#IMAGINE the implications!! The storyline!

[yardsards]

Forever mourning that we would’ve had a scene in the finale where the protagonists apparently reach a resolution with Odalia on some level??? It got cut so Camila could take her place and hell yeah more for Camila, never gonna apologize for that. But man it’d have been nice to have both. The Odalia-Collector storyline set up in CotH was evidently going somewhere there but in the end the finale was already extended ten minutes past the usual mark.

Also yes plsss on the twins! Emira my dearrrrr you were molded into the new Odalia into the next showman matriarch while your sister was meant to become the next Alador the next moneymaker!!! What are your thoughts what if we had a storyline about you being your own person!!! I have to acknowledge that there’s always someone who’s going to have to take the fall for another character to shine at this point in the story but man.

i'm actually mostly happy with how things ended with odalia. i really like that amity never forgives her and continues to go no-contact with her. far too often, media does a "but they're your PARENT, it would be wrong to cut them out of your life" message, and having that be the dominant cultural narrative can be really harmful to victims of parental abuse. so it was VERY refreshing to see a story that said "this character going no contact with her abusive parent was the right choice"

that said, i think there could have been a way to give odalia's storyline more of a resolution without tossing that down message down the drain.

see, you know how i've complained before about how making odalia a full-on villain really undercut her storyline as just an abusive mother. how it accidentally kiiinda had the implication of like "the abuse on its own wasn't enough to cut her off. she had to be willing to kill literally her entire race in order to earn that." which i don't think was intentional.

i think it would have been cool if the resolution to her arc was like. she's no longer a full on villain. she helps our protagonists and makes up for her involvement in the big plot. she's technically on our side now... but that still doesn't make up for the abuse, and amity still is better off without her in her life.

i'm imagining a scene of like, after odalia helps the gang with the collector in some way, she talks to amity. says something like "i will admit that you were right, for once. helping with the day of unity was a poor business decision on my part." and maybe even a "these months with the collector have shown me you weren't such a bad daughter" perhaps followed by a pompous "so i will forgive your little outburst at the factory and accept you as a member of my family again" (despite, y'know, being the one who got cut off)

so amity goes off on her. says it wasn't about the day of unity. or, at least, wasn't JUST about the day of unity. that it was about the years of being treated like a puppet rather than a person (cue some kind of clever shot of the collector's puppets). she says that he friends have shown her what real love is supposed to look like, and her time with camila has shown her how mothers are supposed to treat children, and that none of odalia's actions have matched that. so she says that no, she will not be allowing odalia to be her family anymore.

and odalia doesn't understand, just keeps arguing that she only did these things because she wanted what was best for her family. and so amity leaves.

-

AND YESSS THE TWINS. like. i get it. the show had a lot going on and not a lot of time, of course the protagonist's girlfriend's siblings aren't gonna get that much time dedicated to them. but man. i love me a fucked up family and i want to know more about those two so bad. emira especially. like her twin brother (who, up to that point, had exactly as much relevance as her) got his own episode subplot and she got nothing! and like she interests me for all the reasons you said AND like. she seems to be odalia's favorite (perhaps tied with edric, perhaps even above him) but she seems even more cynical about BOTH of their parents than amity does. AND LIKE she's got eldest daughter syndrome despite being a TWIN! she seems to feel responsibility for looking after her brother who is the exact same age as her! i need to know what's the deal with that dynamic! god the fic ideas and headcanons i have about her that i never got around to writing/finishing

[mbohjeezart]

[ WIP ]

Bring a goat to a courthouse...

[makorragal-312]

I think I know how Buck is gonna be involved in the Abuela/Diaz family storyline:

Basically, Abuela is gonna end up being admitted into the hospital because of a bad injury and Eddie ends up having to call his parents so they end up leaving Texas. Later on, it gets revealed that Abuela is showing signs of degenerative memory loss (I'm thinking Alzheimer's or dementia) and they have to discuss next steps.

Eddie and Chris are already at the hospital, but Eddie called Buck when they first went in, so Buck arrives to look out for his boys and to be mortal support. Meanwhile, the Diaz parents are surprised at Buck's presence, but they don't say anything.

Later on, when they're discussing taking care of Abuela, Helena decides to bring up how Eddie could end up getting an injury on the job that puts him in a similar position to Abuela (with his memory being compromised) and that if that happens, there would be no one to look out for Christopher. She starts to say how they can look after him, but Eddie immediately cuts her off and says that he would never put himself in a position where he got hurt like that. And if it did happen, Chris was already going to be taken care of. This almost leads to an argument where Ramon has to shut it down and Eddie walks out.

Outside of Abuela's room, Buck is sitting with Chris, making sure he's okay after hearing Abuela's diagnosis. Chris says that it's scary, but he just wants her to be okay and taken care of, but Buck can tell that there's something more going on. Chris later admits that he heard Eddie getting into it with Helena and it reminded him of all the times they argued about taking him back to Texas. He then admits to Buck how it's been going on ever since he was a kid and that no matter what happens to his dad, he never wants to move back to Texas because he'd be leaving behind the things he's found and grown to love about California: the main thing being Buck. Buck ends up comforting him and tells him that Eddie would do everything in his power to never put him in that position. And if God forbid something happened to Eddie and Chris was at risk of going back, he wouldn't let that happen, thinking back to Eddie telling him about the will.

The next day at the station, Buck tells Eddie that Chris heard his conversation with his parents and how it brought up his anxiety of having to go back to Texas if anything happened to him. Eddie is horrified at this, but Buck reassures him that he was able to calm Chris down. However, Buck grows serious and suggests to Eddie that he needs to tell Chris about the will, admitting that it took everything in him not to tell Chris himself but he didn't want to do it without Eddie's consent. Eddie ends up telling Buck that he always intended to tell Chris, but after that Christmas that made Eddie quit the 118, he put it to the back burner because he didn't want to give Chris that anxiety. Buck tells Eddie that Chris is always going to have that anxiety about something happening to him, but telling him about the will and his role in it will probably provide Chris a safety net where he knows that no matter what, he's not leaving LA and he's not leaving Buck. After a minute, Eddie relents and decides to tell Chris, but only if Buck is in the room with them when he does it.

Later that night, Eddie and Buck sit with Chris in his room and they proceed to finally tell them about the will. Chris is shocked, but is ultimately relieved that he'd be staying with Buck and that even though he loves his grandparents and Texas, his home is here in LA with Eddie and Buck. Cue Buckley-Diaz group hug.

Once they leave his room, Buck suggests that Eddie might have to tell his parents about the will so that at least they're not blindsided when Buck starts making the decisions in Eddie's absence. Eddie knows he's right, but tells him that he'll cross that bridge when he gets there. He then apologized to Buck for putting him in such a rough position and reassures him that he had a permanent place in Chris' life long before he changed his will and that he's stuck with them. And Buck couldn't be happier. Cue an extra long Buddie hug.

[seventh-district]

again and again i find myself lamenting that audio roleplay isn't taken more seriously by some people. like yeah, they often have a romantic element, and by nature they usually directly involve/address the listener- and i totally get that those things aren't to everyone's taste. no art or entertainment is universally appealing, and that's okay! but.. it still makes me a lil sad that the "cringe" reputation of asmr/audio rp precedes it. there's a whole lot of talent and creativity being poured into these audios by so many people that i feel goes unrecognized and/or disrespected simply due to the medium that the stories are being told through.

[simcardiac-arrested]

i'm curious, how do you feel abt the whole uuh, Michael reincarnated/his soul is stuck in glamrock freddy theory? if you've seen it floating around :0

yeah i’ve seen it around, my thoughts are that as an actual canon theory: it doesn’t make a lot of sense and just isn’t very interesting or compelling. like why exactly would mike be possessing freddy when they’ve never had any relation??? there’s no actual proof for it in the game or ANYTHING. glambear doesnt even act like mike At All people just came up with that theory because gregory looks like evan . but listen we have GOT TO LET THE AFTON FAMILY REST FOR REAL !!!! WE HAVE GOT TO LET MICHAEL REST HE HAS TO GOOOO !!!!!!! as an AU concept: sure why not. it can be interesting but also honestly i think a lot of people just Dont Understand how mike would act if he was actually possessing glamrock freddy. he would not be doing all that niceys fixing his mistakes and projecting shit he would be in the fucking torture labyrinth. having to deal with a kid that looks like his dead brother? Yeah he’s in the torture labyrinth. everyone include this in your mike is glamrock freddy au

[just-sum-stupid-account]

I like how I can just say "the band members of Gorillaz were initially gonna be anthropomorphic animal characters until it was dropped because it would come off as too kiddy for what they were aiming for with the project" and it sounds like plausible trivia that nobody would question.

