#// also not me making connections between the boys whoooo

[fishermcn]

While a vagrant at heart even before considering his outward appearance and demeanor, Sam does have a handful of places he frequents enough to call a haunt in the Lands Between. Of them, there are two such places where the perfumer has more permanent fixtures.

Having been cleansed twice now, first of men loyal to Godrick and second of those misbegotten driven utterly mad by their enslavement, the Castle Morne stands as more of a tomb than a proper fortification these days. While her defenders may be little more than corpses and rats at the moment, the castle's still strong walls and perpetual dampness from the Weeping Peninsula's incessant rain make it a comfortable abode for a depraved perfumer's experiments... as well as a safe place to test anything particularly flammable.

One of the precious few strongholds within the rotted Caelid wilds safe from the decay of the Scarlet Rot, the Ordeal offers not only a constant supply of willing customers to peruse his perfumes and other tools of the trade but the protection of the warband that claim dominion there. While the tension and chafing between himself and the warlord that rules the settlement is constant, the close access to Caelid's rare resources for perfumes and the expertise of the Tarnished that have similarly taken up residence there makes putting up with the overbearing warrior mostly worth it.

[darkspellmaster]

This ain’t a question, but the way that Black Butler/Twst fanfic is written is great yet shocking from some of the twists by also connecting Black Butler.

It’s a crossover, of course it’s supposed to be like that.

But yet, the reapers during Endless Halloween I definitely did not expect…despite it being the most logical looking at it now.

Like I knew majority of the Black Butler characters are gonna eventually going to be brought up into the story or mentioned, but HOW they will makes me wonder.

Like if there were someone that’s self aware and they already know majority of things, so they aren’t so afraid of what’s to come.

That’s until Ciel fucking Phantomhive pulls up (more like GOT PULLED IN) too.

With some Black Butler enjoyers, there’s a possible chance there is a twst enjoyer within them (*cough cough* Yana Sensei-)

Devious and unfortunate shit be following him sometimes istg 😭

Even worse if they already know that, even worse worse if they are also hugely aware of where Ciel comes from and in their world Black Butler is just a fictional manga/show that they were and still obsessed with.

Even as far as to knowing such things as the contract, false Earl, and his trauma.

Manga canon things basically, I’ve read since up to the most recent chapter

*Both seeing the reapers in the spectrum realm during an endless Halloween event*

“Wha- HOW ARE THE REAPERS HERE?!”

“How do you know they are reapers- and plus you should know since said you know a lot about this world-”

“Yeah. But not when your world and this one seems to be colliding or connecting because how the hell are THEY here!?”

“That is also my question…”

Well that’s private conversation between the two would be fun to imagine

In conclusion: this story is very fun to imagine self inserts, extra points if they were around his age or just a couple years older AND apart of the 21st century 😸

Extra points for him I guess since the person can just give him better heads up’s along the way.

Or he’ll just use it to his advantage in some way.

You know that sounds like an interesting twist on my twist of these two works.

Please do write it. I would love to see where it is taken.

Meanwhile, lets just say being Ciel in Twisted doesn't mean he gets to escape who he is, his past, or even how Sebastian has raised him, and whoooo boy is it both helping and hurting him in the chapter I'm writing.

Thank you for all the kind words in this. I shall strive to continue on this journey.

Your Humble writer.

DSM

[burst-of-iridescent]

Can I get your thoughts on this post claiming Mai and Toph are very similar (and that Zuko clicked with Toph immediately because she reminded him of Mai)? https://at.tumblr.com/i-was-talking-to-momo/everyone-else-took-a-really-long-time-to/nyh2nz26iuay

whoooo boy, there are a lot of (sometimes just blatantly untrue) assumptions being flung around in that post.

much of what op says about mai reads more like headcanon than anything actually shown to us in the show (when was mai stifled to "the point of being incredibly depressed and borderline self-destructive"? when do we learn in the show that mai taught herself to throw knives out of boredom? how did mai "never learn to interact with people her age" when she's been friends with ty lee for years and seems to have no problem socializing at a fire nation party?) or is barely substantiated within the show (mai's alleged "repression" at the hands of her parents is told to us - not shown - in a single scene in the third season).

on the other hand, there is actual proof for toph being sheltered and repressed by her parents: we see the difference between who she is on her own/with the gaang vs with her parents. the toph who fights in earth rumble tournaments and picks her toes and speaks her mind without hesitation is not the same toph who wears dainty clothes and allows herself to be led around and meekly obeys her parents' wishes despite her own desire for freedom. there is a clear distinction between who toph feels she has to be, and who she really wants to be, and this is made clear from her very first episode.

by contrast, mai has the same apathetic, indifferent demeanor almost all the time, no matter whether she is with her parents, her friends, or her boyfriend. even in the rare cases that she does show emotion, usually smiling or smirking around zuko, it is undercut by the lack of true understanding and connection in their relationship, which makes her show of emotion feel meaningless and shallow (the only time that mai does seem to show genuine emotion and vulnerability is around ty lee, but unfortunately these moments are too far and few between for me to consider it real depth and growth for mai, much as i ship mailee). unlike toph, there are no real cracks in the facade with mai, which seem to imply that the way mai acts is who she really is, not who she feels she has to be.

i also have to laugh at this part: "Out of the entire gaang, Toph is the one that Zuko understands and empathizes with the most."

toph is the one zuko understands and empathizes with most, huh? that must be why toph was the first person in the gaang zuko felt a kinship with and reached out to - nope, that was katara. well, that's why he opened up about his deepest conflict and trauma to her and she did the same in return - whoops sorry, katara again. never mind, at least zuko and toph took an intimate field trip together related to their moment of connection over their shared trauma - oh wait.

i don't disagree that toph and zuko would have a strong friendship, or that they wouldn't be able to bond over similarities in their upbringing, but unfortunately the show just didn't expound on their relationship as much as it did with zuko's relationships with aang, sokka, and (especially) katara. it's blatantly false to imply that zuko bonded or clicked with toph the most out of anyone in the gaang, and even more so to say that it was because she reminded him of mai - both because toph is vastly different from mai, and because zuko himself didn't truly understand or click with mai in the first place.

ultimately, much of the problem with mai's character comes down to the fact that she's extremely underdeveloped (and the season that tries to expand on her character is also the one where her arc revolves almost entirely around her boyfriend) so comparing her to toph - a main character who received far more depth and development in a single episode than mai did throughout her whole arc - is a task doomed to fail from the start.

[beelzegrub]

The Boys as New Fathers Headcannons/Scenarios

Listen I know everybody does headcannons but I have a lot of thoughts ™ probably part 1 of many tbh

They/Them pronouns but mentions of pregnancy.

Lucifer

Pretends not not be interested in the baby when they’re this little but makes sure to do his fair share anyways.

Diapers don’t bother him.

Makes goofy faces when nobody is around and if you catch him he will deny it.

Has no problem watching the baby on his own. MC can leave their child in his care worry free

If he does start having trouble getting the baby to settle down, he will hold them up to eye level and speak to them like an adult. “Really now, What’s with all this fuss?” And the baby will settle immediately.

If by some chance baby still won’t settle and is particularly fussy, he will put on some music and hold the baby in his arm as he does his work, talking to them occasionally. Even when they eventually falls asleep, he doesn’t put baby down until he has to.

Mammon

At first he’s so afraid to touch the baby, until MC finally just. Slips Baby into his arms

Absolutely terrified for 3 seconds and then immediately he’s in love.

Stares at the baby constantly

His greed for sure extends to his child. If you thought he was clingy with MC whoooo boy

“Hey! What are ya doing with Baby?! Put them down right now! You’re holding em all wrong!” When he catches any of his brothers holding the baby.

Not very good at diaper changes but he tries.

Buys a stupid amount of presents for baby, even though they can’t use them yet.

“Babe, how could I not buy the Lamborghini walker?!”

