#IDK WHY MAN THIS SHIP TORMENTED ME

[factual-fantasy]

How to start...

My baby. My little tiny baby. So scared! Alone! Helpless! I know you said he didn't get his wounds all on the same day but... OUGHHHH MY BABYYYYY YOU DONT GET IT THIS IS SMALL TINY BABY TUNA!!! HE IS SO SMALLLL SO SCARED AND ALONE I CANT I CAAANNNTTTTT

Because I know this isn't necessarily canon, but... what if, what if? You know? What if? I'd be 1000% devastated by the information. WHAT HAPPENED MY BABY WHO HURT YOU?! WHY ARE YOU ALONE?! WHY THERES NOBODY THERE HELPING YOU?! THEY'RE LETTING YOU BLEES TROUGH THE BANDAGES OOOOHHHH NO MY BABY COME HERE IMMA TAKE CARE OF YOU FUCK'EM ALL

Hes asking for help, so loud, without saying anything. He is just looking, terrified, big aah blue eye staring into your soul with the biggest scaredest tears you'll ever see rolling down too-small cheeks.

NO YOU DONT GET IT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS TINY LITTLE BABY SMALL VERY SMALL TUNA BEING ALL ALONE ARE BREAKING MY HEART I AM SO GLAD HE FOUND THE CREW AND THEY LET HIM BE A PART OF THEM

I guess he got his injuries later in life at diferent times (I wonder if a kid that small would survive the blood loss, I guess it isn't imposible, but seeing how little anyone cared for Tuna back then...). I wonder if he had someone to take care for his injuries when he got them. I guess somebody must have, because otherwise I doubt he wouldn't get an infection or sth. Or maybe he just got lucky. Or maybe at least somebody cared enough to not let him die because of poor injury treatment. But like... he... he looks so desperately alone... so terrified. His big blue eye is wide open in fear. He doesn't quite gets his situation. He is shaking, he is hurting, and everything hurts so badly! Why?! Please somebody help him, but he looks, and only looking he alredy knows begging for help won't do anything. So he stares, in fear. In so much fear. How can someone so tiny be so terrified?

Factual you're gonna drive me insane. I love baby Tuna here. I'm fighting with my life to protect this baby from any Injuries. I'm just... destroyed by this, but I am so insanely grateful he is now surrounded by people who would fight whoever made this to him to death.

Oh! A thought! He looks as old as Red. I just know if anything like this ever happens to the baby of the crew, aside from Coco and Seafoam, Tuna would slaughter a whole crew singlehandedly for revenge. I just know it. I also know it's an imposible scenario, it's just... the feelings. Anyways.

BABY TUNA DONT CRY MY BOY IM HERE IMMA TAKE CARE OF YOU PLEASE PLEASE DONT CRY I AM HERE TO HELP OUGHHHHH OOOOOOOHHH MY BABYYYY FACTUAL YOURE SO MEAN ISBXMSBXM I CANT HE IS SO TINY AND AAAAOOUUUGGGHH

(Drawing in ask is from this post)

XDD You should have seen the look on my face when you sent this in. My face always lights up when I get these asks! :DD

And man. looking back I feel bad for baby Tuna. :( I did him dirty didn't I.. well, since the canonicity of that other picture is in question, I can present you with another questionable one to make up for it! 😅

If this story becomes canon, Tuna probably wont find comfort in other cookies.. but maybe there was a cake hound or two on that ship that did mind Tuna snuggling up beside them.

This who story made me consider that Tuna could really love cake hounds because of this. Maybe in the present day he could have a silly vanilla cake hound that was part of why he mellowed out. Idk, neither picture is canon yet- I still have CookieRun Kingdom lore to catch up on and fit my OCs into! 😅

Any who, thank you for the ask! I hope my drawing makes up for the torment the first picture brought you <X'DDD

[ironunderstands]

I decided to take notes while I played through 2.3… so here they are

First Scene

-stellaron sealed when we were asleep apparently 

-was Sunday the one to tailor everyone’s dreams?

-dreamscape itself exists???

-march’s memories are weird as normal, tentacle tried to reach into her brain but found SOMETHING???

-we were asleep when this all happened and we woke up and immediately asked if it was a dream so something is already up oh boy 

Second Scene 

-firefly and silverwolf yay 

-firefly is still on the wanted list, as Firefly this time 

-it was a missing part of her life she got back 

-Silverwolf helps her out with not being able to move freely, giving her a way out of dreaming ig??? Helps her navigate through unbothered ?

-idk the mechanics of it if you can’t tell

-Miss Samuel as a fake name lmao 

-GENIUS SOCIETY IS HERE?? WHYYY?? HUHHH

-firefly’s script isn’t over yet (third death I assume?)

-“didn’t bring you back to hear an answer like that,” did SW think she already experienced the third death? On her second death was SW the one to revive her, as it seemed like she did that on her own in 2.2?

-yeah she hasn’t done 3rd death yet, and I assume the “unforgettable reward,” is *sighs* time with the Trailblazer 

-“How will I know if I don’t try?” Hmmm this confuses me 

-SW says she’s already made up her mind 

-ooh Kafka asks for some gifts LMAOO, fashionable as always

-to Oti mall I guess, isn’t that one of the people who expressed disappointment in Sunday?

-BLADE ADVICE? telling her to not get tempted, tempted by what?

-YAY SHE GETS NORMAL GIRL TIME THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED

-oat cakes for SW or Kafka or Blade? Aww Stellaron Hunter family bonding 

-oh is she trying to defy the script?

-adding new footnotes to her destiny, hmm

Third Scene

-TOPAZ POV

-I DIED OMGNDNAKDJKWJDD

-were are on the Radiant Felddpar ship 

-Family is there but “Big Boss” isn’t, I assume that’s Jade

-there’s music notes in the air? Robin?

-Topaz points out how weird this choice of location is

-ship belongs to Alfalfa Family

-npc we are talking to also thinks it should have been held in a more secretive area (Moment of Morning Dew)

-not serious enough atmosphere 

-something’s up definitely 

-Topaz thinks conference is just a prelude- whatever Family organizer wanted to assess the IPC’s stance beforehand

-she thinks they either have their own ambitions and want a preliminary agreement, or want to make the IPC back off, we shall see ig

-Big Boss is a her (definitely Jade), Topaz complimented, saying others must be cautious of her 

-tells subordinate Thomas to just tell the rest of her employees to stay focused on the task ahead 

-yeah it’s Jade, act shocked, also she’d get mad if he called her that 😭😭

-walking around time 

-there is music all around the ship 

-not very important but there are paper birds here too

-none of the important figures have arrived to the meeting room yet, so let’s look around 

This is just from looking around:

-why are there dream pools on the ship? I thought we were already in the dream?

-the torment eagle things are here too 

-and nightingale paintings

-Sparkles bombs, delightful 

-why is there a room on the ship that looks like Mishas room in the dream 

-it seems like the Family is already aware of the bombs and is looking for them based on the dialogue of the NPCs

-there’s a lost kid on the ship?

-so many doors are closed off

-absurdist clock fun 

-the quest is titled “All About Eve” like Eve from the Bible? Is that referring to Jade?

-exhibit that hasn’t been delivered yet

-Robin has instructed them to prepare some things but it seems like the Family isn’t ready yet?

Ok I’m gonna talk to the workers now

-ok talked to the one by Sparkles bombs and Sparkle started talking 

-Numby can hear her I think, I don’t think Topaz did

-yeah Topaz doesn’t know they are bombs that Sparkle hands out, apparently she was disguised as man- maybe Sampo?, uh no all the Buttons are in one place 

-somehow nobody pressed a button, I don’t believe that, the NPC also says that all guests are terrified of death, but like, how did nobody press it?

-yep we are in the dream bc she wants to feed Numby and questions the food quality in a dream

-Numby does not like Oat Cake Rolls

-Topaz will give them a better meal in reality

-so why is there a dreamscape pool in the dream 

-asks more about Radiant Feldspar, which is also owned by Oti Alfalfa, just like the store Firefly wanted to go to

-built an Amber Era ago, it sails across all 12 hours- so they are connected you just have to cross them I guess? Or like does it slip through dimensions 

-Topaz recognizes Old Oti, however what’s weird is that despite how she points out how well decorated it is, there seems to be a lot of stuff missing + Robin thing from earlier

-only prestigious guests are invited, so how did that Pepeshi get lost?

-Ship had been sailing since it was built but was halted due to the recent reverberation 

-reverberation aka whatever the fuck just happened in 2.2

-Family attendant repeats that everything has been resolved and the Charmony Festival had to be temporarily postponed 

-so it’s gonna happen on the ship now, and will also resume the ships voyage, so I guess that’s why Robin ordered some things and everything is a bit out of place

-However, why are they gathering Sparkles Bombs onto the celebration + meeting ship? Why not anywhere else?

-Talent Motivation Department mention 

-ppl still coming after Topaz for Jarilo I will kill them <3

-poor girl can’t get a break, JADE IS HERE

CUTSCENE SO MUCH HAPPENED

-Numby does not trust or like Jade at all

-Topaz is fucking star struck on her knees dying down bad gay gay gay 

-Jade commends her for the Jarilo project, saying the Express’s favor is far more valuable than the planet itself 

-Jade says Topaz can tell her anything, then holds out her Cornerstone as if Topaz would talk to it???

-hmmm

-“you can always tell me anything, remember?” Ah so they are close, and Topaz seems to trust her and vice versa, however I (and Numby) do not trust Jade so there is something sinister going on 

Alright cutscene yapping over

-Jade says to drop the title, that they are equals

-Topaz calls her a senior, but I think she just means in rank

-Jade wants Topaz to be at her best- upcoming negotiations leave no room for error

-true purpose of conference: Oti testing limits of 2 stonehearts before offical negotiations can commence, works in their favor bc it will cause future negotiations to go smoother if they can reach an agreement (this is obvious benefit)

-hidden benefit: demonstrates the Family isn’t all that united bc he’s meeting w them first on his own territory + taking control of Charmony Festival too

-they aren’t entirely influenced by the Harmony so their personal desires shine through, influential figures haven’t suppressed their own 

-with the Dreammaster gone, the Family has begun to fall apart slowly, seems like after 2.2 Oti took over 

-Jade taught her to Listen, test and strike, Jade teases her that she changed the order on Jarilo- Topaz’s personal experience  caused this (her seeing her past/trauma in Belabog)

-meeting time!

-meeting esteemed “supporting actor” hmm

-goal is to create an opportunity for IPC to enter Penacony- Aventurine made a small hole for them to enter, and they are going to tear it wide open

Some more looking around 

-the bombs/buttons are gone 😨 and so is that guard 

-was there a projector in that room (with the dream pool) before?

-diff family attendant at that spot before

Ok back to plot time

-oh this is the place where the divergent universe takes place (I started it a bit yesterday lol, oops), seems like that’s what the Genius Society will get a hold of at the end of this?

-Oti is a Pepeshi, and I really like his character model, he seems welcoming?

Looking around time again 

-the mechanism they use for the Divergent Universe is already there- did Ratio and Screwllum meet with Oti beforehand? Is that how he figured out Dormancy?

-some more locked doors

-Whales outside the window.. (Childe flashbacks)

-let’s talk to Jade before we see Oti

-oh we can’t it just makes us walk beside her

Conversation time

-Oti is hospitable, asks them to forgive him for the wait

-Oti is such a businessman that the Strategic Investment Department makes it a requirement to read his biography

-she’s trying to flatter him but I think Jade is also warning him that she and the rest of the department know everything about him and who he is 

-Topaz doesn’t seem to notice that though and praises him for single handedly building Penacony economy 

-Oti noticed Jade’s tactics I think

-he gets straight to the point- future of Penacony

-Oti questions wtf Aventurine was doing and why 😭, almost getting killed and for what?

-oh he figured them out LMAOO, yup that was for an opportunity 

-haha Jade says “fuck he figured us out” nicely

-she puts the pressure back on him, asking Oti how he would respond 

-he first admires her composure at being called out

-“Oti won’t sit idly by when faced with a greedy wolf,” is he referring to the IPC, Aventurine or both?

-offscreen negotiation

-seems he said something that offended Topaz and Jade, Jade says she’s all ears

-Oti says he requested this meeting to dissuade the SID from trying to lay a finger on Penacony

-asks them to back off before they lose face in the future 

-Topaz points out their fuck ups- Aventurine almost getting murdered and the Charmony Festival fuck up, that there are plenty of real issues plaguing the area

-Oti says they need to be more creative in the land of dreams 

-“My actions will help Penacony take a significant step forward by “self-listing” and going public!” What does that mean 

-Jade asks if he’s gonna bypass the IPC and go public on a universal scale (still don’t know what that means)

-rather than letting the IPC take hold, he’s gonna open the sweet dream to everyone in the universe- which is worded REALLY sinister if you ask me- is he gonna try and make everyone in it dream?

-he redirects and says that from today, anyone can become a shareholder in the Land of Dreams, and that’s the Path of Harmony he chooses

-Oti was aware of the Oaks family’s entanglement with the Order, calls them blockheads who prevented this from happening sooner

-Oti is thankful that the “reverberation” (Sunday and Order’s downfall) has allowed for the obstacle between him and his reforms to be eliminated

-publicize their finances so the universe still has faith in them + the Family remains confident in its future

-neither Jade nor Topaz seem happy about this, seems like they don’t feel as if they are on equal footing

-Jade asks Oti if he’s being waiting for Penacony to regain the spotlight, so if the IPC does anything, their actions will be scrutinized by trillions of people 

-asks them to consider their next moves carefully 

-Jade suggests they conclude the first half of their conference, and that they will respond on the behalf of the IPC later

-he just tells them to take their time (Oti is confident he is in control)

Scene 4- Trailblazer POV

-seems that meeting has concluded as Dan Heng asks if the Alfalfa Family had a meeting with the IPC

-Aventurine told them that to “return the favor”

-I wonder what happened in the meantime to get us here

-Welt points out that Penacony hasn’t changed much since the prison era, suggests that Penacony would rather invite the IPC to the table- on the surface to cooperate- but in reality to secure their own survival 

-which is why the Astral Express are now mediators, and Dan Heng doesn’t know who to stand behind

-Welt doesn’t trust the followers of the Harmony to be as innocent as they presume they are

-if either the Family or the IPC were to take control of Penacony, the efforts of the previous nameless to free it from that illusory hedonism would go to waste

-we were in a deep sleep apparently (uh oh)

-one of the dialogue options says that TB felt like they were in a really long dream 

-another asks where Himeko is

-Welt says their adventure in Penacony is reaching its conclusion

-After Ena’s dream shattered, Montour System’s branch of the Family took control of the situation, most members of the Oak Family fell unconscious? But their lives weren’t in danger 

-Gopher Wood, the previous Dreamaster was confirmed to be the mastermind behind everything, however we know that Sunday killed him. But didn’t he kill him in the dream? So how did gopher wood die in reality? Or did like, the power of the Order that Sunday must have used on him cause that, or did he step outside the dream to face Gopher, then go back in?

