#I also just think the idea of Mister having more fire power would be hilarious

[willowbirds]

Not me thinking about what could happen if Mister gets the shard!

Think about it.

He’s an elemental so the shard likely wouldn’t burn him.

He could gain more fire powers, the flames that make up his body possibly turning white or blue with how hot his temperature has become.

Ashton has an arm made of lava rock which could be a perfect perch for the wielder of the fire shard.

If Ashton and Mister are near each other perhaps it gives them a benefit for their elemental connection.

It would be much easier for them to sneak around since they’re one person and a monkey.

Perhaps Fearne could still gain an ability since she is tethered to Mister.

I dunno, I just think Mister makes the most sense to me.

[makeste]

What are your favorite hero names?

oh man there are so many. I had to limit myself to a top twenty, and even that was rough. anyway so first off, a few runner ups because I couldn’t go without mentioning these:

Vlad King - to be clear, this isn’t actually one of my top hero names. but I’m mentioning it here because back when I was first reading the series, one of the fan scanlations -- either Fallen Angels or Mangastream, I forget which -- had originally translated his hero name as Brad King. which, to be frank, would have been one of the greatest hero names of ALL TIME. you can’t imagine my disappointment when I finally learned the truth. it still haunts me to this day.

Jack Mantis - this is Kamakiri (a.k.a. the guy from class 1-B who can grow knives out of his body)’s hero name. my question is, why the Jack. the mantis part, I get! that’s fairly obvious! but the “Jack” is forever a mystery to me. it just adds this little layer of intrigue.

Mr. Brave - this guy is one of the few good things to come from the Basement arc. don’t get me wrong, he is completely useless. but his name? absolutely legendary. this guy, with his power of ripping his own hair out and turning it into a sword (yes that’s his quirk), an ability that could be easily duplicated or bested by literally any jackass who just went out and bought their own damn sword, really thought to himself, “I am going to be the BEST MCFUCKING HERO THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. I AM GOING TO NAME MYSELF... MISTER BRAVE.” and they let him, you guys. they let him.

anyway so now for the top twenty!

20. Can’t Stop Twinkling - this isn’t a name so much as it is poetry in three words. I still cannot believe that Aoyama went up to Midnight with a hero name that sounds more like the world’s greatest Dear Abby letter, and she actually let him keep it. I’m not 100% clear on how this all works, but I like to think this means that Aoyama’s fellow heroes have an actual legal obligation to call him this in battle. I don’t think we as a fandom and as a people really take enough time out of our lives to stop and be grateful for Aoyama’s existence.

19. Uravity - it’s a pun!! it’s so cute and I love it!! and it’s such a perfect name in that it just instantly sums up and defines her whole brand, bringing to mind both Ochako the person and Zero Gravity the quirk. honestly she is one of only a few kids whose hero name I never space out on. with a lot of the others I usually have to pause for a sec and be like “wait, what was their name again?” but never Ochako.

18. Present Mic - this would make a really great band name honestly. I just like it. I’m pretty sure Horikoshi was going for “present” as in the verb meaning “to perform”, like in “presentation”, but to tell the truth I always pronounce it like “present” as in “gift” or “the present time”, which doesn’t make any sense at all, but IT’S JUST WHAT MY BRAIN DECIDED TO DO. anyway.

17. Tsukuyomi - I know this name has its origins in Japanese mythology, but to be completely honest I’ve always just associated it with Itachi’s infamous genjutsu attack from Naruto. I just think it’s the gothest thing ever and absolutely perfect for Tokoyami lol.

16. All Might - there’s just something about this name that kind of makes me just want to pump my fists and go “YEAH!!” I really like the use of “might” as a noun rather than “mighty” as an adjective like you see in so many classic superhero names. it’s just so much cooler somehow. this name really does conjure up the image of the strongest guy in the universe.

15. Midnight - honestly I’m almost mad that this wound up being a hero name, because it would have made a perfect villain name. it’s dark and mysterious and sexy. it’s no wonder why Midnight chose it lol. anyway so my girl is a bit kinky, nothing wrong with that, and it’s also a perfect name for someone whose quirk puts other people to sleep. it’s just such spot-on branding, I love it.

14. Ingenium - fun fact, I had no idea what this meant when I first came across it because I don’t speak Latin! apparently it means “genius” or “talent.” which is a very good meaning for a hero name! but honestly the real reason I love it so much is because it’s Iida’s tribute to his brother, and I am just such a sucker for that kind of shit. damn you Iida siblings. quit giving me all these feels.

13. Shouto – yes, seriously. I know a lot of people hate this name, and it’s always getting flak for being bland and uncreative. but I honestly think it’s a perfect name for Shouto. firstly because Shouto himself is very much the opposite of flashy in a lot of ways. he’s not particularly animated or attention-seeking; he is a very calm, sort of still-waters-run-deep person, and I think the lack of a snappy brand name fits that personality. I’m even more delighted that it hasn’t remotely curbed his popularity at all (at this point I think the only kid hero with more in-universe fans out there is Momo, and even then it’s probably a close thing), and I think a big part of that is that people are drawn to his unpretentious nature, especially in comparison to a lot of the other heroes out there. but most of all, I like the name because of the simple yet powerful way it serves as a declaration that he is his own person. he’s not his father, and he’s more than just a Todoroki. he is himself; he is Shouto. anyway so yeah, to me this is a fantastic name with so much depth and meaning.

12. Battle Fist - this is Kendou’s hero name AND IT’S PERFECT. like, holy shit. what should we call the girl who goes around punching bad guys around all day with her giant hands. how about BATTLE FIST. there really isn’t much more to say about this one, honestly. its greatness speaks for itself.

11. Vantablack - imagine being such an enormous douchebag that word of your douchey exploits made it all the way over to some guy in Japan who spends 95% of his waking hours writing a manga and has almost no free time. fun fact, although Anish Kapoor is the only one licensed to use the color Vantablack, the name Vantablack is still owned by Surrey NanoSystems (a.k.a. the guys who actually invented it), and so I’m pretty sure they’re the ones who decide whether or not someone else gets to use it. I wonder if Kapoor is pissed about his color being referenced in a popular shounen manga. anyways, all of that speculation aside, it really is the perfect name for someone with Kuroiro’s quirk.

10. Endeavor - look, say what you will about Endeavor the person (although I’m personally a big fan of the way his redemption arc is being done and think he’s a fascinating character, albeit a very flawed one), but there’s no denying that Endeavor is a badass name. but what’s really great about it is how it so perfectly captures the admirable part of Endeavor, the one thing about him that’s actually worth praising. he never gives up. he’s always pushing, striving, struggling forward no matter how hopeless it seems. and that’s a worthy trait, and it says something about him that this is what he chose for his hero name. a name that has nothing to do with fire, nothing to do with his quirk, nothing even to do with his goal of becoming #1. it’s simply a name that means to make an effort; to try and achieve something. and I like that.

9. Sugarman - this IMO is easily the most overlooked and severely underrated hero name in the series. it’s a hidden gem. everyone always forgets about Satou just because his power of being a Strong Punching Guy doesn’t particularly stand out in a manga chock full of strong punching guys. but he is a badass and a great character, and honestly “eating candy makes me super strong” is possibly the single greatest quirk in the history of time and I am jealous. anyway, so this is a really straightforward name, but it’s really smooth and catchy somehow and so it’s one of my favorites.

8. Gale Force - this is Inasa’s hero name! it’s another one which is criminally underrated, much like Inasa himself. airbender powers are just so badass you guys. wind is so badass. this name is all hurricaney and tempesty and super cool and powerful-sounding. this is one of those names that I’m honestly surprised wasn’t already a mainstream superhero name. Marvel was all “nah, we’ll just go with ‘Storm’”, like come on you guys where is the creativity.

7. Red Riot - this name is a fucking grand slam. it’s alliterative! it’s catchy! it’s got the word “riot” in it! it’s an absolutely perfect name for a passionate guy whose quirk lends itself towards good old fashioned brawlin’ and head bashing. the fact that it’s got additional meaning as a tribute towards Kiri’s own personal hero is just the icing on the cake. this is another name that Marvel probably legit wishes they had thought of first. it’s easily the best hero name out of everyone in class 1-A imo.

6. Sir Nighteye - hilariously for the longest time it was not confirmed whether or not Nighteye actually had a real name (he does! but I’ve forgotten it lol), and so there was this lingering question, absurd as it was, of whether or not Nighteye’s parents, whoever they are, were descendants of some proud Nighteye clan, and whether they had really, actually named their child “Sir.” anyways though, I love this name. it’s super cool and mysterious and perfect for someone with future-seeing powers, and the “Sir” just makes even awesomer because it implies that the Queen really liked him or something.

5. Mt. Lady - this name is a stroke of genius. supersize-me powers are a dime a dozen, but the characters always have names like Giant Man or Giganta or Goliath. as far as I know, no other superhero characters have ever thought to name themselves after mountains, let alone to name themselves as if they WERE a mountain. like, she isn’t “mountain lady”; she’s “MOUNT Lady”, as if she were an actual tectonic peak. it really bothers me that I can’t adequately describe in words why I love this so much. I just do!! I think she should get an award.

4. Suneater - Tamaki is out here proving to everyone that your hero name doesn’t need to have jack shit fuckall to do with your actual quirk in order to be completely badass and iconic. sometimes I wonder what Tamaki does when people ask him “out of curiosity, why did you pick that name?”, which someone surely must have done at some point. he probably turns beet red and tries to dissolve into the background. but anyway, the general public does not need to know the meaning of his hero name in order for it to have meaning; we know what the meaning is, and that it’s his way of saying “I believe in myself because my friend believes in me”, and honestly that’s all that matters. I am still of the opinion that certain other people whose childhood friends held a lot of unwavering belief in and admiration towards them could do worse than going down this same hero name route, but we will see! anyways Suneater deserves all your respect.

3. Best Jeanist - I had so much love for this name from the start, and then I found out it was a real, actual award. for people who make good jeans, or are good at wearing jeans, or something. it’s run by the Japan Jeans Council, which is also a real and actual thing. but anyway, despite it not being as wholly original of a name as I thought, it’s still iconic, and I love that he went with something that was recognizable while still fitting his quirk, and which has the added implication that he is the motherfucking best, because he is. also, given that he probably chose this name while he was still in school, and that only public figures generally seem to be eligible for the award, this implies that he chose the name Best Jeanist first, and then went on to win the actual award eight years running. presumably because the JJC got very flustered and were all, “IT’S LITERALLY HIS NAME... WE HAVE TO GIVE IT TO HIM... WE HAVE TO”, and so they did. anyway so that was a goddamn power move on his part.

2. Gang Orca - first of all, if you are an orca man, then naming yourself after orcas is a pretty apt thing to do and I have to respect that. but then along comes the “gang” part, out of absolutely NOWHERE, and it absolutely SMASHES. like, this name comes up to you and it slaps you in the face. GANG ORCA. HE’S A BIG AGGRESSIVE DOLPHIN MAN AND HE’S NOT HERE TO FUCK AROUND. IS HE ACTUALLY IN A GANG?? WE DON’T KNOW. BUT HERE HE IS, READY TO YEET YOUR DELINQUENTS AND HUNT YOUR MOTHERFUCKING SEALS. this name fucks so hard it came within inches of the number one spot. he is a ruffian and a champ.

