem Morgan.” She giggled and ran inside the house with Pepper

“Thanks, Peter.”

“No problem Mrs. Stark.” May came out of the house just as Pepper went in.

“Peter, you ready to go?” Peter looked at Y/N

“It’s ok Peter, rain check.”

“Rain check.” They both stood, Peter, wrapped his arms around her waist, Y/N wrapped her arms around his neck. The two stood there embracing each other for what seemed like forever. Peter pulled away, making his way down the porch stairs with his Aunt May, he turned back and smiled at Y/N while waving bye; Y/ N did the same. Y/N watched as Peter and May made their way to the car, Happy trailed right after.

“I’ll see you later little Stark, gotta drop off the kid and his aunt.”

“You sure it’s because you have to drop them off? Cause from the looks of it, you seem to be pretty friendly with May?” Y/N raised her eyebrow, Happy just smiled

“We are acquainted, nothing more.” “Whatever helps you sleep at night….” Y/N said under her breath

Y/N nodded and hugged Happy

“See you later Happy.” Peter turned back and waved, Y/N waved back and went into the house. She saw Morgan sitting on the table still eating her cheeseburger, Pepper was picking up the dishes, Y/N sighed and made her way to help Pepper, slowly collecting the dishes and placing them in the sink Y/N turned the water on and washed them for the tired widow. Y/N finished: making her way to the couch where Pepper was sitting, Pepper didn’t cry; she didn’t want Morgan to see her break down. Y/N quietly took hold of Peppers’ hand and stared at the turned off the tv. “Is Morgan going to be going to school now?” Y/N asked trying to get Pepper’s mind off of things

“I’m debating on it. Homeschooling, public school or private. I have no idea. Dad and I were discussing it before everything but we never really went through with plans since most of the schools weren’t fully staffed and great.”

Y/N nodded

“You’re getting homeschooled maybe the same teacher can teach Morgan.”

Y/N hated the thought of being homeschooled again, she didn’t want to be in the house, she started to pick at her nails. “Umm Pepper about that..” Y/N trailed off. Pepper looked at her concerned“What’s wrong?” “Can…I not… be homeschooled?” Y/N looked up with hopeful eyes. “You don’t want to be homeschooled anymore?” “I never wanted to be. Dad thought it was better since he could teach me, but I want to be normal, have friends, you know outside the Avengers.” Pepper nodded

“That’s understandable, you deserve to have a shot of normal especially after what happened. If you want on Monday we can go and register you, hopefully, it’s not too late.

”“Really!?” Y/N’s face lit up, Pepper let out a chuckle

“Yes. There’s a school not too far from here, so we can g-” Pepper stopped when she saw Y/N’s smile drop.

“Oh..”

“You don’t want to go to school here?”

“I was kind of hoping I would go to school with Peter..” Y/N mumbled

“All the way in back in New York City?”

“I mean it’s fine, the school’s far so I understand.” Y/N looked defeated. She wanted to go to school with Peter since he was her only friend.

“No. It’s fine, just we have to arrange for Happy to pick you up and drop you off.”

“You sure?” Pepper nodded

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Y/N’s face lit up once again and she smiled brightly.

“Thank you, Pepper!” Y/N pulled Pepper in for a hug

“No problem sweetie.” “I wanna go to school with Y/N mama.” Y/N and Pepper looked at Morgan, who was now standing in front of them. “Morgan, umm how do I explain this? You would have to go to a different school,” Y/N explained

“Why?” “Because I’m older than you, I have to go to high school and you would be in elementary.” “They’re different schools?” Morgan asked sitting in between Y/N and Pepper. “Yes, most of the time they usually only go up to middle school.” Morgan’s eyebrows furrowed

“But I want to be with you,”

“Umm…” “Morgan, sweetie, if you want we can go look at schools with Y/N on Monday? Ok?” Pepper said. Morgan nodded and smiled. “Y/N can you color with me? Please?” Y/N smiled

“Sure.” Morgan ran up the stairs to go get her coloring book and crayons. “She’s different from you, you really liked to work with your dad on building things and keep to yourself, Morgan likes to run around and play pretend.” “She’s a kid, basically. I wish I acted like a kid when I could have.” Morgan sat on the floor, placing her coloring book and crayons on the table, she turned; grabbing Y/Ns hand, Y/N moved down to the floor and started coloring. Pepper watched as the two girls started coloring, no matter what she will always have a piece of Tony, her eyes filled with tears, she silently started to cry. Darkness settled and Y/N looked at Morgan sound asleep with her head on Y/N’s lap, she ran her fingers through her hair

“Hey, I got her.” Pepper said reaching down to the sleeping girl

“You sure? I can take her.” Pepper shook her head

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Pepper picked Morgan up and carried her up the stairs. Y/N sat there staring out the window, she could see the fireflies floating around. Y/N smiled, yet she felt numb inside. She couldn’t feel anything, empty and hollow. She sighed and got up from her spot, grabbing Stitch off the couch, making her way upstairs

.“Hey Pepper.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m gonna go to bed… Long day.” Pepper nodded

“Ok, goodnight sweetie.” She hugged and kissed Y/N’s cheek. Y/N went into her room, putting her legs against her bed and slid to the floor, she hugged her knees, putting her head down and began to cry.

Monday, 3:25 am

All she could see was darkness, it enveloped her. Y/N started to panic, her breathing became shorter, heavier, her heart raced.“HELLO!” Y/N yelled out into the darkness, she looked around frantically“IS ANYONE THERE? CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?” Y/N yelled and yelled until her throat became sore, then a light shined. In all her years, people tell her to avoid the light, but something about it was tempting, Y/N was skeptical, slowly she made her way towards the light, she closed her eyes and when she opened them she saw bodies lying on the floor, it was a massacre, the battlefield. Y/N’s breathing became heavy again, she could barely see through the tears in her eyes. She tried to wipe the tears away but when she looked down all she saw was blood. Y/N screamed. She ran and ran, bodies kept dropping around her, then she saw him and stopped. Dad.

“Dad…” She said and started to run again.

“Dad…DAD! DAD! DAD!” Tony turned towards her. Y/N caressed her dad’s face“

Dad… You’re ok, You’re ok.”

“Am I?” Tony replied, pushing Y/N away.

“Dad? What’s wrong?”

“This happened because of you.”

“What?”

“I died because of you. I didn’t want to die, I had a family. I had Morgan and Pepper, we were happy without you. I wish you never came into my life, I regret taking you in. You did this.”

“You’re… You’re not my dad.” Tony smirked, he started to transform, Y/N backed away

“Thanos..”

“Hello little one.” he held up the gauntlet and snapped his fingers, nothing happened.

“No..” Y/N whispered out and turned around, Tony kneeled on the ground.

“NO!” Y/N ran towards her father. Please don’t, please let me get to him on time, please let me save him. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE DON’T DIE.

“And…..I……am………Iron man.” Tony snapped his fingers.

“NO!” Y/N kept running to her father, she fell in front of him.

“No..No…No…No…No..” She grabbed Tony’s face

“Please don’t die..” Tony smiled

“I love you. Forever and always.”

“No…No… Please, Please don’t leave me. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” She felt Tony’s heart stop, Y/N screamed.

Y/N woke up sweating and gasping for air, her cheeks wet. She started clawing at her clothes, she couldn’t breathe, why couldn’t she breathe. She could vaguely hear F.R.I.D.A.Y speaking. Y/N fell off the bed, gasping. The door opened and Pepper came running in, she moved Y/N, lifting her to sit up

“Hey, hey. Sweetie, I need you to look at me.” Y/N turned her head

“Can't…..BREATHE.” Y/N gasped out

“I know, you’re having a panic attack. I need you to try and breathe in for 5 seconds and out for 5, you can do it. That’s it.”

Y/N tried to breathe in and out.

“Mrs.Stark? Would you like me to call for medical assistance?” F.R.I.D.A.Y asked

“No, I got this, no hospitals. Thank you F.R.I.D.AY.”

“Of course, Mrs.Stark. Miss Y/Ns breathing and heartbeat are slowly returning to normal.” Pepper nodded, her eyes still locked on e/c eyes. Pepper was worried. Y/N finally calmed and wiped the tears away from her face.

“I’m sorry.”

“Hey, you have got nothing to be sorry for.” Pepper smiled and placed her hand on Y/Ns cheek

.“Are you ok?”

“Yeah… I’ll be fine. What time is it?”

“3:40 am Miss” F.R.I.D.A.Y answered, Y/N sighed and leaned her head on her mattress.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Pepper asked Y/N shook her head

“Not right now.”

“Okay. Do you want to come and sleep with me?”

