#Better Powers AU

[savebatsfromscratch]

No.26. “You Look Awful,” “Don’t we all??”

Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/51140125

Words: 1,640

Cws: Near failure, almost giving up, overworked, minor swearing if you’re a Catholic like me

Notes: I really wish I hadn’t rushed this one, because this sort of thing makes me absolutely rabid, but it’s still pretty good as is. :) A LITTLE Better Powers AU because I am insane about them. (Powers of these five listed at the end.)

Prompt: No. 26: “Sometimes I get so tired; I don’t even know myself.” Seeing Double | Working To Exhaustion | “You look awful.”

The door slammed open, and Blue looked up as Red pushed his way into the room. Blue raised an eyebrow. Red’s hair was full of leaves, his face was covered in scrapes and bruises, and his hat was on sideways for some reason.

“You look awful,” Blue commented, watching as Red slid into the chair next to him.

“Don’t we all?” Red asked him, laughing tiredly as he rolled his eyes at Blue.

Blue shrugged, even though he knew it was true. Red was by no means the only trainer in their group with dark circles under his eyes and hair filled with sticks and leaves. (Blue hoped that his own hair, at least, looked a little bit more put together, but he knew that he was just as scraped up as Red was, that was beyond hope.) Just because Red had bandages replacing his fingerless gloves on one of his hands didn't mean that he was the only one who looked awful among them.

Yellow, for example, had clearly been crying before she'd walked in. She was trying to put on a brave face as she walked through the door, but Blue knew her far too well to ever buy it. When Green followed her, she was missing all of her usual snarky glow, and Blue noticed that part of her hair was a little shorter and more tangled than the rest. (If her text earlier that day had been true, she had run into a probable ex Rocket owned Scyther and got a little unlucky.) Ash... Well, Ash looked about as good as he usually did, but he always looked a little beat up, so that wasn't really a good sign to Blue.

And Blue knew that he himself looked tired as hell. (Or, if he somehow didn't, he must've learned how to put on some hell of an act in the free time he knew that he didn't have.)

Seeing that no one was starting the meeting, and it was clear there would be no more small talk, Blue sighed. “We're all here now, right?” Blue asked, tapping a stack of papers on the desk in front of him to organize them more cleanly, then, when everyone had nodded those tired nods of theirs, he continued, ”I guess I’ll start,“

Ash sighed loudly, as if he had been hoping for something a bit more entertaining, but Blue ignored him and continued to speak. “I suppose I'll start with my week's notes, and then we can go around the table,” once again, the others nodded, but it was somehow even weaker this time, as if the reminder of what had gone on in the previous week had been nothing but discouraging for them (if that was true, Blue actually had something to agree with them on, shocking). “I tried looking for a hidden base,” he continued, pulling out a sketched map of the region and gesturing to several red Xs he had drawn on it, “but I wasn't able to accurately trace any grunts back to one place, I kept getting called to help with other things,”

“They're getting better at hiding their movements,” Green agreed, opening a notebook of her own and pointing at some cursive scribbles that Blue couldn't read from his distance away from her. She pointed at a couple and Red raised his eyebrows like it was shocking. He whispered something, and Green made a face as he reminded her of a detail, and her earrings clicked against themselves when she moved her head. ”I swear they're catching onto me, specifically, it's like they're disappearing the second they run from a battle,“

“Maybe your gears’ outta date,” Ash muttered, crossing his arms a little tighter to his chest, clearly thinking about the friendships he had made with various Rocket Grunts in the past, “I still think we should be actually trying to talk to them,”

“Bad mood today eh,” Blue muttered, but Red was already glaring at Ash, so clearly the youngest of their region wasn’t the only one having a bad day.

“Yeah, like you ever try to talk-,” Red started, cutting himself off when Green gave him a look. He gave her one right back, “I only meant-” he said indignantly, now actually getting cut off when Green interrupted him as she continued to speak.

“I’m worried they’ve got more researchers on their side,” she said, ignoring Red and Ash’s muttering as she closed her notebook again. She looked to Blue earnestly, and he had to suppress a yawn as the room’s attention was directed towards him once more. “Do you think you can ask Daisy or Gary if they can snoop around in the researcher world a bit? We absolutely cannot lose the technical advantage again,”

Blue nodded distantly, and he jotted that down in his notes for the next day. “Yeah. I think so,” there was a pause as he wrote, and then he nodded to Yellow, who had been sitting rather quietly at his side, “Do you have any major news for us?”