Leviathan

The birth was particularly hard on him, watching MC in so much pain just to have a baby that’s half of him?? Why would they want that?

Never pictured himself as a father, and has a difficult time adjusting to a life where he isn’t the center of MC’s attention.

“All they do is eat sleep and poop! You like them more than me don’t you?! Of course you do! Look at that face! How could you possibly not love a face like that.”

Levi. He has your face. Oh my god you’re such an idiot I love you so much.

MC at their wits end and running on practically no sleep. How can MC get him to bond with his child?!

Lucifer has had enough and steps in. Silently hands them a package and then takes his leave. MC opens it and facepalms. They really hadn’t thought of this?!

Levi finds MC in their old room (turned nursery) with Baby in their arms, and wearing a tiny little Henry costume. “I didn’t know you were into cosplay..” he says. To the baby. To the newborn baby.

MC tell him Baby is into lots of the same things as he is. He’s half yours, after all.

Something clicks and now Levi refuses to be separated from baby. Sits Baby in their pumpkin seat and talks to them about whatever he’s watching/playing.

Satan

Excited about being a father, but also very nervous. What if he hurts them? Baby is part human.

Reads all the pregnancy and parenting books he can get his hands on. Becomes very confident until baby is born and then all his confidence crumbles.

Thinks he needs to read all those books one more time...

Why is Baby crying so much? Should Baby be crying this much? He needs to check on some things.

MC gets tired of this and snaps at him. Tells him he can read every book available but there’s no such thing as a parenting manual.

MCs anger is enough to tell him something needs to change. He starts trusting his instincts more and realizes his anxiety might have been having an effect on the baby :(

He gets so angry about his shortcomings. Now he’s hurt both MC and his child. This won’t do. This WON’T do. He won’t allow himself to fail. He refuses.

Stops reading parenting books. Buys a truckload of picture books and spends his time learning about HIS baby and not just babies in general. Everyone is happier

Asmodeous

Oh honey. Oh sweetie. Oh darling. MC is giving him and the entire world the greatest gift. Another Asmo!

Spends MCs pregnancy making sure they are taking care of themselves. Buys all the expensive skincare items.

Buys hundreds of outfits for the baby, even after MC tells him they won’t possibly be able to wear them all before they grow out of them.

“Well we’ll just have to change them several times a day! My followers won’t be able to get enough of their cuteness!”

He doesn’t do diapers. Period.

Wants to take Baby out all the time to show them off.

Doesn’t like to be told no, and doesn’t understand why he can’t take a newborn to The Fall? He won’t give them alcohol obvi.

Sneaks Baby out while MC is sleeping and takes them anyways. They go out all over the devildom on a Daddy and Baby adventure. MC wakes up in a panic wondering where their baby has gone, since Asmo didn’t tell anyone and is too busy to answer his phone.

Finally returns home to find MC in pieces, a frantic Beel and Mammon trying to comfort them. Everyone else went out to search for the two of them.

A Hard slap to his beautiful face and a long talk makes him realize he has to start thinking more about MC and baby.

Beelzebub

Probably the most excited of any of the brothers. Family is so important to him, and now he’s made his own 🥺

Baby has his appetite before they are even born. MC could swear they eat almost as much as Beel. He makes sure they are always fed as he doesn’t want MC or his baby feeling hungry. Always bringing MC snacks.

Once baby is born he will hardly leave their side. Has to have a fridge put In his room so he doesn’t have to leave to eat.

Takes his job as Dad VERY seriously. Wants to do everything himself.

Tries to get Belphie involved as much as possible

“Are all babies this cute? I wonder if we were like this when we were little...”

“If I had to choose between never eating Hell’s Kitchen again or having to be apart from them, I’d choose Baby in a heart beat. That’s not even a question.”

Already asking about more kids lmao

“Is there a way to increase chances of multiples..?”

Not subtle 😂

Belphgor

Thinks MC is joking when they tell them they’re expecting. What is he going to do with a baby?

Begrudgingly gets on board when he sees it’s making MC upset (and some pushing from Beel)

When Baby is born he doesn’t immediately form a connection

Kind of indifferent tbh

Walks into the attic one day to find MC and Baby curled up together, sleeping peacefully in his bed.

Hm. Okay. Baby is intriguing...

This baby is the best behaved baby. This child has such a cool temperament. Hardly cries. Sleeps through the hell ouf the house no problem.

“I use Baby as an excuse to get out of whatever thing Lucifer is trying to get me to do. It’s great.”

How quickly he went from indifference to adoration. This baby is always in his arms. Just vibing.

“Belphie, could you-“

“Sorry, Baby is crying.” While holding baby. Who is stoic and silent. Turns around and leaves anyways.

Thanks for reading!! Should undo the side characters next? 🤔

[katierosefun]

favorite kdrama tropes? do tell

[cracks knuckles] fantastic, thank you for enabling me frost! 

1. stress fevers. like,,,idk what it is, but there’s a good handful of kdramas that just like...have characters suddenly get feverish for no real reason (like? was anyone else sick? no.) except they just received super shocking news / just had a shocking experience / super stressed and sad in general. insert loving and exasperated caretaking, really soft and sweet moments, and just like...it’s a good trope, and i am so obsessed with how kdramas use it. (i think pinocchio, sungkyunkwan scandal, and my mister use this trope...also goong/princess hours, my love from the star...a lot of older kdramas use this trope, although i’m pretty sure newer ones probably still use it too!) 

2. wrist grab, usually followed by some super vulnerable words. not to  be confused with the forceful “usually male protagonist dragging female protagonist away from someone/something” trope which...honestly isn’t my favorite. but instead, the trope that’s like. someone holding onto another person’s wrist because they just want the other person to stay, don’t go please. i think flower boy next door and penthouse 2 use this, and it makes my heart go :’((( because it’s usually angsty. 

3. piggybacks,,,,PIGGYBACKS. literally the way i’m obsessed with this. piggybacks in kdramas are always super cute because they’re almost always either because a) one of the characters is drunk/hurt or b) affectionate siblings or c) affectionate cutesy couple things. take your pick. 

4. reincarnation/soulmates. no, but i like...i genuinely blame kdramas for making me so fascinated with this idea of people being connected to each other because of a different life or whatever. a kdrama that i think really goes into this is goblin, king: eternal monarch (which i’ve only watched the first few episodes of, but i can just feel it), nine-tailed fox (which i also haven’t watched, but i really want to!). 

5. friendship is super important, actually. like...something i’ve been appreciating a lot, and especially out of newer kdramas, is this emphasis on friendship between women especially. a lot of older kdramas are kind of notorious for female protagonists not having a whole ton of good friends of their own, although there’s def exceptions (like boys over flowers, which is a kdrama i despise tbh, but i do love the protagonist’s friendship with her main friend). also, i’ve noticed that there’s more kdramas that are going down the “two male / female love interests can actually wind up being friends and not resent each other for liking the same person, actually” path, which also makes me :’)) 

6. family can actually be,,,very ride-or-die. i just...love when kdramas feature a family that’s like. very much so at each other’s side or trying to be at each other’s side even when things are complicated. like the kdrama i’m watching right now, penthouse is literally...all about that, and it makes me go nuts. although i’ve def. seen other kdramas dig a little bit into family, like my mister and sungkyunkwan scandal, which...WHOOOO boy. 

and those are the main tropes that i’m really obsessed with! i can talk about this for ages, but i’ll stop  now. thank you for asking!!!

[shekissesturians]

Animes Watched Since Quarentine Started ~

So I just sat down and realized... I have developed a problem X’D  BUT it could be worse! So I figured I would share for those looking for something new to watch! Also, what have y’all been watching!?

Full list below the line + reviews! * No spoilers, I promise! I wouldn’t do you dirty like that! *  ;-*

1. Kakegurui 

This show took me by surprise, I had no idea gambling could be so thrilling! Plus let us take a moment to appreciate the facial expressions animated in this show! Beautiful, just beautiful. Beware though, this anime gets dark, and sick, and you will definitely forget to breath at times. It is a thorough joy.

