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a-lonely-tatertot · 3 years

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Finding Home

First / Wattpad / Ao3

A/N: EYOO BOIS! told ya id post it today once again betaed by the amazing incredible @bookwyrminspiration!

words: 4860

trigger warnings: none please tell me if you find any!

Chapter 8: Kindling

Sophie stood still as stone. She knew she was staring, how could she not stare? Her girlfriend’s twin was standing in the doorway of her once home. His hair longer than she remembered, the top gathered in a messy bun, strands framing his face. Then Sophie realized it wasn’t just his hair that was different, he was wearing glasses.

Rounded bottoms, flat tops, glass that flared in the setting sun. Tam with glasses was not something Sophie was prepared for and she only managed to gap. They were silver-framed, and sat at home perched on his nose; it made him look older, and Sophie didn't know if it was good or bad.

"What's takin' so long Tam?" Mari called out from inside the house. A second later she appeared in the doorway, a cheery smile on her face that Amelia knew would be gone the moment Mari saw her. Obviously, she was right. Mari's eyes landed on the girl in front of her and her entire body went rigid, her face going through a hundred different emotions in an instant before stopping abruptly on blank confusion.

Oh. Mari was standing right in front of her, close enough to touch. Close enough that she could smell the chocolate and the familiar scent of cinnamon and apples and freshly baked bread and cookies that would melt in your mouth. Oh, how Amilia just wanted to run into her arms and cry and apologize and beg for forgiveness until her voice was hoarse. But all she could do was stand, and stare, without the courage to even think of saying something.

None of the group had heard the footsteps approach, or the small gasp, too entrapped by their own hurricanes of emotion.

"Sophie?" a timid voice asked followed by a smaller, "Linh?"

Both girls’ heads snapped up to look at who’d broken the unforgiving silence; Sophie's eyes found Fitz's and both of their faces split into comical grins. Fitz pushed past Mari, hurried and uncoordinated, stumbling his way into Sophie's arms. A startled laugh escaped her lips as Fitz wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her into the air like she was light as a feather. Oh, how she had missed her Fitz.

Eventually, he set her down and ruffled her hair with a grin before glancing back to the group still standing in the doorway. His eyes landed on Linh who raised her hands up in surrender immediately. "Nuh-uh, nope, don't you dare try to hug me," Linh said, her tone playfully serious.

Tam and Sophie finally locked eyes and he gave her a look that clearly said, this is what I have to deal with all the time; pity me.

Sophie didn’t.

Fitz let out a laugh before grabbing Sophie's arm and practically dragging her inside. "Come on! We've got so much to talk about!"

Giving him a weak smile, Sophie glanced back at Mari. The woman's eyes narrowed, "Yes, we really do."

Sophie prayed silently to whoever was listening that she wouldn't be dead in a ditch by the end of the day.

Fitz had pushed his way through the doorway with Sophie in tow, the rest following slowly, not quite sure what to do.

It felt weird, seeing Fitz so at home in a place the exact opposite of where he grew up. But the way he smiled easily, told everyone to take a seat, talked with Linh—if Sophie didn't know any better she'd say he’d lived here his entire life.

"So," Sophie started. The living room was crammed, not meant for the five people and all of the tension. "Can we talk?" She directed the question at Fitz (and tried to ignore the flash of emotion on Mari's face).

Fitz luckily got the hint and nodded, motioning for her to follow him into the kitchen. Oh, the kitchen. She remembered the time that Mari tried to let her make pancakes on her own, which ended with her almost burning down the house. Or the time that she and Tommy got in a food fight while Mari and Angie desperately tried to salvage dinner—until Angie got a face full of mashed potato and it became a full-out war. She missed those days. Everything was so much easier. But then she had to go and mess it all up.

"Hey? You still there?" Fitz asked, yanking her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry," she said hurriedly. "So how'd you end up here?" She already knew part of the story, that Fitz left and Tam tagged along.

"Mostly impulse decision. Decided I wanted to be more than 'The Next Vacker' or whatever the hell I was supposed to be. So I ended up leaving; Tam caught me at the last second and came along. We ended up in Europe, and—-after a few failed attempts—learned how to drive and made our way through the place living in this weird RV that always smelled like cheese for some reason. And then somehow we ended up on a plane here, decided more road-tripping was needed. But the car broke down and Mari ended up helping us and let us stay a couple of nights."

Sophie laughed, "Yeah, that sounds like Mari."

"Wait, so how do you know her?"

"Uh. Well, you see, I kinda lived here for a year after showing up at her diner and her taking me in," Sophie said, her hands moving as if she was trying to grasp the explanation out of the air.

"YOU'RE AMELIA?" Fitz yelled, making Sophie almost squeak. "I totally thought that she was Mari's daughter."

She paused at the words. Mari talked about her like she was her daughter? Oh. Sophie felt like she could cry. From happiness or guilt; the jury was still out.

"Well, I kinda ran away? In the middle of the night without telling her? But she caught me and we fought and haven't seen each other since," Sophie mumbled.

"You and your attachment problems."

Sophie gaped at him, "OH! I'm sorry that I got pulled into a random world at 12 and then got betrayed, hurt emotionally and physically, and had the people I cared about die!"

"Yes, but you've got to let someone closer than an arms distance away sometimes," he said with a sigh.

"I have a girlfriend; she's closer than an arms distance!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah I noticed that, but be honest with yourself, she’s not."

Sophie only glared at him.

"Look. You've got issues to figure out with Linh and Mari but I'm not gonna make you fix 'em," Fitz said after a beat. "But Linh and Tam definitely have issues that need to be talked about or this house is going to catch on fire-"

Sophie chuckled. Ignoring her own problems to fix someone else's. She could do that.

The tension in the room couldn't get any worse. Actually, it could, but if it did the house might've blown up. Fitz, bless his soul, seemed oblivious to everything. Asking question after question, talking to Linh, asking what Sophie was studying, and so on and so on until it got frankly exhausting to answer.

The Plan—she said plan, but it was more of a vague idea and a poorly put together execution— was to get the twins to talk and be together so that at least half of the tension would go away. But no, Fitz just had to keep fucking talking. Finally, Sophie had enough. "Suggest dinner dumbass," she eloquently texted Fitz.

When his phone went off he only rolled his eyes in her general direction.

"Why don't I make some dinner?" Fitz asked, getting murmurs of agreement that sounded like music to Sophie's ears.

"I'll help!" Sophie suggested, and Mari's face twisted into poorly concealed horror as she definitely remembered how it went the last time Sophie was in the kitchen unsupervised.

"Nuh-uh," Mari shook her head. "I'm going with; I do not trust you in there." Sophie only smiled innocently; it was all going according to plan. The twins, in almost unison, glanced at each other and back at the three, trying to find a way out. Sophie went over and kissed Linh on the cheek, squeezing her shoulder.

"Don't worry, it won’t be long and I'll come back if you need me," she whispered, trying to ignore the confused looks Tam was giving her.

"You better," Linh muttered back. Sophie gave her a reassuring smile before heading into the kitchen where Mari and Fitz were discussing what to make.

"We are not having breakfast for dinner just because it’s the only thing you know how to make!" Fitz argued playfully.

"It is not the only thing I know how to make; it’s just easy!" Mari retorted. Sophie watched the exchange as they went back and forth, finally deciding on chicken and waffles ‘cause it was sort of both; though, Sophie knew that Mari had really won the argument.

When both Mari and Fitz were distracted getting things out of pantries and cupboards, Sophie secretly reached out to Linh's familiar mind.

Yes, it was wrong; Sophie knew this, but she needed to make sure that Linh was going to be okay. Sophie needed to make sure she was going to be okay. What would happen if something happened and Sophie didn't react fast enough? What if Linh needed her and she didn't know? She said she would be there if she needed her and this was her way of being there for her.

Sophie distractedly did as she was instructed, doing the small tasks like cracking eggs and grabbing ingredients. She was not permitted, unless the world was ending, to touch the stove. Sophie only laughed, knowing that Mari was being paranoid, but it was something she had learned Mari was good at. Being paranoid gave her control, gave her all the angles, even if one of them was outrageous. Sophie tried not to think about the fact that she may have added to her paranoia with her run-away-in-the-middle-of-the-night stunt.

Quickly banishing the thought from her mind she focused on Linh's thoughts. Nothing had happened, there was a tension to Linh, a million thoughts a mile an hour running through her mind, what if after what if and quite a few cuss words.

"Soo..." Tam said.

"So," Linh responded, her tone flat, clearly guarded, but her mind was whirling like a tornado.

"We should talk." Linh internally scoffed at that.

"What's there to talk about?" Tam gave her a look of disbelief.

"There's everything to talk about!"

"You left."

Tam huffed, "You told me to!" Linh stayed quiet, and Tam stared at his hands. "You made it clear as day you didn't want me there; you still don’t want me. What the hell did I do wrong, Bubbles?"

Linh let out a heavy sigh. "That’s the problem," she whispered. "You didn't do anything. You were perfectly fine. You were fine doing the same thing for eternity. You were happy. And I went and fucked it up just because I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand being there, being so lonely-"

What are you doing, Fitz's voice rang in her head and she stumbled out of Linh's mind.

Sophie's face steeled. None of your business.

Fitz let out a huff of annoyance, similar to Tam's (she wondered if they were rubbing off on each other), but ultimately went back to work. Mari didn't question the weird interaction, but Sophie got the feeling she would be interrogated later by them separately. God, she did not need an adult, a sister, and a Fitz on her back. Couldn't she just make bad decisions in peace?

Sophie was grateful for them though. The pestering of Amy keeping her in check, in the right mind, the hugs from Fitz that seemed to never stop, and the way that Mari looked at her now, conflicted between holding her and never letting go and opening the gates that kept her anger behind bars. Sophie didn't know what she did to deserve them, especially after she fucked up time and time again, but she was grateful nonetheless.

They finished dinner in silence, except for the occasional "Can you pass me that?" or "Here let me show you how to do it." It was eerily domestic and made Sophie's heart clench, even making her forget about the tense conversation happening a wall over. But she didn't dare listen in again with Fitz watching her like a hawk, annoying in his way of knowing exactly what she was thinking and doing.

Eventually, the food was placed on platters, and Sophie used her waitress skills from many long days wasting away carrying plates and large orders to customers and brought all of the food out to the dining room.

Tam and Linh had kept their distance, the tension only a little bit more breathable. At least they weren't glaring daggers, now they were just ignoring the others’ existence. Baby steps. Fitz tailed behind her, setting the table as she carefully placed the food.

They soon all sat at the table, quietly serving themselves, not quite sure what to do with everyone else. Fitz and Tam kept on sharing glances, seeming to have a silent conversation that really got on Sophie's nerves. Sophie sat on the opposite end of the table from Mari, ignoring her prodding stares. "So," Linh cleared her throat, "what have you guys been doing since you got here?"

"Oh, nothing much," Tam responded, a harsh edge to his words.

Linh leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. "Oh come on. It’s been forever since I saw you last; you had to do something."

Sophie, for one, was not liking where this was going. The annoyed tone, the poking, the insistence, it was suffocating. She could tell, glancing at Fitz and Mari, that she wasn't the only one.

Tam gave a curt laugh. "Well, we did do a lot, I just didn't know if you would want to hear about how much, mmh what’s the word, better it was without you."

That hit a nerve.

Sophie watched in horror as Linh's face hardened and the water in her glass started to shake. Desperately, Sophie reached for her girlfriend's hand, only for it to be pushed away as Linh stood, startling the rest of the table—except for Tam? who looked like he was getting exactly what he wanted.

"You liar," Linh spat.

Tam stood up to meet her, a glint in his eyes as the setting sun's light hit his glasses, "How would you know I'm a liar, Linh? You told me you wanted to go, so I went. You disappeared at night, and you came back looking like shit. But you told me not to ask, and you said you didn't need me. And guess what? I fucking listened, cause that's what good siblings do: they listen. So when you told me to leave, I left and caught a ride with Fitz. And he did a better job at being a brother than you ever did as my sister!"

Fitz looked like he wanted to melt into a puddle. "Guys-" he tried, but when both Linh and Tam sent him a withering look he stopped. Sophie didn't know what to do; she didn't know who to help or even if she could. It was all too much.

"Fitz isn't your goddamn brother, he didn't go through the shit we did," Linh snapped.

Tam huffed, "Linh, when is it going to get through your thick skull? I'm not replacing you, I couldn't do that even if I tried. I'm waiting, I'm waiting for you to realize you're not okay, and I'm waiting for you to ask for help instead of waiting for it to fall apart in front of you." The looking on Tam's face and the way Linh's posture sagged made Sophie feel horribly out of place. That the moment was too intimate for her to see. Granted, that hadn't stopped her before, but that wasn’t the point. The point was Linh's face going through a hundred different emotions before she walked out the door without another word.

Sophie went to stand up, to go after her, to make sure she was okay—until she felt Tam's hand on her shoulder. He shook his head and smiled softly. "Let me talk to her," he said, and suddenly he looked too old to be the person she once knew. But she stayed where she was and let Tam go out the still-open door without an argument.

"What the hell was that?" Mari asked as soon as Tam left.

"They're twins," Fitz supplied.

"With emotional trauma and attachment issues," Sophie added. Mari only nodded and left it at that. The three finished up dinner without another word.

Light buzzes against Sophie's hand woke her up. She groaned in annoyance as the bright screen displayed Amy's name, knowing this was a call she shouldn't ignore. Slowly she found her way out of bed and Linh's arms, fumbling to answer the phone, anything to keep it from waking Linh up. She tiptoed down the hall, subconsciously taking the familiar path. Putting the phone to her ear, Amy's voice shrieked through the phone.

"HIII!" Amy screamed.

"You are way too awake at one in the morning," Sophie grumbled.

"I had a coffee around twelve in the morning, another an hour ago, and just chugged a Redbull," Amy explained as if nothing about this extreme amount of caffeine was concerning.

"And why, pray tell, did you do this?"

"Midterms." That explained everything perfectly. Amy was silent for a moment and Sophie spun around the room, eyes raking over the familiar scene she found herself in. A nightstand cluttered with chargers and books and random trinkets, a dresser void of any clothes, and a desk with the all too familiar pens she had collected and doodles she had etched into the smooth frame. On the bed, she found a familiar book that made her breath hitch and everything in her freeze. Against her will she was drawn towards it, opening the frayed frame displayed the first page of the scrapbook, a picture of Angie, Mari, Tommy, and Amilia outside of the diner.

Angie had given her the book the first and only Hanukkah she was there. It was during the middle of dinner, Amilia had her face stuffed with sufganiyot, and Tommy had come over. It was really a present to the both of them, knowing that neither would be getting anything from their respective families and a reminder that they would always have the home they had built. It was that night Amilia realized she had built herself a family, she had gained a brother and mothers. Her own makeshift family. But that had scared her to her core, being a part of something again. So she started to plan, and she gave into that horrible urge to run.

"Soph? Sophie are you okay?" Amy's voice tore through her thoughts like a light in the darkness.

"What if I fuck it all up again?" Sophie asks, her words shake, and she realizes her cheeks are wet from tears that had spilled over without her permission.

"You won’t."

"How do you know? What do I do when Linh finds out I've seen things I shouldn't have? That I've been keeping it from her? What do I do when Mari asks about who I was? What-"

"Stop." She stopped. "I need you to breathe," Amy spoke softly like Sophie was some wild animal. Over the next minute Amy counted while Sophie breathed, it was a routine at this point. Too many times had Amy walked in on Sophie barely holding herself. Eventually, Sophie's breathing calmed and so did the horrible buzzing of adrenaline in her system.

"I know that you're scared and that you have every right to be," Amy said finally into the empty silence. "But no matter what I will always be here with you okay? As you do everything I'm going to be here for you. No matter how much of a dumbass you are sometimes."

Sophie laughed dryly, "Thank you." She ignored how much it mirrored Linh's words on the bus.

They talked for a long time after, about anything and everything. About their friends at university to what Sophie's going to do about the boys. "It's weird, isn't it?" Sophie asked, watching the moon rise from the window from above her old bed.

"What's weird?"

"That we found each other so quickly that we all just seemed to be in the right place at the right time."

Amy was quiet for a minute, nothing but the sound of papers rustling to remind Sophie that she was still there. "Yeah, I guess it could be seen as weird. Maybe the universe was tired of seeing you guys dance around each other."

Sophie chuckled lightly and they left it at that as they jumped onto the next train of thought.

Sophie stepped out into the cold. Amy had hung up thirty minutes prior, leaving her in the dark next to Linh feeling ever so alone. She hadn't told her sister about the eavesdropping; she already knew what Amy would say. Sophie didn't need another lecture; it was too damn late for that. She ignored the guilt that had evidently arisen with the thoughts and had quietly snuck out of the living room, through the kitchen, and out the door. Eerily similar to the way she had the night she left, her brain unhelpfully reminded her. She winced at the steel in Mari’s voice, as she had told her not to be a coward stabbed deep in her heart.

She sat on the swinging bench outside, gently rocking herself back and forth on it. Her mind wandered, from how Mari did after she left, if she tried to go after her, she thought of Tommy and how he reacted, if he expected her to leave like the mystery boy he had fallen for. She sat and marveled at the stars and how clear they were. She thought of how the night, no matter how dark, never seemed to swallow her up, just sat like an old friend waiting.

Her thoughts surrounded her, infusing her so deeply she didn't hear the door creak open as Mari stepped through and cleared her throat, “Is this spot taken?”

Startled, Sophie shook her head, and her eyes found the plate that she was holding. It held her favorite dessert that Mari would make: a mini upside-down pineapple chocolate cake that never failed to make Sophie feel better.

They sat in heavy silence, staring off, avoiding looking at each other, instead of staring off into the trees, eating their respective mini cakes. Sophie didn't know how long it had been when Mari finally cleared her throat.

"I kept the stuff you left," she whispered.

"I- thank you," Sophie said even though she already knew because nothing else seemed to fit. A beat passed where Sophie grasped for something, anything to say to the woman next to her. Instead, she tore out an eyelash, reveling in the stab of pain she had become numb to.

"I thought you were done with that habit," Mari stated. So did Sophie. Until Linh showed up until the world decided to hate her once more.

"Old habits die hard," she shrugged.

Mari nodded, clearly having more important questions on her mind, "So...they call you Sophie, huh?"

Sophie's breath hitched. "Um yea," she stumbled. "It's a long story."

"We've got all night." And at that Sophie knew what the rest of the night was going to be, her spilling her guts about every fucked up thing that happened when she was a kid. She didn't even know how many laws she would break telling Mari everything but fuck it. Mari deserved to know.

"When I was five, I started to read minds," Sophie started softly. Mari didn't react, staying quiet for her to continue. So she did, and she told her everything. From before Fitz found her to when she left.

Mari was quiet the entire time Sophie talked, her face set in a mask, betraying none of her emotions, which made Sophie's entire stomach twist. By the time Sophie finished, fireflies had risen around the trees and grass around them. Their flickering lights were majestic, and Sophie wondered what it would be like to be a firefly. How simple it would be to be just one light in a million. She mulled over their similarities to stars, yet she remembered learning once how very far away each star was from another, what a lonely existence it must be.

They sat, Sophie still as a statue, Mari probably deciding that this random girl and her group of people were very very crazy. Finally, Mari cleared her throat, "You know I won't believe you without proof."

Sophie let out a harsh laugh, "If you did I would honestly be concerned about your sanity." Mari smiled small. Sophie cleared her throat, "So, uh what do you wanna see first?"

"Telepathy?" Mari asked, her face falling back into that mask counseling her. Sophie took a breath and closed her eyes.

She opened her mind to the world and reached forward for Mari. "Hello," Sophie transmitted and opened her eyes. Mari's eyes were blown wide and her mouth hung open slightly, her mask nowhere to be found. Sophie pulled out of her mind, closing her walls against the bombarding thoughts, and the world was quiet again.

"What the fuck," Mari breathed.

Sophie laughed, giggled more like. Maybe she was tired, maybe it was Mari's face, maybe she had hit her limit. She giggled till she was breathlessly holding her stomach. Mari only stared at her silently trying to gauge who the hell this kid was sitting next to her.

Arms were around Sophie before she knew what was happening, holding her, encasing her, like they were trying to protect her from the rest of the world. "What is this for?" Sophie whispered. It wasn't like she didn't appreciate it, honestly, she loved it, she missed motherly hugs and the way that Edaline would hold her at night when she couldn't sleep. Burying her head into Mari's shoulder, breathing in the smell of pineapple and chocolate and a home she missed so much.

"I am so sorry," Mari said. "For what they did to you, Soybean."

Sophie's eyes teared up at the name. She remembered when Mari told her about the nickname, they were in the diner closing up when Angie brought up the topic . For the next half an hour she’d smothered Mari in random nicknames, each one getting worse as the time went by. They were walking back when Mari asked her, and she said she was once called Soybean when the world was much easier.

They stayed there for who knows how long, in the cold, a thousand fireflies shining, and the warmth of a home Sophie always wanted around her.

"Sophie," a sing-song voice forced its way through her dreams, earning a grumble in return.

"She is impossible to wake up in the morning," another voice said.

"Hey, at least she sleeps," voice number three said.

"Sophiieeee, if you don’t wake up I am going to be forced to give you affection," the first voice spoke again; it was Linh, the more awake part of her brain supplied. Sophie only grumbled again, trying to bury herself under the covers once more. But in a blink of an eye the blanket was gone and she was curling around nothing, as hands were placed on her sides and kisses attacked her face. The fingers on her sides started to move and suddenly a bubble in her stomach popped and she was rolling with laughter trying to escape her girlfriend's tickles and kisses.

"I'm- I'm awake!" Sophie breathed between giggles.

Dimly, she registered who she thought was Amy say, "I think I'm going to barf," and Fitz agreeing with her while Mari ushered them out of the room with a fond look on her face.

Eventually, the torture stopped and both girls were breathless, but in the best way possible. "It's too early for this," Sophie said, flopping back down onto the bed. Linh giggled and the sound did something to Sophie's insides. Maybe it was love, she thought as she fought the shame that came from the secrets she kept (it’s not and she knows this, but maybe if she pretends it is, then it will be, then she'll be enough).

"Come on, love," Linh whispered, something in her eyes shining that Sophie didn't want to know. It would hurt too much to know.

Breakfast was a small affair; the tension had lessened. Much less like a nuke about to go off and more like a small bomb that would blow with the slightest move. Sophie and Mari's talk helped, and so did Amy's presence distracting the twins from each other.

It was nice, sitting, talking, fighting with no malice in their words. For once, Sophie felt like she was home. Sure it still needed healing, and work, and help, but it was still her home.