“No, I’ll be fine Pepper, thank you.” Y/N smiled

“Alright, I’ll bring you some water and go back to bed.”

“Thank you, don’t worry F.R.I.D.A.Y will let you know if anything happens again.” Pepper stood from the floor and left the room. Y/N could hear her pouring water into the cup, she heard Pepper’s footsteps head up the stairs. Pepper entered the room and placed the cup on Y/N’s side drawer.

“Do you need help getting up?”

“No. I just want to sit here for a bit.”

“Alright, goodnight sweetie.” Pepper kissed Y/N’s forehead

“Goodnight.” Pepper left the room. Y/N continued to sit on the floor, she felt tears prickle her eyes and soon she broke down.

Monday 8:00 am

Y/N was exhausted, she couldn’t sleep after that afraid she might have another nightmare. Y/N stared out the window, nothing but trees were passing by, Morgan singing along to the radio, Pepper and Happy were chatting. Y/N wanted to sleep so bad, she felt her eyelids become heavy shaking her head, no she had to stay awake but in the end, sleep won.

“Y/N”

“Y/N sweetie, get up we’re here.” Pepper shook Y/N awake

Y/N slowly opened her eyes and groaned when the first thing she saw was sunlight. She rubbed her eyes and looked around, Morgan smiled and giggled at her sister, Y/N returned the smile.

“We’re here,” Pepper repeated, Y/N looked outside the window and was greeted by a green field, Y/N helped Morgan out of her car seat, they all got off the car, Morgan grabbed Y/N’s hand and all 4 went up the stairs entering the school. The halls were empty, Y/N looked into some of the classrooms, mostly all the students were paying attention, others were doodling, some asleep. Y/N looked into the chemistry room and she saw him. Peter Parker. He wasn’t paying much attention to what the teacher was saying, she could see him writing down and scribbling, Peter was writing formulas for new web designs. Old habits die hard. Y/N could see Peter’s eyebrows furrow, his brown hair fell out of place and he quickly moved to put it back into place, his tongue slightly sticking out, he licked his lips and scratched his head. Y/N giggled, he looked like a confused puppy. Peter’s head shot up, he heard a giggle, he knew that giggle, that giggle has made his heart race and face heat up more times than he could count. Peter looked around the room, that’s not possible she couldn’t be there, maybe he was just hearing things. Peter looked to the door, through the tiny window he saw her. Peter broke out into a wide smile, his eyes lit up, he stood from his chair, knocking over his notebook in the process.

“Yes, Mr. Parker?” Mr. Cobbwell asked Peter felt the blood rush to his cheeks

“Oh, um nothing sorry.” He replied, picking up his notebook

“Well then, get back to the lab work.” Peter nodded and sat down. The door opened, little footsteps ran towards Peter.

“PETER!” Morgan yelled, she threw herself on him and hugged him

“Hi, Morgan!” Peter hugged her back and smiled. Y/N entered the classroom

“Hi, I’m so sorry for the interruption.” Y.N went towards Peter and Morgan.

“Morgan, come on, Peter is in class we gotta go.”

“But I wanna stay with Peter.”

“You can see him later. Ok?” Morgan pouted but nodded

“Bye Peter.” she waved sadly

“Bye Morgan.” Peter looked at Y/N. Y/N smiled. She leaned down and whispered into his ear.

“Bye Spider-ling.” She gave him a wink and walked out with Morgan, Peter sat there, mouth wide open, cheeks red

“B-By-e-ee Y- Y- Y/N.”

Y/N walked down the hall with Morgan in hand, Pepper and Happy were already in the office with the principal.

“Sorry, she wanted to see what I was looking at and she sa-”

“Peter?” Y/N blushed

“Yeah and ran in.”

“It’s fine, thank you for getting her.”

“No problem.” Y/N sat next to Pepper and Morgan sat on Y/N’s lap. Y/N turned out most of what the adults were talking about.

“She can start tomorrow if that is alright with her.” Pepper tapped Y/N’s shoulder

“I’m sorry, what was the question?”

“Is it alright if you start tomorrow?”

“Really?” The principal nodded

“Yes!”

“Alright, tomorrow just come back into the office to grab your schedule and locker, then head to the library for books.” Y/N nodded. Pepper collected the paperwork and the bell rang. Maybe she could meet Peter’s friends. She always wanted to meet Ned and MJ. Y/N walked with her hand intertwined with Morgan’s, Peter was standing in front of his locker looking past the crowd of kids, Ned and MJ stood next to him staring at him.

“Peter, you ok?” Ned asked

Peter wasn’t paying attention, he kept his focus down the hall. Ned repeated his question, Peter saw a hand wave back and forth in front of his face, he blinked and turned to his friends

“Sorry. What?”

“You ok?” Ned asked again

“Yeah, Yeah I’m fine. Why?”

“Who are you looking for?” MJ asked

“What?” Peter quickly looked back to MJ

“Who are you looking for?”

“I-I-I’m not looking for anyone.”

“Yeah right.” MJ rolled her eyes

“Sup?! Penis Parker.” Peter groaned and Flash smirked and hit Peter in the stomach, Peter could hear the other students laugh.

“HEY!” the group turned and saw little Morgan making her way towards them

“LEAVE PETER ALONE.” Morgan stood in front of Flash hands on her hips

“Awww, Parkers got a little bodyguard. You need a little girl to fight your battles, Parker.” Everyone laughed at that statement. Morgan puffed her cheeks, raising her foot she kicked Flash in the leg.

“OW!”

Peter’s eyes widened, Mj chuckled and high fived the little girl.

“MORGAN STARK!.” Morgan winced as she heard her mother yell her name, Pepper quickened her steps, standing in front of Morgan; she bent down

“That was not nice, say you’re sorry.”

“But he was being mean to Peter.” Morgan pouted

“You still shouldn’t kick people, say you’re sorry,” Morgan grumbled

“I’m sorry. You should say sorry to Peter.” Flash glared at Peter

“Sorry.” Flash placed his hand on Peter’s shoulder

“See you later, Penis Parker.” He whispered and walked away, Peter sighed, looking down at Morgan who had a big smile on her face, he knelt down and smiled

“Thank you, Morgan.” He said while ruffling her hair

“You’re welcome Peter.” she wrapped her arms around his neck. Pepper stuck her hand out, Morgan pulled away from Peter and grabbed Pepper’s hand, waving bye to Peter the two walked off. Peter stood up, placing his hand in his pockets he went back to his locker, where was she? Did she already leave? Why did she leave without saying bye? How was she? He wanted to see her again. Happy and Y/N made their way slowly down the halls filled with students, Y/N wanted to be happy to start school, to be normal, but she still felt empty. Happy stared at Y/N, she had a blank expression on her face not paying attention to her surroundings, Happy made sure she didn’t bump into anyone or anything. The bell rang again and the students all made their way back to their classes. Peter didn’t see her again, he sat down in class and sulked. Y/N and Happy finally made it out of the school, Pepper was watching Mogan run around the field, Morgan noticed Happy and Y/N and ran back towards the grown-ups. Pepper, Happy, Y/N, and Morgan entered the car and drove home.

Tags:

@ziggyspurplehaze

@ghost-brocolli

@a-sweet-little-fangirl

@imafreakingtaco

@karlitabi-rrito

@rexorangecounty

@outsider-underwater

@alisoncdariel

@too-involved

@laurxn-robinson

#peter parker #peter parker x reader #peter parker x stark!reader #peter parkerxreader #peter parker imagine #tom holland #tom holland imagine #tony stark x stark!reader #tony stark x reader #marvel #Avengers #avengers endgame #morgan stark #pepper potts

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friendlyspiderbite · 5 years

Text

repost:

O F F A I L U R E A N D D U S T

INFINITY WAR DRABBLE

EDITED AND REVISED: NOW WITH EVEN MORE PAIN!

WORD COUNT: 2,224 WORDS

“Magic! More magic! Magic with a kick! Magic with a–!” Peter is cut off when Thanos GRABS him by the neck and SLAMS him into the ground. As he struggles in a sudden PANIC, he can hear the word hissed by the giant: “INSECT.” And then he’s THROWN off to the side, YELPING in the process. He smacks into Mr. Strange as he flies through the air and then hits the ground HARD. Sitting up slowly and holding his head, he lets out a low GROAN.