-Sunday will face a trial: the Family won’t disclose any further details 

-public perceived incident as an attack by evil forces targeting the Charmony festival, believing the Family had failed to safeguard the sweet dream which eroded their credibility significantly

-at least it has the least impact? Even if it’s far from what really went down 

-SIOBHAN IS BACK

-she says they will get over it

-“you don’t know who’s awake and who’s pretending to be asleep”- another ominous line 

-gives them a toast 

-trailblazer asks why she’s there again, Siobhan is just confused 

-asks when they will leave Penacony

-Welt says they will stay a bit longer, just not too long 

-she says this farewell is missing something 

-“maybe a special drink to honor those who are not here” oh yeah Gallagher is gone GONE

-To the Nameless resting in peace… and to Gallagher, oh he’s so gone

Walking around time again 

-everyone but Himeko is here 

Ok taking this many notes is exhausting and is lowkey killing my enjoyment 😭 so I’ll just leave the REALLY important stuff from now on 

-The Family claims the Oak Family used the stellaron to help sink everyone into Ena’s dream 

-others had their own delusional dreams 

-DH says the hidden dangers of the Order have always been within the Harmony, an issue that has persisted in the Family from the very beginning 

-more awareness makes this complicated 

-March has a button now too, says she was told the buttons will explode Penacony if pressed 

-himeko’s been up to something lately she will tell us at the festival

-Siobhan gives us another drink, saying it will “bring back the flavors of Penacony” which makes me believe it will help us get back here somehow 

-Welt is sure it will leave a lasting impression, hmmm

-she says if we happen to find Gallagher, to let him have a sip 

Scene 5: Jade POV

-Oti is tricky but there is still hope

-Jade asked Topaz to make a phone call offscreen, presumably to the express who agreed

-talking in code

-Jade asks Topaz if she thinks Penacony is worth it

-Topaz says yes

-Jade questions if this project is too bland for her

-Topaz says she would be here if it weren’t for Aventurine

-Jade pointed out she entrusted him with a cornerstone, which is as precious as life itself to finish this gamble 

-however Topaz points at out that Jade’s stone couldn’t have made it in without either of their cornerstones: and that the Jade stone allows Jade to see all desires that flow through the dreams to gain a bargaining chip in the negotiations: this must be the “harvest” Jade was referring to in 2.1, seems like this is her Cornerstone’s ability 

-Perhaps that’s why she held it up earlier? To allow Topaz to vent her feelings into the Jade stone?

-Topaz actually staked her Topaz’s stone for Jade’s sake, not Aventurine’s

-Jade is greatful Aven is alive, saying it’s the best outcome, Topaz immediately says they have strayed off topic

-Jade says she will go alone, instructs Topaz to meet “honored guest”- likely the Nameless

-Jade spots Robin

-turns out we were actually in the previously locked off rooms in the back of where we met Oti, he’s still there, and he’s wearing glasses? Was he before? We can’t talk to him tho 

-ah this also unlocked some more doors- it’s where the ship is captained, but the captains room is locked 

-Robin is preparing for Charmony Festival

-Jade lies saying she’s on her way to meet Oti really she’s just here for info before meeting him 

-Robins never met him, she says Alfalfa is respectable when it comes to business, but not necessarily in other respects

-Jade asks where Robin thinks Penacony is heading, Robin is hopeful, thinks Harmony needs new direction 

-“no permanent allies or everlasting enemies,”

-2nd half of negotiations- no Topaz this time

-Jade is gonna be meaner bc Topaz isn’t here you go manipulative queen 

-says Oti is not the only merchant who has seen the changes in the cosmic market over the past ten Amber Eras

-Jade declares that Penacony has no way of sidestepping the IPC and going public, that they can’t stop the IPC, the IPC will tear down and rebuild as they see fit

-tells Oti that if he doesn’t want to be a laughingstock and have everyone after him, he better drop his “pie-in-the-sky-plan” perhaps he was planning on using Sparkles bombs to take out the IPC ambassadors now that the protection of not being able to die in the dream is no longer there- or at least he has control over it

-Jade reminds him IPC controls more than half the news in the universe 

-says trillions of customers will receive a, “The Family’s protection for Penacony has expired. Any mishaps in the Dreamscape could result in permanent brain death,” message from the IPC if Penacony decides to go public

-threatens to make his entire currency worthless with how many contingencies the IPC has, Jade is confident she can pull it off, even from Pier Point

-she promises that the IPC won’t jeopardize the interests of the Family heads under Oti’s leadership if he gives up the plan to go public 

-they (IPC) want allies in Asdana, Jade says they can assist Penacony with financing, will acquire 30% equity shares from the Family, and in exchange will also help rebuild Penacony 

-Oti thinks it’s too much, and worried about the future 

-Jade happily says there are no guarentees- this is based on mutual respect- but the board of directors will consider the interests of the Family heads to some extent

-she points out this would be beneficial for the Family, and for him, if they both take a step back, also points out this will attract more customers like he wanted 

-as the head of the Alfalfa family, Oti accepts, seeing no reason to refuse, but as THEIR (Xipe’s) chosen one, he still needs one final answer (hmmm this is an interesting detail)

-talks about the rise of Xipe and fall of Ena, he asks why the IPC seeks to collaborate with the Family (Harmony) rather than the Order, who is far closer in ideals (Preservation)

-Jade says it’s about credit, saying that through the Preservation, the IPC can perpetually ensure credits value, meaning they have no need for the Order, as they have made their own, with Qilpoths “credit” being the heart of everything

-Oti understands this will eventually lead to the IPC taking control over everything 

-“this universe doesn’t need two types of Order” (Preservation and the Order)

-Oti says he’s convinced 

-code words from before come back in (shit I should have written them down, it was poison something, sweet dew, and apple something, sweet dew shows up this time per Topaz’s invite)

-unsurprisingly, it’s one of the Nameless: Himeko

-Astral Express will be shareholders? Perhaps this is so they can guarantee the future the Nameless wanted like Welt mentioned

-IPC gets 30%, gives 5% to the express to “honor the sacrifices and contributions made by the former Nameless to the Land of the Dreams,” which is A) true B) the real honor is the express now having a foot in the door to prevent Penacony from being like it was before

-Himeko is a member for the board of directors- what board? One in the IPC, or for Penacony, the Family?

-crew agreed to assist in reconstruction of Penacony, and commit to bringing the dreams of Penacony to other worlds 

-However, they really wish for the Harmony to not be distorted again, that tragedy must never occur again

-negotiations end, we (as Jade) will go to meet up w Topaz again 

-Jade believes the family heads will soon realize the situation, and that Oti’s agreement didn’t just represent their agreement, but the followers of the Harmony in general (this last part is only implied though)

-Topaz says she will handle the arrangements for formal negotiations 

-Jade allows her to- gives Topaz a sense of control OOOH THE MANIPULATIONNNNN

-Topaz is shocked bc big responsibility, but Jade interrupts

-she says that Aventurine initiated this case and Topaz was his project partner, but since he overplayed his hand (taking on a case he couldn’t handle on his own?) Jade got pushed to the forefront 

-OOH MORE MANIPULATION, Jade says she came here to help Topaz sort out the toughest issues, saying “I trust you’ll be able to wrap things up quite nicely, little Jelena,”

-Topaz’s objections immediately get pushed aside bc of Jades words, and asks Jade to give Diamond her assurance

-Jade tells her to not worry, Diamond has always trusted them, and Jade will put in a good word for her, and Topaz will get her position (P45) back in no time

-Jade claims her business is done so she’s gonna indulge in her own little hobby (I’m scared)

-which is opening a Bonajade Exchange branch on this ship, whatever that is, Jade believes the guests on this ship had or a wealth of valuable treasures tho 

-it’s a pawnshop, and Jade says she will leave, saying she’ll “see you around Topaz”

-Topaz has one more question, Jade gladly lets her ask, she asks about the dose of “bitter poison”, wondering how Jade got it (I’m guessing her Cornerstone), it wasn’t her cornerstone, a “lady concerned with the future of the Harmony” told her (maybe this is Robin? But it seems like that was their first meeting? Hmm) 

-Jade says she agreed to help her with something later (which makes me think this was Sparkle now haha), and that they can deal with it after they leave Penacony

-“that’s what ‘investment’ is all about”- the seeds of opportunity have already been soon and Jade simply gives them a little bit of nourishment for them to take root, afterwards all they (her and Topaz) need to do is wait patiently 

-like right now, and Jade’s final “guest” boarded the ship

I’m insane about this actually yall. TOPAZ CENTRIC STORY??? WHAT IF I DIED. Also I love the way Jade was written in this, they made her as manipulative as I wanted her to be, so yeah I love her THEY COMMITED TO THE BIT I PRAYED FOR TIMES LIKE THIS

Scene 6: Firefly POV

-she boards (rather sneaks onto) the ship, so I assume she’s Jade’s final guest 

-oh she’s heading to the pawnshop that grants wishes (it’s definitely Jade’s), perhaps to get those gifts she wanted earlier, or defy her destiny like she wanted to earlier?

-hey those closed off areas are unlocked W

-she spots TB, Robin is also there 

-there’s a nice banquet table for people in that room, we got a shot of it earlier during Topaz, Jade and Oti’s meeting, idk what line of dialogue it was for tho 

-Firefly overhears Robin saying that she will, “present a gift to the Astral Express on behalf of The Family as a token of gratitude for the Nameless’ contributions to Penacony”, asking for the staff to help her w the arrangements

-Firefly then asks how to get to the pawnshop, yup it’s Jade’s spot, she gets the directions 

-Silverwolf was gonna meet w the Genius Society? Why? Also apparently she mentioned Jade’s stuff earlier, I don’t remember that though, maybe I forgot to write it down

-we can look for the TB so I’m going to 

-TB is being a dumbass as ever and Firefly is amused 

-she wants to talk to us but Firefly wants to meet Jade first 

-we can’t go over there even if we want to

-Jade made her exchange in the dream pool room for some reason 

-asks Jade to call her Samuel

-Firefly says she wants to give up living, and that she’s willing to give up everything she has

-even Jade is gagged

-Firefly is like yup! Everything!

-Jade says she should turn around bc she’s not familiar with the term, “pawn” aka she’s betting quite literally EVERYTHING

-Jade says she doesn’t have anything of equal value to offer her

-Firefly is upset, says this shop must just be a marketing gimmick 

-Jade says she will help Firefly understand what she means, telling her to go and talk to the other customers, when she understands what “pawn” really means

-we see the TB being stupid again, this time w Dan Heng tagging along

-again she plans on catching up w them later

-first person she meets, Stacy, finally won a gamble w the blessing of Lady Bonajade

-there also seems to be way more guests on the ship 

-second person she meets, a Pepeshi named Dell, gets his crush named Dorothy to go out with him, implied that he wished for her to say yes

-ppl seem to be gossiping about a grey haired person, either Firefly or TB

-yup it’s TB

-someone has been hiding in the Moment of Sol in Penacony under a fake identity, proposing as a professor at Paperfold academy, apparently this intellatron (Walker) found him (idk who him is) with the help of an influential figure 

-ah this is unimportant this was just the wishes of the third person

-Firefly still doesn’t get it, but their wishes did seem to come true

-Jade said it was just to show the exchange was genuine, how she shows how all three of them gave up so much in exchange for their wishes, so yeah, glorified drug dealer, but it is an equal exchange, and Jade only encourages these people’s delusions, giving with the power of her Cornerstone for a hefty price

-uses their endless cycle of desires to get what Jade desires from their whirlpool of horrific decision making 

-Jade knows Firefly’s identity, and she asks Firefly if she’s really willing to give up everything, Firefly isn’t surprised though 

-Entropy Loss Syndrome was thrust upon all of the Iron Calvary in order to keep them fighting for Glamoth, and from falling into the wrong hands 

-Firmament Front is gone so those who know the secret and could cure the disease are nowhere to be found, but Firefly still wishes to continue her existence 

-Firefly asks if the IPC has a remedy 

-Jade just says there might be a silver lining and leaves it at that 

-Firefly realizes that she can’t provide anything of equal value bc nothing she owns has any meaning 

-asks Jade if she’s gonna ask her to restrain the other Stellaron Hunters for her survival 

-that’s not the case though, Jade acknowledges how remarkable close the Stellaron Hunters are, compares them to the Stonehearts, OOOHH LORE DROP

-Jade says like how the Stoneheart follow Diamond, the Stellaron Hunters are, “Traveling on the Path of Finality but struggling against your destiny, attempting to move in the opposite direction?”

-Firefly remains silent

-Jade hopes all of them will visit her pawnshop one day

-Firefly asks if she can see this as an invitation from Diamond to the Stellaron hunters behind the IPC’s back

-Jade says to consider it a person offer, not representing the IPC or SID

-Firefly says she will pass on the offer, but she has a question

-Firefly points out that SW could let the entirety of Pier Point know of this in seconds, so why would Jade ask this 

-Jade says it’s because she believes her and Firefly are the same

OH MY GOD STONEHEART PICTURE

-she believes the Stonehearts band together to get what they want, and have been invited by Diamond to join them whilst on their own journeys

-Jade says all stonehearts carry a void (ambition) that can only be filled from the outside 

-also omg Topaz and Aven look GOOOODD GRERRAAAA TOPAZ LOOOS SO FINE EEJFHJEJAKSKWS RAAAAA AVENNNNNNTURJEJNWKAND AAAA

-so Diamond promised them something, he divided the power of the Emanator of Preservation into ten pieces (for the ten stonehearts) and gave each of us a Cornerstone to fill that void 

-“Mortal flesh is fragile, yet my heart is unyielding like the monolith. For without this resolve, the way of the Preservation would fade into oblivion.”

