#besides xaviers character assassination

[sadbi-hours]

brooke lowkey telling ray that he was shit in bed was one of the only best things about 9x05 besides xavier doing his dorky dance and trying to get donna to catch these hands!

ray was like: "was it good for ya, baby?" and brooke was just lowkey like:

"it was okay...i guess...i've had better." like bruh, why couldn't I had gotten ep 5 Brooke before now! she would have made wifey staus a long time ago...like sassin' these bitches left and right, taking no ones shit, fucking montana's ass up and just being a genuine sarcastic soft girl the whole episode!

that's the true travesty of brooke's arc...just when she was beginning to find herself, ryan and margret straight up fuck her over!

[pomegranate-belle]

V-day ask meme 5 with mattfoggy?

5. Character spends all day trying to give a valentine to their crush, only to be foiled in increasingly ridiculous ways

So this became... 3k words. I feel like this trope is very high-school oriented, but somehow the fic ended up being comicsverse so idk. It’s set... Somewhere in a post-whatever-run-we’re-on-now future where Kirsten is back and Matt’s not stupidly sleeping with mob boss wives. Also, massive apologies to any X-Men fans; I do not know shit or fuck about characterizing Magneto and Professor X, I just wanted Sir Ian and Patrick Stewart to cameo in this fic—

—

Despite all the commercialism and the overwhelming scent of flowers and processed candy, there’s just something about the aura of Valentine’s Day that Matt likes. People young and old get excited for it — whether for romantic purposes or just because chocolate will soon be on sale — and their feelings infuse the air in a way Matt can’t quite pin down to one or another of his senses. The Valentine Vibe, Kirsten had called it when he tried to explain the sensation to her.

He’s... Ecstatic, to have her back in his life, there’s really no other word for it. They’re not quite what they once were — in fact, Matt has no idea what they are except she’s there and they love each other but they’re not the kind of people who kiss each other anymore. Still, after climbing out of his latest spiral to find her waiting at the top? He can’t think of a better dynamic to have with an ex. She’s still Kirsten, after all. She’s still intelligent and funny and brave and doesn’t take his shit.

She’s also begun to take a particularly pointed interest in his relationship with Foggy that he thinks he should maybe be a little frightened about. Her intention is that Matt, so she says, ‘stop pining and seduce him already’ — which is easy enough for her to say, but just because he and Kirsten followed an absolutely fantastic trail of sexual tension to an even more fantastic relationship does not mean the same thing will work with Foggy.

You don’t seduce Foggy Nelson, and Matt would know. He’s been trying unsuccessfully for fifteen years and he is not subtle. Matt knows he looks good even if he can’t see it himself; the empirical evidence is pretty, uh, evident. But whenever Foggy sees him shirtless his only reaction is to toss a shirt at him and tell him to cover his shame with a warm fondness that’s simultaneously disappointing and heartwarming. Matt’s not even on the menu to Foggy, he’s concluded. But, well. Matt’s always been a champion of lost causes, and all that.

Besides, best friends give each other stuff on Valentine’s Day all the time. Foggy loves chocolate, and he’ll probably brush off what the ‘oh my god Matt you big softie this is totally the sappiest one in the store’ card Kirsten helped Matt pick out says as being a joke, so it’s not like there’ll be any negative repercussions. Matt’s resolved. He’s gonna do it.

Unfortunately, Foggy’s in a meeting with a client when Matt shows up to probably-unsuccessfully sweep him off his feet. The secretary says it’s set to go on another two hours. Matt doesn’t have that kind of time to bandy around now that he’s trying to be responsible with his work-life balance, so he makes a tactical retreat.

Fine. He’ll just take Foggy out to lunch and give him his valentine then. No problem.

—

They actually do make it to lunch, which gives Matt a false sense of security. He decides to save the valentine for the end — like dessert. It’ll be sweet, he’s certain, and he’ll be able to savor Foggy’s happiness the entire time he walks him back to his office.

Matt is just about to pull out his gift and offer it to Foggy when his phone starts announcing Jessica Jones’s name. He spends about three seconds too long debating whether to answer or not.

“If you ghost her she’ll beat the crap out of you,” Foggy points out, standing with a metallic rasp of chair legs against the floor. “I’ll head out and let you take that.”

Foggy sounds content, smells like deli ham and honey mustard and potato chips ��� a not-super-healthy sandwich lunch masquerading as something more so by way of a thin layer of lettuce — and gives off the same soothing body heat he always has, excepting his bout with cancer that Matt tries not to think about. To make a long story short, he feels like home to every one of Matt’s senses, and it’s a struggle not to ask him to stay. Still, the insistence of Matt’s phone prevails, because he knows what Jess is calling about. He’d asked her to help keep an eye on Mike and let him know if he was up to anything — if she has something to report, it’s bound to be important. So, Matt offers Foggy a nod and then pulls out his cell to answer her.

—

Of course, both he and Foggy are busy all afternoon, but Matt knows that Foggy usually knocks off early on Fridays, so he wraps up his own business — meeting with Jess to discuss strategy, any work that can’t be pushed to later — as efficiently as possible and follows suit. His plan is to meet Foggy right as he’s stepping onto the sidewalk — waylay him and present him with the valentine before anything else can interfere. Except that as he’s strolling along down the street, Matt happens to hear a mugging going on down an alley that he’s passing. Breaking that up takes more time than he’s willing to admit — god, he’s getting old — and even vaulting over a few rooftops doesn’t make up the delay. Foggy’s gone when Matt reaches his destination. He lets his head fall back against the brick wall behind him, breathing heavily, and then reaches for his phone.

“Matt?” Foggy’s voice is tinny and confused and perfect over the phone line. “What’s up?”

“Dinner?” Matt asks. “I was thinking Italian tonight, want to meet me at Maria’s at five-thirty?”

There’s a long, long pause.

“Yeah, sure thing, Matty. I figured you’d already have plans...?”

“Nah, nothing. See you then.”

—

Fourth time’s the charm, that’s what they say, right? Maria’s is quaint and quiet and always smells like good bread and cheese. He and Foggy aren’t the only ones there — a few couples seem to be scattered around the room, including a pair of teenage girls that are probably on a first date based on the way they fumble their words and their silverware. There’s also two elderly men, one in a wheelchair, who sound like they might be playing chess on a travel board while they wait for their food. They all add to the atmosphere instead of disturbing it, though, which is nice. Across the table, Foggy clears his throat, scraping the tines of his fork through his food.

“So. Lunch and dinner? I feel like you’re buttering me up for something,” he says. “We don’t have to move back to California, do we? Because I will, but I only just unpacked my last box a few weeks ago and it’s going to be a pain to pack it all up again.”

“No! No, nothing like that, Foggy,” insists Matt. “Seriously. I just want to spend time with you. Is that really so out of character?”

“On Valentine’s Day?” Foggy points out, and his silverware clinks against his plate. “I mean, kind of.”

The implication isn’t lost on Matt — don’t you usually have a date? — but he doesn’t address it. Foggy is his date, but couching it like that out loud is a little too presumptive, even for him.

“Well, not this year.”

Matt smiles his most charming smile, and it nets him a fond sigh, the kind that’s normally paired with Foggy ruffling his hair.

—

Again, Matt waits until the end of the meal. This time, they get to dessert, and the moment is perfect. They’re comfortably full, happy, and relaxed. It doesn’t matter if Foggy sees the gesture as romantic or not, because at least Matt can be satisfied that it was done as romantically as possible. His sense of aesthetics, such as it is, will be appeased.

Which is, of course, the moment the door of the restaurant bursts open.

“Magneto!” shouts a man, storming into the restaurant with heavy, clomping bootsteps and shattering the moment to pieces. “I’ll kill you!!”

Matt is going to kick this guy’s ass.

What is he even yelling about? Magneto? Magneto’s not—

And then one of the old men stands. Every spoon in the restaurant rattles towards him when he pushes back his chair, prompting a sigh from his dinner companion. And so it turns out that maybe the guy bursting through the door isn’t as off-base as Matt assumed. That old guy really is Magneto. It actually takes Matt a minute to realize that the man in the wheelchair across the table must be Charles Xavier. Xavier just isn’t someone Matt hangs around a lot, he tends to steer clear of both him and his academy when possible. It’s not mutants Matt has a problem with, though — it’s telepaths. The idea of someone poking around in his brain pan without so much as a by-your-leave gives him goosebumps. And not the fun kind.

As Matt considers all this, the scene continues — he notices distantly that the teenagers are being ushered towards the kitchen and away from the action. There’s a few whiffs of air as punches are thrown by the unknown assailant, and an unpleasant burning smell. Matt’s torn between shuffling Foggy away from danger and joining the fray himself, but when Foggy reaches out and grabs his hand for comfort he finds he can do neither.

“Let me very firmly impress upon you the enormity of your rudeness,” says Magneto, his voice crisp and cold.

Matt can’t even tell what he’s doing — something about Magneto’s powers is messing with his radar sense in the most disorienting way — but it sounds painful. Matt debates with himself the pros and cons of shaking off Foggy’s grip and intervening.

“Erik,” Xavier says warningly, though there’s still something quietly warm suffusing his tone.

“Oh, very well.”

The would-be assassin hits the floor with a thud that rattles the dishes on Matt and Foggy’s table. He’s breathing, a little bit labored, but still alive. And unconscious. Also possibly bleeding a little bit, but it’s hard to tell with the scent of all the metal in the air.

And that, he supposes, is why you don’t mess up Magneto’s dinner plans.

Magneto and Professor X make their leisurely escape, leaving Matt’s romantic moment with Foggy thoroughly in ruins. He lets it go, sighing into the last bite of his tiramisu and gives the plan up as a bad job. Maybe next year, he thinks wryly as he and Foggy get up together to examine the man left on the floor.

“He’s wrapped up in a chain of spoons,” Foggy narrates quietly, nudging the guy with his toe. “Wasn’t sure if you could tell that, you looked confused. He must have some sort of acid powers though because he managed to melt a few on their way in. I think maybe he just fainted when the chain tightened. Are you able to sense any really bad injuries?”

Matt tilts his head and concentrates.

“No,” he determines at last. “No, nothing.”

That settled, they split the check and book it before they can get caught up in a police investigation or a mutant hunt.

Their apartments are in opposite directions, so there’s not even an excuse to give Foggy the valentine on the way home. And anyway, Matt’s feeling so discouraged that he’s not sure he even wants to go through with it anymore. He turns for home, planning to crumple up the card and maybe eat the chocolates himself.

“Matt.”

There’s a tug as Foggy grabs his sleeve. He turns towards the warmth of Foggy’s body, the sounds of his heart and his breath, and tries to offer a smile.

“What?”

Foggy gives him a quiet huff in return.

“Come on, Matt, give me a little credit. You’ve kept coming up with excuses to meet me all day. There’s something you wanted to say, and you still haven’t said it,” he explains. “I can tell. So let’s head back to mine and you can finally get it off your chest.”

Matt feels, suddenly, seen. It’s an unsettling and vulnerable feeling, but he knows beyond all doubt that he’s safe with Foggy. That it’s silly of him to be surprised at somebody knowing him so well when that somebody is Foggy. There’s not much the two of them can hide from each other after being best friends for so long. Mood improved a little, Matt manages a more genuine smile, and they walk on together.

—

“So, what exactly is your problem, Matt?” Foggy asks once they’re safely inside.

And it’s not as if he says it in a rude way, he actually sounds very earnest and concerned, but that just impresses on Matt all the more how stupid this entire situation is. He’s twisted himself in knots all day over one dumb little gift for one dumb little holiday. Annoyed with himself, Matt divests himself of his glasses, cane, and suit jacket, opens up his briefcase, plops the valentine and accompanying small box of chocolates inside down on Foggy’s coffee table, then flops onto the couch on his back.

“That,” he says, gesturing towards it. “That’s my problem, ok?”

Foggy laughs.

“That’s what all this was about? A valentine? You had me worried you were getting ready to pull some crazy stunt or another.” He pauses, likely studying the items set on the coffee table. “Chocolate and a card, huh? For Kirsten, I’m guessing? I had a feeling the two of you would be getting back t—”

Matt is extremely tired of Foggy’s assumptions.

“No, it’s for you! I’ve been trying to give it to you all day!” he complains, throwing an arm over his face — he might be a grown man but after the day he’s had he’s allowed to be a little dramatic, ok?

“Me?”

Foggy sounds surprised and pleased, but not like he’s having any sort of revelation about Matt’s feelings for him. Which is fine. That’s what Matt had expected, after all.

“Yup.”

“Well, if it is for me, then I guess I don’t have to feel guilty about wanting to eat these,” Foggy says, and there’s some rustling of cardboard and plastic as he opens the box of sweets and chooses one.

Raspberry-filled, Matt’s nose tells him as soon as it’s bitten into. With a pleased hum at the taste, Foggy picks up the card and opens the envelope. There’s further quiet, inarticulate sounds after that — noises Matt remembers from studying near Foggy, the sound of him not-quite-reading-aloud.

There’s a pause.

Foggy’s heart does a funny kind of stutter in his chest, then speeds up considerably. He swallows the chocolate in his mouth with a gulp that sounds distinctly nervous.

“Um. Matty...”

And now Matt’s nervous too. He sits up, clenches his fingers in the fabric of his slacks to keep from reaching for his glasses.

“What? What is it?” he demands.

“Did you, uh... Did you know Kirsten wrote in this?”

Oh no.

“What did she write?”

“Well, there’s a pretty long spiel about what she’ll do to us if we hurt each other,” Foggy says, with a jovial tone that rings very hollow. “But she also says I need to get over myself and kiss you because you’re an emotionally stunted duckling and won’t make the first move.”

“... Ah.”

Matt’s still trying to calculate the relative distance to the ground if he flings himself out the window when Foggy’s hand lands on his shoulder.

“Is she right?” he asks Matt.

“About what?”

Though he tries for a devil-may-care grin, Matt thinks it probably comes out a little anemic.

“About you wanting to kiss me, Matthew,” Foggy says drily. “we both already know you’re emotionally stunted.”

Matt shrugs.

“I do. But you don’t, and that’s fine, I’m... I don’t need...”

“I don’t?” asks Foggy, sounding incredulous. “Matty, come on. There’s pretty much nobody on Earth who’d turn you down and you really think I would?”

“But...? You never said...”

Foggy sighs and steps back. Matt gets the feeling he’s probably shaking his head in despair at Matt’s apparent idiocy.

“And why would I, Matt? I mean. You know what I mean! I’m just not the kind of person you would... They have leagues for a reason, buddy.”

That self-depreciation, light but tinged with a very deep melancholy that Matt knows is drilled right through to Foggy’s core, drives him to his feet in agitation.

“Objection!” he snaps, and doesn’t care how ridiculous it sounds. “I’ve flirted with you before! How could you think...”

“You flirt with everything that moves, Matt, I knew you didn’t mean it. That’s just who you are,” Foggy explains patiently.

“Well...” He can’t exactly deny it. “Yeah, but I did want to kiss you. Do want to kiss you. All the time. Except after you eat something gross and unfit for human consumption.”

