#❛ ——— heroes always get remembered but you know legends never die ❜ (edits)

[nerevar-quote-and-star]

Ordering Madness

ao3

Summary: Dragons are immortal. Dragonborn, however . . . are not. One day Leara Rose-blade will die and pass into legend, as all heroes must, but what will become of her then? Taken from one afterlife to another, Leara Ormand faces eternity in the Shivering Isles with her uncle, Oromis, who also happens to be Sheogorath, and her mom, a woman who doesn't even know her. One-Shot. Originally posted on FanFiction.Net 12/14/2016

Author's Note: I was talking about my Sheogorath and how, as the older brother of my Hero of Kvatch, he's a bit possessive of his family members' afterlives. It's always been my idea that he stole Leara from her fate in Apocrypha and brought her to "safety" in the Shivering Isles. This is old — written December 2016 old. It doesn't quite line up with the version of Leara featured in my ongoing wip, "I Didn't Know You Were Keeping Count," but I did make a few minor edits not found in the original FFN version.

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"This is horrendous."

"If ye didn't want me to pull ye outta Mora's tentacled embrace, ye shoulda just said so!"

Leara Rose-blade banged her head against her uncle's table. Despite the fact that Oromis was the Mad God himself, he seemed to still remember the family he'd left behind in Tamriel, including the ones who fell to madness or to Daedra. Which was basically just Leara and her mother. This proved somewhat helpful when Leara found herself suddenly dead (was it that wretched Bosmer? Or a Thalmor agent, or . . . ?) and cast into Apocrypha to be Hermaeus Mora's personal Dragonborn until Alduin returned at the end of an eternity to eat the world without her interference. But her dear Uncle Sheogorath wasn't having that, no siree, so just like when he pulled his "favorite" niece Marelen from joining her parents and grandparents in Aetherius after her fiery death, he took possession of the Dragonborn's afterlife.

It wasn't that she didn't like the Isles, because they were rather fascinating. The vivid colorscape of Mania and the dreary bleak lands of Dementia that she caught sight of through the windows of the New Sheoth palace were truly interesting enough to peak her curiosity. But she missed Skyrim's snowy mountains, Cyrodiil's ancient cities, High Rock's forests, and, not to mention, her children — and Ulfric! How did they fair without mother and wife, and Skyrim without her queen?

Ice crept from Leara's hands where she gripped the table in frustration. She had nearly anything she might wish for in the Shivering Isles, except that which she wanted most.

"Martin's birthday is the seventeenth of Rain's Hand," she reminded herself under her breath, "and Kyneiren's is Last Seed . . . the twentieth . . . and Ulfric's is in the middle of summer. It's . . ."

"Lee Air Uh . . ."

". . . it's Midyear. No, Sun's Height the . . ."

"Lee Bee . . ."

". . . Sixth!" Leara paused a moment, struggling to recall still more information. "Mine is Sun's Dusk the uh, the third . . ."

"Bravo! Now stop turning my table into a popsicle! We aren't into apotheosis here anymore!" Sheogorath cut into the Dragonborn's breathless whispering.

Leara started and wrenched her hands back from the table, only to realize that the entire surface had frosted over like the ice fields of Whiterun. Or was it Winterhold? . . . Windstad?

"I'm sorry, Uncle," she sighed, sinking back into her chair, "It's just getting harder to remember them."

Sheogorath snapped his fingers, turning the dining hall table into an eclectic puzzle pattern devoid of frost. He then gave her such a sympathetic look that Leara was certain it was Oromis looking back at her and not the mad Daedric Lord who had pulled her from Apocrypha. It was gone the next moment, however, almost as if it had never even been there.

"Have ye spoken to yer mum lately?" Sheogorath asked, changing the subject as he always did when Leara became too melancholy and reminiscent for his liking.

"I have no desire to," she replied, inwardly cringing at the thought of speaking with Marelen Ormand. Her mother, for she was still her mother, was a madwoman, an insane and flamboyant Altmer who bore hardly any resemblance to the soft spoken and clever teacher she'd been for the first fourteen years of Leara's life. Leara, in all the time she had been in the Isles, never felt ready to face the mother who apparently didn't even know her, nevermind how little Leara herself remembered about the woman in return.

Sheogorath hummed and stirred his tea with a dagger. "There's a word for people like you!"

"I know . . ." Leara grumbled and banged her head on the table again.

"Coward! Cow award! Do they give cows awards for being cowards, or do they give cow shaped awards to cowards? Are they awards for people with cows?" He rambled off, and Leara sighed.

She was trapped in a haze of madness where everything had gone barmy except her, and even then her mind felt like it had been through a bender. Was Paarthurnax the dull white dragon or the black one with red eyes? Or maybe that was Odah . . . Odah thingy.

She hit her head again.

"I don't think that's gonna help ye very much, m'dear Avy!" the Mad God laughed.

And that was another thing; no matter how often he called her Leara or any derivative there of, he always slipped into calling her "Avy" after they'd been together awhile. She didn't even know who that was! When he had first called her that, she felt she almost could remember, like it was the name of an older family member or a person she'd admired once upon a time, but more and more that feeling faded, until "Avy" elicited the same response as any other one of his nicknames for her had: nothing.

With her head on the table, Leara felt almost ready to tear her hair out. But she'd managed that once before and in retribution her dearest Uncle Sheogorath had made it grow back in blue and corkscrewed. It was back to normal now, wavy and mahogany as if she'd only just dyed it, but she never wanted to look like a frozen sheep, or worse, again.

"I just want to," she started, before cutting herself off to bite back the words. Want to do what? Drink greenmote, kill random strangers? Steal eyes from priests and elves? No, no, and no, Leara was certain she didn't want any of that.

"Yer as indecisive as yer grandmother! Have I ever told ye about the time she ran away because she didn't want to be a marry a lordling and she ended up shacking up with the Emperor? Hypocritical she was, that Avy . . ." Sheogorath went on, spewing nonsense about heroines and emperors and things Leara didn't understand and couldn't recall ever knowing before.

While the Mad God continued his rambling, Leara glanced wanly out one of the dining room windows, the one that viewed her mother's gardens in Mania. Marelen Ormand was the Duchess of Mania, which surprised Leara on occasion when she remembered because its sister seat in Dementia was never held by the same person two weeks out of four. Her uncle had tried to get her to become Dementia's duchess, "To save poor Haskill the volcanos of paperwork! If ye took the seat, he could drop it all into an actual volcano!" But Leara always declined quietly; she was the Queen of . . . the north and giant flying lizard things, not the Duchess of Dementia, and she was sure Ulfric wouldn't like for her to pledge her service to another kingdom, realm, world? The elf sighed into her still cold hands. There were butterflies in the garden, which she knew were things her mother (and she herself) were fond of. But these butterflies weren't like the blue and purple ones she recalled chasing with fits of fancy as a child; these were like clouds, but pink. More than once she'd seen someone pass by through the garden, pluck a puffy pink butterfly from the air and . . . eat it.

". . . then she threw my staff at the blasted beast! Avy, Avy, Avy! Ye don't throw a man's staff at a minotaur! Whether it's the Wabbajack or not!" Sheogorath laughed suddenly, startling Leara enough to cause her to face him.

In one hand he held the Wabbajack, waving it around like a wild conductor leading a symphony only he could see, while in the other he held a minotaur drinking horn. Seeing his niece's renewed interest, he extended it toward her. "Greenmote?" he offered.

Leara shrugged halfheartedly and accepted the drink. It tasted funny, getting weirder and stranger in flavor every time she drank any. She had never indulged in skooma, seldom drank ale or mead, and had felt rather ill the one time Lydia — was her housecarl Lydia? Or that Jolinar lady? No, it was Lydia. Jolinar was a mage. Leara had felt absolutely sick the time Lydia gave her some of that Sleeping Tree Sap. Why was everything purple?

Why was everything purple?

Leara looked down and realized she'd already downed half of the contents of her uncle's drinking horn, and not only that, but the world had gone purple as well. She quirked an eyebrow at him, only for him to snort.

"Ahahah! Ye look like a grape! The 'grape' queen!" Sheogorath laughed.

So, it was like when that apprentice accidentally turned one of the teachers green. Leara suddenly felt disconcerted; had she been the teacher? Or was it Faralda, Tolfdir, or Jolinar?

"Yer mouth is shut but ye keep thinking about my favorite blonde!" the Daedra cackled, but this time Leara paid him no mind. She only frowned at the different landscapes beyond the windows, thinking. Behind her, her uncle was raving on about his "Dunmer", whatever that was, and Jolinar and some lady named "Alvivecia".

"I thought it was Almalexia," the Dragonborn Queen whispered in confusion. Who were all these people, anyway? Ulfric was her, um, was he her king? They were married, she recalled, with two children, which meant he was her husband, right? Father of her children, Martin and Kyneiren. Yes, she nodded, before shaking her head. No, Martin was the name of an emperor of Tamriel long dead and Kyneiren was the old Nordic translation of Kyne's Peace and Ulfric Stormcloak wouldn't want a wife with even a drop of elven blood by his side, she was sure. So sure, wasn't she? Was she really a queen? A half Altmer couldn't be queen of Skyrim, or Dragonborn.

Couldn't she?

Wasn't she?

Leara Rose-blade frowned again, as the purple effects faded away. Why was it so hard? Why couldn't she remember any of it? She couldn't remember much of present history, her own or the world's, and she knew less about the past!

Growling deeply, the elf spun around in her chair and sent a large spire of ice toward a window. Then another and a third and still more until at last every window in the room was shattered and glass littered the floor like icy dust.

That caused Sheogorath to quit his asinine babbling and Wabbajack wagging long enough to simply stare at her.

"Lea?" he ventured at last, sounding more like her uncle and less like the Prince of Madness.

But Leara could only stare at the dark empty holes in the walls where the windows had been. She rose slowly to her feet and padded toward the one that used to show her mother's vast and whacky colored gardens. She ignored the pinch of glass on the underside of her bare feet as she made her way across the room before at last getting on her knees on the windowsill. The other side of the window showed only darkness, hollow and quiet.

The crunch of the broken windowpanes underfoot behind her told Leara that Sheogorath had come after her, still she looked out into the darkness in silence.

After a little while, she felt her uncle place his hand on her shoulder and give it a squeeze. "Yer mother," he began, sounding less insane and more melancholy, "died in a shower of fire and fear. She wanted to forget her death and the reasons why and gave way to her own imagination to do so. She was always running away, your mother. That's why she is blissfully ignorant of everything beyond a few simple thoughts and memories. You, on the other hand, spent your whole life chasing history, trying to know everything and be everything while guarding yourself and keeping secrets from everyone you ever came across, even that husband of yours. Yer paranoid, as it were," the soft voice of her Uncle Oromis explained before he started choking out a crazed laugh, heralding the Mad God and fueling Leara's growing horror over his words. "Ye've gone mad, Lee Air Uh!"

·•★•·

The draconic scream that tore from Leara Rose-blade's lips was of such force that the glass dust shook and the walls and their motley tapestries quivered. Sheogorath's deep chuckle sounded out amidst the elf's wailing. After a long moment, the clearing of a throat drew the Mad God's attention away from his niece and toward his chamberlain, Haskill, who stood by the door to the dining room.

"The Duke of Dementia requested that your, in his words, 'dragon harlot,' stop shaking the foundations of New Sheoth. Apparently," the balding man gave a bored sneer, "it is disrupting the bone cages he's made from the remains of his predecessors. What would you have me do, sir?"

Sheogorath chortled and waved the Wabbajack absently. "Throw him into one of those cages, Haskill! I've got a grrreat new candidate for the Dementia seat!" He hauled the still screeching Leara to her feet, which were both smeared with blood from where she'd walked over the window shards on the floor. He presented the former heroine to Haskill with a smile.

The chamberlain regarded the distraught redhead passively and nodded. "Very good, sir," he replied crisply, and, taking Leara's arm, he led the crying Dragonborn away.

Once the sounds of her wailing had vanished in the distance, Sheogorath turned and assessed the destruction Leara had caused in his dining room. "For shame," he grumbled with a shake of his head. "The lass has no manners!" He stared at the windows in thought, trying to decide what to do with them, when he heard the door open.

"Uncle Sheo?"

The Mad God turned to find his Duchess of Mania looking dazedly and only slightly worried about the room. "Ah, Mary! Bit early for your tea, aren't we?"

A twitch of her eyebrows was enough to let him know she was frowning. "I heard roaring."

"Did ye now? Ya know we don't have dragons here in the Isles," he reminded her. He watched as she poked absently at the broken glass on the floor.

"It sounded like a girl. Was it her? The dragon queen?" The part of Sheogorath that was Oromis, Marelen's actual uncle and caregiver, twisted painfully at the look of concern that dusted over her pale golden face. She wanted so badly for the "dragon" to come to her, and yet he knew that she didn't know why.

Instead of answering her question, he said, "I've anointed a new Duchess to oversee Dementia and Crucible and I believe she will hold the office for a long time yet."

"Really?" Marelen quirked her head to the side slightly, looking only passively interested. "What's her name?"

Sheogorath hummed and snapped his fingers, vanishing the glass and turning the windows into portraits of himself in different costumes. If Leara wanted to sulk and stare at windows for the rest of her afterlife, she'd have to do so in her own dining room.

"Uncle?" Marelen spoke, reminding him that he hadn't answered her question.

"Oh, her name's not terribly important," he shrugged. "She calls herself Leara," he told her before turning to examine a portrait of him with a green vest and ginger hair. Ah, that was a good look! He should wear that face more often!

"Oh," Marelen said lightly. Then, "Uncle?"

"Yes, Mary m'dear?"

He heard her hesitate before at last she asked, "How's my daughter?"

"Oh, Maragathe is just fine. She's the High Queen of Skyrim, ya know!" And he wasn't lying. The part of him that was Oromis and uncle to Marelen felt wretched for withholding information from her, but he was a Daedra, and he liked holding the strings to his puppet duchesses. Marelen had no clue that Leara the Dragon Queen was her daughter and Leara would never go to her mother, broken as they both were.

"She is?" Marelen asked in vague wonder, just like she did every tike he told her her daughter was a queen. "That's wonderful. Mama and Papa and, and the others would be so happy!"

"Yes, they would!" he echoed. "Now run along, Avy, and we can pop off to the Hill of Suicides for your sunset tea later!"

"Oh course!" Marelen nodded slightly before flouncing put of the dining room, pink puffy skirts, red curls and all.

Sheogorath sat back down in his chair and picked up his tea cup as Oromis cleared out half of their mind to rant over his manipulations, but the Daedric Prince of Madness only shook his head, knocking the Altmer into the side of their shared head. It didn't do for his mortal half to whine at him, as it tended to give him headaches.

Next to his saucer, a poster popped into existence. Curious, the Mad God unrolled it and peered over the contents. All it was was an announcement that "Leara Rose-blade" was the new Duchess of Dementia, blah blah blah, more formalities of the most insanely boring kind, blah, and all of it was sequestered under a picture of a scowling redhead adorned in torn mage robes sitting on the throne in Crucible. The bloody feet were a nice touch.

"She put up quite a fuss until she was forced into the throne, sir," Haskill informed him upon reentering the dining room several minutes later. "After that she went rather quiet. She is likely planning something."

Sheogorath only laughed at his words. "I'd expect nothing less from Avy's great-grandkid!"

"Yes, the Hero of Kvatch is rather displeased with you, sir. Lady Leara's animosity is not surprising," Haskill mused.

"Yes she does, yes she does . . ." the Prince of Madness laughed again, recalling Oromis' sister's anger over the Greymarch.

"You did, after all, take over her brother and kidnap her daughter," the chamberlain continued.

"Yes, yes, you needn't remind me!" Sheogorath waved his hand at him with a scowl. He forgot often how Avarenya was such a stick in the mud.

"Of course, sir, my apologies."

"Don't be so dour, Haskill! Now, pack me a picnic basket and don't forget those little cucumber and cheese sandwiches! Avy, I mean, Mary and I are going to the Hill of Suicides for her sunset tea," he ordered.

"Of course, sir," Haskill nodded before bowing himself out of the chamber to go prepare his Lord and the Duchess's basket, leaving the Mad God's resonating laughter behind him.

[fill-me-with-your-memes-daddy]

Watching the Rise of the Titans movie and I'll be documenting all of my thoughts/reactions here. [Spoiler Warning]

So instead of reblogging every new update, I'm just going to have this post up on my phone as I watch and type my reactions in a bullet list format.

Nari's human disguise is so cute. As someone who does have a cottagecore aesthetic, I want to cosplay her so bad

Are Skrael and/or Belroc non-binary coded? Regardless, I'm also obsessed and I want to fuck Skrael and be Belroc.

STEVE CARING ABOUT JIM BEING HURT YESSSS!!! My god his redemption has probably been one of the greatest there is because he doesn't just suddenly go from being a bully to a completely good person. You can see the gradual shift in learning better throughout the shows which is awesome.

IN NEW YOOOOOOORRRRRRRK!!!!!! CONCRETE JUNGLE WHERE DREAMS ARE MADE OFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!

The mugshot montage reminded me of season 1 of trollhunters when toby and Jim were arrested at the museum.

STRICKLER PUT A RING ON IT??? HE'S THE ONLY DILF IVE EVER ACTUALLY AGREED WAS HOT WYM I CAN'T HAVE HIM??? well I'm still really happy about his arc over the series probably one of my favorite character growths.

Eli my guy got his growth spurt!!! As an 18 year old who is still 5'0", I'm happy but envious for him

So I went into this movie without watching any trailers or promo, but I doubt anything could have prepared me for the existence of mpreg. In fact, I wasn't going to document my reactions until I saw that.

NAMURA!!!!!!!!! MY BELOVED!!!!!! I CAN STILL THIRST FOR YOU WITHOUT GUILT

The coach teacher just called the kids zoomers so I have to dock one point from my final rating just because of that. Unforgivable

Those husky animation models suck lmao

Oh fuck the titans got power ranger zords!!

God why did they include the mpreg??? This movie would have been perfect without it.... After that plot point being revisited only one time I'm already beyond done with it

Like it's bringing me back to the v*ltron days where they're was a suspiciously high amount of klance omegaverse and mpreg fics and art created and it physically hurts because Steve and Keith's voice actor is the same person meaning this is especially cursed to me since I was unfortunately in the v*ltron fandom and remember all of that

But like on another note, how old are these characters again??? I haven't checked any wikis because of spoilers but is Steve an adult??? I know aja might be technically a lot older than 18 because alien but is whatever age she is equivalent to an adult as far as emotionally and physically in Akaridion development??? IS THIS A TEEN (M)PREGNANCY IN A KIDS SHOW????