Yellow fidgeted with her hair for a moment before answering, and then nodded, flipping through her sketchbook before slamming it down on the table. “I don’t know if it has to do with the Rockets,” she admitted, and Blue tilted his head to see a sketch of a very upset looking Beedrill, “not for sure anyway, but if they have really good researchers again then they’re definitely experimenting on Pokemon, this Beedrill evolved directly from a Weedle I rescued the other day,”

Red inhaled sharply through his teeth, and Green made a face. That wasn’t natural at all, and it couldn’t be at all healthy for the poor little Pokemon. Even Blue, who normally found the focus on Pokemon a bit inappropriate when human lives were at stake, found himself cringing. That was way beyond anything they’d done to Pokemon close to Giovanni before, were they getting bolder?

“The Beedrills’ fine now,” Yellow hurried, trying to correct the worry in the room as if it was her fault and not Team Rocket’s, “I gave her some rare candies to try and catch her up and she’s doing much better now, but…” she trailed off, and it was clear that she had heard a lot more from that Pokemon’s memories than she was letting on, “I don’t want it to happen to any more Pokemon than it already has,”

“I should hope not!” Red interrupted, looking almost offended on behalf of the bug type, no matter how much dislike he had for that particular species, “Forcing evolution like that is evil!” 

For a very stupid, very impulsive moment, Blue almost wanted to bring Ve and Red’s evolution stones into the argument, but he held his tongue. There was no time for that here. They were already defeated enough without going at each other’s throats. (At least, not this early in the meeting anyway. Arceus only knew how, but they always seemed to dissolve into fighting as these things went on.)

Green looked entirely taken aback by Yellow’s story, but she finally managed to find words as she put her hand on Yellow’s shoulder. “Do you want me to try and devolve the Beedrill?” she asked quietly, and Blue cringed at the mention of her special power. This all had gotten worse when that had happened, and they all knew it.

“No thank you,” Yellow seemed to be forcing a smile, but she held Green’s hand to her shoulder with one of her own, much smaller, hands. “She’s doing alright now, I would have messaged you if she really needed it,”

Green nodded and leaned back in her chair, pulling her hand away from Yellow. Yellow’s hand stuttered in the air for just a little bit longer than it should have at the absence of Green’s, and then she hurriedly tucked it back into her lap again.

She stared down at her desk, and there was a moment’s pause before Ash cleared his throat to speak. “I’ve just been fighting,” he said, and for the first time in the meeting Blue realized that his feet weren’t up on the table today (this stretch of time really was taking the fight out of all of them), “I don’t have anything especially important to add,”

He nodded to Red, and Blue couldn’t even force himself to probe more at those words for better information. The tiny spark of fire that Ash had had at the beginning of the meeting was totally gone, and he seemed almost defeated as he slumped back down in his chair. (Had it been the confirmation that Team Rocket was getting stronger again that had broken him?) Red seemed to notice this too, and he sighed heavily before he spoke.

“I don’t know how much longer we can keep doing this, Blue,” his eyes connected with Blue’s, but Blue looked away. No matter how strong his powers had made him, Blue knew that Red could still break, “I- I hate to say it, but we would need a miracle at this point if we wanna win,”

To Blue’s horror, even Ash nodded at that. 

Blue took a shaky breath in. Whatever he said, he knew they had to believe him.

“Then, believe me, we’ll get that miracle,”

The awful feeling of Ash’s power stopped pulling on his soul.

Before this, before all of this, Blue had never been the positive one. Deep down, he knew it wasn’t right for him to be that way. He was a trainer, a teacher. He was supposed to tell truths that those who looked up to him needed to hear.

But these weren’t people who looked up to him.

These were his friends.

And if they needed him to lie to believe it, that’s what they were going to get.

[kyri45]

The great Wukong stepping down from an argument and aggreing with someone else? (Oh What has this kid done to them)

Shadowpeach Bio Parent AU (PREV / FIRST / NEXT )

TRAINING/BONDING MONTAGE BEGINS HERE!

The soundtrack for this and the following part is THIS song (find also under the cut) specifically, from 0:00 to 0:43 !

