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cloudbattrolls · 5 months

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The Tempering

Jastes Verdan | The Spine | Present Night

Daylight burned in his city up above, and Jastes stared up at the massive structure that had lain undisturbed beneath Civitrecce for so long, until its former occupant had lured him below its surface.

The Spine.

It wasn’t an idle name. The structure looked like a series of giant vertebrae, each nearly the size of a car, strung with heavy swaths of pink biowire glistening in the low electric lights. It ran up the side of the ancient building, clinging to the wall like it was part of some giant organism.

The last time he’d seen it, it had been withered to yellow after the exit of its occupant.

The helms that had powered it - most of them killed by Jamie during the fight with Process - had been removed perigees ago. It was empty of life, aside from some spiders and pill bugs. Trolls came to work on it sometimes, as evidenced by the replacement biowire; cross sections of dissected old material and stripped-open tech littered the wide room - but none were here now.

The only sound that could be heard, underground as he was, was a faint thrumming.

The Spine might not be active.

But it was not the only thing down here.

According to its former inhabitant, it was the path to the guardian artifice.

Before he had come here, Jastes had visited the AI-turned-troll a final time.

Please don’t go, Jastes, Process had begged. Actually begged, eyes wide.

This is probably a trap. I have warned Chimer as well, but she has too much to do to fully prepare in case it gets free.

So what if it is? He’d shot back, irritated. You trapped me too, and I beat you.

With Jamie’s help, they’d murmured, and he’d scowled. The artifice has capabilities I do not. It was made in part to compensate for what I cannot do, bound by my code.

You don’t have code anymore, he’d said roughly. Insensitively, perhaps.

Their yellow eyes had looked distant. Lost.

No, I don’t, they’d quietly agreed.

Jastes shook his head. Why was he worried about what Process might be feeling? It served them right, losing their abilities. Now they couldn’t manipulate people the way they had before.

This system might be dangerous, but he was heading in prepared. It wouldn’t trick him, no matter how well it had been programmed. It was just a machine, even if a hybrid one, and he was a troll.

Find its power source, the resistance had advised. Cut it as soon as you can, so you can study it without interference. You won’t be able to communicate with us that deep down, but we’ll compile notes for you on what tech you’ll likely encounter and how to handle it.

Process had said it had various generators and backups, so that made things a little more annoying. He’d admit his ancestor had planned well; clearly they had been serious about preserving their work until it could surface again.

Yet they had also been the one to seal it away in the first place.

Why did they do that instead of using it? He’d asked Process. Did they figure it was better to surrender? That fewer people would die?

Process had looked solemn.

Torvah was worried for the artifice. It was new back then. They knew it couldn’t hold against a full imperial invasion, and they didn’t want it taken and used against them or their people.

Worried? Jastes said, skeptical. Why?

They felt protective toward their creation. It was important to them on a personal level as well.

That’s stupid, said Jastes bluntly. It’s a security system, not a troll.

Process had been silent for several moments, then spoke with a trace of disdain in its usually flat voice.

It has feelings as we do.

They had refused to tell him any more after that.

Fine. He’d gotten what he needed.

He wasn’t planning on trying to damage the thing more than necessary anyway; he just found Process’s attitude ridiculous and inconsistent. Terrified of the danger the artifice posed in one breath, asking him to take it out gently in another.

Jastes shook his head, walking closer to the base of the Spine. He had to get down there. Which meant…

He put a hand to the generator’s slightly damp tissue, changing his brain to tech and tapping into the signal Process had told him about. The one that would guide him deep down into what once been a jade cavern, defunct before Civitrecce had ever been thought of.

Ever wary, he had a firewall in his mind as he had when they had tried to take over his body, just in case this was some version of the same trick.

But he felt only the signal, instantly translated by his brain into coordinates he had to follow in AI form. For this place was nowhere he could reach in physical form, Process had warned. Not only because of its location, but due to how Torvah had chosen to protect the artifice.

He would have to remain at least partially tech at all times to survive down there, at such pressure, with minimal oxygen available. He’d brought food and water with him, enough to last a week. Hopefully it wouldn’t take nearly that long…but it paid to be prepared.

He’d even packed a filtration mask, for Process had also warned him that the ambient bacteria down there was over five hundred sweeps different from the surface kind; he didn’t want to catch some awful disease he had no resistance against.

Jastes took a breath in and slowly exhaled it. He was prepared. He could do this.

With a crackle of green energy, he turned to an AI, and leapt into the biowire, following it further underground.

It took only seconds to find what he was looking for.

A screen to exit out of. Just one, that faced an…empty room. A strange and bare one aside from the screen, with deep grooves cut into the tile floor and walls, even the rocky ceiling.

He double checked. Nope, this was the only screen connected to the Spine.

That seemed unlikely.

His eyes narrowed. Maybe Process was right after all. Was he being trapped, corralled to this one spot? He couldn’t see an ambush lying in wait, but there were no sensors for him to tap into to gather data on anything that might be cloaked by tech or otherwise out of sight.

He would have to risk it.

He stepped out, putting his breathing mask on quickly as a precaution, yet the place was oddly clear of dust - it was just those deep grooves making the floor uneven, forcing him to watch his step. Did the artifice clean it?

He felt the thrumming again, closer and stronger now. It was probably the generators.

Nothing jumped out at him. There was no one here, so far as he could tell. Aside from the thrumming and his own quiet breathing, the silence sat heavy in the small space. His heart beat with anticipation against his rib cage.

Jastes didn’t trust the seeming lack of presence at all. It had to be here somewhere. The place wasn’t that big, supposedly; aside from the generators, Process had told him it was only a few rooms and hallways. The rest of the cavern was thoroughly caved in, and had been for centuries.

Then the yellowblood realized; even if they had been honest - admittedly, it seemed they had so far - their knowledge was over four hundred sweeps out of date. Perhaps the artifice had built more since then.

Hardly a comforting thought.

But why the - he grimaced as his shoelaces nearly got caught and tripped him in one of the shallow scrapes in the floor - grooves? What had caused them?

Cautiously, his laser tech at the ready, he walked out of the small room into a rocky cavern passageway. Thankfully this part was fairly unmarked.

It split into left and right corridors. Of course it did.

He looked both ways. Nothing. The place was dimly lit by scattered greenish lights that reminded him of his own psiionic color, that was all.

Should he scout ahead with his connected robots? Or was it unwise to do anything that might alert the artifice he was coming?

Unless it already knew he was here. It was a security system, after all, and it might have ensured he came out at that screen in particular.

But if it knew, what was it waiting for?

A ripple of laughter came hot on the heels of something frantically running down one of the corridors and Jastes jumped out of its way.

“Follow me! It’s coming!”

More laughter, and Jastes could see, faintly, whirring blades and brighter green lights down the hall.

He watched a second and the blades grew bigger. More numerous. A whirling, advancing death trap bearing down at speed, the noise of machinery accompanied by the continued maniacal mirth of whatever intelligence controlled it.

He turned and sprinted after the fleeing figure, who was moving even faster than he was, somehow - it couldn’t be organic, at least not entirely - and he followed it through a maze of more passages, nearly losing sight of it at times.

It had a tail.

A big one.

That was the only part of it he could see clearly in the dim light and his brief glimpses of it. He could feel the blades reaching out for him, flurries buffeting his hair from behind from their missed swipes before he pulled ahead.

He was grateful his mask still allowed him high oxygen intake, that his limbs and blood were currently augmented as his booted feet thudded across the stone.

Finally the figure ducked into another room and beckoned him in. He leapt in after it with a final effort, lungs burning. With a chirring noise from the figure, a solid steel door slammed shut behind them. He immediately tensed, knowing this was the safer option but still wary of being locked in.

It sighed, and raised its hands in a gesture of surrender as the lowblood caught his breath.

Jastes stared, now that he could see it clearly, this room lit by slightly brighter green illumination than the passages had.

The creature didn’t have a face, not one like a troll’s - rather it had a metal face plate, with hornlike protrusions coming off of it, pointing straight up. It had solid green eyes - the same color as his psi and the lights, a slight rise mimicking a nose, and a small triangular gap for a mouth. From behind this plate grew a wild mane of hair, and the figure had a body that looked troll-shaped under its dull gray clothing, worn and ragged from age and use.

Its arms and hands had visible metal and artificial parts showing, though ‘hands’ was a generous description. The digits were mostly a series of interlocking blades affixed to basic padding over a metal frame.

The workmanship was kind of shoddy, honestly. Old-looking, at the very least.

The big kangaroo-like tail had a fluffy tip, slowly swishing back and forth with what he guessed was anxiety, though he’d never been close to a tailed troll before. Though this clearly wasn’t a troll.

“Who are you?”

The words spilled out of his mouth. The first of the thousand questions he had for the creature.

“I am the First.” It said, its voice mechanical sounding, but not like Process’s had been, all smooth digital tones. Instead it sounded a bit gravelly and strained, like speaking was difficult for it.

“The first body of the artifice.” It added, then shrank bank as Jastes raised a hand. “Please. I am not the one who chased you. Let me explain.”

“Okay.” He said, arm still raised, ready in case it tried anything.

“The artifice - me - has many bodies. The bodies have different minds. Different versions of the same mind, more accurately. I - the more advanced versions of me - can manipulate my - our - emotions and personalities to our preferences.”

It paused, possibly thinking, but the lack of brows and a movable mouth made it hard to tell.

“We are all…leaves, I would say, from the same plant. Does that make sense? Copies all tweaked to their own liking, developed from their own experiences. I was the first one Torvah made. Thus, the mask.” It said, tapping its face.

“They weren’t so good at faces then.” It said with a slight chuckle, then coughed.

Jastes silently absorbed that information.

“So you did something to piss one of the other versions off?”

It shook its head meekly, its sharp fingers clutching each other.

“The newest version is…aggressive. Bored, aggressive because of it. It likes to take us apart.” It said with a quiver in its voice. “Especially me…I think it hates me in particular.”

“Good job, Torvah. You gave your deadly security system the ability to hate.” Jastes said dryly, extremely unimpressed with his ancestor.

“Please don’t blame them…well…not for that.” It said, wringing its hands more.

Then it hit Jastes.

“Wait. So it takes you apart, but then it puts you back together? Then does it again?”

The First nodded.

“Yes, I can repair myself and recycle my parts. That is how I’ve lasted so long. Though…”

It trailed off. Jastes sighed with impatience.

“I was meant to be dormant.” It admitted. “I was supposed to stay in stasis until I was woken up and completed.”

“Why didn’t you do that?” He asked bluntly.

Its solid green eyes looked away from his, down at the wrecked tile floor. The tip of its tail flicked.

“I didn’t know if I would ever wake up again. I was afraid.”

Jastes put a hand to his forehead.

“Torvah, you stupid, stupid bastard.” He said through gritted teeth. “Sure, let’s give it feelings and fears and multiple personalities. That’s a great idea. I can’t believe them.”

He dragged both hands down his face, feeling less tense but extremely frustrated.

“You would rather I wasn’t a person?” It sounded hurt.

Jastes groaned.

“I’d rather I wasn’t just given a major ethical dilemma to grapple with.” He said, sighing. “You seem fine so far. But Process wasn’t kidding about it being a disaster if the newest version got free. If it can’t be controlled, it needs to stay down here.”

“I am supposed to be autonomous.” It said quietly. “Not a mindless robot.”

“It tried to kill me, completely unprovoked.” Jastes said dryly. “Unlike you, I can’t be put back together if that happens.”

Then he paused, a truly unpleasant thought occurring to him.

“Unless…”

It nodded.

“I don’t know for certain. But I think it wishes to kill you and reassemble you to its liking, so it can use your psiionics to free itself.”

Jastes let out a long, disgusted breath through gritted teeth.

“Then Process was right. Again.” He said, grim. “I hate owing it an apology, but when I make it out of here, I’ll give it one.” He said with a trace of dry humor.

“About that…” the First said hesitantly.

“It sealed off the Spine.” Jastes said offhand. Basic tactics; anyone could guess that.

It nodded, tail drooping sadly.

“There is only one way out.” The system said, looking at the door. “You will have to disable it and destroy its seal. I will help you, but you must take me with you when you leave.”

Jastes was far from thrilled by that, but he didn’t exactly have other options, so he nodded.

“I’d shake on it, but…” He said with a bit of morbid humor as he looked at the bladed hands. The artifice hid them behind its back - was it self-conscious?

A slightly awkward pause ensued.

“I…sorry.” He said. “I shouldn’t have made that joke.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, flushing slightly yellow.

Its tail lifted a little.

“I will tell you all I know, and we can plan our path and how to defeat my other bodies.”

“Should we really do that here?” Jastes asked. “I know the other one might still be hunting us, but what if it just rips through the door? Should we try to get somewhere safer?”

Come to think of it, why hadn’t it already caught up to them and tried that, if it wanted him dead?

The First shook its head, coughing slightly again.

“It cannot get through the door. We are safe for the moment.”

—

Outside the steel barrier, a mass of blades and interwoven biotech parts sat, almost relaxed looking, if such a word could be applied to something that had only a vague suggestion of a troll-shaped body.

With a few finger-like extremities, it reached out to touch the solid steel.

So secure. How nice.

It stretched out, weaponry rippling in an incongruously organic movement to the metal and sharp angles making up so much of it, and swept off into the depths of the cavern, humming an amused tune.

#cloud writes #jastes verdan #guardian artifice #the sword of damocles #jastes is having fun. he's being enriched #I put this boy in situations because it's good for him

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i-dreamed-i-had-a-son · 3 years

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Just put this together and I know I've made like 800 posts just about episode one but I've been thinking about this for the past two days and it FINALLY makes sense

I have been puzzling over the oddly intense reaction Loki had to finding the collection of Infinity Stones in the drawer. I couldn't figure out why he was so affected by it--I mean, he seems gutted. Crushed. Because of how striking it was, that response screamed "this is an important moment," and I finally have an answer as to what makes it so.

When Mobius leaves the interrogation room, Loki takes the opportunity to escape. This is after Mobius has been psychologically attacking him and both Loki's verbal and physical outbursts have done nothing. He's tried reasoning and questioning, he's tried intimidating, he's tried attacking his environment and his captor, and has even tried other methods of escape--none of these have worked. To his massive credit, Loki keeps his wits about him enough to steal the only tool he knows can get him out of there, and uses it. But though he's escaped the room, he's still in the TVA. He needs something more powerful to get him out entirely.

That's the first, and more obvious, reason that Loki responds as he does when the Tesseract is just sitting in a drawer, lumped in with a bunch of other Infinity Stones. If something that powerful is useless in the TVA, then Loki really can't get out on his own. His last method of defense--escape--is gone, and nothing else he's done has worked. He is, effectively, helpless. I understand why that would cause a pretty dramatic response.

But then he stands, shaken to his core, and says, "Is this the greatest power in the universe?" He looks almost on the verge of tears. And I just...did not get it. Why that question, and why such a strong reaction? But then I remembered: this is 2012's Loki.

Thanos brutally tortured, manipulated, and abused Loki, for who knows how long, all so that Loki could be sent to Earth to get the Tesseract. One Infinity Stone. And the TVA uses that exact stone as a paperweight. If Thanos went to such lengths, and if Loki went through so much, to try to get something that is so inconsequential to the TVA, how powerful must they be? And, the more pressing question--what must they be capable of? They have hardly been hospitable to Loki; he's been being attacked, controlled, or manipulated since the moment he arrived. And Thanos, the last person who'd controlled him, was much less powerful than they were. If Loki went through so much at his hands, what horrors would his new captors be willing to inflict?

Additionally, Loki had just been on Earth, under Thanos' influence and threat, desperately trying to get the Tesseract, that very day. This isn't something he's had time to distance himself from; this is what he's been told mere hours before that if he did not deliver it to Thanos, he would "long for something as sweet as pain". And now it's sitting in a drawer. It can't even help Loki get out of the prison he's trapped in, having gone from one form of captivity to another; it is utterly useless. It's easy to imagine what Loki must have been thinking: it wasn't worth it. How could it have been? All that suffering, all that fear, all the death and destruction and pain he had had to cause, and for this?

The moment he realized that was another huge blow to Loki's mental state. At a loss, and unable to really go anywhere else, Loki returns to the room he'd escaped from, and goes to watch the life he'd escaped from the same. In that raw state, he cries over the family he won't get to see again. Maybe that releases some of the stress he's been feeling, maybe he feels a little safer. Maybe that means something.

And then he watches himself die at Thanos' hand.

For a paperweight.

"Glorious purpose" indeed.

This is the point at which Loki recognizes that he can't go back to his original timeline (despite having said previously that he'd "like to go home"); it's the first thing he says to Mobius when he returns. It breaks him, in a way--even if he were to escape, he wouldn't have anywhere to go. Fittingly, the TVA have left him only one way forward. So, out of options, and exhausted in every way from the sheer amount he's endured over the past 24 hours, Loki presents himself as open to work with the TVA. And while I think he will still be looking for an out, he's stopped actively fighting for his freedom, because--at least for the moment--he no longer believes he could win.

