#I love looking through my old art and being like I'm so glad I drew this

[violetscanfly]

Once again I offer you art that I didn't post when it was made✌🏻 One thing I have learned is to never throw away your art because even if you don't immediately like it you might some day

[amethystfairy1]

Hi Amethyst! It's been a hot minute since I sent an ask in, but I have been reading both fics every day (still obsessed lmao) (also I name changed btw, used to be ElenaLoo)

Anyways, I had written a whole ask waxing eloquent on all the wonderful things going on in ttsbc, but I accidentally shut off my computer partway through and frankly I can't be bothered to write it all out again lmao. Just. It's beautiful (wow isnt that so meaningful and deep? im sure you're feeling very complimented rn)

The REAL thing I wanted to talk about was Traveling thieves (which is by far my favorite fanfic of ALL TIME), and all the amazingness in ttsbc made me forget it even existed for the past few weeks. But the other day I was just like "oh yeah. Traveling thieves." and then i reread the whole thing. whoopsies.

Ummm anywyas there's so many thoughts in my head about all the little guys, but recently I've been on an Imp and Skizz obsession (just scroll on my page for .2 seconds and you'll see) and YOU. You left them on a CLIFFHANGER. >:((( (not actually mad btw). I just. so excited for them. They're out alone in the woods right now and Skizz is going to have the perfect opportunity to kill Impulse and get away and I just am falling apart thinking about them. (I drew them to cope lol, posted on my blog but also later here so that I can talk about it more). I can see this playing out a few ways. Obviously Skizz isn't actually going to kill Impulse, so he's either going to 1) make up some excuse as to why he can't do it right then, but still plans to do it eventually, or 2) he does it. but he doesn't. Skizz attacks Impulse when he's not expecting it, there's a scuffle, and Skizz comes out on top---BUT THEN HE CAN"T FINISH IT!!! and it's a whole thing where even tho skizz tried to kill him, imp is still so understanding and skizz cries and impulse just freaking gives him a hug and

sigh

Whatever you do will be beautiful, I'm sure. I think you mentioned you're switching to tt after this fic, so crossing my fingers it's imp and skizz. (Though, would also be very happy with Martyn and Ren :P) (or anything really i just love tt)

Anyways, I had the art on my blog but I'm also putting it here so i can say things about it to you

Mostly I'm just very proud of their expressions, with Impulse being all concerned glancing over at Skizz, meanwhile Skizz is completely deadpan staring forwards, also looking very tired bc he needs a break from this universe. Also I switched up my Impulse design a lil bit from last time (if u even remember that lol it was months ago now). you would think, just looking at them, that Impulse took way longer to design, but nope, I was messing around with Skizz for at least double the time, trying to figure out how to have him facing forward whilst still showing some of the scars on his back. I gave up eventually xD (all that means is that im gonna have to draw him again later, from different angles)

actually that made me remember a question I had: are you planning to ship Imp and Skizz? Ik you said Zed and Tango are going to be a thing far in the future, but... skizzpulse? plzzzz plz pretty please haha im not obsessed

aaaaaand that reminds me of another question, is skizz going to be in ttsbc? (pretty please also same question as tt, if he was in ttsbc, are him and impulse together? Im addicted to them all i care about these days is some good imp and skizz shipfics, and you're such a fantastic writer, both with plot and the vibes of the words themselves. u could write such good imp and skizz. just imagine the possibilites! (am i selling it?))

aaaaaanyways. im gonna go reread the old tt skizz fics because theyre delicious and painful, like eating knives. u have a good day :))

HIIIIIII

I ADORE THIS ART SO MUCH! I gave you all my rambles on the reblog but it's SOOOOO COOL!

I'm sad the waxing eloquent about TTSBC is gone 😭 but that's ok!

I'm so glad you're enjoying TT and all the drama going on in there! Imp and Skizz are definitely having a time and a half with all of this nonsense going on...I love all your theories! I won't confirm or deny anything of course, but I'm so happy you're excited for them!

I will not be shipping Imp and Skizz, sorry! I just personally don't ship them, so they're gonna remain platonic...I mean, in TT who knows what the hell they're doing to be fair 😆 but yeah, Zedango is going to be a thing in the distant future, but no Skizzpulse! Sorry!

Skizz is not in TTSBC at the moment, that doesn't mean he never will be! Just haven't found a spot for him yet...and no, he also would not be with Impulse, I'm so sorry I just don't ship them personally! I think it's a very cute ship tho!

Enjoy rereading the TT Skizz fics!!! Thank you again for the gorgeous art!!!! I love it!!! 💖

[wastelandhell]

Thank you so much @bokatan and @h3raklion for the tag!

I can tell this is going to become a patented Furby wall of text™ so I'll just throw in a cut now. tl;dr: I love you all and i draw danse way too much

This has been an interesting year mostly in that its my first time posting personal art online in, what, 7 years? I stopped doing this kind of drawing shortly after high school. I picked up painting flash and have been focusing on my tattooing since then. In that time I never did any digital drawing or character drawing until 2 years ago this month, when I drew Val for the first time.

I was terrified to post anything anywhere, I think I posted one piece to reddit, but besides that I kept everything pretty private until April of 2022. I originally made this blog as a place to silently post my drawings and screenshots while providing a sort of devlog of my mods for my own records, and didn't think I would be noticed. I didn't realize people tracked the paladin danse tag, lol!

I'm really glad for all the people I've met through here, I never would have kept this blog up if it weren't for the wonderful messages from all of you guys. So much of my art, both in subject and execution has been influenced by the other users I've had the pleasure of interacting with and I hope to keep it up this year!

You all know I mostly just draw Val and Danse, and this is the palette I use for most things:

These are all pretty drab, I use different of blending layers and photoshop adjustments to get the colours how I want them at the end.

I usually try to use different brushes in each of my drawings, but these are the ones I come back to most often. The first one is a variant of one of these brushes, I modified it to change size based on direction and tilt. I used the brush almost exclusively until august and its still my favourite for quickly laying out forms and values. I use this one for freckles. The rest are some of my top picks from True Grit Texture Supply, mostly from Chromagraph and Monomania.

I'm glad I was able to really get into drawing this year, and going through my folder I'm pleased with how my anatomy and faces have improved. However I am disappointed in how much of it is just the same ginger fuck. I'm really stunting my growth by not varying my subjects, and now that I'm more comfortable with the tools I want to push myself to actually. uh. try. Put in the effort to make art that says something, tells a story. Less single characters floating in blank voids. More people interacting, scenes, environments. I also really want to get back into digital painting, I used to be really into digital painting and in theory know how to do it. I'm going to try and dig out that old knowledge lol.

Despite being bit bland, and having some glaring errors that still bug me, that Danse drawing is still one of my favourites. I think I spent at least 8 hours on it. I was dealing with some personal issues at the time and just really wanted to scratch that brain itch that the bos knight uniform gives me. It's stupid, I hate it, I can draw it nearly completely from memory by how often I'm looking at it.

The 'tried something new' panel is difficult because I feel like a lot of my recent work has been pretty stagnant. It's all done with the same technique, same palette, same boring cel shading, same layer order, boring. This is one of the few times I did any proper digital painting, and tried to adapt the looser style that I use when I'm drawing in analogue mediums to my digital work.

I just talked about art here and not mods because that would be a whole other wall of text. But it would boil down to: love to do it, no time, and expensive.

Also, if anybody is interested, I do my drawing in Clip Studio Paint and Photoshop on a Surface Laptop Studio.

[soona-kit]

every so often ill look on the msm yt community post with my deedge art and ill just. look through the comments and giggle. some of my findings are, but are not limited to:

-a few people saying "this kinda looks like cropped r34 iunno mannne" (it isnt)

-a LOT of people asking "why he got a big chest though" or "yoo mommy milkers.." (that was supposed to be the chin that deedge has in game. i just drew it a lot bigger/fluffier to make it fit more into my style but hey. to each their own)

-one of the top comments being "this really puts the COLD in the cold island boss" (extremely true)

-actually theres just a whole bunch of people asking why deedge had a big chest jts probably like half the comments at this point (ITS THE CHINNN ITS THE CHINNN RAHHHH)

-a comment that says "this is the worst fanart i have ever seen" with a reply saying "not that you could do any better" (theyre probably right)

-comments that dont even relate to the topic at all (why are you here)

i'm not sure whether i should feel proud or mortified 💀💀

also some related to twitter:

-the usual comments with shard->gem conversion, facebook issues, and that guy that requests things that are not getting in game

-a lot of people asking "why does it say sensetive content?"; for those of you keyed in to my twitter activity (probably like 3 of you now that i think about it) all my media posts past the congle drawing got flagged as sensetive because... uh i have no clue actually. i was fucking around in the settings a little bit and i mightve messed up big time so. lol. im taking a break from twitter for a bit anyway, just for mental reasons (twitter is toxic asf), and all the sudden attention on my account, but also to see how long this issue takes to get fixed. so yeah.

reddit has not that many, its all just people congratulating me. all 3 platforms it was put on adjacent to the monsterpiece shoutout (i put it on the msm subreddit BECAUSE of that shoutout) have that comment in common. i just kinda wanted to put spotlights on the yt comments first and foremost because i thought they were funny. so lmaoooo

and the thing is, im not even mad. people are just like that. the funny thing is, the last time i drew deedge (see the old art dump post) the fluff part actually looked like a chin. but you know, we change, we grow (maybe.)

but im glad i got featured anyways, because that means more people can see my art, wnether it be new followers (which is a total of 4 since i last checked in to my twitter) or just a blow up of that one post. it makes me happy to see that the game i love and appreciate... loves and appreciates me back! it truly warms my heart.

anyways thats it i guess. have a nice day. make sure to not objectify your local deedge /hj

[rhodywriter]

Cleopatra and Frankenstein: A Review

Spoilers ahead, obviously.

As an avid reader, I cringe to admit I was drawn to this book by the cover (so cliche, right?). The melancholy eyes and sad look on the woman's face reminded me a little bit of me from when I was growing up.

The title was what also drew me in to check out this book. "Cleopatra and Frankenstein" ...what a mismatched pair. And that's exactly what this book is about: a mismatched couple totally wrong for one another. Cleo, the twentysomething year old student artist with a visa about to expire. Frank, the fortysomething year old advertising whiz with an addiction to alcohol. The two find themselves falling in lust and mistake it for love. Together they enter into marriage and navigate the ups and downs of their relationship.

Right from the beginning, I knew Cleo and Frank were wrong for each other. Granted, I'm sure anyone who reads this book could see this. The age gap alone seemed to be a big factor in their differences (no judgement on age gap relationships, but studies have proven they can be harder to keep together). But I found the difference in personalities between Cleo and Frank to be fascinating.

Cleo is young and beautiful, and these two components seem to make life easier for her in the beginning because older men are drawn to her. Between Frank and Anders (Frank's best friend whom Cleo eventually cheats with), Cleo is taken care of in the beginning of the story because of their devotion to her beauty. But her beauty isn't enough to mask the darkness inside of her. Being as young as she is, Cleo never properly dealt with her mother's suicide. That combined with her dependency on men, she is someone who needs self-discovery and to learn how to love herself. I was glad when she finally gains this in her move to Italy. Her art exhibition piece about her attempted suicide seemed to be her way of gaining closure and freedom from her pain.

Frank also has his own pain that he tries to conceal with his alcoholism. His struggles seem to culminate from the lack of traditional love from his mother, as well as the rejection from his father. Frank uses alcohol as a way to deal with his major emotions as well. Whether he is stressed at work or celebrating his big client, he continues to drink. The problem with Frank's alcoholism is it puts an even bigger strain on his marriage to Cleo. When she begs him to cut back or stop drinking, he lashes out and fights with her. He doesn't want to admit he has a problem.

One of the things I liked most about this book was the change in perspective from person to person. It almost reminded me of the movie Love Actually, how all of the stories are interconnected but in the end all come back together. Frank and Cleo's story is woven with that of their friends and loved ones. Frank's sister Zoe, Cleo's best friend Quentin, Frank's coworker/second love interest Eleanor, all are explored through third person. Their struggles, fears, celebrations, and self-explorations are revealed in each chapter.

Zoe's change was one of my favorites by the end of the story. In the beginning she was a party-hard kid living off her brother with no regard to her life. But as the story continues, she realizes she cares too much for her brother to ask him for more money. Despite her extensive social circle, Zoe can't rely on any of her friends because they are all rich and never have had to struggle with finances. Her desperation to pay for her lifestyle drives her to get a sugar daddy. But she finally finds herself, which seems to be sending her on a better path.

Quentin's story broke my heart in the end. The teacher in me wished I could guide him onto a better path. Quentin being from an old-school family means he has to hide his sexuality and gender identity struggles to keep being financed. But keeping all of these things bottled inside forces him to act out by having sex with random men and eventually becoming addicted to meth. I appreciate the fact that the author had Quentin drop off communication with Cleo because of his addiction. It proved not all endings are happy, and that relationships are much more complicated.

This book was different from my usual genres. But I immensely enjoyed it because it was an honest portrayal of human relationships. It examines what drives people to their actions, what causes them to make decisions in the moment, what makes them want to push or pull people into their lives. It also demonstrates how even when relationships don't work out, you can still discover who you are. I recommend this book to anyone who needs to see the realities of love and loss.

[teememdee]

2022 Art Summary!!! I'm extremely proud of both how much I've made and how much I've improved this year :D and because I love talking about my work I wanna go through each month under the cut because I didn't put some things on here but I feel they're important

JANUARY

After two years of it being the same picture, I decided to start the year update my twitter pfp, and I think I'll keep up the tradition this year, because not only has my art style evolved, I'm now over 4 months on T so I want to reflect that. Other than this piece I started work on another late in the month, but wouldn't finish until February.

FEBRUARY

And there's the big piece. Based on my own fanfiction would your heart know, I had been wanting to draw this scene for a long time. Ahri and Kai'Sa's Runeterra designs take forever to draw and I spent ages on Kai'Sa's expression. Fun fact, for the background, I painted over a Breath of the Wild screenshot for reference, and Link is crouching behind Kai'Sa if you turn her layers off. I like this piece still, and I'm glad I made it, but I like the other piece from this month more. I love drawing characters from games I don't play! I love Yae Miko's design and love making myself suffer with small details, so this happened. I can't remember the exact number but each piece of jewelry is an absurd amount of layers. This piece helped me improve both my hair and metal rendering, plus I just love the colors. ALSO: published the first chapter of my Kahri Proposal fic, the stars align for you and i!

MARCH

One piece this month, as this time of year is always the worst, both mental health wise and school-wise. Still, I wanted to make art for Kai'Sa's birthday on the 7th. To be honest I don't really like this piece that much, I could sit here and nitpick it but no one wants to read that. People on Twitter liked it though!

APRIL

I don't think I was as miserable in April but I didn't draw / finish anything (I definitely did stuff for my art classes, but nothing fanart related + I was still writing fic at the time) until the 24th. I did this in one night after the "Hollow Mind" episode of The Owl House. A fantastic episode from a fantastic show. This piece gave me the confidence that I could make simpler yet still really good pieces in less time.

MAY

Evidently, I was much happier in May. Kujou Sara was another "I just think they're neat" piece that turned into me teaching myself how to render hair and skin way better, and about gradient maps. I did the whole piece (minus the mask) in greyscale and then basically just fucked around. I'm still really happy with how it looks. Then I finally drew a kiss I liked. This is another piece I could now sit here and nitpick but generally I still like it, especially the hand. THEN THE RELEASE OF BEL'VETH RUINED MY LIFE. The color story Pinwheel WRECKED me. I drew the "You, and your father" piece the same day it came out. Not only did this teach me more about expressions and ESPECIALLY environment lighting, the author of the story liked it on Twitter!!!! I was already obsessed, but Pinwheel threw me into the depths of brainrot regarding Kassadin and his family (Kassfam). Due to a distinct lack of canon material, I have a boat load of headcanons that I won't get into here, but the family portrait is set in K/DA-verse when Kai'Sa is two years old, not long before her mother dies. TL;DR the Void won't leave this family alone and I'm obsessed with them. Then, a piece that was in my head for a really long time, I couldn't stop thinking about how Kai'Sa was only ten years old in Runeterra when she falls into the Void. I adore this piece, wish it got more attention on Twitter but oh well haha ALSO: published the second chapter of the stars align for you and i!

