#Prettywitch Reacts

[prettywitchiusaka]

Okay, so I was away from the computer most of yesterday and didn't learn about DeMayo spilling some tea about MOM's original script until late last night.

Having read through his response, as well as information I've gathered from someone in the DS Fan Community on twitter (who got a chance to meet one of the key staff involved in the film), here's what it sounds like the original script contained;

Mordo would've been at Karmar-Taj. Not sure how, though I imagine there would be more of an explanation.

Clea would've made an appearance earlier in the film than the mid-credit scene. Though, my inner storyteller feels like they would've revealed her connection to Dormammu in the mid-credit scene as a tease for DS3.

Wanda would not only have been with Stephen, she would've also been aiding him and Wong and would actively tutor America (and also warn her about abusing her power).

The film would've been a team-up film between Stephen and Wanda.

Nightmare would've been revealed to be a Stephen variant who'd been corrupted by The Darkhold.

Wanda would've resisted corruption right up until the end where, unable to resist finding a universe where she can with happy with her children, breaks from Team Strange.

Wong would've tried stopping her...only to get beheaded by mistake.

Wanda would've felt guilty about it and, according to DeMayo, would have been repeatedly apologizing to Stephen as she departs, leaving him with his friend's decapitated corpse.

And, from what we know from the concept art that came out a few years ago, The Book of Vishanti would've had a piece that would break off and attach itself to the Eye of Agamotto, giving Stephen a power upgrade, and, most notably, the death of Donna Strange.

So...yeah, that's a lot to unpack/take in! But yeah, to summarize, it really is fascinating/infuriating how, for all of Waldron's insistence on "starting from scratch" that he took many of Derrickson and Bartlett's concepts and watered them down to their most basic elements. All so he could make a script HE was satisfied with.

That being said, assuming DeMayo's not talking out of his ass? It's nice be vindicated regarding Wanda's original arc in the film. That while she learned her lesson from Wandavision and was able to overcome Vision's death, she's still lonely an unable to accept things as they are. It makes her arc even sadder, and keeps her villainous turn empathetic like it was in that series.

Now let's address the controversial elements from the script; Wong's death and the reveal of Nightmare being a corrupted variant of Stephen.

Honestly? I'm mixed. I've really grown to love Nightmare's character over the past year or so, so I'd prefer him being a separate entity from Stephen. And, like most MCU fans, I like Wong. But, and this is where I'm gonna probably get some flack...I think I could honestly learn to be okay with these decisions.

They're a hard pill to swallow, yes. Though honestly, I can sort see where Derrickson is coming from; is there's one thing I know about Nightmare, it's that he's a manipulative narcissist. And while Stephen isn't an outright sociopath, he is kind of a narcissist at the beginning of the first film. It wouldn't be that big of a stretch to see that he could easily become this corrupted if he wasn't careful. So yeah, I could learn to be okay with this idea. Especially where Wong is concerned. From what I can gather, it sounds like the film's main theme of "be your best self" was there but tied more into the original film's themes of humility and self-acceptance. Here Stephen gives into despair and, maybe even learns to accept Donna's death...only to now watch his best friend and mentor get killed right in front of him. Thus, leaving him with that pit of self-loathing, and the wound it left on his heart re-opening at the sight of someone else he loved getting killed.

Also, I just love the irony of Wanda accidentally re-traumatizing Stephen. There's just something that's kind of poetically dark about that.

But yeah, those are my thoughts on what the original script for DS2 would've entailed. Needless to say, it would've been controversial, but I think it wouldn't have been as controversial than the movie we ended up with.

And frankly? If Marvel is gonna take chances with their properties, these are the kinds of risks they should take. At least these come from a place of passion, instead of outright cynicism.

P.S. I'm kinda hoping DeMayo drops some more tea in the future, like some tea about Waldron. That'd be great!!!

[stewardofningishzida]

Dr. Strange Meta-Fic Sequel!

PEOPLE! The Meta-Fic is back and strong as ever. So, here’s Chapter 1 of the sequel. Thanks to Trix, Tear, and PrettyWitch for sticking with us! Have fun and enjoy, everyone! TRIGGER WARNING: Cryptids, mention of blood, some horror elements, panic attack mention, language

Chapter 1:  Lingering Fragments

*It’s been 5 months since Stephen left. The world remained unaware of his visit, although strange sightings were constantly reported in the news. A glowing baby, a dodo bird, and HD photos of Bigfoot, to name a few. At first, we dismissed them as AI-generated images or possible side effects coming from the rift that Stephen and Wong had closed, but the latest picture of a chupacabra taken only 4 hours away from our town was too uncanny to ignore. I text the group.*

Me (text):  Hey…There’s been a lot going on and I don’t think we can ignore it anymore.  Should we try to check this chupacabra thing out and make sure nothing majorly wrong is happening?  I know it’s kinda far, but it’s closer than anything else reported.  What do you guys think?

Tear (text): It would be nice to confirm if this is all just more proof that AI is a curse, but I have to point out that there’s also the possibility that it could be real. If we do choose to go, we’ll need a plan for every single eventuality. I really don’t want a repeat of the mines.

Trix (text): No one needs a repeat of the mines.