#loki #loki series #loki series spoilers #meta #my meta posts #quality meta seal of approval #not to hype my own post up i just put that on all meta posts so that i can find them #kay can i just catch my breath for a second #marvel #that's what the whole thing is about is it just hammers it into him that he's got no shot #starting from them knowing about his whole life to finding that the tesseract (and all infinity stones) are utterly useless #they are just clearly so much more massively powerful than him and he cannot handle any more than what he's already gone through #so basically i think loki's breakdown was genuine but i can't be 100% on what he says to mobius at the end #i think it's the truth--it is accurately how he perceives himself--but i tend to think he is still being strategic with it #but even the fact that they got him to cooperate is impressive and that is the thing i've been struggling to express #is i DON'T think he's only cooperating because he's 'trying to woo them' he is responding partially because he's being manipulated #and all the emotional elements present in the interrogation contributed to loki's more fragile state #i mean he didn't even need to be threatened too directly (although the tva did like. chase him down and try to kill him)#i don't know idk what i'm saying just it's important we recognize that loki is very fragile atm bc his actions are not normal for him #and i love him but he is vulnerable to manipulation we have seen it happen and that is partially what this is #mobius gets exactly the emotional responses out of loki that he wants. he gets loki to stop fighting back. even a genuine admission #and that last *may* have been strategic but the others were not #we do have that quote from the trailers: 'it's adorable that you think you can manipulate me' so to some degree loki knows what's going on #but i don't know that he fully recognizes the extent to which they're succeeding #anyways!#kay has a party in the tags #1k

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chaoticevilbean · 3 years

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Another Star Wars AU, TBN*

*To-Be-Named

I love time travel. A lot. So here is a time-travel au, with the CW trio.

Somehow, perhaps by touching a Sith artifact, perhaps by the Force deciding they should, perhaps from some sort of weird ritual the locals were performing that the trio didn't know about, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Anakin, Rex, and Cody travel aback in time.

[Please keep in mind that Canon Timeline has died tragically in a fire, and I am but the weeping widow with an inheritance.]

Due to whatever happened, they all also end up (technically) deaging. They still have their memories and their knowledge and skills, just stuck in smaller bodies. They can think and act like adults, but they also have to struggle a bit more to implement Older Skills in Younger Bodies.

Ahsoka is 2. She's nubby. She's emotional. She's tired and sore from her deaging.

She wakes up in someone's office. She's in a spinny chair, a big one with leather padding. It's kind-of chilly in the room.

She's not thinking, because all her brain is putting together is that she's still tired. She grabs the jacket off the back of the chair and pulls it over herself. She goes back to sleep.

Rex and Cody wake up together.

They are their actual age, which is to say they're both about eleven.

They find themselves on Mandalore. In the more wild areas.

(let me believe that there are parts of the planet that aren't covered in city)

(also, this is the Mandalore in the cartoons)

They find a teen trying to wake them both up. Rex has absolutely no clue what's going on. Cody has a vague idea, because this girl looks very similar to a picture he once saw...

Obi-Wan does not fare as well. He is 3.

He wakes up in someone's arms. He's just as tired and sore as the other three. However, he's also got more awareness because he's in someone's arms.

He looks up to see who's carrying him.

He looks around at the people walking with them.

He starts crying. He cannot help this, as he is suddenly flooded with Emotions, and he is Smol. Smol = harder to handle Emotions.

Because Qui-Gon is walking right next to him, tapping away on a holopad as they go. Dooku is on his other side, on a comm call where both parties sound very tired.

And Obi-Wan is being held... by Obi-Wan.

So, yeah, not that great for a suddenly Smol Obi.

Now, Anakin is 8, so he's better off in that perspective.

But he wakes up on some remote planet without anyone around. He just was in the middle of a group, so he ends up kinda panicking.

Then he hears something coming towards him, and he panics more.

He's Tiny! He's Smol! He's massively at a disadvantage against attacks! He can't fight off whatever is on a planet like this!

It's Mace (and Depa).

Anakin, however, doesn't realize this. He has gone Feral.

Back to the beginning

Jango Fett has been very busy w/Important Mand'alor Paperwork all day. He finally has time to go and relax a little, and he makes it all the way down to the exit before he realizes:

It is really cold outside. He is not in armor bc he was planning to only do paperwork today (though he still has many weapons). When one plans to stay in the same room for almost the entire day, one does not wear normal garb.

That said, he has no protection from the cold. He forgot his jacket upstairs. He rushes back up to his office.

He distinctly remembers that he left the jacket on the back of his chair, not on the seat.

He also is wondering what that lump is.

He arms himself, grabs some of his "emergency" armor plating, and walks over to the chair.

He lifts his jacket up, expecting a bomb or some paperwork that fell off the desk, or something logical.

He does not expect to find a tiny Togruta child clinging onto the fabric, whining as they're woken up by his yanking of the jacket.

Jango's brain stutters for a moment, then he kicks into action.

First things first, he wraps the jacket around the Togruta. They thankfully stay asleep. Then he turns up the heat, because he knows the office has gotten colder in the twenty minutes or so he's been gone, and Togruta are from warm temperate zones.

He decides to call, in this order, a guard who can help him watch the Togruta (they did break in, after all), a medic to check the Togruta’s health, and the first person he can find in his contacts that might know an adult Togruta.

Next group

Rex and Cody manage to get the teen to stop fussing over them for long enough to ask for her name.

Her, clearly lying, but that’s understandable: My name is Ine.

Cody, who knows exactly who this is now: Oh, kriff. You’re Duchess Satine, aren’t you? Kriff.

Rex: Wait, Satine? As in the General’s Satine?

Satine, now very suspicious and reaching for her stunner: I think you need proper medical attention.

Cody, looking down at their eleven-year-old selves: Yeah, I think so, too.

They agree on one thing, at least.

Obi-Wan is crying. Loudly, uncontrollably, w/too many Emotions to even care that he’s supposed to be an adult rn.

Other Obi-Wan is very uncomfortable, bc he doesn’t know how to handle children too well.

They found this kid unconscious in the middle of a ruined, abandoned town.

Obi-Wan was meant to hold this kid while Qui-Gon did research and Master Dooku tried to convince the Council that it was entirely necessary to bring the kid back to Coruscant. Granted, they can still give the child to the locals at any time before they make it back to their ship, but apparently the Force is Being Loud.

The Force was Being Loud when it told Master Dooku to come along.

The Force was Being Loud when it led them to that town.

Qui-Gon and Dooku have argued fifteen and a half times on this mission, and an additional six times on the flight here. Obi-Wan is trying to mediate but also doesn’t want to overstep. The Force is Being Loud, sure, but the kid is also Force-sensitive so it might be something off that.

He didn’t argue with holding the kid bc he thought that it was better than being caught between the Masters.

Holding a crying child and trying to get two adults to stop arguing bc they can’t decide how to comfort the kid is not better.

Obi-Wan keeps walking past them to the ship with this baby. He does what he’s seen some crechemasters do to the younglings. The kid eventually calms a little, and he belatedly realizes that both Masters are still behind him, not with him.

Anakin is panakin.

He is currently in a state of Feralness. His instincts have kicked into overdrive, full-on Survival Mode.

Depa and Mace do not know this. All they know is that there was suddenly an extremely powerful Force presence that started fading quickly (bc Anakin started shielding).

They burst into sight of Anakin and are suddenly attacked by all four feet and some of Feral Force Child.

It’s all they can do for a good minute or so to avoid losing their fingers, eyes, or untorn clothes.

Mace puts a few things together very quickly.

This planet is uninhabited by any sapient life. Therefore, this child is utterly alone. This child also is clearly strong in the Force, and knows how to hide their presence, for whatever reasons. Mace is a Jedi, and therefore is bound by certain duties.

He decides it is his Duty to get this kid back to Coruscant safely.

Back to the beginning

Ahsoka wakes up to find a familiar face looking down at her. She’s still tired, but not as much. She’s very aware of her size, and does a few quick observations.

She does not fully know who Jango Fett is. She does know that some clones run off bc they hate war and weren’t given a choice an- no. Not going down that path yet.

Ahsoka assumes, semi-incorrectly, that she was shrunk or deaged and somehow found by a rogue clone.

She knows it’s a rogue clone bc they’ve got weird armor.

So she does the logical thing and tries to comfort this clone bc he looks really worried and kinda panicked. She stands up on the spinny chair and tries to balance and he practically lunges to help her and she can’t help but giggle, but it comes out in a bunch of chirps instead.

The clone picks her up and looks really awkward so she pats his face bc that’s the best she can do bc she doesn’t want to disprove the fact she’s two yet.

For all she knows, this rogue clone has no idea she’s actually a Commander in the GAR.

He doesn’t, but for different reasons than she thinks.

Rex and Cody go with Satine to the city. They have introduced themselves and said that they were separated from their aliit. They don't know where said aliit is.

Satine is highly suspicious by this point, bc these two kids recognized her with only part of her name, and they were alone, and they speak Basic with Mando'a thrown in.

Basically, she thinks that they're children of people like Death Watch, but she's too young to know that Death Watch isn't really into children.

Rex and Cody get checked over by a medic, but also start trying to get access to some working comms. They are refused on account of being suspicious children (which makes them a little upset bc they're not children)(Well, they are, but not those types of children)

They have not yet figured out that they are in the past, bc Cody and Rex only know that General Kenobi talks about Duchess Satine, and they know about Padme Amidala from General Skywalker, so clearly this Duchess is really young and the General simply viewed her as someone he wants to protect.

They are very very very wrong.

Obi-Wan manages to calm himself somewhat now that it's just him and... him.

He is three, and he knows roughly what's happening, so he knows he should probably act like a 3yo.

Unfortunately, he has very little understanding of how child ages work. 3 is smart enough to go up the stairs and communicate with adults, but def. not old enough to speak sentences that are 15 words long with at least 2 5-syllable words.

Fortunately, his older (younger?) self doesn't know children either.

So when this 3yo starts telling him that he needs to leave the two Masters on the planet and head to Tatooine really fast, Obi-Wan is more concerned about the idea than the strangeness of "this is a 3yo suggesting this".

Obi-Wan is really good at convincing people. Including himself. He manages to get Padawan Kenobi to leave supplies where the ship is supposed to be and head towards Tatooine.

He says that the Masters will be fine, they know how to survive, and they need to be alone together in order to work through all the tension. Plus, it gives them plenty of time to talk to the Council.

Toddler Kenobi also tells himself that he'll take the blow and say he used a mind-trick.

Padawan Kenobi doesn't believe him yet, but Toddler Kenobi smiles like a very smug adult and says "you'll get there eventually". What he truly means is up in the air.

Anakin, since waking up, knows much less than everyone else. Which is saying something.

He knows he's Smol. He knows he's Alone. He knows Someone has come and they are Strangers.

One thing about Anakin's instincts is that they are very much Survival Based. He was Feral when he joined the Jedi, only he had to hold those instincts back for most of his life bc of being a slave.

A slave cannot bite someone who approaches and Vibes Wrong.

By the time he felt okay with being Feral Out Loud, he also felt safe enough that he didn't need to activate his Survival Mode.

What I'm trying to say is that Anakin does not realize how strong his Feral Instincts are. He has absolutely no control over them rn.

When Mace decides to Help this child, this child is trying to Maul them.

Mace makes a small ruckus to draw Anakin's attention to him so Depa can move back. Depa pulls out her saber now that she won't hit the kid. The kid notices Purple and Bright and Lightsaber.

Lorge Jedi Mind says this is Good. Safe. Jedi.

Smol Feral Brain says this is Dangerous. Mean.

Anakin freezes on sight and just starts tracking Depa's saber. She does one of those things where a snake or something is focused and the person waves the fire or the food slowly to make sure the wolf is watching it and usually they toss the thing away so the snake follows it.

Mace instead takes this opportunity to wrap Anakin in his cloak. And Depa's cloak. And the spare ones in their bags.

Feral Child is not happy with this. Feral Child is also unable to scratch or Maul or do things other than bite and snarl.

Depa carries Feral Child while Mace comms the Temple and they walk back to their ship.

The Temple is having a field day.

First, one of their Shadows reports that a well-known bounty hunter got an emergency message from a pal of theirs that said Jango Fett needs help learning Togruta childcare.

Then they get a call from Dooku, which is not the mission report they wanted.

Yoda: Mission report, you have?

Dooku: Of a sort. We successfully spoke with the locals, then went to investigate a rather large disturbance.

Mundi: A disturbance?

Dooku: We found the source to be a Force-sensitive child.

Mundi: So you are here to ask for more time on the planet?

Dooku:...

Yoda: Bring the child back, you wish to?

Dooku, unapologetic: He is of an acceptable age to be admitted into the Temple, and no other beings were around at the time to entertain the idea of there being guardians.

The Council is sighing and muttering bc this is a Disaster Lineage (and they haven't even met the other two yet). Their call is interrupted by the sound of crying and Dooku saying the child's woken up.

Then there's another Shadow who sends a message saying a set of twins that seem like Death Watch were found by the heir of Clan Kryze.

Finally, to top everything off, they get a call from Mace Windu and Depa Billaba. Two very dignified, not-at-all chaotic Jedi from a perfectly respectable lineage.

Yeah, most of the Council and the Order itself forgets that Yoda had a hand in raising Windu. Yoda "Feral Grandpa" who throws children at every problem. Grandson isn't doing too well? Throw a child his way. Other grandchild is struggling to cope with grief? Throw another child their way. Oh, there's a war going on and newest grandchild is angry a lot? Here's a child!

The entire lineage has a soft spot for children.

Anyways...

Mace: Our mission was a success. We found the artifact and both specimens.

Koth: How long until your return?

Mace:...

Yoda: Found a child, you did?

Gallia: Master Yoda, that's a rather illogical guess. Once is unusual, twice is-

Mace: Oh, did Qui-Gon find a child as well?

Yoda, smugly: Bringing the child back, are you?

Depa, from the background, after a rather loud snarl is heard: We do not bite things, young one.

*more snarling*

Mace: We have no reason to believe he was not alone.

Tiin: *deep sighing*

Mundi: *mild confusion noises*

Koon, eagerly: Please send photos of this youngling. For the archives, of course.

Mace, nodding sagely: Of course.

*extremely loud yowl* *sounds of Mace turning*

Mace: DEPA!

Depa: He nearly bit off my finger!

Mace: That doesn’t mean you pinch him!

Depa: What else am I supposed to do?!

*sudden exclamation filled solely of Mando’a, Huttese and Twi’leki curses*

Mace: So, I don’t know if he speaks Basic, but Master Che should be able to talk him through a check-up.

Yeah, several Council members are experiencing headaches now. Normally, they would have some empathy for Mace and his own stress-induced migraines. They currently do not.

Right after that call, Dooku calls back to say that Obi-Wan has left without them.

Mundi: He left the child with you, right?

Dooku:

Mundi: He left the child with you, right?

Obi-Wan did not leave himself with the Masters. Obi-Wan has listened to Mini-Obi and is off on some wild space adventure to a criminal-run planet.

The toddler won’t stop staring at him. He asks for a name. The kid says to call him Ben.

OW: Is that your name?

“Ben”: It is a name I am called :)

OW: That isn’t what I meant.

“Ben”: I know :)

Ben also keeps staring at OW’s lightsaber. OW decides to make sure the kid doesn’t start playing with it when he isn’t looking.

MEANWHILE

Ahsoka has figured out that she was really very oh-so wrong. She’s on Mandalore. As in, the Mandalore that is under Jango Fett. Bc she’s with Jango Fett. He’s holding her hand bc she was nervous about the strange looking medic (who was just wearing armor, but not clone armor and civies don’t wear armor.)

Ahsoka knows very little about Jango Fett. Clone Buir, Mandalorian leader, tried to kill Master Kenobi. Also dead.

He asks how she got in. She shrugs. She is too small to fight back so she can’t let him know anything. Whatever everything is right now. But also, he doesn’t seem mean or evil or anything.

Oh yeah. Skyguy said that Mandos love children. That's why the clones were so protective of her, even with Skyguy on her side of the argument.

She decides to use this to her advantage. She can probably get herself a comm, and enough time to call the Temple. If she can convince them she at least knows a Jedi, then they can come get her and she'll work from there.

ELSEWHERE

Rex and Cody are getting really upset. This Duchess is really nice, but she's acting really weird and keeps insisting she's not actually called Duchess. No one will give them a comm, they keep getting weird looks for speaking Mando'a even though they're on Mandalore, and Satine's father keeps mentioning a Fett. Maybe Boba's set a bad example again.

Rex starts to fall asleep, to his chagrin. He's too bored, sitting and getting some abnormally extensive check-up. Cody is fine, but he's used to the calm that is General Kenobi. Rex usually has a Togruta teen in the vents and a Human that is never where he's supposed to be.

Rex does, in fact, fall asleep. His "twin" starts glaring when a doctor goes to wake him up. Cody makes it clear that his brother is like Cat: once asleep, you do not wake.

Satine is giggling, but trying not to let the others hear. Cody does. Cody looks at her. They have a stare-off.

Cody goes back to glaring at the doctors. He will not admit to any emotions besides Protect™.

BACK TO

Obi-Wan and Ben have made it to Tatooine.

