#I've seen both those cities during the strikes & not during the strikes

[agalychnisspranneusroseus]

Just how much power did Marcy have over her friends pre-Amphibia? When they throw the kpop puppy party at school, the principal assumes "those two" pushed Anne into it, and Anne kind of admits it. When Anne is about to sacrifice herself, she says "all my life I've followed you two". During her one and only S1 appearance, she's seen maliciously nodding alongside Sasha when Anne steals the box, and with Marcy asking to meet up on Anne's birthday, while Sasha is the one to carry out the order, the implication is that they're almost like... working together. I know she was supposed to be "meaner" when they were working on S1, and I think they changed her personality because Haley Tju made her too adorable(? and maybe also because Matt thought the whole show would fall apart if people didn't like Marcy (considering what a huge impact she has on everything that happens, I'd say he was right). But Anne's line in THT and the flashback in All In implies she wasn't nearly as much as a doormat as it may seem sometimes, at least not as much as Anne.

Or maybe she was? Because you also see her in this place of submission when it comes to Sasha (and also Anne?), especially in BOTB, when she's happy to switch from Anne's song to Sasha's without even hearing the first, only stopping to consider Anne's approval. That scene struck me as her always happy to go along with her friends' wishes and never having much of an opinion of her own. That's why she was so desperate for them to get along during The Dinner, and why she never took a side when Anne told her she and Sasha had a fight. She closest thing to defying Sasha that we ever see her do is when she's working alongside like 10 other people to protect Newtopia from the Toad Army, and she says they had to "defeat Sasha and Grime" specifically, which I think makes sense considering they're attacking the city she's supposed to protect (she's IS a high-ranking member of its military forces AND a close advisor to its king), and not wanting to "defeat Sasha" would rock the boat with everyone else involved, Anne included. Yet we never really see her angry at Sasha for what she's doing, she just wants her and Anne to "work things out". I think it's clear that Marcy struggles with empathy, because if she put herself in Anne's shoes, she wouldn't expect her to "just work things out" with Sasha. In fact, she would have taken Anne's side agessssss ago, but she's way too focused on herself (her goal is for everyone to be happy forever and get along, while Anne and Sasha may want something else). Marcy being self-centered isn't a hot take, and I don't think she's any more self-centered than Anne was during most of S1. In fact, I'd argue Anne was even worse lol. The difference is that Anne made a million relatively small mistakes while Marcy made like two or three very big, very bad mistakes (bringing them to Amphibia, striking a deal with Andrias behind their backs, and not taking a side in Anne and Sasha's fight, which is something I never see people bring up as one of Marcy's most flawed moments).

So... going back to the question I made in the beginning... did Marcy just go along with Sasha's plans so enthusiastically when compared to Anne, who had more doubts and had to be pressured into them, that it made it look like she and Sasha were more in cahoots than they actually were? I think this is very likely. I also think it's likely that she and Sasha genuinely shared a liking for rule breaking back in LA, and her own self-centered-ness prevented her from realizing Anne wasn't comfortable with it. Maybe she never even considered if she liked to go along with Sasha's plans, like, Marcy strikes me as someone who doesn't look inwards much. I think we can rule out both Sasha and Marcy being equally controlling and possesive of Anne, because her relationship with Sasha was very much not one of equals, with Anne as a third wheel. Was she more of a third wheel? We know Anne and Sasha don't share most of her interests and will often ignore her and her needs, and we know she feels like losing them is becoming dangerously easy. We also know Sasha has no qualms taking Anne on some kind of birthday date without Marcy which I'm 75% convinced it's because she had a huge crush on Anne but I digress which, from a doylian perspective, is explained by the fact that they seemingly didn't want to show Marcy too early, but from a watsonian perspective, it just comes across as Sasha not priorizing Anne spending her birthday with both her best friends. Like, you can do with or without Marcy. She doesn't seem to remember Marcy until she texted her, actually.

But then you have lines from Anne about how "if you friend wants to you steal something, you do it, because if you don't, they may not want to be your friend anymore", which, oh boy, if she at least perceived Marcy as pressuring her into stealing the box (rather than it being 100% Sasha's idea) that would shed a whole new light on her relationship with Marcy, because it would seem like she, too, feels like their friendship could fall apart if she didn't go along with the other two's plans. And I do think Marcy at least somewhat participated in pushing Anne into it. It wouldn't be the first time she made Anne do something bad - she told her to lie to Valeriana about stealing the box, something Anne later appeared to be ashamed of, and she insisted of going along with the puppy party when Anne was having doubts. I imagine Sasha (who also pressured Anne into doing very much not so "lawful good" things, in more extreme ways than Marcy) might have come up with the idea of stealing it, and Marcy just supported it. Marcy taking Sasha's side. Possibly over and over again. We know Sasha didn't exactly manipulate her because she didn't have to: Marcy just always did everything she said. Anne was the one who needed a bit more convincing.

Marcy's relationship with Anne and Sasha is fascinating. She's definitely the most morally gray of the trio, and possibly the most complex one too, in the sense that she's full of realistic contradictions - an adorkable manipulator, an amoral softie, a self-centered sweetheart who loves her friends more than life itself, a possesive kidnapper with a heart of gold, a very selfish and self-sacrificial person... and it's never just a mask or anything, she's not just pretending to be nice, she really is that way, she really is all of that together. I think that's why people struggle to read her a lot of the times, because so much about her characterization seems conflicting with itself... but I think that's the key to making characters deep and realistic. In real life, we're all walking contradictions and we don't really make sense. Marcy's character doesn't seem clumsily put together to me, like they frankeinsteined all the different character traits she needed to make the plot work without any cohesion between them. I think she's a complex tapestry that sometimes requires a closer inspection to decypher it, and I think the glue holding everything together is her lack of intrapersonal intelligence, her inability to look inwards and notice her own contradictions.

We know she felt unloved by her friends yet desperately clung to them with everything she had, going to extreme measures to ensure they all stayed together, even when it hurt them. We know she's capable of manipulation, scheming and lying to the people that love her most in order to guarantee that goal. We know she's possesive with them, but she also loves them enough to let them go in the rare cases when she realizes she's hurting them (as seen in A Day in the Aquarium). From her journal, we also know she feels very ashamed of these possesive impulses. We know she'll neglect to form her own opinions and ideas to agree always with her friends' wishes, which means she feels completely lost when they want different things. But this also shows that she would never think of an idea of hers as being explicitly opposed to what her friends want. She wouldn't consciously do something that they wouldn't like. Which is insane, because, who would want to be separated from their family and thrown into a different world without any sort of notice? Which leads us to understand that Marcy has zero emotional intelligence and has never looked inwards in her LIFE, AND that her empathy skills are in negative digits because it would have taken her a nanosecond of thought to realize Anne and Sasha probably wouldn't like to be kidnapped. And since we know she never wants to do something they dislike, she must have just... not thought about it at all. No thoughts head empty. It really was just BLANK up there when she made that decision. I think Marcy is a very "true neutral" character who struggles with empathy and humility, who loves her friends but doesn't have the emotional intelligence to really understand them, and who is happy and enthusiastic to be Sasha 2 Electric Boogaloo because... that's what she knows. That's how her friend group works and her goal was never to have a deeper and more genuine connection to them, but to keep it close to her.

So... my conclussion is that, pre-amphibia, Marcy was Sasha's very enthusiastic (but emotionally neglected) right hand man, with Anne as their oblivious victim. It really IS complex because you have to then add Anne always looking out for her, losing sleep over her, yet also ignoring her needs, and Sasha not even bothering to hide how much she doesn't care about Marcy's feelings (which reflects on Marcy not consciously caring about her own feelings). There's also Marcy always assuming the best from them too, despite repeated evidence of their disinterest, and her fear of displeasing them looming over her constantly. Ik I said Anne was Sasha and Marcy's victim, but I meant that like... symbolically, because Anne is not innocent here either. She wasn't a great friend to Marcy before Amphibia. Here's why I always say Anne couldn't develop a deeper, more genuine and open connection with Marcy because of Sasha's oppressive presence and her own lack of emotional maturity. And Marcy couldn't develop a deeper, more genuine and open connection with Anne because of her own lack of empathy and reluctance to face any kind of conflict. So Marcy is Sasha's enthusiastic but emotionall neglected right hand man, who also feels subordinate to Anne despite Anne feeling subordinate to her. That's why they both feel like third wheels at different times. There's an illusion of Marcy with more agency and power than she actually has. In reality, only Sasha is on top, and the other two are two very flawed individuals, one slowly cracking under the weight and the other, less sensitive to the same pressure, trying to uphold the status quo.

[radio-4-is-static]

Kenshi Yonezu @ Radio City Music Hall 🔩❣️🚧

i imagine everyone who read kenshi yonezu's latest tweet felt a similar rush of emotion. but. oh 🥹 oh my goodness. you know when you can just tell that something is written straight from the heart? it quite literally had me tearing up over breakfast the other day. maybe it's bc i spent the last week entrenched in art in a way that i haven't really experienced since school. but between all the galleries & exhibitions & guided tours & live shows, i was reminded how art builds bridges of real, genuine human connection unlike anything else. which made his message hit all that much harder, i think. it felt like he was saying 'i really see you guys.' when honestly, his music has made me feel seen all along. and idk i'm just so glad he enjoyed the tour & that maybe he felt seen too

but yes :) i'm home at last & things have stilled enough that i can finally write about The Grand East Coast 'Junket' of 2025. everything about it still feels so surreal ! i keep pinching myself so that it'll really sink in that i saw kenshi yonezu perform live

the day of the show i'd planned to stop by rough trade, but somehow they closed shop early, so i got in line instead. and as luck would have it, that worked out perfectly, bc i ended up right next to the video truck !! a ripple broke through the crowd & everyone got so excited when it pulled up & started playing snippets of concert footage

and speaking of the crowd ! what a fantastic turnout !! stands to reason that there would be tons of people, seeing as he SOLD OUT (!) 'the largest indoor theater in the world' 🙌 but wow !! completely blown away too by the number of people wearing merch from almost every era! even saw a few in cosplay for donut hole! i want to emphasize here that the venue had at least 3 merch lines (possibly 4?) that wrapped all the way around both floors, downstairs to upstairs. pretty sure i stood in the merch line longer than the one outside aslkdflsfjlkj. truly incredible. i got one of the reversible towels (which will soon be hanging on my bedroom wall across from my radwimps one). in both lines i encountered the sweetest fan ever who had personally made hundreds if not thousands of photo cards & buttons & handed them out to everyone! for free! for no other reason than to spread joy 🥺 you can see the ones she gave me in the bottom left photo

after that it was time 😈 by about 8:15ish most people had settled into their seats. but as soon as kenshi yonezu & the band came out on to the stage, every single person in the theater launched up & on to their feet! he began with red out (just like the album!) & from the energy in that song alone - the reaction it got - you could immediately tell that the night was gonna be something special. so many songs that i've loved for years were on the setlist! 感電！ゆめうつつ！LOSER ! アイネクライネ！still can't believe he played flamingo !!!!! that i heard m87 in all its glory! the visuals & set design were fucking gorgeous throughout the entire show, but that blue-green lighting will stay with me forever. when the first few notes of lemon played right after that, there was a collective gasp from the audience & a kind of reverie as everyone sang together & watched the dancers lift & lower the lights. btw the dancers !!!! were so good !!!!! the choreography & wardrobe changes between each song really added to the mood & atmosphere of the performance !

