#I doubt it’s big enough to be a decent animation test though :(

[artsandstoriesandstuff]

The thingy I was drawing earlier!

I don’t know if the girl on the left previously had a name, but regardless I’m calling her Kate now. She’s Manny’s best (and only) friend and, similarly, also has rich neglectful parents. Thus how they bonded.

If you are wondering, also, yes. They stole the shirts from the amusement park.

[berryshiara]

Interview with an Ardat-Yakshi Chapter 1 Unexpected Things

AO3 Link How best to approach a problem? And by the Goddess... What to wear? Fen makes good on her promise to visit Vanguard XPress in Kari's behalf... Our story continues... Sleep… when she awoke despite the interruptions by Kari, Fen felt good… really good. With a sigh she stretched leisurely and sighed, there was something cathartic about making her home a better place.

During the stretch she found a companion in bed with her. Ludis…

“Hey…” She said rolling towards them and pushing on broad shoulders. “What do you think you are doing in my bed?”

A paw came up on the far side as Ludis rolled on their back towards her, pushing with one paw on the bed, offering the other in a submissive gesture.

“Don’t you play nice with me buster.” She half heartedly grumbled when they rolled over and pushed their face against her, giving Fen a light buzz. The buzz grew in intensity as they expressed their excitement for her to finally be awake.

“Wah!” She pulled her face away with a frown, pushing the over exuberant hulk back with both hands. “Stop, stop it… Goddess.” She grumbled but just as quickly sighed when her Fenris thumped down on the bed beside her, resting the curve of it’s big face on her shoulder.

Fen stared at Ludis only briefly. “You really should not be up here.” Rolling towards her captured arm she wrapped the free one around Ludis and let her body rest against theirs, cheek pressed against a warm shoulder. “I’m in too good of a mood to be upset.” She admitted with a deep sigh. Ludis lay there seemingly content in Fen’s embrace, their mechanical legs stilling on the bed, the red glow of their face softening. She sighed again pressing her brow to their short neck.

For a long moment they stayed that way, Ludis laying quietly as Fen held them… a learned behavior that Fen was grateful for. “Where were you when I was invaded this morning by a giant?” She asked, her fingers playing over the pocked marks on Ludis’ paws, time left its mark on all things…

Ludis remained unforthcoming to her question. With a tight squeeze to the barrel of their chest Fen unrolled and pushed the FENRIS mech just enough to free herself. She didn’t have the heart to bully it off the bed, something that wasn’t a worry any way. The moment Fen’s feet made the floor Ludis was up, in fact Ludis beat her to the door. Its face glowing intensely bright with excitement. As if to prove her belief in its anthropomorphic performance, Ludis did a little dance against the door, putting a paw on it then backing up and spinning in a circle before looking back at Fen expectantly.

“Okay, yes. I got it.” Reaching for her omnitool and slipping it on as she made for the door. When another paw came up to the door she barked discouragement at him. “NO!” Grumbling softly afterwards “Don’t do that” Already the door held marks of their passing, gouges where mechanical toes had scarred the cheap material. “I swear, between you and Kari I can’t keep a decent door.” She was still grumbling about it when they made it to the kitchen where the early morning meeting had been held. Her cup of cold coffee on the small table a reminder of promises made…

Pursing her lips she plucked it up, swirled it thoughtfully and then turned back to the bedroom. Ludis sat back on metallic haunches as she brushed past them again.

“What does one wear to impress a Batarian business man?” Fen asked her four legged friend as she took a long drink of the cold coffee and inspected the wardrobe objectively.

Honestly did she really care to impress him? Was she looking to beguile him into doing what she wanted? Did she wish to have him beholden to her? Or terrify him into compliance?

Setting the coffee down she let her fingers run through the choices, feeling the fabrics as she thought about what it was she wanted to accomplish in this meeting?

“No… no…” Blue fingers paused, slipping against silk that drew a smile, pulling the dress out she held it against her body as that smile grew. Fingers caressed the black silk, down her body to the short hem of the dress. Her mind jumping to that night in Afterlife, when a certain someone approached her with an almost unheard clearing of their throat. An uncertain request by an unsure maiden… Fen had almost dismissed her without even looking up, she remembered feeling annoyed that the hulk that stood in front of her blocked her view. That is until she focused on what the wall was… powerful thighs, leading to slender hips, strong abs, broad shoulders before finally meeting hesitant blue… eyes.

Her skin tingled as she thought about her friend, gorgeous, powerful… perfection.

Pressing her lips together Fen put that dress back with a shake of her head “I don’t want to ruin that memory.”

Giving the dress a final caress Fen sighed. Really what did she want to do to this Batarian besides make it clear that Jessa was her own person? But was she? Batarians were known to be slavers… did she have the information needed to approach this objectively?

Gold eyes shifted to the slim shoulder of that little black dress, awakening a shimmer of dancing fish in her chest and stomach. Honestly, when it came to Pallikári could she be objective at all?

##

Just as promised Foínix came to Vanguard XPress; who’s motto was Anything, Anywhere, for the right price. On Omega that really did mean anything… Like most businesses on this shithole it had two faces. That which provided a legitimate service - moving goods and messages, the second.. included bodies - living and dead, drugs of all kinds, … in hell, nothing was sacred.

Dressed in a black on black outfit pants suite she stepped through the front door with Ludis at her side.

Jess was at the front desk to welcome her, her smile warm and genuine.

“Can I help you?”

“Hello.” Foínix took up a comfortable pose on the desk leaning a little in towards Jess resting an arm on the low partition to one side. She took up a posture that both exposed herself and displayed it. With just the right tip of her jaw she greeted Fen’s, Jess.

Jess blinked at her, no doubt trying to figure out what about her body language was bothering her... and how best to politely decline; but her request was not for the woman at the desk, but rather to her Batarian boss. Like a peacock with extravagant plumage spread, Fen waited for him to take notice. That she was offering this display to the lowly front desk worker would make them respond to her silent offer all the quicker, after all… they were the master, anything offered in their establishment, belonged to them first. Batarians were fun like that… the wrong twitch meant the difference between insult and matrimony…

Jess blinked at her even as she leaned in, a confused look touched the humans eyes and ever so briefly her lips just before she returned the smile. “I’m good, and you?”

Though she was not there to test Kari’s human, it sort of worked out that way, and her response was heartening. A human who was not so easily enticed by another Asari meant that they were not doing it for the novelty.

“I am doing well, thank you.” A little impatient she gave a final silent request, shifting off the partition Fen leaned forward into Jess’s space.

As if reeled in, the back door opened… she gave a brief glance to Vath, assessing him and their safety. He carried himself strong, with exposed arms, and a form fitting top.

“What is it we can do for you?” He interrupted Jess, standing as a man in power to her right. His chest was puffed up, his head held high. He was strutting back, showing this was his domain, and that it was to him she should appeal. Not to his hired help.

Raising a brow she resisted the urge to cant her head the wrong way. Instead she gave an easy smile and lowered her chin in response. “Were I to guess, you were a man in charge. I was hoping to speak to you about a lucrative venture. There is many things I need moved… and I have little desire to do so myself. If I…”

He raised a hand as he moved from the front desk to the side gate, motioning her to come around. “Please, let us continue this discussion in my office.”

Giving a brief look to Jess she bowed her head ever so slightly. “Thank you.”

Fen wondered how much Jess dismissed in her job… but left it alone. She would be setting some clear boundaries soon enough for the Batarian business man.

"Wait..." He held his hand up when he caught sight of her FENRIS.

"Ludis, sit." Pointing to a spot just outside the gate. Her mech came to that exact point and looking up at her, plunked its haunches right on it. "Stay." She rubbed the rim of his head and let him buzz the back of her hand as she rubbed the back of her fingers against his face.

Looking up she gave a look to the Batarian before he dropped his arm and then led the way to his office.

##

Vath’s office was surprisingly… perfect.

It’s presentation was so well done that it left very little to imagination... There was a picture frame on his desk, its contents rotating through several captured memories, most of them very proud men showing their overly large guns, and the poor animals they had hunted to death.

A few personal items, not one of which had anything to do with his big game hunting. That actually surprised her. There were no stuffed animals or pieces of them mounted as trophies. . . His desk was tidy but showed a functioning work space rather than a picture perfect one. The furniture was not ostentatious, nor something that would have made clients uncomfortable.

The space was so maintained it felt like it belonged in a magazine.

Vath stepped into the room and turned sitting on the desk while motioning for her to take a seat.

While giving the illusion of being courteous he was taking a very dominant position, both by remaining in her space, and by keeping his head higher than hers. Honestly though, being a short woman, it was not hard to do.

Playing the game, Foínix took the offered seat.

“Can I get you anything? A glass of water? Or something stronger?” He motioned to the neat little set of decorative decanted alcoholic beverages sitting in an alcove.

“Thank you, no. I am not here to play a perfectly poised game. I want to make a deal that will benefit us both, but I have very specific conditions that must be met before we can get down to making money.”

The Batarian shifted, his body expressing reservation, and a little curiosity.

“I thought about ways I could get what I want. Beguiling you does not appeal to me, nor does appealing to your vanity, which I would quickly find exhausting. I also thought about terrifying you to get what I want, but I feel that is a shallow one time trick that will do little good unless I am truly willing to kill you and replace you.” She looked at him as she revealed all this. A quirk to her lips when he stiffened. She made a soothing gesture. “I was merely covering my options. I have no intention on following on any of the aforementioned ideas. While you are not the best of men, you are what Father calls a necessary evil… Having covered all that, I come to but one option, I want you to give me what I want, so that you can make lots of money doing what I want you to do.”

To his credit Vath remained perched on the desk, studying her. Thick lips pursed as he chewed on her words. Like his room he was very careful in studying the case presented to him, before he laughed and then stood up to circle around the desk, plopping into his chair he leaned forward, elbows on the desktop.

Fen had a feeling she would have lost a week’s worth of credits if she had made the bet that this was not Vath’s true office.

“Well, you have my attention. Tell me what these conditions are so we can get to the good bits!”

“I want to know if you actually own papers on Jessa Pell, and if you do, I want you to tear them up.”

“Pell…” His brow furrowed, all four of his eyes narrowing as he struck a haughty pose. Slave ownership was a touchy subject with the Hegemony, most Batarians felt it was their ancestral right to own, buy and sell others as a commodity. “Why Pell specifically? I have slips on nearly all my workers.”

“I have a vested interest… I am not here to say you have to give up your slaving ways, but I do need Jessa to be released from any contracts you may have on her… and I need her to be free in every way imaginable.”

“Ok, those are the conditions, what is the business opportunity I was promised that would be worth this… investment.” He sat back stroking the coarse hairs on his chin.

“I have lots of merch that I have no need for. I sell it to you at a considerable discount, and you take whatever profit there is to be made.”

“What merch.”

Fen raised her omnitool leaning forward so that she could share the information with Vath.

Looking over the list for a few minutes, he grunted. “How often do you get these… shipments.”

“When I do you will be the first to know.”

“Payment?”

“Thirty percent.”

“Twenty.” He countered, his eyes narrowing.

She shifted. “Twenty eight.”

“Twenty five.” He came back quickly, a playful smile touching thick lips.

Fen pretended to think about the number before speaking. “And Jessa’s papers.”

“Deal.”

“You will add a note to your personal file after you send me all you have on Ms. Pell.” Opening the screen up on her omni-tool Fen flicked a file in his direction.

Vath grunted, his brows drawing tight before one set of eyes raised to look at her over his device. “Is this a threat?”

Fen stood up and straightened her bodice. “To a successful & wiley business man such as yourself, it is a friendly reminder. Who owns Jessa Pell now?” She asked.

After a moment of silence and moving of documents between their devices he gave nod to her. “You do.” Standing he leaned forward on his desk, hands placed flat, neck extended jaw at a sassy jaunt as he wore a toothy grin. “And before you destroy those documents, I would gladly tell you why you should keep them… over drinks and dinner.”

Fen looked up from her omni-tool to see the offer he gave her, surprise touching her face before she could hide it.

@maskydoolovesmasseffect @maskydoo-main id like to thank masky for their kind encouragement, and what seems unending generosity. Thanks~

[peraltasames]

your love’s put me at the top of the world

He’s beyond relieved that he made it back in time, but even more relieved when Amy lets out one final cry of agony and everything falls silent for a split second before the unmistakable cries of a newborn fill the room.

That’s his son. His son is here.

prompt: 💐 - buying each other flowers

read on ao3

There’s never been any doubt in Jake’s mind that Amy is a superhero.

Her first month at the Nine-Nine, he saw her tackle a perp twice her size without breaking a sweat. It was both awesome and insanely hot, though Jake suppressed those feelings as quickly as they arose when she yelled at him to cuff the 250-pound man she just smacked down on the pavement.

She’s saved his life multiple times, whether it be by always having his back in the field or shooting him in the leg in the thick humidity of the worst state in America (he wasn’t overly fond of the latter, but he was very appreciative of avoiding a bullet in the head).

She’s had more emotional endurance than anyone Jake knows, remaining his steady guidepost during his time in WitSec and his prison sentence and everything else life has thrown at them, even when he knew it was just as hard for her. Her strength and hope never wavered during the long months of failed attempts at getting pregnant.

Still, despite all this, he’s never been more in awe of her than he is seeing her give birth to their son, in the damn precinct, without any painkillers. She’s glowing, an absolute vision of beauty, but he knows better than to tell her that while she’s swearing like a sailor and squeezing his hand so hard he thinks she might break it.

He’s beyond relieved that he made it back in time, but even more relieved when Amy lets out one final cry of agony and everything falls silent for a split second before the unmistakable cries of a newborn fill the room.

That’s his son. His son is here.

Of course, more chaos ensues after that - he’s pretty sure they had enough chaos for a lifetime tonight, but they’ve also had a lot of crazy days that have made for good stories, so he decides he can handle a little chaos as long as his wife and their little boy are okay.

There’s an ambulance ride and several tests run by several different doctors. There’s the entire squad visiting and the reveal of their son’s name - Mac Peralta, after John McClane, of course. There’s Roger and Victor arguing over what Mac’s middle name should be (even though they decided on Raymond weeks ago to avoid upsetting either of their fathers) while Camila and Karen fawn over Amy and the baby.

Eventually, there’s just the three of them again. Amy falls asleep soon after, very understandably considering all her body’s been through over the past few hours, and Mac is happily dozing in the bassinet next to her bed.

Jake’s in the midst of responding to a dozen text messages and trying to wrap his head around the fact that he’s really a father when his stomach starts to grumble, a casual reminder that he hasn’t eaten since lunch and it’s nearly two in the morning.

“Detective Peralta, you’re free to go grab food or coffee.”

The nurse standing next to the bassinet, monitoring Mac’s vitals, seems to have read Jake’s mind. He would kill for even a bag of chips from a vending machine right now, but he also really doesn’t want to leave the baby unattended while Amy’s sleeping.

“We’re keeping a close eye on your son and your wife, so there’s no reason to worry.”

He’s got half a mind to try to recruit her as a detective with the mind-reading capabilities she’s got going on (although it’s possible his instinctual need to protect Amy and their baby really is just that transparent) but he simply nods in appreciation and bends down to kiss Amy’s forehead before slipping out the door.

He’s determined to make it as quick of a mission as possible, eager to return to the room, so he makes a very Amy-esque list in his head: food, coffee, something more comfortable and clean to sleep in.

He knocks off the first two very quickly with a cold sandwich and a cup of stale but decently warm coffee from the cafeteria. It’s certainly not a Charles-approved meal, but he’s still riding on such a high that it tastes like the elixir of the gods right now.

The gift shop fulfills his need for comfortable clothing - sweatpants with the New York Presbyterian logo and an I ❤️ NY hoodie. It also offers a wide selection of stuffed animals, and even though they already have way too many for a newborn to appreciate at home from Amy’s baby shower, he can’t resist grabbing a tiny teddy bear that says I love my mom.

That’s all he intends to buy, but the bouquets of flowers positioned conveniently near the checkout catch his eye immediately. He does have a more significant push present for Amy planned, a signed copy of Marie Kondo’s new book that Gina managed to score for him accompanied by two tickets to Hamilton and reservations at a very fancy restaurant in Midtown four months from now. He really feels like his wife having just undergone tremendous pain and physical exertion to bring their baby into the world means she deserves something now, though, so he carefully peruses the selection.

“New dad?” the lady behind the cash register asks, smiling at him.

Jake nods proudly, glancing briefly at the teddy bear in his arms. “As of like three hours ago, yeah.”

“Go for the gardenias. They symbolize joy, your wife will love them.”

Jake has to read the little tags to identify which ones are gardenias, but he’s pleased that they’re the pretty white and yellow bouquet in a small white vase that his eyes were first drawn to.

“Thank you,” Jake smiles, quickly swiping his credit card and gathering his purchases.

He carefully creeps back into the dark room so he doesn’t accidentally wake Amy or Mac, who he pauses to stare at in awe for another long moment before going to the bathroom to change. After tossing his dirty clothes in Scully’s big hospital bag, he attempts to lightly place the flowers down on the bedside table, but even the slight disruption of the silence causes Amy to stir.

“Sorry, babe,” he winces, setting the teddy bear down next to the bouquet. “I didn’t want to wake you.”

“You got me flowers?” Amy smiles, shifting up on her elbows slightly to get a better look. “Jake, they’re beautiful.”

“The lady at the gift shop said they symbolize joy, so...”

His eyes wander to the bassinet, soaking in every second that he can of admiring their very own bundle of joy.

Amy smiles wider, reaching for his hand to pull him towards her. He settles in on the bed beside her, carefully wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“You were so amazing,” he whispers into her hair. It’s not the first time he’s told her that tonight, but he doesn’t think he could ever say those words enough to encapsulate just how in awe of his wife he actually is.

“You’re a pretty good baby daddy,” Amy murmurs into his chest. “I mean, you were literally my knight in shining armour riding in on horseback tonight.” He chuckles, squeezing her tightly. “I’m so glad you made it in time.”

“Me too,” he sighs, pressing kisses to her hairline and temple and cheek.

Amy shifts over slightly, making as much room in the bed as she can for him, and his desire to be close to his wife is overruled by the interest of her being as comfortable and non-crowded as possible.

“Ames, they said they could bring a cot for me. Or I can sleep in the chair, I really don’t mind.”

She frowns, shaking her head. “There’s plenty of room.”

“You just had a baby, I want you to be comfortable.”

“Jake,” she says, more firmly. “Speaking as your wife who just had a baby, I want you to sleep here with me. That’s an order.”

He knows he’s fighting a losing battle, so he kicks off his shoes and climbs under the covers with her. It turns out to be kind of perfect - he has just enough space to comfortably stretch out and, once he’s wrapped his arm around Amy and assumed the big spoon position, he has an unobstructed view of Mac.

“We’re really parents,” Amy sighs happily, lacing her fingers with his.

Jake nods and smiles, his eyes reluctant to close just yet while he absorbs the last moments of the most important day of his life.

He kisses her cheek once more before settling into the pillows and letting his eyelids droop.

“I love you guys so much.”

[kylosupremeimagines]

The Guys and Quarantine Would Include: (Kylo, Adam, Clyde, and Charlie)

Special thanks to @cas-backwards-tie for giving me ideas for Kylo! 