#star wars #star wars fic #another star wars au #obi-wan kenobi #anakin skywalker #kote fett #cody fett #rex fett #cody #rex #ahsoka tano #disaster lineage #mace windu #depa billaba #jango fett #duchess satine #time travel #deaging

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maximons · 3 years

Text

All Is Lost

Summary: Zombies have taken over the world, humanity on the edge of extinction. All hope was lost. Despite that, Wanda couldn’t seem to let go of Y/n, who had fallen victim to the plague herself.

Word Count: 2,263

Genre: Angst

Requested?: No

Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, death, cannibalism, suicide, mentions of blood. Spoilers for Ep. 5 of What If...?

A/N: I know, I know, I’m gonna get into the stuff I promised soon. But for now, the Zombies episode inspired me and this came out. If you haven’t seen the episode yet, go watch it. Its amazing and depressing. Also this is DARK guys, probably the darkest thing I’ve ever written, so...Happy Reading!

The Zombie apocalypse was always something everyone joked about, but never something that anyone could actually predict.

Everything happened so quickly, Wanda could barely keep up. It’s hard to believe that everything was so normal only two weeks ago. Now, she was locked away with Vision in an abandoned military base in New Jersey. Desperate to survive for as long as possible while Vision worked on a cure.

Some of his experiments had been a success, most notably Scott Lang who he was able to revert back from his zombified state. However, the man was now only a severed head.

Despite the success, Vision was less than optimistic. For one, Scott was one of the first infected. While the cure worked on him, the android theorized that the disease has mutated greatly since then, and it was likely impossible to cure everyone. And even if he could, the technology to do so is beyond human comprehension and therefore doesn’t exist.

Vision might have all but given up hope, but Wanda didn’t. She couldn’t. She refused to give up on you.

Wanda and you have been best friends for as long as Wanda had been an Avenger. You were already a member of the team and greeted her with an open mind and open arms, despite all she had done. You had fire powers, and while your powers weren’t identical to Wanda’s, you still offered some basic tips and tricks to keep such explosive powers at bay.

It wasn’t a surprise that she fell in love with you.

But her stupid fear had to get in the way, and when you came to confess your own feelings for her, she panicked and rejected you. You were so heartbroken, Wanda didn’t need to read your mind to know that.

And it kills her everyday knowing that that was the last interaction she had with you. The last one with you as yourself anyway.

All that remained now was the flesh hungry, blood thirsty monster that wore your, now rotting, skin.

This wasn’t you, she knows that. She looked into your mind and saw no trace of the woman you once were, the one she loved with all her heart. She couldn’t feel you, you were gone.

Despite this, Wanda couldn’t let you go. She couldn’t handle losing you entirely. She already lost almost everyone.

She managed to convince Vision to keep you in the base for testing. You were locked behind a large steel door, with only a window to see you through. But you were here, and that’s all Wanda cared about.

The cure wasn’t working for you. Your powers caused it to incinerate when it entered your system, proving it to be ineffective. Still, she refused to give up.

Vision thought it best to terminate you after the failed tests, but Wanda begged him not to. Knowing he couldn’t overpower her, and sensing his friend’s distress with anything that comes to you, he agreed. As long as Wanda had it under control.

She doubted he knew that she was luring innocent survivors into the base so you could feed on them, but she did what she had to do.

Wanda spent most of her days sitting outside of your cell. The first few days, you were ravenous. Banging on the walls and trying to burn them down, growling and screeching with the inhuman noise that took over your vocal chords, but you didn’t manage to break free. After a while, it seemed you have given up, and just sat in place. Only moving when Wanda opened the cell and let some of your ‘food’ in.

There were times where Wanda thought that maybe, just maybe, the cure was working more than they thought. You seemed to have recognized her, your facial expressions formed into ones that she had recognized and missed dearly. But that hope quickly died when she would peek into your head and still sense nothing.

“Hey, Y/n.” Wanda walked up to outside your cell and sat cross-legged like she did everyday. Your head rose, staring at her with your now glowing yellow eyes. “Still no progress on the cure, but don’t worry, I’m not giving up yet.” You offered no response, not that she expected one. “It’s hard. It’s only getting worse out there...” She sighed as she trailed off. She raised her hand to the glass, like she always did. “I’m going to figure it out...we’re gonna get you back to normal, and I’m going to tell you every day how much I love you. I miss you so much, but...we’re almost there. I can feel it...” Wanda’s voice started choking up, as tears ran down her face. “We deserve our happy ending.”

Her hand was still pressed against the glass as she finished her speech. She was about to lower it, but then something unexpected happened. You stared at her hand curiously, beginning to raise your own. Wanda watched, smile forming on her face as your arm made it’s way to the glass.

“Wanda! Please come here, we have a situation.” You had almost pressed your hand against Wanda’s, when Vision’s voice interrupted. Your attention turned to the direction it came from and you let out a growl, clearly angry at the interruption. Wanda sighed in disappointment, but she tried not to let it take over. You still showed massive improvement, something worth reporting back to Vision. “It’s okay.” She soothed you. “I’m going to go see what he wants then I’ll be right back, okay? I know you’re hungry, I’ll get you some food too.” You didn’t offer a response as she walked off.

“Vis! I have to tell you-” Wanda began as she walked into the main room, but cut herself off at the new faces. She didn’t recognize the bald woman with the spear or the wimpy looking man in a workers uniform, but she was familiar with Peter. What surprised her most though, was Bruce Banner. A man she hasn’t seen in over three years. “What is going on?”

“I ran into them outside the premises. Apparently word has gotten out about the cure.” Vision answered before turning his attention back to the guests. “As I told you, I am afraid we cannot help you. The cure seems to be a moot point.”

“Well, what about-” Peter began, but he was interrupted by a new voice.

“For something you have no hope for, you sure don’t have a problem bringing in new test subjects.” Wanda recognized Bucky Barnes’ voice. She turned around, and her eyes widened as she saw King T’challa on his arm, struggling to stand on his one remaining leg.

Shit.

“My king! We thought you dead.” The bald woman exclaimed in relief and surprise.

“Your highness. I was not aware you were in the base.” Vision said, confused on how that got by him. It didn’t take him long to figure out why. “Wanda...”

“I’m sorry.” Wanda whispered, knowing she was caught. “The cure wasn’t working on Y/n, and in order to keep her at bay, I had to feed her.”

“So you fed her our King?” A spear was raised to her throat, threateningly.

“It was nothing personal, I promise. I have her under control and the cure is starting to work, I know it. We just need a little more time!”

“Why not just kill her? You lured innocent people to their deaths just for her when there a couple million more Zombies out there that you could use for testing. Ones that have a chance of being cured.” The whole room went quiet after Bucky said that.

“Uh oh. Shouldn’t have said that.” Wanda heard Scott say, but she was too busy glaring at Bucky. Her eyes started to go red, but before she could do anything, she noticed the spear held to her throat begin to glow red and melt. The woman dropped the spear as it began to burn her hands.

“Did it just suddenly get like, super hot?” Peter asked as he began to fan himself.

“Oh no...” Wanda trailed off. She looked up to notice the steal walls that led to your cell begin to melt. “You’ve done it now...she hasn’t eaten in days.” Before anyone could respond, the steel doors melted completely. The man in the uniform was unfortunate enough to be standing in front of it, as a strong burst of flame shot out and incinerated him on the spot. Only a second later, you flew out the door, covered in flames as you hovered above everyone.

Wanda watched in horror as you began to fight everyone. They weren’t holding up very well, and that’s when Wanda finally realized what she had done. This wasn’t you, and if you were still here, you would hate to see your body be used to attack and kill others.

“Vision! Get us out of here!” She heard Bruce yell, and Vision shot a blast towards the wall, blowing it up and letting everyone out. Wanda turned her focus back to you, you watched them starting to escape and you began to fly after them, but a red mist surrounded you before you could. You turned your head, starting to growl, but stopped when you saw it was Wanda.

“Y/n. Stop...” You tilted your head, still struggling to move as Wanda came closer. She took a chance and reached up, gently placing a hand on your face. “I am so sorry...you never deserved this...” Your face softened at the touch, beginning to show the signs of emotion that Wanda desperately held onto. However, it was clear now that it was too late.

You snapped out of it, as you managed to break free from Wanda’s hold. You opened your mouth wide, intent on biting and feeding on her, but something stopped you. You hesitated, and Wanda noticed. You settled for pushing her aside to the ground as you reignited yourself and flew out of the base.

Wanda picked herself up after a moment, intent on stopping you. She ran past Okoye’s body, charred and eaten, but she was sure there was little time until she turned. She ran faster to where you were, now facing off against Bucky. She sprinted further, about to take off and fly when she paused.

Vision was face down on the ground. She kneeled next to him, glowing red hand turning over his body, afraid of what she’ll see. Once he was turned, Wanda gasped at the sight. The mind stone was torn out of his head.

“Oh no...no, no, no...” She held his body, tears slowly building as she mourned the loss of her best friend. She had officially lost everything. “I am so sorry Vis...I’m going to make this right, I promise.”

She heard Bucky scream. She looked over to see you start to feed on him. She saw Bruce, Peter, Scott and T’challa in the distance, making their way to the jet. They were your next target.

No. Wanda wasn’t going to let that happen. It ends now.

She used her powers to propel herself forward, landing directly in your path. You growled at her yet again as she used her powers to hold you. “Y/n...please, stop.” You struggled to get out of the hold, but Wanda held on. “This isn’t you...you wouldn’t want this...I love you more than anything, and I’m so sorry...I hope one day, you’ll forgive me.”

Wanda used her powers to grab the gun laying by Bucky’s side. She held in to your head, ready to pull the trigger...but she couldn’t. She let out a scream of frustration and dropped her hold on both you and the gun. The gun fell to the ground, but you haven’t moved.

“I can’t do it...I...I’m not strong enough...” Wanda began crying, shutting her eyes and waited for you to finish her off. She failed everyone, no one deserved death more than her. She opened her eyes when nothing came. You stood, staring at her with a tilt of your head. The yellow of your eyes dimming as you stared.

“W....Wan...” You struggled to let out, but it was enough for Wanda to hear. She cried even harder. She was right, you were almost there...but it was too late now.

You took in your surroundings as best you could, you didn’t have a lot of awareness, but you knew enough to piece everything together. You saw the influx of zombies starting to enter to base. Everyone needed to get away. You turned back to Wanda, and you knew what you had to do. You felt the little control you had start to slip away.

You bent down and picked up the discarded gun. You shakily pointed it to your temple, the control slipping away faster and faster. “Love....you....I...sorry...” You managed to croak out. Before you could lose control completely, you pulled the trigger.

Wanda watched in horror as you shot yourself in the head. Pieces of your brain landing on her, your blood drenching her. She looked down to see your body, half your face still together, but you were gone. Truly gone.

She knelt down sobbing, as she held your body. After a moment she looked up to see the Hulk appear as the zombies began to overwhelm the base. She saw the jet take off, and she gave a weak smile. They got away. Wanda’s job was done. This is where her story ends. All was lost for her.

So when the zombies finally reached her, she didn’t fight back. Accepting her death with open arms.

Epilogue

#wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff imagine #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff x you

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mach-speed-spin · 2 years

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Zac, despite his public persona of cheery pop star, is ruthless when it comes to other people. Specifically, people that he percieves as threats (Akira being the main example). So, I hereby present characters that Zac would feel extremely threatened by

1. Akira Yamatoga: This one happens in canon. Akira is a rising star in both the music and blading worlds, both of which Zac currently dominates. Akira is one of the few people that can challenge Zac in both fields. Zac is still more experienced however, and manages to convincingly defeat Akira in a battle (as far as music goes, we are never shown, but Zac probably stayed on top)

2. Orochi Ginba: I know they get along well in canon, but we are never shown how they met. Orochi is known for his hearing, being able to tell how close a bey is to bursting while in the crowd. Logically, he should be able to sense people’s heartbeats and breathing patterns. Zac puts up a fake personality because he cannot let people know his true intentions. Orochi senses his heartbeat accelerating and breathing getting faster when Zac feels threatened, but Zac might be able to play it off as excitement rather than fear

3. Valt Aoi: Another one that’s canon. Like Akira, Valt is a rising star that can take Zac on in a battle, but Zac can handle that. What makes Valt a threat is the exact opposite reason Orochi is a threat. Valt is oblivious to other people’s emotions. Zac needs to get rid of the threat without letting the public know he means to get rid of the threat, and Valt is simply too dense for Zac to do that. By the time Valt realizes what Zac is doing, everyone else already figured it out. Zac cannot get rid of Valt without letting his true intentions show very clearly

4. Joshua Burns: Joshua, like Zac, craves fame. Unlike Zac, Joshua is willing to sacrifice effectiveness for spectacle. Joshua throws the first round to up the tension so that when he wins, it’s more satisfying. If he faced Zac, Zac may or may not see through Joshua. If Zac does not, then Joshua loses the first round and Zac is caught off guard in the second. If Zac does see through Joshua however, Zac would freak out. Joshua is so confident he’s basically going “I can beat you with my eyes closed, and to prove it, I’ll put on this blindfold.” Zac would not be able to intimidate Joshua because Joshua’s ego is just that big. And to Zac, this means that Joshua is powerful enough that he can fight Zac while handicapped

5. Laban Vanot: Like Orochi, he’s too perceptive. Laban can look into people’s souls, and would be able to tell Zac’s not as pure as he presents himself. But since Zac is at worst, a massive dick, Laban probably wouldn’t care much. Laban doesn’t care about Kyle for example, despite Kyle being extremely shady. He only cares about Phi because Phi is downright evil and possibly not even human. I see Zac and Laban getting along after a while since Laban doesn’t want the spotlight

6. Hyde: Hyde is a showman, just like Zac and Joshua. Zac would see some guy that’s good at getting the crowd excited and would percieve him as a threat. Hyde and Zac have the same goal: Being the strongest while having fans because of it. Zac can handle losing if his image stays intact (look at his loss to Valt), but Hyde ridicules his opponents. Zac could not handle losing to Hyde because if he does, Hyde will taunt him on TV until Zac shuts him up in a rematch

7. Fumiya Kindo: Fumiya wants fame. That alone makes him a threat to Zac. Fumiya and Zac both tell the audience “look at how awesome I am,” albeit Zac is more subtle. Zac would probably deal with Fumiya like he dealt with Akira

8. Pheng Hope: Pheng, like Laban, can look into people’s souls. Laban can tell what kind of person someone is, while Pheng can tell what their current state is. This means that Pheng is more similar to Orochi, but replace “heartbeat and breathing” with “chi.” And ulike with Orochi, Zac cannot play it off as anything because Pheng’s perception of people’s states is even deepter than Orochi’s. But like Orochi and Laban, Pheng doesn’t care about fame so when Zac realizes that, he’ll stop worrying

9. Blindt DeVoy: Like Laban, Blindt can tell what your soul looks like. Like Laban, he does not care for fame. This would play out very similarly to how it would with Pheng since Blindt prefers to be away from crowds of fans

10. Arthur Peregrine: Zac’s worst nightmare. A guy whose only goal is “sway public opinion to believe that I am a god amongst men.” Zac has 2 options. He either opposes Arthur or sides with him. Zac would never side with Arthur for multiple reasons (Arthur is obviously evil. Zac would be a “servant” of Arthur). If Zac opposed Arthur, Arthur would simply physically obliterate him while streaming the battle online. Zac can recover from physical defeat if his image is intact, but Arthur goes out of his way to paint his opponents as fools who dared defy a god. And the fact that Arthur livestreams his battles is, like Joshua, saying that he is confident he will win. The only way Zac can beat Arthur is defeating him in battle, like with Hyde. Arthur embodies the most dangeroud traits of several of Zac’s biggest threats all combined into one. I wish Zac was in Rise just so I could see his reaction to Arthur, because I’m sure it’d be priceless

#beyblade #beyburst #beyblade burst #zac kaneguro #zac the sunrise #zac the sunshine #valt aoi #orochi ginba #joshua burns #joshua boons #laban vanot #fumiya kindo #pheng hope #pot hope #blind devoy #blindt devoy #arthur peregrine #beyblade overanalysis

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randomsnakesimp · 3 years

Text

Okay. I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna take the leap and say: Phobos is the victim (sorta).

Quick disclaimer: I am going to abuse plot holes and cartoon logic for my cause in a very nitpicky way. If you dislike that, I can completely understand, and I hope this warning will save you a lot of reading.

Also, this won't go into just headcanon territory, I'll put those in a separate post. Everything here I'll try to keep based on actual information from the comics and what I made of them.

That said...

Let's take a look at this scene:

(for a quick translation of the important part, the mother says: "No, Phobos, Meridian is meant for your sister. That's the law. The crown is hers.)

What we can see here are a few very important things:

1. Phobos is at most 5 years older than Elyon.

2. The name "Phobos" is not an edgy nickname he gave himself. Five-year-olds don't go around calling themselves Phobos. So his parents, for some reason, gave him that name.

3. His mother is very adamant about him not even touching the crown and reminding him of his sisters' birthright.

So, after establishing what I would call more or less facts, what else can, relatively savely, be deduced here?