#weeeeee #kotlc #keeper of the lost cities #sophie foster #amy foster #linh song #tam song #fitz vacker #kotlc fic #fanfic #tater writes #finding home

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kiseiakhun · 4 years

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on an unrelated note, it’s wild how dc keeps pushing Jason as the wild and out of control Robin while simultaneously having him act the most rational and levelheaded at... random fucking moments during batfam gatherings. and then going back to acting like a dumb thug with no ability to think ahead, or think at all, in the same issue (Batman and Robin Eternal comes to mind). like, there’s him standing up for Bruce against Tim of all people in that recent Alfred RIP issue while still not letting Bruce off the hook for his transgressions, there’s him pointing out Bruce’s hypocrisy in Detective Comics, and earlier in Detective Comics there’s him going back to help the batfam bring Damian back after Bruce brought him back to Qurac and tried to trigger ptsd with his most traumatic memory. there’s Event Leviathan where Jason seems to be the only one with brain cells in the whole damn cast, there’s him being the first to point out that Dick was trying to manipulate them during Robin War, and those are just the examples I can think of off the top of my head.

like. I want to say that it could be DC trying to push him as that hidden genius that everyone underestimates, but it really doesn’t come off that way? one moment he’ll say something so insightful and deep that it should give everyone pause, and then he’ll turn around and do something so phenomenally stupid that it’s like, how the hell are you still alive. how the hell did Batman let you out as Robin in the first place if this is the extent of your critical thinking skills.

and come to think, Jason in recent (like, late n52-rebirth) seems to be one of the first to ardently jump to the defense of Batman (again, him defending Bruce against Tim in Alfred RIP, which is still sort of throwing me for a loop because What The Fuck, but tbh Tim’s personality vacillates even more wildly than Jason’s, him punching that guy badmouthing Batman in the face in. was it prelude to the wedding or robin wars? can’t remember) or being the first to forgive Bruce’s transgressions against him (helping the fam bring Damian back even after Bruce did That), or accepting all of Bruce’s shitty manipulative olive branches the moment that they’re extended (that hug in rhato after Bruce “““apologized”””). it... can get pretty hard to buy his status as the ‘black sheep’ of the family after seeing all that, and it just makes Bruce (and sometimes, by extension, the rest of the batfam) look like even more of an asshole when he acts harshly against Jason for his ‘‘‘‘transgressions’’’’. like, you can’t give us all that and then brush it off with ‘oh, their relationship is so STRAINED, they never see eye to eye on ANYTHING, it’s just more of the same old’ to justify Bruce acting like an asshole to him. how the hell is that meant to be read as anything BUT abusive?

and like, it’s no wonder so many people relate to Jason when you put all of it side by side like that, because you’re given this narrative that he’s the black sheep, he makes trouble for the hell of it, he acts contrary because That’s Just Who He Is. and then you actually read the comics and you see him trying to reach out, trying to integrate back into the fam, enduring one weak-ass apology after the other without raising a fuss, and he’s still treated like a liability. still treated like a problem. still treated like an impulsive, reckless idiot even when he keeps demonstrating that he’s NOT. like, jfc. no wonder he’s Difficult. how many people would remain pleasant after enduring all that shit? it’s like he’s being gaslit by DC as a company, and DC doesn’t realize they’re doing it. and idk HOW they don’t realize they’re doing it when this shit keeps. fucking. happening.

I mean, taken alone I guess each of those moments work to establish Jason’s Yearning for a deeper bond even if his relationship with the fam is strained within whichever storyline is being written atm, and the individual writers writing those scenes don’t put that much thought into how it all looks when they’re put side and side and seen together rather than as individual snapshots. it. doesn’t paint a pretty picture.

... this started out as me rolling my eyes over the fact that dc still can’t seem to decide on a personality for Jason. it was not meant to be a rant. oops.

#jason todd #just to be clear I am also very annoyed at the way they're inadvertently making #Bruce out to be this terrible abusive asshole #because they're obviously not trying to?#but apparently everyone at dc has the self-awareness of an amoeba #how the hell can they justify pushing this guy as their hero?#bruce deserves better than this #there are so many ways to push him as the brooding melancholic hero with anger issues and control issues and a chronic inability to show his #love and appreciation to those closest to him #WITHOUT turning him into a raging douchenozzle #like??? it'll be SO easy #the seeds are there already!! they're right there!!!!

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gorogues · 4 years

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The Confusing History of Al and Al

Hi. It’s me again, trying to see if I have the history of Dr. Alchemy, Mr. Element, and the two Als down correctly.

-Showcase #13: Mr. Element debuts.

-Showcase #14: The same character reappears with a new identity, Dr. Alchemy, but he isn’t implied to have a split personality.

-Justice League #21-22: Dr. Alchemy appears as a member of the “Crime Champions”, teaming up with Felix Faust, Chronos, the Icicle, the Fiddler, and the Wizard. Again, there’s no implication of him having a split personality.

-Flash #147: “Our Enemy, the Flash”. Mr. Element/Dr. Alchemy reforms. I believe that this is the first issue where his actual name, Albert Desmond, is revealed. His fiancee, Rita, is also introduced here. Professor Zoom the Reverse-Flash tries to make Albert revert to evil (and more specifically his identity as Mr. Element) via hypnosis. Throughout the issue, Albert is described as having an evil side of his personality, but it still doesn’t seem to quite be an actual split personality.

-Flash #153: “The Mightiest Punch of All Time”. Eobard uses a machine to bring out the evil in Albert Desmond’s nature, causing him to briefly become Mr. Element before Barry uses a future device to return him to the side of good. Again, he still doesn’t appear to have a full-on split personality. In this issue, it is implied that Al and RIta will soon get married.

-Flash #166: Albert and Rita (now married) attend Barry and Iris’ wedding.

After this I get fuzzy on issue numbers.

-Albert Desmond becomes Mr. Element due to a pulsing star that is stated to have influenced his previous forays into crime. Also, he almost explodes and destroys the Earth. This is the first issue where Albert appears to have a full-on split personality, with Mr. Element and Albert Desmond acting quite differently from one another, behaving as separate individuals. Barry somehow solves Al’s star problem and allegedly destroys Mr. Element as a personality.

-Desmond becomes Dr. Alchemy for some reason (it’s been awhile since I read the issue) and tries to use green fire to burn everything. Again, Dr. Alchemy is implied to be a separate personality rather than just Desmond’s costumed identity, and Barry allegedly rids Albert of Dr. Alchemy by the end of the story. Also, he and Rita almost get crushed by a falling gargoyle at the beginning of the story.

-Albert and Rita attend Barry’s birthday party in a one-panel appearance.

-Flash #287-289: The debut of Alvin Desmond, Albert’s “psychic twin”, who frames Albert for a series of crimes before finally being defeated by Barry Allen and Albert Desmond, who uses his Mr. Element costume and identity without activating an apparent split personality.

-Flash vol. 2 #19: Alvin attends the Rogues’ party and turns Connie Noleski’s bracelet first into gold and then into pure platinum.

-Then there’s a two-parter where it’s revealed that “Alvin” is actually a physical manifestation of Albert’s evil side/split personality(ies) created by the Philosopher’s Stone. Wally West helps Albert to destroy Alvin. Rita does not appear; the two may have divorced by this point.

-Flash vol. 2 #71-72: A guy called the Alchemist shows up, having stolen the Philosopher’s Stone. He’s defeated by Wally and is explicitly neither Albert nor Alvin.

-Towards the end of Mark Waid’s run (during the “Dark Flash” arc) Dr. Alchemy shows up without explanation. It’s not clear if it’s Albert or Alvin under the hood, but he turns apples into gold before getting beaten up by Walter West.

-During Geoff Johns’ run, Dr. Alchemy made sporadic appearances, usually in Iron Heights and doing nothing but reading books. For awhile it wasn’t clear who was under the hood, but then an issue of Gotham Central revealed that he was in fact Albert, acting far more sadistically than he had anywhere else. (I wasn’t crazy about that; Alvin would’ve seemed much more appropriate.)

-And except for a few cameos, that was the last time Albert/Alvin appeared (until the upcoming run with him in it).

Is this right? If so, what in the world is going on in Al’s head? (This was going to be a question, but it got too long, so here it is.)

*** gorogues’ reply begins after this line! ***

Yeah, you've got the gist of it. Alvin also had a two-part story in Blue Beetle v1 #3-4 in 1986, and a cameo in Manhunter v1 #7 in 1988.

Albert had a major appearance in the Brave and the Bold v3 #7 in 2007. The Gotham Central arc was #28-31 (2005) so it was a fair-sized story, but I agree with you, Albert comes across as an absolute psychopath and I wasn't thrilled with that.

Albert or Alvin appeared as Dr Alchemy in Justice League of America v1 #219-220 in 1983 as well.

There's also a Silver Age Mr Element story AND a present-day Dr Alchemy story in Flash v2 annual #8 (1995). Presumably Mr Element was Albert, but it wasn't clear to me whether that Dr Alchemy was Albert or Alvin.

And there's a long-running story arc called "Silver Age" which ran through a bunch of books with that title (Silver Age: Justice League, Silver Age: Flash, etc) that had Albert as Mr Element. It's not clear when exactly those happened, other than sometime in the Silver Age.

Al and Rita apparently divorced off-panel, so we don't know when it happened. But I'd guess it was between her last appearance in Alvin's first arc and the arc in which Alvin is seemingly destroyed (Flash v2 #40-41). Thing is, we don't know for sure that Alvin was destroyed, because in that story with the golden apples (Flash v2 #152) he sure looks like Alvin...but Alvin was supposed to be gone by then. So it was either an art or a continuity error, or maybe Alvin wasn't really destroyed or he was later re-created.

Dr Alchemy had a significant appearance in Flash Secret Files and Origins #2 (1999), but it's not clear whether it's Albert or Alvin. His hair is dark like Albert's, but it's curly like Alvin's.

And then Johns muddied the continuity waters further by putting Albert into Barry's past in Flash: Rebirth and the 2010 Secret Files issue. In this new version of continuity, Albert was Barry's mean co-worker before Barry became the Flash, and he may have even been one of Barry's childhood bullies (it wasn't clear if that was our Albert or a random kid with the name). In the present, Albert made a sinister comment about Barry "I wonder if you remember me -- and if you're still angry about what I did to her", but we never found out who or what he was talking about because Flashpoint happened.

So as you may have surmised, the history of Al is kind of a mess and absolutely confusing. He's been a good man who struggles with evil impulses, he's been affected by an evil star, he's had an astral twin and the good/evil flowed between them, he's learned that the twin was merely a construct of his Stone to give form to his evil impulses, and he's been a completely amoral jerk who cares about nothing other than knowledge. I think there's some room to pick and choose how you interpret him since he's been so different over the years, but the way comics continuity is supposed to work is you take the most recent version...while knowing that it may change in the future. But I'm not going to lie, I stubbornly consider stuff like the Roscoe-possesses-Henry-Allen story at least sort of canon even though it was clearly erased with the Eobard-killed-Nora-Allen retcon, so I think the same can be done with Al if you choose.

What is clear is that Al has significant mental health issues, and possibly Dissociative Identity Disorder. He may have compartmentalized his negative thoughts or urges into another personality in order to rid himself of them or perhaps to deflect blame for them, and certainly the Philosopher's Stone is powerful enough to create a simulacrum of life to make that alter ego real (temporarily or permanently). If so, maybe the more amoral Dr Alchemy we saw under Johns is just his 'bad' personality having seized control, and maybe the original Albert is buried and can still re-emerge. I think that'd be an ideal solution to make sense of all the various continuities and leave room for a more nuanced Al who isn't solely amoral. I hope we see something like that when Al finally returns in a few months.

#longitudinalwaveme #Dr Alchemy #Mr Element #submission #words #long post #the more you know #queue

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ordinaryschmuck · 3 years

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What I thought about the MCU (Phase Two)

Sorry this didn’t come out sooner. Disney+ needed to be paid, and that is the only way I can possibly watch most of these movies. Anways, here’s the continued ranking:

6th place: Thor: The Dark World (4/10)

The final fight is cool, and Loki is still a ton of fun. There. That's all I like about Thor: The Dark World. Other than that, it is easily the weakest MCU film. It's boring. It's ugly. A large percentage of the characters are flat and dull. And Christopher Eccleston's Malekith is arguably the worst villain yet. His goal? Plunge the world in darkness. Yeah, been there, done that, at least have a hammy personality if your plans are as uninteresting as vanilla ice cream. If you love this movie, more power to you. I just cannot get into it.

5th place: Ant-Man (6/10)

I won't lie, I will fully understand if you don't like this movie. The rules behind how the shrinking works are inconsistent, the majority of the characters are flat, it's almost hilarious with how bad Corey Stoll's Yellowjacket is, and the racial and cultural stereotypes can come off as really annoying...and a tad bit offensive. Not to mention that it is downright CRIMINAL to not let Edgar Wright go all out with this movie! So I won't blame you if you hate Ant-Man...but I still kinda like it. Some jokes are funny, it's a spectacle to see the world when the characters shrink, and Paul Rudd's Ant-Man is a fun and heartwarming character who gets better with each movie he's in. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this movie for the first time and I still enjoy it every other time. So while I understand if Ant-Man isn't your cup of tea, I'll always get a kick out of it.

4th place: Iron Man 3 (8/10)

Yup, this is my favorite Iron Man movie. Mostly for the same reason why Captain America: The First Avenger is my favorite Captain America movie. Iron Man 3 has everything that I think of when I think of Iron Man: A character who is reckless, impulsive and is kind of an a**hole, but he's still charismatic and highly intelligent. Throughout the movie, Tony goes on an adventure without his suit, and while most people complain about that, I see it as the film's best feature. It forces him to use his brains to outthink his enemies while also charming the pants out of strangers to help him out on occasion, proving that it isn't the suit that makes Iron Man, but the man inside. Plus, it leads to some exciting action set pieces. Probably the best ones in the MCU. But I will admit that there are some issues that I kinda agree with. The big reveal of The Mandarin, while funny at points, is pretty disappointing. Plus, while Guy Pierce's character has formidable powers, he still lacks any motivation or charm that makes me enjoy that same character. Still, Iron Man 3 is easily my favorite. Because while it has issues, the cooler elements more than makeup for it.

3rd place: Avengers: Age of Ultron (8/10)

...Man...this was way uglier than I remember. Seriously, someone both needed to turn up the color gradient and polish out the CGI because this movie is hideous...still a ton of fun, though.

Don't get me wrong, there are some complaints that I sort of agree with. The majority of quips, while funny sometimes, feel out of place, and half the time, I'm thinking, "This character wouldn't say that." And while I enjoy James Spader's Ultron being written as an evil Tony Stark, charm and all, the character does pale in comparison to his comic book counterpart. With that said, everything this movie does wrong, it does the most important job right: Make likable characters. The Avengers are still a ton of fun, and it's always a blast seeing them work off of each other. Even trying to one-up one another at times. For example, that scene where everyone tries to lift Thor's hammer is the best because it shows how much these unstoppable heroes are still people. It may not be the best, but as long as people have fun in the end, what's the harm in that?

2nd place: Captian America: The Winter Soldier (9/10)

What? While I did say that Captain America: The First Avenger is my favorite, I also acknowledged that the other movies are better. Case in point, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is easily the best one. The action is stellar, the story is tighter, the characters are more dynamic, and some legit good political commentary got sprinkled in this movie. I could nitpick all the things that it does wrong, or I could be a logical person and say, "Screw it. It's good, so why should I bother." While I still consider The First Avenger my favorite, I can acknowledge that The Winter Soldier is objectively better.

1st place: Guardians of the Galaxy (9/10)

This movie has no right to be as good as it is. It really doesn't. Because if I were to tell you in 2014 that the best movie you were going to see was a movie with a dopey blue villain, a talking raccoon, with classic pop music as the soundtrack, you would most certainly laugh in my face. And yet, despite how ridiculous it sounds, Guardians of the Galaxy is easily a top tier movie in the MCU. Not only is it funny as hell, but unlike Avengers: Age of Ultron, it understands that comedy comes from character. Everyone in Guardians of the Galaxy has a unique way of being funny (Drax takings metaphors literally and Rocket's cynical one-liners, for example). It also helps that the main cast is all identifiable and memorable, too. Plus, as hilarious as this movie is, it can also have some compelling drama at times. This movie, with a talking raccoon, has compelling drama. Explain that to me!

Guardians of the Galaxy is a stupid movie, and that's why I love it so much. It leans into the nonsense of its concept and earning serious moments while also never taking itself too seriously. It's a ton of fun, and in my opinion, is the best movie in phase two.

And that’s it for now. I’ll see you next time for phase three, which will hopefully come sooner rather than later.

#marvel cinematic universe #mcu #iron man #thor #captain america #guardians of the galaxy #the avengers #ant-man #mcu review #what i thought about

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popculturebuffet · 4 years

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Top 10 Regular Show Episodes

Close Enough is Close! 2 more days and a show i’ve waited without hyperbole years for will finally land offically. While i’ve seen three episodes preelease, one because of a french film festival the other two because HBO made an oopsie, and it’s more than likely i’ll be seeing those episodes again thursday, it dosen’t make it any less special, as with an offical release comes the fandom finally becoming a thing and the ablility to watch the episodes over and over again.. on computer till HBO gets it’s shit together but still. IT’s a great time. And my hype for the show made me revisit it’s big brother: Regular Show. Created by what would happen if you condesned california into a person, JG Quintel, Regular Show, as you all damn well know but I like doing anyway so as rigby would say, STOP TALKING, was about two slackers and best bros: Laidback hipster and hurricane when it came to talking to women, Mordecai and Rigby a high strung, idiotic, impulsive, and frequently angry racoon who worked, when they absolutley had to, at a park. Joining them at the park were their coworkers and later closest friends: Benson, their constnatly angry boss who constnatly belts out empty threats to fire them and has a rather sad personal life, Skips, a centuries old yeti whose literally seen it all and despenses advice for the duo and is voiced by everyone’s faviorite grandpa/jedi/murder clown Mark Hamill, Muscle Man, a grotesque blob of a man who likes “My mom” jokes and breaking things, Hi Five Ghost, Muscle Man’s sidekick who got like.. one episode focusing on him alone over 8 seasons moving on, and Pops, an odd but unfailingly sweet and kind vicotrian era gentleman whose also basically immortal and is Bensons’ boss in name only. The Park Crew spend their days working, or in our main duo’s case trying to get out of work to do anything else, while dealing with every day issues that would quickly ballon into insanity. Getting pops a birthday present of Fuzzy Dice from a local pizza place ended up with the crew having to fight a bunch of anamatonic animals that were stashing diamonds in there. Trying to get concert tickets involved getting caffine from the nipples of a giant sentient coffee bean in order to stay awake long enough to do the extra work. And Mordecai trying to delete an embrarassing message off his crush Margret’s voice mail lead to him and rigby getting hauled in front of a bunch of a message guardians, one of which is a sentient smoke signal that wanted to burn them while the other replied with “we’ree not going to burn them when have we ever burned anybody”... I love and miss those guys. Oh and it’s resolved by having to playt he embarassing song he sang while said message beings groove to it then ask him to colaberate with them on their album. THis show was on all the drugs and I am all the hear for it. I could go all day obviously but this section is long enough as is, let’s move on.

Regular Show came at JUST the right time for Cartoon Netowork: Similar to how the 80s doom patrol comic started off really bland and cookie cutter and not at all doom patrol and then grant morrison came in, had hte previous writer kill almost everything, then rebuilt it from scratch with crazy, CN had few shows left and was coming off a really terrible attempt at competeing with NIck and Disney Channel’s live action dommance with a bunch of dude broy reality shows and other ill conceved ideas. The network had a few shows, Total Drama, The Clone Wars which got better and I need to watch those better seasons at some point, but they weren’t enough to make the network thrive again. SO enter adventure time and regular show: BOth were creative, funny , a bit rough around the ages, and kind of nuts, but both were massive hits: The shows hit almost every demographics sweet spots: Kids like the bright colors, fun designs, and insanity, teens loved the edgy bits of the humor and also the insanity and 20 somethings and older both found refrences they got and loved, and well.. insanity. I mean being fucking nuts but also wonderful is kind of the watchword for most animation nowadays. While in the past in my own head i’ve played down Regular Show’s part in things, after all it came second and had a rough patch I told myself.. but I was wrong. Both shows had a lot of the same elements; insane stuff, great voice acting and good humor especially as they evolved.. but both also evolved in largely the same way and that way helped change animation for the next decade: Both, despite being comeidies, regular show keeping to it a bit more than adventure time did as they evolved, had the characters grow, something a lot of animated comedies didn’t do as much ast the time, even the good ones. THey had season long arcs, things that are now standard features in most cartoons for good reason were MADE standard by these shows. It’s just regular show’s legacy got diluted by shows that TRIED to copy it but both failed to see that it grew past season one or that it’s being okay for kids but really based in adult life and problems meant copycats like fanboy and chum chum, sanjay and craig and breadwinners, all thankfully long dead, eventually sputtered out and died. That and Nick is REALLY shitty at maintaing shows or treating creators with anything resembling respect. Somehow Teen Titans Go is still alive despite having similar failings but you can’t win everything. It didn’t help gravity falls came along right after and proceded to be even more influentail than both of these shows. Hmmm I just realized I haven’t done any gravity falls reviews here.. I gotta get on that. But while the show got eclipsed in quality and popularity I do still think it holds up for the most part as funny, charming and with , for the most part, good character arcs, it’s just that a bit of incosntientcy, some abrubtly done actions and a REALLY fucking terrible arc in season 6 dull the show a bit in comparison to what came after, but I do realize now it’s still worht watching, remembering and laughing at. It may of not been the greatest, but damn it was good. So with my nostaliga for the show popping up, my faith in it restored, and it’s sucessor showing up in a few days, I decided to do a little something for the ocassion. I WAS going to do a full on review, but had troulbe finding an episode as some of my faviorites are part of a larger arc that was hurt by a later arc, and the show ping ponged between slice of life and utter insanity enought hat it was hard to peg down to jus tone or two episodes. So while I WILL review the show eventually, it has both good and bad episodes needing it, I decided instead to dig out something I hadn’t done in far too long: a top whatver lists! Now while I do get these things are clickbaity, because they are, I.. honestly just love making them. Even if i’ts not for any specific purpose I just love ranking, the stress, even if I normally hate stress given my anxiety, of trying to narrow them down, and the satisfaction of taking a ton of episodes and melting htem down into the best of them. And with a show as long and varied as regular show, If igured this was the best way to show it off before I dived into it eventually. I’ll obviously be doing more top, and bottom lists in the future, but for now this seemd like a godo place to get back to it. As Now a few more things before we finally get started. Yes I know i’ve gone on for a few years now but i’m almost done. This list is obviously, my opinon. If you disagree fine, and feel free to comment or shoot me an ask about it but I stand by my list and what I choose. I had to boil down over 60 episodes I picked to possibly be on the list and even after it was down to 40 cuts were really difficult, .. Also just as a quick note there are no episodes from seasons 1, 6, 7 and 8, and that’s not on purpose, as the last two seasons are really good, it just fell out that way and i’m sorry about it. So with that out of the way grabs some sodas and wings, get out your maxi gloves, and bring out your best sentient earworms wearing sunglassses, after the cut I count down the top 10 Regular Show episodes. OOOOOOOOO!