Like bruh I saw a singular post on here before going into the movie that was like "rott spoilers without context" and there was a pregnant belly but I was absolutely not expecting the actual context of it. I'll find the post after I finish and edit this post to tag the creator right here: @makoden

This entire post is just gonna be me ranting about mpreg huh

Anyway I love the whole roundtable allusion to the legends of king arthur (not the toa version but the one he's based off)

THERE'S 3 TO 5 BABIES????? I need to take a break bruh this is just too much

Alright I've taken a 30 minute break got some food and did some things i love (decompressed by tactile stimming with some owl plushies and watched some videos on my favorite owl, Garu. He lives in Japan with his owner and is a domesticated eagle owl who basically just acts like a sky cat. If anyone else needs some eye bleach, here is their YouTube channel)

Blinky and ARRRGHHH!!! saying their "if one of us doesn't make it" talk my god one of them is going to die I can see it and I will be utterly crushed. Jim can't lose another father figure and Toby can't lose his wingman again I will riot if this happens

On a similar but unrelated to the movie note, can we just talk about how toa started with Jim having 0 dads and (if strickler and blinky live to the end) will end with 2 dads? Like I just really feel happy for him that he has two dads who actually figured out how to put the past behind them to not have any infighting between them so that both of them are healthy father figures. Jim has already been through literal hell and back losing his actual humanity in the process so if he loses one of them, I'm going to be really pissed because at this point, this is just Jim torture porn. Y'all know how as SpongeBob SquarePants went on, the show just became Squidward torture porn? It's starting to feel that way for toa and I really hope they cut the shit by the ending

Jlaire is such a good ship but like I feel like it's too perfect they never disagree with each other

YESSSSSSS Someone finally doesn't treat toby like a fat waste of space who messes stuff up!!! I think out of all the characters that would have been most deserving of a rewrite, it's Toby. Sometimes I just feel he's only comic relief and any heartfelt moments he's had in the series was also born of stupidity (ie his flour baby project being unharmed was seen by him as divine intervention from his parents but was actually just Eli and Steve behind the scenes).

Ohhhhh yesssssss Archie's father!!! I was hoping I'd see him again because we got so little of him last

Ooooooooooh Asian trollmarket!!!!!

Oh never mind slavery trollmarket

Bruh titanic camelot

I feel like we're not seeing enough of the villains because I completely forgot about the power ranger zord things

NAMORA NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MY LAST CRUSHHHH

STRICKLER NO NOT YOU TOO PLEASE

WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE ONLY TWO CHARACTERS I SIMP FOR ON THIS SHOW DIED WITHIN FIVE MINUTES OF EACH OTHER

THAT WHOLE ASS RANT I WROTE IS COMING TRUE FUCK THIS MOVIE THIS SERIES IS JUST JIM TORTURE PORN

WAIT JIM'S SPERM DONOR INFO?

Oh thank God I don't want to know anything about that person

For the record, I call that man Jim's sperm donor because he has no business being called a father to him. All he did was donate some swimmers to the creation of him and give him abandonment issues

Oh another blind troll elder???? This fucker is just if vendel was a bad guy

Bruh I was grieving

PACIFIC RIM WITH GUN ROBOT VEX AND THE BELROCZORD? I've never seen that movie but I know the reference

Bruh Blinky doesn't read horoscopes? Does he realize conspiracy theories are just the manly version of horoscopes?

NO DON'T KILL VEX STOP KO-ING FOUND FAMILY MEMBERS

Oh thank God he's okay

NO NOT ARCHIE AND CHARLEMAGNE OH MY GOD

oh never mind they're just gonna coup de tat I believe in them :))

But I want to see him again

But I'm glad to see vex

Yay they're in arcadia!

But yeah I wondered why the trolls and Merlin didn't keep the whole "daylight doesn't hurt trolls" feature from the eternal night but now Guillermo del Toro I see you were playing the long con in that just to kill my girl Namora :(((

Oooooh I love the animation of the Narizord over Chihuahua!! It looks very good and realistic (if only they could have put some of that into those huskies from before smh)

Bruh the character designs of the arcane order are so good I want to be them

Nari making sure the Skraelzord doesn't crush the bus

DAMN DOUBLE HOMICIDE

Bruh I'm just glad we finally have an answer on why arcadia had everything going on as opposed to literally anywhere else!! I always found that as a weird coincidence for plot convince.

BRUH WERE BACK TO THE MPREG IM SO JEALOUS I FORGOT ABOUT THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS GRIEVING THE LOSS OF MY LOVELIES.

Oh that's real convenient that the ninth configuration meant all of them. Way to not decide which character gets more attention. Though it probably was a smart way to not have any infighting in the fandom between each character's stan group.

Bruh I just realized where is Barbera did they just ditch her on the Camelot ship???

And where are the other trolls that migrated at the end of trollhunters s3? They said something about new jersey but obviously Jim and the other main characters got on Camelot instead.... This feels like a plot hole

And we never learned the process of how changelings are made and bonded to humans and stuff. We just know it's super painful but I'm curious ffs!!!!

THE DONT THINK BECOME HERO SPEECH ALL SAID TOGETHER!!!

BRUH THEY REALLY HAD TO SHOW HIM GIVING BIRTH??????? WAS THAT AN ABSOLUTE MUST??????

Plus the main audience for this series is little children (the rating for the movie is literally TV-Y7) so even though my adult ass is not in the target audience, I STILL DONT UNDERSTAND WHY WOULD MPREG AND ANAL BIRTH WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT THING TO 7 YEAR OLDS???? THIS IS A LITERAL FETISH HIDDEN IN KIDS CONTENT ITS ELSAGATE ALL OVER AGAIN Y'ALL 😭😭😭😭😭

Though it's probably hypocritical of me to think fetishes don't belong in kids tv when I've openly admitted to thirsting for strickler and namora

HUZZAH

NEW AMULET WAZ GOOD????

STAB THAT BITCH JIM

WAIT NO I SAID STAB NOT GET STABBED

Alright good job just missed the directions at first but you fixed it

SEVEN KIDS?????????

T O B Y ????????????

W A I T NO

N O

IS HE ACTUALLY

OH MY GOD THERE'S HOPE

NO THERE ISN'T

F U C K THIS SHIT THEY REALLY JUST HAD HIM TO BE BULLIED THEN KILLED

Y'ALL IM ACTUALLY CRYING THIS NEVER HAPPENS

I NEVER ACTUALLY GET SO EMOTIONAL OVER MEDIA THAT I CRY IT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE AT THE END OF VOLTRON BUT AHHHHHHHH

W A I T

HE'S GONNA BE BROUGHT BACK?????

HOLD UP THEY'RE JUST GONNA BRING ALL THOSE DEAD PEOPLE BACK??????

WAIT IS HE

BLINKY CALLED HIM A SON

HOLD ON IS THIS GOING TO BE A CLIFFHANGER???????????

BRUH THEY REALLY JUST CAN'T END THE SERIES WITHOUT CLIFFHANGERS like there's always an open ending

TROLLHUNTER TOBY????? You know what forget the whole rants I had on how toby was written they just redeemed it all

And that's all! I'd rate it a 6.5/10 because it's definitely the weakest of all the sequels but still had amazing animation and some good plot points. It's just really hard to look over the bad stuff enough to rate it any higher.

[skullsandwineglasses]

The Legends (2019) Full Review

My review of the first 30 episodes of the drama can be found here. 

This is more of a rant than a review. The drama should have wrapped up at episode 35. I was able to tolerate it up to episode 42 when the wedding was, but by episode 48 it’s a total mess. 

If only this scene was as epic as the picture makes it look. But alas, this was just a dream sequence, and by this point in the finale, I was already bored and scrolling through instagram on my phone. If only they really did have a love-hate relationship. But this is an angst-free drama. 

Inconsistent character arcs

The FL and ML have become incredibly weak, both in terms of abilities and personality. The changes just don’t make sense for their characters. 

Zhao yao is no longer the badass she once was, and I’m actually fine with that. Moving away from her demoness persona is part of her growth. BUT, she no longer has a goal in the drama (except when she finds out that Mo Qing has an inner demon. Then, her goal becomes finding a way to expel the demon). But in the last quarter of the drama, she doesn’t really do anything of importance. She lost her sword, but she doesn’t actively go and find it. Instead, Mo Qing and Jiang Wu are the ones who took initiative to hunt it down for her. And when Lin Zi Yu got away with it, she doesn’t bother thinking about finding her sword again?? I mean girl, you lost your sword. Your only weapon. Why is that not at the top of your list of priorities? Is this the same FL who had risked it all for the Wan Jun sword? 

(I miss the demoness)

Her tolerance level for things that annoy her is just so out of character. Zhao yao used to be someone who always fought back against anything she didn’t like. But when it comes to Jiang Wu, she seems to have unlimited tolerance for him. Yes, he saved her, but owing him does not mean letting him be a menace. Like when Jiang Wu sucked the life energy out of Ah Dai. All she did was try to restrain Mo Qing from attacking Jiang Wu, but she didn’t spring forward to prevent Jiang Wu from killing Ah Dai. I mean, the cause of Mo Qing’s rage was Ah Dai dying. Shouldn’t you go address the root of the problem? Instead, she just sits and stares and lets Jiang Wu kill Ah Dai instead of doing something. And then there’s the scene in the library when she’s asleep, but Mo Qing is wrestling with his inner demon, and then the Wan Jun sword kills the 2 guards on duty. She just sleeps through the entire thing. Wasn’t she once the most feared conqueror/demoness? Isn’t she a warrior? How can your senses not be alert when there’s so much ruckus around you? Someone on MDL said that she became a glorified baby sitter for the ML, and while I don’t agree that it’s as extreme as that, I can see their point. All that Zhao yao does after the wedding is try to reign in Mo Qing to prevent him from going into full-on demon mode. She holds him back, tries to calm him and soothe him, rinse and repeat.

Speaking of Mo Qing, his current personality is just rage and jealousy. At first, it was kinda endearing seeing him jealous, but soon his entire arc was just about him being consumed by jealousy. The writers try to justify it by saying that he’s always had low self-esteem and been unconfident about himself because of his upbringing, and the growing demon energy inside him is exacerbating these thoughts, making him more unlike himself, but you’re telling me that everything that he and Zhao yao had gone through together was all for naught? This would have made sense 5 years ago, but we’ve seen that he has greatly matured since becoming sect leader. During the earlier episodes, he was able to see right through Zhao yao’s mask. He teased her, flirted with her, scolded her, and basically proved he’s her equal in every way, and he did it all with easy confidence. And now suddenly, all of that growth reverses, and he’s insecure and sensitive again. This character progression just doesn’t make sense in the context of everything that’s happened. I would have loved to have seen more of the introverted and unconfident Mo Qing at the beginning of the drama. But instead, we only got a handful of scenes before that part of his character arc was cut short and we skip ahead 5 years later and then another 5 years later to when he’s the sect leader. There was honestly no purpose for Mo Qing’s suffering. He just suffered for the sake of suffering. In other xianxia dramas, characters suffered for a purpose. It was a price they had to pay in order to protect someone they love. But this suffering is just pointless. It does nothing for this character arc. And they kept replaying the same montage of him sleeping on the dragon. As if it’s not already clear from the last 20 episodes that he’s being haunted by his father’s demon. 

Villains and supporting characters

I didn’t really care for the villains? Luo Mingxuan is still alive, but doesn’t do anything until the last 5 episodes. I eyeroll whenever Lin Zi Yu is onscreen. Jiang Wu is the only one who’s interesting and he serves as comedic relief.  

And then there are all the unnecessary deaths. It’s like they’re killing off all the good characters one by one. What was the point of killing off the doctor? He was the only character who could scold both Zhao yao and Mo Qing. The drama felt so empty without him. 

But on a good note, I really liked most of the supporting characters, from Zhiyan to Shi Qi to Ah Rong to Gu Hanguang. They were also the most consistent characters in the drama. 

On a bad note, the drama spent too much time on the backstories of supporting characters. I did not care to watch Suruo mourn Luo Mingxuan and remembering how they fell in love, and this happens for pretty much all the couples in the drama. It’s because Zhao yao and Mo Qing have a very simple romantic arc that’s resolved very early on, so the writers had to throw in fillers to drag out the drama. And the consequence is that our leads end up getting not enough screen time. 

The final 2 episodes

Oh boy. The last 2 episodes were a hot mess. In the final battle, everyone kept attacking and stabbing Luo Mingxuan, but he just won’t die?? He’s like Wolverine. He just comes back stronger. It just kept dragging on and on, and I completely lost interest. And I felt bad for Xu Kai. He was standing on the sidelines for most of the battle, just watching and shooting worried faces at Zhao yao. I hate to say he was useless, but it just felt like the writers did him dirty. Even Jiany Wu, who had already died by that point, was given a brief re-appearance. While Mo Qing, the ML, was forced to sit out on the action. 

I’m also so over the will-he-won’t-he be evil plot. I keep saying this but I’ll say it again. It. Just. Keeps. Dragging. I’ve watching longer dramas, but this one felt to go on forever. We get it. You’re being tortured by your inner demon, but love will conquer all. 

The editing is also weird? Some of the scenes aren’t in chronological order, and there’s no separation between dream sequences and reality. I also never liked the preview at the beginning of each episode. I also hate how they cut some crucial scenes from the TV version that’s on youtube, forcing me to hop onto doboku, which buffers. 

Honestly, the last episode felt like a hallucinated dream sequence. In one scene, they’re all sitting around the table saying that the need to seal the Wan Jun sword before Mo Qing gets out of the control, and then it suddenly cuts to black with a title card that says 5 years later (don’t get me started on how often they overuse the “5 years later” plot device. Why is it always exactly 5 years?) We then see that Zhiyan is now the sect leader, and we’re told that Mo Qing has sealed himself away, and Zhao yao has been waiting for him to return. We don’t see them say goodbye to Mo Qing before he seals himself away. No scene showing a handover to Zhiyan. We’re just forced to go with it and imagine these scenes ourselves. 

Zhao yao, with a new hairstyle and new clothes to signify the time skip, watches Zhi yan and the sect from the distance. She then goes to visit other people, like Sima Rong and Liu Cangling. Liu Cangling and Zhiyan are the only couple who were able to move on from each other, and honestly, good for them. We then see Zhao yao sitting in the cave, pouring wine onto the cave floor, and then it cuts to black again and a sword flies through the air and wedges itself on the bedrock and we hear Mo Qing say Zhao yao’s name in a voiceover. And then it cuts to a scene where they’re both in the cave wearing their clothes from 5 years and Zhao yao has her old hairstyle. You assume this is a flashback to when they sealed the sword. And then we see Mo Qing in another realm where he lowers the sword in to the water, presumably sealing it. And then it cuts to both of them on the street buying food, wearing their old clothes and hairstyles. 

Does this mean he got out of the seal? When in the timeline is this street scene? How did he get out of the seal? Did he just walk out? Was Zhao yao there waiting for him, or did he go and find her? It’s typical for there to be a long period of uncertain separation in xianxia and wuxia dramas, and these dramas usually end either ambiguously where you don’t know if the couple will reunite, or they end with an emotional reunion, like in Ashes of Love, Eternal Love, Love and Destiny, and Love and Redemption, and famously in Return of the Condor Heroes. But what in the world was this ending?? The hell happened? That was so anticlimactic. If the scene on the street really was their “reunion” after he got out of the seal, does that mean Zhao yao changed her hair back to 5 years ago? Why is the costuming so confusing then?

And the last scene where they have the same actors play their kids? Um, no. That’s just plain weird. You built up the chemistry between the 2 actors, and then in the end you make them play siblings and re-enact the scene of when their parents met? For what? To make the audience reminisce about the budding romance between the leads at the beginning so that things come full circle? But, these characters are siblings?? You’re trying to make us emotional over a scene of two siblings pretending to be lovers?

There was just no point in doing that. It doesn’t tell us anything about the characters’ married life now. I don’t care about their kids. I care about the characters and what they’re doing now. What a strange and uncomfortable way to end the drama. Not satisfying at all. 

It would have been better if they had left it ambiguous. The amount of times that Zhao yao came back from the dead showed that they can defy the impossible, so even if it was an ambiguous ending, you’d still be able to believe that they’ll be together again. But this mess just ruined the chemistry. Ugh. I really miss the first half of the drama. 

Overall Impression

I’m mad about how chaotic the last few episodes were. While the beginning of the drama wasn’t without its flaws either, it was still very promising and intriguing. The beginning of the drama felt like they knew where they were going with the story, even if you didn’t completely like the direction that it went. So yes, I echo the other critiques saying that this drama had a strong beginning and a weak end. 

When I got to episode 35, I thought, how bad can this get? When I got to episode 42, I was still holding out hope that maybe other people were just harsh and maybe I’ll actually enjoy it. But no, the final 10 episodes are really as bad as everyone says it is. 

The romance, which was the only reason I stuck to the drama, also felt a little underdeveloped. I wish we got to see more scenes of them pre-episode 30.They were so cute then. Everything post-episode 30 was just them being constantly worried about each other. 

At least there was no angst. And the comedy was great. So there’s that. 

I give this drama a 7/10 for the characters and the premise. The plot is not worth watching due to terrible editing, pacing, and consistency, but it’s also a drama that won’t take you long to watch since you could skip most of it anyway and just go to the scenes with the leads. It’s my first drama watching Bai Lu and Xu Kai, but I’m def now interested in more of their work, like Arsenal Military Academy. 

[vamphunted]

tag dump ii

[archivingspn]

Entertainment Weekly Special Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Supernatural 2017

SAM AND DEAN WINCHESTER KNOW "WEIRD." Their entire life has been weird, ever since the moment a demon claimed their mother's life. In case anyone has forgotten over the course of the show's past 12 seasons, Supernatural tells the story of the Winchester brothers, portrayed by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, who fell into the family business of hunting creatures after their mother's murder. What began as their father's journey for revenge has evolved into endless monster slayings, near-death experiences and more than a few actual deaths.

By this point the Winchesters have been to Hell and back, killed Death himself, come face-to-face with God and prevented the Apocalypse. But perhaps more impressively, the series has survived three network presidents, five showrunners, a writers' strike and five different time slots. Turns out the only thing harder to kill than the Winchesters is the series itself. "It's one of those shows that has moved a lot, and yet each time it has found that core audience and built on it," Warner Bros. Television president Peter Roth says. "It's been an unsung hero."

If anyone knows about being an unsung hero, it's Sam (Padalecki) and Dean (Ackles), who've dedicated their lives to saving others and asked for nothing in return. Seriously, how many nights have they spent sleeping in their car?And yet that on-the-road lifestyle has paved the way for a number of the show's riskier episodes, which play a crucial role in keeping the audience engaged. In 2015 "Baby" was told entirely from the perspective of their beloved 1967 Impala, and that's not even close to the craziest thing the show's tried.

Aside from the rules the show creates within its canon—yes, they have a historian in the writers' room to keep them honest—not even the sky is the limit when it comes to story ideas. “[Show creator] Eric [Kripke] used to say, 'Smoke 'em if you've got 'em,' which meant: Anything crazy, don't be afraid to run it by us," executive producer Robert Singer says.