also gotta say i've rarely, if ever, gotten chills like those during 海の幽霊. i stood there in complete awe, every hair on end, a sensation akin to the moment just before lightning strikes. the brilliant animation & the power in his voice as he angled towards the floor? god. i wish i could relive that again & again. same goes for kick back! the energy kept ramping up & up!!! especially when kenshi yonezu did his signature stunt of singing directly into one of the cameras & pointing it at the crowd. the 2 girls on my right & i were having the time of our lives, taking every opportunity to scream as loud as possible 努力 未来, A BEAUTIFUL STAR !!!!!!!!! 🌟

here & there throughout the show, kenshi yonezu would comment on the stage & how excited he was to be in new york (as it was only his 2nd time in the states). he paused & repeated 'すごい’ a few times, like he was at a loss for words, which made everyone laugh. bc i'm sure we could all understand. how else do you sum up such a magnificent experience? at one point the guitarist (who i've seen a lot of people refer to as naka-chan) took over. and. it. was. so great. he introduced all of the band members as 'amazing,' 'perfect,' etc & acted as though he was caught in slower spacetime?? idk but i loved every minute of it

the show closed out with the 2 newest singles, bow and arrow & plazma (which i was really hoping he would play !) followed by lost corner & おはよう, again just like on the album. おはよう actually played after the band had already exited the stage & the credits rolled. it was right at the end that i felt the full force of what had just transpired. just before the encore, during がらくた, i definitely cried a little bit. but those last 2 songs? ohhhhhh. thinking about all the things it had taken to get there. how wonderful the show was. living to lose. i'd come across a copy of 'never let me go' 2 days before i was set to leave & took the plunge & started reading it on this trip. so my entire understanding of the album was beginning to evolve & shift with new appreciation. i sat across from the venue - once the show was done - on the edge of this beautiful, lit fountain & let the night & all the emotion wash over me in a way i'll never forget

more than just his music & the themes of this album/tour, i'm really so grateful that he played here & hope he comes back soon! 💗

[aliensupersyn]

3b. Part 2: Gojo, Cursed Objects, and WW2

Overall thesis for this project: Godzilla and Mothra create the cultural context of creatives using powerful monsters (or kaiju) to disrupt Japanese bureaucracy and society, usually to make some larger criticism.

Manga spoilers below!

In a post-Godzilla Japan, the kaiju character, the monster, often challenges and disrupts the stability of the status quo. The disruption often exposes negative traits and limitations of those in power, criticizing the authority's abilities. The kaiju might act as a party separated from other warring factions; the kaiju might be integrated into one or more of the story's main factions; and finally, there can be more than one kaiju present, each with their own individual goals. In All-Out Attack, Godzilla appears first. To stop Godzilla from destroying Japan, the three gurdian deities must be summoned: Baragon, Mothra, and King Ghidorah. I argue that the kaiju narrative not only exists beyond cinema, but that Japanese creatives use certain specifications from older works to reimagine the classic plot of Gojira (1954).

As a kaiju, Gojo represents the eventual need to step beyond the limitations those in power place on an individual. Anything with more power than the self-preserving sovereign will be seen as a threat (Rika possesses Yuta, Yuji hosts Sukuna, and both are sentenced to death). Gojo's mastery of jujutsu, and his massacre of the Higher-Ups, demonstrates a scenario where a person can evolve beyond the system. Gege uses Gojo to argue that justice or an ideal fairness cannot be found in the self-preserving system, because it will always choose to neutralize or eliminate the possibility of something greater than itself, regardless of whether it be a force of good or bad. After Shibuya, the Higher-Ups sought to contain Gojo like they have Sukuna: trapped in a cursed object, and finally beholden to their unmerciful control.

Beyond the usual conventions of the kaiju narrative that I've discussed until now, there exists another important factor. The kaiju narrative must always place Japan under threat of destruction from a great power, usually by a monster. Absinthe makes the point that in the kaiju film narrative, Japan will almost always be the victim. He says that "In Gojira the monster destroys and shatters Tokyo but importantly stays and even in Mosura [(Mothra, 1961)] and Gamera [(1965)] there is this sense that the monster has taken over," emphasizing the importance for one or more of the kaiju to threaten Japan's freedom and sustentation. Demon City Shinjuku released in 1982, and was directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri; the animated movie depicts Shinjuku, a special ward of Tokyo, being destroyed by Rebi Ra, then overrun by demons. During World War 2, the 1945 Tokyo air raids destroyed a vast majority of Shinjuku's infrastructure, but the railways and transit remained mostly intact. The enduring transit system aided in Shinjuku becoming the metropolitan area it exists as today.

Anime and manga overtly reference Shinjuku's dark history, often using it as a site where demons or misfortune strikes. Meta-textually, even when removed from its history as a victim of air raids, it exists near Tokyo. Placing misfortune within Shinjuku communicates the near collapse of Tokyo, Japan's heart. In Code Geass, the Britannian army destroyed Shinjuku via air raids. In the story's present, Shinjuku remains as a ruined ghetto in the now occupied Japan, which was renamed Area 11 after its defeat by Britannia. Moving past all the implications of Code Geass' story, I want to focus on Gege's use of Shinjuku as a battlefield within JJK. The final arc of JJK was titled "The Decisive Battle in the Uninhabited, Demon-Infested Shinjuku," effectively marking Shinjuku as a 'demon city.' "Demon-Infested Shinjuku" reads as a clever nod to Kawajiri, and also an important framing for the battle taking place between Sukuna and the remaining cast; everyone uses every skill they have as they participate in a clash of titans that tears the city apart. If he defeats the cast, Sukuna unleashes an unstoppable monster that will destroy Tokyo, then the rest of the world after.

In modern Japanese pop culture, Shinjuku serves as an example of a trope developed through repetition across titles. Not only does Shinjuku itself act as a trope to depict a losing battle against a stronger enemy (Gojo's defeat against Sukuna), but also as an interchangeable setting to convey an approximate danger looming over Tokyo, and more importantly, Japan. Like in All-Out Attack, the other monsters gather to defend Japan from Sukuna, the king. In both titles, the monsters do not fight to protect the Japanese government or care about it's infrastructure. The cast of monsters reduce parts of Tokyo to rubble in their fights; they must, to convey the threat that Japan faces in this awesome battle between kaiju. In All-Out Attack, the guardian deities' motivations were mostly unknown, except for a desire to kill Godzilla. In JJK's "Demon-Infested Shinjuku," the cast members come from all different walks of life, and have their own goals in mind, but they all agree that Sukuna needs to die for one reason or another.

In Jujutsu Kaisen, the kaiju takes many roles. Sukuna throws Japan's government into disarray with a devastating attack that wipes Shibuya off the face of the earth. Maki destroys an important pillar of jujutsu society's government. Gojo puts the final nail in the coffin and kills the bureaucratic powers. The kaijus act within and outside of the established government. The kaiju most importantly exposes the weakness of the setting's government, and in the case of anime and manga, the sovereign will almost always be a bureaucratic system.

Notes:

What's funny is that Yaga got the boot for simply being responsible for Gojo and Geto. They were MAD!

I think a vast majority of anime fans doubt the influence that World War 2 has on Japanese pop culture, and especially anime and manga.

Someone once mentioned to me somethin about Gege's interest in urban areas and infrastructure. I hope this person finds this update interesting!

Sukuna section(s) next!

[orangedodge]

"Jedi are meant to put aside their attachments and sacrifice for the greater good--"

Wrong.

I've seen this sentiment constantly these past five weeks, and so far as I can determine it stems from a misunderstanding of the Empire Strikes Back, when Yoda urges Luke to put his feelings aside and complete his training rather than rush off to Cloud City. But this was not an argument against the compassionate desire to save life in service to a utilitarian plea for the greater good: Yoda just thought Luke wasn't ready to face Vader yet, and was going to fail to save his friends regardless. He wasn't opposed to Luke facing Vader if Luke was ready to face him.

While the life of a Jedi is to be one of sacrifice, it's specifically supposed to be self-sacrifice, and not the sacrifice of others. And furthermore, the overall narrative of Star Wars takes the position that the greatest good is always unknowable to the individual, and may only ever become apparent retrospectively on the most grand of cosmic scales.

Therefore their duty is always to serve the will of the Force by acting to preserve life where they may, trusting that the aggregated will of the universe knows best where they are needed, and will direct them to where they must go so long as they trust their feelings. Hence, the Jedi maxim "trust in the Force," and not "trust in the Senate Permanent Select Committee on Judicial Affairs."

We see this in action during Episode I, when despite the urgency of the situation, Qui-Gon always stops for whomsoever is in need of his aid, instead of ignoring Anakin and Jar-Jar for seeming unimportant to his task--and he is treated as the ideal Jedi by the prequel trilogy in that he alone reaches enlightenment through his own actions.

Where attachments--defined in universe as selfish, jealous, controlling, and possessive behaviors that disregard the autonomy of others--become problematic is when they cause one to allow their personal feelings to override their duty to the Force and its will. That's not was Sabine was doing when she chose to save Ezra. Ezra was still alive to rescue, and both desired rescue, and had an expectation that his comrades would not write off his life.

It is left open to audience interpretation whether Sabine was unknowingly listening to the Force and doing what she was meant to do, or if failing that was just making the best choice she could ("save one person" over "save no one"), but regardless her choice is treated as at minimum an acceptable one by the narrative via the contrast between the heroes and antagonist.

It is Grand Admiral Thrawn, and not our protagonists, who best typifies the practice of reaching a state of detachment from his emotions, and maintaining a willingness to sacrifice those few insignificant lives to service a greater good. Thrawn has absolutely no idea why anyone would think the intergalactic rescue of Ezra Bridger was worthwhile, and seethes that he cannot understand.

When Thrawn dispatches TIE fighters and Stormtroopers to delay Ahsoka, he's doing so with the expectation that those men are already dead. He takes no pleasure in it, as Palpatine or Grievous would, and should they survive he would welcome them back, but nor does he make any provision to save them if things go wrong. Their lives are a resource to leverage, currency to spend, without inherent worth. It was his very capacity for this mode of thinking that, in the first place, made him vulnerable to getting corrupted from his purpose by a fascist dictatorship, and set him up for his role as the ultimate villain of the post-Empire era.

This is his primary character flaw, and audiences are not meant to see great wisdom in it, less wish that the protagonists should be more like him. His inability to make the leap of faith is why he is ultimately a tragic villain, doomed by the narrative. The moral thesis of the setting is that weighing lives against one another is a trap. It holds that not knowing what is best for the galaxy, the correct position is therefore to always to treat people with compassion and kindness, and those who refuse to render aid to someone in need of it, in favor of servicing an abstract higher good are always treated as in the wrong.

[whywhywhymoney]

Because I'm kind of a nerd, and because I live in the suburbs but grew up in the inner city, I have lots of thoughts about the dynamics of places. New Domino City is super interesting to me, because we see it evolve from what it was in Yugioh DM and GX, and then add in the Satellite too, I just feel NDC is a character unto itself, and that probably doesn't get explored enough. It gives me London vibes!

(but that might be because that's where I grew up haha)

It's kinda an underrated factor of Yugioh too, especially with how the continuity is kept in both the dub and sub. I think it's crazy to think how well NDC mirrors the growth of real life cities, like, i'm only 23 and I've seen London get gentrified in my very short lifetime. It is totally believable that the area of Domino where Kame Game is situated was a decent area of the city in DM (not super upmarket considering none of the DM crew strike me as being particularly upper class/ upper middle class) but over time deteriorated into becoming the working class ghetto of 5D's/Zero Reverse.