“You know, spiders aren’t INSECTS. They’re ARACHNIDS so if anything the joke’s on YOU…” He mutters under his breath before hopping back up and making a run for Thanos. He sees Mr. Stark BLASTED with a ray of FIRE and FEAR curls in his chest. Yeah. This isn’t exactly how Peter had wanted this day to go. At least, it wasn’t what he was EXPECTING. He was supposed to be on a field trip, joking around with Ned. Not in SPACE. Peter launches himself at the Mad Titan and webs the gauntlet, landing on the ground a little ways away and PULLING, but he’s overthrown, the giant yanks on his webs and THROWS him again. Slamming once again into the ground, Peter watches him get hit by some sort of spaceship.

The mutant sees his opening as Mr. Strange encases the titan’s hand with weird magic bond things. He swings in and wraps his web around the dude. Thanos is so TALL, so POWERFUL. He’s frankly quite SCARY. Peter pulls HARD on that web, but even with everything holding Thanos back his strength still isn’t enough. He feels the mechanical spider legs unleash from his back and PLUNGE into the ground beneath him, watches as Mr. Strange opens up circle thing for Mantis to fall through onto the titan’s shoulders and pulls with all his might. He hears the alien girl speak, “Be quick, he is strong,” and then Mr. Stark calling for him. The kid drops the web and leaps over to the other side where his hero is currently trying to pull the gauntlet off Thanos’s hand. He latches on and begins to pull, giving it his all once more. He puts every ounce of enhanced strength he has into this ( but it still isn’t enough, he’s worthless ).

“We gotta open his fingers to get it off…” He exclaims suddenly, moving to pry the titan’s fingers open. He can hear the metal creaking. The stones are gorgeous, he notices somewhat subconsciously. He can hear a conversation happening, he can hear Quill questioning the titan, but he doesn’t care. He’s so close, as he STRUGGLES he can feel the gauntlet SLIPPING off Thanos’s hand. It’s going to be okay! They’re going to WIN. He’ll be able to go home and see Aunt May and Ned and the universe will be okay. But then he hears Quill YELLING. He’s SO CLOSE! Quill HITS him but the gauntlet is nearly OFF THANOS’S HAND, Peter has it in his grasp!

“It’s coming, it’s coming, it’s coming! I’ve got it, I’ve got it!!” But in a flash, the titan has suddenly grabbed it back and the amount of FORCE the kid was using to PULL on that thing makes him FLY BACK about a hundred feet, smacking into the ground. The teenager’s eyes blow wide as he hits it. That stings. It stings his whole being, the fact that he just FAILED when he was so damn CLOSE to succeeding, any hope of that success CRUSHED in a mere SECOND. He feels it with his entire SOUL. He ALMOST had it. And then he DIDN’T. His mind wanders back to the Staten Island Ferry incident, where he had been 98% SUCCESSFUL, and it blows up in his head that THIS IS ALWAYS GOING TO HAPPEN TO HIM. The mutant snaps out of it as he watches Mantis get thrown off as well and eyes blow wide again.

“Oh god–“ and then he’s HURLING himself at her. Arms and legs wrap around the alien and the mechanical spider legs EXTEND into a cage around them. When they hit the ground, they roll, and the legs help stop them and right him so that he can hold her in his arms, checking that she’s okay for a moment. He watches three of his teammates become immobilized, he sees the parts of the moon crash into the planet, sees those three floating away helplessly. He knows he has to help them, so he goes after them. Shooting webs everywhere, he carries Mantis most of the way as he flies after his unconscious teammates.

“I got you! I got you! Agh, SORRY I can’t remember any of your names!!” He yells as he webs the Footloose Guy to him as parts of the moon rain down on Titan. He’s distracted now, sure that Mr. Stark and Mr. Strange will be able to handle Thanos. They’re so amazing. Peter takes his time because he believes in THEM, he does what he does best, stays back and helps the little guy. He brings them to a place where gravity is normal enough and sets them down, returning in time to watch Mr. Stark fight with Thanos. He watches, feeling like a little kid again, as his hero seems to be WINNING. He doesn’t notice Mr. Strange lying on the ground defeated because he’s excited. The technology that his hero has been developing for so long is working!! He BELIEVES in Tony Stark, he BELIEVES in Iron Man!

But then he WATCHES his hero’s helmet stripped away. He WATCHES ( ONLY WATCHES! ) as the man is punched out and thrown to the ground. He WATCHES Thanos pull the piece of armor off the gauntlet and use the power stone. But Mr. Stark is up again! Peter WATCHES his hero form a great shield with his armor, sees the tremendous power of the power stone itself DEFLECTED by this shield, and HOPE rises in his chest. He doesn’t quite know why he’s only watching, but he is. He’s frozen in place, blown back to the time his parents died, only WATCHING as the drones got them. Only WATCHING, crying, as the drone came for him too. He sees Tony Stark fly in and KICK the titan, he sees him get a big swing in and HOOK him on the face. The titan has bled! Peter can see BLOOD on his cheek!!

But then Mr. Stark is THROWN BACK and BEATEN on repeatedly. Peter WATCHES ( he’s bouncing, biting his lip. He can’t make himself move into action, he has TOO MUCH FAITH in this man ) as his hero is flung back, hitting the ground again. He WATCHES the man shoot the repulsors, WATCHES as they are deflected. He does NOTHING. And he HATES IT. The sword forms on Mr. Stark’s arm and Peter believes, wholeheartedly, that this man can do it, he can KILL Thanos. But no. A hand claps over his mouth as the titan breaks the sword off like a TOOTHPICK and uses it to STAB his hero in the gut. He lets out an anguished sound, eyes suddenly filling with TEARS. He’s USELESS. He should be HELPING. He should be doing something, ANYTHING, but he isn’t. He can hear the titan talking, so loudly in his ears. He can hear EVERYTHING.

Thanos’s words, “I hope they remember you.” reach his ears and he can’t move. He’s PARALYZED. The heroes are losing. They’re LOSING. He can’t fathom it. HE CAN’T MAKE HIMSELF MOVE. He wants to help. He WANTS TO HELP. He WATCHES as his mentor, the man he looks up to so much, the man who saved his life TWICE, is very nearly KILLED. He WATCHES, FROZEN IN PLACE, as Mr. Strange gives up the Time Stone so that he’ll live. And he WATCHES as the Mad Titan DISAPPEARS right then and there, Quill standing up with guns frantically pointing in every direction, yelling “Where is he!.” Peter can’t BELIEVE himself. He feels DISGUSTING. He’s a WASTE OF SPACE, a WASTE OF ARMOR. He could have aided his mentor, but he DIDN’T. And he HATES and LOATHES himself for it. His senses are prickling and his muscles are twitching and he just STANDS there for another minute before moving in to help Mr. Stark.

“I’ve got you…” He says quietly, voice WAVERING. It’s okay. It’s going to be OKAY. As long as people back on earth can keep Thanos from getting Vision, from getting the mind stone out of his head, everything will be OKAY. He muscles his mentor up onto his feet and pats his back gently with SHAKING hands. He believes that they’re going to be okay. He believes that everyone back on Earth is going to be able to keep the mind stone from Thanos. He hates himself so much for NOT HELPING. At least then he might have died TRYING. But now all he can do is muster up the belief that everyone on Earth will prevail.

Then he hears it. Something he doesn’t quite UNDERSTAND, something that RINGS in his ears and makes him CRINGE and FLINCH. The teenager looks around FRANTICALLY because that sounded like a SNAP. Eyes are wide, fingers twitching. He’s suddenly TERRIFIED. His senses start to BUZZ up passively and he hears Mantis speak, “Something is happening.” His eyes flit over to her and he takes a step back in SHOCK when he sees DUST breaking off her. His breath catches in his throat and he knows now that they’ve just LOST. He watches as the alien girl DISAPPEARS and turns his head to see the big guy ( he thinks his name is Drax ) turn to dust as well. NO. His heart is beating HEAVILY, his breath becoming shallower and SHALLOWER as his senses dial up another degree. He hears what Quill says, watches him disappear. His hands are shaking UNCONTROLLABLY. His senses are rising up, he’s sweating terribly, and he feels like he’s going to be SICK. His head whips around as Mr. Strange speaks up, and seeing him go makes him fall into a SILENT PANIC. Are they stuck on this planet alone? What’s HAPPENING?

Then he FEELS it. Peter’s senses SKYROCKET, kicking into MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE, and his stomach rolls. The teenager CLUTCHES his arms around himself and breathes heavily. When he exhales, DUST comes from his throat.

“MR. STARK..?” He says with a SHAKY voice, stepping forward some towards the man. His entire body feels WEIRD, his senses are STABBING him and he wants to CRY. He does, he does cry. No ugly sobbing, but tears well up and roll down his cheeks.

“I DON’T FEEL SO GOOD...” He keeps moving forward. He hears the other’s words, “You’re alright,” but he ISN’T alright and he KNOWS it. He looks down at his hands, mouth opening and closing like a fish. He looks back up at Mr. Stark, then back down, then up at him again.