That motto led most famously to season 6's "The French Mistake," in which Sam and Dean found themselves in an alternate universe where everyone mistook them for Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, the stars of a show called Supernatural. "Our show's not bound by reality," Ackles, 39, says. "We're rooted in reality, but we're not bound by it. That gives us a fifth wall almost."

But Supernatural's season 12 finale managed to raise the stakes by somehow introducing the boys to something they'd never seen before: a world in which they don't exist and Heaven and Hell are locked in an eternal war. By episode's end, their allies Castiel (Misha Collins) and Crowley (Mark Sheppard) were dead, and their mother, Mary (Samantha Smith), who was resurrected-by God's sister!-in the season 11 finale, found herself trapped in this new reality with the Archangel Lucifer (Mark Pellegrino). If that doesn't seem bad enough, the birth of Lucifer's son is the very thing that opened the rift to this apocalyptic realm. "The world in which Sam and Dean were never born is not a good world," showrunner Andrew Dabb says. "It speaks to the importance of our guys. The world Sam and Dean live in is certainly not perfect, but it's a whole hell of a lot better than the alternative."

Dabb describes the new run of episodes as more melancholy than last year's, with new threats including some long-dead characters. And somehow Scooby-Doo has a role to play. (More on that later.)

"Last season was, in some ways, a very upbeat season for us," says Dabb, who goes on to explain that season 13 will be "darker." In their grief the boys will butt heads when it comes to both Lucifer's son Jack—Dean wants nothing to do with him; Sam thinks he's worth trying to save— and Mary, whom Sam refuses to give up on despite Dean's having lost hope that she's still alive. "The Apocalypse world hangs over our guys a little bit like a sword of Damocles," Dabb says of the season's beginning. "We're definitely going to spend a little time there."

And of course Sam and Dean have this new responsibility thrust upon them before they've had the chance to properly grieve their many losses, including Castiel, who Dabb says will appear, though maybe not the way fans are expecting. "We're not looking to hit the reset button," Dabb says. "We want to give both our guys an opportunity to react to that and ask the question: How would that affect them if their closest friend sacrifices himself for them? There is a certain amount, especially when you look at Dean, of survivor's guilt."

That being said, there will be at least one (animated!) moment of levity, though it's in the season's back half. Episode 16 will be a much-anticipated Scooby-Doo crossover, for which Ackles, Padalecki and Collins have already recorded the audio. "They've often talked about Supernatural crossing over into something." Ackles says. "I love that it's Scooby-Doo."

But even with exciting new ideas on the agenda, there's always the lingering question of how much longer the show can continue. According to CW president Mark Pedowitz, the answer is as long as the guys are happy and the ratings are relatively stable. As for Ackles and Padalecki, they are focusing on the next milestone: hitting 300 episodes (something that would take them 13 episodes into season 14). However, if Sam and Dean have taught the actors anything, it's that Death can be lurking around every corner (and he's usually eating pizza). "If we don't make it to 300, I think Ackles and I will both be truly bummed," Padalecki, 35, says.

Ackles adds, "They're paying us to bring that little bit of magic to what they wrote, and I still feel that magic. The day that I don't feel that magic will be a very sad day, and I hope that day never comes. I'd like to get to 300 before that day comes."

One thing everyone can agree on is that they want to know when the end is nigh. "I think it would be bad for this show to just ride off into the sunset without a finale," Singer says. "I think we've earned that." Ultimately the only thing that's certain about Supernatural's eventual end is the fate of Sam and Dean's Impala, Baby. "He gets Baby," Padalecki says of Ackles. "I get Baby Two." Ackles makes one correction: "No, you'll get Three. Two is a stunt car. It's beat to s---.”

But nobody gets Baby just yet. For now they'll need all the Impalas they can get as they try to solve the problems of not one world but two.

[pg 10-12]

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

Stars Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins have rolled with rapid changes and some surprising detours during the series' remarkable run. BY SAMANTHA HIGHFILL

JARED PADALECKI CAN STILL REMEMBER THE exact pitch for Supernatural's first season: “Route 66 meets X-Files, brothers on the back roads of America hunting things that go bump in the night.” That was how he and costar Jensen Ackles were told to promote the show, which, in its first year, was just that-Sam and Dean Winchester chasing urban legends from state to state.

But over time that original pitch added a few sentences. Much like with any good road trip, there have been quite a few turns—and the occasional crossroads along the way. Although the show remains about two brothers on the back roads of America hunting things, those "things'' now include everything from vengeful spirits to imaginary friends and even Lucifer himself. After all, a show doesn't last 13 seasons without adjusting its game plan. For Supernatural that has meant an ever expanding mythology, some shocking deaths, resurrected characters, breaking the fourth wall and so much more.

Yet all the while, one thing has remained true: Sam and Dean Winchester will do whatever it takes to save the world and, even more so, to save each other. And they'll do it while navigating those seemingly endless back roads in their 1967 Impala.

Finding John Winchester (portrayed by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) was the boys' goal in season 1, though that ended up being about as difficult as getting John to stick around once he was finally discovered. The Winchester family reunion was short-lived: Season 1 closed with a car crash and the fates of all three men up in the air. And then there was that demonic deal John made with the same monster they had been hunting.

JENSEN ACKLES Everything up until that point was about finding Dad. We found Dad, we continued to fight as a unit, and then we lost Dad, and now we were two orphans.

JARED PADALECKI And I think that was the first time we ever brought back somebody from the dead, and it was you [to Ackles].

ACKLES I died in the car crash, and he traded his life with Azazel.

PADALECKI I think that was the first time we ever saw a major character die and come back. And that was a total leap of faith. So we told the story of Reapers and the veil and what happens to your soul.

ACKLES That's when we got into afterlife.

PADALECKI That was a big title shift in what Supernatural could do...

ACKLES With the introduction of Hell and making deals with demons—which is funny, because you think about that now, and [creator] Eric [Kripke] must've always known because Mom made the deal with the yellow-eyed demon.

The next shift would come later in season 2, laying the groundwork for the introduction of angels far before Castiel spread his wings in that abandoned barn in season 4.

PADALECKI "Houses of the Holy” was the first time we ever talked about angels on Supernatural. [Jensen] and I both were like, “Whatever your religious beliefs, whatever ours, we're not here to proselytize. We're here to make a serialized television show, but we want it to be universal.” So we actually had a conference call with Eric Kripke, and we were like, "Hey, man, we don't know how we feel about this.”

ACKLES We didn't want to be a mouthpiece for writers' religious views, because it wasn't the show that we had signed up for. Our argument was: “We trust you. You've done good by us so far. However, this is our one concern, and we're just bringing it to the table so that we can discuss it.”

PADALECKI And they heard us out, and I think that's why they waited another year and a half before introducing our second and most famous angel. I think it's the one time we've ever called them together with a complaint. Because I'm not a writer. I don't want to be a writer. I enjoy my job as an actor. But that was legitimately like, “Listen, if you're going here about religion, I don't want to be a part of it.”

MISHA COLLINS And now amazingly, 11 years later, so much of the show has been hung on biblical lore and mythology that is actually drawn from the Bible. One interesting thing for us is that we end up talking along the way to priests and pastors and ministers, or even nuns, who love the show.

(...)

ACKLES It was amazing, but my point being that we're in one of the most religious places on earth, and they're catering to people from a show that deals with religiously inspired story lines.

PADALECKI But not telling the story that the Bible tells.

ACKLES That's the out. That's where we get a pass is that we're not trying to tell the story of the Bible. The writers take inspiration from biblical elements and then elaborate on them. So when we got into that original discussion, Eric came back with: “We're not here to tell the story of Jesus Christ. We're here to take that element and use it as inspiration for the story.” I think that alleviated any concerns that he and I had. And at the same time we really trusted Eric and still do to this day.

Another leap of faith came with season 2's "Hollywood Babylon,” which can be considered the show's first meta episode. It opened the door for everything from season 6's “The French Mistake” to the upcoming season 13 Scooby-Doo crossover.

ACKLES “Babylon” was the first time we took the piss out of ourselves and were poking fun at the industry.

COLLINS That has been a huge [help to know] that you can go to these absurd lengths and break conventions. Reading the script where we are doing a Scooby-Doo episode makes me feel proud. Where else can you do that?

Padalecki What other show does that and has the fandom at large excited that they’re going to do that? Can you imagine if JAG or NCIS did a Scooby-Doo episode? People would be like, “What?” Not only do we break the fourth wall, do we go meta, but those end up being some of our best episodes.

The season 5 finale holds the No. 1 spot on EW's episode ranking, but that hour was important for many reasons, one of which being that it was creator Kripke’s farewell.

COLLINS “Swan Song" was another milestone because that marked the culmination of Eric's original vision for the show. He had a five-season arc in mind that tied up perfectly with a bow, and then he moved on and handed the reins over to Sera [Gamble]. That became, “Okay, guys, now let's figure out how to start a new chapter or a new volume in a series of chapters.”

PADALECKI It's the story that we were all born from, those of us who were introduced in the first five years. So to have the creator step away? I would argue that it was the largest shift.

Gamble served as showrunner for seasons 6 and 7, the latter containing another major show moment: the death of Bobby (Jim Beaver), Sam and Dean's father figure.

PADALECKI Bobby was such a big part. Jeffrey Dean [Morgan] was never as much a part of the show. He was obviously a huge part of the story, but he did [just a few] episodes, and Jim Beaver did 60 or something. And there was something about his death that we knew it was final...or final for Supernatural.

ACKLES Because his character said, “I'm done.” So it wasn't like he got killed accidentally and we found a way to bring Bobby back. He was like, “I'm hanging it up, guys." It was heavy.

PADALECKI That probably was the first big death of someone who'd been there for years...

ACKLES [Interrupting] A fan favorite...

PADALECKI Yeah, and I remember [CW president] Mark Pedowitz saying something to the effect of “As a fan, I hated when Bobby died, but it was great television.” That's how I feel. 

ACKLES Like when Sam Winchester dies for good, it's going to be good television. But when Dean Winchester lives on, it's going to be great television. [Everyone laughs]

The season 12 finale saw the introduction of an apocalyptic alternate world in which Sam and Dean Winchester were never born and Heaven and Hell are locked in an eternal war. And with that world comes the possibility for a number of character returns. But does it feel like a turning point? 

COLLINS Well, I think the rift and the fact that you can go into the apocalypse world and you can all of a sudden revisit every character in a different iteration—there could be a different version of every character—it opens up this incredible panoply.

(...)

PADALECKI And if an alternate universe exists, then how many alternate universes exist? It's hard to say, because I feel like it's impossible to identify a turning point during the turn. In hindsight it will reveal how this story will affect the show, the canon at large and the way we move forward. But I certainly feel like we're opening up doors with the rift and with the son of Lucifer.

(...)

[pg 20-26]

THE CORONER'S VAN JUST PULLED INTO THE driveway. It's the middle of August in 2016, and Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are filming a scene for Supernatural's 12th season at a farmhouse in the Vancouver countryside, which is standing in for Iowa. Sam and Dean Winchester have ditched their flannels and jeans for sweaters and slacks in order to pose as social workers. They're doing what the two brothers do best: lying about their jobs in order to solve mysteries and kill monsters—in other words, saving people, hunting things.

When Supernatural premiered, Sam and Dean Winchester were born into the family business of hunting creatures, and it's a lifestyle that, over the years, has left them with very few people they love. Turns out, when you spend your days battling shape-shifters, witches and the occasional angel—they're not all nice, you know—nothing is guaranteed, especially not tomorrow.

But no matter how crazy the Winchesters' world gets—or how many worlds they have to face—one thing remains unchanged: At the center of it all are Ackles and Padalecki, whose Dean and Sam are the beating heart of the show (whether theirs are beating or not).

(...)

(...) even pulling up their favorite scenes on their phones to watch at the table. Padalecki can easily name the scripts that made him cry—“Heart,” “Sacrifice" and "Baby" all land on the list. The common thread is a heartfelt moment between the brothers where they get to talk about their crazy life as if, say, having visions of Lucifer is normal. “I feel like those situations where we treat the abstract and the fantastical as just part of life is where the show thrives,” Padalecki says. Ackles adds, “I think the show is truly at its best when it doesn't take itself too seriously, then it does take itself seriously, and it gets scary as s---,”.

But whether Supernatural is making fun of itself, scaring the living daylights out of its fans, or just letting the brothers have a moment on the hood of the Impala, it all works because of our central heroes. “It's about the Winchesters," says Crowley actor Mark Sheppard. “We really do care, and it's a testament to the boys that we still care."

(...)

As the sun sets on the Vancouver countryside, Sam and Dean ditch their slacks for jeans and send the coroner's van on its way. It won't be needed—this show, and the brotherly bond that holds it all together, has a lot of life left in it. Not that death has ever stopped it before.

[pg 32-34]

(...)

DEAN WINCHESTER Jensen Ackles

He was always the good son. Dean embraced the hunter's lifestyle, and he idolized his father despite John's many faults. But with the senior Winchester devoted to tracking down demons, it fell to Dean to help parent Sam, and he went to great lengths to protect his younger sibling-at one point even making a deal with a Crossroads demon (at the cost of his own life) to resurrect Sam from the dead. The two have had their differences, but throughout, Dean's brother was his first priority. "Watching out for you, it's kinda been my job, you know? But more than that, it's kinda who I am." Cynical and initially skeptical of the existence of God, Dean has nonetheless managed to become best buds with the angel Castiel (and on first name terms with both God and God's sister Amara). His self-sacrificing nature means he would do literally anything for those he considers family-and that's a short list: Sam, Mary and Castiel.

[pg 38]

Sympathy for the Devil

EVERY HERO NEEDS A HELL, BUT SUPERNATURAL HAS JUST TWO PROTAGONISTS AND HUNDREDS OF VILLAINS. HERE’S HOW THE SHOWRUNNERS APPROACHED SAM AND DEAN’S MANY FOES, FROM WELL-KNOWN URBAN LEGENDS TO SATAN HIMSELF. By Samantha Highfill

[pg 51]

Stairway to Heaven

SAM AND DEAN MET CASTIEL. AN ANGEL OF THE LORD, IN SEASON 4, AND IT CHANGED THE COURSE OF THE SHOW. BECAUSE ANGELS WEREN’T ALWAYS THE PLAN— AND CASTIEL WAS ONLY THE FIRST. By Samantha Highfill

(on page 57 there’s a small box of print on the corner that says: In what executive producer Robert Singer calls one of the series’ most “iconic images,” Castiel (Misha Collins) is introduced as the show’s first real angel.)

WHILE OTHER CHILDREN WERE LEARNING multiplication tables, Sam and Dean Winchester were hunting monsters. “When I told Dad I was scared of the thing in my closet, he gave me a .45!” says Sam to Dean in the Supernatural pilot, recalling an episode when he was 9 years old. Clearly creature encounters were par for the course in the Winchester way of life. And when you grow up battling all the evil in the world, it's hard to believe in the good. But in the show's season 4 premiere, Dean would come face-to-face with the one supernatural entity he didn't think existed: angels.

“[Show creator] Eric [Kripke] wasn't in love with the idea of doing angels,” executive producer Robert Singer says of the early days. “But as things went on and we were getting into demons, I would say to him, 'I don't know how we do demons without doing angels.’”

The show tested the waters in season 2's “Houses of the Holy,” when Sam and Dean worked a case that appeared to involve angels then went in a different direction. It wasn't until late in the next season that the seraphim were finally embraced. When Dean was dragged to Hell, they needed to get him out. And if there's a Hell, it stands to reason there has to be a Heaven. "[The season 3 finale] was the gateway into this whole other world of angels and demons," executive producer Andrew Dabb says.

When it came time to spring Dean from Hell, it was Castiel, the show's first angel, who gripped him tight and raised him from perdition. But Castiel quickly established that he wasn't a typical cherubic angel. Many of the show's angels were, as Sam and Dean would put it, real dicks. “We have our own brand of angels and the idea that they were these warriors of God,” Singer says. “We introduced Castiel, and we just went from there. Heaven opened up different levels of angels.”

The moment Castiel spread his wings, the show expanded its universe. Castiel came bearing news of something much bigger: the Apocalypse, the ultimate showdown between good and evil-or more specifically between Archangels Michael and Lucifer. “We started with archangels and the idea that Lucifer was an archangel and was cast out of Heaven,” Singer says. “We certainly took some license, but it was all biblically grounded. We just took those things and went a step further to make them work for our story.”

From there the show explored all kinds of angels, from Zachariah and Naomi to Gabriel and Metatron, and, of course, it eventually arrived at God-or Chuck, if you prefer. “We didn't really know that Chuck was God when we first started with him," Singer says of introducing the character in season 4. (He wouldn't be revealed as God until season 11.) “That evolved. We wanted a relatable God, a God with foibles.”

Nine seasons later, what started as one angel in a trench coat has evolved into Lucifer, God, Leviathan and even a sister for God. “We play a little fast and loose with religion, but no one has really complained about it,” Singer says with a laugh. “So we'll just keep going.”

[pg 56-58]

CASTIEL Misha Collins

What can you say about the only member of Team Free Will who wears an overcoat? Cas has become a true member of the Winchester family.

[pg 61]

[lyric-edits-are-my-new-hobby]

“Emperor’s New Clothes” - Panic! At The Disco

[hopemakesstuff]

“Heroes always get remembered, but you know legends never die.”

I wanted to draw Fomortiis to celebrate my boi Lyon finally getting a proper alt in FEH, but then I remembered that I cannot draw Fomortiis to save my life. x’D So I went with Gwima instead. The other big purple(ish) embodiment of death and destruction :P Also this is basically a remake of a drawing I did back in 2018, which I just so happen to have a speedpaint of~

edit: for some reason tumblr hecked up the formatting I had, so I (hopefully??) fixed that x’D

[holycafe]

Deja Vu

Coldflash Week Fall 2019: Different First Meeting

When the Oculus blew, Len didn’t die. Instead, he woke back up in the body of his past self on the night before his first ever run-in with the Flash. Now Len has a chance to do it all over again; what changes would he make this time around?

(I have a lot of edits and fics for this ship as well as destiel, sterek, etc. My masterposts can be found here. If you’re on a desktop site then you can just jump on over to my page to view the rest of my coldflash edits.)

A full fanfic for this will be on the way soon (hopefully), but please accept the following couple of extracts in the meantime and, if you feel inspired by this post, feel free to run with it yourself! I only ask that you give me credit for the idea.

[] [] []

The taste of Sara's lips lingered on his tongue. Len hoped she'd gotten away. He hoped they all had. His team. He'd never been much of a team player in the past, but that was before he'd joined the Legends. And look where it had left him: holding onto a device that was set to blow at any second.

All things considered, Len supposed this was a good way to go. He wondered what Barry would think of him now. What would the Flash say once he learnt that Len had died a hero? Would Barry mourn him? Maybe. He was a god damn bleeding heart if ever Len had known one.

