#Car Detailing Layton

[itsreadymobiledetailing]

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[justkillingthyme]

What's wrong with the Diabolical Box train car art?

Ok I think I phrased it weirdly so sorry bout that. It’s just really inconsistent and I noticed it a while ago and it bothered me

The left side curtain does not reach the center pane, and there are no visible window latches. There is no picture on the center shelf, and the shelf is above the height of the armrests. Side cabinet has a panel before the door. Side cabinet has 14 slats, the peg is about halfway through above it. Two teacups to the left of the pot on the tray, creamer(? Don’t know what to call it), to the right. Tray appears to be circular and small. Left picture frame is full. Paneling splits the wood in two at the center (visible behind the left armchair). There’s nothing on the couch.

Not mentioning that the art on top doesn’t match (cutting them slack with contraints on space for detail). Curtain is in the center pane, visible window latches. Blue picture frame on center shelf, shelf rests below the height of the armrest. Side cabinet has one one panel on the door. Side cabinet has 10 slats. The peg is above the edge of the cabinet. Visible lamp above cabinet, hanger on third peg. One teacup is right of the teapot, the other is left. The creamer, left teacup, and pot are all on the tray, which is rectangular and large with a lip. Creamer to the left of the teacup. There’s a red book on the table, Luke’s suitcase is on the couch, Layton’s is on the floor next to the couch. There is no break in the wood paneling

Left curtain extends to the center pane. Blue picture frame on center shelf, shelf is below the height on the armrest. No (visible) teacups, creamer is to the left of the teapot on the tray. The tray is large and rectangular with a lip. There is a red book on the table. Left picture frame is empty. Luke’s suitcase is on the couch. Wood paneling is not split in the center.

Left curtain does not reach the center pane. No visible window latches. No picture frame on center shelf, shelf is above the height of the armrests. Side cabinet has 10 slats, peg towards the right side. One teacup to the left and right of the teapot, creamer in front of it. No tray. Left picture frame is full. Nothing on the couch.

Latch on the windows. Sixe cabinet has a panel before the door. Side cabinet has 13 slats, and the peg is to the right side. There is no hanger, and no lamp. One (visible) teacup to the right of the teapot, no tray. Luke’s bag is on the couch. No split in the paneling.

[merquplex]

~ some nwos demo thoughts... ~

I absolutely love how the map, background and puzzle artwork looks! It's soo gorgeous and I'm glad they're keeping it hyper detailed and quirky like all the other Layton games

I know a lot of people were worried about the puzzles for this game (rightfully so). But personally, ever since we saw the door puzzle last year I've had no doubts. And from the looks of things in the recent demo, quizknock still seems to be creating actually functioning puzzles!

A couple of days ago I realised I really didn't like the 3d character models; their noses would disappear randomly and the colours looked far too saturated when compared to the background. They also had very minimal changes compared to what we saw last year, which concerned me. However, fully seeing them in motion has restored my faith a little! Luke's expressions were adorable and really brought life into his model! I'm just hoping they add some much needed texturing like their other new games have, then I will have no complaints!

I really like that coindar gives you a little 'riddle' to solve when looking for hint coins, it's way more engaging for me personally than tapping every nook and cranny on screen (and also better for my wrist haha)

The environment feels nice and lively so far, lots of cars driving around and people going about their daily life. It's obviously unfinished but the concept is really strong and I absolutely can't wait to see how it will turn out on release!

The only things I ask for level 5 is to please add 2d cutscenes for the most important moments! Look at how amazing the 'puzzle success' and the 'thank you for playing the demo' artwork is.... can you imagine how beautiful this art style would look animated???? Of course I am biased, but I think I will cry if there are zero on release...

....and please reverse Luke and Layton's botched rhinoplasty 😭😭

[multiversal-madness]

Professor Layton Au - How Things Change Au

Part 1 - Part 2 - ???

(Similarly to Pandora’s Call, I’ve made an intro post for this before but that was ages ago and things have changed so here we go again)

After the five of them die in the Azran Sanctuary, Luke wakes up alone and confused in a forest. With no signs of the others, the sanctuary or even snow, he decides to pick a direction and start walking, hoping to find anything really. Eventually, he runs into a young boy who introduces himself as Leon.

They talk for a bit, Leon pointing out an injury on Luke’s face that he hadn’t noticed and Leon decides to take Luke back to his house to get some help from his parents. Luke agrees to go with him and let’s Leon lead him, but things start seeming off.

Leon’s using slang and phrases he’d usually hear from people several times his age, as they reach a road the only cars present are decades old and when Luke sees a calendar or newspaper or ad dated 50 years ago, he starts to panic (though he tries his best to hide it).

When they reach Leon’s home, his parents patch up Luke’s cheek and Leon’s mother starts talking to him, which triggers the second big realisation. She introduces herself as Detective Valarie Bronev, which means that her son Leon would be Leon Bronev.

The leader of Targent, the man who had stabbed Aurora, the Professor and Descole’s biological father, was the same person as this boy two years younger than him that was now looking at him with concern.

Worried about how pale he was getting, Valarie and Clayton (Leon’s dad) let Luke rest in Leon's room while Valarie goes to see if there's any reports of missing children in the area.

She looks for Luke's parents and where he came from for a long time while Luke pretends not to remember but eventually she has to give up the search. You can't exactly find people who haven't been born yet.

During this time Luke had been looked after by the Bronevs, so when the search remains fruitless, Valarie and Clayton adopt Luke. Luke becomes Luke Bronev, Leon's older brother.

I've added some more details under the cut, mostly what's changed from the last time I posted about this au for those interested:

In the original version of this au, Clayton had died when Leon was five, but after actually designing Clayton and giving him a personality I've grown attached so he gets to live this time

Valarie is a Private Detective instead of a police inspector and Luke won't become a police inspector either, instead he'll be an author who just so happens to also solve mysteries

Luke gets keep both his eyes! Yay! He gets more mental trauma instead

Leon does not encourage Randall's obsession with the Azran, in fact he stays as far away from the Azran as possible ever since Luke was kidnapped

Luke's Targent code name won't be 'Jay'. I don't have an idea for what it'll switch to yet, but Jay doesn't have the right vibes

that's all for now, I'll be posting a lot more about this au in the future (because it has consumed my brain-).

[makeitmakefolsense]

Professor Layton and the Fated Reunion

Fan comic directory follows below. I will update as I post more. Please use (#pl fated reunion) for discussion, art, comments, or other assorted things!

I also have a discord dedicated to this now! https://discord.gg/UpG9h789

Initial letter:

Pages 1, 2, and 3.

Pages 4, 5, and 6.

Pages 7, 8, and 9

Pages 10, 11, 12

Pages 13, 14 and 15.

Pages 16, 17, 18, and 19.

Pages 20, 21, and 22.

Pages 23, 24, 25, 26.

[crystalpallette]

I've seen aus where either luke or layton go back in time but what about emmy huh?? gotta do everything myself?? anyway au where emmy goes back in time (more thoughts under cut, this is definitely something I've just been rotating in my mind not too much thought or detail yet. warning however that it is a bit long, i ramble a lot)

- set a couple years after azran legacy, the og trilogy has already happened (and maybe nwos too? idk how many years it should have been tbh)

- emmy's traveling for an article for the world times, stops by [an antique store? a place to develop photos that also has a corner where they sell kitschy stuff?] for the hell of it and discovers a red butterfly pendant

this pendant is clearly something different from the other cheap things on display, it seems higher quality and there's just Something about it that emmy can't ignore

"the professor would have loved this," she thinks, can't help but reminisce about her history with the professor and luke and the adventures they had and suddenly the gem glows hot, and she's back years into the past as dean delmona welcomes her into the staff as professor layton's new assistant. she'd think it was all an elaborate dream or hallucination except- the butterfly is still clutched in her hands. she stumbles through the rest of the pleasantries and moves out of the office, back to where she remembers parking her scooter, and through sheer autopilot drives back to her old flat. tomorrow is the day she meets professor layton, chases after him on her scooter, meets luke and the specter and-

- the last specter happens as she remembers, except for one thing. as loosha slips into the sea for the final time, she can't help but wish they could have saved her this time around

and then she's back in the professor's car as they pull up to misthallery.

(whats the butterfly pendant, I hear you ask, and the answer is I don't know yet! some sort of ancient artifact or something, in the first draft it was meant to be a "wishing star" but then I remembered the butterfly effect and realized wouldn't that be cooler, and now it's a butterfly.)

- through trial and error emmy realizes that butterfly she picked up is able to transport her back through time, with limitations ofc

things she's discovered include:

- she can only move to the past, not the future (once she goes back, she has to relive everything again to get to the point where she reset)

- she can never go back further than the day she became the professor's assistant

- while everything else around her stays the same, she remains consistent. the very first time she'd gone back she had changed back to her game-canon appearance, but as she keeps going back she realizes changes to her specifically still apply

so emmy, realizing all of this, rolls up her sleeves and gets to work. the future holds quite a bit, and she's determined to get everyone to as happy of an ending as she can manage.