2. Steins;Gate

3. Steins;Gate 0

Honestly, Steins;Gate + Stains; Gate 0 is one of the best animes I have EVER seen. Legit. Also, It is one of the best stories of time travel I have ever encountered. The way it is explained in the anime is brilliant! Compelling, thrilling, emotional, so much amazingness. I watched in chronological order instead of season order which I really enjoyed. Also one of the most moving anime endings I have seen. All the characters you will fall in love with, and their character development is one heck of a ride. A must watch, 100%.

4. Fullmetal Alchemist

This was a nostalgia back flash for me! It was been years and I felt like reliving it all over again. Which I am glad I did, cus boy was there a lot of heavy themes and topics I did not pick up on when I was younger! One of the biggest themes was this existential undertone throughout the whole show that explored the ideas of humanity, authority, morality and race.

5. Fullmetal Alchemist Conqueror of Shamballa

A must follow up to the original FMA series. It just ties the whole story up in a pretty bow. I remember when I first saw this movie, it was my first encounter this the idea of multiple dimensions and it just blew my mind. The whole this felt so exciting and surreal, and I loved the addition of our timeline playing a part. Watching FMA + Movie over again leaves me a bit torn on which is better, Brotherhood or first adaptation. I think both should be watched for a full understanding of the lore. The first anime series definitely has some holes and details missing, but it’s also so nostalgic and they really give you a better development of characters and feels than Brotherhood does, as they rush through that to get back to the main plot.... so grab some popcorn and watch both and just enjoy the ride :)

6. Angels of Death

This anime has such a unique premise!! And morally it is just all sorts of twisted, which I love! The music is fantastic in it and all the characters you encounter are very unique and fun... it’s dark though, don’t get me wrong.. and twisted. BUT a fun ride if you are down for that kind of adventure!

7. Another

WHOOOO BUDDY! If you want to go on a journey THIS IS ONE! It’s a mind bending premise and each episode ends in so much suspense. I literally could’ve watched the whole thing in one day. This anime is like a jar of Pringles, once you start you just can’t stop!

8. Death Parade 

This anime gets the prize for the most misleading opening ever! X’D But it is such a BOP Please watch if you can. The anime overall is a joy, its very thought provoking and touches on the darker topics of death and mortality. Who is really good? Who is evil? Where do they seamlessly blend into each other? Besides the premise being so unique and tantalizing, the artwork is breathtaking! The background and environments the characters exist in are gorgeous. As an artist and a writer, I appreciate this anime on so many levels.

9. Sekkou Boys

Oh god, this anime is a joy. Just pure, clean joy T.T The episode are VERY short so you could finish the whole thing in an evening. But if you are an artist, a Renaissance history lover, or a J-pop fan, you will especially appreciate this joy of a creation. Watch it for your soul, you will feel better afterwards.

10. Kokoro Connect

This is a very intriguing coming of age story to say the least. There is an element of fantasy/science fiction that comes into the picture that stirs all sorts of trouble for our dear group of friends. It makes you really reflect your own intra- and interpersonal relationships and how we perceive and interact with one another. Overall a fun trip to go on.

11. Occultic; Nine

HOLD ONTO YOUR HORSES CUS THIS ANIME IS FAST! Omgsh, if you watch in Japanese like I did, get ready to have tired eyes cus the pace and speech of this anime is like nothing I have encountered before, but it is soooo much fun! It is mystery combined with the supernatural. It’s one of those animes where there is a lot of characters involved and some how everyone is connected in some way, like Baccano! if you have seen it. I would say to watch this AFTER you watch Steins;Gate if you have any interests because it is written by the same writers and there is little things that reference back to Steins;Gate which are really fun to pick up on.

12. School-Live!

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this series. It is not the kind of art style I am normally drawn towards but I am soo glad I watched. The characters are all really fun and cute! Especially the puppy!! <3 You deal with psychological stress as well as a nice mix of slice of life all in the midst of a zombie apocalypse! It’s a combination I never knew I wanted in my life, but now I am glad I have it. Don’t let the cute animation style fool you... it gets DARK. I was full out trying not to sob at one point, but I think that just shows how many levels are involved in this story. Have fun with this ride my friends <3

13. My Hero Academia

GUYS ARE YOU FREAKING READY!? This was the story I never knew I needed in my life, but now I don’t know how I lived without it. Dear god, I binged this one so hard I think I forgot to breath for a week. All of the characters are so dynamic and the overall tone of the series is so uplifting and positive. If you are in a depressive slump just turn this one on. I promise you, you will be smiling and feeling better in no time! It is so motivational as well. Humor, action, suspense, thrilling, emotional- I don’t think there is anything they don’t touch on. Uhg gosh, I could prob write a dissertation on all the themes and undertones expressed in this work. I promise you, this is a journey you will not regret taking <3

14. My Hero Academia: Two Heroes

I’ll be honest, I think sometimes series’ movies miss the mark, or just feel lackluster, like a power hour of filler. This one my friends.... DID NOT. I was really glad I watched it too, because I felt as though it added so much to the main story line. Plus you get to see college years All Might... so bonus! X3 But seriously, it is a very fun movie and it gives you more background to the world you wouldn’t otherwise get.

15. Shiki

First off... THE ART. This anime’s art is so unique and fits so well into the overall narrative. But honestly, I feel like this anime is a work of art, it feels like an old folk tale/dark fairy tale you would elders talking about in a pub late at night. The narrative never went where I expected it to, and by the end I was so morally conflicted I didn’t know what to do with myself. It’s a dark fantasy that really explores all the little nitty gritty grey areas that are often passed over in stories. There were definitely a few scenes that made me so uncomfortable I was squirming. Human nature is truly a sight to behold, and this anime shows it to you.

16. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress

The Feudal Japan- Post apocalyptic- Steam punk journey you never knew existed! Gosh this anime is amazing. First off the art is breathtaking and many scenes reminded me of Miyazaki. Second, the music is SO GOOD. It’s a concept on the undead that I find to be very unique and truly thrilling. Most of the anime takes place on a train which is such an intriguing element. You also go into human fear of the unknown and how our nature can truly be our biggest hindrance. The characters are great and you get to the point of really rooting for them. Get ready for this feast for your senses!

17. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress Movie: Battle of Unato

After watching the series I felt like my heart was still missing something. Honestly the whole thing felt like it went by too fast. I still wanted more! This movie helped fill the void in my heart. You get to see relationship begin to form between characters as well as more insight into kabane and all their abilities. Standing alone, this movie is a really fun adventure and gives more insight into the state Japan is in overall.

So THERE YOU HAVE IT! I hope you might have found some new things to watch. I would love to see others lists of things they have watched, feel free to leave in the comments! Or if you have watched any of these, I would love to hear your thoughts! Let’s chat <3

[captain-ozone]

okay okay, guys, so I know we’ve seen HP/Batman and ATLA/Batman mashups and crossovers, with numerous discussions about which Houses the Batfam would be Sorted into as well as which elements they would bend. 

I raise you: the Batfam in the world of The Magnus Archives. Which Fear Entities might they serve? Which would they abhor? Which might they have been victims to? 

Let’s discuss. 