“I don’t… I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING, I don’t know–!” He STUMBLES forward. Legs feel WEAK. He falls against his mentor, hands FUMBLING to get a grip on him, to EMBRACE him. Everything HURTS. He doesn’t want to die. HE DOESN’T WANT TO DIE!

“I don’t wanna go… I DON’T WANNA GO, SIR, PLEASE…” his hands grip DESPERATELY at the man’s clothes. His senses are stabbing everywhere, the PAIN is all he has to know that he’s still ALIVE. He uses that pain, CLINGS to it with EVERYTHING he has… “PLEASE, I don’t wanna go! I DON’T WANT TO GO!!” His words DEGRADE into SOBS as he feels the ground DISAPPEAR beneath himself. Except he knows that it isn’t the GROUND that is gone, but his LEGS. His fingers give out and break apart and he DRAGS Mr. Stark down to the ground with him, leaving his fingers on his mentor’s shoulders... He can feel his senses start to FADE, as the nerves strip away LAYER BY LAYER, but he’s STILL clinging to life. He clings to life even though it hurts so TERRIBLY bad. Lying on the ground now, he feels sobs wrack his body, but he doesn’t make a sound. He REMEMBERS something Mr. Stark said to him, “If you die, I feel like that’s on me.” NO. This isn’t his fault. This would have happened ANYWAY, right? If anything, this is Peter’s fault. He was useless. He FAILED. The child’s eyes shift to look at his hero as EVEN HIS TEARS TURN TO DUST. His whole body is DISINTEGRATING, DECAYING, DETERIORATING, but he needs to say one last thing to this man who has helped him through his ENTIRE life and probably doesn’t even KNOW it. He feels so ATTACHED to him and wants to make that APPARENT. All he can muster is a WHISPER, but he HAS to.

“I’m sorry–“ DAD. He wasn’t able to get that last part out. His BREATH comes out as DUST blowing right into Mr. Stark’s face, and he feels life SLIPPING away from him. His chest CRUMBLES and CAVES and he can feel every single bit of it, and until the VERY LAST SECOND, Peter Parker clings to this life with ALL HIS MIGHT. He doesn’t want to go. He doesn’t want to go.

But it’s too late. HE’S ALREADY GONE.

#&& ic. muscle to muscle and toe to toe; the fear has gripped me but here i go #drabble #[ here's a repost and revision of my old infinity war drabble! ]#[ now with even more pain!!!! ]#[ ask to tag ]

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outofoxygen · 5 years

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NEW - A nice game for cute children.

Before I begin: This review is more professional than my last (Elsewhere) as I feel NEW deserves my respect and consideration more than Elsewhere ever has. Now then, I shall review NEW.

By the way, yes, I am back. I will work on more reviews. But I won’t follow a schedule that is easy to understand in any vague sense, and I’ll just write reviews about what interests me at the minute. (Quick after-post edit to add tags here.)

[ S P O I L E R S F O R N E W ]

[ P L A Y N E W I F Y O U H A V E N ‘ T ]

Part One: Foreword

Oh boy, a new form of padding. Now then, to preface this, I will warn you that I do enjoy NEW, and that I don’t wish its creator ill will, I afford them all proper respect, and I’m not going to talk about Mr. Evan Vasejeff (The creator of NEW).

Part Two: Plot Synopsis

The Batter is back, this time as a Prophet instead of a savior. This time, he has the goal of rendering all the Zones ‘safe’ instead of ‘pure’.

Zone 0 introduces us to Valerie, who is written better than HOME. I’ll write further about him in the Characters section. After a few puzzles, we head off to Zone 1.

Zone 1 is mostly similar to OFF, except Dedan is missing and replaced by a overweight idiotic chef. This chef (named Gabriel) is introduced to be malevolent and idiotic from his first appearance, all the way to his last, where you render him into a bloody corpse.

Zone 2 turned into a more pathetic hellscape than usual, with the nice aesthetic addition of a Japhet corpse on the roof. By the way, the Mall looks beautiful awful now. The game introduces a red herring (Oedipus, a little girl whom The Batter ends up beating to hell and back) before you meet the final villain, Angela, an insane spirit infesting a mannequin that The Batter summarily destroys.

Zone 3 is this time played backwards, with The Batter going from Area 4 to a mythical Area 0. All the while, you are pestered by Sonovan, an odd-talking priest and general narcissist, who eventually fights The Batter, is beaten, quickly jacks up Valerie (just play the game if you want to understand this better), then gets killed by The Batter, who mercy-kills Valerie at his own request. You then go and defeat Gazmel, who is, in his own words, Satan.

Zone 4 (or, The Echelon) is a miserable hellscape that is actually just a part of The Room, maybe. You meet ‘Vincent “Ivius” Corsacoff the 2nd’, who I shall permanently refer to as ‘Ivius’, as his actual name is incredibly long and annoying. So you head onto a roof, where you talk to Ivius, going on to fight him, before inevitably winning, and going to The Room itself.

Of course, The Room is a strange mindnumb I won’t be going into too much, as I feel like getting this poor-quality plot synopsis over with.

Part 3: Characters

The Batter - As I mentioned, he’s a prophet instead of purifier. His goal is to make the zones ‘safe’ instead of ‘pure’, and he seems to be more mellowed out now. On occasion, he interrupts himself before carrying on with a thought (ie. he comments upon Oedipus’ mention of comics named ‘Batteur and Boxxer’ by stating “What kind of trite do you read? "Panic in Ballvile" is obviously-” before cutting himself short and carrying on the dialogue.) and generally, The Batter seems altogether more.. human than before. Other than that, he is mostly the same character as before, and still a bat-wielding protagonist.

Valerie - The cat we (don’t really) know from OFF. I can state something about NEW’s characterization of Valerie: It was executed very well! Mortis Ghost has stated that Valerie was more soft-spoken and shy than The Judge, and NEW does indeed follow through with Mortis Ghost’s stated character of Valerie. He comes across as a shy, introverted, socially awkward cat, and that altogether works very well for him. He’s also the new Guardian of Zone 0.

Zacharie - I’ll say more in the Merchants category.

The Judge - Our favorite, eloquent cat! .. except, he’s taken Hugo’s place. Also, unlike Hugo, he’s not that nice. Or innocent, really. He’s become corrupt with absolute power over the world, and as such, has used his raw powers of creation to muck about, creating demonic feline entities known as Jury, which replace Secretaries in NEW. Of course, the implications of this are quite large in scope, and will take up a portion of the Lore section.

Part 4: Music

I will state this immediately: This fangame has some incredible tracks. These include: My personal favorite, Awesome Miniboss, Crying Girls Part 1-2 (which are actually samples of Is Dancing Till Her Head Explodes, from Alias Conrad Coldwood’s album Crying Girls), Dented Helmets on TV, Stay in in Stay (A remix of Stay In Your Coma), and Funky Bucket of Nasty Noises, among plenty others. Its soundtrack complements the game, and it’d be an incredible mistake to play it without listening to its excellent tracks. One warning for headphone users though: the miss sound is awful, and it’s rather loud in comparison to the other sounds.

Part 5: Basic Enemies

The enemies in this game are well-designed, with inventive competence names and lovely art. They’re well-made, and this fangame clearly had a lot of care put into it. However, I have never had to grind so much in my life. The enemies are rather harsh, and you will suffer. Before anyone tosses an ‘git gud’ in my face, I did. After a while, The Batter will be so high-leveled that bosses fall in a heartbeat against his bat’s blows and his add-on’s.. cuts(?). Now then, on to the next section.

Part 6: Merchants

I think everyone reading this knows of my distaste, my violent hatred of fangames using Zacharie as a merchant? So, who is the merchant of NEW?

.. this guy. Zacharie. But, just look at his face. Look at that face. I.. I can’t be mad. To be honest, I found this incredibly amusing. I simply cannot be mad. His face.. It’s absolutely hilarious. Zacharie is absolutely ridiculous in this fangame, and I cannot be as vitriolic as usual. Sorry.

Carrying on, I almost feel like NEW mocks Zacharie in a way; outside the mall, there are two statues of Zacharie with his mask as how it originally looked. What does The Batter have to say about this? “A statue of Zacharie when he looked less pathetic.” All throughout the game, The Batter insults Zacharie. Here’s another line of this, as an example: “I'm tired of this wild goose chase. I've went through one too many things. One of those horrific things being friends with Zacharie.” Finally, Zacharie repainted the mall an awful pink color, which The Batter is clearly disgusted by, including making a comment about Zacharie having poor taste.