The more Duel monsters became a globalised sport, the more attractive a city like Domino becomes to anyone trying their luck to break into the big leagues. If Domino city is london, then Duel Monsters is easily football. I can imagine it became a very multicultural place super quickly, and in major cities that are very international, different ethnicities tend to carve out areas for themselves, whether due to "white flight" or other factors.

It strikes me that, if the land Satellite was situated on (it's clearly meant to be Old Domino seeing as there's Kaibaland wreckage) was in any way valuable to NDC, it wouldn't have been left to rot. As it happens, it makes a lot of sense for a previously decent area to become defunded by government when "undesirables" are living there. It doesn't mean Old Domino turned into a crime ridden place, it just means it was filled with the type of people government doesn't like, aka, immigrants.

It was probably a vibrant, thriving community before Zero Reverse. But a section of "undesirable" land being cut off from everyone else and beholden to Public Security or whoever is the government is brilliant for them (it's a little unclear to me how senators for the city exist but Security seem to call all the shots). It gives the City an excuse to dump actual criminals into a place where it doesn't matter if they live or die because there's no real way to get in and out that isn't heavily reliant on Security.

Food, supplies, amenities, Satellite relies on the City's "generosity" for everything. They have no real infrastructure because it was all disrupted and never maintained. The early days of Satellite were probably "OK", you had the community banding together to make things kinda work. But then the criminals started pouring in, and the more of them that were shipped off to Satellite, the more fractured Satellite became. The more Security became involved too.

I imagine that the Satellite of Yusei's childhood probably was very politicised, as it was a constant struggle for people who actually had lived and grown up in the place, that were trying to bring justice to their community vs imported criminals who were at best apathetic to the state of the area and at worst actively making it a worse place to live. I don't think its any wonder why Duel gangs took off during Yusei's teen years, as any kind of political movement probably fizzled out in the face of overwhelming apathy from the City, so people took more direct action to at least give their lives some meaning and assert some level of control over them.

On the flip side, you have the nicely spaced out houses and well maintaned suburbs where Aki lives, and that definitely aren't in the city centre. Those suburbs, which were probably originally filled with solidly middle class people and had nothing to do with the City in DM, are now a part of it. To give a London example, it's like Uxbridge in the 80's vs the 00's. It was seen as definitely "outside" London in the former decade, but in the latter, and definitely today, it's well in the boundaries of the city.

Maybe Hideo Izayoi bought that house a couple years before Zero Reverse, when property was probably being quickly sold up by older people who wanted to continue living at a more relaxed level of life and not have to deal with the newly "imposed" things like the city's transport system expanding to their doorstep, increased taxes, and having to be in closer proximity to "rowdiness". Either way, the value of his property has skyrocketed a ton.

I imagine "Tops" to be full of suburbs like this that form a kind of arc around what's left of old Domino and the real city centre, with the suburbs that are further out being more expensive. The most prime real estate is definitely right in the city centre, though you probably have the living space of a shoebox.

All of that to say, Team 5D's are city kids! And I know it seems an obvious thing to say but I feel like quite a lot of fans don't take as much advantage of New Domino City as much as they ought to.

Anyway City Girl Summer, Yooooo

[improballamability]

I happened to be in both NYC & Buenos Aires while there were sanitation worker strikes & yuuuuuuup.

Society's heroes. They deserve the fancy uniforms. And more pay.

[reds-burrow]

I've seen you sort most Star Wars characters, but what about the OGs? Luke, Leia and Han?

Our main OT trio have already been sorted, and I'm inclined to agree with their previous assessment for the most part. Only thing I'd change is adding a Badger Secondary model for Luke depending on where in the timeline you're looking at him.

Luke: Bird/Lion + Badger model

Probably the sorting that needs the most explanation of the three. Thankfully, he was sorted by our OG sorters, @sortinghatchats, who do an amazing job explaining their reasoning behind his Bird Primary. Only thing I would add is that during Luke’s conversation with Obi-Wan, when Obi-Wan first lays out our hero’s call to action and the basics of the Force, Luke is just sure I’ll incorporate that into my world view. This is typical of a Bird accepting new information and adjusting their system accordingly (especially if you want to count the deleted scenes as possible canon, given Luke would have been ready to join the Empire a few scenes before this).

As for his Secondary, Luke is a reactionary Lion, charging into rescue his friends at Cloud City and jumping into attack when Vader threatens Leia in Return of the Jedi. Even one of the most contentious points of the sequel trilogy, when Luke reacts on instinct to what he senses from Ben Solo, is a display of his Lion. Yoda attempted to tamp down these reactive instincts during Luke’s training by passing on a Badger Secondary to Luke, and given what charging in got him at the end of Empire Strikes Back, Luke tries to fit the image of a model Jedi, patient and hardworking, during Return of the Jedi and as he starts building his new school. But from the moment we were introduced to him, complaining about helping Uncle Owen on that moisture farm on Tatooine, we knew Luke wasn’t interested in hard work, and by the time Rey finds him in the sequels, he seems to have given up most of his Badger Secondary model.

Leia: Lion/Lion + Snake model

While skilled in deception, it's something that Leia has learned in order to keep her rebel activities a secret for as long as she could. At her core, however, she is consistently shown taking quick, decisive action even when thrown into an unexpected situation, whether that means blasting open a garbage chute to escape, strangling Jabba with the chains she was bound with, or handing off the Death Star plans to Artoo when it looked like she would be captured. Her Lion Secondary shines under pressure but can also make her reckless, like when she wants to stay on Hoth despite the base being under attack. She’s willing to give everything she has to her cause, and as a Lion Primary, she’s generally unwavering in her beliefs. She also shows a tendency to trust her gut instinct when it comes to judgement calls, such as when she feels something is off when they first meet Lando, getting a bad feeling about Threepio going missing, or even claiming she knew there was more to Han when he returned at the end of A New Hope despite there being no logical reason to believe so.

Han: Snake/Lion

Interestingly enough, one of the most consistent complaints I see about the Solo movie is about Han's primary. People were upset that helping Enfys Nest at the end of the movie seemed to imply he wasn't the Snake Primary we all know him to be, that he would consider joining the rebellion for something other than Luke and Leia, that he hadn't spent those years leading up to A New Hope living his best space scoundrel life, living only for himself and Chewie (and arguably the Falcon). But all that is still canon. Han rejects Nest's offer to join her rebellion. Plus, his primary motivation for most of the movie is Qi'ra, so Solo is just more evidence of his Snake Primary.

As Han says, he only takes orders from one person: himself. Most of what we see from Leia and Han butting heads comes the two of them being Internal Primaries with Lion Secondaries. Both just know instinctively what they want to do and jump in to do it, only to find that’s what the other is doing too, and if their instincts don’t happen to line up, they wind up arguing. In fact, Leia’s rescue from the Death Star gives us some great Lion Secondary moments from Han, such as trying to throw off some officers over the comm channels and blasting out the comms when that doesn’t work, or literally charging at some stormtroopers to intimidate them.

Also, Han shot first.

[ticketstomydaydreams]

HOME

(All We Have: Part One)

Part Two

Colson x Female Reader

Summary: You and Colson are close friends and he invites you to move in to his house while you work on his record together

Word count: 1,580

Feels: Friendship Fluff for now

Warnings: Alcohol consumption, cursing, mentions of feeling depressed

Companion playlist:

Machine Gun Kelly - Home

Sia - Dressed in Black 

The Beatles - With a Little Help from My Friends

A/N: Throughout the series there will be changes to the timing of real life events like the pandemic, the release of certain songs etc. There's certain things I want to incorporate into the series, like particular events in MGKs life and lyrics from songs, so some stuff will get moved around to fit in to the story ✌️

______

It had been a long evening working in Colson’s home studio, The Boulevard, with him and the gang on the upcoming Tickets to my Downfall album. To say your schedule was busy was an understatement, but Colson had insisted you get involved with the new material after the success of your work together on Hotel Diablo.

Composing music was your main gig, you had an ear for melody and your passion for writing meant you always had lyrics swirling around your head. You had a penchant for dark and melancholy lyrics, finding music to be a source of therapy for you. It was something you and Colson had instantly bonded over. He'd bugged you to list some of the stuff you'd written that he'd know and you had gained his professional respect immediately.

He always kept a close eye on your work, ever the supportive friend and had laid claim to your piece ‘Glass House’ as soon as he'd heard it.

______

2019

You were sitting crossed legged on the sofa in your lounge, gently strumming your guitar and gazing off into space and mumbling to yourself, as you worked out some lyrics in your head. Colson was lying on the floor by your feet, scrolling through his phone with earphones in, a blunt in his hand that he occasionally passed up to you. This was a common set up, you found it easier to write in the peace and quiet and Colson has gradually started hanging out at your place more when he needed to focus on his own writing.

"All alone in the glass house, lie awake til the sun's out, pink sky when you come down…"

"Throw me in the damn flames, Bury me in gold chains, throw me in the damn flames…"

You'd started singing out loud, occasionally stopping to scribble down lyrics and make adjustments, not noticing that Colson had removed his earbuds to listen to you

" Dude, that's hard, like, beautiful… " His comment made you jump slightly, you hadn't seen him propping himself up on his elbows, watching you intently "Sing that last bit again"

You blushed slightly, his opinion was always important to you, and started singing. He muttered to himself as you did, then pointed at you "Again!"

Letting out a little laugh and rolling your eyes, you sang again

"Throw me in the damn flames, bury me in gold chains, throw me in the damn flames"

Colson's voice met yours at the end of the line, rapping softly "I'm waiting on the rain to come and wash it all away"

You locked eyes, smiling and he sat upright. "Dude, Im'a need that hook! That spoke to me right there, I've think got something for it that I've been stuck on"

He looked so excited, your heart did a little flip. You'd seen that writing this album had taken it out of him, he'd been digging deep and really going through it emotionally. You could tell it was going to be raw and special from what you'd heard already.

He sat forward and moved the guitar from your lap so he could lean his arms on your knees and looked up at you shooting you puppy dog eyes with those baby blues "Pretty please Y/N"

You laughed and ruffled his hair, "Anything for you Col" Honestly, it'd be an honour to be part of such a personal project, you thought

He wrapped his arms round you and squeezed,

"You're a legend, kid. Get a sample recorded and send it to me!" He grabbed your guitar off the sofa and whipped back around, strumming a few chords as he carried on talking with his back to you, leaning against the sofa "This is gonna be fire, you always just hit the nail on the head, I swear it's like you're in my head sometimes"

You smiled, seeing the wave of motivation that had struck your friend. You felt so lucky to have a friend who was not only so inspiring, but one who 'got it', who understood that music was a form of release. Someone who recognised that it was important to feel these things, rather than encourage you to push dark thoughts away with toxic positivity.

He’d pushed to use your original samples on his record, but as much as you loved writing and singing, you were a behind the scenes kind of gal which had always suited you just fine. Naomi, a mutual friend of you both, came onboard to record them with him. A decision that turned out to be golden… 'Death in my Pocket' would be born not long after, with Naomi doing your lyrics such beautiful justice yet again, perfectly pairing with Colson's emotional rapping.