(If you’re unfamiliar with The Magnus Archives, it’s a horror/tragedy podcast. Highly recommend. For context, though, here’s some info on the Entities I’m talking about)

Bruce: He’d likely develop an association with The Web, The Eye, or possibly The Dark with an absolute loathing of The Corruption, The Extinction, The Desolation, and, of course, The End. He fights to keep these last four entities out of Gotham while utilizing his association with remarkably contradictory Entities (i.e. The Eye and The Dark) as both a detective and a cowled vigilante. If anyone could pull it off, he could. And does. I mean, Bruce goes out of his way to investigate and reveal corruption, crime, and other plots against the good people of Gotham, which The Eye loves, AND he skulks in the shadows and makes common criminals piss themselves when he comes to get them, all of which The Dark would thrive on. In any case, I imagine he’d resent any favor given to him by ANY of the Entities. The Hunt enjoys Bruce, too, as it would all the members of the superhero community, actually, in some capacity. Another point for The Web? For all the plans and contingencies he makes, he never plans to make a family. Kids just fall in his lap, somehow in the right place and the right time. The Web undoubtedly has a blast with Bruce. It gives him all sorts of plots to unravel while ultimately playing him like a fiddle.

Dick: THE VAST OMG. He’d both be a victim and servant, and I will not take criticism on this point. The Vast is fickle, I think, and Dick would be a perfect plaything for it. As we all know, this poor boy lost his parents due to a fall from the trapeze, and he might have fallen himself, had things been different (*cough cough* I see you, Mother of Puppets). I love fics that put Dick’s love of heights at odds with his trauma (again providing some evidence for a love-hate relationship with this particular Entity), but of course, Dick overcomes the trauma associated with his parents’ fall and rarely leaves his feet on the ground. Heights and open spaces are his heroin. They’re in his blood. He shares this love with the Robins who follow in his footsteps as well as other colleagues in the superhero community. The Vast feeds off their initial fear of heights/grappling/free-falling, or perhaps each heart-stopping reaction they have when they watch Dick do all these wild acrobatic things from high heights. But The Vast isn’t just about heights, is it? It also has to do with a fear of falling into obscurity or feeling insignificant in the grand scheme of things. And we also know Dick has this fear in ABUNDANCE (see as, his oftentimes rocky relationship with his mentor, as well as his desire to be That Shoulder To Lean On in literally every team he’s been a part of). So. Yes. The Vast. 

Babs: THE EYE. Her code name is Oracle. She oversees the entire Batfam operation. And is also an information hub for THE BIRDS OF PREY AND THE JUSTICE LEAGUE. Like???? This needs no explanation or further discussion.

Jason: Oh god. This boy. Okay. So. He is fascinating, and he’d be fascinating to pretty much every Entity out there, for both good and bad reasons, too. They’d have a field day with him. Let’s look at his death first. He technically escaped The End as well as The Corruption and The Buried when he was resurrected, bodily restored, and forced to dig his way out of his grave. I cannot decide if these three Entities would target him specifically afterwards for having escaped their clutches or if they would be sated knowing how afraid he was at the time of his resurrection. Either way. The Web, also, would have had a hand in pretty much every convoluted part of DC’s many Crises, one of which triggered Jason’s resurrection in the first place. BUT WAIT THAT IS NOT ALL. Jason’s been touched by The Spiral (because who else would the Joker serve???? Actually... lies. I might argue the Joker shakes hands with The Stranger sometimes too, but idk how well those Entities would work together). Outside of his death at the hands of an avatar of The Spiral/The Stranger (which Jason would experience intense fear/loathing toward), the Lazarus Pit is probably a co-instrument of The End (because the fear of death does drive men to seek immortality, does it not?) and The Slaughter (for obvious reasons). During his crime-lord phase, he may have some association with The Hunt and The Desolation in addition to The Slaughter. The Flesh would have loved his duffle bag of heads. Prior to forming a team of Outlaws, he’s likely also been touched by The Lonely. And ALL THIS after being mentored by someone who has an association with The Eye/The Web/The Dark. And having a brother so closely tied to The Vast. In the end, after the Pit Madness has worn off, Jason might have unintentionally found himself an avatar of The End, but I imagine all of the Entities would love or hate him (and possibly even consider him with the same fondness they would a pet that gets passed around between distant family members). He...has a unique relationship with each of them, in any case. 

Tim: WEB TIM WEB TIM WEB TIM WEB TIM. This boy was born to serve The Web. Though he very nearly fell prey to The Lonely, on account of his parents’ neglect. Prior to becoming Robin, he had to fight every day to keep himself from being consumed by it. Continuously lying and tricking his caretakers (as well as his parents) into believing he was alright by himself specifically to sneak out and get pictures of Batman was what initially drew The Web to him. After becoming Robin? Whoooo boy. He had free reign and excelled as a master strategist and manipulator. He violently rejects The Lonely, no matter how often it tries to draw him back.

Cass: Like Tim, she’s been touched by The Lonely. Unlike Tim, I like to think she’s made her peace with it and has learned to live in harmony with the mark it left behind. I mean, her father isolated her for most of her childhood and denied her the opportunity to learn how to speak and read. She had no connection to anyone beyond that. The Lonely adored her. Once choosing to join Bruce, she casts off her larger association with The Lonely, obviously, and learns to become a part of a family. Unlike the others in the family, though, she does not serve any other Entity and makes a point not to get too close to any of them, though she does have an uncanny understanding of each of them (and can identify their avatars, victims, and associated artifacts on sight), which puts her closer to The Eye than she likes to acknowledge. Her hatred of The End surpasses Bruce’s.

Stephanie: she’s the hardest for me to decide upon. Tbh, she’s probably a lot like Georgie Barker in TMA. Perhaps her shameless lack of fear/ability to focus beyond her fears makes her uninteresting to the Entities, maybe??? Will come back to her later. And will definitely accept any further thoughts on her.

Damian: The League of Assassins is all about new world order, right? Ra’s al Ghul’s main motivation is to save the world...while also destroying a good portion of it to do so. So we know Damian has grown up around ideals of The Extinction, The End, and The Desolation. After meeting Bruce and moving in to Wayne Manor, it’s hard to shake any loyalty to these Entities. His death and resurrection, like Jason’s, ties him further to The End, but after meeting Jon Kent, Colin Wilkes, Maya Ducard (etc etc) and actually allowing himself the opportunity to be a kid, he doesn’t really serve any Entity, does he? I mean, he probably defers to Bruce’s loyalties in the beginning and continues to do so while learning from his other family members, but he’s probably made no such commitments to any of the Entities himself. Dick’s tie to The Vast may have some impact on him, especially considering how close Dick and Damian are, but I doubt The Vast would have an interest in Damian solely because of it. The kid’s personality and The Vast don’t mesh. I bet Damian may, later, genuinely follow in his father’s footsteps and be a dichotomy by allying himself with The Eye and The Dark. For now, though, he’s a kid and deserves freedom from any Fear Gods.

Duke: you see the state the Joker’s toxin left this kid’s parents in?? Victim of The Spiral/The Stranger, without a doubt. I’m not as up-to-date on his current arc, unfortunately, so I’m not sure which Entity he would end up leaning toward outside of The Eye (by association to the others and due to his own detective skills) but his powers with light put him at distinct odds with The Dark. 

[fairytalelovedramas]

Asian Drama Watchlist & Review for Jan 2020

Wow, got through a lot of shows and films this month compared to my norm (probably due to my lack of a social life, but meh, that’s beside the point)!!!

So here are my thoughts and reviews for the shows I watched in January...  probably not going to be completely spoiler free

And yeah this got long, so putting my reviews below the break so it doesn’t take up the whole wall!!

Finished Watching this month:

1) Ashes of Love

Wowww, what a journey this show takes you on!!  It took me awhile to get through, as I often find with Fantasy CDramas, as I find it hard to binge too many eps at a time, but I was hooked from the start!  I love the actors, the characters, I loved the leads but fell in love with several side characters as well, the angst gave you all the feels, there were plenty of funny moments, and the love stories really made your heart flutter (I especially fell in love with the side love story, which is rare for me!).  Really loved this one!

Where I watched: Viki, also on Netflix

2) TharnType the Series

Hands down one of my favorite BL couples!!  Their chemistry is out of this world.  Are there problematic parts of the show?  Yes, most definitely, especially near the beginning, but their connection and sweet moments are worth it, and honestly I just made up my own head cannon where those parts don’t exist haha!!  I LOVE this couple, they way they look at each other and all the touches, ugh it just does things to me!!  And their acting was fabulous, I fell in love with Mew (more than I already was) and Gulf as well!