1. Eraserhead - last but not least, the guy who DIDN’T EVEN PICK HIS OWN NAME. his best friend had to do it for him, and out of love, came up with the SINGLE BEST HERO ALIAS IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND. first of all, this name sounds like a very funky and electronicy Thom Yorke song. second, it conjures up the image of a man with a big no. 2 pencil head, which could not possibly be further from the truth. it’s just so whiplashy in the best way possible. third, the very existence of this name is seriously a goddamn miracle. he could have been “Power-Stopping Man.” or “Sleeping Bag Man.” or “Scruffy Hero: Tired Man.” or just “Shouta”, but unlike Shouto there wouldn’t have been any actual meaning to it; it would have simply been a case of him not giving the slightest of fucks about coming up with a real name. but rather than any of these, thanks to the power of friendship we were blessed with the greatest hero name in recorded memory. this is one of the few kindnesses fate has ever bestowed upon Aizawa Shouta in his tragic, exhausting life, and I for one am eternally grateful.

anyway so that’s my list! sorry if I left out anyone’s favorites! but I think all of these are deserving of love. also if you want to see the single best thing Japan has ever come up with, please go visit best-jeans.com. they even have an instagram lulz.

[royal-writer]

If it looks like a snake...

Oohh look at this dusty old thing I found sitting behind the shelves. Welp, this’ll do I suppose.

Another night on the cold hard ground, Essätha regarded with a gloomy sigh. She barely shimmied herself off of the cart and to her feet; which felt wobbly from bouncing on the road, when the groans from some of her comrades began. Speaking her internal dialogue, the faces of her friends all were droopy with abhorrence at the idea of sleeping outside yet again.

Ravamora was the first off the carriage to claim a spot, flopping herself over the nearest worn log at the campsite. She sighed, hiding her face as Aylin hovered to occupy a seat close beside her. His hand patted her head with poised elegant sympathy. His gloved hand almost appeared to be eaten by the dense bounce of her curls.

“I’ll work on pitching tents,” Abernathy grumbled, hopping off the drivers seat. He extended a hand out to Adela, who accepted with smile as he guided the pink Tiefling delicately down the foot board.

“I’ll help,” Sulhadur piped up. His tone by far remained the cheeriest still of them all as he clamored out of the back. Beneath each scaly plated arm, he had the wrapped canvases of their shelters.

“Guess I’ll work on finding firewood,” Essätha mumbled, placing a hand to her aching back. Her eyes flickered ahead of them, to where the Briarton Lord stood. Already ahead of the tasks at hand, the nobleman was walking Maestro to tie her off to a tree a few yards out from camp.

With a sage nod in her direction, Abe turned to look upon Penimra as he purred, “Would you mind aiding Sul and I, mister Korvis?”

“I’ll pass.”

“This one would be willing to help, nister Abe!”

A worn smile reflecting the day’s uncomfortable ride shone upon the Yuan-Ti woman’s face. She offered a look of support to the rounded eyes of the golden bug as they stepped forward. The cleric may be tiny in status, but they were mighty in power.

“Thank you, Pri’cha, your help is always appreciated,” Abe stated warmly, beaming upon them. He turned his eyes to the sulking elf, changing his tone to a slightly firmer implication as he rumbled, “Penimra, perhaps you could instead help by unhitching the horses and tying them off over where Amon is? Rava and Aylin can see about gathering foraged goods to go with the remains of the deer we have. And if you wouldn’t mind also helping in looking for firewood, Adela…?”

“I wouldn’t mind,”she acknowledged, flashing teeth in a lopsided grin.

The elf-man groaned, waving an arm dramatically in the air. His breathy tone gave a tut-tut sound as he replied, “I don’t want to do such a tiresome, mundane job with smelly animals and an old man!”

Curling her lip, Essätha let out a warning hiss in the masked warlock’s direction. “You’re an elf. Doesn’t that mean you’re old? And quit whining; it’s a simple task, Pen. Surely even you know how to tie a knot.”

“I am not old! I’m a respectably age for an elf. Humans age differently, what with their creaking joints and old bones,” he stated, pretending to shake his limbs like a feeble old man.

“Besides, you don’t get to pick sides, Essätha. You’re snogging one of them.”

Her cheeks aglow with a radiant pink, Essie stuck out her slightly forked tongue in response. A very mature response. Totally not at all childish or sassy.

“Don’t be jealous I’m in a committed relationship and you aren’t, Pen.”

“Me? Jealous of you?” Penimra gawked. “Don’t make me laugh.”

She smiled to herself fondly, ignoring the snotty pride in the high-elf’s words with a shrug. She’d only had a go at him in light teasing, but in truth, she’d be jealous of herself if she was, well, not her. Knowing what Amon was like now, understanding the currents of his ocean depths and how they changed, it was exhilarating. She got to experience intimacy from a gentleman who was classy and refined, but who also knew plenty of interesting techniques to have fun.

He was an easy man to love. You fell right into it, without realizing it was there. The gentleness in his touch, the steady calm of his words. He had a strength in his will that made all other things seem brittle and weak by comparison. Amon was dependable in every way; from his wit to his strength to simply just being, and being there come rain or shine.

While the composed orc-elf tried to haggle their whiny magus into manual labor, Essie strolled past the wagon and in the nobleman’s direction. A much more enticing company that beckoned her like a heart fire after a day out in the cold.

Not that they’d be having a fire tonight if she didn’t gather any kindling and fuel to burn. It could wait a few minutes. The darkness wasn’t imminent, and she would be brief.

The dark bay mare’s tail lashed irritably to swat at stubborn horse flies as she approached. Caesar sat obediently at his master’s side where he was most frequently sighted. One long rolling tongue hung out the side of the furry giant’s maw that made it almost hard to believe the dog was meant for hunting. Almost being the word, having seen the mastiff rip open the throat of prey and take a hefty bite out of crooks in their travels.

Caesar perked up first to lift his head and look at her. The heavy wrinkles of his face rose up with his enormous goofy dog-grin and lolling tongue. A subtle swish of his tail turned to excitable thumping; stirring dirt like a miniature whirlwind. It didn’t alert Amon however; even as the beast let out a soft ‘arf’ in the back of his throat, who was accustomed to his companions excitability.

Pressing a finger to her lips in a sign of silence to the pooch, Essätha crept over to the other side of the equine. It snorted at her, tossing their head back and counting a hoof in the dust as the scaly woman reached up to caress the creature’s side.

“Oh come now Maestro, don’t act like that. You like me.”

The horse whinnied in response, shifting closer to where Amon stood on the beast’s opposing side. He lifted his head with the lead still wrapped around his knuckles to glance over at her. He grinned instantaneously as their eyes met. It was irresistible, and made her impulsively craft one of her own in response.

“What are you up to, pretending to sneak up on me like that?” he questioned lightly, pausing to pat the large horse’s to settle her nerves.

Essie reached out, stroking Maestro’s neck as she leaned over to whisper: “If I was sneaking, I wouldn’t have spoke up, and you wouldn’t have caught me until it was too late, m’lord.”

“Really?” Amon drawled, focusing on the binding knot he was making for a time. He paused to glance over his shoulder again, offering a considerate hum. “And what would you done with me, if you’d prowled up unseen?”

She dropped her hand, blowing off horsehair to to acknowledge while beaming proudly, “Captured you into a tight embrace, and submitted you to a shower of kisses. Something like that.”

“That doesn’t sound like a very devious plot, my dear.”

“Who said anything about being devious? If I was feeling a little wicked, I could always deny you the privilege of kissing me back.”

Amon chuckled, dropping the free end of the rope as he finished the knot. He turned back to gaze at her. His dark eyes were lit up with adoration, and his smile had grown so it rounded his cheeks and squinted his eyes with gaiety.

“Now that would be an awful punishment,” the Illiad heir confessed.

“Oh m’lord, no,” she cooed, reaching over the broad animal to caress the tight whiskers at his chin with a tender smile. “You might get a bit antsy, but I assure you, the pleasure of my company would be worth it.”

Her teeth flashed a wide grin as he stared at her, mystified as she finished in a sultry whisper, “I’m sure I could get you to sit down, release your tensions, and allow yourself to be an eager follower for a change. No work, no need to take the reigns, just let it be about you. Sounds nice, hmm, m’lord Amon?”

The nobleman visibly swallowed. His eyes moved over her face in quick flashes as his adam’s apple bobbed. Meeting her gaze, then moving to her mouth. Studying the shape of her cheeks and tresses of hair trying to hide her mocking smirk and examining the fire in her golden brown gaze, or the suggestive quirk in her brow.

He cleared his throat finally, taking her hand from his chin to rest his lips against the edge of her scales and skin. Not a kiss, but the brush of his mouth in a feather-light softness that sent tingles racing up her arm.

“I think you should save that idea, for a more private setting,” he reflected hoarsely, the corners of his lips pulled up.

“Oh, I intend to,” she laughed breathlessly. “I just came over to let you know to be patient with Penimra. I’m sure he’ll try swindling you into unfastening the steeds from the cart to tether, since that’s what Abe’s trying to convince him he’ll be doing.”

The wanton expression diminished from the nobleman’s face swiftly, and he grimaced. “Wonderful.”

Taking her hand back as Amon loosened his grip, she jabbed a thumb in the direction behind her. “I’m picking up firewood. Would you mind throwing bag in our tent, please?”

Creases softened the edges of Amon’s eyes as he murmured, “Like you needed to ask.”

“You’re the best, and I looovvve you,” Essie joyously sang. She placed a kiss in her palm as she stepped back, tossing it gently Amon’s way with a private smile of pure sweetness.

He pretended to catch it in both hands, and placed them against his chest directly over his heart. The spread of the smile on his face meant just for her. Burning with fondness; dazzling like rays of sunshine warming her from the inside out.

“GET A ROOM!”

“BOOF!”

Whipping her head around, Essätha snickered to see Penimra glowering with narrowed eyes of disgust beneath his mask their way. She didn’t get a chance to gloat though, as Caesar came bounding towards the loud-mouth elf in search of attention at his squealing tone. His karma was hilariously immediate, as he shrieked and tried to flee the excitable dog seeking a little attention and affection. Chasing him around the wagon, barking that deep bellowing bork with each bounding step.

Gods bless that dog. What a wingman.

“Caesar!” Amon tried to scold, but his voice broke with amusement.

“Oooh let him have a bit of fun, m’lord,” Essätha giggled, turning for the wood. “He’s getting some exercise, and keeping us all young. Can you blame him for trying to lighten our moods?”

“Don’t make excuses for his behavior,” the nobleman’s voice carried after her, though it lacked any affliction of warning. In fact, he still sounded like he was trying to hold back laughter, as a chorus of other voices chortled and crooned at the sight from the campgrounds.

She rolled her eyes with a grin, and disappeared into the wooded surroundings on her search.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The scaly woman returned with a bundle of sticks and logs in her arms. Some of them rugged, others smelling of faintly dark magic on their freshly cut ends. The earthy aromas of the outdoors seemed to mask the usual aura of sweet honeysuckle and morning dew on her skin, and that of sweat.

Her eyes scanned those surrounding the fire that Abernathy was already tending too. The young elfling and her lackey appeared to be missing, she noted. The soulful bright eyes the rugged nobleman met hers, and lit up like divine moonshine breaking clouds.

She returned the eager grin on her face with one of her own. It hurt her cheeks. He seemed puzzled by her reaction, and it caused the glee written on his features to dilute rapidly. Maybe there was something wrong with her hair? Or something wrong with her outfit? No, she was sure everything was alright.

“Oh ho! Those look like some good burning logs Essätha. You didn’t need to go through all the trouble chopping them up.”

Dropping them in the pile that was already set up, she dusted off her arms and shirt of pieces of bark. “No trouble Abe, it was good practice.”

“Practice?” chimed in Adela. “Feeling out of touch, Essätha?”

“Well,” she mumbled, nervously shrugging her shoulders. “You know, accuracy is very important. After that acid blob I threw splashed on Sulhadur…”

“Please don’t remind me,” a familiar voice called out from their tent.

Adela snickered, trying to hide her face in her hand to avoid the deep scowl she cast the woman. With an enormous huff; knowing she simply had to make due with the mockery, she made her way over to the log that the Protector of the Emerald Expanse sat on. The lines of his forehead were furrowed with a look of concentration as she joined him, examining her once more.