10. I Like You, Hi (Season 5, Episode 26) As you’ll be able to tell by the rest of this list Season 5 is my faviorite, and it’s where I feel the series hit it’s peak before next season lead to it’s valley. It’s got a ton of great episodes, as this list will attest, some great character development, and was still really damn funny. But what put it over the top for me was the Mordecai and CJ arc. At the end of the last season as you probably know the show wrote out Margret, having her finally get into college like she’d wanted since she got an actual character back in “Camping Be Cool” instead of just being “that hot girl mordecai really likes but is too scared to persue”, and another fantastic episode we’ll be getting to, Mordecai was in position to move on. Re-Enter CJ. CJ was introduced earlier in the season 3 ep “Yes Dude Yes” which itself is really good, where Mordecai thought margret was engaged and with Rigby’s encouragment, ended up meeting CJ, stands for Cloudy Jay if your curious, a sentient cloud voiced by the wonderful LInda Cardenelli, aka wendy from gravity falls and currently co star of the equally wonderful show Dead to Me. Seriously go check it out on netflix, it’s really good. It naturally went pearshaped since Margret wasn’t engaged, he tried going out with both, she turned into a thunderstorm out of rage... as you do.. it’s like the season 6 plot but less infurating and more understandable. But the two remeet, and had a kiss on new years while not knowing it’s the other person under am ask.. and then CJ ran and both thought the other was upset: MOrdecai for him being MOrdecai, and CJ for running out on him and agreed to be friends. That didn’t last, though it did give us another classic on this list, as while exes can be friends and all, the two still had something between them. Thus came this one. And it was a hard one as it barely inched out the finale of their relationship arc, Real Date, which had the ceo of a dating company try to break them up and be really damny funny but it’s ulitmatley this one being just as hilarious while being a great character piece that gets it the rub. As the episode opens Mordecai and CJ have been spending a LOT of time together and i’ts clear there’s a spark there.. but Mordecai insists it’s platonic. And yes there is a bad habit of animation being unable to accept females and males who are into the oppistie sex can’t be friends without being attracted to each other. It’s being cleared up more lately, but as Star Vs showed it still happens sometimes. But it works here: The two STARTED with dating, made out on new years, and are attracted to each other it’s just clear both were in denial about it. It’s not saying “well they have chemstiry so fuck their partners’ like star vs or “if you loved someone once those feelings will return and destroy yoru current relationship” like next season.... season 6′s arc is a tirefire burn it. But the issue is forced when, while texting about an extreme baking show together while CJ’s at her job at a sports bar, it autocrrects from Yuji, the show’s host, to you hi, sending the title message “I like you, hi”. Mordecai, being even less adept with his feelings and anxiety towards women than me and trust me that’s saying something, spirals and we do get the episodes best scene, narrowly beating out it’s climax, where Mordecai summons a war council.. aka the rest of the main cast minus benson but plus Thomas, the intern who I wish stuck around longer even after he turned out to be a russian spy because they ran out of ideas for him, voiced by Roger Craig Smith and distractingly using his future sonic voice.

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I just.. love everything about the scnee. From the term pulling a mordecai, to Rigby joining in, deservedly as he’s had front row seats for a lot of this bollocks, to everyone’s suggestions especially Muscle Man’s half assed one that somehow, but unsuprisngly, works for him and Starla. Naturally Mordecai comes up with what Rigby HIMSELF admits is a Rigby level half assed scheme to get an actual photo with Yuji rather than just admit the truth. Yuji himself is an utter delight, having had his star not rise as fast as he’d like thanks to autocorrect and being entirely on board, and when it backfires as MOrdecai ends up autocorrected and sends the message thrice and gets sucked into the phone again, admits i’ts “pretty extreme’. I love the guy and i’m prety sure he showed up again, to my delight.

In the phone Mordecai meets some old friends, the message guardians who I mentioned in the “insane shit this show has done” bit earlier: old forms of messaging who police texting, all voiced by Rich Fulcher of the Mighty Boosh and Snuffbox Fame.

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I love Rich and wish these guys could show up in close enough. Maybe they can, I don’t know how rights issues with turner properties work when it comes to two diffrent audiences entirely. Anyways what really makes the episode, besides the great callbacks in this scene, is when confronted with everything going on, Mordecai.. tries to run into the void, with Rigby, The Message Recorder and the Smoke Signal all encouraging him to come back. “There’s nothing out there for you, literally it’s just a blank void”. With the leading tape recorder pointing out from their text history not only how great CJ is but how much he seems to like her with Mordecai finally coming back and admitting the obvious: He does like her.. he’s just scared of beefing it again. Which he does but that’s not the point. Rigby, who as part of his character development helps Mordecai quite a bit with this stuff by being a neutral party, though he also likes CJ better than Margret which is a mood even though I don’t care which one you ship mordecai with frankly, you do you, I have my prefrences. And with that Mordecai finally texts her and asks her out, with her accepting via winky face.. with an added text to clarify it for his neuotic ass.. which is also a mood as my neuortic ass could use that a lot. Overall just a wonderful , hilarious and good bit of character growth.. that season 6 throws in the oven, but that’s a long rant for another day. On it’s own, “I LIke you, hi” is a good character piece for mordecai whlie still being really damn funny.

9. Thanksgiving Special (Season 5, Episode 15)

Regular Show was really damn great at holliday specials. Their terror tales from the park every halloween were always a nice treat and a good replacement for Simpsons “Treehouse of Horror” which still exists, it’s just no one cares at this point, and their christmas and new years episodes are both really damn good, the first Christmas Episode being in contention for this list even. But to me the best of the best was easily Season 5′s thanksgiving episode.

The premise is simple: Mordecai and Rigby accidnetly destroy thanksgiving dinner, which the park crew is having for everyone and their famllies and, refusing to take Benson trying to dismiss their attempts to help fix their mistake, end up joining a songwriting contest to try and win a Turducken.. a natural one that’s born every 1000 Years because this is regular show. To do this they have to beat a parody of everyone’s least faviorite president Donald Trump, Rich Buckner. The fact that trump was basically the main villian of a holliday special a year before he became president is not lost on me and is one of the most accurate depections of the man i’ve ever seen. The fact Rich steals the prize despite our boys winning from his blimp with a grappling hook is peak trump. The fact Trump has’nt stolen more things with a grappling hook in real life is only because his hands are too small to use one.

Getting past our president for my own sanity, the episode also has really great subplots: Muscle Man and Fives go to a sports bar to get sides and end up pissing off a former football player and getting into a touchdown dance comppetition, sadly not set to the super bowl shuffle, while Benson, Pops and Skips go to get a turkey and end up fighting over it with men dressed up like a piligrim, a first thanksgiving era native american and a turkey, to which they don’t even really give an explination for.. granted most explinatoins on this show are insane but even by regular show standards, this gets none. And I love it for it. While as you can tell the episode is really damn funny, what really sells it is the emotional core: For once while they do fear for their jobs a bit Mordecai and Rigby’s main motivation in this messup is genuine guilt and wanting to fix their mistake, and they work hard at it, even giving a genuine and awesome heartfelt song that notches itself up with other thanksgiving classics “That thankstiginv themed soul sketch on snl” and adam sandler’s turkey song also from snl. Not a high bar but it’s really good regardless

The episodes’ real strength though is it’s emotional core: For once instead of saving their own asses or understadnably wanting to get one over on the cranky and in the worse written episodes obnoxiously overbearing benson, they simply feel terrible about possibly runing the meal for their arriving parents and everyone elses parents and families and their friends and work to right the wrong. It’s not the first time they worked to do something genuinely good with no benefit to themselves, but it’s probably the best and Benson’s I forgive you, while hilarious is also really sweet. And speaking of sweet

It ends on a really sweet and touching note, as Mordecai and Rigby, after escaping a blimp via a wish on a golden wishbone because of course, make it home to find the various weirdos the park crew met have brought them thanksgiving, and their parents will be there and we get a nice touching ending as the main duo get a well earned toast from Benson. Just an out and out amazing thanksgiving special and a good reminder of what the holiday means.

8. Trucker Hall of Fame (Season 3, Episode 37)

Moving on from Season 5 for a second, Season 3 was where the show really started to hit it’s stride to me. While Season 2 was a nice increase in quality from the sometimes choppy and heavy on “everyone is an asshole” comedy season 1, Season 3 was where the increased focus on the rest of the cast outside of our main duo balloned and what seeds of character were planted in season 2 beautifully bloomed. And this episode is one of the best examples of that. This one focuses on Muscle Man, who earlier on was basically the main duo’s rival alongside his buddy high five ghost, and kind of a dick. While “Kind of a dick” never left any discription of Mitch Sorenstein, this and previous episode muscle woman showed there was more to the goblin man than we thought. It’s also one of regular show’s few early mostly serious episodes and unlike the benson ones, again this list was tough don’t come at me with a machete, and realy showed why muscle man is the human tire fire he is. The episode introduces, and quickly kills off, muscle dad, mitch’s dad who gave him a love of pranks and was a truck driver who died as he live: mistaking a fake bear for a real one during a prank. Muscle Man being not the most stable person on a GOOD day, spirals, as seen above, and Benson tasks mordecai and rigby, since Fives isn’t good with death ironically and isn’t holding up much better, and as a much later episode shows the two became besties in high school so he probably knew muscle dad for a good ten years so he’s probably not in a great place either, nice stuff, to go with him to put his dad’s ashes in the trucker hall of fame. What follows is a sweet and damn sad episode. While Mitch’s frequent breakkdowns can be hilarous their also really sad and having lost my grandpa since this episode aired, I can relate to being fine one minute and a total shrieking wreck the next over the smallest thing. But it also shows that Mitch genuinely thinks of our main duo as his friends, and that beneath his testorrone positned exterior he’s a decent guy, being genuinely greatful. Of course being regular show the 3 end up squaring off with some truckers, while Mitch also grappels with the revelation his dad wasn’t one but a forklift opperator who faked being a trucker for his son’s benifit and dleft a tender note in his picture, figuring correctly his son would break it open when he found out... oh and because this show is still nuts his ghost ends up saving them at the end which is really sweet , as mitch decides trucker or no his ashes deserve to be there. Also his ghost shows up again at thanksgiving so apparently he can just come back once in a while, which is nice but dosen’t demnish the bittersweet feeling of this ep. And as I said the show has a good grasp on continuity as this ep marked a turning point for our main duo and muscle man: while the’yve bonded before after this, aside from mitch’s habit of christmas pranks and his faking his death, they really don’t nearly get as annoyed by him ever again. i’ts a sweet touching ride tha’ts uncharacristic of the show’s usual chaos but really works.

7. A Bunch of Full Grown Geese (Season 4, Episode 19) After a few episodes that were more sentimental on this list, it’s good to get back to some good old regular show madness for this one, which was also the series 100th in production order and is a worthy milestone episode. Season 4 was really good building on the good will from Season 3 and FINALLY having payoff to the margret and mordecai thing, more on that in a bit. Not as much to say as seasons 3 or 5, but it was still spectacular. The sequel to another ep, fittingly given it’s #100, full grown geese has our duo tasked with removing a bunch of obnoxious geese, with Benson in dick mode refusing to give the two more help, though it does lead to one of the show’s best scenes when he gives his usual your fried threat.. and fitting a milestone episode, Rigby calls him on never going through with it and the threat being as empty as my dreams. Benson responds by going nuts and angrishing them out of his office.. really funny. But yeah with the geese attacking them and , in their first attacking, poor pops, and no way to combat them, the two turn to the baby ducks, a bunch of baby ducks from the episode titled that who show up to help.. and this being the 100th episode of an already grant morrison level nuts show, it turns out the geese seek to conquer earth, voiced by david warner of course and have laser eyes.. and can combine. And the ducks do so again, mecha style, and add in our heroes and a bunch of call backs in one of the series best and most batshit sequences> The ending is also throughly satisfying as while our heroes win, Benson chews them out for tearing up the park in the process.. only for the ducks mom to call him out for not only yelling at the ducks, who are just kids, but at mordecai and rigby after they just saved the park from being a smoldering crater and not just trashed and he backs off. Just a fun episode where the crew just went nuts and the results speak for themselves.

6. This is My Jam (Season 2, Episode 13)

Now this one I couldn’t NOT include. This is one of the series best even after it’s immense growth, and a beloved classic for a reason. And like the above it’s a good classic case of regular show hyjinks while also being relatable this time: Rigby gets a brainless but catchy pop song from the 90′s stuck in his head and despite growing to hate it, and Mordecai hating it because this episode establishes him as a hipster, and seemingly exercises it.. only for it to manifest as a GIANT CASETTE WEARING SUNGLASSES THAT PLAYS THE SONG JUST BY EXISTING AND DANCES CONSTANTLY. it’s utterly glorious and used to great effect, also annoying benson because he’s constnatly annoyed. To beat it the main duo get the rest of the park’s help at Skips suggestion to form a band and craft an even BIGGER earworm to cast it out. Oh and there’s a great scene where Pops is forced to awkwardly dance with the incarnation of the 90′s “But I won’t use my best moves”. The climax also has one of Benson’s best moments as, after he’s irritated all episode, he comes in hot, with both the cast and audience expecting him to chew out mordecai and rigby.. only he’s mad because they forgot drums are key to an earworm and saves the day with his drumwork. It’s a great subversion and one of the first times Benson was more than just the angry but understandable, at times, dickhead boss. Just an utter standout and one of the show’s most memorable episodes for a reason. Also the line “you can’t touch music but music can touch you’ is great.

5. Meteor Moves ( Season 4, Episode 28)

This one was a long time coming and to me is a great example of writers taking their own shortcomings and making something awesome out of them. I prefer that: instead of just retconning away bad writing use it as a tool.. I try to do that myself when possible. See early in the show as you all probably know, Mordecai’s crush on Margret was just a plot device: he had a crush on the cute waitress at the coffee shop so they used it to get him to do things. A gratioutis shot of her in bike shorts got him to bet all computer rights for life that sort of thing. The show.. wasn’t great with female characters till season 3 and even as it grew, as season 6 and just.. forgetting to give CJ a proper ending as a character shows, still grappled with it. It took writer Kat Morris saying “no no stop go to jail” to them wanting ot make CJ a difficult woman type, whatever horrifying thing that is. I don’t want to know, let’s move on. The point is it wasn’t till season 3 that Margret and her best friends, and Rigby’s future wife, Eileen got fleshed out a bit: Eileen got smarter and turned out to be good at wilderness stuff while Margret was chill, nice, if annoyed by the chaos around mordecai, and funloving, while also having a clear goal in stark contrast to her future boyfriend: going to college. Even after coming back it was botha fter finsihing college and to start a career. It wasn’t incredibly deep, but it made me not be ehhh to her mere existance like before. The show also started developing her and Mordecai’s relationship seriously with the two bonding and the previously shown Butt Dial showing for the first time, after previously having a terrible taste in men and then just not noticing his crush, that she was receptive to how mordecai felt. And the two had several moments and two dates even, it just.. never went anywhere for some reason.

And this was INFURATING to me: See back then shows had a tendency to just pop in love intrests SOLEY for plot fuel like margret with no intention of following through with things either through rejection or a relationsihp upgrade and by then I was sick of it. The whole spike and rarity thing in MLP (which to be clear I wanted her to just reject him but nope, even after I stopped watching she never did. ), Isabella and Phineas. I was fed up so I went from being “eh” about it to annoyed supremely.. but the thing is the writers realized this.. and course corrected. The first step was picking up Margret, where Mordecai agrees to pick her up to get her to the airport for a college interview and we get a nice deconstruction of things as Margret is anticpatiing things going wrong, and wrongly blames Mordecai for it.. I mean it is his fault sometimes but half the time weird shit just follows him. However she’s won over by him working past it, getting her there in time and kisses him. That blew me away and made me think well it’s finally here.. and it was.. ALMOST. However the creators wisely, if frustratingly to past me, took one more episode to iron it out: Metor Moves has the two growing closer, and semi-going out, but Rigby pops mordecai’s bubble pointing out he never actually made a boyfriend girlfriend move and her move could’ve gone either way. So Mordecai , after seasons of being wishy washy and awkward, finally decides to go for it as he, rigby, eileen and margret go to a metor shower. Being Regular Show it dosen’t go as planned as his attempted kiss is blocked by the guardians of the friend zone.. which is a real, phantom zone esque place here and that’s just fantastic. And it’s also clearly mocking the hell out of the concept, which is dumb. if you want to ask someone out just do it, I learned that the hard way. And if you really are friends, if she says no then you’ll accept it and keep a friend anyway as I have. But it’s clearly parodying it and Mordecai get sreplayed all the times he ALMOST made a move but didn’t but refuses to accept this clusterfuck, realizes he was a screwup when it came to this.. and kisses her.. and this time the two enter a relationship> Granted it barely lasted but still, it was nice while it did and this ep is just great for it. While not the funniest, it’s up this high because it took somethign the show did wrong.. and turned it on it’s head and into a character flaw and had mordecai grow past it, with a genuinely romantic moment on top as well as an utterly funny and batshit concept. It also had some Rigleen, as by this point rigby stopped being a hateful wastebasket to her and warmed up to her, and I regret there’s no reigleen episodes on this list. Their the shows best couple and utterly adorable. Just wanted to mention that at least once this list.

4. Laundry Woes (Season 5, Episode 1) From the begining to the end. While sadly Morderet didn’t last too long in canon, which blows, it did give us some great episodes while it lasted, as with the above entry and their breakup in Steak Me Amedeus. As mentioned before Margret left for college, which while abrupt feeling did pave the way for great stories: The Mordejay arc mentioned above and that will pop up again very soon, This was one of them: the ep while lacking on laughs is a good emotional rollercoaster and starts with an amazing montage that catches us up from the end of season 4: Mordecai is miserable, as you’d expect and wallowing in it with Benson, of all people, letting him. And given Benson seems to have a heart attack any time Mordecai and Rigby aren’t working, that’s huge. But eventually his friends refuse to let it go on and in a really touching montage help him through it, taking him out places, giving him good times and eventually.. the fog starts to lift and he starts to enjoy himself and by the end.. he’s himself again. It’s one of the series best sequences, told with no dialouge and showing just how far the rest of the cast had come: Benson actually wants to comfort mordecai but is encouraged not to at first, underfstandably as it probably woudlnt’ help, and a crew that were once, aside from Pops who much like Krillin is everyone’s friend, just coworkers who barely tolerated each other, and are now close as family and help their own in need. But Grief isn’t a straight line and just as Mordecai’s recovering he’s sent spiraling when he finds Margret’s sweater and uses ita s a flimsy excuse to go return it. It’s here I also get to talk about Rigby, who grew from an impatient idiot who hated Mordecai’s romantic endevors and actively sabtoaged them at times, to an understandting wing man who, while understandably frustrated with his best friend’s own idiocy with women, turned out to know more and be the wise council he needed, triggering both is relationships and only bailing out during the season 6 clusterfuck and even then was there to comfort him after it was all over and go to his aid to pull him out of another misery hole. And here he gives Mordecai the hard truth: He shoudln’t do this, it’s just going to tear both him and margret up again and he just put himself back together. He’s not going to let his best friend do this to himself. And while there is a supernatural elment, the sweater comes to life and tries to get Mordecai to force margret back with him and give up college, likely voicing his darkest wants that he hates himself for wanting, but it feels more like a manfiestation of Mordecai’s own issues than the usual madness. Like “Trucker hall of Fame”, a rare senntence, it’s a less funny packed more grounded episode. And in the end it’s mordecai himself, after rejecting the ghost sweater and seeing his ex truly happy , that gets him to NOT talk to her and just.. let it go. IT’s a good emotional episode and SHOULD HAVE BEEN the end of their relationship... but i’ve ranted about the cheating storyarc enough here, moving right along.

3. Portable Toilet (Season 5, Episode 16) Back to the Mordejay arc. And yes this arc is my faviorite and while I didn’t make it clear at the time I really shipped the two, even before it became canon. I had nothing against morderet, these two simply had more chemistry and these episodes built CJ up as more of a character than Margret was at the time. It’s why that later arc sucks so much to me: it destroys a perfectly good relationship and story arc for dumb reasons and never really did enough with it to justify doing so. I’ll get to it some day, or if someone comissions it soone rthan some day, but as you can tell i’m still sore over it and great eps like this are part of the reason why. It’s the same reason i’m sore on how Tom was handled on star vs. But as you can also tell as bitter and lemon scented as I am.. these eps are still objectivley great and thus took up a third of the list basically. Case in point Portable Toilet, which zooms back a bit to when neither would admit they were into each other but were now friends at least. Also Eileen was CJ”s friend now because plot convience. I mean they worked, and it bothers me a lot that the creators claim cj washed her hands of her even though she’s not the one who made out with margret... which come to think of it adding her to rigleen.. not a bad idea. I mean Rigby didn’t really like margret true, but they did almost go out before mordecai killed him and then reset time because Mordecai’s always kinda sucked. I’ll file that away for later. But my new OTP aside, I did like the two bonding and what not. Anyways with their outside park friend/RIgby’s future girlfriend now friends with Mordeai’s future girlfriend the four have apparently been hanging out which, while i’ve bemoaned off screen stuff at times, works here and regular show uses it better than most shows. While Rigby can clearly see Mordecai and CJ are into each other Mordecai is as we covered in denial and while that dosen’t really progress here, it does lead to one of teh shows finest hours. When talking would you rathers, CJ semi-flirtly dares Mordecai to eat his lunch sandwitch in a portable toilet, which he agrees to and drags a reluctant rigby along for. This being regular show, it goes south fast as the two get stuck, with Rigby’s clautrophiba kicking in leading to an amazing exchange Mordecai; Dude that makes no sense! Rigby: You’s makes no sense! While our dynamic duo try to get mordecai and rigby out the two are carted away and repalced with a new portable toilet, a deluxe one. Also we get another great bit when our dynamic duo find Muscle man, in a robe with choclate’s claming “Eileen, other girl, this isn’t weird” before screaming “This isn’t weird”. Turns out old portable toilets are taken to be blown up by the miltary and we get one of the shows best one off characters in the general, who not only explains it as “toilets being about the same size as the enmy” but when told he should call the president says “the preseident is not my father i’ll blow up as many toilets as I want.”. Spectacular. So now it’s a scramble for one twosome to rescue the other, Rigby lets out a cathartic “THANK YOUUU MORDECAI” over the flirty toilet dare, and the day is saved> This one is another pure comedy one, even if it ties into a plot I really like, and i’ts gold for obvious reasons and manages to take blowing up porta poties, a premise that dosen’t seem that funny, and make it utter comedic gold. Speaking of pure comic episodes that are utterly insane...

2. Cool Bikes (Season 3, Episode 7)

This one feels like regular show boiled down to it’s core: semi-relabtale hyjinks dovetalling into pure madness. And the premise sounds like a shit post i’d make: Mordecai and Rigby want benson to admit their cool and get into progressively weird outfits and tricks to their bycycles to do so, eventually becoming so cool their put on trial by the council of cool , ending up having to make a runner when Benson finally breaks down and admits it. The premise is utterly stupid in the best way possible, with the conflict being the kind of petty bullshit we all get into from time to time with our aquantinces: not wanting to admit something and loose the argument withthings escalating. And in regular show terms it escalate sperfectly into the entire unvierse being threatned adn our heros being on trial for their lives. There’s not much to say here, it’s just pure comedic gold with a premise that just works. It also has good moments for Benson with his finally admitting they are cool and saving the duo’s lives whne he realized he just gave them a death sentence. Utter fun. And now we come to the finale, my faviorite episode...

