#Marvel heroes being chased by Duo

[5yearslatewithearlgrey]

This grew out of seeing new pics of Bucky in Thunderbolts (thx @dcangstfiction ) just being done with everyone's shit and shepherding those super-children... immediately followed by my Duolingo widget staring at me with this... unique mixture of deep contempt and disappointment. If you know the one you know the one. Well, A plus B equaled a neat idea for a tumblr thing. Which went a bit out of hand, I guess.

Just gonna share some detail of the tiny car:

[lady-ace]

FIC WIP BE UPON THEE

(Captain Marvel x Pokémon, which i'm planning on putting on AO3 once i'm done with like, 5 chapters or so. This is the WIP of the first chapter.)

Captain Marvel is the brand new Fawcett hero. The man simply showed up one day, and started helping the community, be it with fighting crime or the most mundane things, like helping children find their parents when lost or help a person cross the street. He wasn’t as famous as Batman or Superman, and he even doubted he’d even been heard of outside of Fawcett. He was still very new, after all.

When flying around on patrol, Captain Marvel and Tawny — Who was on the ground, following along — spotted two men cornering an elderly woman in an alley, knives in hand, poised to attack.

“Pass em’, grandma!” One of them ordered, bringing the knife closer to her threateningly. “Give us the necklace and no one gets hurt!” The other thug exclaims, getting closer to rip the necklace off the lady’s neck altogether.

“No, please!” The senior pleaded, “It was a gift from my grandson!” She added, clutching her necklace close to her protectively, clearly close to tears and panic evident on her voice.

Marvel looked at Tawny as the Raikou growled and went into the alley, passing and startling the robbers as he stood in defense of the lady, growls coming out like crackles of thunder, loud against the silence of the alley.

“Shit!” the first thug yelped in surprise, “Is that the hero Raikou?!” the second one asked, taking a step back in fear of the large feline in front of him. “I thought it was a myth!”

Captain Marvel slowly floated down to land alongside Tawny, standing tall and opposing the two criminals, who were looking ready to bolt, shaking hands reaching to the Pokéballs on their belts.

“Tawny,” The hero called, nodding at the Pokémon, “Electroweb.”

At the command, electricity charged all around the legendary Pokémon, surging forwards as two webs that wrapped around the two criminals, shocking them to make them drop their weapons, before staying dormant, only serving to keep them both still.

After checking on the restrained criminals, Marvel turned to Tawny. “Good job!” he smiled, petting the Pokémon’s head, who trilled back proudly at the praise, happy with his work well done.

After the brief congratulations and pets, Marvel turned around to check on the elderly woman. 

“Thank you, thank you! This necklace is oh so dear to me, I can't bear to even think of losing it.” The senior babbled, voice full of relief and a big smile upon her face.

The Captain smiled back at her, “No need to thank me, Ma’am. I’m just glad you’re safe.” he responded, before being lightly headbutted by his partner Pokémon, trying to get his attention.

“Yes?” he asked, confused, as the pokémon walked to the thugs restrained on the ground, referencing them, their fallen weapons and Pokéballs with a paw. Realization dawned on the champion, “Oh! Them! Right, right.” he noted.

“Ma’am, I need to go deliver those men to the police. Stay safe, alright?” at her nod, he grabbed both restrained thugs, still struggling in the electric webs, and took flight, being mindful of the Pokéballs still on them. He absentmindedly noted that Tawny took both of the dropped knives before he followed him. 

──────────────────────────

Today was a calm day in the Justice League watchtower. Batman was researching some cases and compiling files, with his Noivern by his side, while Flash’s Jolteon raced by, chasing Green Lantern’s Reuniclus.

The Jolteon, happily yipping after the other Pokémon, stopped once they both reached the recreation room. The large TV was on, displaying the news.

“Hello, good morning, Reporter Jessica speaking, reporting from Fawcett city.” the reporter started. Behind her was a large person who was talking to the police. The person didn’t seem thrilled at all to be talking to them. “This morning a criminal duo was apprehended by Captain Marvel, the newest Fawcett hero.” She said, stepping aside and letting the camera focus on the tall person — Presumably, Captain Marvel — talking to the officers. She moved again, the camera focus going right back at her. 

“We are hoping to get an exclusive interview with him, and get more information on the crime.” Jessica says pointedly. She was not too close to where Marvel and the officers stood, but with the subtle raise of her voice, it was obvious she was heard. Especially when the Captain seemed to beam out of nowhere, saying rushed goodbyes to the officers, waiting patiently as the news crew moved in.

“Hello, Captain Marvel. Could you explain to us what happened earlier today?” The reporter politely asked, raising her microphone near the hero. He seemed somewhat relieved, or more accurately, less on edge talking to the curious reporter and cameraman than he was talking to the officers.

“Of course!” The hero said with a bright smile. The news banner silently changed from ‘EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH NEW FAWCETT HERO AND LEGENDARY PARTNER’ to a blank banner. “While on patrol today, me and Raikou,” Upon being mentioned, a Raikou showed up, who was previously out of the camera’s view. The hero seemed surprised too, “Oh, hi.” He cut himself off briefly to greet his Pokémon, who simply let out a chirp at the camera. “As I was saying, me and Raikou were on patrol when those two,” Marvel pointed behind him. The camera follows where he points, ending up on the two criminals, handcuffed and inside the back of a police car. “Decided to try and rob an old lady.” 

The reporter feigned a gasp, and proceeded to ask more questions, some very unrelated to the matter at hand. —“Could you tell us if you’re Kryptonian, Marvel?” and “Were there Raikou on your planet?” couldn’t have anything to do with an older lady getting saved from two robbers, after all—The TV channel’s banner now read “NEW FAWCETT HERO SAVES OLD LADY FROM ARMED ROBBERY, NEW SUPERMAN?”.

While the Pokémon watched, mesmerized by the seemingly random appearance of a legendary Pokémon — A caught one! Can you believe it? — on live TV.

The Jolteon and the Reuniclus started chattering to each other back and forth, communicating with wobbles and barks. The excited Pokémon chatter attracted Noivern’s attention a room away, who went to check it out.

Upon arrival, and seeing what all the noise was about, Noivern quickly returned to Batman, the normally quiet and composed Pokémon suddenly chirping rather loudly to get the man’s attention.

[mcntsee]

I will always protect you.

Summary: One promise, and three times Kaz kept it.

Warnings: Mentions of child abuse, mentions of alcoholism, mention of alcoholic tendencies, underage drinking. Bruises, blood, stabbing, violence. Usual SOC stuff. And a little bit of ooc kaz.

Notes: Their ages go; first, 4 and 5, then, 13 and 14, after that, 15 and 16, and lastly 18 and 19. With Kaz being the oldest of the two. Also, I don’t know how little kids talk, so I tried to express their age more with actions.

THE PROMISE:

Kaz Brekker, a mischievous five-year-old boy with jet-black hair and sharp blue eyes, found himself running through the bustling streets of Lij. He was on his way to buy candy from his favorite stall when, by chance, he collided with a four-year-old girl. She had bright, curious eyes and a mischievous grin of her own.

"Oof! Sorry," Kaz muttered, rubbing his arm where he bumped into Y/N. The girl giggled and brushed herself off. "It's okay. Are you hurt?"

"Nah, I'm tough," Kaz replied, puffing out his chest. "What's your name?"

"I'm Y/N," she replied with a small curtsy. "What's yours?"

"Kaz," he answered, a sly smile forming on his lips. "You wanna come with me? I'm going to buy some candy." Y/N's eyes widened with excitement. "Yes, please! I love candy!"

Hand in hand, they ventured through the vibrant market, their laughter echoing through the air. They marveled at the colorful stalls, the fragrant spices, and the musicians playing lively tunes.

"Look, Y/N, that stall has lollipops!" Kaz pointed, pulling her toward a display of rainbow-colored sweets.

Y/N's eyes sparkled as she picked a blue lolly. "You think we can eat them all?" To the question, Kaz grinned mischievously. "Duh!"

They spent the day running from one stall to another, devouring candy and experiencing the wonders of Lij. They laughed, spun in circles, and created their own little adventures.

As the sun began to set, Kaz and Y/N found themselves sitting on a park bench, exhausted and with a tummy ache but happy.

"Y/N, I think you're my best friend," Kaz said, leaning against her shoulder. Y/N smiled warmly. "And you mine, Kaz. Forever."

After their delightful day in Lij, Kaz and Y/N couldn't bear the thought of being apart. They made a pact to meet at the same spot where they had bumped into each other every single day. And true to their word, they showed up without fail, ready for more adventures.

Their daily escapades were filled with laughter and endless games. They chased each other through the winding streets, played hide-and-seek among the market stalls, and invented new imaginary worlds where they were heroes saving the day.

Sometimes, Kaz would take Y/N to his family's farm on the outskirts of town. With excitement bubbling inside, Y/N met Kaz's older brother, Jordie, who always had a playful smirk on his face. And there was Kaz's father, a strong and kind man who welcomed Y/N with open arms.

Together, the duo explored the vast fields, chasing butterflies, and picking wildflowers. Kaz and Y/N would compete to see who could climb the tallest tree, giggling with delight at their friendly rivalry. They would visit the animals, feeding the chickens and petting the gentle horses.

As time passed, their bond grew stronger, and their adventures became even more extraordinary. They braved make-believe battles against fearsome dragons, crafted secret hideouts with blankets and pillows, and dreamed of grand expeditions to faraway lands.

One sunny afternoon, as Kaz and Y/N sat on their favorite park bench with nothing better to do, Kaz turned to her with a curious expression. "Y/N, can I come to your house today? I want to see where you live."

Y/N hesitated for a moment before shaking her head gently. "I'm sorry, Kaz. Maybe another time."

Kaz furrowed his brow, not entirely understanding why Y/N didn't want him to visit her home. "Awe, but why not?"

Y/N glanced down, her voice softening. "It's just- my da... he can be a little mean sometimes."

Kaz tilted his head, still not comprehending the depth of the situation. "What do you mean, mean? Like he doesn't let you have candy?"

Y/N's eyes filled with a mix of sadness and fear. "Sort of, yeah- it's hard to explain."

Kaz could sense Y/N's discomfort, and he didn't want to press her further if it made her uneasy. He reached out and squeezed her hand gently. "It's okay, maybe some other day?"

Y/N's expression softened, grateful for Kaz's understanding. She gave him a small smile and leaned against his shoulder. "Maybe."

Kaz smiled back, reassuring her with his presence. He knew that sometimes people had difficulties, and what mattered most was supporting each other through it all, even if Y/N's home remained a mystery to Kaz for the time being.

After a while of some more talking, y/n glanced at her old pocket watch, eye’s widening when she saw the time. “Uh oh. I need to go Kaz.” hurriedly, she stood up from her previous spot, putting her watch back in its place. While she ran as fast as her little legs could, she heard her name being called by Kaz “See you tomorrow?” Without stopping or looking back she yelled “Duh!” and just like that, she was out of Kaz’s sight.

The following day, Kaz waited in their usual meeting spot for hours, but Y/N never showed up. Feeling a mix of disappointment, he eventually headed home to find his older brother Jordie.

“Jordie, something’s wrong,” Kaz exclaimed as he entered the house. “Y/N didn’t come today. I think she doesn’t want to be friends anymore.”

Jordie chuckled softly, trying to ease Kaz’s concerns. “Come on, Kaz. Y/N wouldn’t just ditch you like that. Maybe she had something important to do.”

Kaz sighed, still uncertain. “But she always keeps her promises. I think it’s because I asked to go to her house. Maybe I pushed too much.”

Jordie’s expression shifted, a hint of unease crossing his face. “What did she say, Kaz? Why couldn’t you go to her house?”

Kaz shrugged, oblivious to Jordie’s uneasiness. “Y/N just said her da is not very nice sometimes.” Jordie’s eyes narrowed slightly, concern deepening. “She even mentioned he doesn’t let her have candy! Can you believe that?” Jordie listened attentively to Kaz’s concerns, his worry growing with each word. He understood the weight of Kaz’s words about Y/N’s father but decided not to mention it directly to Kaz, wanting to shield him from unnecessary distress.

“Kaz, I understand that you’re worried,” Jordie said with a reassuring smile. “But trust me, Y/N is still your best friend. Sometimes things come up, and she might have had something important to take care of. Don’t jump to conclusions just yet.”

Kaz nodded, albeit still a bit unconvinced. “I guess you’re right, Jordie. I just miss her, that’s all.” Jordie gave Kaz a kind smile and patted his back lovingly “Also, you’re not supposed to be eating candy either, mister.”

One day turned into three, and although Jordie kept his worries about Y/N’s situation to himself, he couldn’t shake off the unease. He watched Kaz’s hopeful eyes and felt a sense of responsibility to protect his little brother’s innocence.

Days after, as Kaz sat at their usual meeting spot, the weight of worry had settled upon him. But this time, his anticipation shifted into sheer surprise as Y/N appeared, offering an apologetic smile.

Kaz’s eyes widened as he saw Y/N approaching, and he jumped up with excitement. “Y/N! You’re here! I missed you so much! Where have you been?”

Y/N’s smile flickered, and she looked down sheepishly. “Sorry, Kaz. I had important stuff to do. But I’m done now and I brought you a lolly!”

Kaz’s joy quickly turned to concern as he noticed the bruises on Y/N’s face and body. He furrowed his brow and asked, “What happened? You fall down?”

Y/N’s eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head. “I’m not really allowed to talk about it.”

Kaz’s protective instincts kicked in, and he thought for a moment. “Well, my da is really good at fixing things. Maybe he can help you. Would you like that?” Y/N hesitated but nodded.

Hand in hand, Kaz and Y/N made their way to Kaz’s farm, a sense of determination guiding Kaz’s steps. They arrived at the farm, and Kaz’s father greeted them warmly.

“Da, Y/N has some little cuts and bruises,” Kaz explained, concern evident in his voice. “Can you help?”

Kaz’s father knelt down, examining Y/N’s injuries with a gentle touch. “What happened?” he questioned hoping for an answer, sadly, he got the same response as Kaz. “I’m not allowed to talk about it.”

Once Kaz’s father finished cleaning up Y/N’s wounds, he sat down with a concerned expression on his face. “Honey, I understand that you can’t talk about it, but I want you to know that you’re safe here. No one will find out, and Kaz and I will keep this as our secret. Won’t we, Kaz?” The boy eagerly nodded.

Y/N hesitated, looking at Kaz’s dad with a mix of uncertainty and vulnerability. Slowly, she mustered the courage to speak. “My ma and da are both sick.”

Kaz’s dad nodded, encouraging her to continue. “Can you tell me more about it, Y/N?”

Y/N took a deep breath, her voice trembling. “Sometimes… sometimes they talk really weird, and they walk funny.” She paused for a second to look at Kaz’s confused face. “They sleep a lot too.”

Kaz’s dad’s face softened with understanding. “They’re alcoholics?”

Y/N looked puzzled, not fully comprehending the question being made. Kaz’s dad continued, trying his best to explain in a way that a young child could understand. “Sometimes, some people enjoy something that’s not good for them, like drinking too much alcohol. It can make them act differently and cause them to hurt themselves and others.”

Y/N’s eyes widened, realizing that Kaz’s dad understood the situation better than she expected. Encouraged by his empathy, she opened up a little more. “My da is really mean to me sometimes.”

Kaz’s dad’s expression turned solemn, and he pulled Y/N into a comforting hug. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Y/N. No one should ever be mean to you. You’re a kind and wonderful girl.”

Y/N fought back tears, feeling the warmth of Kaz’s dad’s embrace and the reassurance in his words. As he wiped away her tears, he gently asked, “Would you like to have a sleepover here tonight?”

At first, Y/N hesitated, worried about the potential consequences. “I should be on my way home before my dad gets angry at me.” she whispered.

Kaz’s dad gently took her hand and looked into her eyes with kindness. “You don’t have to worry about that here. I’ll talk to him, how’s that sound?”

Slowly, she nodded, finally letting herself accept the care and compassion offered to her. “Okay, I’ll stay.”

Kaz was thrilled to have Y/N stay for a sleepover, knowing they would get to spend more time together than ever before. He took her hand and led her up to his room, eager to show her all his new toys.

Hours passed as they laughed, played, and let their imaginations run wild. Kaz's room became a world of adventure, filled with shared stories and cherished moments.

But as the evening grew late, Kaz remembered he needed to say goodnight to his dad and Jordie. He quietly made his way downstairs, hoping to bid them farewell before returning to his room with Y/N. Just as he was about to reach the main living area, he overheard his father and Jordie having a conversation in hushed tones.

Curiosity got the better of him, and Kaz leaned closer, eavesdropping on their words. His heart sinking as he heard his da say, "Her father hits her."

Shock and anger coursed through Kaz's young veins. He couldn't fathom why someone would hurt Y/N, his dear friend. Without hesitation, he quickly said goodnight to his father and Jordie, a mix of determination and concern etched on his face.

Hurrying back to his room, he found Y/N, already lying down in her makeshift bed, waiting for him. He approached her gently, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. “I will always protect you, Y/n.”

FIRST TIME:

Recently, Kaz had suffered a broken leg, rendering him immobile and dependent on Y/N’s support. Determined to alleviate their hunger, Y/N made a solemn promise. “Don’t worry, Kaz. I’ll find us food. Your job is to rest and heal.”

With a sense of purpose, Y/N embarked on a risky endeavor to steal from those they deemed as “rich assholes.” It was a desperate act born out of necessity, driven by the dire circumstances they found themselves in. Little did Y/N know that Kaz, the restless boy he always was, had decided to secretly follow her.

Kaz hobbled along with a mixture of determination and worry. He understood the risks involved, but his loyalty and protective nature urged him to be by Y/N’s side. He remained hidden, his eyes fixed on his friend’s movements, marveling at her agility and resourcefulness.