She timidly brushed a self-conscious hand over her clothes. “Did I pick something up, is something on me- Oh-”

Caesar stepped closer, tilting his head slightly towards her. His tail gave a stiff waggle back and forth while he snuffled his face against her leg. The moment she reached out to him, he flinched and took a step back.

Pouting, she curled her fingers to the dog in a gesture for him to come closer. He lowered his head, belly low as he crept forward. As she reached out, her fingers mused along the top of the canine mastiff’s head until he was giving that stupid grin of his, wagging his tail eagerly into the dirt.

“Silly,” she breathed, patting him atop his head.

“Arwoof!”

Her eyes moved back to Amon, and the blank face he wore. It made her heart skip a beat.

“M’lord-?”

His hand reached for her, and she froze. Holding her breath, her tongue darted out to lick her lips. She half expected him to caress her face, but instead, he pulled a small leaf out from the lengthy curls making curtains on either side of her cheekbones.

With a faint smile, he tossed it aside.

“There, much better.”

Sighing with relief, she allowed herself a tight smile. The brush began to shift behind her, and she nearly jumped out of her skin before laughing at herself, recognizing the figures of the muscular Drow and high-spirited elfling.

“We’re back! And we found mushrooms, wild cherries, elderberries, bird eggs, and some onions!”

“Well save the berries for after dinner,” the eldest paladin advised. “And away from Essätha, so she doesn’t eat them all.”

“Hey!”

Rava gazed at her from the corner of her eye, opening her mouth to reveal a cherry pit she spat into the dirt. The little show-off monster.

“Hand them to Pri’cha,” Adela added, giving the rogue a parental Look. “I’m sure you had enough on the walk back to satisfy for a while, Rava.”

“We may have had to return to pick some more,” Aylin agreed calmly. “Since we found the onions after, and once digging them up, realized we were out of cherries…”

“Greedy hairball,” the scaled woman joked, sticking her nose up to the child as she offered her goods to the Thri-Kreen. The young elf stuck her tongue out at her in reply before looking away.

She watched with comfortable calm as the others went about taking apart and cleaning the mushrooms, piting the cherries, and breaking apart the onions to add into the pan on the fire. Her butt shimmied across the age-smoothed wood of the log and closer to Amon, so their thighs brushed close. He wrapped an arm lightly against her waist as she rested her head to his shoulder, sighing. Her eyes upturned to stare up at his face, but it was impassive and focused on the flames and crackling pan of vegetables and meat.

Must be hungry, she mused with a yawn while cuddling up against his side. A good meal would do her some good. Get some rest, wake up to some leftovers, and get them all out and moving in an orderly fashion.

It should be a piece of cake.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Stretching, the scaled woman smacked her lips as she sat down the empty mess kit tin she’d been feasting out of her. Her tummy felt warm with the meal. It wasn’t too bad, Aylin had added some herbs he’d found and the peppery taste wasn’t too bad. The onions were strong though, no amount of cooking had broken down the sharp aftertaste it left on her tongue.

“Ugghh I missed the taste of breakfast,” she remarked. “The eggs might have been chewy but they were better than Sul’s pheasant a few days ago. I could use something sweet though; maybe a danish, or-”

“PANCAKES!” the tiny elfling shrieked at the top of her lungs, raising both arms in the air.

Penimra winced, shoving the child off her seat with an elbow while clasping a hand over each pointed ear.

“I’m right beside you, kid. You don’t need to yell.”

“She’s just excited to get moving,” she defended, giving a sympathetic smile to the child as she scrambled back over the wood. Her expression was irate, but Aylin’s visor turned to black holes of rage as he glowered in the Gibbith follower.

Grabbing hold of her mess kit, she dunked it in the nearby bucket of purified water to rinse off before wiping it down. She was on her feet quickly with a grunt, wiping it down with a rag as she walked through the campsite, straight on through to where Amon was adjusting the bags on Maestro’s saddle.

“Good morning, m’lord!”

The nobleman jerked with surprise. He looked over his shoulder at her, with a still glazed look in his eyes. Not enough sleep, she surmised easily. She reached out to the pony as she stepped past, and it turned its head to her. A vacant and bland look of an unintelligent creature, its teeth chewing on some feed it picked up from the ground.

Amon was silent, fixing the straps so not to be too lose or too tight on the beast. It lowered its head as she ran her fingers through its mane, snatching up another mouthful of whatever grassy weed it found suitable to eat at the moment.

“Good morning, Essätha.”

“Don’t look so down. If we don’t take too many long breaks, we should reach the rest point town on to our next destination,” she pointed out. “That means actual bedding, and a homecooked meal from real cooks. Sounds good, eh?”

He gave her a weary smile of tiredness, nodding his head.

“I suppose you’re right,” he agreed, patting Maestro on the neck.

She beamed at him, and went to skip back to the camp. Her bag still needed to be repacked, and thrown into the wagon.

The nobleman looked from his mare to her with unease before going back to tugging the leather straps into place.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was a lengthy day ride, with only enough stops for bathroom breaks. She tried not to be too chatty, but everyone was interested in babbling today, so she entertained and dabbled in conversation here and there. They laughed, they groaned, people rolled their eyes and everything went smoothly. Well, with the exception of the ride itself, as they rocked and bounced along the road.

She could see the glow of lanterns in houses and outdoor street lamps as they rode on through the path towards the tiny town. Her smile grew wider the closer they got. A thrill in her chest, nearly bubbling over the edge.

As they came to a halt, nearing the stables, Amon was the first off his horse. She remained where she was near the front, whipping her head around and snorting. In the most courteous of fashions, he hurried to the back of their wagon to offer out a hand to her.

Quirking a partial smile in response, she accepted.

Her boots thudded to the ground, and with violent suddenness, she was yanked around. A shout of alarm alerted the others, who turned their appalled faces towards the commotion so fast their necks probably got whiplash. She tried to struggle, but her arms were restrained behind her back in a tight grip and a blade was close to her throat.

A threatening voice bordering on hate rasped close to her ear, chilling her to the core.

“Where is Essätha Meduza?”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Their mouths hung open with shock. Amon couldn’t understand what their astonishment was about, unless they were more stunned by their own ability to see the truth before them. How could they stare upon this imposter, and think she was their Essie?

“But how did you know?” Pri’cha whispered with awe, looking up at him.

From behind the priestess, he could make out Penimra muttering, “She must have kissed wrong.”

He remained silent, looking down at the brunette glaring up at him. All she could do was glare daggers at him behind dark brown eyes, with her arms bound and voice muffled beneath the improvised wrappings to keep the casters from hexing them. She was admittedly close in stature to Essätha, which helped her illusion, but she still was not Essie. Not quite as thin, no where near as ethereal.

He hadn’t kissed her. Not once. It wasn’t a kiss that alerted him. He didn’t need a kiss to know.

“We need to get to the theater immediately,” he growled, raising his eyes to the others. “Before they realize their ruse has ended, and they do something to the real Essätha.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He dropped his sword. Not bothering to wipe the glistening blood off, or even sliding it back into its scabbard. It clattered to the floor beside the dead guard as he rushed across the room in a haste. His boots caught up on the uneven carpet, but he saved himself from tripping over it or the furls of his cloak as he made his way over to the shackled figure kneeling beside a desk.

Amon’s hands shook as he reached up to her, gingerly examining a knot her forehead. She shied away nervously from his touch with rounded eyes. Speckles of dark brown stains; dried blood he realized, were on her clothes as well as the gauzy dirty fabric they’d wrapped around her mouth and throat.

“Just sit still a moment longer,” he muttered, reaching around her head to find the gnarled knot. He leaned around her to work on it, realizing how it was entangled in her tangled locks. Flecks of dried blood came off her roots and onto his fingertips as he worked the material loose. In a few careful loops and rips, he managed to unravel the cloth to unwind it from around her face.

Essie coughed weakly as fresh air hit her dry lips. Amon hovered, his hands splayed out but not quite touching her. He went to reach for a dagger at his hip as another hand appeared in his peripherals, before realizing it was Abernathy’s hand. He turned his eyes shamefully away for a moment, as the teal man grazed his fingertips to her shoulder to expel a wash of healing light over her bruised form.

“Here,” Sulhadur offered, holding out a waterskin. He accepted it with a grateful nod, and pressed it into the Yuan-Ti woman’s shaky hands.

Her face grew splotches of discolored flush with embarrassment at her weakness. He looked from her shameful eyes to her hands, and gently took the water back. He uncapped it and sat up higher on his knees, offering her the drink with a steady hand.

The eyes of their friends turned away. Some respectfully; not wanting to ogle at the dilapidated state of their comrades. Others were more sheepish to see such an act of open love and devotion. Careful not to spill a drop, or tip too far despite the rapid gulps of her parched throat.

When the container was out of water, Essätha gasped dizzily for air. She tilted forward uneasily, right into Amon’s awaiting arms. The metallic smell of blood was in her hair, mixed with sweat. Her face nested against his upper chest with a god-awful tired sigh of gratitude.

"How did you know she wasn't me?" Essätha echoed in a belated echo to their friends, a ghost of a smile on her face. She peered up at him beneath lengthy dark lashes, just barely leaning back from his torso for him to properly see her expression. His worn hands glided along his sides gently, up to her shoulders in slow circular motion.

"They were pretty convincing. Even to me, it was like looking in a mirror. When she jumped me in the forest, I couldn’t believe I was fighting… me."

Amon offered a quiet scoff. His fingers; already knotted in the ringlets on the side of her face, stroked along her cheeks as his forehead pressed to hers.

"She didn't have your eyes," he murmured, observing the rush of pink dust over her features. "Or hold her smile, the same way you do. Or laugh; lacking your giddiness and charm. And she wasn't nearly as lovely and witty as you."

The cast of color grew darker as he spoke, until she was nervously glancing from him. Her hands; the palms he recognized for their gentle ways, laid over the hands he rested to her cheeks. The rounded edges full in his hands as she smiled. A gentle, nervous smile that he could recognize a mile away. Oh that fiendish mole had thought she'd pulled the wool over their eyes; having spied on them so long, gathered her intel damn near to the letter but he was not so easily blinded. She'd lacked the character and depth just as much as she had the tell-tale cues of her body language.

There was only one Essätha. And now she was right here, safe in his hands, staring up at him and away with all the bashful, squirming timidness of a woman who was so used to not being seen for who she was inside.

But oh, how he knew her. No magic or makeup could ever make him forget this splendid face. All the layers and spectrums she had; each one more stunning and wonderful as the last. She was unique; unparalleled, a one-of-a-kind you could not simply steal the vision of a face of and become. He would recognize her anywhere in a crowd of false deceivers wearing the same illusion; his darling Essätha.

He knew the truth the moment he saw the fake. Even prior to Caesar’s odd reaction, or Maestro’s careful curiosity. They had sensed the change in a way the rest of them could not but he could be blinded, and still feel the wrongness in the air and in the tone of the stranger. He had to be sure though, when to lead them on and when best to strike.

Now they had deconstructed at least part of a cult out to manipulate and destroy them from the inside, in one swipe of the blade.

Not that that mattered an inkling to the gravity that was having his Essie, safe.

Amon released the flawless perfection of her face, to wrap his arms carefully around her. She squeaked with alarm as he hoisted her up princess style. Her body leaned into him as he rested her against his chest, where she scrunched up tightly to grasp the fur lining of his cloak in both hands. A vibrant and pleading light glimmering in her butterscotch eyes. A look that simply couldn’t be faked, couldn’t be replicated, and was brimming with shyness, affection and appreciation.

As the group scattered, most moving to leave while a few stranglers inspected the room for anything they might have missed, Amon glanced down at the heart-melting warmth of the smiling face, looking up at him.

“Let’s take you out of here, and get you somewhere safe to clean up, eat a hot meal, and get some rest.”

Puzzled, Essie’s smile faltered a little before reigniting. She unfurled her fingertips from one hand digging into the bear fur to reach up, and cup the side of his face.