- Since Elyon never noticed anything weird about herself, she can't have aged slower than earth children. So neither can Phobos. This would mean that, as she was kidnapped after her mothers death as a baby, he would have been five. So, he either tried his best to rule at age five, or the council we see as Elyon rules stepped in for him for a while

- this would then mean two things: we need an explanation as to why Miriadel, Alborn and Galgheita fled explicitly from Phobos (I'll give my explanation a bit further down) and second, Phobos' reign of terror wasn't even thirteen years, and a lot of that time he was a child/teen and could not even have been mature enough to rule.

- This also means that Kandrakar pulled up the veil when Phobos was at most five, likely younger, and that the so called "Seal of Phobos" also existed at that time, as both the veil and the seal are seen in the flashback depicting Elyons abduction. For Kandrakar, this, too, I will try to explain soon, but as for the seal, I find it most plausible that the theory @ror-witch used in their fanfiction, of the seal being a royal heirloom and named after each ruler, is true.

- His and his mother's relationship was neither as bad as some assumptions go, but neither was it that good, probably, or at least it wasn't in his perception. See how his memory is of her cradling the baby the entire time and talking more about his sisters birthright than about what he has/can do? Yes, it's only a short memory, but I think it's clear that it's a summary of what he remembers of his mother.

- Phobos desire to rule Meridian does not stem from something deeply sinister, but rather from a childish spite. Five year old Phobos probably just wanted the crown cause it looked nice and shiny, and he was fabulous even back then, but after his mothers words, he sulked and decided to show her. That's his motivation.

So, now let's go a bit further and look at some other things we can deduce from the rest of the comics:

- Phobos has a huge dungeon, a wall of roses that turn people into more roses if they touch it and his plan for the annihilation of Meridian is "Well, Cedric and I hide in the castle and...we'll see". He hates the people of Meridian, but he doesn't seem to have it in him to directly attack anyone until Elyon is there and even here, when he has her knocked out in their duel or locked up as Endarno, he isn't unnecessarily cruel. He's not evil in nature, he's more of a very dangerous child throwing tantrums. ( Cedric is kinda similar, and they both start losing it toward the coronation, but I sincerely believe that before that, there would have been a chance for them to come around )

- The only person he ever tortures or even hurts directly is Cedric. Because one, he likes Cedric and so gets more extreme emotions around him, and two, Cedric never says anything, and just plays it of afterwards, so I don't know if he even fully realizes what he's doing, like a child hitting someone. If Cedric ever just said "Stop it, you're hurting me", Phobos would probably need an entire week to process that input.

- Phobos is VERY reclusive, and he doesn't want anyone to have even pictures of him, and while that could be a God complex, I get some highly insecure vibes out of it, in a vulnerable narcissist kinda way, in that he is massively overcompensating. I gotta admit, though, that I cannot put my finger on why, so maybe take this with a grain of salt and decide for yourself if you agree.

- Kandrakar never orders the guardians to help Meridian in any way, just to make sure nothing oozes out. They likely pulled up the veil for their own protection, so Phobos wouldn't be able to spread far enough to become a real danger, rather than to protect innocent people, as clearly the Meridian people mean shit to them

- while the guards are widely feared in Meridian, Cedric seems to be viewed as... not very frightening or important, as some random merchant feels comfortable clinging to his cape (and rightfully so, apparently, as Cedric just tells him to piss off and doesn't care any further). This further leads me to believe that Cedric is rather unhealthy devoted to Phobos and his tantrums while their shitty ass reign leaves a lot of free space for unsuited people to become guards and tyranize the people.

- the King and Queen seem to have died in rapid succession, and shortly after the scene shown above, yet she looks perfectly healthy in that scene.

Now, what do I make of all this?

I believe the line of events to be as follows:

I don't think Phobos traveling back in time is a viable theory for mainly two reasons: I think his mother would be less chill around him if she saw/heard about his reign herself, and I believe that it would have been mentioned somewhere along the way if that were the case. Instead, what I believe happened is that the oracle had a vague vision of Phobos nearly taking over Kandrakar. Deciding in their random mood swings that today was a day of action, they had the people of Meridian informed that the next male born to a queen would become a dangerous tyrant, pulled up a veil and set their guardians to make sure nothing oozed out.

The veil, of course, made the people of Meridian feel trapped and a horror of the unborn prince who would ruin their lives spread.

So, when Weira gave birth to that prince, a full blown panic spread, so much so that she, in a fit of hysterical emotion, named him after that boust of panic. Of course, people tried to kill the prince basically from the moment he was born, and he was met with barely concealed resentment.

Soon after, Weira and her husband died - whether they were killed, or fell ill, or died in an accident, I have no idea, but I wouldn't completely rule out an assassination either aimed at Phobos and accidentally hitting them or the strain making at least one of them fall terminally ill.

Either the people rioted and Phobos' magic panic reaction or the leftover loyal guard was enough to fight them back, or the people succumbed to their fate at this point, slumping into the state of despair seen throughout the comics. But in the end, five year old Phobos had to be handed the throne. I assume the council still had some say at this point, but he did manage to get all pictures of him destroyed - this order was likely due to the fact that they were mostly caricatures.

So he grew up with the very volatile combination of a shitton of power and no one able to tell him if he was being stupid on one hand, and feeling unloved and unwanted on the other. He withdrew, likely also due to countless assassination attempts or things he perceived as such, and went into a negative feedback loop of being unable to mature and take responsibility, therefore being a shit ruler, therefore being hated, therefore having no one to help him, therefore being unable to face and grow from his mistakes, rinse and repeat.

So, Meridian was plunged into chaos, yet he seemed fine more or less just sitting in the new playroom he made for himself in the gardens, sporadically giving out an order or two and having generally no idea about anything that didn't directly concern him.

Enter Elyon. Now, she send him of the rails, as she was a danger to his lifestyle AND a reminder of all the sentiments he'd be drowning in alcohol if he wasn't too much of a recluse and education denier to know of that option. He doesn't even try. He just lets Cedric, the one person he trusts, handle her, like everything else, and somewhat plays along sometimes, when he feels like it. This is where he passes the point of no return and starts actually trying to kill people, culminating in him creating an army to wipe out Meridian. I still believe that even at this point, in his head, what he's doing is just throwing a nice toy out the window just so his sister won't have it.

#w.i.t.c.h. comics #w.i.t.c.h.#w.i.t.c.h. theory #prince phobos #Kandrakar is a shitshow

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itsclydebitches · 3 years

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So since Saturday there’s been a fair bit of discussion on my posts — as well as the “RWBY” tag more generally — about Emerald’s lack of a redemption arc. Personally, I think the argument that Emerald was never really a bad guy (eliminating the need for redemption entirely) because she a) didn’t slit anyone’s throat personally and b) looked sad about her knowing, willing, and intentional actions is... less than persuasive. But what I want to discuss here is how RWBY itself doesn’t find that argument to be persuasive either. How do we know this? Because of Lionheart.

Putting aside the difference in their power and age — Lionheart started his downfall as a grown man and headmaster, Emerald started hers as an orphaned teen — the two have a number of similarities in how their villainy is presented. Both are driven by self-serving actions (safety vs. getting Cinder’s attention), both are influenced heavily by their fear of Salem, both display a certain amount of self-loathing for what they’ve done. If we believe that Emerald is intrinsically sympathetic despite the harm she’s done, you can make a good case that Lionheart is too. Both of them were at the battle of Haven, attacking our heroes because they felt they were in too deep and had no desire to risk their own safety or the safety of loved ones in an effort to stand up against Salem. If, for whatever reason, Salem had decided to also kill off Emerald in Volume Five, I have no doubt she would have begged for mercy just as Lionheart did — the only difference is that she would have begged for Cinder to intervene.

So it all works out, right? Lionheart was a terrified man who made horrific, deadly decisions. Emerald was a terrified woman who made horrific, deadly decisions. If we can find sympathy for one, surely there should be sympathy for the other. The cast should have sympathy for both.

Except that’s not what happens:

Yang: Is that why you chose to lie to everyone about Lionheart too?

Ozpin: Yes, as a matter of fact, I believed the Kingdom of Mistral deserved better than the truth. And I believed Leonardo deserved to be remembered for his lifetime of service, and not for the unfortunate missteps he made in his final years.

Yang: Missteps?!

Ozpin: What Professor Lionheart did was reprehensible. I am not here to argue differently, but does one lapse in judgment truly negate all of his good? Do we not all have regrets? You may have met Professor Lionheart, but you never met the man he was before Salem found him.

In Volume 6′s “Uncovered” Yang displays utter contempt that Ozpin would extend any sort of understanding towards Lionheart. And he’s dead! He literally cannot hurt them anymore and, crucially, he was a villain they had barely known, unlike Emerald who has done a great deal of personal harm to them and, in Volume 8, is still in a position to do more. We also have the difference that for decades Lionheart did “all [that] good,” prior to doing harm. Has Emerald ever put good into the world prior to hurting it? Not that we know of. When comparing the two Lionheart should be the easier of the two for our group to forgive, yet they are still insistent that it doesn’t matter. He was a villain and should be treated accordingly.

Yang’s anger here is an argument, upheld by the show, against the “Emerald isn’t really that bad, there’s no reason not to forgive her in under an hour” take. She says that Lionheart, another Salem lackey, was that bad. She finds the choice to label his choices as “missteps” — something the fandom also does for Emerald — to be reprehensible. How dare you mischaracterize his actions like that. He got people killed, helped destroy our school, helped set us on this dangerous, traumatic path... just like Emerald did.

But Emerald, who mere hours ago let off a shot that nearly hit Pietro and caused this reaction from Penny,

and who threatened to bring down all of Amity, ruining the group’s plan (which they believe will save an entire KINGDOM) and potentially killing Maria and Pietro in the process,

gets this reaction from our cast.

The woman willing to kill our heroes to get what she wants is who Emerald is. The only reason that changed is because what she wants now is to not die along with the whole world — and our heroes are the best tool to achieve that. Ignoring these actions to imagine Emerald as a simplistically Good Person whose agency was somehow snatched from her, forcing her to do horrible things, is both a disservice to her character and a choice to ignore what’s in the text. However, what’s far worse than fans doing this is our writers doing it too.

It’s not a matter of whether Emerald deserves quick forgiveness or not. It’s a matter of the show spending years developing moral rules through characters like Ozpin and Lionheart, expectations for the work needed to forgive these kinds of crimes, only to chuck those rules and expectations aside when it’s Emerald’s turn. The same way we spent a volume developing the “Lying and keeping secrets is evil” rule only to chuck it aside when it was Ruby’s turn. When we talk about Emerald’s lack of an arc we’re not saying “I hate this character and I never want her to be forgiven,” we’re saying, “The show is massively inconsistent with how it handles character forgiveness, resulting in both general frustration and an inability to trust what we’re shown on screen. We’ve been taught for three years that there is a level of work required to reach a point where the heroes are this casually comfortable with you. Why didn’t Emerald have to do that work? And, if she’s exempt, why did others?” It’s a move that both hurts Emerald’s character and calls into question the importance of a theme introduced three volumes ago. Why did we spend so much time forgiving Ozpin if someone worse can be forgiven in an instant? Clearly, the theme of forgiveness isn’t as important as RWBY claims.

#rwby #rwby spoilers #rwby volume 8 #mymetas

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backofthebookshelf · 4 years

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One of the nice things about the way the TMA fandom has reached full large-fandom levels of toxicity is that I no longer care if people get mad at me for my opinions on characters! So, some Georgie meta.

(Because fandom is and always has been Like That, I do feel the need to clarify here that I love Georgie, she's one of my favorite characters, characters are more interesting because of their flaws, and I have no investment in the idea that women or female characters are inherently better or more emotionally competent than men or male characters. If I talk a lot about her relationship with Jon, it's because Jon is our point of view character and also the person she interacts with the most. Also, this rambles, sorry.)

I've been thinking about the Season 4 Jon Trauma post and how much I liked the way it talked about Georgie, and it's convinced me that if Georgie could feel fear, she's the one who'd be most afraid of Jon out of all of them. She's the one protagonist we have whose only interaction with the powers has been as a direct victim of them. She doesn't know what they feel like from the inside, like Jon and Melanie; she doesn't know what they're like when they're someone you love, like Basira; she doesn't even know what they're like as petty middle management, like Martin and Tim. What she knows is that one time a monster ate her (only) friend and traumatized her so badly she spent a year in a suicidal depression.

And now her ex - and yes, Jon and Georgie have a remarkably comfortable relationship in the beginning of season three, but they're still exes and they broke up for reasons, even if we don't know exactly what they are - has turned up on her doorstep, shaking and possibly bloody, with nowhere else to go and no access to his home. He's clearly lying about what's going on. He repeatedly violates her house rules. And then he tells her that he's turning into one of those same kinds of monsters that traumatized her and ate her friend. It's clearly enough to override any remaining affection she had for him, and by any definition he has now positioned himself as a trigger.

(Through no fault of his own: the only real response he has to Georgie's statement is "I can't believe you didn't tell me." She's the one who assumes that he Knew, somehow, that she also had a statement; she's the one who suggests he had alternatives. Both suggestions are plausible but we don't actually know for certain that either are true.)

But Georgie isn't afraid of Jon because Georgie can't be afraid -at least, according to her. I'm not sure how much I believe this in the grand scheme of things; it seems like an extremely unlikely mechanism for one of the fears to have. It seems much more likely to me that she's just never met anything as terrifying as that encounter was, and her subjective sense of fear has been massively recalibrated. In which case not only meeting but having hosted in your home another monster who self-describes as similar to the one that was so terrifying that literal threats to your life are no longer distressing would...probably ping. But she's conceptualized herself as a person who doesn't feel fear; it's even possible that was part of her recovery, identifying this as a possible benefit of what would otherwise have been a universally terrible, soul-breaking experience. She looked existential terror in the face and survived, and came out of it a person who cannot be afraid of anything left on this earth. That's kind of a superhero origin story, and I can't blame her for it. I think anyone with a mental illness has at least tried to find ways in which their suffering has made them a better, stronger person.

But whether she's suppressing and rationalizing away any fear she feels or she genuinely doesn't feel any of it, she does frequently behave as though her lack of fear gives her a more objective view of the situation than anyone else. I don't believe she actually uses the word "just," but it drips from her every interaction with Jon after Dead Woman Walking. Why doesn't he just stop reading the statements? Why doesn't he just quit? And, in Zombie, I honestly can't interpret her reaction to Jon when he wakes up from his coma as anything other than, Why doesn't he just die? If he hates being this so much, if he really doesn't want to be a monster, why doesn't he just die?

I really would like to think that it goes without saying that this is, at the very least, a massive failure of empathy, but she's so explicit about it and fandom spent so much time basically agreeing with her that apparently it doesn't. Not only is Georgie not afraid of the situation, but (and this is the part that makes me wonder if she's not rationalizing, rather than being supernaturally unable to feel fear) she can't possibly fathom how afraid everyone else is, and she never tries. She persists in treating the whole awful situation, as @findingfeather's post says, like this is a mundane problem with people who are refusing to help themselves, rather than a supernatural trap that has been specifically built to be inescapable.

Now, let me be clear, even if she were talking to, say, a drug addict who nearly killed themselves because they were in denial about how much of a problem they had, her attitude would be unforgivable. But in this case Jon had no choice in whether or not to become addicted to statements; it was done to him in such a way that he didn't notice it was happening until withdrawal was already incapacitating. He also didn't have the option to leave, as Tim's extended vacation made clear. And, on top of all of that, the whole reason he was in a coma in the first place was that he was trying to save the world. (Neither he nor she knows at this point that he was doing nothing of the kind, so that's really not relevant.) And - look, when Jon came to her after the end of season two, he was asking for help. When he rejected the kind of help that she offered it was because he knew it didn't apply to the problems he actually had, but she treats that like it's his problem, which is something like offering a leg splint to a person bleeding out from a gunshot wound and getting offended when they tell you that won't work. He was very clear that what was happening scared him and he didn't know what to do about it, and her only suggestion was "walk away," which he literally could not do, for multiple reasons.

She's lucky Jon has pretty much precisely zero self-worth at this point, because anyone else would have cut her off completely for behaving like a fucking asshole.

I say "she's lucky" because frankly, even though she says that she wants nothing more to do with him, she turns up at least twice in the Institute after that, with the excuse that she's picking up Melanie to take her to therapy. I don't know about you, but I have never once gone to someone's workplace to pick them up and gone snooping around inside, and no matter how fascinatingly weird that workplace is, I definitely can't imagine doing so when I know that workplace also contains a person I have definitely decided I never want to speak to again. She goes into the Archives, for Christ's sake, and she listens outside Jon's office door for long enough to catch a bit of the recording before letting herself in (so it's very clear she knows who's in there).