Where I watched: Links to Line TV (found on Official TharnType Twitter)

4) Coffee & Vanilla

Skinship, Skinship, Skinship!!  From ep 1, I was like woah!  So I started this one because I saw the 2 leads in Good Morning Call and think Dori Sakurada is just a beautiful human being and had SLS big time, so was curious to see him get the girl this time!!  And yeah he didn’t disappoint, he’s gorgeous and whoooo did that boy have some kinks!  Honestly, I thought their chemistry was good and I thoroughly enjoyed all the skinship scenes, if anything I would have been happy to see more of his kinky side actually get reciprocated haha!!  I personally enjoy a clingy, head-over-heels in love ML, and am for the alpha-male/innocent girl dynamic, and that’s exactly what you get!!!

I can see why this show wouldn’t be for everyone though, it has problematic parts for sure! It has a really weak FL who doesn’t really have a lot of character growth (despite her saying at the end she got stronger, I was like really??  fooled me!  but at least she’s aware of her weakness??), but her “innocent” character is one of the things that drives the story so it didn’t bother me that much.  I could have done without so much manhandling (by pretty much every male in the series).  I could see how it could be triggering for some.  I also thought she had the worst best friend in the world and was way too forgiving.  But if you can get over these points, I enjoyed it quite a lot! I may make some gifs for this one since there are several scenes I liked and no one seems to be making any!!

Where I watched: Viki

3) He is Psychometric

So this was different than I expected.  Not bad by any means, just different.  I was expecting more romance, more healing from shared trauma, etc.  Maybe I was hoping it would be a bit more like Just Between Lovers after seeing that first ep and the trauma?  But I know nothing will ever replace that show in my heart, it will always be a fave!  Anyways, this wasn’t like that one haha!  It was a lot more mystery/crime genre than anything, which isn’t my fave, but there were a few sweet moments and the acting was sooo good and by the time I realized the romance & story wasn’t really what I was expecting I was drawn into the mystery I had to know how it ended!

Where I watched: Viki

5) Theory of Love

I love OffGun as celebrities and in their variety shows, but never saw them in a series so decided to give this one a go!  Wow, I totally ended up in a major binge session with this one!! I didn’t want to stop watching!  I’ve always thought Gun was a cutie, but after seeing him act I have a whole new respect for him.  Did I think it was one of the best BL stories I’ve seen?  No.  But they have great chemistry and it was a cute story overall!  Really enjoyed this one!!

Where I watched: YouTube (GMM channel)

6) Dark Blue Kiss

I’ve seen the various Kiss prequels so was excited about this one!  Honestly, I felt the MorkSun story overpowered PeteKao a bit but am not complaining as I loved both stories!  There were a lot of sweet moments and just enough angst to keep you interested.  But above all, I have to say the superstars of the series were the parents!!  The acceptance every person should get, open talks about sex and condoms, advocating for your child, I mean it really doesn’t get much better!  It hit on many important lgbtq topics and for that alone I thought it was very well-done!  All the couples were very cute and made me root for them!

Where I watched: YouTube (GMM channel)

7) Love by Chance (rewatch)

In prep for the 2nd season I decided to rewatch LBC in a binge session!  Oh my goodness, I forgot how much I missed AePete, I fell in love with them big time the first time around and all of that just came rushing back.  I’m reeeally going to miss Pete in season 2!!!  Their relationship is just so healthy compared to most in the BL world and their chemistry is sooo good!!  They better at least let them stay happy and in love even if Pete is abroad!!  I admit I was never one to get crazy about TinCan, but knowing they’ll be the center of season 2 I watched their scenes more closely and definitely felt a stronger pull for them this time around.  I’m very excited to see how their story continues!!!!

Where I watched: Youtube (Studio Wabi Sabi channel)

8) The Hows of Us

This filipino film stars one of my fave love teams... KathNeil!!  I love their films and that they are a reel to real couple as well!!  I enjoyed this movie a lot, it was more mature than many of their previous works together and showed how they’ve been growing.  It wasn’t a typical falling in love story that ends when the couple gets together but explores how couples grow apart and how real life can sometimes get in the way of our dreams.  I found the film relatable and also optimistic.  And I love the pining and longing looks... that always gets me and there was a lot of it in this film!!

Where I watched: TFC

9) Hotel Del Luna

This is what kdramas are all about - Superb acting, gorgeous cinematography, interesting characters, beautiful OST, the whole production was incredible!  It wasn’t my favorite story ever and it took me several months to finish but it kept puliing my back in and I finally got through it.  I really was mesmerized each ep by how beautiful the whole thing was.  I liked the back story and all the fun side characters. And I swear it was worth watching just for IU’s costumes, hair, and different styles alone!!  I didn’t love the ending, that was my biggest complaint, I guess you could call it “open?”  I just think it could have wrapped up better, but overall it was a beautiful series!

Where I watched: Viki

10) Itsuka, Nemuri Ni Tsuku Hi (Someday When I Fall Asleep)

Wow what a trippy series.  It was short enough to binge in one afternoon and it looked interesting, so that’s exactly what I did.  It was intriguing from the start and there was a mystery about it that kept my interest, it was a bit creepy at times, and had some twists I totally was NOT expecting at all.  Overall it was one of those that made me think and ponder for awhile after, but it did make me a bit sad too, so only watch if you’re willing to experience some feels, but it was a good one and I’m glad I stumbled upon it!

Where I watched: Viki

Currently Watching for Feb:

1) Guardian (woah, another good “bromance” with all those looks!)

2) The Untamed (rewatch - and so far it’s even BETTER the 2nd time around!!!)

3) ‘Cause You’re My Boy (cute so far)

4) Moment of Eighteen (my Astro loving heart was so excited to see Moonbin!!)

5) Until We Meet Again The Series (so many feeeels)

6) Why R U? The Series (jury is still out but I LOVE Saint!)

7) Itaewon Class (super excited for this one, Park Seo Joon, need I say more?!)

8) Crash Landing on You (excellent so far!)

9)  Make it With You (filipino series starring my FAVE love team, LizQuen!!)

[nomilart]

Final Thoughts on Kingdom Hearts 3

I’m gonna gush and bash this game in great detail in a sort of rant/ organized essay manner

Spoilers… duh

               I’ve been a longtime fan of the Kingdom Hearts series. I’ve played every single damn game. The only two I haven’t finished were CoM (Could never get into the gameplay) and Ux (The story isn’t even finished yet… which I’ll get to). I have lived and breathed KH for most of my life and anticipated the climax to my favorite video game series for so long. Upon finishing Kingdom Hearts 3, I was washed with a tidal wave of emotions. I just finished the game I have been waiting on for 5 years upon confirmation that it even was a thing and anticipating it for even longer. There was so many amazing things about this game. Plot points involving characters I longed to make a return in some form were tied together. Things like the reason for why Xemnas and Ansem have returned were answered or what happened to replica Riku. The triumphant return of Aqua, Terra, and Ven and my personal most favorite the reuniting of Axel, Xion, and my favorite character Roxas! On top of super fun gameplay, graphics that dazzled my eyes even playing on the base ps4, a solid ost as usual thanks to Yoko Shimomura, and Disney worlds that really complemented the flare and grandiose of the rest of the game, this Kingdom Hearts game was shaping up to be my favorite among the entire series. Upon finishing the game, despite trying to overcome my biases of Kingdom Hearts 2, am still unsure of if I think I consider KH3 to be better or worse than KH2.

               Story:

               Whoooo boy what a STORY. The KH series is (understandably) mocked for its ridiculous and often convoluted approach to writing and storytelling, but I have stuck with every cheesy line and dumb plot point until this very day. I like to think of KH’s story telling as some kind of weird Avant-garde experience that is really just something that the series director, Tetsuya Nomura, comes up with as he goes along. The often awkward yet charming writing definitely comes from this.      