JUNE

My birthday month!!! The first piece was a gift to myself, and I love it so so so so much. It's so cute. I love them. I'm so proud of how Kai'Sa's second skin looks and both of their expressions. This piece was also my first steps into getting better and rendering Ahri's tail + hair. I love it. It's one of my favorites from the year. Then Star Guardian 2022 started!!! I finished this piece the day after SG Kai'Sa's voicelines dropped, and because I'm a firm believer in Kahri being soulmates, I went wild over this line. I really love how Ahri looks, she's so cute. This piece taught me how to cope with my ship being so, extremely not canon LMAOO

JULY

More Star Guardian!!! The big Kahri piece is approximately one billion layers (200+) and took five years off my life. I'm very VERY proud of it, but I'm never drawing full body pieces of those designs again. KAI'SA MENTIONING HER MOTHER IN ANOTHER SKY WAS FOR ME PERSONALLY. I'm the only person obsessed with her. I love this piece it's so cute. I hope one day DeadWife gets a canon design but for now I love her like this. And then a big smooch!!! This started as a sketch I was doing bc I was miserable + found a good reference and then it turned into my most popular piece of the year, and I adore it. Definitely a step forward in regards to rendering Ahri's hair and showing motion + emotion.

AUGUST

Just one piece because I was busy, but good practice. I love Sarah Fortune and wanted to make her Star Guardian version look more like how she does in Runeterra. Love her expression and nose shape especially. ALSO: published the first chapter of my copium Star Guardian Kahri fic, be the light to carry me!

SEPTEMBER

Simple pieces I knocked out in one day each. The Runeterra kiss is my favorite, I want to say it's the best rendering I did all year. Admittedly I don't have much to say about the Star Guardian piece. Could have been better but it's good! Twitter loved both of these :)

OCTOBER

I've always wanted to draw Seraphine because I love her, then her Legends of Runeterra design came out and I knew it was time. I LOVE her hair. I love Seraphine. She's my bestie. Then my favorite piece of the year!! No reference, just brainrot. They're so cute. They love each other so much. They're married. I adore them. That's all. And next I wanted to practice gradient maps again, so I did this one night and am so, so proud of it. Another contender for favorite piece of the year. Kai'Sa is such a tragic character and I feel like this really shows just how sad she is. I love her. ALSO: published the second chapter of be the light to carry me!

NOVEMBER

And of course I made an Ahri companion piece. Same deal, done in greyscale then I messed around with a gradient map. I especially love the background here. Can you tell I love Runeterra Kahri. I wanted to update my Twitter banner because it was an old piece, and so this happened. Again, their designs are so much, but the effort is always worth it. Notably this piece taught me more about environment lighting. I just love how they're holding each other. Noticed after this I've been coloring Ahri's shoulder armor wrong, but oh well. I love this so much.

DECEMBER

And here we are at the end of the year!!! Ahri's birthday means she gets art, and I love all the photos she has in an album in that official Spotify playlist cover art, and always wanted to make something involving that. This piece started off with a different sketch but I didn't like how static it felt, this is much much better. Super proud of the expressions here. I tried to get the handwriting at the bottom as similar to Ahri's canon handwriting (it's in a photo Seraphine posted), and writing out Kai'Sa's name in her handwriting made me stupid emotional. Lastly, for the past two years of brainrot, I've drawn a piece of Kahri in some winter scene, and WOW is this an improvement since last year. I also finally figured out how to do drapery in my style, I think. I literally finished this piece today, and I adore it. I just love this ship so so much and I'm not sorry.

IN CONCLUSION:

I made a lot of art and got much better at it!! I mostly wrote all of this for me, but if you read all of it, thank you so much! This was also the year I joined tumblr because my home base Twitter is. yeah. but I had wanted to make an account for a long time and have lurked for even longer. Glad to be here and glad that you are too!! Happy New Year!!! May you all have a good 2023 :D

[nanistar]

also, i will say, i love seeing another 20 something yr old who still interacts with warriors and uses it as a springboard for their own writing/art. literally writing a play that has warrior RP and it is entirely because i stumbled across ur art and fell back in

WAA that is such a nice thing to say, i don't really know how to respond. writing a play sounds so cool and badass so i'm glad you fell back down the rabbit hole! warriors is so deeply flawed, but for me its nostalgic and it's an easy story to manipulate and work with and make your own and turn in to something you are really proud of i never really expected to reach the audience i have today, and i am very thankful for it. i like to joke that i've been reading warriors longer than some of the ppl in the fandom have even been alive. which is true! I started reading the books when i was in 3rd or 4th grade (2005/6 or so), when the new prophecy was still being published and i had to wait for them to come out. i spent years drawing and working on my little youtube career, long before MAPs were a thing, and making MS paint AMVs that i never finished before i moved on to other stuff towards the end of middle school. then a few years after highschool i was seriously depressed and unemployed and miserable, and for comfort i decided fuck it and reread TPB and remembered how much i loved firestar and how much it meant to me, and after looking on youtube i discovered all the MAPs and the beautiful AMVs and even (to my surprise) some of the people i was friends with in the past were STILL animating warriors and were making absolutely stunning animations and videos. i drew some cats, joined a few MAPs (this one remains my favorite, and is the most important to me) and from there... well here i am. sometimes i feel uncomfortable with the fact that i am 25 and still in the Warriors fandom due to my age compared to the general age of the fandom. and i sometimes think, am i letting something that i was interested in as a little kid dictate my adult life? but i am still the same me i was a decade and a half ago. older and wiser (maybe not) and more mature and i've been through some nasty things and changed fundamentally but deep down i still love a little orange kitty cat saving the forest, and that story has always been a core part of me.

[queen-ch3rry]

It started with one indigo classic named Doc

My story of how I became hopelessly enmeshed in the Cars community starts weak, has a middle "ick" point, and then (at this moment of writing) has turned into something that fulfills my life with so much joy

I grew up with old cars, so they seemed common to me from basically moment one! When I was a wee baby and was fussy, sometimes my mom would drive me around in her 1972 car. Every car I was surrounded by was from the 1970s (briefly one from the 1960s), so vintage vehicles weren't a far off concept to me

Even now, my own car is 30 years old! The only modern cars I've been in have been borrowed or rented. So while from an early age I was not a "car nut," much time was spent with them. I played with some Matchbox diecasts when I was 7-8, but cars were not any focus in my personal playtime. I had plushies, the dozens of plastic equines of a typical horse-loving little girl, a Barbie I hated... but I never actively WANTED toy cars for gifts.

When I was artsy, doodling in my art pads, I drew animals, things like The Aristocats, more horses, and cartoon people. Never cars. Drawing them? Yuck. Boring. And heck, they looked plain old HARD to even begin to figure out for drawing if I wanted to!!!

Fast forward to teenage Ginger in the mid 2010s. Cars (the movie) flew entirely under my radar in 2006. I never saw merch, heard about it, nothing. I blame the fact the new town we'd moved to didn't have a theatre. Maybe that kept the news on the down-low, and silent???

Teenage Ginger discovered Cars probably through deviantART. Honestly, I'd tell you if I remembered the exact magic moment, but I don't. All I know is that around that time I was heavily involved in another fandom of "sentient machinery" of a "species" I'd rather not mention because it ended up leading to very bad times and bad people in my life, severe harassment, account changes, etc.

Anyway, I discover Cars. Again. I say again because it first came to my attention via my dad's neighbor, who'd loaned him the movie, thinking another "car buff" would really get into it. I wanted no part of it then because 99/100 whatever my dad geeks out over I abhor. For real. It ends up being dumb, immature, plain stupid, crude, the like. Movie thus went back to the neighbor - unwatched. It bears to mention my paternal figure never watched it either. Committing issues

I rediscover - and watch - Cars on the torrent (yes I know).

And I love it. The concept was only briefly odd to me until I saw Doc Hudson, and baby, I was in loveeeee! And, for lack of rambling more, let's just say that character altered my life. The whole movie did, but Doc? He led to things sweet and bitter.

Like @agentsandracartrip, I met my "soul sister" through the Cars community. Actually through Tumblr, and my very old and no longer used @the-fabulous-hudson-hornet fan blog. Everything felt so good, sweet, and right. I'd never had a friend like this. For one week in summer, we hung out in real life - a first for me when all my fandom friends are through the screen.

We hyped up over Cars 3, rehashed the scenes and best parts together (anything with Doc or Smokey was perfection). She sent me some amazing gifts relating to the community. We shared and lived and breathed how much this movie franchise made our lives happy.

It was the sweetest time. Until it wasn't.

It ended with her reporting my facebook RP accounts I'd made that we used to interact with sometimes, getting my old computer permabanned from Facebook... and in a bizarre twist of fate, with her involvement in the other community I'd gotten away from. Soon some of them and she were quite tight and making up all these things they heard from some of my worst bullies. In a year's time, the friendship and union with my "bestie and sister" was gone, and so was much of my trust

The fandom wasn't cool to me for quite a long time after this

But I didn't give on it entirely, and I'm glad I didn't. Now we come to the current day in this fearfully LONG tale (are you still reading?!?). I'm the proud owner of the Motorama City discord server (created July 2021) - 60 members strong! I wanted to make a place that was fun, casual, yet geared to more mature fans of the fandom for, I've sadly been in many Cars servers full of trolls, bullies, shitposts, and general toxicity that have made several people feel unwelcome

And I'm so happy to have @agentsandracartrip on board as my friendly mod to guide everyone on their stay! https://discord.gg/77JfrYCbf9 https://discord.gg/77JfrYCbf9

I've been a Cars artist (hellooo @v16classycaddy-art ) for several years now... it's pretty much ALL I draw (haha, what a change right?), and one of my happiest hours was when Pixar contacted me to feature a LMQ sketch I did in 2019. So, thankfully, my journey into the community has ended better than its rocky midpoint, and while I'm sad it's deader than it used to be since 2017 and Cars 3, I have hopes it won't ever disappear.

Maybe the new Disney+ show this year will breathe much-needed life back into our own world of automotive happiness.

Here's hoping 💕

have you actually read this far??? omg, you deserve tons of cookies or something asdfjsdfjsfj

[wastelandlovingscenarios]

Hey! I am really excited for seeing your blog grow and I wish you the best of luck!💛💛💛 I'm bad at requesting, so if you don't feel like doing this one - that's fine~ How would all companions (inc. X6, Preston & Codsworth) react to a Sole being a handywoman on Liziqi level and finding out she spent her childhood in a village after she casually explains to some settlers how to make booze from fruit or how to butcher and smoke brahmin?

i saw her channel and i was like :0 the whole time. i have no time or patience for that kinda stuff, haha. that girl got mad skills. ill make them react to the food she prepares, if it’s okay!

i’ll do this as regular companions and kept it short and simple!

anyways, i hope you enjoy! ❤️

-

he leaned on the wall, watching as sole grabbed a basket of mutfruit from under the table/dragged a brahmin corpse on a rug. he wondered why the people of sanctuary gathered around sole and was interested himself. he decided to observe from afar to avoid interrupting whatever she was doing, she seemed to have a passionate look on her face after all. he pondered on whether sole could cook or not, seeing that all the items near her were food related. his ears perked up, hearing her voice ring throughout the crowd, “okay guys! i’m gonna teach you some stuff i learned when i was a child back at my village. i’m sure this will be useful to you all and sanctuary itself so be sure to carefully look!”

sole grew up from a village? he had no knowledge of that for sure but made a mental note to ask her after her demonstration. sole looked at the settlers happily and demonstrated how to make wine from mutfruit/butcher and smoke brahmin meat. the crowd became invested in her displays, amazed sounds escaping their mouths as sole went through the process step by step in detail. it was beyond unique and something that many people don’t see often in the commonwealth; an art of the prewar times, truly.

Danse:

he would think soles skills were definitely astonishing, seeing that he’s never seen anyone do something like that before. danse would be incredibly impressed and would even jot down those notes mentally to maybe learn it himself one day. as much as he wanted to try and attempt to replicate her skills, he knew he would never be able to but on the other hand, he was way too awkward to ask sole to teach him. lost in his thoughts over soles amazing abilities, danse wouldn’t notice her striding up to him with a smile on her face. “what’s with the look, paladin?” he would jolt on surprise, a small blush spreading across his face as soles eyes traveled to lock with his. it would take him a few seconds to muster a reply. “uh- i apologize if i’ve offended you.” he cleared his throat, adjusting himself so he could stand straight, “it wasn’t my intentions. it’s just.. your skills are certainly impeccable soldier, i’m sure the brotherhood could use your abilities back at the prydwen. they seem to be proven useful.” he then look away elsewhere, hoping his voice didn’t falter in the process. “it would be much appreciated, if you don’t mind.” much to danses content, sole immediately agreed without a second thought. he would then bombard sole with questions about her life while living in a village.

Deacon:

he would be immensely amazed by soles skills and would definitely be gawking at her presentation. how she gained the skills or who she gained it from would be a mystery to him but that was the least of his worries. his priority was to ask sole to teach him how to do something as complicated as that. as sole began putting away her finished products, he walked towards her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. sole looked at him with a raised brow and rolled her eyes at the smirk present on his face. “what is it this time, deeks?” deacon would use his free hand to make over dramatic gestures as he replied, “you gotta teach me that some day, charmer. who knows, maybe one of these days we’ll open up a restaurant named-“ deacon blabbered on for minutes, making sole chuckle occasionally at his silliness. she turned to face him, resting her hand on her hip. “fine deeks. i’ll teach you on one condition.” he would let out a small, ‘hm?’ as sole continued. “i can name the restaurant if we open it one day-“ sole shushed him as he opened his mouth to retaliate, “- and no. we are not naming the restaurant any of those names that just came out of your mouth.” deacon would throw his arms in the air dramatically but send sole a small smile, “fine, fine, you win..! but you still gotta teach me.” he was totally gonna name their restaurant one day with or without her knowledge.

Maccready:

he’s a child about it. it’s clear that there’s a flabbergasted look in his eyes and mac lets himself become completely submerged in it. he was so excited to see new and foreign ways food could be executed, especially since he’s been living off sugar bombs, nuka cola, and cram his whole life. maccready knew from his core that he could not cook for the life of him and could only go as far as preparing a box of blanco mac and cheese at somewhat decent standards, so something like this easily drew him in. god, he wondered how hard sole worked at her village when she was younger. after all, he didn’t really do anything as a kid and didn’t teach himself many skills that would benefit him in the long run. soon enough, the sound of soles voice dragged maccready out of his daydream. she signaled him to come over to where she was at and grinned as he approached almost shyly. he’d try to act all maintained and calm but sole already saw the excitement he showed during her demonstration. “yeah? she grabbed a bag of already cooked and sliced brahmin meat from the box near the table and opened it. he would feel himself grow hungry at the smell of the smoked brahmin meat. sole popped a piece in her mouth and hummed contently, nudging the bag towards maccreadys direction. “it’s so good, you should try it!” hesitantly, but surely, maccready grabbed a piece and slightly bit it, only to find himself eating the whole thing within seconds. it was amazing! how did sole manage to keep their talent away from him for months?! with a full mouth, macready excitedly sputtered out words that sole couldn’t quite comprehend. she sent mac a confused look, and he blushed in response, rubbing the nape of his neck timidly. “sorry- uh, it was just really good.” sole would shove the bag at him gently, a small smirk playing on her face, “would you like more, mac?” silence filled their air for only a mere second- “yes, please.”