[shittyclive]

this is our guy. vincent :-) this isnt a proper reference bc of. the messy details, and hes missing buttons on his jacket but. um. i write a infodump under the cut okay?

okay let me go consult the google doc that we havent updated in ages umm.

Vincent Krasnoff (he/it/she in order of preferences. he could not describe what type of queer he is to you OR itself) is a student at Gressenheller who is majoring in psychology but is also taking layton’s archaeology class. for fun! the archaeology interest is much more casual than his interest in the human mind though. criminal psychology is a particularly interesting subject to it, and would probably be his main study focus if he didnt know cops were bastards! instead he just watches many commentaries on criminal cases, and tries to get into their heads (i guess this is a more modern au for layton...??? just so youtube can exist... laytonverse sneegsnag... (also because of his stupid gay raccoon tails)). anyways i made him like that because the idea of someone who is fascinated in getting into peoples heads and understanding their motivations for things meeting clive (and hershel "repressed trauma" layton) was sooooo funny to me. lol.

you might recognise him from the daily clive 9/11 yuri image. no comment.

uh! he is from a town in laytonverse scotland called Snowsburgh! this is also where the professor's next adventure would lead him. vincent, who is fascinated by the professor's autism, decides to volunteer to act as a tour guide for the professor! layton doesnt want to be lost this time (seriously. why does he just wander around like that. i cant stand this. please just have a guy who knows things around. oh my god.) so he lets her tag along for extra credit :-). ^_^.

vincent is very relaxed! he is constantly masking (autism) so he always tries to make a conscious effort to have a nice polite smile. when he gets distracted or lost in thought he looks like this

resting bitch face supreme. um. projection powers activate.

he likes being very laidback, though he is known to tease people after figuring out how to get under their skin. she is aware that most people think shes actually kind of cool when they first meet her, and would like to Keep It That Way. he realises wayyyy too late on the car/train ride to snowsburgh (we have NOT decided how theyre getting there yet) that his childhood friends are going to EMBARRASS him. SAD. unfortunately it is simply karma.

he gets along fine with anyone but theres always a level of detatchment. is he Hiding something? other than his childhood friends bullying him lightheartedly like friends do? he just doesnt talk about himself more than he has to.

hm! weird! im sure hes normal actually. anyways image of him that got irradiated by @emmejayy andthen i squished him

[nattico]

To quote my thoughts immediately after going through the plot. Spoilers!

'About the plot…

I like everything except the final "what a twist!" about magic.

For the most part, I think it's because the creators took the gameplay component of AA and combined it with the overall story logic of PL - and it doesn't fit together very well.

As far as I understood PL from the first game and [my friend's] comments, the story that unfolds there is often just unbelievable, until the very end when the cards start to reveal themselves (if I misunderstood - I apologize). However, the point of the twists themselves is to be unexpected, to surprise the players. That's why they're called "unexpected twists". PL can afford as many big plot twists as it wants - because the gameplay of the game is NOT based on you understanding the story on a large scale. You're essentially solving puzzles to allow the characters to move forward in the story, and watching it unfold in front of the professor and his assistant. Technically, you may not understand what's going on and still get through the game-after all, no one (at least in the first installment) required you to understand the story.

The gameplay component of AA, on the other hand, DEPENDS on how much you understand the story. The logic puzzles you encounter along the way may not be overly complex, but they do require a great deal of context. There are plot twists in AA, too, but they're usually based on a single, pivotal moment that has kept players unsure for most of the plot. At least at this point, I can't remember a case that threw out all your efforts to understand the case and said that everything you were trying to figure out was unnecessary. In AA, you don't throw all your logical developments out the window, you usually find a piece of the puzzle that was out of place and put a new one in its place that completes the picture perfectly.

And the lack of magic as a plot twist…. That's fine for a PL game, but it's a bit too much for an AA game, in my opinion. I haven't played other PL games, but if there are really crazy stories in there - could you have figured them out without Prof. Layton's explanation?

I used a coin and didn't understand why the game was poking me with the Magic Grimoire at all. When the game explained the details of how "magic" is performed, I thought it was nonsense - because at that point we probably didn't know half the information. As an AA player, I didn't hear any hints in that direction, and it seems to me that the player is being asked to make a jump that doesn't seem logical without the information you will be given AFTER that jump.

Also

I still have no idea how magic worked in the beginning when they were in London. Granted, something could just be written off as DEADLY hallucinations after just standing next to a book with special ink. However… The handprint on the car at least raises a lot of questions for me.'

thinking about plvspw again and how (mainly aa fans) react to the final twist. like both of them are classified as "mystery" games but layton really isn't and i feel like that gives players the wrong expectation. in aa the cases are often super whacky, but you're still supposed to figure stuff out yourself and be able to come to a conclusion. and that is just plain not possible with layton.

layton is not a "mystery" in the traditional sense; it is an "anti-fantasy" (to speak in umineko terms for a bit) and everyone who expects a mystery solution will be sorely disappointed.

still i'd recommend every aa fan to play it if they haven't, it's still rlly good. just don't expect anything but a layton-esque ending.

[frozaru]

Hello and welcome!

A lot happened yesterday in the new Nintendo Direct from many of the big franchises. It had started off weak imo but credit where it's due, got better as things went on! I have much to talk about so let's get on with the show.

𝙋𝙄𝙆𝙈𝙄𝙉 4

The game to kick off this direct. I will admit that it does look visually pretty, and the new pooch is certainly cute! There's chances for a lot of chaotic fun no doubt. I've never tried a Pikmin game before, and whilst it does not interest me enough to say "buy now", I hope people will enjoy this game. We already know a certain blue puppet went crazy over this. 😉 Perhaps I'll take another look when Pikmin 4 goes on sale one day. The game releases on July 21st, 2023.

𝙎𝘼𝙈𝘽𝘼 𝘿𝙀 𝘼𝙈𝙄𝙂𝙊: 𝙋𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙔 𝘾𝙀𝙉𝙏𝙍𝘼𝙇

An unexpected surprise from Sega happened! This will be the first Samba De Amigo game since 23 YEARS AGO (as of Dreamcast release). Dancing games are not really my thing but hey, maybe this one will be unique enough to consider me giving it a shot! It releases sometime this summer.

𝙎𝙋𝙇𝘼𝙏𝙊𝙊𝙉 3: 𝙀𝙓𝙋𝘼𝙉𝙎𝙄𝙊𝙉 𝙋𝘼𝙎𝙎

If anything, this announcement was the main course for me! Just...wow. ♡ As someone who started within Splatoon 2, it's going to be so fascinating to explore Inkopolis Plaza for my very first time! Also SQUID SISTER SPLATFESTS ARE BACK! I already know @atlantisportal2 is about to have a nostalgia trip. I'm so freaking excited! 😁 Not only that...but Side Order is looking VERY intriguing for me.

Could this be a corrupt version of what happened if Team Order won Splatoon 2: Final Splatfest? Also Pearl and Marina baby, woohoo! Very glad seeing them back along with what looks to be Agent 8. Also you better believe I purchased it ASAP! With that said, wave 1 is set to release sometime in Spring with wave 2 inkcoming (haha) somewhere on the holidays (according to placeholder dates).

𝘼𝘿𝙑𝘼𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙒𝘼𝙍𝙎 1+2: 𝙍𝙀-𝘽𝙊𝙊𝙏 𝘾𝘼𝙈𝙋

I haven't got much to say about these games, however, I did like what they've shown so far and looking to pick it up sometime in future if reviews are looking good. Like the artstyle they're going for! They will be avaliable on April 21st.

𝙉𝙎𝙊: 𝙂𝘼𝙈𝙀 𝘽𝙊𝙔+𝙂𝘼𝙈𝙀 𝘽𝙊𝙔 𝘼𝘿𝙑𝘼𝙉𝘾𝙀

More games for the service? Yes freaking please! It took a while but now they're here. The games really whizzed by and it would be impossible to put them all here, so if you'd like a glimpse of what I'm personally interested in, take a look. Take your time. 😊 *Tick tick tick* Oh, you're back? Lovely! Nintendo really popped off with the choices imo (looking at you Wario Land 3 and Mario+Luigi Superstar Saga). Some of these games are being released today with others being added in the future.

𝙋𝙇 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙉𝙀𝙒 𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙇𝘿 𝙊𝙁 𝙎𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙈

A miracle has happened!! After tragic events with both Level 5 and the original creator years ago, Professor Layton is looking to make a return. I've not played any of these games yet which judging by general buzz, I'm missing out! Hope to see more details soon as they come and maybe look into this considered-to-be underrated series in future. A release date has not been confirmed yet.