1. Dodge This (Season 5, Episode 15)

Yup this arc again. But this one has more than my ship going for it, and it’s why it soared to the top: It takes the excellent character work of other episodes and weaves it with excellent comedy to create an utter delight and the episode I remember most fondly and most often. It’s just great. The second part of the Mordeijay arc, not counting yes dude yes, the episode is half that and half sports movie: The Park Guys have been taking part in dodgeball as a team bulding thing and it shows how far Benson’s come as he not only praises mordecai, and launches the mordecai and benson ship in the process, but gives his team full wings and his full support, a far cry from his usual self. It’s also the first big instance of him getting hammered on wings and it’s glorious to see drunk flirty benson. Benson is also genuinely congratulatory to the team’s ace mordecai, and most of them realy for b eing valuable and hopes to win this year. IN their way are two things: The magical elements, aka the floating baby heads that gave skips his immortality, his friend with sparkly eyes who works for them and death himself whose a recurring character and fucking great and who were their bowling rivals too. The other is CJ is back, and Benson in another good moment actually talks mordecai through it and his nerves over it assuring him. So we get a great sports piece as our heroes work through various callbacks and even beat the magical elements iwth Rigby’s hilarious and rediculous rignado manuver, which is as dumb as it sounds and winged a guy hilaroiusly before with Benson scolding him like a toddler. Of course it ends up with Mordecai and CJ against each other, both incredibly awkard over things as mentioned before, and both ending up in a stalmate that magical dodgeball guardians have to resolve because, let’s do this one last time. IT’S REGULAR SHOW. We do get a good moment though as the two work through their awkwardness: both thinking the other is rightfully mad: Mordecai for his two timer date with her and Margret and CJ for running out without talking to mordecai after they had a moment on new years. The both work past it, the park strikers loose,benson likely gets hammered again off screen.. it’s a good one and I have no shame in putting it at number one. It’s got heart, really great jokes, and some good charcter stuff, not to the level of other episodes on this list, but it wasn’t a full episode of that like those were and still works to move the plot forward and is still a classic. Just a fun, breezy, well done epsidoe fully rooted in the cast’s characters and getting laughs out of that.. mostly benson. And with that this giangantic list comes to a close> I hope you enjoyed it, if you liked it follow me for more. I’ll be doing close enough coverage every week, as well as amphibia and owl house among other reviews. Until we meet again, later days.

#regular show #mordecai #rigby #cj #eileen #margret #muscle man #benson dunwoody #high five ghost #pops mallerd #skips #death #yuji #rich fulcher #close enough #top 10 lists #cartoon network

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theshinobiway · 5 years

Note

When you have the time and inspiration, will you please write all of Team Gai with the physical touch numbers 6 or 9 (sorry if you've already done them, I haven't seen them) as scenarios (or head canons, up to you ^^)? I really enjoy your writing style btw!

Since I’m trying to push through these requests, I went ahead and did HCs for these since I can crank those out pretty fast. These were fun to do, it’s been a while since I did some fluffy headcanons for these babies! Also foot things feel SO weird to write and I don’t know why? It’s just…feet. I think the internet is to blame.

Also, you are so sweet! Thank you so much for the compliments on my style, I’m so happy you enjoy it! Thanks as always for contributing to the blog!

FAQ // Mobile Masterlist

Team Gai Headcanons – Piggyback Rides & Footsie

Might Gai

Piggyback

Ø Trying to give this man a piggyback will be simultaneously be the most adorable and the funniest experiences ever.

Ø Gai will totally let you do it. The only issue is if you can actually pick him up. If you can, he’s like a little kid. He keeps cheering for you to go faster and to push yourself to go longer. He’s so proud of his S/O’s strength and he’s going to make sure the entire village knows about it as he (loudly) demands (encourages) the passers-by to offer you praise as well. Oh Gai, never change.

Ø Gai will challenge you to carry him around the village for 200 laps. Will you do it? Will you not? Only you know. Be not wary, Gai is your biggest supporter regardless of your limits.

Ø Remember that challenge to carry Gai around the village? It’s his turn. It’ll happen either after you do yours or when you politely decline.

Ø Gai carries people as a part of training. It’s his thing. As either his close friend, student, or his S/O, you’re roped into it—whether you like it or begrudgingly accept it. Tenten is on Tuesdays, Rock Lee is on Wednesdays, Neji has his own block in the schedule for being chased down (ahem, Gai considers it scheduled cardio with a potential block of sparring) followed by a scheduled piggyback ride. You personally can decide how much of his time you’ll take up, but you can’t delay the inevitable. Nobody escapes from a Gai piggyback ride.

Ø As an S/O, Picking you up and carrying you around is Gai’s way of spoiling, protecting, and loving you all at once. Training aside, he wants you to feel that you’re his most precious person and he wants to take the weight from your day, even if it’s just for a little while. If that means something as simple as letting you rest your head on his shoulder while you walk home after a long day, he’ll do it.

Ø Gai loves giving piggyback rides. He does it whenever, wherever he can. He loves picking you up and carrying you around for two reasons: One, it’s great training. Two—Gai is naturally so affectionate that he’ll spoil you with any kind of physical contact. There’s a variation where he’ll walk around on his hands and carry you on his feet, but he does that mostly when he wants you to feel “on top of the world.”

Ø You should definitely tell him you do. And then tell him it’s because Gai is your whole world. He’ll have to stop and embrace you because he’s bawling tears of joy and love.

Ø Gai’s muscles are unreal. It doesn’t matter if you’re not his S/O and you wind up (accidentally) death-gripping his solid biceps while attempting to hold on for dear life as he races through the village with you on his back. Gai will burst out laughing at your shocked expression and go on about the power of youthful living and how it keeps him in shape.

Ø If you decide to ever have children, you can bet he’ll be carrying them all around the village on crazy adventures. If you have multiple children, Gai’s carrying them all at once and zooming around the village, and the kids are having the time of their lives. (If you follow the epilogue, you can bet Metal’s in the bunch too and Gai has them all on his wheelchair while he zooms around the village like a little wheelchair-bound racecar.)

Footsie

Ø Say goodbye to leg presses, hello to Might Gai footsie leg presses where you’ll be using your feet in a battle of the fittest.

Ø What, did you think Gai wouldn’t turn this into training? You fool. ANYTHING IS TRAINING.

Ø If there were ever a time where Gai would need to chill out, it would be when it comes to footsie. He’ll try really, really hard to not start exercising, but that will be training exercise in and of itself. You’’ll see him straining in the most comical way and proclaiming loudly that he must “cement his will and train his impulses!” Gai’s sweating, his fists clenched, and grunting while you try to prod his feet with yours. He’s sitting still and playing footsie just fine, but the compulsion is just too strong.

Ø Once you’re done, he’s bound to explode with energy. Gai will have you sit on his calves while he does leg raises. It’s honestly impressive how effortlessly he can do them for the first twenty sets.

Ø He’ll let you play a little bit of footsie under the table, but that can turn into Gai raising you up with his feet real quick. And the table, and your chair.

Ø The only real time you’ll be able to accomplish this feat is if you’re lying on bed together and Gai is falling asleep. He’ll relax just enough to play a little bit of footsie while he’s dozing off, but you get maybe 10 minutes tops before he’s KO’d

Ø Gai is actually really sweet when he’s tried enough to play footsie. He has a habit of doing little caressing motions with his hands when he’s falling asleep with you and that can extend to the rest of his body. He likes to know you’re there and show his appreciation for you in little ways.

Ø You could try to caress his thigh with your leg, but that means you’re locked in for a few hours of special Might Guy training. What’s the special training you ask? Well, you brazen pervert, if you must know…

Ø It’s time for thigh presses. Saddle up and get to work, you’ve got 500 ahead of you.

Ø RIP your legs.

Rock Lee

Piggyback

Ø Lee is…not sure how to process that you want to give him a piggyback ride? He prefers to be giver rather than receiver (in more ways than one, wink wonk!) He’ll do it in earnest and he’ll have fun with you, but given the opportunity he prefers to have you on his back.

Ø Gai is really the only person he’ll hop on (literally) for a piggyback ride, but that’s because they both do it as a part of training. If that’s what you’re aiming for, then by all means! Lee is always willing to do anything he can to help someone improve themselves!

Ø But, of course, you’ll be propositioned for a ride if you’re around while he’s training [and Gai is carrying Kakashi around, or whoever was on his schedule that day.] Even if you have reservations, it’s so hard to say no to that face. Lee doesn’t mean to be pushy, but it might come off that way if you’re the shy type. Still, he does it in such an eager and non-confrontational way so you can turn him down if you need to. He won’t take it too hard.

Ø As for giving piggyback rides, Lee may not have the solid steel that Gai does, but his muscles are firm. The spandex makes it pretty easy to tell, even without being in close physical contact. If you compliment his physique, Lee will burst out blushing and stuttering and is oh-so-flattered and flustered. He isn’t used to getting compliments.

Ø If you fall asleep on his back while he’s carrying you around for any reason, he’ll die of happiness. Especially if you’re his longtime crush—He’ll resolve to keep walking around until you wake up, not wanting to disturb you. Hey, it means more time with you and the chance to stay close like this for just a little longer. Oh, and training. He’ll say it was good training, but Lee really can’t keep a secret—neither can the giant blush on his face.

Ø If you’re romantically involved, Lee will never turn down an opportunity to carry you around. He’s such a romantic at heart and he loves the feeling of your arms wrapped around him and your heartbeat against his back. Lee really does give his all for his spouse, and he’s so gentle with them.

Ø You should definitely lean forward and give him occasional cheek kisses while he carries you around. It never fails to make Lee blush and laugh. It’s the kind of laugh that comes from the heart, it’s warm and genuine and always makes you smile—just like him.

Footsie

Ø Chances are you’re Lee’s first S/O and Lee is always willing to try any sort of loving gesture. If you initiate it, he’s fully on board from the get-go.

Ø Oh, and he latches on pretty quick. If you end up doing this once, be prepared. Every time you sit across from one another from then on your feet will immediately tangle together under the table. It’s like holding hands. Lee loves physical contact and seeks it out every chance he gets.

Ø At home, Lee loves cuddling with you in any way possible. Tangled limbs and sweet kisses are a constant with him. While cuddling, he’ll gently rub his feet against yours while his hands caress your hair and back, pressing gentle kisses to your forehead, cheek, nose, anywhere in reach.

Ø Even if you’re simply eating dinner at home, he’ll nudge you with his foot and tell you just how much he loves dinner and appreciates how you took the time to make it, and of course he knows your cooking is the best. You’ll get a little bit of footsie under the table while he gives you a big grin and rests his head on his hand, admiring you with that little sparkle in his eye.

Ø If you’re sitting across from one another, Lee loves it when you swing your feet and he can catch them with his. He makes cute little kung-fu sound effects when he catches it because he knows it makes you smile and laugh.

Ø If you try to catch his feet with yours and demand that he’s “captured,” he’s right on board to play along with it. He’ll go over the top with his acting too. “Uwoooaaah! I’m caught, I’m caught! You’re too strong for me! Please (y/n), have mercy! I’ll do anything! Let me bargain for my freedom! I’ll give you all the massages and kisses you want! I’ll even do the dishes!”

Ø (Lee would/already does do that anyway, just so we’re clear.)

Ø Lee will always go out of his way to make sure he’s gentle with you and doesn’t hurt you, especially with his leg weights off. He has such a great management of his own strength and knows that if he’s reckless the strength in his feet could spell out an unwilling injury.

Ø Once or twice you got a chance to (carefully) stand on his feet and he put his arms around you. He stepped side to side, dancing and humming a made-up tune while he spun you around, balancing you on his feet. Resting his chin on your head, Lee makes sure that this is one memory he’ll never forget.

Tenten

Piggyback

Ø Tenten is down to both give and receive piggyback rides. Tbh let her give you one at least once, you know she’s absolutely ripped and seeing her flex while she picks things up with little to no effort (especially you) should be considered its own sexuality.

Ø Tenten will pick you up for fun if you’re joking around and feel free to openly swoooon at buff girl Tenten’s lovely biceps. It’s a huge confidence boost for her, and it’s so nice to have someone that doesn’t play the “but you’re a girl!/strong for a girl!” card when she displays her impressive physical strength. Well duh she’s strong, she’s a taijutsu specialist. It’s nice to be appreciated, though.

Ø If she’s older she’s developed far more Gai/Lee traits. She was probably roped into the team Gai special “piggyback training” at least once and you were the only poor blessed soul around to receive a ride from this goddess. You may not be going as fast as the other two, but for some reason you feel far more assured in your safety.

Ø Unless it’s out of necessity, Tenten won’t really initiate physical contact—although she isn’t contact avoidant like Neji. But she’ll be the first to volunteer to carry an injured teammate and likewise won’t be too upset if you need to carry her. She’ll apologize profusely for giving you trouble if it’s the latter and she could use some reassurance. If you tell her that you know she’d do the same for you, she’ll feel much better.

Ø Carrying her crush around is something she never thought would happen; Tenten thought she would never have a crush. You’re different. As she feels you close to her back, the unbelievable happens—her face gets hot. She feels her heart pounding more than normal—can you feel it, too? She doesn’t…want to put you down? This is so nice. And when you both are having a casual conversation, the nervousness subsides. This is comfortable. This feels natural. She wants this. She really, really wants to have something like this. She wants this with you.

Ø If you carry her around, she has time to sit there and think about what you mean to her. She doesn’t get this way around anyone. It’s not all heart-pounding and blushing and nervousness when she finally likes someone. That was never what she wanted anyway; it was about the ease, the comfort, the way you just “fall together.” She grips you a little tighter and buries her face in your shoulder, unabashedly memorizing your scent. It’s not as simple as a crush to her. To her, you feel like home.

Ø As an S/O, Tenten loves to snuggle up to your back when you’re carrying her home. When you’re walking home in the setting sun she loves you all over again. You respect and love her for being strong and you show her in so many ways that you cherish her. It’s so nice to have someone as openly affectionate as you.

Ø Alternatively, if she’s carrying you around and you snuggle up, she might just melt at the thought. She’s already decided that you’re going to cuddle a lot more when you get home.

Footsie

Ø As Tenten gets older she becomes openly playful like her green-clad teammates, this kind of lighthearted affection is right up her alley.

Ø Tenten is prepared—she’s probably the only member of her team who is. She catches on right away, shooting you the cheesiest grin from across the table. She immediately attacks pushes back, locking your foot between her ankles as your eyes meet. Suddenly, there’s a dangerous glint in her eyes and you can’t tell if that smile was meant to be intimidating or suggestive.

Ø Both. It’s definitely both.

Ø Oh no, OH NO she took it as a challenge. You’ve initated war. Calm down Tenten, it’s just a leg.

Ø Once she latches on, she playfully tugs at you—not so gently—almost pulling you under the table until you admit defeat (to her made-up war.) And how can you not? She’s so gosh darn cute when she’s about to floor you using her legs. Those thick thighs save end lives.

Ø Okay, so now she’s being sweet. She’s gentle enough to play footsie without too much thought, but if you try to tickle her feet be prepared to forfeit your life.

Ø She’ll probably initiate it more often than you unless you really have a habit of it because Tenten isn’t shy with physical affection when she really gets invested in a relationship. It’s nice because this is something she can do almost anytime or anywhere and she doesn’t have to worry about “appropriate” affection in public when your feet are conveniently hidden under the table and out of sight.

Ø It happens the most often when she’s falling asleep. Tenten overheats easily and doesn’t like to cuddle during sleepytime, but she still likes to feel your presence near her. She’ll gladly lock her feet with yours to have the minimal (but still meaningful) affection while she dozes off.

Ø When you try to caress the side of her thigh in public or private, she isn’t even perturbed. Tenten rests her head on her hand, tilting her head in coy suggestion with a mischievous grin spreading across her lips. She immediately takes it a step further and reciprocates, making sure your face turns red enough for her liking. One devious look from those half-lidded eyes and you’ll be begging the waiter for the check.

Neji Hyuga

Piggyback

Ø Rock Lee is the only man alive to ever have given Neji a piggyback (by force.) He won’t even entertain the thought of being carried, it’s just his way. The only way you can carry him is if he’s knocked out, otherwise just spare his dignity.

Ø Neji will platonically give piggyback rides to injured teammates, but don’t try to jump on his back. The kind of unwarranted grabby-ness that academy/genin Ino and Sakura pulled with Sasuke would never fly with Neji. In fact, you’ll be the one sent flying if you get handsy without his permission.

Ø So, say you just injured your leg and need to get to the clinic from the training field and he doesn’t have feelings for you. Not a problem, he’ll either have your arm over his shoulder or carry you if need be. He did it for Lee when Lee’s leg was injured, so it’s not an issue.

Ø Now if you’re his crush things get interesting: don’t let his cool confidence fool you. Neji has no idea how to handle physical affection (at first) and gets put out of his comfort zone immediately. Being outside of his comfort zone is a big no-no for Neji. If he has a crush on you then he’ll do the most counterintuitive thing: he’ll try to get anyone else possible to take you, claiming earnestly that he needs to “continue training and doesn’t have the time.” He has a reputation, after all, and being nervous is certainly not a part of it.

Ø Given that his style of fighting is the “Gentle Fist” and he doesn’t seem to be a “hard” Taijutsu specialist like Rock Lee or Gai, you might not expect Neji to have the same sort of effortless physical strength when picking you up—but he does. You can just barely make out the firm muscle in his arms and abdomen when you cling on to him. Yeah, feel free to swoon a little right now—he’s too distracted by the sudden warmth of your body to notice.

Ø He’ll be quieter than normal—is that possible?—when carrying you to your destination, but you can feel a small tremble in his hands. It stands out because his other movements are smooth and disciplined. He’s trying to act as natural as possible and focus on where he’s going. He keeps his eyes locked forward, pretending not to notice the way your arms are around him or the fact that your head is -almost- resting on his shoulder.

Ø The rest of the walk passes without incident unless you make a move yourself. Say something sweet to him coupled with a reassuring squeeze and you’ll never hear such a stuttering, flustered response in your life. Somewhere it ends with “stop saying such direct things..” but he really doesn’t want you to. It only happens for a moment, but the point was made—you made his heart skip a few beats.

Ø If Neji can tell you want him there then he’ll be carrying you home, too. You don’t even need to ask. “I’m here already and it isn’t safe with your injury…Don’t worry about it. I’ll take you home.”

Ø As an S/O, piggybacks aren’t really a regular thing with Neji. He prefers to hold your hand. If you end up having kids, though, he’ll love carrying them around the same way his father did with him when he was young.

Footsie

Ø Neji has had very little exposure to physical affection in the past and had never paid much attention to couples around him. Little things like this go way over his head. He probably thinks you’re trying to kick him or stomp on his foot.

Ø Neji scrunches his face up in this adorable little way when you try to play footsie with him under the table. He probably thinks that it was an accident, so if you keep trying he’ll move his feet, thinking you need more room. (Or that you’re being rude, but he’ll shoot you a look and bite his tongue for now.)

Ø If he sees your pouting face after he moves his feet, he’ll take his time to process what in the world you’re up to. This boy has no idea what you want. Attention? You want attention? Either suck it up and tell him or resolve to live a footsie-less life.

Ø Neji’s face is completely blank as you try to explain the concept to him. Internally he’s gauging how invested you are in this, because you’re about to put him way out of his comfort zone if he acquiesces. It’ll take a few moments for him to respond, during which you get an uncomfortable silence followed by a subtle ‘hm.’

Ø Once you get over the initial blank stare, Neji will cautiously move his foot back towards yours and gently nudge. He has no idea what he’s doing and he feels silly. If you can subtly ease him into it he’ll relent and try to relax. Oh, it’s just like holding hands but…feet. He’s not sure if he likes it.

Ø He’ll seem like he’s pouting about it, but the observant will notice the small, quiet look of adoration from the corner of his eye. Alright, he’ll let the cuteness ensue this time. He can appreciate that this would possibly be a way to show affection in public away from prying eyes. He has a much stronger preference for holding hands, but this will do. Especially if he knows you like it.

Ø Once he can tell you’re satisfied (and you’re pretty cute about the whole thing, but he’ll keep that to himself) he’ll go back to what he was doing, letting this continue for a while…or at least until his leg gets tired.

Ø If you decide to use your foot to say, stroke his leg, then the reaction will entirely depend on if you’re in public. Of course, Neji isn’t one at all for PDA—and he expects you to know that. He’ll immediately sputter and choke on whatever he’s drinking and stare at you wide-eyed. You can tease him a little to enjoy his flustered reaction, but that look means you had better watch it. Also, good luck getting him to ever play footsie in public ever again. You lost your privileges.

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starwarringavengers · 4 years

Text

our own house [5/6]

Summary: The five times Ben Solo and Rey of Jakku kiss, and the one time they do more. The jedi au that no one asked for but that I am nonetheless delivering.

Chapter Summary: Luke is an absolute COCKBLOCK but what's new??? Also Rey's lightsaber is white and Ben's is purple and you can feel free to fight me on this but I won't guarantee you will ever be able to change my mind. Also also Grandpa Anakin makes a guest appearance

Warnings: Lots of “fuck” and some kissing (obviously)

AO3 Here!

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The fifth time Rey of Jakku and Ben Solo kiss, it’s because they’re confronted by a ghost.

They don’t speak for a week and a half. Rey avoids him at every turn, leaving each room that he enters and even refusing to make eye contact with him most of the time. Every day that passes, the reality of his fuck-up crashes down on him harder and harder, until finally, something larger than their issue comes crashing down into his world.

That thing is called Mustafar, and Luke’s incessant need to seek out danger. It runs in the family.

“Why would we go there, Luke?” Ben asks his uncle as he sits with him and the other Jedi Masters and Knights at the round table in one of the many rooms the temple.

“Because it is an important place, Ben,” Luke sighs quietly, “And it is where my father became Darth Vader. It may yet hold secrets or information that Anakin collected. He never stopped studying the Force, even as a Sith Lord.”

“Luke, I have to side with you nephew on this - it seems like a potentially disastrous journey to make,” Master Qui’Nik states, and Ben holds out a hand as if to say, told you so.

“I feel that it’s a journey I need to make. Anyone is welcome to come, but I won’t force you, nor ask you,” Luke says.

An absolute lie, because he’s practically guilted Ben into going with him just by telling him about it.

In the end, a few of the Jedi Master and Rey and Poe join the expedition, the latter serving as their pilot. Ben feels like his world is imploding around him when he slides into the seat next to Rey on the transport. He could’ve sat a row back, but what sense would that make? It might have been an easier trip, if he had - Rey stares daggers into the back of Luke’s headrest as she sits next to him. He can’t hear anything past the rushing wind of her thoughts, practically consuming the entire cabin of the ship.

Add that to the list of things that he’s got to fix.

When Mustafar looms in the distance, Ben gets a very strange feeling. As if something is calling to him, plucking at just the strings of his self-loathing and hatred and everything that aligns with the dark inside of him that he tries so hard to keep hidden. It’s almost as if the atmosphere is pulling his every emotion to the surface, wrapping him in a cloak of things like passion and lust and impulsive thoughts.