PrettyWitch (text): I think we should go. I’ve been having weird flashes of some kind of monster lately, so it might not be such a bad idea.

Me (text):  Agreed.  I would like to not be caught off-guard and have one or more of us nearly killed.  Wait…Weird flashes, PrettyWitch?  Like visions or something?  You’re sure it’s not just nightmares from the weird news stories?

PrettyWitch (text): Maybe…I mean, I have been watching a lot of BBC Sci-fi and post-apocalyptic shows recently.

Me (text):  Hm.  Well…How vivid are these flashes and do they all have the same monster in them?  Like, describe these flashes.  At this rate, we should probably figure it out and confirm whether or not these ARE visions.  

PrettyWitch (text): Well, they usually start as an image that I swear I’ve seen before, almost like I’m having deja vu. Problem is, they’ve been coming more often and in weird ways. For example, sometimes I’ll feel off, like my body is reacting to this intense aura or something and then a few days later, something happens. It’s not always bad, but it’s been happening a lot recently. My mom’s even worried that something may be wrong with me. What’s funnier is that I’ve been seeing flashes of this monster whenever it happens, and the real kicker…I feel like I predicted we’d be having this conversation in a dream I don’t remember. In fact, I’m getting a sense of deja vu right now!

Me (text):  Weird…Also, seriously?  Erm…Okay then.  If this is what’s going on, taking into account everything else happening, then I suppose that these really might be visions.  Man…So much for the rifts being closed.  If we find that chupacabra during our search, then that all but confirms that they’re still open and actively spilling magical energy into our universe.  Which monster do you keep seeing, by the way?

Tear (text): Wong personally assured us he had closed them, though. With both him and Stephen gone, there shouldn’t have been any magical signatures luring other beings and monsters into our reality…

Trix (text):  These might not be from their universe but another one and that’s why we haven’t heard from them.

PrettyWitch (text): I keep seeing this dog-like creature. But its body is…longer than a dog’s would be. And it has these long, sharp claws and inhuman eyes.

Me (text):  Hmm…Well, Wong kinda said that the rifts would close on their own over time.  However, according to him, sorcerers traveling through the multiverse don’t usually stay longer than 24 hours.  Stephen was here for 2 weeks.  Even Wong said that it was unprecedented.  So, maybe the rifts are still closing or got torn open more because Stephen was stuck here for way too long?  Not sure.  As for the monster in the visions, that might be our beast.  If we find it.  What do you think, guys?  Recon mission?

PrettyWitch (text): Yeah. I’m all for that. 

Trix (text): I volunteer to be base camp!

Tear (text): …Guess there’s no helping it, then.

Me (text):  Okay.  Meet me in my driveway on Saturday.  If any of you have trail cameras, bring them.  We’ll also need plenty of water, sunscreen, and tough clothing that ventilates well so nobody gets overheated.  We also need a cooler.  I’m making a stop by the specialty butcher shop.  If it really is a chupacabra, we’ll need fresh goat blood.  That’s the only place I can think of to get it.  Maybe a few cups or small bowls to place in front of the cameras too.  That should work.  I’m hoping the thing doesn’t notice us and get aggressive.  If so, then the last things we may need are some baseball bats or any other weapons to get it off of us.  However, seeing as we aren’t Stephen and Wong, let’s try not to get noticed and shredded.  See you guys this weekend, Saturday morning.  I’ll get ready and wait by the car.  

PrettyWitch (text): Okay, but where are we gonna find fresh goat’s blood again?

Me (text):  The halal butcher shop downtown.  They sell goat meat there.  The local Indian restaurant nearby makes an amazing goat curry.  Anyway…Since the butchers process the meat, they should also have the blood.  

PrettyWitch (text): Oh okay.

Tear (text): Saturday it is, then. Be sure to bring as much protection as you can think of. Chupacabras have never attacked human beings, they usually prefer to creep and stalk only, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Trix (text): At least it isn’t vampires.

*After a few days of work and gathering materials, I grab the cooler from my garage, some bottles of water, a bottle of sunscreen, and various other supplies.  After putting them in the trunk, I wait for the group.  Tear is the first one to arrive.*

Me:  Hey, Tear.  Got as many supplies as I could.  Also found some of my old spare fencing armor.  It has a protective layer of kevlar sewn onto it.  So, it might come in handy.  It’s hot, though.  So, better to only put it on if things get really hairy.  

Tear: That sounds like a great idea. I asked my dad to lend me some of his tools and made these. *I pull from my trunk two baseball bats with long, thick nails hammered on their top end* I’ve watched enough zombie and horror shows to know they come in handy. Let’s just keep them hidden in case there are any road patrols… Oh! I also brought a few dog bite sleeves my uncle still kept after his stint as a trainer.

Me:  Good stuff.  Yeah…That stays in the trunk under the spare tire so it doesn’t look sketchy.  Okay.  Let’s think…Anything else?  Still have to wait for the others to arrive.  

*PrettyWitch is the next to arrive.*

Prettywitch: I’ve brought a couple of sleeping bags and a tent in case we need to camp out for the night. Oooh!!! I also brought some Hershey’s s'more packs if we want something sweet for later. And I think  I’ve got an Aero brand in here, too. And…a few books to read and some pen and paper for jotting notes on.