When the Time Masters surrounded him, Len had time for one last line. One last snarky comment. He'd make sure it was a good one.

"No strings on me," Len said, and he closed his eyes to the blinding light filling the room.

His last thought was of Lisa.

He supposed he should have expected that... his sister had always loved that damn film and insisted on watching it with him every birthday. Though he'd missed it last year, having been recently arrested for killing their father, so she'd had to come to visit him in prison instead. Lisa forgave Len that though, saying Lewis Snart's death was a better present than she could have asked for and more than made up for one skipped birthday. She'd made him promise not to miss her next one, though... it seemed like Len was going to be breaking that promise. He supposed she'd have to find someone else to carry on that tradition with her from now on. Maybe it would be Cisco? He was a good guy, and it was obvious to Len just how much the two cared for each other. If it wasn’t Cisco, though, Len just had to hope it wasn’t Rosa either; she’d messed with Lisa’s heart too much already.

But, whoever it was, they had better take good care of his little sister or Len would come back to personally haunt their ass.

No strings on me.

No strings on me…

No strings on me…

"There are no strings on me!"

Len sat forward with a jolt, panting heavily as his mind swam with mental whiplash. It took him far too long to blink away his confusion and recognise where he was.

"Lenny? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Lisa was asking, placing her hand on his back. He tried not to cringe away from her touch

"You have no strings, your arms is free, to love me by the Zuider Zee," the song continued.

"Yeah..." he said slowly, looking away from Pinocchio dancing away on the TV to Lisa. Slowly, he settled back down on his sister's sofa. "Yeah, I'm fine." His heart was racing, and he was still panting, but he was calming down again now. "Just a bad dream." But it had felt like so much more than that... it had felt real.

"You fell asleep while watching Pinocchio?" Lisa asked, looking thoroughly unimpressed. She really did love this film. "It's not even nine o'clock. And it's my birthday!"

"Sorry, Sis," Len shrugged. He didn't have much else to say. The longer his eyes were open, the more faded the dream felt. Of course, it hadn't been real... Len internally chided himself for even considering that a possibility. Speedsters and immortals and time travel? That stuff could never really exist! It had just been a dream. A very, very weird dream.

"You're getting old, Lenny," his sister teased, and Len rolled his eyes.

[] [] []

The next morning, s Leonard and his team rode down the armoured van, Len could feel his heart racing in his chest. But he couldn’t let some dream interfere with his heist. He’d been planning it for months, and it was set to be the biggest haul of his career. He and all of his crew would be walking away with at least two mil’ each. He wasn’t about to bail out now.

So, Len continued on. However, he couldn’t help but throw glances over his shoulder as he dismounted his bike and grabbed the liquid nitrogen containers to bust open the door. And when the red blur did, in fact, come rushing to the rescue, Len didn’t hang around to check it out as he’d done in his dream. He jumped on his bike and got the hell out of dodge, mask still firmly in place.

Back at the safe house, Len’s mind was spinning. His dream… it couldn’t have been real. Could it? It wasn’t possible. But neither was the red blur which had interrupted his heist. Len stared at the screen, the surveillance footage he’d swiped from the van playing under his sharp gaze. It was exactly as Len had remembered it in his dream. Everything was happening in precisely the same way. The thought made Len’s stomach twist into knots. If the dream was real… then that meant that Len had only eighteen months left before he died.

But, what a hell of an eighteen months they would be: becoming Captain Cold, going up against the mob, getting rid of Lewis once and for all, travelling through time, and doing and taking whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.

Well, almost…

There was one thing that Len found himself wanting desperately. One person. Someone that Len would have never expected to fall for…

And Len supposed that that was it: that was how he could find out, once and for all, whether this dream of his was coming true or not. Len would have to track down Barry Allen. If he was real, then this whole thing, whatever it was, must be real too.

That was how he found himself inside CC Jitters the next morning, waiting on an impossible man.

His dream-self had done surveillance on Barry from the moment he’d squeezed the man’s name from Cisco’s lips. Months of monitoring his comings and goings. He’d learnt everything that he possibly could about Barry, stopping only once Len had found the young man getting cosy with a female cop and noticed the way his gut twisted with jealousy at the sight of the pair… But that wouldn’t be for another year yet.

In Len’s dream, the Flash had frequented this coffee shop day in and day out. So, if Len wanted to run into him, then this was the place to do it.

Len didn’t have long to wait before the door opened and in walked Barry Allen and Iris West. Iris patted her friend on the shoulder and moved behind the counter to put on an apron. But Len’s eyes were trained on Barry. He was dressed like a preschool teacher in a sweater vest and shirt with a pair of slim-fit jeans. It looked good on him, though Len would be surprised if he found anything that looked bad on this man.

The goody type didn’t usually do it for Len, but there was so much more to Barry than met the eye and thus, regardless, Len found his heart racing frantically against his chest. Though, maybe his reaction was less about seeing Barry again and more about the crushing realisation that his dream had been real.

Len couldn’t understand how that was possible. He’d dreamt about the future. But how? He wasn’t a meta… was he?

Barry was leaning on the counter now and talking to his friend. From this angle, Len could just about see the grin on the Flash’s face. One part of Len wanted to stay and watch this impossible man some more, but another part of him needed time to think things over. Getting up, Len shrugged his coat back on over his shoulders and made to leave the café. But then someone was tripping up and crashing into him.

Len stumbled, shooting a hand out to a nearby post, and steadying himself and the other man before they both went hurtling to the floor. He looked down to find Barry Allen’s big green eyes looking back up at him, the to-go cup he’d been holding slipping to the floor and spilling all over Len’s shoes. Though, Len realised he didn’t quite mind that. He could always buy a new pair.

“Oh my God, I am so sorry!” Barry said, pulling himself up. “I was backing up, and I wasn’t looking where I was going. And I… I’ll pay for your dry cleaning!” Barry continued. Len looked down at himself, seeing that some of the coffee had indeed also splattered against his new coat. Len didn’t mind that either. Barry twisted to grab his wallet from his jeans pocket, and Len realised he was still holding onto Barry’s shoulder; he quickly let go.

“They’re only clothes,” Len said. He sounded breathless. He was breathless. Len was working without a plan here, and he always had a plan. He hadn’t intended to meet Barry today, but now that he had… "Let me buy you another drink,” Len said, slipping into his drawl like putting on a good pair of gloves. He watched Barry closely and was happy to see a brush of colour sweep across the younger man’s cheeks.

"But, I was the one who bumped into you,” Barry protested, still holding his wallet as though he was going to insist on paying. Len placed his hand purposefully over Barry’s.

"Yeah, you were," Len said, smirking. He enjoyed the way that Barry grinned at him in return. Their relationship in the dream had been much more difficult. But this? This was easy. "You look like a caramel latte, kind of guy."

"How did you know?"

"Call it a hunch," Len shrugged. The truth was, he remembered it being Barry’s go-to drink in his dream. Though, his friends would often order a Flash for him as a joke. Len would have liked to make that same joke now, but that particular drink wasn’t on the menu… yet. “Also,” Len said, dipping down to pick the spilt disposable coffee cup up off the floor, "it's written on your cup."

"Oh, right," Barry laughed. Len, smirk still in place, stepped around the spill to toss the now-empty cup in the trash at the same time that Iris came over with a mop. Barry apologised to her, but she only gave Barry a not-so-subtle wink and nodded with her head for Barry to follow Len to the counter. Barry had turned an even brighter shade of red by this point.

Len ordered the man’s drink and then leant back against the counter, elbows propped up behind him and taking his time to slowly look Barry up and down.

“So, Barry, do you make a habit of running into people at coffee shops or am I just lucky?” Len drawled, and Barry scratched nervously at the back of his neck.

“Well, I try not to,” Barry laughed. “Not everyone’s as nice about it as you are,” he said, and Len almost burst out laughing. He didn’t think anyone had ever called him ‘nice’ before. “Wait, you know my name?” Barry asked. But he quickly shook his head and tapped his crown in a ‘duh’ gesture. “The coffee cup,” he said, answering his own question. “Though, now I’m at a disadvantage because I don’t know your name.”

“Hmm,” Len uttered. He leisurely looked Barry up and down one last time, drawing it out and enjoying how the younger man squirmed under his gaze. “I think we can rectify that,” Len said eventually, then he quickly pushed back off the counter and turned around to grab a napkin. He took a pen out of his coat pocket and scrawled his name and number down. By the time he was done, Barry’s order was ready, so he handed both the cup and napkin to the speedster at the same time. "You can run into me anytime, Barry," he winked and then sauntered out of the coffee shop before Barry could do anything more than blush.

[pcnthcrmoved-blog]

RyuAnn Aesthetics // @skcll

[justfandomwritings]

Heroes Get Remembered (Part One - Bucky Barnes)

Pairing: Bucky X Reader (This story is also being published on ff.net with minor edits to be a Bucky X OC fic if you prefer that).

Word Count: 2.7k

Summary:  "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die." Bucky read the words, but he couldn't process them. Hero? Legend? Bucky wasn't either of those things. Those words were reserved for generals, warriors, doctors... a little punk from Brooklyn in stripey tights who didn't know when to give up... and a young nurse who threw herself in a warzone to save the ones she loved.

Notes: So a few years ago, I wrote a rough draft of an introduction to a story that I was calling Heroes Get Remembered. I posted that introduction on fanfiction.net.

Only, I decided rather quickly that I didn’t like the writing style I had used on the story, and I rapidly lost interest after that when I couldn’t think of what to do.

Last week, I revisited the idea (last week for obvious reasons), and I decided to give it another go. I’ve updated the original story I posted on fanfiction.net, but since that doesn’t alert people when a chapter’s been replaced or edited, I thought I would post part one here because I want some honest feedback on whether this was an idea worth revisiting and whether it works this time.

November 2014

Steve Rogers had only cried four times in his life. The first time had been when his mother died. For as long as Steve could remember, she had worked in a nursing ward treating tuberculosis patients. Helping those who couldn't help themselves, she used to say. Even after she contracted the disease, she tried to help those who stood a better chance than herself. It was Bucky who'd been the one to give him the news when she died, and he cried. How long, he couldn't remember; but he remembered picking himself up and putting on a brave face. He remembered walking to the funeral and smiling pleasantly as he shook hands with those who wished him well. He remembered pretending to be fine until eventually he was.

The second time was worse. When Bucky died, or when he thought he'd died. Unlike his mother, Steve had watched Bucky go. He'd been so close. A second more and he could have saved him. An inch longer reach and Bucky would have been fine. His mother died of disease, but Bucky died under His command, in His unit, on His mission, before His very eyes. Steve blamed himself for a very long time. Part of him still did. His crying over Bucky hadn't truly stopped until he plunged into the ice. There was no pretending to be fine when you watched your best friend die, when you were constantly thinking of all the things you could have done to save him.

The third time he'd cried was when they pulled him out of the ice. When they'd thawed him out and introduced him to this new world, this new future, and he realized just how much more he had to lose. He thought he'd lost everything the day he'd lost Bucky, but clearly he'd been wrong. Nick Fury had given him a brief rundown of the last seventy years that lasted all of thirty minutes before dropping him off in an apartment across town. The moment the door closed and he found himself alone, Steve collapsed into sobs. Everyone he'd ever known was dead; everything he'd ever known was gone. He was truly, truly alone. He had nothing and no one.

At least, that's what he'd thought. The fourth time Steve cried was when he realized that was wrong. The night after he'd ripped off the Winter Soldier's mask and seen his old friend. The night after the Winter Soldier had asked him, "Who's Bucky?". It was like losing him all over again. It was like losing everything all over again.

No, it was worse. Before that moment, Steve had no one, nothing. He had no hope, and he was forced to move on. Now, there was something. He was clinging to it like it was his lifeline, and though it may never float he would sink or swim with this one idea. Some part of his past, some part of Bucky, was alive, and he was going to find it or die trying.

"Cap," Sam interrupted the soldier's train of thought, joining the soldier in the living room. His tone was hesitant, probing. "You okay?"

Steve chuckled, still a little dazed. "Do I look okay?"

"No," Sam dropped down into a plush armchair across from Steve and leaned forward on his knees. "You look like hell, which is still probably twice as good as you're feeling."

Steve's gaze fell to the floor. Sam was right; he felt awful. He didn't sleep; he didn't eat. Most days, Steve felt like he didn't really breath either. It wasn't just the physical exhaustion. It was the sheer emotional desperation. Steve was feeling utterly useless, yet he wouldn't stop. He couldn't stop. Even if all hope was lost, Steve had to keep searching. They could have laid Bucky's dead body at his feet, and Steve would have stepped over it with a simple "I thought he was dead once" and kept looking. Bucky never gave up on Steve, and Steve would never give up on Bucky. If he gave up on Bucky, he might as well give up on everything.

"Hey," Sam leaned forward and clapped the Captain firmly on the shoulder. "We knew this wasn't going to be easy. We just have to keep trying."

Sam definitely understood, more than most. He knew the lengths he himself would go to if he found out Riley was still alive. They hadn't even reached that point yet. Let alone what Sam imagined if he added in childhood best friends and his only tie to his real home. A guy like Steve, Sam wouldn't blame him for moving the world to bring his friend home.

"I just…" Steve looked up, eyes so bleary from lack of sleep that he couldn't quite see straight. "I just want to understand. He remembered. I saw it in his eyes. He remembered me. So why is he running from me? Why is he going to…" Steve waved his hand at the map. The map sat on the table in the corner, a permanent fixture of the room since SHIELD had fallen. "To these places. It doesn't make any sense."

They'd both been wondering that. Sam eyed the offending paper suspiciously. It was massive, covering the entire length of the dining table in the Avengers' apartment. Even from the other side of the room, Sam could see every detail, not that he needed the reminder. Steve and Sam had spent hours upon hours pouring over the damn thing trying to find some rhyme or reason to it but getting absolutely nowhere. The map was peppered in tiny little x's: a few each in America, Russia, Europe, one each in Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Egypt. They knew exactly where he'd been, but they had no idea why and no idea where he was going.

"I don't know Steve," Sam sighed and slumped back. "Maybe he's… going back to what he remembers, or maybe looking for something." Neither was a new idea; Sam was really only trying to fill the air. They'd discussed both possibilities before. They discussed every possibility before, and none seemed to fit.

The Hydra files Natasha had leaked gave a detailed timeline of the Winter Soldier's activities, even though they weren't always documented by name. The Soldier had been making and changing history since Steve had gone under the ice. Assassinations, saves, fires, rebellions. He seemed to have a hand in everything that had led up to this moment, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. He had shaped the decades Steve had missed and made the world he saw today.

The x's on the map weren't his missions. There were seemingly too many of those to count. Stark had made a list and tried to show it to Steve, tried to make him see the soldier he was hunting rather than the old friend he wanted to find. Steve was having none of it. Every time someone brought up what the Winter Soldier had done, Steve had walked away. His friend wouldn't do those things, and when he first laid eyes on the Winter Soldier he hadn't seen his friend. He did eventually though. As the Helicarrier fell, he finally saw Bucky, and he was determined to see him again. He only wanted to find him, his last piece of home. He had no interest in the Winter Soldier, no interest in Hydra's ultimate weapon. He had no interest in what the Winter Soldier had done, and he wasn't going to subject himself to thinking about it.

The x's were sightings. All around the world people claimed to see the Winter Soldier, and Steve exhausted himself investigating every last one. A week after the collapse of SHIELD there had been nearly fifty, and eventually he'd managed to confirm four.

He hadn't been sure at first, but when he saw the fifth one he knew what was happening. Four empty Hydra bases, abandoned sometime before SHIELD but Steve couldn't be sure when, and each of them had been trashed. The first was a storage facility, hard copies of documents that were too sensitive to be committed to digital memory. Every drawer had been opened, every file torn apart, every desk ransacked. The second was a recruiting office in a similar state followed by two armories, but the fifth was the worst.

The fifth sighting was what led Steve to confirm the previous four. It had taken him deep into the mountains in Russia. A fully active Hydra lab. Its location was buried deep in the lists Nat had published, but no government had gotten around to checking it out until Steve heard whispers the Soldier had been there. Steve and Sam hopped on one of Tony's jets that night, but by the time they got there he was gone. Everything was gone.

For some reason, the place was entirely destroyed. The site was still smoldering when they arrived; anything that hadn't been personally destroyed had been engulfed in flames. There weren't even remnants of a clue as to what was going on in that building. The charred desks stood ajar. File cabinets were all empty. Every liquid, compound, and vile in the facility had been smashed on the floor and evaporated in the heat. What few computers remained had all had their memory stolen. All the lab's complex machinery was broken down to its most basic parts; nuts and bolts and bits of metal that even Tony Stark couldn't piece together as anything worth destroying.

All that was left to remember it were four bodies scattered outside. They were presumed to be the scientists manning the facility, but there was nothing to identify them by. Their prints were all scared or removed. Their teeth knocked in. Their bodies left to the elements, the snow and wind and animals, so long that their faces were unrecognizable. DNA had been the only hope, and nothing had come close to a match. Whoever they were, they were ghosts, and someone wanted to make sure they stayed that way.

It was then that Steve had realized it was Bucky, or at least the Winter Soldier with whatever was left of his friend. While Steve was on a mission to find him, he was on a mission of his own. To do what? For who? Why? Steve didn't know, but Bucky wasn't just hitting random Hydra facilities. He was up to something, and he didn't want anyone, Shield or Hydra or the Avengers, to know what it was.

Six more sightings followed mirroring the first four, and Steve and Sam were forced to resign themselves to collecting whatever was salvageable to bring back to New York for analysis. Stark had helped, but even then they'd found nothing. Whatever his mission was, Bucky had done a good job of hiding it. Sam and Steve had no idea what to do or where to go.

"Well, well, well, my fine feathered friend," Steve and Sam jolted up as Tony Stark came sauntering into the Avengers' apartments. He was flanked by Natasha and Bruce, who both looked just as unamused as Steve felt. "Close but no cigar."

"You have something?" Sam said it in a tone he only hoped would convey how much he really was not in the mood for the billionaire's usual attitude. He'd just spent the last 36 hours helping Steve loot through an abandoned science lab in the Czech Republic, and all they'd turned up were paper copies of drug inventories and a broken computer. Sam wanted a nap… a twelve-hour nap… and some food.

"Not something," Tony pointed out, whipping out the folder behind his back and waving it like he'd won some kind of prize, "Someone."

"Pardon?" Steve half-heartedly prompted.

The three newcomers wandered over to join them, and Tony dropped the folder in Sam's lap as he passed. "He's not looking for something. He's looking for someone."

"How do you know this?" That finally got the Captain sitting up a little straighter in his seat.

"Never," Tony poked at him, "tell me I can't fix something."

Sam flipped open the folder in his lap and started scanning the title page. "You got this off that old piece of junk we brought in today?"