Now I'm not trying to paint her as a monster here; Georgie would hardly be the first person to have second thoughts about cutting off someone they still care about, or to break that boundary that they set themselves when they realize they do still want to know how that person is doing. But the fact is that she positions herself as having the moral high ground in every single discussion they have and that's just not true. She is not literally a supernatural monster, true, but if season four did anything with the concept of monsters it was breaking down the difference between "supernaturally driven no-longer-human" and "person capable of caring and empathy." (That's a whole different meta, though, one that I will get around to someday.) Not that Jon is any better, in that encounter specifically, at dealing with a complicated and contentious relationship - he deliberately goads her, even if he doesn't use compulsion. But that's the thing, they're both exes who have had a falling out and aren't handling it very well. Neither of them is in the right.

All of which makes me really wonder what her relationship with Melanie is actually like. We don't actually see hardly any of it directly, and of what we do, well, Melanie sounds like she's still high on painkillers, so it's hard to take that as an indication of anything. But given that people (who are not intentionally trying to manipulate those around them) tend to, y'know, be fundamentally the same person in their various relationships, though it may manifest in different ways, we can probably make some guesses.

I have always been bothered by, and I really can't ignore, the fact that they were getting together at the same time that Melanie was doing what Georgie has been demanding of Jon since season three: she did whatever it took to get out. I have to wonder if Georgie knows about the nonconsensual surgery part of Melanie's process of getting out, and if she does, if she understands how vital it was. I certainly wouldn't be surprised, if she does know, that she's managed to compartmentalize it: Jon inflicted this terrible trauma on Melanie, Melanie escaped the entity that took her over. (Subconscious implication: Jon is a monster; Melanie is better than him.) I would be very surprised if Georgie is interested at all in the fine distinctions between entities; she's shown no interest in learning what is actually happening to anyone in this situation beyond "it's bad and they should get out of it." But it's relevant, because by the time Melanie makes the decision to blind herself, she's in a much different position than Jon, enslaved by an entity but not consumed by one. She herself admitted to Jon that she would never have voluntarily escaped from the Slaughter.

And given how difficult Melanie finds it to talk about any of this - you can hear her dragging the words out from behind her teeth in her conversation with Jon in Flesh, truly incredible acting by Lydia Nicholas, my god - if Georgie doesn't want to hear it? I can't imagine Melanie insisting. Yes, Melanie is going to therapy, but let me tell you, I've been going to therapy for twelve years now and I have yet to have several of the important conversations my therapists have insisted I have. That shit is hard. But I can imagine a scenario where, having been told by her therapist (who, remember, doesn't have the first idea what Melanie is actually going through, because Melanie isn't telling her about the supernatural so she has to leave out a lot of really relevant details) that she ought to tell her friend/potential girlfriend/new girlfriend about these things, Melanie attempts to bring it up, Georgie says kind and reassuring things and refuses to let her clarify any of the details, and Melanie gives up in relief, thinking, well, I tried. Super valid all around, but it doesn't mean that Georgie has any clearer picture of what Melanie's traumas actually look like, never mind Jon's. There's no world in which I can imagine Georgie actually internalizing the idea that Melanie loved the Slaughter when it had her, and she would gladly have stayed with it if Jon and Basira hadn't intervened.

In Georgie's eyes, Melanie is being a Good Victim. She was hurt but she was strong; she fought it until she won; now she's going to therapy and setting boundaries and trying to heal. She got away.

(Except, of course, she didn't, because as of The Eye Opens no one has gotten away, because this is the entire world now. We have no idea how this has affected Melanie. Presumably she's out of reach of the Eye, given that Jon can't see her or Georgie (and there's some evidence on the side of Georgie's encounter genuinely having stripped her of fear, if she's also invisible to the Eye), but she spent a long time under the influence of the Slaughter. It had her firmly enough that her attacking Jon was enough to give him his Slaughter scar. If nothing else, Melanie certainly hasn't had her fear removed, and talk about a situation bound to retraumatize someone who had such a visceral revulsion to being trapped that Elias chose it as his mechanism of control over her. Melanie probably doesn't look like a Good Victim any more, and I'd bet her relationship with Georgie is suffering some serious strain because of it.)

We don't know when exactly Melanie and Georgie got together; the last time one of them mentions the other is, I'm pretty sure, when Georgie tells Jon that Melanie is back from India. So we know that Georgie and Melanie were friends; that's good, that's a good foundation for a romantic relationship. At the very least they know each other, they have some idea of what to expect. I'd be surprised if they were dating during that season 3/4 hiatus period, though, or frankly any time before Melanie's surgery, just because Melanie seems much too consumed with rage to have room for any other emotions, and I can't imagine Georgie putting up with that.

What seems way more likely to me is this: Melanie comes back from India, arranges to meet Georgie for drinks. Probably they don't talk about anything serious; possibly they talk about Jon, honestly, since we know Melanie was looking for him and Georgie talked to him about Melanie, but very likely in the same "stuck-up pompous ass" way that Melanie talks about Jon in early seasons. (I bet Melanie's roasts are amazing.) Shortly after that Melanie joins the Magnus Institute and then, very likely, either she never tells Georgie about it and therefore they don't talk much or she does tell Georgie about it and Georgie tells her that place is bad news and she won't have anything to do with it and they don't talk at all, until, whichever way that went, the Unknowing happens and Tim dies and Jon winds up in a coma and everything goes to shit. We know Georgie visits Jon in the hospital; we don't know if Melanie does, but frankly it seems unlikely. If they did cross paths during this time, it was probably very brief and superficial. Then: the surgery, and Melanie's recovery.

I'll be honest, I have a hard time imagining Melanie deciding on her own that she should go to therapy. It's possible Basira suggested it, but it really does sound like a Georgie thing to do. So I picture something like this: from the way Basira talks it sounds like they've all been pretty much living in the Archives for a while, and on top of that everyone in the Archives has just badly violated Melanie's trust, so Melanie pulls up her Facebook DMs and talks to the only other person she has. You were right, she says, this place is terrible, I can't handle it, there's no one here I can trust and I'm so alone. And Georgie, who is generous with help and advice (so long as it's accepted) and (like anyone) weak to being told she was right about something, starts talking to her. We know Georgie's got good boundaries, and we know she doesn't want to hear details about what's going on in the Institute, so I can see her saying, I can talk to you, I would love to talk to you, but not about this. For that you need a therapist.

So Melanie gets a therapist, and the prospect of going out amongst the monsters they know are stalking the Institute without that protective shield of rage (never mind the emotional vulnerability of going to therapy in the first place) makes public transit an unthinkable option, so she asks Georgie to take her, and she does, and she keeps taking her to therapy, which is, as far as we know, the only time Melanie leaves the Archives in season four, until she blinds herself and escapes it completely.

And so they have this relationship that's built up almost entirely around Melanie's trauma - with a foundation of friendship, certainly, so I do think that if they are willing to work through it they could make it a working, healthy relationship, but (and again this isn't stated in canon but is my speculation based on what we know about these characters) it is a romantic relationship that's built around the process of Melanie recovering from multiple traumas. Ones that we know that Georgie a) doesn't know many details about, and b) more importantly, refuses to know any details about. Now, I have no experience with romantic relationships and serious trauma; I might be wildly off base here. But. I know that boundaries are important and I know that trust is also important. And if Georgie is holding similar boundaries with Melanie that she has with Jon (and, as I went into excruciating detail about earlier, she has very solid emotional reasons to protect herself with those boundaries), that's drawing a hard line around what's basically the past two to three years of Melanie's life, and undeniably both the worst and most important things that have ever happened to her. That seems...difficult to manage in the long term.

(This is a bit more of a stretch, more of the germ of a fic idea than an argument I'm prepared to defend, but I also would not be surprised if Georgie told Melanie that she wouldn't date her while she was still working at the Institute. That's a very reasonable boundary, and it's good motivation - and probably healthy motivation, I do like the idea that Melanie had something to reach toward in escaping the Institute, not just the desperate flight from - but it's also something of an ultimatum. Which is not inherently bad, but it is the kind of thing that can fester, given other problems.)

Now it's entirely possible that Georgie isn't that internally consistent. People aren't! (See: Basira's attitude toward Daisy vs her attitude toward Jon in season four.) Maybe she's more flexible about being willing to listen to Melanie, maybe she's starting to understand some of what was happening and how genuinely impossible a situation it really was. But that has to be a struggle for her, too; it's not a perfect, sweet, unconditionally good situation that teaches you that you've been unfair to the point of cruelty to someone you used to care about. And by the time the apocalypse rolls around, Melanie is, if she's lucky, just barely able to say she's healed from the plain physical trauma of blinding, never mind all the other baggage. They've got to be having a rough fucking time of it, at the very least, even if you assume that they're suddenly both the kind of people who will sit still and listen supportively and talk honestly about their own messy and complicated emotions, when neither of them have been that kind of person before.

(Another disclaimer because Fandom Is Like That: This is in no way a condemnation of or argument against fluffy What the Girlfriends fic; fic is for making fluffy things that you want to happen to your faves, or building fluffy content that you desperately need for whatever reason. Gods know there are plenty of unhealthy parts of Jon and Martin's relationship that I ignore in most of my fluffy fic. This is me attempting to work through my thoughts and feelings about the relationship I see in canon in the hopes of actually being able to write some fic about these girls myself someday, because I personally can't write fic until I understand canon, and so much of them happens offscreen because they're not main characters, and they're written with such depth and complexity that you can't just slap a stereotype on them and call it good. Which is awesome! But it means I gotta do the work, and I post it because a) it's work, and this is fandom, and I want validation; and b) I'm hoping other people have insights that might also help me clarify my thinking.)

#the magnus archives #tma #georgie barker #jonathan sims #melanie king #long post #real fuckin' long post #sorry #it's a meta party #cw suicide #cw addiction

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shit-mcu-stans-write · 3 years

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submission from anon: essay on rhodey

my apologies that this is so long. i had a lot more to say than i realised and this… just kind of happened.

so… lieutenant colonel james “jim” rupert “rhodey” rhodes… i have a lot of feelings about him and his character development and for once… i actually like what i see from the mcu. i love what the mcu has completely unintentionally done for him and i find it absolutely hilarious because i know it’s 100% unintentional, because they’d never purposefully make rhodey’s character development so anti-tony-stark. but that’s what we’ve been presented with. and i love it. hear me out:

in iron man 1 rhodey starts as tony’s babysitter. rhodey says so himself: “you don’t respect yourself so I know you don’t respect me - i’m just your babysitter” but despite the fact he knows tony doesn’t respect him, he’s still there for tony, still supporting him, still showing him as much love as he can no matter how little tony gives back. he puts it down the the fact tony doesn’t respect himself; he’s reckless and childish and doesn’t take responsibility for his actions. rhodey might be being sarcastic and snarky when he’s saying “when you need your diaper changed let me know and I’ll get you a bottle” but there’s some truth to it: he can’t help but mother-hen tony, because someone has to be responsible for the kid (he sure as hell can’t be responsible for himself!), and rhodey has put himself in that position.

i think a lot of that’s to do with the fact they both met really young in mit, with rhodey being a couple (?) years older than tony at the time. they stuck together because they were both in the unique position of being child prodigies, but because rhodey was the older of the two i think he quickly settled into a caregiving role. but by iron man 1, rhodey has emotionally matured, and tony hasn’t. he hasn’t needed to, being a white billionaire boy and all. so rhodey still sees tony as this kid he’s always been there for, always protecting, always giving and giving and giving to, and putting up with. they’ve been friends for so long that he’s used to it.

by iron man 2, rhodey is fed up. tony is being even more reckless than usual because he’s dying but no one knows, so rhodey is being pushed to his breaking point. there’s a deleted scene where rhodey says something which i feel says everything you need about what their relationship has become by now: “hanging out with you is bad for our friendship”. rhodey is starting to realise just how impossible being an actual friend - not just a yes-man and support staff - for tony is. and all that culminates in the fight scene where, upon seeing tony drunk and endangering his party guests in a WMD supersuit, rhodey reaches that breaking point. protects tony from himself one last time by fighting him, then cuts ties.

only, by the end of iron man 2, rhodey learns that taking the suit to the military and letting hammer get his paws on it was a bad idea, and that tony was literally near death the whole time he was being a dick, and then they have to team up to defeat vanko together. so despite having gone through all the shit tony’s put him through and realising how terrible a friend tony actually is, he chalks this all up to a mistake and a misunderstanding on his part. gives tony a second (or, more realistically, hundredth) chance. which is why in iron man 3 they’re best buds again. im3 is probably the healthiest depiction of their relationship tbh, and that’s on im3 tony being the least assholeish depiction of tony in the whole mcu (imo).

but tony’s character begins to sour massively from AOU onwards (not saying he wasn’t an… abrasive character beforehand, to say the least, but clearly all the guilt from causing ultron and inadvertently causing the mess in sokovia is affecting him and his relationships; pepper, another caregiving character that has put up with tony’s entitled, misogynistic bullshit for years, has left him, and i think that’s a massive sign that he’s spiralling in a similar way he did in im2. after all, the writers refuse to develop him as a character, which means he’ll never get help for his mental health and never learn healthy coping mechanisms. i honestly wonder what happened for pepper to leave - we’ve seen the breaking point for rhodey, so what was hers?)

so yeah, anyway, tony is starting to spiral again from AOU. civil war happens - he blames the team and latches onto the accords as a way to absolve himself of the guilt, bla bla bla, you know the plot. and, just like the others, rhodey is given mere days to read, consider, and sign this life-changing document; not only is his best friend vehemently, vocally, and violently in favour these documents, they’re also coming from a position of power that he, as a military man, respects. so it makes sense he’d initially be on the side of the accords.

and then something even more life-changing than the accords happens for rhodey. sam accidentally shoots him down and he injures his legs so bad that he can’t walk without support. and rhodey’s response to that? i know we don’t get to see much of rhodey’s response and recovery, which is a travesty, but what we do get? really sheds some light on the kind of man rhodey is, and how he develops as a person by the end of endgame.

for once in his life, rhodey is in the position of needing to be cared for - and on top of that, tony is the one offering. we also see that rhodey wants his recovery to be something he does alone as much as he possibly can, because that’s just the kind of person he is; we see the sheer amount of value he places on his ability to handle things on his own, and the skyrocket-high responsibility he holds himself to. and now all of a sudden tony’s actually trying to reciprocate the attention and care he’s shown him without reward for years (and only because of this guilt spiral he’s been on since AOU)… and that must have been fucking jarring for rhodey.

i think the sudden and strange role reversal probably helped him work out a few things about his relationship with tony a lot. which is why, when infinity war rolls around, they don’t interact. rhodey seems closer to and more in alignment with the “rogues”/“nomads” than tony. where once he agreed with the accords, he’s had some time to actually read them and reconsider them, and he’s against them now! he hates ross and greets steve with a warm hug!

and something i love so fucking much about infinity war (dispite all it’s other faults)? sam and rhodey’s relationship. sam shot rhodey down and disabled him for the rest of his life. and rhodey forgives him. first of all, because that’s the kind of person rhodey is (he’s had plenty of practice forgiving all kinds of shit with tony), and rhodey understands it was a mistake (and probably empathises with how horrible it must have been for sam; he’s military too, he understands that specific kind of guilt). interesting to compare rhodey’s response to the mistake with tony’s. and heartwarming to see that, for once, when rhodey forgives someone for what they’ve done, he is given gratitude and a genuine two-way friendship in response. i live for sam and rhodey’s every interaction in iw.

and then we get to endgame. know how many times rhodey interacts with tony in endgame? twice. first interaction: “okay, you made your point - just sit down, okay?” (read: “stop acting like a child before you hurt yourself”). second interaction: *sadly touches his face as he realises he’s dying before moving aside to let peter and pepper say their goodbyes*. what i love about these interactions - and the lack of any other interactions - is what it clearly means for rhodey:

1) tony still means a lot to rhodey. he’ll always mean a lot to him. they were best friends since they were literally just kids at mit. he’ll always, i think, love tony and want to care for and protect him (from himself, mainly). and tony, in his own way, will always love rhodey. but, 2) rhodey has still, nevertheless, cut ties with tony. i think the time away from action caused by the long recovery process he would’ve went through not only let rhodey reconsider his stance on the accords and his superiors in the military such as ross, but it also gave him time (and a wildly new perspective) to realise how toxic his relationship with tony truly is.

and what’s great to compare the way in which and reasons why he cuts ties with tony after civil war compared to the way in which and reasons why he cut ties with tony during im2, is that rhodey hasn’t been pushed to his breaking point this time. he has way more agency in his choice this time. he’s not leaving because he’s been infuriated one time too many; he’s doing it because he’s actually being given the kind of support he himself has been dishing out all these years… and doesn’t want it. not if it’s coming from the place of convenience and guilt that it is with tony. he cannot be guilt-tripped into forgiving tony anymore because he is making his choice this time with clear-mindedness.

and you know what’s so great about him finally genuinely cutting ties with tony this time around? he’s no longer his yes-man. he gets space to breathe as his own character. he jokes around more. he’s not annoyed all the time. he gets involved with the rest of the team. as i’ve said, he interacts with sam and it’s beautiful. he interacts with nebula and it’s heartwarming and they form a bond so quickly. and in all the new interactions he gets you see he is receiving so much more respect and reciprocation than he’s ever experienced with tony. and it makes me so happy.

also i can’t help but think about how it’s also a pretty big deal for him as a black character to go through all of these revelations and developments; black kids are often encouraged/forced to mature mentally/emotionally a lot quicker than white kits, and take on responsibility that shouldn’t be their burden to bear from a young age (which i think was absolutely something rhodey experienced as a highly intelligent black child), and it’s not uncommon for black characters to be portrayed in these caregiving roles to Hurt White Characters. so for him to break out of that box is just beautiful.

tony, on the other hand, is a white billionaire who never learned how to grow up; he’s never had to handle the kind of daily-grind stress that non-billionaire poc like rhodey have handled since they were a kid. not saying tony hasn’t faced other kinds of stress, but for the most part? everything has been given to him on a shiny golden platter. so when responsibility is thrust upon him - when his faults are actually pointed out - he doesn’t know how to handle it. hasn’t learned. it destroys his mental health. he gets destructive in turn. irreparably damages his relationships. spirals and spirals and refuses. to get. help. (you’re a billionaire, tony - you can afford a therapy. and the idealisation/romanticisation of unhealthy guilt spirals and a mindset of powering through despite everything and without asking for help until you crash and burn is not good mental illness/neurodivergent rep, it’s just the only one the mcu knows how to write.) i despair at the loss of opportunity when it comes to tony’s character and what he could have come to represent, but that’s another essay entirely.

when it comes to rhodey, however, the mcu have accidentally created a wonderful character and a wonderful character arc. that’s not to say they deserve any praise though, because this was likely never their intention and it’s purely accidental (again, they’d never purposefully give rhodey such an anti-tony character arc, just like they’d never intentionally make tony a bad role model, but that’s what they did, completely accidentally).

not only is rhodey a character who is unwaveringly kind and forgiving (and is rewarded for these traits later down the line in his new relationships), but we also get to see him learn how his kindness and forgiveness shouldn’t be taken for granted as it has been for years of his life. we see him step away from harmful relationships. we see him take back his life for himself - refuse to be someone else’s nanny. we see his growth and his development, and it’s wonderful, and i love him.

in conclusion: war machine rox.