Me:  Awesome!  

*Trix arrives last.*

Trix: Sorry I’m late! Let’s get this started.

*Once we’ve packed everything into the car, we’re off.  It’s going to be a long drive into the desert.*

Me:  Everyone feeling okay still?  How are the nerves?  Oh!  Butcher.  Just a sec.

*I make the side stop to the butcher shop for the goat blood.  Trix and the others follow me in out of curiosity.  There are some tasty imported treats that we can buy there anyway.  The shopkeeper’s husband, Mr. Singh, is a recent immigrant.  So, his English is spotty at best.  He hangs back most of the time and talks to his wife in Punjabi.*

Mr. Singh (in Punjabi to his wife as he goes to get my order):  Goat’s blood?  What kind of request is that?  At least we recently processed some of the livestock…

*Trix frowns as she hears Mr Singh loud and clear compared to when he just recently talked to a customer hesitantly. She assumes he’s just shy and prefers to stay in the back but doesn’t note it as particularly odd.*

Me (noticing her expression):  Something up, Trix?

Trix: I don’t think so. But it looks like they have the goat blood for us. *Nods her head at Mr Singh discreetly.*

Me (oblivious):  All right.  I suppose I’ll go pay.

*Things go without any additional hitches.  Though I do notice that Trix looks a bit confused.  I didn’t notice anything different.  Mr. Singh always chats with his wife while working.  Though I have no clue what he’s saying.*

*Trix just frowns at a sudden headache and decides to just follow the others.*

*After a few hours, we arrive at the suspected site, a spot with limited pasture that is a few minutes away from the nearest farm.*

Me:  Okay.  So, first thing’s first.  Let’s lay low, keep quiet, and stay together.  Our first objective is to scope out some potentially good areas to place trail cams.  Here.  We can use my binoculars.  *I offer them.*

Tear: I think we should hone our cover story in case we run into anyone else. The press might be concentrating on stalking the farmers and locals, but the cryptid hunters might also be trying to make their way out here for their own investigations.

Me:  If anyone asks, then we’re wildlife biologists looking to see any potential predators causing problems.  That includes diseased coyotes and such.

Tear: *I hum in agreement* Mange is a rather nasty disease.

Me:  Yep.  The really bad cases often end up in wildlife rehab centers for a while.  Also, in case anyone gets suspicious, I can just blab some ecological jargon.  I still remember quite a bit from back when I was an environmental science major.  Just smile and nod.  Maybe point at a plant or animal and ask what it is and I’ll start talking about it.  That way, it makes us look like just a group of grad students.

Trix:  Just smile and wave friends, smile and wave. *She can’t help but meme at a time like this*

*I smirk at the joke.*

PrettyWitch: Sweet! I can pretend I didn’t graduate with a useless degree!

Tear: Alright, should be easy enough to fake. Let’s get this done quickly then before the heat gets to us. If we hurry, we can then nap until sundown so that we can spend the night surveilling our footage.

Me:  Onward, then.  *I put some sunscreen on and sling my backpack onto my back while also picking up the cooler full of blood.*

*We start looking around for any viable camera placement areas.  Any place we think might work gets a camera either strapped to a shrub or tied to a stake hammered into the ground.  I place a small cup of goat blood in front of each camera.*

Me:  That way, the sun’s heat warms it up and the smell can start to waft around.  Should tempt the thing more.  Whatever it may be.  Anyone see any potential issues with anything set up here?

Trix: Besides being outside? *Makes a face but is clearly joking at least a little bit.*

Tear: Other than attracting every animal that scavenges for carrion? We’re gonna have a long night ahead of us…

PrettyWitch: Oh yeah…Not to mention all the bugs and stuff that’s gonna try and eat us alive.

Me:  Will help to rule anything else out, I guess?  Most stuff doesn’t usually go for blood only.  So, since there’s no meat, maybe they’ll just cruise by or sniff.  If this IS a chupacabra, then they’ll really want that blood.  Ergh, yeah…I’m kinda glad I picked up some canned coffee.  Triple shot espresso.  That should do the trick.  Heh…I don’t have a problem at all!  *I half-joke.  Admittedly, I’m quite dependent on caffeine.  More than once, I’ve been caught bouncing off the walls after several cups of tea or coffee.*  We should take turns watching the cameras and surroundings.  That way, nothing can catch us by surprise.  Who wants to do the first shift camera and who wants to be the first sentry watching our surroundings?  That way, 2 of us rest and 2 of us are active at any given time.  *I think for a moment.*  Ehh…I can do sentry duty for the first shift since I was the one who had us all come out here.  Just need one other person to cover the camera footage.  Sound fair?

Prettywitch: Sure. I’ll be the first camera watcher, then. I wanna see if I was right or not.

Me:  All right.  Tear, Trix, you guys can rest for now.  We’ll wake you up either if something happens or our shifts end.  Deal?

Tear: Deal. Just remember not to charge in and go investigate on your own if anything does happen. Wake us all first.

Trix: I absolutely will not be running towards any monsters.