Y/N, driven by desperation, resorted to pickpocketing in an attempt to secure food for both her and Kaz. If she was lucky, she could get more money than she would by working for the dregs for a week. She managed to successfully lift money from three unsuspecting individuals, but on her fourth attempt, her lack of experience betrayed her. The merchant she targeted noticed her actions and seized her wrist forcefully, yanking her forward while unleashing a torrent of anger.

“You little thief! Trying to steal from me, huh?” Y/N struggled to break free, her heart pounding in her chest. However, the merchant’s grip only tightened, preventing her escape. “I won’t let you get away with it!” Fear gripped her, and tears welled up in her eyes as she braced herself for the consequences of her actions.

Just as the merchant leaned in, ready to strike, Kaz, fueled by a surge of protective instinct, launched himself at the man, tackling him to the ground even though the pain in his leg was killing him.

“Leave her alone! Don’t you dare touch her!” The sudden attack caught the merchant off guard, giving Y/N a precious moment to pull away from his grasp. She stumbled backward, tears streaming down her face, but relief washed over her as Kaz shielded her from harm.

Kaz stood defiantly, his eyes blazing with determination. He wouldn’t allow anyone to harm Y/N, not while he was there to protect her. “You better stay away from us, or else you’ll regret it!” With that warning, Kaz extended a hand to Y/N, offering her support. She grasped his hand, her fingers trembling, and together they quickly retreated from the scene, their hearts pounding with a mix of fear and relief.

With their stomachs growling, Kaz and Y/N made their way to the bakery. Y/N’s heart raced, but luck was on their side for what seemed to be the first time in a long while. The stolen money she had managed to gather before getting caught was just enough to buy a loaf of bread, some meat, and cheese for Kaz.

As they walked back to their dilapidated “home,” a sense of relief washed over them. Amidst the worn-down buildings and bustling streets, Y/N’s eyes caught sight of a discarded cane. Acting swiftly, she snatched it, ensuring no one would notice its absence.

As Y/N handed the cane to Kaz, a mischievous glint danced in her eyes. Kaz accepted it with gratitude, but when he instinctively positioned it on the wrong side, Y/N couldn’t help but giggle.

“No, silly,” Y/N chuckled, gently correcting him. “The cane goes on the hand opposite the side that needs support.”

Kaz’s brows furrowed, momentarily perplexed, but he quickly adjusted the cane to the correct side, a sheepish smile forming on his face. “Oh yeah, that’s way better.”

“Thanks for saving my ass back there, Kaz” Struggling to match his steps with the cane, Kaz looked at her, “I will always protect you, Y/N,” he replied, his voice filled with sincerity.

SECOND TIME:

As Y/N turned 15 and Kaz reached 16, their lives continued to be a challenging dance with fate. However, a troubling change began to surface in Y/N’s behavior. Kaz noticed that she was increasingly reliant on alcohol, far beyond their occasional shared glass after a long day at Fifth Harbor.

It became apparent to Kaz that he rarely saw Y/N completely sober. Though she fluctuated between tipsy and heavily intoxicated, the presence of sobriety seemed to elude her. Concern etched across Kaz’s face as he observed the toll alcohol was taking on his dear friend.

He approached her room, where y/n was nursing a drink, and gently voiced his concerns. “You’ve been drinking a lot lately.” Y/n, defensive and caught off guard, shrugged it off with a dismissive tone. “Pff, come on, Kaz, ‘m just having fun. What’s the big deal?”

Kaz’s expression grew serious as he responded, “It’s not just about having fun anymore, y/n. It’s becoming a problem. Both your parents were alcoholics, and that makes it more likely for you to become one too.” He didn’t intend to bring back ugly memories, he just wanted Y/n back. His Y/n.

“Oh, so now you think ‘m like the asshole of a father I had? ‘s that what you’re saying?” But alas, luck was never really on his side, was it? Kaz hurried to explain, “No, y/n, that’s not what I meant. I’m just worried-“ But y/n was too defensive to listen. Her voice rose, and she interrupted him, “Just leave me alone, Kaz!”

Frustration built up within Kaz as he struggled to make his point. “I’m trying to help you, y/n! Can’t you see that?“

“I don’t need your help!

Their voices grew louder as the argument intensified. Hurtful words were exchanged, both knowing deep down that they didn’t mean them. In the heat of the moment, y/n’s drunken state led to a physical outburst - a push against Kaz. Stunned by the shove, Kaz felt a mix of anger and disappointment. He looked y/n in the eyes, his voice laced with bitterness. “Maybe you’re more like your father than you think.”

With those words hanging in the air, Kaz turned and walked out of y/n’s room, slamming the door behind him. The silence that followed was heavy with regret and realization.

Y/n, now alone, gradually started to comprehend the gravity of her actions. She felt a rush of memories flooding back - memories of her father’s destructive behavior and the pain it caused. The weight of her actions settled in, “Saints!”

Seeking clarity, y/n decided to take a cold shower, hoping it would sober her up both physically and mentally. As the cold water washed away the haze, she reflected on the hurtful things she had said and done. A couple of hours later, feeling completely sober, y/n mustered the courage to approach Kaz’s door.

Kaz opened the door, his face still wearing a frown, unsure of what to expect. Y/n took a deep breath and asked, “Can I come in?”

Hesitant, Kaz nodded and let y/n into his room. The atmosphere was tense, but y/n was determined to make amends. With a shaky voice, she spoke, “I’m completely sober now, Kaz.”

Kaz’s expression softened, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He nodded and replied, “Good.” Feeling the weight of her actions, y/n continued, “I never intended for it to go that far, Kaz” her voice filled with remorse. Kaz sighed and took a seat on his bed, ready to lend a listening ear. He understood that y/n needed to talk, to find a way to make sense of the chaos that had unfolded.

With a deep breath, y/n continued, “I don’t even know when it started or how it got to this point. The need for a drink just became so overwhelming, and I couldn’t seem to stop myself.”

Kaz listened attentively, his eyes fixed on y/n, offering support without judgment. They spent hours talking, unraveling the underlying reasons for y/n’s struggle with alcohol and exploring the pain and insecurities that fueled it.

As y/n poured out her heart, Kaz remained by her side, offering guidance and understanding. He didn’t have all the answers, but he knew the importance of being there for y/n during this difficult time. He could see the genuine remorse and determination in her eyes.

With a sense of gratitude, y/n said, “Thanks for always being there, Kaz.” Kaz’s gaze softened, and he replied sincerely, “I will always protect you, y/n.” He reached a shaky hand out to her, “Even if it is from yourself.”

THIRD TIME:

The crows and their stupid heists. Y/N and Kaz sat together in Kaz's office, surrounded by the other members of the crows. The air was filled with anticipation as they discussed their latest heist to steal a valuable pocket watch, rumored to be worth a fortune in Kruge. The details of how Kaz had stumbled upon this job remained a mystery to the crows, except for Y/N, who knew it came from a whisper Kaz had overheard in the bustling streets of Ketterdam.

The heist was no easy task, but it also didn't compare to the complexity of their other endeavors- like breaking Matthias out of the notorious Ice Court. This realization brought a sense of confidence to the group, as they knew they had faced greater challenges and emerged victorious. As the planning session drew to a close, the crows dispersed, leaving Y/N alone with Kaz.

Y/N took a seat opposite Kaz, her expression filled with concern. Kaz, ever the enigma, raised an eyebrow and prompted her to share what troubled her. With a deep breath, Y/N spoke up, voicing her worry about the people of Ketterdam and their reliability. She confessed her doubts about trusting anyone in this city, especially considering the clandestine nature of the whisper that led them to the heist.

Kaz couldn't help but let out an amused laugh, breaking the tension in the room. He understood Y/N's concerns all too well. After all, his experiences had taught him that trust was a rare and precious commodity in Ketterdam. But he also recognized the inherent irony in the situation—that the whisper, despite its uncertain source, had provided them with a valuable opportunity.

"You're right, Y/N," Kaz replied, a hint of amusement lacing his words. "People in Ketterdam are not worth trusting, or at least not easily. But this whisper most likely came from some drunk idiot who couldn't keep his mouth shut. We'll tread carefully, as always."

Y/N nodded, a sense of relief washing over her. She trusted Kaz. She always has. Knowing that his keen intuition and meticulous planning would guide them through the heist. “Are you sure you are ok with taking the pocket watch with you for a couple days until I figure out what to do with it?” With renewed assurance she nodded and they set their sights on the task at hand.

As the day turned into night, the crows meticulously executed their plan. Each member played their part flawlessly, their individual skills and unique abilities synergizing to overcome the obstacles in their path. Their heist was a masterclass in cunning and precision, culminating in the successful acquisition of the pocket watch. Little did they know, however, that their triumph held a secret yet to be discovered.

Unbeknownst to Kaz and Y/N, the whisper did not come from just any drunk idiot, it came from y/n’s father and the pocket watch they proudly took, concealed a hidden tracker. It had been planted there by Y/N's own father—a revelation that would soon shake their world.

After the celebration ended, Y/N bid her comrades farewell and made her way back to her apartment, yearning for a well-deserved rest. Fatigue hung heavily upon her, demanding solace in the form of warmth and comfort. She set about preparing herself a cup of tea, the steam from the kettle rising lazily in the air. While waiting she decided that she had enough time for a much needed quick shower.

Unbeknownst to Y/N, her father, driven by a sinister agenda, had stealthily infiltrated her sanctuary. Hidden in the shadows, he seized the opportunity presented by the teapot, meticulously applying a deadly poison to the water within. Satisfied with his clandestine act, he retreated to a darkened corner, waiting for his daughter to return.

Blissfully unaware of the peril lurking within her own abode, Y/N continued her routine, seeking solace in the embrace of a soothing shower. The cascading water served as a respite, washing away the weariness of the day. Refreshed and unaware of the impending danger, Y/N emerged from the bathroom and made her way to the small kitchen, intending to savor the warmth of her tea.

With unquestioning trust, Y/N raised the cup to her lips and drained its contents in a single gulp. A moment later, a chilling voice pierced the silence, causing her to startle. "You know, you ruined my life," the intruder uttered, the words dripping with venom. Y/N's heart pounded in her chest as she realized she was not alone.

Reacting swiftly, a mixture of fear and determination coursed through her veins. She instinctively reached for a kitchen knife, her trembling hand clutching the handle tightly. Slowly and cautiously, she advanced toward the shadowy figure, her senses heightened.

As the figure laughed, the sinister sound echoing in the confined space, they taunted Y/N with words that struck like daggers. "Kill me if you'd like. It won't make a difference, by the end of the night, we both will be dead, dear daughter," they proclaimed, their voice seeping with a sinister resolve.

Y/N's mind raced, grappling with a flood of emotions. Fear mingled with confusion, but beneath it all, a fierce determination flickered. With every step, she steeled herself, ready to confront the threat that now loomed before her. The room became a battlefield, a clash of wills between a daughter seeking to protect herself and the malevolent force that sought to extinguish her existence.

As Y/N launched herself forward, driven by a potent mix of rage and self-preservation, her hand gripped the kitchen knife with a determination that bordered on desperation. With a swift and deliberate motion, she aimed for her father's abdomen, piercing his flesh and eliciting a pained gasp. Yet, even in his moment of agony, he mustered a twisted laugh, taunting her with the knowledge that her own life was destined to be cut short because of him.

The realization of her impending fate weighed heavily upon Y/N as she watched her father's life slip away. With each fading breath, he served as a macabre reminder of the torment he had inflicted upon her. But despite the finality of his demise, Y/N's heart remained heavy, burdened by the understanding that her own days were now numbered.

Her eyes fell upon her father's lifeless form, his body growing cold as the minutes ticked away. In a hurried gesture, Y/N searched his pockets, her hands moving with urgency. Her search led her to an empty glass, bearing the traces of the poison that had claimed so many lives before. She knew its deadly effects all too well, having witnessed its aftermath firsthand. There was no salvation for her now, only a slim chance of surviving until morning.

Driven by a sense of urgency, Y/N hurriedly descended to the dimly lit streets of Ketterdam. Amid the shadows, she spotted Rotty, a trusted member of the crew. With a sense of urgency, she thrust a note into his hands, her voice filled with a mix of desperation and determination as she implored him to deliver it to Kaz.

"Rotty," she called out, her voice laced with urgency. "Take this note. Deliver it to Kaz. Please hurry."

Rotty, recognizing the gravity of the situation, nodded solemnly, his loyalty unwavering. Without wasting another moment, he set off on his assigned task, the note clutched tightly in his grasp. Y/N watched his retreating figure, her heart pounding with anticipation and a glimmer of hope, praying that Kaz would receive her message in time.

In the midst of uncertainty, with the poison coursing through her veins, Y/N was acutely aware that the sands of time were slipping away, but she knew what she needed to do.

Rotty’s hurried footsteps echoed through the halls of Kaz’s office as he approached the door. He knocked, alerting Kaz to his presence, and without waiting for an invitation, he entered, his expression grave. Kaz’s sharp gaze locked onto Rotty, ready to inquire about the urgency that fueled his arrival. However, before a single word could leave Kaz’s lips, Rotty handed him the note and swiftly departed, leaving Kaz alone with the cryptic message.

Kaz’s eyes widened as he unfolded the note, revealing a simple white paper with a solitary lollipop drawn on it. To an outsider, this might have seemed perplexing, but to Kaz Brekker, it held a hidden significance. A sense of urgency surged through him as he recognized the unspoken message encoded within.

Kaz’s heart pounded in his chest as he raced to Y/N’s apartment, his mind racing with a million possibilities. The gravity of the situation only grew stronger with every step he took. When he finally arrived, he wasted no time and barged into the apartment, his senses on high alert.

The sight that greeted him was chilling—a man sprawled on the floor, surrounded by a pool of his own blood. Kaz’s breath caught in his throat as he took in the scene, the implications of what had transpired sinking in. Before he could utter a single word, Y/N emerged from her room, her face pale with a mixture of relief and anguish.

“My father,” Y/N whispered, her voice laced with a complex blend of emotions.

Kaz approached Y/N cautiously, his gaze locked onto her. He could see the fear and exhaustion etched across her features, the toll of the night’s events visible in her eyes. Her face drained of the color it usually had, hands and body slightly trembling. “What happened.”

Kaz listened intently as Y/N recounted the events, her voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and raw emotion. He could sense the weight of her words, the pain that laced every syllable. As she spoke, he noticed the omission—the crucial pieces of information she chose not to share.

“Y/N,” Kaz began gently, his voice laced with concern, “How did he find you.” Y/N hesitated for a moment, she knew. Of course she knew the stupid watch had a tracker, she knew the whisper wasn’t just any drunk asshole, but she couldn’t tell him. “I don’t know Kaz. Maybe I wasn’t careful enough.”

Y/n’s hand extended towards Kaz, holding out the bottle she had found in her father’s jacket. Kaz took the empty bottle from Y/N’s trembling hand, his gloved finger slowly swiping over it. Realization hit him and he knew, he knew he was about to loose his best friend. “I can’t die like this, Kaz. Not because of him.” Kaz’s face pales as he comprehends the gravity of the situation. He knows all too well that this poison means certain death, and he knew what y/n was asking, but the mere thought of being the one to take her life was unbearable.

“I can’t,” Kaz says, his voice filled with desperation. “I can’t do that y/n. Please.” Please. He was begging his brain to think of something else. To find a solution that wouldn’t take her away, not now, not ever.

She understands the pain it causes him, but she needs him, needs his strength and protection more than ever. With a flicker of determination in her eyes, she implores, “Please, Kaz, protect me one last time.”

Her words strike deep into Kaz’s heart, shattering it into pieces. He made a vow years ago to safeguard Y/N, and he never intended to break it, not now, not ever. With a shaky hand, she hands Kaz a dagger, its blade sharp enough to tear through her heart.

Kaz’s mind races, desperately seeking a way to keep her safe, to find an alternative. But the reality of the situation crashes down on him as y/n crumples to her knees, clutching her chest tightly. In that moment, he understands that there are no potions, no saint, no saving her from this fate.

Gently, Kaz sits on the cold floor of the apartment and scoots closer to y/n, carefully cradling her against his chest. He knows she doesn’t want to die at the hands of the man who tormented her for years.

With a heavy heart, he takes the dagger, holding it as delicately as he can, his hands trembling as he positions it on top of her heart. He wishes there was another way, a way to spare her this pain, but in this moment, protecting her means granting her final wish.

“I will always protect you, y/n.” And with a final kiss to her sweaty forehead, the dagger went right through her heart, forever stopping it.

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

The End of the Ultimate Hope: Part 2.

*pant!* *pant!* *pant!*

*Makoto is heavily outmatched by the duo of Celeste and Tsumugi, especially in the dark setting, but no matter what, he refuses to give up or run away, spurred on by the thought of causing the two of them immeasurable pain.

Erase me...Yeah, right... As if!

I'm the Ultimate Hope! Good fucking luck trying to wear me down!

*SMACK!*

GAGH!

*BANG!*

AGH!

*Makoto gets hit in the shin with something hard and topples. He quickly rolls out of the way to avoid being shot at subsequently!

You know...the fact that you keep having to repeat that fact makes me think otherwise...You're disappointing Makoto...

Stop hiding behind my FRIENDS FACES!

*He throws a punch, but Tsumugi disappears into blackness again. Instead, his fist just collides with an invisible wall which he assumes is Celeste's dress.

Oh please...as if you have any right to call us your friends anymore...!

Grrrgh! RAAGH!

*He tries again. Same result.

Byakuya: In fact, I'm pretty sure because of what we've done...We'd all hate you Makoto...

And Mukuro would hate you too...

DON'T YOU DARE SAY HER NAME! UUGH!

*Makoto chases Tsumugi through the darkness, but gets tripped up again. He looks up to see Tsumugi learing down at him.