"Yep," Tony responded smugly. "Just took a little digging. It wasn't actually in that bad of shape. Your best buddy took great care to wipe it of all the important things, but it just made it pretty obvious what I needed to be looking for when I opened it up."

"So he's after someone then," Steve mused and concentrated thinking. "An old Hydra agent? One of their scientists?"

Sam blanched as he turned the page in the file. "Oh, he's not after just anyone…" He set the file down and slid it across to Steve. "And she's definitely not a Hydra agent."

Steve bent down to pick up the file, but before his fingers could even scoop it up his eyes caught the picture in the corner.

Why did the room suddenly get so hot? Was it just him? His hand hung limp an inch above the paper, and it was shaking uncontrollably fast. There was a burning feeling in his chest, and he could practically feel his body rushing with sudden adrenaline.

In the distance, barely registering at the back of Steve's consciousness, he heard Tony asking Sam. "You know her?"

No, he wanted to say, but he couldn't form the word. Sam didn't know her. Steve had thought he never would. She was a world away, a lifetime away.

With trembling fingers, Steve reached into the pocket of his jacket for the picture he carried with him at all times. It was black and white and 70 years old, but Steve remembered every colorful detail like it was yesterday. It was the happiest day of Steve's life.

In the left of the frame was Bucky, the old Bucky. Before the Winter Soldier, before the metal arm, before Hydra, before the war. He was the Bucky girls would throw themselves on their knees in front of begging for a dance. He was the Bucky guys looked on with envy as he raised his fist and bounced around the boxing ring in triumph. Everyone loved Bucky; everyone wanted to be Bucky. Even in the photo, he was cracking everyone up with another joke. The smile on his face back then could light up any room he walked into. He looked happy, healthy. He was the Bucky Steve remembered.

To the right was Steve, pre-serum Steve. He looked like a different person; he'd felt like a different person. He was short and very thin. He looked sickly and pale, but he was laughing, Bucky's doing. Girls didn't fawn over him back then the way they had with Bucky, or Steve after. Guys didn't give him a second glance except to try to beat him into submission. That Steve only had one friend, and yet it was as content as Steve ever remembered being. He had everything he'd ever wanted and needed. He was happy.

There, in the middle, between Bucky and Steve was a girl. She was about the same height as Steve. Her hair fell loose around her face in long curls that he remembered to be blonde. Her arms were thrown haphazardly around both boys, and the photo was taken with her mouth smiling wide at Bucky's joke. Her eyes squinted with humor, but Steve could still see the bright twinkle behind her lashes. She was beautiful, more beautiful than the girls who fell at Bucky's feet or threw a cold shoulder Steve's direction. She was a true diamond in the rough. People flocked to her like moths to a flame. It was as much her heart and her spirit as her looks. She was the purest, kindest soul Steve had met in any generation. When she walked into a room, people turned. Her presence demanded attention, respect. People often questioned if even Bucky, with all his looks and charm and talents, was worthy of a girl like her.

"Who is she then?" Tony asked Sam.

Steve dropped the picture from his hand down next to the one in the file and slid it back to Stark. "He's looking for my sister."

That night was the fifth time Steve Rogers cried.

[acrobaticcatfeline]

The Legend of Beowulf (Villain!Logan AU) Chapter One!!!

Word Count: 9583

TW: ok so swearing, abuse, torture, violence, Deceit, assassination attempt, homophobia mentioned once, oh heres a big one, XENOPHOBIA! Sort of the premise of the story. If I missed anything LMK

Notes: So. I made this idea in 2018. It was an April fools headcannon. The story board idea has 271 notes. I started writing this days after the idea was posted, and I’ve been drawing the characters just as long. I haven’t looked at this story since November. I’ve spent the last three hours editing it, which is new, I rarely edit more than for spelling and grammar. But here it is my friends. the original headcannon post is here if you want to read it! I hope you enjoy!

Pairings: You’ll figure it out.

Summary: “They lied. Of course, they lied.” Logan Beowulf was a villain. A criminal, despicable. He had released other criminals onto the streets, he had kidnapped the prince, but was that the whole story? Or perhaps is the truth buried under curses and banishment's and fear? Truth be told, he was the aftermath of a scared child in a world where he was alone. He just wanted to fit in, and he found out the hard way that wasn’t possible.

They lied. Of course, they lied. The king and queen, they are despicable, they don’t care what they do to me. I brought back their son whom they don’t deserve at all. I guess this is what it’s like to be the villain in the storybooks. Only these rulers don’t know the meaning of mercy. They aren’t noble and good, they are cruel and uncaring. Why would they though? To them I’ve always been the dangerous powerless Logan Rainier. But I’ve grown. They turned my parents into monsters who threw me away at the drop of a hat, they turned my one friend into an unfeeling fiend in their army, and they turned me into Logan Beowulf.

-

I was 10 when they banished me. Of course I knew it was coming, I was well aware that the thought of technology horrified the royals, but when you live in a world of magic and happiness and you have neither of those requirements, its likely for you to find entertainment elsewhere. I made gadgets. Little gears assembled just so that the little figure would walk. A pulley system and clamp to grab a snack from the top shelf. Such simple things shook the king with fear. They visited my house one morning as I had expected. The king surveyed me as if I was some new creature never seen before. When he was done I was sent to my room which was my que.

I grabbed all of my contraptions and all the pieces I used to create, my closet and bedding, which I had made to collapse into a small box, my secret stash of a month’s rations, a first aid kit, and plenty of paper and drawing utensils. I managed to fit all of it into my backpack and put on my favorite jacket and hat as well as some gloves. My friend, before he joined the king’s army, told me that when I turned 10 the king would come to send me away. I had been preparing for this day and I knew that I would have to say goodbye to my home, but I didn’t belong here.

               -

A decade ago today was when that all happened. Now my 20th birthday surprise was to be beheaded by that same ruthless man, I had fallen into his trap, he had said surrender did he have no honor, At least that’s what I thought. The king routinely came down to torture me into submission. He burnt and shocked and stabbed me to get me to tell him where my home was. He used my parents as ammunition. He used my old friend who had been the one to apprehend me. He couldn’t do it, I haven’t cared for a living thing in this country in a decade. He wants my anti-magic gadgets to work again. The ones I had sold to apprehend villains, the ones I had shut down shortly before being caught. He wants my technology that he’s been shunning since I was born, and I won’t give it to him.

After a good month has passed, the prince came to see me. That young prince, only 15, who I had kidnapped. The young prince who I never touched. The young prince, the fine piece of china that I dare not break lest I become like his father. The young prince, Roman in name, whom I fell in love with. It was despicable of me, he's but a child, but he's the only person to listen to me and understand me for several years, twas near the only choice and still yet I would die by his hand. Such a pity one so young would be brought to bloodshed. Alas he would achieve all his dreams through it, and I dare not stop him.

“ah, I see the king finally stepped up his game. What are you here for boy? Are you the one here to finally kill me? I hope so, I can’t stand being stuck here any longer. How shall you do it boy? Shall you stab me through the heart like a valiant? Or shall you burn me to death? Oh, so many options for you, young prince. You’ll be viewed a hero just as you’ve always yearned no matter how you do it, I suppose. Oh, how I love suspense in a good story! You’ll finally vanquish your very own villain Roman, aren’t you excited?!” I say in complete sincerity. This kid deserves to be a hero. I look at him awaiting his answer.

“Lo-I mean, mutant, that is not your designated fate,” I gawk at him. “you are to become the personal servant to the king.” I pull against my restraints for the first time since I was placed here.

“wait, what?! No no no, I can’t be a servant! This must be a mistake!!! Roman I should be dying today! Since when has the king ever given mercy?! No, this is not mercy, this is a fate worse than death!!! Roman you can’t let this happen, being kept alive in this castle means pain and bloodshed! They’ll torture me til the day I die!!! I’ve been evil but I don’t deserve this!!! Please Roman, please just kill me!!! You’ll be the hero! The one you’ve dreamt of! You’ll save your father from the dissent of his decision! I swear to you this palace, this kingdom will be better off with me dead!!!” I scream. I can feel my voice break in fear and pain that I had been subduing. I can’t live my life a slave to the cruel king. Roman is fair and just! He must see reason! He knows this is a heinous punishment!

“I cannot do that Loga-mutant. All punishments fall in the king’s power. He wants you to be dressed and brought to him, which is my job,” he releases my bonds and hands me soft clothes, likely cotton. He also sets a bucket of water with soap and a rag next to me. “Here m’lord, please get washed up and changed, if you require any assistance, I shall be right over here.”

I weep for a good couple of minutes as I rub off the dirt and sweat that had accumulated on my skin, much of it having been absorbed into open wounds, I'm surprised I've lasted this long, before stepping into the soft outfit which turned out to be rather simply some under garments, black pants, and a long blue and black tunic. As I stand I stumble, my legs refusing to remember their use. The prince rounds the corner once again and offers his hand. I steady myself on my own before gesturing for him to lead me to our destination.

Before long we make it to the throne room where I’m told to bow. Although I have lost, I will never bow to this beast voluntarily. Of course, one of the guards ends up forcing me down.

“you are an invaluable addition to my guard Virgil; I hope you know that you are to become the head guard when our old friend dies.” I shudder when I realize that my childhood friend is to be in charge of the guard of such an awful king. I hear Virge grunt in assent to the king’s proclamation.

“mutant boy do you know why you have been summoned?” the king speaks to me at last. I nod with a grimace on my face.

“well of course your majesty, unlike you, your son is competent. I have been summoned to serve a punishment greater than death due to your absolute contempt of me. Also, might I add that I am to be 20 today, and not only is your second birthday surprise far worse than your first, but that also makes me most definitely not a boy, but a man.” I hiss out all in one breath. The look on the king’s face is disgusted and appalled and I smirk in response.

“you should be grateful that I spared you mutant. You shall not speak to your king this way.” I smirk even more.

“I apologize, I’m just saying that it would be a far better present to be killed by your son. To both of us I’m sure, Roman seems to want that seat of yours more than life itself, if he became a hero for killing me? That would make his year. Oh, your boy is not deserved by you. No one in this vile kingdom deserves the right to even know your son. I do hope you don’t do to him as you forced my parents to do to me. He is a gift. And you are not my king.” The hall goes silent. Roman straightens up and puts up a façade. The king and queen do the same. Not a sound is made, even the birds outside took the hint.

“how dare thee. How dare you think you know anything about my son.” I smile genuinely.

“oh, I dunno, maybe he feels the same about you as I do. Maybe he told me his aspirations of being seen as a hero. Or his hope that he will one day impress you. Maybe he told me he’s scared of being alone and that’s why he never complains when in company. Maybe he told me that he wanted to make your kingdom a better place. Or how you mentally abuse him because you believe that you must not have empathy or emotions as a ruler. Maybe he told me how you are trying to turn him as sociopathic as you and your wife are. Or maybe, just maybe, I’m really good at storytelling. I don’t know your son, but I know that a boy as quiet and reserved as yours must have something to say. I didn’t hurt your son your majesty. I didn’t try to in the slightest. Your son is someone your kingdom needs, and I can’t wait til you die, and your people finally see it.” I say before ducking to keep from getting hit over the head by the husk of a boy I knew.

“you do not speak that way in the royal presence. Didn’t you learn anything in schooling?” Virgil speaks harsh and robotic. I clench my jaw before hissing my response.

“you know, I didn’t get that much time to learn that because, as you might recall Virge, I only had 5 years of it before getting banished. I’m sorry my schooling didn’t prepare me to have to face the three people in my life getting brainwashed by the king.” The king stands up abruptly.

“VIRGIL!!! Take the mutant to his quarters. I want him out of my sight for the moment being. Teach him some manners while you’re at it. I will send your prince to retrieve him when needed. You are dismissed.”

-

4 and a half years. 4 and a half years of this eternal prison and I near died by the king’s hand at least 1000 times. Makes sense, I’m not the most loyal of subjects, and I’m not easily brainwashed into it. while living there I meet Patton, a very nice person, untainted by the king’s evil, and somehow has kept himself from tainting the king’s meals. He is the head chef and ends up sneaking me food most days. However, the king has started to weaken, it looks as if he’ll die before the year ends, leaving our young prince at 19 years old is looking for a suitor, and those he enjoys his father hates, and those his father enjoys he hates. The past half year is the most I’ve ever heard the boy talk. The last time he spoke this much was when I had kidnapped him. the boy is a chatter box when not in the company of others. I assume his father had instilled the proverb, children are to be seen not heard, into him. The prince is seen more as a trophy than as a person by most everyone. I’ve fallen into routine of serving the king his meals, getting lashed for most anything, going and being magicked back to health, rinse and repeat with varying severity.

Then my simple routine is disrupted.

Roman comes to my quarters in the morning per usual but has a different outfit for me to put on than he’s ever brought me before. “hurry and change, we’re uh, the king is waiting for thee,” he stated hurriedly and unsure.

As I change I realize just how odd my outfit is. I’m given tight, form fitting, black leggings, a short black tunic with golden accents, black tied shoes, and a large black cloak big enough to hide me and more. If the all black wasn’t suspicious enough, who in their right mind would give a tunic lined with gold to a simple slave? I open the door to head to the king, when Roman pushes in and shuts the door behind him.

“your highness, what are you doing? I must get to thy king post haste lest I get lashed!” I speak in a formal tone as I’ve been instructed to do with members of the royal family, even as I start getting frantic, the king gets testy when I get there late. He starts messing with my goggles that I made to improve my eyesight before shaking his head.

“I’ll cover for you. I want to, er, try something, can I take these off of you for a second? I have an idea,” He looks down into my eyes, as he has grown much taller than me in years past. I nod slightly, as he is one of the few I trust enough to be willing to be blind around him. he pulls them off and I barely see the magic flying from his hands before I have something else laying on my face and am able to see once more. “hey! Now you look like a noble! Nice glasses you got there Bubbles! Okay um, pack up your essentials in this, ok?” I flinch at the nickname he gave me years ago due to the shape of my seeing apparatus. I also look at him incredulously when he makes his request, but I learned long ago not to deny direct orders, so I pack my few belongings in the small bag. Once I do this he smiles and starts messing with my hair, which I find very relaxing. In a few moments he smiles again at his work before lifting my hood, picking up the bag and then grabbing my hand and dragging me.

“what are you doing your highness? The throne room is the opposite way,” I am confused, what is he doing? “and I really don’t see the point of the bag.”

He smiles and turns to me with a finger on his lips. “hush friend! We’re going on an adventure in the garden! We need supplies to fight the sorceress!” he winks at me and I get more confused.

We do end up in the garden, but at the very edge, in the direction of my old lair. He shoves the bag into my hands and gives me a small notebook and a few bright flowers, an azalea, a white chrysanthemum, and a daffodil. I used to know the language of flowers, but I no longer do and am concerned of the meanings. He gestures out of the garden.

“Logan Beowulf, the mutant who has been held captive in the castle for 4 years and then some, you are being released. My father will hurt and torture you no longer. You are not meant to be chained here. Go home. Live,” he pauses as my horse that I rode in on 4 and a half years ago comes running and guards are chasing it. He casts a spell on me, turning me invisible, and points toward her. He uses his other hand to trip all the guards. “and run for your life.”

And with that I’m gone.

I make it home and it has decayed a bit from age, but is otherwise in perfect condition. My mystics and fae come to me as soon as I ride in, flitting all around me surveying my damage, as I pull out one of my healing potions and chug it. I set down my bag and close my door. I start checking all my gadgets, seeing how they lasted the test of time. A small fae settles on my head and I realize it’s my little Deceit. They were trained to attack humans who sought to hurt them, but after proving my equal disdain, I became very close to the runt of my faes. The little thing starts whispering plots of revenge in fae’lan into my ears. I shoo them away, and continue checking on my creations. My favorite, the one I used to send fear into the city, was the only damaged one I found. The broadcast screen was warped and the wires had frayed. Oh well, I don’t need it anymore I guess. I go and check on all my faelings to make sure they hadn’t hurt themselves while I was away. A few of them had cuts and bruises while some had small tears in their wings, and I set to work to patch them all up. D has the most wounds and I shake my head at them. They are a unique faeling, they have bright yellow feathered wings, and a snake birthmark that crisscrosses their entire small frame. They hadn’t preened themselves in a very long while, causing many of their feathers to fall out in lumps. They also had bruises and scars all over.

“you know D, I know I was gone for a while, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect your well-being… listen bud, I’m fine, they were never planning on killing me. The king is a tool yes, but I don’t plan on going back there any time soon… oh yeah, Roman gave it to me for some reason… no you can’t. You don’t even know how to read fae’lan, how do you know English?” the fae keeps whispering to me. After I finish mending them I look at the little note book given to me, reading through it a few times before its message becomes clear. My face reddens. What are these notes supposed to mean? They seem to insinuate… actually no, it doesn’t matter. I close the book harshly before going to check on the stash of food which is likely completely expired. Surprisingly it seems that my fae have been emptying and restocking it regularly and I pull out the fix ins to make a ham and egg salad. I smile at the warmth of my home. I’ve missed it so much.

-

My birthday. 25 today, isn’t that swell? I keep dreading the possibility of the king walking through my door and dragging me away. My faelings woke me up with a shower of pixie dust. When I get up and changed I see that there is a specific outfit that D has chosen for me. It’s a dark blue doublet, with poufy black pants and the cloak I wore when I made my way back home 6 months ago. I put on my black slip on flats and my glasses. When I walk out into the living room I see a large meal laid out for me, my favorite meal which I rarely get to have, cheese steak sandwiches with a heaping side of potatoes and brown sugar carrots. I swear, these little guys have enough magic to summon me a castle to rival the king’s palace.

I sit down to eat and I almost finish before hearing a knock on the door. I rise slowly queuing the others to stay silent. I grab my sword and raise it as I open the door. It’s the prince. It’s the prince oh fuck it’s the prince. I drop my sword in shock. He looks down at me and smiles. Oop, and on my knees I go! I see D try to attack him, and hiss at him in fae’lan that the prince is a welcome guest.

“hello m’lord Beowulf, happy birthday! Might I enter your home? I have none to accompany me this fine day.” He says with the same bright smile. He’s only gotten taller and more regal. I push myself up to my feet, and sheathe my sword before inviting him in.

“might I inquire as to what your purpose of visitation is? Oh yes, and help yourself to anything, what is mine is yours your highness.” He shakes his head as he grabs a bun.

“m’lord, I am to step up as king this time next week. And though I have many a quest on my plate, my father has passed and my mother wishes to meet with you. It appears you were in fact correct about a sort of brainwashing attached to him. Your friend Virgil wishes to apologize for his odd behavior. It seems everyone who lived in the castle was under some sort of influence other than the chef and you. My father was not a great person, and an even worse ruler. I hope to be a better king. I was hoping you would accompany me to the palace?” he asks, his voice soft like velvet, warm like cider, and light and fluffy like the sky. I frown slightly at his words. I gesture towards D before responding. They straighten in shock.