Me:  I’ll be careful.  Not liking the idea of getting jumped by anything in the dark.  If any of us sees anything, we’ll holler to wake the others.  I’ll patrol our campsite with my machete.  I carry it in my hiking bag anyway to help cut small branches for kindling.  Can wear my fencing jacket to protect my torso.  In the dark, it looks enough like a normal coat for people not to notice.  The kevlar in it should make sure nothing can get to me too easily.  Let’s set up camp and then Tear and Trix can get some sleep.

*We set up the tent out of sight of the road and farm so we’re harder to spot.  I put a few of my old field guides, a calculator, and a notebook in the tent just in case someone comes around and starts asking questions.*

Me:  Again, if anyone asks, we’re wildlife biologists.  Good?

Tear: *I nod.*  Don’t wander off too far.

Me:  I’ll be sticking to the perimeter of camp.  If I get too close to any of the bait or cameras, it might not show up.  So, I’m not going to disturb them.  *I open the canned coffee and drink it.*  There’s more if you guys want it.  I bought 4 cans.

*When night falls, I hand PrettyWitch the phone with the camera feed, put on my gear, grab the machete, and head out while Tear and Trix settle down to sleep.  I’m very quiet with only the soft padding of my footsteps to be faintly heard.*

Prettywitch: *Is currently walking around with a camera in one hand, and a bottle of pepper spray in the other. The whole time she’s thinking she’s glad she never saw “Blair Witch” or she’d be even more freaked out than she is now. Pulls out her phone to text Steward.*  Hey; I just remembered I didn’t have time to research Chupacabras before we got here. What am I supposed to be looking for, exactly? Not appearance wise, just more like signs to look out for.

*I text PrettyWitch back*

Me (text):  Chupacabras go for blood as a main food source.  So, if the thing starts eating or licking up the blood from the cups, that might be a sign.  Also, if you hear animals screaming from the farm, it might be an ongoing attack.  They mutilate livestock.  I put the cups of blood right in front of the cameras as bait.  So, hopefully the cameras will show it coming over to feed.  I can hear your footsteps, by the way.  You don’t have to patrol.  It’s just a wireless camera feed on the phone.  That way, it’s easier on you and you can concentrate on the screen.  

PrettyWitch (text): Alright. But I’m keeping the pepper spray with me!

*The first shift passes fairly uneventfully.  So far, only a curious opossum has come by to sniff at the bait.  I head back towards the tent to wake up Trix and Tear so we can switch shifts.  However, I hear PrettyWitch call us.*

Prettywitch: Uh…Guys! You might wanna come see this.

Me:  Huh?  *I hurry up and get over there.*

Tear: *I wake up and blearily look at the time in my phone’s screen before shoving at Trix next to me* I think that’s our cue to change shifts… *I yawn and clamber out of my sleeping bag, instantly missing its warmth*

Trix: “Please tell me that nothing has happened.”

PrettyWitch: Well, that’s what I’d love to tell but, um…Yeah… *She holds the camera to Steward so she can see the footage.*

*I look at the camera feed and my expression gets more and more shocked as I watch.*

Me (quietly):  Oh shit…That’s not good.  That is REALLY not good…

*I try to text Stephen again.  Though I know that it most likely won’t work.  It certainly hasn’t worked the other times I’ve tried.*

Me (text, to Stephen’s phone):  We have a problem.  If you ever get this message, please help.

*The same red exclamation point shows up as usual.  I curse under my breath.  Then, I look back at the camera.  There’s…something…staring right back at us.  It isn’t just looking at the bait or the camera.  It seems like the thing is looking directly at US.  The creature has a dog-like face with eerie, blank eyes.  Its frame appears to be a hunched-over humanoid with spines along its back.  Not to mention the long claws at the ends of thin, skeletal fingers.  There is an uncanny sort of intelligence in its gaze.  I can feel a chill running down my spine.*

Tear: *Peeking through the flap of our tent, I see you huddled over the phone and look back at Trix.* Looks like we did get something… *We move over closer so that we can look at the footage over PrettyWitch’s shoulders and my blood instantly chills* That, my loves, is no mangy dog…

Trix: Welp. That’s a big fat nope from me.

PrettyWitch: Yeah. Same.

Me (mouthing this silently at the group):  What the hell are we supposed to do now?  

*I take several screenshots to save as more evidence.  In the time that I do that and the files save, the creature has disappeared.  We hear a faint rustling near the camp.  It’s dead silent.  Now, not even the crickets are chirping.  I give the group a look.  I know EXACTLY what’s going on.  This is the very same silence that I encountered that day I was stalked by a mountain lion while hiking a few years back.  I know precisely what it’s doing.*

Trix (Absolutely about to have a panic attack): We let it have the goat blood and call park rangers to helicopter us the fuck out of here. That or we pull off a miracle and do Stephen things out of nowhere. 

*Since this isn’t any state or national parkland, we don’t have that option.  So, I quietly gather my friends close to me and clutch my machete tightly, ready to defend us if needed.  When I hear more rustling close by, I turn on a flashlight and aim it at the nearby scraggly shrubs in an effort to deter it.*

Me (growling):  Fuck.  Off.  *I’m in defensive mode right now.*

Tear: Nope, staring it down is not gonna work. *I grab at Steward’s shoulder and pull the entire group back into the tent before zipping the flap back closed.* We need lights and tons of music. Loud music. Make it believe there’s more of us here than there is and it won’t dare to approach.

