#- emotional connection to them will get in the way of The Scheme To Save The World

[soullessjack]

just watched inherit the earth literwlly for the first time since it aired and. on one note, there’s a lot I want to say about dean dissociating himself from the situation so much that his behavior seems regressive and insincere, but on another note entirely. he was gonna get big fancy recliners and a giant tv for jack. okay.

[helena-thessa]

I’m new to Black Sails so I’m sure this has been said, but it’s wrecking me. S4 spoilers.

I feel like the moment toward the end when Flint straight up panics about Silver possibly getting shot and then kills his own man and sabotages his own plan to save Silver was a full-stop, hold up, pause it right there, what the fuck moment that Silver would have absolutely been stunned by it if he weren’t too far gone in his own fucked up mental headspace and scheming plans.

One of the most insidious things Flint does is kill his closest friend and confidant (as close as he’ll allow someone to be to him as his Flint persona, anyway) because Gates was going to interfere with his plans. The plans came first. The plans always come first. Flint repeatedly has a one-track mind and the will of the Gods to see his plans through (ie creating the storm). Something like friendship can’t stand in the way. Nothing can.

Except—

In this moment near the finale, Flint makes the complete opposite decision. He chooses his friend over his plans. He chooses Silver over what he thinks is the way to succeed, over what’s necessary for the war. He chooses Silver over his plans. In a split second, entirely instinctual and emotional reaction, he chooses Silver.

And Silver was there when Flint killed Gates. He knows what Flint is capable of in moments like this one. He should’ve stopped everything right then and there and realized and been forced to accept how much Flint cared about him, but he didn’t. He couldn’t.

Flint could tell Silver his story and about Thomas, but Silver didn’t tell his own story. He couldn’t.

That is so fucking heartbreaking. This is the real reason he inevitably becomes the villain, not because of Billy’s propaganda or all of the posturing. It’s his mind, his outlook: Survival only. Survival first.

Silver has already shut Flint out when he first realized Flint might choose the war over Madi, even though so many times afterward and so sincerely does Flint promise that she’s a priority and that they’ll save her. Flint has pulled off the impossible before. Silver has believed him and only him capable of pulling off impossible things before. But Silver has already made up his mind and refuses to see or accept a reality where Flint actually cares for him, and by extension, Madi.

Silver is completely lost to his own insecurity? inability to connect and trust and love? once there are actually people in his life who love him that he has forced a story onto those around him that leaves himself out of an actual life with them.

It’s awful. agh it’s so good

[beifong-brainrot]

Aang is great because almost every ship you can put him in instantly becomes top-tier.

Like:

Kataang- they literally make me cry every single time I think of them. Their love story is wonderful and genuinely heartwarming. It symbolises healing and peace for both of them and the literal world. He showed her the world and he's her biggest supporter and she always defends him and they find solace in each other because they understand what it's like to be the last of their respective kind. And they're each other's hope and just... ahhh. They're so much more than the vanilla hero gets the girl ship people paint it as. Haters stay mad or smth.

Zukaang- the symbolism? They're the actual Ying and Yang of the show! The Rozin parallels? Them standing in a vortex of rainbow fire as two dragons (the blue one like Aang's tatoos facing zuko and the other one, red like Zuko's general colour scheme facing Aang) forming a heart shape around them? Zuko was literally searching for Aang and found his redemption in Aang and Aang made him a better person and Aang is literally the only person who genuinely experienced Fire Nation culture before the war and he clearly values it and he's helping Zuko bring peace to the world and the nation...

Taang- The og tomboy x soft boy dynamic. He's literally the person that helped her free herself from her parents and Air is the element of freedom? And she teaches him when to stand firm like the Earth? And I love when they do synchronised earthbending it's so satisfying and they work so well together. Toph having lost her face in one of Aang's nightmares is also a nice parallel to Ummi and Kuruk. (One caveat though: i hate taang being used as a "get Aang out of the way" side ship to Zutara)

Sokaang- they kinda come out of left field for me but the more I think about them the more obsessed I become. It's all about a teenage boy who has been forced into a role that demanded way too much of him finally learning to trust and rely on others. It's about Sokka finally living out the childhood that he was forced to grow out of. Sokka also has such a cute bond with Momo and more importantly, Appa, Aang's animal soulmate. The fics write themselves.

Sukaang- ok, I know Suki and Aang barely interacted in the show but like Hear me out.Suki is so connected to one of Aang's past lives. And she saved Appa, which would totally bond her and Aang (genuinely distressed that this was never discussed in canon). And they both value a sense of community so much, and Aang was one of the people who inspired Suki to leave Kyoshi to help others. Plus, there could be some amazing Rangshi parallels if Suki became Aang's bodyguard instead of Zuko's, which could be very plausible.

Azulaang- I adore this ship because I genuinely think Aang could really help Azula find her redemption. Hell, he was so nice to her in The Search and she literally killed him. Plus I've already laughed about how it would absolutely kill Ozai. The mental crisis Azula would go through due to fallingin love with Aang would be hilarious, and also the guilt over everything she's done, as Aang's kindness makes her realsie she was on the wrong side this whole time. He's one of the only people who can beat her at her prime and he doesn't seem to fear her at all, which is rare for her. Aang could give her the unconditional love she so desperately craves and needs.

Maiaang- genuinely adorable to me. Other than the obvious grumpy x sunshine trope, Maiaang has a lot of potential. Mai seems to genuinely like Aang in the comics, which is really cute. I also think Aang would be able to help Mai express her more positive emotions, other than just anger. Also something about the girl who was forced to remain silent and passive her whole life learning to finally let go and allow herself to just live with the help of probably one of the most active and expressive characters of the show has me by the throat. Plus, he got along great with her lil bro!

Tyaang- They're so similar and cute and bubbly! They'd have tons of fun together and I just know Ty Lee would teach Aang some gymnastics and he really enjoy it! I think he can also find Ty Lee's chiblocking very cool, since it is essentially a great way to deal with a conflict without causing permanent damage. Very airbendery. Speaking of which, Ty Lee is also very airbendry herself. I can genuinely see her finding herself in Air Nomad culture and be excited to help revive it.

Onjaang- i just find this ship so funny because imagine being a random schoolgirl in the fire nation and not only rizzing up a demigod but rizzing that demigod up successfully. This ship can also go so many ways depending on On Ji's reaction to that random cute guy who threw a cool dance party is actually the Avatar, so it's certainly interesting.

Yuaang- the ultimate cinnamon roll x cinnamon roll ship. But more than that, there's of course the Yue becoming the Moon Spirit and Aang getting lowkey possessed by the grieving Ocean Spirit. There's Yue appearing when Aang needed her most, while he's stranded in the middle of the ocean and helping him. They both understand sacrifice and responsibility, and maybe they could comfort each other through it. Also Aang being the bridge between the spirit worlds and Yue being a Spirit could lead to a very interesting romance, depending on how much the Avatar could interact with the Moon Spirit.

Jetaang- ok, Aang was just as infatuated with Jet as Katara was, right? And I think Aang was heavily affected by Jet's actions and behaviour. Also Aang really not wanting to hurt Jet while fighting him (twice!) was really cute. And Aang helping Jet snap out of the Dai Li brainwashing could be a really cool ship moment the more you think anout it.

Teoaang- Honestly their little one sided rivalry at the beginning of the episode was really cute. And I think there could be some interesting symbolism between them. Aang symbolising the old and Teo symbolising the new. They compliment each other like that. Teo comforting Aang by showing him that the critters of the temple are still alive and well is also sweet. And Aang admitting that Teo has the spirit of an airbender is so sweet.

Kuzaang- they're adorable. I loved the comic about them. Aang calling Kuzon "Hotman" is really funny. Aang helping Kuzon make a bigger flame with airbending is also really sweet. I especially like this ship in combination with Zukaang. It's such tasty symbolism.

Aang may just be the most shippable charater of this franchise, argue with the wall. He's so filled with love I have no choice but to multiship.

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

could you do a yandere demon mitsuri or shinobu with a demon slayer darling

Demon Slayer Reader in Reverse AU | Yandere KNY

In this alternate universe the hashira are the equivalents of the Upper Moons. Unbelievably strong, incredibly devious, and just as responsible for innumerable deaths as their creator. You on the other hand are like Tanjiro Kamado, a demon slayer dutifully following the orders of Muzan as he’s determined to finally stop the rampant killing that those demons do. But there’s something special about you. Something that the demons just can’t deny. That has them persistently chasing you their greater their connection to their beloved creator. Maybe it’s the blood of their kin, or your kissable lips, or the curses you mutter as your sword doesn’t slice through their necks. Either way they are down-bad:

Mitsuri Kanroji

Turned after being rejected for her strength and differences

Now she uses them to eat scores of humans particularly the most bland people she can find

Can you believe just how few people she actually loves?

Too few people are special because of their differences or physical traits

Which means she’s happily devour all those who don’t which is a lot

She of course claims it’s love at first sight when she sees you

It really can be something as simple as a colorful hanafuda or being deaf

Anything unique to you makes her weak in her knees

“You’re making me so happy just to have met you! I love you!”

So busy fawning over you, she barely misses your swing

Stronger than others she only falls for you deeper

In her twisted mind the blood of Ubuyashiki makes beautiful people of his divine choice even more beautiful 

Thus her mission when fighting you is to turn you

So she can have your beauty be eternal

“Don’t avoid me for long my Love! I’m going to make you perfect soon!’

The biggest challenge other than her flexibility, the cherry blossom flooded air, and her insane physical strength is her beau

Rarely does the Demon Moon of Love leave without the Demon Moon of Snakes in tow

And while for your first meetings he definitely is not trying to keep you alive for the change

After he get’s to know you and a nice talk that involves lot’s of dying lower rank demon slayers they’ll both be on the same page

Which will spell absolute doom for you as the conniving duo is not going to bother being upfront 

They’ll scheme

They’ll plot 

Hold your tsugoko or friends from up high as they take advantage of your heightened emotions

“I want to love you forever and ever and ever. And no one is going to stop me! Not even you”

Shinobu Kocho

She was turned along with her sister who Ubuyashiki saved after she fell ill

For years prior she had devoted herself to science, to medicine only for it to fail her at every turn 

Only when she incorporated the great Ubuyashiki’s blood into her creations does she find proper results good results

And she is praised with having so many willing addicted meals and servants to offer as she produces her remedies for masses

Interacting with prey so often gives her a better way to hide and know about the demon slayer’s actions

And amateur slayers that come into her shop swords drawn are usually bullied by the surrounding towns folk

All to be beaten up and kicked out of the town becoming easy pickings at that point

She thought she’d do the same to you

By the way you walked she could sense your power and her mortal end coming closer

But you didn’t attack

Surrounded by many of her loyal customers you ask that she try the contents of a vial to tell what it is

Since it’s suspicious to the people you offer to drink it, another villager drinks it

“You’re the greatest medic in this region. Won’t you tell me what it is and where to find it?”