𝙏𝙇𝙊𝙕: 𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙎 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙆𝙄𝙉𝙂𝘿𝙊𝙈

GANON IS BACK AND MORE TERRIFYING THAN EVER! With an amazing reveal of more info, this game is shaping up to be something great already. The visuals, music, and maybe even voice acting...it leaves me impressed. The gameplay could even be a step up with new weapon types and tools among other things (we can make our own cars legit now!?) However, it also reminds me that I need to finish BOTW someday. 😅 I'll be sure to look into this game at some point. Sharpen your blade and prepare for adventure on 12th May, 2023...

(Tysm for getting up to this point reader, it's been wonderful writing it all. I'm still not done yet though and might do part 2 in future. Take care! 👋

🎴My Carrd

[itsreadymobiledetailing]

Top Mobile Car Detailing Kaysville Mistakes To Avoid

There are very few people in the world who don't have a genuine love for their cars. And when you make so many amazing memories with one vehicle, you try to ensure that its frame as well as its interiors always look amazing.

For those who don't have a clear idea, mobile car detailing in Utah is when professionals come to your house to clean and make your car look shiny, inside and out. They also polish and tidy your car without you driving anywhere.

This is the future of car maintenance and it is everywhere! At the same time, these professionals must avoid certain mistakes to get a good response from clients.

What Not To Do During Mobile Car Detailing Kaysville

Not Providing Paint Protection

Without paint protection, harmful UV rays and contaminants cause irreversible damage. We have also seen that during the cleaning process itself, a lot of harmful chemicals come in contact with the car. So if we don't provide enough paint protection, how will our car look like new anymore?

A protective coating helps prevent scratches and maintains the vehicle’s value over time. Without it, even though services like mobile car detailing in Layton can improve the vehicle's appearance, the protection won’t last as long.

These professionals stress the importance of protective coatings. Applying a quality paint sealant or ceramic coating safeguards the finish maintaining its showroom shine and preserving its resale value.

Ignoring Interior Detailing Needs

Do you pay attention to the interior of your car? Letting this day in a bad state can automatically age your car. Not only does dirt and dust accumulate on surfaces and in crevices but also wear and tear becomes an everyday thing in such cars.

Interior detailing can be done once every few months for the benefit of your car. This enhances the vehicle's interior integrity and resale value. Quality interior care ensures a clean and inviting driving environment.

Dirty air vents and crevices harbor allergens and bacteria. Professional detailers emphasize interior cleaning to maintain hygiene and aesthetics.

Ineffective Drying Techniques Used

Improper drying methods can leave vehicles with lasting damage. Water spots and mineral deposits form when moisture isn't removed correctly.

Ineffective drying techniques used after washing cause paint to dull and become vulnerable. Micro-scratches and swirl marks appear as water evaporates unevenly.

Professional detailers prioritize precise drying to prevent water spot formation. Effective drying techniques maintain paint clarity and shine. Proper microfiber towel or air blowout usage safeguards surfaces from damage and ensures a flawless finish.

Using Wrong Cleaning Products

Our premium vehicles do require meticulous care to maintain their shine! And using the wrong cleaning products instead can damage paint coatings. This can also harm interior materials.

Harsh chemicals can strip wax protection and discolor surfaces. Incompatible products can leave residue or streaks compromising the vehicle's appearance.

Mobile car detailing professionals must choose cleaning solutions that safeguard surfaces. Proper product selection ensures a flawless finish and preserves the vehicle's value. Quality-focused detailers prioritize product compatibility.

In Closing…

Dedicated professionals in the field of car detailing services in Lehi have enhanced this industry into a work of art. Due to the detail-oriented nature of this profession, even the small mistakes listed above can lead to great problems for the car owner. By supervising your car detailing sessions, you can keep such unfortunate instances at bay and have the experience you deserve in all areas of the detailing session!

[wingsofhcpe]

For the prompt thing if it's alright:)

Melanie & Ruth reunite fluff and maybe angst after Mel comes back and they end up making out in the end?

Me: this is gonna be a small drabble

Me, more than 3k words later: ....yes.

Melanie thinks she's dead, at first. Her eyelids flutter open and her pupils, so used to dim emergency lights and the flickering glow of white snow for months on end, contract painfully at first. She cannot make out much but blurry figures and distant, echoing voices, but she thinks she's somewhere warm, that the voices belong to people she knows. Well- she once knew.

She must truly be dying, then, and this is just her life flashing before her eyes. It truly is like the movies, she thinks, and is struck with the absurd urge to laugh. She forces it down, because if, by some inexplicable miracle, someone is listening, she doesn't want her last moments of this earth to be sarcastic self-depreciating laughter. She's desperate, but not mad- laughing now would surely convince whoever's watching (God? The ghosts of the people she had killed during her reign as Train Leader?) of her failing sanity. No sir, none of that. Melanie Helene Cavill won't go down a madwoman.

Or, apparently, she won't go down at all, not yet.

Because the next thing she knows, her vision clears and she can make out her surroundings in more detail than before. She's in a small, well-lit cabin of some sorts. There's a circular window on one side, and she can see the snowy fields racing away as the train -she knows she's on one, she would have known even in death- gobbles up the miles, swaying ever so gently. The hum, the constant whir of the engine ... it's so familiar. Like a lullaby.

Snowpiercer?

No, wait, that doesn't make sense. She was lost, stuck out there in some other half-assed engine car, barely hanging on as the hunger and cold slowly ate at her for months and months. However did she end up back on-

The voices she's been hearing for hours. They've been familiar too. Layton... Was that Andre Layton she'd heard? And- and Alex, her Alexandra... Could it all have been a dream? A hallucination?

No, she doesn't think so. Using whatever little strength she has she lifts an arm, studying the intravenous tube strapped to the side of her wrist. It's real enough, she decides as she tugs carefully on the cable and receives a slight sting at the entry point on her skin as a reward. Okay, then.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A voice says, familiar as well, and Melanie's head snaps up as the sliding door on the other side of the cabin whirs open. Her eyes widen in disbelief.

"Ruth...?" She asks, voice scratchy from disuse, as soon as her eyes meet the newcomer's -which is a dumb thing to ask, really, that's Ruth alright, in her stupid teal uniform as if not a day has passed ever since the last time they saw each other. She quickly snaps her mouth shut when Ruth raises an eyebrow in a perfect judgmental frown that Melanie knows all too well.

"Well, hello to you too, miss Dead Woman Walking." Ruth walks up to Melanie's bed (she's realised by now she's in the Second Class med bay of Snowpiercer) and meticulously inspects the IV cable for a few moments, then lets go when she ascertains nothing's been pulled askew because of Melanie's fussing. As she draws her hand away, her fingers brush Melanie's, and both of them look at each other, then away, in the span of a millisecond.

"So...." Melanie clears her throat after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence. "You found me."

"Wilford found you, if we want to be precise." Ruth says with a slight scowl, immediately piquing the other woman's attention. Wilford? Not Mister Wilford. There's no hint of reverence in Ruth's voice when she speaks the name- no, there's even a hint of reprimand, which, to Melanie, is more shocking than even the fact she's alive and back on Snowpiercer.

What in the seven hells happened while I was gone?

"Wilford, huh." She sighs, deciding not to ask questions yet. She and Ruth did not depart in exactly good terms and, although the latter doesn't seem angry anymore (just a little bit ruffled, which makes sense, Melanie thinks, when you have a chat with someone who's supposedly been dead for eight months), but she doesn't want to press the issue yet.

Ruth hums, and settles on a chair next to the bed. "Yes. Wilford. That... ugh. I'd rather not speak my mind on him right now."

Melanie smiles a little at that- yes, well, Ruth rarely spoke ill of everyone, and even when she did she refrained from using vulgar language.

"What, he demoted you?" She asks with a slight tease to her voice, which she immediately regrets when Ruth pins her with a glare that could incinerate the entire Ag-Sec. "Sorry, sorry. That was uncalled for."

Ruth sighs after a second, and her expression mellows a little, which makes Melanie feel more at ease too. "It's alright. I suppose I deserved that. But, ah- no, he didn't demote me. Well- no, he kind of did. But... Look, Melanie, I'm really sorry."

At that, Melanie blinks, confused. Ruth's not looking at her, her eyes skimming all over the cabin's walls and ceiling as if looking for something to latch on. Probably anything other than Melanie.

"For what?" Melanie asks, incredulous, then regrets it when Ruth's shoulders slump just a little (she would never allow herself anything more, that woman, always looking picture perfect like a soldier set up for inspection).

"Really? You're going to make me say it?" Ruth shakes her head. "Fine, I probably deserve that, too. I'm sorry for... not listening to you. For everything that happened. For believing in a man I hadn't seen for seven years rather than you, my friend, who I spent almost every living moment with. And- well. Frankly I was being quite the little bitch about everything. Real petty of me, huh?"