[puppyeared]

(guy who has never played cotl) haha au time

[sincerely-sofie]

Lamb: Hurry and get dressed, I scheduled a talk therapy session for you and the other Bishops and it’s starting in ten minutes.

Narinder: IT IS THREE IN THE MORNING—

[ragnarozzys]

sherlock homos

(📿jishen: @kimquatz)

layout credit!

[skyartworkzzz]

Theyre dating ur honor

Hi I bring yall another AU 💃

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 241

Wing au? Wing Au. With perhaps a bit of a twist. Also a hint of eldritchness perhaps. For fun! 

Ghosts have wings. Sure, they aren’t normally seen, not in the visible spectrum, but they do. Scanners pick them up, and sometimes a ghost might even reveal them, which was hypothesized to be some sort of animalistic intimidation attempt. (Something more than one Amity Parker rolled their eyes at)

Everyone had seen them at least once- the motorcycle-driving ghost’s mass of shadowy feathers, the green-haired girls matching shaggy ones, the rocker’s ones that looked like pages of music before bursting into flame. Even the box ghost’s had been spotted- feathers looking more like sheets of cardboard than anything else. 

It wasn’t until the whole kidnapped to the ghost zone that anyone saw Phantom’s, but that was another tale unto itself really. Honestly the arrival of the GIW would have maybe been seen as positive before, but the fact that many of them had looked in the mirror or gone to the doctors only to find feathers beginning to sprout on their back soured it. 

Especially as the GIW continues to prattle on and on about how all ecto-contaminated scum are less than human, less than bacteria. And well, what does that make them? Them, who have been to the realms of the dead and gods and back, touched by the swirling green energy in ways incomprehensible? Changed by that energy? 

So the people silently brush hidden feathers together, quietly rebuff the white-wearing lunatics from the city as best they can, and hope to anything listening that they can stop anyone else from disappearing. That maybe they can find the few no one noticed had been taken before it’s too late, even if they have to tear down the entire government to do it. 

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

I saw @qourmet's young madam lan art, and knew what I had to do.

[miusato]

Whatever happened to "I ain't holding back anymore?" Huh???

[soultiio]

how funny it is that you are the first to crack

[opens-up-4-nobody]

Once I was scrolling thru naruto fics and saw the tag "buisnessman!Kakashi" and all I could think about was Kakashi being a child businessman, owning all the konoha adults at doing business while wearing an oversized suit and tie. That idea is so fucking funny to me.

[crabsnpersimmons]

Miss, it's time to go to bed. Are you on your phone again? Sleeping late will ruin your lovely skin. This is the final warning. If you don't fall asleep now, We are going to dance. - "잘자요 아가씨" by ASMRZ

found this song and i was possessed to draw @starriegalaxy's butler Eclipse dancing to it

(also i apologize in advance for my horrendous hiragana, hangul, and cursive)

Textless, effectless version under the cut!

[twistedsocials]

I was tweaking out last night over getting Floyd’s Ceremonial Robe groovy and I got this lovely gem

[muffinlance]

Prompt: Azula joins Zuko on his Avatar hunt instead of Iroh. I don't know why, I don't know how, but I'm certain to be entertained by whatever follows.

Ozai and Ursa were already dead by the time Iroh arrived home. He stepped from his ship into the palanquin, and rode past the places of their execution, holding the urn of his son’s ashes. 

He had no time to entrust them to the Fire Sages before his father summoned him. He brought them along, because this was an easier thing than setting them down. And perhaps Lu Ten’s grandfather would like to see him once more, outside of the family shrine. Iroh would have given anything—

He placed the urn on the floor next to him. It did not kneel when he did. Fire Lord Azulon surveyed him from behind the flames.

“Rise, my son. It is good to have you home.”

They did not speak of Lu Ten. His father had always been a man to look to the flames of the future, rather than the ashes of the past.

* * *

They hanged Ursa, as befitted her attempted crime, and her past station.

They burned Ozai, as befitted his. A child of Agni should always return to the flames.

The children of the traitors had been stricken from the family line. Had been placed in the capital prison; bait for the trap. Azulon was keeping close eye on those who expressed concern for the offspring of regicides. Ozai had expected support for his position; it would be Iroh’s second task to sift through the court, and discard the chaff. 

His first task was a more practical resowing. Azulon had already selected a handful of candidates: women of suitable birth and known loyalties. The wedding date had been set, pending selection of the bride.