Kylo:

Seeing as how it’s advised  not to go many places, if anywhere at all, he’d take the opportunity to learn some new recipes to cook. He already does it every day but there are plenty of things that he’s never tried. Maybe he could order a new kitchen gadget or two to broaden what he can cook. For example, if you eat meat, he would want to grind his own meat and test out various combinations to make the perfect burger. Plus, he would take a chance at 

He has an old Calligraphy set that he hasn’t touched in a while, so upon being stuck in the house bored, he would pull it out and try to get back into it. He was rather surprised that he was just as good as when he did it before. Kylo even found some of the old pieces that he did. If you found any that you fell in love with, he’d be willing to hang it up somewhere around your home. He may get a bit self conscious about some of them but he feels better when you assure him that you love all of the work that he’s done. 

As his secret guilty pleasure is all things soft, he got some new pillows and blankets to put in the bed. He may come off as a tough guy to most, but he can never get enough of being able to hold you close to cuddle. He loves being in a bed with a mountain of pillows, relaxed enough to get lost in them for days. He doesn’t have the easiest time getting to sleep so having such a thing would certainly help to get him to sleep more during the quarantine. Even when it’s over, he wouldn’t want to change a thing about the new arrangement. 

Although he was used to working out before the quarantine started, he would try his best to keep up with it all throughout as well. It’s not that he cares too much about the way that he looks but he’d certainly want to keep in shame regardless. He would find at home workouts to do, though he would have a few things at home anyways that he could use while working out. He may try to convince you to join in on a few to see if you would want to continue later in the future. Kylo could never turn down a workout partner!

While he’s working at home, he will have a lot more free time to do as he pleases. It’s honestly odd to him to have so much of it. Kylo would end up exploring some new hobbies, whether he discovered them through suggestions from you or by searching online. One of his favorites had to be when he found an easy instrument to play. He ordered it online and had it shipped to your place, and surprisingly he got the hang of it rather quickly. (I can’t think of any specific instruments to choose for him, so that’s up to you!)

Adam:

Adam wouldn’t be the most patient being cooped up in the apartment. Of course, he realizes the importance of staying safe so he’d try to not make it seem like it’s a big deal to him. He’ll never do anything to increase the risk for either of you but he will try to get out when he can. He won’t try to get out too much, but at least going on a run or a simple walk through the park.

While you’re stuck at home for the quarantine, don’t worry about not getting sex because there’s going to be plenty of that so long as you want that much intimacy. Since you’re with him for a while, you shouldn’t be too surprised that his sex drive would be more than usual since you’re sort of Forced to be around one another more option while not at work. It’s not like he’s going to force you to do anything or push past your limit, but his desire to get intimate would surprisingly increase doing the quarantine. So just be prepared for that! 

He might take all the extra free time to make some improvements around the house or apartment. Who  knows, maybe there’s something that needs a little fixing or a place where he could put something new into. Really, he’d just want to find an excuse to get to building or repairing something to pass the time. Maybe he would try to get some paint and mix up the colors on the wall a bit. Want your living room to be painted another color? Or maybe your bed frame? Adam is your man to get the job done! 

He’d want to make it a thing where you order from one of your favorite restaurants once a week for delivery. Since you’re pretty much doing the same things being stuck at home for so long, you two would dedicate at least one night in a week to doing nothing but enjoying food from your favorite place with some movies to watch.

Since he’d have a lot of more time on his hands than usual, he would take some time to work on his acting. It’s not that he’s doubtful of his abilities as an actor, but why not take the chance to work on things that he wasn’t used to? He would practice with variants of roles that he didn’t normally try. If you’d be willing, he’d love to get a two part script to practice with you. It would mostly be for fun but he’d also love to have the extra help and someone to work beside; he could never turn down an acting partner. 

Clyde:

He may not go crazy with preparing for the quarantine, but he’s going to do what he can to ensure that you’re safe all throughout the quarantine. He won’t want to go out unless completely necessary or if it’s to go hiking in the woods. Plus, without being on your ass about it all the time, he would make sure that you’re staying clean and safe the best that he could. If there’s anything at all that you’d need, Clyde will be there to ensure that you have it.

Considering that the bar would be closed for quite some time with the quarantine, he would try to find a short term job to get some more money in the house since there’s no telling how long it will last. He might even do a few small jobs that aren’t anything too serious. All he worries about is getting money so that you don’t have to worry about getting any of the essentials. Even if he needs to work longer hours than he would at the bar, he’s willing to put in the extra time to make the extra money. 

Maybe this time would be the best opportunity to get an animal with him! He would much rather get a dog above anything else, no matter the breed, since he grew up a dog person. There wouldn’t really be any harm in going out to a local shelter to adopt a dog who was in need of a home. It would be a great addition to the family and you would be able to give a dog a much needed home to be loved. He would even let you pick them out yourself.

Being away from the bar, you could expect him to make a drink quite often. Whether it be for himself or you, he’s going to be making them quite a bit. He was so used to bartending that it almost became a habit of his to make them. Since Duck Tape would be closed for a while, he was able to take some stuff home so he had the ingredients to make some delicious things. If there were any type of alcohol you favored, he would try his best to bring some of that home with him. It isn’t as if anyone would stop him, and since the ingredients for more specific drinks could go bad, there was no reason he couldn’t keep some of it.

This would be the golden opportunity to get Clyde into watching certain movies that you love which he doesn’t usually watch himself. He’s open to doing whatever you want since there’d be a lot of free time to laze about at home with not being able to go out and all. In turn, he would hope that you’d want to go out into the woods with him to hike. He doesn’t do it on the daily but thinks it’s a great opportunity to get out with you during the quarantine. 

Charlie:

You can (hopefully) look forward to more family nights with him and Henry, when the boy is not with his mother. With how bored Henry gets, Charlie would want to do what he could to make things more exciting for him.It would include movie nights, trying out new foods, family board games, and so much more. He hopes that you don’t mind doing it when Henry is around, especially with how much he seems to enjoy having you both there to have fun with. 

As a way to pass his time, he would work on anything that has to do with his plays. He’ll be on the phone a lot with those he’s working with, writing down any inspiration as it hits him, and maybe even will simply sit and think about ideas. It’ll be a bit hard to get things running again as soon as the quarantine dies down, but he’s certain if he focuses enough, he’ll have plenty of material to work with as soon as he can get back to working as he did before the virus hit so hard. 

Still on the topic of music, it isn’t until you’re stuck at your shared place during quarantine that you would hear him singing for the first time. One day, he was singing without realizing that you would hear him while he was cleaning. It wasn’t any song in particular, maybe a random one that he’s hearts around or a tune that he’s just come up with to hum. Regardless, he is a rather decent singer and quite soothing to listen to. 

As a new hobby, he got some painting supplies and took up painting with a canvas and paints - most likely he would start out with acrylics since they’re far easier to get the hang of. He isn’t the best at it, but he’d be interested in abstract most of all because it’s the hardest to mess up. Obviously abstract paintings aren’t always supposed to make sense so he could go all out and work on it until he just felt as if it was done. 

He never considered taking a bath before, partially because he never took the time to just relax in such a manner. Now, he would hope that you’d want to have a relaxing night when it was just the two of you at the apartment and enjoy a nice, warm bath together. He won’t be too cheesy, so no candles or anything of the sort. But perhaps he would get special soap - maybe a bath bomb - to use and have some of the best wine that he knows readily available to drink down while you soak together.

[signor-signor]

Trending 27th - March 2020

How would you prioritize WOY’s proper conclusion if you were in charge of Disney?

Ah yes, a question that entices anyone who knows how a higher-up boss of bosses of bosses should treat the company’s IPs, including one that was professionally made by a cartoonist with over twenty years of experience. It just so happens that in the Disney College Program back in 2016, I took a class called Disney Corporate Analysis, giving me an idea of how the businesses within the company are intertwined.

Let’s start with how I would have prioritized WOY’s conclusion if the year was 2015, just one week before S2’s premiere.

Imagine, if you will, sitting in the office of that building with the Seven Dwarfs near the top, overlooking everything, and I mean everything, owned by the world-famous entertainment conglomerate that is the Walt Disney Company... movie studios, theme parks, merchandising, cruises, theatre, and television.

After you finish your time looking at Inside Out’s month-long performance and the status of Mission: Breakout, you check on Disney TV Animation - two of the latest shows (Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero and Star vs. the he Forces of Evil) are in full swing, Phineas and Ferb have gotten a satisfying conclusion like Fish Hooks did the year before, The 7D is having a decent run so far, Gravity Falls is in its second season where Grunkle Stan’s twin brother appears, Pickle and Peanut is in production, and the 1-minute Wander Over Yonder shorts have been airing on a daily basis, less than two weeks away from the second season premiere. You also learn that several months ago, Craig McCracken presented a pitch for his third and final season of WOY, wherein Wander and Sylvia take most of the folks back to their planets with the Star Nomad, Lord Hater’s origin story is revealed, Peepers is tempted by a darker side, and a threat worse than Dominator comes around to test Wander. You start taking a liking to this concept.

You get a hold of Gary Marsh, who has already approved of Milo Murphy’s Law and Future-Worm. You tell him, “Make sure Craig gets to finish WOY his way.” He responds, “What? I was just about to cancel it after two seasons because the viewers love GF and SvtFoE more. Also, many other viewers seem more interested in AT, Gumball, SU...” You say, “Are you out of your mind? We gave Fish Hooks three seasons and a good conclusion regardless of the popularity of P&F and other shows, and if Craig and the team has one more season lovingly planned out to close out WOY, I say we make it happen.” Gary says, “But, but the budget-” “Don’t worry about it. Remember when you wanted to give GF a third season even though Alex planned to end it his way after two seasons? Why not take the money you were going to give him and put it towards Wander’s third season?” “But-” “But nothing. Here at Disney, we make dreams come true. If we cancel WOY too soon, Craig and his fans will be displeased. I tell you what: put the show on another hiatus so we’ll have more time focusing on newer projects.” “...I guess we can make it work.” “Great! I’ll see you and Ben in the next meeting.”

Now, if I were in charge after WOY was canceled after two seasons, here’s how I’d set my priorities for DTVA:

2020: This year, we have S3 of DuckTales (which I’m pretty sure Francisco Angones loves more than WOY at this point), continuation of The Owl House, The Curse of Molly McGee and S2 of Amphibia in the works, and other shows that fare well on television even with Disney+ in full swing. Speaking of which, shows like Monsters at Work and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder are slated for the streaming service, and I plan to put WOY on it by the end of the year. If it fares well, which it should, I’d invite Craig McCracken back to the company as soon as he finishes Kid Cosmic, assuming he already has a perfect ending in mind. Most importantly, I would have already dispensed with reruns of Phineas and Ferb, Gravity Falls, and Star vs. the Forces of Evil, because they can be found on D+ now.

2021: Aside from supporting TOH and TCoMM, Craig turns 50 that year, so what better way to celebrate that milestone than to remedy the wrong done back in 2015 by giving him the privilege of making one more season (or a TV movie) for WOY and make it a D+ exclusive so fans will finally find out what’s worse than Dominator and how Hater came to be. Regardless of how Kid Cosmic performs on Netflix, I’d be willing to take that chance. If Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon were able to pull it off with their own prematurely canceled shows, I don’t see why Disney can’t.

2022: I would assume TOH, TCoMM, and some other new shows continue to thrive. If DuckTales, Big City Greens, and Amphibia have had the chance to end right, great. 15 months after I give Craig the OK on S3 (or TV movie), the hard work from the supporters of SaveWOY will have finally paid off... Wander Over Yonder: The New Galaxy (either one season or TV movie) arrives on Disney+ in late fall/early winter. I’d make it happen because I’ve seen countless letters, a few of which had this image taped on the front...

There was even one letter from a current Disneyland cast member that made a good point. It stated that if it wasn’t for WOY’s positive impact on his life, he wouldn’t have gotten into the Disney College Program. I thought, “If I let Craig close out WOY his way, his fans will be ecstatic and some might have a better chance at getting to work for Disney and I’ll have more employees!” Remember, folks, it helps to have witty and perceptive remarks in your letters. Be sure they’re politely written, though.

If the reception of WOY’s real conclusion is warm and positive, which it will be, no doubt, I might feel extra generous and give some other more prematurely canceled shows one more go for better conclusions (Dave the Barbarian, The Buzz on Maggie, American Dragon: Jake Long, to name a few).

The main point is, I know all Wander fans have put up with the popularity of overrated shows and not knowing what the new main characters of S3 look like long enough. I also know there are a few folks (specifically the voice actors) who might not have long to live - June Squibb (Stella Starbella), for example, is 90, and I’m pretty sure she might need a back up voice actor if we wait any longer. If the hints brought up by @suspendersofdisbelief, @owner-of-wendys, and @crackmccraigen himself are any indication, the third and final season is supposed to be the best one yet, and I would have to be an asinine moron to deny them the chance to show the viewers what they had planned. Some others, including @atalkingmagpie, @benbalistreri, and possibly @skulptduggery​, know what happens after S2, given their significant involvement in the show.

I know Craig and the team have been working on other projects for a while, but that shouldn’t hide the fact that they put their heart and soul into how WOY’s actual final season would play out, and by golly, I will not let it go unnoticed, especially not while COVID-19 is affecting the world.

Remember, I had a part in the reveal of the ship’s name, so more answers might come up when Craig sees fit.

The sooner we know more about S3, the better.

@disneyanimation​

[santalsaburablog]

Adventures of Santal. Chapter 5: First Lesson

Only a well-earned lesson is beneficial.

     Corellia! A temperate Core Worlds planet of rolling hills, dense forests, lush meadows and deep seas, renowned for its fast, rugged starships and talented pilots. It was there, by the decision of the Jedi Council, that Master Yoda went on a diplomatic mission. And at this time a very interesting announcement appeared in Goloseti.

     Cad Bane sat quietly in a bar chair, chewing on a toothpick. The last order from the Syndicate of Rations was not so difficult. Steal a valuable thing. Of course, there were murders. So what? How many times has he done this kind of thing? Can't count it anymore. So it's a matter of everyday life. Suddenly, the datapad beeped.

     - What's the matter? - asked the duros, receiving the drink.

     “A new order has just arrived,” the bartender replied.

     Excellent. So, it turns out that no one has tackled it yet. But he will do it!

     - Give it to me. The man pulled out the datapad. From a distance everything is as it should be. Heading in big letters, everything else in small letters. Photo after the title.

     As soon as Bane saw the photo, he almost choked. This is the SAME GIRL! Well, exactly. The text itself was like this:

                                                                      THE GIRL IS LOST.                                   

                                    Name is Santal Sabura.                                     Age 3.5 years.                                     An orphan.                                     Kala'uun city, planet Ryloth.                                     Signs: cold brown hair, braided in two tails, brown eyes,                                        honey shade. The physique is normal.                                     Clothes: white nightdress, brown shoes.                                     Uncle and aunt are very worried.                                     There is a suspicion that the child was stolen.                                     Call XXXXXXXX.                                     Please provide any information.                                     Need help from volunteers.                                     HELP TO FIND A CHILD!

     That's all. But Bane was wary of something. He read the ad again and noticed that there was not a word about the reward. Why Most likely, one of two things: they forgot to write or the return is free. In any case, it is necessary to clarify. Moreover, he had already seen the girl.

     The call was answered five seconds later.

     - Yes! I am listening to you! Speak quickly! Did you learn anything ?! - answered a middle-aged female voice and, apparently, was on the verge of hysteria.

     - Hello. I am about your announcement. I would like to get down to business. Find your niece. “Cad always tried to be polite, courteous and helpful when talking to a client.

     But all the same it was unpleasant for him to listen to the voice of this woman.

     - Oh, thank you! Noby, did you hear? - the woman screamed with joy. She was answered in a muffled tone.

     “I just wanted to clarify the amount of the reward,” the duros asked, just as politely.

     - What? The woman changed her tone to suspicious. - I heard right? Did you ask about the reward? Who are you anyway?

     - Yes. I'm a bounty hunter.

     Bane was rudely interrupted:

     - Well, you must. For some reason I didn't even doubt. How dare you ?! Scum! Demand money for the return of our only treasure! Impudent! Monster! Bandit! Don't even dare try to search! For someone like you, a place in prison! Our niece is priceless. Returns FREE! Got it ?! IS FREE! And don't you dare call anymore! Rubbish! Don't you dare touch Santal!

     Cad stopped the stream of curses at him with a banal press of the call end button.

     What a woman! Bane was amazed. He doesn't like his nephew. It's a pity for money. However, she may not be rich. So what? Those who value their children will get out of their skin and collect a large sum. So the Duros thought. Crazy woman. Immediately visible.

     The man exhaled and left the bar, leaving the drink unfinished and the datapad on the table. Nothing. He will have many more customers and generous fees in his life. You just have to be patient.

     - Santal Sabura. - Duros decided to test the name not only with his eyes and by ear, but also with his tongue.

     San tal. Well, they came up with a name for the child. Couldn't it have been better? Sounds ringing somehow. And it tastes like steel and at the same time a cake. Exactly!

     But here's what's strange. If before that he did not pay much attention, now he looked closely at the photo and ... This silly thing reminded him of someone. But who? Unclear. The Duros have always been famous for their eidetic memory, and Cad was no exception, but he still couldn't remember. In the end, he killed as many people as he crossed paths with. And he is already twenty-six years old.

     Well, okay. What is this little fellow from Ryloth to him? For this he does not work. He shouldn't worry about her. And the Duros had no desire to get involved with this hysterical woman in the future. No wonder her niece ran away from her. So he even just did her a favor, and she should be grateful to him.

     And indeed, very quickly the thoughts of the girl disappeared from my head completely.

      ***

     Elina's nostrils almost emitted steam from rage, like an angry animal. At that moment, Nobi ran into the room.

     - Honey, what happened? I heard you screaming. And what are you doing?

     The Letan was about to drop her comlink on the floor and crush it, but her husband snatched it out of her hands in time.

        - I am angry! That's what! Literally just now some degenerate called and asked about the reward! Well, we agreed.     

        - Of course, we agreed. Who was that? Not an hour a mercenary?    

        - Sure. Or a bounty hunter. No difference. All the same degenerates. And this is clearly a bastard. You don't have to look at him to understand this. I suppose my father is a great alcoholic. And my mother died begging on the street. Or in general it was easy behavior.     

       - What are you…      

       - And how? I was told, and I think so myself: bounty hunters are the most vile scum. Dregs of society. The lowest category.     

       Nobi didn't argue because he agreed. Then the couple sat down on the sofa and began to pray that everything was in order and Santal was found, returned home and never met the idiot with whom Elina had just talked.

                                                         ***

     - Hello, child.

     Santal looked around until she found the owner of the voice. It was ... an animal. A very unusual talking animal of green color and funny ears. The tip of one was sticking up, the other - down. There are wrinkles on the forehead. In the hands of a cane. And he himself is about the same height as Santal. Or a little less.

     “Hello,” Santal answered timidly. And this slight fear did not hide from the interlocutor.

     - Are you afraid, I see.

     - Yes. You're right. I have never met anyone like you before.

     Santal was indeed a little scared. Another unusual creature, only very small this time. But even though this ... animal - although what an animal he is, he's in good clothes - and not as tall as the uncle, this does not mean that he cannot do harm.

     - Haven't met, hmm? - The animal examined the girl from head to toe. - In a nightgown, I see you. - And he chuckled, stating the fact.