               KH3 starts off with Sora trying to regain his lost strength from the events of DDD and he is to search for the “power of waking” in order to rescue the hearts tied to his so he can help assemble 7 guardians of light to hopefully overcome Xehanort and his 13 darknesses. All is good until Sora finds out that Xehanort is very close to completing his 13 and just deciding to avoid waiting for the 7 guardians to assemble so he sends his “real organization” to search for the new seven hearts of light instead (these ultimately have little significance to the plot). Towards the end of the game Sora manages to save Aqua because for some reason Riku and Mickey just were too incompetent to go along with their mission even though Sora was allegedly the one who wasn’t strong enough to join them in saving Aqua. After Aqua is singlehandedly saved by Sora they all travel to Castle Oblivion were Aqua reverts it back to the Land of Departure in a really cool cutscene. They find Vanitas and stop him from preventing Ventus from waking up and get ready for the big fight after Sora dives into his heart. Sora and his friends all seem to die but not really after some weird stuff I’ll talk about later goes on. In short the last parts of the game are Sora stopping the remaining organization members and hearing their reasons for joining. Eventually they reach Xehanort and he merks Kairi and screws off to Scala ad Caleum. To be completely honest I’m still lost as to why this place has as much significance as it does besides the fact the Xehanort states it to be the Nexus of all worlds but upon further research, HOPEFULLY it makes more sense (I was caught in the heat of the moment). Xehanort’s motives are revealed and he reconciles after we defeat him and he *seemingly returns to Kingdom Hearts with Eraqus (This is only my theory). Afterwards Sora uses the x-blade in order to *seemingly free Kairi from death. All is well and everyone saved lives in harmony in a really touching scene but we soon learn that Kairi’s return seemingly costed Sora’s life or ability to be enjoy the peace with his friends because he fades away before the credits roll.

               Oh boy that was a real basic summary but now I’ll talk about things I liked. I loved Sora so much in this game. He has grown on me more than ever because he displays so many more emotions than just being happy go-lucky most of the time. While that I the core of who he is, I know he has experienced pain (hurt is a silly word in KH) in the past but it was never this serious. He lost one of his best friends because he wasn’t strong enough to save her in time, he kind of understandably beats himself up for losing his strength and having to rely on his friends for strength, dealing with the pressure of being the bearer of a lot of people’s hearts while simultaneously being expected to rescue them, and last but certainly not least, seeming to sacrifice himself in order to save a friend/ potential love interest. I thought I’d hate the way Roxas and every other nobody would return based on the trailers seeming they were going to get all the data versions of them and implant their memories into them. While that is still somewhat how it goes down, it’s handled slightly better. Instead of using the bodies of data Roxas or Namine, they only use a “vessel” which I like to think is basically a human shaped husk that can only be a human when a person’s heart and memories are placed into it. It sounds goofy but I can get behind that. While a part of me wishes Roxas, Xion, and Namine stayed the way they were because I think It’d give the series some seriously needed consequences, I’d be a damn liar if I said I wasn’t glad my favorite character gets to be his own person. While the whole “Vessel” program can be seen as a cop out, I think it could have been handled much worse. I loved the interactions Sora and the gang had with the Disney characters and I 100% feel like this is the best integrated Disney worlds in the entire KH series. My definite favorite moments include Woody roasting Young Xehanort, Sulley yeeting Vanitas out of the world, and Sora going ham on Davy Jones. I also really liked the reveal that Ansem’s guardian was Terra, it was so badass. Although I totally called Xehanort being a villan who had good intentions but went about them in the worst way possible, I still liked the way it was explained how he got to where he was. I loved the ending scene where the wayfinder trio pay their respects to Master Eraqus (REAL DEATH CONFIRMED IN MY KH GAME?!) as well as the sea salt trio hanging out with the twilight town trio and SAIX/ISA. Also the secret reports have some super dark implications and it only makes me wish they were actual cutscenes. I haven’t read all of them but my favorite so far is one where Saix writes about how Lea and him snuck into the chamber of repose and heard screams of children being experimented on. They also mention a girl they were friends with (WHiCh ill GeT INto LaTeR).  Pretty content with the story as a whole.

               Now I talk about some things I did NOT like very much or at least still don’t understand at the moment. The main thing that REALLY peeved me off was the amount of KHUX stuff that is not only connected to the story of the XEHANORT SAGA but the fact that a lot of it is infuriatingly still not answered like the damn black box or why Maleficent specifically wants it so bad. On top of that there’s a lot of set up for the next entry in the series or what my personal cynical theory is, more backstory for KHUX that will be revealed in future updates. What I’m referring to is characters like Marluxia/ Lauriam , Larxene/ Elrena, Demyx, and Luxord who are intentionally left with super vague backstories. Lauriam and Elrena were revealed to be important to KhUX so I can only assume Demyx and Luxord will follow suit, especially after being revealed to have connections to the keyblade. What’s worse is that Marluxia and Larxene only seem to remember this after Sora defeats them… again… Luxord also gives Sora some assistance with this mystery card and it lowkey pissed me off. Oh yeah speaking of stuff that pissed me off, the “final world” section was super frustrating to me not because it was inherently bad, but because it was blatant setup for KHUX/ next game in the series especially with Sora seemingly* being transported to this limbo like area where the spirits of people who have died roam. One of these supposed spirits seems to be either a friend of Ephmer, Ventus, or Isa and Lea. It is intentionally vague and there only to spark speculation especially after she tells Sora a secret (Or was it the Chirithy? I don’t remember). I’m all for speculation and theorizing, I AM a KH fan afterall, it’s that this is speculation with a character we have no clue who it could be despite our best efforts and they throw her on us like she’s been part of the series this whole time…ESPECIALLY when Saix and Axel bring her up… I have my theories on who this girl might be but it ultimately doesn’t matter or doesn’t feel like good speculation because their might be multiple “mystery girls”. I personally think this mystery girl could be Strelitzia, Skuld, or some new character because Nomura hates us. The problem with it being either Strelitzia or Skuld is if it really IS one of them who is in this world or friends with Lea and Axel, then it leaves us wondering what happened to the other.  Ugh. Next this is really a gripe but I’m just lost to be honest. I have no idea what happened to Demyx or Vexen. They both defected and while Vexen/ Even helped out with the “real replica” or “vessel” program, I either missed what happened to Demyx after providing the vessel for Roxas or they actually just forgot to write a conclusion for him.  While I liked the interactions between Kairi and Axel I wished they actually showed Axel and Kairi training with their keyblades especially since they don’t do much with them in the final battle anyways… Kairi especially. It’s no secret that Kairi is literally worst girl in the KH series but I had hope that she’d get some much needed character development. My hopes were dashed when I found out she was just as useless and bland as ever and on top of that results in getting our sweet boi Sora sent to the shadow realm or wherever he gets sent to at the end of the game. A lot of annoying ship people really think that Riku and Sora were going to get together at the end of the game, and while I don’t blame them for thinking that way because honestly I would love to see that happen, the setup from KH1 and Com forbids that. I however, DO take issue with Riku taking a back seat in the story and honestly not contributing a whole lot besides motivating Sora do complete his mission. I like that Donald and Goofy were so charming in this game and that they joined us in the fight with Xehanort, but I still really would prefer that Riku also joined us like in KH2. We still have no concrete idea on what Kingdom Hearts itself actually is but as usual, I have my theories. The Kingdom Hearts that Xehanort summons in BBS and KH3 is the heart of all people and I think it’s the KH equivalent of Heaven or the afterlife because that’s where Eraqus and Xehanort go away to. The Kingdom Hearts in KH1 s the heart of all worlds and is apparently “light”. I’m also indifferent to the reveal of Xigbar being Luxu...anything to do with the black box or KHUX honestly bothers me. I know I must sound like I hate the story but I actually think it’s still the best out of all of them, I’m just expressing my concerns because I love the series and take serious issue with some of the choices made.