“Thank you, father,” Iroh said. 

Lu Ten held his silence.

* * * 

Azula had never liked the servants who’d fussed at her hair and clothes, who’d pulled and tugged until she was perfect, like perfect was a thing outside of her for others to bestow. She only had to look at Zuko to know how far tailored robes and well-oiled hair could take one.

She couldn’t see Zuzu from her cell. Her robes were too cold against the stone and every tug to wrap them tighter just made them worse, she could see it in the guards’ faces, the way they’d stared when she’d first arrived and looked a few days after and now they barely even saw. No one would talk to her, no matter her demands. They didn’t even stop their own conversations anymore; just slid in her food and kept walking and batted away her fires and it was cold here.

There were things crawling in her hair that her nails couldn’t dig out. Sometimes she thought she heard Zuzu yelling, but she couldn’t be sure. And it would have been undignified to yell back. She was a princess. She was fifth in line for the dragon throne. 

Fourth, now that Lu Ten was dead.

Third, because father was, too. 

He’d yelled and then he’d screamed and it hadn’t done anything but make the crowd jeer. Fire Lord Azulon had been silent. Poised. In control. She was his namesake and she would be too. 

She was nine.

* * *

Zuko yelled until his throat burned. The guards didn’t care, they didn’t listen to him, which was nothing new. He shouted and shouted and his own ears hurt. Maybe that’s why he never heard Azula calling back.

Grandfather had made them watch when he’d killed father and, and—

If grandfather had Azula killed, he would have made Zuko watch that, too. Azula was probably just better at being a prisoner than he was. Maybe the guards even talked to her.

He was eleven.

* * *

Iroh’s new wife was a third his age. A flower just coming to bloom. She looked like his first wife; Azulon knew his preferences. She was young enough to be Lu Ten’s sister. She smiled and laughed each day with the other court wives, and came to his room with lists of possible dissenters to discuss in their marital bed. It was not the pillow talk he was used to, but it was charming, in its way. She liked to lay on her stomach and kick her feet above her as they traced the web of treachery with his dead brother at its center. She was here to have his children—a task at which she worked with admirable diligence—and to be the acting Fire Lady. She had not had to struggle and flaunt herself for his affections; she had been picked from a line-up, her expectations realistic, her motives aligned with his. It was the least romantic relationship Iroh had ever been part of. It was… refreshing.

On the day the palace doctor confirmed their newly budded line of succession, the Fire Lord called them both in for congratulations. And for pruning.

* * *

Zuko had turned twelve, but had not realized it. Azula had turned ten. She’d counted the days.

Iroh had not been able to visit them in prison; only to inquire as to their treatment. Individual cells, regular meals of reasonable quality, no abuses. He’d moved his own people into position to ensure the last. 

Azulon had moved them back, after a delay for his soft-hearted son’s conscience. They could not waste loyal men on cuckoo-vipers. And Iroh could not waste his father’s good will. Not when it would be needed in the future, for the most important request.

* * * 

“And your wife agrees to this?” asked the Fire Lord, behind his flames. 

Iroh’s wife had not been directly addressed, and so did not reply. She sat in polite and perfect seiza, her head raised, as befitted the woman currently running her half of the court. Azulon had never seen fit to replace his own wife, after all.

“She does,” Iroh spoke for her. “We have spoken on the issue at length, and believe it best. Our family is small, and cannot afford to be smaller. The children are young; too young to have been in their parents’ confidences. With proper guidance—”

“And how would they place in the line of succession?” Azulon asked. “How would they chafe, how would they plot, with a decade’s experience over your eldest?”

Lu Ten’s own connections at court had been built while his cousins were still in diapers. But he was no longer Iroh’s eldest.

“We believe—”

“No,” his father interrupted again. “I will not allow their adoption. Not by you, where they could smother your own babe in the cradle, and certainly not by someone I trust less.”

Which was everyone, since the night his daughter-in-law had served him tea sent by his son.

“Father,” Iroh began, and his wife shifted her elbow just so, the only indication that she wished to dig it into his ribcage. “They are young, and innocent. They are my beloved nephew and niece. Your grandchildren. We cannot in good conscience—”

‘Good conscience’ had never factored into his father’s policies. Iroh had… begun to realize that, of late. His wife let out a small sigh, deliberately audible only to the man next to her. She had cautioned very strongly against a—how had she put it?—a feelings-based approach to this situation. Feelings rarely factored into her own decisions. She had been hand-selected by his father, after all. 