-Jade says this pledge goes beyond a mere oath, it’s their collateral in exchange for the Stonehearts desires, and their future 

-whatever they gain from it will make the Stonehearts stronger, allowing them to achieve the great cause of the Preservation (what Diamond wants) when the war among the Aeons eventually comes (HUHH WHAT NOWW I MEAN WERE GETTING THEIR GOALS AT LEAST?!!)

-Jade tells Firefly to take her time 

-Firefly says she will, and says it’s shame that the pawnshop won’t give her what she wants, as her last attempt (death?) will end with “hope”

-Walker comes to give her his memories

Scene 7: Trailblazer 

-he points out how the meeting went smoother than expected 

-Charmony festival opening ceremony is starting soon

-AVENTURINE AND BOOTHILL?!!?

-Boothill threatening Aven jokingly but not jokingly, Aven brushes it off

-seems like they came to an agreement off screen

-he notices us + typical flattery, Boothill gives a normal greeting 

-Aventurine admits his words are nothing more than flattery and not genuine (at least due to the option I picked) 

-Boothill says to set aside the under the table stuff as to not spoil the mood

-Aven gives congratulations bc he can’t be there personally (he’s a hologram) to witness the crew getting celebrated 

-Aven says his job was just to give the IPC an opening, which he achieved (even if it was a mess

-Aven says he wouldn’t have been able to dig up such dirty information without the help of a “knowledgeable friend” HMMM IS THAT RATIO???

-Acheron still fucked him up though, and he admits this would have gone smoother had she not injured him 

-we thank Boothill, he’s like it’s nothing I’m a galaxy ranger it’s part of our duty, he’s happy Galaxy Rangers are making a comeback and asks the TB to pass on his regards to any Hunt followers he meets

-BOOTHILL STRAIGHT UP ADMITS THAT AVENTURINE IS GONNA HELP HIM FIND OSWALDO SCHNEIDER WHO HE HAS A SCORE TO SETTLE WITH??? HE ADMITS THAT!!? HUHHH, I mean he did say he’s not one to beat around the bush but still 

-Aventurine also talks about the feud between the Marketing Development Department (Oswaldo) and Strategic Investment Department (Diamond) is fairly well on wok, but he didn’t expect the Galaxy Rangers to get involved

-he thinks things are gonna get spicy 

-I wonder if the IPC knows about this deal between him and Boothill, I doubt it though, and I think Aven might be hiding this from everyone 

-this reminds me that he was deliberately acting like he hadn’t grown around Jade during their conversation in 2.2, which makes me think he’s planning to do something beyond just whatever he is gonna do with Boothill, or at the very least Aven wants to make things easier for himself by acting as if Penacony didnt change him 

-they wish the TB well, Avens hologram disappears 

RATIO.

EVERYONE PAUSSEEE

-he’s standing where the now activated Divergent Universe thing is AAAA

-it’s all over the screen/hj

-OK CALM DOWN BE SERIOUS 

-OFF THE BAT TSUNDERE - “your performance at Herta’s space station was… adequate, I suppose,” thats high praise coming from you hehehhehe

-“Hm, no wonder the gambler likes you so much.” HUHHH??! Can’t keep AVENS NAME OUT UR DAMN MOUTH FOR MORE THAN 5 SECONDS??? We didn’t even bring him up 

-“This individual is my responsibility during the trip. Hmph, nothing more than an errand from the Office of Academic Affairs,” the who of what now? Not the “hmph” and downplaying 

-tells the Trailblazer to take advantage of the opportunity the Charmony Festival provides 

-TB asks Ratio how he rates Aventurine, Ratio says that the IPC and Guild position them as strategic partners; but Ratio sees himself as a teacher, and like everyone in Ratio’s life, Aventurine as a student, Aven isn’t an ideal student, but not utterly obtuse. He remarks that the void inside of him (which could be referring to either the one mentioned as being filled by the Stonehearts or just Aven’s general lack of a will to live) cannot be filled by talent and knowledge. Ratio hopes he doesn’t turn into a philosophical zombie. Which I like that up, and it’s basically someone who behaves like a person but does not have a conscious experience. What I think Ratio is suggesting is that what Aventurine is missing isn’t talent or knowledge, but genuine connections with other people, goals, desires, a purpose, things that aren’t so material 

-TB teases Ratio, saying they thought he would make them get their act together, Ratio says that saying such a thing means we haven’t grasped the essence of learning, OH MY GOD HE SAYS EXACLTY HOW I BELIEVE HIM TO VIEW KNOWLEDGE SOMEONE SEDATE ME

“Acquiring knowledge aims to enhance living” I KNOW THIS IS A SIMPLE LINE BUT ITS LIKE AT THE CORE OF RATIOS PHILOSOPHY, HE WANTS TO SPREAD KNOWLEDGE TO HELP OTHERS GROW AND PICK THEMSELVES UP 

oh my god, that’s why Aventurine isnt his typical student, to improve Aventurine’s life, he DOESNT need knowledge or talent, so Ratio has to try other methods…

Forgive me for the person I’m about to become I fear 

-we say good by to him 😭😭😭😭

-“I detest noisy gatherings, as they intrude upon my thoughts.. What a waste of time” AUTISM!! BRO IS OVERSTIMULATED LEAAVE GO ELSEWHERE WHY ARE YOU HERE UR CLEARLY HAVING A BAD TIMEEEE

Alright bye Ratio onto the next one

-TOPAZ AND NUMBY??!?

-Topaz eco ship mention??

-ooh we ask her about her Cornerstone and if she can transform herself like Aven

-her ability isn’t as “visual”? So it’s not a transformation 

-LORE DROP; abilities of Ten Stonehearts are all different, some can even read thoughts and grasp desires (Jade), she warns us to be careful 

-Topaz is greatful for the timing in Belabog bc it let her and Bronya be friends 

-Jade convo next!

-I picked Sundays name and she went “not a bad name, just lacking in virtue,”

-she does her deal shtick, I’m gonna ask to revive Akivili 

-poor girl is dumbfounded, but she accepts 😭

-she asks for the tail of an animal and I think she asks for the tail of the cat in the stellaron hunters 😭

-sorry Akivili you aren’t returning 

-ARGENTI

-his lines aren’t voiced unfortunately 

-he’s talking about the beauty as always, saying we are already walking that path due to our virtue 

-apparently if an admirer of Beauty gets lost in the pursuit of power, they risk descending into “the Omen of Evil” a form that’s neither human nor beast 

-he compares this to Sunday; whose actions argenti believes were no different from the Omen of Evil, and that he lost his way along the path of righteousness 

-he wasn’t there at the final battle because Ena’s dream was too realistic and he couldn’t bid farewell to a fallen friend who had turned into a beast, so Argenti stayed within the dream for a while 

-he blames himself for not passing the trial of Beauty this time, and for hesitating, wishing to become more determined that ever 

-him and Sunday competing for who has more religous trauma LMAOO

Alright I’m done talking let’s wait for the opening now

-Firefly is here!

-we go over how wack the plot has been 

-she asks if we will be leaving again 

-I picked the idk option and Firefly says not to worry bc we are on the path of the Trailblaze

-Elio told Firefly that her journey will tell her how to live on and the rest is up for her to find out, and she will hunt for leads everywhere, including Penacony 

-TB says that no wonder she was investigating the Watchmaker, but even if she didn’t get what she wanted, Firefly says she get a deal from Jade

-we warn her not to make deals w the IPC bc they are shady

-Firefly is like no dw I didn’t do anything stupid or get anyone involved 

-she apologies for lying to us earlier about being from the Iris Family

-I accept it bc I’m not a cunt but I’m glad they allow you to turn her down 

-OOH FIREFLY’S STRUGGLE AT EXPRESSING HER EMOTIONS YESS HOYOVERSE THIS IS WHAT I WANTED GRRRRR

-uh oh bloodhound family is here 

-Firefly is sad and like “I guess we have to say our goodbyes”

-but she’s hopeful bc her “script” hasn’t ended yet- so they will meet again 

-TB is worried but figures she will be fine, we decide to check on her later after we attend the festival 

-we get a message from Firefly, saying she handled everything but she’s sad she won’t get to see Robin perform 

-Ceremony begins and Robin shows up

-March is fangirling

-Robin is eating as always 

-she’s like “yeah this has been crazy but hey we’re doing it now!”

-thanks Oti Alfalfa for his dedication 

-she’s like thank god it’s over

-oh she brings up the Watchmaker

-she gives a tribute to Misha/ Mikhal Char Legwork for laying the foundations of Penacony

-thanks him for allowing the Dreamscape to exist, that Penacony’s success is rooted in the Trailblaze that the Watchmaker brought with him and only by honoring that spirit can harmony be spread 

-everything is back on track, and Penacony’s family give the Nameless a token of appreciation 

-They give the ship to the Astral Express?!!? That’s a fun one, I think Robin pulled some strings for that one to screw over Oti for throwing Sunday under the bus

-she toasts the Harmony, the Trailblaze, the future of Penacony and the universe, and the generous Alfalfa Family Head, Mr. Oti Alfalfa

CUTSCENE TIME

-Oti is amused by Robins cunning

-he’s SPARKLE TIME

-she put a bomb in the ship and we got 10 minutes to find it oh boy 

Cutscene over 

-she gave us a map at least 

-HASTIEST GROUP CHAT IN EXISTENCE TO FIX THIS

-LMAOO

-this is great it’s bomb hunting time

-because the hounds are stupid and gathered everything spending 48 system hours to press all her buttons 

-it’s hidden among 999 dolls and the challenge is to find where the real one is hidden 

-Robin asks everyone not to panic and that they will prepare for evacuating 

-however the Oak Family has relied on the power of the Order for the guarantee that you can’t die in dreams, but since the Order’s blessings are lost, this bomb might actually kill people 

-everyone agrees to help

-Aventurine isn’t taking it seriously likely because he isn’t actually there, he’s like “Wanna bet who will survive this?” and Ratio’s like “k” bc he’s done w Aven’s shit and higher priorities 

-Black Swan finds 131 fake bombs, area gets evacuated 

-Boothill finds 217 of them with the help of the hounds and Ratio wearing his alabaster head, nobodies found it yet but nobody seems too concerned 

-Argenti finds 145 bombs but again, duds

-IPC found 329, but again, nothing 

-last one is in the cockpit 

-Sparkle rickrolls us

-it’s a bomb 

-they found the remaining dolls but nothing

-Sparkle gives the coordinates of the last, true bomb, and everyone agrees to gather there 

-TB finds Firefly standing by Sparkle’s bomb 

-Sweet Dream no longer has the Order’s protection and if it were to blow up there could be bad consequences 

-she says the design is unique and as if it’s been locked by some mysterious Path force

-nobody knows how to deactivate it 

-Firefly doesn’t think anybody there can fix it

-she says Black Swan might be able to teleport it, but Firefly found a note inside the doll

-a note that’s complete nonsense and says it contains a virus very dangerous to Memetic entities like BS plus a bunch of Bananas for some reason? It’s all very unserious 

-Firefly reminds us that she has three “deaths” in the Land of Dreams

-so this is the third time 

-we’re like nah ur not dying 

-Firefly says she’s not in the dream like normal people, she has a Stellaron Hunters special method (Silver Wolf) that let her to be in here , and it lets Firefly perform feats others can’t 

-as long as she can bear the pain of the memoria pressure, she will be able to dive into the primal Memory Zone and extend a lifeline to the Radiant Feldspar

-she’s gonna try and take it into the depths of the Dreamscape (Primordial Memory Zone) so nobody will get hurt 

-Firefly tells us not to worry and that SAM will allow her to get back safely if she lucky 

-determined to give this story a happy ending 

-Firefly reminds us of Acheron’s words, “The so-called impossible is merely something that has yet to happen..”

-the moment that could disprove the “impossibilities” hasn’t arrived yet

-Firefly has so many choices to make before her “death” in whatever form it takes, and she believes that when the moment arrives for us to make a choice, the answer to our end will already be in our hearts 

-“it is not destiny that shapes us, but we who shape destiny,”

CUTSCENE

Compare astral express and stellaron hunters like light and shadow and tied together 

-OH BOY SO MUCH HAPPENS

-Sparkle detonates the bomb early but it’s actually fireworks 

-she then bops us off the edge of the ship but Firefly catches and saves us

-it’s really cute tbh

-she reaffirms what we said, both that destiny is ours to choose and that the reason why life slumbers is because one day we will wake up

-there’s a little procession of scenes of everyone so far

-highlights being Ratio leaving and Boothill pulling out a gun due to Argentis yapping

-and Aven reminiscing in the place where he found himself again

-we also get a little peak at what Acheron is doing

-she put three flowers on the graves of the Nameless, officially saying by to them 

Cutscene over 

Scene 8; Acheron (although still from TB perspective)

-child wanted to put flowers down for the Nameless? I don’t really understand her first line in this 

-oh the child is Mikhail and the flowers are for the other two Nameless, and when he’s  gone someone placed one for him

-she says “your wishes will always be remembered by someone,” likely talking not just to Mikhail, but the audience

-Now Penacony has finally welcomed the dawn after the long dark night, even if the path ahead won’t be easy 

-“Tiernan, you can now go home”

-the Nameless are also preparing for our next stop

-we say goodbye to the old Nameless, Gallagher and Acheron 

-“in the Land of the Dreams, anything is indeed possible,” - March

-“History may not remember the names of the dead, but the stars will attest to their journeys, the first glimmer of light in the prolonged night often illuminates little, as it is fleeting and the darkness too vast. But because of this, people will remember: As long as something shines in the night sky, then when the first star falls.. countless more will follow, streaking across the horizon.” - Dan Heng, I loved his speech so I had to write it 

-they give a toast to the fallen Nameless

-“A toast to history that no longer remains silent, the passionate and courage’s pursuit, and a voyage that traverses the stars,”- Dan Heng ur COOKING

-we can talk to Acheron, and she calls it a fitting end to our story

-we say bye to Gallagher, who we don’t even know if he was a “living person”, callback to the 13 thing, an “enigmatic” character for sure

-at least our journey and his love for Penacony was real

-we toast him too, and using the drink that Siobhan made for him 

-“to all lies, and the singular truth,”- March 

-she also asks him to not speak in riddles if they ever meet again 

-we say bye to Micah, Welt apologizes for only now speaking to him, Welt asks what the people of Dreamflux Reef do now, many will continue to live there, and “those accustomed to being away will mostly have a hard time getting used to a life of darkness with their eyes closed,” Micah will also watch over the primal Memory Zone as the Order has faded 

-“Penacony’s nights are long, and there are many who are still far from a good nights sleep,”

-they still manage without the Sweet Dream

-toast to the ppl in Dreamflux Reef and their tenacity 

-we finally say goodbye to Mikhail, it started from the moment we met him and it ends by saying goodbye to him

-“just like a clock’s hands that turn round and round, the start and end of each day will always land on twelve o’clock- the advent of time moving forward,” - Himeko, it really is over isn’t it, honestly I wonder now is just what that dream pool and projector were for 

-the entire adventure started bc of Mikhail and it’s ending because of him

-“And then, a new page will be turned.”