“you know almost as well as I, that I’d rather die than go back there. However, I will concede if you allow me to bring my loyal faeling Deceit. Without them I must politely refuse, that palace holds nothing but hostility towards me.” I state as calmly as possible. I doubt the boy will allow a mischievous fae into his castle so I’m sure I’m-

“of course, you may m’lord!” what. “fae are always fun to be around!”

Ha. Hahaha, he’s joking. He can’t be serious. No way. I can’t go with him. He’ll kill me.

“of course, your highness. Let us be off?” wait what am I saying? No, no no no! he’s gonna kill me! I barely escaped I can’t go back there!

We walk in silence through the woods towards the palace. D continues to flit around my head whispering about how everything is going to go horribly wrong and I ignore him. I can be gracious. I can die an elegant death. Heh, maybe D will get my revenge before they get killed as well. I’ll tell them to get the queen first, they can probably get one of them before getting caught. I wonder if they still let us have a choice for the last meal? I wonder what I would choose? Probably something simple that my mom used to make me… or maybe that last meal I had with my best friend… I don’t know, but all of a sudden me and the soon-to-be king Roman stop in front of her majesty. I kneel for the first time voluntarily. I bow my head and stand up once she bids me do so.

“m’lord Beowulf, it has come to pass that my husband has left us. It seems as if your accusation of him having brainwashed his people was based partially in fact. On his death bed he confessed that his family had been doomed to curse those around them with an emotionless harshness and that only one who was able to see past it would be able to break the curse. We have since found that that person was you, and I thank you for breaking it” she smiles at me and I tilt my head in confusion but nod. “now the real reason you were brought here is far more pressing. Roman, darling son, might you express your request?”

The prince nods and I can’t help but notice the light red tinting of his cheeks. “yes mother. M’lord Beowulf-” I interrupt quickly.

“you may call me Logan your highness.” I state as calmly as possible. He smiles brightly at me.

“of course. Logan, as I am stepping up here shortly, my mother has requested me find a suitor who will share the throne with me. I haven’t really gotten out much in my youth,” I scoff a bit at his word choice, he is still very much in his youth. “and I haven’t found any royalty or common folk who have peaked my interest. That is, other than you.” Oh. Wait what? He, he can’t be, can he? He’s a prince of a magical kingdom and he wants the one person in the world without magic to be his suitor? I feel my face heat up and hear him laugh a bit.

“of course, you aren’t required by any means. However, we wanted to give you some time to dwell on your decision. We request you stay at the palace for a few nights, to see how you feel. In the meantime, I believe you have someone else who wishes to see you,” the queen nods and I here rapid steps behind me. I turn around just in time to stabilize myself for the impact of a running knight.

“well hello there Virgil, gosh, did you finally grow some muscle on those bones or is that all the armor?” I say jokingly as I feel the warmth of Virgil against my neck. I hug him back before he pulls back with a watery smile.

“at least I grew since the last time I really saw you. God you’re just as short as you were all those years ago. Come with me, we must talk about things, and not bother his highness and her majesty!” he grabs my hand and I barely have time to bid the royals farewell before I was being dragged away.

“slow down virge! I’m gonna scrape the floors at this pace!” I laugh slightly as he stops dead and gives me another hug.

“I’m so sorry lo. I don’t know what I was doing. I didn’t believe you when you said he was bad news, and I hurt you multiple times. I can’t believe I actually did those awful things to you. I am so sorry.” I hug him tightly to reassure him.

“I promise you that I don’t hold any of that against you. You weren’t really in control of yourself. Besides, look at where you are now! You’re a knight in the king’s elite 5! You have everything you’ve ever wished for now V. So what if you frayed a few bridges along the way? You’re happy, and that’s all that matters.” I smile up at him and he rolls his eyes.

“first off, you have the better gig by far dude. Secondly, I never wanted to lose my best friend. If I had known that I wouldn’t have signed up.” He smirks at me.

“I don’t know what you mean by gig-” he interrupts.

“you were just proposed to by the soon to be king. You’ll be set for life!” he smiles and starts walking again, pulling me along.

“I don’t know V, I don’t think the best way to fall in love is to get kidnapped by some nerd in a forest. What if he’s playing me? Trying to get his revenge on me?” we turn a corner and we end up in the kitchen.

“you got him away from his father’s influence for the first time in his life. You showed him what life can really be. I’ll tell you something Lo, that kid hasn’t shut his gob since the day the king died. And 75% of it has been about you. And that’s before I put in a good word for you.” My jaw drops and my eyes widen.

“a good word? What do you mean a good word? What did you tell him?” I panic, Virgil has more dirt on me than anyone else.

“oh, just how sweet and kind you are, how you always know when somethings wrong and know exactly what to do to help, how you have super big hands-” I slap him and gasp.

“you did not say that to the prince!!!” I look at him alarmed.

“I most certainly did. You can shower me in your thanks after we see Patton, Remy, and Thomas, I know Patton loves you and Rem and Tommy have been itching to meet you ever since the curse wore off. Patton seems to be the only one other than you who didn’t get turned into a total dick under the curse. Legit he’s fricken pure.” We weave through the kitchen until we see Patton and two more guys who look identical to each other. Virgil clears his throat as to not scare the three men with butchers’ knives. The three immediately turn towards us and smile.

“Logan!! I didn’t think his highness was actually going to- is that a fairy?!?!” Patton squeals and grabs D and starts cooing over them. “who is this little guy?!”

“uh, pal, they like the term pal, not in the binary. Their name translates to Deceit in common. I usually call them D though. Also, they usually prefer fae or faeling over fairy.” I see D struggling to free themselves and chuckle a bit. Patton’s eyes widen and he starts apologizing profusely.

“oh gosh!!! I’m so sorry pal! I didn’t know I’m so so sorry! Deceit huh? Why’re they called that? Does it mean the same in their language as it does in ours?” he blabbers out while examining the small fae who wants to bite him.

“it’s no problem, they are very feisty and angry when overwhelmed, often attacking and sometimes killing humans they see as a threat through false promises. It isn’t exactly the same, but similar. Also, D! Stop trying to bite him! He’s nice I promise.” Patton nods with a smile while D sits “pretty” with a more neutral face than before. I swear the thing is part dog, it’s ridiculous. Eventually they stop being nervous and start to revel in the soft pets they are given by Pat.

“so, this is the infamous Logan Rainier? He’s so tiny! I would have expected such a feared criminal to be a bit taller. I bet he didn’t sleep well as a kid, sleep helps you grow!” one of the twins says. I twitch a bit at the old name.

“Logan Beowulf if you’d please, that name and family has dead for a decade and a half. Speaking of that family, do you know if they are still alive Virgil?” V and the twins look to each other before looking at me with pity.

“I’m afraid they were executed soon after you kidnapped the prince. I am so sorry Logan.” I shrug.

“oh well. They might as well have been dead to me anyways. Even a curse doesn’t take control that easily. They shunned me out of petty fear. They were always scared of me. I just wish I had been able to say goodbye” I turn to the twins. “so, which one of you is which? Thomas and Remy, I assume?” I gesture at them. They nod. Remy slides down his sunglasses, he’s the one who was talking about me earlier.

“yuperoo, sorry for misnaming ya bro. Remy, the older brother. Nice ta finally meetcha.” He holds out his hand and I shake it.

“you are literally one minute older than me, why do you do this?! Hmph, I’m Thomas, the more responsible brother” He sends a look to Remy who returns it with a smile. “so, how’s it feel to be the object of devotion of the soon-to-be king?”

I blush brightly I’m certain. “I-I don’t know, I feel like we should get to know each other before just getting married. All I know about him is all the shitty things his father did to him.” as I finish I see a moment of understanding in all four of them.

“wait, all of that in the court back then, that was all real?!?” I nod slowly.

“honestly, it is pretty obvious when you pay enough attention. The prince, he would never stop talking when I had taken him away. Not for a second. I think he was word dumping so someone knew of the problem. It was as if a metaphorical zipper was pulled open for the first time in his life. Some of it he specifically told me, like him wanting to be a hero, some I guessed, like him being mentally abused. Did he truly never leave the palace? Not even for schooling?” they all look to one another and nod.

“he was taught by his parents, and sometimes a tutor usually being myself or Patton. The king didn’t trust people talking to him for the most part. Scared rumors would spread to him, was what he always said. In hindsight it was pretty obvious. He rarely spoke back then. I think usually he would ask for something small and thank people and that was pretty much it.” Thomas said resigned.

Suddenly I heard a booming voice sounding like none other than the prince himself. “attention staff, not only do we have a guest of great honor for the next week, but remember that tonight is the royal gala. I have taken note of the ill-preparedness of the ballroom and implore thee all to get it ready soon, for guests shall be arriving in approximately 3 hours. In other words, hop to it! Thank you all, remember that you are all very much allowed to join the festivities, as it would be awful for those who put it together to not be able to join! Also please send head guard Virgil and our guest of honor to my quarters, I have some business with them.” I look at Virgil who smiles.

“gala?! I was not told of this!!! What kind of malarkey is this?! D, stay with Patton, Vir-wait let go of me!!!” I’m being dragged back.

“come on Beowulf.”

We get to the prince’s chambers and we see he has outfits floating around the room. As soon as I step in, one of the outfits flies in front of me and Roman starts examining me and it. he snaps his fingers and the outfit flies into the closet.

“um, your highness, what exactly are you doing? I’m con-” and another outfit flies in front of me.

“it’s simple Logan, I’m finding a proper outfit for you to don this evening! As well as Virgil, because he is a dear friend and confidant of mine, and I’m not letting him wear his armor to the ball, and I know for a fact that that is his only semblance of fancy attire. I really need to get you more proper attire my dear sir knight.” He smirks and goes through outfit after outfit for the both of us.

Eventually he finds us satisfying attire. I get adorned with a black tailcoat with royal blue trim, matching dress pants, a royal blue shirt, black boots, and a blue messenger cap with black, blue, and peacock feathers. Virgil ends up with a purple hooded, double breasted trench coat with black accents and covered in awards and medals, with matching slacks, a maroon long sleeved collared shirt, and black, knee high, heeled wrap boots. He also combs back his hair and is told to grab a favor from someone. When his highness steps in front of me once again, I feel my face darken as his glance seems to be inspecting the entirety of my soul. He smiles and conjures a bright red carnation. He tucks it in my breast pocket before sweeping my hair to the right and conjures a white carnation tucking it behind my ear. He steps away quickly and looks at us both with a proud look.

“you both look lovely. It seems I took a bit longer for you two than I planned, it’s been two hours, which leaves me one to figure myself out! Heheh! If you would, could you go check on the preparations in the kitchen and ballroom for me?” we both nod and hurry out being careful with our new outfits.

“our young prince is quite generous is he not?” Virgil says on the way.

“yes. He is quite… over the top however. Why do I have two different flowers on me? What do they mean?” Virgil snickers.

“oh, have you forgotten your second language? The boy is not subtle. The one easiest to see is the white carnation, symbol for purity and luck, while the red means love and affection. The young prince is also the only one who gives flowers as favors, so everyone will know not to mess with you. Did I mention he’s a bit possessive?” my face only reddens more.

We head to the kitchen and see the three from earlier doing even more work faster than before. Even D is flitting around and helping. Virgil clears his throat and the three look at us for a second before going back to work.

“sorry V, too much to do right now, we only have an hour left to get all this ready.” Patton said tiredly.

“don’t you three need to get ready? Can we help?” Patton looks at us again and nods slightly.

“we can’t have you doing it manually since you’re already dressed up, so Logan probably shouldn’t, but you have stronger magic than the three of us combined so sure!” I frown and pull one of my cooking inventions out of my invention band and toss the toy back and forth before activating it and helping, to the shock of Patton, Remy, and Thomas. In a few minutes we have everything done, and the three are thanking us.

“now you three really should go change, stained baking clothes aren’t exactly gala outfits.” Patton shakes his head.

“oh no, we aren’t attending, someone has to tend to the kitchen while the rest of the staff is having fun! His highness can’t leave everything without staff, the kitchen doesn’t run on its own. But thank you two for the help, it will make the rest of tonight much easier!!” Patton, Remy, and Thomas all smile at us.

“uhhhh, yeah no that’s not happening bud. I will keep this kitchen running bare handed if I have to if it means you three get out there and have a fun night. No ands ifs or buts, you are getting changed right now, and you are going to attend the gala if I have to drag you all by the ears.” Patton argues with him of course.

“Virgil, while that’s a sweet sentiment, it’s not happening. I am in charge of this kitchen, and I’m not leaving it unattended when there is work to be done. And I am stronger than you, you can’t make me leave with you.” He looks sternly down at Virgil with crossed arms.

“hm, true but you know who you will listen to, and is also stronger than you? The prince.” Patton’s eyes widen and the other two gasp.

“you wouldn’t dare. Besides, what reason does he have to care?” he smirks slyly.

“listen, I might have a little sway in the prince’s good book, as well as him having specifically requesting all staff join the gala. You don’t want to disregard a direct order, do you?” Patton’s arms drop and he struggles to respond.

“l-listen, he’s just barely an adult! He’s never worked in a kitchen! He’s trying to be nice, but if his father was ever right about anything, it would be keeping the kitchen staff in the kitchen at all times, the kitchen needs us to stay here, without us who will make more food if we run out? I’ve been working in kitchens since I was five, I might know a thing or two more than him about this! Just- please don’t tell him! It’s for his own good! He won’t even notice! To him this kitchen can run on its own, but you and I both know better!” he’s pleading with him now. Virgil shakes his head.

“you are attending the gala. If there’s a problem his highness can take it up with me. Go change Patton baker. You too sanders twins.” The three sigh and go to change. I look at Virgil once they’ve gone out of earshot.

“you have quite a high status here huh?” I ask him as we walk to check the ballroom.

“meh, his highness likes me I guess? Most of the other guards are assholes, so I guess I’m a nice change. I also have a hefty amount of magic, reason I got knighted so soon. My weapon usage is fantastic, and my magic is OP. People think I had more magic than the king himself, I know for a fact that the prince is better than I am however.” He smiles at me and looks around to see staff members assembling the last arrangements for the ball.

“how do you know that?” I ask curiously.

“he saved you. Once within the king’s radius there was no reversing the affect done to you. He overrode it, it may have only been for an hour, but it was something, and he saved you. If I didn’t already swear my life to him on oath, I would have owed him my life for that alone” He grins at me brightly. “if he wants to be a hero, he’s got another thing coming, cuz he’s one already. I can’t wait to see him grow as a ruler.” Virgil smiled and squeezed my hand, I squeeze back and smile as well. I missed him so much, I’m glad he’s back as himself again.

“neither can I. I hope to be able to move back into the city. I missed it here,” D pulls my hair a bit. “hey, hey cut it out! I like it in the woods too, I just also like speaking to humans ok? Humans don’t live to prank anything that moves. Hey! That hurts!!!” I shoo him off of my head and glare at him.

He starts whispering to me. I shake my head. “listen D, if they are willing to accept me sitting on a throne, I’m sure they’ll be fine with magic creatures roaming around the gardens. I have no doubt. And if I decide not to stay here I will find a place to stay that can host all my faelings anyway” I pat his head and he pretends to bite my finger before sitting back on my head. “you have to behave tonight, if people think I have an unruly fae they will judge the prince and I don’t need that weight on my shoulders.”

Virgil chuckles. “too late for judgement lo. His highness has already been met with much backlash due to his choice of suitors.” I look at him once again.

“who were his original choices?” I ask. Why did I get chosen?

“oh no, don’t get me wrong you were always his choice, he however, made proposals to both myself and Patton out of fear of the backlash of choosing you. But, as me and Pat are already Romantically involved, it wouldn’t have worked out anyways. Besides, like I said, it was always you. He’s the prince it doesn’t matter who he chooses so long as he’s happy. If anyone has a problem with that I will kill them” he laughs when he sees my shocked face. “listen it’s my job. And he’s a good friend, you should know that I’d take a bullet for either of you two. The three cooks too, though I don’t think anyone wants to kill them at this point, considering how hidden they are from the public eye, not to mention how innocent and sweet they are.” Virgil smiles wistfully.

We wander through the ballroom and after a few minutes the three chefs show up all fancied up. The twins are matching in black and red Versailles coats, black slacks, and black flats. Patton is cleaned up very nicely. He is wearing a vest? It’s a white and blue half vest with one long sleeve of light blue color with a thin light blue sash draped around his midriff that is otherwise bare, poufy pants that match his sleeve and a belt matching his vest. His hair covers half his face and I notice that the sides of his head are shaved and also a light blue. He is wearing tan sandals as well. They all look amazing, I’m glad Virgil convinced them to attend. Patton walks up to Virgil and gives him a kiss and I giggle at Virgil’s surprised expression. I only laugh louder when Virgil flips Patton into a dip and Patton squeals.

Some girl passes by us and smiles at us, and Thomas shoves Remy towards her and the two wander off together with the girl hanging off of Rems arm. Thomas smirks at him and starts talking to me.

“finally, he goes and talks with her! He’s been on and on about her for months, and she’s been just as head over heels. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to get me the cute butler! See ya later Beowulf!” and off he goes in the opposite direction than his brother. Patton and Virgil are just talking as the doors fly open and trumpets sound.

“attention all!!! The guests are to be arriving any minute and I request all to be on their best behavior. The festivities shall commence now!!!” the prince heralds to the large room. His mother is by his side and he bows to her before heading up to the mezzanine and looking over the guests. I get a good look at his outfit now. He is wearing a red, white, and gold crop top with angel sleeves and a red sash around his waist, white knee length leggings with a red mid-thigh length skirt, golden knee-high boots, and pure white gloves. He has his golden hair curled so it falls in his face like a waterfall. I get nudged by a smirking Virgil.

“you really do like him, don’t you? You two would be so cute together heheh!” I blush and shush him.

“I was just-hey shut it! I was just admiring his outfit. He looks nice! That’s all! Shhhhush you!!!” Virgil doesn’t stop laughing at me until guests start filing in. His expression sours before he puts his hand on his waist and does something magic. As soon as it left he had a grin back on his face. He steps slightly in front of me and Patton and I notice his smile doesn’t reach his eyes and I’m suddenly stricken with fear.

“well hello there lord Matthew, I thought you were taken off the guest list after the last ball? Don’t you have other parties to crash and reputations to tarnish?” he manages to hiss out with a plastic smile.

“oh, old Richard invited me! I couldn’t turn down the chance to meet the prince’s suitor!!! Why isn’t that him right there? The little criminal? I’m sure his highness will break from his spell soon! What a wicked spell, lasting 5 whole years!” I growl lowly at him.

“yes surely, the one person in the country who doesn’t have magic put a spell on him. yeah that’s reasonable.” I mutter angrily.

“listen Mattie, I’m gonna have to ask you to leave at once. I will not ask twice.” Virgil’s smile drops and he take another step forward.