“I am safe,” she whispered. Her head shifted against his shoulder; eyes darting around to catch sight of the figures of the strange gaggle of people moving around before meeting his regard once more.

“I’m safe and I’m home, because I’m with you.”

Amon sucked in a startled breath of air, his arms clutching tightly to the maddening grin of a woman so utterly beautiful, she made him speechless. And he most definitely in that very moment, was speechless. Searching her stunning face, wondering how in the world he got so lucky to have someone so gentle and kind in his life. Not for the first time, but the unwavering dedication and boundless love was more than he ever deserved from any woman, let alone to have one in his life that he once had raised, and now one who looked at him like he put the stars in the sky.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he leaned in to rub his nose against hers, listening to the charming melody of her elated giggling he knew so fondly. He squeezed her close, his voice a thick rasp spoken in a billowing softness to her.

“Then let’s go be at home, together.”

[elizabethrobertajones]

Pre-Wayward Sisters Rewatch Notes

1x09: HAVE SOME PATIENCE WHILE WE GO TO MISSOURI

I've been through here so recently but it still cracks me up in the intro when it recaps that Mary "is never coming back", and then the ground it goes on to cover with her which is literally just her season 12 arc she returns to deal with properly. It's pretty much neither here nor there, and while technically I'm rewatching this for Missouri, I have to admit I'm like 90% coming back here because of the phone call parallel to 13x01's prayer because I like tormenting myself and that really sealed the deal on if I would come back to rewatch, since I covered seasons 1-4 in the hiatus.

It's interesting to me that the recap covers so much of the already established Winchester Family History circa 1x09 because it's going over the mythos of the family that led us to this point where we go to the home to explore all this and dig down into the emotional drama behind everything... To actually expose some of the things that we've been sitting on until this point. Our first sight of John since the Pilot, and Mary's last moments in her chronological story until 11x23.  And beginning to get into the mystery of the evil that was done to Sam, and Mary's part in it.

The reason I say all this is because obviously when we get to the season 13 episodes introducing us to our Wayward squad, the recaps of the episodes are going to have to cover this same ground - to tell us who everyone is, to bring them into the fold and to tie their stories together. Hopefully by the proper Wayward Sisters episode when we've had all the new girls' stories, we'll get a recap with a very similar feel: just a straightforward "this is the family, do you want to find out more about them?" sort of explanation.

I also remember from the rewatch I did in the summer that the Home one stood out to me for being so focused only on the Winchester mythos and the surrounding ones were more about the monsters and fighting and "saving people hunting things" that the family focus felt far more important here even before the episode started.

It's weird, it makes me preemptively excited to see the family come together just because I know they'll have to do the montage, and like this one was in a low key way, it will high key be a special event, because it will be ABOUT the new family we care about.

-

I am momentarily distracted by how this episode opens on Sam's vision and then him obsessing over drawing the tree from outside the house over and over. I watched 1x17 last night with my mum and it reminds me of this season's great subtle mirroring and repetition of moments and ideas and motifs, when Dean is obsessing over his mystery symbol. That was the silly example of this to break the tension but to keep consistency through the season, subtly repeating ideas in a way that just keeps it all kind of the same aesthetic, of Sam and Dean doodling on motel paper... Anyway, reminds me of Dabb era's methods but they have 12 seasons of past canon to play with and in season 11 it was extremely blatant the way they revisited old ideas and told us they were shaking them up and doing them differently or just bringing them back for our consideration. I wonder if anyone ever collected up all the ways season 1 internally mirrors itself. It's really just a spiral of mirrors that unlike the character development spiralling closer and closer to a desired end, this spirals out and out that the more canon there is the more there is to reference and repeat, and so it grows exponentially in mirrored subject matter...

At this point Wayward Sisters is going to have a bit of a job navigating the story to tell its own stuff in a fresh way without falling back on the repeated ideas - I don't know if we should be looking for mirroring or if introducing the characters as part of Supernatural's main canon means they can be used by the narrative in this way but only when they get to their own show will they then build their own language. The new show means they can play around with new ways of telling things and the tropes will probably be very different all over the place. Like, for once I'm not expecting a new psychic character to massively mirror Sam, even though Home and how Missouri and Sam bond over his powers is obviously like the main reason to come back here to rewatch before we get an episode where she does it with her own granddaughter. I don't think there's anything evil behind Patience's powers especially if we're assuming they're inherited from Missouri and they're not going to introduce some weird ideas about where those powers came from - it's enough having them I think :P

On the other hand if Patience is being hunted by a hungry wraith that likes her powers then it IS a parallel to all the interest in Jack for HIS powers. We'll see how it shakes out but once they're in a show where they're the main characters (and I really hope Patience is the POV character - I think actually not long after I was talking about that somewhere I saw an interview suggesting she WOULD be, which is AWESOME) then the fact that Patience is/was a Sam and Jack mirror will be utterly by the by. Really I just hope they don't bend her to meet the perfect criteria for a mirror but develop her for herself and put Sam and Jack in her shadow.

-

Sam realises they need to go home and this is the motivation to reveal that he has been having psychic nightmares - the fact that someone is in trouble and needs saving and the only way to explain to Dean why he knows this is because he suspects he's psychic. For narrative parallels to whatever might happen in 13x03 purposes, I'm interested in how Patience's story compares to Sam's, as she is reconnecting with Missouri by the sounds of things, and has her own issues with being disconnected from her family probably - this episode is still filled with massive disconnects and both of their parents withholding information or just outright avoiding them, seemingly for their own protection. (Mary being rather more direct about protecting them in a heroic way than John, hiding in the shadows refusing to confront them with the mytharc knowledge about Sam). Patience is prooobably going to be out of the loop on what's happening to her, or out of the family loop, which means that this is going to be personal discovery for her too.

-

Oh hey and then Sam gets them through the door into the house by using a conditional amount of the truth (they're sam and dean winchester and they used to live here) just like in 13x01 Dean just used the truth to the sheriff and got her on-board and them out of jail with that frankness... Sometimes it pays.

-

OH GOD Dean having to relive the fire by telling it to Sam... and 13x01 starting with Dean re-imagining/dreaming/having a vision about it again :<

-

I swear I started this trying to tell myself I would not make this about Man Pain because this is the Wayward Sisters watch but I am an addict

-

Dean goes to make the call and there's a big blue shipping container thing beside him and it's so claustrophobic, like he's chosen the most confined secret space to make the call... It's in total contrast to the vast open space he prayed in - but he STILL shuffled into the shadow of the (blue) building in order to make the prayer and get that illusion of privacy and confinement. The wide shot as he goes in here shows him behind the car and weaving between gas station junk and between these two buildings/large structures. In 13x02 just the random car parked at the back stops Dean from being entirely alone and exposed. I'll take that as a commentary on his layers and how open he is being, although it's sort of awkward when both times, of course, he's going for a super private call that he's going to open himself up for completely, revealing deep down things that have never been exposed before.

People literally started loving Dean about this exact second of the show because he broke so wonderfully to cry and reveal he's not all his top layer stuff. I think someone on the superspecpod (2 of them?) said/agreed on this moment.

-

Of course we can assume Chuck is listening and not acting, not just because he's omnipotent and abnormally attached to Dean of all humans, but also because John literally did hear this voicemail and either already was in or came straight to Lawrence.

-

God the fact he makes the call in front of the men's room but then it's the buccaneer's room in 13x02... what a goofy episode... I hate it... Pfft

-

THIS IS SO HARD TO WATCH.

I rank Dean's pain proportionate to his experience, and this is definitely the worst he's ever been at this point, mostly because we never see him cry until then.

He certainly is dealing better than in 13x02 because he still has a job to do and it might be hard but at least he has some sort of focus and a reason for being there, and even if everything is all messed up (he has to be back here AND Sam has just revealed he's psychic) that's not completely and utterly unbearable in the same way losing Mary and Cas (and even Crowley) has made him shut down so hard in season 13. There's no forward momentum for him. Jack is not enough of a motivation >.>

-

SAM: All right, so there are a few psychics and palm readers in town. There’s someone named El Divino. There’s, uh –-[He laughs.]—there’s the Mysterious Mister Fortinsky. Uh, Missouri Moseley—

Dear lord bring back these other guys just to kill them off for the epic 13 years of continuity you could get for free.

El Divino would be hilarious because I'm guessing the divine -> cas connection would be especially hilarious to play on

-

These lines are moments apart:

SAM: [reading] I went to Missouri and I learned the truth. [...] DEAN: Why didn’t you tell him? MISSOURI: People don’t come here for the truth. They come for good news.

Yeah, not that she gave John any.............................. or did she not tell him EVERYTHING she suspected/read about what had happened to Sam in that night? Exactly how far-ranging are her powers? Could she have seen what Azazel did by proximity to the attack around the time it happened and to John? She could see that dude's wife was having an affair, which is out of his knowledge range, so does that mean she knew about Mary's deal, which is loosely coded as infidelity to John with Azazel?

Gaaaah.

-

but oh NO - Missouri takes one look at Sam and Dean and specifically analyses Sam's woes as missing his dead loved one and Dean's as his missing parent...

*flippy flippy to season 13's entire framing of their loss*

-

TBH Missouri getting annoyed at Dean asking where their father is is probably specifically because she knows exactly where he is, aka hiding in the spare room upstairs doing whatever angsty things John does, and she's trying to shake Dean off of asking, and she is probably not that great at lying when she is in the middle of it all instead of just cheerfully telling people what they want to hear.

-

Maybe the whack you with a spoon thing was also to make Dean so uncomfortable with her he wouldn't keep bugging her for info about things she did not want to admit right then.

Keep them on track

-

I do feel like she was here to challenge them, not to nurture them, and I think it's weirdly the same issue people are having with Mary in season 12 and Dean "parenting" Jack in season 13, where she is not actually meant to be a motherly character, and I have historically had no issues with her in the past, before fandom and everything needing to be tuned to being good to your fave or otherwise the Worst. She's interesting and introduced even just with that guy she lies to as being mercurial and emotionally untrustworthy. She lets them behind the veil as it were since they know she's really psychic but clearly using that power carefully and not being too accurate all the time for people when the truth hurts and her powers can be better used for reading people and working out what would be best to tell them... But for hunters it's a different story... but that doesn't change her default personality... Especially as the end of the episode reveals she has been withholding literally the object of this season's quest from them at this early stage. She literally plays them like her customers except with the personal plot info she can't tell them.

So when she goes through the door saying Dean's not the sharpest tool the shed, she is not a person in a position of emotional responsibility to them, we just see Sam and Dean as scared confused little ducklings (like Jack in season 13) and people being harsh with them, especially I think when we come back to them with years of seeing them grow up and grow harder, so they're all soft and fluffy and mostly unharmed at this point, it's so easy to be defensive of them... And I mean I AM because DEAN, but not so much I think this means Missouri is a horrible person or that she's cruel or Dean shouldn't give her the time of day in season 13 or whatever. I find her to be interesting and she's an obstacle they DON'T overcome because she is twice as fast as them with her psychic advantage so she can help them for the GREATER GOOD, but conceal their much more personal issue from them, making her a minor (friendly and great good-motivated) antagonistic as far as the stuff that matters on the character side of things goes.

In season 13 she has nothing to lose in hiding things from them or lying to them, I bet, especially as she appears to be the one asking them for help rather than them coming to her, so I assume she will be more open, and I also assume that with 13 years space in between, Dean is not going to hold a serious grudge for the way she treated him - because those words are just a few from a one-off meeting with her rather than a childhood of negging or something. Like with Mary she doesn't have responsibility over them as adults, or a moral obligation to them in the same way a recognised caregiver would.

If she can read inside their heads and treats Dean this way she is doing it for a reason and she's running circles around them to not reveal that John has been in contact with her or that even at this point perhaps she knows he's already in town.

-

OH NO the nursery scene... This is where it all happened. A dark energy in the room...