[agalychnisspranneusroseus]

Insane how long the plugs are like those things are going into her BONES. Not literally bc what use would that have, but she definitely has ports and stuff in there, possibly connected to her nervous system. Gosh this kid is the definition of whump.

I legit can't stop thinking about the implications of what the core did to Marcy's body and how that is likely to do irreversible things that she will be affected by for the rest of her life. Like obviously the mental scars alone will be devastating, but I can't stop thinking about how the human body is just. Not compatible with being the host of an ancient being. Along with the fact that she was 13 years old and her body wasn't even done growing. And we still have no real idea what happened to her while she was possessed, because I doubt the core would stop whatever actions it was doing when Marcy's body felt pain or exhaustion. She was stabbed through the chest, kept in a tank for a long time, forced out, put in an electric chair to force the ancient being into her brain, and then had her brain and body modified to accommodate it. I understand the tank probably healed her a bit and she had the strength of her calamity gem, but genuinely there is no way she just walked away from all that and was physically fine. Disabled Marcy is REAL

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

honestly one thing that confused me about toh is how hunter reacted to the revelation that he was a grimwalker. his initial reaction was realistic but later, he seems more worried about having his friends find out that he's a grimwalker than he was about.. BEING a grimwalker.

think about it. if you found out that you were a CLONE of someone else, made by your abusive uncle to fill a role, wouldn't you spiral into existential crisis? especially if you also have the information that there were a dozen other clones before you, and they were all MURDERED by your super awesome uncle?

just the idea of being a clone and being a replacement for someone else is impossible to wrap your head around. i can't imagine how i would feel if i was faced with such information. what other people would think of it would be the LEAST of my worries.

hunter however seems to readily accept the idea that he's a clone. the only time he seems to even think about caleb is during the montage in the first episode of s3 where he cuts his hair after getting a traumatic flashback. but even that is more connected to belos himself rather than the reality of being a grimwalker.

i understand that the series was cut short but i never understood why they put so much emphasis on how willow, gus and amity would react to the news of hunter being a grimwalker.

on one hand, sure, hunter is afraid of losing his new friends. it makes sense. it's his first time being truly accepted and loved by people, and he doesn't want to lose that.

but on the other hand, it seems like he came to terms with the whole grimwalker thing pretty quickly. he doesn't think of its implications, he doesn't take time to ruminate on it or come to terms with it, he just.. doesn't seem to care about it that much at all.

i feel like one of these things is a bit more important than the other.

i just feel like hunter's entire storyline had so much potential for some serious existential crisis and psychological horror even, but the creators barely scratched the surface.

(and again, i wouldn't be saying this if the creators hadn't chosen to focus on completely unnecessary characters and plotlines with the little runtime they had.)

[genericpuff]

ten storylines u think could have been amazing in lo if they had been handled better?

10 already feels like so much for a story like LO buuttt:

1.) the act of wrath plotline, seriously this one felt like it had some of the most lost potential as one of LO's more unique plotlines (and it lost that potential as soon as it was turned into some "oopsy" committed by persephone due to her wrath being a 'gift' from eris when she was a baby??? still bugs me so much ugh) give me back that dichotomy of Persephone and her internalized wrath, dangit.

2.) the Eros and Psyche plotline. it started off so promising as a parallel B-plot to H x P and then seemed to just get dropped halfway through S1 when Psyche got turned into a nymph.

3.) Echo's involvement as a double agent for Zeus. that was clearly the intention when she was introduced but then she was promptly dropped and only showed up again to say "fuck you Zeus" with zero build-up or implication that she had a change of heart. Like imagine if we actually saw her leaking info back to Zeus but then also getting closer to Hera on a personal level and realizing that she didn't want to keep snitching on her. it would have also made the 'big reveal' of Hera kissing Echo a lot more impactful because then they would have had an actual story arc.

4.) Persephone's character development into becoming the Dread Queen. Right now the story wants us to think that Persephone is somehow "better than ever" despite the fact that her version of the "Dread Queen" is being an absolute Karen. But think of how it could have been if her character de-evolution was the point, to show how Hades had corrupted her. Or if they were meant to be actual shitty people and not shitty people that the narrative was trying to convince us were good.

5.) Hades' and Minthe's relationship. It goes without saying that Minthe was wrong to turn to physical violence, but I'll die on the hill that Minthe wasn't being treated fairly by Hades, either. Those three flashback episodes in S2 leading up to Minthe getting turned into a plant were such a missed opportunity to showcase how Minthe became as bitter as she did towards Hades and what their relationship was actually like in the beginning (and why they liked each other in the first place which they very clearly did) but instead it just dragged its heels because obv Rachel didn't want people empathizing with Minthe.

6.) Ares being used as a tool for war by Zeus. It's clear being sent off to these wars is taking its toll on him and it's created a steep divide within the family, especially concerning how protective Ares is of Hera esp when it comes to how Zeus treats her.

7.) The Aphrodite / Hephaestus plotline. Good god I have no idea what the thought process was behind this one, some of the myths she kinda got away with flipping but this was the one that made the least sense to flip. There was so much potential there that was squandered, a lot of it at the expense of Aphrodite and Ares as traditionally powerful and respected gods.

8.) Hades' alcoholism. Minthe was right, simply falling for Persephone and dropping the cigars and brandy to make himself look better for her doesn't make him a changed person. If the alcoholism was linked to his trauma, why didn't we explore that more? Why couldn't we have seen him actually pursue proper recovery and have it not just be "I'm hot for the 19 year old girl but if I'm drinking constantly that'll make me look bad so I'm just gonna put on the best fake persona I can to make her fall in love with me" instead of actually getting to the root of his issues?

9.) The SA plotline. As much as I talk about how shitty it is, I have zero issue with the original depiction of it, I think it was very accurate especially when it comes to coercion. A lot of people assume SA has to be violent, kicking and screaming, begging for help, but coercive assault is often a lot quieter and more about manipulation which that scene nailed in depicting. It's just everything after that that feels completely misfired and more so for the purpose of making Hades look like a better person simply by comparing him to Apollo on the basis of "he never assaulted Persephone!" and it drives me nuts.

10.) Demeter's winter. In the most recent FP episode, while discussing it with pals, all I could really say was, "This was supposed to be a retelling of the Abduction of Persephone". And Demeter's winter is a core part of that story, one of its biggest purposes in Greek culture was using the myths to explain the creation of the seasons. Despite this being a "retelling" of the Abduction of Persephone / Hymn to Demeter, one of the most important characters in the entire myth has been reduced to, at worst, a Mother Gothel Disney villain, and at best, a pointless NPC.

[iloveriddles]

Imaginal Disk Storyline + Lore.

Okay, this is all opinion and my theories.

From What I can tell, “Imaginal Disk” is about two people: our protagonist, True, and a sub-protagonist of sorts, Ghost.

True lives in a house away from town. All she can do in her house is watch TV and journal.

True hates herself, and has never felt loved, or really sees love anywhere. She is very depressed. She can’t bear to look at herself in the mirror, even. She hates the way she looks, as we see on the mirror from imaginaldisk.world in True’s room. Her face is all distorted and swirled if you click it.

She never sleeps because she “spends her days chasing clouds and counting sheep, waiting for the night to creep”.

She does this because in the field outside her house, during night, a mirror appears and in it she sees a person who looks like her. This is Ghost. I am not sure if this happens every single night, or just some, but True seems dedicated to talking to Ghost at any chance she can take.

Ghost sleeps every night well and wakes up to be in the field, opposite to True. At her side of the mirror, it’s daytime.

I know their names because of the journals in True’s bedroom, where the lyrics for Fear, Sex are handwritten with the name “Ghost” at the top, and the lyrics for Killing Time are written on the first page with with the name “True”.

Ghost, to True, is beautiful in every way. She’s pretty, she’s perfect. She is loved and happy, and True isn’t. Ghost is the “Angel on a satellite”, I am 99% sure. True, from speculation, lives vicariously in a way through Ghost. She wishes she could be Ghost, and it kills her. There’s even symbolism here with Ghost’s lover in the Death & Romance video being made of light and featureless. It’s like exactly what True wants, to “be pined for” as she says in Killing Time (“I don’t care if I don’t sleep // but someone better pine for me”), but she can’t imagine by whom because she has no love interest. She just wants faceless love. She wants to feel like she matters in some way, like she is worthy of time. “There’s always time for killing, but never time for me. It only takes a minute”, she sings in Killing Time.