______

From then on Colson had kept you close to his recording. You'd been helping here and there with composition and notation, but your production skills were what was taking centre stage during the most recent sessions. You had a long list of projects you were working through, leaving you chained to your equipment most days and nights anyway so throwing more music into your workload didn't seem like much of a big deal. In all honesty, the chaos of Colson’s studio and the revolving door of personalities that were in and out constantly, made it one of the most fun places to be. You loved what you did for a living and it never really felt like work Even though the guys were a real handful at times, you kind of enjoyed being the studio 'Mami' as they often affectionately referred to you

Everything had wrapped up for the evening and the guys had migrated back into the house. You could hear from the raucous that the drinks must have started flowing freely. You were saving your work and packing up your stuff when Colson bursts back into the studio and throws himself in a chair, spinning it around with his arms in the air.

"You staying for drinks Y/N?" he grins at you, clearly hyper and in party mode

You let out a big sigh "Urgh, I'd love to but I have an early start tomorrow. I finally managed to get an apartment viewing. I swear I've looked at a hundred places now, they get snapped up so quickly.. I've only got a few weeks left on my lease as well"

“Ah, that sucks kid” Colson empathises, spinning his chair again before an idea strikes him “Wait! Why don’t you move in here for a bit until you find a place? The guest room is pretty much your room anyway, the amount you crash here”

You laugh “This is true, that mattress is so much better than mine! Aw Col, that would honestly be so helpful, the stress of finding a place when I’m this busy is killing me. I don't know… You sure the guys won’t mind?”

Colson scoffs “Why would they mind? You practically live here anyway” he teases “I’m sure they’ll be just as stoked as I am at the thought of you joining the madhouse for a while”

Before you have a chance to respond, he stands up and throws his arms around you, squashing you into him tightly “That’s it decided Roomie. Another song in the bag and a new housemate, plenty to celebrate tonight!”

Wriggling out of his tight grasp, you laugh and in a deep voice shout “let’s goooooo” mocking his signature catchphrase. He flips you his middle finger and says “Kitchen, now”

Once you’re in the kitchen, Colson heads to get you a drink and grabs one himself. Appearing back at your side, he passes you your beer and then shouts out to the rest of the group,

“YO, meet our latest housemate, Y/N is moving in. LET’S FUCKING GOOOOO”

Everyone in the kitchen lets out a big cheer, clearly pleased as he said they would be. Colson bends down and picks you up, swinging you around in a circle, spilling your drinks all over the both of you as you shout his name in mock annoyance, between giggles.

“I hope you know what you’re letting yourself in for” Rook laughs, clinking his drink against your now empty beer bottle once your feet are back on the floor

“It’ll be good to have another pair of hands around here, looking after you lot” Ashleigh chimes in, laughing and slapping Slim away as he pulls her hood up over her head, covering her eyes

It had been 5 years since you'd made the decision to move to LA, barely knowing a soul. You'd worked several jobs, jumped from place to place, worked your ass off to catch your break in the music business, sometimes feeling like the grind would never get you anywhere.

There had been times where you felt like you couldn't carry on, aching from trying to keep pace. The dream had felt like it was turning into a nightmare, as you tried to make ends meet, feeling so lonely in this enormous city.. but eventually you'd made these amazing friends who made you feel so safe and loved.

Now, there were times you had to pinch yourself just to make sure it was all real.

As you shake off some of the beer that's dripping from your hands, you look around the kitchen. Taking in the crazy, loveable bunch before you, your new housemates, you are filled with gratitude. You finally felt like you were exactly where you were supposed to be…

Home.

______

❌❌ Lace up!

[oscar-delancey]

♥ (family) and ☮️ (friends) hcs for albert mayhaps? -elm

IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE WRITTEN STUFF FOR ALBERT MAN thank you for enabling me Oli

Family

Albert has two older brothers and lives with their father. Both of his siblings have moved out by the time the strike takes place, one completely out of state to work for a foresting company, the other in the city still to help at a diner

Their mother died when Albert was 4 due to sickness, leaving the boys to help their father get enough money to take care of the family. Each time a brother has moved out there has been less of a burden but it means the next oldest has to take on more work. By the time it was just Albert (15) and his father, he had to take on paper selling as full time work, officially dropping out of school

He loves his father dearly and spends as much time with him as he can. They both share an interest in the modern mechanics and technology of their time so whenever Albert got a WONDERFUL headline about any advances, he would run home after selling and bring a paper to read with his dad

Though he considers the Manhattan newsies family, he always goes home to sleep and have dinner with his father

Friends

Obviously he is best friends with Race and Finch. Those three are inseparable during the day and always sit together for lunch. When they’re off work they tend to run around town together even. They’re inseparable

He’s also pretty good friends with Skittery. They bonded one night before Albert left when he came across Skittery sitting on the curb outside the lodging house. He ended up sitting with the older newsie and they talked for a solid hour about worries and anxiety. It was kinda sweet and it became an almost nightly thing for the pair

Albert is only friends with Jack by proxy of Race. He never interacts with Jack when they’re alone and is only seen around him whenever Albert is with Race as well

He and Smalls are BEST friends. Like obviously his main group is him, Race, and Finch, but he spends a LOT of time with Smalls as well! Those two are a chaotic duo that enable each other’s mischievous energy. They’re the only one other than Finch who has met Albert’s father and they’re the one he has probably spent the most of his little extra change on so they could get a drink or snack they wanted. (The time they visited his and his father’s apartment was when the two were planning on how they were gonna get a whole prank to actually WORK on Sniper and Race. Smalls ended up staying the night)

[dragon-kazansky]

Til death do us part | Helmut Zemo

Bodyguard AU! 🕶

Gender neutral reader

Collage by @realremyd

[Previous chapter] - [Next chapter]

Part 3

All of you were up early. You ate with the staff and the bodyguards grouped up for a quick meeting while the Baron got ready. You all gathered in the hall for the bedrooms you had been staying in.

"We head out immediately. Steve will meet us in Paris with the rest of the crew. It's so vital we stick with the Baron throughout his trip. We escort him to the hotel, station ourselves outside of the room. He will have a floor to himself, helping us limit who comes and goes from that room," Sam explains.

"What about the flight?" Bucky asks.

"The Baron will be flown over on his own plane. We are to be onboard with him, just stay out of his way and let him do his thing once we're up in the air. There isn't much we can do in a plane anyway."

"So, Paris, huh?" You smile at Sam.

"Yep. You remember when we were there?" He grins.

"Oh boy, do I. What a week that was."

Sam laughs.

Back when you were just a newbie and had passed your training, Sam had taken you to Paris to celebrate for a bit before you too long your first assignment. It was one of the best trips of your life.

"We won't get to do much sight seeing, I'm afraid."

"Ah well, it will still be nice to be in the city," you say, smiling.

"Yeah. Who knows, we might see a few familiar spots here and there," he winks at you.

You ignore the funny looks Bucky and Nat were giving you both. There were some things that would forever remain secrets.

Zemo was ready. He was currently eating in the dining room. You and Sam entered, Bucky and Natasha remained at the door. The Baron didn't even glance at you as entered, but if you had been paying attention to him, you would have noticed how irritated he looked.

Zemo finished up his breakfast.

As he rose and left the room, the pair of you followed, flanked then by Bucky and Nat. Zemo had a private word with the housekeeper before nodding at Sam. All together, you headed out. Bucky got the car door for the Baron as Sam climbed in the other side.

The rest if you would be parted into the other two cars, one to lead, one to follow.

Nat would be in the leading car.

Bucky and yourself would be in the following car.

She gave you a quick run of the protocol should anything transpire on the drive to the airstrip, and then you parted ways.

The three black SUV vehicles leave the estate.

Bucky glances at you beside him. You were looking out the window, quietly. From the moment you left the Baron's office you had been a little more stoic around Zemo.

"You alright?"

You look up quickly, putting on a smile, but it doesn't reach your eyes.

"I'm fine."

"You can talk to me you know," he tells you.

"I'm good at my job, right?"

He looks so stunned when he hears those words fall from your lips. His blue eyes flickers between your own rapidly, trying to find any reason within your own gaze as to why you would ever doubt yourself.

"Of course! I've seen you in action."

"It's just... when I client has doubts in their security, it makes you think."

"Do not listen to the Baron. Natasha and Sam told is he was an asshole, he just proved it. You're amazing, don't ever doubt yourself," he smiles.

You smile softly.

"I'm proud of my work. Sure, I've never actually had to guard anyone from a known threat, just make sure nothing happens to the client, but if things go down, I'm following protocol."

"Good. If things do turn out for the worst, I know you can handle it," he grins.

"Thanks, Bucky."

The cars arrive at the airstrip at the designated time. All bodyguards step pit of their vehicles before Zemo steps out of his. You all gather around the car and stand in the formality stance.

Sam opens the door.

Zemo looks a little irritated again, but says nothing as he walks toward to the plane. He goes straight inside.

Sam has a discussion with the pilot as the rest of you climb inside. You each take a seat, a respectable distance away from Zemo, and face forward.

You're the closest to the Baron at the moment. You avoid looking at him.

Sam enters and takes his own seat. He sits on the Baron's side, facing your way. You nod at each other.

The pilot climbs into the cockpit and, within the next several minutes, the plane takes off.

Helmut grabs a book from his bag and gets comfortable, ignoring the guards in the plane and losing himself in the pages.

Oeznik, the butler who you hadn't noticed boarded, comes over to him with a drink. He places the glass down and walks away.

You turn your eyes to the window and decide you'll just watch the sky for the flight. You were used to being left with your thoughts during transportation.

It doesn't take long to arrive in Paris.

The Baron had ignored all of you during the flight. He stepped off the plane and greeted Steve who had been waiting for you all. He had arrived with Carol and Clint in tow.

They shook hands.

Apparently he liked Steve the most out of all of you. Though you could see why.

"Shall we?" Zemo gestures to the cars behind Steve.

Steve gestures for Zemo to go ahead, opening the door for him when they get to the car. Once the door is closed behind him, Steve gestures for you to him.

"All good?" He asks.

"Yeah, all good. Don't worry, I got this."

"I know. I just wanted to make sure. The Baron just asked that I don't let you ride with him," he tells you, softly.

"Alright. I didn't expect to anyway."

"Don't let him get to you."

You just nod. You've had this conversation already. Don't let Baron Helmut Zemo get to you. You knew the drill.

It felt good that everyone was so supportive though.

You climb into the car behind, the following car. Sam and Bucky are in this car. They smile at you as you join them.

Then you're off.

Zemo was going to be staying right in the middle of the city.

The ride was mostly silent and felt rather long. Each of you kept your eyes out on the streets, keeping an eye for anything suspicious.

There had been no word of any threats in the city, but that didn't mean you could let your guard down.

The hotel was extremely nice. A bit glitzy and posh, the kind of place you would expect a Baron to stay at.

He is flanked by Steve and Carol as they check in. The rest of you hang back a bit. There weren't too many people about, but those that were watched with curiosity.

Steve and Carol went into the elevator with the Baron. The rest of you followed, taking the stairs. Your legs were going to feel this in the morning. The Baron was staying on the twelfth floor.

When you got up there, the Baron was already secured in his room. Carol was at the door.

You all spread out along the hallway and waited. His meeting would take place two hours later.

That's two hours of standing in a hallway with nothing but each others company. No one came or went from this floor.

When it was time to leave for the Baron's meeting, you all took your positions as you followed him back down to the lobby, once again taking the stairs, and back into the cars.

The meeting was being held at an official building in the centre of Paris.

A finely dressed gentleman surrounded by guards in the centre of a city was plenty enough to catch the attention of locals. Though the Baron was globally known, he was sure to leave an impression on France after he left.

You all enter the building and walk with him up to the meeting room, where only Steve is to follow him inside. Natasha and Carol separate from the group to stand in the main lobby incase anyone tried to get in sho wasn't welcome.