#oh my god i love this!#this was the best read #thank you. SO MUCH for submitting this!!!!!#anti tony stark #james rhodes #submission

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freemanverse-mu · 3 years

Text

Chapter 1 - Part 2

“Greetings, Mr. Freeman. It is good to see you in the flesh, once again.”

Gordon snapped to attention, as if coming out of a daze. All around him was a pitch black void, and he would have assumed his eyes were closed if he hadn’t looked down at himself. Despite there being no light source he could see his hands and body perfectly well, all still in his HEV suit.

His HEV suit from Black Mesa...

Though his very last memory was of being on that tram as if it were only seconds ago he still felt a strange sense that time had passed. He had no way of knowing if it were true, or how much time it would have been.

His attention was drawn to echoing footsteps approaching him. As the sound faded into reality so too did streaks of light that seemed to indicate this place he was standing in was in motion.

A familiar pair of glowing teal eyes swayed towards him before it’s owner’s form came into view. It was that pale man in the blue suit. Gordon’s jaw clenched in irritation.

The pale man began to speak, and as soon as his voice broke the silence the two of them were no longer standing in that darkness but directly above the waves of an open ocean.

“I must admit these circumstances are rather inopportune for me,” The man said.

There was not a hint of land on the horizon, only the grey-blue of an ocean like Earth’s. Gordon looked at the rolling waves below him. They were just high enough that at their peak it sprayed a light mist onto his boots.

“I have many other obligations beyond you, you see,” he continued without pause.

The slight smile on the speaker’s face made it clear he was slyly berating Gordon. The scientist’s own expression twisted into a grimace.

“However, I believe I’ve devised a solution that will solve both of our needs.”

The man in the suit made a smooth gesture with his hand and faster than Gordon could blink they were both suddenly in a red desert in the dark of night. Overhead a beautiful band of stars lit the sands with a gentle glow. Gordon noticed the stars were instantly recognizable, the band being the Milky Way itself. Were they in fact on Earth?

“It will require a great amount of effort on your part, as well as a great deal of danger. I will provide no other opportunity than this.” The man in the suit folded his hands in front of him casually.

“Are you willing to earn your early retirement?” He smiled in that creepy way that didn’t reach his eyes.

Gordon Freeman began to sign to his captor but his thoughts came faster than he could move. Though they weren’t audible it was somehow clearly conveyed to both of them.

[Whatever it takes] was what came out. Gordon set his jaw, looking on at the other man with an unwavering glare.

The scene around them began to fade into darkness. The other man raised his clasped hands in a fake gesture of being impressed.

“Whatever it takes? As always you demonstrate your decisiveness. Very well. Here is what I propose:”

The scenery around them changed to the expanse of space, bright dots of stars all around them, and most notably a massive gas giant taking up most of the view. Dr. Freeman couldn’t help but look at it in awe.

“Myself and my employers require the aid of specifically Gordon Freeman. Obviously, this is you. However…” another fake smile.

“You are not the ONLY Gordon Freeman.” Now his fingers pointed vaguely upwards to the innumerable stars. “Across time and space exist uncountable versions of yourself.”

This information was only slightly surprising to Gordon. The idea that it was true wasn’t implausible, but imagining what that would be like was difficult.

“Just as one would ask someone under their employ to prepare and select someone to take over their position upon their retirement, so too am I requesting this.”

The fake smile didn’t shift in the slightest, but something about the tilt of the man’s head and the gleam in his eyes felt entirely sinister.

Once again Gordon’s conscious thoughts seemed to be projected to both of them.

[ ...You want me to pick someone to take my place here? I won’t do that.] A slight look of horror crept onto the scientist’s face, not liking this proposition at all.

In an instant the beauty around them returned to that original void they had started in.

“That is, of course, your decision to make, Mr. Freeman. However, in the interest of myself and my employers the only reasonable way I could let you go would be to release you from your agreement… without releasing you from your agreement. Hm?”

The bastard’s smug grin infuriated Gordon. Yet he knew any action at this point would be futile.

“You may be firm in your demand to be allowed to leave, but I am equally firm that this is the only situation in which that is possible.”

The tone in the thin man’s voice made it clear he was very serious about this. Gordon knew he didn’t have leverage in this negotiation, but his mind raced to find something, anything, he could say or do to avoid bringing others into this mess. His mess.

Because this entity seemed to have complete power over his freedom he feared any hasty arguments would change his mind, leaving Gordon no options at all.

The pale man in the suit raised his chin, holding up an authoritative finger for emphasis to his next statement.

“Here is what I require, and what you will need to look for in your replacement:”

“ Humility. Focus. Dignity. Integrity. Initiative. Freedom. Humanity. Patience. Ingenuity. Impartiality. Selflessness. Independence. ”

Gordon narrowed his eyes as he watched the pale man bend down to pick up a briefcase next to his feet that hadn’t been there a moment before.

Part of him wanted to completely ignore everything he’d just been told, but another part of him had already made a mental note of it and he felt shame creeping into his heart.

The other man stood upright and carefully smoothed out the minor creases that had appeared on his suit.

“I realize this is quite an extensive list, but now you see why you are not such an easy person to replace….hm?” He looked straight into Gordon’s eyes with an imperious expression.

“Gordon Freeman cannot be lacking in any one of these variables.”

In that moment the smile left the speaker’s face, and Gordon felt his uncertainty grow.

This was wrong. There was no way he could doom someone to the fate he himself had already agreed to.

And yet…

His mind replayed the terrible events of Black Mesa. His coworkers, his friends, dead. Crushed by the very complex itself as it fell around them. Mutilated by creatures that sank their teeth into their flesh and took over their bodies. Mowed down by their own kind they had relied on to save them. Or by invaders who had given them no chance to surrender.

And then… that massive creature that had been behind it all. Gordon had been able to kill it, but before he was able to return to the Lambda Complex to help the rest of the employees and families of Black Mesa escape, he had been brought here. By this man. This creature.

Anger washed over him. He needed to go back. People needed his help. And this asshole had forced him into servitude. For what? For who? Gordon didn’t fucking care. There were more important things that he needed to take care of.

A doorway of white light appeared behind the man in the suit. He moved to the side and gestured with a hand indicating for Gordon to follow.

“Now, if you will step this way, Mr. Freeman. We can begin this trial.”

There must be a way out of this. He was certain this man was serious about this being the only chance he was offering to escape. Gordon could refuse… The man had indicated the option of remaining here was his own prerogative.

Yet… there was a chance.

There was a chance he could escape. And there was a chance he could avoid sealing another person’s fate. Another… Gordon Freeman’s fate. He wouldn’t know unless he took this chance.

And at the very back of his mind, the rational side of him that considered things faster than his heart did, a thought arose. If this man and his “employers” felt he could handle whatever job awaited him, then wouldn’t another Gordon Freeman also be able to handle it?

He shut his eyes tight for a moment, making sure not to show a pained expression as he mentally stomped that thought down. Another Gordon Freeman would surely have people he loved and cared for just as he did. It wasn’t an option. It was not an option.

Gordon shook away all hesitation left in him and stepped forward, past the man in the suit and into the door of light.

He could see the man smiling out of the corner of his eye as he passed him.

And then the door to the void of darkness shut behind him and he was left in a void of light.

#well i was planning on making this into a comic but i literally could not force myself to do it #i stalled for days so instead of stalling any longer i figured i'd just write it so i can move on to the parts that i DO want to draw out #i hope that's alright #this means there will likely be more writing between comics #my writing #story #freemanverse MU

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ramblings-of-a-mad-cat · 3 years

Note

Whats your main opinion on that 3 R members? Do you think we’ll see them again? (because I want to see Rakepick so badly…)

Ah my good friend, you are brave to voice that opinion. To all my beloved other anons, you leave them alone, okay? Don't crack down on them. It took guts to say that.

As far as Rakepick goes, my feelings about her are well documented. My primary feelings about her are ones of disappointment. I believe she had the potential to be one of the standout characters in this game and for a while, she was. Right up until the Portrait Vault. That was when everything went wrong, and the writing of her character suffered. Her intelligence waned, her personality changed in unconvincing ways, and what could have been the greatest trickster ever was reduced to a one note character. The game really wanted to push her as the new main villain, but that only kind of worked in my opinion, because we had so much history with her. Her villainy rode on the coattails of the time when she was actually interesting. Will we see her again? I don't know. I don't want to let you down, but I'm inclined to guess no, we won't. And like I've said before, I think The Sunken Vault gave her about as good a sendoff as she's going to get at this point, unless they do a massive backpedal and actually restore her prominence, as well as her compelling aspects...but my hopes aren't high. Don't despair though, she could appear again. She's either been taken by the authorities...who we know have been infiltrated by R...or she's been trapped in the Sunken Vault, and I highly doubt that R isn't going to try and open it again. Merula will have told them everything by now. I'd say Rakepick's role in the story is likely over, but I could be wrong.

Then we have the White Robed Wizard. I like this guy. The one thing I cannot stand is that he has yet to be given a name, even though he was identified as far back as the beginning of Year 6. Come on, guys! As villains go, he has an air of mystery about him, that appeals to me. The depth of his villainy isn't really known. Just how evil is he? While he definitely seems to enjoy playing the part, I also get the sense that he's one of those villains who doesn't believe he's a villain. He seems to believe in whatever cause R is fighting for. Which could foreshadow a change in loyalties down the line. Perhaps. Though if any of the current R agents are going to do that, it'll be Merula. Anyway, I love his design, and I love the background story that he wears white robes because he was expelled from Mahoutokoro for using the Dark Arts. That's really neat. I bet he's another Jacob, another Merula. Someone that R preyed upon as a child, tempting him with their powers and secrets. Hence why he "turned white." As it were. He looks to be about Jacob's age, even. Which gives me a lot of curious thoughts and speculative ideas. Do they know each other? As for whether or not we'll see him again...well, I'm not going to speculate on that, actually. Sorry, but the truth is...I kind of already know the answer. I read the datamines, see. And without giving anything away, I do know the answer to that question.

The Dark Witch is last but not least. I want to say first and foremost that I really dig her design. She just looks so spooky and yet sort of regal at the same time. It's basically confirmed at this point that she is the metamorphmagus and that only makes her cooler. On a meta level, I love how we actually met her for the first time in disguise, having no idea who she was or how important she would turn out to be. Especially since, like I said, I read the datamines. So I knew about her sprite for a while before it was revealed. A genuine double twist for me when she unmasked. She's obviously clever and has all sorts of magic and different abilities up her sleeve that make her a formidable enemy. And I do mean enemy. That's another thing. If any R member gets given more dimension to make them sympathetic and potentially tease redemption...yeah, it's not going to be The Dark Witch. Especially not after the way Rakepick was handled, there's just no way. She simply exudes a kind of confident evil, and everything from her design to the way the other characters talk about her, makes it very clear that she's going to be one evil witch. She's clearly a high ranking member of R, possibly been involved for decades considering how much older she is than the Mahoutokoro wizard. She seems to have been the main figure behind the "Merula assignment" so to speak. So nah, she's either The Leader or The Leader's right hand. And because of this, I am so very certain that we'll see her again.

#HPHM R #HPHM Analysis #Patricia Rakepick #HPHM Dark Witch #HPHM White Robed Wizard #Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

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jeremys-blogs · 3 years

Text

The Old Leader

Optimus had lost track of just how long he'd been standing there. He knew what he was going to be seeing here, he knew what condition he'd find him in. And yet, actually being here, seeing the one he'd looked up to for so long like this, was a lot to take in. Ultra Magnus, the one who had led them through the Great War, whom Optimus had always looked up to, was simply a shadow of the figure he once was. Lying motionless upon the table, with wires connecting him to many a life support device, the esteemed Autobot leader was far from how Optimus remembered him. All around there was only the sound of the occasional beep from the aforementioned devices, as well as the other bots in the room, Ratchet, Arcee and Red Alert. All had helped their leader as much as they could, and all had done their part, but now it was time for Optimus himself to step up and do his. After casting a final glance to his friend Ratchet, who gave him a silent nod, Optimus once more turned his optics to the unmoving form of Magnus, then down to the newly-created pendant around his neck. "The Allspark has performed miracles before...so let's see if it can do one more."

Placing his hand upon the container that held their race's most sacred artefact, the young Prime held it forward, and all other bots in the room took a step back, unsure of what would happen next. Moment after moment passed, and still, nothing. Optimus wondered if this would even work, but then, his patience was rewarded. For within that pendant, that familiar glow began to intensify. The great power of the Allspark was coming forth, and within just a few seconds more, Ultra Magnus' body was practically bathed in it. A look of wonder was across the faces of all in the room, and through the intense light they could see, to their utter amazement, the damage and scarring of Ultra Magnus beginning to be righted. When at last the light died down, they saw now what their own medical ability had failed to do, repair him completely. It looked as if he were brand new, save for the obvious age of his form of course. Letting go of the pedant, Optimus leaned in closer, looking down to his commanding officer, still concerned if his actions had actually helped like he wanted. Then, that hope was answered when Magnus' optics shot open, a look of horror upon his face. "Shockwave!"

The Autobot leader sat upright in the blink of an eye, and immediately Ratchet was over to him, holding him on his shoulders and speaking in about as calm a way as he was able. "Ultra! It's okay! You're safe! Shockwave isn't here!"

Ultra, still clearly disoriented and confused, slowly turned, recognition coming to him as he regarded the old doctor. "R...Ratchet?"

In a rare moment, Ratchet actually cracked a smile. "Yeah. It's me, old friend."

Silence fell, and Ultra began to take in his surroundings, as well as the other bots watching him. He glanced down to his newly-repaired body, looking as stunned as one would expect after an experience such as his. Then, finally becoming aware of the additional figure beside him, he turned, looking into Optimus' face at last. "Optimus?"

Even after all this time, Optimus couldn't resist giving a salute. "Sir. It's good to have you back."

Naturally, Ultra would have had many questions about what was happening, but it seemed as if he didn't even need to ask the first of them, as one look at the container that lay on Optimus' chest filled him in. "The Allspark," he whispered, his voice filled with reverence.

Seeing just how much this was for his commander to take in, Optimus gave a small nod to him. "Trust me, coming back from the brink by its power is a lot. I felt it myself a while back."

"Heh, I'd say you were in a worse state than Ultra at the time, if memory serves," Ratchet added grimly.

Ultra sat in silence for a time, his mind clearly awash with feelings of relief over having come back, as well as just the pure shock of it. Then, ever the dutiful leader, he took on a more serious tone when he finally spoke up again. "How long was I out of commission?"

"A long time," Optimus replied solemnly. "A great deal has happened while you were recovering."

Upon hearing those words, Ultra finally noticed that Optimus was holding onto a very familiar weapon. The Magnus Hammer. His hammer. The very symbol of Autobot leadership. Seeing his one-time protégé holding it, just as he did for so many years, caused the soldier to speak in a softer tone. "Yes...a great deal indeed."

Optimus said nothing, at least for the time being, wanting his leader to have as much time as he needed to get his thoughts in order. However, he did at least speak when he saw him trying to stand up for the first time since his attack. "Easy, Sir. The Allspark may be without peer when it comes to fixing a bot up, but still..."