Foggy offers up a quiet laugh, then, and it smooths some of Matt’s ruffled feathers when he can’t detect any bitterness in the sound.

“Real smooth, Casanova,” Foggy says. “That was sarcasm by the way. I’m rolling my eyes at you.”

“But you still want to kiss me too,” Matt replies, because he’s beginning to think it’s true and he knows Foggy finds it both irritating and endearing, but more the latter, when he’s smug about things.

“You really are unbearable. What do I see in you, I ask myself,” laments Foggy, even as he steps forward and cups Matt’s cheek in his hand.

Matt can hardly stop grinning long enough to swoop in and kiss him first.

[postmortem-bookworm]

Bright - Bucky Barnes - Part Six

Fandom: Avengers

Type: Series

Word Count: I give up keeping track

Character(s): Shuri, Natasha, Maeve, Bucky, Steve, Dora Milaje, Xavier, Logan, Rogue, Storm, Kitty, Kurt

Warning(s): Cussing, Mentions of attempted suicide (but shouldn’t be anything triggering), smut (maybe), mentions of X-Men, Steve is crushing

A/N: This picks up almost right after Black Panther, but before Bucky is awake, there is no Thanos, and everyone is alive.

Now would be a good time to mention that I have just a slapdash of different X-Men timelines and stuff thrown together.

"You're glowing." Nat says during their next visit, the two of them are in Shuri's lab, Steve and Bucky had gone to have a guy's day, while they decided to spend time with the genius girl. Mainly because they're both do of her, and miss having another woman around, even younger than the two of them are.

"I am not." Maeve retorts as she flips through some of Shuri's designs for a new suit for the mutant.

"You are too!" Shuri giggles as she walks over to the table, hopping up on the metal beside Maeve. "You have been for a few days now."

"Is this cause of Steve? Have you decided to give him a chance?" Natasha asks with an excited edge in her tone. Maeve sighs as she closes the booklet in her hand, Natasha nudges her side as she looks at the ex-assassin.

"No, because I don't feel that way for him. He's like my brother. Also, I'm not glowing," She turns to the younger girl. "I have not been glowing," She clambers to her feet to look at the two women. "there is no glowing!" Her words are punctuated by the slap of the booklet on the table between the two grinning women.

"I think it's one of the village men." Shuri says as she glances at Natasha. "A few days ago she went home very tired, she looked worn out from something, and the next day she came back, and she was glowing, happy, without any bags under her eyes."

"Have you been paying some conjugal visits in the night, Mae?" Natasha asks as Maeve's face turns red.

"No! Oh my Lord, Nat! Wh-Why whywhywhy why would ask me that?!" Maeve stammers out as the two other women start laughing. "Wh-Wha-What is wrong with you two?! I swear to enjoy seeing me flustered!" Shuri and Natasha exchange looks before giggling again.

"We do." They say in unison as Maeve huffs, stomping her foot as her arms cross over her chest.

"It's only because we love you, Mae!" Natasha shouts as Maeve turns to stride out of the lab. "Maeve! Maeve come back!" Natasha calls as Maeve giggles, turning around to walk back in. "We'll stop. Okay?" Natasha smiles wider as soon as she sees Maeve walking back in with a fake pout.

"Indeed. My apologies." Shuri grins. "Perhaps you are glowing because you are just happier than you have been since before I've known you?" Maeve drops the pout to come hug her two friends.

"I feel very happy. I've got good friends, a nice home, and therapy is helping me a lot. I'm painting more, I'm writing more, I'm gardening more." She looks at Natasha. "Nat, I know I was so angry when you guys left me here before, but-"

"No apologies." Natasha says as she reaches up to push a burgundy lock from Maeve's bright blue eyes. "You're healthy and happy, that's all I want for you, sis."

"That and a good lay on occasion." Shuri pipes up, causing Natasha to throw her head back, laughing as Maeve turns bright pink.

"You said you'd stop!"

"My apologies, but you can't expect me to not take the opportunity lain before me!" Shuri giggles with her adorably toothy smile, and Maeve shakes her head. "Now, I will stop." She promises.

"Your promises aren't worth shit." Maeve jokes, causing Shuri to pretend to faint against the table in shock. The three of them laugh, continuing to joke around and chat until dinner in the palace, where Bucky and Steve join them once more. Once dinner is done and they all start towards the Quinjet, Maeve falls to the back of the group after tapping on Steve's shoulder.

"Yeah Doll?" He asks with bright eyes, his scruff is groomed but still not gone, she notes that she's getting a bit find of it. It suits him.

"Steve, you asked me-"

"It's a no isn't it?" He asks, cutting her off so she doesn't have to reiterate the conversation and her awkward explanation.

"It's just that, I don't feel that way for you, Stevie." She looks up at him as she fiddles with her fingers before her, rocking on her heels. "You're my brother, and one of my greatest friends. I never felt like that with you, and while that's the case, I don't want to lose what we have." Her eyes are pointed at the ground now, wavering with guilt that is visible for anyone to see. "I value our friendship more than anything, and if I lose you becau-"

"No no, stop Maeve." He grasps her shoulders, her eyes snap up to look at him. "There's no losing me. I love you, friend or more, and maybe some part of me is mistaking familial love for romantic, but I'm not leaving. You don't have to give a long speech, you don't have to worry about me badgering you, and you don't ever ever apologize for your feelings. I'm not going to guilt trip you for not liking me the way I like you. Yes, it hurts right now, and yes it will hurt for awhile, but I will not abandon you or our friendship because if this." Her eyes waver with tears as she throws her arms around his shoulders, hugging him as he wraps his arms around her, hugging her back as gently as he can.

"You're going find someone to replace this warm you feel, Steve. And that light of elation you hold for Peggy, that burns in your chest at the mere mention of her name, will be someone else's light as well. I promise. It's just not me." She whispers into his ear, before they pull apart, and Steve smiles down at her.

"You two okay?" Bucky calls as he steps back into look for them. She jerks away from Steve, wiping away a tear from her eye, and Steve chuckles.

"Yeah. Just clearing some stuff up." He shoves one hand in his pocket, throwing an arm over Bucky's shoulder as the two of them walk towards the Quinjet, and as she walks towards the landing platform, Natasha walks over to her.

"How'd it go?"

"I believe he took it rather well." Maeve answers, looking at the laughter on Steve's face, feeling his genuine content at having a response to his feelings, with just barely a hint of sadness. "Yeah," She smiles at him as he waves and smiles back. "really well."

Two weeks later, Shuri wanders over to the two person village, her Dora Milaje guard not far behind. She finds herself grinning from ear to ear as she knocks on the mutant woman's door, which is opened by none other than Bucky, instead of Maeve. "Shuri, what can we do for you?" Maeve's voice reaches just past Bucky's shoulder, the soldier that is stooped in the door way, steps back to let the little Wakandan princess in.

"I have managed to convince my brother, to let you visit your home with an armed guard." She announces to Maeve, who drops the spatula in her hand, looking at the princess with wide eyes, reflected with terror and happiness. "We will fly you to there, and back. You may stay for a week."

"Sh-Shuri." Maeve stammers out in surprise, her tone is choked, and Shuri becomes confused. "I-I haven't been home in... Years!" She struggles to swallow as Bucky walks over to rub a big and warm hand on her back. "To suddenly go back, and to see everyone, I-I-I can't-"

"You do not have to." Shuri says in understanding, but Maeve quickly shakes her head.

"No, I want to!"

"You will not be alone. Sergeant Barnes will be accompanying you, as the part of your armed guard." Shuri's explanation causes Bucky and Maeve to exchange worried looks. "As long as you remain within range of your Kimoyo beads, and do not stray far from the manor, you should be fine. Putting nobody in danger."

"Then, all I say is... How much time do I have to pack?" Maeve asks carefully, but Bucky can practically feel the terror radiating off of her.

"You leave midday tomorrow." Shuri nods as Maeve wraps her arms around Shuri in a tight squeeze, before they part and they princess leaves.

"You gonna be alright, Darlin'?" Bucky asks as she stares at the door blankly. "Maeve?" He asks slowly as waves a hand in front of her face, causing her to jump, snapping out of whatever was making her space out.

"Hmm?" She looks at him, then smiles. "Oh, yes. I'll be fine." She stoops down to grab the spatula from the floor, then walks over to the sink to wash it. "I'm a little nervous, but extremely happy to see everyone again, well... maybe not everyone." She dries the spatula and goes over to the stove to stir the fixings in the pan, grateful that the food didn't burn. "Besides, I did say I wanted to introduce you to my family." She grins at him, a beam of happiness and warmth seems to pierce him in the chest.

"I can't wait, Darlin'." He leans against the counter beside the stove, arms crossed over his chest. "Now you know my next question, right?" She sheepishly looks up at him as he raises an eyebrow at her. "You gonna be okay to see this Logan fellow?"

"No." She speaks honestly, barely letting the question leave Bucky's lips. "But, I'll have to be. I miss everyone else too much not to go see them." Bucky pats her on the head, tussling her hair slightly, making her snack his hand, using the handle of the spatula to jab him in the side, making him chuckle. "Dinner's almost finished. Go wash up." He gives a mock salute, turns on his heel, and marches off to her bathroom as they both laugh. After dinner, she spends most of the night packing, then tossing and turning into midday the next day. After the long flight, it's nearly midnight, making Bucky and Maeve both a bit tired as the ramp lowers, and the two of them strut down it with their bags in hand. As soon as they get inside the manor, the sound of screaming makes Bucky drop his bag, hand going for his nearest gun, when a small figure of green, brown, and white blurs past him, barrelling Maeve over in an instant, the Mutant woman starts laughing.

"Ah missed you! Ah missed you, so much!" The smaller figure, a petite girl Bucky realizes, is sobbing as she hugs Maeve in a way that makes sure their skin isn't touching at all. Bucky drops his stance to pick up his bag from the hardwood floor.

"I've missed you too, Rogue. But, uh, can we get off the floor?" Maeve asks as she chuckles, the petite girl, Rogue, sniffles as she leans back on her knees.

"Sorry, Mae." Bucky walks over to help Maeve up, before he offers his metal limb to Rogue, who looks at him carefully, with hazel eyes.

"It's Vibranium. You won't hurt me." Bucky says, remembering the multiple doting conversations that Maeve had about the southernbelle. "See?" He reaches uo to remove the glove, showing the black and gold metal limb, and Rogue gapes a bit, before taking the hand he offers her again. Once on her feet, there's a poof of smoke in the hall, the smell of sulfur and rotten eggs is cloying as he turns towards it, readying to fight.

"Geez, like, Kurt, we couldn't just walk to the kitchen?" A young woman's voice meets Bucky, surprised that a blue furry boy with a pronged tail, has an arm wrapped around a smaller girl's form, her hand is waving before her nose, as if to wave off the smell.

"Zorry, Kitty, it is ezay to forget zat it doesn't smell good in small spaces." The German accident from the blue boy makes Bucky raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"Hey, guys. Look who's here." Rogue says from behind him, causing the two bickering teens to turn, before the girl squeals, dashing across the hall, right through Bucky's chest, and then throws herself into Maeve's arms. The more than Bucky looks at the two of them, the more he knows who they are, especially with how the other girl when right through him. That must be Kitty.

"Maeve, it haz been forever!" The blue German boy disappears in a puff of smoke, reappearing behind Maeve with the same stench, wrapping her in a hug as well. That must be Kurt.

"How are all my ducklings?" Maeve inquires playfully as they all part, Kurt grabs her bag from her as Kitty jumps up and down in the hall.

"Like, totally psyched that you're back! What was it like? Did you get to work with Black Widow? Oh, is Captain America dreamy? I bet he's super dreamy!" Kitty rambles as Rogue tugs Maeve from the hall, Bucky follows behind diligently.

"The Professor wants to talk with you and your friend." Rogue says, giving Bucky a friendly smile as she opens a door nearby. The office is well lit, with warm light, the smell of old books and ink hangs in the air, and Bucky is surprised to find a bald man in a wheelchair behind a heavy oak desk.

"Ah, if it isn't our very own, Blitz." The man greets, a fatherly smile on his face as the teens leave the office, shutting the door behind them.

"Blitz?" Bucky asks teasingly, causing Maeve to sheepishly rub the back of her neck.

"Codename." She explains offhandedly, before walking over to round the desk, wrapping her arms around the old man's shoulders in a hug. "Hey, Professor." She finally greets as the man hugs her back, and Bucky nods in understanding. This was her Professor, Xavier.

"You may call me Charles if you prefer." Bucky jumps as the man refers to him, before remembering that he's a telepath like Maeve. "Though not as powerful as her, thanks to her Empathy."

"Charlie," Maeve says sheepishly as she rounds to tug Bucky further into the office, the two of them sit before the desk in matching chairs, bags at their feet. "I feel like I'm in classes again, sitting in these chairs."

"You were a bright pupil. Which makes what happened to you, all the more saddening, that I never got to see you teach those you loved."

"Teach?" Bucky looks at Maeve again.

"I wanted to teach students after graduating. But, all that happened-" She shakes her head, looking up at Xavier. "I'm assuming that isn't just a simple visit, is it?" Bucky sits up straighter in the chair, hearing the firm tone in her voice.

"I'm afraid not, my dear. The past few months, Logan and Storm have been tracking a mutant with a... unique set of abilities." Xavier folds his hands before him on the desk, looking her in the eye. "As unique set of abilities as the combination of your own."

"What?" She gapes at the Professor as Bucky glances between the two of them. "Is it-"

"We are unsure. But, when Logan managed to catch her at one point, she was injured. The blood on his uniform gave us enough DNA to run a comparison. Maeve," Xavier looks down for a moment, as if processing how to explain the news. "the chromosomes are very similar. I believe that this is your biological mother." Bucky watches as the blood drains from Maeve's face, making him worry as he shifts in his seat.

"Wh-Why's that a problem?" Bucky finally inquires, making Maeve jerk in her seat, as if she forgot he was there.

"My biological parents were presumed dead after their house caught fire. I wasn't but a couple of weeks old, and the fire department was able to rescue me, but everywhere else was inaccessible because it was collapsing." She looks out the window, studying the familiar terrain of the land. "This means that all this time, my mother was-" She let's out a shaky breath. "and she just left me?"

"Darlin'," Bucky is out of his seat, squatting before her chair, taking her hands in his own. "you don't know that for sure. Maybe she wasn't aware you were alive, just like you weren't aware she was."

"But, she left me, Bucky." He reaches up to caress her cheek, wiping away a stray tear with a warm thumb.

"We'll figure out what happened." He promises, leaving her unable to do anything but nod.

"I didn't mean to upset you, my dear. But, you deserved to know the truth. I believe that we've kept too many secrets that have come to light I the wrong ways. I've much to do to reearn that trust you placed in me, that I lost." Xavier clears his throat, sounding surprisingly emotional, from what Bucky's heard, the man is often as emotional as a rock. "I will be here if you need to talk, for now, there is someone else dying to see you." As Maeve and Bucky both stand, the door to the office is thrown open, slamming against the wall like a powerful hurricane has hit it, and an african-american woman with snow-white locks walks in, eyes bright as she smiles, even her teeth are like sparkling snowflakes.