Altogether, I feel like NEW uses Zacharie in a way that I can’t be mad at.

Part 7: Lore

NEW takes place after the events of OFF. The Batter returns, and fights 4 Purifiers instead of 4 Guardians, and it seems the original 3 are dead. The world is a corrupted shade of a corrupted world; it is broken to the point of being unable to be fixed. One actually gets the sense that The Batter is righting wrongs, and fixing the world.

But, let’s talk about the position Hugo filled, and that The Judge fills. In the events of NEW, The Batter is looking for The Judge as he makes the Zones ‘safe’. It turns out The Judge has taken up the mantle of Creator and God, and has become corrupted by his new-found power. Which implies quite a few.. unpleasant ideas. If the power Hugo had can corrupt someone with as pure intentions as The Judge, was Hugo also corrupt? If NEW’s idea of how the next Creator takes power (basically, how The Judge offs The Batter) is correct, does that mean any number of individuals could become Creators in their own right, merely by killing The Batter at the apex of his quest?

But let us leave behind these thoughts, and carry on; we are nearly at the end, and I have more reviews to do.

Part 8: Does This Game Fit In With OFF?

Yes. I hold NEW as my personal pick for an unofficial OFF sequel, and I am proud in that. Its lore doesn’t contradict OFF’s; in fact, it follows the lore as closely as possible, and its lore, whilst small, is worthwhile to notice and consider. I believe that it adds on to OFF’s weird world.

Part 9: Conclusion

I hold this fangame in high esteem. I view it as an example of what one person, with naught but a computer and a dream, can achieve. In the end, though, I suppose NEW asks us a question. A very important one, and one I’ll state directly.

Would you like to start a new game?

#NEW #off fangame #off #a review

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voidselfshipp · 2 years

Note

I APPRECIATE YOU & YOUR KIND WORDS ON MY ART POST YOU'RE SO SWEET JERICO 😭😭😭

I wanted to ask, which f/o has been on your mind lately? Tell me about them- why do you like them and where are they from 👀?

Nikki @tex-treasures

well hello tex!! your welcome!! your art is a sight for sore eyes! i love it sm! about f/os though, itd be my darksiders babes! (mostly the male horseman, sorry fury, still love u tho 😘😘) First we have good ole “Bag of dirt old bones” aka Death, the pale rider!

THIS OLD BASTARD (emphasis on old and bastard), sarcastic, witty and just an asshole, BUT hes funny as shit so i let it slide, besides, even if he doesnt want to admit it hes THE SWEETEST, and though hes called The Grim Reaper by many, he loves living things a lot (im the prime example) (his siblings being a second example, but also very questionable because its borderline tough love borderline just being an ass) hes also a very saddened and melancholic man, if you look closer to his gaze you can see a hint of it, hes very tired and just wants softness, wich im happy to provide Death has a nice voice, very gravelly and comforting, i love playing with his hair and resting on his chest (hes fucking huge, i dont have his exact height atm but its probably more than 6′1) I can also relate to him being the eldest of his siblings and having to take care of them, we bonding over older sibling trauma,bitch Mr “I use humor to cope” Strife

Strife has everything i like in a character: Cool Helmet? check Hot voice? check Depressing backstory? check Charisma, witt and sass? CHECK Cool guns with cool names? C H E C K Spiky hair? C H E C K Hes also great at comfort and hes probably the most human of his siblings, hes got that cool milennial, cool gen z vibe to him and i can relate to him a lot. And last, yet in no way, shape or form, least, War

Him angry, him big, him kick ass thats all (no jk) Hes the youngest of the four horseman,yet hes in no way feeble or weak, he fucks shit up, hes ripped, fucking enourmous (almost the same height as death) and he has a cool ass steed and weapons. Him being the youngest also means he comes to be for advise whenever he feels Death’s advice is off, since he knows i have experience with siblings (wich fun fact, i have three siblings, wich makes us four kids, he finds this coincidence hilarious) He says (albeit under his breath) that im like death, with less ass behaviour, that i have strifes charisma, and furys passion. I like to ask what characteristics of him do i have, and he usually takes a long time to think about it, but he says is that he and i share being stubborn, and fighting to the bitter end. (whats that for an answer huh?) he is way bigger than me, and he likes to scoop me up like a bag of potatos, i weight nothing and he likes to annoy me, we give off older sibling/younger sibling energy but not in a weird way. he likes it when i caress his scalp or kiss his face markings, it relaxes him. and of course.. someone; says shit about me* war, looming behind said someone with murder in his eyes; you wanna fucking g o . human? the guy that talked shit about me: ......... **runs for dear life** [....] thank you for the ask nikki!, (only moots okay to rb, art by @/notesz-b on tumblr)

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auskultu · 6 years

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Black Panthers Chant at Start of Newton Trial

Daryl E. Lembke, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 1968

OAKLAND — A tense atmosphere surrounded the long-delayed opening here Monday of Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton's trial on charges of killing a policeman.

Newton, 26, defense minister for the militant Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was escorted into Superior Judge Monroe Friedman's court at 11 a.m. while several hundred of his followers circled the courthouse outside chanting, "Free Huey."

As he entered smiling, the defendant gave a clenched fist salute with his right arm to his six brothers and sisters in the courtroom front row. After sitting down, he turned toward the spectators section and made the same Black Power gesture to Eld ridge Cleaver, Black Panther minister of information. Cleaver returned the salute.

As Newton was still turned in his chair. Judge Friedman warned him sternly, "Mr. Newton, kindly face the bench."

Newton is charged in connection with the fatal shooting of John F. Frey Jr., 23, in an incident before dawn Oct. 28, 1967. He was indicted Nov. 13 by the grand jury on charges of first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon upon a police officer and kidnaping.

Prospective Jurors Excused Before examination of 47 prospective jurors could begin Monday, the judge excused them until this morning so that defense motions could be discussed out of their hearing.

Newton's attorney, Charles Garry, moved that the murder indictment be quashed on grounds that the process by which prospective jurors are chosen is unfair. Garry maintained that black persons and others with economic and cultural differences from the Caucasian majority are "systematically excluded" from juries.

Garry called Edward Schnarr, Alameda County jury commissioner, as the first witness in behalf of his motion.

Schnarr maintained that the 1,800 names chosen for jury panels every six months are picked entirely at random from voter precinct lists. He also described various reasons which are acceptable for getting excused from jury service.

Outside the 34-year-old courthouse and across the street, about 250 members of the Black Panther Party lined up in three files. They wore the black jackets and berets that comprise the organization’s uniform.

Although tight security prevailed inside the building, police were not present outside until a white demonstrator cut a flag pole rope, causing the American Flag to come floating to the ground.

Deputies Rescue Flag Several demonstrators seized the Flag as the crowd cheered. When an attempt was made to bum the Flag, 10 helmeted sheriff's deputies carrying nightsticks came out of the courthouse. The deputies rescued the Flag as demonstrators fell back.

Robert Avakian, 25, was arrested for petty theft in connection with cutting down the Flag. He was released on bail.

After this incident, Black Panther leaders cautioned the crowd against getting involved in any further confrontations with police and organized the circular march around the courthouse with "Free Huey" picket signs.

Addressing a crowd of about 300 persons from the steps of the courthouse Monday afternoon while the challenge of the jury selection process was being heard in the courtroom, Black Panther Chairman Bobby Seale said:

"If he (Huey Newton) is going to be tried at all, he's got to be tried by his peers—not the Negro maids working up on the hill but his peers, people on probation, people they've been running through their jails."

About three-fourths of the demonstrators were black. A guard of about 40 Black Panthers stood behind Seale as he spoke. They apparently were unarmed.

"Huey ain't on trial, the black people are on trial here," Seale declared. He said the demonstrations will continue for the length of the trial. Seale emphasized that there would be no attempt to fight the police.

Obediently Obeys When officers ordered an orange bus moved as Seale was speaking from its roof with an amplifier, he obediently climbed down and the bus drove off. Many in the crowd shouted, "pigs" at the officers who forced removal of the bus.

While cautioning against violence while the trial is on, Seale told the crowd: "If anything happens to Huey P. Newton, the sky's the limit, brother."

Among Black Panther members participating in Monday's demonstration were 25 from Los Angeles. Shermont Banks, their leader, said they expect to remain here for a week.

Newton, a handsome man of medium build, wore a gray suit and black turtleneck sweater for the start of his trial. Gariy made an unsuccessful last morning to get the State Supreme Court to order further postponement.

Among the 47 prospective jurors summoned into the tiny mahogany-paneled courtroom initially, six were Negroes.