It’s Wisteria

Potent and poisonous wisteria 

Here shinobu is faced with a choice

Attack you ruin her reputation and have to deal with a mob

Or…

drink it and writhe revealing her demon form to be attacked by the mob

“You think you’re a cunning little butterfly don’t you. Flashing your poisonous colors at me. You aren’t aware of the hunger you’ve aroused in me!”

She wasn’t happy as a human with the limits she had

So she doesn’t choose any of those options opting to kill everyone 

You block the attack finding out it’s a feint for her to run away 

Run away with a snarl that she hasn’t shown for hundreds of years

How dare you!? 

Ruining her perfect system 

When she reports to the Ubuyashiki compound by night she’s got her head down low while reporting 

As expected she was chewed out not only by The Ubuyashiki but the Upper Moons as well 

And there is one person she blames above all for her shame

“That despicable little demon slayer!! I’m going to make them pay!”

Her hatred for you becomes a widely welcomed truth among the other demons

Hanging your whereabouts above her head 

As she snaps at them like a snarling dog

But her hatred is not simply that

She wants to own you 

To hold your face as she successfully demonstrates her mass attack absorbing all within the vicinity 

To clip your pretty little wings and delight in your forbidden flavor for as long as possible

When one of her colleagues theonesheclaimsshehatesthemost pressures her she’s rambling to him about how she’d never want to actually kill you nor turn you completely into a demon like she

“They’re not good enough for Master…but it’d be a shame for such a beautiful butterfly to die so quickly.”

So she’ll turn to science

Once again using her expertise to craft some serum that she plans to keep you attached to for the rest of your not-so mortal life

She’ll use her own blood measuring and testing how little is needed to give you the best parts of being a demon

She knows the clock is ticking as your life goes on

So she’ll be excited to track you down, learning as much as she can about you

Almost as much fun as she’ll enjoy making simple humans that remind her of you as test subjects

She’d even be willing to get help from one of the Upper Moons with her hunt for you

“I hope your ready for a change, butterfly! There’s nothing I can’t do without his blood.”

[starhoppin]

pick a picture; their daydreams about you

pile 1 -> pile 2 -> pile 3

disclaimer; this is a general reading! these messages may not fit everyone. please take what resonates and leave the rest.

「pile one」

seven of swords (cb: queen of cups, two of cups), ten of swords (cb: page of cups rv, ace of swords), seven of pentacles (cb: six of swords rv, page of swords)

this person's daydreams are interesting... there's an overall energy of them daydreaming that you can't get them out of your mind. there's an element to their daydreams where they're coming in to save the day, but not in an overtly "knight in shining armor/guns blazing" kind of way. the queen of cups in this deck looks like a woman drowning; this person daydreams that you're almost struggling to get through the day without them. they daydream about you opening up to them, perhaps even crying that you need them in your life - that you're experiencing so much grief without them. they daydream about being patient, waiting for you to eventually change your mind and come rushing back in.

if this reading resonated with you, please consider leaving a tip!

「pile two」

four of pentacles (cb: three of swords rv, ten of swords rv), six of wands (cb: nine of swords, ten of wands), ten of cups (cb: ace of wands rv, the lovers)

your person embodies a "protector" image in their daydreams. they daydream about protecting you from harm, protecting your heart from those who wish to hurt you. they dream that they're the person that you rely on; you come to them and they help you through your problems. these dreams center around you struggling with a situation and they're the voice of clarity that allows you to overcome these obstacles. i heard the phrase "slowly, then all at once." this person daydreams that they slowly become an integral part of your life - that you slowly fall in love with them over time, but you end up head over heels for them. like you couldn't imagine settling down with anyone else because of how useful and reliable they are. the ten of cups and the lovers card in this deck both depict two people wearing blindfolds - that's the type of relationship that this person dreams about. they dream that you trust and love each other wholeheartedly. also, that quote is from john green's the fault in our stars - so that book/movie may be significant in your connection.

if this reading resonated with you, please consider leaving a tip!

「pile three」

six of pentacles rv (cb: ace of cups, knight of cups), ten of swords (cb: seven of pentacles, three of swords), page of swords (cb: king of swords, five of swords rv)

i'm not going to lie, i don't like this person's energy. they dream about giving to you, but it doesn't seem to be giving out of love - there are strings attached. they dream about giving to you in order to get something out of the situation. they envision coming forward with an emotional offer, but it's an energy of they want you to accept them because they view you as a challenge; you're independent, you don't need them. it's the thrill of the chase that seems to excite this person. this person may view you as a bit naive. they fantasize about convincing you that they're willing to put in the work long-term, but they're only saying these things in order to get what they want out of you in the short term, i.e., they could say that they want to spend the rest of their life with you, whilst only trying to get in your pants. (this is just one example - this doesn't have to be the case for all of you.) there is a lot of sword energy in this reading; they seem to be scheming rather than daydreaming about your connection. this person lacks maturity - they're really the page of swords when they believe themselves to be a king. they're under the impression that they will eventually get what they want out of you, as long as they're strategic about it. i usually don't include these side notes, but i feel the need to make an exception in this case. if you resonate with this pile, i would highly consider distancing yourself from this person. they have incredibly selfish intentions and they don't have your best interests at heart.

if this reading resonated with you, please consider leaving a tip!

tarot deck used in this reading: ostara tarot

[pumpkinstrawbrew]

𝔗𝔯𝔲𝔩𝔶 𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥𝔱 ℑ 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔪𝔞𝔨𝔢 𝔦𝔱 𝔯𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱, 𝔅𝔲𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲'𝔯𝔢 𝔣𝔞𝔯 𝔱𝔬𝔬 𝔭𝔬𝔦𝔰𝔬𝔫𝔢𝔡 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔪𝔢. 𝔖𝔲𝔠𝔥 𝔞 𝔣𝔬𝔬𝔩 𝔱𝔬 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔨 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 ℑ 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔞𝔠𝔱𝔲𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔶 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔩 𝔶𝔬𝔲. 🥀

...

(this is prob the most girliest thing i drawn so far. but i always had an inkling for classic fairy tales set ups. less for the story itself, more for the aesthetics. an’ i’m also weak for armour an’ knights / medieval related stuff on main. everything during that era looked so pretty, even if it wasn’t super practical. 

i was thinking about various arts / figures, that depict bruce dressed in actual knight's armor, an’ thought about his an’ crane’s situation in arkhamverse. comparison between a pretty princess, who needs a savior cannot be further away from who jonathan is, but at the same time, there are some interesting lil parallels to such stories an’ his narrative. as jon’s mantra in arkhamverse was literally related to this. ‘no more savior. no more hope. no more batman.’ he wasn’t even secretive about it or anything. all those 3 things are intertwined an’ related inside his mind. all of those things make an outline of who the bat was for him. 

i thought about the time, jon had crawled out from the sewers. mangled an’ shocked, an’ in pain. the anger came after. at first, there was a need to do basic things first. to treat the wounds. he’s bleeding pretty badly an’ his leg hurts. his face….i imagine, that it wasn’t pleasant to see in the mirror what became of it. those days are probably hazy for him. he mostly sleeps an’ tends to his re-opening injuries. then, once his mind is clear enough an’ pain is numbers down by meds, he thinks about what happened. how it happened. an' at this point, comes a disbelief that the bat just…let this happen to him. that he just left him to die an’ drown. that he did nothing to prevent this from happening.

crane would doubt this at first. maybe, he just remembers it wrong? but he looks at himself, feeling how he can barely move his leg, how his face is barely a face anymore. an’ no, there is no doubt. the bat had turned away from him, refusing to save him *that’s how he imagines it was, at least* jonathan never realized how much he idealized the bat, how much he relied on him coming to his rescue. with rage, enters a brief grief too. that’s the end of the line, bc if the bat won’t deem him worthy of saving, if he won’t save him anymore, won’t bring jon even a sliver of hope, then he should no longer be batman at all. 

this was basically the concept behind the first art. an encapsulated moment of jon’s hope breaking for the last time. things as intense as they are bleak. the plan is being formed. their mutual un-happy ending creeps near. but in that moment, it's just kinda painful. being abandoned by the only person, who seemed to care enough to at least not let him die.

the second art is more heavily connected with the song itself. in a way, this is an AU concept of them being the prince, who is also a dark knight in secret an’ the lonely, wicked alchemist. the main idea is the same as their story in arkhamverse. jonathan gets to know the knight an’ becomes somewhat dependent on their ‘shared roles’, feeling betrayed an’ scornful, when the knight fails to save him from uh. a dragon. so he returns with a scheme to destroy his once savior, in the end finding out that his failed knight was prince all along. i suppose, the only big difference in this AU be that jon’s ft needle glove is similar to needle in sleeping beauty story, an’ once you get a ‘taste’ of it, you fell into nightmares, but like, literally fall asleep. it’s pretty much similar to what happened to him in the actual arkhamverse as he appeared to be borderline unfunctional in the end. 

but since in this AU they have a bit more time to themselves vs just plot, plot, plot. bruce actually has a chance to grasp jon’s emotions a tad better. having a more clear idea why he was so viciously upset with him. it won’t fix anything, knowing the reason when it’s too late. nothing can be undone with a kiss here. bruce was revealed as brooding prince, who took the persona of mysterious knight an’ jon is in a kind of slumber, that prob cannot be broken.

no happy ending here, either. but it’s a bit softer in nature. as there are just two of them in the ivory tower. the dawn comes, but doesn’t manage to bring any comfort nor break the spell.

at first, i drawn bruce’s mask similar to what a knight’s helmet might look like, but i thought that i actually like it more, when it’s unclear if he’s in the mask or not. when it's hard to tell who he is in the moment, when he looks down at jon. the fallen knight or broken prince. i also like how in arkham knight jonathan saw maskless bruce in his batman attire still, so it's a bit of a call back to this too.

like, this is one version of what happening there. i suppose, this also can be some sort of fever dream, that either *or both of them* have. in the end, it’s free for interpretations. i just wanted to draw smth kinda 'poetic', even if sad for them. i do appreciate all the gloom misery in arkhamverse, but i also like more sappy-ish an’ beautiful things too. esp bc with villains like crane or mysterio, it feels kinda wrong to not use tropes, that they might be familiar with via books / movies. an' that they hiliriously enough often fits into, despite being bitter, twisted middle aged men.

aaaan' that’s about it. 2 takes on arkhamverse canonical events. one is more grounded, the other one is flew off the rails lol. regardless, i actually really like these 2 drawings! i was messing around with colors, trying to use the shades an’ tones, that i usually avoiding. at some point, both of arts were greenish, but it was just such a wrong mood. an' i guess, otp holding each other in their arms is like one of my fav poses ever. it's just so precious to me.)