That's another thing about Ruth; she will not use vulgar language on others. On herself, though? She's probably the runner-up for Snowpiercer's Most Self-depreciating Passenger, after the ruling champion, Melanie herself. Maybe that's why they were so close, among other things.

"I..." Melanie swallows, thinking of what to say. She had not really expected Ruth to apologise so quickly and so honestly, not after all these months. "It's... understandable. I mean- I lied to your face for seven years. I didn't exactly have the moral high ground back there, so. I guess we both messed up."

"Yes, maybe we did." Ruth shrugs. "Still. I can't believe I trusted that son of a- ehem... that I trusted Wilford instead of you."

"What did he do to earn your ire, of all people?" She can't help it- she knows Ruth to be loyal to a fault (unless you lie to her for seven fucking years which Melanie can't exactly begrudge her for snapping at), so what could Wilford have done to piss her off that much?

As a response, Ruth huffs. "What didn't he do, honestly. He left you out there to die just because he wanted to preserve his little monarchy, for starters. Sure, I wasn't your biggest admirer at the time but it wasn't fair. Then he put Roche to the shelves, along with his family. He tried to sway the whole train against the Tail, again, and sabotaged anyone who stood against him."

"And I suppose you didn't stand for it?" Melanie asks when Ruth pauses to take a breather, which earns her yet another glare.

"No I didn't! I care for the people of this train." She stops, looks away, and sniffs self-consciously. "I... I know the Tail wouldn't agree with that right off the bat. I'm not perfect, you know."

"Hard to believe. You were the Little Miss Perfect of the Hospitality Department. Not a hair out of place, for seven years. Even I couldn't compete with that." Melanie says with a small nostalgic smile, sitting up. Ruth rolls her eyes a little, and Melanie changes the subject back to what they were talking about prior. "So, you went against Wilford. Then what? Sided with Layton?"

Ruth nods. "Mhm. Got sent to Compost along with him, in fact."

At that, Melanie's grateful she's sitting up, because she chokes on her spit and breaks into a bout of laughter loud enough to shake her whole body. Ruth glares at her -again, but that's probably deserved, too.

"What's so funny?" The blonde woman snaps, and Melanie sucks in a half-steady breath.

"You... in Compost?" She giggles, shaking her head. "How did you survive that?"

"What's that supposed to mean? I've survived a lot worse! Ran the rebel forces for six whole months, I'll have you know!"

And that, more effectively than anything else, shuts Melanie up. The grin fades off her strained features, eyes widening slightly. "Wait, what? You? Rebel commander?"

"You could at least pretend to believe half of what I just said." Ruth deadpans, misreading her expression. "I'm not a mindless sheep who doesn't know how to-"

"No, no, that's not what I meant." Melanie cuts her off, because she doesn't like where this conversation is heading, and she doesn't want to lose Ruth again, not so fast after getting her back (well, somewhat. They've been having a good talk. How did it get derailed so quickly?). "I was just... Look, I know you can be a leader, Ruth. You've acted as the Head of Hospitality even more than I had. I'm not doubting that."

"Maybe you should." Ruth snaps, and for the first time Melanie feels as if she no longer knows that woman, sitting across from her. She looks like Ruth, sounds like her. But... There's something off. Like a part of her has been broken and sharpened into a jagged blade. "My lead got people killed. If we could have just laid low... But no, I thought I could be Robin Hood or something, while we were waiting for Layton to come back."

"Come back- from where?" Melanie wants to comfort her more than anything, but she knows the price of leadership, and she doesn't want to lie again, even if it's for a good cause. So she focuses on the facts, which Ruth also seems to appreciate.

"We had a plan." She continues, her voice a little calmer. "To find you, when Wilford pulled us away from the meeting point. If we could just get the engine, circle back and get you, then reconnect to the rest of the train, we could solve everything. Or not. Anyway, Ben, Layton, Josie, Bess and Alex made it to the aquarium car. They'd break that off and separate the first few cars and the engine from the rest. I was supposed to be there, but well. Stuff happened, didn't make it, got stuck here with a revenge-crazed Wilford. Had to help everyone make it through the dark, you know."

"I see..." Melanie's brain is whirring already, calculating everything, the risks, the lives lost, what Ruth had had to deal with, Layton's apparent delay that cost everyone six months under Wilford's thumb. "How many did he...you know? Before you could stop him."

"Oh, not many, actually. Not willingly I'd least. Although he let some die of an influenza epidemic." Ruth sighs again, looking so tired that Mel's heart constricts. "We lost a few good people during the epidemic, but... We lost more when word went out that there even was a resistance. I thought I could help, but people got caught and... Wilford did not want anyone dead. Layton had taken Audrey hostage, you see, and if he came back to find his people butchered there was no telling what he'd do to her. So he just had Kevin interrogate some people. And- he took it too far. People died."

She stops there, and Melanie knows just by looking at her that she doesn't want to say more, not now. Still, there's something... "Just them? Did something else...?"

Ruth runs a hand over her eyes, and nods. "It's a long story. Some people didn't want to follow Layton, and... There was- a conflict. Pike died. Because of me."

"Pike-" the rough, bloodthirsty-looking Taillie. "But why would he- ..."

'I led the resistance for six months.'

"Oh..." Melanie's mouth hangs a little ajar, as, somehow, perhaps because she's known Ruth for more than a decade and has spent seven years of it on a moving metal tube with her, her brain connects the dots even without having the entire picture. "Oh, Ruthie..."

She reaches out her hand -tube and all- and takes Ruth's in it, and although the other woman stiffens a little she doesn't pull away, instead slightly gripping Melanie's hand back.

"I just- I didn't think he'd go that far." Ruth whispers. "He said... I don't know, he said I would be a better leader than Layton, that I could protect everyone... But I can't, Mel, I'm not a leader. And now he's dead, and he died for me, and I couldn't even watch because of some foolish, barbaric Tail tradition-"

"Hey. Hey." Melanie's hand tightens around Ruth's, using whatever little strength she has to pull the other woman closer, just a little. "Slow down. It's not your fault, whatever it is that happened. I'm sure it's not. I... I don't know what happened that led to his death. Or what happened between you. And you don't have to tell me yet. But... Don't blame yourself. Please."

It's silly, hearing that from her own lips- Melanie is the one that blames herself for everything ninety-nine percent of the time, even for things out of her control. But somehow, she wants to protect Ruth from that. Ruth, who's always kept it together even in the toughest of circumstances. Who only thought of kindling the passengers' hope as the train spun and rocked, almost knocking itself off the rails and sending them all to their deaths. Ruth, who was so foolishly righteous and stuck to the rules even when they made no real sense, and even though she had devoted her very soul to Wilford she found the strength to go against him to protect the people of the train.

So she pulls Ruth's hand again until the other woman is forced to lean closer still, and then Melanie wraps both arms around her. It's the closest they've been in more than eight fucking months, and Melanie has forgotten how it feels to be closer to another human being, and she just missed this so much, she missed Ruth so much. So they hold each other, and Ruth even rests her head on Melanie's shoulder, and Melanie is reminded of a night long ago, when the train first departed, when she had to live her heart and soul behind for the good of humanity. Ruth had been there. She might not have known the real reason behind Melanie having to leave her daughter behind, but she still had been there, holding Melanie as she cried. And Ruth had cried, too. For Melanie, for Alexandra, for the whole damn world.

None of them had cried ever since, at least not within each other's vicinity. But now, almost eight years later, that unspoken rule between them finally comes undone. It's only human to cry, after all.

"I'm sorry." Ruth sniffs after a few minutes, although she doesn't make an attempt to move away from Melanie. "Look at me, crying about my love life while you literally just came back from the grave. I shouldn't even be bothering you with any of it, Dr. Pelton said to let you rest-"

"It's okay", Melanie says in a rush, because while she feels exhausted to the very bone, she does not want Ruth to go. Not yet. "You lost someone you loved. That's no small thing."

"Yeah, well. Maybe love's just not for me." Ruth mutters, which makes Melanie's hand on her back twitch a little.

"Did you love him?" She asks quietly, almost hating herself for the question but unable to prevent herself from asking it.

"I think I did. But it doesn't matter anymore. He's gone."

Melanie takes that as a sign to drop the subject, which she's more than happy to do for about fifty different reasons, and so they go back to silently holding onto each other, neither of them making the first move to let go. Melanie feels her eyes closing, and although it's not the most comfortable position in the world she feels like she's close to dozing off right there against Ruth's shoulder. But after a while she jolts completely awake, hearing Ruth whisper, "I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"To Pike?" Melanie asks, stupidly, which makes Ruth snort in exasperation.

"To you, you absolute buffoon."

Melanie blinks, because she really didn't expect that. "Me?"