-“To Penacony’s past, present, future… and the child’s unwavering dream unto death,”- Himeko

—“the Trailblaze can illuminate the way, but ultimately, the future of a world belongs to those who live in it,” - Dan Heng, just like Belabog and the Luofu huh 

-March has a strange feeling that she had a few stops ago that’s really strong this time, she talks about how many stories these three Nameless have experienced, and she compares them to the current Nameless and their own adventures, and that they lived the “every day” we do now

-but it’s all in the past, and TB says to her that we should live in the present, but that’s what March can’t get out of her mind

-she’s upset at that the Nameless then didn’t get their happy ending, but the TB now shouldn’t live through them, however since us (especially March) has witnessed their lives, their are special to us now, so she hopes their story gets a good ending when it comes 

-but what if those Nameless and us now aren’t special, and we won’t get a good ending?

-if Mikhail might not have had no regrets, how can we know we won’t? 

-“Then, what is this regret we feel in our hearts right now…?”

-Himeko assured that all of them are searching for the answer to this question, that against the backdrop of a cosmos, our lives are fleeting 

-however, even if the universe doesn’t remember the never ending Trailblaze, but people, and those who travel along the silver rail themselves will

-“As long as we remember, their stories (The Trailblaze) will never end,” OH MY GOD THIS MIRRORS WHAT BS SAID IN THE ONE TRAILER WHERE WE WILL CARRY OUR WISHES TO COUNTLESS STARS AAAA

-Mikhail answered this question himself, dying with a smile on his face even after his complicated life

-its meaning will be interpreted by those who come after us 

-it’s not the answer that’s important, but what we can learn from others answers 

-“This is what Trailblazing is”

-March tells DH to tell a dad joke to lighten the mood

-he won’t 

-it’s never a bad thing to reflect 

-we got a long way ahead of us WHOOO

-so it’s time to tell PomPom what we saw

-then prepare for the next stop

-time to say final goodbye to Acheron

-she asks if we remember our first meeting

-we reminded her of an acquaintance 

-because of the Self-Annihilators curse, what she thought was a familiar meeting was merely an illusion, attributing her feelings of that old friend to us the TB

-however you can ask if it wasn’t an illusion 

-Acheron says it’s improbable we ever met before, and there’s nothing left to retrace but Nihility 

-I can keep pushing 

-she doubles down, said this me and your memory of her aren’t the same person

Red Text oh my god

-“But some things will never change,”

-she just laughs in response 

-oh my god she’s talking about her past companions oh no her Kiana her Bronya noooooo NOOOOOOOOOO

-they didn’t achieve the outcome they wanted, but our sheer stupidity makes it feel like they never even left

-she talks about how things can seem so similar yet so different 

-Acheron has wandered alone, encountering “acquaintances” who’s silhouettes overlap with her past

-she asks us what we think her “Deja vu” means

-im going with “the wish to return to the past”

-she says all of our possible answers are incomplete

-it’s something that’s not external, but something that’s within us, an emotion spanning across time from a certain moment in our past to reach us

-every time we reminisce, we notice both the tiny but unforgettable things we leave behind, and the other things that remain constant throughout 

-that’s the summary of our lives, the proof of our shared path 

-within those small moments, those tiny regrets, we glimpse our own essence, and truly “exist”

-Acheron says to “set forth on your voyage without hesitation, Nameless, on the path of the Trailblaze”

-even if our ending has been predetermined (OOH CALLBACK TO 2.1 and 2.2 AAA) there are countless things humans cannot change 

-but before that, there are still many things we can do

SHES WORD FOR WORD REPEATING THINGS 

-“And because of this, the “end” will thus reveal a completely different meaning”

-“this is the meaning of ‘journey’” 

I AM INSANE ABOUT THIS ACTUALLY AAAAAAAAA

THE CALLBAKCS THE REFERNEFES I WAS RIGHT I WAS RIGHT FUCK ALL OF YOU I LOVR YOU ACHERONNNN

-“all those things, beautiful before, are still do now. And I believe… It will still bloom at the end of the Nihility, until we meet again beneath the sun’s rays,” OH MY GOD SHE HAS HER HORNS AND OLD OUTFIT SHES SO BEAUTIFUL 

AND WE ARE GONNA MEET AGAIN AT THE END OF THE STORY AAAAAAAA

Back at the Express

-Pom Pom is crying 

-Dan and March bickering 

-Pom-Pom started crying over the adventure, March has never seen them so sad before 

-now they are angry

-we caused so much chaos and threw the time-table off and if we keep acting like this the Express is gonna run out of fuel 

-well not really they are just masking their sadness

-we take a break in the next car while Himeko comforts Pom Pom

-we chat a bit, those three Nameless must have meant a lot to them 

-we don’t know shit about Pom Pom’s past lmao, but their emotions haven’t become dulled by the grind of time, and they still value every journey 

-we might actually run out of fuel bc due to our existence Pom Pom has had to delay the warp jump schedule 

-the express converts every “Trailblaze” into the energy it needs to run, like a perpetual motion machine

-we are using up fuel much faster than expected, and can only pull off two more warp jumps at most

-which means we must consider our next destination carefully 

-the two worlds nearest to us are the oceanic planet of Lushaka and the Agate World Melustanin

-we still need to vote 

-BLACK SWAN SHOWS UP

-Welts like ‘alright give us the juice’

-she overheard how the express obtains fuel 

-her suggestion could be the lifeline that saves everyone

-OH ITS THE DH = DF LINES YESS

-“those mired memories of yours”

-if the express needs a special trailblazing expedition to recharge its engine, then they should go to a world that even Akivili never even reached, and the express will never have to worry about energy again

-March is like “is that possible?!!”

-a world many don’t even know exists, hidden away by outside observation, only revealed by the light from the monitor of the Garden of Recollection

-fettered by three Paths, its destiny hanging in the balance 

-“The Eternal Land, Amphoreus”

NO THIS IS CRAZY THIS IS CRAZY BECAUSE THAT IS RATIOS HOMELAND SO HOW DID HE GET OUT FROM THERE, A PLACE NOT EVEN AKAVILI HAS BEEN ?!:!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAA

JADE SCENE?!!

YOOOOO

-she calls Sunday a child

-it seems like he tried to escape and got caught

-he thinks he’s gonna die

-his fate is entirely in Jade’s hands

-he wants the pretenses to be over and to just have time to talk 

-she’s glad he’s still a cunt 

-she came to fulfill Robin’s wishes, to offer a trade if he’s willing to accept 

-she talks about his oath between him and Robin of building a haven where everyone can attain peace 

-she asks if he would be willing to speak to her if there was a chance to fulfill that vow 

-Jade sets him free, tells him to see the world for himself

-Sunday doesn’t want to accept it though 

-however the trade is still up, and Jade is willing the wait for his answer 

-she gives him a word of warning 

-“Life is too short to miss out on golden opportunities”

And it’s over

Wow that was great 

OK! I will definitely not be doing this again because oh my god this made the quest take like 10 hours (most of the time was just typing it tbh 😭) made it far less fun than it could have been, however it also really helped me understand what was going on a lot; and I’ll look back on this if I want to remember the plot in 2.3

Overall I think it’s a really satisfying conclusion for Penacony, and any of the things I thought were weird kinda dissipated because they are minor nitpicks at best, and we did say Penacony would have to figure itself out from here

if you somehow decided to read all of these, I admire your patience lmao, and I hope you enjoyed all of the parts in which I started absolutely losing it

I recommend you don’t do this lmao, it’s more fun to just play through and look at the wiki later imo, maybe take more overarching ones after you have already completed a scene? This was certainly a learning experience at least

[pandorkful]

Replaying Lunar on stream has been kinda wild, like man there are some things I either missed 20 years ago or completely forgot about.

Like how rotten these punk kids are! I feel like a mortified chaperone leading a field trip that's gone completely off the rails, half the time I'm reading out their dialog. Kyle and Nash are definitely the worst offenders, but Jessica's earned herself a slap on the wrist a couple times too.

Nall can be annoyingly childish, but he's not dipped into the abhorrent social behavior nearly as much. Mia and Alex remain on good terms with me, by being blessedly quiet most of the time.

I miss Ramus, he was my good boy! The one braincell that held the party together! He gets a bad rap for some misogynistic comments he makes, but those get completely blown out of the water by Kyle's toxic 90's "it's funny to hate women" masculinity. And to be honest, Ramus' two points of character flaw effectively cancel themselves out:

Whines that Luna shouldn't come on the adventure because "girls just keep guys from having fun." (A very mild and childish form of misogyny. )

Later hires a squad of bunnygirls to work in his store, proving that maybe he's grown and learned that his prior protestations were unfounded. (And his employees adore him, so he's definitely not mistreating them!)

And then there's Luna. Dear sweet, angry and tormented Luna. She also earned a few slaps on the wrist due to some carelessly judemental comments, but was mostly well behaved while she was with us.

Some of her dialog was written to be nagging, but I chose to interpret those moment as raw anger and it really adds to her character I think. She has every right to be angry, growing up in the worst village on Lunar!! Surrounded by weirdos who shipped her with her brother-by-adoption from the moment she showed up!!!

Oof, that's a plot quirk that I didn't pick up on the first time I played the game. WD did a decent job trying to bury it, but there are a few moments of "I miss OUR parents, Alex" that really had me feeling the Folger's holiday awkwardness.

Tbh, the main thing WD did to hide the lede was avoid publishing that Luna and Alex have the same surname (something that later game localizers didn't bother hiding,) and calling Luna a foundling as often as possible. Idk, maybe it's just me, but if you grow up from infanthood together, nursed by the same woman, and call the adults raising you "mom and dad".... you're siblings. It doesn't matter that you're not related by blood, you experienced the sibling relationship dynamic and therefore it is still incestuous to date eachother. Ew.

More worryingly, there's the argument that the Noah's didn't raise Luna as their daughter, but just as a "foundling." What does that entail? A cold, emotionally neglectful distance. An orphan kept close at hand only for her miraculous ability to keep their "real" kid from crying 24/7. (According to one early tie-in manga.) That's worse, I hate that. Though.... that would explain a lot of Luna's anger and frustration.

Does the second scenario make a romantic relationship between Luna and Alex okay? No. If anything, it makes it even worse.

It's too bad there's basically no mental health support on Lunar, because all these kids need intensive counseling of one sort or another.

Last night was the first appearance of Tempest and Fresca, two kids that I always forget, like, exist in the game. They're introduced like they matter, but, well... if you stick with my streams, we'll probably uncover why I'm so lukewarm on those characters either this upcoming Sunday or the Sunday after that (depending on whether Myght's tower is as annoying as I remember it being or not.)

For all my grousing, I still love the cast of Lunar so much. They are an absolute mess, in a way I don't see from other rpgs of that era or any other era if I'm honest. An endearing mess. I could just use a little less of some of the worst stuff that was mostly left behind in the 90's and early 00's.

On the other hand, sometimes it's good to be reminded of the things society has grown past. Because nostalgia can be a very dangerous thing.

(Also, I really need to work on writing out my Queer Lunar Thesis. Because I've got a queer reading for every one of these characters. Maybe even Tempest and Fresca? We'll have to get through their story before I can make up my mind on them. It'll be hilarious if they turn out to be the only hetero cis characters on the moon.)

[beautifulpersonpeach]

im so confused about that taekook pic. is jimin trolling? it's like he's toying with us? pls plss plss don't forget this ask bpp. pls answer my asks. i don't get why everything feels fake about jikook, tkk, jimin. is he even happy? it's like hybe is pulling the strings and trying to confuse jimin stans to frustrate us.

*

Ask 2:

At this point I just feel like we're getting played with lol. By who and for what? I don't know. But I've felt this way ever since we got photos/video that jimin did in fact get a cake for his solo and I'm sure big hit saw what the fandom was saying about him not getting one and they still waited to announce that he did.

BTS just isn't fun anymore for me rn. There's just this tension surrounding everything. And not just with shipping. It's fandom wide blatant favoritism. Shifting confusing narratives from the guys themselves (Jungkook claiming he's not trying to shy away from the maknae image when that's all he's been saying for months now???). Tae doing whatever it is that he's doing (bless his heart chile). Namjoon seems to be a mess rn, I wanna give him a hug, he speaks like life is kicking his ass. And our jiminie, I can't get a read on but he seems happy. And the other 3 being in the army so they're not causing trouble lol.

These taekook pics from jimin, hmmm idk, maybe it's his way of telling people he doesn't care about the backlash, and tae bringing jungkook up constantly, and we should back off.

It's all a mess. I never thought I'd long for the day we'd get a real break lol. I WANT to miss them.

I don't hate them. This is just exhausting. It's like them and the company are trying to be strategic with everything and it feels a bit disingenuous? Idk if that's the word. Maybe disconnected is more the word. And I know they've always been strategic in the things they do, so idk why this feels different to me.

Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble in your inbox lol

*

Ask 3:

Something feels wrong about suchwita. It feels forced. Am I the only one who feels Hybe is doing damage control with jikook to contain the fallout from Golden? BPP I'd like to hear what you think about vminkook's date, suchwita revealing the travel variety in context of all the controversies that happened lately. Does Jimin just not care about taekooker hate? He might be kind but he's still human.

*

Ask 4:

I give up on Jimin. Tired of stanning a grown man letting himself get played for a fool. Hybe, you won. Gloat away BPP. You and the rest of the OT7 cows win.

*

Ask 5:

BPP your asks about that RM - FACE credits controversy from Pjms reminded me of one debate I saw btw flat earthers and scientists. It's the most fascinating thing I've ever seen. The part that made me think of you is how flatearthers called the scientists uneducated, said they did their own calculations and made their own observations to arrive at fringe theories that disputed the wider consensus. I found it so strange how both scientists and flat earthers could observe the same thing but reach widely different conclusions. I know you've been going over and over with solos for some months so I hope this can make you laugh a bit BPP.

https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=Q7yvvq-9ytE

***

Hi Anon(s),

Lol, Anons in asks 1 through 4, why are you letting your minds torment you over things that should be obvious? Anon in ask 5, you sent me that ask last week, but it feels apt to post it now given the sort of asks I've gotten in the last few hours.