Rey sitting next to him isn’t helping. He gets spikes of her signature as she’s so near to him, feels when she goes from fear to anger to excitement, and how all of it is shadowed by a confusion that knots around her.

Perhaps she’s like him, then. Not quite good enough to live entirely in the light, but unsure of what to do with the dark that also lives alongside it.

That thought makes him feel strangely a little bit better.

When they land on the lava planet, Poe looks almost comically concerned.

“You can wait here,” Luke tells him, and Dameron can’t acquiesce fast enough. Ben half expects Luke to say the same to Rey, but it seems he finally knows her better than that, and knows that no matter what, she needs to touch the ground of this planet, just like she does.

None of them are quite prepared for it when their feet touch the blacked lava - the power that flows through the whole planet is dark, almost broken and sad, like a cracked kyber crystal. They walk for some time, thoughts to themselves, before they finally reach the looming castle, made of polished black obsidian and standing as it has for years.

Voices swim in the air. Or, perhaps it’s only one?

“Pairs of two. Don’t split up, whatever you do,” Luke tells them all, with a pointed look at Ben and Rey. “I’ll go right, but the two of you must stay together.”

Ben can’t figure out why he says it like that, but there’s a grave seriousness in his Uncle’s voice that causes Ben to listen to him without question. Masters and Knights pair off, each headed in different directions. Ben and Rey stand there in the entry of the castle for a moment, studying the darkness around them and the cracks in the walls that seem to let in just enough light, as if something otherworldly had broken the stone and splintered it in this way.

They don’t speak. When Rey finally moves to head down a hall, Ben follows her silently. A force is pulling them forward, dragging them to a spot in the castle that’s only calling to them, Ben can tell that much. He struggles a bit to keep up with her, as she ducks and twists and squeezes through mostly-shut doorways that he ends up having to blast open because she’s a tiny little scavenger, and Ben is most definitely not.

The room they stop in is pitch black. Not a crack of light. Ben makes to ignite his saber but Rey’s hand reaches back and covers his own, stilling him.

“Do you hear it?” she asks him, and in the moment he’s so attuned to just her, in this darkness that surrounds them. He can hear her heartbeat, can practically feel the blood rushing through her veins where his hand wraps around her wrist, the warmth of her as she’s pressed closer to him than she’s been in nearly two weeks.

But, he listens. The voice he’s heard since they touched down on the planet is there, unintelligible for the moment. “I hear it,” he tells her, and slowly, Rey takes a step forward.

Whatever room they’re in, it’s large - Ben can feel the draft of it and probes with the Force to find the high ceilings. Nothing else breathes in the room but them, but something certainly lives in it. Ben doesn’t ask why Rey refuses any light, but he finds himself understanding. Somehow their sabers would taint the way the room feels. It’s not meant for the brightness of their white and purple blades, and so they use the Force to find their way deeper into the room, carefully probing to find anything that might stand in their way. Nothing does.

They find the center easy enough, still robbed of sight, but what tells Ben that they’ve found it is the warp of sound that happens when they stand there, as if everything will come back at them if they were to speak.

“Center,” The voice says, like a whisper creeping through every tendon in Ben’s body, rushing up his spine. “You’ve found the center I couldn’t.”

“Ben,” Rey breathes, “Who is that?”

For a moment, he doesn’t answer. He shakes his head and then remembers that she can’t see him. A voice speaking to them in the middle of a horrible, abandoned castle on a crying planet should make them fearful, or at the very least be creepy, but the voice and whoever it belongs to doesn’t intend to harm them. It’s soft - sad and broken and full of a past that Ben feels the weight of as if he bears it on his own shoulders.

“Are you aware of the Bond you share?” The voice asks.

Rey reaches back and into Ben. He takes her in his arms without thinking.

“You’re not, then,” the voice muses, “You’ve speculated that it’s there because it’s so easy to hear each other’s thoughts. But Force Dyads are not common, things like life itself - there is hardly any research that’s been done. One hasn’t happened for thousands of years, and yet, here you are.”

“What does he mean?” Rey asks, hushed. “A Force Dyad? We’re connected?”

Of course they are, Ben figures. That has to be why it’s so easy to feel each other, to catch the tendrils of emotions that roll off of Rey every time she’s near, and why he can feel her Force signature in a way he can’t feel anyone else’s.

“You have to open yourselves up to it,” the voice tells them, “You’re putting up walls because you’re afraid to let each other in.”

Are they? Is Rey as frightened of the emotion between them, the thing that wraps around them whenever they’re together, the string that pulls them?

“Why us?” Rey asks, more to the voice that surrounds them rather than Ben.

The voice seems to be amused. “Can you not tell you’re made for each other? The Force does whatever it wants - it’s created one with the other in mind. A balance.”

It dawns then, who the voice is.

“Are you Anakin Skywalker?” Ben asks, in a voice smaller than he wishes it to come out. He feels Rey start a little.

“Hello, grandson. I wondered how long it would take.”

Oh, this has to be his grandfather, because the sass in that voice sounds so much like his mother that it startles him.

“What the fuck -“ Rey starts to say, but stops when the room around them lightens. Not glows, exactly - but it’s as if the light comes from inside the walls, illuminating the two of them and the mural on the ceiling, brilliant with color. Ben looks at Rey first, to find her looking at him, and then together they stare at what’s above them. Images of blue flowers and moons and lakes and in the center, a woman, his grandmother, something tells him, dark curls laced with gold.

“I lost the thing I loved most in search of power. Do not make the same mistake, Ben Solo.”

And with that, the light in the room extinguishes, and gone along with it is the presence that lingered with the voice of Anakin Skywalker.

Dazed, Ben waves a hand to send tendrils of light to the candelabras that surround the room, and finally, he can look down at Rey in the still dim light, the warm glow and the gilded gold casting shadows on her face.

She moves first, and thank the Gods because Ben can barely think.

Rey throws her arms around him, bringing their mouths together with no preamble, and he holds her close to his chest, sinking into the feeling of her kiss. No words are said, and there’s no more sound other than the faint hum of the Force and their breathing, the slide of their lips against each other. Rey is warm beneath his palms, a steady but rapid heartbeat, and soft hair that he tangles his fingers into as soon as he gets it free of two out of three buns.

Their sabers clatter to the floor and Ben’s cloak falls with them as Rey unlatches it from his throat before nearly jumping into his arms, locking her legs tight around his waist as he slowly lowers them to the ground. She’s straddling his hips and when Ben finally opens his eyes to look at her, he swears that he’s never seen anything more beautiful than the way she looks at him in that moment, flushed cheeks and kiss-stung lips that are just a little bit redder than normal, her hands tenderly reaching up to cup his face.

Oh, he loves her he loves her he loves her I love -

She kisses him again and the thought stops in its tracks with a twinge of amusement. Ben contemplates keeping her here, in his arms, forever and ever or at least until he’s had his fill of her, enough to satiate him for a quick moment before he’ll need her again. Rey quietly lets him know that she agrees with this thought, her hand on his chest to lean him back on the floor, their hands and mouths and limbs entwining and connecting as they kiss until they can’t breathe.

Are you two…okay? Luke’s voice floods both of their heads, and Rey actually groans. I’m getting a very weird reading off of you. Are you stuck?

“Fucking leave it to him -“ Ben starts to grumble, but Rey silences him with a quick kiss before pulling him up from the ground. She looks as dazed as he feels.

Rey sends over the mental link with Luke what they’ve found, and then stares at Ben, bright eyes wide and lips parted and chest rising and falling heavily with every breath. He can read her every thought and fuck, some of them are dirty.

Have you always been that -

Yes, she sends back, apparently unwilling to acknowledge anything further as she bends to pick up his cloak, and for the first time, Ben doesn’t feel even a little bit bad about the way he stares at her ass. He’s about to tell her such, but then Luke comes barreling into the hall and the moment of bliss is halted.

The rest of the exploration of the castle on Mustafar happens in a daze. Luke finds various writings and books and holos and Ben just stutters about, thinking about his grandfather’s words and the feeling over Rey in his arms. He feels everything she feels as keenly as if they were existing in one body - every time he brushes her, he feels the rush of heat in her veins, and every time he catches the scent of wildflowers that comes off of her hair, he’s sure she can feel the warmth that blossoms in his chest.

They don’t get a moment alone from the time they leave the mural hall to when they get back on the plane. And Ben is well and truly deep in a daze that is all Rey.

The promise of landing back at the Academy and being able to speak to her there makes the trip almost unbearable, even as he feels the tendrils of her mind slipping at his, as if asking for access, probing to feel his emotion about what they’d experienced, what they’d shared.

The ship lands, and he’s so close, so so close -

“Sit with me, Ben,” Luke demands, and yanks him away from Rey.

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@sunshiney-souls

#reylo #reylo fanfic #reylo kisses #rey x ben solo #rey x ben #rey x ben solo fanfic #reylo jedi au #rey and ben #rey and ben solo #rey and ben solo fanfic #star wars fanfiction #reylo fanfiction #sw fanfic

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stars-and-rose · 5 years

Text

On the Outside Looking In (Sander Sides Spiderverse! au)

so i started this before i got my notes for cursed kingdom and heart point back, got inspired by a random post, and i love emika and felt the need to finish this so here we are-

also i really just love @sugarglider9603 and @ask-spiderverse-virgil | @galaxy-lilies-main ‘s spiderverse au so that's that-

Fandom: Thomas Sanders/Sanders Sides

Pairings: Pre-established Prinxeity and Logicality, some oc action going on too

Summary: Student Council President kinda abuses her power for the sake of local superheroes, but she does it with sass

Word Count: 6,640

Trigger Warnings: Cursing, Mentions of transphobia, descriptions of wounds, blood, there's a gun but no one gets shot (this is actually really fluffy i swear-)

Emika Waters didn't exactly know when she had figured it out. Maybe it was when Logan Quinn shouted "FALSEHOOD" in the middle of class a week or so back, and it sounded exactly like Arachne. Maybe it was when she had gotten lost coming home from her boyfriend's apartment, and Love Bite had helped her find her way and complimented her dress in the same exact words Patton Foster had earlier that day. Maybe it was after hearing another playful argument between Roman Marigold and Virgil Storm, and noting that it held the same energy as when Royal Slinger and Spidergale bantered. Maybe it was when she noticed the four of them coming to school, weary and stiff, on the days she watched a reporter describe a battle between the spidermen and a supervillain. Maybe it was a subtly noting the matching color schemes and attitudes. But the pieces of the puzzle had finally put themselves together, and Emika found herself staring at the complete puzzle in shock.

It was surreal- Emika was busy playing instrumentals on her violin and dragging her poor boyfriend to take pictures of the New York City skyline, while other kids her age were risking their lives to take out adults with villainous intent. How did they do it? Sure, she knew superpowers were involved- wait a second, how did the boys gain superpowers? No, she was not going to think about that, her brain was already fried- but how did they have the time? All four boys were actively involved in clubs, Logan was the class's valedictorian, and the others were in her AP and Honors classes as well. Where did that leave time to patrol the streets of the city and keep those streets safe?

Emika rubbed her temples, a headache starting to form. She hated not having the answers, and this whole scenario left her with absolute zero. She didn't even know what to do with the information!

Thinking about it, that was actually a good place to start. She pulled out her phone, looking up superhero comics. She wanted to see what fictional characters would do in her scenario. She opened one comic, then another and another, her stomach turning and her nose scrunched up in disgust after every comic showed the same results.

It seemed that in every comic, anyone who wasn't the superhero's best friends/partners/family who found out the hero's civilian identity was hell-bent to expose the hero.

That… didn't seem right to Emika.

Why would she try to expose the boys? They were saving lives- and as she knew them as civilians, they were generally nice people. They didn't deserve media crawling down their necks and people harassing and criticizing them. The thought of slipping into a newspaper's office and outing the boys as the spidermen, it just screamed "WRONG!"

Emika's headache was starting to get worse. The comics had only led her to become more confused, and now she was questioning the morals of various comic book characters along with her previous dilemma. Emika threw her head up, staring at the starless sky above. She honestly didn't know what to do. Any form of action seemed to have a negative consequence somewhere down the line!

So what if she did nothing? If she kept the information to herself, kept her mouth shut, there would be no consequences! The boy's secret would be safe, and her own morality and sanity would stay in one piece.

Emika was startled from her thoughts as her brother's voice cut through the night "Hey, Oiseau! You coming?" As she walked to her brother's slightly-beat up, gray car, Emika made her decision. She would keep the boy's secret to herself, and let nothing change.

At least, that was her original plan.

The first time she had helped one of the SpiderBoys (as she has dubbed them in her mind) had been an impulse.

It had been a week since she had made her decision. School had started later that day due to minor villain uprising in the early hours of the morning. Emika was sitting her English class, looking over the notes she had taken for Hamlet. The teacher had surprised the class the day before by announcing that the test on the book would be the next day. Emika had used the time in the morning to study since she had been up late planning the school's next pep rally (being student council president was a challenge, but she stopped complaining about her responsibilities after her discovery). Emika traced over a swirl in silver ink drawn in the margin of her notes, hoping she had absorbed the information she needed

She was suddenly startled by the classroom door flying open. All eyes in the room fixated on Patton Foster, cheek's flushed and gray skirt swishing around his knees. "Sorry about that," He mumbled with a soft laugh, before retreating to his seat beside Emika.

Emika tried to subtly study the boy. To anyone not looking, there seemed to be nothing wrong with their positive classmate. But Emika was looking. She noticed the eyebags covered with a faint layer of concealer, she noticed the way Patton's smile seemed slightly strained, and she noticed how he kept rubbing his arm. She guessed the actions were symptoms of his morning battle as Love Bite. Emika wondered if she asked him if he was okay if he would be suspicious of her.

Before she could ask, their teacher entered the room, with a large stack of papers in his arms. "Morning class! Are you ready for your exam? With the late start we had, I hope you found the time to study!"

Emika practically felt Patton tense up next to her. She heard the whispers escape from his mouth. "Oh no... I forgot... I can't fail this!"

In the ten seconds, it took their teacher to reach his desk, Emika made a decision. "Mr. Brooks!" She called out, standing up and drawing the room's attention to her.

"Yes, Miss Waters?"

"I just remembered I have an order of supplies coming in for the rally next week, and I need to go pick them up!" She wrinkled her nose. "It's a big load, I don't think I can do it by myself unless I want to take all day." Emika pretended to look around the room, her eyes landing on Patton. "Patton, do you think you could help me out?"

Her superhero classmate stared up at her; his confusion was written on his face, but he nodded. "Of course I'll help!"

"Oh thank goodness!" She flashed a smile at Mr. Brooks. "You wouldn't mind if I took Patton with me, right? I can ask Mx Right to confirm that we're working, I'm sure they won't mind."

Mr. Brooks nodded, as Emika suspected he would. "As long as Mx Right calls me, I wouldn't see an issue. Please hurry though, since I'll still expect you to take the test."

"Of course!" Emika subtly grabbed her notebook and gestured for Patton to follow her. As soon as the door shut behind them, Emika handed Patton her notebook. "You looked like you needed some extra study time."

Patton gave her a startled look. "Um, yeah- How did you know?"

"I'm Student Council President! I feel like it's part of my job to notice any issues a student may be having."

Patton nodded, looking down at her notebook. "Wait, did you lie to Mr. Brooks? I appreciate the help but if you lied, I'm going to have to walk back in the room. I don't lie."

Emika threw up her hand in a surrendering gesture. "No, no I didn't lie! I overexaggerated a bit- there is a load I need to pick up but I can handle it myself- you can help me by keeping company while you study and I unpack."

Patton let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank gosh, I really didn't want to go back in there and fail the test. Thank you so much, Mika."

"Again, it's my pleasure." The two of them began to walk down the hallway, reaching the front office. Emika went in and grabbed the boxes- Patton offering to carry some for her, and Emika finally relenting when she realized the stacked boxes were taller than herself. They made their way through freshman hall to Mx Right's room, Emika struggling slightly with her load, and Patton carrying his with ease.

Patton opened the door while still carrying his boxes. (It had to be the superpowers, Emika was sure of it) Emika set down her boxes and flicked on the light. Patton sat on top of a desk, swinging his legs as he read over the notes. Emika sat on the floor, opening the boxes and labeling the contents to make her life easier later on.

Emika was on her second-to-last box when her's phone went off from the desk she'd set it on. She scrambled up, then proceeded to trip over one of the boxes. Patton giggled at the blonde and picked up her phone. "It's Jay." He let out another giggle. "I guess you've really fallen for him, huh?"

After laughing at the pun, Emika accepted her phone from Patton and answered the call. She was greeted with her favorite voice in the world. "Hey, Meeks, I have study hall and ran across the street to get coffee. What do you want?"

If you asked Patton, he would have sworn up and down that the student council president's eyes had become hearts. "This is why I love you." She breathed.

"Oh? It's just because I bring you coffee?"

"Oh, shh, you know that's not it, Jay. I'll have mocha frappe, large." She looked over at her companion."Patton, do you want anything? You look tired, some coffee could help you wake up?"

"Patton? Did you kidnap Patton?" Emika's boyfriend asked.

"Yes I did, I kidnapped him and I'm forcing him to help me unload my supplies because I'm so evil." Emika deadpanned, putting her phone on speaker.

Patton laughed. "She's so horrible! She's making me study while she goes through boxes!"

"Horrific!" Jay exclaimed. "But seriously, do you want something?"

"I can pay you back, but could you get me a hot chocolate? The sugar wakes me up more than caffeine." Patton mumbled something else to himself, but Emika should only catch the words, 'Taste', 'Kiss', and 'Logan'

It was safe to say she had a pretty good idea of what the last statement was about.

"Don't worry about paying me back. Meeks said something about you being tired? I getcha, so it's on me." Jay replied.

"You two are literally the best people on the planet," Patton exclaimed.

Emika smiled to herself. "It's the least I can do."

When the two re-entered the English room, Emika with her coffee and Patton with his hot chocolate, Patton handed her notebook back. "Seriously, you are the best," he whispered.

Emika only smiled.

The second time, it hadn't occurred to Emika until the situation was over.

She was in history, working with her group for their government project. Emika had her head against her boyfriend's chest, fiddling with the striped blue, white and pink pride button her boyfriend had finally felt confident putting on his bag (Emika had a matching pin on her bag, but hers was pink, yellow and blue). She was writing her script, as she would be presenting the project. Jay was sketching his idea for the poster board on a piece of graph paper. Two twin girls- Emika was positive one was named Rose and the other Lily, and Lily was the one with the tattoo on her wrist- were searching in the textbook and on their phones for the information they needed. The last member for their group, Virgil Storm, was typing away at a laptop, headphones covering his ears, working on the powerpoint.

It was peaceful- mostly. Even since the day when she had pulled Patton out to help him study, Emika had become hyperaware of the SpiderBoys physical and mental states. She kept glancing at Virgil, checking for obvious signs that something was wrong. She couldn't tell if Virgil had eyebags, due to the boy's dark eye-shadow covering where any eyebags would be. (That was probably the point. Huh. ) Virgil's collection of oversized hoodies (Emika was convinced she had seen the dark red hoodie Virgil was currently wearing on Roman before) prevented her from seeing any bruises or bumps. Therefore, Virgil was making her job very hard for her.

Emika sighed, tugging on the sleeve of her yellow sweater when she first heard the noise. It was a low rumbling sound that Emika usually associated with her brother- the sound of someone's stomach grumbling.

Rose looked up from her book. "Was that's someone's stomach?" She asked, confirming what Emika had thought she heard.

"Is someone hungry? I have a few extra bucks on me, we can run to the library and get some snacks that the yearbook committee is selling." Emika suggested.

"We just had lunch," Lily replied, gesturing to herself and her twin.

"I've got my mum's brownies in my bag if I get hungry," Jay said.

Virgil didn't even hear- or maybe he did, and he was just ignoring the conversation. Emika let it go, going back to her notes. She had dropped her pen to stretch her fingers when the grumbling started again. She looked back up, meeting eyes with the twins. Rose glanced at Virgil, mouthing a question to Emika "Is it coming from Virgil?"

Emika tilted her head, mouthing back. "Not sure, I'll keep my ear open." She went back to her notes, but this time, when she heard the noise, she stood. She walked over to Virgil and tapped her hand to get his attention. The darker haired boy looked up at her, pulling off his headphones.

"Is something up, Emika?"

"Have you eaten something today? Because your stomach keeps rumbling." Emika asked, hoping her concern carried through her voice.

Virgil shrugged. "I'm not hungry."

"That wasn't the question." Emika crossed her arms.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes."

"Then, fine, no I haven't eaten yet. We good now?" Virgil lifted his hand to put his headphones back on, but Emika grabbed his hand and tried to pull him to his feet. "Hey, what the hell, what are you doing?"

"We're going to the library and you're eating something. That's an order as your president." Emika decided.

"You're student council president, I don't think it works that way."

"I say so, so it does. Let's go, come on, up, up let's go."

"You're causing a scene," Virgil complained. It was true; people were starting to glance at them.

Looking back at it later, Emika noted how comical the situation was. Emika was a tiny blond wearing a pastel sweater. Virgil had at least five inches on Emika, and his darker clothes made him look much more threatening than her. Plus he was Spidergale (which had slipped her mind at the time), which definitely gave him an unfair advantage. But Emika had determination and a questionable amount of caffeine on her side.

"You're dating Roman. He's much better at causing scenes than me! Oooooh, what if I go get him? I could text the theater chat- they finally added the pit kids into it!"

Virgil sighed. "If I come with you will you stop?"

"Yup."

Virgil let out a sigh, slipped off his headphones, and stood. Emika grinned at him, and started for the doorway, hoping that when she turned around, that Virgil would still be behind her. He was, to her satisfaction. They walked in silence, Virgil fidgeting with the strings of his boyfriend's hoodie.

"Why do you care so much?"

Emika turned to Virgil. "Hmmm?"

"Why did you cause a scene and force me to come with you and such?" Virgil asked, fingers still entwined with the hoodie strings.

Emika shrugged. "I feel like I gotta be helpful. There's gotta be something I can do. Even something as small as this."

The two of them fell back into silence, reaching the library. Emika walked over the desk, where a few baskets held candy and chips. She pulled out a few dollar bills and grabbed a dark chocolate bar and a box of Lemonheads. After paying, she threw the chocolate bar at the emo boy, who caught it with ease. "Huh?"

"Dark chocolate is light on your stomach, but it still gives you some energy. I live on dark chocolate during audition weeks. Jay is convinced that someone draws my blood, they'll discover that my blood has bits of dark chocolate in it. Plus, it makes you feel good and tastes great."

Virgil snorted. "Have you ever considered becoming a spokesperson for dark chocolate?"

"Oh my god! That would be the best job on the planet!" Emika popped a lemon candy in her mouth. Virgil unwrapped the chocolate bar and proceeded to stare at it as if it came from an alien planet. "You do realize you can't eat it by staring at it? You need to put it in your mouth?"

"No. I never would have guessed. Thank you so much." Virgil deadpanned, causing Emika to snort. They walked back to the classroom, and Emika reclaimed her spot next to Jay.

Later, the couple was laying on the couch of the Waters apartment when she remembered that Virgil was Spidergale and she'd managed help out another superhero. She couldn't help but let out an airy laugh at the thought.