It’s so sad =( she’s right, though. That’s how it feels. People have time to waste and do nothing, but not time to help their close ones when they’re in a low place. It’s neither party’s fault, but still “True”.

True’s room is also the same layout as Ghost’s, but opposite. I think they are maybe versions of themselves from parallel universes or something like that. There is also implication that they start seeing through each other’s eyes in intervals, and we see this a little at the end of the Death & Romance video when she touches the Disk. I think their brains are connected in some way.

As mentioned, True hates herself and is miserable. I think this is why she gets the Imaginal Disk. We know she watches TV, so she probably saw the ad “True Blue Interlude” which is between Killing Time and Image. Image is her getting diskinserted and going to The Doctor. In the advertisement, it seems to be singing to her. It even says her name, “True”. It’s advertised as being a next stage and phase, it’s like the perfect form of escaping for True. She doesn’t want to be herself, she wants to be “Pure” and a “better her”. I also wonder if True Blue Interlude has hypnotic properties in canon, or anything like that. It’s interesting how this changes Image so much if you know the story. “I’m the best you’ve got, *true* or not?”

We are missing music videos so I am not certain about some stuff. They said on Instagram that they’re making one for Tunnel Vision, which I am 90% certain it will be another True song. True’s eyes do the weird blink thing in the Fear, Sex music video. Also, in “That’s My Floor” the camera zooms into her eyes and she LITERALLY has “Tunnel Vision”.

Also from the “That’s My Floor” music video, we know that after getting her disk True wears red like The Doctor instead of her blue, and starts assisting him in diskinserting. There is so much speculative stuff here right now. For example, I wonder if The Doctor is supposed to be True’s universe’s version of the glowing light guy that Ghost is with. I don’t know, but it changes the songs A LOT if you know that the lyrics are in character. Some songs are Ghost songs, and others are True songs.

In “That’s My Floor”’s music video she accidentally kills the people dancing with her indirectly because she gave them the disks (speculation) so she runs away. This lines up with “The Outskirts” from the website. It says to “walk down and atone for your sins”, also also that “the weight of your guilt should be slowing you down more than that”.

I think it’s about True’s guilt for all she’s done with the Imaginal Disk. When it zooms into her stomach camera? It shows what I think is the reality she actually wants. She wants to remove their disks; but she doesn’t. I also don’t know if Ghost is actually there, or if she’s hallucinating/imagining her to be.

“Love Is Everywhere”, is a Ghost song. She says to “look through the holes in the sky” to “find Love”. I also think Cry For Me might be a Ghost song, because she says “Think of Love and you’ll remember me”. I wonder if she’s going to be killed off or something. This would be foreshadowed by “DEATH and romance”. Maybe The solid light guy (whom I assume went into The Cocoon at The Outskirts) dies, so Ghost does too? Not sure. Speculation.

In Angel on a Satellite, a song I believe to be about Ghost, True sings “A thousand eyes turn to stone and monochrome // surprise, surprise // they turn to smile at the same time”

Followed by

“That’s why I don’t look up // That’s why I’m always dancing”

I think this is symbolism for her depression and inability to feel love.

The “eyes” can’t feel; they only watch. They symbolize people around her. They’re “stone” and “monochrome” because they are cold and reflective onto her, these represent people in her life that she can’t show her misery around. Like being depressed and having to hide it from your family, or friends that say “I’m always here to listen” but do not mean it in the slightest. She’s “always dancing” because she’s masking her loneliness and self-hate for those watching her.

True has never left love. We know she doesn’t truly. She sings about it multiple times. I think this part of She Looked Like Me! Is about Ghost

“Her hair lifted as she stood still

Right there in the light And she felt like a dream

I didn't know what to think

She looked like me

We stood mirrored 'til I leaned in And then you know what she did

She shot at me like an earthbound bullet

And then she wrapped her hands around my neck and I felt love

Just ordinary love

Let me hold you in my arms

Oh, love, that familiar old drug”

I don’t think Ghost literally strangled her, but instead it’s more poetic symbolism.

In Angel on a Satellite, True sings “I swear that through your eyes everything is brighter all the time // ‘cause when I see me through your eyes I love me, so don’t leave my side // you always see the sky, angel on a satellite”

Ghost “sees the sky” by seeing and feeling love. She literally “looks up”. She’s optimistic, True isn’t. She can’t look up.

Another little detail I’ve noticed is how in Love Is Everywhere, I presume Ghost sings “Look inside through the sky all around us” in the same melody that True sings “Angel on a satellite, glad you found us” in “Feeling Diskinserted?”

I think that the album will end with True going to the cocoon and becoming her ACTUAL “Purest self”. If you spell “Imaginal Disk” with a “c” instead of a “k” at the end, it’s literally a part of a pupa. The Imaginal disc turns into portions of a bug’s exoskeleton after it emerges from its metamorphosis. So, on a literal level, the real Imaginal disk that changes you was THE COCOON ALL ALONG. Maybe the Doctor is doing a shady internet scam trick where you change the URL by one letter and pass it off.

The detail here is so interesting. Even down to their names True is literally her True self. She can’t be anyone else. It’s reality. Ghost on the other hand is like the Ghost of everything True wants to be.

I also noticed: The Doctor’s laughter from Fear, Sex plays in the bridge of Cry For Me. I bet we will get a music video for it. I wonder what is happening with the Ghost and aliens storyline.

Anyways, I have so much to say about this. I have more even than this. We are missing music videos so I will be back. I also have to talk about the alien observation plot, but that needs more pondering.

[let-us-cultivate-our-garden]

The reason why the toh fandom can have such wildly diverging interpretations of the Wittebane story is because the show did not do its job. How old was Philip when Caleb left? Did Caleb truly believe in witch hunting or was he just playing along to what the town expected? Did Caleb ever tell Philip anything? Did he ever talk to his brother and try to change his mind? How long was Philip searching for Caleb? How did he get cursed? How exactly did the knife fight start? Did Philip kill Caleb accidentally or on purpose? Did he kill him only because he married a witch or because he left him? Or both?

The fact is, we don't have definitive answers to any of these. We only have educated guesses based on portraits barely glimpsed in the show that lack any context, Masha's barebones version of events, and Belos' self-justifications. Casual fans shouldn't have to be knee-deep in fandom just to get the main villain's backstory, especially when said story is the literal basis of the whole plot.

Plus, if you're going to spend the final half of your last season barely exploring the villain's origins, only to completely ignore it in the series finale, then you've written a bad ending.

Update: This is getting some notes so I'm including additional thoughts to the original post. The rest will be under the read more:

Just to add onto this because some folks argue that we don’t need his backstory because we already have the essentials or it’s not really important to the plot. The thing is though is that Belos’ story launches the entire plot of the show, his character and motivation are the direct result of actions that happened centuries before the main characters were born. It needs to be depicted and not largely inferred. 

His story is important to creating a more fleshed out character and can strengthen the themes of the show (the rivalry between Eda and Lilith and Luz struggling to fit in at home are parallels to Belos). Instead the show gives little kernels of his story and character that make him more interesting than just Evil Emperor (the fact that the brothers became witch hunters to fit in, the fact that Belos worst memories are of killing Caleb and making grimwalkers are never touched on again). The first (and last) time we see Caleb in a full scene is in For the Future and it has huge implications for the dynamic between the two brothers. But again, nothing is done with it. It seemed like the show was building up that Belos’ lies and self-justifications would lead to his undoing but it doesn’t. So him dying with his ideology and self-delusions intact feels empty.

The worst part of how the Wittebane story is handled is that since it’s largely inferred and you have to be pretty involved in fandom to have a more nuanced take of it, a casual fan can easily just accept other characters’ views on the matter. Masha says “looks like little bro was jealous of big bro” and it undercuts the story of the Wittebanes (to say nothing of the tonal whiplash). The Titan dismisses Belos as only caring for himself and to be the hero, which while technically true, misses a lot of context and makes it easy to dismiss Belos as a whole as simply being evil and crazy instead of a more layered villain. And it can’t be argued that these are just the characters’ perspectives and we shouldn’t take it at face value because there’s nothing really in the show to pushback against that. 

Now, yes, it is fun to imagine how the Wittebane story played out and in hindsight, it’s probably better that the show didn’t depict the entire story because they probably would have botched it. But the point remains that the handling of this storyline was a mess (and don’t give me the cancellation excuse, the show learned early on about this and wrote all of 2B with it in mind). The Wittebane story and Belos as a whole showcase why setup and payoff matter. You show the villain feels guilt about their worst deeds? What’s the payoff to that? The villain was originally an outsider who tried to fit in and conformed to a town’s toxic ideologies? What’s the payoff? The villain continually lies to himself and commits atrocities to justify his actions? What’s the payoff? 