Ultimate Hope? Hero? Give me a break, you DROPPED US down an elevator shaft!

Yeah, well, apparently so did Uchui! And we did it for the same reason! To PROTECT THEM!

*WOOOSH!*

Since when was it up to you to decide what's best for us?

*WOOOSH!*

You're NOT special Makoto...You had ONE good moment in your life during the killing game, but what else did you do during it? You couldn't protect Sayaka, nor could you stop any of the murders! If you're really the hero you think you are, why don't you show it!?

RAAGGH!

*He once again tries to throw a punch, but Tsumugi jumps back and shifts again.

I was the BEST and most amazing the Future Foundation ever had to offer, but I gave up my life, so YOU could thrive! USELESS, PATHETIC MAKOTO got a chance to live a full life!

*WOOOSH!*

That's all we ever do, and it's why you keep us around! You protect our lives so that we may become sacrifices for yours! So that YOU can be happy!

THAT'S BULLSHIT!

*Makoto leaps up and attacks again, but this time, Tsumugi catches his fist. His punch is heavy though, and she's slightly faltered by it.

Everything I have ever done is for the express purpose of saving this world, and protecting the friends and family that I love! EVERYTHING comes from that want!

Well, you have done a MARVELOUS job, haven't you?

*WHAM!*

Ugh!

*Tsumugi throws a punch back, then starts darting between the shelves, rapidly shifting as she does.

You couldn't save me...!

*WOOSH!*

You COULDN'T stop me!

*WOOSH!*

Where were YOU when Jabberwock Island got destroyed!?

*WOOSH!*

Where were you when my friends were being kidnapped!?

*WOOSH!*

Nagito: Were you there when I attacked Kyoto and left Hajime Hinata to die!? NO!

*WOOSH!*

Did you stop Emilia Feng!? Did you even TRY to stop Kuripa Kurafto!? NO! You turned on ME! YOUR OWN SISTER!

SHUT THE FUCK UP! NONE OF THAT IS TRUE!

*CRAAASH!* *SMAASSH!* *BAAANG!* *CRAAASH!*

*Makoto, in a blind rage and panic, starts destroying the shelves around him, but this doesn't help an awful lot. Tsumugi just continues her tormenting.

[romancomicsblog]

Mahershala Ali should come to the DCU, & here's 10 Characters he should play

Mahershala Ali is a force on the small and big screen, and was an incredible get for Marvel. Not only has he portrayed great characters in comic book media like Titan in Invincible, Prowler in The Spider-Verse, or Cottonmouth in the first season of Luke Cage, but he was set to be the focal point of the mystic universe as the MCU's Blade.

Although announced in 2019, the film no longer has a script, and as of today, has been dropped from the Marvel schedule.

This is a huge loss for comic book fans but also Ali. This was clearly a project he was excited about, and an actor of his skill has more then enough chops and skill to carry his own franchise, or at least be a major player in one.

With the DCU on the rise and Marvel success dipping, perhaps this could be a win for DC and Ali by having him join their soon to be flourishing universe. He's an incredible actor, with range, skill, a huge name and a fanbase.

I began to compile of list of characters in dc comics and animation I thought Ali would kill as, but I came up against a very unusual problem.

You see, I did a similar list this year with Chris Pratt, as I assume he will join eventually, with 5 characters I thought he'd be good as. I had every intention to keep this list that short.

But compiling ideas for Ali became difficult because, he is SO good. I ended up with dozens of characters I can see him nailing, both heroes and villains, and cut it down to about ten that excite me.

So let's dive into the DCU, looking at characters I think most likely will appear, and decide who Ali should play.

10. Scarecrow (Doctor Jonathan Crane)

Mahershala Ali has a feature that few actors do that makes him great for casting. He has an intense strong voice.

This voice can be menacing, and along with his physical prowess, he could make for a terrifying version of the Scarecrow.

Scarecrow is a pretty well known Gotham villain, known for his signature fear gas and mask. He has been portrayed across Batman media pretty consistently, although I think Ali could make him more terrifying and sympathetic.

Scarecrow has been played by Cillian Murphy, making the role desirable to big name actors. There was a lot left to be desired from the role as far as comic accuracy goes, so perhaps we can get a much more intense suit like in Gotham.

My main problem against this is simple, we've seen Scarecrow, way too often. And Ali deserves a role where he can pop in more than just a car chase every now and then, or worse: one film.

So while this would be fun, I think we can do much better. Speaking of the Bat...

9. The Batman (Bruce Wayne)

The DCU is likely looking for a big name to take on the symbol of the Bat, and Ali just lost his ninja vampire movie. Kind of feels like a good fit.

Ali is suave, cool and could make a very different Bruce Wayne than we've seen before, but more importantly, he'd be the first Black man to take on the iconic role. An actor of his talents can compete with the already widely loved Pattinson version.

Do I think he has the chops for it? Yes, clearly.

But one thing that should be brought into consideration is his age. Ali is already 50, meaning he'd be going into a very physical role into his mid 50s to 60s.

While he would be good no doubt, I think his skills could be used elsewhere, and frankly a lot of people want and could do Batman.

8. Steel (John Henry Irons)

With Superman premiering next year, one of his greatest allies could come with within the sequel, Henry Irons AKA Steel.

Steel is an engineer who creates a suit of Armor after being saved by Superman. When Steel is done right, he embodies the hope that Superman inspires into Humanity.

Steel has been adapted poorly by Shaquille O'Neal (do not watch his movie) but very well be Wolé Parks in Superman and Lois, and is itching for a debut in the DCU. The Steel / Superman duo is iconic, and could different the DCU Superman from others.

While Ali would crush this role, and look incredible in the suit, having Mahershala as a side player in a Superman trilogy doesn't feel like using him to his full potential. Plus build wise, Irons is more coal miner than lean build.

7. Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz)

Martian Manhunter feels like the most obvious choice for Ali if he wanted to be a hero in the DCU.

Manhunter plays a critical role in the Justice League, often acting as controller of the Watch Tower, and is extremely loner figure.

Though he can transform into anyone, Manhunter tends to prefer the form of a black man in the comics. Ali could be an excellent detective, as he literally was in True Detective, and his alien form as a hero.

Manhunter at times has played a mentor role to Superman, and at 50 Ali has a wisdom to him that could translate very easily to Manhunter.

This role is a great one. I don't see Manhunter getting a show or movie, but instead serving as connective tissue between movies and films.

In my mind, Manhunter could transform and be different characters across the DCU, culminating in him teaming up the League by discovering a mystery and needing help to stop it.

While I like this one a lot, I still have a few a like more. From this point on, it's all just characters I'm very excited about.

6. Captain Cold (Leonard Snart)

Okay guys, this one is for me. As a fan of the Flash TV show, I love Captain Cold.

A fun thief with a petty grudge against The Flash, Smart would be the perfect introduction villain to the DCU version of The Flash.

With the signature Cold Gun, jacket and glasses, Ali could make this villain compelling, fun and sympathetic, just like Keaton did for the Vulture.

However unlike Vulture, I'd love Cold to be a recurring villain in the Flash's life, maybe even carry over to an eventual Suicide Squad, and continue to be a thorn in the side of the Justice League, along with his Rogues.

Could Ali do this? Yes. Would this be a waste of his talents? Maybe. But I'd love it.

It's not near the level of Blade though, so let's look to see what else DC has to offer.

5. The Monitor (Mar Novu)

Often a bad sign of things to come, The Monitor is embodiment of all positive matter, and the main enemy of his antithesis , the Anti-Monitor.

This makes The Monitor instrumental in the DC event Crisis on Infinite Earth's, as the one who assembles our heroes and plays multiversal chess to save universes.

I'm not sure if this is the route DC wants to go with it's heroes, but if this is something they want to explore, establishing Mar Novu early as a sort of Watcher figure could help establish him in the universe, and set him up for his eventual fight with the Anti-Monitor.

Ali can play a multiversal billions of years old God, and bring great energy to the role. But this isn't as sure of a role than the others on this list, so I'd say we can fit him somewhere else.

4. General Zod (Dru Zod)

One of Superman's most iconic enemies, General Zod will likely eventually turn up in the DCU. And with the trend toward Zod being black, in Young Justice & Krypton, Ali may be perfect for the role.

While Ali has done villains in the past, this would be a much different kind of icon. Zod has already had two iconic performances, meaning Ali would really have to bring it to be in the conversation.

In the new DCU, Zod could be more than a Superman villain, he may be a Justice League villain. Having Ali's Zod as the opener for the first Justice League movie could make the film a hit, with a character general audiences know in a new light.

The main problem I'm seeing is comparisons to the old DCEU. People already compare Gunn to Snyder constantly, especially their Supermen. Will the comparison to Michael Shannon ruin the film?

It's tough to say, but I do not want to risk it.

3. Brainiac

Ideally, this would be the main villain of the first Justice League film.

Brainiac is an artificial intelligence, often from Krypton, hell bent on shrinking worlds to add to his collection. He's powerful, intelligent, and ruthless. While he has been adapted quite a few times, it has yet to be on film.

This is a character fans have been dreaming of coming to the big screen and being adapted right, and Ali could give an incredible voice / mo-cap performance along the lines of James Spader.

It's not the headline franchise he deserves, but the main villain isn't a bad gig. Brainiac's arrival could be terrifying with Ali onboard. And this could be a role he takes on once, and perhaps down the line he get's to do Blade.

2. Saint Walker (Bro'Dee Walker)

Probably the most different character, Saint Walker is a Blue Lantern and a side character in Green Lantern comics.

Saint Walker is a priest living on the planet of Astonia, a doomed planet. Once he calms his despairing people and gives them hope in the face of extinction, a power ring chooses him as a member of the Blue Lantern Corps, the Lanterns of Hope. With his ring, he sets his sun's age back 8.9 billion years, thereby saving his home planet.

Walker is a peaceful powerful monk like character, who I'd love to see interact with our Lanterns either in their show or in upcoming films. While again this is a very small role, Ali could bring strong, peaceful presence to the voice of Walker, likely making him a fan favorite much like he was in the Green Lantern Animated Series. I think it would be very similar to his role in Ramy, which is one of my personal favorites.

1. Swamp Thing (Alec Holland)

If we're looking for a role that is mystical, different than what he's played before, and already set to be made, Swamp Thing would be perfect for Ali.

Protector of the Green and Justice League Dark member Swamp Thing is already set to have a film in DC's God's & Monsters under James Mangold.

Swamp Thing is a monster who protects the "Green" and is often a part of the magical side of the DC universe much like Blade. While this wouldn't be a role where Ali looks as cool as Blade, it would be just as iconic to comic fans.

This could be a mo-cap performance similar to Brainiac that keeps Ali in the DCU as a pillar.

While he is consistently in the DCU, he is a character who likes to be left alone in the swamp, meaning it's not a role Ali needs to reprise often.

This is a monstrous tragic role that Ali could bring real pathos too, and under the guide of a great director like Mangold, Swamp Thing could be a huge win for DC.

Mahershala Ali should be the DCU's Swamp Thing, so both he and DC can make Marvel very angry.

Thank you for reading! If you like this, be sure to follow me on all my socials here! And let me know: Who do you want Mahershala Ali as in the DCU?

[lord-calamity-edalyn]

my second original post on here!!! looks like i only post when a beautiful cartoon announces that it’s releasing its final season, but anyway letsgeddit!

carmen sandiego crew just announced that the fourth and final season will be out jan 15, and like rest of the fandom, i’m panicking. especially when there is still so much to unpack with the show, like finding carmen’s mom, acme’s strange connection to carmen’s dad and their odd motives, destruction of vile, and carulia/julethief (me to sandiego crew: are they,,,are they you know,,,?) 

so here's an itemized (and kinda unorganised) list of what i want from the last season: 

more than 5 episodes!! i think this is confirmed? i saw a post somewhere so yay!

personally i’d like 13 to 15 episodes. i hope that's a decent amount, just double digits please :]

le chevre and el topo please!! i need this to be canon or at least let them runaway/escape vile together please

tigress – listen i don’t want some redemption arc or whatever from her, i just need some grey lining to her. ‘i’m leaving vile but i’m not working with sandiego,’ or begrudgingly help carmen before disappearing from the face of the earth. idk that vigilante, anti-hero type??

paper star is a great and i want to see a lot more of her – my terrifying little girl. honestly i want her to go down with vile, but in the sense i want some huge marvel act three type battle between her and carmen (and team red). just give me more paper star :]

complete abolishment of vile please and thank you

i mean with roundabout now out (oh boy was he a good villain) i think vile is in a pretty bad position as it is, so destroying them completely should be easy. however the main five is just the tree on the top, we don’t see the enormous root system underground with many many graduates of vile running things in crime all over the world so i really want to see how carmen brings them all to light, if that's even possible 

if that means outing herself? and what it means doing that while acme is after her as well? will acme work with her/put her aside for a while to defeat the greater villain, to them at least? carmen pardoned if she helps? even tho, acme is trash :/

her mom? their family reunion? work and fight together? 

player – his backstory?

if not that at least have him meet the team in person please. carmen and player’s friendship is superior and i’d like them to meet after relying on and trusting each other so heavily for many years

our favourite siblings, ivy and zack

more zack content please, my man is a vital member of team red and is more than just comedic relief. he is more than capable and i need him front and centre thank you

ivy already has a lot of scenes showing how capable she is, so i’m not really sure but carmivy is a thing?

graham/crackle/our aussie electrician boi – honestly my reaction after season three was that i want him AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE from anything to do with that world. vile don’t touch him, acne don’t you dare lay a finger on him, and carmen keeps their connection as discreet as possible. and the fact that acme is asking for him is scaring me. i hope he declines acme and joins team red, or better yet warns carmen and stays out of it all

chase devineaux – even more development, he went from some carmen obsessed clown to a genuine complex dude that i’ve grown to love. and i absolutely adore how his view changed of carmen, he’s definitely gonna do some soul-searching (as kipo and jamack would put it) honestly, i want him to team up with julia again, both of them being talented FREE agents and helping carmen on their own. which leads me to my next point:

JULIA

she needs a bigger part in the overall story and join carmen’s team or even help carmen as a free agent. bc i can totally see julia as some private investigator type (maybe duo with devineaux?)

i need julia and carmen working a caper together, like cut off from everyone else, only having each other type situation to showcase their great chemistry 

and so, carmen and julia ship. please make it canon

talking about ships,,,i’ve mentioned carulia, carmivy?? and let's add redcrackle in there as well. and obviously i want carulia very badly but as much as i’d love to see any one of these canon (personally i’d prefer carulia bc i see graham as an older brother type to carmen) BUT there really isn’t a lot of romantic buildup to any of these ships?? well not as much as i’d like?? (i alone can argue against that point with multiple points outlining the gay subtext in carulia lol i really am jobless) but idk how to express it overall but i think i’ll be happy even if carmen stays single?? but obviously a canon ship would be amazing!

yikes now that i look at this monster post, i’m getting scared for season four. of course some of this won’t be necessary and is CLEARLY for self-indulgent purposes but like even without my stupid fantasising there’s still so much to close in one season. i hope sandiego crew came to the decision of having this last season with a planned ending instead of being cut off by netflix, bc if that's the case, i will riot. 

tl;dr – season four please be well done, and close all the impending storylines while simultaneously PROVIDING ME WITH WHAT I WANT,,,,just kidding, i trust sandiego crew and i hope for the best with carmen sandiego’s final season. i will miss this show a lot :( 

if you made it this far, thank you for letting me waste your time. hope you have/had a good day! goodbye!

[miracul0us-multishipper]

Queen of Nothing

I have yet to come to terms with Chloé‘s latest developments in Miracle Queen, so, as one does, I have decided to

make

it

gay.

So here’s my idea of what Chloé would have done if she actually had managed to sting Ladybug.

- - -

“This is too risky! It’s just us now, we can’t take on all of them.”

“We won’t have to. Stick to the plan, I’ll handle the rest.”

“The plan is bullshit!”

“It’s brillant! Trust me, it’ll work out.”

“Isn’t this the exact same mindset that got us into this mess? Putting your trust in the wrong person?”

“...”

“I’m sorry, that was unfair.”

“Yes. Yes, it was.”

“It’s just-“

“You’re worried, I know. But... I know that I can do it. And that she needs this.”

“She needs a lot of things, but you don’t owe her anything anymore.”

“Maybe. But I don’t do this because I think I have to.”

“...then why?”

-

“Fine!”, Miracle Queen snarled into the purple butterfly outline hovering in front of her face. “Go on your stupid, senseless hunt! Who cares what Miracle Queen, your once-in-a-lifetime-Akuma says- Hawkmoth?”

The glowing symbol vanished into thin air, leaving her talking to herself.

“Hawkmoth! Ugh, whatever...”

Miracle Queen flung her hair back and leaned against the wall. It wasn’t like she actually cared about what happened to that suit wearing egg-head. If he wanted to chase after Chat Noir, let him! With a little luck, the cat and his stupid bug would take Hawkmoth and Mayura out, and then she would be the only superhero left - after she defeated the original duo, of course. The guardian, trapped by his own shield and the sentimonster guarding him, certainly wasn’t much of an opponent for her, the unstoppable Miracle Queen.

Unfortunately, he was even less of an entertainment: he’d sat down on the roof a few minutes ago and refused to move even an inch. She’d considered pestering him about all the Miraculous’ in her possession, but she knew she wouldn’t get any answers out of him, so she preferred to stay out of sight. The old man had something unnerving about her, a vague air of disappointment that reminded her too much of someone she didn’t want to think about.

As for the heroes under her control... They might have made for a decent entertainment, but she had already sent them away to run errands, prepare her castle and fetch her a chair throne! Can’t rule over Paris without a fancy throne, right? But now that Hawkmoth and his blue lackey were off too...