“how dare you. I have every right to be here. Besides, you’re unarmed, what can you do?” the man tests Virgil. V pulls out a dagger from his waist. He looks over at me and gestures toward the prince.

“you two, please go see the prince. I’m sure he’ll want to know of this.” With that I grab Patton’s hand and run up to Roman. When he sees us, he smiles until he realizes something is wrong.

“what is the matter? No, you can stop running, what’s wrong?” Patton rushes to speak.

“well-uh, so uh, lord Matthew is here, and refused to leave, and Virgil just pulled a knife on him, and he said you needed to know-” before Patton completely finishes Roman is walking down to where Virgil is. Of course, walking, he isn’t scared, he’s calm and in control. We both follow behind at a safe distance.

“lord Matthew! So kind of you to show! I’m sure lord Richard invited you? Virgil please unarm yourself, there shall be no need for violence.” He walks towards them with a sort of swagger in his step. The man sneers.

“I wouldn’t miss meeting your suitor for the world my princess. Yes, lord Richard did invite me! How did you know?!” there was a twitch felt through the room at the use of the term princess. Virgil nearly jumped him there and then, but Roman gave him a stern look.

“oh, it was just a guess! The only other person to get thrown out of a ball other than you! Listen dear lord, my dearest lord, I must ask you to leave, I don’t stand for the harassment of my guardsmen. Virgil would you-” Matthew laughs, interrupting the prince.

“oh no, if anyone hear is leaving, it will be you! We can’t have a gay man as our king! Let alone have a villain upon our throne! No, I shall be taking that throne tonight.” He summons a sword and points it at the prince. I feel myself moving before I fully realize what I’m doing. I pull out my collapsible sword and wrap it around his neck.

“I think you might want to rethink that. Another move and you’re dead, trust me I have no qualms, as you said I’m a villain.” The man drops his sword and falls to his knees. I pull my cuffs out of my storage band and cuff him before putting the sword away. I look up to see all eyes trained on me and my wrist. Someone jumps out and grabs my wrist and pulls on it, causing me to groan in pain.

“what is this?! This is dangerous! Why do you have this?!” I groan again before pulling my arm free.

“It’s connected to my arm. I made it a few years ago, it holds my inventions. It’s no more dangerous than magic swords appearing out of thin air. Also please refrain from touching me.” I glare in the random persons direction. They glare back.

“well you’ll have to take it off. No weapons are allowed in the palace!” I scoff and turn fully towards him.

“listen, first, priorities, you should get some, second, it’s much easier to notice me pulling from my wrist, I’d have another weapon at my neck before I’d be able to do anything, third, what do you think this guy just did?! You should be thanking me not harassing me, fourth, there is no way to detach it. I made it that way, and fifth, I only have like, four weapons in here, the rest is far more important. If you have a problem, you can figure out how to get it off yourself” He looks at the prince likely trying to get sympathy and backing down when he sees he has none. I turn towards Roman once again and bow. “your highness, I apologize for breaking one of your rules, however, my mind went into panic mode. I hope you can forgive me.” He tells me to stand and smiles.

“you have been forgiven, if you were not I would be petty. However, I will have to take a look at that band later. Virgil might you escort lord Matthew into the dungeon? Thank you! Now everyone, please do continue to enjoy the festivities!!! No need to worry, the situation is being handled. Might I speak to you Logan?” as Virgil walks off with the man, and Patton goes over to the twins who had grouped together again, I nod. Nothing better to do I guess.

“of course, your highness. Please lead the way” We head back upstairs and sit down on a bench and start talking about random things before I bring up the topic we were both avoiding. “so, uh, was this the first time something like that was pulled?” I ask quietly and I’m met with a sigh as he leans back on his hands.

“no. most definitely not. I’ve had countless since I came out to the people. for the most part people are accepting, however, there are a handful who aren’t. First one to be at such a big event though. Usually assassins. It’s weird, my father never had anyone attempt to kill him, I guess it must have been his curse at work. There were a few who tried to kill me when I was younger as well, but Virgil hasn’t failed to protect me since he started out here. I honestly wish I had friends like him when I was younger.” He rambles and I frown slightly.

“I’m sorry Roman. You are by far a better person than your father. I want to protect you… and um, I uh, I didn’t need a week to find my answer by the way. I mean, you can still take it back! There are far more men who would be better! And uh, you don’t have to choose me, I don’t deserve to be happy with you, I kidnapped you for god sake! You really-” he interrupts me by just smiling. I lose my words somewhere in my throat.

“listen Logan, you are most definitely who I wish to stand by my side. You were not my choice out of convenience, or out of pure lust. You saved me. You saved me from something that was slowly killing me, and it had almost won. Can I confide in you? I was to be dead in a week when you took me. I had plan after plan to die that following week. You saved me that day, and I’m so sorry that it took me as long as it did to return the favor.” I feel my face flush and he giggles.

“I-I don’t know what to say, I had no idea, you had seemed for the most part just happy.” I admit, looking away slightly.

“no one did. I think the only people at the time who would have cared would have been the twins, Patton, Virgil, and my mother. But that’s old news now, irrelevant. Listen, if you do in fact accept my proposal, would you mind if I kissed you?” my face only feels hotter when he asks that. Instead of speaking, because I’m sure my voice will betray me, I nod firmly.

He leans in rather slowly as if giving me a chance to leave if I choose. When our lips finally touch it’s soft and slow and mind-blowing. I feel my pulse quicken and the urge to just lose myself. I realize that all those stories of having to breathe stopping a kiss were completely false. It starts “heating up” I think is the term? And he wraps his arms around my waist and I panic for a second trying to figure out what to do with my arms before setting them on his shoulders. Almost as soon as I had done that he bit my lip. I gasp and am ready to pull away when he... sticks his tongue in my mouth? I don’t-what? I mean it feels fantastic, don’t get me wrong but- oh ok. I have no idea what is happening but it feels amazing I don’t want it to stop? Unfortunately, that’s exactly when he does. He pulls away with a loopy grin and a look in his eyes that is heart stopping. Not literally but-you know what I mean! I am pretty sure at this point my whole face is completely red. I shakily adjust my glasses before looking away shyly. God why am I so timid?! I just want to be normal for once! I notice that the rest of the ballroom is waving slightly. Huh. Interesting.

“I wanted a bit of privacy. It’s an illusionary wall. To everyone else we were just sitting and talking. I’m sure Virgil already knows its fake by now, I’ve used this trick countless times. Do you mind if I touch you?” I feel my heart melt. What did I do to deserve someone like him falling in love with me?

“of course, Roman. I’m only uncomfortable with strangers and those I don’t trust touching me. I um, I also wouldn’t mind um, doing that-that thing we just did? Again. It was quite uh, p-pleasant.” I sound like an idiot he’s going to hate me god why do I do this?

“hey, Bubbles. Calm down that mind of yours,” he rests his palm on my cheek and I subconsciously lean into it. “I can see you thinking up a storm in there. Relax. And I would also love to do that again if you don’t mind.” I nearly dive into the kiss. I cant believe this is happening, am-am I finally getting my happily ever after?

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Thank you for reading I will see you later ladies lords and nonbinary royalty!!!

[tamayokny]

thoughts on dark phoenix. spoilers below.

if you don’t want to read all of this, skip to the bottom where it’s all summarized?

first, i came in knowing that i would be disappointed in the film in some way but still, i was excited! the x-men are my life; my family.

anyway...

the first hour...idk lowkey the editing threw me off. it was lowkey...uh...bad. at least some parts were. i really enjoyed the last hour.

liked the x-men in space scene...and when miss jean grey absorbed the phoenix force? RIIIIIIIISE!

before i continue let me just say: i love you sophie belinda turner jonas. stay iconic; a legend and you did great with what you were given! fuck everyone who said you “ruined [x-men and game of thrones] in the same year” (yeah, i saw that in a facebook comment! lmao i HAVE to laugh at that.)

i’m glad the movie covered charles’s flaws as a teacher, if only a little bit. from experience, i know that you should not repress trauma like that because it will rise and be...a mess. so they covered that well.

i've also seen a lot of arguments over charles xavier’s character in dark phoenix and honestly? i thought it was fine. it reflected his comic counterpart more in recent years. (y’all should be happy that scott didn’t kill him in this movie! lol)

rip to mrs. smith and the rest of her dinner party (the husband was kind of a dick, though).

as much as i love jessica chastain, i really didn’t like the antagonists in this film. they provided a GREAT fight scene and conflict in the peak moments of the film, but i wish they focused on the bond between jean grey and the phoenix more, as well as how it affected the team.

AND BEFORE I FORGET: DAZZLER CAMEO DAZZLER CAMEO!! I loved it.

the confrontation between jean and her teammates outside of her father’s house was great. i liked when kurt tried to stop her and they went through the walls. OUCH when quicksilver got hurt though...i felt that.

also: remember when we all thought quicksilver was going to be one of the deaths? lmao

speaking of deaths...mystique really is dead and honestly? thank god. i hated how they’ve written her character in the past two movies. it also doesn’t help that i dislike the actress...her best movies were first class and days of future past but once they started to put her on the hero route? no thanks

i’m sad that they never explored or outright stated that mystique is kurt’s biological mother. (for the non-comic fans: kurt is the son of azazel and mystique.)

hank’s grieving and his lashing out on charles...and then he went to magneto so they could kill jean...good job nicholas 

i must ask: what was the relationship between beast/mystique? like where they romantically involved or still kind of tip toe-ing around? some scenes implied they had feelings for sure but....idk

GENOSHA, BABY! GEN-O-SHA!

jean entering this mutant haven was beautiful but magneto’s entrance? omg i lowkey wanted to laugh. magneto remains to be dramatic and i love it

i also liked the helicopter scene

okay so back with the team:

peter got hurt so you don’t see him until the very end of the film

kurt was used pretty well

ororo was underused when it came to the dialogue department. my girl barely said anything BUT: her action scenes were amazing and i’ll get to that in a minute

to the surprise of no one, while kurt remained hopeful but wary and ororo believed jean to be dangerous (which, she is and was), scott was on charles’s side and firmly believed that they could bring jean back. 

i wish the dark phoenix was able to cement the scott/jean relationship more because while i knew they were a couple, it would probably be difficult to know how serious they were. (yes, some scenes showed it but idk how impactful they were?)

okay so fast forward a bit: jean and vuk (jessica chastain) are in new york so magneto, hank, and two other mutants on their side are there to kill jean, and then the x-men show up to save/stop that from happening.

this fight scene was pretty cool...especially when magneto brought that subway car above ground and used it to enter the building jean and vuk were in...magneto, ever the dramatic king who i love

the charles/jean moment...heartfelt. like i mentioned, this covered one important aspect of the dark phoenix saga: xavier's faults. he believed he was doing the right thing and when jean saw how her (biological) father reacted to her...she understood. while i believe what charles did was fucked up and i still would have been pissed, i would have forgiven him like jean did, because he gave her hope and a chance. it was hope to help her manage her abilities, and a chance to life as a mutant because let’s face it, if she would have gone in the child services system she would have been fucked.

and then like any other x-men movie: the government got involved, subdued all the mutants (scott blasted vuk out the building, so she wasn’t captured), and they were locked and loaded on the train. jean got isolated from the rest of them.

BEFORE I CONTINUE: when scott said “i’ll fucking kill you!”...i almost started laughing. i’m sorry, but it’s the truth.

anyway on the train: vuk and the rest of the alien shapeshifters come to wreck shit up and the killed most of the guard (which caused kurt to go on a killing rampage after one of them died in front of him....okay. i was kinda impressed tbh, despite most depictions of kurt would probably not do that.)

the mutants fucked shit up! i think the 2 mutants that helped magneto were both killed though, which made me :// like really? k.

which reminds me: i wish psylocke and jubilee were in dark phoenix but the actresses had other film commitments, so i understand and forgive. also...still said about angel and his fate in apocalypse :( angel is always the most mistreated out of the original 5 lmao.

anyway that train fight scene was really good...despite barely having dialogue (:/) SHE KICKED ASS. and when erik destroyed part of the train? KIIIIIIIING!!!!!

BUT THEN JEAN UNLEASHED PHOENIX AGAIN!!! AND SHE FUCKING TOOK THAT TRAIN, PROTECTED HER FAMILY, AND DESTROYED THE REMAINING ALIENS. FUCKING QUEEN! MCU CAPTAIN MARVEL WHO???? MCU WANDA??? MCU THOR???? NO. JUST JEAN GREY BITCHES.

jean sacrificed herself...i remember reading something that said “2 confirmed x-men deaths” and i knew it was going to be mystique and jean

but honestly i was thinking “three deaths” because fuck, i thought jean was going to kill scott! like i’m disappointed how they didn’t focus on jean’s destruction on everyone and being like...evil. lmao i was really hoping but simon you played me, huh. (great marketing i guess?)

jean died but didn’t die, knowing how jean grey is lmao

they renamed the school after jean and i’ve seen people being salty about it LMAO....they renamed the school for jean in the comics (it changed back eventually...?) so stay mad

people are also mad that charles retired and fucked off to paris adfcrvhfbg

while i don’t think charles would have retired (well...that could be debatable?), i think for the end of FOX x-men, it was okay

also erik offering charles a place to stay in paris???? fucking PARIS??? THE CITY OF LOVE??????????? I’M FUCKING LOSING IT!!!!

AND THAT GAME OF CHESS BITCH!!!!!!!!!!!!

the very last shot was of the sky, where you could see the phoenix in the air......yoooooooOOOOOOOOO

okay so before i tell you all my summary, let’s talk about why dark phoenix may not have done so well, or at least part of it:

the mutants are now owned by disney, since the disney/fox merge became official (fuck). so, because of this, dark phoenix had to go through reshoots (which brought us that glorious train fight). apparently, the dark phoenix saga was going to be in three parts but because of the merge...that’s not happening. so, dark phoenix is officially the last x-men movie (unless you count new mutants that will be released on disney+, last i've heard). so, because of this, i think this last movie left a lot of fans unsatisfied because we all know that there should have been more to the story, and they had it planned out! unfortunately...disney has to fucking buy everything.

another reason: the x-men/fox superheros are not as hyped as the MCU/disney superheroes. you know this. i know this. and after a few releases from the MCU this year? the x-men didn’t stand a chance. let me also add: fuck the critics, there’s been such a disconnect between them and the audience for years. i’m not saying dark phoenix was perfect, but it’s not as horrific as people (critic and audience) have been saying.

now, the final thoughts and summary: 

i went into the theatres knowing it wasn’t going to be the best thing ever. it was average; that’s the best i can describe it. it had good moments and it had bad moments. jean grey as dark phoenix was not as antagonistic as i hoped and while i enjoy jessica chastain, I really didn’t like the villains of the film. i wish chastain was the “physical embodiment” or whatever it was of the phoenix like many speculated. dark phoenix should have focused on jean (which it did but...), her relationships with her teammates, scott, xavier (it did brush on it), and other core values of the dark phoenix saga. it would have been great to see this all play out but unfortunately, things change.

thank you, fox, for twenty years of the x-men. just like how they changed the comic book industry (they made marvel comics), the very first x-men movie is the reason why we have our many superhero films today. remember that. good luck with them MCU, and don’t you fucking dare mess them up!

let me also add a thank you to the x-men cast. with dark phoenix, they all certainly gave their best. sophie did it, and i will miss tye sheridan as cyclops. most of all, i think i will miss michael fassbender as magneto. while he may not be jewish, he certainly gave his all. he really studied magneto and i respect and admire him for that. also rip to rose byrne as moira mactaggert. where the fuck was she when the events of dark phoenix went down??

[words-writ-in-starlight]

hey I was wondering. what kinds of friendships did brenneth have when she was growing up as a blacksmith? did she go to neighborhood parties? did a nice baker's apprentice invite her to alleirat prom? (did they smooch?) did she go to the alleirat mall with the other kids her age and hang out near the food court? did she sit with the elders and listen to their stories? did she chase the neighborhood children around, roaring like a fearsome monster, and die dramatically when they slew her?

It’s not–it’s not like Brenneth’s master thinks.  She’s not lonely.  She sees their customers, and she sees people at the market who might be more than acquaintances, and Crispin sneaks out of the scholar’s quarter to come hang around the forge like a particularly persistent spirit until his teachers come to collect him.  She kisses girls and boys and neither and both and sometimes more than one, and she doesn’t really mind that they’re never something more than a few touches and maybe a night.  She trains to fight with the lathan, with the guards, and they like her, this strange world-wandering child with her fire-hot skin, and it helps that one of their own is really rather attached.  (Torei doesn’t declare her feelings for two years, but everyone knows why she’s stopped using the lathan armories in exchange for a teenaged blacksmith who’s only just set up her business.)  Even after Brenneth is out on her own, holding up her own smithy rather than working out of her master’s, she eats meals with him and with his daughter Kessen and eventually with her wife every few nights.

She’s happy.  Her master worries that she’s lonely, never keeping a partner for long and working alone and sleeping alone, but she’s happy.  Brenneth is a quiet person–not literally, Brenneth sings while she works and sometimes when you bring the singing smith a new tune, she’ll give you a discount, but in terms of people, Brenneth is happy with her handful.

Alleirat believes in community, Brenneth knows this.  People have friends and family and amdrin and amiasan and children and business partners and spouses and–Brenneth has Crispin, and she has her regular customers, and she has her master, and she’s happy with that. 

She indulges in a rather wild few years between sixteen and twenty.  Many people do–Alleirat believes in experimenting–and Brenneth tumbles as wide a variety of people as she’s kissed.  Kessen, with her lethally pretty blue eyes and her carpenter’s hands, is the longest lived of those matches, and the two of them sneak through dark shadows and kiss in the closet and sneak into each other’s cots for all of two weeks before Kessen pecks Brenneth on the cheek and says she’s glad they’re friends, a painless parting.  Brenneth has a big heart, falls a little in love with all the people she kisses, loves them in the curve of their collarbones or the muscles of their thighs, but never more than that.  She doesn’t know how to fit them in, around the rest.

Ultimately, Brenneth is more at ease with children.  They don’t know to treat her differently, they don’t remember hearing her stumble over Alleirai or seeing her have to resort to pantomime in order to be understood.  They don’t look at her with reverence or wariness or anything else that people direct at children from another world, nothing except fondness.  The local kids learn that she won’t kick them out–her master will, but Brenneth doesn’t mind having them there as long as they don’t do anything stupid–and they show up in droves.  They get over their awe of Crispin’s fine clothes and status within an hour of meeting him, and Crispin is startlingly good with kids, happy to sit on the floor and join a clapping game while Brenneth works.  

When Brenneth isn’t working, she and Crispin play Unification War with the children, and they lead opposite sides, city-states at war, or they play pirates and Crispin is the roguish pirate captain while Brenneth’s guards try to capture him and his intrepid crew.  Sometimes Brenneth and Crispin are mad dragons, ultimately slain by the brave warriors of Alleirat, or even gods, summoned to settle a debate–when they’re summoned, Crispin is the Wanderer and Brenneth is the Lady of Stars, a mismatch of their patrons, but they imagine the gods don’t mind too much.