His wife went into a half-bow, her head lowered. “May I speak, my lord?” 

The flames crackled. The shadow of his father inclined its head, just slightly. 

“To kill the children is wise, and I admit, would set my mind at ease for my own child’s sake. But my husband feels strongly on this matter, and so I support him, for his happiness is my own. May I suggest a compromise? To place them outside the court, where they cannot build influence, nor harm your son’s heirs. A position from which you can judge their characters and value to the nation as they grow.”

“You suggest banishment,” the Fire Lord said.

“Not unstructured, of course. To leave them roaming freely would invite those that would take them in. Perhaps a military commission? As they are commoners, they should begin from a rank befitting their station, of course. Let them prove their worth on their own merit.”

Iroh could not see through the flames, but he knew his wife’s small smile was reflected on his father’s face. 

“A naval position,” the Fire Lord said. “On a ship that does not frequently make port. The frontlines would be the best place for them to prove themselves, wouldn’t you agree?”

Iroh closed his eyes.

“Father,” he said. “Please,” and he could feel his wife willing him to stop talking. The Fire Lord had already agreed to spare their lives. A banishment could be undone, so long as he and the children both outlived the man before them. “I… thank you for your wisdom in this ruling. But perhaps, if they complete some feat worthy of our line, they could be allowed to return?”

The flames were hot against his face. His new wife was still and silent against his side. His father… his father laughed, a low exhalation, the wheeze of a humorless old man.

“Let them bring me the Avatar,” Fire Lord Azulon said, “and I will welcome them home with honor.”

* * *

Zuko didn’t know why they’d pulled him from his cell or scrubbed him down or taken his old clothes. They’d been dirty but they could have been cleaned. His new clothes were scratchy, and too big, and they looked like a common soldier’s, and… and—

And they’d shaved his hair. 

* * * 

It had gotten rid of the bugs, Azula admitted, in the privacy of her own mind. Still. She memorized the faces of the woman who’d held her down and the man who’d shorn her. For future reference.

They hadn’t bothered sizing her new outfit for a child. Azula noted the quartermaster’s face, as well.

* * *

They were put on a ship. It was the first time they’d seen each other in nearly a year.

Zuzu looked at her head, and wisely said nothing.

She raised an eyebrow at his, and graciously granted him the same.

It was hard to tell them apart. They had their mother’s face. And their father’s.

* * *

Their captain’s name was Zhao. He invited them to dinner in his private quarters, once the Fire Nation was behind them. Zuko fidgeted. Azula didn’t.

The captain spoke on how much potential he saw in them, under a commander who saw their true value. 

Together, they could go far. Very far, indeed.

Azula smiled and said all the things she thought father would have said. Zuko scowled. 

Zhao brushed over their arms with his own while reaching for things. He served them more when they said they were already full. He squeezed their shoulders when he brought them back to their rooms, which were next to his, even though the rest of the lower crewmen slept together in the same big cabin. Zuko scowled harder. 

Azula was invited back. Zuko wasn’t.

* * *

Zhao was… Zhao wasn’t a good person.

“I know that, dum-dum. But do you want to stay banished forever?” 

“Uncle said—”

“Uncle’s going to change his mind, when he has his own heir and a spare. We’re threats, Zuzu. And Zhao knows father’s old friends. He’s one of the smart ones.”

The dumb ones had already been executed. 

“I… I think he wants to—to tie himself to the royal line.”

“Eww,” she said. “I’m ten. If he wants to get engaged, I’ll just break it when we’ve got the throne. It will be too late for him to retract his support, then.”

They’d barely left port before Zhao had made his first move. He didn’t seem like a man who waited. 

Azula was ten, but Zuko was twelve. Being twelve was almost thirteen, which was almost a teenager, which was almost an adult, and adults understood things that ten year olds didn’t.

They had to get off this ship. They had to go home.

Zuko had to find the Avatar.

* * *

(This ficlet is now posted on AO3.)

[providencehq]

Power House AU: I've absolutely loved all the additions and directions people took this post where Danny is captured by the Justice League and I wanted to share my general thoughts on where it would go after that but I'm also lazy so it's just this since I'm tired and don't want to draw.