“He’ll get tired of ignoring me soon enough!”, she said to no one in particular. Her voice was booming in her ears, breaking the suffocating silence that had fallen over the place. She continued to speak, just so she wouldn’t have to think about it.

“He’ll realize there’s only one person capable enough to take down the heroes: moi! And then he’ll come crawling to beg for my help.”

She spun around, imagining a crowd applauding her every word. Was that a movement down the stairs...?

“But joke’s on him! By the time he gets back...”, she looked around, expecting one of her puppets to answer her wish for an audience. “...I’ll already have captured-“

She froze, her words dying on her tongue when she recognized the figure approaching.

“-L-Ladybug?!”

One hand scrambling for her spinning top and the other raised in defense, she stumbled backwards as Ladybug kept on walking towards her, her pace steady and eyes lowered - as if she doesn’t want to look at me, as if even the sight of me makes her sick, as if she truly really hates me now-

“Bees!”, Miracle cried out, her back hitting the wall. Ladybug had almost reached her, was close enough to touch her and now she...

“Sting her! Sting-“

...kneeled.

“-her...?”, she trailed off, her buzzing army pausing mid-flight. Ladybug wasn’t attacking her, she wasn’t even moving. She simply kneeled in front of her, her head lowered and back unguarded.

“Ladybug...?”, her voice cracked. Slowly, Miracle stepped away from the wall. “What... What are you doing?!”

Ladybug raised her head and Miracle froze. Her former idols eyes, these sky blue eyes she’d always craved to feel watching her... they were yellow.

“At your service”, Ladybug said in a toneless mockery of her once so cheerful voice.

“My Queen”

-

“Y-You’re... You were stung.” she whispered, her mouth suddenly too keen on talking while her brain was still catching up. “You’re...”

Without consciously deciding to do so, she raised her hand. Ladybug didn’t move when Miracle’s hand hovered in front of her face, trembling with a suffocating mixture of wariness and shock. It has to be a trick. An illusion. There’s no way she...

Her fingers made contact with Ladybug’s mask. Solid, spandex-like fabric. The her index finger reached the skin of her forehead. It wasn’t wrinkled with resentment, nor was it furrowed the way it always was when Ladybug schemed. Miracle had to know, she’d zoomed in on every minuscule expression on that familiar face, in thousands of different angles on dozens of different news channels. And she’d studied her profile at every opportunity as Queen Bee. In disbelief Miracle brushed Ladybug’s hair aside. It felt... real. Soft even, though a lot less silky than she’d imagined it. This close, she could see how her haircut was a little sloppy on the front. Rushed, unprofessional. Homemade.

Realizing that Ladybug’s unnaturally yellow eyes were on her, she quickly drew away. Not that Ladybug would object, now.

No orange smoke. No attack.

Miracle let out a shaky breath. Then she chuckled. Laughed.

“Oh my gosh!”, she all but cried. “I did it! I... I actually did it! I captured the unstoppable Ladybug!”

Buzzing with excitement she turned around, tapping into the connection she had to that idiot butterfly.

“Hawkmoth!”, she demanded his attention. “Stop chasing the cat and get your purple butt over here! While you were busy ignoring me, I...” - she giggled - “...captured Ladybug!”

No answer came, and it took her a moment to realize the purple symbol hadn’t appeared in front of her.

“Hawkmoth?!”

He wasn’t still ignoring her, was he? Did he think she was lying? No, he had to have felt the truth in her words! Then why wasn’t he answering her?

“Is he... out of range?”

Was that a thing that could happen?

“Ugh, whatever!”, she stomped her heel onto the ground. “Looks like I’ve got to do everything myself once again - even celebrating my victory!”

She looked over her shoulder to Ladybug. The red-clad wannabe hadn’t moved, only her gaze had followed Miracle.

“Guess Hawkmoth won’t make it in time.”, the Akuma shrugged and walked back to her catch. “So I’ll be the first one to know who Ladybug really is.”

She knelt down in front of her, so they were at eye level at last.

“Not so high and Mighty now, huh?”, she gloated. “Bet you regret not asking me for help earlier today!”

Ladybug didn’t answer. Her face remained impassive, like a sculpture made of ice. Miracle suppressed a shiver and put on the most gleeful smirk she could muster up.

“Now, let me see these oh-so mighty earrings of yours.”

Obediently Ladybug leaned her head sideways, giving Miracle direct access to her most precious possession. Triumphant, she reached out to take them, ready to be the first one to ever succeed in revealing Ladybug, her fingers almost touching the miraculous, when... she paused.

Her fingertips hovering only a millimeter over the most powerful object in the world, yet she couldn’t move.

“I’m taking them now.”, she said to no one. “I’ll do it. You’ll be revealed, just like me.”

Swallowing, she risked a glance at Ladybug’s face. The heroine was watching her attentively, yet expressionless. There was no fear in her eyes, nor anger, nor anything else. Not even recognition.

Miracle pulled her hands away as if burned, taking a sudden step back and almost falling over. She caught herself though. Breathing heavy and tucking her trembling hand into the belt-wire of her spinning top, she looked at Ladybug.

“Don’t get the wrong idea, Bug!”, she sneered, despite the fact that Ladybug literally couldn’t have any ideas until Miracle Queen told her to. “I am simply taking my time to come up with the perfect revenge for your betrayal. Just taking your Miraculous isn’t enough. I can do better than that.”

She turned away, trying to calm her breathing. What’s wrong with me?!

“It’s not like this is a now or never thing, you know?”, she muttered under her breath. “I’ve already defeated you, after all. I can afford to enjoy the moment a bit.”

Finally composed again, she turned back. Towering over Ladybug, she made sure to show exactly how serious she was.

“I don’t need to take your Miraculous.”, she repeated, emphasizing every syllable. “You’re mine now.”

The words made her head spin with exhilarating triumph, yet they tasted foul in her mouth. She felt like she was going to puke.

For a moment, she wished Ladybug would taunt her. Would look at her with blue, stern eyes and tell her to stop being so dramatic. Can’t you see we’ve got important matters to deal with? I know you can be better than that. Come on, Chloé, stop being petty.

“I’m not petty!”, she said out loud, before realizing Ladybug hadn’t said a thing. She was as quiet as all her other puppets.

“Ugh.”, Miracle groaned and let herself fall on her butt. “Whatever.”

This wasn’t what she’d had in mind for Ladybug. She’d imagined a grand battle, the epic showdown of admirer and idol, the marvelous moment where the apprentice would surpass her teacher. It would have been... a miracle. But now her victory rang hollow.

She’d wished to be the Queen of Miracles. Instead she found herself the Queen of Nothing.

- - -

To be continued

[changeling-rin]

Hi! I was wondering, what are your thoughts on the different Zelda games? Not a ranking or anything, just what did you like/dislike in each game/franchise as a whole? And how did you come up with the personalities of the characters for DL? Thank you!

Oof.  Oh, you’re gonna make me Longpost, aren’t you.  Yeah, okay.  You asked for it.

Skyward Sword/Gen 

-I both love, and hate, the motion controls.  On one hand, I have never felt more epic than when I personally stabbed my sword into Demise’s head.  On the other hand, I have never felt more frustrated when my wiimote would misinterpret my swings and I would subsequently die.  Contrary to popular opinion, I actually like Fi.  Her design is beautiful, her theme is gorgeous, and her goodbye to Link is one of the most beautiful yet heartbreaking moments in the entire franchise.  The origin of the Master Sword, in my opinion, might be one of the best things to come out of this game.

Gen’s personality came about mainly as the foil to Lore and Dusk’s pre-existing dynamic.  Lore is the spastic one, and while Dusk is definitely somewhat of the straight-man, he’s much more likely to roll with it unless it’s drastically damaging.  Gen, on the other hand, will avidly apply common sense to anything and everything, and since Lore very rarely follows common sense, Gen morphed into his ‘conscience’, so to speak.  His predilection for healing was a side-effect of me dying a lot in his game and spending more on Red Potion than probably anything else, and also because the group needed a medic and Gen was definitely the most take-charge character I had who would do that sort of thing.

Minish Cap/Speck

The Picori are the cutest things, oh my gosh.  I do, however, suspect their violent and painful end in BotW - if they’re the ones who put the Rupees and Bombs and stuff in the grass, and there’s no such things in BotW…  Aside from that!  I adored the concept of shrinking down and having the entire environment change on you.  It was such a unique way to make an old area new again.  On the flipside, I loathed the Kinstone sidequest with a passion.  I never did manage to match them all.

Speck was basically me saying to myself, ‘He’s a tiny person.  How do tiny people see the world?’  And then he turned into a quiet, shy kid who tries very hard not to be a bother and looks at problems from a completely different angle than most people.  This is why he always second guesses his words - he’s by far the most frequent user of ‘um’, ‘uh’, ‘ah’, ‘oh’, etc, and this is entirely on purpose.  Tiny people, by nature, will do whatever it takes to make sure the bigger people don’t get mad enough to smush them - a bit morbid, I know, but if you think about it…  This is also where his habit of stabbing the eardrum came from.  Where most people wouldn’t even think of it, Speck just saw a really good access point and a whole lot of convenient fabric handholds to get him there.  

Four Swords/The Four

I have actually never been able to get my hands on a copy of the original Four Swords game.  I know.  I’m a disgrace to the fandom.  However, I have done extensive research, and I can say that by far my favorite concept is being able to deploy a Bow-Wow in the direction of my enemies.  I literally cannot imagine it without cackling.  

The Four were the result of me having two sets of Four Sword Heroes and desperately needing some way to tell them apart.  It took a very long time for me to decide to play up the hive mind aspect, but once I did everything clicked for them.  Rather than being split individual aspects of the original Link, the Four are literally a copy-paste of OG Link’s personality with only tiny variations between them, which led to the decision to make them somewhat quiet and awkward about their synchronization.  People rarely accept what’s unfamiliar to them, and to be honest the Four probably have one of the more ‘tragic’ backstories.  They may or may not have been chased out of a town or two due to a couple misunderstandings about the source of their hive mind.  (My babies, I’m so sorry I did this to you I’m a terrible author whyyyyyyyy)

Ocarina of Time/Ocarina

By far, one of the most investing stories in a game.  Ganondorf is fabulously evil, 10/10 would thwart again.  Music, of course, is beautiful.  The travel mechanic, on the other hand, I am not a fan of.  Trying to get somewhere before getting the respective warping Song is tedious at best, and the sheer amount of time it takes for me to swap between Young and Adult Link is just… it’s a hassle, is what it is.  

Ocarina is a little kid in a Big Person’s body, and I write him accordingly.  He’s the wide-eyed boy in a brand-new world.  He’s naive to a lot of things and oblivious to several others.  He and Mask have a bit of an odd dynamic because of this - Ocarina will basically gravitate to wherever Mask is as a sort of unconscious instinct, under the unrealized assumption that Mask means protection.  The ‘Little Brother’ mentality, if you will.  

Majora’s Mask/Mask

THE MOON.  THE FREAKING MOON.  I will never be able to play this game without feeling vaguely stressed and unsettled the entire time and THAT FREAKING MOON is the reason why.  Very compelling plot, 10/10, but WHY.  Aside from that, the music is fantastic, Majora is Creepy To The Max and we so rarely get that in Zelda games so I am on board, the transformation masks are probably my favorite mechanic, and your heartstrings get yanked on several times with the Goron Lullaby quest and Mikau’s entire storyline.  

Mask evolved directly as the opposite to Ocarina, with the caveat that he is directly aware of Ocarina’s unconscious ‘Little Brother’ mindset - Mask just happens to be sincerely uncomfortable with the ‘Big Brother’ role.  He’s more knowledgable, more experienced, and this was done explicitly to be in direct contrast with the fact that he looks like a little kid.  He’s Ocarina’s opposite in every single way, and it’s fun to have them play off each other.

Twilight Princess/Dusk

Probably my favorite game, art-style-wise.  There’s some things that Twilight Princess does fantastically well artistically, not to mention that it contains one of my favorite characters of all time.  Midna is awesome and there’s nothing that will convince me otherwise.  I actually think the wolf mechanic is a really good way to make new problems within old areas - but I will admit, the bug hunts can be tedious.  And that one escort mission can go jump off a cliff. But I adore everything about the concept of a Twilight Realm, and even though Ganondorf comes in and kinda shafts Zant out of the way, he’s fabulous enough that I can accept it.  They are, after all, both marvelously evil.  

Dusk’s personality came from me thinking back on everything that happens in his game and promptly deciding that: he either went a little insane to deal with it all, or he had the lowest level of crap to give that I’d ever seen.  Obviously, I decided on the latter, and I’m very glad I did, because from there that allowed me to build the faux-duo-actually-triad leadership between him, Lore, and Gen that works so very well.  I kinda ended up putting a little of myself into Dusk, in that he’s very reserved and will think about what he says before saying it.  Of course, I had to incorporate the wolf somehow, and the way that was the most fun for me was to bring some of those traits over into his hylan form.  One of these was me interpreting the howling mechanic as Dusk being a naturally good singer, and we all know where that led.

Four Swords Adventures/Red, Blue, Green, and Vio

The loss of the Bow-Wow hits me deeply, but we do get horses so that helps a little.  Also, it surprised me a little how similar this game is to the predecessor, Four Swords.  There’s a couple plot differences, Shadow Link is a thing, but for the most part it follows a very similar pattern and I kinda wish something different had been done.  It’s fun having more than one weapon to swing around, but not quite as much without other people to play with.  The one thing I have to say about Zelda multiplayer games is that, without actual multiple players, it’s just… not as fun.

I freely admit that large parts of Green, Vio, Red, and Blue’s personalities came directly from the FSA manga - particularly, the subversion of color expectations by having Red be the timid one and Blue be the aggressive one.  You never see that nowadays, and I immediately pounced on it.  Vio and Green had slightly less large chunks of manga personality, but I basically ripped their inner-group dynamic wholesale.  Their individual interactions though, those are all me.  Blue and Vio just seemed like natural bicker partners.  Red’s Adorable Puppy face evolved out of the sheer amount of times the manga had him on the verge of, or shedding, actual tears.  And Green naturally needed to be the exasperated leader keeping them all in line.  It all just sorta flowed from there.

Link to the Past/Lore

The originator of such musical classics like Kakariko Village, the Dark World theme, and Zelda’s Lullaby, and I thank this game for making these songs so good.  I adore the way that the Dark World can take the entire freaking country of Hyrule and turn it into something completely new.  But there were some times where I wasn’t sure where to go?  I don’t know if it was me or not, and it could have been.  I might just be bad at inferring destinations.  

Lore is the direct result of being the target of four entire games, and me thinking to myself, ‘Now how does a normal person deal with something like that?’  The answer was, of course, that they throw normality out a window.  Lore is my way to have fun, and also to let out every random impulse I’ve ever had but never acted on.  In a way, Lore is me, but without all the inhibitions.  Sometimes he ends up being a direct conduit between my brain-thoughts and the page.  That aside, I also gladly seized the opportunity to bring something different to the group, which is how the different languages came in.  He’s the only Link who actively, within his games, visits other countries, and there was no way I could pass that up.  

Oracle of Ages/Oracle of Seasons

They remind me of Pokemon titles.  “Here’s these two games!  With the exception of some minor details, they’re exactly the same!  Combine them for a special surprise!”  I do think the Subrosians are adorable though.  And of course, shout-out to Veran, the only explicitly female villain the Zelda franchise has ever seen.  Maybe someday you’ll get a friend to help you out in that testosterone-filled mess.  Maybe someday. 

Link’s Awakening

Far sadder than I anticipated it being.  Also, the Bow-Wow returns!  Clearly the best thing in the game. On the bad side - I don’t remember which one it was - there was this one dungeon that just… for the life of me I could not get it to make sense in my brain.  I don’t know why.  I also don’t remember what the solution was.  Very engaging story though, the Windfish mystery kept me engaged right up to the Big Reveal.

A Link Between Worlds/Sketch

The painting mechanic is just.  It’s so clever.  The entire landscape is transformed with a single dimension shift and I loved it.  I was kinda skeptical about the same map as LttP, but then Lorule happened and I was pleased enough with that to accept it.  Ravio and Hilda are fine additions to the LoZ family and I wholeheartedly accept them - also, the Lorule Castle theme is one of the best songs in the franchise, fight me.  One thing I do remember is this one boss battle, I think with some sort of Manhandla plant?  It took me at least ten or so tries to get past that thing.  Really didn’t enjoy that one.

Everything intentional about Sketch evolved from his painting ability, this being his phobia of water, his tendency to use stealth in a confrontation, and his continued sidetracking with artistic ideas.  At some point though, he turned into one of the most sarcastic Links in the bunch, and I’m really not sure how it happened.  But it seemed to fit him for whatever reason.

The Legend of Zelda/Realm

I regrettably have not been able to get my hands on this one either, but I have watched a play-though.  My observations are as follows:                    Where is the map.  How did anyone figure out where they were going in this game.  I don’t understand how that wall was supposed to indicate it was bomb-able.  How did people play this game without getting too frustrated to continue.                                                                                       On the bright side, the dungeons seemed to be very well-laid-out, and the bosses, while repetitive, were pretty memorable.  I suspect I would get lost within the first ten minutes, though.

Realm is directly based off of my above observations.  I am firmly of the opinion that absolutely nobody can make it through the original LoZ game without getting lost at least once, and this resulted in Realm’s absolutely abysmal sense of direction.  Consequently, I made him hopelessly optimistic and cheerful enough to make the sun jealous, because the only person who could put up with those sorts of mishaps is the person who can just get right back up and keep going.  Also, the fact that I myself and severely directionally challenged means that writing Realm comes very easily.

The Adventure of Link

I have not played this one either.  I apologize.  That said, I dislike the switch from top-down to 2-D scroller.  In comparison with literally every other game in the franchise, AoL feels the least like a ‘Zelda’ title.  Though, for the invention of Shadow Link, I award at least few points.