If you’re going to raise interesting and thought-provoking questions then don’t give the audience a simplistic answer.

[babyyhoneyyyyy]

「✦ 🚨 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 🍷 ✦」 - One Shot [h.s]

Storyline: "Everybody knows that I'm a good girl, officer". Where Lizzie, a devoted homemaker, meets Harry, a police officer in charge of interrogating her after a mysterious fire at her mansion that resulted in the death of her husband. Word count: 4k+ Smut: 🔞 *ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

A call to 911 is usually more than enough in emergency situations. 

Within minutes, the sound of sirens envelops you, with bright lights in red and blue hues cutting through the space as if they belong to it, receiving professional help from specialized teams while they try to talk to you and understand the situation. But after that, a sense of shock takes over, making you question whether what you're experiencing is part of a third-dimensional movie, distorting your own reality and transporting you to an alternate dimension for the most part.

That's exactly how Lizzie felt after flames consumed a large part of her property. She had sensed the smoke penetrating her nostrils, but what truly disturbed her was the buzz of screams. Cries from a man calling her name that quickly faded into whispers.

Lizzie found herself unable to react in any way other than trying to escape, seeking to reach him and see what was happening. However, the house seemed to be crumbling around her, and eventually, she fainted before reaching the door. That was the only clear memory she retained from that day; everything else started with a distant voice calling her, waking her up to find herself under a white ceiling and the scent of disinfectant.

Her stay in the hospital lasted just a day, more as a precautionary measure than for any injuries, of which, fortunately, she was free. She was in almost perfect condition, something that surprised even the doctors themselves.

But for that reason, when they confirmed her health, they chose to deliver the news to her without any euphemisms.

Contrary to her, her husband wasn't as fortunate. Apparently, the fire originated in his own studio, giving him no chance to escape and consuming him with the flames.

She had become a widow.

Her lawyer presented himself as her main support, assisting her in the necessary procedures to change her documents, update them, and allowing her to handle the move, the funeral, and subsequently, the burial.

Finally, when all that concluded, Lizzie was met with a sigh from her lawyer, who handed her a small envelope. She accepted it, while he observed her for a few more minutes before leaving his office.

A lump tightened Lizzie's throat; anxiety ran through her veins saturating all her senses as her hands trembled slightly when opening the envelope. And suddenly, everything around her seemed to freeze when she saw her name written alongside her original last name, followed by the phrase 'widow of Montecarlo,' and the text culminated with 'an entirety in inheritance'.

Lizzie closed her eyes for a moment. She knew the implications of that, beyond any property, money, jewelry, or cars, beyond any tangible thing she could conceive in her mind. This represented a new beginning, one she hadn't even imagined when she got married at the young age of eighteen.

She swallowed hard as she placed the envelope in the safe and let out a final sigh as she left the office, returning to her room. She walked through various rooms overflowing with classical décor.

Her heels echoed on the wooden floors, allowing their sound to reverberate through the rooms. The house was deserted; her lawyer had already left, and there was no trace of any household staff, as per her own request. She had decided to give them all a break, especially those who had also managed to escape unscathed from the fire in her previous property, which was already under renovation. She had determined that once it was ready, she would put it up for sale immediately. She couldn't bear the idea of walking through that house again.

The last door at the end of the hallway on the second floor housed her bedroom. It was a master bedroom that, at that moment, only contained her belongings still packed in suitcases, lacking any visible decoration.

However, as she approached, the sound of the doorbell echoed throughout the house.

Lizzie halted her steps and instinctively checked the delicate diamond watch on her wrist. It was six in the evening, and she hadn't scheduled any visits.

She hesitated for a moment, considering whether to go back to the first floor just to attend to an unexpected visitor, but the doorbell rang again, possibly indicating the urgency of the person. With a sigh, she turned her body and descended the wide stairs leading to the entrance and, finally, to her door.

The doorbell rang once more just as her hand reached for the handle, and she couldn't help but display a slightly annoyed expression when she opened the door, finding a tall man standing in front of her, causing her to pause for a moment.

The individual in question had a distinctive presence, with a young face and well-defined features, and although his hair seemed short, it revealed some curls. However, what unquestionably caught Lizzie's attention the most was his uniform.

It was an official attire consisting of a white shirt, a bulletproof vest with letters marked on the chest, and to add even more, a prominent badge was situated above it.

Lizzie felt her heart start to beat faster and chose not to say anything until the man interpreted it as a signal to introduce himself.

Unlike her furrowed brow, the young man immediately responded with a small smile, revealing dimples on his face. He glanced down for a moment, and Lizzie noticed he held a small notebook in his hands. Then, a husky voice spoke, "Miss Elizabeth?" Lizzie simply nodded. "I'm Harry Styles, the police officer in charge of your case".

The moment these words were spoken, Lizzie felt time speed up. She quickly blinked as she nodded and stepped aside at the door, allowing the man, whom she now identified as Harry, to step onto her property.

When they entered the main room together, she led the way and settled into one of the armchairs, gesturing for the young man to do the same before the door closed behind them. Lizzie avoided looking down to ensure her ring remained on her ring finger. Instead, she kept her gaze forward, watching Harry's subtle movements closely as he settled into the luxurious sofa and casually glanced around.

"Would you like some water?" she suddenly asked, catching him completely off guard. Although she didn't even know where that question came from, realizing that there wouldn't be another offer due to the absence of staff in the house, she thought it would be a kind gesture before they began.

"No, thank you". He finally responded after a moment's thought, grateful but with a half-smile, declining the offer. He had received strict instructions from his boss not to get distracted from his task. This was his first field mission, so he preferred not to mess it up.

"Cookies?"

Once again, his answer was negative, feeling increasingly embarrassed as he saw the woman's expression, who nodded gently and pouted slightly as she resigned herself back to the sofa.

Harry couldn't help but smile, clearing his throat before returning his gaze to the small notebook in his hands.

"Okay, I think we can start now".

The inquiries about that night varied in their formulation, from questions like "What were you doing when you heard the noise?" to "Were you nearby when you noticed the house was on fire?". Each one required an answer that related to and understood the situation.

Lizzie sensed that this was an interrogation aimed at connecting the loose ends, in case they found any evidence against her, so she made an effort to recall the events of that night accurately, inevitably reliving them.

At least an additional hour passed, she noted once again the clock on her wrist, confirming that more time had elapsed and that now only the dim artificial light of the living room illuminated the space. This incident was due to a malfunction, as she hadn't visited this house in many years and it was evident that there were still pending repairs. Despite this, she decided not to mention it to the policeman, preferring him to bring it up or simply ignore it. However, as the conversation became more casual, he didn't mention it.

The questions about the incident of that night gradually faded away, giving way to lighter questions, and it was only then that Lizzie decided to join him.

"Do you have a girl?" The question hung in the air as Harry observed her intently. Lizzie noticed how he ran his tongue over his lips, trying to alleviate the dryness of the conversation, ending with a soft bite on his lower lip before responding.

"No- Uh-" he paused, clearing his throat before continuing. "I've always been very focused on my work, thanks to my parents, so no, I really wouldn't have the time", he expressed, although a slight gesture of frustration crossed his lips before he continued speaking. "I mean, if I were truly interested in someone, I would find the time, but for now, there's no one". He concluded his explanation with a light sigh.

Harry awaited with some tension, anticipating a sarcastic response from Lizzie, considering the twists and turns he had taken to reach his explanation, however, instead of that, he saw her nod with a understanding expression on her face. A comforting relief washed over Harry in that moment, as if Lizzie's silent confirmation somehow validated his words and nerves.

Why did he suddenly feel so nervous?

"May I know the reason for the question?" he inquired after a few moments, waiting for a brief explanation of the young woman's interest, although in reality he showed more curiosity about her response. Harry watched as Lizzie's dark eyes settled on his face once again, subtly descending to his hands, still intertwined in his lap as he leaned slightly towards her. His heart began to beat quickly again as he followed her gaze.

"I don't see a ring on your finger". Lizzie responded with a slight shrug, initially downplaying the question, something that Harry found indecipherable whether he liked it or not.

"Aren't you too young to have been married?" he suddenly asked, on impulse as he tried to delve into the topic, although he almost immediately regretted the inopportune nature of his question.

Although the intention was good, the question came off as bold, especially given the situation he knew the woman was in. Harry lowered his gaze, feeling a lump in his throat as silence lingered, trying to find a quick way to change the subject.

Lizzy, on the contrary, continued to watch him, aware that the real question was implicit: «Aren't you too young to be a widow?» Still, she decided to answer: "Yes, I am".