"Is everything good?" Jay asked.

"Yup! Just thinking about something," Emika replied, laying her head in his lap.

The third time it happened, it was completely and utterly on purpose.

Emika sat in one of the music department's practice rooms, violin case at her feet, looking over the notes she'd jotted into her notebook. Yesterday, she had overheard her study hall teacher complaining to another teacher about how she was going to have to write Logan Berry up if he showed up to study hall late one more time.

That had piqued Emika's interest- and her concern. Logan Berry? The Valedictorian, obsessed with learning, Logan Berry skipping a class? That was wrong in every aspect. So Emika looked into it.

After searching through YouTube and various fan blogs, Emika learned that due to a few criminals escaping jail, the SpiderBoys and Rainbow Weaver were taking extra patrols until the crooks were caught. It seemed at Arachne (cough, cough Logan) was taking patrol at the time of their study hall.

Emika wasn't about to let Logan get in trouble for protecting the city. Nope. Nada. Not on her watch.

Emika scribbled something furiously with her pen, memorizing the bulleted list she had created. Her plan, if executed correctly, would be able to clear Logan's name and still fall in line with his boyfriend's morals.

If she messed up-

Nope. She was not going to mess up.

Someone knocked on the door. Emika looked up and saw one of the band's flutists- Alex- looking in at her. She pushed the notebook into her bag and opened the door, glancing at the blue bracelet around Ian's wrist. "Hey, Mika." He greeted. "The period is over."

"Oh, thank you for getting me. I wouldn't have noticed." Emika stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder, and grabbed her violin case.

"You looked really focused. Working on something important?"Alex asked as Emika put her violin in her locker.

"You could say that." Emika agreed, waving goodbye as they parted ways. Emika headed for the cafeteria, heartbeat thumping in her ears. She could give speeches in front of her entire class without any fear. She could play violin solos without batting an eye. But this? Her nerves were shot. Because now, it wasn't just her on the line. If she messed up, Logan would get in trouble.

She made to the cafeteria and set down her bag at an empty table. Taking a deep breath, Emika walked towards the table where Mrs. Nixon sat, playing with her wedding band. The student council president cleared her throat, getting the teacher's attention. "Oh, hello Miss Waters. Is there something I can help you out with?"

"There is. May I sit?" Emika asked.

"Of course." She sat down, cracking her knuckles, as the teacher looked at her. "What's wrong? Do you need anything?"

"I need to talk to you about how Logan Berry has been late to this class. I'm afraid it's kind of my fault."

The teacher tilted her head. "Pardon me? You're going to have to explain, Emika."

"You see, I've been swamped with a lot of the paperwork for student council. Our treasurer is terribly sick right now, and I don't want to put any pressure on them while they're under the weather. I tried to do it myself, but it happens to be that when you have a thousand things to do, putting together treasuer reports is much more difficult than it looks. So, since Logan is the smartest person I know, I asked him if he could complete them for me. He has lunch before this, I think, and he told me he would go to the library to work on the reports. So, it seems that because I gave him extra work, he's coming to this study hall late."

Emika was mentally screaming at herself, because goodness, her story sounded so fake, it could shatter with the simplest prod.

Mrs. Nixon bit her lip. "It's very refreshing to see teenagers holding themselves accountable for their mistakes. And I don't want to be the teacher that puts on a stain on Mr. Berry's record. As long as this doesn't continue, I think I can let it slide."

Emika almost jumped over the table to hug the teacher, but she managed to contain herself. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Nixon."

"Anytime." Emika walked back to her seat, slumping in it with relief. She pulled out her German notes- honestly, she should have taken French, she already was fluent, it would have been an easy hundred- and began to study when someone sat across from her. Emika looked up, and sure enough, Logan was sitting across from her.

"Oh, hi, Logan! What's up?" Emika said, attempting to keep her cool. She subtly looked for any injuries, but it seemed Logan was able to keep himself from getting hurt.

"It came to my attention that you covered for me in accordance with my constant tardiness to this class, and I was curious why," Logan asked, the question burning in his eyes.

Emika shrugged. "I knew you'd have a good reason. I've known you since, like seventh grade, even if we never really talked. You don't strike me as the type to be tardy without a good reason."

Logan nodded. "Yes, I had a reason, but it's a private one."

"Oh, I wasn't prying! I totally get it."

The two sat in silence for a moment, and Emika was considering going back to her German review when Logan spoke up again. "However, Patton will be rather upset if he learns lying was involved me getting out of trouble."

"Oh I know, I almost received a lying-is-bad lecture from your boyfriend." Emika laughed, brushing the hair out of her face.

"He informed me of that incident. I do have to thank you for helping him."

Emika smiled. "Student Council President is quite determined to do her job. As for the lying thing-" Emika dug into her backpack, pulling on a few pieces of paper. "-I told Mrs. Nixon you were helping me with these."

"Are these Treasurer Reports?"

"Haha, yeah. Millie is out sick and I didn't want to make her do it while she's out, I wasn't lying about that- so to null out the other lie, if you could add up the numbers for me? Then there's less lying involved."

"You thought this through, didn't you?"

Emika grinned. "I live to defy the dumb blond stereotype"

Logan managed to get the reports added up in minutes flat (A feat Emika never would have been capable of), and by the time the period was over, Emika had a smile on her face.

The fourth time had been a total accident.

The Spring Musical was just around the corner, meaning the pit orchestra would practice alongside the performers. Emika's arms were killing her, and if she had to play the same section one more time, she was going to lose her mind.

Finally, a break was called. Emika, her prayers answered, gratefully placed her violin back in its case. She was desperate for water, but it seemed she had emptied her bottle already. Emika grabbed the empty bottle, determined to fill it before the fountain was swamped. She started to power-walk from the auditorium, cursing her tiny legs when she collided with someone.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry." Emika scrambled to her feet, offering her hand to whoever she had run into. It just happened to be Roman, who accepted her hand and pulled himself to his feet.

"It's okay," he answered, but there was pain tainting his voice.

"Are you okay?" Oh god, what if she hurt Roman? In turn, that would have meant she'd hurt Royal Slinger, which meant New York would be down a SpiderBoy-

"Oh no, you just hit me where I have a nasty cut, I'm perfectly fine!" Roman replied, and Emika heard him mutter something that contained the phrase "stitches getting loose'.

Oh. Oh no.

"Um, I have a first aid kit in the band room- I kept it on me because sometimes I slit my fingertips on my violin strings, and I would make me feel better if I could look over it so-"

"Hey, Mika, calm down!" Roman said, putting his hands up in a calming gesture. "It truly isn't your fault for my pain, but if I will make you feel better, you can look the wound over."

Emika let out a shaky breath. "Okay, okay yeah, follow me." Emika led Roman through the maze of chairs, stands, and cases that were scattered through the pit. A few turns and a tiny set of stairs later, the two were in the abandoned band room. Emika pointed at a chair. "Sit down, I'm going to get my kit."

Emika left the actor in the band room, headed for the storage area, where, in her locker, she found the first aid kit. Jay had bought it for her after he'd noticed her fingertips bleeding from the little cuts she often found on them. She exited the storage room and found Roman sitting, with his red jacket off, and his sleeves rolled up.

Then she saw the cut.

It was stitched up, which Emika guessed meant it was deep. The wound was a bright red around the stitching, which was definitely coming undone. She could see red under the falling-apart stitches, which Emika assumed wasn't good. The wound also seemed to be oozing with what she feared was pus. She was no medical professional, but something told her that the wound would have given the school nurse a heart attack.

Emika sat down and opened her kit. She didn't bother asking how Roman had gotten the wound. She knew that it was from his escapades as Royal Slinger, and seeing the dramatic boy injured made something churn in her stomach. It wasn't fair, the boys didn't deserve to be hurt like this.

There was nothing she could do except doing the little things to help, like making sure Roman's injury didn't get worse.

Emika pulled out a rubbing wipe. "This is going to sting."

"Don't worry, I can handle a minor sting," Roman replied, but he still winced as Emika attempted to clean the cut, moving carefully around the stitches. Just as Emika finished the cleaning, Roman's phone went off from his jacket pocket. Roman moved to get it, but Emika reached over and grabbed it for him instead.

"It's Virgil," Emika announced, and she smiled at the way Roman's eyes lit up at the mention of his boyfriend. He made grabby hands for the phone, and Emika, laughing slightly, handed it over.

"Hello, my darling emo!" Roman smiled at the image of Virgil that appeared on his screen.

"Hey, Ro. What's up?"

"Local Mother Hen is looking at that cut I got on my shoulder," Roman responded. Emika flashed a peace sign at Virgil.

"You need a leash for this one, Virgil," Emika replied, rummaging through her kit, and pulling out butterfly stitching. "Hey Roman, I'm going to put butterfly stitching over the stitches, you'll have to have someone with actual medical skills fix that, okay?"

"Aye aye, captain," Roman responded, before starting a conversation with his boyfriend about Virgil's dance practice. Emika unwrapped the stitching and began to carefully apply the bandaging to the wound. She had done this before- once, Andre had split his knee open, and Emika had fixed him up enough so her dad could take him to the ER. She made sure to keep the touches gentle, not wanting to make Roman hurt more, but said the boy was caught up talking to Virgil, she doubted he would have noticed either way. As a precaution, Emika stuck a couple large band-aids over the butterfly stitching.

"Alright! Try not to aggravate the wound or pull out the stitches more than you already have. Cut back on the dramatics for the last half of practice, perhaps."

Roman gasped as if she'd suggested kicking a puppy. "Cut back on the dramatics?" He repeated. "Virgil, do you hear this insanity?"

As Virgil snickered from the other line, Emika rolled her eyes playfully. "Maybe just try not to move that arm around so much?"

"You can handle that, Princey." Virgil agreed. "If you manage not to rip the stitches- more than you already have, I might be more inclined to watch Disney and cuddle later."

Roman vigorously nodded his head. "I shall not rip the stitches or dramatically move my arm in the name of Disney cuddles." He announced.

Emika laughed, putting away her kit. Just as she was about to slip away to let the two finish talking before the rehearsal started up again, Virgil called out, "Hey, um, Mika- people call you that, right?"

"Yeah, they do! What's up? "

"Thanks for taking care of my dork."

Emika smiled. "Of course- I'm always here to help."

And help she did.

It seemed that the SpiderBoys had discovered that she really would help with anything. Patton continued to help her during unloading days, giving him more time to study. Logan asked her for the page numbers of homework assignments he'd missed. Virgil accepted the dark chocolate she threw at him. Roman had even allowed her to help with another wound he'd gotten.

But all good things come to an end eventually.

To be fair, the night Emika accidentally opened her mouth was a night meant for disaster. The usually calm student council president was enraged. Jay ran track, and sometimes he managed to convince his girlfriend (aka Emika) to go on runs with him. She didn't mind the runs; she often brought her camera along. But Jay couldn't wear his binder while they were running, which usually wasn't a problem.

But today there was a problem. Some guy had misgendered Jay and then proceeded to go off on some transphobic tangent. Jay ignored that guy, but Emika could see how upset her boyfriend was becoming, and she'd almost beat the shit out of the guy. But, she knew that would make her boyfriend upset, so she'd instead taken him home and made him rose tea and cuddled with him. But as soon as his mom came home and Emika left the apartment, the rage entered her eyes.

Everyone on the street shifted to avoid her. It was comical- the tiny girl causing grown men to step out of her way. If she lived in a cartoon, steam would have been pouring out her ears.

Suddenly, her phone began to ring. She pulled out her phone and answered the call. "Salut, Papa."

"Salut, êtes-vous sur le chemin du retour?"

"Oui, Je prends le métro." Emika responed.

"Rester en sécurité, Emika." Her dad fretted.

"Ne t'inquiète pas, ça va aller. À bientôt."

"Je t'aime."

" Je t'aime, Papa." Emika hung up and continued her way to the subway. Speaking her father's native tongue always calmed her down- the word's always sounded so pretty, and focusing on the beauty of it was a welcome distraction.

Emika managed to get into her subway without any trouble. She was sitting against the wall, earbuds canceling the noise of the crowded car and distracting her from the anger still bubbling in her chest. Everything was fine.

Until the subway stopped.

That was strange, Emika remembered thinking. The ride was usually about fifteen minutes, she had only been riding for seven. She slipped her earbuds out, listening to the confused murmurs of the other passengers. Then the sound of cracking glass filled her eardrums, and something sharp cut across Emika's face, causing the rage in her stomach to twist into pain and fear.

Someone started screaming. Emika glanced at the window dividing the subway cars- the glass was shattered, the cracks spirling from a small hole in the center. A bullet hole. Had someone gotten shot?

No, the bullet was wedged into one of the handheld poles. Emika peered into the car before them, and saw a figure with a gun, pointing it frantically from passenger to passenger.

Something dripped down Emika's face. She raised her hand and felt something wet and sticky covering her cheek. Lowering her hand, vile raised in her throat- her hand was covered in crimson, metallic-smelling blood. Her own blood.

No one paid attention to her, the blood dripping down her cheek, the pain sharp and fierce. She heard the sounds of conflict in the other car (but no more gunshots), then the sound of the door being forced open. "Is anyone hurt?"

"There's a girl by the window, I think she got cut by the glass!" Huh, someone had noticed her. Someone knelt next to Emika; it was a figure in a pink super-suit, it was Love Bite, it was Patton.

"Hey, hey you with me?" He asked.

"Mmhmm," Emika mumbled. "It hurts like fucking hell"

"You got cut on the glass, you'll be okay, but you need to stay calm okay?" Her superhero classmate muttered, looking up into the evacuating crowd. "I need someone to clot her bleeding!"

A woman handed over a scarf- Patton thanking her, before ripping it and pressing it down over Emika's cut. She winced in pain. "Sorry." He muttered and continued to press down. Soon, he lifted the bloodstained cloth. "I think you've stopped bleeding."

"Thank you, Patton, "Emika mumbled. She felt the superhero stiffen and take it a harsh breath beside her. Why-

Oh.

Emika tensed too, her thoughts racing. She had called him Patton, while he was in costume. No one was close enough to hear her, but still, she'd let it slip.

"Emika-" Patton began, his voice slightly panicked, the eyes of his suit open so wide, it would be been comical in any other situation.

Really, Emika should have stayed and simply explained her discovery to Patton. But, instead, Emika shot to her feet, ignoring the superhero's protests, and ran from the subway, losing herself in the fleeing crowd.

Emika couldn't avoid it forever. That didn't mean she wasn't going to try.

She practically ran between classes, made sure she sat with as many people as possible at lunch and drove home with her brother every day.

But one day, she was waiting after school, leaning against the same wall she had all those weeks ago when she meant her discovery, waiting for Andre to get out of work. Her finger traced over the cut on her cheek. The doctor she'd visited told her it would probably scar. She lowered her hand, and then she felt someone lean against the wall next to her. "Hey, Mika."

Emika tensed, looking over at Patton. She was just about to move from the wall when Patton placed an arm on her shoulder. "Can we just talk about this?"

Emika's shoulders sagged. "Okay." She conceited, leaning her head against the back of the wall again, watching the traffic go by.

"How did you figure it out?"

"That you're Love Bite, your boyfriend is Arachne, your best friend is Royal Slinger and his boyfriend is Spindergale?" Emika's words were quiet, her voice barely audible over the breeze. "It was a bunch of little things."

"Was it obvious?" Patton looked over at the student council president, who's night sky eyes were still trained on the passing cars.

"No, not really. It might sound like I'm full of myself, but I consider myself pretty preceptive."

"Part of your president powers?"

Emika cracked a grin. "Hey, let me have my fake superpower."

That little joke managed to dissolve the solve the tension. Both of them started laughing, and Emika finally looked at Patton.

"You guys are crazy brave," Emika muttered, meeting the superhero's eyes. "It's insane how much you four are already have done for the world and damn. I wish I could do more, you know."

Emika's eyes gazed back out the cars, the last world even quieter than when she had whispered the secret. "You know, the little things matter too. Logan has been suspicious of you after the second week of you making sure Virgil ate. After he pointed it out, I realized how right he was. Thanks for getting me more study time, and tell Jay I ow- wait, does he know?"

"I haven't told a soul," Emika replied.

"Oh thank goodness." Patton let out a sigh of relief. "That would have made things more complicated."

"Agreed, people honestly would have thought I was crazy. I thought I was crazy for a bit." Emika laughed. Suddenly, Andre's same old gray car pulled up. Emika flashed a peace sign at Patton and started to walk away.

"Hey, Mika?"

The blonde turned around, the streetlights reflecting against her short locks. Patton's eyes looked brighter in the same light. "Thanks for taking care of us- what did Roman dub you- 'Local mother hen?'" Patton grinned. "It fits."

Emika laughed, and then suddenly, a flash of dark blue on the school roof caught her attention. "Hey, Patton?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm pretty sure your boyfriend has been watching over you this whole time. You know, in case the petite French girl was actually a supervillain."

Patton looked upwards, seeing the dark blue as well, a small, slightly lovesick grin on his face. "God I love him." He mumbled, and she couldn't help but laugh as she finally entered her brother's car.

"What was that about?" Andre asked, starting the car again.

Emika leaned against the seat, glancing out her window to see Patton vanishing into the night, probably to join his boyfriend. "Mm, just seeing things from the outside, you know?"

French Translations!

Salut, Papa- Hi, Dad

Salut, êtes-vous sur le chemin du retour?- Hi, are you on your way home?

Oui, Je prends le métro- Yes. I’m taking the subway

Rester en sécurité, Emika- Stay safe, Emika

Ne t'inquiète pas, ça va aller. À bientôt- Don’t worry, I’ll be okay. See you soon.

Je t'aime- I love you

283 notes · View notes

surveys-at-your-service · 4 years

Text

Survey #266

“... and buried deep beneath the waves, betrayed by family, to his nation with his last breath cried: beware the daughter of the sea.”