[dindjarindiaries]

Senator's Shadow - Chapter 2

summary: You make your arrival on Eirus, and what you’re met with makes you even more glad you’ve brought Clone Force 99 with you—even with your conflicted feelings about the squad’s leader.

pairing: hunter (the bad batch) x fem!reader

rating: mature (18+)

tags: bodyguard romance, forbidden love, fluff & angst, emotional & physical hurt/comfort, canon-typical violence, injuries & blood, trauma, eventual/mild smut

word count: 5.094k

chapter 1 ⟸ series masterlist ⟹ chapter 3

chapter 2 ⟹

There was a gentle knock on the door to your cabin before you heard the voice of your captain. “We’re about to drop out of hyperspace, Senator.”

You raised your voice enough to be heard. “Thank you Captain.” With an exhale, you set aside your datapad and tried to still your racing heart. It was no surprise that you had lost track of time; you were meant to be getting more rest, but all you could do was dive even deeper into your research on Clone Force 99.

Especially their leader, who had quickly gained your interest and your eye upon meeting.

There hadn’t been much on Sergeant Hunter in the battle briefings and write-ups you had gained access to, aside from successfully leading his squad in mission after mission. Their genetic mutations all made sense simply by their names, and the ARC trooper Echo at least had a background from his time with the 501st and the details of the mission on Skako Minor. Hunter’s seemed fairly straightforward, and there was at least the information that he was a master tracker of sorts. How exactly it worked, however, eluded you.

Much about him was already eluding you, mostly the way he seemed to reciprocate whatever nonsense feeling had caused your propriety to slip. You’d spent endless rotations learning how to fit in with the Senate, and all it took was once glance to forget it all. It seemed very much like the same had happened to him—at least, based on how all the other clones acted.

“Senator?” The same voice nearly made you jump as it broke through your reverie on the other side of the door. “We’ve arrived, and Clone Force 99 is trying to reach you.”

You blinked a few times and nodded to yourself, hurrying to brush out the wrinkles in your senatorial clothes as you headed for the door. The last thing you checked was the hidden holster on your thigh before you opened the door from the inside. The captain fell into place as you nodded at him. “My apologies for the delay. Thank you for making me aware.” The captain bowed his head, bringing up the rear as you headed to the cockpit.

Stepping inside and seeing the view of your homeworld through the viewport made your chest tighten, even as a wave of strong relief washed over you. You didn’t have to step foot on the planet to know that it was feeling less and less like the home you had worked to hard to save. With the information and intel you had gotten on the inner workings of the Separatists’ scheming, it wouldn’t be much longer until the free planet was yet again trapped by another unjust regime.

“Senator,” one of the pilots began, nodding towards the blinking light that indicated the comms, “Clone Force 99.”

You nodded, unable to fight the smile that tugged at your lips. “Patch them through.”

The pilot obeyed, and soon, a familiar voice was speaking loudly over the connection. “Is it actually the senator this time?” Wrecker boomed.

The pilots cringed, but you couldn’t help chuckling as you responded. “Yes, I’m here.”

“Good.” You fought the urge to smile wider when you recognized Hunter, but the effort was in vain. The sound of his voice alone was a vast comfort to your tightened chest. “We thought you’d want to hear this.”

“You thought correctly. Please continue, Sergeant.”

“There is no hostile welcome awaiting us onworld,” Tech spoke on behalf of the sergeant and his squad. “There are, however, some strange patterns in the way they are greeting vessels other than your own.”

You furrowed your brow at that. “Strange how?”

“It is an attack pattern we recognize from our own dogfights against the Separatists,” Tech continued. Your heart began to weigh heavier inside your chest. “Strangely, however, there were no ill intentions, as we were simply escorted more closely to the surface. I am not sure who is in charge of such protection on Eirus, but they have clearly—.”

“Thanks, Tech.” Hunter stopped him before he could continue. A wave of gratitude washed over you. While Tech’s thoughts would no doubt be important, it was already beginning to send you into a spiral about the current state of your homeworld. “We’ll get more answers for you later, Senator. For now, we’re awaiting you onworld.”

You nodded to yourself. “Thank you, Sergeant. We’re on our way.”

As soon as the comm connection was broken, you exhaled a light breath. Thankfully, you had long since mastered the art of keeping an emotional mask on at all times, something that came along with your role as a senator. The worry you felt for your world was strong, but somehow, knowing you had a group as effective as Clone Force 99 made you feel much better.

Once they got all the details, they would understand. It was very much the reason why you had chosen them in the first place.

Your ship was soon landing, and the captain and guards fell into place before the hatch opened. The ornate stairs led your way down to the surface, with you being the last to take them. You were ready to descend them with as much familiarity and confidence as you were used to, but this time, there was a hand waiting there to help guide you, the same one that had taken your hand on Coruscant.

You smiled in gratitude at Hunter as you accepted his hand and made your way down the steps. He remained helmeted, as did his squad, as he nodded. He only let go once your feet were secure on the surface. The helmets still did nothing to hide Clone Force 99’s reaction to their leader’s actions, especially with Crosshair accidentally grunting at Wrecker’s elbow jutting into his ribcage.

“Welcome home, Senator,” Hunter greeted you. He gestured with his helmet to the open hangar. “We’ve already cleared the area. The greeting party wasn’t too happy with us, but it wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.”

You chuckled at that and nodded. “I appreciate your squad’s thoroughness, Sergeant.”

Hunter returned your nod. “We’ll lead the way in.”

“Thank you.” You beamed as Hunter turned around to direct his squad ahead. Crosshair and Tech shared a glance while Wrecker directly followed the sergeant’s order. Echo paused for a moment to give you a small bow before he moved into position, which you returned with a smile of gratitude.

They were no doubt an effective clone squadron, but it was glaringly clear they were also a family. That only made you feel even more certain about your decision to bring them with you.

You swallowed back your dread and advised your captain and your guard to let you remain in front, placing you directly between them and Clone Force 99. The hangar reserved for you wasn’t large, especially compared to Coruscant’s, which meant that you were soon inside the planetary capitol.

You had to hold back your sigh at the sight of the diplomats awaiting you. While you had been specifically chosen by your people to represent Eirus in the Senate, the rest of the planet’s government was repurposed from that which came before it, and they had all been less than helpful in swaying your people from the Separatist cause. At the head of them all was the Prime Minister, a Rodian who was clearly less than happy to be greeted with the sight of Hunter and his squad.

“You clones again?” the Prime Minister scoffed. “I already told you that this is a private space.”

“Prime Minister,” you spoke up loud enough for the Rodian to hear. “That’s no way to speak to my chosen protection.” Clone Force 99 parted themselves to let you be seen, and you stopped to face the Prime Minister with an eyebrow raised. “I was hoping for a warmer welcome.”

“Ah, Senator!” The Rodian clapped his hands together. “My apologies, my apologies. I simply wasn’t expecting you to have… well, hired protection.”

“Just because I have a history of fighting doesn’t mean I should travel without protection, Prime Minister.” You had to hide your smirk when you heard Wrecker chuckle to himself proudly at your words. “Regardless, these brave men are much more than just ‘clones.’ They are soldiers of the Republic who make up the elite Clone Force 99.” You gestured to the two rows of black-and-red armored men on either side of you. “They deserve to be respected as such.”

You caught the visor of Hunter’s helmet for a moment and noticed the way he had tilted it at your words, as if he were attempting to express his gratitude—or admiration. A small smile stretched on the corners of your lips before you focused back on the Prime Minister. “Once again, Senator, my apologies.” The Rodian bowed his head. “Truly, I am quite glad and relieved to see you.”

“I wish I could say the same.” Your tone failed to hide your bitterness, even amidst your necessary diplomacy. “But this venture isn’t being made under ideal circumstances. I was hoping to avoid this.”

The Rodian looked less than impressed. “To avoid serving your purpose, Senator?”

There was no missing the slow movement of Hunter’s helmet at your side as he threw the Prime Minister a threatening glance. The sensation of comfort from before returned, despite the knowledge that you could handle yourself against this diplomat. “To avoid dealing with your government’s inability to follow through with my declarations from the Core, Prime Minister.”

It was Echo who snickered at that. You had to fight a smile as you heard it, especially with the way the Rodian’s face had twisted. “I fail to see how these horrifying riots are the result of what my government is doing.”

“Actually,” Tech began, much to the horror of Hunter—whose helmet whipped around to face his fellow brother, “research suggests that the weaker a government is, the more likely it is for such riots to take place. It would appear, Prime Minister, that it very well could be a weakness in your government that is either causing or allowing these riots to take place.”

“Tech,” Hunter hissed.

“It’s all right, Sergeant.” You waved a hand in his direction, though your gaze remained on the Prime Minister’s shocked face. “Tech is right. He’s simply said such it much more eloquently than I would have.”

“‘Eloquently!’” Wrecker repeated with amusement, giving Tech’s shoulder a nudge. “There’s a new one for you!”

Crosshair sighed at him. “He’s already gotten that one before, Wrecker.”

The Rodian scoffed in disbelief. “This is your ‘chosen protection,’ Senator?”

“It is.” You raised your chin at him. “And seeing as they will be looking after all of us during this venture, I suggest you begin to respect them, just as I told you before.” The Prime Minister was rendered speechless, allowing you to continue. “Now, I hope you’ve at least followed my desired accommodations?”

The Prime Minister snapped back into his role as host, as if the previous tense encounter hadn’t occurred at all. “Yes, yes, of course, Senator.” He took a small step back and gestured with his hand to the way ahead. “You can follow me this way.”

You nodded, stepping forward to follow him. On the way, you offered Hunter an apologetic glance, but he shook his helmet to reassure you that it wasn’t your doing. The warmth of comfort stuck to your chest as you returned your attention to the Prime Minister and followed him through the corridors of the planetary capitol.