Special arrangements were made by the judge to allow Newton's three brothers and three sisters to sit in the front row of the spectator section. Permission was also given by the judge for Newton's fiancee, Miss Laverne Williams, and his religious adviser, the Rev. Earl Neil, an Episcopal priest, to be admitted daily to the proceedings.

Newton was born in Louisiana in 1942, the youngest of seven children. The family moved a year later to Oakland, where Newton's father has been employed by the city street department for 20 years.

Newton was graduated from Berkeley High School, spent a year in San Francisco Law School and transferred to Merritt College in North Oakland.

#1968 #black panther party #Huey newton #bobby seale #law and order #radicals #african americans #california #1960ss #sixties #60s #civil rights

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kodoku-roxi · 2 years

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too many emotions for a day, especially a small dose of disappointment, but I will talk abt it tomorrow, now it’s pretty late, 2am more exactly. I talked too much for a day, and I usually don’t do that,

now, dont get me wrong, I adore Mr. F, I love his design, his helmet is so nice and the suit is just incredible, but it’s sad, he (Mr. E) is sad, his story is sad. Just a machine build to follow orders. I waited to see what they would do to him, to see how they would deliver his story, but no, he has no story, he’s just there, one of 26

I love Mr. E more btw, and nothing will change that, not even a nindroid with a cool looking helmet and a badass suit.... and a gun apparently

#words words la la la #ninjago spoilers #fun fact: the romanian alphabet consists of 31 letters #idk why i wanted to tell u this lol #fun facts with kodoku i guess

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orbemnews · 3 years

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Native and state leaders react to dying of baseball legend and Cell native Henry "Hank" Aaron MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) -An outpouring of assist unfold throughout Alabama following the dying of Corridor of Famer and one-time dwelling run king and Cell native Henry “Hammerin’ Hank” Louis Aaron. He was 86. Aaron’s dying was confirmed Friday morning. The Atlanta Braves stated he died peacefully in his sleep early Friday. No trigger was given. Aaron’s childhood dwelling, which is now The Hank Aaron Childhood Residence & Museum, will likely be open as we speak till 5 p.m. and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to five p.m. The announcement was made Friday by the Cell Sports activities and Leisure Group. Cell mourns the loss our metropolis’s best athlete, the legendary Hank Aaron. To rejoice his life and every little thing Mr. Aaron means to the Port Metropolis, all gamers within the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl will likely be carrying a #44 helmet sticker in his reminiscence. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Iu4hjYdamU — Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) January 22, 2021 Aaron recorded his first of 755 dwelling runs on April 23, 1954 in a sport towards the St. Louis Cardinals. I’m saddened to listen to that Cell-native, Hammerin’ Hank Aaron has handed. He impressed many younger girls and boys to pursue their goals and pursue excellence in no matter they do. I lengthen my deepest sympathies to his household, buddies and former teammates. @HenryLouisAaron @Braves — Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) January 22, 2021 I used to be saddened to study of the passing of MLB Corridor of Famer and native Mobilian Henry “Hank” Aaron. He represented the perfect of our Metropolis as a humanitarian, enterprise chief, philanthropist and a nationwide baseball icon. We be part of so many in mourning his loss and honoring his legacy. pic.twitter.com/PZPGTUVAC5 — Mayor Sandy Stimpson (@MayorStimpson) January 22, 2021 The world misplaced a hero as we speak — Cell native Hammerin’ Hank Aaron is likely one of the most celebrated athletes in American historical past who broke Babe Ruth’s lengthy standing dwelling run document. My prayers are along with his household and family members. https://t.co/4UBNdaMzTQ — Rep. Terri A. Sewell (@RepTerriSewell) January 22, 2021 Aaron began his professional profession within the Negro Leagues in 1951. He made his approach by way of the minor leagues till age 20. He then made his Main League Debut and began his 23-year-career with the then-Milwaukee Braves Congressman Jerry Carl launched the next assertion: “I’m deeply saddened to study of Hank Aaron’s passing. A Cell native, “Hammerin’ Hank” was a baseball legend revered not just for his efficiency on the sphere, but in addition for his private integrity and character. Hank Aaron by no means let his humble upbringing and lack of entry to baseball gear as a younger boy hamper his progress or dedication to the sport. All through his storied profession, he would in the end smash a number of baseball corridor of fame information, most notably shattering Babe Ruth’s dwelling run document by hitting 755 dwelling runs. I’m proud to name him a fellow Mobilian, and I do know his household and buddies take consolation understanding his reminiscence lives on within the lives of so many. My prayers are with the household and buddies of Hank Aaron as we speak,” stated Carl. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '799069027340147'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); Supply hyperlink #Aaron #Alabama #baseball #Death #halloffame #hammerin #Hank #hankaaron #Henry #henrylouisaaron #homerun #jerrycarl #leaders #legend #local #Mobile #native #outpouring #Politics #react #sport #state

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reserved-kirby · 7 years

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Kirby: Battle Royale - Datamine Findings [Spoilers]

I’m sorry that this is coming out so late! Once I finished collecting things I really had to take a rest, I stayed up all night for this so I was fairly tired by the end of it all. Either way, due to the length of this post and it’s spoiler content, click the “Read More” to continue.

To start off, the following abilities are in the final version of the game:

Sword Cutter Beetle Bomb Spear Fighter Ninja Whip Parasol Hammer Doctor Tornado Ice

King Dedede, Meta Knight and Bandana Waddle Dee are all present in the game as playable characters. It is unknown how they are unlocked normally, but it likely has to do with story mode. Their unlock messages are as follows:

"Meta Knight is now in the Collection Lists! You can use this in Battle Mode and Online Battles after it's unlocked."

"Waddle Dee is now in the Collection Lists! You can use this in Battle Mode and Online Battles after it's unlocked."

"King Dedede is now in the Collection Lists! You can use this in Battle Mode and Online Battles after it's unlocked."

These are all the playable character icons. As it has been pointed out, in the demo, there are 17 ability slots; the last one is the Random select, similar to Smash Bros. and other games. The poll ability isn’t present whatsoever in the retail game, so it’ll likely be added in as a free DLC update.

As previously revealed on the Kirby Twitter account, the game has alternate costumes. Aside from special circumstances, all abilities have their default gear along with three alternates. They are listed as such: Sword: Gigant Helmet Newspaper Hat Dyna Helmet Ultra Sword Hat* Cutter: Sir Kibble Helmet Mohawk Knight Helmet Beetle: Hornhead Helmet Woodpecker Helmet Hydra Helmet Bomb: Foley Cap Bomb Cap Boom Cap Qbby Cap* Spear: Javelin Knight Helm Devil Horns Sectonia Mask

Fighter: Knuckle Joe Hair Wrestling Mask Goriath Hat Ninja: Bio Spark Helmet Topknot Samurai Helmet Whip: Whippy Hat Gymnastics Leotard Daroach Hat Parasol: Bouncy Umbrella Paper Parasol Fancy Umbrella

Hammer: Dedede Hammer Toy Hammer Grand Hammer Replica

Doctor: Chemitory Hat Nurse Cap Sacred Hat

Tornado: Twister Helmet Pinwheel Kracko Hat

Ice: Mr. Frosty Freeze Hood Snow Bowl

---

Bandana Waddle Dee: Sailor Hat Straw Hat Animal Hat Café Cap*

Meta Knight: Dark Meta Knight Mask Party Mask Mecha Knight Mask Galacta Knight Mask*

King Dedede: Knit Cap Gentleman's Hat King's Crown Masked Dedede Mask*

Ultra Sword Hat, Qbby Cap, Café Cap, Galacta Knight Mask and Masked Dedede Mask are all amiibo-locked, so you’ll need the Kirby Series amiibo and the Qbby amiibo to unlock everything.

Here are all of the ability moves. If the move is listed as an aerial move, it can only be used during a jump. If it’s listed as a charged move, you need to hold a charge before it can be used.