Wind Waker/Wind

It’s adorable.  It’s somehow a very dark and serious game disguising everything behind a cute and cartoony art style and even though I can recognize it I don’t actually care.  The story is engaging, Tetra is the Best Pirate, and the ocean makes it feel so big.  I do think the sailing mechanic can be a bit time-consuming before the warp travel kicks in, and I actually feel like Ganondorf went down too easily, maybe?  

Wind is based off of sailing, basically.  I took the amount of time it takes him, in-game, to get places and decided that he has the patience of a saint.  Also the bafflingly ability to stay awake for three days straight, but that hasn’t come up in DL, so.  Because of this, he’s usually pretty content to let conversations evolve without much input from him, unless he’s got something important to say.  And of course, he’s got the Wind Waker, which resulted in me making up an entire magical classification system to explain why he’s so good at controlling the weather, accompanied by an entire chapter-length head canon about the relation between the weather and music.  Ironically enough, for all that Wind has no instrument of his own, the fact that he’s a conductor means he’s actually the most musically talented of the whole group.

Phantom Hourglass

I wouldn’t call it a worthy sequel to Wind Waker, but I honestly don’t think it’s too bad - with the exception of the Temple of the Ocean King.  First time, it was kinda fun.  Second time, less fun,  Third time, getting repetitive.  Fourth time, getting annoying.  Fifth time, and I was really done with that mechanic.  The remixed Sailing Theme was good though, and once I got past Linebeck’s surface personality I liked him pretty well too.

Spirit Tracks/Steam

I have never played this one, but the concept seems fun.  The riding-a-train song is amazing.  This Zelda is probably the most fleshed-out that the character has ever been, and I dearly hope she can take the position of ‘companion guide’ again someday.  Or maybe even ‘protagonist’, who knows?  I do dislike how vague Malladus is, because as the Final Bad Guy I feel like he should have been solidified more than just “Demon sealed a long time ago”.  And to be honest, why Trains?  It just seems so random.  

Steam, like several other Links, is based around his gameplay.  As an engineer, he’s a pretty hands-on type of person, which is why he frequently gets distracted with the inner workings of other Links’ items.  And due to the fact that Trains require very little input to control and a lot of travel time, he’s the least physical of all of them.  This basically means that he runs the slowest, hits the lightest, and will likely bring the least to the table in a fight.  This is one of the reasons I gave him the ‘I Like Trains’ summon, because even if he himself can’t hit very hard, his Train sure as heck can. 

Oh my gosh I think this took me a solid hour to type out, I hope you’re very happy with this response Anon ;)

[selfshipstuff]

💡 give me all the fandoms ~Audrey

SBDJSJS ALL OF THEM???? I MEAN I GUESS IF YOU'RE SURE??

@tsundere-doods

ARROWVERSE (The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl)

In all Arrowverse AUs, my SI is a metahuman from Earth-1 with energy-based powers. I primarily exercise control over electricity, movement, and gravity, but with practice I could probably expand my repertoire to include light, heat, elasticity, radioactivity, sound-- all sorts of things. During my time on Teams Flash and Arrow, I go by the moniker Switchboard, and then in my Team Arson AU, Lonnie and Astra (@astralshipper) call me Sparks. 

In The Flash, my primary f/o is Cisco Ramon, and we have that best friends to lovers thing going on. I also love Becky Sharpe, although I don’t talk about her much! She’s girlfren, and I’m poly with the two of them in my Flash-centric Arrowverse AU-- she’s not dead, hush, I save her life and canon can eat my entire ass tbh.

I don’t have a romantic f/o on Arrow, but John Diggle is like a brother to me. I don’t have an AU that focuses solely on Team Arrow, because it’s not a primary thing for me, but when I’m on the team, it’s because I’m taking a break from Team Flash.

In my Supergirl-centric AU, instead of joining Team Arrow after leaving Team Flash, I actually use some of Cisco’s tech to hop on over to Earth-38 to make a new life for myself. Eventually, I end up helping out Team Supergirl, because once you start superheroing it’s not really something that has an off switch, and that’s how I meet Winn Schott. He and I click almost immediately and we have a best friends to lovers type thing similar to what Cisco and I had. I also have a small crush on both Lena Luthor and Mon-El, but I haven’t decided if I’m gonna do anything about it yet.

Finally, there’s the Team Arson AU, which isn’t really based on any of the shows in particular, but rather on one of the villains of Arrow: specifically, Lonnie Machin. This AU starts after I leave Team Arrow because of Oliver, John, and Felicity’s actions toward the newer team members; incensed by the hypocrisy of my fellow heroes, I run into Astra (@astralshipper) and Lonnie, who have turned into sort of an anti-hero team, and I join forces with them. This sometimes leads to problems when my ex-teammates come after us, but we handle it.

And last but not least, I actually forgot to mention, but there is an offshoot AU of the Team Arson storyline; it doesn’t have a catchy name, so I just call it the Team Arson and Michael AU, because it’s essentially the same thing as the regular Team Arson one except it incorporates Michael Collins from The Uniques as a new hero. In this AU, I eventually leave Team Arson to form a power-couple duo with Michael and go back to being a hero, mostly.

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER (A:TLA)

Not totally sure what my whole deal is going to be here, but I’m definitely an airbender. I know in canon they’re wiped out, but I’m just saying, there could definitely be a few in hiding; who’s to say all of them were at the air temples when the Fire Nation attacked? The air nomads were a highly mobile people, so yeah, while those were the hubs of activity, I don’t see it being where every single one of them would’ve been. 

Anyway, I don’t have a romantic f/o in this series, but the Gaang in general is just a little family I’d like to be a part of. In particular, Aang has little brother vibes, and I’m definitely gonna take him under my wing; I think it would be good for him to have another airbender around, and it would be cool to see how a traditional air nomad would interact with one whose views and values have been shaped by a century of other cultures dominating the world. It’s definitely sad, because cultural loss is a huge part of genocide, but it would be neat to see how the surviving families passed down that culture and mixed it with that of the world around them. Like, it would be a little bit of home for Aang, but also sort of like... a hope for something new, I guess? I dunno, I’m spitballing here

CRIMINAL MINDS

My SI timeline isn't the most well-defined for this one yet, but one thing I've decided on is that I pretty much end up adopting, fostering, and taking in kids that need help. Currently, it's sort of just... been the kids that are victimized during the team's cases, but that's a byproduct of the source material rather than a conscious decision.

In Criminal Minds, I ship with Spencer Reid and Emily Prentiss, who are my boyfriend and girlfriend, respectively; we’re poly, but they’re not dating each other. They are queerplatonic, though! Fun fact, I’ve adopted Hotch and Rossi as my dads; Hotch is the primary father figure, and Rossi was kind of like, uncle vibes? Until I realized how much romantic tension there is between the two of them, and now he’s like, stepdad. Hotch already sees Spencer as a son, and he’s close with Emily, so this works out really well.  

EVER AFTER HIGH

In EAH, I’m the eldest child of the White Rabbit-- yes, the one you know from the story of Alice in Wonderland. (Don’t ask how that works, because I don’t know.) Anyway, I was born and raised in Wonderland, along with my younger sister, Bunny. (Yes, her name is Bunny Rabbit.) Things were alright until sometime in my early teens when the Evil Queen tried to basically destroy the world of wonder; it was crazy and chaotic, and very few Wonderland folk managed to escape to Ever After before the Brothers Grimm closed the portals between the two worlds. I was among the handful that escaped: my sister, father, and friends were not. I was all alone in an unfamiliar world, and man, was that scary. Luckily, I was still school-aged, so it was easy enough to get a place to stay at the Grimms’ school-- Ever After High. 

I’ve got crushes on Raven Queen, Alistair Wonderland, Dexter Charming, Chase Redford, Northwind, and Cedar Wood, but no established romance.

HARRY POTTER

Okay, so there are a few different timelines and AUs for this franchise. We’ll start with the most established one. Obviously, I’ve got the obligatory AU where I’m there for everything from the very beginning, but there’s also one I thought of back in middle school which goes something like this: I’m newly orphaned, so I’ve been sent to live with a relative in the UK. It’s the year of the Quidditch World Cup, not that I know anything about it, because my parents were Muggles and so is the great-aunt-twice-removed or whomever it is I now live with. I’m out for a walk, trying to clear my head and familiarize myself with the new neighborhood; out the back of the house, there’s a forest in the distance, hills, and marshland which seem suitably spooky and melancholy for my mood, so I head out exploring that way. After a while, I hear noise, like celebration and shouting, so I head over to check it out and stumble across the tent-grounds for the World Cup. 

Obviously, it’s a lot to take in at once, because it’s clearly magic-- but I’ve always believed in magic, in a sense. So I just grin and start exploring, getting friendly with the kids my age in the area, lie to the adults when they ask where my parents are (”oh, our tent is over there”) and nobody even thinks twice about my accent because people from all over the world are here for the event. Of course, I’m only 15, and eventually I run into one of the people who actually coordinates the grounds, so I’m found out fairly easily; cut to me being interrogated and scared half to death by the magical authorities before who else but Dumbledore swoops in and quietly talks to them. It’s a lot, and it’s too quiet for me to hear all of it, but I manage to take away something about me obviously being magic if I found the place-- and then suddenly, this old man is offering his hand and escorting me out, telling me about a whole other world I didn’t know I could be a part of. 

I do go to Hogwarts, and I have to do a LOT of remedial studying to catch up to the other students, but it helps that I love to read about magic and studying over the summer isn’t a problem. 

In some AUs, I’m poly with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley; in others, I’m with Fred and George Weasley. Sirius Black ends up taking me under his wing along with Harry, and he doesn’t die in my canon-- neither does Fred, Remus Lupin, or Tonks.

I also have a pretty big crush on Newt Scamander from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but I haven’t got my AU timeline figured out for him yet.

MCU

Agents of SHIELD: This show is a separate AU from my other Marvel stories, but I have the same energy powers as usual. Basically, I’m an Inhuman on SHIELD’s watchlist for a long time, even before they know what Inhumans are; unlike some of the other individuals on the list, I’m friendly, cooperative. I consult on cases from time to time, mostly as needed until Phil Coulson starts putting together his dream team: that’s when he reaches out to me, asks me to be a permanent consultant to his team. I’m sort of hesitant, because permanence is restrictive when it comes to organizations like his, but I agree on my own terms. I find myself fitting in and warming up to the team more than I thought I would, and I even find myself crushing on Fitz and-- to a lesser extent-- Skye. When she gets her powers, it’s frickin’ neat as hell, but I end up fighting with the team for treating her so poorly afterward. 

Spider-Man (Tom Holland): Originally, I’m not even in New York, but rent in our area is going up, and the frequency with which certain areas in NY get destroyed leads to their rent actually being more appealing in an attempt to get people to move back. So, with everything going on, my family weighs their options and we move. It’s the end of summer when we get there, and it’s a different school district, so they make me take all sorts of tests to see where I’ll best fit in-- eventually, they put me into some prestigious school my parents are thrilled about and which I’ve never heard of. Of course, I’m much more thrilled after the first week or so: the classes are more engaging, and the students seem to know their stuff. Other than the classist rich kids, it’s paradise for nerds! And that’s before I develop a crush on a classmate (Peter Parker) and start paying attention to news about a local superhero. Around this time is when my powers start to show themselves; sparks fly, literally, and I find myself getting done with things faster than anyone else. It all comes to a head when, on my way home from school, someone falls from the upper floor of a building and I somehow manage to slow their fall so they land safely. Thoroughly freaked out, I start experimenting with my powers, seeing what I can do-- eventually, I put together my own suit and start helping out the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. (We end up dating out of costume.)

MIRACULOUS LADYBUG

So, in the ML universe, I’m an American exchange student in Paris, and I end up figuring out the identities of the local heroes fairly quickly, which leads me to help out in the crises a lot more. After a while of this, Master Fu decides to gift me with the Mouse Miraculous, which has a different power than in canon, because I developed this before the debut of Kwami Buster and honestly I kind of think Multimouse has a stupid power? Anyway, as Souris Gris, I have the power of stealth. I realize pretty quickly that my accent is gonna be an easy identifier, so I take up Langue des Signes (French Sign Language, or LSF) to use while transformed-- as a bonus, it adds to the stealth thing. Meanwhile, as my civilian self, I’m still adjusting to using conversational and situational French 24/7.

Adrien Agreste (also known as Chat Noir) is my primary f/o from this, but there’s also an AU where we’re poly with Marinette Dupain-Cheng (also known as Ladybug), who we’re both dating. 

OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB (OHSHC)

Okay, in the past with this one I’ve 100% focused on the romance, so I’m gonna make something up on the spot. I still would’ve been born to a lower middle-class family in Midwestern America-- flyover country-- but at some point in my youth, a family member wins the lottery-- literally, and not just as a figure of speech. It’s a big one, and instead of spending it, they invest; as I grow up, things start to look up for us. I’m a creative kid, and I’m bugging my parents to let me design and make my own books, games, and toys. Eventually, they cave, and that’s the story of how I become a “self-made” millionaire. 

At first, the products only really sell in North America, until a knock-off line comes out in Japan, and we release them there to curb the competition. The sales skyrocket in the Japanese isles and surrounding countries, so sometime in my preteens, my family moves to Japan to better oversee the majority of the business. After a lot of private tutoring and language classes, I beg my parents to let me go to a real school. Now, my parents, who are quickly becoming the snooty rich folks they used to curse, take some convincing, but we finally agree as long as they choose the school, which is how I end up enrolled at Ouran Academy. 

I eventually find myself meeting the host club and befriending them, which... also leads to me dating Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, the notorious twins. We’re all lowkey crushing on Haruhi, but none of us do anything about it. 

THE UNIQUES

I still haven’t decided how I end up on the team to begin with, but I do know that my powers are pretty much the same in The Uniques as they are in the Arrowverse. (This is mostly because that’s my default when it comes to superpowers. Energy powers are frickin’ neat, okay?) Again, they primarily cover electricity, movement, and gravity, but in this universe I also have a little more experience bending light and manipulating heat. 

One of my f/os from this is also mentioned in the Arrowverse section because of an AU, and that’s Michael Collins. He and Scout are my boyfriends, and they’re best buds. The rest of the team (the New Guard) are our best friends, so they’re platonic f/os.

WALKYVERSE (It’s Walky!, Shortpacked!)

Technically, the Walkyverse also includes Roomies!, which comes before It’s Walky! sequentially, but I don’t even really think about that part of the comic tbh. Basically, I’m an alien abductee, so I have powers-- neat!-- and I’m an agent of SEMME-- less neat. We’re a secret government agency fighting a hostile race of aliens known only as “aliens”, which I guess are separate from other extraterrestrial races because Martians are specified as a separate race within the comic...? Anyway. I’m a SEMME agent, and I have enhanced abilities like super-strength due to my status as an abductee. Originally, I was a part of a different squad, but a mission went south, leaving me as the only surviving member. 

By the time the retrieval unit showed up, most of my teammates were already dead, and I was just barely holding up a fallen building which would have crushed me had I let go. Upon my return to SEMME HQ, I was asked to wait outside an office for a moment while the Big Boss and some poor agent tasked with debriefing him duked it out behind the closed doors. There were whispers about me, being the sole survivor of my unit and having held up a building, and people had their suspicions, but it didn’t matter. The fact was that I was the only agent that had made it through a suicide mission, which is a feat in and of itself, disregarding the valuable intel I had gathered; Big Boss eventually reassigned me to Squad 128, the most infamously effective team on payroll, and sent me off to get checked out by medical. 

My main f/o in Walkyverse is Mike Warner, a fellow SEMME agent and abductee. I’m also FWB with the titular character before he gets married-- David Walkerton (Walky)-- and Marcie. 

[arrowdaily]

Stephen Amell is dreading the eighth and final season of Arrow, though you wouldn’t know it on this hot, sunny July day in Los Angeles. Wearing Green Arrow’s new suit, the CW star seems perfectly at ease as he strikes heroic pose after heroic pose on a dimly lit stage. But once he’s traded heavy verdant leather for a T-shirt, jeans, and baseball cap, his guard drops and the vulnerability starts to creep in as he contemplates Arrow’s last ten episodes, which was set to begin production in Vancouver a week after the EW photoshoot took place and premieres October 15.

“I’m very emotional and melancholy, but it’s time,” Amell—who is featured on the new cover of Entertainment Weekly—says as he takes a sip from a pint of Guinness. “I’m thirty-eight years old, and I got this job when I was thirty. I’d never had a job for more than a year. The fact that I’ve done this for the better part of a decade, and I’m not going to do it anymore, is a little frightening.”

Developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg, Arrow debuted in the fall of 2012. The DC Comics series follows billionaire playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), who, after years away, returned to now–Star City with one goal: to save his hometown as the hooded bow-and-arrow vigilante who would become known as Green Arrow (it would take him four seasons to assume the moniker). What began as a solo crusade eventually grew to include former soldier John Diggle (David Ramsey), quirky computer genius Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards), lawyer-turned-hero Laurel Lance/Black Canary (Katie Cassidy-Rodgers), and the rest of Team Arrow. Together they’ve defended their city from a host of threats—dark archers, megalomaniacal magicians, and the occasional metahuman—while Lost-like flashbacks revealed what Oliver endured in the five years he was away, first shipwrecked and then honing his skills around the world to become someone else, something else.

The premiere gave the CW its most-watched series debut since 2009’s The Vampire Diaries. But before they launched Arrow, Berlanti and Guggenheim had to suffer through a failure: 2011’s Green Lantern, starring Ryan Reynolds. The duo co-wrote the script but lost creative control of the film, which flopped. So when Warner Bros. TV president Peter Roth approached them in late 2011 about developing a Green Arrow show, they were wary. After much deliberation, Berlanti and Guggenheim agreed, on the condition that they maintain control. Says Guggenheim, “As long as we succeed or fail on our own work, and not someone else’s work then maybe this is worth a shot.”