Trix (actively sobbing): We better not be the next Blair Witch project or I am gonna haunt the shit out of all of you.

Tear: *I give Trix a small smile, as shaky as it is, trying to comfort her.* It might stalk around a bit, but Chupacabras have never attacked people before. Damn, it is ugly though.

PrettyWitch: Tell me about it!

Me (quickly to resolve the situation):  Okay.  Radios and phones on, people.  *I turn on the portable radio to blast some rock music.  “Helter Skelter” by The Beatles blares from the speakers.*

*Trix is still sobbing but follows the instructions.*

Tear: *I open Spotify and set up a podcast before moving our belongings into vaguely shaped lumps to cast shadows over the tent walls* Different voices means more people, right? If any humans come to ask, we just thought it was a good idea to bring booze to our research trip.

Me (pretend whining, though just to add to the noise and make it sound like we’re a group of research students):  Guys…Our PI is gonna kill us!  We gotta keep it down!  *I’m playing along while also watching for any signs of more trouble.  Meanwhile, I help Tear move a few more items to make more convincing silhouettes.*

Tear: Has it looped back to any of the cameras yet?

*PrettyWitch checks the cameras, the tension still high.*

PrettyWitch: *Shakes her head*  Doesn’t look like it.

Tear: Shoot, it must still be over on this side then… *I take in the inside of our tent* Trix, the flap on the window next to you keeps coming off the velcro. Can you keep it fixed somehow?

*Trix tries to help but is shaking a bit too much to keep a hold of things. As she digs through our supplies for some tape, she drops her flashlight and it startles her for a moment before she picks it up. She looks up to find the Chupacabra staring at her through the uncovered slit of the mesh window. It is sitting less than a foot away, close enough that our light reflects off its white eyes. Its sharp teeth are on full display due to what we can now see is a terrifying lack of lips. Trix screams.*

***To be continued***

[prettywitchiusaka]

Not gonna lie, but these are the two things that’ve been on my mind since reading the finale to Strange Volume 3 the other day.

One:

Holy shit!!! They did the fusion dance! They did the fusion dance!

Oh and yes, this little dittie popped into my head while reading that moment:

Two:

So...I was right in thinking that Clea would save Stephen with the power of love. Sort of.

Still, I do love that I can sum up Director None’s defeat with a single, dumb yet relevant phrase;

“Drat! I’ve been FOILED by the power of LOOOOOOVE!!!!

[stewardofningishzida]

Stephen Strange Meta-Fic Sequel Chapter 3: Chaos

Here we are! Sorry it took so long! TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of blood, near car accident, scary scenes, fire, language, vomit mention ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*I snap a picture of the cryptid as Trix screams and send one last desperate text to Stephen.*

Me (text):  HELP

*My heart is racing and thumping badly in my chest to the point it’s faintly audible in the tent.  I’m trying to stay calm with slow, deep breaths.  It’s no longer working.  If anything, it’s painful because I’m also fighting the urge to scream.  Instead, I just make a strangled, gurgling noise.  I watch the creature intensely through the tent’s window flap, my eyes never leaving it.*

Tear: *I’ve gone sheet white at the sight of the Chupacabra and I’m trembling all over, but I manage to keep my voice quiet* No one make any sudden moves. Remember Jurassic Park? We’re T-Rexing this.

*I nod silently, eyes still locked onto the cryptid.  My body remains frozen in place.*

Tear: Trix, one of my bats is directly behind your left hand. Don’t move. Don’t grab it. But it’s the closest weapon you have. Just hum if you understand.

Trix: *attempts to hum but actually just whines in terror as she is staring down the Chupacabra*

Tear: Steward, PrettyWitch, spot a weapon as well. Once you do, we’ll all slowly try to sit down. If the old reports are true, we’re in for a long staring contest. If the movement triggers it, you lunge for the weapons, but not before. 

*I hum quietly and keep watching the Chupacabra, staying still.  My machete is next to me, strapped to my backpack.* 

Prettywitch: *Nods*  Okay. *I look around but can only find a big branch. I shrug and think it’ll have to do.*

*We all fold into sitting positions at a snail’s pace, but thankfully the Chupacabra doesn’t react. The night is long and passes slowly.  Nobody got any sleep and the tension was palpable.  The Chupacabra senses dawn approaching and leaves before the sun fully rises, having done nothing but stare into the tent the entire night.  As soon as the coast is clear, we pack up and flee like the devil himself was after us.  I chug some more canned coffee to be awake enough for us to drive back.  However, while on the road, there is an isolated patch.  It’s tedious and long with little to no traffic on it.  We’re all starting to nod off, but I sip more from the can as the highway stretches before us.*