Hancock:

as the applause ended with the crowd, there was only one left that continued to clap loudly, attracting soles attention. she would wave at hancock who looked at her with an entertained and impressed expression on his face. “and just when i thought i knew everything about ya.” sole would giggle girlishly and walk up to hancock, wiping her stained hands with her jacket. “i’m full of surprises, hancock. you’re gonna have to dig harder if you want to know everything about me,” hancocks grin would grow wider as sole bantered on with a cheeky smile, “being over 200 years old makes me far more interesting than many people.” a laughter was shared between the two for a moment. “guess you’re right, sister. i’m guessing you hold a lot more secrets than i expect.” sole would fold her arms sassily and stare up at him with a sly look in her eyes, “you are absolutely correct, mayor hancock.” hancock would immediately detect the friskiness in her voice. “i have no choice but to earn it then, huh?” he said in a joking tone. sole would feel his arm wrap around her shoulder casually, “how’s about we go back to goodneighbor and take a sip of that wine you made? i want to know about your days at the village anyway. sounded interesting.” sole would return his friendly affection, draping on arm on the backside of his torso as she hummed. “that sounds great.”

Nick Valentine:

he was ecstatic to see that sole still attained some of their prewar skills, it was definitely a rarity nowadays in the commonwealth. it’s been a while since he’s tasted some authentic wine, the last time being with jenny, but even so, that was the old nick and not the one that existed right then and there. he was thrilled to learn more about his partner who often kept her life to herself - it was a nice change for once. nick himself has seen people work in villages back in his day, so he had an idea of what skills she could’ve picked up while living in one. sole caught him walking to her with a smile on his face and she decided to meet with him halfway. “what did you think, nick? i know my skills were probably a little rusty here and there.” nick shot sole a warm smile, noticing the small, shy flush on her cheeks. “rusty? i found it quite flawless,” sole felt her face redden more as nick continued, “for a 200 year old popsicle, you’ve done pretty good, kid. i bet no one could replicate what you just executed.” she chortled at his silly remark, feeling more confident in her own expertise. “i’m glad i was able to impress you. now let’s hope it’ll taste as good as it looks.” nicked grinned, perking up at her comment, “i don’t mind being the judge of that, if that’s what you’re implying.” she smiled softly; it was exactly what she had in mind.

Codsworth:

he already knew of soles upbringing and the impressive skill set she had. codsworth remembered almost everything she had told her husband about her times at the village and was always drawn into her interesting stories. despite that, she’d always use these skills during her times with nate, and codsworth often observed her from afar during prewar times. he’d remember the excitement in her eyes when she used to execute this hobby and had still caught the same passionate glint as she confidently demonstrated to the crowd. as the settlers departed with happy and content comments, codsworth made their way to them with a jovial tone in his voice. “it’s lovely to see that your skills are definitely top notch just like the old days, mum!” sole would grin at codsworth, a happy expression on her face. “thank you, codsworth! it means a lot coming from you.” codsworth would help sole clean up the aftermath of the presentation, rushing to do most of the work so she could rest, “anytime, mum!”

Preston:

he’d be almost speechless at soles talents, nothing more than a soft yet interested, ‘damn,’ escaping his mouth. though he knew sole was a hardworking, humble, and honest person, he was happy to learn that she did reside in a village at one point of her life. it could only mean that she had a vast amount of experience that many people nowadays aspire to have - farming, cooking in unique ways, etc. most people just knew how to use a gun and make money for a living during these hard times. seeing sole smoke a brahmin would definitely leave him awestruck, considering that he’s never seen anyone do that before. ”wow! that’s so cool, ms. sole! i hope to be like you someday.” sole shyly grinned at the child that beamed at her, opening her mouth to respond until prestons sounded throughout the crowd. “that’s the general for you. we couldn’t have found someone better.” sole chuckled nervously as everyone continued to throw strings of compliments at her. “yeah, for sure!” “we have the best leader in the commonwealth!” she would meet his gaze, embarrassed by all the attention she was receiving. preston would tip his hat as sole mouthed a timid, “thank you.” as the crowd cheered on. he would definitely have to try her smoked brahmin after her exhibition.

X6:

though a stoic expression would remain on his face, he would feel a sense of awe as sole calmly explained to the residents how to smoke brahmin meat. for sure, x6 has seen many displays of how to prepare food in the most exotic and unique ways in the institute but would be interested finding out that she had presented a new method of execution he hadn’t encountered during his lifetime. with his eyes fixated on soles hand movements and the materials on the table, he jotted down every action that she made with every second that ticked. his stillness and intimidating presence would creep everyone out and they would feel uncomfortable with x6 just blankly staring at whatever. regardless, the crowd seemed to enjoy the show despite the discomfort. after what seemed like eternity, sole finally concluded her demo and thanked the crowd for giving her their attention. the settlers applauded sole, giving her their final compliments and comments before dispersing. she smiled, proud of what she accomplished and decided to pack everything up before hitting the hay. “ma’am.” she jumped up, getting frightened by the sudden voice that rung behind her. looking over her shoulder slowly, she caught x6 staring at her with a blank expression. she glared at him. “next time, give me a warning, will ya? you almost gave me a heart attack.” x6 simply nodded before continuing on with his statement, “i believe your skills will be convenient to the institute. it’s almost remarkable to discover that you retain something from your prewar days.” soles eyes widened in surprise for a mere moment but collected herself, a small smile growing on her face. “thanks x6.” silence followed after, but x6s compliment was enough to tell her that he appreciated her talent.

[yukiette]

🌸 ʏᴀꜱꜱ ꜰɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ɪᴛꜱ ᴏᴜᴛ ʜᴜʜᴜʜᴜʜ 🌸

Thoughts on movie below! ✨️⚠️Beware Spoilers⚠️

Okay so based on the trailer, I knew it's going to be about these new characters life and such.

But fr thouuuuuuuu, wish the original casts could appear more..

At least theres silhouette scenarios that's voiced by the original cast VA's huhu..

The one that piqued my interest and made me feel rather emotional at the same time is when that father and his childrens silhouettes (Doremi's father, Doremi and Pop.) were arguing and how her and her sister told him that they won't never ever forget their father and silly for even thinking such things.

And also that moment where Reika meet her father...

I just can't help but to cry hard over that, How her father looked painful of not wanting to ruin his new family in his old age..

How her voice just cracks when she decides to keep quiet and told them that she's mistaken

How she told Mire that the painting her father drew seemed has lost its colour in her eyes to the point she wanted to become art restorer

..Which actually the reason to that was because its all left she could cling for is just.. Hits way too hard.

One of my favourite scenes is when that boy who had learning disability showed his drawing to Sora.

How Sora reacts to that picture really feels like how teacher does in real life, too.

Teachers do always find opportunities to help the childrens to look it in a less complicated way.

How he frowned when Sora does that is also how would childrens react too.

For a second I had a fear of this turning like I fear it to be but I'm glad that the teacher became his motivation instead.

I really do hope that such childrens in real life have such admirable teachers too since they're the ones who takes parent role in school.

..Suddenly this turning to serious talk dang.. Well, I admire how Ojamajo Doremi tackles all kind of problems in life despite being labeled as a kid's show.

When I watched it back then as a kid I did have quite problems they shows in the anime, and well.. I'm glad because childrens can go through things too although they're still young.

So, well, I felt like I was understood through that anime.

Though, since it's really sensitive problem I just can't bring myself to watch it much, I haven't been rewatching Ojamajo Doremi these past years but even to this day I could still remember the details, their pained expressions, mental breakdowns that they suffers.

..Okay seriously, why did I talk about this again?!?!?! Aughhhhe </3 sowweh

Anyways, it's great that they rearranged the theme songs.

Really love how I could sing along and part of the song are made to be silent for us to respond to them. ♥️

And well.. The ending song has a great rearrangement (esp the instrumental.) but it hits way too hard sobs, they're trying to make us bawl at this point brahhhhh ߹ᯅ߹

Anyways, this movie does make us realise we've grown a lot compared to back then, guess we're old now.. rip lol..

Coming from stranger but hope y'all have a best day ever and be healthy, happy always with your loved ones too. ♥️

[speremint]

I love that people are realizing how long they've followed you! You have such a great fanbase it seems and I'm so glad they have stuck around so long for you and your art! I'm so proud of the growth you've shown over the years! ❤️❤️

It’s really heartwarming to know how many people have stuck around! I’ve swapped fandoms so much and I often go through such long dry-spells of content, I’m surprised people have the patience to put up with me for this long! Not to mention I was EXTREMELY prone to being depressing on my accs throughout highschool and what not

It means a lot though when people mention they’ve been following me since my H*talia or DHMIS days, even if it REALLY drags up some old memories LMAO. I appreciate that they’ve stuck around even back when my art looked like this:

yall have no idea how much weird, horny shit i drew as a kid

[etlunainmorte]

❄❄❄

***

*The Best French Hot Chocolate*

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

*Ingredients

2 Cups Whole Milk

½ Cup Heavy Cream

1 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar

12 Ounce Dark Chocolate

Whipped cream

*Instructions

Add milk, powdered sugar and heavy cream to a saucepan and heat over medium - high heat until simmering, being careful not to scald or boil. While the milk mixture is heating, chop the dark chocolate ( For best flavor, use a good quality chocolate that's at least 60 - 70% cacao ). Once simmering and heated thoroughly, remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate to the saucepan. Whisk until smooth. Pour into small mugs and serve immediately with whipped cream and a little extra chopped chocolate on top.

***

❄ Three Wishes ❄

***

VIII

***

"Weird, I never noticed the hole in the ceiling until now." You said to yourself as you looked up at the said hole in the cream - colored ceiling of your bedroom.

And you noticing even the smallest of cracks in the walls, and ceilings, of your bedroom? In the dark?

This insomnia really was taking a toll on your whole body and your mental health!

And now, as you lay on your bed staring at the gaping hole in the ceiling, you couldn't help but wonder: if you didn't get to be in a relationship with that guy, would you still have difficulty sleeping? Would you be able to fall asleep at approximately ten in the evening?

Would you be able to concentrate more in the morning because you were able to have ample, not just enough, rest?

You sighed. You, thinking about what ifs, when it's already half - past two in the morning?

You growled helplessly as you took your pillow from underneath your head and covered your face with it to muffle the sound, all the while kicking the super soft bedsheets and flailing your legs about. Then, you threw the thing halfway across the room and sat up, ruffling your already messy hair.

"You should not be blaming him, girl!" You scolded yourself for, like, the ndth consecutive night since breaking up with that narcissist. "You should NOT be blaming him!" You swung your legs to the edge of the bed, reached for your fluffy bunny slippers, and stood. You opened the lamp, switching it on for the third time that evening. "It's all my fault! It's. All. My. Freaking. Fault!"

Meanwhile, as you made your way downstairs to get yourself a glass of water, all the while mumbling to yourself how it was your fault you couldn't sleep, V, Griffon, and Shadow were listening just outside your room, waiting for the perfect opportunity to execute the plan.

"That girl is goin' cuckoo, V!" Griffon exclaimed as he flew back down after observing your erratic movements and surveying the room as stealthily as he could. "She's talkin' to herself."

"No." Shadow, who was calmly standing next to the poet, rebutted. "More like, she's blaming herself. But, why?"

"That,... we'll know very soon." V answered as he tapped the ground with his metal cane, signaling for his familiars to begin the mission. And when you finally entered your room and closed the door, you heard some weird tapping on your window. 

At first, you thought it was only your over - active imagination but, when the tapping resumed and at a more rapid intensity, you couldn't help but grab the flower vase on your vanity table for protection. Wielding the porcelain ornament like a makeshift weapon, you cautiously stepped towards the window where the noise was coming from. You grabbed the heavy pink curtain with your free hand and hastily drew it, revealing a most curious winged - visitor flying just outside the window.

"Griffon?" You uttered, setting the vase down and immediately opening the glass window to let him in.

"Special delivery!" The bird gleefully announced as he drew back and waved his wing, showing the man standing just behind him.

The man,... standing just behind him,...

But, wait! You're on the second floor of the house!

"Did my heart love ‘till now?" The man greeted you, his smile ever so charming, his voice ever so soothing, his presence,... ever so calming. And with those mere words, you felt all the anxiety and weariness leave your entire system, hopefully for good. He,... only has such power over you. "Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty 'till this night."

"V?!" You couldn't help but shriek in fright as you leaned on the windowsill to see the man clearly and how he was able to come face to face with you. He looked and stood so confident! So proud! So majestically dark! And then, you finally noticed the thing he was standing on: a seemingly sentient swirling and curving set of jet - black stairs that glimmered and shone like a million diamonds against the moonlit, winter sky. It connected from the ground to where the poet's feet were, helping him balance.

How was he doing all this?!

"Wh - wha - ? H - how?!" You stammered as you gazed at the green - eyed man clad in a dark sweater before you.

The poet chuckled and took out a book from his black canvas bag, opened it, and took a deep breath. "She speaks!" V read with a clear and low voice that pierced through the silence of the night.

"W - well, of course! I - "

"Oh, speak again, bright angel, for thou art as glorious to this night, being o'er my head, as is a winged messenger of Heaven."

Is this man, you thought as you felt the sides of your lips curve up into a smile, reciting Romeo and Juliet?

V went on, seeing that his reading made you smile. "Unto the white upturned wondering eyes of mortals that fall back to gaze on him when he bestrides the lazy - puffing clouds and sails upon the bosom of the air." V closed the book shut, seemingly waiting for your response, and that's when you finally remembered!

He was emulating the famous balcony scene from the Shakespearean play!

"Your turn, my lady." V told you in a teasing tone and that devilish smirk of his.

How is no one seeing all this?! "Oh! I - ah, let me see, ah," You stammered as you tried to recall Juliet's words. You slapped your forehead when your messed up mind finally conjured up some incoherent words and tried to recite. "Oh, V - err, I mean, Romeo! Yes, Romeo, where,... art thou, oh Romeo. I - is that it?"

The poet hummed in agreement. He, then, crossed his arms and tilted his head to side, watching you closely and with clear interest. "Yes, go on."

"Okay! Umm," You mumbled, tapping your chin as you tried to recall more of Juliet's words. "Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or - "

" ... or if thou will not be," V recited, helping you with the lines. " ... but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be,… a Sparda."

Wait, Sparda? "Oh, I'm not sure if it went like that. But, I don't really care! I'm not fond of that tragic play, anyway."

"Oh! Why is that?" V asked, seemingly surprised when he heard you say those words to him, outright.

"Call me stupid but, I prefer happy endings, thank you very much."

"Not stupid, no,..." V only uttered as he, once again, was made captive of your sweet smile. "I adore,... happy endings, as well,..."

"I'm glad to hear that." You answered. Feeling the cold creep up on your skin, you finally realized that the poet was practically standing on the cold outside your room! He must be freezing! "Oh, my God! I'm so sorry! Come in!" You opened your window wider and reached for his hand with your own, pulling it and helping him enter your room.

Soft, dainty hands clasped together with large, rough ones, your hands stayed joined a few more moments after letting the man into your room. Green and (E/C) eyes locked onto each other, you felt yourselves moving closer to chase that warmth and that gentleness. Two hearts beating in unison, you felt you were instantly connected to each other as he leaned down and -

"Ah, V," The two of you turned and noticed both Griffon and Shadow waiting for you. " ... we're gonna, uhh, make the thing now." Griffon said in a calm voice when, in fact, the cheese right in front of him was both killing him and making him giddy inside at the same time. Well, it was the first time he has seen his Master this happy. And for that, he was glad.

He was glad that his Master finally met you.