The rest if you waited outside of the meeting room.

Clint came to stand beside you, having not caught up with you yet. You smile at one another and face forward as you chat.

"The Baron's a piece of work," he says, keeping his voice low.

"You can say that again," you reply, keeping your voice just as low.

"Honestly, it doesn't surprise me this guy has enemies. He doesn't strike me as a people person."

"He must have some conversation skills though, if the whole purpose of his visit is to strengthen bonds and all that," you glance at him.

Clint shrugs.

"Still an asshole."

You smile as you agree.

The meeting goes on for about an hour. No one leaves the room, no one seems enters either.

When the meeting concludes for the day, the Baron doesn't look at any of you as he leaves. You all follow. He would be here for another two days before they came up with a deal.

The next day was much the same, only Clint didn't come to talk shit about him with you again.

On the third day, they came up with a deal.

There wasn't a single threat in the city. The Baron's visit in Paris had been smooth and came to a favorable conclusion. He left that last meeting looking proud and pleased.

That was also the first time since his arrival in Paris he had looked at you. Whether it was by accident or not, you have no idea, but he had looked at you for the briefest moment.

However, he was looking smug for those brief moments. You didn't know how to take that.

Back at the hotel, in the room you had been given to rest in with Nat and Clint, you looked at the French newspaper in front of you. It was talking about the Baron's visit. There was a photo of him entering the building the first day.

You sigh softly.

Doing your job was feeling exhausting. Though you were a bodyguard, previous clients had given you more attention than this.

It felt as if Baron Helmut Zemo was trying to wind you up and get on your nerves.

What did it mean when he looked at you earlier?

Clint sank down into the seat next to you and handed you a drink. You took it gratefully and sat with him, looking a little tired at this point.

"Ready for another flight tomorrow?" He asks, looking pretty tired himself.

"Sure am. Nothing like globe trotting while watching out for an asshole."

Clint laughs.

"I heard him talking earlier."

"Oh? Dare I ask what he was talking about?" You look at him, but honestly, you couldn't care less.

"I think he was talking to Steve about you."

"About me? Why should he be talking about me?" You sit up a bit, obviously more intrigued now.

"I don't know why, but he really doesn't seem to like you."

You sink down a little.

"I know. I haven't done anything to him, I showed up for my assignment and he immediately shoots me down. He doesn't think I'm capable of my job and I hate that!" You put your drink down, annoyed that he was talking shit about you behind your back.

"Steve stood up for you."

You didn't say anything.

Clint sighs and places an arm around you, giving you a side hug.

"Better get some rest. We're off to London first thing in the morning."

You nod.

Clint leaves your side and goes to bed. You remain sitting there for a while longer before going to bed yourself.

You would will yourself not to be bothered by what the Baron thought.

What did he know about you anyway? Nothing!

You didn't know it then as you climbed into bed, but London would be your chance to prove your abilities to the Baron.

London wouldn't be quite as smooth as Paris had been.

John Walker would see to that.

@thesuitkovian @justfangirlthingies @belle82devart @zemosimp420 @anteroom-of-death @silverlambcaptain @that-stupid-head-tilt-thing @lieutenantn @daniielbruhl @awesomesauce-abbie @latenightartist-author @lazygurl05 @rumblelibrary @nonamec0s @shura-gorl @ginger-abreu @caligrl1992 @livvyshmiv @luciadiosa @vverliebt @tatooineisdry @charistory @somethingthatsaysbubbles

[lovee-infected]

Macaroon anon I love you and how can I resist writing for such a great idea? I really wanted this piece to take place as Ciel was stuck in twst in my previous au but since I mentioned dorm leaders there it couldn't be really done...Rip

A twisted path ✨

~ Black butler x twisted wonderland ~

Feat : Mey-Rin , Bard & Finnian

Poor trio stay away in shock of not only his unexpectedly loud shout but also...eh...his appearance .  Are they wrong or does this guy really look similar to master Ciel...?

Coming conscious still with his eyes closed , he hears some sounds around him:" He dead ?-""No I don't think he is, his chest is still moving" "Anyway what's this body doing hear at Phantomhive's mansion? If he's been stabbed or something it's going to be troublesome," "Na I guess this dude's just been really drunk y'all. Also...what's with the clothes ? Could it be that he's somewhat of an actor from nearby theaters ?" "Aye? Since when are the designs this messed up...- I guess we'd better get rid of it before mister Sebastian returns, maybe burry hi-"

Riddle freaks out as he hears this idiots wanting to burry him alive and immediately wakes up screaming at them to stay away.

Riddle on the other hand gazes upon what he just faced: a red haired haired maiden wearing a pair of glasses, a yellow haired boy with green pupils and a rather buff man with a toothpick in his mouth staring at him. " Ah- He a'live ! Man ya gotcha be more careful with drinking," the buff man chuckles. Riddle suddenly feels highly unsafe: Who are these people? And where am I? He's read NRC's maps enough to know that such a building is surely not a part of it , come along it's weird people. Was he kidnapped while asleep...?He pulls up his staff and starts threatening them with it , wanting them to immediately introduce themselves and explain what he was doing here- wherever it was-

Finnian tries to calm him down with a soft smile and a friendly attitude, but Riddle is strong at his point: He wants answers.

When he sees them all trying to calm him down with no explanations he gets mad : "OFF WITH YOUR HEADS!"

...What ? Wait-maybe try again:"Off with your-Heads!" ...Why isn't it working? Riddle stays still, the magic collars have to be around their neck but- they are not...?? There must've been a mistake: " Off with your heads - Off with your HEADS - OFF WITH YOUR HEADS DAMN IT-"

Mey-Rin, Finnian and Bard stare at their angry guest shouting nonsense and getting as red as a tomato, what is wrong with this guy..?

Riddle is furious and confused , what's the matter ? Is his magic blocked the same as that time Beans day?  He doesn't know , and he doesn't like it

Riddle starts shouting at them asking what they've done to his magic and the poor guys just go...Huh ? Riddle keeps on getting redder and redder as if he's about to explode . He starts threatening them from reporting them to the head master to giving them to the official policies for kidnapping and neglecting his picture 

Finnian then decides that maybe it's better to leave him to mister Sebastian and so : Picking up a huge branch and a striking it to his head , savage

Riddle passes out immediately whoops- maybe Finnian should have been softer-

They stay there gazing upon their... masterpiece . Finnian might have even broken his skull - Good god , what should they do now ? They must wait until mister Sebastian arrives ; But where is he now ?

Feat : Suma & Agni

"Pssssssst- Agniii...I guess he finally woke u-" " M- my prince , y-you sure that it was a good idea too bring a total stranger out of nowhere to our home ? I'd greatly appreciate it if you be more ca-"

Argh...what is with all noises around him ? He's told Ruggie a million times not to let anyone in his room whole he's taking a nap even if it's gonna be the grim reaper ; what are these brats doing here?

Leona rambles under lips and with a push he's awake : " Oi , you'd better know that I don't like having my naps ruined,"

Suma gasps at the sight of him being finally awake and tries to offer his unwanted guest a welcome hug which Leona rejects- Poor Suma

Leona isn't yet realizing what actually is going on , from not knowing that this isn't his room to the fact that he's now at more than 100 years ago in a whole different world ; ironic

Leona orders them to take this annoying conversation out of his room just to face Agni's locked expression : "Your room...?"

Taking a better look , Leona finally gets that this probably isn't his room and these people surely aren't from NRC

Sounds get echoed through his brain and he feels a small ache inside it . He rubs his head ...why does everything feel so strange ? Something is different ... could it be that he's still sleepy or..? Wait a second - Why can't he shake his tail ?

He immediately looks back to see if he's sit on his own tail but faces a terrifying scene : There is no tail . Is it cut off ????

and a newer fact flashes his brain : There are no ears either . But then how can he still here the sounds ? "P-please don't be", he begs . His hands shake as he brings them up to touch both sides of his head ; wishing not to find what he is looking for . And they are ! Human ears !A mild shiver is sent down his neck and he rushes to the mirror on the other side of the room just to face this nightmare with his own two eyes

He stares at the mirror with his eyes wide open and mouth as if he is going to shout . No...

Oh...nevermind . He has to calm down ; it's nothing but another fancy dream . He'll soon wake up and these will be all gone . Leona tries closing his eyes and cursing , wanting to wake up to sanity when he opens them again

Surprise : Nothing's changes . Two crappy brats still staring at him . Agni is now a bit suspicious but Suma on the other hand is really motivated : " Ahh~! Sorry if it's strange to sleep in the streets and wake up in bed- I just saw you laying there in a death like slumber and couldn't help but to bring you along ! Also , haven't we met before ? I'm pretty sure that I've seen your face somewhere before... Don't you happen to be from India ? "

Agni is really stressed out and keeps warning the young boy : " My prince ! He's now all conscious and fine , then I'd lead him out of he-"

"Prince , huh ?" Leona wasn't ever really interested in visiting ally kingdoms back at his home town so he barely got to meet any other princes , hm but to think that this cherishing child is actually a prince...man , the world has really changed

But he has no time for such games now , he has to find Ruggie or anyone else who may lead him out this insanity and return him his ears and tail

He asks for where he is - else than Suma's mansion - and the answer doesn't really do any help either . Where on the bloody hell is London ? And if these people found him laying in the streets when the heck did he even get here ? Well , doesn't really matter now , but where is NRC ?

Suma and Agni probably don't know where NRC is and Dire Crowley ? Suma wonders if this guy was the one who fooled him to buy a sick elephant which died a week after in india , but Agni is sure that neither him nor his prince have ever met a single soul named this

Leona is getting more and more pissed off wasting time chatting with these idiots so he takes his way out , ignoring Suma's begs for him to stay for lunch at least

He freezes just at the second he opens the exit doors and gazes upon the streets : Horses? carriages ? 19th century's clothing ? How long have these people been stuck in this lack of technology?

He feels like he now really needs to make a phone call but searching his pockets he finds both of them empty...those brats stole my-

He was close to getting hit by a carriage when someone shouts at him with a : " OUT OF WAY YOU SON OF A-"

He is now ready to get in a fight but a sound cuts him off : " LEONAAAA HELLP-!!!!!!" , this extremely annoying sound...what the heck is he doing here and : WHAT IN THE BLOODY HELL HAS HE DONE NOW !!!????

Feat : Lau & Ran-Mao

Business tip nu 1 : Always keep calm , even if you end up losing all your magic powers in the surface without the possibility of returning to your original form or knowing where in the damn world you are : K-e-e-p-c-a-l-m

Thankfully , Azul's dope nature avoids him from going crazy during his stay in this...non-Twisted wonderland world

He had heard of theories explaining the possibility of other world's existence ; countless ones indeed . But to end up in one of them without any preparations ? He wasn't planning on that

Well nevermind , that cannot be helped now . let's look for a better way

Lack of facility , cultural deprivation and severe corruption ; is this how humans are ? No wonder the sea witch called them Poor unfortunate souls...