How many times can we go over the sort of conspiratorial thinking that plagues people who eventually become akgaes, thought patterns that have been shown several times this year to be completely misguided? If the only conclusion you can reach after everything we've seen in the last 10 months, after seeing Jikook, Taekook, Yoonmin, Vmin, and Yoonkook's conversations recently, is that 'someone' must be trying to pull a fast one on you, then maybe you should take a step back.

Honestly, in my opinion, you all fit the profile of people who should engage with k-pop very sparingly. Most times, I've observed these sort of views (also in the case of flat-earthers) are caused by gaps in foundational knowledge about the subject coupled with personal implicit biases. I see this happen all the time, and it's unfortunately the sorts of people who think like this who only get further sucked in, to the point they lose any semblance of a reference point. If you're still at the point you're asking these questions, especially Anon in ask 1, 2 and 3, there's still a chance. I'd suggest a clean break, a detox period, and very limited exposure going forward but starting from scratch and actually watching official content from the early years. A lot of people who joined the fandom post-2020 have only seen compilations and selected clips of BTS's formative years, and so they lack the background to better interpret everything that's happening in Chapter 2 - from why HYBE wouldn't respond to akgaes whining about cakes by posting it right away, to how vminkook have behaved throughout Chapter 2.

Listen to how you feel and please step back.

With flat earthers it's funny because in a bid to be skeptical, to 'question everything' so they aren't "played as a fool", they end up becoming just that. For most other people there's no joke, but for them the joke is always on them.

*

Thanks for the video, Anon in ask 5. But rather than make me laugh, it did the opposite. The conclusion of the video is that no flat-earther, not one, changed their minds after debating with the scientists. I had a theory that the people who end up as akgaes were always going to be that regardless of any arguments that run contrary to their beliefs, because at the heart of it, it's not about the arguments but about them. But I hoped I could be wrong. Extrapolating the conclusion of this video to my theory, the suggested implication is bleak as hell.

Anyway, stream Golden and enjoy jikook jikooking. Sounds like we're about to get a full calendar of content.

[futurequibblerjournalist]

Idk if youd be super into it but Id really like to hear about why you don't like wilhelm. :0 idkidk your thoughts on every1 are just so interesting to me n I like the thought you put in them idk

I can't get over how I'm like "I don't like this guy I made up evil thoughts about him in my head and not the fun kind" and now all my anons are like "wanna tell us about him???" vjnfjbngjb

I'll go into depth a little more because your asks is very nice but idk if I'll ever reveal the depths of why I hate this shitty little lad

So! Idk if I've just been on some weird sides of fandom but I generally see him portrayed as like,, some pseudo twink whose only purpose is comedic banter on the sidelines of other ships or being Edmund "daddy dom" Avery Junior's bitch (in case you can't tell from how I phrased that I don't like that portrayal of Avery either vjfnbjgnb) and I don't like that!! I also just,, do not fuck with the whole "oh no he wasn't a death eater because he wanted to he was forced into it he's actually innocent!!" and I've seen some of that with Wilhelm too.

I think this dude is just,, a genuinely shitty person. Getting the basics out of the way homeboy is a blood supremacist and a death eater. Not a great start when it comes to being a good person. I've already delved briefly into his relationship with Aurora here but I'll elaborate. I think he's an entitled shitbag (this entitlement is also what makes me think homeboy does not know that no means no and you can kinda let that brainwave take you wherever you want but really I will not elaborate more on this part (he's also got a particular taste in women that I've alluded to in my moodboards but once again I'm not gonna bring it up any more than that)). He thinks he's smarter than everyone else, that he can manipulate everyone into thinking he's someone better than who he really is (and he can) and the fact that he's aware enough of this to keep doing it so successfully is just,, he knows he's not a good person and still, he pretends to be one to get what he wants. Classic wolf in sheep's clothing!!! He's maintained a friendship for years simply because he thinks it's funny to laugh behind Aurora's back like what kind of person does that??

I can also provide a bit of context for my portrayal of Wilhelm I guess lol. I'm not the one who came up with the name Wilhelm for him obviously but since we canonically only know his last name someone had to. Wilhelm is of Germanic origin and thus I've decided that he's Austrian lol. Wilkes shares his last name with the main antagonist from I think it's Stephen King's Misery?? Don't quote me on that lmao. Anyway, the character's main trait in that book is that they're like,, relentlessly cruel so in my portrayal of Wilkes I definitely took inspiration from his namesake. He originally attended Durmstrang where he was close with Rowle and Dolohov (especially the latter) though he was expelled in his third year and due to connections he was able to attend Hogwarts instead where he was sorted into Slytherin. He spent his time at Durmstrang tormenting not only but probably, in particular, Igor Karkarov (who I think had an exchange year to Hogwarts in his seventh year where Wilhelm continued to bully him while playing completely innocent to anyone else)

I think Wilhelm is a fairly tall, muscular young man, with such a pale complexion and blonde hair that he looks like he never sees sunlight. He's got multi-coloured eyes, one light brown and the other blue, very fluffy hair (sheep's clothing) and a charming smile with prominent fangs (wolf) and exposed gums. He looks far too cunty for a man who's as homophobic as he is

I'm glad you enjoy my character rambles jvnfjbngjb I'd be more than happy to ramble about someone else lol

[writingraccoon]

for the character thing you reblogged - grantaire

OMG thank youuu I love him

favorite thing about them: I like that he’s pathetic, I love me a man going through mental torment.

least favorite thing about them: idk if I really have one? He’s a character so most of his flaws are reasons why I like him ig.

favorite line: when enjolras says "you don't believe in anything" and grantaire says "I believe in you" IT'S JUST SOOOOO GRRRRR I LOVE DEVOTION

brOTP: does gavroche and grantaire count? I love their dynamic so much omg

OTP: enjoltaire /p

nOTP: I mean most grantaire ships that aren't with enj? I can be very picky with ships

random headcanon: rip grantaire you would have loved Chipotle

unpopular opinion: i don't like enjoltaire as a romantic ship bc enjolras is so aroace to me, but I love the dynamic. Idk if that's actually unpopular tho lol

song i associate with them: I think nearly all the songs in Inside by Bo Burnham fit grantaire really well!

favorite picture of them: does this count

[bentosandbox]

1 to 7 👀

take a guess before opening this (it's kind of long)

so actually when I rb'd the post I was thinking about Hoshichen tehe was it obvious (I don't actually hate it... I like it even..but I'm very particular about their dynamic) but I kind of have 3 other ships I basically feel same-y about

Specrene

FranLisk

SariaSilence

Their standard(??)/popular depictions basically have 'Webtoon CEO with yaoi hands harassing/forcing themselves on naive powerless guy' kind of vibes to me (This applies to a lot of Lapptex too I think) basically if you turn the 'bottom' into a kyaa noo stop type of girl with no agency...goodbye forever

What OTPs in your fandom(s) do you just not get?

See top but I guess more specifically Specrene: specter is treating her like a actual pet bird to torment/tease than a fellow humanoid(?) until the end of her op rec where she finally kind of acknowledges irene as a fellow 'human' like whaa

2. Are there any popular fandom OTPs you only BroTP?

Hoshichen but they're also like more than that to me im just going to quote my friend here and hope it suffices

uhh like. they know that they'll never get the other's full background and theyre (may be begrudgingly) fine with that (as opposed to chenswire thats like mutually 'i already know everything about you why are you still pretending otherwise' in all actions but speech)

3. Have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion?

man idk honestly lol... but i also rarely unfollow people over this kind of stuff usually I just mute words or just go hm interesting i guess (scroll past)

4. Do you have a NoTP in your fandom? Are they a popular OTP?

see top I think they're all popular/the 'default' ship (except for specrene)

5. Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?

see top (and below...) chen sir is cringefail but not like a hollywood damsel please....

6. Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?

I wouldn't say hate but I used to be really ehhh on

1) Mos/Fia because (see top) but I love fail mostima and cringe fia I'm glad GA showed how pathetic the two of them can be

2) I kept seeing Lin/Swire with (see top) dynamic and i was like goddamn you guys did it to hoshichen and now them too COME ON.. JUST BECAUSE SWIRE APOLOGISED ONCE EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS BACK TO BEING QUEEN BITCH RIGHT AFTER uhh anyway. there was this weibo post I saw when Lin was announced that like awoke something in me it was kind of like a drabble or something...? basically something like 'lungmen quad is so nice because you have 2 police(chen & swire) and 2 underworld people(lin & hoshi <ex tho) so the dynamics is like wowww!! honestly it was kinda hard to read lol but it was basically like canon compliant imagining about after swires kidnapping when they were kids, they fractured fr fr because chen was like im going to 1000% train while lin feels awkward since swire got kidnapped by underworld guys or sth and her family and therefore she herself is part of the problem and it ended with the both of them butting heads while thinking "why wasnt it me that saved her back then?" (cause it was hoshi right lol) and i just went like MANNNNN. it's like the core of my wuxia/gufeng AU that's collecting dust in my folder sorry if that made no sense

3) hoshichen but see below first and then come back; JP fan interpretations just hit different man the biggest reason why i still eat this ship sometimes

7. Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now?

see top but especially for HoshiChen because i don't really care for the other 3 ships lol. people depicting Hoshigummy like average yaoi mafia boss that forces themselves on the MC without an ounce of respect for either party when shes like actually perfect(to me...)

omake/bonus chart i made a while back before WWB dropped

hope nobody gets mad over my opinions though lol enjoy whatever you like even if its ooc!!! peace and love on planet terra

[silviakundera]

Joy of Life Episode 26 and 27 liveblogging

This is my first watch, so don't tell me secrets ;)

LMAO the country's literary dignity depends on Fan Xian 💀 well just recite a couple Li Bai and you got this

Dad: this legendary scholar won't make trouble for a junior!

Northern Qi: 🔪 FINISH HIM 🔪

I adore every scene of ML with Uncle Wu

A mom story!!

ML planning his break in and tormenting Wang Qinain at the same time. That's multitasking

Every one is obsessed with the Qi Hall happenings but ML. There are going to be so many plots that they're just overlap with each other and destruct lol

ML stripping all his weapons at the door 😂

Second Prince and ML enjoying being clever at each other. Damn I almost ship it , which would be SUCH a terrible life choice and probably means 2P dies or betrays ML shortly 🙈

My new friend CP showing up to be the straight man in this comedy of manners

This banquet is filled to the brim with ML's enemies like he's Caesar and this is the Ides of March.

lmaoooooo even a disciple of the framed up Si Gujian

UGH Royal Princess. But I am enjoying her being unable to predict him. and I think him not making a move was getting to her a little.

This was 🔥 🔥:

2P: "How about us making a bet? Let's see who Fan Xian will support in the end."

CP: "What are we betting on?"

2P: "Our lives."

asffghjkl the performances. the way the camera stops. POETRY. (chef's kiss)

Master literary guy, not bowing to ML: (bet that was just DEVASTATING) ML: likely did not notice

Chen Pingping is trying to figure out what horrible predicament is about to occur. He's just like me!

idk what drama the emperor is trying to create. OH NO. Second Prince, what r u doing????? he's barely holding back his smirk. just fucking around and now he's got CP in on it. Guyssssssss let him live

Royal Princess is obviously the one who met with Zhuang when he went "missing", I just don't think ML cares too much about his literary rep

Second Prince springing to action cracks me up. Frankly unnecessary backup.

Episode 27

LOL Guo is honestly too much of a petty loser to despise. dangermousie I get your affection for the character now

oh yaaaaaassssssfddfdddd ML gonna get loaded and start reciting the chinese poetry greats HELL YEAH DO IT BOY

IT'S POEMS TIMES 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾

emperor: holy shit that IS her kid

Second Prince is fucking LIVING for the spectacle. A troll at heart.

Dad, hearing about this nonsense: *sigh* that is definitely her kid

I just cannot support this break-in caper. Can we not?

So is he actually going to get the key?????

Wait, he has to sneak in and then out and then in AGAIN

This is a terrible fucking idea. These 2 wanna give me an ulcer.

Why even spy on Zhuang and Royal Princess? Ok nevermind he learned some sweet gossip! She gave up Yan Bingyuan 😱

Fan Xian got shot for troubles but tbh he was asking for it so do I feel bad for him, NO

[aesopsbaby]

do you think you'd ever ship one of your characters with Master Quill? Idk I'm just thirsty for more of your content and your interactions with your Tumblr husband are impeccable (lo)

Feed me

Myself. EHUM EHUM,, COUGH,,!!

Also, seeing you guys call Lo my tumblr husband always makes me so happy for some reason-- is that weird,,, well anyways!!

I actually do have,,,a few candidates!

Butler OC (Unnamed at the moment) but I'm leaning with Carlton for his name so,,,let's call him that for the time being! (I...might change it..)

Why:

LOOK. HES A BUTLER BUT HE HAS NO MORALS. He would do whatever he is tasked to do. Take someone out? Sure, on a date or- oh nevermind, he already shot the person.

So imagine Master, who enjoys having full control over someone, meeting this man who is willing to submit to him no matter the orders. Carlton would carry out whatever Master wishes.

After all, a butler must serve his master, right?

Akari (I haven't drawn her in awhile but I'm pretty sure there are some posts floating around on my blog!!)

Why:

Not much is to be said about her, except for the fact that she'd take joy in being around Master. Having to live with two sisters that are always protective around her, is boring her.

She needs someone that is the embodiment of pure chaos and destruction. She enjoys watching Master torment others and would be more than happy to be his subject of torment!! She doesn't feel fear (except for her sisters being hurt), but she doesn't care if anything happens to her.

It would be so interesting to see Master takes full advantage of that and try to push Akari till he finds out how to make her feel true fear. How to make her crumble and afraid of him.

Nathan

Why:

He's stubborn. Real stubborn. He strongly believes that Elios was a good soul, that Meztli killed him and now he HAS to take revenge for Elios! His heart is set on Elios no matter what.

I'm just so interested to see Nathan being conflicted when Master joins the story. I just imagine Master taking advantage of how vulnerable Nathan is right now and just treating him with kindness, exactly how Elios was. And it's messing with Nathan's mind,,,now he has to decide whether he still loves Elios or has another man captured his cold, confused heart?