"Excuse my boldness". Were the words she received barely after her response. Lizzie hesitated for a moment whether those apologies were genuine, for if they were, he wouldn't have waited for her response. However, this didn't bother her; rather, she found it entertaining..

"Don't worry", she replied with a nod of her head, maintaining a hidden smile as she looked down for a moment. "It's not the first time I've heard that".

Harry fell silent as he watched the woman rise from her seat, feeling his heart beat hard, fearing being expelled from the house for his audacity. However, he began to relax as he saw the young woman head towards a corner of the room, a little away from him, where a wide collection of bottles rested on a shelf. Her hand rested on one of them, dissipating the tension in the air.

"Would you like some?" Lizzie asked Harry, gently lifting a glass of whiskey. Harry was forced to swallow before answering: "I can't". He admitted sincerely.

Lizzie simply nodded and returned to her glass, taking another sip before sitting in front of him on the sofa. All while Harry watched her attentively.

"I understand", she replied after another sip. "I just wanted you to know that you're passing up the best whiskey in the country". Harry's smile was the response Lizzie was hoping for to continue. "But if that's not an option for you and that's why you're not having it, the offer of cookies still stands".

Harry's eyes repeatedly slid over Lizzie's face. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was that drove him to keep looking at her. Perhaps it was her apparent youth, her glow despite her recent husband's death, or the feeling of prohibition by remaining in her house after the interrogation had concluded.

However, the time that had passed was enough for him to regret his decision.

"In fact, I'll accept the offer this time". He announced.

And for the first time that night, he noticed a similarity between her and himself: a dimple that appeared on her cheek when she smiled.

"Perfect".

For at least a quarter of an hour, time passed. Harry found distraction in admiring the architecture and luxury while Lizzie busied herself in the kitchen. In the distance, Harry caught the sweet aroma of the cookies, awakening his appetite as he waited eagerly. Finally, he saw Lizzie approach with a tray, possibly silver, and place it on the central table of the living room. It was then that he realized there was not only food, but also liquids.

In his eagerness to discover, Harry neglected the cookies as his hand quickly reached for the glass of white liquid next to the main plate. He contemplated the liquid for a moment, feeling its warmth on his fingers before perceiving a soft voice rising beside him, at the same time that the sofa slightly gave way under his weight.

"I refrained from adding alcohol. There's only milk", he heard her laugh as he held the glass between his hands, not daring to look to the side. "You can try it to confirm".

Harry closed his eyes briefly, letting the voice fill his senses.

From the moment she entered the house, he had ignored the sweet scent of her perfume. He avoided looking at her bare legs when she crossed them during the conversation. He even refrained from looking at her for too long while she spoke.

However, he ended up doing exactly the opposite. At this point, he had engraved in his memory the smell of her perfume and constantly wondered how significant it would be. He had memorized her posture, and instead of using his notebook, he kept himself busy by observing her intently.

"Everyone knows that I'm a good girl, officer".

His eyes suddenly opened.

His attention was inevitably drawn to her once more, finding her finally by his side, watching him intently. Time seemed to stand still around them. Harry couldn't discern with certainty what was driving him to act, whether it was simply Lizzie's close presence or the use of the expression "good girl", yet something inside him was beginning to flood him with a comforting sensation, making him feel warm and filled with a desperate longing to get closer to her.

Harry quickly turned, averting his gaze from Lizzie, and refocused his attention on the glass of milk and the cookies still on the tray. Suddenly his craving for food vanished, and he preferred to take a sip of the milk, savoring its sweetness, although it didn't quench his thirst. It wasn't until he had almost finished his drink that he mustered up the courage to face the somber gaze of the woman beside him again.

Harry had faced the feeling of intimidation on various occasions, especially in front of authority figures older than him, with serious countenances. However, this time was different. Sitting next to her, with her large eyes fixed on him, he experienced a strange sense of intimidation, although he couldn't understand why, but instead of rejecting it, he felt a growing curiosity that propelled his body forward.

Unconsciously, he found himself moving closer to her with a subtle motion, with his lips parted and close enough to brush against her face, and at the moment he thought he was about to break the tension, he found himself enveloped in a void.

His confusion was reflected in the widening of his eyes, which blinked a couple of times before returning to the front, where he found Lizzie standing in front of him. His gaze immediately fell, and he moistened his lips, preparing to speak, perhaps to apologize for feeling her distance as discomfort, but before he could say anything, he felt nails digging into his cheeks, lifting his face.

Harry tried to move forward, stretching his arms for more, although he was immediately stopped. His cheeks were released, while his hands were held back.

Quickly, Lizzie had taken the handcuffs that were still on his belt while he became aware of his now more extended position in space, with his legs spread apart, leaving room for her to position herself. Before Harry could understand what was happening, his wrists were trapped in the handcuffs, leaving him restrained in the armchair.

He tried to glance back, but the hands grabbed his cheeks once again, although with more force, ensuring visible marks were left. Forced to keep his focus on her, he could clearly distinguish her: her brown eyes, once bright from the room's light, now seemed darker, fixed on him as she sat on his lap, generating a warmth that consumed him.

He needed to be released. And not just from the handcuffs.

Then time began to pass quickly, just like the palpitations of his heart. His lips parted, seeking to catch his breath, but found only agitation, while small moans escaped from his throat at the wet kisses that left marks on his neck.

He wanted more.

He felt his shirt slipping off his body, feeling a slight coolness on his chest, soon replaced by the warmth of the kisses he received. A hand joined the game, caressing him as he tried to lower the fabric as much as possible, frustrated by the handcuffs that prevented his complete release.

He wanted more.

The hand descended, quickly unbuttoning his pants as he rose on the armchair, holding his weight and that of the woman on him. Both rose enough to pull down his pants to his calves, until he could push himself to remove his shoes and pants with the help of his feet.

But still, he wanted more.

He was beginning to experience a growing desperation as time passed. The palpitations in his chest kept him on edge, rising and falling just enough to provoke sighs, but just when they seemed to be heading where he needed them most, they rose again.

The moans filled the room as Harry began to move more forcefully, trying to seek something more than just a simple rubbing between his underwear and Lizzie's skirt. At first, he thought maybe she would feel sorry for seeing him like that, but seeing her eyes turn back to him without compassion, he realized he was wrong.

His breath caught when he saw Lizzie slowly unbuttoning her blouse, with agonizing slowness. Even when he prepared for his work as a policeman, he had not experienced such painful exercises as seeing her with her naked tits brushing his face, and not being able to feel them. 

"I saw you very thirsty", she whispered, her voice resonating in a softer tone than usual, awakening in Harry a sensitivity he could barely recognize at that moment. "Do you still want milk?"

His eyes brightened at the question, his head nodding before he could articulate a response; that was all Lizzie needed to pick up the half-finished glass of milk and pour it unhesitatingly over her breasts.

Harry paused for a moment, watching the white liquid carelessly spilling over the woman's nipples, seeing how the drops gradually disappeared over the edge of her skirt. He let out a barely audible sigh, unable to contain it, and then shifted his gaze to Lizzie, who looked at him with a mischievous smile, as if she had made a small oversight, although Harry received it with gratitude. He felt so grateful that, if necessary, he would have fallen to his knees to express his gratitude right at that moment.

"Oh, shit".

Lizzie let out a sigh of relief as she held Harry's hair, who finally decided to approach and take one of her breasts in his mouth. She could feel his tongue gently swirling around her nipple, alternating between delicate movements and firmer suctions.

Instinctively, her hands slid over his body, caressing his skin until they reached the edge of her skirt, which was already starting to feel too warm. She sensed Harry's lips slightly parting from her, which prompted her to immediately open her eyes to look at him.

She was met with his angelic face, with green eyes expanding towards her from below, his curly and disheveled hair, his moist face, and his lips with traces of white liquid at the corners. It was an image that was etched in her memory and urged her to act with greater urgency.

She took a deep breath before separating slightly from him, hearing a complaint starting to form on his lips before he fell silent upon realizing that Lizzie's skirt, along with her underwear, was disappearing. Despite feeling close, she had to take a few steps forward to return to Harry's lap, all while he watched her with his dark eyes, showing submission but pretending to hide something more. Lizzie wondered what it could be, but she didn't give it much importance as she returned to her position, feeling his cock more comfortably beneath her, although still covered by his underwear, brushing against her now naked cunt.

No more than a second passed before she refocused on her own pleasure, starting to move in circles around him again, while moans filled the room once more, both hers and Harry's, who, through his sounds, begged for mercy.