Enough with these people , he must now ignore all other disadvantages and take a look into beneficial sides of it...If he has ended up here , in this world and into this spot of the city there must be something linked to magic nearby ; even if he's surrounded by all these foolish people who haven't ever even seen real magic by their own eyes

Just as he's looking around , something catches his attention : a strange smell . Thanks to his family he's pretty good at following smells to their source and knowing what exactly they are : it's the pungent smell of Opium

He follows the smoke to its source and arrives to a bunch of stares going underground . A board is place next to the stares with something written on it :  Opium Den

Azul isn't one to believe in superstitions but he is sometimes interested to take ambitious  steps ; life sometimes brings you worthy surprises

Entering the shop , someone slightly grabs his arm . He turns his head to face a young, beautiful lady pulling his sleeve softly , eyes empty of any emotions . Without saying a word , Ran-Mao grabs his hat and coat and Azul thanks her , seems like he took the right path

His vision got a bit blurred as must of the air is filled with smoke , not that he isn't used to such atmospheres

" Why welcome to my place , sir . How may we service you today~ ? " a sound says from other side of the room . Azul turns back to face the source of all these smoke holding that young lady from before close , could she be her right arm woman or something ? She seems pretty obedient for one , which is nice

Azul introduces himself and takes a seat . He isn't going to get to his main point at the very first seconds ; he needs to make sure that he's come to the right person . He introduces himself as a businessman from a far away city , came to explore more of business tactics here in London . He offers Lau a small chat toward that , wanting him to give him more information on business if possible and return , he'd be given similar information about Azul's home town

While being considerably great at it , Lau isn't really interested in wasting time talking about business , all he ever cares in some sort of entertainment in whatever he does . Still , he agrees of playing this fake role for a short time . Although he knows that Azul isn't here for this either...

A few minutes pass and they both know that Azul doesn't really care to know how much a pork costs and either is Lau , so takes a serious step himself : " I see you're a man of business , Mr . Azul . I wonder what I you may be able to offer me in return ," Azul clarifies that he would get interesting information if he gives Azul good ones ; everything is clear and equal . "Then , I'm afraid that I've got not much to offer ," Lau sighs , but a small smirks appears of his lips : "But what would you say about some tea ? And maybe a small talk ? "

Lau isn't like others out there and that's pretty recognizable to Azul , but it doesn't make him the right person to trust either . He is continuing this conversation in hope of Lau leading him to the right person he is looking for , someone worthy of a greater contract . Lau lets out a sad sigh feeling sorry that he can't do much help , but he knows that who may do : A well-known friend , serving years working as a right arm man . Talented , well cultured , big on all issues including business : "I'm sure that you'll like him ,"

Well perhaps this thing's starting to work out for him : " Then by all means , lead me to this mister you speak of , Mr. Lau~" "With all pleasure . Bring him his coat and hat , sister " , Lau orders . Pleasure is always his first priority , but nothing would ever break rules of a contract ; He gives , he receives . Even taking him to Sebastian is counted but , he's already thought of that . This young man seems quite entertaining and when he first stepped into his shop Lau was expecting him , a spacial guest

Lau doesn't really care about superstitions , but still enjoys his ambitious steps  . This guy had came to him just as expected and now , something about him tells Lau that getting him to Sebastian will bring him as well newer faces to meet...what an entertaining day it would be

Feat : Tanaka

Jamil is... about to lose his mind . Caught in a whole other world without a meaningful explanation of how he ended up here or why . Magic doesn't work and there is no certain way to scape this situation and make a return to NRC . But the worst thing about it remained certain : He is caught with Kalim

Why in the bloody hell does he always have to be hooked up with Kalim ? Parents forced him into it at childhood , headmaster orders to it at school and now , the world suddenly decides to abandon him together with Kalim ? If it's joke , that's a pretty lame one . Why does he have to live in the shadows of Kalim being the unworthy dorm leader ?

Now lost in the streets , not knowing where to go or who to contact , what a wonderful way to start a day

Kalim isn't liking it at all : dirty streets , loud and short tempered people , street fight and drunk men everywhere , the smell of death filling the air , this is horrible . Kalim is well aware of poverty and deprivation lasting for so long and even remaining until the very present day , but traveling back in time and space to face one of the most terrifying levels of it just isn't his thing . He feels sorry and odd at the same time : Is this how life behind of the walls of his royal castle looked like ? He wishes he could help it . He probably could if he was any linked to NRC right now

He keeps on telling Jamil how poor they look and wonder if there is a way to help...The world Kalim knows has elegant and colorful nights and days but this world...was all caught in a dead gray mist

Jamil doesn't say a word because he doesn't want to listen , Kalim can keep on daydreaming but he has to find a way back a.s.a.p . They can't leave Scarabia just on their own and everyone (including Kalim's Dad) must be really stressed out by now . He continues to look , but there isn't really anything helpful around them . People yelling at each other and smoking the shit out of themselves . Young ladies flirting as young men offer them a carriage ride and tourists staring at each and every building like they hadn't ever seen a place to live inside as if they've been living in a cave so far , huh

Jamil can no longer take it next to Kalim and eventually goes feral : " WOULD YOU JUST SHUT UP !!?" He has no control over his words now , he's nervous , furious and freaked out . If he were to compare his mood to something similar he'd say the time he overblotted , just that he had his magic back then

Now Kalim as well gets into a fight with him . What the hell does this have to do with him ? Jamil has to calm down and be realistic unless they'll never find a way out ! Jamil states that if he grew up just enough to realize how terrible their current situation is , he would've had something better to do than showing mercy over some bunches of street rats

The two of them keep on arguing until someone cuts them of : " Hohoho young men ! What's with all these loud sounds ?"

They stop and turn back to face the source of this old , chill voice . Facing a tall , old man dressed in all black clothes which high-leveled servants would wear and a monocle , giving them a soft , calm smile

" Aa- nevermind grandps ! It wasn't like it seemed we were just talking ! Right Jamily ? " he says , putting a hand on Jamil's shoulder and giving a big , wide smile . "H-hey... don't call me that..." , Jamil doesn't like Kalim acting this chill ; but it is embarrassing to see that they actually called attention

"Hoho , better . Now tell me young men , could it be that you have a trouble ? You look awfully down ," Tanaka asks ; sounding just like a grandfather guiding his grandchildren

Kalim takes a look at Jamil , wondering if it's right to do what he's thinking of and Jamil in return , nods as a yes " Well sir , there you see we actually don't belong here yet to another-" Jamil cuts him off before he could mess the whole thing up : " -Another state , indeed ! We came here for some sort of a business trip and were supposed to be on our way back home by now but sadly , ran into thieves . Our families must be really worried for now and I doubt them being sure of us being hooked up here . We lost everything and have no way to contact anyone we know... only if someone nice enough could be found to help us with it right now ," Jamil dropped his head , trying to act as natural as possible . Kalim wants to remind him that this isn't right to lie someone who is trying to help them yet he wonders if he should let Jamil take care of this now , after all he was much of a worthier leader than him to be honest...

" That's so sad to hear dear boy , I'm sure that young master as well would've been really frustrated if he were here ," Tanaka replies . Oh ? Young master ?  Jamil is now interested . Wherever this man came from , it can't be somewhere cheap , Jamil could tell . Leading them to a mightier source would be a better thing than just laying in the streets waiting for some miracle to save them right ? " Young master , you say ? " Kalim asks . " On the second thought , how about me introducing you to my master ? You're not much older than him I suppose , he as well needs to have more friends like you good men  ," Tanaka says with a sweet smile . " That'll be so nice of you um , Mr...? " Jamil asks " Tanaka is fine young boys . And you? "  " Jamil Viper ," " Kalim al Asim ! Glad to meet you Tanaka sir ! " Kalim says , bringing his hand for Tanaka to shake . Tanaka shakes hands with both of them and Jamil decides to make the process a bit faster : " I look forward to meeting this young master you say , Mr. Tanaka . It's always great to meet more men of culture ," Jamil sneakers . " Then by all means , follow me young men ," Tanaka says . With a sound of pop and some smoke , the tall man shrinks into a chibi version : " Ho , ho , ho ," " What the-!!!" Kalim panicks , no magic and yet this dude can shrink all of a sudden huh ?

" Ho ho," chibi Tanaka says before turning back and going to another direction . " I guess we should follow him," Jamil says . Kalim agrees and then , they're both following the chibi old man to the Phantomhive's mansion . Unaware of the two eyes watching them all this time : " Hihihi ~ they're quite interesting ,"

Feat : Grell Sutcliff & Ronald Knox

"Come oooon Ronald~ Shake your lazy ass and bring her along already..." " Oi senpai , that's mean ! This one's quite heavy-" "JUST SHUT UP AND DO THAT ! Don't you know it's rude to question ladies too much ? " " F-fine then , but at least give me a hand ! Have you even checked if she's dead !? " Heavy ? Dead ? She...? Vil isn't born to be disrespected like this . AND NOT A SINGLE SOUL GETS TO PULL HIM BY LEG WHEN HE'S ASLEEP

Vil immediately starts shouting at the Blondie , threating him that he'll regret it if he doesn't let go of him now . Ronald and Grell almost have a heart attack at Vil's chicken like screech which makes them jump

Vil snads up and glares at the two shinigamis : A really ugly female like one all dressed in red and a small blondie brat which looks like...eh..Azul ? Well nevermind ; doesn't matter now

What should he begin with ? Where he is ? Who these potatoes are and how they didn't recognize him being the leader of Pomefiore ? How perky they were to move him while asleep like this and ruin fabric of his overly expensive unforms ? Too many things to do

" Ah you're too loud ! My ears...Such an unexpected shout to hear from a man this hot I'd say..." Grell giggles . Vil's eyes widen , well of course he is beautiful but to be praised like that ? Ew , this is more of a insult ...

Vil decides to ignore Grell and get to the main point : Who they were and what they wanted . Grell smirks before preparing to give a 5 hour long opera show of shinigamis' romance but Ronald locks him on that point : They are shinigamis , they collect souls of the death , they had grabbed Vil because he looked a bit like the woman they were just going to collect yet didn't pay enough of attention to notice that they made a mistake , so they can all leave since they've got nothing to do with each other

Just before Ronald could get away Vil grabs him by collar , asking where they've brought him to . Grell clears that they just moved him by 30-40 meters from where they found him so it can't be really counted as bringing him to somewhere . Vil refuses to believe , wherever he is , it's way further than Pomefiore dorm or even NRC's accessable area ; that can't be . Vil threatens them one more time : " You refuse to tell , you'll end up dealing with the headmaster ," Grell and Ronald probably don't know who the headmaster is but Grell tries to take advantage : "Aaa? Is he one into punishing type ?" Vil is slowly getting annoyed by how weird this red one sounds to him ; To be honest he acts like an impatient porn star or something...

That's it , he's calling Crowley but uh , where is his phone ? Did he lose it ? Impossible . He'll never forget such an important thing to bring along ... Did these brats dare to steal his pockets....!? Vil asks them to give his phone and wallet back : now " Sir , you may like to know that human money brings no good for us and also , I'm afraid that I don't really know what you may mean by phone? " Ronald mumbles (Remember that phone isn't yet invited at their time ). Why don't this guy just let them go take care of their business ?

Vil hates it when people dare opposing him and doesn't ever take that lightly...who do these two think they are ? " Where is Night Raven College , answer or you'll face unpleasant consequences..." Is Vil challenging Grell ? Then Grell's more than ready to see what this human may have up his slave to speak to a shinigami like this : " And what may the consequences be...?" Vil gets tired , a small spell and this red ass bitch would be nothing but a toad , " I tried to warn you , you should've listened..."