"Oh! Of course." V answered as he unwillingly let go of your hand. "Of course."

"The thing?" You asked, confused at the familiar's words and disappointed that the tender moment between you and V were cut short.

"Yes. Let them handle it." V replied, feeling confident of his trustworthy familiars. "For now, I have,... something for you."

"Really?" You said, your peripheral vision catching sight of the familiars opening the door and going outside to who knew where. "Like a surprise?"

"Yes. If you may,..."

A few moments later, you were back to your bed with your back against the propped up pillows and the lower part of your body covered with the soft and fragrant sheets to make you warm and comfortable. And as you wiggled your toes and watched the poet as he made himself comfortable on the chair next to your bed, you couldn't help but feel excited of what's to come. He, then, reached for his bag and took from it an old leather - bound book that seemed worn down and yet so beloved. With a flourish of his slender tattooed fingers, he opened the book and turned to a certain page, stealing a longing glance from you as he gently smiled to reassure you that everything will be fine.

"I will now tell you,... the story of how Love and Soul came to be." He spoke with that low, almost whisper - like voice of his that made the atmosphere even more relaxing and comfortable. He really knew what he was doing. "I will tell you,... the myth of Cupid and Psyche." His eyes going back to his old book, he began reading. "There was once a King who had three daughters, all lovely maidens, but the youngest, Psyche, excelled her sisters so greatly that,... beside them she seemed a very goddess consorting with mere mortals. The fame of her,... surpassing beauty spread over the earth, and everywhere men journeyed to gaze upon her with wonder and adoration and to do her homage,... as though she were in truth one of the immortals."

"She must be so beautiful, then!" You couldn't help but speak of your opinions regarding Psyche. And to V, it was a good thing. It meant that you're invested in the story. "And she's worshipped like a god!"

"I don't believe in gods," V answered with a smile. " ... for I only believe in one, true, beautiful goddess whose smile I always fervently pray to see everyday of my life."

His words making your heart swell and your body really warm, you settled back to your pillows, hugging a brown stuffed bear and keeping it close to your chest.

Then, V went on. "They would say that even Venus herself could not equal this mortal. As they thronged in ever - growing numbers to worship her loveliness no one any more gave a thought to Venus herself. Her temples were neglected, her altars foul with cold ashes, her favorite towns deserted and falling in ruins. All the honors once hers were now given to a mere girl destined some day to die. It may well be believed that,..."

Meanwhile, as V went on with his bedtime story, the familiars silently made their way towards the kitchen to do their Master's bidding, and that was to make you a nice cup of warm chocolate.

Except that they never made anything in their whole life aside from fried Empusa or skewered Hell Antenora, and that spelled trouble for the both of them.

"Ah, how do we do it again?" Griffon whispered, carefully trying to make his way towards the kitchen in the darkness of the house.

"Just boil some liquid and pour the chocolate in!" Shadow answered as she successfully located where the utensils were hidden.

"Ah, how do we do exactly that? And what liquid are we talkin' about here?"

Shadow stopped sniffing the neatly stacked utensils in the cupboard and stared at her companion with such dread in her own, red eyes.

"I don't know."

Griffon stared back at her with wide, golden eyes that made the situation seem worse. "Oh, fuck!"

"Didn't you read the instructions Master gave you?"

"What instructions?"

"You, imbecile! The paper that Master handed you earlier!"

"Oh! Is that the,... ahh,... instructions? Haha! Didn't know about that! Too bad, huh?!"

Shadow's eyes dangerously narrowed as she stalked towards Griffon like the dangerous predator that she was. "What did you do to the paper, Griffon?" She asked, a hint of that frightening growl escaping her throat.

Now, if demonic birds could even sweat, Griffon would probably be soaked and dripping wet as of that moment. "Ah, ah, I can explain! Listen to me very, very carefully, kitty - cat - "

"STOP CALLING ME A KITTY - CAT AND TELL ME WHAT YOU DID TO THE PAPER!" Shadow growled, the sound of her voice making the four corners of the old house tremble, its frightening noise reaching the second floor and making V stop reading.

"What was that?" You questioned, your eyebrows furrowed and your voice laced with worry and nervousness at the frightening noise you just heard.

"What do you mean by that, my dear?" V, on the other hand, pretended he did not hear anything.

"Ah, I thought I heard some noise downstairs,..."

"I C - CAN'T B - BREATH!" Wheezed Griffon, trying to escape Shadow's tail that went over his face, suffocating him. "H - HELP! AGHK! S – STOP! I BEG YA!”

"OF ALL THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO THROW AWAY, WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL?! YOU, STUPID,... BIRD BRAIN!" Shadow growled, not caring at all whether Griffon would enter his stalemate state due to her ceaseless attack or just end up dead due to asphyxiation.

"I T - TOLD YA! I THOUGHT SHAKESPEARE WANTED ME TO BURN THE THING - SSSQQQUUUAAAWWWKKK!"

"YOU,... BURNED IT?! HOW DARE YOU?! HOW DARE - ?!"

"Who is in my house?!"

Both Shadow and Griffon gasped as they looked at Adelaide, who was still in her night gown and pointing her rolling pin at them. Luckily for the familiars, it was too dark for her to see them.

Carefully putting Griffon down, who finally breathed a sigh of relief, Shadow cautiously stepped away and cleared her throat. "We're not your enemies, Adelaide. Put your weapon down."

"Stupid cat!" Griffon whispered savagely at what the demonic cat just did.

"Shut up! She can't see us!"

"Oh! Ye're right,..."

"I'm one step away from calling 911!" Adelaide threatened as she tightened her grip on the rolling pin. "Reveal yourself!"

Shadow, who was mainly the cause of all the noise in the first place, made one last desperate move to deceive the old woman. Clearing her throat once more and hoping for the old woman to believe her ruse, she spoke. "Adelaide, my dear, I' am your mother."

"Mother?!" The old woman spat. "But my mother has been dead a long time ago!"

"Yes, I' am." Shadow answered as she gestured for Griffon to move away. "And I've come to visit you in your dream."

"Dream? I'm,... dreaming? This is a dream?"

"Why, yes, my dear! Otherwise, how could I speak with you like this?"

Both familiars breathing a sigh of relief, they watched as the old woman finally brought her guard down. Believing every word that the demonic feline just uttered, she said, "Mother, why have you come to visit me?"

"Go on!" Griffon whispered to Shadow as he hid behind one of the chairs.

"I was,... just checking whether you're doing fine." The feline went on with the lie.

"I'm fine but," Adelaide spoke, making the familiars nervous. How long would this go on? " ... it's my grandchild. I'm worried about her."

"Worried? Tell me why."

"It's about this man named V." The old woman answered, the mere mention of their Master's name making them even more cautious. And intrigued. "Tell me, mother: is he really the one for (Y/N)? I'm afraid. She was hurt by someone before. I,... don't want anyone to hurt her like that, anymore. I don't want to see her cry ever again. So, I want to know: is this man, V, really the one for her?"

Shadow took a deep breath. Standing on her hind legs, she placed one of her paws on the old woman's right shoulder, hoping to reassure her. "Tell me, is your grandchild crying now?"

"No."

"Then, does she look happy?"

"Why, yes! Yes, she is. She looks so happy,... whenever V visits her."

"And this V," Shadow went on. " ... does he look like a man who would make her cry?"

And to this, the woman became really emotional. Wiping away the tears that escaped her eyes, she said, "No. In fact, I knew it. I knew it in my bones that he would never do such a thing to her. I know he would make her happy and I know he would make her forget what happened to her in the past. I' am aware. I,... believe,... that V,... loves her. With all his heart."

"Then, keep on believing!" The familiar answered, putting her other paw on her left shoulder. "Believe that V would do everything you've said and more. He will make her,... the happiest woman on earth!"

"I understand!" Adelaide happily answered as she wiped her tears with the sleeves of her nightgown. "Thank you so much, mother! Oh, I missed you so much!"

"Oh!" Shadow was surprised when the old woman suddenly hugged her tightly. Adelaide, on the other hand, did not care ( or did not notice ), even for a second, that what she was feeling against her own body was thick, demon fur instead of actual human skin.

Shadow noticed Griffon pointing at something in the cupboard with his wing. And that's when a bright idea struck her head.

"I missed you too, dear child." Shadow cooed as she gently brushed Adelaide's silver gray hair with her large paw. "Now, if you may, I want you to do something for me, then I'll be off,..."

Meanwhile, back in your bedroom, the two familiars arrived just in time to see you giggling as you listened intently at V, who was now holding a large stuffed lamb that he took from your bed and making weird movements with it, like he was making a child laugh.

"The sheep were indeed very fierce, but if Psyche would wait until they came out of the bushes toward evening to rest beside the river," The poet read energetically as he noticed, at the corner of his eye, both Griffon and Shadow helping each other place the cup of the desired hot beverage on the table next to your bed. Nodding and humming in approval, he went on. " ... she could go into the thicket and find plenty of the golden wool hanging on the sharp briars."

You smiled as V threw the stuffed lamb and caught it in mid air, looking really engrossed in his story - telling.

It was getting really late, even Griffon and Shadow settled cozily next to you as you listened to the poet's tale. For a moment, you never noticed the time, or your own anxiety and insomnia, until V finally reached the ending of the story and the familiars’ soft snores reverberated inside the room.

" ... so all came to a most happy end. Love and the Soul had sought and, after sore trials, found each other, and that union could never be broken. For it is a difficult matter," V read in a whisper as he slowly closed the book. " ... to keep Love imprisoned. The end."

You couldn't take your eyes off him as if you were mesmerized by his words and his whole being. You clutched at the sheets and spoke softly, "It’s a beautiful story, V. Thank you so much,... for sharing it with me."

The poet smiled as he returned the book to his bag. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Now, it is getting late, and - "

"Wait!" You interrupted him as you quickly grabbed the end of his sweater, preventing him from leaving.

He turned and looked down at you, his smile never leaving his kind features. "How can I be of service to you, my lady?"

"Will you listen to my story?" You asked him. "A different one."

"Well, of course. Let me," He uttered, lifting the sleeping Griffon and putting him on the chair he was sitting on. " ... just move this fellow so I could listen to you well." He, then, sat next to you.

You smiled, feeling safe and sound with the incredible warmth beside you. You couldn't believe it - V, sitting oh so close to you, inside your room, in the middle of the night,...

You almost chuckled at the thought of your grandma catching the two of you like this.

"Alright, let's hear it, your story." V whispered, his shoulder brushing against yours as he crossed his arms and made himself comfortable.

"Umm," You stammered, gulping down and clearing your throat to ease the nerves that suddenly overtook your senses. " ... it's fine, right? Me opening up to you?"

"As long as you're comfortable with it."

"Alright." You took a deep breath and looked once more at the hole in the ceiling. "I met this man, his name was Christopher Lancaster."

Of course, V thought as the feeling of dread filled his chest at the mere mention of the man who made you suffer in your former life through very frighteningly inhuman ways. It always has to be him,...

"For a time, we were very much in love. I was young, and I was very much in love with love." You confessed, scoffing right after at the mere absurdity of it all. "I honestly thought he was the one. He was young, and handsome, and talented, and, well, you could say he has everything in this world. But, I was wrong. He didn't have everything. He was asking for more." You looked down, fidgeting at the sheets. "He wanted to have me. You know what I'm saying?"

Oh, no, no, no, no, V thought helplessly as some unpleasant thoughts suddenly plagued his already overworked mind. Please, say you didn't! Please, say you didn't,...

"And you know what? I refused." You told him, and for a moment, V felt like he could already rest in peace, knowing that Lancaster was not able to lay a single finger on your skin. He turned and noticed you looking up at him with such wide and innocent eyes. "I refused him, V. And I didn't know why. I knew I loved him, he was everything I could ask for. But, I don't know why I did what I did.

"Then, he changed. He became violent and harsh. He humiliated me in front of others. He made fun of my family. He said I'm too domestic. Just because I refused to be intimate with him."

Those words back then. He said that, domestic.

So, that's what he meant!

For a while, V clutched angrily at the sheets of the bed, balling them into his left fist as he tried to control his anger. But, then again, he had to remind himself that he's not here to make matters worse.

He was here to make you feel better.

He was here to fulfill your wish.

"You know, I should've left him after that but, I was stupid enough to hold onto him. To hold onto the person who doesn't truly love me the way I loved him. I believed, for such a long time, that I could change his ways. That I could bring back the days when we were alright. Again, I was wrong. After everything I did for him, he still left me. He found another, someone who truly deserves him."

You were about to succumb to your weakness and let it all out in front of the one person you knew you could trust, when you heard him speak.

"You should be glad that he left you, then. A person,... who truly loves you,... would never, ever leave you for such a thing. There is a saying," V turned to you, brushing away, with his long fingers, the tears that your traitorous eyes let out. " ... love,... is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." He, then, reached for your cheeks and brushed the remaining tears in them with his thumbs, making your face warm. "It is not rude, it is not self - seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." 

After that, he let go of your cheeks, only to pull you into his arms for an embrace you didn't know, didn't expect, you needed. And it made you even more emotional than ever before. Pulling him closer to you, you wrapped him in your arms, reciprocating the embrace, and buried your face in his chest, letting out the tears, and your burden, in him,...

... in the man you never knew would miraculously come into your life.

Feeling your trembling body against his, he tightened his embrace and buried his face in your fragrant hair. Rubbing your back and trying to soothe your tired body, he went on. "Love,... does not delight in evil,... but rejoices in the truth. It always protects,... always trusts,... always hopes,... always perseveres." V closed his eyes as he felt some tears of his own escaping him. I'm supposed to make you happy, not make you cry like this! "Seeing you happy,... is the only single thing in this world that keeps me going. So, please, smile," He removed his hands from you and cupped your cheeks once more. Looking deeply into your eyes, he gently laid his forehead against yours, the tender gesture finally making you smile despite all the tears. " ... and be happy. Don't ever blame yourself for what happened in the past. It was never your fault. Live for the people you love. Smile,... for there are people who truly loves you. And they would never leave you, no matter what. Don't forget about that."

With one last tear containing the remnants of your feelings for your former lover, you nodded and smiled, more than ready to do exactly what V has told you to do. He was right, there are people,... who truly loves you. There are people,... who would never leave you, no matter what.

There's always a special someone,...

.... who would stay with you,

... and love you,...

... no matter what life throws at you,...

... until the end of time.

You laid your hands against his, clutching them, and never letting them go. "So, I assume you would scold me if I say I was stupid for being so emotional?"

"I won't scold you." V answered, never taking his hands off your face. "We are all emotional beings, after all. Demon, or no."

"Stay with me, please. Until I fall asleep."

After finishing the chocolate drink that the familiars graciously made for you, you settled back to your bed, actually feeling sleepy. Tucking you in and stroking your hair, he laid down next to you and recited one last poem for the evening, hoping it would finally help you relax.

"O soft embalmer of the still midnight," he whispered, seeing you close your eyes and turn to him. " ... shutting, with careful fingers and benign,... our gloom - pleas'd eyes, embower'd from the light,... enshaded in forgetfulness divine." V's mouth opened in awe as your arm went around him, pulling him closer to your body. "O soothest sleep! If so it please thee,... close in midst of this thine hymn my willing eyes,... or wait the Amen, ere thy poppy throws around my bed its lulling charities. Then save me,... or the passed day will shine upon my pillow, breeding many woes." He closed his eyes, emulating your movements and pulling you close to his. "Save me from curious conscience,... that still lords its strength for darkness, burrowing like a mole; turn the key deftly in the oiled wards,... and seal,... the hushed casket of my soul.

"Good night, my lady." He pressed his lips on your forehead, already hearing your soft breathing. "Parting is such sweet sorrow,... that I shall say good night 'till it be morrow. Let us meet,... in the land of dreams. In a beautiful garden,... somewhere only we know. See you soon, my love."