 Gameplay:

               The gameplay of KH3 is arguably the best of the series depending on who you ask. The general fan who mostly meanders through the game on the easiest difficulties on each entry might not really appreciate the depth of the combat and just stick to the go-to mash x to swing keyblade or triangle to do cool move. I however normally play on the hardest difficulty not only to seek a greater challenge, but to be forced to see how good or bad the game’s combat really is. I never really liked the argument of floaty combat because neither side really understands the real issue/ consequence of floaty combat. It all really comes down to enemy design, behavior, and placement. When a game has floaty combat and bad enemy design, (Enemies that don’t stagger or randomly stagger, shoot projectiles that do a lot of damage, big and un-telegraphed attacks) it cause the player to play the game in a really uncomfortable way. In BBS spamming dodge, surge moves, and shotlocks was essential in order to stand a chance against some of the bs that the game would throw at you. In DDD, flowmotion was far better than normal attacks because they gave you super armor, did better damage, and could be spammed. Balloonra was also OP AF. In KH1 Sora felt like a rock and while I personally enjoyed how it felt to control him, I can understand why someone wouldn’t like a lot of jumping and attacking over and over. Kh2 however, has the best combat in the series to this day in my opinion because of all the options you have. Your basic keyblade attacks are effective on every enemy in the game but at higher difficulties, the game suggests you branch away from mashing x and experiment with magic and summons. Then you realize how good it is. On top of solid enemy design, KH2 is probably my favorite game to play for action rpg gameplay.

               Going into KH3 I set my expectations on the gameplay low based on the 0.2 gameplay and the seemingly super floaty gameplay of the trailers. Although KH3 does have its floaty feeling, I can say that the game is designed to be fun while having the best floaty gameplay in the series. The enemies almost all stagger to your basic keyblade attacks and larger enemies that don’t consistently stagger to finishers and keyblade transformation attacks. Magic feels AMAZING to use and is clearly useful early on. Team attacks, while I feel are still better as limits you can individually choose, are still fun and satisfying to use when provided. Attraction Flow was my least favorite feature not because they are all useless, quite the contrary as the pirate ship and splash run seem pretty good, but because I don’t have the option to turn them off. They fill the situation command slots with too much clutter and I’d like to turn them off since I don’t use them much anyways. As for combo modifiers, it’s pretty subjective what you prefer to run with but personally I only used one air combo plus and no combo pluses for my ground combos, speed slash as my only equipped finisher, and the air launch move to render my enemies useless while I air comboed them Marvel vs Capcom style. Shotlocks while useful, aren’t busted as they were in DDD. I recently found out that the Hero’s origin shotlock, when not fully charged, actually heals you a little which came in handy in the battle gates. Links or Summons, are actually pretty bad except for Simba and Stitch. The reason they are so bad is because they cost a FULL mp bar to use and they all leave you vulnerable to damage, granted you take less damage but doesn’t really matter on harder difficulties or battlegates. Simba and Stitch are good because their damage output makes up for the full mp bar. Links also fully heal you but I think that’s because you don’t have I frames and the devs just hope you wouldn’t notice. All in All pretty solid gameplay. Not better than 2 in my opinion but I wouldn’t laugh at someone for saying KH3 has their favorite combat. Regarding the final bosses they are all designed great but they come in groups which I don’t like and wished there was a way to fight them individually. I know they come in groups because it makes it the endgame drag less but, it result in super short fights that have too much going on in them and abruptly stop when you beat one member one by one. I also wished we fought Ansem and Xemnas in their final forms instead of all 3 in a group (Also they have the best boss theme and it should’ve been the final boss theme but the real final boss theme is still good). Every other boss is SOLID my favorite was definitely the ice wolf and mother gothel’s heartless thing.

               Last but not least, Music

               It’s Godlike. The end.  

[itsclydebitches]

Summary:

Just days after Balem returned to his adult self, Jupiter is thrown head-first into another adventure - one she, frankly, really doesn't have the energy for. But when has the universe ever taken her desires into account? Mysteries, promises, and desperate moves forward; bees, splices, and awkward family dinners. It's enough to make even her seasoned head spin.

...which doesn't even include the chance to play at 'Mother' once more. Only question is: will Jupiter take it?

(DIRECT SEQUEL TO "ROCK THE CRADLE")

Fandom: Jupiter Ascending 

Words: 9,779 so far 

Warnings: Will eventually mention previous neglect/abuse of children

Pairings: Jupiter/Caine 

Where to Read it: Below the cut or on AO3 (AO3 recommended for formatting) 

Chapter Six

“This went from ‘kind of cool’ to ‘seriously annoying’... oh, twenty minutes ago?”

Jupiter irritatingly swatted at another cloud of bees (careful not to actually hurt them) as they made a desperate dive to try and burrow into her hair. Another batch was settling in all the crooks of her body (collarbone, beneath her chin, in the hollow of the backs of her knees), while still others seemed to seek actual skin contact, bypassing her already covered arms and legs to flit up beneath her shirt. Jupiter grit her teeth at the feeling of foreign bodies crawling everything, stupidly glad that her skinny jeans didn’t allow them to burrow anywhere else.

“Enough of you,” Caine growled, mimicking her swat with a lot less patience. Jupiter caught his hand and brought it into her lap instead.

“It’s fine,” and no sooner had she sighed it than the bees were back, landing wherever they could and taking whatever she was willing to give. Jupiter wondered if she looked somehow regal like this—or if she was just a cheap monster out of some low-budget horror flick.

Kiza’s expression suggested the latter. Her phone click-click-clicked as it took a million, horrible photos. No way was she buying her a better phone. This girl did not need more storage space.

Jupiter thought about pointing out the obvious though, that there was no photo album to fill anymore. Or there was, but it was gone, and she doubted Balem wanted her to send updates. The mere thought of him painstakingly adding pages to the back of the book and gluing in new photos was so ridiculous it had Jupiter releasing a slightly hysterical laugh.

Kiza slowly lowered her phone. “You okay?”

“Not really.”

“Yeah. Yeah I feel that.”

The whole party was largely off kilter and a massive swarm of bees invading the living room was only part of the problem. Jupiter was high-strung of course, and Caine had a tendency to follow her in all things, even emotions. Same with Kiza and Stinger now that she thought about it, some hereditary loyalty rising to the surface as they honed in on their queen, and okay, shit, was everyone in a bad mood just because she was?

Three pairs of eyes stared at her intently. Huh. Maybe “I feel that” was less a common phrase and more a literal expression of truth. Jupiter mustered up a smile.

“Whoooo’s gonna explain what’s going oooon?” she sang.

Stinger sighed, throwing up his hands. He obviously needed to do something with them though, and without a weapon to point at a concrete enemy he just ended up fiddling with everything in reach: the throw draped across the couch Jupiter sat on, the edge of his shirt, a pencil he’d stuck haphazardly behind his ear. In the end Stinger settled on pouring her another cup of coffee even though Jupiter had barely touched the first.

That done he spread his arms. Whole strings of bees followed the movement.

“You’re more equipped to answer that than I am, Your Majesty. You say you were visited by a fox splice?”

Caine nodded. “One sent by Kalique. You think there’s a connection?”

Kiza snorted. “Between her suddenly changing the game and an attack on our house? Absolutely. Though what the hell would she want with our honey?”

“Nothing,” but Stinger’s hands made fists just thinking about it. “She has the resources to pull off a theft like that of course, she could hire any group she’d like, but why the hell would she want to? There’s no commercial value to it—at least not compared to her own vast wealth—and as for personal reasons...” he trailed off, shaking his head. “It makes no sense.”

Jupiter scoffed. “When has anything involving Kalique ever made sense?”