Ahem , hello ? Magic ? Why isn't it working ? " Pffffffftttt- Lmao are you high or something man ? You just woke up !You'll be a great actor though I swear- You can drown in all that nonsense ," Grell laughs . " Well then hottie , I'm afraid we've got to go , see you when it's your time ~ " Grell turns to leave but Vil grabs him by collar . No one is leaving until they explain what the actual heck is going on : this place , the magic , everything

Grell on the other hand enjoyed flirting , but can't take being acted to like this . He pushes Vil back and gives him a psychotic smile , bringing up his chainsaw : " Wouldn't it be amazing if I cut those rushy tongue of yours at once ? fewer words , more of a male charm ," "Oh ?" magic may not work here , but they're not all Vil has got , he can still give this bitch guy a lesson without them : " Oi you two , this isn't really gonna workout-" Ronald mumbles but it's too late now -

Feat : Undertaker

At least he wakes up to a more suitable scene , or it seems so - His body couldn't move freely inside of this cage-like space . Is this a cuffin...? He has experience with them from his freshman year but to end up in one of them again ? Could it be that Crowley is planning on another fancy event like their first time ? Boy , he didn't like it anyway . He knocks the door trying to open it but if seems too heavy to be moved . Damnit- , he hears footsteps from the outside : " Someone there ? Why can't I open this ??" A sudden screech from out and the door slides open : " Ah thank yoUWAHAAAA- !!" Idia screams at the sight of the creepy stranger's smile at him ; he wasn't expecting this . Also , this place doesn't look like the mirror hall ? Who is this guy and where is this place ??

" Hihihi you weren't that dead I see , why waking up so soon though~ ?" , Undertaker giggles in his playful tone . Idia needs too many things to be explained to him but he just doesn't have the time , Crewel will burn him in acid if he gets any late for his class again and he doesn't care how weird his current situation is , he has to go

He gets out of the coffin and rushes to the door but Undertaker stops him there telling him not to show up out there so carelessly , which clearly confuses Idia . " Your hair...It is quite fascinating that curses remain strong even as magic gets blocked..." Undertaker adds . Idia is used to people judging him for his family misfortune but this one seemed quite...odd . He decides to ignore it and leave

" ~ Okies then I warned you , but you'll end up needing a real cuffin in a few minutes pwahahaaa-" , Undertaker burts into laughter and Idia leaves

" creepy ass old ma-" , Idia nags slowly before freezing as someone screams really-loudly right into his ears " HAIR ON FIRE , HIS HAIR IS ON FIRE !!" Before Idia can notice what is going on he's gained tens of gazes to himself , why are these guys all dressed so strangely...

" M-mummy is that a monster ? I'm scared..." " Stay away from our children you hellish creature ! " Idia freezes , critiques coming one after one : Demon , monster , Satan , Death . One option left : Run

Idia now has to run for his life , this world just isn't his thing : not at all . Even if it weren't because of being chased by a group of angry humans , do you think that he could last for even one day in this old fashioned zone ? No technology , no phones , no robots , no gummy bears , no wifi- He'd read about how different the world was before the invention of media and couldn't explain how thankful he was to never have to handle a second in the past world because he wouldn't last there for more than an hour- well he wasn't right about never ending up there but , he was 100% right about not lasting for more than an hour

Now there , he is running like he never has , begging his feet to help him this time out of any other time . Angry people screaming and bringing fire and weapons to destroy the evil

He tries to contact any possible source for help but : No magic - no internet . RIP Idia

Meanwhile Undertaker is chilling at his shop , his mind running over the cursed boy and now listening to the sound of the frightened people because of him , how pathetic , If only he had agreed to hide his hair through a safer way...sigh he should have listened to advises coming from someone who has been living within humans for years by hiding his identity as a shinigami as as his eyes... " My my , humans aren't the only fragile creatures I see..." creation can seem disturbing to him sometimes , and that's the best part with it

Back to Idia , he is slowly running out of breath . Well maybe this is the point where he has to give up ? He has long lived as a loser , bastard , procrastinator and wasted almost each and every second of his life ; well perhaps except Ortho , that was a nice work of him . Wish he was here too say goodbye .  He isn't sure if his prayers would be accepted or not but it won't hurt trying : " Good gods who're told to be somewhere up there , I know that I wasn't best that I could be and I won't try to excuse my sins ; just please let it end fast, Ame- " he forgets his prayers as his guardian angel is standing just a few meters away from him ; oh have gods sent an identical twin - human version of Leona for him to be saved ? Well whatever now , he has no time if he's the original furry or not : "LEONAAAA HELLP-!!!!!!"

And yes , he is the original one ! He curses as he sees the population after Idia , what the hell is wrong with this world ? Idia hides behind his back and Leona tries to take control before they end up burning the two of them together : " You people , chill ," " Why you defending that creature ? He a a misfortune ! A demon !" others shout at this words in agreement . Leona laughs it off . He says that Idia is way too dumb for a demon and even if he is one , he's the type to scream his ass off when someone says "hi" . Idia doesn't know if Leona's defending him or not but he doesn't dare saying a word . Leona seems too busy dealing with the crowd and slowly , the argument topic switches from Idia to Leona ; who isn't afraid of punching some faces . The argument slowly takes over and no one (even Leona) realizes Idia sneaking into an alley saving his life . He feels a bit guilty for leaving Leona on his own but he'll be fine , hopefully

Thankfully the alley is deserted and he finally lays down to catch his breath , still panting heavily . He almost got killed today and can't get over it , but things were getting a bit comforting : "Meow~" several cats show up from the corners and Idia puts on a small smile . A white kittens comes closer and allows Idia to touch and comfort him . Idia wonders , how does their lives as a cat here feels ? do they as well get as scared as he was just now?  . A few minutes later when Idia -and his cats- were chilling someone steps closer to them  . Before Idia gets to run away , a tall , black and familiar face shows up and gives him a pretty calm smirk : " My my , I see you as well adore cats, could it be some part of our hellish natures ?"

"...J-Jade...?"

Feat : Ciel Phantomhive & Sebastian Michaelis

Let us be honest , it isn't going to be that bad for him , is it ? His current lifestyle at Valley of the thorns is nothing less than London's late 19th century , just maybe it had more of a natural theme . Well , no technology can be good news since he never really get used to it after all . London's atmosphere as well seem to be just his thing : Sometimes savage but calm , filled with tea parties and great ceremonies , an interesting back ground toward the royal family and in summary , Malleus's ideal theme

Well maybe except some things : 1) HORNS-ARE-GONE . His family treasure , the great heritage that proved him coming from the all great and respected Draconia family , now is gone 2) No need to mention that there is no sight of his fairy ears either- 3) Having his magic lost in this unknown world , he is now nothing different from a fragile human being , just as weak , just as empty , just as disgusting . Oh but our prince isn't totally left on his own here...

Unexpectedly , Phantomhive's mansion is serving a mysterious guest today , even though Ciel was against letting strangers inside the house . Sebastian insisted on being aware of the importance of hospitality as the Queen's watch dog , specially with special guests

Everything seems odd to Malleus , this world , this time , this people and...this master and butler . He is no fool , not even the foolishest of these humans would treat and cater strangers without wanting something in return , therefore he needs to keep his guard up . They shouldn't be aware of his actual identity even if they look deprived of any magic

Ciel is feeling awfully uncomfortable , who is this man ? And what the heck about him might have caught Sebastian's eyes ? This greedy demon wouldn't easily be impressed , so what could it be ?

Sebastian insists that it's how he should learn to treat everyone else if he's willing to be well remembered after death ; he pronounces the last word in a pretty deep , dark tone . Making it clear that how he'll finally die in a sarcastic way which teased Ciel

He decides not to have any argues with Sebastian on that point since he can act pretty cocky with stuff he gets stubborn over , so let's see what he's hiding up in sleeve this time . Though Ciel is suspicious of other stuff as well , this Mr... -whatever he is since he doesn't give them a name- looks like a pale - greenish version of Sebastian . Could he be another demon..?

Malleus refuses to give them a name due to possible risks , yet he has to admit that he's being taken care of properly . The room he's given isn't as big as the one in his castle , but is still considerable for something a stranger would be given . Other than that , anyone else he's met here so far seemed to be pretty chill , oh except this tiny child with a blindfold and he gets to be called young master ? He has to admit that he's impressed . To be in control of all this property when you aren't yet even tall enough to pick your favorite book from the shelf on your own

And there is another guy who is really...how to explain , is it some feeling of deja Vu or he really does look like Silver ? The guy is always talking to the snakes just as Silver talks to the birds and animals . If it weren't because of difference in eye color , perhaps Malleus wouldn't believe that he wasn't Sliver himself . " Your stay won't last much longer master , your friends are on their way here , says Donne ," Snake tells him . Malleus doesn't really know how to feel about him but his words comfort him for some reason...

Ciel says that he needs to check on the trio since they've been calling him all day so he heads to the front yard , leaving Sebastian and Malleus alone

Sebastian offers him some tea and Malleus of course sees no reason to refuse . Sebastian doesn't sit beside him because it's arrogant of servants to sit beside the guests , so he remains stood up . He doesn't bother starting a conversation with Malleus and he does know how to get him to speak . Malleus doesn't mind answering to...some of his questions . How he likes it here in London , if he needs anything else during his stay , but the last question made his eyes widen : Does he do feel any uncomfortable under the terms of not being able to use his powers ?

Malleus doesn't answer , he pretends that he didn't hear him and stares at the window . He is hoping it to help him ignore Sebastian , but what he sees isn't any better :  Isn't that... Rosehearts laying there...??

Malleus has to go , not only because of getting rid of Sebastian at this point but to also check on his ally if he's alright or not :  Did the butler know he too was here all the time ?

Sebastian just knows what was going on in his mind and wants  better answers . Malleus stands up to leave but Sebastian takes grabs his arm before he could do anything : " No need to rush . We still have a lot to talk about , Mr. Draconia ,"

♦♥♠♣

Note for Idia's part : I was actually planning on Idea having his hair as well gone because , well , no magic no hair ? But that seemed too unfair for him lol

[purplerose244]

Thoughts journal Ninjago season 13!! 🖤🖤 (4/4)

Here we are, at the end of just another season of Ninjago! And I've gotta say, until now it has been very good, I think I'm liking this season better than Prime Empire and Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu. I liked them too, but this one feels more complete and deep, also LILLY GOT A BACKSTORY HECK YEAH 😍😍

Prime Empire had one really great ending, so I'm very curious how this season will conclude! Spinjitzu burst? Some last minute plot twist? Cole and Vania confirmed...? 🙄

Here we go!!

THE DARKEST HOUR

So I'm guessing the guys aren't doing too good at the moment 😅

I know this is kind of a tense situation, but honestly Kai looking so confused at having to lead cracks me up 😂 "Do I have to say it? Is that what being in charge means?"

Lloyd: YOU

Jay: SHALL

Kai: NOT

Zane: BE GRANTED THE PERMISSION TO TRAVERSE BEYOND THIS POINT

I have no words, that was such an obvious reference in full Zane style so in character, I have tears. Beautiful 🤣🤣

Also they all look SO COOL 💚💙❤🤍

My ninja babies fighting together screaming NINJA-GOO!! Really this season feels like we're back in the old days, so cool! And they are so in sync, Kai lifting Lloyd up and Zane pushing others away and I LOVE THE FIGHTING ANIMATIONS 🤩

Poor Skull dude, he's trying to do his big bad guy monologue and he keeps getting interrupted 😂

It was cute that both tribes immediately refused to surrender, not sure if it was for pride or they actually care about their new ninja friends, but it was nice

Aahh, near death life experiences, the best way to elicit teamwork 👍 Nice scene, nice cute scene

Nnnnnyyyggg, Lloyd, that's the sacrifice look right there 😱 At least they just turned themselves in peacefully after reuniting the tribes... aaand of course he was lying, I hate that Skull dude 👿👿

THE ASCENT

Back to team Cole! Back to the Upply! 🖤 Quick guys, we're only three episodes left!! NEED TO GO BIG!!