My love,...

Somehow, those words were the first things that came to your mind the moment you woke up. It's as if,... the gentle words were engraved on your mind, heart, and soul, making its presence known and not leaving you alone,...

Stretching your arms and yawning a lot, you realized that V was, of course, gone, and so were his familiars. And they didn't just leave, they even cleaned some of the mess from last night. The stuffed animals were carefully placed back to your shelves, the flower vase was back to your vanity table, even the curtain looked new.

You sighed, slightly feeling guilty that the night you spent with V has to end. You really enjoyed spending time with him, and you were able to relax and fall asleep without tossing and turning too much on your bed. You hoped that something like that would happen again, of V tapping into your window, in the middle of the night, and offering to read you stories once more as you sipped on the chocolate drink that Griffon and Shadow made for you. You hoped that he would stay with you and recite poems for you once more, until you fall asleep. You hoped that you could feel his arms around you again,...

As much as you wanted to stay in your bed and fondly think of the events that unfolded last night, the sun was already high up into the sky, and you still have lots of things to do. You swung your feet to the edge of the bed and reached for your neatly placed fluffy bunny slippers. You were about to make your way towards the bathroom to wash your face when you noticed something on the bedside table,...

***

❄ @la-vita , @dreaming-gamer , @clevermentalitybeliever , @birdgirl69 , and @v-vic . ❄

***

"Good morning, dearie!" Adelaide greeted you. "What do you want for - HEY!"

"I'll be back, gran!" You announced as you quickly made your way outside the house.

Still in your wool pajamas, you ran straight towards V's house and began knocking rapidly on his door. It was opened a few minutes later by the man, himself, who was still in his sleepwear and messy bed hair, as if he woke up just to answer you.

Fighting the urge to giggle at his unkempt, and yet adorable, appearance, you smiled at him and handed him a piece of paper. He took it and read it. The single word written in it still not registering in his mind, he asked you, " ... pardon?"

"You said, please, say yes." You excitedly informed him. "And I said, yes! I'm going to the New Year's Ball with you, V!"

It took the poet a full minute before he finally realized what you were talking about. And when he finally realized what your words truly meant, his eyes slowly widened and his mouth fell open in shock. He grabbed his messy hair with both hands and spoke, "That - that's your answer, right? You'll go to the Ball with me?"

"Hahaha! Of course, you silly poet!" You laughed as you threw yourself at him, hugging him and placing a tender kiss on his cheek. Oh, how sweet you smelled. What a nice morning, indeed! "See ya!"

And before V could even reciprocate with a kiss of his own, you took your hands off him, waved, and went back to your house.

Which was a good thing, seeing that he hasn't even gargled or brushed his teeth,...

***

***

❄❄❄

***

[elejahfanfic]

Hello Love/2

Fanfiction

Part 2

AU story with tvd characters

Miguel Galindo x Elena Gilbert💖

Ft. Klaroline, Kennett

It's a love story -no vampires. Human.

Featuring a song by David Bisbal_Me enamore de ti

Also, Yemaya is played by Zoe Saldana.

♡□

So much is going on in this ch, there is so many characters - I hope it still has a coherent flow - 😅

Thanks for reading. 😀😘

Tag_@miguelsbrat

♤♡◇♧

Niklaus, or better known as Klaus to his family and friends, just taken a cab to take him to the Mikaelson residence.

He still wasn't sure if he made the right decision to return home after so many years abroad, where he had built a very good reputation and established himself as a prominent young architect making his firm The Wolf Group, as they called themselves, one of the very best. He left it to be run by his partner, Marcel Gerard.

It was one morning after he spoke to Miguel that he made the abrupt decision to take a sabatical year and spend time with the family. Actually, to be precise, with his siblings, as his relationship with his parents was not a good one.

***

Meanwhile

In Rebekah's office, she was looking at the photographs that were to go in the next issue.

"Get me Damon" she said to her assistant Vicki.

"Anything else?" Vicki asked.

"No. I'll be working till late, so you can go. Thanks" Rebekah said.

The eldest of them was Finn, who tragically died in a car crash, at the age 20. Niklaus was their second child. He was three years old when they adopted Miguel.

Rebekah chose to work hard to prove to her father that she can get the fashion magazine up and running and make a huge success of it when she took over. So, at work she was known as the shrew, some of her co-workers would refer to her as a blood-sucker at times. The Mikaelson family was regarded as the most ambitious when business was concerned. Their parents taught their children to be excellent, to strive to excel. To be the best. And they made them proud.

After, Kol, Rebekah and finally Henrik followed.

Miguel fell in love and chose to go to live in San Diego to work after he married. And as his wife died, instead of returning to New York, he chose to go to Mexico City. As for Klaus, after finishing his studies decided to travel the world, finally settling in Europe starting to work as an architect in a small firm.

The Mikaelsons were a big family.

But lately, work was all she had on her mind.

Damon got to her office in a little while, and as he entered the first thing she said was-

"We are professionals and personal stuff should never affect the work-still- I am going to say this, because Elena is my friend and I love her dearly - you're an asshole! If you weren't so damned good at what you do I would kick you to the curb."

"That's not bad. I kind of thought you would dagger me!" Damon said.

"Let's get to work. Look at those", she now showed what she didn't like about those photos and asked for a new photo session with the next month's cover person.

***

Elsewhere

Bonnie and Caroline met Elena for some good old retail therapy. The best remedy when trying to kinda mend a broken heart. A change in style, hair was Caroline's suggestion. Also, they all had already received an electronic invitation to the Mikaelson cocktail night. And they need great dresses for the occasion.

Elena kept quiet about her unusual meeting in the cafe.

*

In the Upper East Side, Miguel met his son at his new school. Cris as he and all his family and friends called him didn't want to go to a private school, and so Miguel enrolled him in the public school recommended by Rebekah.

Cristobal, looked a lot like his mother, very savvy, goodhearted teenager, who knew exactly what he wanted in his life. He was very close his father. The death of Emily, cut them both and glued them even more together. Sometimes Cristobal took more care of his father, than the other way around. Mostly because Miguel was very dedicated to his work.

There were certain things he still needed to do regarding the transfer, and he now dealt with all that.

"There something different about you dad" he said to him when they got out of the school.

"In what way?" Miguel looked surprised at his son.

"I don't know.  But- different! You have a happy face."

"I have a happy face?"

"Yes. Usually it's - just serious." Cristobal said as he opened the car door.

Miguel looked at the watch and he had promised their housekeeper Senora Vega that they would be on time for the evening dinner. "Come on, we are late."

And there was a certain truth, he felt different. The woman Elena that he had met in the cafe was not getting out of his head. He had not felt a tingle in his heart for a woman for a very long time.

***

Greenich Village

Elena returned home later that evening and looked at the dress she chose for the cocktail party. Then at her new hairstyle, running her hands through them, inhaling deeply.

"Stop it!" she said to herself in the mirror, "stop thinking about him. Don't need anyone right now. Good-he looked so good in the three-piece suit- too good. "I am going crazy- what's wrong with me?!"

This man was not even her type. She prefered guys in jeans, with a badboy vibe about them. 'Mike' was completely the opposite. What was happening to her. Rebound thoughts. Totally crazy. Sliding the dress safely into the small closet, she went to the living room and put one of her mix playlists on.

Taking her laptop, she made hetself comfortable on the sofa. It was time to do some work. Lena's Cookie website needed updating. Browsing through the photos of her recent cookie creations made her stumble on a few she had done for her friend Yemaya's birthday. Though she was from Brasil, she was very much into mexican art and so she had requested mexican sugar cookies for her birthday fiesta.

Thinking of 'Mike', she looked up a recipe from her notes.

Me enamoré de ti, jamás lo imaginaba

Que algun día yo, de amor iba a vivir

***

A couple of blocks away

"Move in with me" he blurted out inbetween kisses and half way to bed disregarding supper.

"Enough of work." Bonnie said closing Kol's laptop nestling comfortably on his lap, pulling him into a kiss.

Kol finished writing the draft of his last research paper.  Bonnie sneaked up on at him with a trey of food and wine.

"Who is joking? Move in with me. I'm serious. I want you here - all the time. It's crazy paying for two apartments, sleeping ovet here- there."

"Ok," Bonnie said,"yeah, let's be practical"

"This is not about being practical," Kol drew his fingers up her cheeks, looking at her dreamily, "I really want you here with me all the time."

"When you look at me that way, I could never say no."

"You drive me crazy" Kol smiled, "At times I can't believe you are real - and you are with me"

"Shut up and kiss me" Bonnie pressed her forfinger on his lips.

She was a person so very open hearted, giving and so loving. He met her accidently, so he thought, as he waited for Rebekah to meet him for lunch at the bar. He didn't know that the Rebekah and the others set Bonnie and he up on a blind date. He complained to Rebekah that he had no luck in the love department and that he had enough of dates that led to nowhere.

He kissed her, and he took that as a 'yes'.

***

Stefan met his fellow journalist Yemaya for a last minute check before he gave in his article for print.

"Stop joking"

"Want to grab a drink?" he asked casually.

"Just one!" she stressed out, "Last night I had one too many"

"Wow- in the middle of the week ?!"he teased her as he knew her rule not to drink during the week.

"We took Elena out to kick her shoes off. She was really down."

"I heard," Stefan said, "I cannot make excuses for my brother, he is not bad-but he makes hell of mistakes."

"All the time!" Yemaya added.

"Yeah, but I am not really into the Damon- Elena talk. Actually, I need a date for a cocktail party?!"

"You got invited too?!" Yemaya was surprised.

"Maybe it was some mistake, but it came from Mikael's official e-mail!" Stefan said.

"Yes. I would like to be your date!" Yemaya accepted happily.

"Good!"- Stefan smiled, and  now waited for her to finish off what she was doing.

 ***

Days went by in a flash, and everyone had mostly work on their mind. Well, not everyone. Elena had something else on her mind, or rather someone else.

The Mikaelson cocktail party started to be the thing everyone started to talk about.

Esther and Rebekah were deeply immersed in the event. Everything had to be perfect.

Esther had invited all her family for a family brunch the day before.

Kol, Miguel and Cristobal arrived an hour before the meal. Cristobal immediately went with Henrik, who was two years older than him and that was a bit strange as he was in actual fact his uncle.

"What is not weird with this family" Cristobal said looking at Henrik wide-eyed.

"I kind of have to get to know Klaus and Miguel- they look too serious" Henrik said.

"Dad can be fun-he just doesn't like to show it much!" Cristobal explained. "Show me the last vynils you’ve bought."

"Come on" Henrik said gesturing to follow him to his room.

*

Rebekah walked in the living room all chirpy, "Gossiped much?!"

"No. Why would you think so?" Klaus said. "Then you have changed- you always had something smart to say about me"

"I did hear already comments about what a dragon you are at work, " Klaus teased, "it's only fashion, but I guess it has to be run with military precision. Father must be very proud!"

"There-you see" Rebekah looked at Miguel, who wanted to stay out of it.

"I hear you have new friends," Klaus said,"kicked the old snobby ones to the curb, I hear"

"I am sick of her snoby friends- yes-I have managed to make proper friends, and if you behave, maybe I will introduce them to you!" Rebekah shot back at her brother tapping him on the shoulder.

Esther walked into the Salon and there was gladness in her heart. All her children were there, and that was a rare occasion in the last years.

Her husband now joined them and they sat down for a very different brunch they all were used to. It was warm, chatty and quite lively.

Esther was counting her blessings, though her heart was not entirely at ease.

***

The next day, the pre-cocktail buzz was already in full flow with both the hosts as well as their invites.

Caroline talked to Elena over the phone about the cocktail party and Klaus.

"He looks really good," Caroline said, "you should check his site- he has done some amazing stuff."

"Caroline, you are telling me that I get into things head over heals like instantly. Rebekah is great, but he is a Mikaelson. Do you really want to get involved with one of them?"

"Elena, I know what you're thinking. Too close to home. Could mess up a great friendship if things go bad"

"Not thinking anything. Ok. I got to go. See you later"

"I will pick you up," Caroline said, "oh, I went back and changed the dress. I am wearing the blue dress - right- Jess is hear to do my hair. I will see you soon."

"Ok." Elena put the phone down.

Elena went to do her hair and make up herself. She was good in anything creative. She decided to wave it a bit and pin one side. She was going for a more natural look, and yet looking glam.

Simplicity has always been her motto. And yet, everything she did never looked simple. From her range of cookies to her relationships. 

The door bell went and Elena was surprised to see Yemaya at the door. She had already been ready and dressed.

"Hey- Sorry. I just had to come" the woman stormed in.

Elena could see that her friend was all flustered. Something major must have happened for her to be coming and not calling.

Elena now waited to hear her spill the beans.

"Ok -I am going to say it- huh- I slept with Stefan. We went for a drink and it was just one drink -and we talked and he drove me home and then we kissed and then we kissed some more and- you know the rest."

Elena didn't understand what was so bad about it. He and Yemaya were work collegues. And that is exactly now what was Yemaya's concern.

"I said I would never get involved with someone I work with."

"Shall I guess what you told him in the morning?! Exactly that?! Right?"

Yemaya nodded. 

***

In the Mikaelson Mansion, Esther Mikaelson was going through the list with her personal party organizer for the afternoon cocktail party the family was hosting for an exlusive charity event for the hospital Miguel and Kol worked for. Just one look from her said volumes when she was displeased with something. When her favourite sister died in the car crash, everyone thought that she would retreat and never come back, as she did go away for a year to grieve and be by herself. The grief changed something in her, she became a recluse, but adopting Miguel, brought her back to life. As he now walked out into the garden, greeting her with a small kiss on the cheek.

"How are you, querida madre?"

"Very well - even better now that you and Cristobal are here." Esther replied.

"This looks beautiful. Thank you for doing this."

"Darling, it is nothing. It's my pleasure. Where is Cristobal?"

"With Henrik" Miguel said and now greeted Kol and Bonnie.

Kol then went on to introduce Bonnie to Klaus and Miguel. Rebekah quickly snatched Bonnie away from the men.

"So, I'm hearing wedding bells from the distance!" Klaus teased Kol.

"Unlike you, I actually want one woman for myself!" Kol threw back at him.

"You haven't changed at all!" Klaus said. "I will leave you two to discuss whatever medical thing you will discuss"

"Bonnie" Miguel started, " she seems to be lovely!"

"What about you? Are you never going to find someone again?” Kol asked his brother.

"I don't know," Miguel said, "maybe"

"What does that mean? Have you met somebody?" Kol continued with the quizzing. "Dr Ruben has set her eyes on you. She's been asking me if you were dating anyone?"

"Please don't play the matchmaker." Miguel warned.

"Don't worry -"

Cris and Henrik came up to them and Kol now turned to them, quizzing them about the band they were forming.

The guest started arriving and Cris now observed how Esther and Mikael, together with Rebekah glided among the guests and how masterfully they played the hosts.

Damon and Stefan arrived together. Krystal made a solo appearance. 

Elena, Yemaya and Caroline entered like a grand trio.

Rebekah was there like a shot and greeted her friends.

"Who invited Krystal?" Caroline shot at Rebekah straight out seeing the woman mingling with some of the guests.

"Father's office - she is the best model and it's about business -if you thought that this was a family thing only, then you are mistaken -come on -let me introduce you to Miguel and Klaus."

Elena's heart dropped when she heard the name, but when she actually saw that it was the man she had met in the cafe, her heart started beating uncontrollably. She tried to keep her composure as Rebekah officially now introduced them.

"Hello" Miguel said, curling a smile at the brunette.

"Hello" Elena muttered and smiled back at him, “I thought your name is Mike?!”