"Storm." Maeve is shaking as tears build in her eyes, before the two women meet each other half way, hugging so tight, it could practically rival the woman's hugs with Natasha.

"Blitz, I have missed you so." Storm's voice is like a cool wind, sweeping through like a breeze kissing balmy skin, and all Bucky can do is smile at the two of them. In the short time here, she's already changed. As part of the Avengers that he saw, she was often out into a little sister like roll, everyone being older than the burgundy haired young woman. But here, she's like a doting aunt and mom, and a sister in different respects. Bucky thinks he likes both equally.

"I'm sorry, it's taken me so long to come back." Maeve murmurs as she quakes in the older woman's arms, Storm presses a kiss to the crown of her hair, pulling away to cup Maeve's face in her hands, looking into her eyes.

"Never apologize for doing what you think is best for you." She pets Maeve's hair, before kissing her forehead. "Now come, you and your," She glances at Bucky, who is decked out in all black tactical gear, weapons in almost every accessable part if his body. "companion, you always did like the dangerous ones, must be tired. I'll show you to your rooms." Maeve blushes but nods as she walks over to grab her bag, but Bucky's already hefting the duffle over his shoulder, and the two of them are following Storm down the hall. It isn't long to see that Storm is leading her to her old room, the one that she had before she shared with Logan, which in passing his room, she notices the slash marks in an X in the wood door, making her frown as she follows Storm along the old teacher's corridor. "Hank and I prepared your old room as soon as we heard you were returning. I'm afraid that we can only provide a cot in there for your company."

"That's fine." Bucky answers softly, causing Storm to look over her shoulder at him, studying him for a moment, before stopping and opening the nearby door. The minute Bucky steps into this room, he can smell the stagnant scent of Maeve everywhere, as though it's seeped into the furniture and walls and floor. Seeing as she wasn't very old when she had this room, she had explained that the student's rooms were all full up when she came, so they placed her in the room as even a teen, he's unsurprised that the walls are covered in posters, though he was thinking more boy bands and less... 40's and 50's themed dancing posters. The walls are a light red, the carpet is a rich cream, and there's a fireplace roaring to fill the slightly cold room with heat. After so long in a place that only has heat and rain, he'd forgotten that it would be snowing in New York, and so had Maeve, it was getting close to Thanksgiving.

There's a cot close to the bathroom, which Bucky doesn't hesitate to walk over to, throwing himself on it in exhaustion. The two women giggle as the watch him. "So much for being an armed guard." Maeve teases as he lifts his head to look at her with narrowed eyes, before he sticks his tongue out at her, making the two women laugh once again as his head falls right back into the pillow and blanket on the cot. "I suppose you deserve a break, Bucky." She looks at Storm, whose whole body is turned toward her, her brown eyes are bright with a gleam, and a smile on her face.

"It is good to see you smiling again. When you left, you would not look at anyone. I felt so saddened that I could not help you." Storm rests a hand on Maeve's shoulder, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Good night, dear sister."

"Good night, Storm." Maeve bids as the woman walks out, closing the door behind her, and Maeve changes out of her tactical gear in the bathroom, the full body leather suit had done little against the cold, but it was a force of habit to travel in it, incase of an attack. When she's changed into her too large plaid button down shirt and sleeping shorts, she leaves the bathroom to let Bucky in. He mumbles about a shower before bed, causing her to laugh as the door closes behind him, and as she's turning down her sheets, a loud rap on the door sounds. The sound is clue enough to who it is, making her palms sweat as she glances at the bathroom door, before crossing to the bedroom door, and slowly she opens it. Logan's demeanor hasn't changed, not that she had expected to, his hulking frame fills the doorway, his whiskey eyes are burning, his knuckles white with his fists clenched, he exudes his barely concealed rage as he looks at her. "Logan." It's one word, his name, steady despite her shaking.

"Maeve." Those whiskey eyes are burning into her, scorching as he looks her up and down, making her feel like a piece of meat, rather than safe as his gaze used to make her feel. "You left."

"You didn't come after me." She replies just as evenly.

"Didn't know you wanted me to."

"I didn't." He flinches at her cold honesty, as though he's been struck. "Logan, I hate you." She looks into his eyes with cold and calculated ruthlessness. "I hate you. You make think you have a right to be mad at me, but you haven't got any such right. You broke me. I can't stand the mere sight of you, right now. All I want to do is curl up, and hide until you leave. But, I can't do that." He takes a shaking breath, anger and sadness tinges his air, but she shakes her head. "You don't get to be angry, or sad, or anything towards me. There was never a "we" or an "us" Logan. It was just Jean. Always Jean. And then you didn't even care when Magneto-" Her voice breaks as she quivers in her place, eyes hazy with unshed tears. "I tried to kill myself, Logan. But, all you cared about what that Jean was alive. Then she died again, and you still didn't care that I was broken. The minute I started to feel again, you were gone. You ran away, not because of me, but because of fucking Jean." He swallows thickly as she reaches up to wipe her eyes. "Always Jean. So, yes I left. I wasn't going to wait for you again. Our relationship was over the minute I started, because you never loved me, you never cared more than sex." She sniffles as she looks up at him. "So, consider this the official break up. I fucking hate you, Logan. I deserve to be happy, and let's face it, you were never going to give it to me. Good-bye." She slams the door in the man's face, before turning to lean against the wood, sliding down it as she rubs her eyes with the palms of her hands, composing herself.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop. Sound kinda travels in here." She looks up to see Bucky, dressed for bed, leaning against the doorway of the bathroom.

"That's always the disadvantage here. Old walls equal thin walls." She says un a surprisingly even voice. "Likely everyone else awake heard my speech too."

"Must make having sex seem like an orgy." Bucky chuckles, making her let out a weak laugh, before his smile falls as he pushes off the doorway. "You gonna be okay?" He asks, walking towards her.

"I don't know." He helps her to her feet, watching as she takes a deep breath of air, as if breathing fresh air for the first time in a long time. "Yes." She finally answers, letting the air out. "I'll be perfectly fine."

[writings-from-the-hart]

Happy Meet and Greet Monday! How your characters spend a day off?

The Starks are inseparable, connected at the hip, and if you see one Stark you better watch your back because the other one isn’t too far away. So it makes sense that the two of them would spend a day off together. . . That isn’t the case. 

Eris: “When you basically live inside someone’s head 24/7 you need a break. An actual physical break from them to get some kind of distance, alone time.” 

Brazen: “I need peace and quiet or I’ll lose it.” 

Eris likes to spend the day off with Valentina doing who knows what. Now that they are both a part of the House of Cards and not lone assassins. The two of them spend a lot of down time together either chatting (talking shit about the Republic) or pulling pranks on Republic soldiers around Blackwell. They’re the ones to blame for why the base has gone into red alert and lockdown over more than three dozen times and why Eric now makes sure nobody has too much “free time.” 

Eris: “I bet I can make the next soldier piss himself.” 

Valentina: “Weak. It’s only a good prank if he has a false heart attack.” 

Brazen on the other hand is the polar opposite of his rather rambunctious twin sister. Sure Eris and Valentina sometimes end up dragging him into their prank “plots” but whenever he has downtime he can usually be found in Xavier’s workshop doing one of two things: sleeping or cleaning his weapons. The day Brazen found out about Xavier’s workshop was the day he discovered what heaven must be like, somewhere quiet and serene, and the young engineer and medic of the team has taken an oath to never tell Eris where her brother hides out. He doesn’t admit it but Xavier enjoys Brazen’s company in the large workshop. 

Brazen: “You tell her about this place I’ll kill you.” 

Xavier: “I know. Besides, I don’t know if I could really handle both of the Stark twins in here at the same time.” 

Nova: “Answer. You couldn’t Master X.” 

[newx-menfan]

SDCC 2019 X-Men

Can I just say that I LOVE how Marvel is apparently taking names of Classic X-Men teams and more or less completely ignoring the original premises of the books? 

Excalibur- A team, that while it HAD some American characters (Kitty, Rachel...) - was mainly X-Men from the UK or Europe (Cap. Britain, Nightcrawler, Pete Wisdom, Meggan, ect...)... 

Whose part of the new lineup? 

Rogue (Deep South Mississippi) , Gambit (Louisiana) , Jubilee (California) , Rictor (Mexico), and Apocalypse (Egypt)...

Only British Character is Captain Britain/Psylocke/Betsy Braddock....

New Mutants- For the Most part New Mutants IS 100% the original New Mutants, with the additions of Chamber (apparently everyone has decided to collectively ignore Rosenberg’s Uncanny in the X-Office...), Mondo, and the Space Jammers....

The Marauders- Originally the Marauders were a group of mutant assassins, criminals, and killers who’ve pop up pretty regularly since the ‘Mutant Massacre’.

Some popular members have been: Harpoon, Malice, Scalphunter, Gambit, Mystique, Vanisher, ect...

Whose part of the new lineup?

Kitty, Emma, Storm, Pyro, Iceman, and Bishop.

While I guess you COULD ARGUE Storm is a thief, Emma WAS a criminal, and Bishop DID try to kill Hope once....

This feels REALLY weird to name an X-Men hero team after a group that...massacred a bunch of homeless mutants living in the sewers of New York..

Fallen Angels-Originally a spin off of New Mutants, that was basically ‘the Runaways’ of its time and featured characters like Gomi, Bill the Lobster, Ariel, Chance, Sunspot, Warlock, ect...

Whose part of the new lineup?

So far it looks like Baby Cable, X-23, and Kwannon....

There’s NO HINT ANY OF THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS are returning....

While X-23 DOES FIT the premise if you’ve read NYX and MAYBE KINDA Cable...this seems RATHER DIFFERENT from a book about rebellious teens...

X-Force-

A Militant and more aggressive approach to X-Men, where characters like Cable, Domino, Shatterstar, and others became popular

Whose part of the new lineup?

I will give the book this- the choices mostly make sense...

Kid Omega, Wolverine, Colossus, Domino, Sage...

The only big outliers are:

Beast (who has always been AGAINST X-Force...)

Jean Grey (Who was JUST in X-Men Red promoting empathy and peace...?)

I guess my question is...is why not just make new teams...with new names? There’s DEFINITELY ENOUGH ‘X’ PUNS Marvel can still do....

Maybe this seems hypocritical from someone who regularly COMPLAINS about nostalgia...but I really DON’T GET the point of this....

What’s the point of doing ‘Fallen Angels’...if from all appearances it’s neither following the original premise of the team OR has any of the original members involved? Why not just call it something else? 

I guess my question is- is what is the point of relying on the nostalgia of ‘Excalibur’ or’The Marauders’ and using a ‘selling title’, when you’re completely ignoring the purpose of the original title? 

I understood WHY Christina Strain USED the title ‘Generation X’, because most of the living original members returned to the book and it followed the essential premise- teenagers that feel like outsiders, training at Xavier’s School for the Gifted. 

I understood WHY DeFilippis and Weir USED ‘New X-Men’ in it’s title, because they were an offset of Morrison’s generation and what he had built in his run... 

This just feels like attaching popular X-Men teams names randomly to books.... 

The worst part is- they could have had some EXCELLENT LINEUPS, that MADE SENSE with the premise!

Have Pixie and Chamber on Excalibur! 

Have Hellion, Bling, and Gentle on Fallen Angels with some of the classic characters!

Have New Mutants be a mix of the original New Mutants and Dani’s New Mutants 2.0!

I’m HOPING this choice is because it’s all part of some AU verse...because otherwise I have no f*****’ clue why Marvel is doing this BESIDES empty, soulless nostalgia finally coming full circle....

Here’s the link for more info:

https://www.polygon.com/2019/7/20/20702170/house-of-x-men-marvel-comics-excalibur-marauders-new-mutants-fallen-angels-x-force-sdcc-2019

[ramajmedia]

IT Chapter Two: Every Returning Character From The First Movie

Which IT Chapter One characters are returning for IT Chapter Two? Both films from New Line Cinema are based on Stephen King’s 1986 novel IT - though the book has been split into two installments - and directed by filmmaker Andy Muschietti.

Released in September 2017, IT Chapter One follows the experiences of several kids in Derry, Maine. The storyline begins in 1988, as the self-proclaimed Losers' Club cope with personal issues while investigating a mysterious being they label as It. The kids ultimately discover that It returns every 27 years to feed on the fears of Derry locals. Incidentally, IT Chapter Two picks up the storyline in 2016, as the Losers' Club reunites and decides to face their childhood trauma one last time.

More: IT and Joker Can Save Warner Bros' Disappointing 2019

IT Chapter Two features many returning characters for two separate timelines - both the children from the first movie and their new adult counterparts are starring in the film. Here’s a complete list of every major IT Chapter One character returning for IT Chapter Two.

It Aka Pennywise The Dancing Clown

Portrayed by Bill Skarsgård, this character is the central villain of the IT story. Pennywise embodies all the fear that children grapple with during their formative years, which means that It can take on various forms, depending on the situation. Pennywise speaks like a normal clown at times but transforms his appearance to shock and terrify his victims. IT Chapter One begins with Pennywise luring and killing a young Derry resident, Georgie Denbrough.

Skarsgård has previously appeared in feature films like Atomic Blonde, Assassination Nation, and Deadpool 2. He also portrayed Henry Deaver aka The Kid in Hulu’s Castle Rock season 1.

Bill Denbrough

Jaeden Martell reprises his role as Bill Denbrough from IT Chapter One. James McAvoy will portray the 2016 version in IT Chapter Two. In the ‘80s narrative, Bill stutters and struggles with his brother Georgie’s disappearance. Like other Losers' Club members, Bill clashes with his father, and vows to keep the gang together. As an adult, he’s become a successful mystery novelist.

Martell previously starred in the Showtime series Masters of Sex. On the big screen, he landed his first big role in the 2014 dramedy St. Vincent starring Bill Murray. McAvoy, an acclaimed Scottish actor, is best known for his performances in Atonement, Split, and the X-Men franchise as Charles Xavier aka Professor X.

Beverly Marsh

Jessica Chastain joins the IT Chapter Two cast as the 2016 version of the Losers' Club lone female member, Beverly Marsh. Sophia Lillis reprises her role from the original film as the young Beverly. During the ‘80s story, Beverly is the focus of both Derry rumors and her own father’s sexual advances. In Pennywise, she sees the physical embodiment of her emotional turmoil. The Losers' Club treats Beverly with respect and helps her confront her worst fears. In IT Chapter Two, Beverly is a Chicago fashion designer with a turbulent personal life.

Since appearing in IT Chapter One, Lillis portrayed a younger version of Amy Adams’ Camille Preaker in the HBO limited series Sharp Objects. She also starred as the title character in the feature film Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, and will headline the 2020 film Gretel and Hansel. Chastain is a two-time Academy Award nominee for her performances in The Help and Zero Dark Thirty. She recently starred in Dark Phoenix, and reunited with director Simon Kinberg for the upcoming spy film 355.