The rhythm intensified, leading Lizzie to abandon the circular movements and start with pelvic movements back and forth. Her excitement fluids facilitated the sliding over the cotton fabric of his underwear, allowing her to perceive more than she had imagined.

Contrary to his own satisfaction, Harry couldn't bear it anymore. A mix of excitement, desperation, discomfort, and anger invaded him as he couldn't feel completely satisfied. Although he had obeyed Lizzie's words, seeing her rubbing herself on him without really feeling her touch deeply frustrated him. He found no other way out than to start pushing forcefully, making the woman's body move sharply on top of him, causing her to open her eyes once more.

"Please", he managed to articulate, while his hips moved slightly.

Lizzie watched him for a few additional seconds before a mocking smile appeared on her face.

"Are you that needy for my pussy?"

Harry opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, he felt three fingers invading his mouth, silencing him immediately as he sucked and moistened them. Then, as if his prayers had been heard, he felt Lizzie moving slightly away from his lap. He saw her kneel in front of him, taking off his underwear and exposing his erect member.

A sigh escaped his lips as the fingers, soaked with his own saliva and pre-cum, caressed his glans and began to masturbate him with the palm of her hand.

"Fuck me".

His voice emerged without hesitation, rough from the dryness in his tongue and throat, yet irresistibly enticing for Lizzie; eager for Harry.

"Is that an order?" she asked, teasingly. "What do you plan to do if I don't? After all, those handcuffs are in your hands, not mine". The massage on his cock became more vigorous, causing jolts from the fires he felt under her hand.

"Let's try again, officer", she suddenly mentioned, making his eyes close for a moment. His profession hadn't even crossed his mind until that moment, but the prohibition of the moment wasn't what affected him the most, but a fire that resurged within him, rising from his lower part to his chest, filling him with excitement as he heard her.

"Shit- Please, please fuck me".

A fleeting smile appeared on Lizzie's face and quickly disappeared as she sat in the place she had desired so much but from which she had refrained, not suppressing the moan that escaped once she achieved it.

She was about to start more energetic circular movements, finding something to hold on to this time, but her actions were overshadowed by those of the man beneath her, who had taken the lead, pounding forcefully and swiftly, making her sigh softly as she allowed herself to be enveloped by the pleasurable sensation.

Then she realized that Harry's urgency was expressing itself in that way, and she let herself go, allowing him to take the lead even when his hands remained restrained.

Lizzie was forced to hold onto the couch when she found that simply leaning on Harry's shoulders was not enough to withstand the onslaught she felt inside her. Her eyes involuntarily closed, unable to keep her gaze on him for long, while her lips parted in search of air. She only found relief when Harry's tongue joined hers on her neck, leaving the same careless kisses she had given him at the beginning, but this time he decided to intensify the sensations with suctions. Lizzie had no doubt that the marks would remain there for at least a week due to the force with which he made them.

"God- You fuck me so good", she exclaimed, accompanying her groan with a whisper that made Harry open his eyes, becoming hypnotized by the sight of Lizzie's tits bouncing to the rhythm of his thrusts. He bit his lower lip to contain his own impending moan.

"I'm so close- Oh fuck! Fuck-". Lizzie's own moans intertwined, becoming more intense, filling the room with their sound, resonating even throughout the house.

Harry sharply inhaled air between his teeth, tilting his head back as he closed his eyes tightly, feeling the electric current running through his body, although he had been avoiding that moment, wanting first to observe Lizzie's reaction, wanting to absorb it completely.

"Look at me", Lizzie's voice pulled him out of his reverie, as she took his chin and forced their gazes to meet once more. "Come on, be good and let me feel you pulsating as you fill me with cum".

Harry struggled to keep his eyes open as he did his best to maintain his gaze on hers, intensifying his rhythm as much as he could, seeing her mouth open as she brought her face closer to his, brushing their lips.

"Harry!- Fuck".

Then climax came for both simultaneously, with their foreheads united and sweat sliding down them. Harry felt Lizzie's cunt walls squeezing his cock, which throbbed inside her, while she experienced a sensation of fullness and warmth, an excitement that ran through her whole body and left her trembling as she moaned softly.

As the minutes passed, their breaths calmed down. Although the atmosphere was still imbued with heat and disorder, Harry finally felt liberated, despite still having his hands handcuffed.

The large clock struck three in the morning when they woke up without realizing how long they had remained in that position. Lizzie noticed the weight on her eyelids, indicating the need for rest, but she was forced to separate from Harry when she felt the burning sensation in her thighs, and the first thing she saw when she got up was the slight smile on Harry's face.

"I don't know if you've had experience as a criminal before, but you look very comfortable with those handcuffs".

The comment only made Harry's smile widen before he opened his eyes and replied: "I can't feel my wrists".

Immediately after, Harry watched as the dimple on Lizzie's face reappeared, but this time accompanied by a genuine laugh.

After he revealed the location of the key that would unlock the handcuffs and she finally managed to free him, she walked to one of the utility rooms in search of a blanket, still naked and feeling the cold air brushing against her skin.

Lizzie focused on her destination, avoiding looking elsewhere, entered the room, took the blanket, and walked out without looking back, ignoring the shadow she had perceived slipping down the hallway.

Once they settled on the sofa in the living room, she watched as Harry's hand reached for the silver tray that had remained on the central table, and he took one of the cookies she had prepared. At that moment, Lizzie suspected that perhaps that action had caused her perplexity upon learning of Richard's death.

Because it hadn't fit with her plans.

The chocolate cookies had awaited on her bedside table in the previous room, expecting her husband's first bite upon returning from the office after a long day of work.

That would have been the culmination, the beginning of something new.

So she understood that this episode marked the real beginning, perhaps the prelude to a dangerous game she was willing to embark on once again. From scratch.

[lord-squiggletits]

I think the reason that MTMTE remains the most defining, influential, and loved series in the IDW1 run is fundamentally because, despite its many flaws, MTMTE has the power to make you think and wonder about the world beyond what's shown on the page. The character relationships are so strongly developed that it's easy to care about the characters and easy to imagine further adventures they could go on. While the myriad dropped plotlines, underwritten/underutilized characters, and worldbuilding with weird implications are all fucking maddening at times... even if it makes you mad, MTMTE makes you mad because you care and it makes you want to immerse yourself into a world that feels like it's real beyond what's explicitly shown to you on the page. It's a sandbox of a story where there's so much fertile ground for pretty much anyone with any preferred character archetype, storyline, etc to dig in.

It's just... immersive. That's the best way I can put it. It feels like it could be real and it makes you want to spend more time in it than the constraints JRO had. It makes you want to know more about it and come up with theories on how/why things function or happen the way they do. That's why it's loved and that's why it's the best series in IDW1.

[snitchcrimsonwrites]

Maybe pt. 12

Pairing: Norm MacLean X Female Reader or OC if you squint

Former friends to a relationship?

Life is pretty easy in Vault 33 until you're trying to rekindle a former friendship and Raiders attack. Now, our main characters are trying to navigate newfound feelings, all while undercovering the mysteries of Vault 33. Stay tuned. Follows the main storyline of season 1; some events may be reordered for plot.

Election Day is here and brings new complications for you and Norm.

Part 1 Here Part 6 Here Part 11 Here

Part 2 Here Part 7 Here

Part 3 Here Part 8 Here

Part 4 Here Part 9 Here

Part 5 Here Part 10 Here

You and Norm sat in the Vault 33 common area, surrounded by the buzz of activity that always accompanied election day. Red, white, and blue American flags adorned the walls, colorful posters adorned the walls, and the air was filled with a sense of civic duty and anticipation. It seemed like every corner of the vault was plastered with posters, each bearing the face and promises of two of the three candidates, Woody and Reg; Betty’s face notably missing among the sea of posters. Their slogans screamed for attention from every surface, vying for votes with promises of better food rations, more recreational time, enhanced security measures, and a better tomorrow. The room around you was loud with conversation, laughter, and the occasional debate as friends and neighbors discussed their choices as you and Norm settled in to people-watch. 

"Happy Election Day!" Chet proclaimed as he approached, his voice ringing with cheery and patriotic fervor. "Best day in the Vault, right?"

Norm piped up first, “I can think of a few better days.” 

“Well, obviously, it doesn’t compare to Christmas, but it’s a close second. Nothing more important than exercising our civic duties.”  

You smiled at Chet's enthusiasm but couldn’t help but share a different perspective. “It would be a little more interesting if we didn’t already know the outcome.” Convinced Betty Pearson would be elected Overseer once again. “You know, Chet, dissenting is actually the highest form of patriotism.” Wouldn’t that be a surreal sight? 