Beetle - Horn Upper, Horn Flurry, Back Slash, Spiral Horn (aerial), Rocket Horn (charged), Dive (after Rocket Horn), Forward Lunge, Slamming Drill (after Forward Lunge)

Bomb - Bomb Throw, Big Bomb Throw (charged), Bomb Dunk

Cutter - Cutter Boomerang, Jump Cutter (aerial), Hyper Cutter (charged), Final Cutter

Dedede - Hammer, Hammer Twirl (aerial), Dedede Hammer Throw (charged), Giant Dedede Swing

Doctor - Bouncing Capsule, Flash Spark (charged lv1), Sleeping Gas (charged lv2), Remedy (charged lv3), Clipboard Bash

Fighter - Quick Jab, Vulcan Jab, Rising Break, Sky Kick (aerial), Giga Force Blast (charged), Kick, Spin Kick, Final Spin Kick

Hammer - Hammer, Hammer Twirl (aerial), Hammer Flip (charged, 2 lvl.), Big Hammer Drop (aerial, charged, 2 lvl.), Hammer Swing

Ice - Ice Breath, Ice Sprinkle (aerial), Ice Wall (charged), Ice Ball

Meta Knight - Horizontal Slash, Meta Multithrust, Decisive Slash, Knight Spin (aerial), Dimensional Strike (charged), Piercing Slash

Ninja - Shock, Flurry Swipe, Stealth Slash, Ninja Kick (aerial), Pyrotechnics (charged), Knife Throw, Wind-Up Trick (charged), Ninja Jump (jump while holding button)

Parasol - Parasol Swing, Parasol Dive (aerial), Parasol Shield (hold), Parasol Drill (charged), Circus Throw (after Parasol Drill), Parasol Spin

Spear - Spear Thrust, Multispear Attack, Pinpoint Thrust, Windmill (aerial), Gale Thrust (charged), Spear Throw

Sword - Horizontal Slash, Successive Slash, Cleave, Sword Spin (aerial), Spin Slash (charged), Drill Stab

Tornado - Tornado Attack, Hyper Tornado, Big Tornado (charged), Tornado Dash

Bandana Waddle Dee - Parasol Swing, Parasol Dive (aerial), Aqua Shot (charged), Parasol Spin

Whip - Whip Strike, 100-Whip Slap, Whip Tornado (aerial), Crash Typhoon (charged), Whip Grab

To finish the ability section, there’s an oddity. Axe Knight is a character in the game, but it’s unknown if he’s playable. His data is all labeled as a normal, functioning player character, similar to Kirby’s abilities and the other confirmed unlockables. However, he’s also missing several things. He has no player select icon, lacks some coding for certain modes and has no unlockable text. Several things point to him being a character created solely for the Story Mode (possibly Meta Knight’s partner in the tourney), but there is a chance that he’s just not totally finished. Either way, his moveset is based around Cutter Kirby.

There are ten different game modes in the game overall. To list them out...

Apple Scramble - “Attack Mini Whispy Woods when it has apples to make them fall. After you pick up apples, throw them into your collection area, which is blue. After pulling the lever, you'll score for apples that go down the chute. High score wins!” Maps - Starter Forest, Double-Cross Forest, Bramble Forest, Fenced Forest, Double-Cross Forest (again?)

Slam Hockey - “Try to hit rivals with the puck as many times as you can. High score wins! You can send the puck toward rivals in two ways: give it a smack or throw it! If a rival throws a puck at you, catch it by pressing R at just the right time.” Maps - Normal Arena, Obstacle Arena, Stretch Arena

Battle Arena - “The last one standing when all rivals are KO'd wins! To knock out rivals, attack them until their health hits zero. Press A repeatedly to wake up if KO'd. The more you faint, the longer it takes to recover.” Maps - Deluxe Coliseum, Battle Coliseum

Robo Bonkers - “Attack Robo Bonkers and do more damage than anyone else to win! Throw missiles into cannons to launch them. It's a great way to damage Robo Bonkers! When Robo Bonkers falls, go for multiple attacks. Try for greater amounts of damage per hit.” Maps - Robo Bonkers, Robo Bonkers DX, Robo Bonkers SDX

Coin Clash - “Pick up coins while attacking your rivals for theirs. The one with the most coins wins! You can take even more coins from rivals by doing greater amounts of damage to them. You'll drop coins until you get the ghost off your back. Use B to dash and Y to jump.” Maps - Central Room, Dual Room, Trap Room, Party Room

Flagball - “You'll score when the ball connects with your blue flag. First team to seven points wins! If a flag falls to a lower level, you can grab it and run it around the field! A double flag will appear later in the game. It's worth double points. Great for a comeback!” Maps - Beginner's Beach, Flagger Beach, Footfall Beach, Lopsided Beach

Ore Express - “Toss as much ore as you can into train cars. Get more points than your rivals to win! Throw ore into a gold train car if you see one. You'll get double points for that ore!” Maps - Wayward Plains, Twisty Tunnels, Logjam Pass

Crazy Theater - “You'll enter a series of quick challenges. Hit the max number of wins before your rivals! In a question challenge, knock rivals off the correct answer!” Maps - Dream Theater

Attack Riders - “Attack your rivals to take away their chips. Whoever holds the most chips at the end wins! The more chips a competitor has, the easier they are to take. Greater damage gets more too. When the vehicle's gauge is full, press Y to attack. Avoid taking damage or you'll fall out!“ Maps - Attack Biker, Attack Tanker Rocket Rumble - “Grab as much fuel as you can and throw it into your rocket. The one with the most fuel wins! Attack your rivals' rockets to knock loose blocks of their fuel. Then steal it for your own! Get into your rocket before the 10-second countdown is over. Just jump in, or you won't score!” Maps - Space Center

The final boss in the game is named Dededestroyer Z. He shares some code with the Robo Bonkers battles, so it likely takes place in a similar scenario (circle arena, robot fight, etc.). In this fight, Dededestroyer Z seems to take control of the Kirby Printer and creates mass hordes of enemies for you to fight. The objective of this final fight is "Defeat all rivals before they beat you!". While this all goes on, Dededestroyer Z will also attack you using lasers, fist slamming attacks and more. Bandana Waddle Dee joins in this fight to help you, too; he seems to give you something called the Golden Missile, likely to deal the final blow.

The following NPCs are present in the game:

Groggy Waddle Dee Buddy Waddle Dee Dedede Meta Knight Axe Knight Bat Meta Knight Kirby Printer Waddle Dee A/B/C/D/E/F/P Soldier Waddle Dee L/R/A/B/C/D Spear Waddle Dee A/B Reporter Waddle Dee Camera Waddle Dee AD Waddle Dee TV Waddle Dee Mic Waddle Dee Fake Kirby A/B/C/D/E Waddle Doo A/B/C Guide Board A/B/C Knuckle Joe Elevator Crank Handle

The entirety of the Kirby Twitter news cast is here! Aside from the NPCs, there are characters called Waddle Dee Buddy, Waddle Dee Spear and Sandbag in the game. Compared to Axe Knight, it’s highly unlikely that these characters are anything more than story mode and/or tutorial characters. Sandbag is used in the online waiting room, too.

While we already have a fair bit of the OST in the game’s demo, there’s a lot of files that still aren’t present. This includes two Staff Credits themes, two Meta Knight themes, two Dedede themes, various boss themes, some more minigame themes and a couple things relating to the end of the game. I’ll be uploading the demo’s OST after this post goes live, too, so stay tuned for that!

To finish this off, I’d like to thank the elusive Popcorn for helping me, once again. He managed to snag the demo and send it over, so none of this would be possible without him!

#kirby #kirby spoilers #battle royale spoilers

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envoutier · 5 years

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OATH ☆彡 Part I

b a k u g o u x f e m ! r e a d e r / / f a n t a s y ! a u

a/n: this was originally posted on wattpad but i barely ever use that so here you go, tumblr. ALSO, this has not been edited since literally february so i’m sorry if it’s trash. ALSO ALSO - do you guys prefer a second-person POV over a third-person one? please let me know so i can keep it in mind as i write more of this series!!