Head in hands,,,there's so many more ocs that I have thought of but I have to choose those that are mentally unstable,,,(for plot purpose ofc!!)

Master Quill belongs to @feelin-lo !! :D

[mssf-milk]

For how long you have been a sinner of chans ?

Finally I have the time to answer this ask thank god

CW: HUGE RAMBLE INCOMING

As you may already know, it all started with DEFORMOGRAPHY, a fic that I stumbled upon on complete happenstance, searching for Sans/Reader fics to indulge myself in. The tags shook me, but I was intrigued enough to open the work. And I loved it immediately. Some scenes in it managed to greatly disturb me, which made it very memorable. This fic introduced me to an idea I've never thought about before.

After that, as I usually do with things/ideas that catch my interest, I started searching the world wide web for more stuff to satiate my inquisitive mind. I found art on Pinterest, found more fics centered around the idea of a human tormenting the short funny skeleton man, but eventually the fire calmed down. I even forgot about it for a while.

But it lingered. I'm not sure if the idea wouldn't leave my head right from the start, or on re-read, but after reading all the similar fics to it that I could find, I realised that

It still.

Wouldn't.

Leave.

I HAD to see more of this. And so about I started writing something. Not sure when, but probably in April or March. The first draft(??) I was writing was quite different from what turned out in the published work. The idea was the same, but the execution was different, you know? Maybe I'll post it someday, if I manage to find it and think it isn't cringe or something idk. The first attempt was mainly done to get it out of my system, because by god I cannot exaggerate how FERAL this concept made me. I remember shaking from the dopamine bro.

Eventually, I picked it up again and started over, which happened in May, this time approaching it more seriously and deliberately (even though at first I'd procrastinate on writing a lot because of perfectionism). After a lot of mulling over the different ways I could execute this concept, and thinking over the possible plotholes, the first chapter was eventually posted in August.

Fun fact: What if I told you that I wasn't interested in necessarily Chara/Sans at all? That's right, to me, the concept and the whole idea came before the ship itself. In a different timeline, there's probably me, writing a fic for Frisk/Sans or Sans/Reader, just with the same premise. It's just that when making those character sheets for fun, I brushed away the possibility of "The Human" in question ever being Frisk (because of their kind personality), and so just filled it in as "Chara/The Human". It eventually lead to me thinking of the Human being specifically Chara and no one else, and removing the possibility of it being a reader-insert at all.

(Huh, I should post these sheets I was making during that time here someday)

Side note: this is also why wholesome and good Chans content is... I do like it, but it's not what I'm looking for, you know? I'm here for the messed up no good dynamics full of misery. Yay!

So... end of the line is, I do not know.

Does it count from ever since I got hooked by the general idea? From when I started writing my own? Or only from when I solidified Chara as Sans's "lover"?

I guess it's up for interpretation.

[scramble-crossing]

5 18 20 21 fuya

Dang I wasn't expecting a Fuya ask. River boy time 🌊🌊🌊🚣‍♂️

My favourite ship of them

I don't think I have a ship for Fuya BUT if it counts the fact that he's implied to be (or I guess was lmao rip) in a loveless marriage with the Kyoto Sweets lady is VERY FUNNY to me just for how completely uncalled for it was. Besides the obvious Motoi/An0ther plotline, none of the team leaders get much backstory for what their lives were like before the game. And this makes sense. It doesn't matter who Kanon or Fuya used to be because the cyclic nature of the game has dragged them along for years and the people they were are now long gone. They are fighting for lives they are at this point utterly detached from as the world spins on without them. HOWEVER it is imperative for players to be able to extrapolate the fact that Fuya's wife is probably doing fine without him because she never wanted this marriage anyways :) like cmon man Fuya is already so wet and pathetic he didn't deserve this

How do you think they were as a kid

Probably not much different! I'm fond of Fuya because despite being quite meek at his core he's also determined and willing to stand up and fight against long, even impossible odds. I think that comes from a lifetime of being beaten down and tormented (the social network says that other teams make a target of him) and desiring to be strong to not only fend for himself, but to protect those like him. From his love for that river girl uh...comic? Art series? Idk. it's probably safe to assume that he was your stereotypical nerdy kid who was bullied by his peers and yet still walked out of it with a steady-ish heart and his passions intact. He's always been the underdog which makes it even more miserable when he quickly (in the span of NEOs game timeline) kicks the bucket. Maybe Josh will pull a twewy anime and let him come back.

Also I think he and little Sho should have met at least once. Sho bit him on the playground like fifteen years ago and Fuya is STILL terrified of him.

A weird headcanon

Probably that he was bitten by Minamimoto when they were kids but also I think he LOVES minesweeper and that's why he attacks by laying bombs.

When do you think they were at their happiest

WHEN HE PROPOSED TO HIS DISINTERESTED WIFE AND SHE SAID YES AYOOOOOO

[the-everqueen]

for the ask meme: 001 for awaked alan

send me a fandom - alan wake [disclaimer for the uninitiated: this is all about aw2, because i don't fucks with that man when he had a buzzcut, but the long hair and tortured 13 years in the dark place? yum.]

favorite character: sorry, babe, it's Alan. it's the tortured act of creation that also destroys you. it's how maybe sometimes it's better if the story ends [here]. it's there can be no why. it's the story is the monster the story is you you are the monster. it's not a loop it's a spiral. it's about being in the meta position to decide what the story should be and yet the story will always control you. it's narrative as collar and leash.

least favorite character: who's the nurse who is obsessed with Wake?

five favorite ships: do i have five? OBVIOUSLY Saga/Estevez. Saga/Jesse. Saga/Alice (the two women who went into the dark place on purpose and came out at will??). Tom Zane/the Koskela brothers, because i think they'd make some WILD art. i hope this somehow impresses upon the reader that while i didn't list her as my favorite, i do love Saga and also i think she deserves a queer relationship. maybe her and her husband open their marriage and Logan gets two moms. i think Estevez would be SO weird and unsettling in a way that any child between 8-13 would find Cool.

character i find most attractive: Kiran Estevez

character i would marry:...would i marry anyone in the awake alan universe? hm. seems risky. on the other hand...access to paranatural shit. Estevez.

character i would be best friends with: Saga. we could bond over sweaters and torment people with dumb puns.

a random thought: Alan is like, in-universe Stephen King, yeah? there's all these references to "genre bending" in the third act that feel gratuitous. but King seems like the closest irl analog.

an unpopular opinion: idk that it's unpopular but i DO hate Alan's speech in the final draft. "master of many worlds" gives me the ick. i love the bit where he revives and says "it's not a loop," etc., AND i like the implication that the clues in the final draft aren't a past self but a future one. but the speech is dumb and recenters him in a way that feels like it backtracks the part where he and Saga co-write the story.

my canon otp: too poly for this!

my non-canon otp: still too poly, but saga/estevez.

most badass character: torn between Saga because she survived a horror novel AND the pacific northwest as a Black woman, and Alice because she on-purpose suicide-baited her husband in order to make him self-actualize, which. real girlboss shit.

pairing i am not a fan of: i like Saga and Casey's relationship but i don't really get slash vibes from them.

character i feel the writers screwed up: Freya's utter lack of presence until the third act was a missed opportunity. like, we didn't NEED a full weird movie with deer motifs when we could've had the chance to see another side of Saga.

favorite friendship: obvs Saga and Casey. they cute.

[chernayawidow]

I feel the need to start this off by saying that YOU GAVE ME A WHOLE ASS HEART ATTACK! I legit felt like a terrible person for forgetting about fathers day, but it turns out that the US fathers day is different from Australia's. Ours is in September 😭 ANYWAY ONTO THE MAIN COURSE!

“Where is she?” Ben asked, once he and Frank were loaded in the car. — We love a man who has his priorities straight!

Frank was already on his way up to you, but it would take him time with Vought security crawling all over them. — Daddy Frank is coming to save us and punish that asshat Jon WOOH!! (catch the reference?) 😏

He wanted to know for sure what lied underneath it, if it was actually the Noir he knew. Or if it was something else entirely. — AHHHH is this the moment of truth? Lmao NOPE! You just love tormenting all of us readers don’t you. DON’T YOU? 🥺 

But Noir twisted with superior reflexes and flipped Ben hard over his shoulder. In the process, he ripped off Ben’s helmet. His brown hair hung over his brows as he pushed to his feet, deliberately taking his time. — This chapter is mixing together a cocktail of anxiety and anticipation within me! Ben’s new power aside, he and, what I can only assume is a faux Noir, are feeling very evenly matched. ‘Checkerboard’ is the only thing giving me comfort, otherwise I wouldn’t put it past you to give me more heartache then I can handle and have SB not save her from Jon the Jackass in time 🥺 That’s my only comfort in this.

He heard you on the floor above. And you were fighting someone. — That’s good, it means she’s not unconscious, nor is she being shipped off to some unknown location! She’s a badass and I firmly believe she’s gonna kick the shit out of that useless father of hers!

His insides felt molten when the power collected, and finally released at his target. — That feels like such an interesting but accurate take on his powers. Because I honestly can’t imagine that it would feel anything less than this.

Noir covered himself at the last moment with a piece of fallen debris (a half-crumbled wall), but it only created a small buffer. The force of the blast itself pushed him down the hall and through the side of the building. — Damn, does that mean he would still have his powers? He’s a slinky motherfucker, that’s for sure.

You were battered, with blood dribbling down the corner of your mouth from a particularly bad hit. You were still standing though. — THAT’S OUR GIRL! YES YES YES WE LOVE TO SEE IT! When I read that last sentence my mind instantly started playing ‘I’m Still Standing”.

“You’ve gotten soft,” Jon remarked. — Excuse you Jon, but I don’t recall anyone saying that you could open your stupid ass mouth with your irrelevant and FALSE words. Why don’t you sit your bitchass down and light yourself on fire or something idk, GO WALK ON SOME LEGOS!

“I gave you time to come around, and this is what you did with it,” he said, shaking his head. “Disappointing.” — LISTEN HERE JON YOU DIPSHIT, THE ONLY DISAPPOINTING THING IS THAT MY FOOT ISN’T UP YOUR ASS! LEAVE MY POOKIE ALONE, SHE’S A BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL WHO NEEDS TO BE LOVED!

He squeezed with enough pressure that it wouldn’t crush your windpipe, but it was sure to knock you out eventually. You slapped and clawed at his hand, but he only shushed you. — SURELY FRANK OR BEN ARE GONNA SWOOP IN RIGHT ABOUT NOW? SURELY! SOMEBODY SAVE HER OH GOD!

Tears leaked from your eyes when you looked up and found Ben. His helmet was missing, and he wore a furious, steely frown. — OH FUCK YES THAT’S FUCKING RIGHT! The amount of RELIEF I felt when the grip on her throat disappeared, and I wasn’t sure if it was Frank or Ben but I’m SO GLAD THAT IT’S BEN! Because now it’s another positive memory she get’s to keep in the bank of emotional conflict!

To your surprise, he tucked his shield on his back and bent down to scoop you up into his arms. You cringed, uttering an agonized sound when he tried to move you. Ben hesitated. Looking down at you, some of his anger drained. He made a slower ascent as he straightened to his full height. — Oh gosh he’s so gentle with her that it melts my heart. He’s probably thinking ‘this wouldn’t have happened if you were on V’ or something like that. What’s the bet he’ll bring it up sometime down the track as a point for why she should be on V 🤣

“What are you, some kind of hero?” you managed to quip, offering a small smile. Ben glanced down at you, and gradually smirked. “Something like that.” — Oh god my heart is a puddle of adoration for these two at this point 🥺 I adore their dynamic so so much!

“Hold on,” he murmured. His lips briefly pressed to the crown of your head. “We’re getting the fuck outta here.” Your eyes closed at the tender touch, and a few more tears spilled down your cheeks. — IT CAN GET BETTER! YOU SOMEHOW MADE THIS MOMENT EVEN MORE PERFECT AHHH! That little head kiss is AMAZING and it feels so beautifully placed! This little moment is surely going to plague her, how tender and attentive he can be towards her. The little things that he does to show that he cares.

“Just relax,” he said, a deep rumble. But there was a soothing note to it, you thought. Or maybe, you just liked the sound of his voice. — Honestly probably a bit of both. I wholeheartedly believe that he has a desire to soothe her, and I also believe that his voice in general is something that she’s starting to find comfort in (at least when he’s not being a dick lmao). I feel like moments like these are when she takes a certain solace in how tender he is capable of being.

“Get her out of here,” Ben ordered. With a nod, Frank carried you back the way he came, towards the staircase. You tried to peer over his shoulder. “He shouldn’t face Noir alone,” you said, even though every breath was a challenge with the sharp pain in your chest. — HOW DO YOU DO THAT? With your writing, even the smallest things make me want to tear up because everything you write feels intentional and purposeful.

It was ice cold. So frigid that it extinguished the heat that had been building in his chest, but it wasn’t diffusing his power completely…it just made it even harder to control. — wait wHAT? Holy shit YOU’VE JUST THROWN ME OFF BALANCE AGAIN! How many twists can you possibly throw at me? And even though you’ve pulled so many, I STILL NEVER SEE THEM COMING! HOLY SHIT YOU’RE AN AMAZING WRITER!

“We can up the dose, put you to sleep indefinitely,” Stan replied. — I can’t imagine what that sentence would make Ben feel. If I were him, I would probably have a panic attack because holy shit that would be terrifying. Especially because of his extended lifespan.

“Until he isn’t,” Ben snarked. If he thought about it, that was something you would say. Maybe your penchant for smart-ass remarks had gotten into his head. — Awww they’re both rubbing off on each other. I love these subtle details!

“It was a breakthrough project. Temporarily destabilizes the energy you generate when you charge up like a Power Puff Girl.” Stan thought for a moment, then inclined his head. “A reference, I realize, which may be lost on you.” — LMAOOOOO! YOU SAW THE OPPORTUNITY AND YOU TOOK IT! This is why I love you, you never fail to make me laugh! 🤣

Stan stepped back and revealed the cell right across the hall. Through the window, Ben could see you, lying unconscious on a shitty cot in similar gray pajamas. His brows crunched as he narrowed his eyes, trying to peer in closer. You looked like you’d been bandaged up, at least. — I mean… at least they’re together?

But you softened when you found Ben through the large glass window, in a cell of his own. He was sitting on his bed, arms crossed, with his back against the wall. His eyes found yours, and his lips twitched. “Hey, sweetheart.” — THE DETAIL! YOU NEVER MISS A SINGLE DETAIL! The way she softened and how his lips twitched, those are such small things but they feel like so much more then that!