And now we know that Jack being born and sloping off to the nursery to hide in the corner was heralded by a wave of powerful GOOD energy, not the "toxic" energy of Lucifer and the same thing that Azazel corrupted this room with.

-

Also Missouri calling Dean an amateur for using an EMF meter might be more of the negging but this scene is Missouri being a serious professional at the ghost hunting thing just by  being herself... I think since she's coming back and it will be a less personally charged episode - pretty much has to be - then her natural competence at hunting will be an asset. She might not be able to handle wraiths as easily as ghosts but she certainly has a whole load of real spell ingredients and knowledge about things that really work for actual hunting. She's not a hapless bystander even if her day job is fortune telling...

-

Oh and then we have Sam out-psychic-ing Missouri. Probably because he's got demon blood but it is interesting what might happen with Patience - if she's more sensitive than Missouri as well, or if they have the same level of talent. It would change from being ominous about Sam - with Missouri as our default example of what the generic psychic of this world building can do as the season 1 intro of such a character, and how Sam is unnerving because he can do more - to a story about outgrowing the talent of your elders and forging your own way in the world with your own strength that only you can define since help can only go so far when you outshine them... In storytelling purposes I can't really imagine they won't make Patience as good as (but with a better innovative mindset) or better than Missouri (in raw power) just because "oh here's a slightly less psychic character" just doesn't really sparkle off the page as a hook. We'll see, but I can imagine it being kinda like the stuff that happens with Sam here, but not in an ominous way, just in a way that Patience is going to move on and join the Wayward Sisters.

Of course Missouri could just die and motivate her even if she has average/normal powers, because she won't be measuring herself against Missouri and it would be a motivation to be as good as she was from a start where her powers are a bit wonky.

(Although with Jack around I can see them being veeery tempted by her being super powerful but not knowing how to control it yet just for the sake of having a parallel.)

-

I am still not over Sam saying he can "see" Mary now before she appears to him, neatly book-ending this scene and 12x22 and Dean asking Mary to see HIM, and basically the fact they stole literally Mary's entire arc in season 12 from the staging of this scene.

And if you want to keep recycling it in reverse, she burns up again in 13x01 in Dean's dream, to cap that all off.

Wheee

-

It's weird having Mary on screen in this over-dramatic OMG it's MARY way where it's the most amazing thing that's ever happened, and then we got a whole season of her where she was just kinda around :P

-

SAM: What’s happening to me? MISSOURI: I know I should have all the answers, but I don’t know.

And yep she's still lying to them and hiding everything she knows, and as such even though she's kinder to Sam since he's probing her less and less snappy than Dean, she doesn't give him the exact advice and information he needs even though apparently she and John knew a hell of a lot for ages...

You know what I would like? This is a total pipe dream, but for her to tell Dean what she actually knew when they met her, and maybe even apologise for withholding information because John said it was for the best and all. Because Sam was FUCKED UP by all this and honestly considering it's all one emotional arc right through the show it makes you wonder what Sam being given actual information by someone other than Azazel when it amuses him to do so would have ever done to help him figure out who he was, what was happening to him, and how he should react to it.

He's sitting on these steps feeling probably somewhat the same as Jack did in 13x02 where he was sitting on that crate in the alley, although from a less aggressive situation, just, kinda reflecting on everything that happened. He sees there's a pattern in everything kicking off, and now Mary apologises to him... And he's got these powers he's only just daring to even voice exist and grappling with what will be his myth arc for basically ever... And Missouri lies to him and withholds information he needs. John knows stuff about Sam - he DIES knowing more about Sam than they ever did until waaay too late. He probably knew BY THEN that Sam had demon blood, which wasn't revealed until the end of season 2, but logically follows from John's last words to mean that whatever reveal about Sam came at the end of the season, this is what he was worried Dean had to save Sam from (or kill him) at the start of the season when he could last have any input on that. And he spent most of season 1 chasing Azazel or working out how to kill him rather than researching Sam so I go back to wondering if Missouri put most of it together herself.

I wonder how much she didn't tell John.

I wonder what she DID tell John the moment the credits rolled on the episode and they were free to talk plot without spoiling anything for us. Did Missouri get him a cup of tea, sit down with him and tell him her full professional opinion of Sam which kicked off the entire everything else John did re: Sam? It's only a couple of episodes before he's on the other side of the country chasing leads on Azazel.

I wonder if she'd tell us any of this 13 years later...

...

I bet she says basically nothing, but these are my hanging questions about season 1 and 2 which ONLY she can enlighten us on.

-

"Don't you boys be strangers!" "We won't." "See you around!"

welp, sorry Alpha Vampire and "see you next season" but this absolutely and emphatically takes the cake now she is actually returning at long last and it's not just an amusing line about her never coming back - it's an amusing line about her not coming back for thirteen freakin years.

-

Oh look it's JDM

-

This rewatch is so weird and messed up about what characters and plot things we're going to pass through. Sure the Wayward Sisters are utterly embedded in the show and even w/o the Patience thing go back more than half it's run - 3/4 of its run in fact - but they appear in such strange places tangential to massive happenings that following the characters around is going to be The Most Chaotic Rewatch Ever, for someone who likes meta-ing patterns.

I mean after this my next episode is to hop along to Claire's intro.

-

Anyway, John resisting going to see them but "not until I know the truth" which I assume is not the reason Chuck is being hands off in season 13 but I assume he thinks he has his reasons not to intervene.

John learned the truth from Missouri about monsters and the like, but now he's chasing the much bigger, plot important truths... It's going to mean he basically never sees his sons again, except for the prolonged contact at the end of this season/start of the next where he's sitting on whatever he knew about Sam which prompted his last words to Dean. I seriously, SERIOUSLY wonder if him saying he needs to know the truth ties back to "I went to Missouri and learned the truth" and that she DID tell John that Sam has demon blood and she put it all together between their initial contact and meeting Sam with his powers activated in their present day.

Oh gosh, I am sure someone has come up with that before, probably 13 years ago, but still. That's a good conspiracy to end on...

[charleecat-bat]

Fandom Meme

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.

Uuuh, well, lemme think, for fantoms that aren’t sonic stuff, I enjoy Retsuko and Haida because adorable. Angus and Gregg from NITW is too adorable for it’s own good. 

Sonic wise, well, I’m not strong on my ships but they’re are some I do think about or do think are matching, I think Shade and Knuckles are a good match, I enjoy Espio and Tikal, especially in my canon. 

I do love Locke and Luger a lot though, since I can see them working in my canon, but other then that, I’m not huge on ships so eh. 

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.

Locke and Luger, mainly because they were related but then with some fanart and talking with friends of mine, especially @terraqua111, I started to like it and my friends had a point that they were too distantly related for it to matter anymore. She also showed me Lien-Da and Xenin which I liked. 

I also didn’t consider Locke to be paired with anyone else before Luger, then I saw @lockewat‘s ship, Chuck and Locke... and I thought it was quite suiting as well. 

Two other ones are Vanilla and Big because that was so adorable and that would be such a peaceful relationship good god it’s what they’d both need, so many picnics for dates. and @motobugg did some work on Rouge and Wave which I have never considered and I immediately thought... damn that would actually work a lot. XD Also Shadamy at some points due to a friends artwork and Shadow would be balanced from Amy’s personality that he would need.

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will. I’ve never been big on Julie-Su and Knuckles, in the comics it felt kind of forced to me, same with Sonic and Sally, that I don’t see them suiting each other at all. 

D - A pairing you wish you liked but just can’t.

Ummm, I don’t know, I can’t think of one. 

E - Have you added anything cracky/hilarious to your fandom? If so, what?

Uuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh, I don’t know. 

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?

Sonic fandom. XDD Been in that for around 8-9 years. Since I was 9 or 10 years old. 

G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it?

I think it would’ve just been Shade and Knuckles. lol Again ships aren’t my life. 

H - What is your favorite source text for fandom stuff (e.g., TV shows, movies, books, anime, Western animation, etc.)?

Mainly ongoing stuff, I know it started with games, so I guess games? But I enjoy shows/series as well. 

I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why?

Ummmm... not that I know of. 

J - Name a fandom you didn’t think about until you saw it all over Tumblr. (You don’t have to care about it or follow it; it just has to be something that Tumblr made you aware of.)

Animal Crossing? I didn’t start playing the phone game until I saw people talking and reblogging stuff about it, then I tried it. 

K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?

Well, in Steven Universe, a lot of the character have great arcs, that who their true opinions and colours, like how Amethyst had self-hating habits, Pearl didn’t think she was worth much, and seeing Peridot’s growing into a whole different gem, it’s really cool.

L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. (Characters you’re neutral about are fair game, as are characters you merely dislike. Characters that you absolutely loathe with the fire of ten thousand suns are exempt, as there is no point in giving yourself an aneurysm over a character that you hate.)

I’ll go with um... Lars from Steven Universe, I didn’t like him much as a character at first, but I could understand his insecurity and being unsure on how to act and how to show himself, and being scared to show his true colours... but now he’s showing his own worth and letting himself be who he is with the Off-colours, which I can genuinely appreciate about him, he’s much better as a character now. 

M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend.

Can I say the entire brotherhood? XD I would love that like you wouldn’t believe. 

N - Name three things you wish you saw more of in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

Just more Brotherhood content in general, uuuummm more monster-related AU’s? I don’t know, maybe more merchandise too? I don’t know I’m not all that demanding about content. o-o I’m terrible at this. 

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

All the Way (Jacksepticeye fan song) is the one that came up on shuffle, and it reminded me of Hawking, at least my version. I could imagine he would listen to this to motivate himself or something like that. 

P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas).

...Trying not to say Monster AU for any sort of fandom CRAP TOO LATE-

But what about a Shape of Water-esque AU? 

Q - A fandom you’ve abandoned and why.

I haven’t really abandoned any fandom? o-O R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?

When they’re not a couple and they’re just best friends, Locke and Luger I guess, they act like big dorks. I don't know, I don’t think about relationships much besides family ones. 

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)

Hmm, well, I feel while Locke doesn’t know what his main sexuality is right now, he’d feel he’d be in writing (sexuality)/Asexual, as he never really had sexual feelings, he only had sex in order to have his son, and he honestly never liked it all that much. 

I also have a head canon that Steppenwolf is afraid of humiliation, or just making a fool of himself in social situations (he’s got a very well hidden social anxiety), so if he saw a bunch of people staring at him and whispering to each other, he’d instantly become worried about what he did. 

Another head canon is that I love to imagine Sabre can swordfight very well, and the person who taught him is surprisingly Tobor. As he was very good with a sword and shield combo back in the day (before his injuries). 

T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending? 

That Steppenwolf is a werewolf okay not really, I’m not really about strong head canons that I would ‘die defending’. I just like the thought of him being one because it’d be ironic for his name... and it’s just with me for so long man. 

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

Steppenwolf (Sonic Fandom I guess)- I still don't fully understand why I liked him, I simply did but nowadays I just find the character I made him an extremely interesting character and every time I’ve wrote something or drawn something to try and cheer myself up, it made me feel he’d be a very strong, protective and oddly supportive in his own way. I’m not sure. I’m weird. 

Lapis Lazuli (Steven Universe Fandom)- I just want her to be happy, I find her really interesting, her powers are really cool and I just want to know how things turn out for her, it just sucks that she tends to disappear for long periods of time. 

Angus (Night in the Woods)-He’s a bit underrated but he’s just so cute to me, especially with how others draw him, I love his character and I feel bad for him when he takes about his abusive childhood and issues growing up that made him who he is today, made me want to give him a big hug. 

V - Which character do you relate to most?

Well, I feel I can relate to Angus at a few points, always feeling like I have to be the responsible one, being usually quiet and wanting to hide in corners in parties (and your friend that you stick to is your corner in those situations), 

I also feel I can relate to Retsuko from Aggretsuko, always trying to keep calm and from losing my temper, also Mister Ton kind of reminds me of my dad at some points... and he can piss me off just as much as he does with Retsuko so yeah. 