"Uhm - it's Miguel - when we were kids Rebekah would call me Mikey - uhm - I don’t know why I introduced myself using my childhood nickname - just felt like - I suppose being back in New York”

"Oh, you've met?" Rebekah said slightly wide-eyed.

"Yes- a few days ago" Miguel said, his eyes still fixed on Elena.

Se pinta de colores toda mi alma

Con esa dulce luz de tu mirada

Y al verte sonreír, vuelvo a tener fe

Elena nodded, confirming it was so, looking at her friend and then at the suave looking cardiologist.

The waitress with champagne cocktails approached them and Miguel now took the glasses and offered one to her.

"Strawberry Bellini! I think you will like it." Miguel said to the brunette.

"Thank you!" Elena took the glass. She was at ease now. His charm just enveloped her and she didn't care anymore that she had seen Damon and Krystal at the party.

Not standing far from them, Caroline already chatted with Klaus as if they knew eachother forever. He offered her a Mimosa cocktail. 

"You are looking in the direction of that brunette like she had done something to you so disgracefully" Klaus commented since Caroline looked at Krystal off and on.

_ to be continued

[windless-hurricane]

She's the One

Chapter 2: Your Name

A Billy x Reader x Steve Fanfic

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SUMMARY: You're One, one of the many kids experimented on in Hawkins lab. Eleven's sister. You were found and now you're here to stay.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This took a lot longer to write than I anticipated, but here it is! I'd also like to apologize to anyone who sent me an ask. I accidentally responded and now I can't find y'all. If you're still interested, just let me know in the comments. Thank you.

WARNINGS: Language, violence, and scenes involving blood and/or death.

WORD COUNT: 2.8k

TAGLIST: @cherrym4rk @torntaltos @bun-dpdbny @5sosxgrethan @acidrain707 @evelynfreakinaddams @qtmeryr @kayln97 @uwu-bucky @book--butterfly @laurmillen @art-flirt @thecornerstoreoftheuniverse

LAST CHAPTER

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“What can you do?”

“How old are you?”

“Are you Eleven’s sister?”

“Just how strong are you?”

“Can you show us?”

The kids continued to throw question after question at you, expecting them to be answered, but leaving you with no time to answer them. You just stared at them with wide eyes until Hopper cut them off with a harsh tone.

“I’ll be asking the questions here.” And silence befell on them once again. Wow, you thought. He really had a talent for getting people to shut up.

You looked to him and he reeked of frustration and worry. However, when he spoke, there was an ounce of sympathy in his voice. “Why were you in that chamber?” You knew he was going to ask that. It was obvious enough, but it still made you cringe with discomfort. You didn’t want to talk about that chamber, because for you, that thing was a personal hell you thought you would never escape from. It was frightening and you never wanted to go back. However, answers were something that they deserved. Not only would it have helped them through this crisis, it would also give them some trust in you.

So, you cleared your throat and began to speak, slowly but carefully. “Well...since you know Eleven...you must already know...what the lab did…to her...to us.” He nodded. “I was the first one...they did it to… They always said that…they got lucky with me. That I was their best experiment and...would lay the groundwork for the others after me. That's why...all the kids who did survive the experiments, got one or two of my abilities.”

“And what exactly are your abilities,” Dustin asked with a grin, but Hopper wasn’t amused. He shot Dustin a death glare, but he didn't seem to notice it.

“I-I can move things...with my mind,” you revealed. “And make people see what I want them to see… I can read minds too and...tell what people are feeling.”

“Can you control people?”

“No. I haven't been able to that...not yet at least.” You caught a glimpse of Hopper's annoyed expression and gulped nervously. “Anyway... The reason I was in that chamber in the first place is because...I helped the other kids escape. Three, Seven, and Eight.”

“You mean there's other kids out there right now,” he asked.

“Well, not ‘here’ here, but...around. That day...I wasn't able to get Eleven out, but luckily...she was able to get out on her own.”

“While I was in there though, I could hear things - voices. At first, I-I didn't know who they belonged to, but I slowly started to realize what was going on. The first voice I heard was from that woman, Joyce...and she was talking...about him.” You pointed to Will who was asleep on the couch with a blanket over him. “He went missing and you found him, but now...something's wrong with him.”

“You know what's wrong?”

You nodded, while never breaking eye contact with him. “I know everything...because...I heard everything. I know all of you too. I recognize you from your voices.”

At that, everyone glanced between each other in astonishment. You, you were someone that they just met, someone who had just entered the picture without warning. Yet, you seemed to know more about what was going on than they did. Hell, you even knew all of them without a proper introduction. So if that didn’t show a fraction of what you were capable of, then they didn’t know what could. You were someone worth the bargain. Even so, Hopper felt compelled to ask one last thing.

“How long were you in there?”

You shrugged, “5 years, give or take.”

“Shit,” one of the kids breathed out and you could make it out as Lucas. Hopper sighed deeply and you could tell it was from a mixture of sympathy and desperation.

“I'm sorry to ask this of you, but...we need your help.”

“And I'll give it,” you blurted out without hesitation. “I was going to give it regardless.” You said more quietly as you looked over to Will. “There’s a darkness in Hawkins that we need to stop...and it starts with him.”

__________________________________________

“Okay, so if this thing is like a brain that’s controlling everything, then if we kill it...we kill everything that it controls.” You nodded as you continued to stare at the page from Dustin’s D&D manual. Mike’s deduction made sense, but the same question still stood. How do you-

“How do you kill this thing? Shoot it with fireballs or something?”

You jumped in surprise as Hopper snatched the manual away, trying to find the answer for himself. Dustin eventually spoke up, but it was less than confident.

“Well, uh, you summon an undead army, um, because-because zombies, you know, they don’t have brains.” He began to stumble over his own words. “And the mind flayer, it-it… It likes brains. It’s just a game. It’s a game,” he finally confessed.

“What the hell are we doing here,” Hopper groaned. Things weren’t looking good and that became more evident as Hopper and Dustin started to argue.

“I thought we were waiting for your military backup.”

“We are!”

“How are they gonna stop this? You can't just shoot this with guns.”

“You don't know that! We don't know anything!”

“We know it's already killed everybody in that lab. We know the monsters are gonna molt again. We know that it's only a matter of time before those tunnels reach this town.”

“They’re right,” a voice interrupted. Joyce. “We have to kill it.”

Your face softened as you turned to face her. She was being overwhelmed by grief, sadness, and anger, but who could blame her obviously. She lost someone she loved.

“I want to kill it,” she declared.

“Me too, Joyce. Me too.” Hopper was doing his best to calm her; but deep down, he couldn’t even do that for himself. “But how do we do that?” And it hit you.

“Will knows.” Everyone stopped and turned to you. “Will knows how to kill it, because he’s connected to it. He already knows everything about it and that includes its weaknesses.”

“I thought we couldn’t trust him anymore - that he’s a spy for the mind flayer now,” Max reminded, causing Mike to shake his head.

“Yeah, but he can't spy if he doesn't know where he is.”

“Exactly,” you confirmed. “This will work.”

__________________________________________

You all decided that the shed in the backyard would be the best place for Will’s interrogation. It was small, making it perfect to disguise in a short amount of time. So, you all went outside to find materials that could help in your endeavor.

You were encouraged to not use your powers until the real threat came and while that wasn't a terrible idea, you also hadn’t used your powers in five years. You were rusty and needed as much practice as you could get. So, whenever the kids came upon an object that was either too heavy to carry or too high on a shelf to reach, you helped them. It was enough for now.

You let out a small sigh as you wiped the blood dripping from your nose. “You okay,” you heard someone ask and you turned to find Hopper. You nodded.

“Ye-yeah, I’m okay. Thank you.” You moved to go back into the house since most of the preparations were finished already, but stopped once he spoke again.

“I’m sorry again that all of this was so sudden and that...we weren’t able to save you under more normal circumstances.”

“Oh… That-that’s okay,” you told him. “I’m just glad that...that you got me out...and honestly, this couldn’t have been a more perfect time. You need my help to stop this thing. So… I guess what I’m really trying to say is...thank you. Thank you for saving me.” You managed a small smile as you looked up at him and he simply nodded in response. However, the tiniest of smiles reached his lips as well.

“I know you said you already know me, but I think...you at least deserve something more proper than this,” he reached his hand out. “Jim Hopper.”

You gazed down at his hand for a bit before taking it like you thought you were supposed to. You tried to match his grip as you smiled wider, “One.”

__________________________________________

You sat in the kitchen, hugging your knees to your chest. It was the first time you were left alone since being freed and now, you couldn’t ignore all the emotions floating around you. Anger, fear, regret, guilt, sadness, pain. To make it worse, you could hear every sad thing being said in the shed. It didn’t matter if you weren’t there. You could still hear everything like you always did.

Do you know what March 22nd is? It's your birthday. Your birthday.

Do you remember the day Dad left? We stayed up all night building Castle Byers… just the way you drew it.

I just felt so alone and scared, but… I saw you alone on the swings and you were alone too.

Tears ran down your cheeks and you couldn’t tell if they were for them, yourself and the life you could’ve had, or both. It was all becoming too much to bear and you couldn’t help the tears that kept falling and the sniffles that started to leave you. It wasn’t until you heard someone walk in that you tried to contain yourself. You tried to get rid of the tears with the sleeves of your shirt, but it seems like you didn’t try hard enough.

“Hey… Hey, are you crying?” And you froze. No one had ever spoken to you like that before. No one had ever used a voice that was so genuine and calming that it was enough to make your tears stop. That voice provided instant relief and you didn’t know why. You looked up to the owner of that voice and it was none other than Steve with a face of worry plastered on him.

You gazed into his eyes for a bit before answering. They were brown, just like most of the world’s, yet they still managed to be different. They still managed to be incredibly warm and beautiful. It was quite soothing. You gulped softly before averting your gaze.

“No,” you uttered, but of course he wasn’t convinced.

“Then, what’s all this,” he asked, gesturing toward your glossy eyes and red nose.

“Um, I- It just comes with the power.” You smiled softly in an attempt to make him believe you.

“Oh, so a bad case of allergies comes with your powers?” You looked at him in astonishment before bursting out in laughter, something you didn’t even know you were capable of.

“What? No.”

“Well, that’s what you said,” he began to laugh as well as he grinned a smile that could’ve made your heart stop.

“That’s not what I meant,” you tried to explain. “It’s just that...with my power...I can feel the emotions of everyone around me, but it’s not something I can really turn off. So sometimes... it can be very overwhelming...like right now.”

“Yeah, it really isn’t the best time, huh?” You shook your head, causing him to hum in response. “What if you just focused on one person?” Your eyes widened.

“Huh?”

“What do you feel when you feel me?” His eyes widened too. “Wait, that sounds weird.” You let out a small chuckle as he started to panic. “I mean, what do you feel when...um-what do you feel when you see me?”

You tilted your head to the side as you felt him. Not physically, but just through the way you gazed at him.

“Worry and...nervousness,” you confirmed. “You’re a lot more tame than everyone else here.”

“Well, that’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it is,” you chuckled, and you didn’t notice the way his eyes scanned over your features or the way he smirked after.

“So, your name’s One, huh? Like the number?” You furrowed your eyebrows.

“Yes.”

“But it’s not your actual name.” You shook your head, only confirming his thoughts.

“No. I don’t remember what my actual name was. One was just the name they gave me. We were never...people to them. We were just numbers...experiments.”

“That’s really messed up. I’m sorry.” You shook your head again.

“It-it’s okay.” However, he could still tell from you expression that it wasn’t.

“How about...we give you a new name? A real name?”

For some reason, your heart flutter at his suggestion and a warmth flushed your cheeks.

“Um, I think-I think I’d like that,” you told him and his eyes gleamed.

“Ok, names names. What do you look like?” He brought his hand to his chin and pondered for a bit. “How about… Stacy?” You grimaced without meaning to and he took that as a no. “Alright... Oh! Heather.” You shook your head. “Really?”

“Really,” you responded.

“Ok, ok. How about… Let me think. (Y/N). That’s a nice name.”

(Y/N). It was simple and different all at once, and the way it rolled it off his tongue made you like it even more.

“I think that’s it,” you smirked and he mimicked you right away.

“Well, (Y/N). I’m Steve Harrington.” He stuck his hand out and you took it gently. His hand was a lot bigger than yours in comparison, but a lot softer. It was warm and careful, like he was afraid he would crush your hand if he squeezed a bit too tightly. It was sweet.

“Well, Steve Harrington. I’m…(Y/N).”

“Nice to meet you.” You both giggled softly until you were cut off by Mike yelling ‘We got something!’

“Duty calls,” Steve sighed and you nodded, letting go of his hand reluctantly.

Although the moment was short, you appreciated Steve going out of his way to make you feel better. He comforted you and even made you laugh. It was like for a moment, you weren’t in this situation. For a moment, it felt like it was just the two of you - living and living happily.

_________________________________ 

While you and Steve were talking, the group in the shed was able to bring Will back. Not fully, but partly. It turned out that the recollection of his memories was helping him gain some control within his body. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. He tapped his fingers until he spelt ‘Here’ and with every memory someone spouted, a new letter came after. Eventually, you all got the answer that you had been hoping for.

“Close the gate,” you all read aloud in unison. Before you could even process that however, the phone started ringing and a nauseating pain was sent to the pit of your stomach.

The feeling only worsened when Nancy yanked the phone out of the wall. You already knew it was too late.

“They know where we are,” you stated and the monsters screeching in the distance only proved that.

“That’s not good,” Hopper muttered. “Come on. We gotta go.” He motioned for everyone to follow him, but there was nowhere to go. It was too dangerous to leave. It was too dangerous to even think about leaving. You could already feel those things nearby. 

You shook your furiously, “No, no. Get away from the windows!” Everyone was stunned by the volume of your voice, but seeing as you were the only strong enough to handle these things, no one complained. They easily compiled and started huddling up in the living room, preparing themselves for attack. You subconsciously put your arm in front of Steve and the other out in front of you. The growling steadily grew closer and closer and the closer it got, the more you tensed up. You weren't strong enough yet and you knew it, but that wasn't an excuse. You still had to protect them. You would protect them. 

So you waited, waited for something to come crashing through the door... But it never came. Instead, the growling was replaced by thrashing and you instantly knew who it was. 

Something came crashing through the window and everyone pointed their weapons at it. You glanced over and it was one of the monsters, freshly dead. Everyone else was alarmed but you. 

“It's okay,” you whispered, but they were more confused than reassured. The lock to the door slowly started to turn and everyone aimed their weapons at it.

With a small click, the door unlocked and creaked open. Once they set foot into the house, you smiled softly. 

“Eleven.”

[r3b3lgrrrrrrrl]

A LunaTic and her Gunn (Part 65)

"Beers, Cheers & Unexpected Tears"

@creatureofthen1ght-v3

@lovemythsworld

@crystalbaby12

The After Party is raging. The music is loud as shots are flowing. Everyone is laughing and congratulating each other.

Luna and Ashley are changing to join them when Luna notices a singular text amongst dozens. It's from an unknown number.

"Seen U 2nite little one 😛"

"This motherfucker and his burner phones." She thinks, deciding not to delete it this time in case Colson asks. She blocks the new number again and pockets her phone. Luna has a boyfriend to enjoy.

--------------------------------------------------

As soon as he sees her, Colson pulls Luna close. "I'm so fucking proud of you, Kitten. The way you and Ash changed it up was beautiful." He places his hands on the back of her head and back. Kissing her deeply. Any thoughts of Tommy disappearing.

"Thanks for including Case. She had a ball." He tells her, while still holding her.

Luna looks around to spot the little girl, goofing off with Benny and Slim. She smiles as she looks back up at him. "Of course! It wouldn't have been the same without her. Did you see what she drew?" She asks him.

"Yeah, I told you she was hella smart." He answers proudly.

"She must get it from Em." Luna teases him.