Brenneth is twenty years old, holding a little girl on her shoulders (a “sacrifice” to the dragon) as she and Crispin chase the others through an alley, and she looks at her life, and it’s good.  This is what she wants.  She wants her work, and she wants children, and she has the strangest flash of a little girl with aristocratic features and skin a few shades lighter than her own, dark hair and a scholar’s sharp eyes.  Then the flash fades and she’s watching Crispin jump out at a kid and snatch him up and grin at Brenneth as the boy laughs.

It’s good to see him smile.  Something’s been wrong with Crispin lately, something he won’t tell her about, but the kids make him smile, erase some of the strange cracks in his eyes.  She wants him to have this, too, she wants him to have this easy happiness with kids who think he hung the morning star.  She can picture herself with children, but she can never picture those children with anyone, and Brenneth thinks that this might be okay, having Crispin to raise kids with her and sit in her forge and just be.

Three weeks later, the city center is destroyed by an explosion of lightning, and the whole of Alleirat looks to Brenneth for a savior.

The boy she had seen Crispin playing with that day catches Brenneth’s hand as she leaves the council’s hastily assembled meeting, her sword at her side and armor on her back.

“It’s not true, right?” the boy whispers as Brenneth looks down at him.  (The boy has never thought of Brenneth as tall before, but now she’s miles above him, as if he doesn’t even reach her knee.  He’ll tell people this story, heavily edited, and he’ll always remember her as towering.)  “Pesaruld would never hurt anyone.”

Brenneth has been given carte blanche to recruit anyone she sees fit to her…hunting party, for lack of a better word.  Over two dozen people are dead, and more on the road out of Dase, left with rapier wounds and throats cut with a dagger and lightning burns lacing over their skin.

Brenneth kneels down in front of the ruined citadel, hand on the boy’s shoulder.  “I’m so sorry, meimare,” she whispers back.  “I’m so sorry.”

This is a moment that will be remembered, although incorrectly.  The hero with her hair spilling loose over her shoulders, arm and chest armored and one hand on her sword, kneeling in the sunlight to comfort a child–the stuff of legends.  The Fireheart, the legends all agree, is good with children.  

They linger there for a moment, and then the boy throws his arms around Brenneth’s neck without a thought for her armor and sobs.

This is the last child that will cry for Crispin.  This is not, however, the last time that Brenneth will hold a child in the ruins of Crispin’s destruction and let them ruin her shirt with tears.

[blackdowning]

All the Star Wars asks thanks! :)

25 star wars asks

1. do you find force users or non-force users more interesting?

Mmmm my favorite characters are always somewhere in the “gray area” i.e. Maz Kanata where they can use a the Force just a little bit but aren’t super strong with it

2. which character do you want to be most like?

Admiral Amilyn Holdo & Maz Kanata

3. which character are you actually most like?

Umm I have no idea. Not many dorky college students that we meet in the Star Wars universe. I’m curious what character my friends and followers think I am most like????

4. what headcanon will you defend to the death?

Finnpoe obviously is it even really headcanon at this point it’s pretty much just going to be canon okay thanks

5. what planet would you most like to visit?

Naboo would be cool, lots of pretty nature and cool architecture and then getting to go to the gungan bubble city (I can’t remember the name) would be sweet

6. what planet would you most like to live on?

Utapau, no question. The sinkhole cities are such a cool idea and I love the way the native aliens look with the pinstriped skin.

7. who do you hope you never meet?

Jabba the Hut ew or any Hutts in general

8. what is one thing you would change about any movie, show, book, etc?

Kinda wanted to see Jyn and Cassian resolve their sexual tension before they died but it was also great to not have it cuz it made it even more tragic 

9. have you ever made fanart or fanfic? do you make edits or any other fan content?

Sometimes I daydream about being in universe and make notes about it just to myself. But, I’ve never created anything for fandom use

10. do you think the jedi were right or wrong?

Both, obviously trying to live within the light is always the best choice, but they get really bogged down by their traditions and rules and dogmas, etc. Everyone has good and evil in them and I think everyone should try to always act on as much good as they can, but it’s a very personal journey and personal experience. 

11. who is the most underrated character?

Galen Erso hello he literally gave the Alliance the loophole that they needed and then no one talks about him ever again. How badass is it to dedicate yourself to taking down your enemies and not have anyone (not even the good guys you are trying to help) know? A true hero

12. do you care who rey’s parents are?

Not really, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Kylo was lying to her. Or maybe he wasn’t. Who knows. Who cares. 

13. if you could resurrect one dead character, or prevent them from dying, who would it be?

Gosh that’s hard. I would feel bad resurrecting someone because so many of the characters make worthy sacrifices and bringing them back would be almost disrespectful to the causes and ideas that they died for… But gotta admit I was pretty sad to see Kit Fisto die. He was always my favorite Jedi! 

14. what is your favorite alien species?

Pau’ans - as I mentioned above about living on Utapau. Nautolans are pretty cool too, go Kit Fisto!

15. who would you like to bang?

Poe Dameron or Rey or POE DAMERON

16. which movie/episode have you watched the most?

ROGUE ONE ROGUE ONE ROGUE ONE ROGUE ONE 

17. what is your favorite line?

“Rebellions are built on hope.”

18. what is your favorite star wars book or comic?

Unfortunately I haven’t ready any. But I would really like to read Leia, Princess of Alderaan.

19. what’s your opinion on legends/expanded universe?

More Star Wars is good Star Wars

20. what do you hope will happen in future movies?

I can’t decide if I want Kylo to have a final redeeming moment or if I just want him to go crazy evil, both would be pretty cool. Finnpoe becoming canon. Poe being a great new leader for the Resistance with all that Leia and the other members have taught him. Hux vs Kylo is gonna be pretty great. I want to see more of Maz. Rey redefining what it means to be good, not just an old school Jedi will be refreshing. Perhaps some more backstory on how Snoke tempted Ben away from Luke. Saying goodbye to Leia, ugh that will kill me but I am exited for them to make a great send off for a great character and even greater woman. Han Solo backstory is also gonna be super interesting I am hella ready for that. 

21. if you could switch any character’s gender, who would it be and why?

Mmmm some people on the Jedi Council? Yoda or Ki Adi Mundi or Mace Windu, there needed to be more girls on the council. Or give any character a struggle with gender identity, or a gray area–you’d think in a galaxy there would be a lot more interesting things than almost every species having very obviously boy and very obviously girl delineations. 

22. favorite droid?

K-2SO

23. what’s your favorite star wars musical piece or theme?

GAH “Your Father Would be Proud” from Rogue One

24. how do you pronounce twi’lek?

Twhy-lehk

25. which character do you have a love/hate relationship with?

Jar Jar. He’s a freaking annoying idiot but he’s also just like an adorable idiot who’s trying his best. Maybe he’s the character I’m most like lmao 

[mikeshanlon]

goddd I cannot believe u have read iwwv u don't know me but for some reason we watch like.. the same shows and now books lol. anyway can I ask what were ur thoughts on the ending? like to me at least it was onvious Oliver had not done it and he wasn't gonna pull a unreliable narrator last minute (despite being an unreliable narrator) I'm talking abt the whole uhh James is a**** thing.. like what HAPPENS NEXT? is he w wren? also I feel so bad for meredith like girl love urself.. sry 4 the essay

omg yes taste!!!! Also no I’m dying to talk abt this novel so don’t apologize if anything im sorry bc I wrote way too much answering ur question LGRNLRGN

IF WE WERE VILLIANS SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT go read it if u haven’t it’s legendaric

Okay the ending!!!! AH!!!! Okay yeah so I think it’s clear Oliver did not do it, I think the ambiguity lies more whether or not James intentionally killed Richard or if it was an accident. Like, did he see Richard stumbling out in the woods hella intoxicated and think to himself that this was the perfect opportunity to get revenge for all the abuse and torture Richard had been terrorizing him with??? Did he lie to Oliver? Personally, I believe James that it was an accident… of sorts. I don’t think James set out with the intention to kill Richard at all. But Richard was goading him and fighting him and after the buildup of cruelty and tension between them over the past few months, Richard be a homophobic dick and calling James and Oliver qu*er and prodding at the most important relationship in James’ life struck a nerve. So when Richard wanted to keep fighting and hurt him again he was like fuck this and he hit Richard too hard with the hook and that in tandem with Richard being drunk caused Richard to fall and die. And, like the others, James felt awful but there was a sort of sick sense of relief.

(Also, I’m not exactly sure Oliver counts as an Unreliable Narrator. I mean he is certainly keeping some things from that detective guy but, and I was reading something from M.L. Rio about this, like he’s literally just oblivious and dumb as fuck sometimes LKGNLRGLKNRG. So idk how often he’s intentionally Unreliable but I also get what you mean)

Anyways I’m totally a believer that James is alive bc despite enjoying dark stories im like okay but I need a happy ending LGKNLKRGlkenlgneg. Like c’mon they never found the body……….. A metaphorical death and shedding of his past life bc he blames himself for Oliver taking the fall is like the MOST tragic hero Shakespearean shit ever like it just works so well!!!!!! The part where Oliver describes the last time James visited him in jail…

“Oliver I’m begging you,” he said. “I can’t do this anymore.” When I refused again, he pulled my hand across the table, kissed it, and turned to leave. I asked where he was going and he said, “Hell. Del Norte. Nowhere. I don’t know.” (343).

GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDd. God. Anyways I think that was very telling of his plans. Hell (for “committing suicide”, moreso for all of his wrong doings). Del Norte is the beach that him and Oliver slept on that one night and so I feel like that place holds a lot of significance for them, but it’s a place only those two know the significance of. So, I like to think he ran away there and started a new life. He wrote that letter with the disjointed Pericles monologue I think to hint to Oliver that he was at Del Norte, if he wanted to find him, because even though his “death” was a self-punishment for ruining Oliver’s life, he still cares for him a lot and doesn’t want to be without him. Like a whole monologue about the sea????????? The fact that he literally said the monologue to Oliver while they were at Del Norte?? “To give my tongue that heat to ask your help; / Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead, / For that I am a man, pray see me buried.” LIKE WHAAAAAAAAAAT god !!!! Also water is gay<3 and in my heart Oliver goes and finds him and they like work through shit and are together.

Anyways I don’t really think he’s with Wren. Their relationship during senior year was always sort of ambiguous to me…. Like they definitely got super close, they probably were romantically involved in some capacity (since other characters like Alexander who is much more perceptive were like Oliver how did it take you this long to notice LRGNRGNK) though idk if it was like the Encompassing Love Affair Oliver thought it to be bc he’s oblivious and jealous. And also like James was very much enamored with Oliver so idk. (EDIT i just remembered they slept together LMAO but i think my point still stands) In the epilogue Wren is in London and is a recluse and doesn’t reach out to any of the Villains which like. Good for her LRGNRLG even though I hated Richard I can’t imagine like how much of a toll that took on her to see her cousin die and all their friends be like uh yeah we should let him die and then have to keep up a lie like… even though she agreed Richard was awful that has to be so heart wrenching (badumtss) and life ruining. So I think she especially wouldn’t want to be with James seeing as he essentially led Richard to fall into the lake, though I’m not sure if she knows that or not.

And Meredith!!!! Like I’ll be real sometimes she frustrates me but I think she’s also SUCH an interesting and realistic character (which is something I love about this novel, all the characters are interesting to me and I like how the female characters are portrayed.... like i LOVE Fillipa she is such a bad ass bitch but again she’s not just like. Expected to always be strong and clever like she’s got feelings too. Anyways love her). As I said before I was perusing through the author’s tumblr a bit and ppl were like “omg why did Meredith go through all the male friends” like BYEEE literally feeding into the stereotypes that made her feel insecure and weak… (Also again, they’ve known each other for four years… so its not that insane lmao). I think Meredith’s relationship with her sexuality and beauty is very interesting and relatable for a lot of women (I mean I am not. Like a seductive femme fatale like she is but LGKNKRGN). On one hand she is definitely a multifaceted person who is more than her sexuality, on the other, she’s constantly Literally Cast by Gwendolyn in sexualized roles and seen as sexualized by her friends/bf (Richard) and constantly told her worth in and out of the theatre is her body. Like there is an interesting duality about the power she possesses with her sexuality but also the extreme insecurity that is bred by being constantly sexualized and this struggle of like knowing she has worth outside of her body but also sort of … not in the eyes of others. That scene where they’re doing those exercises of their strengths and weaknesses really Hit. Anyways yes Meredith love urself queen… get a hot respectful gf… become a powerful successful legend…..

Related-ish sidenote, obviously I like James and Oliver together the most though I will say Meredith and Oliver’s relationship was interesting though ultimately unhealthy…. Like one of the aspects I like about their relationship is Oliver respects Meredith and when he realizes he is falling into that idea that Meredith is this super sexualized person he’s like hold awn that’s shitty of me… But also I think the fact of the matter is that their relationship was catalyzed by shitty stuff,,, like lust and the need for revenge. Like I honestly don’t really think they would’ve gotten together if not for the extreme animosity with Richard and the adrenaline of like that whole show run and more particularly That Night…. It feels like they got together because they were drunk and they’re attractive, which like yeah fine valid, but also, subconsciously, to be like fuck you Richard. Like, guess what I’m with the guy who you’re constantly saying doesn’t matter. And also seeking comfort and validation when their most important people are not valuing them (Richard being literally fucking awful to Meredith, James sort of pushing Oliver away—again I think subconsciously was sort of a revenge jealousy type thing where Oliver is with the person that James doesn’t really like and makes not amazing comments about being promiscuous). And then their relationship I think keeps going because like. Wow grief is a bitch and they want some comfort. Meredith is drawn to Oliver because he’s one of the only people who values her for more than just a sexual object which like is What She Deserves but their relationship is like a mess of sex and guilt and Oliver is in love with James (the parts where Meredith drags Oliver for caring more about James… iconic as she should! Like when Oliver is like sorry James is visiting me I’m not coming or when she’s like are you more jealous of him or me when they kissed for that scene….. OOP!). Anyways idk if that makes sense but I find Oliver and Meredith’s relationship interesting bc it’s not like… the worst unhealthy relationship ever or anything and I think there is genuine care and love/attraction there between them but like Oliver is never going to totally Be What Meredith deserves especially because like… he loves James more. Also the part where Meredith slaps Oliver when he gets out of jail and he’s like yeah I deserve that is so GLKNRglkenrgnrg to me.

Anyways I probably have more thots but wow. This is long. Sorry LGRNLKRGNng

[insanitysscribblings]

Reyna Writes: Back To Us [UPDATED - 6/20/17]

(art by @edendaphne; do not steal, edit, or repost)

“Look at you,” the beast taunted as Reyna struggled to stand tall, because she would be damned if she allowed herself to show so much weakness in front of it. “Still so stubborn. Reminds me of the old days, when I was but a wee thing, hatched anew and taken under your care. Remember those times?”

           She did. She didn’t want to, but she did. All that effort she had gone into raising the creature, not knowing that all her love and attention would warp it into…this. How she longed for the easier days, when she had burned with fierce love and loyalty for this creature…but now…

           “I made you,” she said grimly, the consequences of her actions weighing as heavy as her sword and her amulet. “I created the monster that stands before me today. So the responsibility to end you lies with me, and me alone.”

           This made the beast roar with laughter.

           “You can barely stand at this point!” It taunted her, and Reyna grit her teeth in frustration. “How do you possibly expect to finish me on your own? No aid will come to you in this endeavor. You are alone!”

           …No.

           No, that wasn’t true.

           Reyna might be (barely) standing here on her own…but she wasn’t completely alone, was she?

           “You’re wrong,” she said defiantly, her voice weak from exhaustion…but the words were firm. “The minute I took on this challenge, I’ve had people who supported me.”

           The heroes whose legends spanned across history, the ones who inspired her to pick up her blade in the first place…

           Countless villagers who aided her with praises and assurances as well as supplies and stories, cheering her on every step of the way…

           A magician friend who armed her with powerful spells that helped her get this far…

           A talented painter who created the most exquisite of art pieces, detailing a few of Reyna’s side adventures and accomplishments…

           And a fellow warrior, a legend and a friend, who was always there to share her pains and triumphs, one who was battling his own beast even as Reyna stood here now…

           “Even if it felt like it at times, I’ve never been alone. There have always been people there that spurred me to keep going, even when I forgot my reason for fighting.”

           Reyna clutched at her amulet once again, and willed herself to stand strong, the way she always had.

           “I never knew that things would come this far, but even so, for their sakes, and for mine—especially for mine—I won’t let you win!”

           Reyna glared up at the beast, her own creation, a monstrosity that had to be undone by her hand, once and for all.

           “No matter what it takes, I will not give up! If it’s the last thing I do, you will meet your end!”

           As if it had been waiting for Reyna to make this declaration, suddenly, the amulet around her neck flashed, the light from it so blinding that Reyna had to shield her eyes. The light washed over her, and in an instant, she felt refreshed. Her sword was no longer heavy, and it no longer pained her to stand. She breathed easier now, and even her amulet felt lighter, despite the fact that it had been growing heavier and heavier with every passing day since she accepted this task of defeating the beast she had unwittingly created. Once the light faded, Reyna lowered her arm…and stared.

           Her broadsword had transformed—once bloodied and dented from the countless blows she had already dealt to the beast, it was now clean, the blade transformed from iron to onyx, much slimmer than her broadsword, the end tapered to a fine point. As she stared in awe, a fiery word suddenly blazed in the center of the blade:

           ‘Fin’.

           The beast roared, but there was no amusement now. In fact, Reyna was satisfied to hear the genuine fear in its voice as it cried:

           “Impossible! That blade—you shouldn’t have that blade! It is only meant to be myth! It shouldn’t exist!”

           “Well apparently it does,” she replied simply, allowing herself a smirk as she wielded the sword of legend confidently, as if she had been wielding it since she was a child. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

           “NO!” The beast cried, cowering in the wake of the blade. “IMPOSSIBLE! INCONCEIVABLE! YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME! I AM IMMORTAL!”

           “Oh, don’t worry—I won’t let your memory die,” Reyna said casually, letting her expression slip into a deadpan. “You ruined too many lives for me to do that. No one will forget you for a long time, and I’ll probably tell tales to my nieces and nephews—and anyone else brave and foolish enough to walk the path I have—as a warning. But the only way you can exist now…is in the past.”

           And then, with the blade of legend firmly in hand, Reyna charged.

yes those things you think are references to real people are totally references to real people

Can you tell I’m having too much fun with this? ‘Cause I’m totally having all the fun with this. >:D

To celebrate BTU’s birthday, have a REALLY FUCKING LONG chapter!

Chapter Thirty-Five: Amends

Enjoy! <3

~Reyna