Part of me also feels like I relate to my version of Rembrandt, he’s an artist, he deals with a lot of emotional issues, he’s insecure about his body size/weight, very motherly/fatherly and protective. 

I dunno. 

W - A trope which you are virtually certain to hate in any fandom.

Annoying characters that think they’re full of themselves and practically perfect while thinking everyone else is below them and everyone is unworthy of their ‘greatness’... or mary-sues. 

Or just a needlessly dramatic moments or moments of anger and arguments that don’t need to happen. 

X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom.

Kind of the big strong protective one with a heart of gold and is very loving whether they show it or not, or big ass ones who are strong as hell but are really just gentle giants.

And probably monsters stuff like werewolves or stuff but sometimes that can backfire and become annoying. 

Y - What are your secondhand fandoms (i.e., fandoms you aren’t in personally but are tangentially familiar with because your friends/people on your dash are in them)?

Team Fortress 2 is one, have a few friends who like that game while I don’t like it much anymore for personal reasons, some horror fandoms like Five Nights at Freddy’s, Little Nightmares all of that. Idk

Z - Just ramble about something fan-related, go go go! (Prompts optional but encouraged.)

Umm... I always strive to make my Guardians unique in different situations, hell, I imagined they were in certain AU’s or in certain video game situations, like a fighting game, I’d like imagining like ‘finishing moves’ they’d have or the type of weapons they’d have, or even simple stuff like hobbies or favourite foods. Just stuff like that... and I will try everything in my power to be unique, like in my Gem AU, wanted all the gems to be different and at the least unique, and the same with the Monster AU, only Thunder and Steppe’s are the same but they have a difference. 

Okay that’s enough. ^^; This was really difficult surprisingly. 

[willshowerthots]

The Misadventures of The Batfamily

A/N: Written in script form, an rp between my friends and I. A what if we were adopted by the batfamily, cuz why not. Fanfic, lots of crack, lots of angst (soon), We do not own the batfamily, because if we did we would not be doing this. I personally would have written Bruce veeeeery differently. *Whispers: If you guys only knew how we write Bruce the first few times, it was hilarious* Now then this is more for our enjoyment than anything, if you guys enjoy it, go ahead, if not well haters gun’a hate hate hate hate hate~ ^.~

Summary: When four half siblings wished to be a family and made a deal for it to work, they never thought that they would be adopted by the Batman of all people. Although it’s not as if being the charges of one Bruce Wayne is an easy thing, they also have to struggle with sacrifices they’ve made and conflicts that seems to arise at every turn… not to mention the already complicated problems the Bat Family currently have. An overly affectionate acrobat, a supposedly dead rebel, an insecure genius and a demon brat of many skills and pride.

Chapter 1: Shenanigans

A flash of bright light and suddenly four beings were thrown from the vortex, almost immediately the portal closed and the skies dimmed back to their normal midnight blue color.

Rafael: Ugh, well that was unpleasant. *shakes head and blinks at his companions.* Everyone okay?

Mikhael: I don’t feel any different. Sera? Israel? How do you guys feel? *runs his hands through his hair*

Israel: Man, that must’ve sucked. That hurts, somewhat. Oh well.

Sera: Something feels odd, but I doubt they're that important right now. *shrug*

Rafael: Great! Now that we’ve established that everyone is safe and sound. Where the hell are we? *glances around, blinks and looks down* Woah, it really worked? *Touches boobs* I’m a woman! Then that means… *Opens pants and looks inside* Ohh so that’s what it looks like!

Mikhael: Easy there bro, I mean sis. There are kids here. *summons a mirror* My power seems to be working fine here. But why do I look less Asian here… *breaks mirror*

Israel: What the Heck!!! *shields eyes with hands, traumatized forever*

Sera: *slaps Ray's hands* Stop that!

Rafael: Ow! What? Oh yeah ahahah kids, sorry? *smiles sheepishly* Do I look any different? Aside from the gender change of course. *Glances at Mika for answer, ignores the freaked out Israel*

Mikhael: Not really, except for those little things one would call hills. You’re still obviously an idiot though.

Sera: *sighs* I'll go find out where exactly we are.

Israel: MY EYES HAVE BEEN BURNED!!! *still panics like a smol egg tart*

Rafael: *side eyes Israel* Calm down smol Ray, everything’s fine. *glance back to Mika* Oh! Thanks, Mika! *hugs Mika tightly into her now big bosoms*

Mikhael: Let go of me you incompetent man, I mean woman. I’ll take care of this *proceeds to erase Sera’s and Isreal’s memory of that event* there. Better?

Israel: Huh? What happened? *blinks innocently*

Sera: Seriously, Mikhael? I can feel you poking my mental shields. *pauses for a minute  and blinks in confusion*… Oh, ha! My magic’s stronger here! You didn't account for that!

Rafael: NEVER! IWUVYOUUUU!!! *hugs Mika tightly*

Mikhael: I’m surrounded by idiots. *shakes head, tries to kick Rafael away*

Israel: Wait a minute! If you guys changed! Then so have I! *grabs Ray’s ‘bosoms’* Have I changed too, schwester?! *puppy dog eyes*

Rafael: *let’s go of Mika* Hmn, well yer hair’s gotten whiter and yer eyes changed colors from violet to blue, I miss the midnight black hair, smol Ray! *ruffles his hair and hugs him into bossoms*

Sera: GUUUUYSSSS READY YOURSELVES!!!!!! I'M BEING CHASED BY IDIOTS!!!!!!!!! *throws an illusion of a weak fire spell at them and causes a mild explosion behind the bandits? No Idiots* OK! I did not expect that!

Rafael: OoO Uhh… Shield me, smol Ray! *throws him bodily into the fray of burning men*

Israel: @w@ What?! Whyyyyyyyyyy?! Aadhjfnqkwenc.

Mikhael: Idiots. They’re all idiots. Why? Why must it be me? What did I do to deserve this. *freezes the idiots in their place*

Sera: Don't blame me! I had no idea that would happen! I expected it to be an illusion! I just wanted to scare them! *She sighs before throwing a very under powered, in her opinion, Blizzard spell at the Idiots in front of her*

Rafael: Cuz why not? 8D Yev always been the smarter one! >D Now then, my turn! *pulls out cane sword and unsheathes it to decapitate said bad frozen men*

Israel: *almost got his head chopped off* Be careful! Ya almost chopped my head off!

Mikhael: Rafael! Don’t put your brother in harms way. Sera! you need to have more control over your powers over here. Israel, well, don’t be an idiot, you’re overreacting.

Sera: Hey! I told you my magic is stronger here I didn't know if it would affect my illusions! *pauses* Oh wait I wasn't here when I said that.

Rafael: Tsk, such a pity, I would have wanted roasted pork for dinner. Oh well~ *grins toothily*

Israel: I’m not overreacting! You lot almost got me killed! *sluggishly sits on the ground like a child with his hands crossed over his chest*

Mikhael: So what do we do about the idiots? I mean, the dead idiots. *points to the pile of decapitated bodies*

Rafael: *shrugs* Cook em? Eat em? Serve em to the poor? Why not? Anything is possible.

Sera: Why you even kill them in the first place?!

Israel: OoO HUH?!?! I AM NOT A CANNIBAL! Well… not yet anyways. Are they tasty at least? *contemplates human meat*

Mikhael: Well, lets see. *casts a spell to “cook” the mangled bodies of the idiots* here we go, human stew. Do you also want some? You dark little shadow thing up there? I hear human meat tastes like chicken.

Sera: I ain't eating that. *grabs a peach from her bottomless bag* Thanks for helping me enchant this Mika! Hey Batsy! Do you want a peach?!

Rafael: *whistles* Amazing!  So that’s what cooked humans look like. Hannibal is accurate. Hey come join us, this looks like fun. *offer roasted human leg*

Mikhael: *nods at his little sister while stirring the pot of cooked meat*

Batman: *calls alfred* Gotham might have a situation.

Sera: Help me Batsy! These egg rolls are crazy!

Israel: @_@ My family is weird, help me mister bat sir! *whines pitifully*

Batman: *jumps down from the rooftop and lands in front of everyone in silence as he observes more*

Rafael: *Stares at Batman equally, then grinned and threw the roasted human leg at him* Hah!

Mikhael: *makes the pot of human meat disappear* Well, well, well. What do we have here? A grown man who dresses up in a weird bat costume that fights crime in the dark of night. There’s something you can’t solve with therapy. *casts a spell over batman's head*

Israel: *Runs and tackles Batman* Heeeeeeelppppppp meeeeeeee~ *whines like a dog* I dun wanna eat human meat! It’s icky and tastes like metal! It’s not even sweet!

Sera: *is still holding her peach as she runs to hide behind Batman. Glares at Ray and Mika .* Egg rolls *she muttered*

Rafael: Didju see that?! I threw the leg at him! He didn’t even blink! It’s like one of those british army men thing guarding the London Square! 8D *points at Batman with intrigue*

Mikhael: What my dear sister? Use your words. Also Rafael don’t provoke the man, bat, thing. He already has enough problems of his own. Like dressing up like a bat, and acting like a stalker, all the while wearing the word “creepy pedophile” across his forehead. *removes the spell*

Sera: You Egg rolls *still glaring* I will slap you both with leeks *is clutching Batsy's cape the peach core is thrown at Ray's face and summons tomato illusions to throw at both Mika and Ray*

Rafael: *dodges projectiles gracefully like the well experienced spy that he, well she is* I will continue to provoke the man, bat, thing! WAHAHAHAHA! I do what I want Th-I mean Mika! I shouldn’t mention that name, pop culture references aren’t a good thing with these time line things after all.

Israel: e.e showoff… *Clutching Batman’s face*

Sera: Stand still dangit *she glares more intensely* (If looks looks could kill Ray and Mika’d be dead by now)

Mikhael: I am standing still. *disintegrates whatever that is thrown at him without even raising a finger.*

Rafael: Ahahahah~ No can do, mi souer~ *Does dramatics flips and elaborate parkour moves*

Israel: Lil Ray, maybe you can stop? I dun think being angry is going to solve your problem. What is your problem by the way? *tilts head innocently like a pupper*

Sera: *Stares at Israel*

Batman: *eye twitch* ….. *what is this thing doing on my head* ….. *why is that thing dancing* ….. *why is this thing pulling my cape, what is it throwing* …..  *why is that thing just standing there, why is that not getting hit by whatever this thing in throwing* …..

Mikhael: You realize I can read your mind right? How disrespectful of you to call me and my “siblings” “things”. You’re one to talk. You’re an overgrown man wearing a batsuit.

Rafael: *dramatically clutches chest* Ouch! Thing, he used thing! So mean! I am a person! A human being, good sir! *makes dramatic noises worthy of an oscar role, or well trophy*

Israel: Hey! That’s mean! *punches Batman’s head* Ow! Your head hurt meeeeee! *whines*

Sera: Why am I a thing~!!!!! *pulls Bat's cape HARD!*

Israel: Harambe! URAAAA! *tackles Batman again and wrestles him*

Sera: Mewwwwwwwww!!!!!!  You’re crushing meeeee!!! >^< *flailing arms*

Mikhael: What do you think you’re doing to my little sister? *makes batman float in midair, releasing Sera* You stay there. *watches batman struggle to get down* Isreal! Behave! Look what happened to your little sister.

Rafael: *snaps* How dares you crush my lil Ray! *charges forward with all trap cards drawn and thrown, explosions erupted and pulls out his cane sword and tries to decapitate Batman*

Sera: hic-hic *sniffles *

Isreal: *whimpers like a puppy* But… But… I thought you were going to force feed me human meat… And then the mean man called me a thing. I didn’t mean to… *runs over to sera while crying and hugs her*

Nightwing: Wait! Stop! *drops down and intercepts the cane sword with his escrima sticks then pushes Ray away, falls on his feet with his hands up in surrender* We didn’t mean any harm, right Batman? *gives Batman a meaningful look*

Mikhael: First a man in a bat suit, now a man in a unitard. Great, just great. *shakes head in disgrace* maybe your boss should explain why he was spying on us.