"Shut up." He laughs, kissing her again.

"Remind me to grab it before we leave, please. I wanna frame it for her."

"She's so fucking amazing." Colson thinks holding onto her as she rests in his arms.

They're interrupted by Rook. "This is for you." He tells Luna handing her a shot.

Laughing, she easily swallows it whole.

"Where's mine?" Colson complains.

"Bring your asses on then, bitches." Rook jokes.

Luna kisses Colson once more before they follow behind Rook. Luna's grandmother grabs her hand, pulling her back as Colson proceeds on.

"Oh, Luna, you and Ashley were WONDERFUL!! I love how you stripped it down. I feel like it made your message clearer to some who may not have gotten it originally." Patti praises her.

"Thanks Mom-Mom. I didn't think of it that way." She admits before asking her if she'd like another drink.

"I would!!" Joni interrupts them, laughing as she shakes her empty glass. She grabs Luna for a tight hug, making sharp pain shoot through Luna's already pounding shoulder. Pulling back from her, Joni says "You did so great, Luna Bug! I'm so proud of you." before squeezing her tight again.

Luna grins at the old nickname, hugging Joni back and thanking her. Taking the woman's glass, she says "I'll grab you a refill. 7&7?" She asks, to Joni's nod. She already knew. "Mom-Mom?" She asks before heading to the bar.

"I'm okay for the moment, Loons. Thank you though." Pattie says  before Luna makes her way off.

--------------------------------------------

Before hitting the bar, Luna stops into the bathroom. Working quickly she crushes up a few percs to bang them. Her shoulder is killing her and she knows between the happiness and hugs, it's only gonna get worse.

-------------------------------------------

"SHOTS!!!!!" Pete hollers, gathering everyone around, as Luna slips back in. "To a great show, great performance and most of all GREAT family!!!!

"CHEERS!!" They all shout as the raise their glasses. Slamming them in celebration.

--------------------------------------------

Everyone is having a good time, mixing with each other. Music and laughter floating through the room. Pete is busting it up with Kate, Colson and Rook. Benny, Baze and Slim are getting more drinks, mixing with the cast and crew. Dom and Ashley talk to Patti and Joni.

--------------------------------------------

"You girls were extraordinary!!" Patti raves at Ashley, after hugging her and Dom warmly. She had met Dom during Christmas, Ashley bringing him to Christmas Eve dinner.

"Thank you so much, Mom-Mom. You know your opinion means the world to me." Ashley beams. She has a great relationship with Luna's grandmother.

They continue talking about upcoming Nightmare performances, life and the album Ashley's working on. Patti watching adoringly as Dom gushes over his girlfriend. Delighted her girls have finally found men who seem to be deserving of them.

Luna drops off Joni's drink without interrupting the conversation. Looking around the same room, she finds Casie sitting and talking with Ashleigh. "Hey Dilla!!" She calls to her with a smile.

Casie looks up, grinning at Luna. She walks over to them and squats down as the little girl jumps into her arms full force. Both Ashleigh and Luna laugh.

"Yup. Percocets." Luna thinks, still feeling a slight throb. Yet, it's much better then it was.

"That was so much fun!" Casie exclaims. Kissing Luna on the cheek and squeezing her tight.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, Dilla!!" Luna beams at her, giving her another hug. "Do you have your picture? I wanna save it for you."

"Really!! THANK YOU!!" Casie dives into her again. "I'm gonna go get it!!" The little girl shouts over her shoulder as she runs off.

Colson is watching Luna and Casie. Feeling buzzed, plus overly happy and grateful for his girls, he prepares himself. "Here goes..." He thinks walking over to Pattie.

Luna is still sitting with Ashleigh. "You guys were great!!! It was really cool for you to involve Casie." She says as she smiles at Luna.

"Thanks." Luna smiles back. "I thought it was important, since she was in the video and everything, you know?"

Ashleigh nods. She likes Luna, always has. As she watches her with Colson and Casie, getting to know her better, she likes her even more.

"I'm just glad Emma thought it was just as cool..." Luna continues.

"You guys get along well, don't you?" Ashleigh asks her.

"Oh yeah, Em's fantas...." She's interrupted by a jumping Casie.

"Here it is!!!" She proudly displays her art to Luna and Ashleigh.

Luna takes it from her, saying "I'm gonna put it in my dressing room to keep it safe." as she stands up.

"Okay!!" Casie says, trusting Luna completely. "C'mon Ash!!! I wanna show you something cool!" She tells her, pulling her out of her seat.

"Byeeee..." Both women grin at each other.

As Luna heads to her dressing room, Colson walks over to Pattie and Joni. Ashley and Dom are now over with Pete and Kate. Approaching them, Colson has butterflies in his stomach.

"Fuck.... Fuck.... Fuck.... Get it together Kells." He tries to calm himself down. He's been thinking about this for the last few days. Not knowing when he'll see Pattie again, he tells himself to "Shoot your shot."

"Hello ladies." Colson greets Patti and Joni with his boyish grin.

"How are you, Dear?" Patti asks him with a hug. He hugs Joni also as they praise the performance.

Colson blushes while thanking them but stating humbly that it was all Luna and Ashley.

This makes Patti smile. She likes Colson. Respecting him as a man, parent and an artist. Appreciating how he cares and interacts with her granddaughter and absolutely adoring Casie.

"Do mind if I speak with you for a moment, Patti?" He asks her. There's a slight tremble to his voice.

Taking her cue, Joni heads off to mingle with the other young boys.

"Is everything ok, Colson?" The older woman asks him delicately.

Cheeks flushed, he looks away as he begins to rub his hand on the back of his head. "Yes ma'am." He answers, looking back at her.

"Spit it out, Honey." Patti encourages him.

"Oh fuck. Oh fuck. Oh fuck." His mind races.

Looking around, he asks if she'd like to sit. She tells him No. That what she would like is for him to talk to her. Patti listens and watches him intensely as he begins to speak.

Her directness reminds him of Luna. "The apple doesn't fall far from that tree." The thought slipping into his mind.

"I uh, I.." Colson stutters. Closing his eyes, he musters up the same courage he found the night he met Luna.

"I love your granddaughter, Patti. I love everything about her. Her strongwill, her kindness, how she loves Casie and Casie loves her. The two of them mean everything in the world to me." He's rambling. "I know it's been a short time and you may think I'm crazy but I don't know what I would do without her. She makes me a better man and even though she doesn't need it, I have this insane urge to protect her." He sighs, looking down at the ground then back up at Patti. "I know it's Luna's choice and being who she is, I don't even know if she'll say yes or when I'll ask but...." He trails off as he inhales deeply. "I'd like to marry her one day and it's important to me how you feel about it."

Colson is nervously waiting for Patti's response. A soft smile spreads over her face. In the seven years Luna had dated and lived with Justin, he had never approached Patti in this capacity.

"When's her birthday?" She asks him. Deciding to have a bit of fun with first.

"July 16,1992." He answers without hesitating.

"What's her biggest fear?" The first was clearly too easy.

"Fame and deep sea diving." Colson states, postive of his answer. This impresses her grandmother.

"Luna's middle name?" Patti knows she hates it and tells very few.

Colson grins, feeling confident. "Adelaide."

Patti decides to dig deeper. "If she asked, would you sign a pre-nup?" Thinking of Luna's inheritance and the rights to both her and Robert's catalogs.

"No doubt." He nods his head, the thought never popping into his mind.

Patti has one last question. "What if she doesn't want to have kids? Would you be okay with that?" This one is very important.

Colson's eyes soften. "Then that's okay. We've talked about her not knowing if she wants to or not. I want you to know, I don't love your granddaughter for what she can or can't give me. I love her for who she is. All parts of her. The independence, the stubborness, the unpredictableness. All of it. Besides, we have Casie." He shrugs lightly.

Patti takes his hand and squeezes it. "She's lucky to have found you. You'll make a great partner. Whether she let's you marry her or not." She tells him kindly.

It takes a minute for it to register with Colson. Once it does, he asks Patti excitedly "Does this means what I think it means!??" Blue eyes bright.

Patti nods as Colson lifts her up for a tight hug. She's laughing when he puts her down.

"Thank you! Thank you!" He says taking both her hands before hugging her again and kissing her cheek. Promising her she has nothing to worry about. That he'll never waver from Luna's side. Married or not.

"Go get her, Kiddo." She tells him with a wink. He kisses her cheek again before asking if she needs anything.

"Go have fun." She tells him with a pleased smile. He thanks her again sincerely before going to check on. Casie.

"What was that?" Joni asks moseying over to her bestfriend.

"He just asked for my granddaughter's hand in marriage." Patti tells her with a pleased look with a mix of amusement.

"I guess chivalry isn't dead." Joni muses, spipping her cocktail, watching the next generation with hope.

Coming back from her dressing room, Luna heads over to Pete, Kate, Ashley and Dom. She doesn't see Colson walking over to them. Casie is now with her grandmother and Joni. Ashleigh is talking with Kenan as The Boys still mixing with the cast and crew.

"Yo! Tonight was epic!" Pete says. Raising his glass, he toasts "To the baddest bitches I know, changing the world one song at a time!" The five of them laugh through their "CHEERS!!"

"I'm always fucking missing out on drinks tonight!" Colson complains with a laugh as he slides his arm around Luna's waist.

"Poor Bunny." Luna leans up, barely reaching his cheek to kiss it. He gives her a boost by the ass. She then turns and grabs him a fresh Rolling Rock off the bar.

"A1, Day 1!" He laughs again while bending down to kiss her.

"So how long have you guys been together?" Kate asks Luna.

"Almost 10yrs in their minds!" Pete teases them to Luna's smirking, rolled eyes and everyone else's laughter.

"No, for real, a little over a month?" Colson answers, looking at Luna to double check.

She shrugs, "Yeah, about a that." She agrees, touching the padlock around her neck.

"Wow, you guys are really in sync with each other." Kate admires.

Luna and Colson exchange that One Look before a quick kiss. "I'm gonna check on Case, come on Pete." He coaxes his friend. Dom had already wondered off towards The Boys.

Ashley, Kate and Luna continue to talk. The bestfriends asking how Kate and Pete met. It wa by random, at a coffee shop in MidTown. Kate asks about Yellowhammer.com and their activism in AL. The girls explaining their work with the ACLU and Planned Parenthood. Kate's quit impressed. She loves how outspoken, motivated and fearless they are as young women. They continue to laugh as they get to know each other better. Ashley deciding she likes Kate. Luna already coming to the same conclusion. Kate's smart and funny. She's also really sweet and mature. Not some little kid who's going to play with their friend's heart.

"Oh, Petey!!!" It's so good to see you, Lovey!!" Patti hugs Pete as he squeezes her back tight.

"Glad you could make it, Pat!" He says with a huge smile as he leans to greet and kiss Joni too.

"How's your mother?" Pat asks him. He responds with a 'GREAT' before Pat tells him to have her call so they can have lunch soon.  Complaining how she feels like it's been ages since she's seen her friend. He agrees happily.

"Tell me about this lovely woman you have with you..." Patti changes the subject

Colson laughs as Pete turns as red as a tomato. He's saved by Casie.

"Dad can I stay the night with Ms. Patti and Ms. Joni? We're gonna have a sleep over...." She asks excitedly, looking up at the nodding women beaming down at her.

"Uh... Let's ask Luna." He tells her before calling out "BROOKLYYYN!!" into the crowded room.

His voice makes Luna smile as she turns to find him. He's with Pete, Casie, Joni and her Mom-Mom. Him and Pete are waving her and Kate over.

"Looks like girlfriend duties call!" Ashley laughs. She goes to find Dom as the other women walk over to where they're being summoned.

"Hello, how are you this evening?" Patti asks of Kate with an inviting. Before she can answer, Casie interrupts them.

"Can I spend the night, Looney!? Can I spend the night???" She's jumping up and down.

"Where at, Dilla?" She looks at Colson confused.

"Ms. Patti's. We're gonna have a slumber party with Ms. Joni!!" She explains as she's about to burst.

Colson shrugs and Patti nods when Luna looks at them. "You don't have any clothes...."

"Clothes, smlothes." Her grandmother tells her. "She can sleep in one of my old band Ts. You guys come by tomorrow with fresh clothes and we'll all go out to brunch before you leave again." Patti has it all planned out.

Luna laughs in agreeance, knowing her Mom-Mom had an ulterior motive.

"It's settled then. Why don't you collect your things and say your goodbyes while I talk to Petey." The old woman tells the little girl.

"Petey?" Casie smirks with a laugh. Skipping away she sings

🎶Petey, Petey such a little sweetie🎶

The adults laugh as Luna and Colson follow behind her. Pete going on to finish introducing Kate to Patti and Joni.

"It's an honor." Kate states in awe of the musical legends.

"Ooohhh... I like her." Joni says as they all laugh.

They enjoy polite conversation, Joni recognizing Kate from Pearl Harbor, asking what it was like to work with a young Ben Affleck. Kate laughs sliding her hand into Pete's, saying that they're good friends

Meeting up with Benny, Rook, Ashley, Dom, Slim, Ashleigh and Baze across the room, Casie tells them about her epic night plans as she kisses and hugs them all goodbye. Benny offering to walk Casie, Patti and Joni out to Luna's gratitude.

Heading back to her grandmother, Luna introduces Patti to Benny. "He's gonna walk you guys out. And I don't wanna hear it, Mom-Mom. It's late and you'll have Case with you." Knowing her grandmother's protests of independence.

Listening to her granddaughter, Patti thanks Benny for being a gentleman. Luna kisses and hugs her grandmother and aunt as Colson squeezes Casie goodbye.

They switch off. Colson hugging Patti while whispering 'Thank You' in the old rebel's ear before taking Joni's hand, thanking her for coming and kissing her lightly on the cheek. The two women are smitten by the charismatic young man.

Luna squeezes Casie, telling her to have fun and that she loves her. The little girl grins, saying she will and that she loves Luna too as she squeezes her tight again.

Standing up, Casie turns to Benny, imitating her father "WE OUT!!" she shouts. Erupting the adults into laughter again.

Luna grabs her grandmother's hand, telling her she loves her and to call if she has a problem. Patti squeezes her hand back, reassuring the young woman that they'll be fine. Admiring this new look on Luna.

As they leave, Colson leads Luna over to everyone else by the small of her back. "WE READY TO FUCKING PARTY!!! He shouts as the room erupts.

More drinks are ordered, music bumps and the laughter is contagious. Congratulations still making their rounds.

"Yo! You guys were fire!!" Slim compliments Ashley and Luna.

"Yeah, the way you guys stripped that shit down and then had us come in hard was fucking GENIUS!!" Baze agrees.

Luna and Ashley look at each other beaming.

"We couldn't done any of it without you guys. Seriously, all off you. From playing on it to producing it. This OUR baby, so THANK YOU GUYS!!" Luna lifts her glass. "To family!"

"TO FAMILY!!" They all cheers.

"I have to say, great song, phenomenal performance from you all, BUT, Case stole the show." Ashleigh laughs.

"That girl is smart as a whip!" Benny agrees. "You got your hands full Kells!" He laughs.

"FACTS!!" Rook chimes in, nudging Luna. "You ready for a crazy pre-teen because she's coming our way soon."

Colson overhears them. "That motherfucker better not scare her away." Thinking how he jumped the Patti hurdle, he doesn't need an imaginary one blocking his way to Luna.

"Enh, she's a great kid." Looking at their group, she laughs, "There's not much here for her to rebel against." Rook laughs with her as Luna shrugs and continues "Plus, both Colson and I were bad ass kids. Whatever she may slide passed Emma, she's deff not getting through the two of us."

She looks over and winks at Colson who's staring at her.

"FUCK I LOVE HER." Is all he can think.

Dancing, laughing and drinking, the night carries on. Shots be downed together all over the room.