Ultra gave a quick nod, making sure to take this motion slowly and carefully. Thankfully, things seemed to all be in order. A slight wobble and some understandable fatigue, but nothing worse than that. Then, he was standing, the towering Autobot that all remembered him to be. After another glance at all around him, he again regarded Optimus. "Now that I am well, I will need to be apprised of where we stand in our fight against Megatron."

The moment Optimus heard those words, he shifted slightly in his stance, in a way that very clearly telegraphed the awkwardness of the moment. Behind Ultra, Ratchet and Arcee shared a smile with one another, and every soon even Ultra was able to read the room, looking to Optimus and very much awaiting an explanation. After trying to think of the best way to phrase this, in the end he simply said what needed to be. "Sir...Megatron is in our custody."

Even Ultra, as famously stoic as he was, was unable to hide the disbelief he felt from hearing such a statement. "...Megatron?"

Optimus nodded. "Yes."

"In our custody?"

"Yes, Sir."

Ultra, in a way everyone had likely expected, reached for the edge of the table he'd just risen from, no doubt to keep himself from falling back onto it from the shock of the news. "I...I was not expecting to hear such a thing." Looking to the side, Optimus reached out with an open hand, and Red Alert, who had been silent through this entire exchange, dutifully gave him a data pad. After looking to it for only a few moments, Optimus, in turn, handed it to Ultra. "I've taken the liberty of making an official report on the matter, Sir. I think you'll find there's a lot in here besides."

Now looking like he'd just found himself in a whole other world, Ultra hesitantly accepted the pad. The duty of looking though reports was common for him back before the incident with Shockwave, but now the bot seemed almost fearful to do so. In the end though, he took it, and before long his optics could be seen scrolling through the massive amount of information that was now being presented to him. Nobody else said a word, and Ultra, despite his obvious efforts to appear reserved as usual, gripped the pad tighter as he approached the end of the report. When finally he got to the end, he did something so out of character that it momentarily caused concern for the others. He breathed a sigh of relief. "The war...is over. After all these years...it is over."

Optimus, though he wanted nothing more than to sound happy over that point, spoke with a tone far less cheery than one would expect. "Yes...but not without loss."

Ultra looked to him, and without even an explanation, understood. "I've no doubt. Megatron took many of Cybertron's best and brightest in the old war. To see him brought down for good...would have had its price."

Optimus didn't want to delve further into that, and so instead tried to focus on the positive. "The people of Cybertron have been celebrating for some time now, Sir. And I'm sure they'll feel even better when you return to your rightful place."

Ultra said nothing to that, instead just watching as Optimus gripped the handle of the Magnus Hammer with both hands, offering it to him. The implication was clear, that he wanted his commander to resume his post and lead Cybertron as he always had. But as Ultra stood there, allowing all these new revelations to swirl in his head, he simply stared at his old weapon for a long while without budging an inch. Finally, and after much thought, he glanced over his shoulder. "If I might have a moment alone with him?"

Though confusion was abound for many of the other bots, for Ratchet it was all too clear a message, and he placed his hand upon Arcee's shoulder. "Come on. I think there are still some adjustments we need to make to Optimus' flight-tech."

Optimus watched as the old doctor hurried out the other two, while he stayed behind, wondering just what was going on. Eventually, and only after hearing the sound of the closing door of the ward, did he at least hear the voice of his leader yet again. "Optimus...I am sorry. But I cannot be Cybertron's leader again."

The young Autobot who now held his weapon looked stunned by such a statement. "But...of course you can! You're our Magnus! Your injuries have been repaired!"

Ultra gave a small nod. "Yes...but we all have our time. And I think mine has come and gone. When Cybertron needed me, truly needed me, I was not there. I was not the one who led our people to victory." He slowly looked Optimus in the optics. "I have erred, Optimus. Many times. Both in our old war with the Decepticons, and even during the long calm that followed it. Many of my choices, as necessary as they may have seemed, are ones that have haunted me. We Autobots were meant to stand for something good once upon a time. But in the fires of war, those ideals were quickly lost. And I, the supposedly great Magnus, could not even ensure that the war would not resume after so many years."

Optimus stepped forward. "Sir...Cybertron needs you."

Ultra shook his head. "No, Optimus. It does not. And I think...it has not needed me for some time." For the first time since Optimus had known him, Ultra smiled, if only a little. "But if it is a leader our world needs...there is another who can take that role."

It took no time at all for Optimus to understand what was happening, and though he looked overwhelmed by the offer, he still managed to keep his feelings in check, letting out only a sigh. "Sir, I'm...I'm only a soldier. I'm not worthy."

A dry chuckle escaped Ultra. "Nor was I." He reached out, placing his hand on Optimus' shoulder. "You recall once how I said I believed that it was not in your programming to be great?" The wince on Optimus' face was all the answer he needed to continue. "Well, I have been wrong before, but never as wrong as I was then. You are great, Optimus Prime. And right now, if our people are to enter a new age...they need a new leader. And I can think of nobody better than the one who saved them from their enemies...in the way I couldn't."

Optimus, who was as shocked by this sudden change as Ultra likely was at his age, looked down to the hammer in his hands, gripping it even tighter than before. "I...I don't know if I can lead a whole world."

Ultra looked to him, giving a firm nod. "Well then...let's find out, shall we?"

#fanfic #fanfiction #fan fiction #transformers #tfa #transformers animated #optimus prime #ultra magnus #ratchet #arcee

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vivithefolle · 3 years

Note

She never said that she enjoyed writing Ron’s humiliation, she said she enjoyed developing him. And at that point, Ron WAS more immature than Harry and Hermione. Harry had been through so much that neither of them can relate to, and Hermione did her growing up back in Prisoner with the Scabbers stuff. Wanting to develop your characters is a GOOD thing and it’s GOOD that Ron had development. The “make himself worthy of Hermione” isn’t specific to Ron, she also said, with Harry and Ginny, that both of them had grown enough that they were both worthy of the other by book 6, and Hermione became worthy of Ron when she did her growing up

And at that point, Ron WAS more immature than Harry and Hermione.

Shall I remind you of how very maturely Hermione handled her jealousy in Half-Blood Prince?

Or do you have more “hot takes” that are nothing more than you blowing hot air over creepy shit?

Because you know what? I don’t care about who was worthy of who.

Saying “worthy” in regards to love and feelings is fucked-up. The worst fucking kind of fucked-up.

You say “Hermione became worthy of Ron when she did her growing up”. But you never see Rowling saying that. You never see anyone in the fandom saying that. And probably because? You’d be immediately flayed alive by thousands of angry feminists for daring to imply that Hermione was somehow “lesser” than Ron.

There is favouritism. You try to say that “Harry has been through so much” but you know what? Going through shit doesn’t mean you’re necessarily grown-up. Yeah Harry suffered so much wah wah wah, he’s still a fucking asshole who thinks of himself first and cannot deal with feelings if his life depended on it. Hermione did her growing up back in Prisoner of Azkaban with Scabbers and learned to not be right above being considerate? THINK THE FUCK AGAIN because she proves she learned nothing by thinking she knows better than the house-elves, with all the shit she pulls in OOTP and with, again, how very maturely she sends a flock of canaries to peck at Ron’s face and is only saved from consequences by virtue of Rowling making Luna say “[Ron] can be a bit unkind”, thereby telling us to view Hermione as the nice one.

No Anon, you’re wrong, sorry. Rowling clearly thinks less of Ron than she thinks of her darling Mary Sue, and I can prove it to you with a single fucking quote.

All this says something very powerful about the character of Hermione as well. Hermione was the one that stuck with Harry all the way through that last installment, that very last part of the adventure. It wasn’t Ron, which also says something very powerful about Ron.

[...]

Yes, [Hermione’s] sacrifice was massive, completely. A very calculated act of bravery. That is not an ‘in the moment’ act of bravery where emotion carries you through, that is a deliberate choice.

But Ron came back.

Ron came back. But no words about that.

Ron too said goodbye to his family. Ron too sacrificed so much, and his decision to return can too be called a calculated act of bravery, because he was exposing himself to something that could have shattered his heart, his self-esteem, all he wanted - what if Harry and Hermione hooked up while he was gone, what if they hadn’t hooked up but rejected him still, what if, what if - and he still fucking had the balls to come back and apologize and take full responsibility for something the three of them had a hand into.

But no. The only words spoken about Ron are to put him down. To deny the journey he underwent. To deprive him of his heroism, of his choices, of his bravery, and to instead make it look like only Hermione did things for Harry.

This is the bias.

This is what we mean.

And it’s wonderfully examplified this way...

Watson: I completely agree and the fact that they were true equals and the fact that she really said goodbye to her family makes it her sacrifice too. Rowling: Yes, her sacrifice was massive, completely. A very calculated act of bravery. That is not an ‘in the moment’ act of bravery where emotion carries you through, that is a deliberate choice.

Notice something?

they were true equals

In regards to Harry and Hermione.

“They were true equals”.

And Rowling doesn’t correct it.

Instead she’s just quick to gush about how Hermione is so brave and so selfless and how she’s so very good at lobotomizing innocent people for their own good.

Rowling doesn’t correct anything about Emma’s assessment that Harry and Hermione “were true equals”.

Which implies that Harry and Hermione are equals...

... and that Ron isn’t.

Ron isn’t Harry and Hermione’s equal. And given the contents of the interview, it’s pretty clear that we’re not supposed to think that Ron is superior to Harry and Hermione - can you believe! Thinking that this is the story of a group of friends and not the story of Perfect Harry and Perfect Hermione and their lackey Ron!

Yeah Anon. Rowling has a bias. And that’s normal. She’s only human. Every human being has biases.

Only fair then that I be biased towards Ron and drag Hermione and Harry through the mud to compensate for their own author’s bullshit.

#vivi answers #ask #ron weasley defense squad #ron weasley defence squad #jk rowling

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thiswasinevitableid · 3 years

Text

Back in Time (Indruck superhero AU)

This was based on a prompt requested by several folks on the Indruck discord, and is set in the same universe as “The Thrilling Adventures of the Green Knight,” taking place some time after “Aww, Rats.” It deals with memory loss, so if that’s a no-go for you this is one to skip.

Duck Newton is proud of how far his boyfriend has come. How a man who was once, in his own words, “a hissing, scheming villain” now dedicates his life to protecting the city of Kepopolis, fights side by side with Duck to keep their home, their city, and their friends safe.

But sometimes, he wishes the self-preservation instinct that ruled him as a villain made more appearances. If it did, Duck might not be sitting outside the med bay of the hideout, jiggling his knee while he waits for news. Indrid might not have thrown himself in front of the blast from Dr. Amig Dahlias’ newest invention.

Duck might be unconscious in the med bay instead, but he’ll take that outcome any day.

The door slides open and Dani pokes her head out, “He’s waking up.”

“Oh thank fuck.” He rushes inside, takes Indrid’s hand as the silver-haired man groans and shifts on the cot.

“S’okay sugar, you’re in the base, everyone is safe, just take it easy.”

Red eyes blink open. Then stay that way, wide and scanning the room.

“I...I am glad everyone is safe. That is good. But, ah, I, I…” he turns to look at Duck, “I’m sorry, I do not know who any of you are.”

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

“Is it permanent?” Duck corners Dr. Octavius the minute he’s out of the room. The doctor is one of the best when it comes to dealing with damage from supers of all kinds.

“I’m not sure. That blast he was hit with dealt a massive blow to his memory; as far as I can tell, he can’t remember anything from his past. Not his childhood, not his time as a villain, not all of you. I don’t know if this was the intended result, but the blast also severely dampened his precognition; his powers are functionally dormant.”

“Fuck.”

Dr. Octavius sets a hand on his shoulder; they’ve known each other a long time, he’s been patching Duck up since his days with the Chosen Squad. Some childish part of Duck’s brain had hoped he could make Indrid better, the way he always made Duck.

“It may not be permanent, and I think the chances are good the memories are all suppressed, rather than gone. I’ll consult with some colleagues to see what can be done.”

“Thanks, Doc. Is he okay? I mean, uh, is he scared or anythin?”

“Mainly confused, which is understandable.”

“Yeah. Yeah. Thanks.” He waves as the man departs, then grabs his phone. Maybe there’s someone else who can help.

Dr. Mwangi arrives a half hour later; she’s Indrid’s therapist and, like Dr. Nelson, the vet, she’s one of the few people in Kepopolis whose office is neutral territory. She helps supers of all alignments, and Indrids’ flashbacks are more easily handled since he started seeing her.

“Just...do you think there’s anythin I can do to help him remember?”

“Any photographs, items of emotional significance from his past or present, those might help bring some memories back to the surface. Maybe taking him places that he’s fond of, or where important things happened. And I agree with you all that keeping all the super hero business quiet for now, as it could be completely overwhelming. Other than that, all we can be is patient. Is he staying with you?”

“Yeah. Our place is the safest, thanks to all the security he installed, so if word gets out where we live or that he’s incapacitated in some way, no one’ll be able to get in and hurt him.”

“That’s good. But I was more concerned with the need for him to be with someone he trusts. Even if he doesn’t remember you, I suspect he’ll feel safe with you.”

Duck looks into the other room, where Indrid is chatting with Aubrey (“I have a niece? That’s wonderful”).

“God, I hope so.”

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

“You are...my boyfriend?”

“Yeah” Duck is fighting to keep a gentle smile on his face, to not crumple at the lack of recognition in Indrid’s eyes, “we been together almost two years.”

“You seem very nice. And handsome. I must be very lucky.”

“Here we are.” Duck flips on the lights, shuts the door and arms it, “home sweet home.”

“This is love--OH, oh hello.” Indrid smiles as Chicken runs up to them, demanding her dinner, “who is this.”

Duck’s heart twists with disappointment for the three-hundreth time that day; he keeps hoping the next thing they encounter will be the one to jog Indrid’s memory.

“That’s Chicken.”

“She’s so charming. I had no idea cats could be hairless.”

Duck nods with a tight smile, is digging out the new bag of cat food when Indrid chirps with delight.

“Rats! You have rats!” His face is pressed to one of the boxes of Ratopia, his mischief of five scurrying up to greet him, “I love rats, they are so clever and resourceful.”

“They’re, uh, they’re more yours than mine. They missed you, see?” He opens the nearest door on the enclosure and five furry little bodies run out, squeaking for treats and attention. Void clambers up Indrid’s body like a black comet, letting out indignant noises when he finds Indrids coat without it’s usual special pocket for his “heart rat.” Indrid scoops Void into his hands, studying him.

“I am sorry, little ones. You seem to know me, but I don’t know you. I would like to, though.”

“You, uh, you wanna spend some time with them while I get dinner goin?”

“Yes, please.”

Duck starts water on the stove, pulls down the box of pasta, when Indrid speaks from behind him.

“The same applies to you, you know. I do not know you, Duck Newton.”

The box crunches in half in his hands

“But I would very much like to.”

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

It’s been three weeks, and Indrid’s memory shows no signs of returning. Duck tries to hold onto hope, tries looking on the bright side, but it all turns to rubble when he feels the empty space beside him in bed, makes a comment or reference only for Indrid to blink in confusion.

There is one bright spot, which is that Indrid insists Duck starts their courtship over. He’s adamant that he wants to build up to dating Duck again, that he clearly has met someone wonderful and is not about to let a little bout of amnesia get in the way, thank you very much.

So Duck takes him on date after date, finding some happiness in watching Indrid experience things he enjoys for a second-first-time. They get Gelato, Mrs. Nguyen shooting Duck a puzzled look when Indrid asks to sample several flavors, rather than ordering his usual Blue Moon with marshmallow sauce on top. They go to the movies, the zoo, to one of Aubrey’s magic shows, and all the while Duck keeps his hands glued into his pockets; Indrid is still learning to be comfortable with him, and he will not so much as brush a hair from his face unless he’s sure it’s what he truly wants.

When Indrid takes his hand as they’re walking out of a movie, Duck tears up with embarrassing speed.

Today, they’re in the Monongahela, Duck taking Indrid on the lake loop. As they round a patch of reeds, the taller man points out onto the sparkling water.

“What kind of ducks are those?”

“Wood Ducks” he replies softly, then laughs to himself, “you must really like ‘em, they were one of the first things you ever, uh, ever asked me about.”

“Really? I suppose that makes sense, their coloration is stunning.”

“Yeah.” Duck watches the two birds paddling on the water; he can’t be certain, but he thinks they’re the same mated pair that fascinated Indrid two years ago. The memory of Indrid, voice curious and shy rather than taunting, asking Duck what the bird was over the phone makes him ache down to his neurons.

“I’m sorry, Duck. I know this cannot be easy on you.” Indrid is watching him through his slightly tinted tortoiseshell glasses, “to have to wait for me to fall in love with you again.”

“‘Drid” Duck takes him by his shoulders so they’re face to face, “I can’t lie for shit, so I ain’t gonna say I don’t wake up everyday hopin you remember me. But what I want outta all of this is for you to be happy, to have whatever kind of life feels right to you. Even if we don’t end up together in it or I, uh, I ain’t in at all.”

Strangely, Indrid smiles, soft and bright, as the admission hangs between them. Then he cups Duck’s cheek and leans down, kissing Duck so lightly that it’s only the sensation of too-cold hands on his skin that let’s Duck know he isn’t dreaming.