The JL attempts to interrogate him but fails as Phantom is unresponsive for the majority of the time.

They struggle trying to identify exactly why he isn't responsive considering he has either fully ran from members or quickly attempt to fight them if they try to interact with him.

Somehow, someway, when they're moving Phantom to a new location in the Watch Tower to get a medical check since they're getting worried that after a few days, he's remained the same.

Phantom proceeds to freak the fuck out in the nicest of terms when he's taken to their medical wing and manages to slip out from whoever was taking him.

He's in full panic mode now and he NEEDS to get out even with the suppression cuffs on him so he's dashing blindly in the watch tower.

He manages to make way to the Zeta tubes and somehow manages to make them function and he's teleported away (not Danny's intention, he was just running and it went off at the worst time.)

He doesn't know where he's at on Earth but he's immediately running either way to get away.

Certain members of the League Zeta'd right behind him and are now looking for him.

Danny gets the suppression cuffs and collar and transform right before they can catch him.

They let him leave as they're informed by Batman that they have enough information on him that with a lot of leg work, they may be able to find who he really is since they have now both seen his human and "meta" side of him. Batman does reveal that due to something with biology, they won't be able to find any DNA matches and much of the video recordings of him are difficult to make out even if they're from the Watch Tower.

Danny escapes back to Central City and tries his best to return to a normal college life. He's slightly upset since they managed to pull him away, leaving him little time to study for an upcoming exam.

A few more weeks pass and Batman with the help of Flash manage to find out who Phantom is. A young college student in Central City and is funnily enough working at S.T.A.R. Labs as an intern. Bright future ahead and seems like no one who would have a potential in being a hero/vigilante but digging enough into his past they believe that if anything, it seems like another case of how the Flash came to be except a whole different set of powers.

They decide the best way to get Phantom is to corner him as a civilian in public.

Bart Allen, Hal Jordan, and J'onn J'onzz go as a group of civilians to intervene with Danny as he's leaving one of his campuses buildings.

They make themselves known to Danny and that it would be a mighty bad time to try to fight back or get away as they're all so exposed in public (not really, they're talking alone between some buildings). They make it known that they only want to ask questions and they have concerns about whatever is going on with him (being Phantom, his rogues, fighting the League, clearly fighting alone, etc.)

Danny decides the risk is worth it and tries to make a run for it before even speaking a word to them. Clearly doesn't work out as they expect him to either run or fight them. Barry manages to get to him and place suppression cuffs and collar back on him fairly easily before Danny could transform thanks to super speed.

They're not happy clearly with Danny still not cooperating but it's expected. The three inform Danny that he is now being held by the League until they can determine the best next step.

For the first time, Danny speaks to them and says "You can't do that! Finals are in two weeks! What the fuck am I suppose to do that? It's literally my second final semester!"

It doesn't work and Danny finds himself taken back to the Watch Tower to be once again interrogated. It's back to square one with Danny/Phantom. He isn't responding to any of their questions but this time rather out of a sense of protection of his self and mind, it's out of pure spite. They're making him miss his finals, of course he's going to give them nothing in return.

The most they're able to get out of him at one point is that why should he trust them? Why should he trust heroes who only care about themselves and their image? Even if he's young and inexperienced, he does his job and does it quick and they need to leave him alone.

It's implied he doesn't trust the older heroes in any regard and this is true, they only want to learn how he got his powers, where his rouges are from, and why he fought and ran from the League. Nothing else, nothing more.

Danny/Phantom doesn't trust the League in any regard so why should he even attempt to cooperate?

And that's all I have :)

[bonefall]

So, your Clear Sky post is absolutely horrifying, but it was very needed, so thank you. What are your general thoughts on tackling his abuse for the AU? Like you've said, pretending he's a good guy is not the way to go, but are you planning on toning down *some* of the situations, just to give some of the cats a break? Clear Sky is a very realistic depiction of abusers, but that seems to come across even without victim number 25, yknow? I'm very curious about how you'd like to go about this.

My most recent big change was bringing Slash back into the fold, because I realized that it was actually a disservice to not address where DOTC's themes dip into Colonialism. It's a hard topic, and I'm still trying to work out the details, but I realized it was important.

With how BB!DOTC is such a MASSIVE overhaul, to properly address abuse and the ways it impacts you, ableism and its violence, and xenophobia broadly, a huge reworking of Slash belonged here too. He's one of the greatest examples of how badly WC demonizes non-Clanborn cats. I shouldn't dance around it.