What's the last thing you looked up in the dictionary? Shit, it's right on the tip of my tongue... I was making sure I was using it right, which I was. Do you ever listen to instrumental music? Rarely, and if I do, it's normally game soundtracks. Who did you last sit on? I'm hoping you mean like... on their lap lmao in which case it'd probably be Jason. No one wants my fat ass to sit on their lap nowadays. What do you think about wind? I HATE wind, unless it's hot and there's a nice breeze. Has there been anyone that you wanted to get to know but never did? Well of course. That happened in high school a lot. What's the last thing you looked at that reminded you of someone? Teddy's picture on my shelf. Have your parents ever tried to commit suicide? Not that I know of. I couldn't even begin to imagine either of those trying that. Do you have a gag reflex? A VERY STRONG ONE. Would you rather have sex before you're married or wait till marriage? I don't care. Tbh by now, I kinda think before is wiser only to ensure you two are compatible in that area. It wouldn't matter to me personally, but I know that's important to some people and can cause issues and built-up bitterness. Just use protection, Christ. Have you ever let someone hit you? Um no? Do you have friends in other states/countries? Plenty. Been on the Internet since before I was even a pre-teen, talking to strangers lmao. Do you ever pay attention during church? I would try to back then, but I never succeeded well because my mind would wander out of boredom. Do you have self-control? That very much depends on the situation. I can be EXTREMELY impulsive, but in other cases hold it together. Have you ever broken a window? No. When was the last time you freaked someone out? I'm sure it was a few nights ago when I had another nightmare and woke up screaming. Mom always yells my name to snap me out of it. Have you ever gone on a date with a weirdo? No. Who's the last person you called a bitch? I don’t know. Is anyone in your family disabled? Yes. What do you want for Christmas? It's hella early to think about it, but I'm quite certain I'll be asking for a treadmill. How many moles do you have? I don't think I have any? Aren't freckles and moles different? Do you own any comic books? No. What is the nastiest dare you have ever committed? I don't know. I never did really nasty ones because I wasn't stupid. Do you know anyone who has been raped? Almost, anyway. Idk if I know anyone to really has been... I hope not. Are you an atheist? No. I think there's... something. Have you ever owned a goldfish? Well yeah, from like, carnival games and stuff. Who was the last person to call you beautiful? I dunno, probably a family member when I changed my FB profile picture. How many times have you been stung by a bee? Once. Those fuckin hornets better stay the holy fuck away from me. What was the last flavor of gum you chewed? Probably something fruity. When was the last time you used tape? Ummm probably when I had to tape the side of my laptop screen a bit. When was the last time you said fuck? A couple questions ago in this survey lmao. Have you ever stolen something? Only this pink crayon I thought was beautiful at Sunday school oof. Who would you like to kiss right now? Maaaan there's three people I would so long I wasn't involved with anyone else. Mark of course lol, Jason, or Sara. Who was the last person you told to 'Shut the fuck up' to? Ha ha, probably playfully to Sara. Why were you last nervous? So I joined this group on deviantART called the Guiding Light Project, which is about mental health help and positivity, and there is a list of people seeking help and what their problem is. I decided to reach out to two people I really thought I could help, and one was a guy. Men make me so nervous that I was very nervous sending him a message, but it's going very well. Whose pants did you last take off? Uhhhh. OH YEAH HEY when I was hanging out with Colleen and she got me to change her son's diaper. Hate hate hate hated it. I do not ever need kids. When was the last time you were disturbed? Hm. I'm sure over something I saw on Facebook. NO, WAIT. Sara, do not read this. When I was at Ashley's, we were watching Naked and Afraid, and they caught a chameleon to cook for food. I almost screamed. Poor thing looked terrified when the guy grabbed him. Why did you last feel awkward? Also when messaging that guy. When was the last time you got in a fight with your best friend? It's been a long time. Have you ever asked someone for a tampon? Only a friend. Who was the last person you read a book to? My niece had me read a book like fifty times. Who is the person you say the naughtiest things to? Ha ha, Sara when we're having our stupid fangirl moments. Who was the last person to send you a letter? Sara. It's still on my shelf. :') How do you feel about war? I’m a pacifist, so guess. Do you like cupcakes or muffins more? Hm, maybe cupcakes. Have you ever pushed someone on purpose? Yes. Have you ever slapped someone in the face? No. Do you have any tough life decisions to make soon? Nothing major. At what time of the day do you usually have the most energy? In the morning, once I've passed the drowsy phase. Magenta, aqua, or coral? Coral. Do you like the color orchid? Ye! Would you rather be a wedding photographer or a nature photographer? Uhhh I literally want to be both? I'm *realistically* more interested in shooting weddings for the income, but if I had my way, I'd be perfectly financially content being a nature photographer. Man, I hope that happens. Have you ever had an ulcer? No. Are you interested in health and wellness? "Rather than interests, I consider them two very important things I should always try to pay attention to. Health is very important." <<<< This. Would you ever be a fitness coach? HA no. Do you ever question whether something that makes you uncomfortable is a good thing or not? That's a very good question. This can definitely lead to you questioning flawed morals, so in that sense, it sure can be. In other ways though, it can certainly be a bad thing. Do you think for yourself? Yes. I am, generally, very opinionated and follow my gut instinct. Do you live life on your own terms, or do you do what everyone tells you to do? The former, usually. I can be AWFUL at making decisions though, so I definitely consider advice. What color is your bike? I don't have a bike. Are you due for a hike? There is physically no way I could handle a hike in my current shape. Muscle atrophy in the legs is not fuckin' fun, and with hyperhidrosis and THIS heat? Oh, hunny. Have you ever created a themed scrapbook? As a kid, I fainty remember having one? How often do you eat dessert? Very rarely. I don't need it. What's the trendiest item you own? Oh boy, I don't have a clue. I don't even know what's "trendy." Did you pull an all-nighter last night? No. When was the last time you wrote an essay? My first semester of this year. Do you enjoy writing essays? I actually do if it's a subject I'm passionate about. Do you enjoy learning? Yeah! What is your favorite fairytale? Fuckin fight me if you say Shrek isn't one. What is your favorite name that starts with a "Z"? I have no idea. Maybe Zena, though I prefer it with an "x." Have you ever felt like you were going to throw up while you were at school? Yes. I have before. Do you own a princess crown? No. When was the last time you were jealous of someone? Ugh... with how bad my PTSD has been lately, I've been having periodic episodes of raging hate and jealousy of the girl he dated after me, thinking things like, "what if he loved her more," "what if he also told her this or that," etc. They're not even together anymore, but my brain doesn't care. Do you know anyone with an eating disorder? Maybe? What was the last thing you killed? I think an earwig-ish thing. Whose number did you last get? The girl's who adopted Bentley. When was the last time you used a public bathroom? Probably not since an appointment with my psychiatrist some time ago. Have you ever used someone for money? Wow, no. Do you have manners? I honestly think I have great manners. Have you ever woken up and realized that yesterday really happened? That was ABSOLUTELY the day after the breakup. It didn't at all feel real when it was even happening. When was the last time that you had a pet that died? Last November is when we had to put Teddy to sleep. God, I miss that baby boy. Or did Mitsu die later? I don't recall for sure. Do you know anyone who retired at a young age? I mean, probably. I'm just unaware. When was the last time you took a taxi/Uber? Where were you going? Never, actually. We don't really have those here. Have you ever been diagnosed (by a professional) with OCD? Yes. Do you know any married gay couples? Distantly. Who is your favorite person to spend time with? SARA! I feel like kids having a sleepover when I've been with her. Is there anything you should tell someone, but don’t want to? Yes. Have you ever woken up somewhere and not known how you got there? I don't believe so. Do you live somewhere where recreational marijuana is legal? No. Have you ever quit a job with no notice? No. Do you have nightmares often? HA, it's just about a nightly basis now. Have you ever been on any sort of government assistance? I've gotten loans for school and stuff. Does that count? Did you have your own bedroom when you were growing up? No, I shared it with my little sister. Are you more optimistic or pessimistic? Pessimistic. Are you comfortable with your weight? Fuck no. How often do you listen to classic rock? Semi-frequently. Not as much as I did in high school. What about country? Just about never ever. Do you know anyone inside and out? I don't think that's possible. Is anyone in your family sick? Both Mom and Grammy are fighting cancer right now. I don't think my grandma has much time left. She can't walk on her own anymore. What kind of camera do you have? A Canon EOS Rebel T6. What is something you know you shouldn’t do, but do anyways? Download music. What is the most amount of money you have ever lost? Idk. Is photography one of your interests? Of course, I aim to make a career out of it. Do you know your neighbors very well? I personally don't. The person to the right of us, though, my mom knows decently and is a total and complete sweetheart. Have you ever hurt yourself just to get attention? "Kind of (I hurt myself for my own purposes, but I did want attention paid to it), when I was a teenager, because I desperately needed someone to treat me with compassion and, like, take the shit that was happening to me seriously." <<<< I don't like admitting this, but it's happened. I want to emphasize that it was not the primary reason and was rather impulsive anger and self-hate, BUT for the mentioned reasons, I did want this shit taken seriously and realize I really needed help. Has anyone ever called you conceited? No. Do you write ever write poetry just to get your feelings out? Certainly. Not like I used to, though. Who were you last really mad at? REALLY mad? I'm not sure, but probably Mom. What is a sad song that you like? "Terrible Things" by Mayday Parade has been in my head lately. What is a rumor people tell about you? I don't know of any. The only rumor that I know has ever been spread about me was that Jason and I had a baby in high school. Despite the fact I was slim then lmao. If you were given 1,000 acres of land with no strings attached, what would you do with it? Definitely plant a forest around a house I'd like to model myself, dig a nice pond for more wildlife... a lot of stuff that would benefit nature. If you had to flee their home country, where would you live? Canada. Do you think psychic abilities exist? Which one would you like to have? No. I'd like to uhhhh... predict the future when I will it myself, I guess. What’s a skill or craft that you would like to master, but haven’t? I wish I could draw exactly what I see in my head. How did you find out Santa isn’t real? My mom just told me. What’s a personality trait that you wish you had? CONFIDENCE!!!!!!! Do you believe in getting revenge on those who do wrong by you? If so, how do you go about it? Noooo no no. That creates so many more problems. If you were arrested with no explanation, what would your friends and family think you’d had done? That's a great question. If you could shop for free at one store, what would it be? For the sake of being smart, Wal-Mart. Necessities are there. Do you have any pets? If so, what are they? I have a Siamese-esque cat and a champagne ball python. I'm currently DESPERATELY trying to talk Mom into a Mexican red knee tarantula... and I really want a hognose snake. What event in your life would make a good movie? The breakup and my recovery. If you could dedicate your life to solving one problem, what would it be? Discrimination. Where do you find meaning in your life? Quite honestly, I don't feel it has much meaning currently. I'm not doing shit worthwhile. Do you believe things happen for a reason? Hell no. What do you think is a conspiracy? Honestly, I believe in quite a few. The one I believe in most was that the government was 120% involved in 911. Research. It is unbelievable. I'm very dubious that the "first" moon landing was real, either. There is an overwhelming amount of evidence it was on a soundstage. Why? America wanted to beat Russia in the space race. I love conspiracies. Do you believe in the afterlife? How do you picture it? Yes. I don't quite know how I picture it, but I lean towards like... this nirvanic state of peace and knowledge, and unity between the dead. What’s a superstition you believe in? I don’t believe in any superstitions. None. What is the dumbest way you’ve ever been injured? YOOOOOO when I was at Colleen's in-law's having dinner once, I literally took a large bite of rice RIGHT WHEN IT CAME OFF THE STOVE. I didn't know it'd only just been removed. My tongue was burned for weeks on end. Do you mind conflict? Hell yes I mind. I'm terrified of confrontation. If you could start a charity what would it be for? Something with mental health. Maybe to help those who can't afford help/therapy. If you were a cryptid (bigfoot, mothman, ect.) what would you be? I'm already a cryptid. What’s your ideal temperature and weather? Hm... like 55 and partly cloudy. What topic could you give a 20-minute presentation on with no preparation? Gay rights. Have you ever worn those drunk goggles? Yes, for D.A.R.E. in elementary school. Can you agree to disagree, or usually get upset over conflicting views? It depends on the subject of course, but I'm normally very good at agreeing to disagree. Rodeos – entertaining, or cruel? Animal fucking cruelty. Dumbasses getting gored are well-deserved. Who is the best female rocker? Why? Lita Ford is a badass. Slays on the guitar and is just cool. What color of roses do you find the prettiest? I actually like the classic, deep red. Have you ever accidentally found porn when looking for something else? I don't think so. Why do so many fans with OTP’s insist that their ship is real? I don't really know, but it's annoying. Some people are just friends, y'know. Being similar/compatible does not equate to actually liking each other like that, and the feral ones are just... wow. Do you draw fanart of anything? Not anymore. There's soooo many pictures I'd love to draw of Mark, but I literally love him so much I don't want to disgrace his face with my poor ability to make shit proportional lmao. Favorite thing to see in museums? Fossils! Have you ever seen an unwrapped mummy in person? No. What things have people shamed you for? My AvPD doesn't want me to think about this. Are there any 'adult stores’ in your area? Probably at some point. Have you been inside of them/shopped there before? No. Do you watch The Masked Singer? Any theories? No.

#survey #surveys #questions

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taiblogcomics · 4 years

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Field Trippin’

Hey there, Goldilocks and the three bears. I hope you're ready for something new, which may turn up sooner than I expected. This will actually line up well with the blog's anniversary. It wasn't intentional, but it's fitting~

Here's the cover:

Oh hey, it's the YEAR OF THE VILLAIN. Did you guys know it's the YEAR OF THE VILLAIN? But anyway, I've been really wanting to get to this cover. It's another gimmick cover, but it's not lenticular, it's not metallic... I'm not sure what the word is for it. The cover you're seeing here is actually a transparent plastic second cover, which reveals Caden from the annual playing out the cover scene with action figures. They even used the same gimmick for the ad on the back cover. It's a really weird gimmick.

So we open in Woodbury, Connecticut. This may be the only comic book to ever feature Connecticut, so enjoy your 15 minutes of fame, Connecticut residents! It's Jason and his students (minus Cloud 9, who is flying along above them) in a car. They're getting there by ride share, which really kind of undercuts Jason as a supervillain leader. Their destination? That floating sigil in the sky that the last issue ended with. There must be more than one, since that issue ended in Mexico. There's a green flash, and the group disappear, leaving their Uber driver high and dry, hoping Jason left a tip. I bet he didn't~

The group is teleported into a storage closet in their base. You know, their base? Where last issue warned them not to go? Yeah. That sure was a bit of tension that went nowhere, I guess. Jason tries to read the computers nearby, but Babe in Arms stops him, on grounds it could be booby-trapped. Fortunately, his Mom Zombie is built with an encryption key that lets them read the computers without setting off the booby trap. So, like, it's a good thing they built that into the plot to justify this character's existance, right?? Jason heads out, telling his students to remain behind so they don't get beaten to death with a crowbar. I think you may be projecting a bit, Jason.

As he explores the base, Jason muses to himself that the kids will probably disobey him, and then reflects on events that led him to how he got here. You know, just to catch the reader up. We cut for a minute to check back in on the students, and yeah, they're already fighting with each other and then splitting up to explore on their own. Babe in Arms is the only one smart enough to stay behind. Cloud 9, with her vaporous powers, is the first to catch up with whatever Jason's observing. It probably has more significance if you're reading the main event, but to me it looks like either a new Brother Eye satellite or the eye on the top of the Technodrome. Maybe it's the Jonny Quest walking eye. Wouldn't that be cool~?

So while Cloud 9 blows Jason's cover, because of course she does, the shippers get a chance to squee as DNA and Doomed walk down their own chosen corridor, hand in hand. And if you think I'm exaggerating, DNA literally says they find Doomed hot. This is because Doomed is neither monster nor human, and so the lack of "one thing or another" is really appealing to them. Over in some other corridor, Devour is just stripping things off the wall and eating them. Man, don't you know not to put strange bases in your mouth? And who should he stumble across but Caden, the creepy little kid who can talk with the dead from the annual? Caden says he can't remember how he got here and is pretty scared, so Devour musters up the barest minimal amount of pity and takes the kid with him.

Cloud 9 starts to go a little nuts using her powers against the Dr. Veritas clones that are working on the walking eye, so Jason whips out a new thingy he's added to his arsenal: lightning vision. Yeah, he seriously just has this installed in his mask now. It's enough to shock Cloud 9 back to her senses and also knock out all the clones. There's a brief scene of Babe in Arms voicing his fears of inadequacy aloud while being bottle-fed, before it then cuts back over to DNA and Doomed, who have found a room full of cylindrical tanks with bodies in them. They look like lumpier versions of Doomed, and one of them starts begging for help. Nothing spoils a date like the desperate pleas of a biological horror, let me tell you.

Jason and Cloud 9 continue their investigation, which also includes Jason attempting a teaching moment in trying to keep Cloud 9's impulse control under... control. They enter another room where they find... Bizarro and Artemis. Jason gets over the shock of seeing them pretty quickly, attributing it to being able to feel it in his heart that they're the real thing. Since they saw the same sky symbol, it must've teleported them to this base too. Jason offers them a friendly greeting and welcome home, to which Bizarro does the Hulk hand-slap shockwave thing and knocks Jason out, ending the issue. Yep, sounds like they remember him too~

It’s... a moderately good issue. I think what i like most is that we’re actually getting to see the kids interact with each other and voice their issues and worries. Character moments, man. That’s what makes a comic interesting. Otherwise, there doesn’t seem to be much else going on if you’re not privy to whatever’s happening in the main event~

#comics #reviews #Red Hood and the Outlaws #Red Hood: Outlaw #Taiblog #Year of the Villain

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emsartwork · 5 years

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ask dump! Separated loosely by topic

Questions and Comments

1. is this a homestuck thing. this is a homestuck thing isnt it 2. lol i love doing both!!! i love world building but i also like trying my hand at redesigning the mess that is canon fashion. @theoretical-artist 3. thank you!!! oritel and marion are in this post! 4. ayyyyy inginio hit me up (thank you lol) 5. Thank you! 6. maybe? i’ll see if i get around to it, i still have a few characters to get to so the school fairies and the last two selkies might show up with them 7. probably not.... it would be super fun but unless it was a commission i don’t feel like i have time haha 8. I’ve seen their blog around!! i can’t remember if i follow or not but i know who ur talking about and they cool @winxy-writing @winxys-written-world

Character and Worlbuilding

1. My brilliant nerd daughter!!! She sometimes gets so into coding or a video game she forgets to eat or drink so the girls watch out for her. She’s prone to dissociating, especially if the situation is emotional. Her hair is really soft. she actually loves sappy romantic things but has trouble accepting them or vocalizing that she wants them because they’re impractical/illogical. she discovered romcoms when she got to alfea and they are her ultimate guilty pleasure(only flora knows abt this and is always slipping recs to her) 2. They’re weirdly one of my fav couples??? like maybe its because i relate to and have projected onto both of them lmao. but any ways. Daphne and Thoren actually met when they were kids, but didn’t spend much time together because it was at a formal event. Daphne is technically 20 years older than Thoren(only a few years older than Sky), but they’re the same physical age because Daphne spent so long as a spirit. They probably wouldn’t get married as quickly in my version, especially with Daphne’s trauma. Daphne will have nightmares sometimes and Thoren has a whole routine for comforting her and helping her feel safe and grounded. Thoren gets anxious easily, and Daphne will use her magic to subtly change the environment so he feels more comfortable. they like to watch reality tv together and yell at dramatic people. 3. omg yes. this was the most frustrating thing i was watching through winx with my dad like a month ago and every time bloom called her adoptive parents by their first names i yelled at her lol. she would call Vanessa mama and Mike daddy(if you make a kink joke i will eat your liver). She would call Marion and Oritel mom and dad. 4. Yeah kind of! part of her exhaustion in Dowlland was the fact that she had been in fairy mode for so long, hiking underground, and tossed around in a river like??? anybody would need a pick me up after that. She (and all solarians) do have to live where there’s a lot of natural light as they require a high amount of vitamin d(or the equivalent of it for solarians). short trips usually aren’t a problem, Stella is just hella unlucky in the second season lmao. @moonpeachblossom 5. the short answer as to why she’s a blond (scottish??? in one of the dubs???) in an asian inspired culture/planet is because racism (or not so short bcus its a lot to unpack honestly). the answer in my version however is a pretty simple fix. She bleaches her hair. she’s paler than musa but she aint white. 6. I haven’t really yet!! Helia is struggling with his two fairly opposed cultural influences, trying to figure what he wants and whats right for him. He was raised on Lynphea but had frequent trips to Vaonaa. Lynphea is very grounded, they’re slow and steady and stubborn. Vaonaa is much more flexible, they’re flighty and spontaneous and easily adaptable. Helia’s dads love eachother and helia very much but they are VERY different people and both want different things from Helia(they try not to pressure too much but the expectations are still there). Helia’s Vaonaaj dad wants him to pursue magic, specifically wind or air magic. Helia’s Lynphean dad wants him to become a warrior. Helia feels like he’s kind of a misfit in both Vaonaaj and Lynphean culture. It took a while, but he did finally confide his feelings in Flora and she encouraged him to talk with his dads about finding his niche. 7. oooooooh fun fun relationshipsssss Bloom and Sky: so bloom and sky aren’t the most stable couple, and in my version it would take bloom a little longer to be ok with dating a prince. Bloom is fairly insecure in her relationships because of self worth issues, and tend to run away from problems instead of dealing with them. Sky on the other hand is confident but doesn’t really know how to handle people’s feelings and tends to push confrontation. I do believe that with better writing Sky and bloom could be a dope couple but as is in canon they’re VERY problematic. Stella and Brandon: babies. they love each other so much its the best omg. Stella finds her worth in her appearance but she always seems to take brandon’s complements in a less.... arrogant way? if that makes sense? like she truly appreciates them and wants his support. i wish we knew more about Brandon but he’s legit such a good boyfriend. I think they fight mostly when Stella is being a little selfish, or when Brandon is too busy to meet her emotional needs. Flora and Helia: MORE BABIES. so Helia is more of a drama queen in the comics but we’ll ignore that for right now lol. Flora and Helia are probably the least problematic couple in the entire show. They met. Flirted a little. Confessed. and started dating with out any major problems. if i can remember correctly they don’t even really fight??? unless icy has frozen helia’s heart or something lol. I think both Helia and Flora’s love language is quality time so they’re fairly low key and just like to be in the same space and each other. Musa and Riven: boy oh boy. Ok so, ignoring the several times Riven was LITERALLY MIND CONTROLLED his character is still difficult to deal with. I think Musa and Riven are both very intense people, and while that can be super fun and develop into a good relationship, it can also lead to LOTS of problems. I think my major problem with how they broke up was that Musa didn’t support Riven’s training? like i understand being upset you can’t see ur person often, or if they’re really busy, but Riven supported Musa’s music several times in the previous seasons it just seemed weird Musa was so unfairly demanding of him? Tecna and Timmy: nerd babies. They’re super cute honestly. I think Timmy was probably the one to instigate the relationship and bonded with Tecna over technology since she wasn’t super emotionally available at first. They have issues when Tecna is unable to voice her emotions and timmy needs to know what she’s feeling mostly, but after the first few times they’ve both learned to give the other space to figure their stuff out. Aisha and Nabu: ugh perfect couple. minus the kind of sketchy beginning lol. Aisha and Nabu generally don’t fight once they get used to each other. Nabu is a focal point that aisha is kind of bungee corded to if that makes sense? like obvi not in a restricting way. its just Aisha is hella active and needs her own space to explore and grow, but Nabu is her solid ground that she relies on. Aisha and Nex: i actually don’t hate nex as much as the rest of the fandom lol. so like i said Aisha is an active, independent woman, and if Nabu was a separate, stationary, focal point for her, I think Nex is related, moving, counter point. So like Nex can actually keep up with Aisha, and push her and challenge her. Which isn’t a bad thing in relationships so long as a mutual respect is there. 8. well. canon is a little..... messy. My version of the girls definitely retain their individualism. for other differences... they’re just a little more fleshed out? i guess? like Bloom’s moody behavior in the show i think is because of her insecurity issues, so that plays a part in how i draw her and think of her. 9. ok wow this is gonna be tough well here we go Sky: I think sky is an ESTJ he’s not super emotional(inf Fe) but can lean toward controlling(dom Te). he seems to like tradition and think social promises are important(Si). Brandon: ESFJ. Brandon is the mom friend of the boys ok. He goes along with sky’s crazy plans, tries to subtly set Riven up with musa(season 1 i think?), some how managed to land a social butterfly like Stella and seems to just navigate social situations REALLY easily(dom Fe). he also seems to hate being disrespected or taken for granted(Si) stella does this occasionally. Timmy: ISFJ???? thats the vibe i get hear me out ok so in season 2 Timmy gets tecna the exact computer part she needs because 1. He knows they both like things to be practical(Si) 2. He knows and remembered the part she was talking about and filed it away in his brain(Ti) and 3. He and Tecna bonded over tech (Fe) Riven: honestly he’s a tough one.... Maybe a really stunted and angry ISFJ? (speaking from personal experience i am an ISFJ) i don’t have a real reason why but riven’s behavior is really confusing in the show so it makes typing tough..... possibly INTJ as well....... Helia: ISFP. Lmao I might be basing this entirely off of stereotypes but helia has a strong pacifist belief and can be moody(Fi, and more in the comics lol) is attuned to his surroundings(Se) seems pretty focused??(Ni) and i can’t think of his Te showing up be it is an inferior Nabu: ISTJ weirdly a good fit with Aisha(ESTP) tho?? even though he’s an Si dom, he doesn’t go along with the arranged marriage because its not what he believes(Fi) and he’s stubborn about it(Te). Roy: ENFJ honestly just a cutie. He’s personable(Fe), focused for the most part(Ni), and is comfortable in his environment(Se). Nex: ENTP? maybe?? He’s pretty impulsive and has that “work around” mentality I associate with ENTPs.... idk this one doesn’t seem to fit super well... Thoren: Maybe INFJ?? i mean thoren honestly doesn’t have a lot of screen time but he’s attentive(Ni), and tries to take care of people(Fe). most of the infj’s i know are fun but weird lol, but i think thoren has anxiety so that could play into him being less “out there” in his behavior. if any of yall have input on this feel free to let me know. 10. ooooooh good question. So I’m basing these on their parent’s name and the names of people from their planet. Bloom: Hestia or Enya, i also think she got sent to earth with an article of clothing or a blanket that had her name on it, which is why her name is the same lmao Stella: Stella is actually named pretty appropriately considering the other names we have are Luna, Radius, Nova, Chimera, and Casandra, all of those are fairly latin/roman based names. but she could also be called Clara, Aura, Venus etc. Musa: Her mom and dad have very asian sounding names but the princess of melody is named Galatea, so honestly anything is on the table. Aulos, Hee-Young, Jia Li, Kaida, etc. Tecna: lol everybody on Zenith has ridiculous names so im just loosely basing them off of sciencey stuff. Nobelia, Xenon, Titania. Aisha: I actually really like Aisha’s name! Ayize, Sizani, Mehrbano would work tho. Flora: what even is the naming system of Lynphea i don’t understand it. Im gonna make them vaguely naturey and European-ish?? Calla, Terra, Rowan, Willow, I could go on and on there are so many plant names. 11. Hmmm yeah, so basically in my world a person with TOO MUCH magic gets overwhelmed and kinda goes a little crazy(the ancestral witches) the same thing happens with tritannus when he gets the emperor's throne power. He’s loyal to icy and she to him until he looses his ability to think clearly and turns on icy, icy gets freaked out and leaves with her sisters when they swoop in to rescue her. they don’t so much “break up” as they are “broken up” by the circumstances. In general Tritannus does really like Icy, hes attracted to her ambition and powerful personality. Icy started out just manipulating Tritannus but caught feelings oops 12. Yeah so, humans in general can withstand a lot of wild magic as their body “metabolizes” it quickly. Kalshara(the cat lady you don’t know the name of) used extremely concentrated samples, combined with other spells to keep the wild magic in her body permanently. If a human with out a properly developed magic biome (a lot of earthians only have a low functioning one) get exposed to a wild magic source they would probably gain some aspects of fairy animals, probably not like, fur, or anything but eye and hair color changes, maybe some patterns on the skin. but there’s also the chance that they would just.... die..... cus that happens with animals too lmao sry. @weirdghostly

#winx #winx club #winxems #askems #theoretical-artist #moonpeachblossom #weirdghostly #anonymous #ask dump #this is so long im so sorry

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devotedlydeepeststrawberry · 5 years

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How I wish Wally's and Bart's storyline to go in the comics

Wally=Flash

Wallace= Kid Flash

Let's start with their meeting/reunion, shall we?