     Santal was embarrassed, not knowing what to say. But, fortunately, green somehow felt it and helped:

     - Who are you? Where are you going?

     - Well, I'm in a hurry. On Ryloth, the girl replied.

     - Your planet is far away. How did you get here?

     - It's not my fault! - Santal exclaimed hotly and began to tell from the very beginning.

     The only lie in her story was that the uncle was wearing a mask, not a hat. And she kept silent about the moment with vomiting. Sabura did not want to betray the man. Although she did not give her word to him, she did give her word to herself. And somehow it turned out illogical. She swore to him so loudly that she would not tell, and then - on you! Tells the green creature everything. Santal thought it was wrong. She's decent and honest. She must confirm her intentions in practice.

     - Hmm. - The animal put its paw with three fingers to the chin. “I can help you, child. What's your name?

     - I am Santal Sabura. Sorry for not introducing myself right away. - The girl even bowed slightly.

     The animal nodded in understanding, and then said this, which made the daughter of the Jedi stunned:

     - I feel that you are not deprived of the Power.

     Santal blinked her eyes.

     - What is it?

     - Strength is an endless mystery. She is everywhere. Surrounds and pervades us. Ties the galaxy together. And in you she is strong enough. - Zeleny smiled.

     - Enough for what?

     - Enough to be able to become a Jedi.

     - That is, the guardian of the world? My aunt told me.

     - Yes. Master Yoda I. Pleased to meet you. - The newly made acquaintance slightly bowed his head.

     - I am glad, too. - Santal repeated the movement, slowly getting rid of a slight fright.

     - So you agree?

     - I dont know. “The girl really didn't know what to do.

     On the one hand, I really wanted to go home. Finally! On the other hand, the prospect of becoming a Jedi, like her parents, fascinated her. Santal, without knowing it, found herself at a crossroads. Left - a chance to return to family and old life. On the right - the opportunity to start from scratch, learn a lot. There is a chance to find out the truth about parents, to get a profession right now. They say that such opportunities are not given every day, and, perhaps, there is only one attempt. You will go to one side, you will not go to the other. The girl somehow understood this.

     Seeing that the baby hesitated, Yoda invited her to walk with him. And Santal went. During the walk, green told the girl what the Jedi were doing: they selflessly help, keep the peace. They follow the path of spiritual and physical improvement. Jedi are the protectors of peace in the galaxy. They use their powers to guard and defend — never to attack others. The Jedi respect every life, in every form, serve others rather than dominate them for the good of the galaxy. They strive for self-improvement through knowledge and training. I spoke a little about midi-chlorians. The more there are, the more sensitive you are to the Force.

     - How many of them do I have?

     - We can find out.

     Yoda took out some kind of device and asked for a finger. Santal reacted calmly because she was already going through it. Even in a dream.

     - About fourteen to fifteen thousand you have.

     - A lot of.

     “More than enough to become a Jedi.

     - And how much midichlorivan do you need to feel?

     “Midichlorian,” Yoda corrected. - Eight to nine thousand.

     - By the way, I just wanted to ask. From early childhood, I constantly feel something. For example, it seemed to me that something would happen. Or felt someone's presence. As if someone is directing me, indicating what to do. Exactly this way and nothing else. Does it work, does the Force tell me?

     - Yes. Strong, it seems, is your connection with her. This is good, but it can also be dangerous as the future is in constant flux. Choose your path wisely.

     - And I often have dreams. Scary and not.

     - Another sign of a stronger connection with the Force.

     - I.e…

     “If you want to know more, you better become a Jedi.

     - Then I agree! - Now Santal was able to make a decision.     

     - Are you sure, m? The path of a Jedi is not easy and lasts a lifetime. To become a Jedi requires a keen mind and deep commitment to the cause of the Order. Live by the Code. It means entering on this path by dedicating your life to serving the ideals that we sacredly honor.      

     Only the girl got rid of old doubts, so now they have been replaced by new ones. What to do?

    “I agree anyway,” Santal said firmly, although inwardly she continued to worry.     

     - Let's go then.      

    The Green Jedi and his companion boarded the ship. In size, it was much smaller than the previous two, in which Santal traveled. They took off.      

   - Where are we flying?      

   - To Coruscant. To the Temple that will become your home.      

   Yoda, while still on Coruscant, sensed that there was some kind of Force surge on the planet Corellia. There was something there. Something powerful. And this "something" was a little girl. She looks three or four years old, but it is already felt that the Power is great in her. Such a child cannot be in bad hands. Fortunately, Santal herself is not averse to becoming a Jedi. There are simply doubts. She also said about some dreams. The Force must be trying to warn Santal about something. Most likely, these are Visions. And they cannot be ignored. But the girl finds out about it later. Now we must not frighten her, but take her to the Temple for training, put her in order, enroll in the Order.     

    The girl did not know what Yoda was thinking, but she was worried anyway. Not only because of ignorance, but in general. Suddenly this green one - the same as that uncle, wants to sell and lures. Moreover, the method is very interesting and effective.      

   At that moment it sounded. Yoda took the call. Later it turned out that the green should fly to Alderaan, which Santal mistakenly called "Aldevran". And then to Naboo. Why, she didn't know. But I decided, just in case, that there was nothing wrong with that.      

   During the flight, Sabura learned even more about the world around her. So she found out that she met with Yoda on the planet Corellia. I walked around the capital of Coronet, visited a place called Golden Beaches. Played in the sea and lay in the sand. And she came to this planet on a Rodian ship. That thing attached to the hunter's thigh is a blaster. And this is not a complete list of what the girl learned. 

    Once in the blue space, Yoda warned that he would fly now to Alderaan, then to Naboo. At the first stop, Santal thought she would stay next to the ship and wait for Yoda to do everything. The girl did not feel very well due to the fact that she did not immediately get to Coruscant. What if it's a trap, and green is another crook, like uncle, if not worse? And Santal still hasn’t decided whether she needs it or not. Maybe still go home to your aunt?      

   On Alderaan, the family needed help. Yoda left Santal with a woman who at first complained about why it was late, but when she saw the little girl and what state she was in, she took pity, took her to the kitchen, gave him blue milk, put three plates with a bunch of food on the table, and then sat down to eat. Sabura ate and ate everything, so some boy, probably a son, wondered how hungry the girl was.         

     Then Yoda returned with the boy, like two peas in a pod, similar to the first. The woman rushed to hug and kiss the child, thanked him. And the duo went to Naboo. There Santal was waiting for a small excursion to the local beauties, and that was all. No stupid adventures.      

     And now, when they gathered in the capital of the Republic, Yoda's room rang. Devaron has problems with bandits. And the green one agreed to help. Just because he wanted to, Santal decided.      

    To say that it was bad on the planet is to say nothing. Screams, panic, and some animals with fangs and claws on two legs were running around with weapons. More with tails.      

     It was then that Sabura first saw the Jedi in action. Yoda turned into a green spot, endlessly jumping and twirling with a strange thing with a long green, like himself, end. How clever he is, the girl was surprised. And seemingly not young.  

      Finally it was over. And it could have happened earlier, if the animals responded to the request to surrender. And as for Yoda, he managed to please Santal just for this proposal:     

     “You'd better surrender.      

     The animals were taken away somewhere.      

     “It's time for you to go home,” said the green one. Sabura nodded.      

     But halfway to the ship, the girl had a premonition. And indeed, when Santal decided to turn around, tired of being nervous, she realized that Yoda had overlooked one animal after all. Only the fanged one raised his weapon, Santal shouted automatically:     

   - No! - She stretched her arms in front of her, and the beast flew to the side.     

   The girl looked at her palms in horror. Everything is just like in a dream! Only the heroes are different.     

   “We forgot one,” Yoda chuckled.      

   Then they dragged this one where it was necessary. And the green one asked:   

     - Well, what have you decided?      

   “I've been thinking all the time,” Santal began. It seemed to her that there was no need to answer in one word. - At first I was afraid. Total. If I can become a Jedi, well, that is, I have what it takes. Will you succeed? What will your aunt say? What's in store for me? What if I don't succeed and I become a laughing stock? Maybe I don't belong there? But now, after what just happened ... I stopped the enemy without weapons. No anger. Do you understand, yes? And I, it turns out, used the Force?      

     Yoda nodded.      

     - If this is how I can, then it would be better for me to learn how to manage such power so as not to harm anyone. What else can I do mechanically? Mali what else could happen? So I decided. I will go to the Order and study to be a Jedi. My parents will be proud of me. I feel it. And my aunt ... I hope she understands.     

     “In that case, according to etiquette, call me Master. - The corners of the green lips crept upward. And he himself bowed slightly.      

   - Okay, Master. - Santal easily agreed. Yes, and my soul became easier.      

    - Time to the Temple, youngling Sabura.      

     When they took off, the girl seriously thought. What lessons did she learn over the entire period?      

      Don't walk the streets alone at night. Do not let your guard down. Sometimes you have to take something without asking. Some people don't like being spied on. Do not taste drinks that you do not know, otherwise you will vomit. Some are not moved by any pleading. To be honest, Santal wanted to be so hard herself. If you help someone just like that, without expecting gratitude, that someone will want to help in return.      

      The sea on the planet Corellia is the best thing in the world. And she will come back here someday. And in general, traveling is very cool! Just recently I was in such a whirlwind and now I am not against repetition. Not right now, but later.      

     Whatever the beast looks like, you don't take his word for it. We need to check. It is very important. She's calm about Yoda now. He will not deceive her. He's a Jedi.      

     And uncle? What about him? Where is he? Does he think about her? Probably not. Well, let. She's thinking about him now. Santal had clearly decided that if she was ever destined to meet him again, she would certainly teach him a lesson. Need to punish the hatter, teach him a lesson. Show that it is useless to hurt little girls. Even if everything ended well for her, but still ... it is necessary. Really needed. The main thing is not to forget about your desire.      

   And completely confident, Santal walked alongside Yoda, leaning on a cane, to the ship, whose final stop was Coruscant. Towards destiny.      

    By the way, the daughter of the Jedi made another conclusion for herself. The main conclusion. Only now did she realize that the rules must be followed. You don't love, you don't want to, you are lazy or not lazy, but you have to live by the rules. This is the law. Otherwise, you can get into such a story that you don't recognize your own. Therefore, on that day, Santal Sabura took an oath that she would always observe and honor all laws, rules, regulations, codes and so on. Until a ripe old age.

[tenchiforum]

For the first time ever, the Toonami versions of OVA1/2, Universe, and Tokyo are available online! On their respective archive.org pages you can access each episode easily.

Watch now: OVA1/2, Tenchi Universe, Tenchi in Tokyo.

For users who keep up with contemporary anime communities, we also have an upload for the entire run available on Nyaa.

It’s been quite a journey in getting these episodes from analog to digital. If you’re interested in reading about the process of how these almost lost-to-time edits came into our hands and how we’ve gone about preserving them before the tapes rot, then sit back and enjoy the story below!

Part 1: Toonami – A Love Story.

Tenchi Muyo! and Toonami are tied together like the red thread of fate often times referenced in many East Asian myths. For those who aren’t aware, Toonami was a programming block on the Cartoon Network channel. Starting in 1997, it did one thing for anime that no other channel in the English-speaking world had ever done: showcased anime during “PrimeTime” (In North America at least, this was 4pm to 7pm Eastern Standard time). Before the internet, having this block of time meant having the most eyes on your product, meaning exposure was huge. Oftentimes whoever got on this block, regardless of the channel, was “made.”

However, it wouldn’t be until mid 1999, with a soft-rebranding, a new host, and an almost entirely anime-focused block, that Toonami would take over the world.

And on July 3rd, 2000, an entire generation was introduced to Tenchi Muyo! for the first time.

- The now legendary two minute Toonami promo.

Thanks to the efforts of Jason DeMarco, Sean Akins, Gill Austin, Sean Polinski, and the rest of the Toonami crew, the “Toonami generation,” still to this day, is the largest block of Tenchi Muyo! fans. Whether it was Toonami US, UK, or Australia. Tenchiforum is a testament to this fact. I personally would not be here were it not for Toonami, so to say that fans of Tenchi Muyo! hold Toonami in a high regard is an understatement.

I had always wanted to somehow, some way, get the Toonami version of Tenchi up for everyone to see again, but my old Toonami VHS recordings were long gone, and I figured trying to piece together the Toonami version from other people’s tapes would just be too hard with how many episodes were broadcast, that was until… 2012

In mid-to-late 2012, I found out that Pioneer actually released a home video version of what was shown on Toonami. It was simply released as “Tenchi Muyo!” in those big, white, clam shell VHS cases (that most people probably remember for old Disney movies). I felt as though I had struck gold! I was able to get a hold of the first two OVA, and was able to rip them to my computer.

- Vol. 1 & Vol. 5 of “Tenchi Muyo!” – No distinction was made that they were separate series.

Though I was high on my endorphin-induced nostalgia, I ran into a couple of unforeseen problems.

First and foremost, the equipment I was using was not great. I used an old StarTech composite to USB dongle and the software that came with it. While this isn’t necessarily bad at first glance (it doesn’t support Windows 10), I had no experience whatsoever in the field of digital transfer. While I think my rips were okay for the time, I knew even then that they were too low of bit-rate and the quality of the rips suffered for it.

Because I also had no VCR at the time that had S-Video output, I was only able to output from composite, which meant the whopping 240p equivalent VHS tapes look fuzzier than they probably should. (I realize that VHS is technically an analog format, meaning that a 1:1 equivalent digital representation is hard to pin down or that someone might argue that it did technically output 480i over composite, but basically it was 240p.)

Another problem was the software itself, I had no idea about Virtualdub, AmaRecTV, or other helpful capture software, so I only recorded at a lower bit-rate, again producing an inferior quality rip.

I also ran into the problem of showcasing the videos. Funimation (who now owns the vast majority of the Tenchi Muyo! franchise in North America) had finally started really cracking down on people uploading videos to Youtube. Even though my videos were not completely the same, the algorithm immediately flagged and blocked them. This led me to uploading the videos to Facebook. I had to cut them in half because of Facebook’s restriction to roughly only 12 minutes of video. Somehow in the process, some of the videos had audio drop out for a minute or two, and for some the audio dropped out completely.

Arguably the biggest blow though, was when I learned that this set of Toonami tapes was incomplete. Pioneer stopped producing the Toonami version for home video after they finished releasing Universe. Meaning, the only way to get the Toonami version of Tenchi in Tokyo, was hope that someone, somewhere,  had taped it 11 years earlier.

While Tenchi in Tokyo has been getting more appreciation from fans as of late – thanks in part to most newer entries in the Tenchi OVA sucking harder than a vacuum – in the year 2000, it was the black sheep of the Tenchi Muyo! franchise. So expecting fans to have recorded any of it, let alone the entire series, was the long shot of all long shots. But even still, I made a post on the forum in 2013 asking if anyone knew anyone that might have anything.

Naturally, no one had any leads, and all of these previous problems meant that this project would, frustratingly, have to be shelved indefinitely.

Or at least, that’s what I thought.

Part 2: Deferred Dreams Don’t Die.

On April 5th, 2019, a person by the name of Talos dropped into our Discord server, and posted an introduction. Like so many, they had gotten into Tenchi through Toonami, but what would change everything, was this.

I couldn’t believe what I was reading, someone actually had it!

Instinctively, I reached out to Talos via PM to ascertain how to go about acquiring these tapes, and admittedly, to see how legit this claim actually was. Because the fact of the matter is, when you’ve been around Tenchi fandom as long as I have, you’ll quickly realize the best bullshitters in the world come from this fandom.

But Talos was more than the genuine article! They sent over pictures and an incredibly detailed analysis of the quality of their tapes, watching through them all again to prove to me that their claim was valid.

It can’t be said enough that this all would not be possible without Talos, their willingness to work with me and send me their own personal tapes that they’ve kept for almost two decades just goes to show how awesome they are and how much they care about the fandom.

So the deal was struck, and the dream that laid deferred for almost six years lived again.

- A time capsule from another era.

But with dreams from the past, come the demons that plagued them way back when. I still only had the setup I once had, and at this time I was really trying to be tight with my finances for a number of different reasons, but this opportunity was too good to pass up, I wasn’t going to let this dream go, even if it wasn’t perfect.

Talos’ tapes showed up, and I rolled up my sleeves.

So I put in the first tape, the first seven episodes of Tokyo, into the old VCR I used to originally rip the Pioneer tapes, a JVC HR-VP650U….

And static…

Or rather, a tape that would play for 3 seconds, then immediately drop to static.

This wouldn’t work.

I then tried my other VCR, a Sony SLV-N50 from the mid-to-late 90’s that I was able to “fix” by removing the old Android Kikaider tape that got stuck in there many years prior.

It worked!…..but…..not all that well.

While it did actually play the tape relatively smoothly, the colors were completely washed out in comparison to the JVC, and it had this weird color flickering that was particularly noticeable when black backgrounds were on screen. (This was not unique to this tape, it did it with everything I put in there.)

As much as it pained me, there was no way I was going to rip it with this setup.

So the hunt began for not just a replacement VCR, but one that was high quality and recommended among enthusiasts for digital transfer. Which meant research and long winding rabbit holes of non-answers and vagueness, and unfortunately, money.

Without a doubt, the de facto list of best VCRs for transferring comes from digitalFAQ.com. This list is not only informative but gives you a broad range of ones to look for in the event you can’t find an “elite” one. However, this list has also become the de facto list used by people who are hawking their sets on eBay to try and get every penny from enthusiasts and new-comers as possible.

After three frustrating weeks of losing bid wars on eBay, someone finally put up one of the good sets, the JVC SR-V10U. I quickly sent them what I thought was a reasonable but not bank-breaking offer….

And they accepted! The beast was finally mine.

Immediately upon unwrapping and testing it, the quality difference between what I had then and what I was looking at now was staggering. The SR-V10U had beautiful color, while having the incredible ability to stabilize the old tapes with its TBC (Time Base Corrector), as well as onboard Video Stabilization option. Combined with the ability to output video via the superior S-Video cable, I now had something that, despite its age and typical old VHS wear, was way better than I could have imagined.

Part 3: No Need for Nostalgia.

You’re probably thinking to yourself “Dagon, why go through the trouble? The OVA has a beautiful Blu-ray release, and Universe and Tokyo have pretty decent DVD releases. Why would you ever want to rip old VHS tapes of an inferior quality release that was in some cases censored?”

- The now famous Toonami “bikinis”.

Because this version of Tenchi Muyo! is a piece of history. Not only is it a piece of Tenchi history, but a piece of Toonami history as well. Being able to preserve this in the best quality possible is being able to point to future generations and say “This is why I’m here.”

For a lot of us it’s about taking us back to a simpler time, grade school, high school, university. Taking us back to a time before the internet was what it is today.

So now we can, after almost 20 years, re-watch the version of Tenchi Muyo! that brought so many of us joy and wonder.

[imma-lil-teapot]

Each TMNT Incarnation and Where They Stand With Me :)

(Nervous chuckle) ... Yeah no, I suck at titles. Moving on! 