“The fact that she’s actually the most logical and methodical of the three is kinda sad. And by ‘sad’ I mean hilarious.” Kiza dodged Jupiter’s whack to the head.

“You didn’t hear anything?” she pressed. “Earlier?”

“Nope. Slept in, did my chores, went to do more chores outside—” Kiza sent a nasty glare her dad’s way. Stinger challenged it stiffly—”finally got to the hives out back, called you, and discovered... that.” ‘That’ was clearly the missing honey, though Kiza made the absence sound like a foul addition instead. Like an enemy. Or no, something that grew. A cancer.

Jupiter felt Caine shifting on the couch beside her. She gave his hand another squeeze and was relieved to feel him doing the same.

“We’ll figure it out,” she said. “I promise. And not to make light of that situation, but...can we focus on one emergency at a time?”

“Dinner,” Caine said solemnly.

“Politics,” Stinger countered.

“Food,” Kiza finished. “Wasted. Which I am very happy to eat for you anyway.”

“You’re welcome to the steaks,” Jupiter sighed, like she didn’t already know that Kiza had squirreled them away for a late night snack sometime. The girl’s appetite was easily the most alien thing about her. “You’ll all come then?”

Stinger’s hand settled on her shoulder. “Don’t be foolish, Your Majesty. Where you go, we follow.”

She actually wanted to say something appropriately thankful in response, but the movement was—once again—ruined by a flash from Kiza and an exaggerated “Awww.” She raised her phone in the air as Jupiter rubbed at her eyes.

“I like this one,” Kiza announced.

“Good for you,” Stinger said. “Caine. With me. I won’t be going into another Entitled’s lair blind. Not again. Kiza? Entertain your Queen.”

“Sir, yes sir,” she said and as the two boys went off to discuss super cool space weaponry she threw herself onto the couch beside Jupiter. A massive cloud of bees rose up like a wave.

Jupiter carefully extracted a bee that had gotten caught in the belt loop of her jeans. “Can you make them go away?”

“I’ve tried.” Kiza actually sounded apologetic about it. “They’re really... just...” she blew out a slow breath. “They need this right now.”

“...and so do you,” Jupiter said, realizing the words were true as soon as she’d said them. Kiza was pressed shoulder-to-shoulder with Jupiter, much like how the bees themselves were seeking her touch. If Jupiter focused, she could feel the lightest tremble running through Kiza’s body. She lifted an arm and settled it around Kiza’s back. The younger girl nestled there, vulnerable.

“It probably seems stupid to you,” she muttered, face now pressed into the fabric of Jupiter’s shirt. “Just honey, yeah? Got plenty of that. And sure, sure the bees themselves are fine, which is the important thing, but... it’s an invasion, you know? Someone was here. In our home. They took something that didn’t belong to them!” Kiza was trembling harder now and it had little to do with disquiet. “Ugh. I sound like dad. I know he’s super mad too, even if he’s better at controlling it. I’m a second generation splice. I love our bees, alright? But even I’m not connected to the spirit like he is.”

Jupiter’s fingers had found their way into Kiza’s hair. She paused there before resuming her slow, soothing movements. “Spirit?”

Kiza hummed. “It’s not really a religion, like you have here on Earth. You gotta remember its all tied up in our biology too. It’s more that we understand all the layers.”

“Like onions,” Jupiter intoned and was relieved when Kiza shoved her lightly.

“Don’t quote Shrek at me. But yes, layers. Or—or connections. Like how one bee isn’t just a bee. They’re part of a hive, an ecosystem; they’re connected to you and to me. It’s the same with honey. It’s not just a food source, it’s something they made. It’s exploration and life and they always create more than they need so we can have some too and—” Kiza drew in a massive breath. “It’s just important, okay?”

“Okay,” Jupiter agreed. She sometimes forgot just how young Kiza was, not only compared to her but their group at large, everyone either in a genetically enhanced middle age or outright ancient. Kiza was the little sister Jupiter had never, but who she was thrilled to have now that she was here.

She also felt a little like a daughter.

Jupiter twisted her earring.

“Good talk,” she said, because Jupiter was nothing if not awkward when it came to heart-to-hearts. There was a little part of her mind that whispered, ‘I love dogs’ and she firmly stuffed it into the deepest, darkest pit she could conjure up. “So… whatcha got there?”

Still curled against Jupiter, Kiza had her phone out again, though for once it wasn’t pointing and clicking. It looked like she was online, though what website needed such a violently blue background, Jupiter didn’t know. She shooed a bunch of bees out of the way to get a better view. Kiza helped by tilting the screen.

“Tumblr,” she said, like that explained anything at all.

“Tumbling?”

“Tumblr. Don’t you ever waste your life online?”

Jupiter considered. “Yes, but you’re talking to the girl who grew up in a poor, super large family that always monopolized the one desktop. Also, excuse you, but I’ve been busy. Saving the world? Or did you forget?”

To Jupiter’s horror, an unexpectedly evil grin stretched across Kiza’s face. “Oh, I didn’t forget, Your Majesty. I documented it.”

“You—wait what?”

Over the next mind-boggling ten minutes Jupiter got a crash course in current social media, complete with the distinction between those parts of the website that humans had access too, and the sprawling, galaxy-wide network that catered to everyone else. Scrolling through pictures, news articles, and GIFs of funny cats was one thing, finding out that Kiza had been blogging about Queen Jupiter on the equivalent of Space Facebook was something else.

“You’ve made me kind of famous,” Kiza said, sounding infuriatingly smug about it. “My follower count skyrocketed when I started posting these pics. I mean sure, we get the stupid anon or two, but pretty much everyone else is supportive. They want to know you, Your Majesty. It’s the classic rags to riches story, plus you’re the first Entitled in, what? Ever, who isn’t a dick? You should totally start your own blog. Provided I help, of course.”

“Oh my god,” Jupiter whispered. Her finger felt numb as she scrolled through an endless stream of stories, questions, and, yes, pictures of her. Most of them were candid, shot when Jupiter had been otherwise engaged. There was one of her upside down on her bed upstairs, a half-piece of toast dangling from her mouth. She couldn’t even remember when she’d done that, let alone how Kiza could have gotten a pic without her noticing. The ones of her and Caine were particularly popular, at least according to the number of ‘notes’ each one had. Jupiter was torn between flattered and mortally embarrassed.

She scrolled down further and found a picture of her holding Balem. Jupiter snapped her hand back.

“You’d be good at it too,” Kiza was saying, oblivious. “You’re pretty, famous, and rich, the trifecta for getting a good following. Plus half of what you say is basically shit-posting, so.”

“Kiza—”

“I can—”

Whoom.

Too late for talk: at that moment a massive crash sounded from somewhere outside; too short to be an earthquake, not quite large enough for an explosion. Still, it knocked Kiza back into Jupiter’s shoulder, the both of them slipping halfway off the couch and their cloud of bees scattering with worry. The two filled coffee cups splattered onto the carpet. The throw fell down across their backs. Jupiter ended up jarring her hip and watched as Caine and Stinger store sideways into the room.

What now? was her first and completely justified thought.

Jupiter pushed up quickly, righting the boys in her vision. They looked ready to take on a whole army together. Which tended to happen when you carried whole armloads of weapons into the room.

“What the fuck?” Stinger growled. He’d already hefted something large and glowing blue over his shoulder, marching towards the door. Caine stopped only long enough to pull Jupiter to her feet.

“My thoughts exactly,” she grimaced.

“You’re okay?”

“Fine, fine. Do we know what—?”

Whoom! Again, but closer and with a bit more... solidity. This time Jupiter felt the foundations of the house shake.

“Oh, but it’s never boring with you, Your Majesty,” Kiza breathed. Jupiter watched with a mixture of disbelief and respect as she began composing a new post.

“We’re talking about this later,” she said and grabbed them both by the arm.

Careful of what they might find, Jupiter, Caine, and Kiza followed Stinger out of the house.