“Go slow,” he warned. “Bet you’re missing that Temp. V right about now.” — There it is 🤣

You were stubborn about waiting on Ben, even considered going back for him. — My brain is malfunctioning omg we are getting FED! You are absolutely NOURISHING ME WITH THE RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT! In spite of her own safety, she held out for an indestructible man. She truely does care about him and we all know it.

That was when the shot rang out, hitting Frank point blank in the chest. — NO WAIT WHAT! You had to know that this would give me emotional whiplash, you HAD to know. You killed Daddy Frank, how could you? This right here punched me in the THROAT! Even though he was her captor, he was a better father figure to her than Jon ever was. And the guilt that this is going to leave her with will kill me.

Because if he fell asleep now, there was no telling when he’d wake up. And fuck if Ben would ever admit to the panic he felt welling up into his chest. — I knew you would touch on these feelings, I can always count on you giving us a glimpse into his head and you never disappoint. I couldn’t ever begin to image the distress that he would be feeling about this. For all he knows, he could wake up after the duration of a whole average lifespan. He could wake up to a world where she’s already dead and buried.

“Tickle its balls,” Ben said. Your answering snort deepened his smile into a smirk. — We can always count on Ben to make things dirty 🤣

Ben rested a hand on his chest, but when his mirth died down, he realized just how tired he was. Still, he wasn’t ready to let go of this. His connection with you tethered him to reality, even if reality sucked dick right now. — This moment that they’re having together feels like a very important milestone in their relationship development, the way he’s acknowledging her as his tether to reality feels crucial. My heart aches for him, especially if he’s considered the possibility that if he falls asleep, then he might never see her again, even when he wakes up.

Every extended note was painful, but it was worth it to see his face relax. — This is such a beautiful moment in spite of the circumstances, and now I’m so so anxious for what’s going to happen next.

“Tell Maintenance to cut the water, and then a section of the pipes.” — Oh god, and the punches keep coming!

HELL YEAH, ANOTHER FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC UPDATE ON ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SERIES!! First of all, allow me to say that you absolutely ATE THIS UP as per usual! SO THAT WAS A LOT TO TAKE IN! So much happened, and I can’t believe you killed Frank. That one hurt! 😭 But I at least feel fed and nourished with the moments that Ben and reader shared. It really does feel like their bond has gone to the next level. Their little back and forth of bad jokes, and those moments of concern for the others wellbeing. The way she put herself at risk for him, knowing that she was on deaths door and he's pretty much indestructible? I’m so excited to see what you’ve got planned for them next! 🫶💖

Love footage of me trying to process everything:

Break Me Down - Part 11

Pairing: Soldier Boy/Ben x Female Reader

Summary: You’re a private investigator by trade, but now you happily sit at a desk — leading a surveillance team at Supe Affairs. After managing to end Homelander in New York, Soldier Boy escapes custody. You are recruited for the manhunt, joining Butcher’s team.

Truly, you joined the S.A. for the right reasons. But after you become his accidental hostage, Soldier Boy will break down every single one of them… [18+ only! Rated M]

**Start from the beginning: Prologue

AN: Happy Father's Day and early Juneteenth! In honor of the holiday weekend, here's an early chapter update. 😘

Word Count: 4,000 Tags/Warnings: Violence and peril, angst, hurt/comfort, fluff

Part 11: The Lion’s Den

“Where is she?” Ben asked, once he and Frank were loaded in the car. 

Loco and his team had to stay behind as their distraction for escape. If they weren’t slaughtered, they’d be taken into custody. 

Ben knew he could’ve wasted all of them, Butcher, his team, the CIA, but the nuclear power in his chest had refused to cooperate…

Anyway, Black Noir hadn’t been there. So it was all the more useless to stick around. The real plan was with you, and he was very surprised that you’d stuck to it…but maybe he shouldn’t have been.

“She was brought to the Tower,” Frank informed him.

Ben smirked. “Good. But pretty fucking stupid of Stan to stick around there when he knew I’d be coming.”

He looked over and noticed Frank’s frown as he drove. 

“Unless he’s not at the Tower,” Frank said. 

Ben’s smirk fell. Why would that prick take her there if…

“We have to be open to the possibility that his Chief of Security is taking the matter of his daughter into his own hands,” Frank said. “Or she’s improvising.”

Ben frowned. 

That didn’t change when they arrived at the Tower, and attempted to use the entrance through the back garage to avoid attention. But it didn’t matter. 

The entire squad of Vought security, included what looked like some added muscle (hopped up on what smelled like V24), met them when they reached the lobby of the building. Now that the Seven had been disbanded, there was no pretense of “good guys vs. bad guys.” It was just defense and siege. 

And in front of them all was Black Noir. 

“There you are,” Ben said, but the other supe didn’t even tilt his head in greeting. He was a still statue, an attack dog given a single mission. 

When Noir surged forward, Ben ran to meet him. It was a clash of blade to shield, fist to fist, grappling and reflexes that only Compound V could endow. The match tore through the lobby, then up the large staircase as Ben continued to fight his way up to Stan’s office. 

Frank was already on his way up to you, but it would take him time with Vought security crawling all over them. He was good, and temporarily a supe, but he was still just one man. 

Meanwhile, Ben and Noir’s fight spilled into the upper floors, through walls and offices and screaming employees trying to get out of their way. 

Once they reached near the floor below Stan’s office, Ben got an arm around Black Noir’s neck, and with his free hand tried to unmask him. He wanted to know for sure what lied underneath it, if it was actually the Noir he knew. Or if it was something else entirely.

But Noir twisted with superior reflexes and flipped Ben hard over his shoulder. In the process, he ripped off Ben’s helmet. His brown hair hung over his brows as he pushed to his feet, deliberately taking his time.

When he turned, Noir was standing there with the helmet crunched in his hand. Rolling his neck, Ben prepared to jump back into the fight, but a new sound reached his ears. 

He heard you on the floor above. And you were fighting someone…

Ben pressed a finger to the comm in his ear. 

“Frank, you got eyes on her?”

V24 had endowed the man with x-ray vision. A moment later, Frank patched through while he struggled and fought.

“She needs help,” he said gravely.

Ben took his hand off the comm, gritting his teeth. Black Noir was still waiting on him, attuned to Ben’s every move as the other supe brandished one of his blades.

Shit, Ben thought. He needed to end this. 

Right fucking now. 

That resolve helped him take a deep breath, then summon the energy inside him. He focused with the aim of blasting a clean stream of power at Black Noir; not enough to take out the whole building, but enough to take out just him.

His insides felt molten when the power collected, and finally released at his target.

Noir covered himself at the last moment with a piece of fallen debris (a half-crumbled wall), but it only created a small buffer. The force of the blast itself pushed him down the hall and through the side of the building.

Meanwhile, you were holding your own…but you were also getting beat to hell. 

You were battered, with blood dribbling down the corner of your mouth from a particularly bad hit. 

You were still standing though. 

“You’ve gotten soft,” Jon remarked. He’d broken a sweat, had some bruises, and was panting for breath just like you. But he was more in control as he swatted a well-aimed, yet ultimately weak fist as your strength waned. He used his own to smack you down again. 

“I gave you time to come around, and this is what you did with it,” he said, shaking his head. “Disappointing.” 

When you tried to stand on shaking legs, he kicked you in the dead center of your chest. You felt your ribs crack as you fell back into the glass coffee table. 

You gasped for breath, turning onto your side as glass pricked at your back, your sides, your arm. You coughed, wincing at the agony of knife-like pain near your lungs. Blood flecked from your mouth onto your arm, and for a moment, you stared at it in a daze.

But then Jon was above you. You tried to swipe at his face, but he bat your hand away, his brows furrowed angrily. He turned you back onto your back and wrapped a hand around your neck. Your eyes flew wide with panic. 

He squeezed with enough pressure that it wouldn’t crush your windpipe, but it was sure to knock you out eventually. You slapped and clawed at his hand, but he only shushed you. 

“What you need now is what you’ve always needed. A firm hand,” he said. “But I’m going to help you. I promise, I will.”

The fight drained out of you as it became impossible to breathe, and harder still to block out his words from entering your brain. 

But then, the vice around your throat was gone. Oxygen poured back into your lungs as you gasped, then coughed again when your fractured ribs protested. 

Your eyelids fluttered open in time to see your father thrown hard into the far wall. You heard the sick crack and breaking of bone as he landed.

Still, you struggled to breathe. 

Tears leaked from your eyes when you looked up and found Ben. His helmet was missing, and he wore a furious, steely frown. You opened your mouth, but nothing came out except for more coughing, and more blood.

To your surprise, he tucked his shield on his back and bent down to scoop you up into his arms. 

You cringed, uttering an agonized sound when he tried to move you. 

Ben hesitated. Looking down at you, some of his anger drained. He made a slower ascent as he straightened to his full height. 

And without a word, he carried you out of the room and down the ruined hallway. All the while, you stared at the side of his face. His jaw was still clenched, his brows knitted, his eyes set dead ahead. 

You wondered why he had to wait for moments like this to show you who he truly was. 

“What are you, some kind of hero?” you managed to quip, offering a small smile. 

Ben glanced down at you, and gradually smirked. “Something like that.” 

When his foot slipped on a piece of debris, he righted himself quick. But the jerking movement jostled you, eliciting another pained whimper. Your hand gripped at his chest, digging into the grooves of his suit.

“Hold on,” he murmured. His lips briefly pressed to the crown of your head. “We’re getting the fuck outta here.”

Your eyes closed at the tender touch, and a few more tears spilled down your cheeks.

“He…knew,” you managed to say. “Knew I was lying.”

“I know,” said Ben. “I should’ve fucking known better.”

You marveled at that near apology. Your lips trembled as you rested your head against his chest. You just couldn’t help it anymore.

“Was my idea,” you admitted.

“Yeah, well, evidently not all your ideas are aces,” he said. 

You could’ve gotten angry, but you saw the way he moved with care, trying not to slip again for your sake. You tried at a smile. 

“Guess not,” you said, though you bit your lip at the pain that seemed to radiate through your entire body. Ben seemed to notice. 

“Just relax,” he said, a deep rumble. But there was a soothing note to it, you thought. Or maybe, you just liked the sound of his voice. 

Then silence fell between the two of you, both comfortable and tense as Ben focused on potential threats in his surroundings. 

All the while, you continued to rest your eyes. Instead of your pain, you tried to concentrate on his steady heartbeat beneath your cheek.

“It’s about fucking time,” you eventually heard Ben grouse. 

You opened your eyes and were relieved to see Frank exiting the stairwell to meet you and Ben. His face and black tactical gear were splattered with blood, but he looked fine, more or less. His gaze roamed over you with his usual stoicism, but you thought you saw a glint of concern.   

“I take it Stan Edgar isn’t here,” said Frank. 

“You could fucking say that,” Ben snarked. “Let’s just get the hell out of here.”

“Sir.” Frank saw something ahead, behind you. Ben turned to find Black Noir silently standing in the middle of the hall, with a large, suspicious-looking gun in his hands.

Without taking his eyes off Noir, Ben gestured to Frank. He came up beside you, and Ben passed you into Frank’s arms.

“Get her out of here,” Ben ordered. With a nod, Frank carried you back the way he came, towards the staircase. You tried to peer over his shoulder.

“He shouldn’t face Noir alone,” you said, even though every breath was a challenge with the sharp pain in your chest. 

“He’ll meet us after,” Frank told you. But as soon as he started down the stairs, a fresh team of Vought security and police came to meet you.

Meanwhile, Ben stared down the hall at his opponent. Black Noir activated the strange gun, which lit up with a blue energy. 

“You can bring out any kind of fancy artillery you want, but it’s not going to stop me from killing you,” Ben taunted.

Noir remained silent, of course, but he aimed the gun and fired. It shot a potent, crystal blue beam of energy that ate through Ben’s shield, and eventually hit him in the chest before he could finish revving up his own power. The blast from the gun, it wasn’t hot. 

It was ice cold. So frigid that it extinguished the heat that had been building in his chest, but it wasn’t diffusing his power completely…it just made it even harder to control. 

And the resulting backlash was overwhelming.

Ben woke slowly, like wading through molasses. Usually his mind was sharp, even when he woke from a booze-induced coma. Now he felt groggy, and it was hard to focus or even force his body to sit up on the hard cot he was laying on.

Glancing down, he realized he’d been changed out of his suit. He was dressed in a plain gray shirt and matching pants, no shoes. He knew a prison outfit when he saw one, just as he now knew where he was: a white padded cell. 

Fuck.

At least it was better than a frigid coffin…but in his mind, not by much.

He slid his legs over and managed to push up onto his feet. 

Why’s it so fucking misty in here? he thought, waving his hand through the smokey air. And why was he so tired?

He soon got his answer when he realized who stood at the large window at the front of his cell. 

Stan Edgar. 

The man himself, dressed in a well-tailored navy suit, was watching him with crossed arms. 

“We did hope you would remain on sabbatical,” said Stan. “But I had a feeling you would return, and come directly to us.”

Stan gestured to the large cell. “This was our contingency plan.”

Ben made his way, with difficulty, closer to Stan, who pointed at the air vents above that were pumping in a gas of some kind.

“A light mist of Novichok,” Stan explained. “Enough to keep you docile.”

“And if I’m not?” Ben asked. His voice was edged with grit, and the promise of retribution. 

“We can up the dose, put you to sleep indefinitely,” Stan replied. “But you have my attention. What would you like to discuss?” 

“The conversation I planned on having was…a little different,” Ben said darkly. “But first, let’s start with what you used to clone Black Noir.”

“I suppose there’s no real harm in telling you,” Stan said. Even his voice was grating on Ben’s ears, the smug prick. 

“We kept some of Homelander’s blood as an insurance policy. But, we’ve learned from our mistakes.”

“Right,” Ben scoffed. “How’s that?”

“This Noir is not a carbon copy, but nor is he a megalomaniac. He’s under our control,” Stan said.

“Until he isn’t,” Ben snarked. If he thought about it, that was something you would say. Maybe your penchant for smart-ass remarks had gotten into his head.

“And that new gun?” he asked. “Don’t tell me your little lab rats put that together just for me.”

Stan’s lips made a wry turn. 

“It was a breakthrough project. Temporarily destabilizes the energy you generate when you charge up like a Power Puff Girl.” Stan thought for a moment, then inclined his head. “A reference, I realize, which may be lost on you.”