I want it to be after Barry and Wallace work together with Bart to beat a villain, not knowing who Bart really is. They start to question Bart, but he, for the same reasons he didn't talk to Barry nor Iris before this event, decides not to answer and instead just says in cheery voice and a big smile "I'm Impulse, gotta go" and tries to bolt out of there. However, before he manages that, Wally arrives and grabs him by the collar asking him "And where exactly do you intend to go, Bart?". Bart ignoring the question and just happy that Wally remembers him tries to do small talk to get out of trouble because he sees that Wally is not as really happy to see Bart. Wally on the other hand was actually really happy to see Bart but he wanted to know why Bart didn't tell Barry who he is or why he didn't go to Wally or Iris to tell them that he is back. That somehow turned into Wally questioning Bart about a bunch of stuff, most of which Wally had problems with when he came back. It was his way to make sure Bart is alright, but Bart didn't like it since it seemed that not even 5 minutes into their reunion Wally wants to control his life. They end up fighting.

Minewhile, Barry and Wallace are watching the exchange in confusion. After a while Barry snaps out of it and asks for an explanation. Bart, while pouting, explains who he is and where he comes from. Wallace's confusion increased trying to understand his cousin from the future of an alternative timeline. Wally and Barry tried to get Bart to meet Iris, but in the end it was Wallace who managed to convince Bart. While they were running to Iris it was obvious that Wally and Bart were annoyed with each other. Iris was happy to see Bart. At the end Bart finally explains what happened and where he has been all this time.

Their day to day lives.

It has been decided that Bart should stay with Iris, Barry and Wallace. Wallace argued that Bart should stay with Wally since they can help eachother adjust. Iris knew Wally and Bart would just fight all day long, besides they already have two apartments (Barry's and Iris's), it would give them more reason to pay for both. Wally said that he is trying to figure out his own life outside his hero persona so he is not ready to provide for Bart. Bart disliked that as this was way to similar to when Wally shoved him off to Max, and later to Jay and Joan. When he asked why can't they live in their previous house, Iris explained to him that the house is not theirs right now, it would cost too much to buy and renovate it. They are not ready yet to buy a house, besides Iris has job in Central City so it's more convenient for her to live in Central and Barry doesn't remember nor has he any emotional connection to the house.

Wally was the one who wanted Bart to go to school, more precisely the same school as Wallace. Bart was not a fan of that idea. It was decided that to help Bart adjust he needed to go to school but instead of a school in Central he was sent to a school in Keystone. It was easier explain why Bart went to a school in Keystone instead of why he would go to a school in Manchester if he lives in Central City. He would also get familiar with the new Keystone. Wally disliked that decision since Barry is going to be Bart's mentor so Bart should get to know Central. Bart argued that he knew Keystone better so it would be easier for him to adjust, besides he doesn't really need a mentor but Wally would need help with Keystone if he wanted to 'get a life outside his hero persona'. Barry and Iris thought that that was a great idea, Wallace was worried if Keystone is going to be alright with the seemingly constant fighting of Wally and Bart.

Wally's and Bart's issues and a change.

The reason why Wally wanted Bart to stay in Central with Barry was because that was always Bart's dream. Bart adored Barry even tough he had never met Barry. And when Bart finally met him, it was at a time where Barry was adjusting to changes in his life and he was not all there. This was the perfect chance for Bart to see Barry at his best and make a real connection with his grandfather just like Bart always wanted to. Wally knew Bart would be happy with his real grandparents and that he couldn't really help Bart adjust. He himself had done so many wrong this, there was no way Bart need or want Wally to help. Bart had never needed Wally in the past anyway. Also, Wally should focus on getting a job, friends and a normal life, Bart would just one more worry.

Bart, minewhile was really annoyed with Wally. This was the third time he shoved him off to somebody else. He thought that after all that they went through Wally would have finally accepted him. Wally gave him The Flash title back in their timeline, Wally should know how capable Bart is and that he doesn't need a 'mentor'. He is perfectly capable of adjusting alone, after all it wasn't the first time he did it. He wanted to help Wally getting their family back as Bart remembers all of them, and of course he misses them, he thought maybe he could talk with Wally about them or about their powers but he just ignores him again. Wallace and Barry don't know the real power of the Speedforce nor it's history. Since Max and Jay don't exist, Wally is the only person he could ask about powers that Barry doesn't have or know about. So even though Bart was with his family he felt alone.

Wallace was the one who had enough. Wally constantly ignored Bart while being there for Wallace. Bart would constantly complain about Wally. And what was worse Barry and Iris did nothing about it. Iris said that it was like that since they first met, it's because they have similar personalities and the same flaws that's why they just can't get along. Barry agreed with Iris as he did see a lot Wally in Bart. So one day Wallace just burst into Wally's apartment asking him why he ignores Bart. After Wally's explanation Wallace told him that that was dumb and selfish. Bart needed him, he is definitely not happy and has a hard time adjusting not only to this timeline but also with to his powers. Wally should take responsibility, he was the who saved Bart, he was Bart's Flash, he might have not been his teacher, buy he knows Bart the best out of them. If he really wanted to make sure Bart is alright then he should be there for him. He should go the higher route and start acting like an adult.

Wally decides to listen to Wallace and buys a lot of things to eat and asks Bart to play some video games with him. Wallace manages to convince Bart to go. It does not start well and after a while there is a villain or a disaster they need to face. They get closer and after that's done they go back to play some video games talk and Bart slept at Wally's that night. The next day when they meet with the rest, they are in the middle of an argument. Wallace is disappointed but Iris tells him that they seem to be a lot friendlier with each other. After that Bart tends to sleep at Wally's apartment more often than, even having his own room.

Time goes by and more Speedsters from the previous timeline come. And almost all of them are weirded out by how close Wally and Bart have gotten. They still fight but they actually listen and talk with each other. But thanks to all the new/old Speedsters arriving Wallace starts thinking he doesn't have place in this new family. Max or Jay realise Wallace's problem and go talk with him about it. They think Wallace has an incredible important place. After all, Wallace was to one who managed to get Bart and Wally to see reason, something nobody could in the past, not even Wally's wife. Wallace is not afraid to call people out on their BS even if he respects that person. Their family needs somebody like that.

The end.

#wally west ii #wally west 2 #wally west i #wallace rudolph west #bart allen #the flash #kid flash #Impulse #iris west #wally west #wally west comics #dc comics #barry allen

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thebibliomancer · 5 years

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50 More Days of Comics! 33/50: X-Men #14 (1992)

Part 3 of X-Cutioner’s Song! Oh no!

I don’t think anyone ever sings and there’s not an X-Cutioner because that’s a different character entirely and this is all about tying up Cable and Stryfe’s stupid plot and I don’t particularly like either of those gritted teeth shouty muscle people.

At least Stryfe kidnaps Jean and Cyclops and yells at them on the Moon for abandoning a baby. Unfortunately that doesn’t happen in this issue.

What’s actually kind of neat is that the comic comes in the original X-Cutioner’s Song bag that lists the order of comics in the crossover and boasts an official Marvel TRADING card featuring STRYFE’S STRIKE FILE.

Alas, the card is not in the bag.

I was actually debating whether to actually open the bag or just leave it forever to its plastic tomb (and read the comic on Unlimited so I could do this post) but the bag had already been torn open at the bottom.

Kind of cool to have the original bag though?

As X-Men events do, it just kind of mixes all the teams into a soup and doles them out an issue at a time which serves one (1) jumbled narrative where too (2) much is happening.

We’ve got X-Factor, X-Men, X-Force, and Uncanny X-Men all in this X-Cutioner’s Song and its X-asperating.

But in the previous times: ‘Cable’ shot Professor X with the techno-organic virus and Mr Sinister had Jean and Scott Cyclops kidnapped and framed Apocalypse for it.

In this issue, the X-Men demonstrate the importance of asking for help before complaining that other heroes never doing anything for mutants because when X-Force’s Valerie Cooper suggests calling in Reed Richards and/or Hank Pym to help treat Xavier’s infection, Storm poo-poos the idea saying that if Hank McCoy and Moira McTaggart can’t handle it no one can.

Because putting together many heads on the same problem isn’t actually helpful apparently. Because a plurality of views is bad actually.

I can see why Beast thought joining the Illuminati was Actually A Good Thing.

Out in the lounge, the X-Men and X-Factor dynamically pose because there are not enough couch seats to go around. But honestly its rude of Psylocke to dynamically pose in front of the couch, preventing someone from sitting down. Quicksilver and Iceman have to stand on the stairs because there’s no room!

Anyway, they decide to divvy up the various peeps roughly on Blue Team/Gold Team lines. One team to find Cable and/or X-Force, the teenagers he shaped into child soldiers even more than being a young X-Men related team already makes you. And one team to hunt down Apocalypse.

Bishop and Jubilee will stay behind at the mansion. Jubilee because she’s a teenager and the X-Men aren’t endangering teenagers! Today! And Bishop in case ‘Cable’ tries to attack Xavier again.

Meanwhile in Panama for no reason, Forearm and Reaper trade a mysterious capsule (that will transpire to contain the Legacy Virus) for polybagged Jean and Scott Cyclops so Stryfe can yell at them on the Moon.

In Egypt, Apocalypse is woken up way before his alarm was set for by his minions who want to tell him about the Scott and Jean abduction and how it was carried out in his name.

Also, Apocalypse speaks in a different, shaky font because he just woke up and hasn’t had his coffee yet. Its kind of cool.

Meanwhile above prose trying to sound deep, Blue Team heads towards X-Force’s last known location.

“The irony is not lost on the X-Men as their Blackbird craft flies over the skies of the Midwest towards a confrontation with X-Force. Hasn’t the area of the United States below them always been called the “Heartland” of the country? A place the politicians laud for its “higher values” and greater moral integrity? Ironic then, that the fight they face is, in many ways, one of values -- one of morals... a fight against the next generation of mutants -- to determine whether the method they are choosing in their pursuit of Xavier’s dream -- are right or wrong.”

Befitting that whatever that was, the X-Men and X... Factorites? aboard the Blackbird debate whether the ends justify the means and what the hell happened to the X-Force kids and they keep calling them soldiers which is really just buying into Cable’s narrative which they should not do.

Polaris: “I wonder how the soldiers could let the general turn them this cold -- this hard --”

Wolverine: “Maybe it ain’t Cable that’s turned ‘em this way, darlin’... maybe it’s just the way o’ the world that did it. Maybe the dream is dead. Maybe we should all stop pretendin’ it ain’t -- an’ accept the fact we’re livin’ in a nightmare.”

Maybe its the time that New York literally turned to Hell and one of their friends had to retcon herself out of existence to save it? Or the time that Xavier pissed off and left Magneto in charge and Magneto got pissed off that the kids kept going out after curfew and getting themselves killed and pissed off and then nobody was watching them and Cable swanned in to turn them into soldiers more so than was already a thing just because of the narrative forces of comic book stories?

And when any X-Man related person found out that giant gun man had taken over the band of impressionable death-prone youths AND WHEN XAVIER FOUND OUT the response was “oh thats fine, he’ll teach them to shave.”

A lot of nonsense had to fly to get us to this point.

Say what you want about Magneto’s tenure as principal of the school, he tried to keep the kids from being child soldiers. That makes him the only responsible adult that the school ever had. He also kept his murder impulses under control because he wanted to set a good example.

Meanwhile in space, large gun shouty man returns from some R&R in the future only to learn that while he was gone, not only was Xavier shot (which baffles Cable because thats not what the future said!) but also that it was him (which baffles Cable because you’d think you’d remember shooting a guy that history said wasn’t shot at this point).

I mean, c’mon, its Stryfe. He has Cable’s same face. I’m surprised he doesn’t open credit cards in Cable’s name and then ruin his credit score.

Back at the mansion, Jubilee tries to bond with Bishop but he’s too large gun grim gritty future man to notice at first. And by the time he gets his head out of his ass enough to thank her for bringing him coffee, all hell breaks loose.

Because while Bishop was outside flexing and posing with large guns, Sinister broke into the mansion and is holding X-Men dance instructor Stevie Hunter and X-Factor’s Valerie Cooper hostage and waxing Shakespearean about how he’s totally going to murder Xavier.

Mr. Sinister: “As I have already explained to Ms. Cooper and Ms. Hunter -- I have come not to praise Charles Xavier -- but to bury him! Bury him for the SINS of his failures! Would you care to be counted among those sins? Would you care to DIE for them?!”

Is Mr Sinister like the polar opposite of the doctor who insists everyone call him doctor?

On the X-Force side of the plot, they crash a ship. They keep it from being fatal by having Richter shoot earthquakes out of his hands to... cushion the blow??? The X-Men show up to ambush them but X-Force ambushes them instead.

Wolverine: “Stop thinkin’ of them as kids, Betts. We’re up against soldiers here!”

Shut the fuck up, Wolverine.

Anyway (one part of) X-Cutioner’s Song. I’m not enamored with it because its early 90s X-Men and has the early 90s X-Men problems.

As a neat bit of timestamp, one of the letters on the letters page asked about the X-Men movie they heard was being made and the answer was ‘yeah we don’t know when that’s coming out but you should watch the cool X-Men cartoon that’s coming out in the fall!’

That sure dates this.

#50 more days of comics!#X Men #X Cutioner's Song #i have kneejerk negativity towards 90s X Men #Because its the root of all evil and helped almost collapse the industry #if you actually liked X Cutioner's Song and its dumb stupid name then thats also valid #it at least brought us all a funny moment in a Floating Hands X Men video

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jigensass · 5 years

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Here we are (this is very long so TL;DR this blog is getting archived)

It’s been over a week since I’ve taken a hiatus and a few close people know about what has happened. And I have made a decision in response to an insight meditation retreat I took over the course of this weekend.

I’m going to be dropping roleplaying Stephen and possibly roleplaying altogether.

First, after 5 years of this blog, you’re probably wondering why. Well, I woke up.

Yes, I’m a talented writer and I can weave your fantasies into realities. Yes, I enjoy every single person I have written for. You’re not the problem. My writings are the problem that is hurting my lifestyle and it leads to toxic behavior.

Ever since I decided to go into this hiatus and a few days prior, I’ve been peeling back that I am more sensitive than others to certain situations and at sometimes have the ability to as previously stated, weave fantasies into realities and make them feel as real as possible. This can be problematic when I get in too deep. So much as I have in the past without even realizing, begin to dissociate the line and my own reality and the one I made that I have fallen in love with. The two begin to crossover and I don’t even realize I’m doing it until it’s too late. This had led to multiple people getting hurt and I didn’t even know I was doing it. Why has this been happening for so long and I’m noticing it after 26 years? Well, no one kind of stopped me or I didn’t notice because when I was younger I lived in my own little world. And that own little world became the internet and then the internet started converging with the little world and I didn’t know what to do except the one thing I knew best: make up stories and not even realizing it, they became my own little world. It’s how I coped and got away from the actual reality that I lived in (school, work, family, etc).

Now how did Stephen come in? Well, (holy shit I’ve been in the sphere of Doctor Strange for 7.5 (8 years in the Marvel sphere) years now that’s the longest I’ve stuck to anything). There was a game on Facebook where I heard of him and at the time in 2010, there were only comics and the movie from 2006(7?) (I remember actually SEEING the commercial for the movie and asking ‘how is this guy a superhero he’s a doctor’ oh how my 13-year-old self was foolish).

I fell in love with Stephen’s character for one reason: he had all the powers of a god, yet he was still human. It would take me another 5 years to realize where my path was actually headed with this magic man and the actual man named Benedict Cumberbatch.

Along the way, since this blog was created and many rp threads later, there were many times I felt so absorbed into my work that even though I had an external life with friends and people I knew. It became...a problem. It was obvious when I began to piss off my friends in college for trying to gain this...atmosphere of Stephen Strange and then try to be myself.

But I didn’t know who ‘Crystal’ was for...like ever. Only until after this weekend did I find out this answer (stay tuned).

I kept trying different things, nothing felt good. I didn’t feel like a human being unless I was by myself clacking away at a keyboard and being absorbed with the Sorcerer Supreme who I (for the longest time) considered a reflection of who I was or what I wanted to be (at some point Magnus Bane got thrown into the pot in 2014 so that’s just a lovely stew...). It ate at me for years and I wasn’t even aware during points where I became lost that the parasite was there. The parasite was my power to get lost in worlds I created and then believe the world was still there in reality. And it (probably) hurt many real human beings in the process.

And just recently I yanked that parasite off and threw it away. Realizing that seeing Stephen as a reflection is dangerous and will get me pulled into the looking glass if I don’t stop.

So as of today for the sake of my mental health, this blog is being archived.

I’m not saying it was all bad. I wouldn’t be typing this because of roleplaying with one person in particular who, even though my coworkers were slapping me in the face (metaphorically, of course) and concerned for my life during the nine months of suffering I held at my new job, was AT THE TIME, the only person who could get through to me and wake me up. The reason this journey started because of a very deep wound that was still scarring, but this person was the one to be my guide on the path to just finding what I needed to figure out what the heck was going on.

About a month later after this realization, I joined a sangha and began meditation on a weekly basis or when I could. This (and to this day) practice has unearthed a lot of stuff that I’ve buried so deep that it blew my mind how messed up my childhood was. Why I was so...sarcastic...and had to make a joke to every serious detail...and impulsive...and...determined to get out of this hole. Like a certain....doctor

(No joke when I watched Doctor Strange in theatres in 2016 when this line was said I died laughing because of the tone and manner of how it was said was something I would do. I’m a sassy piece of shit IRL)

Back in late 2016/early 2017 right after I watched this movie, I remember wanting to embrace MCU Stephen with open arms. I felt the pain he was feeling, having to give up his mundane life to become the guardian of the Earth, and I wanted to take him down that journey of suffering, of realizing that he chose for the sake of his hands, provided him with....the power of a god yet he was still human (also I was stunned because he was (I BELIEVE right behind T’Challa) the FIRST Marvel main character to actually DIE on camera. As in no pulse, not coming back dead.

But instead I got female OCs wanting to bang and marry him, and the funk kicked itself right out the door. And this is when I got into experimentation. Demons, Mermen...the list goes on.

This is where it became obvious that Stephen was leaning towards men and less towards women and the relationships were slowly becoming....uninteresting. Either for me or the other person. Around this time this was when the shit hit the fan hard and I had a mental breakdown and contemplated suicide (it wasn’t the first time). Yeah, surprise~. The package gets nastier.

At this point, as many of you know, I was diagnosed with Attention Hyperactive Association Disorder (or ADHD) and I began taking medication which helped, but with the meditation beside it, this was where a nasty load of stuff boiled inside including:

Emotional and some Physical Abuse from my Parents

My mother almost killed me once. She nearly snapped my neck.

Emotional Abuse from Teachers and Peers in School

I was given a nickname that I just passively went with and in the end, I hated it. When I tried to change it, people didn’t listen to me.

I gave my opinion about how I did not enjoy Glee on Facebook. I was shunned by nearly every music department student.

Trust Issues that supported the Anxiety because of said Emotional Abuse (and for a point in my life, pretty sure I had Avoidant Personality Disorder)

I’ve been at the same job for over 2 years now and just last Friday I had to balls to tell someone my life was a dumpster fire.

Depression because I couldn’t hold/meet expectations that I had imagined as being next to perfect standards because of past emotional abuse to be under the impression I could meet nothing less (thus over the years I lowered my expectations, yet nothing changed). Sometimes I had suicidal thoughts and the only reason I didn’t do it was because I thought felt good to suffer

In turn, because I was abused emotionally in a certain manner that I thought that it was okay to do so when I couldn’t get a grounding of having things in my control as well because of my conditioning or just try to be noticed. At the time, it was the only way I knew how to put the board in my favor. It was when I did this and my boss wrote me up that I just...became silent. People wondered why I didn’t talk and then when I did, it was (and sometimes still is) in the most passive tone of observation. Over time I did learn this was one of the most unwholesome things I could do and I have still lost my footing in times of despair that I go back to this way of talking because I’m conditioned to beat myself up when something bad happens (and even during this weekend’s retreat those unwholesome thoughts came up).

So sorry for anyone I’ve hurt in the past because of this. I’ve disconnected with many because of my ignorance.

Thus the result of this toxic upbringing and my choice to follow it blindly led to a misunderstanding of relationships to the mundane level (romantic or platonic). Every situation that failed, I tried better. But it only felt worse since till this day every single one has failed, minus one or two, have all ended in some kind of disaster merely due to, what probably was my destructive behavior.

Even now typing this dumpster fire was difficult. Because I have 3 ways of responding

1. I’m a Bot Beep Boop How are you? Good! That’s Good!

2. I have a mask and there’s no one else here behind the ask

3. You sure you want to talk to ME? You sure you find me INTERESTING? You? Find me attractive?! Kay...Just warning you....*reveals the dumpster fire* You can go backward out the entrance door

So...yeah. I’ve never ‘felt’ until recently that my life “mattered”. That I was just...kind of an empty sponge. Day in, day out. Paying off debt for a job that I don’t even do anymore because I’m better at other things, like deduction. And working with data and information.

But anywho....if you’ve made it this far in “My Journey to Find out Who the Heck I Am” Congrats, you made it to this weekend’s insight meditation retreat. Because it was both terrible and uplifting at the same time.

yesterday we meditated for about 8ish hours and I wanted to kill myself (literally) from all the pain in my back. I questioned if I had to go see a chiropractor after it was all said and done. And then something came up that I noticed that I always was aware of.

The teacher kept referencing other teachers before her and near the end of it all when she would keep talking, the references were driving me nuts. Like, she just kept telling us to follow the Buddha like he was some holy person and it clicked: I don’t like organized religion because I’m being told how to do my practice. So when we went outside to walk, it all just kind of clicked when I found a bench off to the side of the business complex (our retreat was at our local sangha and non-residential). I sat on that bench and stared at the fence and the rain and said to myself ‘I am the River’, meaning I should go with the flow and acknowledge and be aware of any ripples made in me.

And that everything that was being instructed on this retreat had been told to me from another source: all of my coworkers who probably have not sat on a cushion in their life.

Today when we the teacher did a talk this morning about ‘self’ and ‘not self’, she, in short, repeated what I said from a quote by Thich Nhat Hanh (monk from Vietnam) about how we are not a river, but an ocean.

And even though the teacher’s story was relatable, it clicked who “Crystal” was and where Stephen stood in Crystal’s life.

Crystal is made up of many individuals parts and is just...Crystal. Stephen is not a reflection, but one of those many parts.

Even though I acknowledge this wisdom, I currently believe I do not (and might not) have the ability to return to my writings because of why I previously explained. It’s not you, it’s the current in the river.

So thank you to everyone who has befriended me along the way and helped me down this path.

Namaste.

*two minutes later* lemme find a Benedict Cumberbatch Buddhism gif to close this story, show me the money Google

youtube

GOD DAMN I-

youtube

#out of the sanctum #well then

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