That's what I need to do with Skystar.

MANY of his victims have happier endings than canon, though. Bumble is one of the most famous, bumped up into a major character and directly responsible for the formation of ThunderClan. Bright Storm is taking most of Gray Wing's roles. Birch and Alder are getting examined, with either a father who wants his kids back or Milkweed as the mate of Misty.

A lot of people will die because of him, even more will be hurt, but I see BB!DOTC as a story about victims and survivors.

Others might grab POVs here and there, but as a response to canon which I feel is Clear Sky's story told in many parts, I center this rewrite around Thunder Storm. The path of kindness he marches down, with love and with anger, and the people he helps.

So BB!Star Flower...

Previously I was playing her as ENTIRELY just manipulating Clear Sky. She was loyal to One Eye and trying to get at Skystar to bleed him dry for 8 lives to sacrifice; but connected to Thunderstar over recognizing him as a victim who deserves her idea of justice. So, she offers Thunderstar the final kill, so her father will be grateful to him and he'll get power AND the death of his abuser.

(When Thunderstar looks upon Skystar, pathetic and neutralized down to one life, he thinks about the collateral damage that will descend upon the forest if he accepts the deal. He decides that he has found the line between Justice and Justification. Of course he wants the power to make his enemies cower, protect his people, and eliminate Clear Sky so he never threatens them again; that's not the problem.

He can still do these things. He wouldn't NEED the power of a war god to do so.

But if One Eye returns, he will be endlessly hungry, ruthlessly dedicated to revenge, and set out to devour the whole forest. Everything would get worse, and even more people he loves would die. It's where his desire to destroy a monster would lead to him BECOMING one.)

Even on its face, it was previously missing an element. There's a step between "Starf decides to bring One Eye back" and "Starf offers Thunderstar the final kill" that was bare. This is the piece that was missing-- That she, herself, is trying to reach out to the only person who's ever really understood her.

But more importantly... I do feel this topic belongs here, in BB!DOTC. Abuse is a MAJOR theme. SKYSTAR is a monster already. He's harmed two wives in BB (Bright Storm and Falling Cry) and played toxic games with all three kits (Thunder Storm, Pale Sky, Tiger Sky).

And I'd avoid Star Flower being abused... why? Because it's uncomfortable to confront the pattern that Clear Sky displays? That in-canon, he tries to cut all his victims into the same ideal shape, from Storm to Thunder to Star Flower? ...it should be uncomfortable. Everything that I described in Clear Sky Is A Monster is rooted in the same desire for control, power, and punishment most abusive people share, he just happens to be a severe example.

Yes. That includes how he treats his child and romantic partners. The parallels that are drawn between Starf and Thunder are there because he wants power in the form of obedience. Starf replaces the son as a narrative award for his "growth" of not killing random people anymore for a while.

A cookie cutter is an effective tool because IT ONLY MAKES ONE SHAPE.

You know what's more uncomfortable? Reading canon!DOTC and seeing someone who hurt you reflected almost perfectly in the character the writers think did nothing wrong. Because of "good intentions" that were not there.

I will say though, just to be clear; I don't see a purpose in being more than PG-13 about serious topics for this project. I promise none of my intentions have changed. Nothing will be more graphic or gorey than canon WC-- just more intentional.

I'm keeping the sacrifice because it's dope. No one is taking this from me. Girl Moment: Killed her awful husband 8 times to count as 8 sacrifices and offered the last life to her buddy as a show of good will. How else do you make friends outside of high school

But I know now that Star Flower NEEDS to keep the canon fact she has very little agency, UNTIL that moment she snaps.

She's sacrificing one abuser to try and bring back a bigger, badder one, because in spite of everything, her father One Eye always made her feel safe. Even though he promised her off to Skystar, and expected her to be willing to die for him. She's followed every command, every order, past the death of his mortal vessel.

The first, and only, selfish choice she's ever made was in reaching out to Thunderstar to offer him the power of her father.

Thunderstar's Justice is a story about a Thunder Storm at the pinnacle of his arc, how the survivors of his Clan are settling into the new normal after the carnage of The First Battle, how Skystar's arrogance brings a violent god to the Forest... and the connection Thunderstar makes with the daughter of a monster.