Rafael: Tche right, he was crushing my lil Ray! *points to the still floating Batman, then whispers to Mika* Although you have to applaud him for even having the bravery or foolishness to wear said tights in public.

Israel: *still crying like a lil dogge* I dun care boutchuuuuuuuu *pets and snuggles face all over Sera, including tears and snot*

Sera: Stooooop Isra I will burn you to a crisp or turn you into a popsicle *still sniffling*

Israel: But you needed comfort! I’m trying to be nice! Because bruder said sooooooo! *whimpers and continues petting but stops snuggling, tears and snot still dripping down his face and nose*

Sera: Let gooooo you're disgusting!!!!!!! *teary eyed but not crying anymore*

Mikhael: Take care of your face *summons a handkerchief in mid air* Here, *summons another one for Sera*

Rafael: *Grimaces* Ew… *grabs the handkerchief and bodily wipes the tears and snot from Smol Ray’s face then Sera too*

Israel: *Sniffles* Thwankwyou.... *fiddles with the handkerchief* Sworry *snaps fingers and Sera instantly gets a change of clothes, looks at his feet dejectedly*

Sera: Thank you… *hugs him* I'm still not happy about the snot though.

Israel: Yay~ Boo~ *hugs and nuzzles his now clean face into hers*

Rafael: *smiles adoringly* Ahh ma babies~

Mikhael: Of all the families I had to be born into, it had to be this one. *sigh*

NIghtwing: Aww, cute. See B, they’re harmless!

Batman: I beg to differ. Look *shows Nightwing a video of the Hunter family killing and cooking some bandits*

Nightwing: Magic? Wait. Shouldn’t we call the League for this?

Rafael: *whispers to Mika* I think they’re talking about us? What do you think we should do about them?

Mikhael: No shit Ray. *facepalms* I’m not sure, should we kill them all?

Rafael: Hey! Language! Kids here! *glances at both Lil Ray and Smol Ray* I’m game for that. But then Lil Ray will try to kill us with her stare again. *groans*

Sera: *Turns to Nightwing and stares with “sad” eyes* cheep~ cheep~ cheep~ cheep~

Israel: *doesn’t care about what is happening around him, just satisfied with ze hug, nuzzles Sera some more* Baaa~

Nightwing: *stares* I’m calling the League, yep *Calls the Watchtower* Uh, hi? Superman? Yeah we have two kids here and two teens who seem to be metas? Yes I need help trying to make sense of what is happening in here because I have no idea what is happening and B refuses to talk any more than what he normally does. I know, just get here!

Rafael: O.o What the fu-heck? Almost slipped there.

Mikhael: You realize I can just as easily kill Superman and anyone in the League right?

Israel: Are we going to jail, schwester? Bruder? *looks up with big goo goo eyes* I dun wanna go there, there are many bad people there. *whimpers and clutches Sera tightly*

Sera: *teleports to Nightwing and tugs his arm lightly eyes pleading*

Israel: Ehhhh? Whyyyyy? *close to tears, making grabbing hand motions*

Rafael: Uh-oh. *Grabs Smol Ray and hugs him into her bosoms* There, there, lil buddy. *Sweatdrops, why did I become the mother like figure…?*

Mikhael: This is getting out of hand. *pauses everyone* Let’s just get this over with. *casts a spell over Batman and Nightwing to proceed as planned, and makes Superman forget he ever got a call while erasing any traces of a call being made to the Watchtower*

(Somewhere in the skies of Gotham)

Superman: What am I doing in Gotham? I need to get back to the Watchtower.

(Back with Batman)

Batman: Let’s just adopt all of them.

Nightwing: What? B you realize that these people aren’t exactly normal human beings right? Why would you want to adopt them? Aren’t we enough for you?

Rafael: I have no idea what is happening. *clutching Smol Ray with an incredulous expression*

Israel: *Gives no cares*

Sera: *tugs at Nightwing’s hand again*

Nightwing: *glances down at her* … Uhm… *doesn’t have an idea of what to do* B? *stares at Batman helplessly*

Mikhael: Carry her or die? *shoots Nightwing death stares* Pick your poison.

Rafael: *Snarls like a mother hen* That’s my little sister! Ya better not drop her!

Batman: I think you better do as your new siblings say.

Nightwing: @w@ What? What is happening, B? *bends to carry said child confusedly* new siblings?

Sera: Yay!

Rafael: *nods in satisfaction* Now what did you mean by adopting us? Mister tall dark and batsy? *smiles creepily*

Israel: Uh-oh, Schwester is mad! *raises fist in the air victoriously like an idiot*

Batman: Pancakes. Let’s go have pancakes, as a family.

Nightwing: WHAT?!?!?! @w@ *really confused now*

Sera: Double Yay!

Rafael: Hmn… *eyes Batman suspiciously* I have two eyes on you batboy. One foot out of line and kweeek! *gestures finger to throat*

Israel: DIDJU SAY PANCAKE? I WANT BLUEBERRY! *makes grabby motions again*

Mikhael: Let us proceed.

Nightwing: WAIT. WHAT IS GOING ON??? Is there even a pancake house open this late into the night, B?!

Rafael: I’m with you on this kid, but whelp, let’s just follow the children, yeah? *pats Nightwing’s shoulder empathically and nods head*

Mikhael: Everything is going as planned sister. You wanted a “happy” family right?

Rafael: Ohh yeah, sorry man. *pats Nightwing’s shoulder again* I stole your dad. Well technically they did, I dun want a dad. I already have one, he’s very much a better dad than well… that. *points to Batman*

Mikhael: This wasn’t my first choice either. Blame the stupid twin.

Rafael: Desho??? He’s such a… a… bat...

Batman: To the pancake cave!!!

Israel: Yay! Pancake cave! *wiggles and jumps from Rafael’s hold to run over to Batman and tugs on his cape.* Carry? *makes grabby motion*

Rafael: I… I feel abandoned… My baby… *internally screams*

Batman: *bends over to carry Israel* Let’s goooo! *flings his cape around idiotically* To the batmobile!

Israel: Yay~ batsy batsy! *pounds on batman’s head all excitedly*

Sera:I wanted batsy…. Oh well, I have Nightwing!

Nightwing: *facepalm* B… why…? What happened to you? *hands Sera over to Rafael* Then I better go to my Wingcycle. Catch you guys back in the… pancake cave… sighs. *shoots a grappling hook and swings away with style*

Sera: Nooooooooo

Rafael: *watches Nightwing ‘fly’ away with a deadpan look on his face* Of course I’d be unwanted… after all I’m not even in a unitard or hot muscley like him. *mutters bitterly* Indeed… pancake cave… is it really a pancake cave? Please tell me it’s not made of actual pancakes?

Sera: Nooo I want you too I just like Nightwing too

Mikhael: That can be arranged.

Rafael: No! Please don’t! I don’t think the children need an advance dose of sugar rush, Mika.

---

~End of Chapter 1~

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 243: Happy New Year

Previously on BnHA: The government was all “shit what are we going to do about Shigaraki Tomura and his Actual Fucking Army of villains, oh I know, why don’t we draft some child soldiers” and so they brought back internships and made them mandatory. Class 1-A had the Christmas party to end all Christmas parties, featuring 20 unique custom-tailored Santa costumes, enough chicken to feed Tomura’s entire Actual Fucking Army, and one (1) giant sword that somehow made its way into the hands of Eri, First of Her Name. Tidings of comfort and joy were had by all, and to cap things off, Shouto invited Bakugou (who by the way was having a lot of thoughts about how Best Jeanist asked him to reveal his new hero name the next time they met, because Horikoshi knows what kind of angst I like) and Deku to come intern with him at the motherfucking Endeavor Hero Agency and make everyone’s OT3 dreams come true.

Today on BnHA: Deku visits his mom on New Year’s Eve and the two of them ball out at the Make Me Cry Olympics. There is a whole plotline all about Hawks getting coffee, and I’m trying to figure out if it’s really just coffee or if THE ENTIRE SERIES SECRETLY HINGES ON THIS ONE SCENE omg. The next day at the Endeavor Hero Agency, Endeavor is all, “welcome! fuck you,” which may or may not be setting the tone for this whole arc. There’s a brief flashback to All Might congratulating his sons on their internship and saying foreshadowing things like “your new quirks probably won’t go fucking apeshit again” and “you’re a lot like Endeavor, this internship will be good for you!” Back in the present, Endeavor dramatically leaps over a railing and blasts off to go fight Monk Gyatso with the disaster trio hot on his heels. Hawks then shows up out of nowhere and the text is literally all, “WHAT’S HAWKS DOING HERE?” and seriously though. What are any of us even doing here. This arc has only just started and I already have no idea what’s going on and I fucking love it.

(All comments are my unspoiled reactions from my initial readthrough of the chapter. I did a quick edit for grammar and clarity immediately afterward, and added a few ETAs in the process, but aside from that there are no changes.)

loooool

is she going to be all right

-- also! WE’RE GOING TO SEE THE PARENTS AGAIN HOMG YES. HORIKOSHI YOU’RE ON FIRE WEEK AFTER WEEK YOU MAD DOG

(ETA: literally the only way he could end his streak was by going on fucking hiatus. son of a.)

oh shit I forgot that they had the cover and a color page this week! this is great

by the light (ba da dum ba da dum) of the silvery moon (ba da dum ba da dum) I want to spoon -- holy shit, what. do you ever look up the lyrics to a song you vaguely remember from your childhood twenty-five years later in order to make a bizarre joke in a manga recap and you’re like “!!?!?” lol what the fuck. this shit is from 1909. old timey pervs

anyways this may be my favorite Jump cover ever. colors are amazing, art is super cute, it’s the whole package. Aoyama and Iida are killing me. I need that Iida ball in real life, I would seriously pay real money

and now the color spread!

where can I buy that U.A. hoodie. I’m not kidding, I need it in my life. the U.A. logo is great because it doesn’t scream “LOOK AT ME I’M AN ANIME FAN” unless the other person also watches said anime, in which case that’s awesome because the two of you can become best friends and bond over how you’re both nerds with impeccable taste

Kacchan out here holding a fucking root beer like we don’t all know the truth. yeah tough guy you go to bed at eight-thirty and you’re third in your class at the top high school in Japan. but you keep on trying to preserve that image. also this kid is singlehandedly making wifebeaters high fashion I swear to god. it’s a talent

Kirishima looks so good in v-neck shirts yes you go Kiri!

Mina is here!! Mina is part of the main character squad now, everyone! that’s right!! Iida Tenya was booted out after he refused to partake in this photo shoot due to moral outrage over the fact that they’re shooting this at what appears to be a crime scene. a vacuum cleaner was murdered in cold blood omg

Ochako not smiling is such an unusual look for her (and Mina and Kirishima too for that matter) but holy shit. I like it

TODOROKI I’M TRYING TO REACH THROUGH THE COMPUTER SCREEN AND UNBUTTON YOUR TOP BUTTON. HOLY SHIT HOW CAN YOU EVEN BREATHE. RELAX

so the new character book is out October 4, eh? I think we knew this already, but maybe this time the date will actually stick in my mind. anyways, so doing the math, that leaves Kacchan three more chapters (including this one) to reveal his hero name. boy you have a deadline get to work!

YESSSSSSSSSSS

MY NEW YEAR’S ARC MAY NOT BE HAPPENING, BUT AT LEAST WE STILL GET TO SEE THEM RING IN 2217 HOORAY

damn that’s a lot of narration in the first panel

“while accompanied by guards” oh shit. and yet, I get it. I like how they refer to it as “the chain of events that led us to move into the dorms” rather than “that time Bakugou got fucking kidnapped.” they are not letting that happen again. good

IZUMAMA YESSSS

at least he’s being open with her about it! come on Inko, push through this. he’s already got 240 other things he’s still not telling you, don’t give him any more reason to keep being secretive

oh my god now Deku is like “anyways do you remember Eri?” and he’s reaching into his pocket now, holy shit?? WHATEVER HE’S PULLING OUT IS GOING TO BE SO FUCKING CUTE, ISN’T IT

oH MY GOD!!!!!