Y’all can go ahead and skip this part if you’re not interested in senseless rambling and just wanna get to the TMNT fun~ ;) 

Soooooo, I’ve recently updated my Tumblr page to a blog dedicated to all my fandoms (musing, headcanons, writing, gifs, pics, the works, basically anything and everything in relation to them) since I wasn’t really ever doing anything with it other than using it to share pics mostly. But ever since I stumbled back into the TMNT fandom, I’ve been searching Tumblr for fan content and OMGOSH, did I hit the jackpot! Headcanons, fanfics, Turtle x reader stories, so much juicy stuff! Am hooked! Dunno why I never tried searching for similar stuff in the past for my other fandoms! I guess I just... didn’t realize there was so much content here. :O But anyway, I always wanted a place to share ideas and thoughts regarding my fandoms outside of sites like Deviantart and Fanfiction.net, and heck, it’s been here under my nose all this time... Y’all gonna have to forgive me; I’m an old fart. ;P (Insert image of Slowpoke for reference) So without further ado... 

LET’S GET THIS PIZZA PARTY STARTED! 

Imma start this blog off really simple and, as the title states, just give you all a small-ish idea of where each TMNT universe stands (or ranks?) with me, personally... Note the ‘personally’ part so please don’t feel offended if I don’t share the same opinion as you on a particular verse. ^^; I have my own tastes and will respect the next person’s when it comes to them. ;) Also, please beware the typos (which there most definitely will be)...

IN RELEASE DATE ORDER: (Hopefully they’re right)

MIRAGE COMICS~

Imma just say it: I haven’t read any of them yet. :/ There probably are sites out there that would allow you to view them online for free, but in truth, I’ve been a little slack about trying to find any... That may however change someday as I always tell myself I should really seek out the source material so it’s only a matter of time. What I do know, however, is that they’re of course a lot darker than most incarnations (which I don’t have a problem with personally) and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious as to exactly how much darker. X’D The closest I’ve come to ‘knowing’ these Turts comes from watching the Turtles Forever movie and they weren’t in it for a long time so it’s very difficult to say what they actually mean to me, so we’ll just put these guys down in the ‘not sure’ column for now. ;)

1987 CARTOON~

HAHA~ I think any fan of the franchise as a whole knows this little gem! The series that really hit it off and spawned over a 190 eps! Quite an impressive feat for a Saturday morning cartoon! It made its way to TVs the year before I was born, but it would take another few before it would reach our tubes (we’re always a few years behind the rest of the world :/ ) so I was around four when I was first introduced to it and needless to say, I loved it back then! Michelangelo was initially my fav due to him being my older brothers’ fav and the one they mainly spoke of, but it didn’t take long before my favering gravitated towards Leonardo (even at such a young age) and has been that way ever since. ;) But where exactly does the series stand with me as an adult nowadays with so many other verses we’ve been exposed to? I do hold a lot of nostalgia (as many older do) for it, and I mean, come on, that theme song is ageless, and I even started watching a lot of vids involving the original VAs and the shenanigans they get up to and seriously, it’s so heartwarming and fun to see them! But I have to be honest...

It’s not my fav verse, honestly. I will always adore them, of course, because of the nostalgia and the goofiness... But it’s the latter that’s mostly the reason for it being placed a bit lower on the favoritism ladder. While its a fun watch if you want something lighthearted, I still prefer the idea of the darker undertones that comes with being associated with ninjas. It’s just a preference. Plus, the Turtles designs are big one for me, and I’m sorry to say, but I keep seeing these fellas as more frog-like than turtle, despite the shells. X’D So yeah, no big reasoning for it, and even if someone were to ask me if I like these guys, I’ll still say yes, just that they’re not my ultimate fav is all. ;)

Also, we won’t talk about the Japanese Anime Ninja Turtles: Superman Legend or something to that extent... We’ll just let that one be gently swept under the carpet. ;) Only ever saw the trailer for it and that’s all I’ll ever need to see in my lifetime.

1990 MOVIES TRILOGY~

Now funny enough, I really don’t remember ever seeing these movies as a kid, though it’s possible I did and just maybe blocked the memory, but I highly doubt it... So yeah, I saw these movies as an adult already. The first is praised by most fans, and honestly, I can see why: it’s pretty good! :D The acting is very decent and the humour’s brilliant! The two sequels... not so much but still okay. ;) Where they sit with me... Not too far on the ladder again I’m afraid. :/ While I do really enjoy and appreciate the acting and that humour (”I made a funny.” X’D) it mostly comes down to the Turtles designs again... I really can’t see past them being actors in costumes rather than characters. :’( Granted, good actors. ;) And heck, Jim Henson did a phenomenal job! They’re just not really the movies for me is all, even if I do go back and watch ‘em every now and then. X’D I do however melt every time at the scene in the first movie where Raph wakes up in the bath and Leo’s there and apologizing and all... Makes me all gooey inside! X’D The feels are real! Speaking of Leo, though, he sounds even younger than Mikey. Small nitpick, that, but... why? X’D

But yeah, let’s just say, they’re good movies, just, not my favs.

Also, Coming Out Of Their Shells tour... Yeah, I’m gonna just... pretend that doesn’t exist for a minute. 

THE NEXT MUTATION~

Nope.

Saw one ep as a kid and am not interested in seeing anymore.

Although, VA Matt Hill voices Raph. That’s one good thing.

2003/2k3~

Well it wasn’t already apparent by my avatar... Ladies and gents, I present to you... My fav TMNT verse to date! Oh my goodness, where do I even begin with this delicious series?! :D Firstly, animation: so appealing, comic book-y style! Their designs: without sounding pervy, veeeeeeeery appealing (hehehehehe), no seriously, they sometimes have a bitta bulk to them but it honestly works, and dem muscles, and the cool eyes! The VAs: spot on! Perfect! Wouldn’t have ‘em any other way! Make me melt, Mr. Michael Sinterniklaas~ (cough) Their personalities: Omgosh, just yes! So perfect! They’re easily differentiated and yet still work together so well. Leo’s mature and level-headed (well, most of the time ;P ) yet still gets tested a lot and even has a fun side that’s shown on occasion. Raph’s grouchy and violent but is shown on more than one occasion that’s he’s total softie and really does care. Don’s just a sweetheart and freakishly smart and even has slips ups from time to time. Mikey... omgosh, best Mikey ever! So much fun! So hilarious! And just a bundle of energy, but not at all an idiot like he’s sometimes portrayed in other verses. He’s witty, mischievous and just so adorable! Heck, even Master Splinter, April, Casey, the lot of them are just awesome in this series! And wow, they really do lean more towards the source material (or so I’m told) when it comes to the plots! It’s darker than the other previous verses yet still remaining kid-friendly (although I question it at times XD) and omgosh, it’s just everything I want in a TMNT universe! Granted, it’s not perfect perfect, but it nailed it for me. ;) It really showed so lovely character developments, alsortsa different genres, the humour will leave you in stitches, the Turts are all just so lovable, I can’t get enough of them! This series was really my high point and I’ve yet to find one that tops it~

Btw, this even includes Fast Forward and Back to the Sewer (BTTS). The former being my least fav of the series simply due to the setting and again, it’s just preference. I even liked BTTS, even though I’m not overly fond of a cyberspace setting, but I found myself really liking the art style and the general plot. :D 

2007/2k7~

As with the last, if you’ve picked up on the page’s header/banner, you’d have probably guessed that the 2007 movie is also a good candidate for one my favs... And you’d be correct. ;) I’m actually very fond of this movie, and it’s largely due to the Turtles designs. I love how they were done! They just look so cool! <3 Subtle differences tell the viewer who’s who even if they didn’t have a mask or weapons. The VAs were also pretty good~ Now, the story isn’t the greatest, I’ll admit. Personally I thought it was okay, but know many fans think otherwise. But I did like the confrontation between Leo and Raph! It got real there, peeps! :O Now here’s also where it falls a little on its face for me: I didn’t really like how they handled Leo’s personality (if you haven’t already picked up on it, yes, I’m a Leo fangirl and I’m picky when it comes to how they handle his personality) but it’s a nitpick again, yet, I still feel compelled to state my opinion: the whole “I’m better than you.” comment really took me back and made me think they pushed it. I honestly like to believe he’d never actually say something like that... at least, 2003!Leo wouldn’t. X’D But that’s just my problem: I’m comparing a different verse’s Leo to this one and whether I like it or not, he said it. :/ Oh well, it still made for some fun action scenes and I’ll still always like the movie.

Bit of a goof on my side: I honestly thought that this movie was made to tie in with the 2003!verse due to the timeline in which it was produced, but turns out, it’s actually closer to the 1990′s timeline although still considered it’s own verse.

2012/2k12~

Oooh boy, lemme prepare for the backlash real quick... I’m uhhhh... not a fan of these boys. :/ I don’t mind them, but I’m honestly never gonna watch the series again. It’s hard to top your fav when you’ve kinda already hit your high point, ya know. Now before you light your torches and sharpen your pitchforks, hear me out: I will never bash the series, or make fun of anyone who likes it! Or anything to that extent! It’s just wasn’t for me, plain and simple, and it’s got nothing to do with it being ‘new’ or I’m just an old fart stuck in my ways. Heck, If you’re still reading, you would’ve found out that even nostalgia couldn’t beat the series that grasped me in my teens! So no, it has nothing to do with age. But if you do need a reason: I wasn’t overly fond of how they handle the characters. For one, they look and act a bit too young, Mikey is just... wow, something else. Donnie’s... sheesh, pretty snappy and antagonising. Raph’s well... okay, he’s meant to be angry half the time, and they did give him some more layers with Spike and Mona Lisa and whatnot, but he still kinda never learns his lesson if I can say that? He’ll learn that he shouldn’t cause issues with others, yet next episode he’s back at it again. :/ Leo’s... wow, just not like other Leos. X’D Best way I can describe him is... young? Very childlike. And even when he was progressing to becoming this better leader, I honestly couldn’t even see the change. My mind was just stuck on this “He’s a babeh.” notion. Also, I’m not even gonna start on this April and Casey. Just. No. Most of the characters were annoying and I just kept seeing recycled plot after plot. What I did like was the romance that blossomed between Raph and Mona (albeit far too rushed) and even Donnie liking April was adorable (but seriously Donnie, you can do so much better), and there were some really heartfelt moments, like Splinter telling Leo to leo his brothers with his heart and not his head, and the scenes when they were Tots will always make me squeal... But yeah... without leaving any spoilers.... about Splinter... just... thanks, Nickelodeon. Y’all know what I mean. Not once... But twice.... Really? So yeah, look, I realized some of those reasons might even be petty, but again, it’s just not the series for me, but anyone who’s a fan... You keep being a fan! ;) I’m glad you can enjoy something I can’t. ;)

2014/2k14/2016/2k16 AKA BAYVERSE~

HAHA~ Every fan’s favorite... If only. X’D Jokes aside, despite many fans claiming the Bay movies ruined the franchise, these two films gathered a small following... And I’m apart of it. :) Funny enough, I honestly didn’t know what to think of them when the movie first came out. I think I was just taken aback by the sheer amount of detail and all that went into their designs. I didn’t not like them, but again, their designs were a lot to take in. :O Even now after seeing the movies quite a few times over, I find myself constantly discovering something I didn’t notice on them before, be it a strap or a scar etc. And it honestly took some getting use to their sizes, I mean, sheesh! :O Not to mention the different background story, and Megan Fox’s wooden, expressionless acting, but despite all that... I found myself actually growing attached to these hulks of Turtles. They still have a lot of that heart in them and plus they’re just so much fun, I mean, can we say ‘Elevator scene’? X’D Now again, not perfect by anys mean, but still fun and pretty decent incarnations to add to the franchise. Again, Leo’s been given this ‘Better than you’ a bit which irked me to be frank. Not always but it’s there sometimes, but otherwise alright. Raph’s a decent Raph. Even had some tender moments. Donnie’s adorable! X’D This slightly potty mouthed geek that you just gotta love. And Mikey... although given that bitta ‘idiot’ feel, is also just as lovable and you want to hug him every time he’s onscreen! 

In short, I like ‘em. :) They’re actually closer to the top of the ladder than some others.

RISE OF THE TMNT/ROTTMNT/2018/2K18~

Yeeeeeeeeuuuuuuh... no. Sorry. Not for me. :/ Again, gonna remind y’all, nothing to do with age. Nothing to do with change. I will say that the fluid animation is nice, and the fact that they chose 2D animation. :) Buuuuuut, wow, they were certainly a lot to take in. Almost as much as Bay’s Turtles. After watching a few eps, I will conclude that they really just aren’t what I’m looking for. I found that the constant joking, while sometimes funny, got a little bit much, plus such short eps. Raph being leader was a switch and one that took awhile to get use to and honestly, I’m just not for it, I don’t even know where to begin with Donnie, Mikey’s okay, Leo... (deep breath) I don’t know what they were thinking... Let’s not even go to Master Splinter. But anyways, I get that change was what they were going for and that it was more so based on the 1987 toon with the silliness so that’s fine. I’m glad it’s got so many fans. :) And honestly, I wanna end off just by saying...

That no matter what your thoughts on what I’ve said, I hope you can respect my opinions and choices cause at the end of the day, they’re just my own, and I will always respect yours! :D If you adore the verses I’m not too crazy about, that’s great! :D I want you all to love the heck out of them! And honestly, this is what’s so great about this franchise: there are so many verses to choose from! So many options and tastes to suit any and all! You don’t have to follow the masses! You go enjoy whichever incarnation(s) you want to! ;) 

And there we have it, my first fandom bloggy thingy~ Hope there’ll be many more where that came from! :D

This is Drag0n-Mistr3ss signing off~

[cryptidswrite]

Reckless Abandon

Pairing: Jeongguk x Reader

Genre: angst mostly, a teeny bit of fluff, overwatch au, one shot + epilogue

Warnings: hella geeky with a touch of violence

Word Count: 3,976

Description: Jeongguk is Busan’s pride and joy. He protects the city from all enemies; omnic and talon alike. His face is plastered on every billboard and every street corner. You can’t even drink a can of soda without feeling like he’s watching you. The glitz and glamour he receives is endlessly irritating to you, his mechanic. When will he wake up and see that there's more important things than fame?

Author’s Note: D.va’s animated short had me feeling some type of way. So this is pretty much based off of that. Thanks, Blizzard. If only they’d make a kpop idol D.va skin. Only then will all my dreams have come true. This is my second attempt at truly writing a fic so bare with me.

“Former ESports Champion turned meka pilot, Jeon Jeongguk has done it again! Just last week he risked his life to save Busan from the Keishun ominics. At just 20 years old, he’s become South Korea’s star in the line of defense. Quick to respond to the surprise attack, Jeon and the meka squad were -”

You click off the holovideo with a roll of your eyes and pick up a clean rag to wipe of your greasy face. Rummaging through your tools, you scoff at the latest headlines. Here you are fixing up his mech from the previous week’s battle. He’s all but killed your poor baby, Bunny. The name is lame, you know and Jeongguk reminds you often. Watching how the mech bounces through the battlefields, you feel the name suits her well. So, you’ve lovingly named her Bunny. You nearly took off his head when he brought her back for repairs. The right fusion cannon had been entirely blown off, meaning you had to build a new one from scratch.

Did he care that building that cannon had caused you two sleepless nights? You doubt he’d care much if he knew. He’d probably say “Suck it up, buttercup. The enemy waits for no one.” So you grabbed your wrench and you sucked it up. As much as you hate to say it, the city does depend on him. Hell, the country kind of depends on him. It seems like too much for any one person.

You sigh and hoist yourself inside the mech to finish repairing the inside control panel. You and Jeongguk have been friends for as long as you can remember. It’s funny how you were once modifying his hoverboard when you were kids and now you’re fixing his mech as he comes home from yet another battle. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t worried about him. The boy, who was once carefree and blithe, now shoulders the responsibility of protecting an entire nation. You don’t know how he does it and honestly, you wish he didn’t have to.

Jeongguk taps on the thick glass of Bunny’s windshield. You were so immersed in the control panel, you didn’t hear him come in. Why is he here? You furrowed your brows at him as you opened the back hatch of the mech.

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be out taking pictures with your fans or something?” You say, sounding a little more bitter than you had intended.

He sighs, “Don’t be like that, y/n. The fame thing is annoying and overrated. I’ve told you a thousand times.”

“Whatever. Really though, I told you I’d call you when I’m done with repairs and updates. She’s nowhere near ready. I need at least another week.”

“Another week?” he whines, “I don’t wanna wait anymore.”

You roll your eyes in annoyance and move to get out of the mech. He holds out his hand as an offer to help you down and you take it. “Guk, what’s the rush? The Keishun probably won’t attack for at least another couple of months. You really need a break,”

“You know I can’t take a break. We barely won last time. The enemy is out there evolving and finding ways to become stronger. I have to stay a few steps ahead of them. My squad, this city, the country… They need me at my best. We can’t afford to lose. If I lose, than we lose everything. I’m not going to risk that.”

“Stopping putting all of this on yourself. Asking for help doesn’t make you weak. You’re only human, Jeon.”

He shrugs and says, “I know. I’ve got this.”

You know he’s not listening to what you’re saying. You sigh and give up on scolding him. It’s an old fight, you know it will come up again. He’s always worried about everyone else and never himself. It makes you so angry you could scream, but you won’t. Having been his friend for so long, you should probably learn to accept his fearless martyr attitude. But why should you have to accept it? It’s entirely unfair. While he’s off worrying about the rest of the world, someone needs to worry about him.

You turn your back to him and grab the large cable laying on the ground. You plug it into the main computer that programs the mech. You need to push this matter aside and focus on running program tests for Bunny.

“Can you please get in the mech and see if the right arm has decent mobility?” You say gently, without looking at him. You know that if you look at him right now, you might cry out of frustration and that will upset him. He has enough on his plate without worrying about you too.

“Alright.”

Once you hear the closing clicks from the back hatch of the mech, you allow yourself to turn around. The mech immediately comes to life around him and he’s fully focused on the task at hand. He does as you say and moves the right arm through a full range of motions. Somehow, he looks the most natural inside the mech. You can’t explain it.

Maybe it’s because you’re so used to seeing him in the mech. Somehow, it’s almost like Bunny has become a part of him. Maybe it’s the fluid way he pilots the mech. There’s never a hiccup or pause between his thoughts and the mech’s movements. He’s really an incredible pilot, you must admit. He never fails to leave you in awe. You’d never tell him this though. His ego is already much too big for your liking.

“She’s moving better than ever. The arm even feels lighter! How’d you do it?” He turns the mech towards you, excitement radiating through his smile. You can’t help but grin back, feeling your chest swell with pride. He did recognize your hard work.

“I’m glad you’ve noticed. I wanted to experiment with using carbon fiber material instead of the steel we have been using. It’s much lighter, but just as strong. We’ll see how this one holds up in battle and then I might replace the left cannon with the same material.”

He ejects himself from the mech to closer inspect the fusion cannon. Running his fingers along the bright green paint, he turns to you with a grin.

“This is fucking incredible, y/n. Do you know how much faster I can move? Imagine a whole meka made of this stuff. We’d be lethal!”

You laugh, “You already are lethal, but yeah. That’s the end goal. Even with just the cannons replaced, it’ll tone down the overall bulk of the mech. I’ve also been working on ways to narrow down the spread of the cannons so you can be more precise with your aim.”

“You really are brilliant, you know that?”

You smirked, “Obviously. You’d be screwed without me.”

“Honestly, I would be.”

You move around him and climb back into the mech. “Okay. Enough of the sappy shit, Jeon. Bunny and I have tests to finish running.”

“I can help, you know. It is my mech after all.”