While you remained attentive to whatever the Prime Minister was telling you, particularly regarding the most recent incidents, you also focused on your surroundings. You weren’t totally familiar with the layout of the capitol, seeing as most of your time spent on Eirus was in your own town prior to your appointment as senator, and having a familiarity with it was important to you. It would soon become a necessity.

“And here we are,” the Prime Minister announced as you came upon a dead end, where a set of double doors awaited. “Your room, and one for each member of your…” he hesitated, looking over Clone Force 99, “chosen protection.”

You nodded, satisfied for once at the words he said. “Thank you, Prime Minister. I appreciate you fulfilling this request.” You gestured with your eyes towards the double doors of your room. “I’m going to take some privacy for the rest of the evening so I may rest for tomorrow’s banquet.”

The Prime Minister bowed his head. “A sensible decision, Senator.” He began to back away. “I’ll make my leave for the evening.”

You returned the bow, waiting until he and his group had turned around to face your own guards and Clone Force 99. Your attention was fixed on the captain as you nodded to direct him. “You and your guard may rest for the night, Captain. Clone Force 99 will take things from here.”

The captain hesitated before ultimately giving in with a nod of his own. “Yes, Senator.” He led the way for his men, directing each one to the rooms further down the corridor.

A relieved exhale fell from your lips as you finally faced Clone Force 99. Hunter spoke up before you could. “You didn’t have to give us our own rooms.” His words were coated in gratitude, despite his insistence. “The boys and I are used to sharing.”

“Please, Sergeant,” you assured him. “It’s the least I could do to thank you for agreeing to this mission.”

“Mission?” Echo’s repetition of the word failed to hide his curiosity and his confusion. “You’re making this sound like it’s more than a protection job, Senator.”

“Echo,” Hunter began, barely holding back his sigh as he attempted to rein in his squad yet again. “I’m sure the senator’s just using the term loosely.”

“Actually, Sergeant, he’s right.” You cleared your throat, taking a quick glance around before lowering your voice. “We have a lot to discuss.”

The members of Clone Force 99 began to face one another, with Wrecker being the only one to speak on it. “Oh, yeah! I knew I would like her!”

You smiled at that and waved a hand towards your two doors. “If you follow me, I’ll brief you on everything.”

As you turned and led the clone squadron into your suite, the warmth of Hunter’s gaze through his helmet lit a blazing fire on the skin of your back. The turning of the gears within his mind was practically audible now that you had started to reveal your true intentions to them. Hopefully, he and his squad would remain on board once the details came to light.

Once the doors of the suite were secured closed, you gathered the soldiers around a holotable, reaching through the slit in your dress to take the datarod from your holster. You plugged it in, and instantly, a layout of Eirus’ main city illuminated in blue light, with red dots scattered throughout it. You exhaled in satisfaction that the map you had been making still worked as well here as it did on Coruscant.

Tech’s eyes brightened behind his goggles. “Fascinating.”

“Your approval means a lot, Tech,” you said with a warm smile. The entire squad seemed shocked by your drop in propriety as they shared looks with one another, but you kept going anyway. “I’ve been working on this for a while. It’s a layout of our capital city, where we are.” You pointed at the planetary capitol within which you stood. “The red signifies the places that the Separatists have been attacking.”

“Attacks?” Echo repeated. His namesake was beginning to make more sense. “You believe these are coordinated attacks instead of riots?”

“I know they are.” You twisted your lips and toggled the switches on the holotable, trading the image of the city with the man whose face alone made you scowl. “This is Lii Alvani, who was once our Prime Minister until our forces overthrew him. He was exiled, but the intel I’ve been receiving proves he’s struck a deal with the Separatists.”

“What kind of deal?” Hunter’s voice was low as he spoke up next. Your heart stalled for a moment in fear that he might withdraw his support from the mission, but the way he almost immediately softened his posture calmed you for the time being.

“If they fund his forces and provide him with backup if necessary to help him get the planet back, he’ll give the entire other side of our world over to them for droid production.” Your brow was creased in distress as you said the words aloud. Bringing this up to people who weren’t the ones you had once fought alongside was difficult, but the interest they showed was promising.

“Well, what’s the point of these attacks?” Wrecker pointed out next. “Wouldn’t the Separatists just launch a siege and call it a day?”

“That is not the point,” Tech chimed in. He was tapping on a datapad as if he was working out various probabilities, and you fought the urge to smile at the relief that washed over you at the sight of it. This was exactly what you needed; they were exactly what you needed. “Alvani does not desire to bring attention to the fact that the Separatists may soon be taking over the planet. Given the unrest that led to the senator’s appointment, Alvani is manipulating those who were not fully swayed to a side by laying the groundwork for the illusion that the Separatists can come in and offer a peaceful resolution at long last.”

“And the riots?” Crosshair questioned.

“Bait.” The room quieted as you spoke the word, and every helmet turned to you. “They’ve been wanting to lure me here because they know I’m the last strong link this planet has to the Republic.” You nodded at them dutifully. “I’m anticipating an assassination attempt.”

“Assassination?” Hunter was quick to lift his helmet from his head and tuck it under his arm as he repeated the word breathlessly. His brown eyes were the most expressive you had ever seen as they sent a strong amount of concern your way, his brow furrowed at the line between his tattoo and his warm skin.

“It wouldn’t be the first one I’ve had to avoid, Sergeant,” you reassured him, despite the odd sweetness his worry for you brought to your chest. “There were plenty before I was appointed as senator.”

“This sounds like a hell of a lot more than a protection job,” Echo muttered, though he didn’t seem upset about it.

“I’m deeply sorry I had to deceive you all at first.” Your words were sincere as you looked around the group. It was easy to catch Hunter’s eye without his helmet, which was focused on you with a new light of concern—and even a hint of understanding. The feeling of comfort swept through you once again as you went on. “There’s just an urgent need to keep this under wraps. I don’t know how far this scheme goes, and I need to give the illusion that I’m unaware of what’s really going on.”

Hunter’s brow raised before he asked his question. “Does your personal guard know about this?”

You shook your head. Hunter’s shoulders rose and fell in a deep exhale as the other members of the squad exchanged glances.

“Excuse my bluntness, Senator, but what exactly do you plan on doing about this?” Echo lifted his helmet to reveal his own concern and curiosity. “There are only five of us, and this looks like it could become a large-scale assault if we’re not careful.”

“I’m glad you asked, Echo.” The corners of your lips turned up as you prepared to reveal your full plan. “I’m aiming for two things. The first thing I need is time. There’s still a small chance to strike a deal that’ll satisfy the people the Separatists haven’t gotten a hold of.”

“And the second?” Wrecker asked, clearly hopeful for some action.

You couldn’t help smiling at him as you nodded. “Resistance. If we can counter some of these attacks and keep a low profile about it, then we can prove to the Separatists that Eirus isn’t worth the trouble.”

“‘We?’” Hunter gave you a pointed look. “Are you joining us on the front lines?”

You looked around the group with a more mischievous smile. “Of course I am.”

Wrecker laughed before pumping his fist. “Oh yeah!” Even Echo and Crosshair shared an impressed look with one other through their visors. You, however, could only focus on Hunter, who had started to raise the corners of his mouth in what could only be described as a proud smile.

But the light of concern still lingered in his dark gaze, one that was so sincere you found yourself appreciative of it. One of the hardest parts of becoming a senator had been others seeing you as helpless or defenseless, but this kind of concern was different. It was rooted in something else entirely, though you weren’t quite sure yet what that was.

“Again, I’m very sorry that you all had to be kept in the dark about the true nature of this mission,” you apologized, the guilt sweeping through you in a sudden and daunting wave. “I had no way of requesting your squad with the truth, and I hoped you would understand, even at this late stage.”

“We do.” Hunter’s response came without hesitation. His expression was fixed in steady severity as his gaze pierced your own. “Going off the books is what we do best.”

“That’s right, Sarge.” Wrecker crossed his arms and nodded at you. “Just give us our orders, Senator, and we’ll be there.”

Crosshair took his rifle from his back and assessed it as he shot Hunter a look. “I guess I’ll get to shoot something, after all.”

“Only if such actions are a necessity,” Tech countered, waving a careful finger in Crosshair’s direction. “In a situation as delicate as this, the wiser choice may be to keep our fingers off our triggers.”

You beamed at the excitement they were beginning to show. “Regardless, you were all chosen for a reason.” You took the datarod from the table and secured it back on your holster. “I’ve studied your missions, and it’s only further proven that each of your individual skills will be invaluable to my planet’s freedom.” Some of the weight began to fall from your shoulders as you nodded at them with deep gratitude. “I can’t fully express how much it means to me that you’ve agreed to help.”

“There’s no need to thank us,” Hunter assured you with a dutiful nod of his own.

“Hunter’s right,” Echo agreed, setting his hand on his hip. “We’re soldiers of the Republic, after all. It’s our duty to protect every single planet within it.”

“Still. This is a very unorthodox and even dangerous request, and it means everything to me that you’re willing to take it on.” You offered them one last smile before dismissing them. “All of you should get some rest for the night. Tomorrow will be a welcome banquet, and I’m expecting there to be some infiltrators. We’ll go over the plans then.”

The squad all acknowledged your words with their own nods before they turned to leave the suite. As Hunter went to follow them, you took a step towards him and lowered your voice.

“Sergeant,” you called for him, instantly earning his devout attention. “If I could speak to you privately for a moment?”

He nodded, turning his head to acknowledge a member of his squad. It was Echo who caught his eye, and no words had to be spoken as Hunter waved his hand to give his silent order. Echo looked between the two of you before tilting his helmet and leading the squad out of the suite.

You exhaled a deep breath once they had gone, focusing on Hunter and allowing his curious yet concerned gaze to relax you. “I appreciate your squad’s willingness to follow through with this mission, Sergeant.” You forced yourself not to break your gaze even as your inner strength began to falter. “But I also understand that, as a leader, you may see this as too much of a risk for your men.” You bowed your head. “I understand wholeheartedly if you want to withdraw from the mission.”

“I appreciate that, Senator, but you don’t have to worry.” You found Hunter’s gaze again as he took a small step closer to you. He lifted his chin in a resolve of his own. “We’re very welcoming to danger.”

You softly laughed at that, shaking your head as you raised your brow. “I really should’ve expected that from you all.”

The corner of Hunter’s mouth lifted in amusement. “Seems like you’ve done your research.”