“So what’s the play here?” Ben said. He was getting impatient. “You know, when I break out, things aren’t gonna be pretty.” 

Stan didn’t seem bothered by the clear threat. 

“In the meantime,” he said, “you won’t be alone.” 

Stan stepped back and revealed the cell right across the hall. Through the window, Ben could see you, lying unconscious on a shitty cot in similar gray pajamas. His brows crunched as he narrowed his eyes, trying to peer in closer. You looked like you’d been bandaged up, at least.

“You also managed to put my Chief of Security in Intensive Care, but his daughter should be fine…if a bit worse for wear,” Stan informed him. 

Ben glared back, his lips curling. Sloppy of him. He should’ve made sure that bastard was dead. 

“That’s cute, considering he’s the demented fuck who beat her to hell,” Ben said. 

Stan rose a solitary brow. “And at whose behest did she enter the lion’s den?”  

Ben had nothing to say to that.

You woke with a pained groan before your eyes even opened. Your body felt like a walking welt. 

Your brain pounded like bongo drums, your chest felt tender with every infinitesimal movement, but you realized that you’d been seen to medically, at least. Your head was bandaged, and you felt that the blood had been wiped from your face and arms.

You looked up and found, with a sigh, that you were indeed in a cell. But you softened when you found Ben through the large glass window, in a cell of his own. He was sitting on his bed, arms crossed, with his back against the wall. His eyes found yours, and his lips twitched.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

He sounded off. Tired, you thought. And you noticed a steady mist being piped into his room. 

Shit. Novichok, you surmised with a frown.

“You okay?” you asked. 

Ben chuckled a little. “You’re the one who looks like hell.”

“Why, thank you,” you replied wryly.

There was a pitcher and a cup of water on a tray, a small paper cup of what you assumed were painkillers, and an ice pack next to you on the cot. 

You hesitated on the pills, but in light of your incredible pain, you had no choice. You took the pills, drank the water, and grabbed the ice pack, pressing it against your sternum. You sat up all the way with a slow gait and a pained groan.

“Go slow,” he warned. “Bet you’re missing that Temp. V right about now.”

You rolled your eyes at him. 

“How’d you get caught?” he asked.

That succeeded in dimming your mood. You explained that Frank had been forced to set you on your feet when you were confronted by more security and a police squad. 

The man had been a one-man weapon; hopped up on V24 as he was, he managed to fight his way down to the garage, where you slowly, painfully crept down there.

You and Frank had almost reached his car, but you held him back. You were stubborn about waiting on Ben, even considered going back for him.

That was when the shot rang out, hitting Frank point blank in the chest. 

Before you could even bend to help him, you were taken, dragged back into the building, and knocked out before you could take your captor’s gun. 

You tried in vain to wipe away fresh tears while you retold the story. 

Bottom line: Frank’s death was your fault. Though while he frowned in disappointment, Ben didn’t seem to hold it against you.

“Good on ya, Frank,” Ben murmured. “You went down fucking swingin’.”

“What about you? What happened with Black Noir?” you asked after a moment. Sniffling, you met Ben’s eyes.

He eventually told you about the strange gun Vought had commissioned just for him. And the more you listened, the deeper your frown became. It sounded impossible.

“Makes you wonder what else they’ve been cooking up in that lab,” you muttered. 

“Other than Noir?” Ben quipped. He told you about that too. 

“We can figure this out,” you said. “If nothing else, my team, the CIA, they’re looking for both of us…if for different reasons.”

Ben scoffed at that. “A silver lining there. Make no mistake, we’re getting the fuck out of here. Just…need a minute to think.” 

But he was starting to wane. It was taking all his energy to concentrate on your voice, to even keep his eyes open. The steady stream of gas being pumped into his cell made it damn near impossible, and it was frustrating beyond belief. 

Because if he fell asleep now, there was no telling when he’d wake up. And fuck if Ben would ever admit to the panic he felt welling up into his chest.

“Aaah, fuck!” he growled, pounding a fist against the wall.

You noticed, biting your lip in concern…until an idea made you smile. It was something you used to do to distract your sister when she was little. 

“Why are colds bad criminals?” you asked. 

Ben just blinked at you. “What?”

He asked not because he understood what you were doing, but because he was genuinely confused.

“Because they’re easy to catch,” you said, making a drumming motion with your hands. “Buddum-ch.”

Your neighbor just stared back at you, unimpressed.

“Okay, not a fan of that one. Let me see…okay,” you raised a finger. “What does a baby computer call its father?”

Ben’s eyes narrowed, like he couldn’t tell if you were serious.

“Data!” you said, biting your lip at an embarrassed smile. It curved Ben’s lips, but he was stubborn.

“Why was 6 afraid of 7?” you asked. 

“Jesus Christ, enough…” he muttered. 

“Because 7’s a dick, that’s why,” you said. And your straight face lasted for all of three seconds before you ended up giggling. It hurt your bruised body, but it lightened you to see the reluctant smile tug its way onto Ben’s face. 

“All right,” he said at last. He briefly closed his eyes, trying to remember a joke he’d heard Loco tell. “How do you make a pool table laugh?”

You smiled. “How?”

“Tickle its balls,” Ben said. Your answering snort deepened his smile into a smirk. 

“Playing bridge is just like sex,” you said. Ben shook his head. His grandmother used to play fucking bridge.  

But regardless, he took the bait.

“How’s that?”

“If you don’t have a good partner, you better have a good hand,” you said with a smirk. 

Ben made a sound of amusement, though it wasn’t quite a laugh. You traded these back and forth, each trying to make the other crack with progressively dirtier jokes (though you suspected Ben was just trying to disgust you). 

You considered yourself the winner when Ben finally chortled a deep, belly laugh that showed his charming smile. 

It made you smile in return. 

Ben rested a hand on his chest, but when his mirth died down, he realized just how tired he was. Still, he wasn’t ready to let go of this. His connection with you tethered him to reality, even if reality sucked dick right now.

His gaze met yours. “Why don’t you sing something, crooner?” 

You bit your lip once again. “Like what?” 

Ben’s eyes closed.

“You know the one,” he said. A softer smile graced your lips, though he couldn’t see it. 

“You’re getting sentimental in your old age,” you teased. He chuckled. 

“Just sing, for fuck’s sake.” 

His brows were knitted, like he was trying all he could to stay awake. You took pity on him.

“If I didn’t care, more than words can say…” you began to sing softly. “If I didn’t care…would I feel this way?”

Every extended note was painful, but it was worth it to see his face relax.  

Stan Edgar’s lips pursed, and he set down his cell phone on his desk. Victoria was screening his calls.

Disappointing, he thought, but not unexpected. He surveyed the cleanup crew wiping up debris, glass, and blood from the lounge area with a dispassionate gaze. 

This was going to take a while.

So after drumming his fingers on the mahogany surface, Stan decided to push up from his desk and head downstairs via the elevator. It took him all the way down to Level 0, the home of one of Vought’s most secure R&D labs. 

There his most trusted scientist, Dr. Tonya Baker, was at the helm with her team at work on various projects. Most of which were not sanctioned by the government. 

Stan folded his hands behind his back and reached her side, and she set down a beaker filled with a green, buzzing liquid. 

“Good afternoon, sir,” she greeted. 

“Tonya, you know what I’m about to ask,” he said. She bobbed her head and turned to face him in her rolling desk chair. 

“We’re still working on solutions. Without his cooperation, safely extracting Soldier Boy’s DNA is a tricky thing,” she said. 

“You don’t say?” Stan said dryly. “What are our options?”

“Well, needles will only break, as you know,” said Dr. Baker. “The scientists in Russia found that only Soldier Boy is strong enough to break his own skin.”

“And I doubt he’ll open a vein for us,” Stan said, “even if we threaten to put him to sleep.” 

He didn’t even think leveraging with the girl would aid, more than complicate their goals. While it was something to consider, Stan would rather find the path of least resistance here. Soldier Boy was…volatile at best. 

“How much of Homelander’s blood remains?” he asked. 

“None,” the doctor replied. “We used the last of it to clone Black Noir. And a hair sample is not enough to create additional subjects…at the very least, a urine sample. Even Dr. Vogelbaum managed that.”

Stan sent her shrewd look. If only he still had Dr. Vogelbaum in his employ. If only the man were still alive.

What a waste of a talented, resourceful man.

“That will be a problem,” Stan said. 

“Not necessarily.” Dr. Baker adjusted a monitor screen at her desk. It displayed the feed from Soldier Boy’s cell. 

She pointed to the toilet in the corner of the cell. Then she called over one of her assistants.

“Tell Maintenance to cut the water, and then a section of the pipes.”

AN: Okay. 😅 I know I'm gonna get some mixed reviews on this one (Let me know what you thought!).

But despite the teaser, I think you'll enjoy where the story's headed next...

Next Time:

They wheeled in what looked like a large metal casket. You had only seen one of these in pictures, but it had to be a cryochamber.

A doctor in her mid-fifties accompanied them, giving directions on how to safely enter Ben’s cell. Your eyes widened.

“What the hell are you doing?” you shouted.

Panic trilled down your spine as the guards fitted themselves with special suits and gas masks. The doctor turned toward you as the guards led you out of your cell and into the hall.

“You’re being transported,” she informed you.

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[wistcrias-arch2]

EMMA & TY SCENES : charging into the night.

[inke-ri]

the current mood is feeling weirdly emotional about ff7: advent children (complete) after watching it in full for the first time

[allisonlol]

green tea and rosehip tea with jouno please please!!

a/n: i got a bunch of jouno reqs (which i love very much) so i’ll just be combining them into one post here!!

rosehip tea; how romantic are they? how do they show affection?

jouno never considered himself to be romantic at all before he met you

but, unfortunately for him, you bring out his softer side

in public, it’s very unlikely he’ll be affectionate towards you

he does have a reputation to uphold, after all

in private it’s a whole different story

can become very romantic if he feels so inclined to be

^will lightly flirt and tease you just to see your reaction

yes, jouno is the type of person who shows affection by bullying you 🙄 the more bothered you get, the better

try to retaliate in any way and he’ll simply mock you with a smile

this isn’t the only way he shows affection, however. he’s always down for innocent physical intimicy as well

really loves to hold your hand?? whenever you’re in reach, jouno will expectantly offer his hand out to you (and you BETTER take it)

plays with your fingers a lot too. if he’s bored, he’ll just start fidgeting with them or tracing shapes on your palm

jouno also shows affection by doing acts of service for you

if you’re too busy with work or whatnot, he’ll make dinner for you and complete any other chores or tasks that needed to be done 

won’t even mention to you that he’s done them 

^you’ll go to wash the dishes and see that they’ve already been finished?? 

idk why imagining jouno doing everyday household tasks is adorable, but it is 

green tea; how do they comfort their s/o?

just a fair warning that this man isn’t the best at comforting

i’d like to believe that he feels some level of empathy so, for the sake of this post, let’s act like he does 

if jouno ever saw you upset, the first thing he’d have to do is supress the rage directed towards whatever it was that made you sad in the first place

if it was a person? best believe he’d go kill them on the spot

jouno truly does try his hardest to cheer you up when you’re feeling down

it’s also one of the only times you’ll actually see him worried 

gently pulls you towards him and asks if you want to talk about what’s bothering you

you’ll end up curling up in his lap and venting about your problems while jouno plays with your hair and offers advice when he can

usually that advice is just “i’ll hurt them for you”

to which you have to reply: “no jouno, they’re my parents 😐”

his sarcastic comments and insults towards whatever made you upset is good for making you laugh tho

coffee; do they get jealous easily? how do they show it?

omg ok so

he’ll never admit it out loud, but jouno can be a very jealous person

^not to the point where it’s crazy overbearing or anything; he just doesn’t like when you talk to certain people for longer than you should

mainly tecchou lmao

all of you work together so interaction with tecchou is going to be inevitable; doesn’t mean jouno’s happy about it tho

once he’s jealous it becomes very obvious

^goes unnaturally quiet while maintaining a very serious & irritated expression

literally: 😑

if anyone tries to talk to him during these times he’ll snap at them (with more bite than usual)

has to practice a lot of self restraint to stop himself from drawing his sword and stabbing it through the chest of the person you’re talking to 

instead, he’ll approach to stand by your side and say something like “y/n, you should come with me. your assistance is needed ☺️💢” 

once he gets you away from the person (aka usually tecchou) he won’t say anything about what transpired so you’ll have to confront him about it 

“soooo jouno, what was that all about??”

this mf will deny EVERYTHING

“i’m not so sure of what you’re talking about y/n. i’ve never been jealous in my entire life...😌”

yea mhm ok 

earl grey tea; how did they court their s/o?

you were the one who had to confess first, i’m sorry 😶

jouno was very well aware of the moment you liked him

at first he probably thought you had a heart condition by the way your heart rate would rapidly increase whenever he was near

but jouno’s a smart cookie and figured out pretty quickly that it only happened when you were aware of his presence

used this to his advantage for awhile simply to torment you

went out of his way to tease you and lean close while doing so just to hear how frantic and erratic your pulse got

at first you thought that was just jouno being his usual sadistic self (and it was) but then you started to suspect that maybe it was possible he liked you back??

it’s funny because, at first, jouno was only teasing you to take advantage of the fact that he knew you liked him

but over time he slowly started to take a liking to you as well due to this

this man PANICKED when he realized he was starting to catch feelings

not that you’d be able to tell, since he still appeared so nonchalant on the surface 

since he always went out of his way to tease you & be in your presence, you took this as an opportunity to confess your feelings since it was getting almost unbearable at this point

knowing jouno, you didn’t expect him to actually ACCEPT your confession

little did you know, this was all part of jouno’s scheme to make you confess to him?? smh

very ironic how out of touch you were with his feelings while the rest of the hunting dogs were busy shipping the two of you-

milk tea; what are their kisses like?

surprisingly soft!!

his kisses are almost always very gentle and uncharacteristically sweet

will lightly hold your face in both his hands before leaning down to softly press his lips to yours

hhjdshjhjhhhhhh i’m malfunctioning

gives you quick kisses on the cheek a lot too

^does this as a way to express “i love you” or simply as a greeting when he sees you after awhile

also a fan of inuit kisses!! where you rub the tip of your nose against the other’s 

his kisses become slightly more aggresive during make-out sessions or...etc 

in these instances, he kisses you much more deeply while keeping a hand on your jaw so you can’t pull away