Ben Hanscom

In IT Chapter Two, Ben Hancsom develops a crush on Beverly and stands up to his school bullies. In the '80s, Ben helps the Losers' Club come to terms with and understand the historical context for Pennywise’s return to Derry. As a kid, Ben is known to be a New Kids on the Block fan and a generally shy person - that is, until he joins the Losers' Club. Ben is portrayed by Jeremy Ray Taylor (Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween) in IT Chapter One, and Jay Ryan (Top of the Lake) in IT Chapter Two.

Richie Tozier

Once again being played by Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard, Richie Tozier is the most out-spoken member of the Losers' Club. For IT Chapter Two, Saturday Night Live alum Bill Hader stars as Richie in the 2016 timeline. The character provides comic relief in the original film and was extremely reluctant to face Pennywise, though he ultimately sides with his friends for the final fight. IT Chapter Two, meanwhile, reveals that Richie grew up to be a DJ in Los Angeles. 

Wolfhard is primarily known for his role as Mike on Stranger Things, though he's also nabbed roles in The Goldfinch and Ghostbusters 2020. Hader is the creator and star of the HBO series Barry and has been both a prominent actor and voice actor on the big and small screens, appearing in productions from Knocked Up to The Venture Bros to Toy Story 4.

Mike Hanlon

Chosen Jacobs reprises his role as Mike Hanlon from IT Chapter One in IT Chapter Two, with Isaiah Mustafa playing the older version in the sequel film. Mike views himself as an outsider, but he’s welcomed into the Losers' Club by Richie early on. Like his peers, Mike has a difficult relationship with his father. In the 2016 narrative, Mike works as a Derry librarian and warns the Losers' Club members about It’s return.

Jacobs has a recurring role as Will Grover on the CBS series Hawaii Five-0. Mustafa, on the other hand, is best known for starring in a series of Old Spice commercials, and he also starred in the Freeform series Shadowhunters.

Eddie Kaspbrak

In both films, Jack Dylan Grazer stars as the Losers' Club member Eddie Kaspbrak. Like Bill, he sees visions of Georgie, and struggles with his over-protective mother. James Ransone joins the IT Chapter Two cast as the 2016 version of Kaspbrak, a married New York City entrepreneur.

Grazer portrayed a younger version of Timothée Chalamet’s character in the 2018 movie Beautiful Boy and starred in the DC blockbuster Shazam!. Ransone previously starred in HBO's The Wire, and portrays The Deputy in the Sinister movie franchise, so it's clear he has some horror experience.

Stanley Uris

Portrayed by Wyatt Oleff in IT Chapter One, Stanley Uris refuses to believe that Pennywise is real. He’s arguably the most nervous member of the Losers' Club, and tries to maintain control over situations. For IT Chapter Two, Andy Bean stars as the older version of Stanley, an Atlanta accounting professional.

Oleff plays young Peter Quill in both Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Bean starred as Greg Knox in the Starz series Power, and also portrayed Alec Holland in the short-lived DC Universe series Swamp Thing.

Henry Bowers

Nicholas Hamilton returns as the malicious town bully, Henry Bowers, with Teach Grant portraying the older version in IT Chapter Two. Henry actively challenges the Losers' Club members, only to be referred to as a “paper man” by his father, whom he ultimately murders in the first film. During the sequel, Henry escapes from an asylum and chases after the Losers' Club.

Hamilton previously had roles in Captain Fantastic and The Dark Tower, another Stephen King adaptation. Grant has appeared in the series Altered Carbon and Van Helsing.

The Leper

In both films, this homeless character is a warped version of Pennywise. Javier Botet reprises his role as the Leper for IT Chapter Two. The Spanish actor previously starred as Tristana Medeiros in the found-footage movie franchise REC, and recently portrayed The Toe Monster in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

Georgie Denbrough

Jackson Robert Scott reprises his role as Bill’s brother, Georgie, who is killed at the beginning of IT Chapter One, and haunts the Losers' Club throughout the rest of the film, namely his brother. Scott's other big role, besides Georgie, is Bode Locke in the series Locke & Key.

Alvin Marsh

Beverly’s abusive father, Alvin Marsh, is portrayed by Stephen Bogaert in both IT Chapter One and IT Chapter Two. In the sequel, Beverly’s emotional issues as an adult are connected to her experiences with Alvin. Bogaert is known for roles in American Psycho and X-Men: Apocalypse, and he's been the narrator on the TV documentary Air Emergency for several years.

Next: IT Chapter Two: Cast & Character Guide

source https://screenrant.com/it-chapter-two-returning-characters-first-movie/

[shewhohangsoutincemeteries]

don’t touch my stuff

Rocket Raccoon x Reader

Summary: requested by anonymous. the milano crew are stuck paying taxi to yondu, who quickly takes a liking to the reader. only problem is, she’s already involved with a certain raccoon, even if the others don’t know it yet.

Characters/Pairings: rocket x reader, peter quill x gamora, yondu udonta, drax, baby groot

Warnings: minor explicit language, unwanted flirting

Word Count: 2,346

MARVEL MASTERLIST

You sat cross-legged and comfortable on the floor of the Milano’s main room, your paperback laying abandoned by your side. You’d intended just to read for a while, content to keep Rocket silent company as he worked on whatever new device he was creating. The two of you spent a lot of time like that; while neither of you addressed it, the friendship between you had grown into something more emotionally intimate in the last month or so, something neither of you had named. Still, you’d stopped picking up men at bars while at port, and Rocket slept curled against the small of your back more often than not. Whatever it was, you were keeping it to yourselves; you were still trying to come to grips with your feelings for the raccoon, and you didn’t need input from the others until you both knew where you stood.

Nothing had really changed between you outwardly; you still shared a bunk, you still sat by his side at dinner and you were still the one most likely not to suffer a shot from a blaster if a drunken Rocket had to be manhandled out of a bar. The others were in the cockpit, and you’d had about ten minutes of quiet (aside from the quiet backdrop of Quill’s mixtape) with your partner and book before you’d gotten distracted.

Not by Rocket – he was still fiddling with spare parts – but by the tiny tree that shared your bunk and would wake you up at night to beg for candy.

Your hands were raised in front of you, fingers twitching in the gestures you always used to shape and control your projections on a small scale. The mid-level ability to create psychokinetic force fields came with its perks, and while you didn’t have as much control as you liked, entertaining Groot on long treks between planets was definitely one of them. It might not have been the usual purpose, but you could always chalk it up to honing your reaction times. Besides, the little guy loved this game.

You were projecting a small, saucer-sized field about a foot or so above you for Groot to use as a platform. With a joyful cry he leapt off it blindly, and you quickly closed your fist to dissolve it while summoning up another with your other hand. You caught him about eight inches down and further away from you. He giggled as he landed, standing again and jumping on it excitedly. Every time his feet met it, ripples of blue-tinged energy would dance through it. Rocket glanced up at the two of you, an amused, affectionate expression on his face, one that he only let cross it when you were alone.

“I am Groot!”

“Yeah, I saw it, little man.” Rocket assured him, like a dad tiredly watching his kid on a diving board.

You wiggled your fingers experimentally, the shield expanding. Groot bounced around the edges of it happily before leaping off again. You caught him hastily with another projection, a few inches above Rocket’s head. The raccoon smirked up at him as Groot waved at him through it. You bit you lip and released the energy suddenly, bursting into laughter as the Flora Colossus fell straight onto your partner’s head.

Rocket cursed as his little friend tumbled down into his lap, glaring at you. You winked teasingly at him as Groot babbled away laughingly; the little guy immediately began tugging at the edge of Rocket’s jumpsuit, eager for him to join the two of you.

“You’re a frickin’ pain, you know that?” he huffed, trying to hide his smile. He shook Groot off and poked him in the belly when he pouted. Groot laughed again, wriggling away. “The both of ya.”

“Oh, please. You’ve been paying more attention to us than whatever the hell that is.” You taunted playfully, gesturing at the half-finished device in front of him. “Which is…?”

“Prototype.”

“How enlightening.”

“Shut your mouth, I’m workin’,” he grinned.

You snickered, beckoning Groot towards you. He scampered over excitedly. “Again?”

“I am Groot!”

“How about a speed run?” you suggested and he nodded, bracing himself like a runner at the starting line. You turned to Rocket. “Do the honors?”

He sighed and rolled his eyes. “On your marks… Get set… Go!”

You summoned a force field, dissolving it and creating another in front of it almost immediately after Groot jumped upon it. He ran over each of them, and you both continued all the way to the table in the middle of the room. When Groot’s feet met the tabletop you both cheered, Rocket clapping behind you in amusement. You stood and stretched, stiff from sitting on the hard floor.

“Well, ain’t you just full of surprises?”

You turned around, caught off-guard. Yondu Udonta was leaning against the wall by the cockpit’s ladder. Quill followed him down and gave you a friendly wink, taking a seat at the table and planting his feet on it.

He was doing his old captain a favor – Yondu needed to get somewhere Ravager ships weren’t welcome, but thanks to the events on Xandar, the Milano was the exception. So, you were all stuck playing taxi for a while.

You flushed and stiffened uncomfortably; you weren’t used to people seeing you use your abilities, not in a personal setting. You saw Rocket straighten in your periphery, ears up, no doubt noticing your wariness. “Can I help you with something?”

Yondu smirked widely at you, touching his tongue to a canine. “Haven’t decided yet. I’m Yondu.”

“She knows who you are, ya moron.” Rocket interjected sarcastically as he tossed his work aside and moved to your side, arms folded. You coughed to smother a laugh. “How many ugly-ass blue guys you think Quill knows?”

“Rocket…” Quill groaned, exasperated.

“Missed you too, Rat.”

You rolled your eyes. “I’m Y/N.”

“Ain’t you just…” Yondu replied, giving you an appraising look that made you very aware of the tightness of your jeans. It was kind of strange; he had the same kind of charm to him that Quill did, and you had to wonder if Quill had purposely picked up Yondu’s mannerisms, or if it had been subconscious. Either way, it was uncanny; the look he gave you was the same one Peter had once upon a time, and just like then, you ignored it. You saw Quill shake his head exasperatedly out of the corner of your eye. “What exactly is it you were doin’, darlin’?”

“I, uh…” you cleared your throat. “I make shields.”

“Shields?”

“Like… force fields.”

“Out of thin air?”

“…with my brain?”

“You just think it and ‘poof’?”

“Something like that.”

“She’s a hell of an asset in a fight,” Quill interjected, and you shot him a small smile. “Stand out in the open with her and they can’t land a single shot.”

“And what does that make you exactly, girlie?” Yondu asked, stepping away from the wall and towards you as Drax descended the ladder.

“She’s Terran.” Rocket said sourly. He knew, as did the rest of crew, that you’d had a hard time coming to terms with your mutant genes back on Terra. Your time at the Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters had helped you learn to control and appreciate your abilities, but the idea that people would consider you abnormal still stung. “Just like Quill.”

“Except for her mutation. Quill doesn’t have one of those.” Drax pointed out casually, and you glared at him. The smallest of growls rumbled through Rocket’s throat. “What?”

“You one of them mutants, then?”

“If you want to get all technical about it.”

“Wanna show me what you can do?”

“You get any closer and you’re gonna find out.” you dead-panned, and Rocket sniggered. Quill coughed to cover a laugh of his own.

“Is that a promise?” Yondu said suggestively.

“Ugh,” you groaned. “I’m going to my bunk.”

***

Yondu paid particular attention to you over the next few days; dropping comments whenever you came in the room. It was easy to ignore, but you could tell that it was starting to get to Rocket. He tensed every time Yondu came into the room, so you’d taken to avoiding him just to keep Rocket relaxed.

It wasn’t until his third night on the ship that it became an actual issue. Quill, Drax and Yondu had broken out some of the heavier stuff early in what would be considered the afternoon, the roar of their laughter and macho posturing echoing through the ship. You’d eventually convinced Rocket to join them, insisting he have a good time.

You had joined Gamora in the cockpit and taken the opportunity to ride shotgun and get a kind of intro course into flying. You’d spent a few hours with her, Groot scrambling happily underfoot, and while Gamora was quieter than your male cohort, she was wonderful company. She’d watched with interest as you’d tried projecting a shield around Groot instead of in front of him; she’d offered to help with more hands-on training once you were planet-side.

Quill had called you both down for food some time later, and while Gamora had rolled her eyes at the slurring of his speech, she’d set the Milano to auto-pilot and the two of you had gone down to join them, Groot riding on the assassin’s shoulder.

The four of them were sitting around the table, drinks in hand. Rocket stole a quick glance at you as you passed, a drunken, affectionate smile on his mouth and a twitch in his ears. Gamora touched a hand to Quill’s shoulder as she passed, and his came up to brush over it.

“Is this a liquid dinner?” you asked in amusement, noting the complete lack of food on the table. “Cause if you’re expecting us to make it… Well, Gamora won’t be impressed.” You caught her smirking at that.

Quill looked sheepish, but Drax had no qualms about speaking up. “Gamora is too formidable to expect that from, Y/N. But you are much more suited to domestic work.”

Quill let out a dramatic gasp at that and Yondu snorted. They’d had more than you’d thought.

“Thanks, buddy.” You said sarcastically, but you rolled your eyes and headed for the kitchen. “You’re gonna pay for that later.”

“I am not afraid of doing battle with you!” Drax declared loudly.

“Oh, not in battle, my friend,” you told him as you returned, hauling with you a bunch of snack food. Not the healthiest dinner, but maybe the salt would help sober them up. “Get used to freezing showers.”

Rocket laughed at that, and you winked at him as you passed around food.

“Thanks, darlin’.” Yondu drawled, and you faltered as you felt his hand caress your backside. You spun around, instinctively summoning up a force field between the two of you. It stretched floor to ceiling and was big enough that it knocked him off his chair, and Drax roared with laughter at the bewildered expression on the blue man’s face.

“What the hell’d you do that for?!” Yondu said, clambering to his feet.

“You don’t touch me,” you said, voice hard despite its wavering. You weren’t used to projecting shields so large, and you realized it had been hours since you’d last eaten. Your head spun slightly.

“What’d he just do?” Rocket demanded, standing on his chair. His voice was still thick with alcohol, but his tone was serious now. “What did you just do?!”

“Rocket, man, what’s your problem?” Quill had straightened slightly in his seat, but Gamora looked surprisingly calm beside him. Maybe even a little proud.

“Did you just touch her?” Rocket was off his seat and in front of you before you’d even realized it. You felt dizzy, and your hand found the tabletop for support. Low blood sugar was a bitch. “You don’t get to touch her.”

“Rocket…”

“Man, relax!” Quill was now out of his seat, hands up in a pacifying gesture. Last thing he needed were holes in his ship.

“You got a problem with that, Rat?” Yondu challenged defensively, ego bruised.

“Yeah, I got a problem, asshole.” Rocket slurred angrily. “You don’t get to touch what’s mine!”

“What’s yours?” Quill repeated, the slightest hint of amusement to his words. “Rocket, have you got a crush?”

Drax’s laughter renewed, almost painfully loud, and he almost fell out of his chair himself. “The rodent has feelings for the Terran!”