*Suddenly, there is a person in the middle of the road, holding out his thumb.  It seems like he appeared out of nowhere.  I slam on the brakes, letting out a bloodcurdling scream, knowing that the SUV won’t be able to stop or swerve quickly enough to avoid him.  Yet, there is no sickening thump.  The vehicle goes right through the hitchhiker and the road continues onward.  We’re stopped on the side of the road now and I take a look behind us, shaking and sweating, about ready to vomit from sheer stress.  There’s nothing there.  No hitchhiker, no blood.  Nothing.  I’m deathly pale and take a moment to compose myself, checking on our group.  We’re all in terrible shape and rather shell-shocked from everything.  I shake my head to clear it.*

Me (trembling):  Tear…You should probably drive…*I swallow the vomit back down, my stomach wanting to turn itself inside-out at this point.*

Tear: Yeah. I probably should. *I’m holding on to my seat with widened eyes, still reeling from Steward’s sudden braking. I get out of the car and we quickly change seats at the side of the road* Maybe you should try to get some sleep. I’ll just follow the GPS back to your place.

Me (faint and questioning myself as much as I am the group):  …So, nobody else saw anything? 

Tear: *I take time to fix the seat and mirrors to my height* We’ve been alone in this road for a while. I didn’t even see any wild animal attempting to cross. You just…screamed and slammed on the brakes out of nowhere. What did you think you saw? You didn’t sleep the entire night, so it’s not unusual for our brains to come up with blurs or shadows. You could have been falling asleep at the wheel.

Me (looking both exhausted, confused, and still a bit horrified):  …I could have sworn I saw a guy hitchhiking in the middle of the road.  Kinda scraggly-looking with a backpack.  Thumb out.  Everything.  Holy crap.  I don’t have anything more to say.  He looked so real…Ergh, I feel sick.

PrettyWitch: Yeah, I feel sick too. I stayed up as long as you did, so maybe Tear's right. I want to sleep but the whole thing was just so...creepy!  *Though she’s looking at me funny, as though she suspects something more to it.*

Trix: *exhausted* I didn’t see anything but with all the nonsense going on I wouldn’t be surprised if something was there at this point.

Me (exasperated):  Good point.  Though if there are ghosts now or something, I swear to Vishanti…*I look at the stretch of road where I saw him.*  Leave us alone.  None of us want any trouble, nor are we in the mood to deal with this right now.  *I sigh and look back at the group.*  Might as well, just in case…

Tear: *I chuckle half-heartedly* Chupacabras and hitchhiking ghosts. I’m not sure it beats strange demonic entities deep within old mines but…maybe we should stop going on roadtrips from now on.

Me (quietly):  Damnit…*I really enjoy roadtrips, but obviously not if there are horrific nightmare creatures involved.*

*We eventually make it back to our neighborhood in one piece and head to my house to get some rest.  The next day, we wake up to people wandering around outside, complaining to each other.  Apparently, the internet has gone down.  Worldwide.  It’s also affecting cell service.  So, I emerge from my room, still in poor shape, but wanting to check on my friends.*

Me:  So…Does anyone actually know what happened?

Tear: *I’m still idling in the nest of blankets I usually build on the sofa I claimed as mine whenever we have a sleepover at Steward’s* Don’t look at me. I was only reading on AO3 until the internet died on us. Always better than reading the news first thing in the morning.

PrettyWitch: Same. 

Trix: Welp, I’m gonna go with our universe might have been more fucked from Stephen visiting than we expected. We’re in post blip levels of nonsense.

*A small part of me wishes that I could just crawl back to bed and stay there until things got better, but I know that this isn’t the case.  So, I steel myself and get ready to assess the situation and figure out another course of action.  I stand there, thinking for a while.  At this point, we all know that we’re out of our depth here.*

Me (resolute):  …We need to organize our emergency supplies.  Now.  If it’s this bad already, who knows how much worse it’s gonna get?  We’ve confirmed that cryptids are real now and we know the rifts can get larger, judging by said cryptids.  So, I guess it’s a good idea to gather my dad’s surplus MREs and other stuff.  He kept a bunch of stuff from his time in the US Marine Corps.  Even a couple of things from back in the Gulf War.  Also, since I grew up on-base, I learned a few things for emergencies and such.  Anyway, if you guys have supplies to add, please do it.  I’m putting it all in the trunk of the SUV since it’s the biggest vehicle we have.  That way, we all fit in there with it in case we need to evacuate.  I figure keeping it in the vehicle is the best course of action so we can get out quickly.  

Tear: *I look up from the game I was playing on my phone, taking advantage of the downed wifi to enjoy the lack of annoying ads* Umm…you mean like now or…? *I motion down at my pajamas* We still don’t know what caused the blackout.

Me (straight to the point):  As soon as possible.  With everything going on, and if the rifts really get worse, people will eventually start raiding the stores for supplies.  

Trix: We should really get some go-bags ready as well just of stuff we don’t want to leave behind.

PrettyWitch: We should probably stock up on sanitary items, too, just in case.