"Oh for God's sake, Melanie, should I have Dr. Pelton examine you for brain damage? Yes, you." She pushes Melanie away then, but her hands remain on the latter's shoulders so they can stare into each other's eyes. Melanie, unreasonably, feels a bit flustered. "You got lost into nowhere. We all thought you were dead, and I lived for eight months with the knowledge that I would never get to tell you how sorry I was that I... said and did all I said and did. You... mean a lot to me, Mel. And I'm... I'm very glad you're back."

As she finishes, Ruth smiles a little, which is infectious. Melanie can't help but smile too, leaning closer again.

"I'm glad to be back, too." She swallows, then decides to go for it, because at this point it's not like it's a secret to either of them. "Remember what I said the day the truth came out? 'I'll see you around'."

"...yes." Ruth nods, suddenly tense. Of course she remembers the Snowpiercer breakup line, as it is known; the two of them were never officially a "thing", not with their duties and everything, but it's not like they ever got to really talk about it, what with the Tail chaos, and the secrets, and then Wilford returning from the dead (Melanie is starting to see a pattern here), and then Melanie fucking off into nowhere to presumably freeze and die in the snow. But...

"What if I wanted to take it back?" She whispers, "all of it? The lies, the fighting, everything."

"Well..." Ruth is quiet and skittish, suddenly, which alerts Melanie to perhaps having completely butchered this whole thing (congrats, genius, your friend just told you about her dead boyfriend and you're already flirting again, good going Einstein), but then Ruth says, "I'd be willing to listen."

...oh. Oh, okay, then. That makes sense- it's not like Melanie herself is monogamous, anyway.

"Ah..." Good, now she's got nothing to say. "If you're still not over Pike then-"

"Pike's dead." Ruth snaps with enough ferocity to startle Melanie into silence. "But you're not, as it turns out. You're... here. And I... missed you."

Ah. Well, then. That's fine and dandy with her.

"I... I missed you, too. Very much." Melanie whispers, and then she's leaning in and kissing Ruth like it's their last day on Earth, which it might as well be with this train's abysmal track record (hah, funny), but Melanie wills the next upcoming end-of-the-world crisis to wait just a little while longer, because she's missed the taste of Ruth's kiss and the feel of her hair through her fingers. She realises belatedly Ruth's no longer wearing it in her signature crown updo but has let it down over her shoulders, only having pulled off a few of the front stands out of her face with a hairclip, and Melanie wants to tell her how beautiful she looks like that, that she should do it more often, but she can't very well speak right now, not with Ruth's hands threading through her own brown hair and making her moan into the kiss just a little-

"Wow, okay. Glad I didn't bring Alex with me this time round."

Both Melanie and Ruth almost jump away from each other at the remark, and turn in perfect unison to face a deadpan-looking Dr. Pelton, standing in the doorway with both hands crossed over her chest.

"I, ah, I was just coming to tell you Melanie woke up." Ruth stumbles over the words but manages to retain whatever's left of her dignity and composure, unlike Melanie, who's looking a bit like a fish out of water.

"Sure you were." Pelton fires back, but she's smirking. "Good to see you up and around again, at least."

That last part is directed to Melanie, who clears her throat.

"Uh... I feel fine." If only a little stiff and tired but, she supposes that's not so bad for someone who came back from the dead. "You mentioned Alex? Does she know I'm-"

"Alive? Yes, she certainly does." Pelton's voice has taken on a tone that says 'you're seriously asking that?', but she humours Melanie all the same. "She left a few hours earlier, actually. Didn't want to, but I persuaded her she had to get some sleep and that you weren't going anywhere. You can see her in the morning. Now, Ruth, out. I need to check her vitals."

Ruth blinks, glances between Melanie and Pelton, decides she very much does not wish to evoke the latter's fury, and with a small embarrassed smile in Melanie's way she makes for the door.

"You should see Alex first, tomorrow." She says quickly. "I'm, ah, on hospitality duty, so I'll see you in the afternoon?"

It's voiced like a question, and Melanie can't help but smile back, even as Pelton strides in in all her glory and begins tugging at her IV tube and prodding her here and there.

"Sure, Ruth. I'll see you tomorrow."

[amostfascinatingpuzzleindeed]

The Laytonmobile chugged along slowly down the avenue that Kenaya crossed, through the large windows of his car and the rain pouring down upon them, he could almost make out her thoughtful expression. Hershel had very sharp eyesight, able to see the smallest of things from a decent distance away and note very important details from that distance.

Layton halted the car, alarmed by the collision she had with the lamp post. He was going to get out of the vehicle to help her but she again bolted off before he had the chance to really react to what happened. The amount of risk she’s taking, wandering around like this, he had to think about the importance of whatever she’s rushing around to find or say. He started up the car again and followed her to the turns she made, the pathway she went to was his own morning route to Gressenheller University, could she be a student running late? That wouldn’t make much sense, given how she is actively sacrificing her life via crossing full streets with active cars left and right, unable to see them coming. He has the instinct to know that she needed some sort of help that someone at Gressenheller could provide but the question becomes who.

His suspicions were confirmed when he pulled up to his place of work and the girl was seen by not only himself but other students stumbling up over to a tree to sit down and attempt to catch her breath. Finally, his time had come to react and he did so without hesitation. The professor stepped out of his vehicle and rushed over to the tree she rested under, examining her closely as he approached her form.

But again, she started to move right as he was about to reach her and collapsed right in front of the building on the grass. This has escalated far from what he’d call just a plain emergency situation, she did not move and beforehand struggled to breathe.

The Professor called what he knew to be best for her health, an ambulance, explaining the events that had occurred all throughout the morning and how her condition deteriorated when she reached the university.

An adventure begins.

((Closed rp with @amostfascinatingpuzzleindeed))

Dark clouds covered the sky and rain pounded over London, England. Those out and about held umbrellas or wore something to keep themselves dry. Unfortunately, one woman wasn't so lucky to have something covering her. She bolted down the sidewalks and weaved around other pedestrians.

Her waist-length copper brown hair and button-up red plaid shirt and blue jeans were completely soaked. She could feel rainwater seeping into her black boots. A black backpack was strapped tightly to her person. Her hazel eyes darted around her as she tried to avoid running into people. Since it was raining, she had her glasses off and in her glasses case inside her backpack. All she could see were fuzzy, blurry, shapes and colors. The dark clouds covering the sky only made things worse for her.

It felt like sharp icicles were piercing her lungs as she ran. Rain or sweat running down her face became hard to tell. It was beginning to become more challenging to keep on running.

Just as she was crossing a street sudden movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. The sound of breaks being slammed startled her and she skitted to a stop in the middle of the crosswalk, stumbling in the process. Even with her blurry vision, she could tell she ran in front of a moving car. All the frustration that she's been suppressing for so long bubbled up to the surface.

"HEY! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" Kenaya shouted. Her eyes darted to both sides of the car. She couldn't tell which side the driver was on. The woman kicked the front bumper, causing her to stumble back a bit. "STUPID HEAD!"

When she bolted away she found herself unsteady. She almost crashed into a street lamp but managed to push off of it. While her heart was pounding painfully in her chest she pressed on. She needed to get to the University. According to her friend, Alex, there were people there that could help her.

[snowpiercer-recaps]

Series 1, episode 9: Fight For Your Fricking Lunch Meat

Spoiler alert!!! This is a rewatch recap of Snowpiercer s1e9: The Train Demanded Blood. Naturally, it is full of spoilers for that episode. However, it also contains spoilers for some other episodes of season 1 and season 2. You have been warned!

Melanie gives the monologue this episode. She laments that she wasn’t able to get rid of the myth of Wilford, while she awaits her execution. She shares the execution car with a bunch of blood-spattered revolutionaries, including Clay From The Nightcar, Santiago, Walter The Papermaker/Electrician and… not Lights? Walter and Lights were arrested together! How did Lights escape!? I'm very happy she did, but it's confusing! I want details on that, please.

Melanie offers a tiny handkerchief to Santiago for his gaping head wound, which is a nice gesture but it’s really not gonna help much. He tells her he’s sad that he never got to visit the aquarium car.

Then, two Jackboots come into the car. They take Walter away to be executed, while Melanie’s monologue continues: The train demanded blood. The notary reads Walter’s verdict (guilty of treason) and sentence (death by lung of ice). His face freezes behind the execution mask, in a visual representation of how it feels to drink cold water after brushing your teeth.

After the opening credits, Commander Grey (who has finally washed his face, but still hasn’t put on a helmet) is ordering Jackboots to organise crates of gas canisters. They’re getting ready to make a move on the rebels.

The rebels, meanwhile, have not washed their faces! Well - Layton did half a job, but Audrey and Till are still just as bad as last episode. They’re getting ready to make their own move, before the entire Jackboot army has time to gather. Or, maybe they’ll reinforce their barricades? They’re still deciding. Dr. Pelton pops out of the clinic to confirm that thirty seven rebels have died, so far. And they don’t know how many more dead might be uptrain. Assuming that “uptrain” includes everyone in the Nightcar, they can expect that number to climb a whole lot more.