Rocket snarled, hackles raised as he turned on the two of them. Despite the increasingly uncomfortable dizziness you were feeling, you held out your hand and projected a small shield in front of him, barely the size of a baseball. Still, he stopped, glancing down at it and then at you.

“It’s okay, Rocket. I’m fine…”

“He’s—”

You closed your hand, the shield dissipating, and reached out shakily to stroke the fur behind his ear. You gave him a small, reassuring smile. “It’s okay.”

“Uh, Y/N…?”

You stiffened slightly, hand halting, before turning to face the others. “You got something to say, Peter?”

He hesitated, before shaking his head. “Nope, I’m just very, very, drunk.”

“Good.” You nodded, turning to the Destroyer. “Drax? You laugh at Rocket one more time and I find out what happens when I project a force field inside someone.”

Oh my God, you actually made Drax the Destroyer gulp. Gamora, who seemed to be taking this revelation pretty much in stride, looked somehow more proud than before.

“You—” you pointed a finger at Yondu, who was watching the whole situation unfurl with a mixture of confusion and amusement. “Touch me again and we’re gonna have a problem. Otherwise, we’re all good.”

“’ppreciate it.” He replied, nodding and helping himself to another drink. “Tell you what, Rat. You got yourself a hell of a spitfire there.”

There was a cockiness in Rocket’s expression that almost made you roll your eyes, but it disappeared under the blooming affection he wore as he looked at you. “Yeah. She’s got me, too.”

.

.

.

tags: @lovely-dreamer19 @spacesuitsforemergency @wittyforachange @moon-tastic

[wazafam]

The Winter Soldier—aka Bucky Barnes aka Bucky with good hair aka the White Wolf from The Falcon and The Winter Soldier—has had a truly interesting, immaculately crafted narrative trajectory in the MCU. As Marvel loyalists would know, Bucky’s storylines are truly captivating in the comics, as well.

RELATED: All 9 Possible MCU Movies & Shows Falcon & Winter Soldier Sets Up

The intrigue and angst aside, Bucky also makes for a great cosplay subject. Firstly, he has had some of the best costumes in the MCU; each of his looks exudes a balance of moody and daunting elements, but which cosplayers did Bucky justice? Here’s a look at the best Bucky Barnes cosplays.

10 Surprise, Surprise

Pasadena-based cosplayer and filmmaker clearly designed his costume around his props and for a Bucky cosplay. He sourced the metal arm kit separately from a professional replica pop maker and has a monster clay base instead of the usual resin cast. He uses a muzzle mask and goes for a detailed leather best to create an illusion of a tactical vest.

“The Falcon & The Winter Soldier was just incredible! Two of my favorite characters are finally getting the spotlight, and character development, I've been craving for years!” he wrote on Instagram.

9 Easy Does It

Leather seems to be the go-to option for cosplayers looking to recreate Bucky’s elaborate, militarized vest. Texas-based cosplayer Claude Xavier does something ingenious by opting for a black basic leather torso suit over which he wears a leather tactical vest, which totally switches up his look and makes it more cosplay-worthy.

RELATED: Falcon & The Winter Soldier: 10 Best Sam Wilson Cosplays

His leather utility pants, leather gloves and mask do wonders for this look styling-wise as it introduces a lot of edge to the curation.

8 Winter Soldier Approves

Cosplayer Renegade loves his 3D printed Bucky arm so much that he wears it with almost everything, as evidenced on his Instagram. But, besides the astonishingly accurate prop, his costume, too, is quite well put together. He chooses a straitjacket-style leather vest that’s quite clingy and styles it with a simple black harness. He adds a utility belt, some leather holsters, and some leather knee pads on his plain black trousers which accents his costume really well.

7 Can’t Help But Stan

Costumer and cosplayer Orvie could easily replace Sebastian Stan on his day-off, and most fans probably wouldn't even notice a difference. Orvie has recreated several of Bucky’s looks, even this noteworthy look from Black Panther that doesn’t get enough attention from cosplayers.

He goes for this belted Wakandan robe-style number that the White Wolf wore during his stay in Wakanda as Shuri was healing him. He fashions Bucky’s sling as a loose cowl around his neck that totally works.

6 The Purr-fect Cosplay

As Marvel loyalists would probably know, in the comic Winter Soldier Vol. 2 #1, Bucky has a white cat named Alpine who was a constant companion to the Winter Soldier while he was in Indiana and he often tucked Alpine into his jacket.

RELATED: Captain America No More & 9 Other Comic Books That Inspired Falcon And The Winter Soldier

So, the cat dad has no choice but to be in love with this furry cutie who gets the Winter Soldier cosplay down pat, from the immaculate size-appropriate metal arm to the very smart harness.

5 The OG Diaries

Cosplayer Canadian Winter Soldier sports the new version of Bucky’s costume in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier which has been designed in a different vein than the Winter Soldier costume he wore throughout the Avengers movies. It’s decidedly less flashy, with a blue arm instead of a glistening silver one, and the new costume is actually a more somber homage to the original uniform Bucky wore when he fought alongside Steve Rogers as part of the Howling Commandos back in WWII.

4 Winter Soldier

Cosplayer Emma gets the mood exactly right with her Bucky cosplay, which is trendy but doesn’t mess with the classic aspects. She gives a stylized spin to Bucky’s classic assassin costume by updating a few key details.

RELATED: The Falcon And The Winter Soldier: Why Bucky Got The Happiness He Deserves (& Why He's Still Trying)

From the leather cowl hoodie, the tactical mask, the velvet patches on the metal arm, everything works flawlessly. She keeps her main vest simple and cropped, and she pairs it with a plain black shirt and styles it with a straightforward harness and leather utility belt.

3 Punk N Poise

Cosplayer Shelley Greene’s Winter Soldier cosplay is empowered, no-nonsense, and an incredible example of how fun and personalized a popular superhero look can get. Her corset-style leather vest is refreshing and a quirky take on the tactical, militarized vests.

She styles it with leather pants and combat boots, and for the arm, she does something a little edgy, opting for a scale-effect on the metal arm so it looks a little more intimidating than Bucky’s usual flashy metal cast arm.

2 Bucky Power

Cosplayer and artist Chloris focused more on Bucky's too-cool-for-school goth-inspired aesthetic that shaped MCU’s Winter Soldier storyline, especially when Bucky was introduced in the franchise. Chloris perfects a more reserved cosplay as she opts for a painted-on metal arm that has been achieved entirely by metallic silver powder, black eye shadow, and red lipstick. She wears a velvet zipper vest and a simple harness for this DIY-friendly look.

1 Moment of Action

Cosplayer Orvie could show up in anything and look like the Winter Soldier, but he chose to go for an immaculate costume, the props, and the works. This Sebastian Stan lookalike made some smart choices as he decided to hold on to Bucky’s old hair, even when he donned his newly introduced blue suit. He also uses plain trousers and styles with combat gear to make the look more functional, which is a great idea if someone is looking to repurpose their own clothes for their cosplays instead of buying a costume.

NEXT: The Falcon And The Winter Soldier: 5 Key Details From The Comics The Series Included (& 5 It Left Out)

Falcon & The Winter Soldier: 10 Best Bucky Barnes Cosplays from https://ift.tt/3eIbIvF

[fictionfromgames]

The Malevolence (Amalgam, Dark Claw, MURPG)

((Character sheet and setting info after the break)) Logan awoke, bound to the ground, hearing a series of memories played out on monitors around the room, and confusingly, smells from across his lifetime.

“Where, at forty, I attributed my looks to my mother, and my liver to my father,” Logan paused for the tepid laughter, “At sixty, I am forced to admit there were other forces at play.”

1992, when he’d come out as a mutant. Not as Dark Claw, just a billionaire who’d inherited even more luck than most people. He tried to play it off as though his power was just his health. As with all mutants then, he was banned from blood and tissue donations, making it easier to stave off his aging rivals from pestering him on a day to day basis. It made occasional extra work for Dark Claw, however.

Sentinels crashing down onto New Gotham streets, assaulting Wayne Tower and the Thompkins School for Mutant Education and Outreach. Shots of the Friends of Humanity storming DC.

93, he noted as he tested his bindings. They’d snap, but not soon.

Talia, wailing as he shot down Ra’s al-Pocalypse with a rocket launcher.

“Ninety-five,” he said, methodically pulling and relaxing, “What do you need to prove?”

The Joker laughing at a shrieking pitch, almost as if to cover up Sparrow’s screams.

“Bastards,” he growled. His head should have cleared, but there was something else buried into the scents they vented into the room. He blinked. How were they even witness to that?

Seeing Jubilee dying again started up the adrenaline, though. He cursed and spat, trying to slip out the way he knew he had to. Before the next parts.

Jean da Costa, the Dark Phoenix, caught off guard and killed by Erik Magnus via magnetokinetic stroke.

Logan saw red. Killing mad. There was grief in his scream. The mystery behind the Ravens might give way to the immediate need to end them, a quiet but resolute voice tried saying over the din in his mind.

The obituary of Thomas and Elizabeth Wayne, interspersed with grainy footage of the three of them, together.

One of the leg binds snapped as he did, and one of the odd, synthetic looking ropes had stretched just enough for a hand to slip free, allowing his left hand to cut away his remaining binds. flipping to his feet, still shouting. And then the lights went out.

They knew he tracked by scent, which was still confusing due to the manufactured nostalgia in the air, but they did not consider how well he heard. It was a good posture, to always sniff whenever he noticed something out of sight, in case someone was watching.

They were quiet, but not enough. He slashed out with his right hand, raking two someones across their torsos, while feeling blades sink into his left forearm, which had risen to block the assailants he knew were on that side. He growled and plunged his free claws into someone’s face.

Death cries at least drowned out the sounds of his past on the walls. There was enough light from the panels that he noted more arriving, which suited him well. He needed to get something out before he could work properly.

The Malevolence of Ravens was resourceful, even these assassins knew more of what they were doing than the typical street goon. Archival footage of most of this was plentiful. But how the hell were they there for the Joker?

He was losing blood faster than he liked, meaning if he didn’t speed this up, he’d be captured again, or worse. A lot of self defense worked differently with knife hands, but that just made forearm strikes less predictable than a punch or and elbow. It really only worked because of the adamantium, most peoples forearms would have fractured doing what he did, but it made openings for smaller jabs and sideways swipes with extended claws.

The last one stood well into the gloom of televised history. He was not afraid, but based on their rote fighting form, he was not prepared either. The assassin went for an overhead knife strike, which Dark Claw caught in between two blades and twisted sideways, so as to spare his knuckles some grief, and he drove his right fist into the man’s gut. The adamantium claws slid in effortlessly.

“How’s that work for ya, bub?” Dark Claw drew in close.

No response except a gasp and a gurgle behind a black bird mask. They could have been plague-doctor themed if the beaks were longer. Dark Claw dropped him and strode out of the room. Violence sated, for now. Just had to find the bigwig.

********************

The Amalgam Universe

Back in the day, Marvel and DC used to do cross promotion in Versus titles, and a couple of years, the Amalgam Universe, a big ole cross-company mishmash of heroes and villains and plots. The one character they co-owned was Axel Asher, whose power was to traverse between the two multiverses, and across timelines as well. He also had the power to smoosh heroes together, which tended to happen on accident if he stayed on one or the other side too long.

He, however, was not the only character who knew what was going on. Dr Strangefate, the amalgamation of Dr Strange, Dr Fate, and Charles Xavier, knew much too well what was happening, and was Axel’s main antagonist. See, the conflict was, Axel’s job was to keep the multiverses separate, and Dr Strangefate, being a product of the merged multiverse, wanted them to stay so he could live, alongside all of his loved ones native to the Amalgam Universe.

It didn’t stick, and they never collaborated like this again.

THIS Amalgam Universe

So in at least one instance the Amalgam Universe survived in smaller forms, waiting to reborn. Mostly, Strangefate rebuilt it for a return in 1997, but he is depicted as dying at the end of it all.

With the multiverses constantly expanding and contracting, there is always space for something weird. Even if it’s a pocket dimension, Axel Asher is swanning about in both properties and it could, fictionally speaking, always happen again, so right now, it is!

But it’s not the same one. Some of Access’ (that’s Axel’s superhero name) amalgamations were incredibly different depending on who was around, so my version of the Amalgam Universe has different stuff according to taste. Maybe it’s a cast off from the Queen of Nevers.

Dark Claw

Starting with Logan Wayne! I owned the two Dark Claw comics as a kid, because Batman and Wolverine were my favorites, and the Dark Claw Adventures looked like the Timmverse.

Logan Wayne was born in 1932, and orphaned at 8 years old after seeing the Gray Ghost. He would live in his parents’ estate until he was 18, attending New Gotham University. He’d go on to spend his summers travelling, and eventually, did so full time after graduating.

The 50s were a good time to learn how to drop off the grid. Besides postwar Europe, the Pacific saw continued conflicts in Korea and Vietnam. Japan was his last official known location from 1954 until 1970.

A man matching Logan’s description was found wandering in British Columbia. He wouldn’t claim his name or his birthright until 1973 after regaining enough of his fractured memories to give anyone his social security number.

Wayne Enterprises did not take this resurrection well. While the family’s estates had been held by the family butler, Edwin Pennyworth, the company fought any ownership claims or attempts at involvement for the next several years. It was during this time he had, back in New Gotham, full of skills and instincts he couldn’t quite place the origins of, that he took on the mantle of Dark Claw.

Street crime was at a fever pitch, and organized criminals ran rampant. With only a base of operations, a set of mutant powers, and an adamantium clad skeleton he still couldn’t account for, he set about clearing out New Gotham’s underworld.

The year after toppling the Silvermane regime, Logan Wayne finally accrued enough stock for control over Wayne Enterprises, rooting out the men that kept him locked out of his family’s company and installing a new board of directors. 1978 was looking up for Logan Wayne. And then the Joker appeared.

The Joker (an amalgam of the original, Sabretooth, and Whiteface) introduced to both mutant and costumed villainy. A series of gruesome killings, victims all stuck in a rictus grin, led Logan on a trail that ended with the Joker’s debut-- a plot to kill everyone in New Gotham with the Whiteface Poison. The Joker in this case is a little more clowny than the green backhaired Hyena. In this case, to represent the Sabretooth side, he’s got a healing factor, Sabretooth’s claws, keen senses (though played less animal than Logan or Creed would, more comedic), and a green fur trimmed coat instead. To add a little Whiteface (he’s from Supreme and is basically just an homage to Mr J), add the little red painted on dimples and vertical eyelines to the Joker’s normal face.

The Joker would become a consistent foe for decades to come, similarly living longer than he ought to and surviving things like adamantium claws.

The 80′s took Logan to Japan, where he would fight the League of Assassins for the first time, and have a romance or two. The 90′s, coming with an influx of mutants that society could no longer ignore, had him come out as a mutant too, in order to immediately establish the Leslie Kafka Institute for Mutant Education and Outreach, drawing an immediate line in the sand against the reactionary Friends of Humanity and other paramilitary orgs that preyed on mutantkind.