*I nod and then get straight to work, packing the military surplus equipment my dad left me.  There are MREs, another tent, a couple of folding cots, a few first aid kits with medicine in them, water filters, purification tablets, a folding shovel, an axe, maps, folding cooking pots, etc.  I had left our camping gear in the SUV because we were too tired to remove it yesterday.  So, I’m playing a bit of a Tetris game fitting stuff in.  It IS useful, though.  There are also some solar batteries, a panel to charge them, a couple of lanterns, knives, my bow and arrows, my crossbow, my swords, a sledgehammer, Tear’s bats, and any other supplies for food, water, shelter, and defense.  Meanwhile, I tune into the radio to see if we can get any news that way.  It seems that the underwater internet cables have been destroyed somehow.  That and the extra strain on the cell towers from no internet ended up overloading them.  Not to mention Mothman apparently decided to also start messing with those too.  He made a nest on the antennas with parts of that car he stole.  I let out a frustrated groan before refocusing on the problem at hand.*

Me:  So…apparently, that’s what’s going on now.  We should check around town to assess the damage.  A lot of stuff depends on the internet and cell service.  So, things are gonna go south quickly.  We should also grab what we can in terms of leftover supplies in case we need it.  Not a road trip.  Just a supply run and damage report.  Sound reasonable, everyone?

Trix: As long as there are no more Chupacabras.

Tear: *I smile at Trix* There shouldn’t be. At least, not this close to the city. People are probably going to go crazy over supplies if the blackout is not fixed by tomorrow. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m actually thankful that most people are discarding the cryptid videos and photos as AI creations now. Not sure how long that lie is going to hold though… Anyway, I’ll come get supplies with you guys, but I’ll have to go to the bakery soon. We have solar panels installed, but I still have to make sure we begin to do some preparations there too.

PrettyWitch: I’ll come with you guys in case I have any more visions.

Me (taking on a bit more of my dad’s mannerisms now, remembering the stuff I learned while growing up on military bases):  We’ll do our best and get what we can.  We’ll also swing by and check on Tear’s bakery so she can prep things with her sisters.  All right.  Let’s move out.  *I’m polite, but businesslike, trying to be strong given the situation.*

*As we drive through town, there are droves of people scrambling for supplies at the various stores, including electronics stores for batteries and various battery-operated devices.  Many people are just staring around because they don’t know what to do without their phones or the internet, and a few of them have their radios on to get news.  Gas stations are completely full with long lines coming out of them.  It has similar vibes to the early days of the Pandemic.  Though I do notice a few…funny-looking people dispersed throughout the many crowds.  Some of them look a bit faded in a weird way or their clothes are outdated.  A couple of them look like they should seriously be in a hospital or have no business being alive at all.  I can’t help but stare.*

Me (silently mouthing):  What?!

Tear: *I’m leaning an elbow against the car’s window, looking out at the long lines of customers a few establishments are already suffering through* I know right? Surprising how now almost no one carries cash anymore…

Trix: Honestly with how everything was going before all of this, I’m not really surprised by much anymore.

PrettyWitch: I know…I only ever use cash for conventions or holidays.

Me:  Cash is king still, it seems.  *I give a dry smirk before my eyes widen in confusion when we pass another group of people on the sidewalk to the left.*  You guys HAD to have seen that, right?  That man was in a freaking zoot suit!  Like, full-on 1940’s zoot suit and smoking a cigarette.  *I gesture in the direction of the man.*

Tear: *I straighten up and look back at the general direction Steward is pointing at* Hmm, no, I didn’t catch him. That sounds rad though. Perfect sense of style. I just love it when people tailor their own historical outfits.

Trix: Honestly, props to him. I didn’t spot him but now I’m jealous.

PrettyWitch: Yeah… *I stare at Steward, curiously. I’m beginning to wonder if I’m not the only one who’s developing new powers.*

*I look mildly distressed, but shake my head and keep driving.  We buy some supplies and then pull up next to the bakery.*

Me:  Okay.  There we are!  *Trying to stay perky.*

*I let Tear out to check on everything.*

Tear: Thank you guys! Do you want to come in for drinks or are you going to get more chores done? I have no idea how long this might take…

Me:  No problem!  Nah, it’s okay.  I’m just gonna sit here a bit in the car.  Need some time to think about what’s next.  It’s okay if any of you wanna go in with her.

Trix: Honestly, I might doze a bit. With- *gestures around* going on I haven’t really been able to sleep much. *closes eyes and leans back in her seat*

PrettyWitch: I…think I’ll stay in the car with you guys.

*I nod quietly and watch out the car window, getting lost in my thoughts for a while.  In the meantime, as people pass by, there are folks from all walks of life.  Occasionally, some people speaking other languages go by, talking to their families and friends while going about their own business.  There’s Spanish, Chinese, and occasionally Punjabi or even Korean.  It helps being located in such a cosmopolitan area.  I’m in my own inner world at the moment and pay them no mind.*

Trix: *slowly opens up eyes* What’s up with all the people? They just keep repeating themselves about everything.

*I grunt and snap out of it for a second.*

Me:  Eh?

Trix: Seriously, it might not be the exact same thing but the topics aren’t even ranging that much. Wouldn’t they hear what the other groups are talking about? It’s like they’re ignoring each other.

Me:  You talking about the random people speaking their native languages?  Do you actually understand them?  *I give Trix a look.  With the way she keeps responding around people speaking other languages nearby, I’m beginning to suspect something.*

Trix: *blinks* You mean they’re not all speaking English?