Their take on the Emerald Archer—who made his DC Comics debut in 1941—was noteworthy from the beginning. Taking cues from films like The Dark Knight and The Bourne Identity and series like Homeland, the writers imagined a dark, gritty, and grounded show centered on a traumatized protagonist. “As we were breaking the story, we made very specific commitments to certain tonal things, such as ‘At the end of act one, he has his hands around his mother’s throat.’ And, ‘At the end of act two, he kills a man in cold blood to protect his secret,’” says Guggenheim.

A hero committing murder? That was practically unheard of then. Having Oliver suit up in a veritable superhero costume by the pilot’s climax was radical too. Sure, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was deep into Phase One when the producers were developing Arrow, but TV was traditionally more apprehensive about comic books. Smallville famously had a “no tights, no flights” rule and only introduced superhero costumes in the last years of its ten-season run, and there weren’t any masked avengers running around NBC’s Heroes or ABC’s No Ordinary Family, the latter produced by Berlanti (let’s not even mention NBC’s The Cape, which was essentially dead on arrival and never did get its six seasons and a movie). But Arrow not only fully committed to the idea of someone dressing up like Robin Hood to fight crime with a bow and arrow, it introduced a second costumed rogue, the Huntress (Jessica De Gouw), in episode 7.

“It’s just comic book to the extreme and the fans seem to really love it,” says Batwoman showrunner Caroline Dries, a former writer on Smallville. “They still maintain it very grounded, but it’s very different with everyone in costumes. The appetite for superheroes has changed in my mind in terms of like they just want the literal superhero [now].”

Not that the team wasn’t meticulous about creating Green Arrow’s cowl. “We had to have so many conversations to get it approved, but that’s why we got [Oscar winner] Colleen Atwood [Memoirs of a Geisha] at the time to [design] the suit,” says Berlanti. “We were determined to show we could do on TV what they were doing in the movies every six months.”

“It’s really easy to make a guy with a bow and arrow look silly. We sweated every detail,” says Guggenheim, who also recalls how much effort it took to perfect Oliver’s signature growl. “I actually flew up to Vancouver. On a rooftop during reshoots on [episode 4], Stephen and I went through a variety of different versions of, basically, ‘You have failed this city,’ with different amounts of how much growl he’s putting into his performance. [We] recorded all that, [I went] back to Los Angeles, and then sat with the post guys playing around with all the different amounts of modulation.”

That process took eons compared to the unbelievably easy time the team had casting Arrow’s title role. In fact, Amell was the first person to audition for the role. “It was Stephen’s intensity. He just made you believe he was that character,” says Guggenheim, recalling Amell’s audition. “We had crafted Oliver to be this mystery box character, and Stephen somehow managed to find this balance between being totally accessible in a way you would need a TV star to be, but he’s still an enigma.” After his first reading, Amell remembers being sent outside for a short time before being brought back into the room to read for a larger group: “I called [my manager], and I go, ‘I know this is not how it’s supposed to work, but I just got that job.’”

In the first season, the show’s chief concerns were maintaining both the “grounded and real” tone and the high quality of the stunts, and investing the audience in Oliver’s crusade. Beyond that, though, there wasn’t much of an over-arching plan, which allowed the show to naturally evolve—from introducing more DC characters, such as Deathstroke (Manu Bennett) and Roy Harper (Colton Haynes), sooner than they initially intended (the shot of Deathstroke’s mask in the pilot was meant as a harmless Easter egg), to promoting Emily Bett Rickards’ Felicity from a one-off character in the show’s third episode to a series regular in season 2 and eventually Oliver’s wife. Even the whole idea of a Team Arrow—which, over time, added Oliver’s sister Thea (Willa Holland), Rene Ramirez/Wild Dog (Rick Gonzalez) and Dinah Drake/Black Canary (Juliana Harkavy)—was the result of the writers allowing the best ideas to guide the story. “Greg used to say all the time, ‘You have a hit TV show until you don’t, so don’t save s—,’” says Amell.

Also not planned: Arrow spawning an entire shared universe. “We went on record a lot of times during the premiere of the pilot saying, ‘No superpowers, no time travel.’ But midway through season 1, Greg started to harbor a notion of doing the Flash,” says Guggenheim. “I’m a very big believer that it’s great to have a plan, but I think when it comes to creating a universe, the pitfall is that people try to run before they can walk. The key is, you build it show by show.” And so they did. First, they introduced The Flash star Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen in the two-part midseason finale of Arrow’s second season. From there, Supergirl took flight in 2015, then DC’s Legends of Tomorrow in 2016, and Batwoman is due this fall. “It’s like the hacking of the machete in the woods and then you look back and you’re like, ‘Oh, there’s a path,” says executive producer and Berlanti Productions president Sarah Schechter. But even though Arrow is the universe’s namesake, Amell doesn’t concern himself with the sibling series outside of the now-annual crossovers. “I never think about any of the other shows,” he says. “I want all of them to do great, but they’re not my responsibility. My responsibility is Arrow, and to make sure everyone from the cast to the crew are good.” His sentiments are seconded by The Flash’s Gustin: “I don’t understand how he does it—his schedule that he maintains with working out, the conventions he goes to, the passion he has for it, and the love he shows towards fans. He’s always prepared. He cares more about that show being high quality than anybody else on the set.”

That said, the universe’s expansion precipitated what is widely considered to be Arrow’s best season, the fifth one. After focusing on magic in season 4, the show returned to its street-crime roots as part of “a concerted effort to play not just to our strengths but what made the shows unique,” Guggenheim says of balancing their four super-series in 2016. “Because Arrow was the longest-running Arrowverse show, we were able to do something that none of the other shows could do, which is have a villain who was basically born out of the events of season 1,” he explains of introducing Adrian Chase/Prometheus (Josh Segarra), whose criminal father was killed by Oliver. “That gave the season a resonance.”

It was midway through season 6 when Amell realized he was ready to hang up Oliver Queen’s hood. “It was just time to move on,” the actor says of pitching that Oliver leave the series at the end of season 7. “My daughter is turning six in October, and she goes to school in LA, and my wife and I want to raise her [there].” Berlanti persuaded him to return for one final season, which the producers collectively decided would be the end. “We all felt in our gut it was the right time,” says Berlanti. Adds Schechter, “It’s such a privilege to be able to say when something’s ending as opposed to having something just ripped away.”

But there’s one integral cast member who won’t be around to see Arrow through its final season. This spring, fans were devastated to learn Rickards had filmed her final episode—bringing an end to Olicity. “They’re such opposites. I think that’s what draws everyone in a little bit,” showrunner Beth Schwartz says of Oliver and Felicity’s relationship. “You don’t see the [love story of] super intelligent woman and the sort of hunky, athletic man very often. She’s obviously a gorgeous woman but what he really loves is her brain.” For his part, Amell believes the success of both Felicity and Olicity lies completely with Rickards’ performance. “She’s supremely talented and awesome and carved out a space that no one anticipated. I don’t know that show works if we don’t randomly find her,” says Amell, adding that continuing the series without Team Arrow’s heart is “not great. Arrow, as you know it, has effectively ended. It’s a different show in season 8.” And he’s not exaggerating.

The final season finds Oliver working for the all-seeing extra-terrestrial the Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) and trying to save the entire multiverse from a cataclysmic event. “[We’re] taking the show on the road, really getting away from Star City. Oliver is going to be traveling the world, and we’re going to go to a lot of different places,” says Guggenheim. “Every time I see Oliver and the Monitor, it’s like, ‘Okay, we are very far from where we started.’ But again, that means the show has grown and evolved.” Adds Schwartz, “This is sort of his final test because it’s greater than Star City.” Along the way, he will head down memory lane, with actor Colin Donnell, who played Oliver’s best friend Tommy Merlyn in season 1, and Segarra’s Adrian Chase making appearances. “Episode 1 is an ode to season 1, and episode 2 is an ode to season 3,” teases Amell. “We’re playing our greatest hits.”

But season 8 is not just about building toward a satisfying series finale. “Everything relates to what’s going to happen in our crossover episode, which we’ve never done before,” says Schwartz. Spanning five hours and airing this winter, “Crisis on Infinite Earths” will be the biggest crossover yet and may see Oliver perish trying to save the multiverse from destruction, if the Monitor’s prophecy is to be believed. “Oliver [is told] he’s going to die, so each episode in the run-up to ‘Crisis’ has Oliver dealing with the various stages of grief that come with that discovery,” says Guggenheim. “So the theme really is coming to terms, acceptance.”

If there’s one person who has made his peace with Oliver’s fate, it’s Amell. “Because he’s a superhero with no superpowers, I always felt he should die—but he may also not die,” says Amell, who actually found out what the show’s final scene would be at EW’s cover shoot. “I cried as [Marc Guggenheim] was telling me. There are a lot of hurdles to get over to make that final scene.” Get this man some more Guinness!

[two-wrongs-make-a-write-83]

A Halcyon Nightscape

Hallie yawns and stretches once again. It feels nice to spend a night out. Far away from the busy hectic city life. No horns, no crowd, no pollution, just peace. And bliss.

She should go out for late night walks more often, Hallie makes a mental note. The two hours long stroll along the logs in the midst of greenery was worth every bit.

The entire area is strangely quiet. People aren't around at this side of the tarn. But at least there is supposed to be sounds made by birds, crickets, squirrels, chipmunks, rats or any other animals likewise. As far as she knows, Jordan Pond doesn't have any presence of carnivorous beasts. So she shouldn't be afraid, right? Well, a black bear might be a rare sight. But still not impossible.

She again checks the Glock 21 in her pocket, just in case. Her dad was the one to teach her marksmanship. Hallie remembers how her dad used to train her every single day from dawn to dusk, not that she ever regretted. Besides the boring homeschooling sessions and day-and-night training, the dynamic father daughter duo also had occasional camping schedules just for fun. Here in this very Acadia National Park. This place was their sanctuary.

She misses him. She misses the times when the two used to come here at the campgrounds and enjoyed fishing and swimming all day in the ocean, having barbeque under the starry night summer sky and munching s'mores in front of the crackling fire. Also, stargazing. Not with open eyes, with necessary equipment, telescope and everything.

Her dad was the one to teach her all about the constellation. He was a walking encyclopedia when it came to guns and stars. Quite contradictory, isn't it?

Hallie and her father considered themselves lucky. Especially after that narrow escape from death, only minutes away from a rockfall accident. But even that luck was not enough to make her dad live longer. Coronary artery complications made him suffer an early death.

Hallie sighs. She feels sad because she misses him, nostalgic because the place reminds her of all those sweet memories.

Conquer your fears, Hale. Don't let them stop you from anything. Listen to your heart.

Those were his last words to her. She still can remember that day so vividly, as if it were yesterday. A sunny, bright and white yet mundane room that smelled sterile and disinfectant. His father, fragile on a cot, yet acting like he's the strongest man on earth. The hero Hallie always saw in him, the hero he felt he needed to pretend.

She wanted to tell her dad to stop trying. It's okay to let go. It's okay to show weaknesses. Her throat tightened, and in the end, no words came out. Only silent tears.

Focus on your target, Halcyon. Tighten your grip. Don't hesitate.

To her dad, she was either Hale or Halcyon. After his departure, she didn't hear either of the two names anymore. She became Hallie, just Hallie. Not so lucky any longer.

She walks up to the lakeshore as she reminisces about the good old halcyon days. It's the first time she came to visit the park after that tragic loss.

Silence seems more prominent around the shoreline. It's a bit chilly here as well. Foggy breeze is blowing gently above the water surface. The air is crisp, cold and earthy. It smells of leaves, bark and grass - somewhat tinged with a bit of melancholy and nostalgia.

Sad or not, the night sure is beautiful. Especially now during the fall, the whole park is covered in vermillion foliage.

Something seems enchanting about the entire atmosphere. And unearthly. Is it because she came here after so long or...

What can it be? It's just another ordinary night.

Nothing is ordinary. Nothing is coincidental.

Her father used to say. She concentrates on warming her hands, rubbing them together continuously.

First the silence and now this outlandish steamy breeze. No, it's nothing unusual. Hallie crouches down near the shore and looks at her own reflection in the water. Under the midnight blue sky, she can see her faint reflection moving in a slow rhythm along with the gentle flow of the lake-water.

The color in the water surface starts to change ever so slowly. Then the pace fastens exponentially. The midnight blue turns into hazy dark mauve, then magenta and then into coral, to the faintest of crimson aiming for a brighter scarlet. It's not even dawn yet. The silence seems to be ceasing as well. At first, the sound was distant. The faint sound is now getting louder and clearer.

Alert, she stands up looking at the sky. No sign of the sun. Instead she catches a shooting star crossing the sky. But... The direction...

Why is it coming down? Is it gonna fall down here? It can't just land here. Or it can...

And once she thought she was lucky to be saved by minutes from a common rockfall. This huge chunk is freaking falling from the sky. Maybe she was destined to die this way. The rockfall accident in the past was only a reminder.

Now, the gun inside her hoodie pocket seems useless. She's surrounded by dark woods, stark mountains and a motionless tarn. Even in this vast space, she's feeling claustrophobic. Perhaps, that's how deaths are - sudden, unpredictable, unapologetic. Will anybody know if she dies here? There are definitely people around a few miles away, probably enjoying dinners in the nearby inns. Closing her eyes, she braces herself and gathers the guts to face her departure.

One second, two seconds, three seconds. Like this another twenty seconds have passed. Nothing happens. Tentatively, she opens her eyes.

Nothing has changed. The reflection on water now dull, the sound no longer audible. Just like before. Of course, the sky is back to its former self, cloudless indigo filled with twinkling stars. No sign of the shooting star or whatever it was. It must've aimed for another galaxy.

All of a sudden, there's this tiniest speck of light just above the centre of the lake. It stayed only for a moment.

"What's going on here?" She says to herself. Her voice echoes in the mountains.

Hallie feels lightheaded. But at the same time, excitement begins to build up inside her. She stands still, waiting for the speck to reappear.

And her wish comes true. The light came back, only wider this time, just a little bit. It's coming closer towards her. One might think of the source to be a firefly but the color is so different. It's not golden, it's more than that. It's all the colors she has witnessed a few moments ago reflected on the lake surface and beyond.

Hallie is so mesmerized by it that she has forgotten to move away. The idea of it being something threatening does not occur to her.

The little circle of brightness begins to dance around her. As if Hallie became its new buddy. Everytime she tries to catch it, it slips away from her. Such a tease. After several attempts, she gives up, tired.

As she's busy panting, the sphere approaches her gingerly, like a child. She understands the ball-like particle is telling her to touch it. Hallie gives it a wry look.

"Now you're telling me? After all the chasing?" She complains, crossing her arms.

The two have been communicating as if both the parties were human beings, not just one. Hallie seems to have forgotten it as well.

She feels curious, but the next moment she's hesitant. Should she touch the ring of light? Won't she get burnt?

Conquer your fears.

Don't hesitate.

Listen to your heart.

The voice in her head is telling her to take a leap of faith. Thus she shakes off her doubts and fears and at last comes to contact with the mysterious luminous little sphere.

At her touch, the sphere acts like it's going to burst. Hallie, long forgotten about the danger, stands there holding her breath. Ready to see what it turns out to be. What it has to offer.

It's like fireworks. Unearthly, eccentric, ethereal fireworks. Shimmery golden hued spots have started to swirl, twirl and waltz around her. It's like the little speck got multiplied into millions. As if the little specks have taken the form of the starlight of the galaxy.

Hallie is gaping at this whimsical but spectacular performance, both marveled and dumbfounded. Is she dreaming?

The colors have started to take a different shade. Now they're no longer golden. It has been divided into shades of blue and red. Just like how the sky was previously. The tiny little particles of light fly altogether up in the sky and accumulate. The colors, the shape, they seem so familiar.

Halcyon.

Just like the bird.

It's her favorite bird. Well, aside from songbirds and kookaburras.

Are they really doing it for her?

"That's impossible," her voice was barely above a whisper.

After the almost shape of a mythical bird has been formed, the cluster flies higher and higher until it disperses and transforms falling down as rain. Rain of stardust.

Hallie has been showered by it. She tries to catch some of the specks. Too bad, she doesn't have a jar with her to contain these. So she rubs her hands inside her pockets hoping the memories would stay there. After she returns home, maybe she might be able to collect them in a container. If she's lucky enough.

She pulls her hands out to inspect them again. Some of the dust is still on her palm. But another peculiar thing occurs, as if the night couldn't get any stranger. Her palms begin absorbing the dust.

There's the earth, the stars and the planets. And there's the human race made from clotted coagulated blood which is actually earth! Honestly Hale, everything is more connected than we can ever imagine.

If only her father was with her tonight. Maybe he is with her. Not in person, but the memories of him are alive in her mind, warm and fresh. Hallie buries her hands around hugging herself, full of gratitude. She hasn't realized it until now, that she's crying.

Rubbing her eyes with her sleeves, she views her surroundings in a new light. As if she's a new person. Different not altogether, the core is still the same. But she's been awakened and enlightened.

The lakeshore looks tranquil and serene. The waves are calm. The sky is clear. The stars are bright, like glittering jewels.

Halcyon.

Placid. Joyful, peaceful, blissful.

She doesn't realize she's been standing in one place all this time. She drops on the ground and stares up at the sky smiling. Inhaling the fresh salty air, appreciating the breathtaking nightscape.

There are sounds of people around. Realizing, she gets up to find the source. She doesn't have to walk very further because people are coming in her direction. Many of them are carrying tripods with cameras, some are holding their phones, some are just chatting.

"Is something about to happen?" She asks one of them. In her mind, she thinks something has happened already. What else could there be?