It was also a time that brought him his first sidekick, Jubilee, codename Sparrow. She would assist him for several years until the Joker killed her Jason Todd style. Logan tried to murder him then, though at that point, he hadn’t figured out how to kill anyone with a healing factor.

The standing rule from then on was “no sidekicks; no one else dies,” which would last from 1999 to 2010.

The year of this fluff is 2005, and Logan was puzzled and annoyed at the idea that any organization could have been ruling New Gotham they way the Court of Ravens claimed to without his knowing. It plays out mostly like Court of Owls, with added exposition for my setting’s benefit, and Wolverine style violence mixed in.

2009 brought the Near Apocalypse, perpetrated by Ra’s al-Pocalypse, risen again. Ra’s’ reasoning was that humans needed to end en masse, giving way to the true stewards of the planet, mutantkind. Logan heartily disagreed, as did an assortment of other heroes, and that’s why it became the Near Apocalypse.

2010 brought the second Sparrow in the form of Kitty Grayson, a phasing metamutant that had lost her family in a circus accident. She convinced a grudging Logan to take her on, the reasoning being that her phasing ability made her effectively untouchable, unkidnappable, and that he wouldn’t be able to stop her from visiting the Claw Cave anyway.

Ra’s’ back up plan came to light as well. The lead agent of the League of Assassins, Talon, came into her own. Initially mute, save for growling, Cassandra Kinney came at Dark Claw with everything she had, “everything” being an exact duplication of his powers and adamantium claws. She proved too resourceful for Dark Claw alone, but as mentioned, he was not alone. Sparrow provided him backup, and Logan ended up offering Talon help in the form of extensive therapy from Leslie Kafka and a spot in the Dark Claw Family.

Jubilee hadn’t stayed dead. She rose again on a full moon in 2000, becoming the independent hero Moonwing, and moving to Bludhaven to strike out on her own.

There’s a lot more, and an entire decade to explore for just a few characters since, but this is already long

The Marvel Universe RPG

The MURPG is a diceless system from 2003. It uses an energy resource pool and is entirely effort based, which I think is super cool!

One of the biggest problems is the “death spiral.” Your effort is diminished when you take damage, which sounds like a good idea until you realize that epic comic book style fights don’t tend to peak at the first punch and go entirely downhill from there. There are two ways around this that sound reasonable enough--

Second Wind

Taking one turn in which your character does not spend any energy (red stones), that character gets double energy regeneration the following turn.

I like this one because it can represent down time, like if you get beat up and the villain is monologuing. How often has a hero been hoisted by their shirt, blood on their lips, only to smirk and point out exactly what the villain has missed? I think even with energy regen tied to Durability, accruing additional energy while you’re beat up and climbing to a standing position (for instance) is very thematic.

Energy Independence

A lot of homebrew fixes just divorce red stone regen from health altogether, which works to form a more “whole-hearted” combat experience. This feels more like what you’d be playing like in other tabletop rpgs, where you can take plenty of damage and still swing for the fences.

In either case, it’s not called “the death spiral” because it was a walk in the park. Using any method to make player characters more survivable and feel like superheroes is encouraged, but don’t neglect a sense of danger.

[pokemonruby]

20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 for mila!

20. If they came from their world to ours (if not already in our’s) how would they react? What would they do?

well, the world mila comes from isn’t that different from our own, except that it’s a bit more... fantastical. but i think her reaction would be... poor, to say the least. coming here would mean leaving her friends behind, after all, and mila honestly doesn’t know how to stand on her own without them. 

she would be interested in learning about the fashion trends here, though.

25. What inspired you to create them / how did you create them? Were they originally a fancharacter? What was their personality / design like when you first made them?

well! i created xavier and their squad (comprising of mila herself, yuri, lihua, and lawrence) around the same time. since my original idea was to just make a group of troublemakers, lowkey inspired by the phantom thieves from persona 5. mila shares many similarities with that of ann and makoto specifically. though her personality is more like the former, she has taken on the role as the “mother” of the group. and these traits have not changed much since her conception! 

30. Do they want to get married? Why or why not? Would they ever want kids? Do they have kids? Why?

mila always assumed that she would end up unwed - and in turn, childless - due to her... well, dangerous occupation. considering that she is an assassin and all, romance was something that mila never hoped to acquire, for she did not want to endanger her partner or their future family. but after meeting lihua... well, let’s just say that she was responsible for shifting mila’s thoughts on the matter. 

35. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories?

while mila isn’t much of a daydreamer, nor does she dwell on the past, she does tend to worry... i mean, she is the “mom friend” for a reason, after all. mila has a habit of putting the needs of others - in this case, her friends - before her own, and she frets about their welfare and happiness often. especially xavier, given their reckless nature and overall inability to open up, they are constantly on her mind... she and zhen are very similar in that regard.

40. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What do they wear? Who will they be with?

mila is known to be a bit of a... party animal, to say the least. so thats likely where she’s going - a party of some kind. or she’ll go out drinking or clubbing with her friends - not xavier, yuri, and lawrence (since she does not think the idea of any of them consuming alcohol is particularly wise) - but instead taya, maxine, and a couple of others. she would invite her girlfriend, but lihua isn’t fond of crowded or loud places. 

and as for her outfit? well, mila, the queen of fashion, will don a lavish, scarlet dress decorated in roses, black high-heels, and with her hair done up in an exquisite ponytail. 

45. If your character was given a slice of pineapple pizza and they HAD to eat it (or something bad would happen), how would they react? Do they even LIKE pineapple pizza?

mila... is literally an assassin. do you think pineapple pizza of all things could scare her? besides, she actually doesn’t mind the taste of it (much to xavier’s dismay.) 

[nodancer]

Fic Rec Days #3 - Favorites

Ending with some of my all-time favorite fics from a variety of fandoms (excluding the ones mentioned on the days for Hamilton and BBC Sherlock). Kept this one pretty short cause I didn’t get to reread everything I wanted to reread before reccing it. Maybe some other time.

And When the Earth Shall Claim Your Limbs by words without Fandom: Assassin’s Creed I Pairings: Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad/Malik Al-Sayf Rating: M After an attack on their village leaves them orphaned and desperate, Malik and Kadar become Al Mualim's newest pupils. Altair, the master's star novice, is less than thrilled, but all Malik cares about is keeping his little brother safe...

i mean, if you’ve spent any time at all in the ac fandom you’ve probably read this one. incredibly well researched, wonderful writing, with a long time spent on developing its main characters and their motivations. the backstory malik deserved, the story i’d choose over canon any day. hell, i’m pretty sure this could easily be read and enjoyed even if you’ve never touched the games. the sequel, Speak Against the Sun is 100k+ words so far, but on hiatus.

Anything but Slytherin by IP82 Fandom: Harry Potter Rating: M How could have Harry's sorting ceremony looked like if the first war against Voldemort went down a bit differently.

a very dark one shot that’s even more disturbing in its implications than in what’s actually written. honestly, saying anything about the story would take away from it’s impact.

Loyalty is a Relative Term by geek_chronicles (meltedpeep) Fandom: Axis Powers Hetalia Rating: T Warnings: Nazis, mentions of euthanasia and concentration camps WWII, in which something very badly needs doing and Prussia has some difficulties trying to get it done. Fourteenth or fifteenth time's the charm.

meltedpeep’s fics (especially the ones dealing with germany) for the aph fandom are like 80% of the reasons i hold it in such fond memories. this is a powerful and well researched fic where prussia takes on the role of the resistance and has to learn how to fail again and again.

The End by Entomancy Fandom: The Yogscast Pairings: Rythian/Zoeya, Xephos/Lomadia, Sjin/Minty Rating: T, M for a one-shot set after the story It seems that the End was only the beginning.

the long, suspenseful and brilliantly written gen adventure story i wish i could have for every fandom. this fic and ento’s writing in general is what convinced me to actually get into yogscast lore in the first place, and influenced my views on all the characters and their relationships immensely.

Try, Try Again by and_backagain Fandom: X-Men: First Class Pairings: Charles Xavier/Erik Lehnsherr Rating: T Except that this has happened before, he thinks with a start, and something in his throat closes up as he revolves on the spot, already knowing what he's going to see. Charles' back is arching as he falls, his eyes wide, and the crumpled bullet falls to the sand beside him like a calling card.

erik lives through the day at the beach again and again. i love this fic so much because it just encompasses the feeling i have whenever i watch this movie and desperately want it to end differently.

two creams, one sugar by underwater_owl Fandom: Mad Max: Fury Road Pairings: Furiosa/Max Rockatansky, Capable/Nux Rating: E Warnings: PTSD A small town setting, Furiosa is the local mechanic, too much a black sheep in town to be having the easiest time of it. Max is working the local coffee shop, for something to do and a soft place to land while he recovers from raging PTSD incurred during his police work, and Citadel, Australia, is about as small and sleepy a place as it's possible to get, right? The Wives are the residents of a rather discretely run home for abused women that Furiosa supers for when she isn't in her shop. The lesbian separatist feminist motorcycle gang is literally just that.  

a coffeeshop au sure as hell wasn’t the first fic i’d thought i’d enjoy coming out of mm:fr but damn it’s just so so good. the development of max’ and furiosa’s relationship is mature and respectful and written with a very empathetic portrayal of loss and trauma.

[fyeahnewwarriors]

History of the NW (part 1)

Stamford.

That’s what most people think when they think about the superhero team the New Warriors. It’s a shame, since there was a time where the Warriors were the New Teen Titans of Marvel. They have a history, they had a pretty successful run in the 90s that even gave birth to spinoff comics. They are one of Marvel’s most underrated concepts, and they deserve to have their story told. So that’s what I will do. I will read every single NW related comic from Nova’s first series to the 2015 series and tell you the tale of the New Warriors.

First off, lets figure out who this guys are, and what they did before they became a team. Let’s start with the oldest member:)

Namorita is the daughter of Namora, Namor’s cousin.  After her mother's death, Namorita(or Nita among friends) has lived on the surface world, since Namor entrusted her welfare to his longtime human-friend, Betty Prentiss. Nita is proud of her Atlantean heritage, but she also has a great deal of happiness with her life on the surface world, where she is also getting her college education. We later learn that she is actually a clone of her "mother" who were sterile, and therefor had a foster-clone of herself, with DNA from all Atlantis dead heroes, operated into her by a mad Atlantean scientist.

... You know, I would have settled with adoption, but hey, I’m weird like that.

Besides the natural abilities of an Atlanean, she has, like Namor, the mutant ability to fly, can breathe on land, and her strength is superior to full-blooded Atlanteans. And she will later mutate into a blue super-Atlantean with extra abilities… but gets turned pink again, because: Screw you, character development!

Speedball’s background... is kinda boring, really. His series from the late 80′s was kinda bland. Sure, his powers are unique, but that was the only thing that didn’t make him forgettable. Thank god he became a New Warrior and had his character evolved. He was the same whiny teenager who gained powers from a freak accident, and then he was all boo-hoo about it... which was fair, since his power is that whenever he is hit, he creates a protective field of balls made out of kinetic energy that will make him bounce around like a rubber ball. And he has NO control over his movement at all, meaning that he had to rely on dumb luck. Eventually, he accepted his role as possibly the clumsiest hero of all time, and fought a couple of strange super-villains in his little hometown and even tried to join the Avengers... Without luck:)

You probably know Firestar from "Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends", but in the comics, she is... different.

Angelica Jones(or Angel among friends) was one of the not so lucky mutants. Instead of being offered a place at the Xavier Institute, she was offered “help” from Emma Frost. Angel took the name Firestar, and she quickly became a very powerful mutant with an outstanding control over her mutant ability to control and project microwave energy. Emma Frost planned to make Firestar her personal assassin, and did everything she could to turn her into a social outcast, like letting her have a couple of tragic event, such as the death of a horse she cared a great deal about, and letting her have as few relationships as possible, in order to make her asocial… HOW THE HELL DID EMMA FROST BECOME A MEMBER OF THE X-MEN? SHE IS FLIPPING EVIL!!!

When Angel finally realize that Frost was the cause of all her misery, and her true intentions with her “education,” a very peeved Angel destroyed Frost base, kicked Frost's telepathic ass, and made her swear that she would get the hell out of her life, and leave her friends and family alone too.

BADASS!!!

Angel had no interest in being a superhero, so she came home to her father, and lived a normal life.

Vance Astrovic possibly has the strangest origin of all the Warriors. As a teenager, he was contacted by his future counterpart, Major Victory, who wanted to save Vance from a future the Major had to suffer, including living the rest of his life in a containment suit. But, unintentionally, he ended up screwing up the poor boy’s life.

BTW; I dont know much about Major Victory, besides that he is the founder and leader of the team named Guardians Of The Galaxy, so please tell me if it is a good series.

After Major Victory made the boy give up his dreams about becoming an astronaut, Vance mutagen, who granted him telekinesis, activates much earlier than Victory’s did, and this gave birth to two timelines, where the teenage Vance belonged in the 616 one (the mainstream universe). Vance's father, who abused him physically, now had an extra reason to beat up his son. Vance ran away from home and joined a wrestling-show under the name “Marvel Boy.”

He met and became friends with the Thing, who was a wrestler at the moment too, and Ben Grimm convinced the kid to go home after a serious talk with Vance's parents(that didn’t do squat, but more about that later).

Richard Rider was a normal teenager. He lived a normal teenager life(with the exception of having a little brother smart enough to build his own robot) and he would probably end up with a normal life(or as normal as possible, living in the Marvel Universe) if it wasn't for the Nova Corps, an intergalactic peace-keeping force that was based on the planet Xandar (kinda like the Green Lantern Corps). The planet Xandar was destroyed (get used to that, it’s a bad habit Xandar has), and with it, the Nova Corps. The dying Nova Prime was in need of a successor, and he picked Rich to receive the Nova Force, which gave him  super-strength, durability and the ability to fly at high speed. He was also granted an alien-tech helmet. Rich started a superhero career as Nova, the Human Rocket where he had some adventures on Earth fighting a couple of pretty creative villains and even had a couple of adventure in space that ended after he helped restoring the planet Xandar (long story) by giving up his Nova Force, becoming a normal human once more. He did so gladly as he had been in space for over a year and he wanted to go home to his family and friends. A decision he would later regret, since being in space for a year meant that he had missed his chance to get his high school education, had to get a dumb job as burger flipper, and his girlfriend Ginger was now engaged to, what would soon be, a very abusive husband. 

... Bummer.

These are 5 of the six original New Warriors. In part 2, we will be introduced the the sixth member Night Thrasher and take a look at the Warriors’ first adventure as a team.

I'm Waezi2, and thanks for wasting time with me.

[postmortem-bookworm]

Bright - Bucky Barnes - Part Three

Fandom: Avengers

Type: Series

Word Count: 2,044

Character(s): Bucky Barnes, Natasha Romanoff, Steve Rogers, Shuri, T'Challa

Warning(s): Cussing, Mentions of attempted suicide (but shouldn’t be anything triggering), smut (maybe), mentions of X-Men, Steve is crushing

A/N: This picks up almost right after Black Panther, but before Bucky is awake, there is no Thanos, and everyone is alive.