You huffed and crossed your arms. “I’m not the only one who did.” You gestured with your head to the doors behind him. “Seeing as your squad had no reaction to my freedom fighting past.”

Hunter shrugged, the amusement still remaining on his expression. “We like to come prepared, even if we also like surprises.” He took a quick glance over his armored shoulder. “Research is Tech’s whole thing, anyway.”

You chuckled. “Yeah, that makes sense.” After a short pause, you released a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding, your gaze falling to your feet as you attempted to put your thoughts into words.

You caught the movement of Hunter’s boots as they stepped even closer to you. “Senator?” You glanced back up and met his eyes, which had once again darkened in concern for you.

You offered him a small smile of whatever reassurance you could manage. “There’s another reason why I chose your squad, Sergeant.” Your grip on your upper arms tightened as you dared to go on. “I figured that out of any other clone squadron, yours would be the most willing to go against direct orders if necessary.”

Hunter raised an eyebrow at that. “What orders would we be disobeying?”

You held his gaze with newfound severity. “This is supposed to be a strictly diplomatic and peaceful conflict resolution.” You shook your head, at a loss. “But Eirus is well beyond that point.” You gave him a quick once-over. “Your agreement alone to help me fight will be disobeying a direct order from the Senate.”

You searched every inch of Hunter’s face for a single change, but his expression remained the same. After a few moments, he shrugged again, even offering a small smile as he responded. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

You blinked a few times in pure disbelief. “Are you sure?” Hunter nodded, remaining resolute. You exhaled a breath of relief and let a smile overtake your lips. “Thank you, Sergeant. I’m sure you understand that, as a leader, it’s hard to navigate the safety of your people with what you know is right.” Your hands slid down to your legs and your gaze followed them. “It’s a very isolating feeling.”

“I do understand.” When you felt the gloved hand upon your shoulder, it brought your eyes back up to his, which had exchanged all concern for the comfort that had gone from a vague rush of warmth in your chest to an overwhelming ache. “But you’re not alone, Senator. Not anymore.” Hunter nodded in further reassurance. “Just let me know what you need, and you’ll have it. Like Echo said, we serve the Republic, and that Republic includes you.”

There was no fighting the grin that his words brought to your lips as you returned his nod. “Thank you, Sergeant. That means more than I can say.”

Hunter returned your smile before lowering his hand. “I know.”

You held each other’s gazes for a long moment. It was becoming more and more clear that you understood one another in even more ways, and that this was only scratching the surface of it. The research you had done on one another was no doubt a factor, but it went beyond that, deep down to something neither one of you had the courage to air with only a few hours’ familiarity.

Eventually, Hunter broke your gaze to glance towards the double doors. “We’ll take shifts keeping watch outside your doors at night. I’ll assign them as soon as we’re done here.”

You shook your head at him. “I appreciate that, but it shouldn’t be necessary.”

Hunter’s jaw tightened. “With assassination attempts breathing down your neck? I beg to differ, Senator.” He tilted his head at you. “Don’t worry, the boys and I are used to keeping watch. We do it as a precautionary measure whenever we’re traveling through hyperspace.”

You let out a steady exhale and nodded. “In that case, thank you, Sergeant.”

Hunter bowed his head. “No need.” He prepared to set his helmet over his head. “I’ll get to it, then.”

“Yes, before your squad begins to get the wrong idea.” Your expression is written purely in amusement as you watch Hunter’s stunned face flush for a moment. He’s quick in securing the helmet over his head after that.

“You’ll find they tend to get the wrong idea about things pretty often.” Hunter chuckled before he turned to make his way towards the double doors. You watched him exit, only gaining the faith to speak once more when he was about to open them.

“Goodnight, Sergeant.”

Hunter paused, glancing over his shoulder as his helmet nodded at you. “Sweet dreams, Senator.” With that, he stepped through the doors, leaving you in your lonesome as they closed. You took a deep breath and turned towards your bedroom, smiling to yourself despite the darkness that still loomed outside the capitol’s walls.

There was still much left to do to save your planet, but Hunter’s words were already reassuring. For the first time since this crisis began, you no longer felt alone, especially with the sergeant’s promise to do whatever it takes for you and your people.

chapter 1 ⟸ series masterlist ⟹ chapter 3

hunter tag list: @zenrobbins0021 @cw80831 @yunggoblin @maddiedrmr 

senator's shadow tag list: @violetlilly2020

[goblinhoursinsomniaramblings]

more vladclone au bullshit because why not

Part one here

-the clone (tentatively still thinking of him as MJ as a shorthand for Masters Junior without blatantly being such a diminuitive) starts out fully intending to do what's asked of him. it takes the commute to Amity Park to realize he's expendable--and that his 'father' is already distancing himself from the concept his clone is actually another him. still, what does that leave for him?

-he has memories, knowledge, reflexes from original vlad, but the memories only feel real up to his body's age of 15, when his progenitor was a nerd in the 70s--and those memories are lonely as hell. everything else feels like stories told to him, with occasional flashes of actual emotional involvement. the clone finds himself awkward, anxious, and deeply suspicious of others' intentions compared to Vlad 'senior' and his ruthlessly constructed image.

-conversely, he doesn't have Vlad's obsessions. where Vlad is a shambling collection of malignant coping mechanisms in human form, the clone is free of them, even if he is predisposed to them. particularly the obsession for love, which manifests hugely towards Danny.

-(potential scene related to previous point:

Vladclone to Danny

"I was made for you! Literally! I was made for you, and I don't care that it was to trick you and lie to you, you're the reason I exist, and if this is what he felt towards Maddie then I get why this drove him crazy!")

-Vlad and Vlad Junior have an increasingly antagonistic relationship because Vlad is a control freak and his supposed son realizes that he's not only expendable, he's a loose end once he finishes his 'mission', which makes him deeply uneasy when Vlad tries to tighten the reins as though he's not someone he can trust to his own ends. this just gets worse the more Vlad the younger realizes he's untrustworthy because he's Vlad's clone.

-(another potential scene:

"You can't be calling me all the time! They're already suspicious that you sent me here! I told you, it'll happen when it happens, 'dad'!"

"I can hear those air quotes you pompous little--")

-him and Danny annoy the shit out of each other at first because Danny immediately clocks him as a rat while really he is being as honest as possible with Danny, and the Clone Vlad is increasingly frustrated because he is trying to avert a scheme here, work with him!

-he's gawky and awkward as a human, but he was created as a half-ghost and able to use a lot of Plasmius' powers out of the box. he's basically a younger Plasmius and is a lot more comfortable when he has the option to float

-he and Danny finally start connecting to each other when they start sharing common experiences as adolescents and halfas, and help cover for each other.

-the confrontation with Vlad is ugly. self loathing meets an external target that just tricked his way into range to fuck up his clone lab. Danny only just makes the save.

-clone vlad gets hit hard by an Obsession targeted at Danny, but is a lot healthier and less possessive about it than Vlad towarxs Maddie, but he also knows he could easily have that happen if he doesn't watch himself.

-Danny's kinda excited he has a half-ghost friend now. at points he even sounds like when Jack talks about Vlad, especially if they pull off something cool together. huh. wonder if there's anything to unpack there...

[bi-lullaby]

So I really loved the PJO show. I wish we get a second season, and a fourth and so on all the way through heroes of olympus because it’s just so good. If you feel like reading my (NOT spoiler free) rambles:

- Percy’s loyalty and dedication to his mom is just so integral to his character and they RESPECT THAT.

- I really like what I’ve seen mentioned about how both casting wise and storyline changes wise there have been some adaptations that were less “lol lets change it” and more to connect better with today’s audience and cultural paradigm. Like Annabeth being blonde because of the stereotype of “the dumb blonde” that was so prevalent in the era the books were released versus her being Black showcasing the extreme undermining Black women go through instead, or Luke being less 00s/10s boyband boy looking and more tiktok softboy looking now, but also Sally being less 100% perfect and more active in the story and upbringing of Percy as both a hero and a demigod and Luke being less cool and detached and more… Sweet? Emotional?

- I did feel pretty meh about a few changes: Zeus immediately accepting that Kronos is scheming and is a threat (Ik they couldn’t know if they’ll get that far but it cuts the stakes of the third book by a lot if there’s no pressing time limit to get Artemis back to Olympus to convince the Gods into action if they’ve been Doing Stuff for two years now, and even the second book loses a little in regards to the behind-the-scenes political climate that leas to it being what it was). Luke going to every length not to kill Percy is such a 180° from the books it was a little jarring and I feel it cuts out how much of a Menace he was and how bitter/jealous he was of Percy. Like we could have seen their bonding and even Luke trying to recruit him but I’d still have liked to see the scorpion scene so the betrayal and anger and wariness Percy feels is that much deeper and bitter and personal like in the books.

- I’m of two minds about the entire Gabe arch. Like on one hand I do understand toning him down (including his demise) for the public’s intended audience, I even think it kinda goes along the adapting to new times by showing that the useless, insensitive, disrespectful aspect of a bad husband is harmful just as the “darker”, more explicitly abusive/exploitative and mean drunk book version, but on the other I feel like he had such an impact on Percy in the books (he’s literally the Oracle’s “mirage” for his prophecy, he thinks of his smell in tartarus), and I really had loved the line “you’ll fail to save what matters most in the end” coming true because Sally saves herself - although the post I’ve seen about his fate showcasing how his lack of respect was his doom did make me appreciate it a little more.

- The only castings (or maybe it was the directing and styling of them more so) that I can’t really get behind are Hades and Hephaestus. Hades felt like they were going for the Disney’s Hercules comedic relief one in a slightly toned down costume. None of the gravitas and intimidation, he didn’t feel like a god at any point. And Hephaestus was just… So different. He’s supposed to be a deeply secluded, antisocial, gruffy mechanic who’s self sequestered by his inventions and forges. The show version looked like an eccentric professor more than anything imo. Which I feel could be one modern retelling of Hephaestus in another series, but isn’t the one we had and, imo, doesn’t go as well with the rest of the vibe. Which is a shame bc I do feel like Timothy could have been used in a way that would work fantastically for those vibes.

- Lin Manuel Miranda’s, acting actually shocked me. I never really had a Hamilton phase but I am on tumblr so I was expecting something cringe and honestly, I thought it was good (and to bring it back to Hades: Hermes in sweats and a hoodie actually gave me the feeling of “this is merely a cover to a deep well of power” than Hades in his suit and dark colors ever did)

- Meanwhile, perfect Ares casting. Yes this man is beefing with (and losing to) 12yos but he’s also an ancient force that revels in bloodshed and carnage.