"Haven't you heard of the news?" The nearby person asks back. When Hallie shakes her head slowly he says, "There's news about the arrival of the Northern Lights. Within a few minutes."

Hallie stares at the dude, brows knitted in concentration. "But I thought if the Northern Lights would be displayed… Shouldn't everyone be here way earlier?"

The guy nods repeatedly, "That's the thing. Nobody knew about it. It's unexpected. We all were in the camp houses when we heard of the news. We got notified half an hour ago. See?" He gestures around. "Everyone came here running."

Hallie acknowledges nodding. She takes in the information.

Within a few minutes, it happens as the news predicted, Aurora Borealis. At first the sky turns gray, there are barely some distinct lines of hazy gray. Then there's a little bit of movement followed by striking green, red, blue, pink and purple layers vibrating beneath one another. They're like rippling curtains. The colorful columns make rhythmic waves. The sky is a literal disco ball. The cloudless sky has turned technicolor, with an eerie glow. The overall feeling is full of magic and charisma.

Everyone is awed. Some may probably have seen it thousands of times but each time the beauty mystifies them. Hallie is no exception. Some are shouting, some are capturing the moments on their cameras. Some are running, trying to follow where the hazy band of light is going towards.

Hallie remembers her father once told her that the excited oxygen atoms are responsible for the green shades while the nitrogen atoms are responsible for the blue and deep red hues.

Just think about it, Halcyon! If the magnetic fields weren't there to deflect the solar storm, we would've been dead!

Magnetosphere saved us from such a catastrophe! And not just that. It tamed the plasma and turned it into this spectacular display! Aren't we so lucky?

"Yes Dad, we're very lucky. You were right, the universe is remarkable indeed." Hallie mutters under her breath. She glances at her side, everyone is busy cherishing mother nature. Her eyes fall on Jordan Pond again. The water is reflecting the colorful carnival. But it's ever calm. Just…

Halcyon.

Hallie is glad once again that she came here tonight. She shoves her hands into the pockets to check the stardusts. They're there. She smiles broadly. It feels like a little secret between nature and her.

Who knew, this fated night would be full of so much serendipity?

[kazjaurelia]

PROMPT TIME! So if you wanna do Marvel I'm weak for anything where Tony gets a chest infection because of the arc reactor. If you wanna do DBH, maybe something where Connor is so busy on a case that he forgets to do rest mode and ends up experiencing random powerdowns and overheating issues from a battery working too hard?? :O

Okay, so I’m pretty sure this ask took like two years to actually fill, because my goldfish brain yeeted it into the abyss, but alas, it is done.  @taylortut     If anyone asked Tony, it wasn’t his fault. It really wasn’t. No, you could blame it on the newest menace that S.H.I.E.L.D. had tasked the team to. They called themselves Gadianton, and they targeted charities mostly. Either quaint or worldwide, it didn’t matter to them. Everyone was a target, as long as they had money. They’d been attempting to track the group down for a month straight by now and had made very little process. It seemed like every possible lead turned to dust almost as soon as it was discovered. Ultimately, time led to an escalation in the group as they became more confident. The first time a life was taken by a Gadianton operation, it struck a giant blow. It stung worse that Peter had been patrolling in the area, gotten involved(of course), and subsequently injured.

     Tony was determined not to let it happen again. He did what Stark men do best. Focus on their work and neglect their personal care. He wouldn’t stop until he had caught Gadianton.

     Tony took a sip of his fifth coffee of the morning and returned to typing away at his keyboard. He knew he was making headway, and that, if he dug just a little deeper, he would find something. He was hoping to be able to put an end to it all before the dinner for his mother’s charity, but things weren’t looking the brightest.

      He scrubs a hand over his face as he pours more closely over the text, the words beginning to slightly blur together. His whole body was beginning to ache and shiver with how cold it felt down in the lab. Tony wondered for a moment if he was coming down with a cold, or worse, another chest infection, but quickly dismissed the idea and wrote it down to how much coffee he had ingested in such a short amount of time. He turned back to the screen while taking another draft of his coffee and settling in for a while.

     Peter was practically jumping out of his suit. The suit which Mr. Stark had so nicely bought for him so he could attend the Maria Stark Charity Dinner. The ballroom that had been rented was enormous, and it appeared to be completely filled with people. This made it increasingly difficult to figure out where Mr. Stark was. Peter knew he should have continued to follow Happy once they were through the entrance, but he had quickly gotten distracted by some of the scientific displays of student projects that had been put up for the crowds to see what they were supporting.

      “Maybe if I can get higher I can find Mr. Stark,” Peter mumbled to himself as he made his way towards the stairs, weaving his way in between the pulsing crowd. Up in the balcony, the crowd didn’t thin at all. In fact, it seemed like there were more guests packed up onto the ledge. Peter picked his way through the crowd as fast and as politely as possible, but, of course, someone else wasn’t watching where they were going and happened to trip into the young hero. The pink champagne in her hand exploded out of the flute and cascaded down the front of her alabaster gown.

      “What are you doing!?” she shrieked as she desperately tried to brush off the champagne, only spreading it more. “Do you know how much this dress cost? You’re going to pay to have this fixed!”

     She had been inching closer as she screeched, looking angrier and angrier as Peter stuttered an apology.

      “That won’t be a problem. I’ll cover the bill, just send it to Pepper,” rasps a voice behind Peter. The lady immediately simmers down and merely grumbles about her ruined dress but meanders away from the party’s host with an agreement.

     “Mr. Stark, I’m so sorry she just bumped into me and I didn’t mean for her dress to get spilled on and then she just started yelling-”

      “Kid relax. It’s okay,” Tony rasps out as he pulls Peter with him towards the stairs. “She’s usually high strung about everything anyways.” Tony walks over to a chair on the side of the ballroom and plops himself into it. His body has steadily become more and more achy over the course of the event, and it was yet to be half way over. Every so often, a rough, chesty cough makes itself known, further adding to the aches in his body. He wants more than anything just to retreat back to his lab, but knows that isn’t an option right now. Tony is dragged from his thoughts by Peter’s babbling.

       “Are you okay, Mr. Stark?” Peter can see how pale Mr. Stark looks. “You look like you don’t feel so good. Do I need to call Dr. Banner?”

        A sigh escapes from Tony’s mouth as he tiredly runs his hand over his face, again. Another spike of pain drives its way through his skull, running from his eyes to the base of his skull. He knows he most likely has another chest infection due to the combination of the arc reactor and self neglect, but there are more important things to be worried about. Like making it through the rest of the charity dinner. Besides, it’s not like he hasn’t worked through worse.

       “Look, kid I-”

      His retort is cut short by the sudden sound of shattering glass and screams as the glass dome above them shatters under the weight of sixteen armed men. They position themselves around the ballroom and being herding the guests into the middle of the room. The guests trip over each other in their hurry to obey their captors’ demands.

      “Come on, ladies and gents, we don’t have all night!” one of the men shouts as he shoves a couple harshly onto the ground in the center of the chaos.

       Tony really isn’t in the mood for this to happen tonight. It’s bad enough that they’ve been on a wild goose chase to find the group of armed robbers, but for them to so blatantly attack his own charity event? He should have seen it coming, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less annoying.

       One of the men comes up behind Tony and Peter, aiming his gun directly at the small of Peter’s back. “Ah, Mr. Stark, what a nice event you have put together for us. Now, if you’ll follow me please.”

       As the duo is guided to the center of the hostages, F.R.I.D.A.Y. reports that the rest of the team is on the way, only about three minutes away. He just has to keep the bullets from flying until then, and most importantly keep Peter safe.

       His attention is pulled back to the present and the leader moves the gun to aim at Tony. “Now Stark, where do you keep the donations, hmm? Hopefully not too far, if you wish to remain unharmed.”

      Tony lets out a short peel of laughter, sending another spike of pain through his head. “Yeah, you do know me tho-” He’s cut off by a sharp blow to the left side of his face, sending him to the ground. The world seems to be rocking around him, unable to remain still as pain ripples through his body. Air seems to be coming through a straw, and Tony can faintly hear sound returning through the ringing in his ears. All he can hear is his raspy wheezing and the sound of Peter shouting.

      “Stop! Don’t hurt him!”

      The world manages to right itself long enough for Tony to see Peter being held back by another one of the intruders. That’s all he sees before a foot is being driven into his abdomen, knocking what little breath he had out of his lungs. Black spots border the edges of his vision and he desperately tries to draw in at least one breath of air. His lungs seem to have given up. The black creeps closer, taking up his whole view. As he falls into the darkness, he swears he can almost hear the sound of Peter pleading before it’s over taken by the sound of breaking glass.

       Consciousness comes back to Tony slowly. Cool air on his face, a weight against his thigh, a steady beeping, and the smell of disinfectant. It takes him a few moments, but eventually he gathers enough energy to open his eyes. A mistake, he notes, as the blinding light sends pain shooting through his head, though thankfully not as painful as before. He must have made some noise, because the weight on his thigh eases and he can hear someone talking to him, although still struggling to piece together the words.

      “-ark? Mr. Stark? Do you want me to get Dr. Banner?”

      “Underoos?” The light has finally dimmed to a tolerable level, allowing him to see a sleepy and concerned Peter Parker.

       “I’m gonna go get Dr. Banner,” Peter announces as he starts to get up, but is stopped by Tony softly grabbing his arm. “Mr. Stark?”

      “Not yet, kid. Let me have a little peace before Bruce and Pep start worrying at me.”

[thecomicsnexus]

Meet Captain America

CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS #1 MARCH 1941 BY JOE SIMON AND JACK KIRBY

SYNOPSIS (FROM MARVEL DATABASE)

A short prologue outlines the young men of America joining the army and the threat of the fifth columnists, the nazi spies hidden deep within the American forces. Two fifth columnists in American uniform blow up a local munitions factory that is supplying the local army camp.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., two army generals visit president Franklin Delano Roosevelt and inform him of the threat. They note how every command he makes is sent back to Germany and nothing can be kept secret, even amongst his closest aides. The president asks them what they intend to do. He recommends sending a comic hero like the human torch into the army, and brings in a man named mister Grover, the head of the federal bureau of investigation, who has a plan.

The men all change into their civilian clothes and into a car, where they are taken to an old curio shop. An old woman greets them armed with a gun. She informs them that the formula has been found and it won't disappoint them this time. A man, dressed in lab clothes greets them and ushers them into the viewing gallery of a secret lab, where a frail young man is attached to a machine, and the old woman tears off her mask revealing x-13, one of the best agents. The young man is injected with a liquid and starts to grow until he is above the normal human physique. The doctor also notes that his intelligence and strength are being increased. The doctor christens him captain america and tells him that his duty is to protect the American shores from nazi spies and saboteurs.

Suddenly, one of the army officials, secretly working for the Gestapo, pulls out a gun and shoots the doctor, professor reinstein. A second shot then obliterates the serum that gave Captain America his powers, meaning no more super soldiers can be created. He lets out a third shot, hitting Grover, before cap bursts through the glass and beats him into submission. The barely conscious spy stumbles into a large electrical device, shocking him to death. Cap, now in uniform, is told to have been taking out all of the Nazi threats, while the newspapers wonder "Who is Captain America?".

Meanwhile at an army camp the mascot James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes shows a private named Steve Rogers a news report of caps latest victory, saying how he'd love to meet him. That night, he walks in on Steve changing into the Captain America suit, preparing for more exploits. Having made this discovery, Steve says Bucky must keep his identity secret and he asks if he would like to be his sidekick. They suit up and together run off to stop nazi threats.

Tickets are being sold for the performance of the psychics, Sando (Von Krantz) & Omar, for only ten cents each. On stage, Sando looks into the eyes of a dwarfed Omar. Sando asks Omar what he thinks is to come and his prediction of a terrible accident at Fort Bix is projected onto a crystal ball. At that very instant Fort Bix is shaken by a terrific blast. Meanwhile, Steve and Bucky are reading about the psychics in the newspaper. Bucky thinks they are phony and the two decide to visit the theater. Yet again, the weird performance is repeated while Steve and Bucky are in the audience. This time, Omar sees Hilltown bridge collapsing. Steve and Bucky rush to prevent the disaster but they are too late. The duo returns to the theater to found out how Sando & Omar knew about the disaster. Suddenly, a woman’s shrill cry for help causes Captain America to whirl about. He follows the scream to Sando’s dressing room. A couple of gun men are holding Betsy Ross captured. Sando reveals that he is Von Krantz and has plan a chain of disasters that will destroy the morale of the United States. Betsy Ross reveals that Omar is just a poor idiotic tool. As the battle begins, Von Krantz tries to bomb the place. However, Bucky throws out the bomb through a window. The duo wins and Betsy Ross wants to thank them, but Captain America only says goodnight and leaves.

In a secluded section of town, Rathcone approaches a chessboard with chess pieces that resemble real people. He announces to his agents that Admiral Perkins is giving a lecture tonight and tonight is the night that Admiral must die. Meanwhile, Steve convinces a reluctant Bucky to attend the lecture. As the curtains part at the lecture, the audience is witness to the Admiral’s dead body. A stunned Steve and Bucky change into their costumes to chase down the killer. When Bucky prowls through the darkened alleys, he is watched by a lurking killer, Number 5. As Number 5 and Bucky begin to fight, Captain America jumps in and saves Bucky. The agent refuses to talk but Captain America convinces him too. At that moment, a bullet hits the Nazi agent. Number 5 slumps in death as Captain America wards off a deadly hail of bullets. Cap notices three men, but they can’t catch up to them. The duo decides to go back to Camp Lehigh. Rathcone continues his chess game and plans for General Ellsworth death. That same evening, Mike Duffy tells Steve and Bucky that they are on special duty at the General’s hut. However, the duo finds him dead inside the hut. The next day newspapers announce to the America public another brutal killing in the ranks of the nation’s military command. Rathcone moves onto to his next victims, Captain America and Bucky, by sending out Strangler and Herr Kameleon after them. Later back at the camp, Strangler visits Bucky and fools him into thinking he could solve the killing. That night, Bucky quietly approaches a shabby building. He walks into a trap and sees Ratchone and the chessboard. Bucky tries to run but Rathcone trips him. He waits to kill Bucky because he wants to kill Cap and Bucky at the same time. Finding a note from Bucky, Captain America finds Rathcone’s hideout. A battle begins and Rathcone pulls a gun on him. The duo beats Rathcone and his gang. Captain America calls the F.B.I to report where the criminals are at. Major Fields tells Steve later that he wishes he knew who Captain America was.

A worried Steve and Bucky drop off Major Croy at his home, who has just received a card from the Red Skull. Major Croy believes there is no such person and quickly goes into his home. While reading, the Major gets a surprise visit from the Red Skull. With his wide hypnotic eyes, the Red Skull gazes deep into the Major’s eyes and tells him to “look until you see death.” Captain America hears the news and decides he wants to handle this case without Bucky. However, it’s Bucky who accidentally discovers the Red Skull’s headquarters. While standing out on the rooftops, one of the Red Skull’s henchmen, Slug, finds Bucky. Slug brings him to the Red Skull not knowing that it’s Captain America’s partner. Cap finds the headquarters himself and a fight breaks out. In the midst of the fray the Red Skull departs through a secret exit. The duo decides to return to Camp Lehigh.

The next day, George Maxon of the Maxon Aircraft Corporation comes in person to watch his new plane take an army test. The plane catches on fire while in the air and crashes, killing the men inside. Maxon is sadden by the plane’s crash, but Steve is only concerned about the men in the plane.

Later, General Charles Manor goes home and gets a package from the Red Skull. As the General opens the package, the Red Skull appears in the room and kills him. Mildred Manor hears the struggle and with a gun in her hand rushes into the room. As the Red Skull smacks her down, he hears footsteps and like an angry tornado Captain America bursts into the room. Cap knocks the Red Skull’s mask off and it shatters. It’s revealed that it’s George Maxon and he has been using hypodermic needles to kill his victims. Another fight breaks out and Maxon rolls over this own hypodermic needle. Bucky asks why Captain America didn’t stop Maxon from rolling over. Cap says he is not talking about it and he calls the F.B.I to tell them that Maxon committed suicide. The F.B.I finds a note that Maxon was working for Hitler.

REVIEW

If you look at this comic-book without looking at the context, you may think it’s just another Golden Age comic-book. But it has one main difference to the other books of the time. Jack Kirby.

While Kirby’s style wasn’t there yet, his dynamic layouts are already a thing. His characters are trying to escape the panels, the layouts are more flexible, this isn’t a comic-strip adapted to a page anymore, this is a different animal.

The issue contains several first appearances, but the stories are not exactly entertaining (from a modern point of view). Perhaps the main issue with these stories is that America wasn’t at war yet, and it is all about combating spies. A war would broaden the adventures a lot more.

Unlike Robin, Bucky is the sidekick of an enhanced soldier. This is more similar to the Shield’s sidekick, another boy without super-powers in the company of a super-hero. The similarities are too big between both properties, but I can believe that Bucky and the Shield’s sidekicks were conceived around the same time.

As usual, Marvel stories are a bit more aggressive in terms of patriotism than the other publishers, I can imagine this was the main attraction for kids.

I give this issue a score of 9

[fyrapartnersearch]

extra, extra, read all about it: searching for my roleplay soulmate-- is it you?!

good morning/night/rotation of the earth, my name's millie, i'm 20 and i'm from the est. i've been in the roleplaying scene since around maybe... 2010-ish, back when chatango was used for that, then i switched over to facebook for the looooongest of times, but now that i have more responsibilities i've permanently switched to discord since it's just easier! so as of right now, i'm looking for strictly discord partners! i've been on the search for longterm partners for the longest of times, and i'm still searching for people who i can gush with and totally fall in love with our muses and their dynamics, someone who will share my excitement when it comes to muses! i only have a few requirements, and they're pretty.... standard.