Two weeks after Bucky's settled in as her neighbor, something changes in her. Her days go from being busy with painting, gardening, assisting Bucky with whatever he needs, and spending time with Shuri and her family, to slower, lounging in the bed, restlessly sleeping in, or waking throughout the night with terror pulsing in her veins, and sweat sickeningly coating her skin with ice. If Bucky notices the raw skin from her 3 am scrubs, or her blood shot eyes from crying throughout the night, he's nice enough not to mention it. He merely seems to make sure that she's more occupied than normal, which she comes to be frustrated at, seeing as she was the one who was asked to look over him, not the reverse.

It gets worse the night that Bucky comes charging into her hut at her blood curdling screams, the room shaking, finding her floating above her bed, her nose is practically brushing the ceiling as she thrashes, clawing at her skin with blunt nails, screaming for Logan and Storm, begging for help. "Shh, Maeve." He hushes her as he pulls her back down to the sheets, carefully dodging her flying fists as he tucks her back into the sheets, and leans beside her on the bed to shake her awake.

"Mm." She slowly blinks her eyes open, frowning as she looks up to see him above her. "B-Bucky?" She asks in confusion, before her eyes snap open as she sits straight up in panic, looking around her as he eyes land on him. "Oh no. Oh no!" She cries as she crosses her arms over her knees, resting her forehead against them.

"It's alright." He promises, rubbing her shoulder as he moves from the floor to sit on the edge of the bed. "It's not your fault." His tone is soft and understanding, but she just feels worse as she clutches her knees closer to her chest. "Hey," He grabs her shoulder, causing her to look over at him. "this is not your fault. I've had my fair share of night terrors." She guilty nods as she swallows against the lump in her throat, feeling the insides of her wrists, where the scars, that she never remembered getting, are currently scored deeply into her skin. "Do you want to talk about it?" She shakes her head, before pausing as she looks at him, then nods her head instead, causing him to smile softly as he nods, shifting closer to her.

"When I was studying in the special school for my powers, I was battling this rival anti-humans mutant league group." She casts a glance at Bucky, who nods to show he's following along. "They were insistent that mutants are superior, and deserve a place high above humanity, to rule over them." Another glance to make sure he's following along. "Magneto was their leader, and he discovered just how strong my abilities were, and he sent his strongest minions to capture me. I was essentially like you, a POW." He frowns at that, glancing over her with a sad look in his eyes. "There are bits and pieces that I remember, because another mutant, the headmaster of the school, put mental stints in my head to block my memories." She pauses, shivering as the memories and thoughts race through her mind, and Bucky rubs her shoulder again with his warm, large hand.

"It's alright." He promises, causing her to swallow thickly as she nods, focusing on nothing before her.

"The stints were taken out over time, but he forgot a few. Now they're basically breaking open from the memories pushing on them, wanting to come out, and so they're all rushing out at once." He hums to show he's following as she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. "Professor Xavier, the school's headmaster, explained that I was about as lifeless as a corpse when the found me. The torture they inflected upon me, the power Magneto flaunted, made me crack and break and shatter in every way possible." She runs her fingers up and down the scars on her forearms. "I have one memory, when they took me back to the school. They left me alone in the infirmary to talk outside the door, and I grabbed a scalpel and just started digging it into my wrists and arms... By the time they had realized it, Storm was afraid I wouldn't make it."

"Maeve..." His tone is sorrowful, and she sniffles as she reaches up to wipe her tears from her cheeks, shaking her head.

"I-" Her voice cracks, causing her to wince as she sniffles, and gives a rueful smile. "I wanted to die- I needed to die, after what I had done." She whispers, voice hoarse as he frowns. Drawing her knees to her chest, she grips her hair at the roots, elbows digging into her knees as she fists her curls. "I remember the torture, th-the methods they used to make me do their bidding. I killed people, I killed my people! Not just humans." She slams her head into her palms, as if the self-flagellation would drive the memories from her head.

"Hey! Hey!" Bucky quickly grabs her hands, holding them away from her by her wrists, with one hand, while the other pets her hair from her sweaty face as she heaves for air. "This isn't the first time you've had nightmares, is it?" He asks once she's started to calm down.

"No." She grinds out between short breathes, struggling against his grip on her hands, the memories of the deaths she committed as playing before her eyes.

"No no no." He pets her hair again, soothing her as she sniffles, feeling a mess of herself as she sobs into his chest. His hand moves from her tangled hair, to her shoulder, thumb rubbing circles into her shoulder. "It's ok," He murmurs. "I've been through this before, only it was me in your place." He pets her hair again, and the two of them sit on the bad as she sobs. "You weren't in charge of your actions, when you did those things, Maeve. They were the actions of the ones that controlled you." He whispers.

"But I still see them, every time I close my eyes." She whispers, causing Bucky to nod as he holds her. "The blood. The screams. I can't handle it anymore!" She tries to tug her hands free again, but his hold is as firm as the metal his hand is made from.

"You can't believe it is your fault," He says as she sniffles. "you were manipulated and tortured, they used your pain to make you listen to them. They used it to control you." He slowly let's go of her wrists as she stops fighting against his hold. "The only thing you're responsible for, is forgiving yourself." He completely releases her wrists, moving his arm from her shoulder to her waist, and moving his other hand to caress her hair. "Listen, it's been a long night, why don't you get some sleep, and we'll go see Shuri tomorrow and see if she can be of any help with your memories." He offers as she nods, rubbing her teary eyes, and he pets her hand, moving to stand as she looks up at him.

"Thank you for your help, Bucky." Her voice is weak, causing him to look down at her softly.

"It's alright." He pauses to kneel down before her, taking her hands in his to look up into her eyes. "It'll be alright, Maeve. I promise to be here for you, I made a promise."

"Y-You made a promise?" Her question causes him to chuckle. "To who?" He gives her a toothy grin.

"The punk made me promise." He pats her head, before he stands up. "Steve mentioned that he and Natasha will be here tomorrow afternoon, so you get some sleep." He pats her head again, walking out of the hut with the door shut behind her, and she takes a few large, deep breaths before curling up under the blanket, falling asleep.

Shuri is walking down towards the landing pad with Maeve, the two of them had just been talking about starting therapy for Maeve, and finding a good match for her. The Quinjet has already landed by the time the two of them reach the outside door hanger, Bucky is lingering by the Quinjet as the door opens, and Steve and Natasha climb down the ramp. Shuri smiles as the two of them exit the castle, the soldier that was chatting with Bucky, looks up to smile as Maeve walks down the steps towards the landing pad. Steve pats Bucky on the back, before he jogs towards Maeve, sweeping her up in a hug as soon as she's in reach to greet him, her hands resting on his shoulder. "Steve!" She lets out a laugh, her chest feels light from Steve's strong emotions.

"Ah, doll, I missed you!" He says with a large grin on his face, before he leans in to kiss her cheek. Her cheeks start to burn as she taps his shoulder, letting her down as he sighs sadly.

"I'm glad to see you again." She grins as she reaches up to rub his cheek. "You let that scruff grow, I see." She teases as he reaches up to cover her hand with with own, grinning down at her.

"I decided to give it a try." He jokes, smiling down at her. Bucky is watching Steve and Maeve from afar, his eyes carefully scrutinizing how the two of them are interacting. Natasha is chatting with Shuri off to the right of him, but he's not hearing anything that's being said as he watches Steve's face morph and change while talking to Maeve, a smile crawling across his own.

"Well, I'll be damned." He chuckles to himself as the two of them walk over, and Maeve gives a slight skip as she runs over, a small squeal escaping her, as she goes right past him with her arms spread. Right into Natasha's arms as the ex-assassin laughs, hugging her back.

"I missed ya, Sis!" Maeve laughs, spinning around with Natasha, who hugs her close.

"I missed you too, sis." Natasha smiles brightly as she tugs Maeve over to the nearby bench, and the two of them sit and talk about everything that's happened since they've parted, while Bucky walks over to his best friend.

"Hey, Punk." Bucky says, nudging Steve in the arm, who looks at him for the first time, drawing his gaze from the burgundy haired young woman.

"Hey Buck." Steve says, looking back at the two women chattering together as Bucky smirks.

"You seem to have your eye on someone over there." Steve glances at him as he tucks his hands into his pockets. "Is that the reason why you asked me to watch out for her?" Bucky inquires as Steve's cheeks turn ruddy, and he looks down, toeing the platform. "Haven't seen you into a dame since Sharon Carter."

"Sharon and I weren't that serious." Steve huffs, causing Bucky to laugh.

"Yeah, because you already had eyes for Maeve." Bucky points out, causing Steve to look sheepish.

"That noticable?" He asks, causing Bucky to nod. "I guess I should dial it back, huh?" Bucky let's out a snort as the girls walk over together, laughing and smiling together.

"Don't forget, Maeve is an Empath." He points out, causing Steve to groan as he rubs his cheek. "You forgot." The girls stop before them.

"Steve forgot what?" Maeve asks with a bright smile on her face, causing Bucky to start laughing.

"His mind!" Bucky crows, causing her to laugh as Steve slaps him in the arm, while Natasha shakes her head.

"That was lost in the 1940s." Natasha jokes as she hugs Maeve around the shoulders.

"Maybe Maeve can help you get it back, Punk." Bucky teases as Steve elbows his best friend in the sternum.

"Well, Nat and I are going to have a day out. Want to come along, boys?" Maeve offers causing Steve to smile brightly, his eyes brightening as well. Bucky finds himself smiling despite himself, happy at his friend's happiness.

"Sure."

[aion-rsa]

Unsolved Mysteries Review (Spoiler-Free): True Crime With More Questions Than Answers

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This Unsolved Mysteries review contains no spoilers.

Unsolved Mysteries Season 1

The Netflix rebooted series Unsolved Mysteries could really use someone like Robert Stack to lead audiences through these mysterious cold cases. He may not have been the biggest named crime-fighting icon, but he brought his Elliot Ness from the original The Untouchables to the scene. He also brought his trench coat. True crime shows are coming from all directions, and most of them follow a similar pattern which was laid out by Unsolved Mysteries. What set it apart were that voice and that trench coat.

Stack hosted the groundbreaking investigative series between 1987 and 2002. It was also hosted by Raymond Burr, Karl Malden, Virginia Madsen and Dennis Farina. No one quite brought the suspenseful gravitas Stack did. He added an element which the new series sorely needs: spookiness and gravelly innuendo. He knew how to make your fingers clutch the edge of the sofa in suspense. This iteration doesn’t deliver that level of darkness.

We’re less innocent now perhaps, or more. The original series included a disclaimer saying it was not a news program. But in the era of fake news, what is? The series truly held out hope that someone would have that one clue, that one vital piece of information which would bring justice to the players in the dark events. This, the new Unsolved Mysteries retains. They still have a tip line. It runs at the end, and is particularly compelling when it asks for witnesses to an extraterrestrial event from half a century ago. They also resurrected the theme music.

Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries is sleek and streamlined. There are almost no reenactments, like you see on most network shows. These sequences can be traced directly to the original series. While modern audiences might see these as quaint, they are as much a part of the show’s DNA as the theme and Robert Stack. Besides one or two shots of etheric mid-air suspension, we get mainly b-roll footage. Each episode is devoted to one mysterious case. The original series covered four scenarios per episode. The cases are presented at a more leisurely pace. Some episodes move slower than others. They could have changed up the format by putting together some of the cases which aren’t as strong. The hate crime murder in Kansas could have been coupled with the one is set in the Ozarks, where a young woman may have been silenced before testifying against her mom in her stepfather’s death, for example.

Each episode unfolds as a narrative mystery, telling the story through eye witness accounts, but there is more speculation than substantiation in the presentation. The new series is more character-driven, with the stories being told by ordinary people who lived through extraordinary events or unbelievable crimes. One of the mysteries takes us to France: “House of Terror,” where a mother and her four children are murdered and their bodies are found buried in their garden. The father, Xavier Dupont de Ligonnès, has also disappeared. Is he a victim or on the run?

The first episode, “Mystery on the Rooftop,” follows Rey Rivera, a newlywed who was only 32 years old when he disappeared after getting a late-night phone call. He is found in the Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore. It looks like he was jettisoned from a roof. The police ruled his death a suicide, but every angle the hotel is shot from proves how impossible this would be. The distraught wife doesn’t buy it, but is she a little too distraught? Her husband may have had an undiagnosed mental illness or it could have been foul play. Unusual suspects include a business partner and the Freemasons.

Then there’s Berkshire’s UFO, the episode which fulfills the promise of the original the closest. It’s got more than just the usual object being unidentified, one of the witnesses gets a telepathic, or somehow otherly, message in the midst of the sightings. He runs in place and gets sucked up into the unknown. We hear from witnesses like Tom Warner, who was a child in 1969. We hear from other children, who have similar stories and memory holes. Throughout the region people reported bright, floating objects. Those who ventured close couldn’t help noticing the silence, and the electromagnetic charge. Witnesses talk about being removed from their cars and losing time. While the incident appears to have had widespread eyewitness accounts, there were no reports of glowing, flying objects in the local papers at the time.

The new Unsolved Mysteries is not spooky. Even the frightening portions of the UFO episode are shot with some promise made by Close Encounters of the Third Kind. There are no Bigfoot, Devil’s Triangle or ghost episodes. We don’t get any insight on the Kennedy assassinations. The show is produced by John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer, who created the original Unsolved Mysteries, along with Stranger Things‘ executive producer Shawn Levy. So you’d think there would be stranger things in it.

Unsolved Mysteries ultimately returns as just another true crime documentary series in a landscape which is littered with them. It doesn’t exonerate the wrongfully accused. It doesn’t bring closure to victims. It asks more questions than it answers, and while the original series made this the most compelling part of the narrative, the reboot doesn’t quite scratch the itch. It’s like watching your favorite classic rock act whose lead singer died and the bass player is fronting the band.

Unsolved Mysteries premieres on Netflix on Wednesday, July 1.

The post Unsolved Mysteries Review (Spoiler-Free): True Crime With More Questions Than Answers appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/38ifAj8

[aion-rsa]

X-ecutioners: X-Force’s 15 Deadliest Members

Ever since creators Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld launched “New Mutants” #100 in 1991, X-Force’s defining trait has been its aggressively proactive approach to protecting mutantkind. Even after the X-Men reluctantly took up a more militant stance under the leadership of Cyclops, X-Force also kicked its activities up a notch, becoming a black ops-style mutant kill squad designed to end potential threats before they escalated into real menaces.

RELATED: I Can’t Believe It’s Not Deadpool: The 15 Best Non-Deadpool Deadpools

Distinguished from the rest of the X-Men by a willingness (some would argue an expectation) to use deadly force on their missions, it’s no wonder “Deadpool 2” writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick have been tapped to lay the groundwork for a future “X-Force” film. With Cable and Domino already confirmed to appear in the blockbuster sequel, can an “X-Force” movie be far behind? With that question in mind, we couldn’t help but compile a list of X-Force’s most dangerous members.