THIS SON OF A BITCH IS JUST GONNA KEEP ON AMASSING A COLLECTION OF ADORABLE AND HILARIOUS LITTLE KID LETTERS, ISN’T HE. LISTEN HERE DEKU YOU MOTHERFUCKER!! THAT PIC OF “MISTER DEKU” IS -- I’M -- !!!!

“I was hardly able to do anything for her” ?? you SAVED HER LIFE?? you BODYSLAMMED OVERHAUL INTO THE GROUND?? YOU GOT US ALL OUT OF THAT ACCURSED BASEMENT? listen here you modest little shit you need to stop doing this. you even taught her the true meaning of quirks for crying out loud. you are the actual best

god the way he is staring at this letter is giving me too many feels for a Thursday afternoon. these are like Saturday night feels. this manga never goes easy on me

same Inko same

oh my god now Inko is launching into a speech about Deku’s sad childhood I can’t with this, MA’AM PLEASE

“covered in bruises” oh my problematic ship. oh this nuanced manga with its intricate layers of feels. this is the lasagna of mangas

hello page 3 is just one big assault on all my emotions and I would like to report this to someone help I am being besieged

oh my fucking god Midoriya family. I’m trying to process all of this and just!!

like. she’s known all this time how big his heart is and that he doesn’t care about himself and just wants to protect others. but for the longest time he was powerless to do it. but still he kept dreaming and she kept looking on waiting for that day he’d finally give up, ready for his heart to break, bracing herself. and then this miracle happened and he got a quirk and all his hopes came true and he got to go to his dream school, and now he’s training to become a hero just like he always wanted

and everything special she always saw about her boy is shining so brightly now, and everyone can see it, and he’s become so strong. but also he’s growing up so fast. he’s gone from being someone she had to protect to someone who’s strong enough to protect not only her, but everyone. strong enough to carry the world on his shoulders

just. can you even imagine. how much pride she must feel, in addition to the relief she’s expressing now. but also the loneliness of knowing she can’t hold on to her baby boy forever and he’s on the verge of going out into the world and leaving her. in fact he basically already has. anyways I came here today for some Three Musketeers antics and now I’m sitting her with Izumama empty nest feels, what is this

-- yo, what?? he’s starting the internship on New Year’s Fucking Day? U.A. doesn’t fuck around, goddamn

(ETA: seriously, no rest for the weary here. both Endeavor and Hawks are as busy as ever too. poor Hawks, who never wanted to be a hero to begin with, spent New Year’s Eve undercover trying to drown his sorrows in sugary coffee. of course, Jeanist is spending his New Year’s either in hiding or dead, so.)

anyways so he’s bidding his mom goodbye and getting onto a bus, and he’s all bundled up in a scarf but can’t be assed to wear a jacket, apparently. whatever Deku

AHHHH WHAT IS THIS NOW

AND OH MY GOD LOOK WHERE HE IS

THE LEAGUE OF PLIFF’S HEADQUARTERS AT THE OL’ OVERLOOK HOTEL. watch out for the elevators. Toga probably really likes them though

“where did you run off to number 2” um, he’s still a top ranked pro hero? what, do they just expect him to never do his job ever again? even if they think he’s on their side, they must realize that he needs to maintain his so-called cover

anyways, fucking Slidin’ Go is back, guys. when is someone going to punch this slippery bitch in the face

wow he’s seriously chewing Hawks out for flying off without permission. can someone please just deck this mouthbreather already

oh my god

this motherfucker really truly believes he is Hawks’s senpai. imagine having the same power as a fucking banana peel, and being so deluded you actually think you outrank a double agent of indispensable value, who also just so happens to be Dabi’s best friend, and oh yes, THE NUMBER TWO FUCKING HERO. I don’t even know where to begin with you, Slidin’ Go

oh snap but he’s immediately being called out on his BS lol this is great

twenty microdevices?? holy shit. that’s gonna make it really difficult for him to actually report back to the heroes

maybe if the PSC gives him twenty of their own little spy cams. then the only challenge is for him to try and remember which are which

lmao look at this little metaphorical drawing

isn’t this the Hyrule Castle level from Breath of the Wild

anyways don’t mind me, I’m just sitting here trying to figure out if there’s a double meaning to these two panels

is Skeptic just really bad at making small talk, or is there something here that I’m totally missing?? did he witness something during Hawks’s coffee run?

(ETA: this seriously reads to me as some kind of coded threat, but it makes no sense given the rest of the conversation. he goes on and on about how useful Hawks will be in helping them spy on the heroes, but then calls attention to him sneaking out to buy a single can of coffee. in conclusion I am probably overthinking this way too much, but it’s odd. maybe he really is just trying to be nice and coming off as weird and creepy.)

now we’re flashing back to Hawks’s last report to the PSC

if this is after he met up with Dabi then why does he still have the bag? WHEN WILL THIS STOP HAUNTING ME. I’M SO TIRED OF WAKING UP AT NIGHT IN A COLD SWEAT ONLY TO SEE HAWK’S BACKPACK STANDING THERE RIGHT NEXT TO MY BED, WATCHING

-- SDLKGHSLDKHFL

lmao this scared the shit out of me. Enji what the fuck

yesssss it’s mah boisssss

wow, he’s pretty weirdly enthused about the whole thing, huh? I expected him to bitch about it more. since Shouto basically offered his friends the gig all on his own without any consultation whatsoever. that’s called nepotism Shouto but it’s okay I forgive you

anyways. so are the Endeavor offices located in THE FUTURE. or what. is this Epcot

DKFJWELKFJL

LOL THAT’S MORE LIKE IT. FOR A MOMENT I THOUGHT WE HAD SLIPPED INTO SOME WEIRD ALTERNATE UNIVERSE

hahaha exactly

well I’m glad I’m not going crazy, at any rate. anyways though, Endeavor trying his best to be a good dad and caving in to his son’s ridiculous demands because he’s trying to make up for TWO DECADES OF BEING COMPLETE GARBAGE is pleasing to me as always. deal with it Endeav

HE SAID DEAL WITH IT!!

oh my god Katsuki is saying something holy shit, the next few panels will set the stage for what could be the sleeper hit character dynamic of the year. ghghkghhhhhh

( ⁰ o ⁰ )

oh my god

(ETA: Katsuki I have written whole essays about how perceptive you are and then you just. sob. now that he’s finally starting to ease up on the whole Angry Asshole thing, his inner dumbass is really shining through.)

YES HE IS AND THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO, YOUR BOURGEOIS SON HAS FALLEN IN WITH THIS CHURLISH ROUGHNECK FROM THE HOOD, DIE MAD ABOUT IT!!

lmaooo

that mental image omfg. HE WILL PUT UP WITH THIS SUFFERING IN ORDER TO GET CLOSER TO HIS GOAL. what a sacrifice. the pros outweighed the cons. it’s logic. I can’t, I

and Endeavor being so fucking mad that Shouto picked this asshole to be his new best friend sob. YOU CAN’T STOP THEIR BROMANCE IT IS UNFOLDING BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES

anyways I love everything and I’m all set for the mentoring to begin. bring it onnnn

so now Deku is being surprisingly earnest and thanking Endeavor for accepting them into his agency

and we’re getting our first glimpse of Deku’s Upgraded Feelings About Endeavor oooooh juicy

Deku is so good at seeing into people’s hearts. and so forgiving. we already knew he was -- the inciting event that led to the whole fucking series wouldn’t have even happened if he wasn’t -- but I’m honestly still so impressed every time I see it

(ETA: and also, this means that he still went and told him off during the sports festival even though he was scared of him. kid is the fucking role model to end all role models.)

also I’m already sensing that this chapter (and indeed, this entire arc) is going to prompt more Discourse up in the ol’ fandom. that’s going to be fun. anyways, I’ve already essayed more than once regarding Endeavor’s redemption arc, so I’m not going to spend too much time hashing out the same old points. but basically my stance is I’m fine with it. I think it’s good to show that people can change no matter how far they’ve gone down the wrong path. it may not be easy, but if they’re genuinely remorseful, and if the desire is there, then why not? I’m not gonna get up in arms because someone is trying to become a better person. the alternative is that they stay terrible, and that doesn’t help anyone

anyway, so now we’re flashing back to what appears to be a conversation with All Might, and oh my god

but you guys. listen. Katsuki is there, again. they’re not even discussing OFA this time and he’s still there! elbowed his way into this mentorship like the determined little shit he is, and now he’s not leaving and you all just have to deal with it. oh my god it’s everything I ever wanted, someone please pinch me is this real??

lol and now they are discussing OFA, but that’s okay. it’s only natural that would also be on the agenda

really, All Might?

you consider that “just fine”? that bloop? just as planned?? I know you love your son, but maybe consider raising the bar for him just a little bit. he is capable of so much more, and now of all times is not the time to go easy on him

and he’s still talking about the SIXQUIRKS as though unlocking more of them right now would be a bad thing. I really think this is the wrong approach. maybe I just want to see Deku go buck wild and fucking lose it though, idk

Katsuki has no patience for this either

“I don’t doubt it.” please Deku we’re not worthy of you and your wholesomeness. and he’s so sincere, too?? how does Kacchan continuously absorb all of this shameless admiration and affection day after day, week after week. how is he not humbled by it

anyways time to shut up about that though because All Might is now mentoring Bakugou directly and this requires my full fucking attention

yessss let the character development commence! I’m so excited ddhkshl

and now we’re back in the present and the conversation is taking a very interesting turn!

YES! HE DID! DO YOU REMEMBER? YOU WEREN’T REALLY PAYING ATTENTION BEFORE BECAUSE YOU WERE STILL IN ASSHOLE MODE. what do you have to say about it now?

...

mysterious

what

(ETA: “is he always like this?”)

lol what

hahaha. this arc is off to a fucking hysterical start

oh snap y’all look at this

100% chance Deku is right fucking behind him lol. probably they all are

YEP

BITCH, WHO THE FUCK DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DEALING WITH. YOU THOUGHT THESE WERE JUST ANY OLD INTERNS?? FUCK YOU, THESE ARE PREMIUM, CLUB-LEVEL, OCEAN VIEW INTERNS, YOU UNAPPRECIATIVE LOUT. YOU INGRATE

lol but he’s not missing a beat though, and he’s ordering them to stay behind and watch him oh shit. what is even going on

now we’re cutting to some fucking yogi bobbing around town in a lotus position screaming about a divine revelation he received from fucking space. okay

AHHH WHAT

HAWKS IS ALREADY GETTING IN ON THE ACTION, JESUS CHRIST. DOES THIS FUCKER EVER PUT ON THE BRAKES?? THIS ARC IS LIKE TWELVE DIFFERENT PLOTLINES INTERSECTING ALL AT ONCE AND I CAN BARELY KEEP UP. THIS SHIT IS A TRAINWRECK WAITING TO HAPPEN AND I’M STANDING HERE MESMERIZED

BUT!!!

cue Celine Dion’s “All by Myself” while I fall down dramatically nooooo. the lord giveth and he taketh away. YOU OPENED A DOOR AND CLOSED THE WINDOW YOU BASTARD sob why

well shit. and that means that Katsuki has only one chapter left to reveal his hero name, too. (ETA: keeping track of the important things here lol.) and somehow I don’t see that happening unless the focus of the next chapter takes a very dramatic shift, since we seem to be launching into full plot mode before any of us even have our seatbelts on. not that I’m complaining about that because sdkljk

anyways. see y’all in two weeks I guess. the My Plots Academia arc sure is off to a crazy fucking start