Chet’s face twisted in confusion. “Dissenting? What do you mean?”

Norm decided to chime in. “She means not voting.” He turned to you with a knowing look. “You know that would never happen.” He imagined if anyone in the Vault decided not to vote, they’d just round them up and encourage them to cast a ballot. 

Chet’s eyes widened, and he looked genuinely appalled. “Not voting? How can you say that? It’s our duty to vote, to make our voices heard!”

“See?” Norm remarked, a slight smirk on his face. “Absolutely no one would go for that.”

You shrugged, “A girl can dream.” Rising from the picnic table, you realized the time. “Alright, I better be off. Enjoy your day off, boys,” you said, kissing Norm goodbye and waving to Chet before walking off.

After you left, Chet turned to Norm with a curious expression. “So, things have evolved pretty quickly between you two, huh? Fill me in.”

Norm smiled, “Yeah, we’re officially an ‘item,’” confirming Chet’s suspicions. 

Chet grinned, clearly happy for his friend. “I’m not surprised. I had a feeling you had a thing for her long before you admitted it.”

Norm chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess it was pretty obvious, except to us.”

The conversation paused slightly, and Chet had something on his mind. He hesitated momentarily before finally asking, “So, have you two, you know?”

Norm raised an eyebrow, catching the implication. “Yeah, we have.” He decided against his better judgment to just entertain his cousin’s inquires. 

Chet nodded, his curiosity piqued. “How was it?”

“Definitely not sharing that,” Norm replied, shaking his head.

“That bad, huh?” Chet frowned, placing a consolatory hand on Norm’s shoulder. “Don’t worry; it gets better with practice.”

Norm laughed. “It wasn’t bad, far from it actually, but I’m not telling you the details of how I spent the night with my girlfriend.”

“Oh, c’mon, that’s what us guys do,” Chet said, playfully punching Norm’s shoulder. He then proceeded to fill Norm in on what happened with Stephanie before the two of them showed up at his doorstep for their expedition to Vault 32.

“See, too much information,” Norm gagged, referring to Chet's detailed account of the situation with Stephanie.

Chet laughed, suddenly remembering, “Oh, I’m supposed to meet Steph!”

Norm nodded. “That’s fine. I need to check in on something anyway.”

The two friends parted ways, and Norm used the bustle of election day as a cover to sneak back into his office terminal. Your earlier comment about the predictability of elections gave him something he wanted to check. The Vault 32 logs might have been off-limits, but he still had access to the ones in 33. Sitting down, Norm accessed the vault terminal and began searching the personnel records for those who had been transferred between vaults. He clicked on the names and started to notice a pattern.

Transferred from Vault 31, elected Overseer in Vault 33.

He saw it repeatedly. Each name he clicked. 

Transferred from Vault 31, elected Overseer in Vault 33.

Over and over, the same pattern emerged until he reached the present day. Hank MacLean. Transferred from Vault 31 and elected Overseer 2271-2297.

Norm leaned back, his heart racing as the realization sank in. If Betty Pearson won again, every elected Overseer would come from Vault 31; it would continue the unbroken chain of Vault 31 transfers, becoming Overseers in Vault 33. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen it before. It was a running joke in Vault, voting for the member from 31, but for it to happen every election over 200 years of Vault 33 history seemed an impossibility. 

Norm’s mind raced with questions. Why was Vault 31 so influential in Vault 33’s leadership? What was the connection? And most importantly, what did this mean for the future of their vault? Determined to find answers, Norm knew he had to dig deeper. As he logged out of the terminal and prepared to leave, he knew one thing for certain: this election day was just the beginning.

_____________________________

Norm couldn’t wait until you got off work to share what he uncovered, so he headed straight to Steph’s place to share his unsettling discovery with his additional accomplice. When he arrived, he found Chet busy entertaining Steph’s newborn with a rattle, trying to keep the baby occupied while the single mom finished her shower. 

“You don’t think it’s weird we always elect an overseer from Vault 31?” Chet looked up, slightly distracted by the baby. “What do you mean?” “They did the same exact thing in Vault 32,” Norm explained.

 Steph’s singing drifted through the background, a gentle reminder of her presence amidst their conversation. Chet pondered Norm’s question. “Honestly, no. By all accounts, Vault 31 has more resources and a better education system, and you know they’ve got that phrase.” Norm knew it well and finished the sentence in a mocking tone. “When things look glum, vote 31.” 

“Shh,” Chet whispered, looking around like someone might overhear them. “It’s a powerful slogan.” 

Norm looked at him in disbelief. “You think 200 years of coincidence comes down to a slogan?” Chet shrugged. “I don’t know, Norm. It’s like asking why everyone prefers jello-cake to apple pie. I don’t know why; they just do.” 

“So if it’s not at all worrisome, why are we whispering?” Norm challenged. Chet sighed, “Because we just snuck into a vault filled with dead bodies. Not to mention Steph’s from 31.” 

As if on cue, Steph appeared, freshly showered and wrapped in her Vault bathrobe. She looked surprised to see Norm. “Oh, hello, Norman.”

 “Steph,” Norm nodded, “I was actually just heading out. We’ll pick this up later,” he said to Chet. “Sure,” Chet responded, giving Norm a nod. 

Norm stopped as he was about to press the door release and turned back to Steph. “Steph?”

 “Yes?”

 “How’s Vault 31 different from here?” She paused, thinking. “What did your dad tell you?” 

“Not much, actually. That’s why I’m asking.” 

She considered it again. “Gee, I don’t know. Maybe the mashed potatoes were a little better?”

 Norm sighed. “That is  what my dad used to say.”

 “Must be true then,” she said with a haunting smile. 

“It must be true,” Norm echoed, feeling the weight of her words as he left. 

As Norm walked back to his quarters, an announcement blared over the Vault system intercom. The microphone crackled, and Betty’s voice echoed through the loudspeakers. “Hello, Vault 33. In my first edict as Overseer, I will be hosting a Vault-wide meeting about the future of Vault 32 tomorrow at 10 am. See you there.” 

_______________

Norm’s thoughts raced as he continued his walk. He didn't get a chance to speak with you about his discovery; you had been stationed for an additional shift to perform maintenance on the Pip-Boy servers last night. Extra shifts were unusual for you, and Norm had a nagging suspicion that someone was keeping you there on purpose.

 He managed to catch up with you as you walked to the meeting Betty had called. You mouthed, “What do you think this is about?” as Norm approached. He shrugged, just as uncertain. “No idea.” 

Once everyone had gathered, Betty led the group toward Vault 32. They stopped in front of the newly cleared-out entryway. Betty began, “Thank you for coming, everyone. It is important for us all to see this place together—as a community, as a family—so that we can heal together and rebuild together.” 

Chet, standing close to Norm and you, leaned in nervously. “What is happening here?” he whispered to Norm. He wasn’t particularly keen on returning to the Vault filled with so much death and decay. Betty didn’t hear him and continued. “I spoke with the Overseer of Vault 31, and we agreed that these vaults of ours are too sacred to leave empty. Which is why I’m announcing a resettling campaign. Some of us will stay home to rebuild 33. Others will move into Vault 32 in the coming weeks to start anew.” 

With her remarks finished, she guided the group into Vault 32. The sight that greeted them was a complete 180 from what you, Norm, and Chet had seen a couple of days earlier. There were no decaying bodies, no blood on the walls, and all signs of neglect had been meticulously cleaned up. The atrium, which had been filled with the stench of death, now looked pristine, almost welcoming. Fresh coats of paint now adorned the walls, and if you didn’t know any better, you might be standing back in Vault 33. You couldn't believe the sight before you. It made you question what you had seen the other day. Was it real? Had your mind played tricks on you? 

You glanced at Norm, whose face mirrored your disbelief. Norm leaned in, whispering to you, “This doesn’t make sense. It’s like they scrubbed away everything overnight.” Chet looked around, still unnerved. “I don’t know, Norm.” The three of you tried your best to remain inconspicuous, but the more you walked around, the more difficult it became. 

As the members of 33 poured out to the hallways to examine the Vault, Betty continued her speech, oblivious to the trio’s whispered concerns. “Together, we will turn Vault 32 into a new beacon of hope, just as Vault 33 has been for us. This is our chance to build something better.” The crowd murmured in agreement, excited to begin the work, but you and Norm exchanged uneasy glances. Something was definitely not right. The eerie cleanliness of Vault 32 felt like a cover-up, a facade hiding the grim reality you had witnessed.