SPOILER ALERT! Spoilers ahead for numerous stories published by Marvel Comics.

DEATHLOK

Thanks to the perils of time travel, alternate realities and liberal retcons, there have been several versions of Deathlok over the years. The Deathlok-Prime who joined X-Force after the death of his creator first appeared in “Weapon X” #11 and hailed from a parallel universe, where the evil mega-corporation Roxxon had taken over the world. Prime was the product of a clandestine Weapon Plus program that successfully used reanimated corpses to create an army of cyborg super soldiers and secure a potential future timeline policed by the Deathlok Nation.

His cybernetic enhancements and ability to accurately predict highly-probable future timelines make him a dangerous foe, but what chills us to the bone about Deathlok is his onboard A.I.’s ability to cede control to his psychotic serial killer host. Eventually, he would take a position teaching the next generation of X-Men at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, which we’re sure seemed like a good idea at the time. Anybody want to sign up for Serial Killing 101? We thought not.

SHATTERSTAR

This founding member of X-Force first appeared in “New Mutants” #99 as a refugee from a future Mojoworld tasked with bringing the X-Men back to his home dimension to help him liberate his people from Mojo’s twisted, despotic rule. A highly-skilled warrior raised in Mojo’s gladiatorial arenas, Shattterstar is the progeny of the mutant Dazzler and Longshot, himself a legendary revolutionary who fought against Mojo’s regime and the beneficiary of some of his son’s DNA, making Shatterstar his own grandfather. Probably best not to think on that fact too much. Thankfully, neither of his parents remembers his birth due to some convenient time travelling hijinks.

None of this makes Shatterstar particularly dangerous, simply a little weird and overwrought. What does make him dangerous is his willingness to use deadly force whenever necessary without a second thought, a precedent that was set early in his tenure with X-Force. Just ask Reaper of the Mutant Liberation Front. Shatterstar used his trademark double-bladed swords to dismember the mutant terrorist on three separate occasions.

FERAL

Another Nicieza-Liefeld creation who debuted in the seminal “New Mutants” #99, Feral was definitely a product of her times, an early example of the bloodthirsty antihero archetype that seemed a staple of virtually every comic published during the ‘90s. At least her codename didn’t have the word “blood” in it, although it easily could have, judging by her love of violence. A mutant born with innate lion-like abilities and an untameable personality in keeping with her name, Feral clawed her way free of a horrific upbringing by murdering her father and mother. She also may have been complicit in the deaths of two younger siblings, but no evidence exists pointing to their murders.

Like many bestial comic book characters, Feral struggled to keep her animalistic tendencies in check. Tragically, she never really found the knack in the same way Wolverine or even her sister Thornn did. However, it was this unpredictability and hair-trigger temper that made her so deadly, something her teammates learned early on, when she nearly disembowelled teammate Cannonball during a simple training exercise.

MARROW

Like our last entry, Marrow was another example of ‘90s comics sensibilities taken to their furthest logical (or illogical) conclusion. Once again seemingly based on the Wolverine antihero archetype, Marrow was created by Jeph Loeb and David Brewer, and first appeared in “Cable” #15 as a member of the mutant terrorist group called Gene Nation. Born with the ability to control the growth of her bones, Marrow was raised amongst the Morlocks in a brutal alternate dimension, gaining her membership in Mikhail Rasputin’s Gene Nation by literally killing her way to the top of the heap. As a member of Gene Nation, Marrow launched a brutal terrorist campaign on normal humans.

Upon joining up with the X-Men, she struggled to control her murderous tendencies. Her greatest claim to fame while with the team was shoving one of her patented bone knives into Wolverine’s throat during a sparring session. Although she lost her powers during Decimation, a re-empowered Marrow joined Cable’s reformed X-Force team. During their battle with Volga, the man who re-powered her, it was revealed that a despondent Marrow tragically lost her unborn child during the process to regain her powers.

DOMINO

The woman known as Domino was created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld (surprise, surprise) and first appeared in “X-Force” #8. Although a mutant, Domino’s birth wasn’t random. Her birth is the result of a clandestine government-sponsored breeding program dedicated to the creation of the Perfect Weapon. Domino shares a long history with X-Force founder Cable, serving beside him in Six Pack, his old mercenary outfit. She’s been a fixture of various X-Force teams over the years, often serving as leader during Cable’s frequent absences during her initial tenure with the group.

Although Domino’s powers are subconscious by nature, typically activated when she’s threatened by impending injury, her mutant abilities aren’t what makes her so dangerous. As one of the most accomplished mercenary spies in the biz, it’s Domino’s no-nonsense attitude and willingness to make the hard choices that make her so deadly. During her time with Six Pack, the unit was known for mowing down crowds of people to achieve their goals. Her ruthlessness is perhaps best illustrated by her assassination of Flagsmasher, which paved the way for Cable’s liberation of the 198 mutants who survived M-Day.

SPIRAL

Arguably the most purely evil entry on our list, perennial X-Men villain Spiral first appeared in “Longshot” #1, created by Ann Nocenti and Art Adams. Spiral was once the Earthborn stuntwoman “Ricochet” Rita Wayword who was transformed by Mojo, the ruler of the Mojoverse, after she attempted to help her friend Longshot overthrow the tyrant’s all-powerful dictatorship. She was then sent back to the past to attack Longshot and her younger self. A six-armed cyborg sorceress with the ability to traverse the multiverse, Rita’s drastic physical transformation paled in comparison to the damage done to her mind, after it was expanded to perceive multiple dimensions.

She is an extremely powerful sorceress – one of seven who were flagged as potential successors to Sorcerer Supreme Doctor Strange – who combines science and magic to startling effect. After Mojo exiled her to Earth for failing to kill Longshot, Spiral opened up the Body Shoppe, manufacturing cybernetic limbs and weapons systems for various clients including the Reavers and Lady Deathstrike. Although later retcons would transfer the Reavers creation to Donald Pierce, there was no undoing the alternate timeline Spiral conquered, where she was known as the Apocalypse after killing most of the world’s heroes and mutants.

BISHOP

First appearing in “Uncanny X-Men” #282, the time-displaced mutant known as Bishop was born in dystopian alternate reality, where mutants were branded and forced into detention camps. After the Summers Rebellion freed mutantkind from their Sentinel–backed human overlords, Bishop joined the X.S.E. (the Xavier Security Enforcers) in an attempt to police his own kind. It was during one of his X.S.E. missions that Bishop was transported to the primary Marvel 616 continuity, where he became a valued member of the X-Men. Plagued by the memories of his horrific future, Bishop’s outlook was dramatically altered by the events of M-Day.

Although he was one of the lucky few to retain his mutant abilities post-Decimation, became more zealous in his defense of mutantkind, culminating in his attempt to kill the first mutant born after M-Day, whom he believed would usher in his dystopian timeline. After Cable saved the baby from Bishop, the pair embarked on a cross-time war of attrition, which Bishop willingly escalated into mass murder, thanks to numerous traps scattered throughout the timeline that killed millions. Now, that’s freaking deadly.

WARPATH

The younger brother of legendary X-Man Thunderbird, James Proudstar first appeared as one the Hellions in “New Mutants” #14. Under the tutelage of Emma Frost, James rose to leader of the Hellions but left the group for Cable’s first X-Force team, feeling like he no longer fit in to the Hellfire Club’s teenaged mutant strike force. Under Cable’s direction, James honed his fighting skills and underwent a sustained power boost that saw his enhanced senses and strength increase exponentially. Now far more powerful than his brother ever was, James finally stepped out of his long shadow, taking the name Warpath. It was an appropriate name choice considering his future career path.

After the events of M-Day, the protection of the few remaining empowered mutants became the X-Men’s priority, so James was tapped for a membership on the new version of X-Force that was created to target and eliminate threats to mutantkind with extreme prejudice. He was finally able to lay his brother’s soul to rest during the events of Necrosha, plunging the vampiric Black Queen’s own knife into her chest, killing her (for the time being, at least).

PSYLOCKE

In a medium noted for its love of retcons, reboots and resurrections, there are perhaps few heroes who have changed as drastically as Psylocke. The mutant telepathic sister of Captain Britain, Betsy Braddock first appeared way back in 1976 in “Captain Britain” #8. Originally, Betsy was your typical telepath, with very little to distinguish her from others of her ilk, aside from a brief stint as Captain Britain. After a run-in with the Marauders during the Mutant Massacre, Psylocke joined the X-Men and was with them when they “died” after passing through the Siege Perilous. Betsy would resurface in Madripoor, where she would undergo her most dramatic transformation after the Hand transferred her consciousness into the body of one of their most feared assassins.

Betsy was effectively transformed into a telepathic Elektra capable of skewering your psyche at the same time that she’s skewering your body. Her new abilities naturally made her a perfect choice for various incarnations of X-Force. During the “Dark Angel Saga,” Betsy showed her willingness to make the hard calls, when she stabbed her lover Archangel with the Life Seed, killing him and preventing his ascension into the role of Apocalypse.

FANTOMEX

Fantomex is quite possibly the most unpredictable entry on our list. His vaguely defined abilities, narcissistic personality and connections to the Weapon Plus program ensure even his teammates aren’t entirely sure what side he’s really on. Created by Grant Morrison and Igor Kordey during their classic run on “New X-Men,” Fantomex is the product of decades of Weapon Plus research, the same program responsible for the creation of everyone from Captain America to Wolverine. Sharing the Canucklehead’s patented healing factor and enhanced senses, Fantomex also possesses three brains, an external nervous system in the form of EVA and the ability to cast convincing illusions.

Although he’s shown moments of selflessness, Fantomex is at his core a survivalist and a cold-blooded killer, willing to follow through on threats even his fellow X-Force assassins thought crossed the line. In the events leading up to the “Dark Angel Saga”, Fantomex was the only one with the intestinal fortitude to pull the trigger on the infant clone of Apocalypse, after his teammates decided to save him. He eventually went insane after gaining god-like new abilities, prompting Hope Summers and his former lover Psylocke to fry his brains.

WOLVERINE (LAURA KINNEY)

Laura Kinney first appeared as the teenaged killing machine X-23 in the pages of “NYX” #4, created by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost. A clone created from the damaged genetic material of her “father” Wolverine, Laura struggles to reconcile her conflicting human and bestial natures, in much the same way as the long-time X-Man. She was trained to be the ultimate killing machine by her creators in the Weapon Plus splinter cell known as the Facility, who initiated her murderous tendencies with genetically-implanted trigger scents.

Although she would seemingly overcome her trigger scent programming, Laura would continue to use lethal force throughout her career. This is perhaps best illustrated by her assassination of Matthew Risman, a mutant-hating Purifier she initially tried to kill by secretly planting explosives around his base, without informing her teammates. Although the destruction of his headquarters failed to kill him, Laura completed the mission the old-fashioned way, with a bullet to the brain. Thankfully, Laura has been far less reckless ever since taking up the mantle of Wolverine, far more concerned with living up to her late father’s noble legacy.

DEADPOOL

If there’s anybody left on the face of the planet who doesn’t know the Merc with a Mouth, then they’re likely already a victim of the infamous “dead pool.” Created by Louise Simonson and Rob Liefeld, Wade Wilson first appeared in the now-classic “New Mutants” #98 as a future adversary of Cable’s inaugural X-Force team. Although it would take several years for the Deadpool we all know and love to evolve from the one-dimensional villain that plagued his future teammates, Deadpool’s willingness to eliminate targets and rivals alike has always been one of the character’s defining characteristics.

As his blockbuster movie admirably showcased, Deadpool doesn’t just kill people for the sake of expedience. He revels in racking up the body counts in the most inventive ways possible. Driven mad by the process that gave him a suped-up version of Wolverine’s healing factor, Deadpool’s talent for killing is only outstripped by his sadistically comical monologues. Although he’s been the victim of recent attempts to tone down his violent nature in the wake of his monstrous mainstream popularity, there’s no keeping a good merc down and we’re confident he’ll continue to tear up the Marvel Universe with his signature zeal for manic destruction.

WOLVERINE (JAMES HOWLETT)

“I’m the best there is at what I do but what I do isn’t very nice.” While that statement may not be entirely true for this list, there are few other entries who’ve racked up the body count that the original Wolverine has since his first appearance in the iconic “Incredible Hulk” #180. Blessed with enhanced animal senses, retractable adamantium claws and a robust mutant healing factor that has allowed him to survive virtually any injury, Wolverine was a natural born killer in every sense of the word. With innate abilities honed by decades of military training, Wolverine was also one of the most accomplished hand-to-hand combatants in the Marvel Universe, up until his recent death in the appropriately titled “Death of Wolverine” #4.

And yet, none of that is what made him one of the most dangerous men on the planet. Rather, it was his willingness to do whatever was necessary to deliver the killing blow that gave his enemies cause to fear. Case in point: When Cyclops shut X-Force down, it was Wolverine who kept it running on the down-low as little more than an assassination squad.

ARCHANGEL

For years, Warren Worthington III was the dreamy poster boy for human-mutant relations. Along with Beast and perhaps Iceman, he was an integral member of the wider Marvel superhero community, serving as a founding member of both the original Champions and the New Defenders. As a founding member of the X-Men, the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby creation functioned as a key player in several major mutant story arcs. It wasn’t until he lost his original feathered wings during a vicious attack by the Marauders during the notorious Mutant Massacre, that his character took a drastic turn for the worse.

Drafted as the Horseman Death by Apocalypse, Warren embarked on a terrifying campaign of destruction that saw him irrevocably changed physically and mentally by the experience. As a member of X-Force, he was an unpredictable teammate, murdering hundreds of flying Purifiers in a blind rage after the re-emergence of his techno-organic wings. During the “Dark Angel Saga,” the depth of Apocalypse’s malevolent genetic manipulation was revealed, with Warren even having to be put down by his former lover Psylocke after he threatened to become the new Apocalypse. Although he’s since been resurrected with no memory of his past life, it remains to be seen how angelic he truly is.

CABLE

He’s the man with the plan; the X-Men’s very own mutant Captain America. Without Nathan Summers, the man who would come to be known as Cable, mutantkind likely would’ve perished years ago. Created by a comic book brain trust that includes Chris Claremont, Louise Simonson and Rob Liefeld, Cable first appeared as an adult in the pages of “New Mutants” #86. As the offspring of Scott Summers and Jean Grey, Cable was shunted into the future as an infant to protect him from the machinations of Mr. Sinister.

Over time, Cable evolved into an accomplished soldier, who plied his trade in the present as the leader of Six Pack, a mercenary unit notorious for their brutal tactics. He was instrumental in promoting a new more militant approach to protecting mutantkind, resulting in the formation of the original X-Force. His role as guardian of the future of his species remains his defining trait, driving him into conflict with everyone from the Avengers to his own friends and colleagues in the X-Men. A man on a never-ending mission who is always willing to make the killing blow even if it means his own life, there is no more dangerous member of X-Force than its founding father.

What do you mean we didn’t “execute” this list properly? Let us know who we missed in the comments!

The post X-ecutioners: X-Force’s 15 Deadliest Members appeared first on CBR.com.

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