series masterlist

word count: 2,002

↳ in which the reader finds a mysterious creature in the woods.

~~~

1 9 J U L Y 1 5 7 . . .

The sun rose slowly over the horizon, shining on every surface of the kingdom. It lit up the cobblestone paths and wooden single-floor houses. It gave life to the landscapes and soft hills. Even the grass glistened as the light reflected off of the morning dew. It served as a natural alarm clock for all species, including non-magical animals, as you could tell from the loud calls of the rooster that sounded every day near this time.

The people were up and about, preparing for yet another day of working, exchanging greetings with all the familiar faces. Among them shot a bullet, weaving through the crowd. A young woman, oddly dressed in robes much too thick for the current temperature. Who was in such a rush in the morning?

The town square was lined wall-to-wall in kiosks set up first-come first-served for the merchants every morning. The girl ran through the crowded marketplace, dodging customers and sellers advertising their wares, occasionally yelling out an “Excuse me!” or “Sorry!” after rushing past.

“What’re you up to today, (Y/N)?” called a rough voice to the sprinting figure. One person in town was able to recognize the girl despite her disguise, even if it is admittedly pretty lackluster. The young woman perked up upon hearing her name called and tugged her hood onto her shoulders. She skidded to a stop and sent a friendly wave to the orange-haired man.

“‘Morning, Mr. Maijima! I’m running an errand for the Court Apothecary. Collecting something-or-other in the woods just past the Lycen fields.”

The man grunted in response and said, “Tell your dad that the thing he asked for is finished.”

She hummed in thought for a moment. “Actually, I’ll just pick it up when I come back from this job later. Father is probably busy in the castle with all his knight training stuff.” All she got was a grunt and a nod before the man put on his helmet and disappeared into the forge. (Y/N) wasn’t bothered by his lack of response. This was very in-character for the town’s blacksmith and she’s long been used to his personality.

Before she was able to disappear back into her clothing, a pair of women noticed (Y/N) and bowed deeply. She smiled and waved her hand, signaling for the couple to raise their heads. “No, please relax. You needn’t bow to me.”

The woman shared a reluctant look before straightening up. (Y/N) felt uncomfortable being treated so formally by the villagers, at least when she’s in the village casually and not on royal business.

She didn’t really see herself as a princess anyway, since she wasn’t even in-line for the throne. That spot was reserved for her cousin.

She continued her marathon to the edge of the town to the forest. She paused on the bridge for a moment and waved to the people ferrying on the rowboats below her. (Y/N) loved watching the water in the canal. The canal connects everyone and everything in the kingdom together. The water, in general, always made her feel calm and happy. (Y/N) could watch and play in it for hours if she was allowed. She always dreamed of one day visiting the sea that she often hears about from travelers and in story books. She leaned over the rails of the bridge and saw herself staring back at her. (Y/N) giggled and flicked a pebble into the water, rippling and distorting her image.

She shook herself from the distraction and continued along the path to her destination. The faster she got this done, the earlier she could go home and do whatever she wanted. Hopefully. As long as her father didn’t send her out on another errand of his. (Y/N) absentmindedly strolled through the remaining rural parts of town, forgetting her earlier haste. She waved and send encouraging smiles and words to the farmers working the fields. She had no doubt that they had been doing so since long before she had even awoken in the morning.

The once tan and grey stoned path beneath (Y/N)’s feet transitioned into a narrow dirt road. She saw the beginnings of the large bed of trees’ canopy and began her sprint anew.

The outskirts of the forest consisted mainly of willow trees, drooping leaves covering whatever was inside from the outsiders’ sight. Behind the natural curtain, though, streams of light peaked through the spaces in the trees, ethereally lighting up the forest. The falling specks of dust and leaves resembled fireflies, and the whole forest seemed to be teeming with otherworldly life.

Entering the giant wood, (Y/N) slowed down, panting slightly. She reached into the bag slung across her body and pulled out a roll of parchment. She unraveled it and scanned the items listed. They were all basic herbs such as Chamomile flowers and ginseng. The court apothecary needed them for remedies for common wounds the knights got. Since those injuries were definitely due to her father’s training, that was likely the reason she was lumped with the work of finding the ingredients, (Y/N) laughed. Though, it’s not like he’s the one doing the work himself.

After committing at least the first half of the list to memory, (Y/N) readjusted her large, white gloves and began sifting through patches of grass.

Having done this several times before and the royal tutor making her study the topic of medicinal herbs for hours on end, the job of finding and collecting the ingredients wasn’t overly time-consuming. Soon enough, (Y/N) amassed a fairly large pile of plants next to her, each one categorized and tied together with string.

How many bundles of basil did I need…? (Y/N) thought to herself.

She was snapped out of her inner questioning by an unexpected sound. It was somewhere between a shrill and a high-pitched whimper. (Y/N) whipped her head around to where it sounded like the noise originated. It seemed like it was just past that large tree to her right. There usually weren’t many animals that hung around so close to the kingdom’s border. She waited a moment, expecting the noise to repeat. It didn’t.

(Y/N) carefully placed the bundles of all the herbs she’d collected so far into her bag. She reached into her thick, olive cloak and fished out a small, intricately crafted dagger from a sheath strapped to her side. As the daughter of the head of the kingdom’s military, there was no way she would go into the unknown wood unarmed, even if she was a woman. Why else would she be suffering in so many layers of clothing in the summer heat? At least if whatever made the sound attacked her, she would greatly decrease her chances of getting injured.

(Y/N) carefully stepped closer to the tall oak tree, hand clutching the dagger in front of her in a defensive position. She heard the whimper again. Her eyes trailed to a section of brush at the foot of the arboreal plant and approached once more. She lowered her arms as she lowered her body to the ground, sitting on her left knee. (Y/N) placed her dagger back into its casing, believing anything that sounded that hurt couldn’t instead try to hurt her. She grasped a leaf stem and quickly pulled the bush apart, exposing the creature within it.

Said creature shrieked again when he felt the light hit him. He attempted to scramble to his feet and ducked under another leaf, but hissed as he put weight onto his back foot. All he could do was squirm on the ground, barely moving a centimeter a second.

The small animal was covered in light blue, almost white, scaly skin. It was just about the length of (Y/N)’s arm, not including it’s long, spiked tail. It’s sharp claws dug into the dirt as it tried to alleviate the pain coming from its hind leg. But the biggest part, or rather, the most attention grabbing part..

(Y/N) could only stare in shock. That can’t be what I think it is. Is that…

Is that a dragon?

~~~

I mean, sure, it’s not nearly as big as I’ve seen it depicted in paintings, but that has to be a dragon, right? (Y/N) internally panicked. It has wings! And scales! Oh God, what do I do?!

(Y/N) paused. It finally occurs to her that the young dragon had been hurt and frantically pulls out a roll of gauze from her ever-handy satchel. She reached out to the animal in an attempt to wrap their left leg, but the dragon hisses at her. There’s no way he would trust a stranger enough to let them touch him.

(Y/N) automatically retracted her hands from the creature. “Sorry!” she exclaimed instinctively.

The dragon continued to glare at what he assumed to be a threat and tried to back away from the larger human. In doing so, he once again aggravated his injury and shrieked. (Y/N) flinched at how pained the animal sounded.

“Um…” (Y/N) hoped that dragons could understand humans’ common tongue, otherwise she was about to sound really dumb talking to herself. “I promise I’m not trying to hurt you. I can wrap your leg so you can’t move it around as much since it’s clearly paining you…” She trailed off when the dragon approached the roll of wound dressing that laid on the floor and inspected it.

He attempted to circle and investigate the roll of gauze as much as he could without actually moving his lower body. After looking back-and-forth from it to the human in front of him, he decidedly nudges the roll closer to the girl. He follows it and steps closer.

(Y/N) internally freaked out. Does this mean it wants me to do something? What if I try to touch it and it gets defensive again?!

The girl took a deep breath and gently and slowly reached toward the animal. He didn’t move or flinch back like she had expected him to. She interpreted this as a sign to continue and she expertly unraveled the gauze to dress the bleeding cut on the dragon’s leg.

Upon the gossamer making contact with his open wound, the dragon let out a loud cry once again.

“I’m sorry,” (Y/N) apologized again. “It’ll only hurt for a second.”

She set the dragon’s fully wrapped leg back onto the ground and advised, “I know I said it’ll help with the pain earlier, but still try to avoid putting a lot of weight onto your hind leg.”

She really hoped that this dragon understood what she was saying.

The dragon stood up shakily. He curiously poked at the fabric covering his leg.

“Ah, please don’t do that! It might irritate your injury again!”

He looked up the human that helped him. He waddled forward and nuzzled his feathered head against her arm in thanks. (Y/N) stared in shock. Just minutes ago, this very animal was baring it’s sharp, predatory fangs and her, but now he’s snuggling up next to her like a tame house cat. She swore she even heard it purring - or, at least, the dragon equivalent to that noise.

(Y/N) looked up, suddenly realizing how long it had been since she first left the village to collect the herbs. She abruptly stood up, separating herself and her newfound friend. Said creature nudged her foot with his snout and looked at her with curious eyes, wondering where she was going. She reached down and ruffled the feathers on his head. “I’ve been gone for a while. I need to head back and give these herbs back to the doctor.”

She opened up her satchel to double check that she collected all the ingredients she was sent out for when the dragon jumped up and landed inside her bag.

“Huh? What are you doing, buddy?” (Y/N) questioned. Her only response was the dragon turning and using the bundles of herbs as a nest to rest in. She sighed.

Okay, I guess I’m bringing a tiny dragon back to the castle with me.

~~~

↳ PART TWO

#bnha imagine #mha imagine #bakugou imagine #bakugou x reader #bakugou katsuki x reader #bnha x reader #mha x reader #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #bakugou katsuki #once in a blue moon lol #bnha #blasty mcsplode

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