You open your mouth to argue, but something on the computer monitor caught your eye. That can’t be right… An incoming enemy? You get out of the mech, scrambling to get a better look. The monitor flashes blood red and you can hear the shrill city sirens go off, signaling for the people of Busan to take cover. Four aircrafts are making their way towards the meka base.

“No, no, no. It’s too early. They attacked just last week. How do they have more omnics ready?”

Jeongguk had already pulled the heavy cable from Bunny and locked himself inside. His headset was on and he began checking each system to prepare for take off.

“Guk, no! Y-you're not ready. I’ll call the rest of the team. You have to sit this one out!” You say firmly, stepping in front of Bunny.

“We can’t wait for backup, y/n. The omnics will be in the city by then. I can’t let that happen. I’m going.” He looks at you fiercely and from that one look you know that you’ll never be able to talk him out of it. You feel your heart break as you step aside for him take off.

Soundlessly, you sit down at the monitor and slip on your headset. If he’s going to be an idiot and charge into battle, than you’re going to be there to talk him through it. There’s no way in hell you’re going to just sit on the sidelines and watch him get hurt. You quickly pull the radar onto the screen to find the direction the Keishun are heading.

“It looks like they’re heading north, towards Suyeong-gu.” Your voice cracks slightly as you say this.

If he recognized the hesitance in your words, he didn’t show it. “I’m on it. Boosters engaged!” He calls.

Without even a glance, he takes off from the meka base and toward the Keishun. You kept telling yourself not to cry. You have to stay focused right now, you don’t have time to cry. You pulled the mech’s dash camera on to the screen, this way you could see exactly what he sees. You also pulled up a screen from the mecha hud, in order to monitor Jeongguk’s vitals.

You watched as he soared through the sky. The enemy’s small dots on the radar grew closer and closer to Bunny’s. The aircrafts took form before the camera on the dash. They’re much smaller than you had expected, about half the size of a jet. However, you knew better than anyone not to dismiss the omnic based on the size of the aircraft. The body of the craft is flat and triangular with four cord like appendages spinning behind it. As stupid as it sounds, it reminds you a little of a mechanical squid.

The omnics spot Jeongguk immediately and aim a barrage of missiles toward him. The missiles streak through the sky at an unforgiving speed, but Jeongguk was a step ahead.

“Activating Defense Matrix.” You hear his voice through your headset, tone calm and even.

The missiles soar into the matrix and explode meters away from their obvious target. Jeongguk gave them no time to react before flying into an attack of his own. He wove through the sky and aimed his micro missiles at the nearest omnic, effectively removing it from the battle. The remaining three went separate ways; One retreating, one racing towards the meka base, and the last flew straight towards the city.

“Watch it, Guk! They’re splitting up.” You warn, voice tense.

“I see it!” He calls as he races toward the omnic retreating.

You don’t care what Jeongguk said, you’re calling Jimin for backup. You quickly type in the code to have the meka base system send for help. You pray Jimin will make it there in time.

 Bunny caught up to the enemy in mere seconds. Jeongguk flew above the omnic and shot it down from above. ‘Two down, two to go.’, you thought. Maybe you shouldn’t have signaled for Jimin to come. Just as you thought that, the Keishun omnic that was headed toward the base flipped around and headed straight for Bunny.

“Jeongguk! Behind you!” You cry, feeling your heart jump into your throat..

Caught of guard, he turned Bunny around just to be thrown in the midst of the enemy’s missile attack. He didn’t have enough time to activate his Defense Matrix, he’d have to try and dodge the oncoming missiles. He swerved sharply to the right, but he wasn’t fast enough to save Bunny’s left arm.

“Dammit.” He growled through clenched teeth. He aims for the Keishun using only his right fusion cannon. His bullets caught the enemy’s craft and the omnic fell from the sky.

“Y/n. Where’s the last one?”

“He’s headed toward the city. You’ll have to hurry.”

Jeongguk whipped the mech towards the city and sped off, pushing Bunny as fast as she could go. You could hear his bated breaths through the headset and his pleas for Bunny to make it there in time. Your chest felt tight and you thought you were going to puke. You gripped the desk fiercely, knuckles white, in a desperate attempt to ground yourself.

With the last omnic in sight, Bunny unleashed an array of missiles and bullets toward the enemy. You’ve never seen Jeongguk miss a shot, never, but this time he missed. Something definitely feels off. You check Bunny’s hud for Jeongguk’s vitals and run a quick damage report on Bunny. Jeongguk is fine, but he had pushed Bunny too hard. Her boosters are beginning to fail, which is causing the mech to drag.  

“Guk, Jimin should be on-” The remaining omnic took you both by surprise. It turns it’s aim from the city and races toward Guk’s mech. He raises Bunny’s right fusion cannon to aim, but it’s too late. The omnic slams into Bunny and wraps it’s four tentacle-like arms around them. Jeongguk tries to aim the right fusion cannon towards the omnic, but the omnic was too strong and snapped the mech’s arm clean off. The Keishun was trying to crush the mech.

“Y/n. I need your help. I need you to override Bunny’s system.” His voice is calm and sure. If he’s afraid, you can’t tell.

“I-I can’t. You know that will cause her to self destruct.” You say. You didn’t realize you’ve been crying until you heard your voice crack. Dammit. This isn’t the time. You will yourself to pull it together.

“I’ll be fine, y/n. Trust me.” He tells you softly. To your right, you can see Jimin’s meka on the landing strip getting ready for take off. You quickly send Bunny’s coordinated to Jimin’s meka. He will be there soon. You just need to buy him a little time.

“I need you to buy me a few minutes to override the system. Can you do that, Jeon?” You’re lying through your teeth. You know each program on that mech like the back of your hand. You could do it in seconds, but he doesn’t need to know that.

“Hell yeah, I can.”

He uses what’s left of Bunny’s left arm to swing at the omnic. You hear the sharp sound of crunching metal as he lands the hit.  He grabs his hand-held blaster from beside him, sticks his arm underneath Bunny’s windshield and fires at the omnics lower left arm. The metallic tentacle falls dead weight. Out of the corner of your eye, you watch Jimin’s mech take flight toward the city. So you begin to override the system.

“Alright, I’ve got it. You have sixty seconds until Bunny self destructs. Jimin will be there to catch you.”

“That’s not fast enough! We’ll be in the city by then. It’s gotta be now.” He says. You can hear the distinct clicks of the back hatch opening. You know exactly what he’s planning and your eyes widen with panic.

“Jeongguk, don’t you fucking dare.” You cry, vision blurring.

“I’ll be alright, y/n. I’ll see you soon, okay?” He didn’t give you any time to answer. He ejects himself from the mech, uses his blaster to take careful aim at Bunny’s core and fires.

You run to the window in time to see a green light flash across the sky. You know somewhere Jeongguk has fallen into the water bellow.

_____________________________________

Jeongguk can only remember small fragments of events after the initial blast. He remembers briefly fighting against the water with his lungs burning and his legs heavy. He remembers a bright light shining down on him and people shouting as the waves lapped against his listless aching body. He remembers your warm hand grasping his as he was being wheeled along under fluorescent lights. He could here your pleas for him to hold on. He wished he weren’t so tired. He wished he could squeeze your hand back and tell you he was alright.

The lights were bright and they make his eyes ache. He wishes someone would turn them off, or at least dim them. Jeongguk turns his head to the side and finds you curled up in a chair, staring out the window. He wonders what you’re thinking about. He swallows harshly, lips and throat feeling dry.

“Hey.” You hear him say, voice hoarse and tired.

You reply with a soft ‘Hi’, attention still on the street bellow. You feel exhausted. You haven’t been able to sleep since he’s been in the hospital. The doctors have offered you a bed and pills to help you fall asleep, but you don’t want them. You wanted to be here when he woke up. Now, you’re really not sure why. You’d cried all day yesterday, how do you still have anything left?

Nonetheless, you felt tears spill down your cheeks. You really don’t want him to see you cry. He hates it when you cry.

“How long have I been out?” He asks, wincing as he moved to sit up. His arms and back are still so sore. He wonders how far he fell.

“Two days, not too long.” Your voice is barely above a whisper.

“Are you crying? God, please don’t cry. You have the ugliest crying face.” He teases you, hoping to ease the tension surrounding the room.

You turn toward him feeling absolutely furious. Standing up, you march to his bedside and deliver a sharp smack to the back of his head.

“Ow, what the hell is the matter with you?” He rubs his head glaring at you.

“What the hell is the matter with YOU? Do you know what it’s been like fucking waiting here while you were in surgery? While you’ve been sleeping? This whole thing could have been prevented if you’d just let someone help you, but God forbid you let someone else steal your fucking spotlight. You run headfirst into these life or death situations without thinking of the consequences and I’m fucking sick of it. I never should’ve let you go out there alone. I should’ve locked Bunny down and made your dumbass wait for backup. Never again, Jeongguk. I swear. I’ll never let anything like this happen again…” Your eyes are brimmed with tears and burning with a kind of anger Jeongguk has never seen from you.

“Do you really think I did all that for a headline or two?” He sounded sincerely hurt and you almost felt bad for implying that.

“I don’t know, Jeongguk. I can’t figure out if you’re extremely selfish or just stupidly selfless. All I know is that I can’t watch you kill yourself.”

“I'm not gonna die, y/n. Jesus. Will you please-”

“I love you too much for that. I….I don’t think I can be your mechanic anymore.” You cut him off, tone much softer than before. You’ve been thinking about this for weeks now and you wish it hadn’t come down to this, but it feels like it has too. You can’t watch him destroy himself with his reckless decisions.

“Y/n…..I can’t do this without you. This isn’t about fame, it never has been. I just want to protect this country and everyone I love. I’ll admit, I should have waited for backup. I pushed Bunny to hard and I destroyed her. I did it to protect everyone, not for the fame. Please, I need you there…” Ignoring the plea of his body to stay resting, he leaned forward and took your hand.

You couldn’t look at him right now because you know you’d give him anything he wanted if you did. You muffled a sob with your other hand. Why does he have to make this so difficult for you?

He tugged you closer to him with a grimace and you didn’t put up a fight. You know you should have, but you couldn’t. Not when you heard the break in his voice as he whispered ‘come here’. He pulled you close and felt the sobs you had been fighting rake through your body. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat and held you as close he possibly could.

“I know I’m reckless. I know I don’t think things through like I should, but I can try to be more careful. I'll take a break even. I just…. I didn’t know it upset you so much. Please, y/n. Just stay.”

“I'm sorry, Jeongguk. I-I'm so sorry.”

You tried to pull away, but he just held you even tighter. You felt his tears soak through the shoulder of your shirt. Why are you so weak? Your mind was screaming at you to get up and leave, but you just couldn't. Not with him choking out hysterical apologies and clinging to you the way he is. The dam was broken now and every little emotion that he had held back was hitting him full force. You couldn’t leave him like this. Your resolve was crumbling fast, but it didn’t matter anymore.

You laid down next to him and he clung to you. You ran your fingers through his hair while he cried. His shaky breath began to slow down and you knew he was falling asleep. You let your mind wonder.

Maybe, you could stay. Maybe, he meant what he said and he just didn’t know how seriously this affected you and those around him. Maybe, you’re just thinking too hopefully. Maybe, you’re just exhausted and incapable of making any kind of decisions right now.

“I love you, Guk.” you whispered to him. You doubt he heard it.

Your eyes felt too heavy to keep open and you let yourself finally drift into sleep.

___________________________________

You were gone when he woke up. He should've been able to predict that, but it still stung. He'd hoped that maybe you would change your mind, as selfish as that sounds. Maybe he should listen to you. He’s been in battles much worse, but this time around even he couldn't deny that he had taken it too far.

Did he really expect to be able to live a long and healthy life like this? You're right and he knew it. It's just hard to understand the reality of the situation. He needed to make some changes. It seemed dramatic when you said it, but it's true. He's killing himself and he can't keep it up anymore.

He tapped the button to call the nurses in. His head was pounding and he wasn't sure if it was the injuries or the thoughts swirling around his skull. He wandered where his phone was, if someone would bring it to him. He's ready to give up piloting mekas for good if that's what it took to keep you there. None of it really mattered if you weren't by his side. He loves you and it’s time for him to tell you.

[gobydana]

The Vet Part 2

A/N: Here is part 2 of The Vet. This time Bruce meets the reader as Batman. Let me know what you think. 

The Vet Part One, Part Two, Part 3

Alfred was home by the time they got back to the manor. Damian was still carrying Alfred the cat as they walked in. Luckily Duke had informed of the morning events. He greeted Damian as he walked up the stairs. Soon Alfred turned to Bruce who dug the care instructions out of his pocket. No doubt that was what the butler was looking for.

“I assume it went well.” He inquire while walking towards the main room.

“Dr. Y/N is a good vet and works with Damian well.” Bruce remarked. “How did you find them?”

“They helped out with one animals at Haley’s circus. Young Master Richard remember her and suggested them when we got Ace. They are rather remarkable. Master Damian took to them right away. He stated they were the decent and acceptable to handle his animals.”

“Hmm.” Was the sound Bruce made while walking towards his office to go back to previous morning work.

Throughout the day, Bruce couldn’t get their smile out of his mind. Maybe it was their interaction with Damian, how much they were willing to work with him. Most adults are easily put off by his way of talking and bluntness. They even went as far as to find a book he was asking about. They didn’t treat him as a silly child but rather an adult, something Damian wants.

Soon though it was time for the rogues of Gotham to take over his mind. He went down to the cave to deal out patrol boundaries. This job was one of the hardest since some days his kids got along and other days he felt like they were testing his stress levels. He has learned who to stick together and who not to. If Dick was Gotham for the night instead of Bludhaven, Damian would claim him. Over time, Bruce learned it was better to just partner them up instead of the arguments that Damian would start if he wasn’t with Dick.

Tonight, Damian was with Tim and Duke and Jason paired up. Cass and Stephanie partner for the docks. Once upon a time, Tim and Damian couldn’t be together but had come a long way. Plus Duke and Jason had a stakeout plan. Bruce could tell from the insane amount of junk food in their packs, that it was going to be a long stake out. He dismissed them all while heading to the computer. He took one last look to make sure Clark hadn’t sent anything in  regards to a recent League missions and then he was off.

It was hardly the case that patrol was quite. Ever since Dick was Robin, he had gotten use to a kid near his side. A shadow that he had grown to except to always be there. Yet they had all gotten older and even Damian would rather go with one of his sibling now. Not even on league missions did he get alone time. Once upon a time, he would wish for this, but now it was a lonely reminder that soon they would all be doing their own thing.

Luckily the chatter over the comns kept him from thinking too much about it. Jason seemed to be teaching Duke poker on the stake out. It must have been a slow day for them. It also seemed to explain why they were stocking up on so many snacks. At least they weren’t betting money. Tim and Damian were getting along but it seemed to be at the soon to be suffering of Connor and Jon. Something about a prank war the Kent boys started. Bruce made a mental note to warn Clark.

Only a few thugs tried anything in his area tonight. Even Arkham seemed to be behaving for once. No break outs for the last week. Barbara had even made a board that stated blank days since the last Arkham breakout. Sometimes he wondered just serious his family takes the hero business.

Out of the corner of his eye he spied someone near a dumpster. He dropped down on a fire escape nearby to see what they were doing. To his surprise it was Dr. L/N. The appeared to be trying to coax something or someone out from behind. They were so busy with that task that they didn’t notice the growing shadow lurking nearby.

Batman jumped on the thug as soon as he brought up a baseball bat towards the vet. They heard the thump and turned around. The shock on their face event that they were not paying attention.

“Oh gosh. Thank you Batman.” They said while glancing at the dumpster.

“You should pay more attention.” He replied.

“I know. It’s just there is a mother cat and her kittens back here. They aren’t looking well. A neighbor gave me a warning. I wanted to help them out.” They said while turning their full attention back to the dumpster.

“Here, I will move the dumpster to help.” He offered.

As he moved the dumpster, four tiny grey kittens came into view. The mother next, and none of them looked in good shape. The vet immediately went to help them. The mother cat seemed to trust them and allowed Y/N near her kittens.

“Oh I need to take you little ones home.” They muttered to themselves.

“Let me help.” Batman replied.

They looked shock almost forgetting he was there and heard them.

“Oh I couldn’t ask you. You have Gotham to look after.”

“Gotham is okay tonight. Plus I have help.” He remarked while the sounds of his children filtered through the comns.

“Could you then grab a kitten or two?” They hesitantly asked.

He beckoned the kittens over. Luckily dealing with Damian’s cat had given him experience it handling cats. Three of them came over and he scooped them up in his arms. Y/N couldn’t but help and smile at the picture in front of them. The big bat himself was holding three kittens who kept pawing at him.

Luckily their place wasn’t far from the area. A few blocks walk and they were there. They walked up the stairs to their loft apartment. Inside a three legged dog greeted them. Y/N went straight to the couch to lay the mother down. She motioned for Batman to do the same. As she went to the kitchen for some milk, he took the chance to look around.

The place looked like only they lived there. Dog toys scattered the area. Plants at the window gave it a homey feeling. Her degree hung on the wall next to a picture of what appeared Haley’s circus. He took the chance for a closer look, knowing she helped out back when Dick was in it with his parents. Sure enough there was a young Dick on Zike. His parents stood on either side. He made a note to later pull the image from his lens to show Dick.

“They were the nicest people. A lion had gotten ill the morning of.” Y/N remarked. “Turns out the lion was pregnant. It was sad that night they performed though.”

Batman just nodded as emotions rushed through him he tried to keep at bay. Sometimes he thinks back to that night wishing he could change the outcome for his oldest son.

“Thank you.” They said after a moment of silence when they were giving the kittens milk. “These little ones should be good with some milk. Mother will be good after some food.”

Again the Batman replied with a nod. He was going to take that moment to ask her some more questions, but was interrupted by his children.

“Ummm B, we might have an issue.” Jason hollered over the comns.

He rushed towards the window and was gone before Y/N could say anything. They turned to the cat and said, “So much for goodbye.” 