Then, Winnie weaves her way towards Layton. She can’t find her brother. Layton gently tells Winnie that Patterson is “gone”, and “with [her] mother”. Dr. Pelton swoops in to rescue her before Layton can confuse the poor child any further.

Layton then immediately faces another awkward interaction! Zarah (apparently the only rebel who has washed the blood off her face and neck) wants to talk. But Layton doesn’t. He runs away. Audrey catches Zarah’s eye, and they have an entire conversation via three seconds of eye contact.

Fanfic writers, go ahead and make this gay.

Up in First, Lilah Folger is demanding to know why Grey isn’t advancing. He insists he is! Their plan is for Javi to override the doors, one by one, so that they can seal the rebels into cars and gas them. Grey isn’t bothered about the risk of accidentally gassing civilians, or even the risk of gassing everyone on the whole train if the gas enters the ventilation system! Javi, Mr. Sharma and Martin aren’t on board (train pun!) with the plan.

Javi doesn’t waste time trying to explain any moral concerns to Grey or Lilah, and instead reminds them that the train needs a workforce. If too many workers die, the train won’t be able to run. Lilah brushes off his concerns and says, “We’ll train more.” Lilah, who’s “we”? Does Lilah Folger seriously think she’s going to be able to teach janitors and breach workers? Javi is already realising these people are even more frustrating to deal with than Melanie and Bennett, and regretting his decision to let them into the engine.

And that’s not all! Vengeful Ruth is still out in force. She interrupts the conversation to discuss Melanie’s execution. She thinks it should be a public dethroning. LJ mocks Ruth’s accent, and then suggests that Melanie needs to walk the plank because she’s a pirate. And y’know what? That’s a fair point, LJ! Can’t argue with that logic!

In the engine, Bennett and Miles have been locked down together for a few hours. It's going great!

Maybe this is why Alex doesn't have a dad/stepdad?

Down in the Chains, Mama Grande is asking around after her Grandson, Santiago. Layton barely has time to tell her that Santiago is probably maybe potentially still alive (?) before Pike shows up. To be honest, I’m more interested in Till and Audrey in the background of this scene than whatever Pike has to say. I guess that’s why Layton and Pike head off to an empty beige container? So that we have to listen to him?

Pike loves the mouthfeel (yuck!) of the cake in First. Layton is, understandably, reluctant to take restaurant advice from an ex-member of a cannibal cult. So instead, they finally decide discuss the war. Pike tells Layton all about the gas plan. The only way that Layton can prevent civilian casualties is to surrender.

Layton consults Till and Audrey. They’re not convinced Grey will keep his word, and they don’t want to lose what they fought for. They all agree not to surrender. That was surprisingly quick! Good work, rebels! After Till heads out, Audrey stops Layton and insists he needs to speak to Zarah.

In the engine, Javi is explaining to Grey that they can’t open the engine door from outside when it’s in lockdown. Bennett won’t open it from inside, because he’s loyal to Melanie. Javi still doesn’t like the gassing plan - maybe Layton will surrender? Grey then threatens to “slaughter every last one of them,” and Javi finally admits to himself it was a big fucking mistake to assume these people had enough common sense not to destroy the entire train within a day. He tells Grey he’s heading downtrain to the engine door override button, which seems like an obvious lie to me. But, being as smart as he is, Grey falls for it. Who the fuck put this gullible fool in charge?

Next, we catch up with Strong Boy and ZWreck. Dr. Klimpt thinks Strong Boy understands what’s being said, and tests his theory by… nope, he doesn’t bother actually testing it at all! Wilford seriously couldn’t find a better doctor in the whole damn world? ZWreck throws up and almost falls over, so Murray helps him by… nope, he just asks him whether he’s ready to fight! This scene is so frustrating! They borrow Klimpt’s trousers, and head out to find the battle.

In the bunk room, Ruth is going through Melanie’s stuff again. She’s found the Wilford soundboard! I hope she doesn’t take a listen: she’d combust if she heard any of the speeches Bennett composed. We also learn that Melanie has all of Mr. Wilford’s journals, which sound like even scarier reading than her eugenics library.

Yum!

Ruth is so angry she wants to execute Melanie herself. It’s exactly that kind of energy Grey wants in his regime! Ruth asks about the Folgers, to which Grey replies the Folgers have useful influence in First, “But once order is restored, natural power exerts itself.” I feel like he’s vastly underestimating Lilah Folger, and vastly overestimating himself. But Ruth doesn’t! She grabs him by the vest and kisses him.

Thankfully, we quickly cut away to a much less traumatic scene: Melanie is being taken to her execution. Santiago promises to pray for her, to make the end of the episode even more heart-wrenching. Melanie is strapped to the execution chair, the Notary reads out her verdict (guilty of treason) and sentence (death by lung of ice), and the scary mask is strapped to her face. The Notary and prisoner transporter Jackboots leave the room, and Melanie cries. But the Jackboot pulling the switch isn’t a Jackboot! It’s Javi! He quickly unties her while the Notary buys them time in the other carriage by complaining about incorrect paperwork.

Nerd power!

Melanie and Javi walk between the bodies of executed rebels, then Melanie climbs down into the tunnels (impressively fast considering the heels she’s wearing!) into Jinju’s arms.

Fic writers... do we think that's the first time Melanie has asked Jinju that question?

ANYWAY! Melanie wants to know how Jinju pulled off the recuse, and so do I! Her answer (“coercion and gifts”) gives nowhere near enough detail, but they don’t have time for more. Jinju wants to take the Folgers head-on. That’s another fight I’d like to see! But Melanie doesn’t want to do that. She tells Jinju to stay safe uptrain, and Jinju must be fucking sick of people telling her to do that.

Melanie runs off downtrain (still wearing the heels!), but after a couple of close encounters with Jackboots, she decides that crawling through the vents will be safer.

In the Chains, Zarah continues to be the only character that wants to wash the blood off herself. As is customary, Layton lets himself in without knocking. Zarah asks if the fighting is over, and wants to know what will happen next. But Layton isn’t gonna tell that little traitor their strategy! They’re resisting the urge to yell at each other so hard, and it’s very funny. Audrey probably should have offered to mediate. Zarah doesn’t expect forgiveness for snitching on Josie - she’s not even going to forgive herself. Where’s that energy in s2e2, huh?

Layton assures Zarah he wasn’t planning to forgive her. But Zarah explains she had to do it… to protect their child! Layton didn’t see that one coming! Zarah puts his hand on her belly, and he holds her for a moment before running away again.

Layton can’t risk it any more - now that he’s got a kid on the way, he’s gonna have to surrender to protect it. He tells Till it’s over, and she’s very upset that she might have to finally wash her face! She believed in him! What changed!? Instead of offering her any explanation, he runs away again. He tells Pike that he surrenders.

Melanie removes her jacket and shoes so that she can wriggle through the vents more easily, while Pike informs Grey, Ruth and the Folgers of Layton’s surrender. Lilah suspects it’s a trick, but the others aren’t worried: they can still gas everyone, if they need to. I guess they haven’t figured out that Javi already defected?

Robert then feeds the timeline detectives another useful fact: the war is over in under sixteen hours.

LJ tells her parents that they should be there for the surrender, to cement their position of power on the train. I can’t figure out whether this is supposed to be genuine? LJ is just so suspicious all the time! Does she perhaps also suspect that it’s a trick? Is she hoping to get her parents killed? Who knows!?

Up in the engine, Miles is quizzing Bennett on why the engineers kept living conditions in the tail so poor. They’re fair questions, but it’s maybe not the best timing? Bennett ignores all the class politics in favour of his favourite topic: hex nuts! But he’s saved from more of Miles’ guilt tripping by a very important radio message: Big Alice is sending over a hint for the next episode.

Elsewhere, Murray is doing an awful job of posing as a Jackboot, while Melanie emerges from the vents, straight into rebel hands. She’s taken to Layton, who wants to kill her - until she tells him she can get him the train. That's convenient for everyone!

Melanie, Audrey, Till and Layton convene in the war room container, for another one of the best scenes in this whole damn show. First, I’d like us all to take a moment to appreciate Till and Audrey’s outfits and expressions:

Season One really was the best.

Okay. Now for the plot. Melanie is going to help the rebels, because she knows Grey and the Folgers will destroy the train. Her plan is simple: nearly all the Jackboots are gathered up in a couple of cars, so all Melanie and Layton need to do is disconnect those cars, then join back up again.

Layton isn’t convinced that Melanie will just give up control, which is very fair given what we’ve seen of her character so far! Melanie insists that it was never about power, to which Audrey quips “Is that what you keep telling yourself?” Melanie snaps back at her, “I saved humanity, Audrey!” Their relationship is so entertaining to watch! Understandably, Layton isn’t yet ready to forgive Melanie for seven years of hunger, slavery and de-armings in the tail, nor that time a couple of days ago when Melanie tortured his girlfriend to death. Melanie decides to make the most of their last few minutes in the karaoke booth.