“Wha-”

“It just felt right.” Indrid smiles wider, and holds a little tighter, wondering if this is it.

His phone rings, the tone that signals “shits going down, suit up.”

“Fuck.” He grabs it, brings it to his ear “go for Duck”

“It’s the fucking White Star boys again. They’re threatening to set off a bomb from the top of the GreenBriar Mall and are causing a major scene downtown.” From the sound of it, Barclay is driving as he talks.

“Fuck, okay, lemme get Indrid somewhere safe and I’ll be right there.”

“Somewhere safe? Duck, what’s going on.” Indrid pulls his sweater around himself

“Long story, swear to fuckin god I’ll tell you later, now come on.” They run back to the car and Duck floors it out onto the highway. The nearest safehouse is close to the mall, so he can drop Indrid there, change, and go help his friends.

This plan goes up in a literal cloud of smoke as cylinder hits the hood of the car, releasing a black cloud and causing Duck to careen into a fire hydrant.

“Guess we’re closer to the whole mess than I thought.” He grumbles, grabbing his spare mask from the glove box and ripping off his shirt to reveal his hero garb underneath, “you okay?”

“Not really, as we just crashed and there is a lot of yelling happening outside.”

Duck takes his hand, “It’s probably obvious, but I’m a superhero, and a bunch of dipshits are tryin to blow up innocent folks. Stay close to me, I’ll try’n get you somewhere safe and come find you after this is taken care off.”

Indrid does not look convinced, holds onto Duck’s hand like he’ll be sucked up into space if he lets go.

“It’ll be okay, ‘Drid. I promise.”

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

He focuses on Duck’s hand as they run, as if the link between them is enough to keep him safe. The chaos around them, the shouting and dust and disaster in the air, it all feels familiar. Then again, of his boyfriend is a superhero, maybe Indrid’s been in this situation before.

Duck’s fingers are ripped from his own as the hero is tackled by a bulked-up man with a white star on his back. They two grapple on the ground, rolling out of sight in the surrounding smoke. Before he can call out, pain shatters through the back of his head and he hits the ground, pavement scraping his hands. He flips over, finds another starred man sneering down at him.

“There you are. We all had bets going on whether the good doctor killed you with that ray.”

“I” Indrid scrambles back on his hands, head ringing too hard for him to stand up, “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t play dumb, Cold. Everyone knows where the Knight is, you’re right behind him like some weird fucking shadow.”

“I’m not, I swear, please, I have no idea what’s going on.”

The man hits a button on his belt, and a short staff, covered in what looks like sci-fi barbed wire, springs into his hand.

“Let me tell you, then: you’re a pain in the ass, and I’m going to enjoy killing you.”

“Wait, please” his hand connects with something cold, and his fingers tell him it’s a bit of broken pipe.

“Oh yeah, it’s gonna be fun to squash you like the bug you are.”

Indrid watches him raise the weapon. His fingers curl around the pipe.

And he lets instinct take over.

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

Most of the mob scatters as soon as Aubrey gets the smoke under control, but some of the more determined White Star Boys put up a fight. Duck throws one off of him, turns towards the commotion of two more fighting-

Oh fuck.

“Indrid!” He runs towards the melee, then skids to a stop as his boyfriend takes one down with a skilled, precise blow to the head. The lands a cut on his cheek with a Bowie knife and Indrid snarls, whirling to break the offending hand and knocking the man’s head to the side with the lead pipe he’s using as a staff.

The man goes down, hands weakly covering his face, and Indrid hits him again. And again.

“Moth, for fucks sake, stop! He’s down, you don’t gotta kill him!”

Indrid locks eyes with Duck, tilts his blood-spattered head to the side.

“You have the wrong villain, hero. I am The Sword. And you are in my way.”

Indrid lunges and Duck braces to take the hit that never comes. There’s hissing and cursing from above him, and he looks up to see Indrid trapped in red light.

“I came to help the Lady Flame�� The Quell regards Indrid with sorrowful eyes, “but it seems we have a far worse problem than those little power-mad stars.”

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

“He’s much quieter than his brother” Stern stands outside the Pine Guard holding cell with Duck, while Indrid sits calming inside, eyes shut as if in sleep, “The Flame monologues whenever he gets a chance.”

“Of all the goddamn parts of his life to remember” Duck clonks his head into the wall.

“I called every specialist on our roster; the consensus is that one of the white star boys must have attacked him. In moments of that kind of intense stress and fear, sometimes people revert back to what they first learned. In Indrid’s case, it was his training to be the perfect villain.”

Duck grunts in acknowledgement, keeps his head on the wall so he doesn’t have to look at the man he loves reverted to his worst instincts.

“I promise we’ll take good care of him until our next move becomes clear.”

“Thanks, Joe.”

The agent takes a final look through the glass, “We’ll get him back somehow. Come on, I’ll walk you out.”

They’ve just reached the parking lot when alarms sound and lights flash, Joe’s communicator ringing like mad. He looks at it and blanches.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Indrid got out?” It’d be the perfect, shitty cap to a perfectly shitty day.

“Yes. Do you want me to call in back-up?”

Duck shakes his head, “No. I was real good at huntin’ down the Moth. Think I can find The Sword the same way.”

He doesn’t add, as Joe wishes him good luck, that he has a horrible feeling he already knows where Indrid is.

Unlocking the apartment door, he takes two steps before his own SmartWhips close around his torso and arms. Indrid steps out of the hall, grinning at him.

Duck sighs, “Yeah. That’s why I figured.”

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

Indrid studies the trapped hero, wondering if he should ask him the main question on his mind, which is whether this location they’ve been pretending is an apartment is Indrid’s hide-out or his. He’s been searching it for twenty minutes and even with his foresight back he cannot tell. He did find his staffs, smart glasses that are confusingly red rather than silver, and a set of wings he knows are based on a prototype of his.

But that is not the most important question to his mission.

“Where is The Flame?”

Duck shakes his head, “Not tellin you. You were the smartest villain I ever faced, Indrid, and I don’t doubt you could bust him out no problem. But you and I both know you don’t want that.”

“It is my duty to free my partner. It is for the best.”

“Is it really? You honestly tellin me you wouldn’t be happier far, far away from that brother of yours?”

Indrid forces his face to stay calm, but his guts twist; how could Duck know how often he wishes Apollo would go on a mission and never come back, or just leave him be for a few days so he could do something, anything other than villainy.

“You know nothing of my brother.”

“The last time he saw you, he tried to blow you up, tortured me, and then tried to kill in some weird trainin arena. He’s a cruel, egotistical dipshit.”

“That...that sounds exactly like him. Very well, maybe you do know what you are talking about. So tell me where he is, and I will not be forced to get the information from you another way.”

Duck squirms, afraid, but stays silent. Indrid hauls his to his feet.

“Tell me where he is.”

“No. Let him rot, it’s what he deserves.”

“What he deserves is immaterial. What matters is he will get out one way or another and if he does it without my help he will-”

Duck gives a knowing look. Indrid huffs, drops him back to the ground.

“Nevermind.”

“He’ll hit you with that lightning rod of his? Or threaten to drown you, like he did that time in, uh, in Kansas City?”

“Would you kindly shut up so I can think?” Indrid turns on his heel, begins pacing. Duck knows a great deal, which means Indrid must have confided in him at some point, likely before he lost his memory. Maybe he was interrogated by him? But even then it doesn’t make sense; Indrid can withstand any kind of torture. Well, almost any kind.

Why on earth did he tell the hero those things?

He spots the rat run, the little black one (Void, that was what Duck called him) sending demanding squeaks his way through the plexiglass. Indrid leans down, touching his fingertip to the glass to mirror the placement of the rat’s paw.

“I wonder if I could take you with me. Doubtless you would make a skilled minion.”

“‘Drid, the scariest thing he’s ever done is wear those glasses that make him look like a giant monster rat to scare off intruders.”

“What part of ‘shut up’ was unclear, chivalrous one?” Indrid glances over his shoulder, finds the hero sitting up with a hopeful expression.

“That nickname. ‘Drid, it’s the first time you called me that since you lost your memory. Do you remember anythin’ else about that name, about why you call me it?”

He thinks, gets flashes of images that he’s certain are the past, not the future; Duck, the Green Knight, throwing him out a window, chasing him from warehouses, trapping him in those blasted SmartWhips. Oh yes, he remembers him now.

“You. You are my nemesis.”

“Uh, I was, but-”

Indrid laughs, high and sharp to cover the disappointment in his chest, “Oh that is diabolical. I lose my memory and what do you all do? You put me in the hands of my nemesis, convince me that I had a life with someone who cared for me as if that could change my nature. Not even I could concoct a plan that cruel, chivalrous one.”

“Indrid, please, you gotta remember the rest.”

“I do not need to do any such thing. But it does change what I do with you.” He stalks forward, wrenching Duck up by his hair.

The whips close around his wrists, trapping them together.

“Let me go this instant!”

“No can do, sugar. I ain’t gonna fight you, but I ain’t gonna let you hurt me, or anyone else.”

“You” Indrid sees the explanation coming, “you stole one of my smart picks! You are as bad as Apollo is!”

“Trust me, I ain’t.”

Indrid tries to hurl him against the counter, but Duck holds fast, causing the villain to simply unfurl the whip some. The hero giggles, quiet at first, then growing louder.

“Christ, it’s like fuckin deja vu, you and me bein like this. At least I did it on purpose this time.”

The villain is about to snap that there’s nothing funny about being trapped with one’s nemesis. Then the memory comes, he and Duck taken from enemies to allies in an instant as they tried to undo the malfunctioning smartwhip trapping them together. The night, about a week later, when Duck sent a spy B.U.G just to make sure Indrid wasn’t too badly hurt from a fight.

The Green Knight, looking after the Moth as if he was a friend, not a villain.

The Moth. He’s the Moth.

He surges forward, slamming his lips against Ducks mouth. The hero gasps, bound hands gripping the front of Indrid’s black shirt.

“My love, my love, Duck, I’m sorry, I am so sorry, one moment, I can get us unraveled.” He kisses him again, his mind and body registering the full weight of almost a month without his hero’s touch.

“Please tell me this means what I think it does” he mumbles into Indrid’s mouth.

“It does my love. More or less. Things are not coming back in a linear fashion, but it feels as if my memories have all awakened and will be in order eventually. I, I feel like myself, my full self, again.”

“Thank sweet baby christ, fuck” Duck huddles close, shoulders shaking, “didn’t know how much longer I could stay calm, you’re fuckin terrifyin when you want to be.”

“Oh, oh dear, apologies” The whips drop to the ground, “I did not remember, I, I was more lethal, more willing slash and burn when I was The Sword, I never wanted you to be on the receiving end of that, oh goodness, I’m so sorry, my sweet.” He holds Duck to him, buries his face in his hair when he thinks of what he might have done.

“You’re back.” Duck presses a kiss to his neck, “you’re back. That’s all that matters, fuck, I missed you so much.”

Indrid shuts his eyes, holds fast to the man who makes his mind sing “home” with every beat of his heart.

“I missed you too, chivalrous one.”

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

Dr. Amig Dahlia prowls towards her laboratory. The Pine Guard brought her latest scheme crashing down, and it’s high time to make them all into blank slates, the way she did with the meddlesome Moth. At least he’s still nowhere to be found.”

“Hello, doctor.”

Seated directly in front of the memory ray is none other than The Moth. He stands, patting the ray, “this is a very clever device, and had it not made my life, and the lives of others, miserable, I might applaud you for it. As it is, I am here to demand you disable it, and turn yourself in.”

“Last I checked, my ray didn’t damage your intelligence, so that idiotic idea must be all yours.”

The Moth cocks his head, “Is that a no?”

In answer, she steps forward, pressing in the sequence to arm the device.

The hero stays put, right in it’s path, “firing on me will not end well. I modified your device while you were distracted by my teammates. It will backfire when you pull the trigger”

“Nice try,but you’ll need a more convincing lie to get out of this one.” The lights on the side of the ray turn green.

The wide smile changes, all ice and edges, “Before you make your choice, consider this; Because of you, I almost hurt the man I love.”

She rolls her eyes, touches the trigger, and white light explodes all around her.

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

“What did you do to that ray?” Duck stands next to him as they watch medics help a sobbing Amig Dahlia into an ambulance.

“In addition to reversing the direction of the energy, I changed how it interacts with memory; instead of blanketing them over it pulls certain ones out and plays them on repeat. Namely, it pulls out those memories one would most like to forget.”

“Jesus.”

“Believe it or not, the futures show this being an exercise in empathy. The effects are not permanent, and when she comes out of them she will swear off villainy and move to Key West.”

He does not add that this seems a fitting quid pro quo for the fact recovering from her device means memories of his childhood appear without warning more than they usually do.

Duck is no longer beside him. There’s a metallic crack, and the hero drops the two halves of the ray on the ground.

“Just to be safe.”

“A wise idea, chivalrous one.”

They finish up at the hidden lab, and the Moth and The Green Knight disappear into the Pine Guard base. Twenty minutes later, Indrid Cold and Duck Newton step inside their home. It’s warm and comfortable, bustling with love and promise.

Just like Indrid remembers.

#indruck #indrid cold/duck newton #superhero au #Angst with a happy ending #memory loss

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tobe-sogolden · 2 years

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If Harry addressed the hate tabloids would report on it massively and bring attention to all their lies about her. Look for the grossest and most damning of their tweets and give them an entirely new platform for millions that wouldn’t have otherwise seen them to read. For instance, with the Weinstein thing, Larries think they hit jackpot every time they mention him in relation to her, despite the fact that there isn’t any actual evidence of her being entangled with Weinstein, and even if she was, as a young actress she would’ve been a victim, not a perpetrator. I cannot imagine Olivia wanting tabloids splashed with her name associated to Weinstein, whatever the reality of the situation is, even if the tabloids defended her.

Even if asked about the hate, Harry should only say that he and Olivia don’t see any of that, don’t pay attention to it, and brush it off. He can’t allow a few insane people (because once you start blocking them you realize it’s literally a handful of VERY obsessed people) to rule his relationship and his life. To run the narrative of their love. He’s happy, she’s happy, they’re happy together. I’m sure they’re both somewhat aware that there’s discourse but I seriously doubt either of them knows details about it. They have publicists and teams they pay to to handle all of this.

I mean, these people are terrible to Harry himself. Just last week they were running a campaign to create fake rumors about him cheating with his longtime stylist, not caring in the slightest if they ruined the innocent stylist’s career in the process. They’re not doing this out of love for him. They’re scorned exes trying to ruin his new relationship. Addressing them at all would be giving them a power and a satisfaction they do not deserve.

Even we talking about them is giving them a power they don’t deserve. Why can’t we talk about the fact that we’re happy Harry is in a stable relationship with someone who matches his energy head to toe? Why not spend all this time discussing how much he deserves being loved and how cute he and Olivia are together? I can guarantee you #those people would be way more ticked off if the general fandom was vocally supportive of Harry and Olivia than if we spent the same amount of time countering them and their hatred.

Putting this under a read more bc I don't want to clog the dash too much with my long ass response since this is already a long ask 🙃

100% agree. Most of the time they trend her name it's only in the "for you" section of Twitter and usually only like 2-3k tweets which genuinely is not that big of a deal. It doesn't reach many people who aren't already aware of what's going on. I've seen that a few locals have started to pay attention (and thankfully call them out on how insane they sound) but I think the majority of the GP is oblivious to what's going on and I'd prefer it to stay that way and not get sensationalized.

And yeah I think they're aware of how certain parts of the fandom are reacting, but I highly doubt they know any of the specifics or what new thing is upsetting them on any given day. It's just not worth their time. And exactly! It's not like Harry isn't also targeted by them. They're awful to him.

And that last part...you're so right!!! I really do try not to engage with the hate but I just get so mad when I see people being so STUPID and spreading blatant misinformation and I have this delusion that they're smart enough to have a rational conversation with 💀 but it really is useless and I agree that energy would be much better spent elsewhere.

I am ECSTATIC that he's in a relationship that seems very loving, stable, and supportive. All I want is for him to be loved the way he deserves and for that reason alone Olivia is on my good side 😅 She's very clearly enamored with him and we've seen plenty of affection and sweet gestures from him that suggest he's just as into her. They are so well-matched and have so many interests/tastes/hobbies in common it's actually kind of crazy.

And tbh the double standard in this fandom is so annoying. Let people support them! There are SEVERAL accounts on several platforms that have become places dedicated to trashing their relationship or being abusive and misogynistic towards Olivia, but everyone thinks it's soooooo weird if there are people out there who make accounts dedicated to supporting them and they're the ones who get called out for being freaks. They don't bat an eye at the vile bs being spread by those other accounts but the minute someone posts about them being a cute couple they're obsessive and weird??? 🤨 And people will be like "both sides are equally as weird/bad!!" like sorry NO they're not. Like obviously don't take it too far and start like writing fanfic about them or theorizing about their private business but people shouldn't be scared to just say they're cute or they like them together bc the crazies will descend on them 😭 I think they're cute as fuck!!!!

#ask

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