- Annabeth from the show encapsulates the character so well while also bringing her own notes to it. Like as time went on back in my peak pjo days I felt she got “Hermionified” by the fandom too much? And I lost sight of how fond I was of her but the show (and having reread the books) really rekindled that and made me remember why she is a force to be reckoned with and also someone that must be protected at all costs. I cannot express enough how much my fondness was reignited.

- Like I feel this could be a whole post but basically I feel the books showcase the “ideal” characteristics the gods and their kids could have versus how they wind up twisted into something else (Percy’s sea-like indomitable spirit vs several of his brethren’s ruthlessness and disregard for what’s good) and Annabeth feels like, beyond amassing knowledge for it’s sake… She wants to actually Learn, and in the show maybe even to a deeper degree than in the books and it is endearing and very enthralling.

- On that note, Leah, Walker… This is supposed to be a SLOWburn goddamit. Like in the books you can see where it’s headed but in the show they have such silly crushes I can barelyy stand it. My children.

- Speaking of Walker that kid IS Percy like you cannot convince me otherwise. Disney farmed him for this role.

- I actually really loved Poseidon having a british accent? Idk, something about england and nautical exploration and it feeling older and more… Powerful? Like the ocean

- And Zeus had all the “I’m the god amongst kings and king amongst gods” that I’d have expected from him. He was crackling with power and that was beautiful to see. What a tragic loss.

- Grover is my precious child (although I do wish we had gotten the silly, goat like details of him like eating cans and making the bleating noises). And since the last book I finished rereading was the Battle of the Labyrinth (where I cried like a baby at Pan’s death) watching this sweetheart getting all excited with his literal flower searches license? Made me wanna weep.

- Overall most of my criticisms that came to mind besides the alterations I cited came from being hushed because of too few eps and those being too short. Really really hope the next season (fingers crossed) we’ll get like, 15+ eps (and/or at least longer eps) so we can really sink into the meat and potatoes of it all.

[miloscat]

[Review] Sonic the Hedgehog (PS3)

An embarrassment, frankly.

After playing Forces and actually liking it, I figured I'd give a chance to the franchise's biggest punching bag. Turns out that in this case, I agree with the popular consensus: Sonic 06 is broken and unfinished, with a messy story, bad controls, and crippling performance issues. I've heard it described as entertainingly bad, but I just can't go along that far; I had a miserable time with this game. Let's get into it, shall we?

Although I'm still not ready for my Sonic doctorate, I'm progressing well in my studies. I've played enough of Adventure to pick up that Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) is trying to be Adventure 3 in all but name (and speaking of the name, this game is not to be confused with the Mega Drive game, or the Master System game, or any of the handhelds or animated shows or comics or movies of the same name... the title is the first of many stupid decisions in Sonic 06). A big group of playable characters, more open levels than what would come later, exploration of hub areas, and a heavy focus on story and cutscenes with interweaving plot threads. It's fine in theory, it's just that every individual piece breaks down in various ways. As opposed to previous Adventure games, there are just three main stories (Sonic, Shadow, and new character Silver who is basically just Dragonball's Trunks) with the other hangers-on popping up only temporarily within certain levels.

Sonic's story, such as it is, revolves around Elise, a filler character who is a gormless and feckless human princess and frequent damsel in distress; she gets kidnapped out of nowhere at least five times and dies in a plane crash once, necessitating time travel-based rescuing. Elise’s role in the story when she’s not being kidnapped is alternately mooning, pining, emotional outbursts, and having a tragic backstory. Also, on several occasions Sonic the Hedgehog literally tells her she should smile more. Textbook misogyny, WTF. On top of this is the uncomfortable subplot about a potential romantic connection between her and Sonic, which always fails to feel earned or appropriate. The one saving grace of the character is the mildly amusing idea that her design is loosely based on the chicken animal that you free from badniks in the early games.

I know it sounds harsh but Elise almost single-handedly drags down the whole "story" aspect of this game. After progressing Sonic's mode you unlock the others and theirs almost feel like real plots, centering around stopping Iblis—the mindless beast of fire who ruined Silver's future—and Mephiles—a scheming creature of shadow—before they reunite. Even these stories don't really hold together though with their disjointed plotting, time-hopping, and contrived interactions. Not to mention the utter humourlessness, and the sheer awkwardness of everything from writing to line-readings to mocapped movements. The fact that it's seemingly incompatible with Blaze's backstory in Rush was annoying to me personally, and ending the story with a closed time loop "it never happened" resolution is just the icing on the rotten cake.

I must also mention another decision made in Sonic 06: why game look like that? It falls into the trap of early HD striving-for-realism and falling far short, but it also feels unfitting for Sonic. After all, the hedgehog himself and his anthro friends are as cartoony as ever (almost expressionless faces notwithstanding), so putting them next to the human-looking humans really jars, especially the redesigned Eggman. And speaking of, his robot army is at its most militaristic and entirely whimsy-free... just another in a long line of missteps for ol' 06.

Now all this could be swallowed if the game was fun to play. You should be able to predict that indeed it isn't. Sonic's playstyle is the stinkiest of the lot, particularly the autoscrolling running sections that feel barely functional and were the biggest cause of lost lives (I did not appreciate starting over a ten-minute level due to these abominable segments). His moveset is simple, just a homing attack and not much else, and without a targeting reticle it's unpredictable. He has some sloppily implemented extra powers that are unlocked in a shop; hilariously they're supposed to drain your special bar but due to some error they just don't, so you can use them infinitely for what that's worth.

Shadow is similar, with a combo attack and ranged stunning bolts, but also has a lot of vehicle sections which while awkward are playable enough; meanwhile Silver plays like an entirely different game. His psychokinetic powers let him pick up and throw enemy projectiles and physics objects. It's janky but his slower-paced, almost puzzley levels felt ever so slightly less like the game was constantly falling apart at the seams. There's 9 playable characters in total and none of their abilities work very well; among the others Knuckles and Rouge were pretty fun with their gliding and climbing completely breaking level design, while Blaze (another big reason I wanted to try this game, an opportunity to play as my favourite character in 3D) has a fun moveset with a double jump and a homing attack that actually keeps momentum and flings you around. Like everything in the game it's slippery and totally jank but in a way that actually feels fun sometimes.

I even sprung for the "Team Attack Amigo" DLC (now only available on PS3!) which remixes the levels for play as Tails, Blaze, and Omega (aka projectile spam bot). I should say that each campaign takes you through the same nine levels, sometimes making them new, sometimes reusing whole segments which gets old. The lowest point of the low are the boss fights, another area where the phrase "barely functional" comes to mind. These are tedious to the extreme with a lot of waiting, and several of them recur in each campaign. The worst is fighting Silver, who can instantly grab you psychically and hold you for a long pause before throwing you, and then catch you again as you recover with no chance to make any input. Wonderful!

The elephant in the room for Sonic 06 is its performance. I guess being rushed to release in an unfinished state actually has its downsides, which take the form of horrendous slowdown throughout the entire game experience. Having seemingly almost any number of objects or any amount of level geometry on screen starts making the game chug, the action not dropping frames but rather slowing to a crawl as you agonisingly float mid-jump waiting for your next input to register. And this is despite having pretty severe pop-in not too far away from your character. For what's supposed to be a fast-paced action game it's frankly unforgivable. And speaking of things that you wish ran faster, the loading screens are interminable not just for their length but their frequency: deign to do a side mission and you'll sit through a long load both before and after a character gives a tiny snippet of dialogue until you're allowed to try it, and if you fail then get ready to do it all again! They really add up!

I could go on: the camera is atrocious, the music is forgettable, Elise is incredibly cringe-inducing—oh wait, I covered that already. To be fair there is one bright shining spot and it's from my new old friend Tomoya Ohtani: the main theme His World stands among my favourites from Forces, a strong melody that mixes rock and orchestral with even some rap and makes it work! Watching the credits four times may have been the most pleasant part and it's all thanks to this song. So that's my big takeaway from Sonic 06: the rumours are true, it sucks big time, don't play it unless you're a real loser like me who doesn't value their time, it's a monument to Sega's staggering incompetence, but hey this one song is really good, maybe give it a listen!

[cosmicjoke]

do you have any headcanons about isabel and farlan?

Well, let me see...

I think Furlan is probably very smart, as in, book smart. He just strikes me as the type. So I imagine he's probably a big reader. I like to think maybe he taught Levi how to read and write.

I also think Furlan was probably responsible for most of the plans/schemes that they ran as a group, haha. Levi's the de facto leader, but I wouldn't be surprised if Furlan was the one who planned everything out and Levi just kind of executed it. Levi doesn't like to tell people what to do, but Furlan seems like he might be a bit bossy, lol. He initially wanted Levi to join his gang because he wanted to use him as muscle, essentially, which means Furlan initially envisioned their relationship with him as the leader and Levi as the follower. And we see Levi go along with Furlan's plans, even when he doesn't, obviously, have to. I think Levi respected Furlan for his intelligence and creativity, etc...

That's another thing I imagine about Furlan. That he had a good imagination. He thought up the possibility of getting to the surface, and becoming citizens. Levi never seemed to think that was possible. I think Levi is more of a realist, and tends to tackle and respond to the world around him based on what he knows and what actually is. He isn't given to flights of fancy or dreams. He always fights for other people's dreams, but doesn't really have any of his own. So I think that also lends to the idea of Furlan being kind of the dreamer of the group. I think that also might have lead Furlan to being pretty reckless, at times, going into situations half-cocked and unprepared. We know that Levi saved Furlan from his own gang, at some point, though we don't know any of the details. But Furlan must have gotten into trouble with them, somehow, to need rescuing. And just him going after Levi at all in the first place seems to support the idea that he was reckless. As did his plan to go along with Lovof's offer. I think Levi probably had to act as kind of a counter balance to Furlan's recklessness, just by basically being there to protect him from it, haha. Stepping in when things got out of hand, etc...

I also tend to think Furlan would be neat and well-groomed, though maybe not so much compared to Levi's standards, haha.

As for Isabel, I definitely think she was a bit of a wild child, probably also reckless like Furlan, though in a different way. Isabel strikes me as having a BAD temper, actually. Like, I think she probably tended to get violently angry and attack anyone that really pissed her off. No doubt Levi had to also act as a buffer between that and others, both to protect Isabel and anyone else who might have crossed her, lol. Isabel is also obviously extremely hyper, which is an interesting contrast to Levi, who's very measured and reserved. She probably drove Levi up a wall with her manic energy, but it just proves how good natured Levi actually is, that he would tolerate that. Kind of like how we see he tolerates Hange's manic energy too.