Tagging: @superwhoteen @the-shadow-of-atlantis @fuckbuckyyy

[cosykaleb-blog]

Muse page

“Hasbeen boy genius”

NAME: Kaleb (Kyle) Mordechai Broflovski   AGE: 17 OCCUPATION: Junior Year of high school SEXUALITY: Bi sexual (But in major denial about it) GENDER: He/him MENTAL DISORDERS: Suspects he might be on the autism spectrum, but was never tested. RELIGION: Agnostic (Open to learn, but has a hard time believing what he was taught about his faith)

PERSONALITY TRAITS:

Logical

Book worm

Lacks empathy, but is sympathetic (or tries to be)

Organized

Hard worker academically

Lazy in just about everything else

Egotistic

Loose sweaters and baggy pants are life

HISTORY:

Kyle’s life have been seemingly uneventful other than what ever shenanigans and he his friends tend to get up to. He’s always been the smart kid of the house and always took that title for granted until Ike started to shine academically more and Kyle started finding himself fighting for his father’s approval. Gerald has always been inclined that his children do as best as possible in everything they do otherwise he sees no point in doing anything. Kyle never agrees with his father’s opinions on things because he sees it as biased and because of this there has been a lot of fights at the Broflovski dinner table which always ends with Gerald throwing the “I am your father you need to respect me” card and Kyle storming off to his room. His mother always take the liberty to bring up an extra plate of food and to talk to him trying very hard to keep the peace in the family. Kyle also conflicts with his parents when it comes to his sense of religion. He hardly considers himself an atheist, but he doesn’t really believe in most of what he was told about his faith and this causes fights mostly between him and his dad. Sheila isn’t very happy about it either, but she knows better than to fight with Kyle about something like religion and figured he’s an adult he can start believing what he wants to even if it upsets her. Kyle works very hard to make sure he’s top of his class because his dad wants him to get in to a career he sees fit enough like medicine even though Kyle has more of an interest in cooking. Though he struggles to keep his title as he started becoming second in his class and this causes even more conflict between him and his father. Because of his somewhat unstable relationship with his dad Kyle often feels anxious and uncomfortable whenever he’s home, so he spends most of his time at his friends houses. Kyle has a need to break away and do what he wants and to live his own life, but he’s too dependent on his parents and he values his mother too much to just run away, so he’s stuck. Because of the academic pressure he built a disdain for school and would skip classes and smoke in the school alley with the Goth kids if it weren’t for his conscious and the looming fear of how his father would react if he found him rebelling to that extreme. He’s always had a feeling that he might not be entirely heterosexual, but he pushes away any shred of doubt and tendencies in fear of how his father would react and managed to convince himself to live in denial of his identity

APPEARANCE:

Curly red hair that takes a lot of maintenance to stop it from taking over the world. In the beginning he would spend about an hour every morning to make sure it looked tidy and in place, but as he got older he decided “fuck it” and now let’s his hair do whatever it wants. It’s its own person it has the freedom to peruse it’s own path. He has freckles on most parts of his body though its more obvious on his face and shoulders. When he was little it wasn’t as clear, but the older he got the more prominent it became. He has no piercings at the moment. He used to have a septum piercing that he tried hiding from his parents by pushing it inside of his nose, but one day he was careless and forgot and his mother nearly fainted. He’s probably going to attempt to get another once he’s moved out and it’ll be easier to hide. He thought about getting a tattoo one day, but he’s squirmish about the thought of the needle. Fashion wise he’s got a fairly good sense of how to look  somewhat decent with buttoned up shirts and nice shoes, but generally he lives in beanies and baggy pants with interesting patterns on them. He prefers the whole “poor college art/film student who lives off of noodles and weed and probably listens to red hot chili peppers” look because its easy. It’s only a coincidence that he just so happen to be a RHCP fan. He dreams about walking barefoot all the time if only it wasn’t so cold as well as his germ phobia. He is a very tall boy about 6'6 . He also has rather big hands that are always perfectly moisturized. He inherited his mother’s green eyes. Because of his diabetes he’s very careful about what he eats and sugar content in food, but his mom makes sure he’s well fed most of the time and also because he loves his mom’s cooking he has a pudgy belly. He shaves from time to time, but occasionally he’ll deal with walking around with a scruff stubble when the work load gets too much or he’s just too lazy to shave.  

PERSONALITY:

Kyle comes off as like a really complicated person, but in reality he’s really simple when you get to know him. He thinks with logic and not emotion and sometimes that gets in his away with his ability to comfort his friends. That doesn’t mean he can’t be sympathetic, though he struggles with empathy. He’s a book worm and loves learning about things as much as he can and because of this people tend to label him as a nerd, he doesn’t really care all that much though cause labels are dumb. A lot of people get the impression, because of this label and his need for logical thinking, that he tends to be high strung and kind of anal when in reality he’s a massive dork that still laughs at farts. He’s not professionally diagnosed, but he’s always had a feeling he might be on the Autism spectrum and have been considering getting himself tested, but with his father there is a prejudice about learning disabilities and disorders, so he decided to just not bring it up to his parents to avoid drama and just find ways to deal with it himself. He’s very clean due to his light germ phobia so he avoids touching public things when he can and always carry around a bottle of hand sanitizer and seaweed scented hand cream. He also practices self care pretty much everyday and uses body butter and scrubs which means he’s extra soft and always smell amazing. (General scents he goes by is honey, peppermint or basil, but he’ll use anything if it tickles his fancy enough) Because of his logical thinking he’s always curious about testing out things for trial and error before he forms his own opinions so this means he’s open to experimenting with the occasional cigarette and joint just to see if he would actually enjoy it, though it’s not exactly something he would see himself indulging in. He has his limits though he’d never think about trying stuff like hard drugs cause he’s smart enough to know what a major effect it has on your life. Generally he finds stuff like drinking and partying rather trivial, but he will participate when his friends are doing it just to have some fun. It could be written off as peer pressure that he tends to fall for from time to time. With his parents being so academically strict and conservative because of their religious morals he does have a need to rebel, though he hardly ever acts out on it cause he’s not in the mood for whatever repercussions it has in store afterwards though that doesn’t stop him from doing what he wants, its just a matter of how well can he get away with it which can also be a problem considering he’s not a very good liar and his conscious gets the best of him. He loves like a man scorned. He’ll be friendly with you and treat you like an acquaintance in the beginning, but if you manage to work yourself in to an important role in his life he would become a lot more emotionally invested in you and can get kind of clingy. He’s not a very cuddly person either, but if you’re family or a very good friend he’ll hug you. Just don’t touch his hair that’s reserved for extra special people and his mom.            

Extra info:

Major soft spot for small dogs like Pugs, Corgis and Boston Terriers

Dog person and would love to own one, but Ike is incredibly allergic to animal dandruff.

His aesthetic consists out of rainy days, the smell of coffee and a giant wool blanket.

His nails are like a pretty big deal, Always clean and trimmed.

When he’s not reading he’s on youtube looking up “10 best scenes from the movie ‘Mean Girls’”

His height makes him look very intimidating, but in reality he’s kind of a teddy bear. Just don’t piss him off if you know what’s good for you.

Has reading glasses, but never actually wears them

Proud collector of interesting socks

Favourite friend’s character is Rachael

Character peeve’s:

When people don’t put the lid back on to the toothpaste

People who pee with the bathroom door open

When his family barges in to his room and don’t close the door behind them when they leave

Cartman

[songbird-and-her-fos]

And here comes chapter 3 of Beyond Daydreams!

Chapter 3

Connected

My dreams were strange that night. I was in a room with only an organ in it, similar to the one I knew from my local church. Even though the walls of the room consisted mostly of stained-glass windows, there was barely any light. Probably because it was the middle of the night.

I stood in the corner, watching the large door to the room slide open. Through it came Ganondorf. My heart skipped a beat, but he didn't even seem to notice that I was there.

He seemed angry, his yellow eyes glowing with ire as he sat down in front of the organ.

„I'm sorrounded by incompetent fools“, he muttered, letting his fingers slide across the ivories in an almost gentle gesture, despite the obvious tension in his hand. „How hard can it be to find this woman?“

I stayed where I was, hoping that the shadows would continue to hide me. Maybe if I was really quiet and just listened to what he said, I would find out something useful.

Suddenly, the mark on the back of his hand began to glow, and he turned his head to where I stood.

This time, he could see me.

I woke up with a start, grasping my chest, where the shard that was now embedded into my skin was emitting a soft glow.

„Cassandra?“ Impa sat up in her bed, woken up by my gasping. „What's the matter?“

„Ganondorf knows where I am“, I told her breathlessly. „He can see me through this shard.“

Impa cursed and rose from her bed. „Then get up. We have to leave immediately.“

I got out of bed and followed her out of the house, to the stable where her horse stood.

„But Impa“, I said. „If he can use this mark on his hand to track me, isn't running away kind of pointless?“

„It can buy us some time“, Impa replied sternly. „Come on now.“

„But where would we go to?“

„We'll decide that on our way. That'll make it harder for him to follow us.“ She grabbed my waist and lifted me into the saddle before mounting behind me. „Now hold on tight!“

The horse took off in a mad dash, away from the stairs leading to the town, across a small bridge over a stream, and then toward the field.

I lost track of time as the ground flew by underneath the horses' hooves. The poor thing must have been completely exhausted. I did not know too much about horses, but it doesn't take an expert to know that Impa was pushing it too hard.

„I'll be taking you to an old aquaintance of mine. His name is Dr. Mizuumi, and he will grant you shelter for a while.“

„Okay“, I replied, knowing that now really wasn't the time for questions.

After hours of riding and me wondering how this horse could keep up this kind of speed for this long, we arrived at what must have once been a beautiful lake. Right now, it looked almost dried out. There was just a small house at the lakefront, and a kind of terrace.

„This is Lake Hylia“, Impa explained as she jumped off the horse and then got me down as well. „Hyrule's biggest freshwater lake. Or at least, it used to be. Before Ganondorf began his reign of terror.“

I looked over the remains of the lake. „It must have been really beautiful.“

„It was“, she replied. „Come on now.“

We approached the house, and before we entered, Impa stopped. „Just so you know; Dr. Mizuumi is a bit... eccentric. I hope you are not bothered by that.“

„I'm considered 'a bit eccentric' by most people, too, so I'm sure that we will get along just fine.“

My companion just nodded and then opened the door.

The inside of the house just had one room, a laboratory, with a deep pool that reminded me of the public swimming pools back home.

At one of the tables stood an elderly man in a long, blue robe. He turned around as we entered.

„Ah! Mistress Impa, it's been so long! To what do I owe the pleasure?“

Impa gave me a light shove, causing me to stumble forward. „This young friend of mine needs a place to stay. In exchange for that, she will help you with your research.“

„I will?“, I asked dryly.

„Yes you will“, Impa told me.

I sighed. „Guess I have no other choice.“ Then I stepped forward. „My name is Cassandra. Just tell me how I can help you.“

Dr. Mizuumi eyed me curiously. „Ah, yes. You seem like a decently strong young woman. I'm sure I can find something for you to do.“

Impa smiled. „Good. Now that that is settled, I will have to leave you for now, Cassandra.“ She put her hands on my shoulder.

„But what if Ganondorf finds me here?“, I asked, slightly terrified.

„Someone will keep an eye on you“, she replied. „And they will come to save you if Ganondorf shows up here.“

While it did little to calm me, I nodded. „O-okay.“

Days passed without incident, and I hoped that Ganondorf had lost my trail. The shard on my chest didn't glow again, for now, and I could fully commit myself to the work Dr. Mizuumi gave me.

It mostly consisted of gathering mussels and algae for him to analyse, but it was good work. I usually left my shoes behind in the laboratory when I went out, because I loved the feeling of mud underneath my feet. It was so nice to be able to walk around the lake without fear of stepping into broken glass.

I hoped that the whole matter with Ganondorf would be resolved soon, so I could get back to finding a way home. I tried not to think about the very real possibility that there was no way back; that I would be stuck in this world forever.

About a week after Impa had brought me to Lake Hylia, I ran into him again.

I was just done collecting specimens for the Doc and rested on the small island in the middle of the lake, when I heard the distant sound of hooves approaching.

At first I thought that it might be Impa, coming to visit me and keep me updated on the situation. So I ran across the wooden bridge leading from the island to the lakeside, only to stop dead in my tracks when I saw a familiar, huge horse stand in front of the Doctor's house.

Slowly, I backed away. I couldn't see Ganondorf anywhere, but that was his horse, without a doubt. One does not simply forget an animal this big and evil-looking.

I needed to hide. But where? There was a fishing pond on the other side of the lake, but with the water at its current level, there was no way to reach it.

Suddenly, I heard a loud crash from inside the house, the door swung open and Ganondorf stepped out, dragging Dr. Mizuumi by the collar.

„Tell me where that woman is!“, he demanded coldly. „Do not test me, old man.“

The shard began to glow, and I stepped forward, fueled by grim determination. „I am here!“

Ganondorf dropped the Doctor, who fell down like a bag of flour, and approached me with a grin. „Well well. The helpless child wants to play the hero. Adorable.“

I refused to take a step back, even though all of my instincts were screaming „Run!“ right now.

„Do you want to burn your hands again? Hadn't fancied you the masochistic type.“

He let out a snort, almost a laugh. „Interesting how you can still crack jokes while staring into the face of death.“

„Bring it“, I said, the shard glowing even brighter.

He seemed to have another idea, though. „How about that?“ He grabbed Dr. Mizuumi again and held him up. „Either you come with me, or I will snap this pathetic old man's neck. It wouldn't be hard; Hylian's bones are weak and brittle.“

„Why, you cheating-“, I began, but when I saw how his huge hand closed around Dr. Mizuumi's neck, I stepped down. „...fine. You win.“

Surely I could find a way to escape once I was in his castle. Every fortress had a weak spot; I would just have to find it.

„Smart girl“, Ganondorf said in a low voice, almost a purr, that sent shivers down my spine.

Goddamnit, where was the help Impa had promised?

The glow of the shard had faded, and now I felt burned out and tired. This time, Ganondorf didn't burn his hands when he grabbed me and lifted me onto his horse.

I did not want to be this close to him. But I had no other choice in this situation, apart from leaning away as he got into the saddle behind me.

Strangely enough, he let the horse take off at a leisurely pace, and started to talk to me.

„You were surprisingly hard to find, girl.“

I did not reply. What was this guy's problem? He just coerced me into letting him kidnap me, and now he wanted to make smalltalk like we just met in a bar or something?

I leaned forward even more, now almost laying on the horse's neck. Then, he roughly grabbed the back of by vest and pulled me into an upright position. „You should learn to answer when I talk to you, girl.“

„I have name, you know“, I replied dryly. „It's Cassandra.“

„What was that? I didn't quite catch that, girl.“

„What, are your ears stuffed or something?“

I expected anger, but Ganondorf just laughed. „You're pretty bold for someone in your position.“

I hated how he seemed to laugh off everything I did. It reminded me of the way my teachers used to treat me after I got my diagnosis; always patronising. And inbetween my hatred, fear and anger, I felt the almost irresistable urge to prove him wrong. Almost as if his opinion of me meant something.

We rode through a city that seemed to be almost completely uninhabited... or uninhabitable. All I could see were creatures that kind of looked like the mummified bodies that were occasionally found in glaciers or marshlands. They were just standing around, vacantly staring into the air, not seeming to notice us passing by.

Once we left the city behind us, we approached a castle levitating over a giant pit of lava. All that was missing was the thunderstorm, though the thick clouds hanging over the pointy towers might as well have been stormclouds. It looked like the fortress of a villain from a fairytale.

„Welcome home“, Ganondorf said mockingly, giving a signal for two monsters on the other side to lower the bridge.

We dismounted, and Ganondorf grabbed my arm. „This way.“

There was nothing I could do but follow him.

[magmacannon]

ASK MEME.... all even numbers for roman

BIG ONE... let’s do this babey!! i’ve replaced some of them with odds bc I’ve done them already (and want to answer some of the odd questions fgdfh)

12. What is their favourite food? Well-cooked meat and hearty northern food! He’s got a lot of favorite foods, but most could be described as hearty or savory. 14. Do they have any specific memories of food/a restaurant/meal?He is... emotionally attached to bread now tbh. He’ll remember simple meals with a lot of laughter for weeks/months down the line. 15. Are they good at cooking? Do they enjoy it? What do others think of their cooking?He likes cooking, he’s mediocre at it. He doesn’t suck but he only has a small list of things he can like... actually cook with any skill. I think that his family things it’s decent??? but Roman is def prone to make the same thing for many days in a row if left on his own fgfhjd18. What’s their favourite genre of: books, music, tv shows, films, video games and anything elseLoves romance/fiction books!! He loves a whole lot of music, and while video games/tv doesn’t exist here he is a fan of puzzle/strategy board games. 20. Do they like musicals? Music in general? What do they do when they’re favourite song comes?Roman LOVES music - he was raised with it and it’s just sort a daily part of life for him. He’ll hum if he’s working or bored or happy, or even melancholy tbh. He def likes musicals and has seen his fair share of performances of live music. 21. Do they have a temper? Are they patient? What are they like when they do lose their temper?His temper usually takes a miracle to actually rile. He’ll get frustrated with stuff (i.e. if a potion isn’t working) pretty easily and will let off steam usually in the form of an angry spell, but gets over that quickly. As far as dealing with people though? He’s going to be understanding and give people the benefit of the doubt when he really doesn’t need to/shouldn’t. If you manage to make him furious he’ll either just freeze up or lash out suddenly - very dangerous with magic. 22. What are their favourite insults to use? What do they insult people for? Or do they prefer to bitch behind someone’s back?He doesn’t insult people!!!! If he had someone he was not a fan of he’ll most likely just sneer about it. THOUGH again, if its someone who’s really got his goat he’ll probably go on to someone else about how they’re a little turd and not worth the effort to use a spell on them. 24. What is their sleeping pattern like? Do they snore? What do they like to sleep on? A soft or hard mattress?He sleeps regularly but has a lot of trouble sleeping if he’s away from home/not in a bed. He snores only a little (small snorts once and a while). He will sleep on the softest surface imaginable (OR his husband), but does like the support of a firm mattress plus a lot of pillows. 26. How do they act when they’re happy? Do they sing? Dance? Hum? Or do they hide their emotions? Grinning from ear to ear and incredibly easy to laugh. Roman’s got a good mood that either makes you feel good or makes you really miffed bc he’s so ridiculously open about how happy he is. If he’s overwhelmed he’ll bounce with his heels lifted a bit and bite his lower lip. 27. What makes them sad? Do they cry regularly? Do they cry openly or hide it? What are they like they are sad?I did this question specifically to call him a MASSIVE CRYBABY. He’ll cry about just about anything if he’s got an extreme enough emotion in that direction. He’s also (usually) highly sympathetic, so any sad situations for people or animals have a chance to make him cry. He very rarely tries to hide it and is awful at hiding how sad he is, he looks like a kicked dog if he’s not being forward with it. 28. What is their biggest fear? What in general scares them? How do they act when they’re scared?Oh geez biggest fear is losing his family/doing something Wrong and having his loved ones leave him. He’s very scared of isolation although he won’t mention it. He acts like he’s sad but will start to isolate himself, and gets frustrated/lashes out more when he’s scared (though he’ll immediately apologize for it). Less serious fears are spiders and heights a bit. 29. What do they do when they find out someone else’s fear? Do they tease them? Or get very over protective? Overprotective to the max, although he’s working at curbing that impulse to a more reasonable level. He’ll do everything he can to protect someone from their fear, but will let them face it (with help) if he thinks it can be overcome. 32. What do they dress like? What sorta shops do they buy clothes from? Do they wear the fashion that they like? What do they wear to sleep? Do they wear makeup? What’s their hair like?He dresses like WIZARD - you’ll see him in a robe unless it’s getting cleaned, and looks Decent to Very Good in it. He’s had to get his robe tailored from the Roanroot tailor, but will window shop at a wizard store in Wunjo once a month or so. His casual clothes are simple in design and sturdy, and are... honestly often his husband’s clothing. His underclothes for his robe are tighter-fitting - he has a range from just underwear to a pair of leggings/long-sleeved shirt for winter. 34. What is their body type? How tall are they? Do they like their body?Body type is Twink. He’s 5′6″ and not muscular, a little bit soft around the edges. He has a SPECTACULAR butt (bc that’s where his magic is stored). He’s okay with his body, but wishes that he was more fit sometimes. 36. What are they good at? What hobbies do they like? Can they sing?Good at magic, good at emotional connections (I think???), good at learning/decent at teaching, good at loving his friends, and good at singing! He’s got a pretty dang good singing voice and memory for songs. His hobbies are testing new spells and making potions, as well as exploring the forest (though he’s a little cautious about it since he nearly got fae-snatched).37. Do they like to read? Are they a fast or slow reader? Do they like poetry? Fictional or non fiction?Loves to read but is slow. He absorbs a lot of info from one read-through but it takes him time. He likes poetry! and prefers fiction to non-fiction but has read some really good nonfiction on spells. 38. What do they admire in others? What talents do they wish they had?Roman admires caring, optimism (or at least pragmatism), personal strength, tenacity, and friendliness, as well as rad magic skills. He also admires people who can do athletic things and wishes that he were able to do that too.40. Do they like energy drinks? Coffee? Sugary food? Or can they naturally stay awake and alert?He drinks tea! He also has a major sweet tooth, and doesn’t do coffee bc it’s too bitter for him. 42. What are their goals? What would they sacrifice anything for? What is their secret ambition?His goals are to keep learning spells, meet new people and make friends, spend as much time with his family in a comfy house as he can, and maybe??? get some chances to cast really cool spells. He’d sacrifice anything and honestly everything for his husband and his kids, and would defend his friends with his life. He’ll fight for peace and his home to a kind of terrifyingly vicious level. 44. What is their favourite season? Type of weather? Are they good in the cold or the heat? What weather do they complain in the most? Fall! He loves dry warmth and crispy cool mornings, and loves summer storms. He fares far better in cold than in heat, and complains like crazy if there’s a humid heat. 46. Do they make a good first impression? Does their first impression reflect them accurately? How do they introduce themselves?His first impression is genuine but also trying a bit too hard - definitely comes across as awkward. He’ll introduce himself politely enough but stumbles over his words when he’s trying to introduce himself unless he practiced that particular greeting for about a week beforehand. His first impression is pretty spot on to how he normally acts, but he’s also less awkward in day-to-day life. 48. Do they enjoy any parties? If so what kind? Do they organise the party or just turn up? How do they act? What if they didn’t want to go but were dragged along by a friend? He enjoys small parties with friends! He’ll invite people over to have dinner and mingle, but gets overwhelmed if he’s at too big of a party. If you gave him ample warning he could definitely function in a high-class party, but would be reserved and would prefer to spend it with someone else. 50. If they could only take one bag of stuff somewhere with them: what would they pack? What do they consider their essentials? He’d bring a sleeping bag, his spell book, a picture of his family, his wedding ring, and some basic food (as well as a health potion if he can fit it). OH his staff too bc he needs that and can use it for carrying/whapping. 