Ultimately, Audrey decides Melanie is telling the truth. Till doesn’t think they have any better options. So, Layton agrees: they’ll try Melanie’s plan, instead of surrendering.

In the next scene, Melanie has changed out of her filthy hospitality uniform into a denim jacket and cargo pants and… where did she get these clothes? They can’t be Melanie’s or Till’s or Audrey’s, because all their stuff is behind enemy lines. Which random rebel had to dress Melanie Cavill in their nicest jacket? Sometimes this show misses frustrating, fun details!

Melanie and Layton make a call up to Bennett in the engine, and tell him the plan to lose the seven cars at the Fremont junction, 100km away.

Melanie will take care of the safety switch downtrain. Layton needs to get behind enemy lines to do the job on the other side. Getting up there won’t be easy, so Layton sends Till to apologise to her dad boss, and ask him to take Layton to the other switch. Roche is, of course, eating his lunch in the lockup room - under another clock! It’s 1:30. As soon as Till enters the lockup room, her dad boss starts to tell her off. While he rants, she hugs herself again. PLEASE can someone give this woman a hug?

Till promises peace when they win, but Roche doesn’t want to hear it. She tells him that Melanie has joined their side now, and tries to get him to fight for what’s right. She plays the same trump card that helped her to win the day before, with one tiny addition:

That seals the deal: no one gets between Roche and his lunch! He’ll help them.

Uptrain, Ruth is Ruthing about in the announcements room. She tells the ladies and gentlemen of First and Second (sidenote: do all NB passengers get deported to the Chains?) that their Head of Hospitality is speaking. Until yesterday(ish), the Head of Hospitality was Melanie. Ruth doesn’t mention her name, and I can’t tell whether it’s a power move or an oversight. Anyway, she gives the time (1:32pm), and then announces the upcoming surrender.

While Ruth talks, Miss Gillies and Martin have the most obvious, awkward, nervous rebel meeting I’ve ever seen. But none of the other passengers seem to notice! To finish, he passes her a gun. What!? Wow! Okay! Not what I expected of these two, at all!

We also find out that Martin’s kids are called Gavin and Murray. This show loves to double up on names!

Down in the Chains, Melanie cuts her chip out and gives it to Layton. It’s cool I guess, but nowhere near as badass as when Josie smashed her own hand off. With that chip, Layton can open every door on the train - including the safety switch box. Layton reminds Melanie that he’s still not going to forgive her, which is absolutely fair! Roche comes along to laugh at them and check just how terrifying their plan is. If anything goes wrong and they can’t reconnect, then the back half of the train will freeze, and the front half will starve. Let’s hope Layton doesn’t go rogue and do anything stupid!

Layton, Melanie and Roche head up to the first J-link, just a few cars up from the rebel front. They synchronise their watches, and then Roche escorts Layton to the false surrender in the Third class classroom. For a laugh, Lilah Folger makes Layton hold up a Wilford Industries-branded white tablecloth as a surrender flag. The train photographer - because that’s a thing? - captures the moment. Roche is anxious, and gets everyone to hurry up. Again, Grey is nowhere near suspicious enough about this behavior! The commander happily takes Layton and Roche uptrain.

The Folgers are staying in the classroom, though: they want Third to see the new power structure in the flesh. Layton and Roche can barely believe their luck! Before they go, Lilah - in her own, special way - thanks Layton for telling them all about Melanie impersonating Wilford.

Grey leads Layton through the Jackboot army, and tells them to beat him up a bit. Then, Grey, Layton, Roche, and a few Jackboots head down to the subtrain. Roche subtly bars the hatch behind them, then takes a gun from the back of the subtrain car (presumably the one Miss Gillies picked up from Martin a few minutes ago), aims it at Grey, and demands for Layton to be uncuffed. As the Jackboots begin to uncuff Layton, Roche looks away from Grey and Grey attacks him. A fight breaks out, with just three minutes to go before they need to hit the safety switch!

Melanie disconnects, which triggers a series of scenes showing how various characters react. Bennett and Miles are busy in the engine, Till and Audrey wait excitedly, and Lilah Folger quickly realises what’s happening: Third isn’t being uncoupled. They are.

Meanwhile, Layton and Roche unsurprisingly can’t handle four Jackboots between them. Roche is on the floor and the Jackboots restrain Layton while Grey sentences him to immediate execution. But Strong Boy arrives from uptrain, just in time! He launches himself off the front of the subtrain car into Commander Grey. It’s beautiful.

Lilah desperately tries to make her way uptrain back to her daughter, but the doors won’t open. In the tunnels below, Layton orders Strong Boy, ZWreck and Murray to grab Roche and head uptrain, while he runs off to the J-link. He arrives with two minutes to spare, and is about to pull the switch when he notices the prisoners of war in the next car.

In what might be his stupidest move yet, Layton decides to open the doors and take on the guard alone. If he gets delayed (or killed) right now, the whole plan will fail! It’s such a risk! Luckily, he easily takes out the guard, then rushes in to free the prisoners. But he can’t find the keys. And there’s not enough time. Layton apologises to the prisoners, tells Santiago that he loves him, and leaves. The prisoners call after Layton so desperately that they forget their own names and genders (in the subtitles, one of Clay’s lines is attributed to “Santiago”, and another to just “Man”). Layton closes the doors behind him, pulls the switch, and sits down on the floor to cry.

Miles and Bennett successfully set the seven cars off onto the other track, then flick back in time for the rest of the train to reconnect. Lilah wails and worries for LJ. Layton continues to cry on the floor. When they reconnect, Melanie and Layton face off: he realises that she knew he’d have to send his friends to their deaths. She forced him to make a version of the choice that she had to make seven years ago, when she took over Snowpiercer. How poetic! Then, she tells him:

She’s evil, but she’s brilliant.

[olivish]

You are my hope, Alex. Learn to love the people who got us this far, and together, you will build a better world.

PS: Please check the pH of the Aquarium car daily, the coral has been looking a little pale since the revolution.

PPS: also, please make sure someone is spraying AgSec for nematodes and mold - very dangerous stuff! Layton knows the details.

PPPS: keep in mind, I rewired the bogie circuitry for manual override, which necessitates a complete shutdown of all affected systems in the event of a harmonic upgrade. Ben and Javi will NOT remember this so watch them carefully, Alex! Put warning stickies on all important buttons and knobs!

Phew! Okay. Now I’m at peace. Putting my helmet on. I love you more than anything. Don’t trust LJ Folger, don’t eat the noodles in third, and don’t let Ruth get into the schnapps at the Christmas party, she always goes home with someone she regrets.

Oaky. The ink is freezing the the pen now. Really need to go. I don’t want to. With every breath I’m thinking of you, Alex, and how we were, and how you’ll be, the last honeybee.

💙Mom

[twdbegins]

A Better Life

__

Pike x Fem. Reader

Warnings: Language, Mentions of violence and gruesome acts, Sex references.

A/N: Decided to give this a go. I want to make a full disclaimer. This was a challenge considering we know very little about Pike (hopefully we get a season 2). Personality wise, I sort of created him to be rough but *maybe* has a soft side? So, this might be lacking detail, but I attempted not to lead it in a direction where it was necessary. This is purely a trial run fic. Hope you guys like!

Word Count: 1,774

“But this is the only way we can at least try to get some satisfaction out of living.” 

__

You would even be the one to admit that The Tail was definitely not where any normal person would want to be. Some of your fellow tailies would do anything just to have a shot at being in third. The chance to have decent food, nicer clothes, rewarding labor, entertainment, etc. Life in The Tail just plain sucked most days. Food rations constantly being cut, sickness always lingering in the air, being packed together like sardines, and everybody being treated like they weren’t worthy of breathing? Yeah, not exactly a great life. 

Despite all these things, you tried your hardest to be positive. After all, you could be a frozen corpse in what was left outside somewhere. Maybe this life wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but it was still precious to you. You valued every moment that your heart was beating. You cherished the relationships, the family, that had been created in The Tail. You had seen more loyalty in the last six years than you had ever seen in your entire life. Sure, there had been some people leave for the wrong reasons and would forever be marked a traitor. But not everybody is built for surviving in The Tail. So you tried to let it go.

You were the one everybody went to if they needed to talk. You were often referred to as “The Tail’s Psychiatrist”. You encouraged your peers, reminding them what they were surviving for. The little ones in The Tail needed positive reinforcing to be able to live a healthier life. You had no problem being that reinforcement. All of these people in The Tail had been through hell and back. Every living soul here was here for a reason. They had lost loved ones just trying to survive. It was heartbreaking. You had seen so many people reach their breaking point.