It's also not really a headcanon, but Isabel clearly loves animals and is naturally good with them. Underneath her anger and temper, she's clearly a good, kind-hearted kid.

I also don't think Isabel is dumb, but she's clearly uneducated, and I think that's probably a point of sensitivity for her. We see her get upset when Furlan makes fun of her for being bad at math, for example. I imagine part of Isabel's outgoing personality is a coping mechanism for an underlying sense of insecurity and uncertainty about her place in the world. Levi found her alone and starving to death in a puddle of sewage, so maybe she also has abandonment issues, just like Levi himself.

I imagine her having a bad temper would also be connected to her just being a very, outwardly emotional person in general. I imagine Isabel tended to have outsized reactions to things, whether it was joy or anger, sadness or excitement, etc...

I think both Furlan and Isabel tended to overestimate their own capabilities and what they could do, and Levi was really the person in their group to rescue them from their own overestimation of themselves, but in a subtle way which wouldn't condescend them at all. Just kind of like a quiet protector or guardian, etc... They would get in trouble and Levi would take care of it, in whatever way he needed to.

I tend to look at their relationship as Levi being the suffering older brother to his two, younger, less experienced and sometimes trouble-making siblings. But he obviously loved them dearly and would do anything to protect them and make their lives better.

[cienie-isengardu]

You know it must've been really awkward when Hanzo killed Bi-Han after Quan Chi makes up a bs animation of him killing his family to Hanzo and then Bi-Han proceeds to get resurrected as Noob like five minutes later.

You can't tell me there wasn't this awkward pause because you know they were still bound to Quan Chi and now they're just kind of expected to work together like nothing happened. Like they had to interact with one another, it must've been awkward as fuck.

For the sake of not complicating stuff with the mess of timelines, I’m gonna go with MK 9-11’s storyline.

It would be awkward as hell, but during the Outworld Tournament and Invasion (MK9), did Hanzo even know Noob Saibot was a resurrected Bi-Han? 

I have no doubt Noob was aware about their bitter connection, as he kept memories of Kuai Liang (the previous life), but under Quan Chi’s magic, A) he most likely didn’t feel much human emotions anymore and B) even if he was angry, he couldn’t act on it and/or was waiting for a good opportunity to strike his murderer, as Noob likes to patiently bide his time. 

(And let’s be real here, if Noob did not tell Quan Chi about his ties to Cyber Sub-Zero and he reveal his true name to Kuai Liang alone, I think no matter how angry or bitter Bi-Han was, he would not tell Scorpion who he is or what connects them, as Noob is not driven by emotions the way Hanzo was. Why lose the advantage over his enemy, if he is not using trademark ice powers anymore thus is harder to recognize?)

However I don’t think Quan Chi had any reason to let Hanzo know the truth, as he did not benefit from it at all? Scorpion went from fury-driven Wraith to broken man once he killed Bi-Han and in result wasted an opportunity to bring his family and clan back from death.

Then mighty Scorpion, the creature of fire, got beaten by presumably weaker cryomancer than original Sub-Zero and was saved only by the unexpected arrival of Cyber Lin Kuei who stopped Kuai Liang from killing him. Sure, Quan Chi could tell Hanzo about Noob’s true origin to rekindle the fire (anger) that made Scorpion powerful in the first place, but then there is a great chance the Wraith would turn against the sorcerer or try to destroy Noob Saibot. Not that Quan Chi couldn’t deal with the problem, but that would demand his focus, energy and time when he was already busy with his scheme to bring back Shinnok. Also, it wasn’t just easier to control Hanzo as the broken man he was, but that way he could easily torture him emotionally by feeding his self-hatred, guilt and depression. The truth about Noob would refocus this negativity on Bi-Han again, as Hanzo still didn’t know Sub-Zero wasn’t the architect of his suffering and in result, keep the man from performing his new task and purpose. 

Adding to that, once Quan Chi created Noob, he barely acknowledged Hanzo, most likely due to how the Wraith lost his determination and dwelled in self-pity. Like, the moment Noob is added to the picture, Scorpion is all forgotten in MK9’s storyline. It was Bi-Han who cooperated with Cyber Lin Kuei during the invasion, and who accompanied Quan Chi when resurrecting Sindel and performing a dark ritual at the cemetery. I don’t think Quan Chi was even interested in using Scorpion anymore when he had much better henchman now and Noob definitely was less likely to fall into any emotional distress since he was “perfected” by cutting the emotions off, while Hanzo was powered by his own hate and anger. Which is why Noob Saibot is called Quan Chi’s “Masterpiece” in MK11 intros & skins, not Scorpion. 

Furthermore, as the sorcerer kept Noob Saibot around to assist him in his necromancy and dark magic tasks, I don’t think Scorpion and Noob interacted much during Outworld Invasion and since everyone assumed Bi-Han died in Soulnado - as we could see it with Kuai Liang and Hanzo’s shock when meeting Noob Saibot twenty years later in MK11 ("You were killed, swallowed in a storm of souls"), they did not interacted during Netherrealm Wars either. It may be just me, but Scorpion in MKX was pretty much like a dog beaten into submission compared to what he was at Tournament, while resurrected Kuai Liang had no will on his own, so the awkwardness was not a concern of any of them either.

And sure, the MK11 intros mention Hanzo and Noob’s partnership

Noob Saibot: What about our partnership? Scorpion: Quan Chi's magic binds me no longer. Noob Saibot: Then goodbye, Hanzo.

but they also imply Noob helped/taught Revenant Jax

Jax: So you knew my Revenant. Noob Saibot: I taught him to embrace death.

but Jax was killed and resurrected AFTER Noob was thrown in soulnado and presumably died there, so it makes little sense. Because if Noob interacted with Revenant Jax, then Hanzo and Kuai wouldn’t be surprised by Noob’s presence in MK11 or that he survived the events from MK9. As I don’t think MK 9 - X - 11 games showed us Hanzo Hasashi and Noob Saibot working together, I assume the intro is between MK11!Noob and the past!Scorpion, after he switched sides as he promised to his older-self. Otherwise I feel it makes little to no sense within an alternative timeline storyline.

So to summary it up, I think it would be awkward if they interacted and Hanzo was aware of the bitter connection they had. Otherwise Noob would be just another Quan Chi's servant as far as broken and depressed Scorpion was concerned I guess.

(MK Onslaught is definitely a different story but I don't have the full details to dwell on it right now.)

[insomnia3555]

Thoughts on: A Conspiracy of Truths

Overview:

One of the books I read this year that truly stuck with me is A Conspiracy of Truths by Alexandra Rowland. I read this book a good while back and always meant to write a well thought out review on it. The book is like a treasure trove for literary analysis especially for budding writers like me.

The story follows a character referred to only as the Chant and remains unnamed throughout the book. He had given up his and homeland long ago to become a Chant. A Chant in this story is a storyteller who travels across the lands and hears everyone’s stories to share the ones he was told. While traveling with his student Yfling he runs into trouble with the law of the place he currently staying, Nurveyet.  His mishandling of the court case that followed quickly escalated the situation landing him imprisoned in Nurveyet unable to prove his innocence. This kicks off the plot of the story as he tries to find a way to clear his name while his case gets more and more convoluted with government schemes and local revolutions.

Characters:

Chant

Chant is definitely a one of a type character. As the story progresses the readers witness him make increasingly questionable choices with full confidence just to save his own skin. It is quite an experience seeing a character willing to let a whole country fall into a civil war just to save himself.

Personally, these kind of characters get my attention faster than shiny candy. Even though I did not truly like him per say I could not abate my morbid curiosity of how he was going to actually make it out of this ordeal alive.

His character sticks out in many ways. He refuses to show any kind emotional vulnerability but is quick to use his age for getting better treatment during his time being imprisoned. He is also quick to understand people but does not have any empathy towards them. His works requires people having a level a trust in him to tell them their story or to listen to his but he tends to be the least trustworthy person in room.

He has the most nuanced picture of what people are because of his job but that gives him the opportunity to use that for his own advantage. The ability to connect people to the right story is almost like his own supernatural ability and he knows how to wield the power to his own benefit.

Consanza

Consanza is the Chant’s defense lawyer. In the beginning of the story, she seems to represent everything the Chant hates about Nurveyet. Her main concern at the beginning of the story was herself and what it could do for her career. There is direct no nonsense unemphatic approach she takes to her cases that almost makes her and the Chant similar. However, the Chant with his lack of self-awareness does not notice this.

There is instead a focus on what he does not like about her. He talks repeatedly about her unwillingness to appreciate his stories and her lack of imagination. Though as the story progresses the reader gets to see there is more to her through the Chant’s perspective. Her Arjuni heritage makes her conflicted about her people’s own storytelling heritage. There is also a reluctant bond developed between the two as the two spend more time with each other.

Yfling

By far the most endearing character in the story is Yfling. He has a passion and love for the art of story telling that makes him the perfect apprentice to the Chant. He is seen struggling to make the right choices while still trying to understand the world around him. He questions the different opinions people have about life at Nurveyet and asking the Chant to guide him. The Chant might be able to tell him the right choice but teaches him how to trust his own judgement.

There is still a sense of naivety to him as well that makes him easy target for Chant to abuse as well. Though the Chant clearly cares about him he continually uses Yfling trust in him to his own benefit.

Plot:

The plot of the book might not be its strongest pillar but it does a good job at setting up the actual focus of the story. It was a more character driven story choosing not to focus on the more exciting events happening during the story. It focuses more on the characters the Chants talks and how they affects the events happening in the story. It does not have much opportunity to be exciting as the Chant is locked in one place or another is every part of the story  but it does manage to do justice at conveying how the Chant kept getting himself more and more convoluted messes

Worldbuilding:

When writing a story about a travelling storyteller world-building was bound to be one of the most crucial building blocks to creating the story. Alexandra Rowland is able to deliver on this implicit promise made with this premise, creating a story about storytelling. She takes inspiration from different cultures and makes them their own. In doing so they were able to examine how different cultures tell stories, why they tell them, and what they are meant to say. This story gives space to take a look at the art of storytelling and appreciate it for what it is.

[oh-dameron]

... Oh shit what if Xiao Xingchen and Song Lan saved Wen Qing?