Norm separated from you and Chet, heading up to the Overseer’s office; as he arrived in the hallway, he noticed the stark difference from the scene they had encountered previously. There were no bodies hanging from the ceiling, and the office itself looked identical to his dad's, save for a Vault 32 flag hanging in place of the Vault 33 one. But there was one other major change that caught his eye: the overseer’s terminal, where he had found the information about his mom’s Pip-Boy, was now broken into pieces on the desk. This was a sign someone knew they had been there the other night; he was sure of it.

Norm leaned over, his hands propped up on the desk, eyes scanning the office, taking in the changes. He was startled when he felt hands on his shoulders and turned to see Betty standing behind him.

“Find anything interesting?” she asked, her voice calm but with an edge that made Norm's stomach knot.

Norm swallowed hard, trying to hide his unease. “Great job cleaning up,” he said, attempting to keep his tone casual.

Betty looked saddened, shaking her head. “The raiders destroyed so much. But not our spirits,” she finished triumphantly.

As she turned to leave, Norm called out, “Betty?”

She paused, turning back to face him. “Yes?”

“When my mother died, what happened to her Pip-Boy?”

Betty's expression softened. “It was buried with her.”

“How are you so sure?” Norm pressed, his voice barely steady.

She stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Because I buried her myself. Me and your father.” She gave him a gentle squeeze before turning to leave the room.

Just as Betty left, you caught up with Norm, noticing his distant expression. “Are you okay?” you asked, concern lacing your voice.

Norm turned to you, forcing a reassuring smile. “Yeah, I’m fine.” But the doubt in his eyes betrayed his words.

_____________________________

You and Norm returned to his place, the tension between you palpable. Norm was eager to disclose the information he had found out, but as he watched you pace the floor of his living room, he began to second-guess his decision. You were visibly distressed about the possibility of being relocated to Vault 32, and Norm, for once, was trying to be the optimistic one. Maybe you didn’t need the added weight of Vault 31's secrets and Betty's seemingly thinly veiled threats right now.

You ran a hand through your hair, frustration evident on your face. “I can’t believe they expect us to just move to Vault 32 like it’s no big deal. After everything we saw in there…” You stopped pacing and looked at him, your eyes filled with uncertainty and fear. “What if they separate us?”

Norm bit his lip, struggling with his decision. He wanted to share everything with you, but he feared adding to your worries. “They can’t separate us. I won’t let that happen.”

You sighed and sank onto the couch, the weight of the situation pressing down on you. "I can’t stand the thought of us being apart.”

Norm sat down beside you, placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder. Norm hesitated for a moment before deciding to hold off on the full truth for now. “It will be fine, I promise.”

[shalomniscient]

FINALLY SOMEONE WHO SHARES MY INTEREST IN F1 ARLE😭 I have like this storyline with her and my oc but I’m happy to share it on here🙏🏼 imagine reader being one fontaines research institutes most promising scientist who recently made a groundbreaking invention, which is a gravity field generator that can be used on water, which now is requested by the formula 1 hq to be used in the upcoming grandprix on the cars. So reader gladly accepts the request, and quickly comes up with a plan which they introduce in a conference meeting with all the racing teams and their strategists. The plan includes them having to measure each racer in a private session so they customize the generators based on said measurements, in their underwear ofc🤭 and poor Arle can’t help but think all the time about how their pretty lips would feel around her dick and how good their cunt would swallow her length as she drives in and out of them which each thrust🥰 bonus points if reader notices the bulge slowly forming in her pants! OKAY TY FOR COMING TO MY YAPPING SESSION (this is my first time sharing something on her btw so im new!)

WAIT ANON UR BRAIN ??? HORKNEE ASIDE THIS IS SUCH A COOL CONCEPT WTF F1 ON WATER IS CRAZYYYY I LOVE IT

holy fuck, imagine like tracks that go under all the bridges in fontaine... anti-grav tracks that get the cars near vertical like some REAL redbull shit. dude, the engineering implications are literally so interesting to think about, like does each car have its own gravity generator? what would be added to the cars for movement in zero-grav? probably some form of thruster? what could be taken out of the car now that zero-grav is a thing? good heavens i'm going to be thinking about this for DAYS anon you fucking cooked holy shit

[chaosnojutsu]

Who *Should* Have Died From The Konoha ~12 Instead Of The One Who Did

rules:

we’re assuming they die under the same circumstances as the other guy

each one listed would have a complete storyline and their death would further the immediate plot as well as the overall narrative

i’m not “just picking characters i don’t like”

i do not condone killing characters for the sake of shock value but am considering shock as a legitimate tool in generating impact of a character’s death

miss me with “[redacted]’s death was a tragic result of the shinobi system” because no it was not. if that were true you could sub out [redacted] for any other child soldier and get the exact same impact. we know exactly why they were chosen and it’s got an (insufficient) explanation irl and in-universe.

#3. Sai

Motivation: Friendship

First of all, imagine the shock value from killing one of THE Team Kakashi members.

Cool. Now imagine Naruto’s shock at Sai sacrificing himself for him.

Sai overanalyzes normal human interaction to the point of not understanding it. He reads books about how to befriend people. He still doesn’t understand it all the time but friendship is coming more naturally to him these days. What he does understand is that Naruto is the only chance of winning this war, and he’s down, and the enemy is aiming for him, and Hinata is trying to stop them but she’s on the ground, the spears are in the air and so is Sai, and Naruto is his friend.

He doesn’t need to think about it much deeper than that.

Now imagine Sasuke “What Does ‘Friend’ Mean To You” Uchiha witnessing this, witnessing Naruto’s reaction, and the further effects this may have on his character. After all, Sai was his replacement. If Naruto feels this strongly about losing someone who was decidedly not him but his friend and teammate nevertheless then… maybe.

#2. Rock Lee

Motivation: Youth

Regardless of *how* this one plays out, no one wants to watch the determined, precious, comedic relief die; no one who’s watched this far into the show wants Rock Lee specifically to die. Huge impact already. But we can make it super duper sad because he deserves a memorable death. I see it going one of two ways.

One: Hinata doesn’t even have the time to try to shield Naruto because Rock Lee is faster. Ten-Tails barely launches the attack and Lee’s already taken/attempted to counter the hit. Perhaps this is his eight gates moment. Similar to Sai, Rock Lee would cite the power of friendship in his dramatic death speech, but he also was just… doing his duty. Truly, if you’re in the “Neji was just another tragic child soldier” camp, Rock Lee is the prime example of what I mean when I say you could sub in any child soldier, which I know sounds paradoxical but stay with me. Rock Lee’s entire personality is training harder than anyone else to benefit a system that will ultimately result in his death. If you want to make a point about child soldiers and needless lives lost, Rock Lee is the one to kill.

Two: Rock Lee doesn’t shield Hinata. He shields Neji. But not necessarily on purpose. The scene plays out exactly as written up to the moment Neji activates his byakugan, and the next frame isn’t him falling to the ground, it’s Rock Lee. The usually-somewhat-reserved Neji is devastated, probably in tears, demanding to know why he would do something like this. Rock Lee coughs up a bit of blood. “I was faster than you.” Smile. “I finally beat you…” Serene eyes fall shut. “…rival.”

And now imagine Naruto’s reaction to losing Bushy Brow. Imagine him watching Gai be brought to his knees by a blow that didn’t physically touch him. Imagine Madara incorrectly perceiving that. The implications. The foreshadowing.

#1. Shino

Motivation: Legacy

I’m gonna be real, the writers were never gonna kill off Rock Lee like that, which is the biggest reason Shino has taken the crown as Most Worthy Of A Tragic Death in my book.

This dude has a connection to both Naruto and Hinata (making him equally as good a sacrifice as Neji if that’s the canon criteria). However, unlike most other (male) characters, Shino isn’t shown to have a particularly close friendship with Naruto. The one recurring joke around Shino is that he’s so irrelevant even Naruto can’t remember his name.

But he is good friends with Hinata. And he knows she’ll spend the rest of her life miserable if Naruto dies, and that if she dies right now she will never have gotten her life’s greatest wish.

So Shino goes out in a blaze of glory, and we’ll probably insert something about how Naruto has somehow secretly inspired him all along— or maybe something cynical about how he always wanted to be included by Naruto but never was unless Kiba or Hinata were around, so he’s sacrificed himself to maintain the livelihood of everyone else while not “losing” that friendship himself— and we of course get the touching moment with Hinata (oh just imagine the drama if Shino lay dying and told Hinata “Why did I protect you? It’s simple. The reason is… for the same reason you protected him.” and we find out that the huge secret crush of the show was not Hinata toward anyone, but Shino toward Hinata, never confessing because he knew it would be futile).

Good luck forgetting his name now, Naruto. Now no one will ever forget about Shino Aburame.