- must be 18+, not negotiating this whatsoever, since my plots will all have some form of nsfw themes within them. - have proper grammar and punctuation. i'm not big on capitalization, etc, since i literally never use them, but a grasp on the english language just so that i can understand what you're saying, then you'll be good in my book! - no-one liners. i understand that some scenes require less sentences, but i just want a happy medium, so between one paragraph and three is the best for me! - don't be creepy, just have fun! - contribute and communicate! i just want someone that i can feel like we're both giving in and putting effort towards our plot! i don't want someone who's response to everything is 'oh that's fine with me!' i want someone who i can talk with ooc about everything.

now onto the juicy stuff, the plots! i have many plots in mind but for me i want them all to include romance and nsfw themes, i don't do fade to black. i play both m and f and i prefer if my partner can play both, or plays mainly m. i've had terrible experiences with those who play just f, so i tend to avoid them, if that's a deal breaker then sorry, i'm not the one for you! when it comes to faceclaims, etc, i only play people of color, and i very very VERY rarely use white faceclaims, unless i can't find an alternative for a canon character, my muses range from 19-28, so i try to keep them as diverse as possible.

when it comes to fandoms i'm only in a few, and if there's a fandom that you're interested in playing that isn't listed there, just ask me about it and i'm sure that i'll be able to try and get into it! the only fandoms i won't get into are supernatural, doctor who and riverdale, they've just... a hard no. anyways, the fandoms i find are the ones i love are: marvel, dc, steven universe, transformers, boku no hero academia and avatar: the last airbender/legend of korra.

my favorite/most wanted pairings for each one are listed below! - marvel: miles morales + mj, peter parker + mj/liz, bruce banner + oc, storm + tchalla, frank castle + oc, venom + annie, venom + oc, killmonger + oc, deadpool + spiderman, deadpool + oc, cable + oc. - dc: batman + wonder woman, bumblebee + cyborg, poison ivy + harley quinn, batman + oc, aquaman + oc, beastboy + raven, wonder woman + oc. - transformers: sam witwicky + oc. - bnha: deku + bakugo, yaoyorozu + iida, deku + todoroki, jiro + kaminari, kirishima + oc, todoroki + oc, ochaco + deku. - a:tla/lok: korra + oc, korra + mako, korra + asami, bolin + oc.

plots i've been craving (if i don't use gendered pronouns for that specific plot, then any pairing is okay!): - a figure ice skater and an ice hockey player who meet during the winter olympics. they maybe bond during training and it ensues with maybe them sneaking out at night to go out into the town to be with each other and overall cuteness. bonus points if they're from different countries who often compete against one another. (ie, a japanese hockey player and a usa figure skater, etc.) - an alien who's brought down to earth due to being chased by some intergalactic force or is the last of their kind and decided to leave their dying world for a chance at something new. i absolutely love the dynamic of someone getting used to an entirely different world (and species) and learning a whole bunch of new things. - something along the lines of leon: the professional, with characters of age. they'd be taken in by an older, grumpy muse who's an assassin and is willing to train them so that they can take care of themselves and maybe they go into business together, becoming a duo of mercenaries who are hired to kill. maybe one of their targets is high profile and after completing the job they have to learn to escape those who want them dead, so a life of constant hiding and crime would ensue. - a drag racer who's also a tough girl who falls for a nerdy boy who attends one of her races. they grow closer after maybe the nerdy boy's been studying her technique for a while and finally musters up the courage to tell her, and they end up going out. she's not all tough and he's not all soft, so they find solace in one another; she teaches him to stand up for himself, and he teaches her that it's okay to be sensitive some times. - a ballet student is forced to take a summer long trip with their parents to a foreign country, where one (or both) of them are teaching at a university for the summer semester. the ballet student decides to enroll, to keep their studies up and whilst there, they fall for a teaching assistant who's older than them. the ballet student is introduced into the world of love and all the pain that sometimes goes along with it.

if you've made it this far then bless your soul, i know i wrote a whole bunch, lol. if you think we'd be a fit then please don't hesitate to message my discord! when i add you just state your name, preferred pronouns and a mini writing sample for whichever pairing/plot stuck out to you the most! this way i know you actually took the time to read my post and gives me a great first impression of you. my discord is: [ violette#3627 ] i hope to see a lot of you guys soon!

[rebelsofshield]

Panels Far, Far Away: A Week in Star Wars Comics 3/27/19

A strong week of Star Wars comics is highlighted by droids, creative artwork, and personality from both Marvel and IDW.

Star Wars Adventures #19 written by Cavan Scott and Nick Brokenshire and art by Mauricet and Nick Brokenshire

In its first post-“Flight of the Falcon” issue, Star Wars Adventures opts for a little fan service for Matthew Wood. It’s a battle droid double feature with two fun and quirky stories starring the dim-witted, but oddly endearing infantry of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Of the two, Cavan Scott and Mauricet’s effort is the most successful. A team up comic starring Obi-Wan Kenobi and Captain Rex as they are forced to survive an onslaught of enemy droids would have been a fun enough adventure, but Scott and Mauricet mix it up with the introduction of a turncoat droid named “Bats.” Bats is an instant scene stealer. As both a stark moralist and a surprising awesome action hero, Bats is sure to win his way into the hearts of fans in just a short time. I mean, at one point, he lectures a Tactical Droid on its lack of compassion while spinning the severed limb of another B1 around like a nunchuck. It’s wild and goofy and the sort of off-beat fun that Adventures is so great at delivering.

Living up to how buoyantly fun the main story of this issue is proves to be a difficult task, and Nick Brokenshire’s “Tales from Wild Space” segment is easily the weaker of the two. The frame story is ultimately as dismissible as always, but Brokenshire’s story of a hapless B1 that finds itself stranded on a truly bizarre alien world is unique and quite unlike any other Star Wars media released in recent years. It reads like a G-rated episode of Rick and Morty crossed with Saga. It will certainly divide fans, but the fact that IDW allows this series to be so off the wall is still a testament to their commitment to letting creators express themselves in this unique playground of a franchise.

Score: B+

Star Wars Doctor Aphra #30 written by Simon Spurrier and art by Emilio Laiso

After several issues worth of non-stop chase, writer Simon Spurrier makes the interesting choice to have his two leads paralyzed and close to abandoned on the ground level of Milvayne. With only a matter of time before Nokk and Winloss, the Empire, or Dr. Evazan catch up to them, Aphra and Triple Zero are forced to think outside the box to survive the ever approaching time bomb implanted in their skulls.

Spurrier uses this moment to force several moments of personal growth and reconciliation out of this selfish duo and challenge them emotionally in ways neither is expecting. While there are a few logistical leaps of logic that feel like they either got passed over in the chaos of past issues or could have been further expanded, Spurrier’s overall gambit works and his arc’s “thesis” of forcing these two beings to come to terms with their own similarities reaches its most effective and strange points yet. Overall, it’s a strong decision in the series’ character plotting even if it gives Emilio Laiso relatively little to work with.

Luckily, Laiso rises to the occasion. Lacking the ability to flex his talent for colorful designs and striking set pieces, he instead doubles down on creative page layouts and empathetic, emotionally clear visual acting. One splash page in particular is stunningly effective in its visual storytelling and inventive design. In the process, Laiso delivers what is arguably his best work on this title so far, especially when he is supported by some great color work by Rahcelle Rosenberg.

That being said, it all ends on a rather strange cliffhanger. As this arc transitions into its final issue and also seems ready to close the book on some major long-term character arcs, the story seems to have lost its immediate momentum rather than escalated it. It’s an odd storytelling quirk and unfortunately we’ll have to wait a few weeks to see if it all pays off.

Score: B+

Star Wars Vader: Dark Visions #2 written by Dennis Hopeless and art by Brian Level

Dark Visions is shaping up to be one of the most unique and artistically adventurous series that Marvel has offered in its Star Wars line. With an anthology structure, loose mission statement, and a rotating cast of artists, Dennis Hopeless and his collaborators are free to tell a wide variety of Star Wars stories each varying in tone, style, and subject matter.

While last issue recontexualized Vader as a mythological hero, Hopeless this week uses the shadow of his presence to inspire a strange and ill-fated comedy of errors. When a cowardly Imperial officer witnesses firsthand the violent repercussions of disappointing the Dark Lord, he spends the rest of his career desperately trying to avoid their fate. After a Rebel spy escapes his grasp, he begins a seemingly hopeless quest to retrieve the fleeing agent before Vader discovers his failure.

It may lack the grandiosity of last week and at times Hopeless may go just a bit too far in his story of how one man’s quest for self-preservation leads to catastrophic results, but “Unacceptable” is another clear win for this strange little series. For a line of comics that has come to be defined by a certain fidelity to brand and visual identity, it is refreshing to see Marvel publish a Star Wars comic that is as visually inventive as this. Brian Level’s art is fitting for such a madcap story, but what proves to be most impressive is his own brand of visual storytelling through layouts. Level is liberal with his use of creative page designs and frequently uses them to mirror the environment and plot momentum occurring in the narrative. Interior scenes are marked by sharp diagonal lines that mirror Imperial art work. Panels shrink and grow in accordance to the officer’s anxiety. The page takes on the form of a Star Destroyer as it slowly comes apart at its edges. It’s impressive work and among the most striking visual takes that Marvel has produced for a Star Wars title in some time.

Score: B+

[hillywooddestiel]

Low Swings

Characters: Peter Parker x reader (platonic), Tony (briefly)

Warnings: there aren’t really any, just Peter feeling a little down I guess and lots of sarcasm

Word count: 1.6k

Description: When you work with a partner, it’s hard to prevent things from getting competitive. Things are no different in the world of superheroes. It may start as a silly race to see who is the best for the purposes of bragging rights but sometimes, the race can overtake your judgement.

A/N: Hello again! This is for two different challenges (@until-theend-oftheline Kari’s 1k MCU writing challenge and @hollandroos Soph’s 12k writing challenge). Congratulations to you both on the milestones and my prompts are in bold below. Little disclaimer, I wrote a Peter Parker fic a while ago and stole the reader character from that for her powers and personality. You can read it as a prequel, sequel whatever but the two stories are not linked. Enjoy xx Marvel Masterlist

Story:

“I got him!” Y/N speaks seemingly to no one while keeping her eyes locked on the man in the balaclava sprinting below her in the alley. She jumps gracefully from building to building with practiced ease, managing the large gaps like a child hopping across a small puddle. Her movement is reminiscent of a cat leaping from one climbing post to another.

“I thought you said I could get this one! I have to be able to tell Mr Stark I’m doing my job!” Peter whines into her earpiece, swinging from his webs a few blocks away. He was busy chasing down yet another bike thief across town when Karen informed him of a man armed with a gun escaping the scene of a robbery and that Y/N was on her way. No way was he going to let her get the guy first.

“And so do I! I can’t help it that I’m better than you.” She rolls her eyes, not that he can see but he should be used to it by now, before glancing back to see the red and blue clad hero getting closer. Immediately she picks up the pace in response, increasing the strain on her muscles and lungs. The pain she’ll feel tomorrow is worth it though, to get a ‘well done kiddo’ from Stark and rights to rub it in Parker’s smug face until the next time. The conviction tally currently stands 27:26 to Y/N. Not that anyone’s counting or anything like that.

“Please! I’ll do your homework for a week.” He pleads, the thwip of his web shooters audible in the background through the earpiece.

“Sure, cos I want lower grades than I’m currently getting.” Y/N taunts. Spotting a chance to get closer, she leaps down to a rusty fire escape and swiftly descends the ladder. Upon hearing her footsteps clanging on the metal, the criminal’s eyes widen in fear and he speeds up. Somebody wasn’t expecting super heroes to be in the area.

“I’ll buy you a pizza!”

“Tempting but no.”

“I’ll stop calling you Frazzles!”

“No! You’re not having this one!”

“Aw come on Frazzles!” Peter takes a break on top of a satellite tower to watch the chase and plan his next move. Y/N is quickly gaining on the guy despite not having the same enhanced capabilities as Peter (such as his stamina and speed) and she hasn’t even had to zap him yet with one of her self-produced lasers- show off! Amazingly, this thief is still going after running from the scene of the robbery nearly twenty minutes ago (most people get tired after five or make a mistake with a wrong turn that lands them in the arms of the police or a sticky web). Perhaps they’re one of the various people with powers emerging across the city.

Peter spies an opportunity coming up ahead on the next turn to land him the capture and immediately swings in it’s direction. Y/N notices his change of course straight away in her peripheral vision.

“Spidey, what are you doing?” she asks, mentally kicking herself for not being suspicious of the radio silence. Silence often- scratch that- always means he’s up to something.

“My job!” He grunts with the effort, swinging feet first into Y/N and knocking her flying sideways. She lands inside an open locker unceremoniously on her ass with a crash. Only Peter misjudged the strength needed to sabotage his partner and flies in after her, landing on top of her in fact, with the metal door hinges whining shut. The lock clicks, trapping them inside.

“Ah my ankle!” He hisses into the pitch black.

“Oh boo hoo! At least you didn’t have a 200 pound spider kick you in the chest and land on top of you!” Y/N huffs aggressively, smacking him over the head to get him to move.

“I can’t see.”

“Great detective work genius! Hang on…” Y/N scowls, producing light from her hands as easy and taking a breath. The locker is very small leaving little to no room for personal space and it stinks like an unattended public toilet.

“Mr Stark is not gonna be happy with us…”

“Us? I’m sorry, how did we end up locked in here? Oh that’s right; you attacked me!”

“I was just trying to get you out of the way so I could get the guy first. I didn’t think-”

“Yeah, you didn’t think. You didn’t focus on the mission, you focused on beating me. Not everything is a contest Parker.” Y/N’s voice softens. She looks to Peter noticing his downtrodden attitude.

“I just… I really want to impress Mr Stark. If I do really well, he might actually make me an Avenger for real.”

“Peter…” she starts, feeling guilty for snapping at him earlier.

Peter always says he wants to be an Avenger, ever since he came back from Germany, it’s a constant thing. Y/N was offered the chance to go as well but she was so close to busting a drug ring in the city that she had to turn it down (she also didn’t want to join in the fight for Tony’s sake since she actually sided with Steve). Once they returned home, Stark introduced her to Peter as someone to work with but also as someone to keep a close eye on. Things soon inevitably became competitive between the pair.

“Okay, I can’t believe I’m about to say this… you can get the next one.” Peter’s head perks up from where it was rested in his hands.

“Wait really?”

“Really. Now let’s get out of here.” Y/N turns to face the door again. She takes a deep breath, focusing her energy on her outstretched palm and feeling the warmth concentrating in the center. The soft light becomes a streamlined beam and slices through the metal door like a hot knife through butter. Her line is shaky but eventually she cuts out a small doorway allowing herself and Peter to escape their dank prison.

Avoiding the burning white melted metal, the duo step out into the alley again, the criminal they were chasing nowhere to be seen. Typical- they never stick around for their local crime fighters and wait to be caught. The only life in the shady corner is a stray black and white kitten.

“Where do you think he went?” Peter asks, scanning the nearby area for heat signatures with the help of his suit.

“I dunno! I’ll interrogate the cat.” Y/N kneels down and coaxes the kitty over by clicking her tongue, stroking it’s fluffy fur gingerly with her outstretched hand, “Hey buddy, are you lost? Can we help you find your home?”

“It’s a stray Frazzles. Keep stroking it and it’ll follow us home.” Peter rolls his eyes behind his mask.

“Do you need a home? You can come with me if you want.” She smiles as the kitten purrs in her hand, her voice becoming increasingly more babyish.

“Y/N! Let’s go!”

“Hold on!” She scoops up the ball of fur, “Consider this mission a success, we saved Catasha Meowmanoff from a life on the streets.”

“Your mom isn’t going to let you keep it ya know?”

“That’s why she’s not going to find out. And you’re not going to tell her!” Y/N warns Peter, a threatening tone detectable in her voice as she lowers the kitten to the floor. She prowls around the bedroom floor and sniffs the hanging bed sheets with uncertainty, tiny claws catching on the soft carpet. A flash of red catches her eye and she pounces on it, swatting at the light with her little paws in the hopes of capturing it. The said light originates from Peter’s suit and he grins like a child as Catasha almost climbs the wall to get at the laser.

“Ok, I’ll admit she’s pretty cute.”

“See!” Y/N grins victorious, ”… But it goes without saying, no one is to find out about the name. Especially Natasha. I’d like to keep my head attached to my shoulders.” Y/N absentmindedly rubs her hand over the back of her head, right over the spot when Nat last swatted her with a magazine (she set Nat’s ringtone to ‘Black Widow’ by Rita Ora and the world class assassin heard it go off when they both happened to be at the compound at the same time).

“I think she’d probably kill me too so yeah, deal.” Peter scratches Catasha behind her ears, knowing very well of Natasha’s capabilities. But, as much as he would love to play with a ball of fur, there are people to save and crimes to stop so he has to leave. Mask on, Peter steps out onto the fire escape outside Y/N’s bedroom window just as he gets an incoming call alert for Tony Stark.

“Peter! I trust you and Sunshine are playing nicely. I have a new job for you two, organised gang fights in condemned buildings near you. You are still interested in helping out the ‘neighborhood’ as a ‘friendly’ crime fighter, right?” He can tell there were some air quotes made on Tony’s end of the line.

“Yeah yeah y-yeah I’m-I- we’ll get on it right away Mr Stark, sir.”

“Mrrow!”

“What was that?”

“A cat. Stray cat. Not a house cat, a stray cat. Stray, not a pet.” Peter fumbles with his words while Y/N glares at him with eyes begging him to shut up.

“Right… keep up the good work kid.” Tony hangs up; he’s a busy man after all. Looking to Y/N through the mask, his white spider eyes widen.

“We’ve got another job to do.”