[zebraslovescupcakestoo]

Golden eyes chapter 23

“We want to talk.” Mickey asked and then it was Oswald's. “And we want answers this time.”

This is the big show down. Two ex-members of the Red Dragons, Now leaders of the Blue Dragon, against the two top leaders and a 'friend' of the Alfonso Mafia...

Used to be good allies for more than six years back, now it's a intense rivalry... with a ninety percent of chance this will turn into a bloodbath in a matter of minutes.

“You monkey freaks have done your job. There's nothing else to discuss anymore.” Bendy told them.

“We came here to get some answers since we're still in town.” Mickey said to him.

“Starting with what are you 'really' after? Why are you attacking the district after we agreed not to shed some blood on the streets?” Oswald then sounded pissed.

“Yeah, and I didn't. I even told the boys not do do it ON the streets... It doesn't included the sidewalks and alleys.” Bendy grinned as he thinks it's a loop hole.

The Disney's didn't like his response. “Why did you killed Mr. Vermelho? He was supposed to be your newest 'partner,' right? What did he do to set you off?” Mickey interrogated.

“He had some 'unfinished' work. He had those South American police on his trail for the necklace and he was getting a bit too close to me. Also, he 'slipped' on the murder too. They found out about how the old fart got murdered despite those doppelgangers' had rid of the evidence. Not to mention, I always wanted a nice, private vacation home over there. His place isn't so bad, just needed a little... 'redecorating' his mansion and 'garden.'”

He ordered his assassination because the police was hot on his tail, didn't 'properly' handled the murder of Mr. Blancheur and not just that, he wanted his home and his weed fields for your business and vacation home... for no cost! I gritted my teeth.

He's just sank one level lower... I need to get to the cylinder machine... and find a way to destroy it permanently!

I quietly crawled on my stomach toward the machine as they continued. “Why are you after our second home? Is it really about our territory and incomes that comes with it you're after?” Oswald questioned. Huh? But it IS what he's after... Right?

“... Why are you asking ME that? I thought you knew better. Or better yet... Why are you two so attached on that little piece of land? You have your grand home and future back in California. Why are you wasting your time here? Are you 'that' worried about me? I didn't know you 'liked' your 'visit' about oh, let's say, more than a year ago? I feel like it's been AGES!” Bendy fired back at them, specifically at Oswald.

I halted for a minute there.

That day... is it about when Bendy did something that makes them regret it? And why does Oswald have anything that makes him the center of attention? Is it... what Bendy did to him?

A lot of thoughts ran through my mind on what they could mean... Knowing how well is Bendy's methods on treating his 'guests', depending on who they are... and their 'relations.'

“Don't jump on a different subject, Bèndàn, What are you really after?” Oswald asked again with a glare.

But Bendy had a different idea... He steps back. “Since we used to be 'friends' and because I kinda 'like' you guys, I'll let these bad boys test you two to see if I REALLY should tell ya what I'm after.” Boris and Boston steps forwads.

“Getting the 'warm' welcoming treatment? That's SO like you. You always take the easy way and letting other do your dirty 'work.'” Mickey stated. I agree with you, mouse. I heard he's lazy enough to have vacations after his days off.

Boris cracked his knuckles. “You kids don't even know who you're dealing with. If you can't pass us, you can't get anywhere close to him.”

“Beat it, you over-thirty year old mattress!” Oswald pointed at him. “Your 'loyalty' and services to that Yúchǔn de èmó makes me want to puke. My brother can take care of himself far better when I'm not at home and he treats his 'co-workers' much better.”

“OH, please! As far as every go lucky animators would say that kind of slop, you southern-born bumpkins have forgotten this ain't like the old days anymore. You're playing with the big boys now.” Boston stretched his arms.

Ouch! I can't think of a comeback against this cowboy....

“I really wish there's another way to settle this... but I guess it's too late for that and I doubt you'll listen either.” Mickey looked at the cowboy with a determined expression. “We'll take your 'bet' and we'll get our answers soon enough.” He then stepped on a pipe that was conveniently next to his left foot as it got tossed in the air just high enough for him to grab it. He then got in a fencing pose.

“Oh, You challenging me to a sword play, eh?” Boston sneered as he picks up his pipe, but it was a bit longer than Mickey's.

“Don't underestimate us just because we're smaller than you two.” Mickey warned them.

“Bendy is more challenging than you two put together, you got nothing.” Boris took off his coat and fedora as he prepares for a brawl against them. He tosses them on a near by crates.

“This will be a payback for what your 'boss' did a year ago...” Oswald glared at him.

He repeated that phrase on what Bendy did to him... Why do I feel like want to know this more than I want to know about my 'sight' secrets and my... lineage?

It only took a few seconds in stare down before they ran toward each other. Excluding Bendy cause he's just sitting on the railway like he's waiting for his turn if they're still standing...

Oswald and Boris clashes first with a headbutt greet and I feel like there was an titan aura coming from them. It's like a kung fu master against a heavy weight champion boxer. Oswald didn't seemed fazed at all... Any other little guy and it's lights out.

Mickey and Boston were greeted with a clanging sound. However, what I didn't know, is that Mickey was like a speeding mice. Ok, that doesn't make sense- WHOAH!

Mickey was REALLY not slacking off on his footwork. His fencing techniques is giving the cowboy a hard time. He did a couple of times of slide circling a half moon and attacking from all different sides to confuse him. He's lucky that Mickey was handling a pipe, if it was an actual sword well... it ain't gonna be pretty.

I though Mickey's specialty was guns and bombs... Unless he learn this new technique later in his life I didn't know about it yet.

I looked back at the other two brawlers. Boris keeps trowing decent punches, but Oswald keeps deflecting them until that one  punch nearly scraped pass Oswald's face. But the rabbit quickly did a left uppercut to the wolf's jaw and then he right punches square on his nose. Boris growled and attempted to punch him at full force, but the rabbit was a bit quicker than he thought. Oswald then jabbed him with another fist, this time right at his right side abs. The wolf stumbles a bit until the rabbit smacked the back side of his head and then he punches his face again, sending him falling flat on his back.

Whoa... I feel like I'm amazed yet I'm terrified at the same time... No wonder Bendy had a hard time with them on numerous things. Yet... why are they on number two in the 'underworld'?

Ah! Wait! I can't just sit here and watch. I need to get to that machine. I looked for someway to get down without being noticed. I saw a stair case leading down right next to that machine, but there's no wall for me to hide from them. Unless I can use my whip as a rope and descended it quietly and quickly, but that would need precision timing judging how they all fight and they can see me.  

See me... My 'Heat eye' ability! With that I can use it to give me just enough seconds to get down and hide without anyone noticing. I hope...

But it's better than doing nothing here. I quietly walked while I'm keeping my head down until I'm on top of the cylinder machine. I carefully readied and secure my belt for a drop. I then readied myself to get down and I looked at the fight for an opportunity... I closed my eyes and concentrated.

'Just let me get down from here without being noticed.' My head didn't throb as much, but I did feel like time passes slowly as I opened them.

I quickly got over the rail and descended fast as I reached my destination. I landed and then I tugged and unhook my belt. I quickly grab it as I feel like my headache is getting stronger. I ducked where they cant see me on one side of the controller of the cylinder machine. I closed and told it I'm alright and then feel some relief. I think that was pretty good for someone who has awoken his secret 'ability' only for more about a week ago.

Man, I'm gonna have to make a scheduled on how I spend my 'spare' time... if I come out alive.

Alright, now what? I looked back to see if I was spotted by the broken pitch fork. It doesn't appeared he noticed me... I think. I glanced on the side just enough to see the fight.

I first glanced at Mickey and Boston. The mouse still had a good advantage until the cowboy grabbed his pipe. He swung it to the wall next to them, hits Mickey full force, then he swung it at the other two.

They noticed the now flying squirrel launched at them and Oswald took a chance to catch him. He did so and he puts his brother down. The other two took their chance at their vulnerable pose by trying to attack them from behind by hitting them at the back of their heads.

But they were no match for their quick reactions as they synchronized a dodgy barrel roll. As soon as they turn to them and at a quick draw, Boston has taken out a pistol.

And shot them dead straight to their hearts. The brothers had their eyes wide opened when it hit them, until they dropped on the floor after a few seconds later.

There was silence in the factory. I was horrified, shaken, my mouth was opened yet I couldn't scream...

No...

“No. Way... You lucky bastard!” Bendy complimented. He got off his seating and he got up and close in between his two friends to see his ex-friends. As I would expected from him, he maniacally laugh it off, added a 'personal' cheer leading verse and a dance.

“Ah hahahaha! Whoo! RAT SH!T! RABBIT SHIT! DYING ON THE FLOOR! AIN'T GONNA LIVE PASS TWENTY FOUR! HOORAY! DISNEY SUCKS! F#K!” He ended the last word with a double middle finger up in the air.

I didn't cared what he reacted... Mickey... Oswald... No... I tried to held back my tears, but they streamed away anyway.

They're dead... they died in a reckless attempt for trying to stop Bendy... This can't be happening for real...

“Um, Bendy... they're not bleeding.” Boris said. Huh? Not... bleeding?

“What?” Bendy 'calmly' replied. He picks up the pipe Mickey had earlier and went to the bodies. He raises his weapon. “You're supposed to bleed, you stupid motherf-”

To everyone's surprise, Mickey has perfectly caught the other end of the pipe before the demon made his first blow. We all gasped, but Bendy was the most expressive at the reaction.“WHAT?! YOU'RE STILL ALIVE?!”

Mickey took this opportunity to quick draw his gun, which I might add seems a bit familiar... He shot at Boston's pistol and it flew off his hands. It might be a fast reaction, but I did got a good look at the 'used to be' pistol that is now a blob once it hit the floor. It's that one of the weapons Oswald has crafted? WAIT! OSWALD! He's still on the floor! I looked back at them... Only to see Boris being double kicked in the face and fall flat on the floor. Mickey has successfully retrieved the pipe from Bendy with a good hand man-oeuvre. They both regain some space and from what I see, they're all alright.

I then feel a rush of relief... Thank you, God. I smiled and exhaled. Wait... Something... doesn't seem right. The bullets that Boston shot has hit RIGHT at the hearts. How are they still standing like that? It should have been a fatality.

The cowboy rushed at the door leading to somewhere. Then my 'sight' was acting up again. Huh? 'What is it this time?' I close my eyes and mentally asked it. I see a flash and opened my eyes. I 'saw' a big machine gun that's on the other side of the wall. At it's about in the range of the Disney's positions.

I don't know how they are still alive from that shot, but I'm not going to take another chance with that machine gun.

“What the h#ll, how dare you're both still alive? Boston has never missed a shot!” Boris got up and asked, backing up a bit.

They still didn't responded. “What are you guys now? Zombies? Undead? WHAT?! I want answers, or I'll cut them out!” Bendy took out again his switch blade he had earlier. I then 'saw' Boston setting up and aimed away from his two 'friends' and at the Disney brothers.

Is that what... oh no... no, not again! I'm not going to let that second chance go to waste!

I didn't cared if my cover was blown when I jumped out of my hiding spot and passed by the two gangsters as they got surprised at my appearance. I immediately leaped towards them, grab them both as we landed flat one the floor and in just at the nick of time. There was a flashing rain of bullets that shot through that wall. I heard Bendy shouted something but the rounds of bullets were too loud for me to hear what he was saying.

Once it was silenced again, we immediately looked back at them. “You GOTTA BE SH!TTING ME?! THE ACE DEFECTIVE? HERE? AND HE'S WORKING WITH YOU TWO DIP SH!TS?!” Bendy pointed out at me.

I didn't think this through, but... at least he doesn't know about 'us' yet. I got up. “No, I came here on my own free will, and I'm putting you under arrest for three account of accessory of murders under your command AND executed yourself, illegal possession of potentially deadly drugs, illegal owner of a stolen necklace and an attempted murder of two well known people. I have some hard evidence, so there's no way you'll escape THESE charges this time, Bendy Drew!” And I pointed at him. The other got up too.

His eyes twitched and glowed red. “How DARE you called me that? My last name is De Mon! Either remember that or I'll scar it deep enough on your skin so you can remember it!” He pointed again, this time with his switch blade.

I kept continuing. “Starting with that cylinder machine and those 'special' herbs. I know where those are-!” He did an attempt to stab me, but we were a bit quick on our feet and we separated a bit. Now it's just me and him. I continued.

“-AND where you'll get them. I also found out about how you 'conducted' the murder of Mr. Blancheur and Mr.Vermelho. I'll even include my witness account of one of your 'employee' under the railway too.” He then attempted to slash horizontally at my face, but I bend over in a nice close shave. I then saw something on the tip of that 'unusual' switch blade...

Then Boston reappeared. “Why in tarnation do I hear like that cat was- Oh... Dang...” He didn't expect to see me here.

“Help me with the other pipsqueaks, Bendy can handle him.” Boris shouted and they went after them again.

I hope they don't have a second gun on them, but right now I need to focus on this evil master mind first.

“You keep forgetting who's in charge here, cat boy. I OWN THIS CITY AND THE LAWS!” He tried to stab me with a jab, but with my past training on 'deflecting' the weapons,  I hand palm my left hand to his switch blade holding right hand just before he thinks he got me. The weapon flung high in the air between us as we were back to back. We both saw it, turned around and we both jumped up to reach it and grab it before the other one gets it. Bendy may have that speed demon skills when his eyes turned, but I also have my 'other' skills that I can now compete...

When we landed, we were back to back again. Bendy looked at his hand to see he didn't got it. But I do. I smirked. He then got angry, turned around with a swinging kick, said 'f#k off' and he flung his blade in the air again out of MY hands. He then right punched me right in the face, then I countered back with the same move and place, then I quickly hook punched my left fist at his stomach, he patted some drops, he then hit my face with another right punch and then we both tried to kick each other off with one blow with our right legs. We both landed  a good solid hit on the chests and we BOTH took the hit, hard. We stumbled a bit until we both looked up again to see the switch blade coming back. We both unintentionally used our right legs again to kick it out of our fighting range.

Judging from our position, the switch blade and our 'space', it's going straight to our legs. Once again I used my 'heat eye' ability and I carefully judge the timing...  He's no slouch at 'this' speed... I suddenly have that sharp pain rushed in my head and I winced.

I felt something from my leg, but it was dull. I opened my eyes again just to see Bendy's switch blade piercing his leg and he yelped in pain before we both stumbled away from each other. I still felt that throbbing pain in my head and my vision stared to blur a bit and it hurts just by looking... What is this pain? And why do I feel like I've been drained too?

It took a lot of strength to get myself up... I staggered a bit but I was still in better shape than Bendy right now. He's bleeding from his leg as he held it and in agony.

“F#K! SONUVABEACH! F#KN CAT! I'M SOOOO GONNA SKIN YOU ALIVE AND TURN YOU INTO A- GAH!” He took out the switch blade from his injury. BAD idea. It will bleed even more, but, it didn't... instead, the blood became black and it almost stopped the bleeding. His eyes were red again.

“On second thought, you might have improved on the last time we've brawled... But you're still no match to me, let alone those two circus freaks.” He maniacally but quietly told me with his signature grind. I glanced at their fights to see what we've missed, but so far it's the same struggling situation on the second floor. I quickly checked on him again so I don't get caught off guard if he attacks. He still haven't made his next move.

In my current state, I need to end this now and try to bust that cylinder machine before I faint on the spot. Lend me some strength until the end, please. I asked him. “Since we're both on edge here, is it a bad time to tell me the REAL reason why you are after your old ex-comrades? You've done enough damage as it is.”

He raised an eye brow.“Aw, Have you forgot? They're-”

“Used to be friends, but 'someone' had stabbed them in the back. Just out of my curiosity 'nature,' who was it, really?” I want to know. “Huh?” He asked displeased. “You're-” “AH!!!” I heard Mickey's shout as he was nearly fell off the second floor safety rails by hanging from his left arm. I immediately shouted his name along with Oswald. Boston was going to hit him with a average sized wooden crate until he loses his grip on the rail and was falling.

I immediately rushed towards him despite my exhaustion state. I reached out my arms to grab him and... I caught him but we both stumbled to the ground in the process. It might have been worse if I didn't break his fall... Oswald rushes down the stairs towards us. “Mickey! Felix!” He shouted. “I'm fine... Felix?” Mickey asked. “I... I'm just a bit exhausted...” I responded out of breath. What's wrong with me? I never felt THIS exhausted whenever I'm on these missions.

Wait! We're in a middle of a group fight! I glanced at Bendy and my 'sight' was acting up. I blinked to see what is it again and this time... He was hiding a very familiar gun... the same ones the police uses! Worse still, he pulls it out and he aimed at Oswald! I immediately jumped at the rabbit before he pulls that trigger.

The sound of another gun shot had echoed through the factory. We both ducked sideways and smacked landed on one of the mats that was left unpacked on the floor. “Ozzy! Felix!” Mickey rushed in. Oswald just chuckled. “Ha! Now THAT'S what I called a triple A service and-Ah! Crap!” His mood switched quickly when he saw some blood stains on his stomach.