"To the two chicks I know with balls bigger than most dudes. NOT MINE THO!!" A drunken Slim laughs loudly, cheersing The Girls. Slamming another round with Luna, Ashley and Benny.

Glancing over her shoulder, Luna sees devious Colson and Pete standing in the doorway.

She walks up to them. Before she can all what they're up to, they attack her. Trapping her tiny body between they're two tall, lanky ones.

Rocking her back and forth between the two of them, they sing laughing.

🎶We got a drunken Moon Pie🎶

🎶Not gonna let her get by🎶

Drunk and shocked. With her body bouncing off of them, Luna's bursts into fits of laughter as she begs them to stop.

🎶Even when she asks why🎶

🎶Cuz she's our drunken Moon Pie🎶

They keep shaking her till their song is over. Dizzy from her weird ride, Luna clings to Colson to catch find her balance.

"You guys are fucking maniacs." She laughs, resting her face on Colson's chest. "How long you been planning that?" She asks sarcastically.

"Five WHOLE minutes." Pete tells her, scrunching his face up. "Be careful, or we'll do it again." He warns playfully, sticking his tongue out.

"Is this what I have to live with now?" Luna drops her arms from around Colson. Looking between the two of them with a miffed look on her face.

"Yup." Colson and Pete say in unison, grinning at each other.

🎶We gotta...🎶 They go to start again before she springs out of their grasps.

"Fuck you guys." She laughs, trotting away.

Pete goes to find Kate as Colson chases after Luna, scooping her up from behind. She squeals as he kisses all over the back of her neck. Both are drunk.

"Ready to go?" He asks her. It's close to 3A.

"Yeah, I gotta grab my stuff first." She agrees.

Colson rallies up the bunch while Luna runs to her dressing room. Everyone's going back to the brownstone. Including Dom & Ashley and Pete & Kate. Benny offers to take Luna's bag and Casie's poster. She thanks him with a peck on the cheek.

"WE OUT!" Colson shouts as Luna runs up and jumps onto his back. Even caught off gaurd, he catches her easily.

"HIGH HO SILVER AND AWAY!!" Luna shouts from on top of him.

"You're so fucking weird!!" He laughs as their rowdy group makes their way through the empty building.

"YOOOOOOU LOVE IT!!!" She continues to drunkenly yell. Making him laugh harder.

--------------------------------------------

Back at the brownstone, they find Cards Against Humanity. Rook puts on  music. Ashley clears off the kitchen table for Colson, Pete and Slim to start rolling joints. Luna grabs everyone beers while Ashleigh and Kate find snacks. Baze helps Dom set up the game. And Benny's searching for food on his phone. The Stay Fresh is delivering to everyone's drunken, hungry roars. They order a shit ton of wings, mozzarella sticks, cheese fries and more beer.

It doesn't take long for the food to arrive. Munching and drinking, the group passes around joints while they play the game. All of them are drunk and can hardly contain themselves.

Rook laughing hard enough, he falls out of his chair onto the floor. Luna almost losing a mozzarella stick out of her mouth from laughing at him. Colson snorting as he laughs loudly at them both. Everyone else laughing at one of the three of them.

They're so fucked up and distracted, they don't even finish the game. Hanging out, they one by two disappear. Leaving Benny asleep at the kitchen table.

Luna feels bad but Colson reassures her that he's immovable. To leave him be.

--------------------------------------------

Making out on the bed, Colson pulls away from Luna. His drunk eyes stare into hers with fear. He sometimes becomes emotionally vulnerable when he gets really wasted.

"Do you feel alright?" Luna asks, hoping to catch a smile from him. She does but it's tiny and weak as he rolls into his back. "Talk to me Colson." She shifts on her side, stroking his hair.

Staring at the ceiling, he let's out a sigh before telling her "I can't shake this Tommy thing."

"Oooohh Boy." Luna thinks. She's drunk and tired. The sun is coming up and all she really wants to do is fuck and sleep.

"What can't you shake?" She lays her head on his chest, facing him.

"Why you would cheat with him and not me." He tells her quietly.

Luna closes her eyes, trying to keep her patience with him. Sitting up, she climbs on top of him. Placing herself on his groin.

"Because when we seen each other, I was very much in love with Justin. We were still new, intimate, engaged in each..." She looks away, closing her eyes for a moment.

Head swimming from all the shots. Luna's never made it a habit of explaining herself. Drunk or not, she will for Colson though.

"His addiction sent us through spurts where he would shut me out. All of us, only hanging with people he knew wouldn't bitch about him getting high.  There were months where we shared the same bed but weren't speaking about anything relevant, let alone fucking. I hooked up with Tommy during one of those cycles. I had felt like Justin had been cheating on me for years. I was pissed and felt rejected. Tommy was an escape that paid attention to me." One solid tear slides down her cheek. He wipes it away as she continues to look at Colson.

"Fuck, that sounds so pathetic." She thinks, disappointed in herself.

"Why didn't you leave him?" He asks her the same question from last night.

Luna sighs. This one is hard. "Because whether I liked his actions or not, at one point he was my bestfriend. I think I loved him so much that I clung to the idea that maybe we could get that back." She looks away, multiple tears dropping now. "Plus, I didn't know if he could survive without me. And that wasn't worth the risk." She wipes her own tears now as she shrugs. Lightly saying, "Didn't matter though, you know. I finally snapped and he killed himself the next day while I was out." She closes her eyes to keep the tears in.

He pulls her down onto his strong chest. Stroking her hair as she silently cries into. "You know it's not your fault." Colson tries to console her.

She sniffles a "Yeah...."

"Sure it's not.... That's why his entire written last words were dedicated to telling me to fuck off.... " She thinks sadly, feeling her soul hurt. Luna will always love the brilliant man she fell in love with. Not the shell Justin had become in the end. Although Luna misses him, she misses the life he should've had more. Even if he wasn't supposed to spend it with her.

**********************************************

Colson's heart rips apart for her. "She's too fucking loyal for her own good..... He didn't fuckinug deserve her..... At all.... Fuck.... And to let her find him... That's some asshole shit." Colson thinks as he holds her tight, vowing to himself to never hurt her.

Their conversation was heavy. Neither wanting to talk anymore, nor needing to. Their bodies telling each other everything they need to know as Luna lays on Colson's chest and he strokes her hair until both their worried minds finally shut off.

--------------------------------------------------

To be continued...

[theangrypokemaniac]

Sinnoh has massive flaws as an era, although it's starting to feel like the good old days compared to the present piss-poor offerings.

The major drawback is the amount of 'recurring characters', ones not good enough to be in it fully, but inflicted upon us nevertheless.

I did care about Ash. I did care about Team Rocket.

I was prepared to care about The Misty Replacement, as in the girl shipped with Ash.

I was prepared to care about The Brock Replacement, that is the older brother figure who does all the cooking, carries the medicine, and knows about Pokémon.

I don't give a toss about extras who outstay their welcome.

Hoenn only had Drew and Harley. What was wrong with that?

There are just too bloody many.

Why does Dawn require so many opponents, as if she's of the greatest importance? Why won't Jessie suffice?

I accept the necessity of Paul as The Rival, and we were at least permitted to resent him initially, before the writers fanboy'd like there was no tomorrow.

I admit I liked two of them. They therefore featured the least.

Typical.

Nando

The Blondel of Iberia

A softly-spoken, raven-locked troubadour, roaming the many pathways of life, playing his songs for those weary travellers he encounters on the road.

He's wearing a cloak! The finest use of material to ever be invented!

All this ethereal grace considering the dub lumbered him with the most appallingly unsuitable name possible.

It could've been Raphael, or Dante, or Leonardo.

Oh no, let's name him after a restaurant chain. That adds gravitas.

His lyre pays tribute to Mew, because Nando knows she's The Rarest Of All Pokémon, thus refuses to be impressed by any deformed horse like Arceus throwing its weight around.

Damn straight.

Ursula

A pretty girl with lovely clothes and the spark of a proper personality.

You're not wanted round these parts, love.

I have no particular animosity towards Dawn, but it irritates me how the world revolves around her whims, where if she's lost in the woods, it's a major disaster, and if an attack heads in her direction, she must be protected in case she shatters.

It makes a refreshing change to find someone firmly inoculated against the lures of the temptress.

Also, alongside Ursula from Dinosaur King (the real Jessie), I'm glad of any attempt to reclaim that name, considering most of my generation, upon hearing it, think only about evil old octopus women.

As for the rest?

It's that bad I prefer the Unova bunch to these.

Reggie

Reggie is even more of a knob than Paul. As above, being Ash's enemy meant that, if only by narrative, he was intended to be somewhat disliked.

Not Reginald. No, he's the kind one.

Oh really?

When Ash and Paul have their showdown, Reg starts wittering that it's just as well Chimchar took up with Ash, since he wasn't suited to Paul's 'battle style'.

Battle style.

Is the what he calls mental and physical cruelty?

In Reg's amoral cesspit of a mind, there is no right and wrong, so do whatever you feel.

Reggie is quite aware of how his brother tortures Pokémon, and not only is he unconcerned, he excuses it with euphemism, hoping the audience will obligingly forget too.

What's more, he implies it's Chimchar's fault for not pulling his weight, and Paul abandoning him was the compassionate thing to do.

Cynthia

Suffering severe Bridge Nose Syndrome.

She may be Champion, but I don't remember Lance turning up all the time where he wasn't wanted.

She doesn't even use her influence properly. Rather than give it straight to Paul, order him to shape up and stop spanking the monkey, she fannies about with her cod mysticism, emptily preaching about how Ash and Paul are spiritually linked, with magical, beeyewteefull events taking form just because they met.

That's right, don't bother about Paul clearly being a psychopath, for 'tis ART!

It's the same as trying to convince me that Ash, Dawn and Brock were the Divine Trio because they all saw Something Nasty In The Lake District, as if they have an intrinsic bond foretold in ancient prophecy.

The writers pull this knowing two thirds of the Holy Trinity, plus Paul the Fallen Angel, will be leaving, at which point we'll be expected to stop being overawed at the great majesty they all apparently possess and transfer allegiance to their usurpers.

What's the point?

Angie

Yet another smackhead from that lunatic stare.

What shining genius decided giving all the characters contracted pupils was a good idea?

She looks like one of those kids whose parents dealt with nits the traditional way:

Shaving the entire head and painting it purple.

A barnet resembling privet hacked at by a paralytic gardener before he conked out.

I've seen her arc three or four times, and I still remember nothing about her, except for the amazing skill she possesses to make Ash sneeze on command from a distance.

Conway

One word: nonce.

A clichéd weirdo fitting into Pokémon's Four-Eyed Freaks fixation, where anyone with a slight visual impairment is a weedy, know-it-all bastard or on a register.

Oh yes, and this lad comes with hidden delights, because his glasses gleam like a giant cockroach, just in case he wasn't creepy enough.

Zoey

The human black hole. Has the incredible ability to suck all the joy out of a room just by appearing. A personage of absolute lead.

Too nice and over familiar, lacking a single detectable personality trait.

Bland, empty, and with the charisma of vomit-sodden cardboard.

Sinnoh is a prolonged saga as it is, padded with nonentities like her and Kenny.

Alright, episodes must be devoted to Dawn's Contest career, however tiresome it is, but why exactly do we need any about Zoey and Kenny? Why should we care?

Every time I sat through a competition Dawn lost, I resented that she was no further along on her quest, equating to another episode eaten away by this shallow, blackened hymn to superficiality.

Compare this indulgent treatment to the sneering disrespect shown to Jessie, an actual main character, who not only had to win her Ribbons practically off screen, but the writers delighted in hammering home how worthless she was in only scraping into the Grand Festival because Princess Salvia took pity on the deluded wretch.

They favour their own inventions over the original cast, then dump 'em as soon as the next generation arrives, so how could they ever matter if even the creators eagerly cast them aside?

After all the effort on my part to put up with the entire witless farce, Zoey beats Dawn in the finals!

Why?!

I understood the unspoken law of Ash not being allowed to win a League until the very last series, for fear whatever came after would be anticlimactic, but why should this deadening failure apply to May and Dawn?

By the culmination of the Contest rigmarole, it's obvious they'll be making their exit for the next region's Girl, so why couldn't either bid farewell to the fans with a victory?

Why must they be incompetent too?

Even if achieving their dream dampened any hunger to carry on, they're departing anyway, so what difference does it make?

At least Ash will continue, but for May and Dawn, it's the end.

How could any fan be satisfied with a smarmy vacuum of a creature like Zoey succeeding instead?

Barry

Eyes of molten evil.

The second-worst character ever created (Iris is top of the ranks), Barry is a smug, arrogant, screeching dweeb jabbering his oh-so endearing catchphrase about fining anyone who slightly irks him, so sure is he that his feelings should come above everyone else's

He truly believes he has a God-given entitlement to demand lesser lifeforms should arrange themselves to suit his pleasure, that they are morally compelled to shield him from  meagre inconvenience.

Twat.

Knocking the little geck out of the League was the most noble thing Paul ever did. It practically redeems him.

This is what I cannot comprehend:

Ursula is openly conceited, rude to Dawn, and brags about her own excellence even after losing.

We're asked to dislike her.

Barry slags Ash off constantly, is convinced of his own divinity, and jeers at Team Rocket.

We're supposed to see him as a 'good guy' and welcome his arrival.

Why? Are Ash and Team Rocket fair game, but offending Saint Dawn's intolerable?

Again, it astounds me how temporary, region-specific stars seem to count for more than those who've been here since the beginning.

Whilst they're here, that is. Once gone, you wouldn't know they'd existed.

Kenny

He wears a matador outfit to compete.

It's a crying shame Tauros was never given the opportunity to gore him.

As usual, it's Piplup I blame.

Each generation likes to flaunt the starter Pokémon, presumably in the hope of flogging more games, that's why Ash usually catches all three, or they're spread out amongst his friends.

It's about time Team Rocket had one.

Can't do that, they only appear five times per series now.

Piplup is a whiny attention whore who refuses to evolve. In consequence, he can't advertise the next stages in the evolution chain, so we have to keep seeing Barry and Kenny instead, that's why Empoleon and Prinplup are always walking about.

This equates to three characters having the same Pokémon, albeit in different incarnations.

There's variety.

However, Kenny's true purpose is much more grim than that.

Fans will ship Ash with The Girl, a useless endeavour when it's destined to come to nothing when she's kicked out.

In Hoenn and Sinnoh, an effort was made to wean shippers off in preparation for the upcoming split, so alternative suitors were introduced, with the girls effectively pushed on to them.

May got Drew.

I don't mind that. He had some refinements.

Dawn got Kenny.

...

What, you want me to cheer for such a revolting couple?

Have I not suffered enough?

What unpardonable crime did Dawn do to deserve such a horrible fate?

She's not a bad-looking girl. She can do better than an ugly, portly, shrunken, pie-faced cretin! 

You do this to me when Nando exists?

Sod the age gap, that never concerned anyone here.

This being the Kenny who spends four years belittling Dawn by constantly reminding her of a humiliating childhood experience, even giving her a nickname too!

Dawn is visibly distressed when he does this, but he's a fine candidate for romance?

She has to settle for a sweaty, lecherous herbert like him, who doesn't even try to atone for his unfortunate mug by being kind?

I suspect the whole Sinnoh adventure was really him wearing down her self-esteem until she believed he was the best available, wanting her to be grateful for his slobbery attentions.

It won't stop there either. He'll trap her for the rest of her life by isolating her from friends, followed by accusations of how undeserving she is of his 'love'.

Such is Dawn's lot: absent father, pushy mother, whinging penguin and abusive boyfriend.

Kenny's already a perv:

He's not looking at her face.

She knows he's not.

Ash and Pikachu have noticed an interesting feature further down.

Aipom likes it too.