Andre was a great leader. The kids looked up to him a lot, Miles especially. Layton was great with kids. He reinforced a little bit differently than you. He encouraged them to fight, but not always to resort to violence. Pike, on the other hand, was another story. He took the violent approach most times. He was all hard exterior, but he was a broken guy inside. Everybody was. 

He rarely was able to see the light side in things. He was a textbook pessimist. Which is why it was so weird that you two worked as well as you did. You still bumped heads (sometimes literally considering The Tail’s overcrowded space) from time to time, but not nearly as much as you would think. Your running theory was that his negativity and your positivity balanced each other out. Either way, you had a “steady relationship” going for you. Still, you often had to use the same positive energy skills you used on the kids on him as well.

He had been walking towards you when he accidentally banged his foot into one of the metal frames sticking out from one of the shelves. He yelped in pain and lifted his foot in his hand;

“Shit,” He hissed with a growl; “Why the hell have I done that three times today?” 

You looked up from what was the beginnings of a small blanket you were currently knitting in your lap. You gave him a scolding look and furrowed your brows;

“Language.” You warned. 

He lowered his foot to the ground and made a face that read what-the-fuck-are-you-on-about as he responded;

“These kids have heard it all. I don’t think anything I say will be a new word to their vocabulary.” He said truthfully.

He had a point. Mostly everybody in The Tail cursed like sailors. It was just another hand in the whole rough and tumble crowd. The kids usually had pretty clean diction, but you still tried to shield them from it. 

“I’m just saying, you could always set a better example. For all we know, they could be the future of this train.” You commented, knowing that Pike probably wasn’t listening to a word you were saying.

“[Y/N], come on. For now, their futures are here in The Tail and that’s it,” He said sitting next to you, resting a hand on your leg; “Poor kids.”

As positive as you tried to be, you were often discomforted by the thought of the younger ones being left behind to run The Tail. You were pretty sure that was ones of the main reason there had been talks of a rebellion...again. Although, the rumors were slowly coming true. You believed a rebellion would only be successful if done for the right reasons. Revenge and anger didn’t need to be the root of it. And the tailies had plenty of anger to go around. You didn’t love the idea of it. Sure, if there was a chance for a more equal opportunity at a “normal” life then you were usually down for it. However, this was different. 

If this rebellion failed, and you had a sneaking suspicion that it would, there was no telling what Mr. Wilford or Melanie Cavill would do. They could cut rations even further, kill everybody involved, put people in drawers, or even detach The Tail portion of the train. That way, nobody here would have a future to look forward to. Pike knew your concerns with it. You didn’t like the bloodbath that was probably going to entail. You didn’t want the attempt to improve living to end up making it worse. He had much more bravery and was always more willing to take a risk than you. 

“Hey, P?” You asked quietly so you wouldn’t draw any unwanted attention from anyone around you. 

He had been leaning against the wall, but sat up to be closer to you upon hearing your tone change. 

“Yeah?” 

You sighed heavily, feeling a growing anxious feeling in your chest;

“I know we’ve talked about it already, but are you and Andre absolutely sure this is going to work?” You asked looking to him for an honest answer. 

That was one thing you loved about Pike. He was usually a pretty straight-forward person. He gave a breathy chuckle;

“No. But are we ever sure about anything?” He asked rhetorically. 

You shrugged in understanding. I guess that was kind of the point of taking a risk after all. 

“Baby, I know you’re worried and that’s okay,” He said keeping his voice low; “But this is the only way we can at least try to get some satisfaction out of living.” 

You didn’t want to admit it, but he was right. The Tail had a lot riding on this rebellion. You knew what would have to happen if it failed. You set your knitting craft aside to fully invest your attention on him. 

“I just want to make sure that all of you know what’s at stake here. The punishment if it doesn’t work...” You trailed off, not able to complete your thought. 

Pike only shook his head. He didn’t want to think about that. The Drawers were not where anybody wanted to be. Being put into a medically induced sleep for an undetermined amount of time was a horrifying thought. It was worth the risk to Pike though. A silence fell between the two of you. The only sounds were the train itself and other bits of scattered conversations across the car. You fidgeted with your hands, not able to look at him. You couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. 

“If we are successful, which I’m sure we will be, just think of all the things we’ll get to have that we’ve been missing out on.” He said diverting the conversation. 

You were still stuck on thinking of Pike knocked out in one of the Drawers with no sight of being awakened. You shook your head;

“Or the things we’ll lose if you’re not.”

His hand was still on your leg, his thumb leaving soft strokes. He couldn’t help but feel a little guilty that you felt this way. However, he did smirk and laugh with his reply;

“That’s not very positive is it, sweetheart? When did I become the optimist of this relationship?” He asked nudging his knee against you.

You returned a laugh. It was rather ironic how the tables had turned. He pulled you back against his chest so you were both sitting against the wall of the train together causing another round of laughter to escape you. 

“Think about it,” He began to say; “Clean sheets every night, being able to actually know what the fuck you’re eating, a shower...” He said naming all the benefits of the higher classes.

You hummed dreamily, continuing his list;

“Warmer clothes, the nightclub, maybe even a glass of wine here and there.” 

Pike wrapped his arm around your shoulders. Your skin tingling when his next sentence rumbled low in your ear;

“Think about having more than enough time to ourselves. Or not having to be quiet at night.” He mewled.

Your eyes dashed around the surrounding area to make sure nobody was listening as a hard blush and grin appeared on your face;

“Pike.” You whispered back, knowing where he was going.

“A room to ourselves. Oh God, you don’t even know the half of the things I’d do to you. I’d make some of the fucking prettiest noises come out of you.”

You were a deep shade of red now. He knew how to get you excited. Of course, physical intimacy was near impossible in your situation. If you wanted to have sex, it was always going to have to be a hard, fast quickie in the very, very back where there was a curtain with a silent prayer that nobody would come in for just five or ten minutes. Even then, you had to be quiet and not draw any attention. That was fun at times, the thrill of being caught made it a little more passionate. But sometimes you just wanted to be able to moan his name louder than a whisper. 

“Okay, well, for now that’s going to have to wait until post rebellion.” You said clearing your throat afterwards to shake off his dirty comments.

Pike kissed your head and grinned;

“Then by hell and high water, this will be a damn successful rebellion.” 

He just wanted a better life. Everybody did. You never once blamed him for that. For now though, you’d just have to make the best of where you were. Just a bunch of tailies just barely getting by. It wasn’t a total loss though. You were together and depended on one another.

You were a family.

[bearofohu]

analysis - wholesome details about layton and luke in unwound future

hi, luke here with another ramble. i’m a sucker for the father/son relationship between layton and luke, so I just felt like comforting myself by typing this up, and also offering some analysis on why they undoubtedly are family. during the prologue of Unwound Future, on the bus scene at the very beginning, Layton says this to Luke while they discuss the strange letter from future Luke

i really really like these two bits of dialogue because during the famous statue scene where luke opens up about departing for america, layton mentions that luke’s father Clark told him about this “a while ago.” 

which means hershel most likely already knew luke was going to move away with his family by now. the reason I think this bit is great is because it implies layton actually depends on luke to a degree for comfort, loyalty, and just having a really close friend around to support you

we never see it, but its quite obvious that in post-unwound future, layton for sure felt seriously empty when luke moved away. perhaps this is why (minor lmda spoilers) he was so quick to adopt katrielle in episode 20. he knew luke was preoccupied with studying in america. perhaps he was desperate for someone to care for, and not feel so terribly empty. (only a handful of years had passed since UF in that episode, so layton most likely was still feeling a heavy void)

he was on the verge of tears when luke was bawling into his chest, and we didnt see him in tears even when emmy departed, or when aurora died, or practically anything else.

and another detail, this one more visual, is when after layton gets teary-eyed when luke says goodbye, in the scene directly after this, i feel like we don’t talk enough about this particular frame

notice how the docks are deserted, layton and his car are all that remain there. everyone else from the previously-packed harbor were probably not there to say goodbye to someone, and if they were, did not care enough to linger near as much.

it must’ve taken at least an hour for the boat to both undock AND get as far out into the ocean. and layton is alone. he stood there and just watched the boat sail away.

another thing to note is that claire and luke (and kat, in the anime) are the only characters that are capable of evoking tears out of a character designed to be stoic and protective over his outward emotions, so this pretty much guarantees that luke is viewed by layton as family. 

layton was written to be a stoic man, and that's not necessarily what i would consider a fault in his character. its a really impactful way to show when he truly, truly has a deep connection with someone, is when a person can crack that stoic exterior, and only three characters have been capable of that.

i kinda like making analysis posts like this, its a good way to take a break from memes, so let me know if you want to see more of these.

in conclusion, luke is layton’s son, it is law, lay/luke shippers will never be valid get the hell off my lawn.

i love you guys, hope u enjoyed reading this, remember to drink plenty of water & stay healthy