Mickey gasped with his right hand covering his mouth and his left pointing at something with his eyes wide opened. It wasn't his brother's blood that stained his vest...

It was mine.

The bullet had struck at my right back side and it must have came in contact when we fell. I was taking deep breath and I was holding on to my life. He got me instead.

“Ah SH!T! Felix!” Oswald eyes were widen at my injury from that shot that was meant for him. He quickly detached my whip belt and Mickey had taken off his black jacket and passes it to him. Boris and Boston then joined up with Bendy.

“Oh? Did the cat took a bullet for the rabbit?” Bendy asked playfully. Mickey angrily looked back at him. “Bendy! That wasn't fair!” “Life is NEVER fair, Micks. You need to learn when you have to do whatever it takes to get what you want. Not everyone has their life all set like yours...” He twirled his gun a bit.

“That gun...” Mickey whispered. Oswald had just finished wrapping my waist with Mickey's jacket, to prevent further blood loss.

“Oh, that? You remembered this old thing? It used to belong to Chayton, you know? Alfonso's son? I kinda 'borrowed' it back then... He used to collect these 'hard to get' weapons back when he was alive... Meh!” He then handed over to Boris and he break it like a twig with his right hand. “It was only good for one bullet anyways. The carriage was all f#ked up for somewhat reason.”

“Then... was it you? You're the one who made that shot on that 'last job?'” Mickey questioned softly, but feared.

“I'm only guilty of taking without asking to show ya one time and then holding as a 'possession' until I'm bored with it. It was almost useless and empty anyways.” Bendy vaguely answered. I then started to see some 'yellow' toning in my vision.

Mickey gasped softly. “Then... it was him? But... why are you still after our district? The REAL reason?” He looks like he was about to cry.

Bendy then made a disgust expression and finally gave up his answer...

“Oh my F#king @$$! My 'REAL' reason this and that?!” He was about to to loose it, but then he smiled and calmly answered. “I guess I'll say it if it will shove a sock in it.” He took two steps forward like he's the boss before we got our answer. “If there is one thing I love better than money... Aside from the love of my life...” He smooth talked before he made an angry expression on his next statement. “...Revenge.”

Their expression was shocked. “What?” Mickey said and then Oswald asked. “For what? We didn't-” Bendy cuts him off. “Shut it, Half-a-nesse! Before I'll make sure I'll break you again and this time I'll f#k you up even harder.” He pointed at him. Oswald held back his words and his left eye slightly twitched... I feel somewhat strange... but I'm still trying to hold on to my conscious to make any sense on what he's talking about and trying to listen through my heartbeat pounding in my head.

“The REAL reason why I wanted that territory, aside the incomes, is so that I can take it away from the ones who DOESN'T DESERVES it and turn it into dust. You BOTH deserted me and the others when those sh!t whippers came and took out almost all of 'US'” He made those quote marks gesture. “If you didn't willy nilly rejoined with that helicopter father, I would have behaved slightly differently. But I guess that inheritance and all that sh!t has made you like a f#king cheap cupcake. Too soft for your own good and it makes me ANGRY!” He stomped his left foot and some of his black blood had squirted out. “Whatever happened to sticking together schtick? That promised we all made along with it?” He then sounded sad. “We're gonna take back and make our future the way we wanted... Change this rotten luck we had... We... had a sh!tty parent who makes us runaways...We then both had found a new family... We had it all when we were at the prime time of our teenage lives...” He then started shaking and crying... I never seen him like that before... Unless it was an act. “But then when those Eastern Bastards came and took out half of us and your mentors, you both weren't there!” He lashes out his anger.

“And who's REAL fault was that?” Oswald countered. “We've been expelled from the gang after your 'last' visit that day you've turn us over to the police and our father! It was NEVER our 'fault.' It's your bosses' and yours! YOU and the other two have shipped us out!” He told them off... I remembered that other half of Mickey's story way back then... I winced in pain when my sides started to burn harder. Oswald noticed my struggling...

“You could have still stick around on your own free will... But then again... I guess things didn't go as well as it planned to be... After that massacre, I found out that the disbanded Red Dragon's territory had a pretty well advantages and a good income for a mafia guys like myself... plus, 'they' were long gone before 'ours'... and it was in 'chaos' just the way I like it.” Bendy regained his masterminded speech. “With my past experiences, all I needed to have that piece of territory, is for that 'land permit.' It was almost in my grasp... Until SOMEBODY decided to show up again and 'reclaimed' it as if they THINK they had RIGHTS!” He tone it up a bit as he looked back at Mickey.

“You BOTH had to interfered my 'night job' just so you can still think you idiots can 'change' this society... What good will it do if you had to take care of almost EVERYBODY you both came in contact with? You think you both are BETTER than I am? ME! the 'undertaker' of the underworld, a GRAND animator that's better than 'you', a bigger celebrity than all of your puny animated company with the old fart himself included! You two are just a pair of Robin Hoods rip offs who hides their f#king faces under a clown masks in public and internationals alike. SO HOW CAN A PIECE OF THRASH LIKE YOURSELVES IS MORE SPECIAL THAN I AM?!” He's now getting off the subject.

“Is this the real reason you wanted our territory for? To get even with us because of our father's company and the inheritance?” Mickey trembled but softly said. “Haven't I told you before that I wanted to earn that position the right way?! And all of that talk of yours on what we 'should have' done our lives, and what it had given us instead... IT WAS NEVER PLANNED IN THE FIRST PLACE!” He shouted back. “Bendy, we've been in the same place like you were before, but there's a difference between being what you are and who you want to be.”

They then started to laugh. “Mickey, you think being a gangster, a top member next to the 'boss' at that, is f#king easy? And who do you think you're talking to?” Boris responded. Oswald was getting tried of this stalling conversation. “It's always easy to be an @$$hole like yourselves, but it ain't gonna be worth it once your title of 'king of mafia' crown is knocked off. You'll get what you REALLY deserves, and you better pray it ain't gonna be 'US' to do the job when that day comes.” He threateningly said to them.

They then draw their guns aside Boston, which he was frowning since they only had two on them, at us. “We can fix that.” Bendy answered. “After we dispose of you three, I'll finally be able to take over ALL of the police and the Chinatown district. In just a few days, I'll be OFFICIALLY the real KING of Chicago crime mob syndicates. Then, I'll start planning to extend my empire... but for now...” He took aim at Mickey. “As my last act of 'kindness' since we're old 'friends,' all you three musketeers, rest easy and DIE!” He smile very widely as he was about to pull the trigger.

I then feared the worst again and this time, I can't move. NO!

Suddenly, Bendy's expression was then changed into a surprised look with a 'Urk!'

Then what really surprises me is that he dropped the gun and then he fell down... and he started to sleep! What the-?!

“Bendy!” Boris shouted as he went to get him but Boston had held him back just in time before another 'thing' had flung passed him. One false step would have made him the same state as Bendy.

Is that...!!! It was confirmed who it was when I heard my friends voice.

“Take one shot at them and I'll send you to dream land!” They all looked up to see who the heck it was... Sammuel Toutsaint!

“..Sam...” I wheezed then coughed up a bit of blood. Boston then tries to take the gun from Boris for an attempt to shoot him, but then there was a gust of wind passes them and they were surprised. “What in tarnation is that?!” Boston asked and then there was another familiar Irish voice. “Gun ho!” Woody shouted. “Hey hot buns! Special delivery!” He tosses it to Oswald and then he crushes Boris' gun. They both then teamed up with them and Boris retrieved Bendy and placed him like a bride style in his arms. “Ah Sh!t, Felix! You're shot!” Woody looked at me, worried about my condition. Sam was the same, but he was pissed but he kept his guards up. “How many times I told you NOT to go alone with THESE types, Ostie criss de tabarnak!”

You guys... I'm so sorry... I then felt a tear falling down on my cheeks.

“Seems like we ended our battle with a draw. Thanks to those two bird brains.” Boris spatted. “But next time, you won't be so lucky, and your 'lucky' title won't last much longer.” He glared at us.

Mickey pulled out something, but it looks like a pen... no wait, it looks a bit familiar... “Once Bendy wakes up, tell him this: The Blue Dragons will remain a neutral territory. But he's not going to get his new 'products' on our streets or anywhere else.” He then pushed the button on the top. There was then a big explosion and they all looked at the cylinder machine. I can barely looked at it, but it seems like there was a bomb hidden in that thing... Did they planned ahead? What... who are they really?

“Aw DANG! He's gonna get pissed!” Boston raised an eyebrow, as if he didn't cared in this situation.

I then felt someone had picked me up in bridal style too.. and it was Oswald... OSWALD?! My face then got very red. NO, PLEASE! I'D RATTHER HAVE THE PIGGY BACK RIDE! I'm mentally draining faster than before.

“Also, tell him this message from his 'dealer': Your 'membership account' is terminated. We'll settle this in another day.” Mickey ended their conversation before they had to leave. He then says. “Let's get out of here. Felix need to go to a hospital. Fast.''

We all scattered out of the factory as we approach to the car... I suddenly feel like I'm floating... and the last thing I saw was the rabbit's face before I lost conscious... again....

------

I was then 'awaken' in a very darken area. I feel like I was still floating, but I feel like I'm in some sort of underwater.

Where am I? Am I... dead? No! I can't be dead! Not yet! I need to be there for my family and friends!

As soon as I opened my mouth, I can't breathe. Something had prevented me to do so. I covered my mouth, but then I felt something sharp at my side where I was shot. I winced and let out whatever air I had in me. I needed oxygen, fast. I then saw someone with a white robe with a golden chain attached to her neck, she looks familiar... and she looks almost like me-!!!

“Mom...” I softly whispered. She then reached out for my left hand and the ring has started to glow brighter. I then feel like I can breathe again, but I was blinded by a white light.

------

I suddenly feel like I was in a different room when I came to. Am I awake? No. I don't remembered being standing when I lost my conscious. Normally, I would be lying down first. I looked around to see where am I. It's not anywhere I remembered before... It seems more... like a clinic, judging from the settings and the curtains.

I then saw a senior doctor with a mustache coming in. I was going to greet him until he passes right through me. I was surprised. I patted myself and I didn't pass through like a ghost... what kind of a dream is this?

“How's the little one? Is he sleeping well?” The doctor asked. Huh? I turned around and I saw him talking to someone behind the curtains. I went to see who it was and when I did saw who it was, I was shocked.

It was my mother... and she's holding a baby... is this me?... a flashback from when I was born? I don't remember this. Is this one of those crazy 'ability' from Bastet? Or something else that she wanted me to see?

“He's doing fine. Thank you so much for helping us on such a short notice, Dr. Kettle.” She said as he stroke 'my' little head.

“It was nothing, Féline. I owe you one for returning the stolen medicine from those troublesome Irish Gang members.” The doctor replied. “Have you decided a name for the new rascal?”

She looked at the baby and smiled. “I think Felix would suit him. His hair looks is like that black cat from an early cartoon I've seen a long time ago.” I was surprised. She was the one who named me? Mom... I tried to reach for her until my head started to throb, the room is blurring and it changed into a different area.

-

Once all's been settled, I was in some sort of an alley way. I saw a street light at my right with someone I recognized very well... BEFORE that 'accident' and he seems like he was in his early thirties... maybe.

“Dad?” I was astounded. I can still remembered his 'human' features when I was very little and I knew that it IS him! Why is he doing here? I heard some high heels clacking closer at my left. I turned at who it was and it looked like a lady in a red overcoat, with a matching red hat with yellow ribbon, a yellow sweater and she also had red high heels to match the outfit. She is also carrying a basket too... I was shocked when she came into the light to see who she was. “Mom?!” I spoke louder.

What's going on? What is this? I don't... remember any of this. I saw my father approaching to her with a serious expression on his face. She had a sad face, like she might have done something that upset him. “Did you bring him?” He asked and she nodded. She gently placed down the basket, lifted the lid, and I was shocked. It was me... I was asleep, but it was me. She gently scooped 'me' up and she embraced 'me.' “I'm sorry for keeping this a secret for so long... They are after me, and God know what they'll do to him if he's found out. You're the only person I can trust with him...I know it's hard to-” My father cuts her off, by glaring. That look frighten her, as well as myself.  He took a deep breath and said.“I didn't agreed to take him just for you... I know he's mine too. If you had told me about this sooner, things would have been different and you wouldn't be giving him up right now.” She shed a tear down her left cheek and quietly sobbed. I felt pain in my chest... is this what they've meant? That part where I was... given up for my safety?

She held 'me' close for one last time and gave 'me' a kiss before she handed me over to him. She also took off her right glove to reveal a golden lioness ring. It must be that Golden ring of Sekmeth that I was 'supposed' to have! She took it off and handed that over too. “I don't think I need to explained what this is and what it does. You know it from the times we spent together...” He took it and placed it one of his pockets. “I know. I'll tell him when the times comes, speaking of him, did you gave him a name by any chance?” He asked her. “Felix. Please let him keep that name for me as my last favor.” She begged him. He was silenced for a minute while he looked at 'me.' His answer then shocked me. “I will. Just promised me also that you must NEVER show your face to him again... not while 'they' are on you.”

He turns around and leaves. My mother then started to cry quietly. “Gerald... my Felix... I'm sorry...” She sobbed a bit and I was crying too. “Mom...” I was reaching out to her, I wanted to hug her and tell her 'It's alright, I'm here!' But as soon as I lay a hand on her, she 'disintegrated' into dust. My eyes widen at the reaction. She was gone... and then I looked back to see my father standing in the street light. I was still feeling pain in my heart again, but there was also some anger that started to show.

“Dad... Why?...” I cried and I yelled. I then got up and walked to him. “She needed both of us! Why would you do that? And why did you keep this from me all this time?” I stopped behind his back. “You may be my father, but I had the right to know who was my mother too! Just... TELL ME WHY DIDN'T YOU-!” I pointed shouted at him until suddenly, I was then roughly got grabbed from my wrist by him, he turned around to look at me, but his 'image' was changed. He was much older looking with the cyborg clash from that day he was in a horrible accident. And what I remembered form the last time I saw him... He looked me straight in the eyes, glaring.

That look gave me chills down my spine, I feel a migraine rushed in my head and I was getting a bit nauseous. The scenery started to spin faster and it changes again. My father still held on to my grip as I tried to held myself together without throwing up. I screamed in pain when my eyes were burning and I saw a painful, flashing, white light again...

TO BE CONTINUED... Chapter 24.

Read chapter 22 here or the beginning here.

What what?! Did I just finish my whole story yesterday? YES I DID!!!!

Tune in tomorrow for the next chapter, cause it’s going on a daily release!

BBTIM Characters Belong to Marini4. Some OCs belong to me.

[sparkledeerfr]

Katsu

A man walked alone through the northern woods, heading south. He didn’t really even know where he was going nor did he much care. He supposed that he was wandering vaguely oceanward and maybe when he got there he would just keep walking.

(Read More Link)

Katsu was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice the chittering of a flock of sparrows- what would be a warning sign to keep watch for the citizens of the 3 Cities, nor did he notice that they twittered again and took off when he spotted a young woman also by herself.

He saw she was carrying a small wooden crate and was dressed like a wasteland scavenger- thin linen coat, the thin scarf around her shoulders and head to protect from the sun, worn boots and half finger gloves. The only thing that did not fit the picture was that spear strapped to her back. That thing looked like it belonged in a royal armory, which meant she had either gotten very lucky with said scavenging or she was a decent enough fighter to get it from someone else’s corpse. He paused and almost involuntarily put his one hand behind his back to his knife.

“Hello!” she said, with a friendly smile and a wave, adjusting to put the weight of the crate on her hips. “Name’s Adeline, you looking for the 3 Cities?”

“The what?” he asked, glancing around just in case she had other friends hidden in the woods.

“The city just south of here? No?” Adeline asked, looking slightly confused. “You need directions somewhere else?” There was the shuffling of something else in the twisted trees and from the underbrush- sounded like an animal of some kind, but she either didn’t notice or it was with her.

“No, I don’t,” he replied, wondering if he should start stepping backwards. Not like he could outrun it if she had a pet hyena or something anyway.

She took a moment to appraise him, no doubt noticing both his missing arm and eye, and he wrapped his fingers around his knife, preparing to draw it. “Okay, well, don’t head that way,” she said, pointing to the woods to the northeast. “Big monster lives out there. Watch for a cold wind and if it shows up head the other way. You need any food or water?”

“No,” he replied, now confused himself but he wasn’t about to take food from a stranger. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” she said, turning around to walk away and readjusting the crate into both of her hands. “Come on by the city if you want, otherwise keep safe.” She gave a short whistle. “C’mon Rosco.” The creature emerged from the bush and it wasn’t a hyena- it was an actual dang steelhound with its skull like head painted dark blue.

Katsu froze and watched them walk away before he let out the breath he’d been holding. Well that was strange.

-----

He saw the city she’d been talking about soon enough- it was hard to miss those high walls and that spiky castle jutting into the horizon. There seemed to be enough people milling in and out of the open gate, and if the woman in the woods had been anything to judge by the place wouldn’t be particularly insular.

Of course open places in plague could be just as dangerous, especially if they seemed to be overly friendly of strangers. Yeah yeah ‘welcome in enjoy your stay no don’t ask where we get all this meat from you’ll find out soon enough.’

But he did need supplies, and maybe to sit down for five minutes, so into the gate he went. No one seemed to pay him much mind which was again strange, and as he walked the streets he only noticed one or two guards. Where was the security? The feeling of tiredness and trepidation left him as he continued walking and inspecting - this place was completely open, and the only real guards seemed to be around the casino areas. Finally he grew irritated enough to scan for someone who looked like a local, a man in a bright purple coat and top hat. Katsu tapped him on the shoulder and asked who was in charge around here.

“Adeline?” the man responded. “Her office is by the front gate. There something wrong?”

“A bit,” Katsu growled under his breath and made his way back to the northern part of the city. Adeline- it was a rare enough name, but could it possibly be the same person? That didn’t make any sense.

----

Adeline was talking to Grenfell when she noticed someone walking in a straight line up to her. She recognised him and smiled. “Oh hey!” she said. “Glad you could-”

“Where,” the man said, standing directly in front of her and clearly irritated. “Is your army?” Adeline looked to Grenfell as he adjusted around her, getting within arm’s reach of the stranger though with his hands behind his back. The man glanced to Gren, but noticed he wasn’t holding a weapon. He didn’t register the threat, but of course few did.

“We uhhhh,” Adeline said, unsure of how to respond to this person whose name she didn’t even know. “We’re working on it?”

“And your armory?” he asked, almost an accusation. That was about when Adeline thought Yup, you definitely belong here.

“We have a forge?” she responded, her voice getting smaller.

“Oh, really?” the man asked, his one ice eye glaring at her. “And you’re going to defend this city with what? Some smelted metals? Where is your guard? Why were you out by yourself when you’re the leader? Do you have a secondary in case something happened?”

“Ummmm,” Adeline responded, her voice now almost a squeak. “I was just testing some fire alchemy stuff? In case of ice monster? ”

Grenfell put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her before looking to Katsu. “My friend- what is your name?” he asked, not shaken in the least.

“Katsu,” the stranger said as though shooting an insult, glancing at Gren then back to Adeline.

“Would you like a job?” Grenfell asked.