Heeeeeyy, Wu back in business! I kinda missed him a bit taking control of the situation, it used to be him because he was the master. It really is a jump into the past this season! 🤩🤩

Sure let's go with the explosive cart, not like Cole and the other ninja haven't been piloting a falling apart rocket back to Earth before 🤷‍♀️

A Mech on rolleskates, why not? Does Cole even know how to go on those though? He was already out of the Tournament of Elements during Chen's Thunder Blade so I don't really know...

Lolz the monster was actually waiting staring at the wall, guess you don't get much fun in this mine 😅

COOL FIGHTING SEQUENCE COOL FIGHTING SEQUENCE COOL FIGHTING SEQUENCE 🖤🖤🖤

And a poor old couple of civilians traumatized. They need to be trained by the people of Ninjago City on how to deal with weird appearances 💪

I guess we're doing this 😅 Gonna be honest, this is the first very evident sweet look I see from these two. I like Vania, a lot, but another classic love interest? Uuuuhhh, Idk, Imma see the rest of the season and see what happens 🤷‍♀️

A baby dragon on a giant spider, one of my favorite things ever on one thing I fear... I'll let it pass just because Adam is a good boy 🕷🕷🕷

GO VANIA GO GIRL LET HIM KNOW WHO IS THE BOSS HERE!!! 💛💛💛

THE UPPLY STRIKES BACK!

I really like these DnD guys, they've grown on me, let's see what they have in store! 😁

Munce and Geckles under chains, ninja in a cage, the Skull dude has the control, we're back when we started... sucks to be a ninja sometimes 😅

Omg I'm loving that this dude is trying so hard to be menacing and he keeps getting ignored 😂😂 Aww cute, you think you're the first that wants to destroy the ninja? Such a special little snowflake 😘 Evil monologue, we've been going for 13 seasons now with various specials and a movie, we heard it already 🤷‍♀️

Also the reveal, and he's all "Your friend Cole is dead" and Lloyd "That's what they all say, buddy" 👌👌

Poor Cole just wants justice for his mom HELP EMOTIONAL AGAIN

I'm all for Cole's personal team, they should do missions together, like Jay's team in Skybound!... that technically never happened, BUT STILL COOL 🖤💙🖤💙

Oh boy oh boy oh boy got the swords, confrontation ready, BRING IT!! Ninja team is all in for this!! ❤💚💙🤍🌊

REVOLUTION!!!! 💪💪💪💪

Swords aren't usually Cole's weapon of choice... BUT DANG IT HE CAN SWING THEM, HOLY GARMADON!!! THIS IS THE FIGHTING SCENES I WANT!!! 😍😍

How is this the episode prior the finale? It already feels like the finale! What else is going to happen?

SON'S OF LILY

Oh with a title like this, it's a given that I will not survive. Oh boy, here goes, the FINALE!

Chaos, chaos, beautiful dragon of death and distraction, also gently reminder that Mino is also a very good boy 💕 Are the skeletons connected to the skull? Are they gonna stop reform when Cole defeats the Skull Sorcerer?

The swords are not actually magical? Huh, first weapon in this show that turns out to be a fluke, apart maybe the Dragon Armor of the Firstborne... that one stayed intact at least 😅

HERE COMES THE VALKIRIES!!! *classic related music plays*

THIS. FIGHTING. SCENES. ARE. SO. FREAKING. GOOD 😍 Also wow sensei, full kamikaze with a dragon? I guess the sacrifice gene really runs into that family 😅

COLE NO DON'T HURT ROCK BABY 😭

"Always." KIRBY STOP MAKING ME CRY WITH YOUR AMAZING VOICE ACTING SKILLS ALSO HOLY HOOLA GANG

THAT'S LIKE A SPINJITZU WITH THE TRUE POTENTIAL OMG HECK YEAH SHINE COLE SHINE!!! 🖤🖤🖤

A bit red, could mistake it for Kai's, but it's an orange earth lava burst so I understand

Cole: okay guys, done my part

Cole: wake me up when next season is out

LOOK AT VANIA BECOMING THE QUEEN WITH THAT BEAUTIFUL ATTIRE AND USING COLE'S MOTHER QUOTE BECAUSE SHE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM COLE AWWW 💛

Okay, since there weren't evident references to Nexo Knights this season, can I pretend Fungus shooting fireworks is one? Merlok used to do that almost at every season finale... IMMA PRETEND 🙃

She is so adorable, I really love her. Wished we've seen more of her bond with her father, it felt a little easy her giving up on him. Idk, Sky and Chen didn't have that much of a bond but she struggled a lot! But she is super cool and cute, I ADORE her 💕

This sounds like a pretty good experience for Lloyd who FINALLY spent a season without being scarred for life!!! He even met a princess who didn't plan his death!!! Montgomery things are getting better 💚

Well, that surprised me, I guess Cole and Vania like each other but not heavily? Just a very light mood, like they care a lot but no other step further. I'm very happy about this choice, you can see it as a couple if you want, but you can also say they are just good friends. Nice 👍

Oh no, Wu got his midlife crisis, SOMEBODY STOPS HIM 😱

Wherever the wind will take them okay, wherever the producers will decide to torture them 😗

Overall, great finale! 😁

FINAL THOUGHTS

I think I enjoyed Prime Empire's finale more than this one, but this season with all of its episodes was absolutely AMAZING 🖤

The Skull Sorcerer wasn't necessarily a bad villain, but the story kinda went into another direction in my opinion so his part wasn't fundamental. Which isn't a bad thing for me, it's actually new and exciting see the attention to the story instead of the villain, and I did enjoy how they made fun of how cliche he was being 😂

Vania was GREAT. Wished we had more time with her father to really establish what kind of bond they had, but overall I loved her, new best girl acquired 💛💛💛

FREAKING ROCK MOM!! FREAKING LILLY!! I'm so emotional just thinking about this family, omg, THIS is the content I want for Ninjago! Impactful, that makes sense, connected to the heart that makes you so much closer to a character! Finally the Rock family is getting more complex 🖤

I think this season really gave Cole justice, we got her mom's story, we've got him leading a team again, we've got him with a cool new power! 😍😍

For the other ninja it was okay, I really liked the shenanigans with the tribes and the cultures were really fun to explore. Was kinda like a side quest and for me didn't bring that much to the main story, but it was fun and it's fair, Cole had all the attention he deserved 👌

FIGHTING ANIMATION OMG HECK FREAKING YEAH 10/NINJA-GOOOO ❤💚💙🖤🤍🌊

Beautiful designs for the characters, in particular the Shintaro citizens, and also wonderful backgrounds and sceneries, that I thought were starting to lack but here seems much nicer to look at 🤩

What can I say? Ninjago still knows how to mess with my heart, and I'm so very happy about it. I think the so wanted Cole season was definitely worth it 🖤🖤🖤

Now, I heard voices about a possible Nya season... ABSOLUTELY YES, YES TO EVERYTHING, QUEEN GETTING HER OWN SEASON YES YES YES!!! 😍😍😍🌊🌊🌊 Besides that apparently Maya will come back, which is a dream coming true, if they give Nya the same attention they gave to Cole this season, I will be happy 😊

[hyliassilentblossoms]

The Hound

So like most people after episode 2 I'm gonna have a mini theorizing/ gathering my general thoughts about the new grimm.

First things first. The Hound had been stalking Oscar out through that entire episode (which I didn't notice until I rewatched it). I know it was obvious from the get-go when we saw Salem ordering the Hound and giving it a scent that it would be coming after Oscar. But it's a cool little detail to show it following him through Mantle, instead of going for him on sight. It (in my opinion) made the Hound actually seem like it was tracking Oscar down throughout the city, and that it was a smart move to send something behind them at a time where that half of the group weren't watching their backs and were focusing on moving from point A to B as quickly as possible.

Soooo theory time:

1) The Hound is a result of grimm hybridisation/ fusion (basically what's happening to Cinder)

So the part of that made me consider this as what could've happened is the intelligence level the Hound shows (this isn't just talking about the talking). We haven't seen a grimm so far (to my knowledge, but I could be wrong) that has been smart enough to act how this one did, e.g. Using one of the weakest aura levelled humans (even though Oscar was it's target in the first place) as a shield. We know that the grimm are attracted to people's aura as well as negative emotions. It could likely sense YRJO's (I don't know if these four have an official team name) stress from trying to evacuate an entire city into the crater. From there it could likely deduce Oscar as both its target and the lowest aura so he'd be the easiest of the four to go for.

Now, we also know that grimm get more intelligent with age from when Oobleck was explaining to Ruby back in V2 why the Goliaths weren't immediately attacking. However, what we see the Hound doing seems to stretch more than 'this grimm's been around for 100+ years so it's developed this skill'. It seems to be human-like intelligence, it found the groups' weakness and it will exploit it to win. That, compared to the more instinctual approaches of other grimm e.g: work as a pack, overpower weak targets, etc, seems like an actual thought out tactic. Also the Hound was clearly under strict instructions to bring him back to Salem, there's no guarantee that any other grimm wouldn't try to kill him. But the Hound did exactly as it was told without any faults, as if she sent the best she had- maybe a former member of her circle who did something to disappoint Salem and this was their punishment?

2) Something Salem's been saving

As we see in the scene, the Hound possess most of the grimm we've seen into one: Long arms (Nuckelavee), wings (Wyverns), basically making itself look like a Beowolf. We saw at the end of V6 Salem was 'evolving' some Beringels to have wings at the black pools near her castle. Who's to say this hasn't been on the back burner for a while? Maybe when she made a new grimm she'd give one quality to the Hound. Salem's been around for thousands of years, in that time there would've been countless grimm produced. It's possible she could've been working on this as early back as when her and Ozma's kingdom fell and the next incarnation was running around, we don't have a timeframe for when any specific grimm came into existence.

It's main form seems to resemble an Usra but much bigger

and later it looks like a Beowolf.

However, this leaves the point that we see it's vocal cords form in it's throat just before it talks. Now the only human-like grimm we've seen are the Apathy. Yes these things didn't talk, but they could scream, which requires the use of vocal cords. It's entirely possible the Apathy had them (with them being made with only the capability to scream) and these were added to the Hound during its creation but were altered slightly to allow for coherent speech.

Another explanation for its speaking capabilities could be similar to the jellyfish grimm Salem uses to communicate with her people. Those grimm are able to be used basically like telephones, if Salem speaks, the people near will hear. It could be that the Hound is simply this and Salem's voice is distorted. Buuuuut I realise this is a bit of a stretch, even though it would be, and was, a good way to put fear into her enemies.

3) Salem's magic

So my last theory is arguably the weakest of the 3. Basically this theory suggests that the Hound was a rush job that was meant to be effective in both striking quickly and hoping Ozpin's group would stand down. We know Salem still has her magic, just like Oz from humanity's first run. The Hound could've been something she knew the black pools wouldn't be capable of creating and had to tap into her own magic to create what she needed. I'll admit though, apart from the maidens and relics, I don't really like the 'because magic' explanation if it isn't already cannon.

So that's just a few thoughts. I've heard theories that the Hound is Summer Rose having gone through grimm hybridization, that would also explain the lack of eyes. But I haven't read those theories enough to form an opinion on them yet, so I'll leave those be until I read and understand them.