Seriously. The Jin took Wen Ning prisoner and definitely, totally, burned him to ash. The Jin took Xue Yang prisoner and 100% followed through with their agreement to execute him. There's better than 50% odds that famously-skilled doctor Wen Qing was alive in a dungeon somewhere for the events at Nightless City and the first seige of the Burial Mounds.

Which is, y'know, fucking tragic, because WWX never even considers it.

But Xiao Xingchen comes down from Baoshen Sanren's mountain only a year or so later-not explicitly for any reason to with with his martial sister's son, but boy howdy I'm sure he'd be interested to hear all about it, and those dreadful Wen dogs that he died trying to protect. Just how many of those super Ghost General-style fierce corpses were in the army of Wen demonic cultivators, anyway? That's so fascinating!

And when they caught up to Xue Yang he was very particular about taking him to Koi Tower to face justice. Probably not connected at all to the fate of the leaders of the Wen remnants.

But later, when Xue Yang razes the monastery and takes Song Lan's eyes they return to Baoshen Sanren's mountain and she transfers Xiao Xingchen's eyes to Song Lan.

Baoshen Sanren's mountain, to which you very famously cannot return. In a scheme that we have we have seen play out beat-for-beat with Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng. And the person who did that transfer was not Baoshen Sanren. And we don't hear that story from Xiao Xingchen or Song Lan: it's just what everyone says. It is a rumour, in the book about not believing rumours.

Wei Wuxian never has an opportunity to speak to Xiao Xingchen, and the conversation with Song Lan is... short. He's not in a great headspace, obviously, and if Xiao Xingchen and Wen Qing did the ol' Baoshen Sanren switcheroo on him he might not even know there's anything to tell. We see Xiao Xingchen almost exclusively through A'Qing's empathy, and while he tells a story about Cangse Sanren he's got no reason to share anything about a jailbreak with his teenage ward, particularly not one he's sworn to secrecy about.

There's no way for Wei Wuxian to learn this information. Until, eventually, news reaches the tiny village in Qishan, or Dongying, or actually-Baoshen Sanren's-mountain (hey, Wen Qing has never left that mountain, maybe she's allowed in) or wherever Wen Qing has been living her life that the Yiling Patriarch and the Ghost General are back from the dead and everyone is cool with them now.

I can see why it's not part of the story: there's really only so many times you can pull the "character who died tragically is actually still alive" card before it gets ridiculous and the deaths stop having the appropriate emotional impact, and I think using it on Wen Yuan was the right choice. But as far as I can tell, this is still canon-compliant so you can pry secretlyalive!Wen Qing from my cold, dead hands.

[ariel-seagull-wings]

Egon and sleep

The Ghostbusters and Holidays (what do they celebrate?)

@moonbeamelf @amalthea9 @bixiebeet @spengnitzed

01º In the original movie and the animated series The Real Ghostbusters, he was shown sleeping in the same room in the Firehouse with the other Ghostbusters, each in their bed, while dealing with the fact that a call for help would wake them up more early then they wished.

While the IDW Publishing Comics, there is a recurring joke that he can be so focused on his work in the lab that if he sleeps, nobody ever has seen it.

Considering how much sugar snacks he eats in the first movie, no wonder if he had more dificulty to sleep compared to his friend. Janine likely introduced him to enjoying calming teas like linden to help him calm down.

I can imagine that when Noemi is born, Egon join her during nap times holding her like a teddy bear.

(like in this picture of his original actor, Harold Ramis, with his them baby daughter Violet)

02º In the Real Ghostbusters episode XMas Marks the Spot, which was a retelling of Charles Dinkens A Christmas Carol, Peter acts less excited about Christmas because as a child, his father was working in a get rich quickly scheme during that season and so never spend it with his family.

On their way back to the Firehouse, the Ghostbusters cross a time and space travelling portal and end in 19th century England, where they mistakenly bust the Three Christmas Ghosts. This makes Ebenezer Scrooge unnable to learn the moral lesson the Ghosts were meant to teach him, and he writes a book called "Christmas, Humbug", wich becomes so popular that turns all people in present time into a bunch of scrooges. To fix that, Egon has to enter the Containment Unit to rescue the newly imprisoned thrio, while Peter, Ray and Winston travel back in time to play the role of the Three Christmas Ghosts.

Peter plays the role of the Ghost of Christmas Past:

Winston plays the role of the Ghost of Christmas Present:

And Ray plays the role of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come:

They save a literary classic and people's love for Christmas, and Peter gains an apreciation for the holliday.

Besides that, Peter has the vibe of liking hollidays that are the perfect excuse to get drunk: Fourth of July (the US Independence Day, when people make barbecues and picnics and release fireworks), Mardi Grass (american Carnaval), Saint Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest.

Ray was raised catholic acording to the video game, so he probably has an emotional connection with Catholic Hollidays like Christmas, Lent, Easter and Corpus Christ, and also, considering his passion for spooky stories, really enjoys Halloween.

Winston is a devout baptist christian and may have deep toughts on patriotism due to his time in the Military, so his favorite hollidays may be the Fourth of July, Flag Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, and he may have relatives whom he visits to celebrate the African-American holliday of Kwanzaa.

Egon is frequently headcanoned as jewish, so he probably has more affinity to the jewish hollidays of Passover, Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana, and will frequently remind non jewish people that Hannukah is not "jewish Christmas" and is in fact a minor holliday in the jewish calendar.

Janine seems likely to have come from a mixed faith family, half-Jewish, half-Christian, and XMas Marks the Spot tells that she loves Christmas, so she probably celebrate the hollidays from both faiths. Besides loving the same three main jewish hollidays that Egon does, you can always count on her to make a beautifull sukkah for Sukkot, and she loves dressing up as Queen Esther and make hamantashen for Purim. Plus, she thanks your kindness in giving her a Valentine's Day present (after all Janine is a big romantic).

[valiantarcher]

Some assorted and random thoughts on Deny by Tricia Mingerink.

Jamie had me worried throughout the story. Once Leith trusted him, I figured he wouldn't intentionally betray Leith, but I was concerned he'd accidentally give something away or be used as leverage against Leith. Happy that didn't happen, though, and that he even got to rescue a few of the trainees! Less happy that he was set up so quickly with Brandi, but Leith seeing him looking stunned as she dragged him into things was kind of amusing considering that Leith also got stunned (in a slightly different way) by her.

The faking of Renna's and Brandi's deaths was pretty impressive.

Jolene with buckskins and a bow! :D I can see why Shadrach likes her - I mean, I'm sure she has a lot of good qualities, but she's also taking her role as heir seriously and protecting her people, which would speak so much to Shad. Give the girl a gun! I know it would kill the aesthetic and seriously undercut the Blades' coolness and intimidation factors, but she really should have had a rifle to complete the picture.

I'm sad that the girls didn't make it to the hideout, not just because they got kidnapped and dragged off to Respen (though I didn't see that coming) but also because it was such a great faked-death scheme and it was a shame for it to be rendered useless that quickly.

I knew the knife was going to cause problems! Didn't predict the exact scenario, but knew it was going to come back to bite them.

I have some better ideas of who the Leader might be and while it would solve one particular and major problem, I'm not keen on how that person got where they are if they're who I think they are.

The backstory connecting Leith to Abel (and Abel and Mara to Respen - I think I see where that's going and it doesn't seem to make enough sense to really fit) seemed really shoehorned in and doesn't fit with what we knew about Leith's mother/history from Dare.

I appreciated Leith being hesitant about the possibility of courting Renna; not sure why everyone else was so set on it - it's only been a month or two since he became a Christian and joined the Resistance and he's deep undercover, and they're both really young and been through a lot already. :P

In connection, it's kinda sad how short Leith lasts as First Blade. I mean, it's obviously good he didn't have to be put in such a strenuous and conflicting position for too long, but given how important that decision was at the end of Dare, it seemed a bit underwhelming that he made it maybe two months.

The bit where Leith is listening to the kitchen maid gush about the Blade and he's thinking that he's right there and she's not giving him a second look is great.

So, I figured someone was going to die (after all, you can't save everyone), thought Shadrach was a likely candidate, and mentally prepared, so was actually slightly let down that the ""First Blade's" "death" was so easily faked.

The execution scene was something else. The hymn (I assume an extant one?) based on Psalm 27 didn't follow the Psalm as closely as I expected, which really threw me during the scene (which I suppose is the flip-side of having that Psalm memorised). I think a closer setting of Psalm 27 (or even another Psalm) would've flowed a bit better personally. There was something jarring in Respen's proclamations and Renna starting to put pieces together in the scene. Not sure why, but he seemed to be trying to make a point that didn't really fit, and Renna's speculation at the moment also didn't seem to quite fit in, from what I recall. On the other hand, there was something fitting that Abel was the last to die if he wasn't the first (something about leading the way for his flock vs. bringing up the rear as a shepherd and making sure not one of them was lost in a way). I feel like I'm just talking all around this scene and not actually about the scene itself. It was very emotional and important and I'm still trying to get my head around it.

I am concerned about how quickly all the older male mentors are dying or are expected to die.

I felt so bad for Brandi being torn away from Renna, even if it was to save her. She already had lost all the rest of her family and thought she would at least get to die alongside Renna.

Speaking of, good on Leith for looking at the situation clearly and practically and coming to the best conclusion alongside Renna. I hadn't expected that the person that couldn't be saved was Renna, but getting her out of there with that leg would've been a challenge even if everything had gone smoothly.

I was kind of amused by Renna clarifying that she/Brandi only turned one Blade away from Respen because it's true from her perspective, but Respen is also correct that it's two because Jamie is also a Blade now and he absconded as well, so...

So, I knew Leith would be found out and Martyn wasn't going to let their friendship override loyalty, but I didn't expect that Martyn would give Leith the benefit of the doubt for so long and urge him to watch himself/get back-in-line. He really was trying to protect his friend while he could. :( Also, after reading Dare, I thought that this book was going to end with Leith being captured and Martyn being in charge of his torture. (Which I thought would then have set Martyn up nicely as the protagonist of 3.5. Which is not what is happening and the synopsis I've now seen for 3.5 doesn't sound like an improvement.)

At any rate, I came out of this book with a desire to reread it instead of moving on to the third one. That was more than three weeks ago and I have done neither yet. (I'm not blaming my August reading slump on Deny because there were a lot of factors, but it was very hard to pick up a new book after reading it and it did take a week-and-a-half for me to start something else and try to get unstuck on this.)