*I shake my head.*

Me (turning to her):  Okay…Redd mit m'r Elsässisch.  (Translation:  “Speak to me in Alsatian.”)  *I speak in my grandma’s native language.  Since I grew up with her, I learned some of it.*

Trix: *responds back in Alsatian* I don’t know what that is…

*I tilt my head curiously.*

Me:  Interesting…

Trix: Is that why I keep getting so many migraines around people recently? My brain suddenly knows how to use google translate?!

Me:  *Inquisitive grunt as I ponder this new information*  It appears so.  Let’s do one more just to see…Eini Sproch esch nie genöh.  (Translation:  “One language is never enough.”)  What did I just say?

Trix: You said ‘one language is never enough’ *she’s fascinated but winces as the migraine gets worse*

*I notice the flinch.*

Me:  *Nods*  Okay…I think that’s sufficient evidence, Ms. Omniglot.  *I smirk gently.*  Guess I’ll let you rest for a while.  If you need headache meds, just ask.

Trix: What I think might help is my AirPods to block out whatever my brain is doing with some noise cancellation but if it doesn’t get better soon I’ll take you up on the meds, thanks. *takes out AirPods and turns on some classical music and then dozes off again*

PrettyWitch: Well, that was weird.

Me:  Mm’kay.  *I go back to staring out the window, seemingly scanning for something more while thinking deeply.*

*Our phones go off when Tear sends us a message.*

Tear (text): I’m really sorry, guys. My older sister is being a bit stubborn, so I’m going to take longer than I originally thought. Feel free to go do something else while we still have sunlight! Can I just request a ride back to get my car in a couple of hours or so?

Me (text):  Can do.  Trix is taking a nap anyway.  I might take a walk…Restless…

Me:  PrettyWitch, mind watching Trix and the car?  I need to clear my head.  

PrettyWitch: Yeah, sure.

Me:  Thanks.  I’ll be back.

*I get out of the car, passing PrettyWitch the keys.  At the moment, I just need to move around and piece together everything that’s going on.  So, I wander aimlessly through town, casually scanning the various crowds for trouble to make sure I don’t walk into anything dangerous.  Meanwhile, my mind churns constantly as I ruminate on what may come next and how to prepare for it.  After around 20-30 minutes, I notice someone following me.  I begin to get nervous and start doubling back, going through stores, etc.  Anything to misdirect them or go to crowded areas so they lose interest.  Yet, no matter what I do, they’re still there.  Eventually, I shut myself in an empty bathroom and prop myself up on a toilet to hide, listening intently.  There is no sound of a door opening.  No footsteps.  Yet, I see someone familiar in the bathroom with me within a couple of minutes.  They peer curiously through the gap in the stall.  By now, I’ve had enough and roughly open the stall door to take a defensive swing at them.  My hand passes harmlessly through them, though now said hand is significantly chilled and has the sensation of pins and needles running through it.  I shudder and look properly at the unwelcome stalker.  It’s a young man probably in his 20’s, dressed in 1990’s grunge clothing.*

Me (unnerved and finally having enough of this):  Okay, I’ll bite.  Why are you following me?

*He shrugs*

Ghost:  You can see and hear me.  I noticed.  Nobody else seems able to.

Me:  Yes, but why does it matter?  I don’t know what’s going on either.

*I’m hoping that this is enough and exit the bathroom.  Instead, he phases through the door and keeps following me.  I notice, but can’t exactly do or say anything now.  There are people here in the store and I don’t want to look insane.  So, I frustratedly rush back outside with the ghost in tow.*

Me (pretending to talk on my phone to save face):  Look, I don’t know any major spells or anything.  I don’t know if there’s a ritual or something to put you to rest.  That’s what you want, right?

Ghost:  Dunno.  I’m kinda used to being here now.  

*I’m frustrated and still flustered by all of this.*

Me:  So, then what?

*He shrugs and keeps following me, keeping a slight distance.  I resignedly head back to the car and rejoin my friends.  Eventually, Tear comes back to the car and we head back to my place so we can head to our various houses.  Even with this going on, the ghost is still there, drifting behind me and then hitchhiking in the middle seat between Trix and PrettyWitch.  I keep my mouth shut the entire time, clearly upset about something, but unwilling to discuss it at the moment even after Tear asks about it.  Due to the internet being down and the university lab being run on backup generators, I can’t do much there aside from maintenance.*

*So, we all do what we can in our jobs as things progress.  The news stories continue.  It’s still not cataclysmic in nature, but it IS slowly getting worse over the weeks.  Scores of hikers and campers are being reported missing all over the world.  More of them than usual.  Meanwhile, I have still yet to figure out what to do about the clingy ghost.  Sleep is becoming more difficult for many reasons.  So, the group is starting to be run ragged by balancing our jobs, figuring out what else is going on in the world, and discovering our abilities.*

*Eventually, we decide to meet up again one weekend and discuss some updates, including a new vision that PrettyWitch had. She describes it as a forest fire that soon bursts out of control; sparks flying, smoke spreading into the suburbs, people fleeing with their pets and families, people locked inside their homes, it’s utter chaos. She admits to having dismissed it at first, believing it was just her brain feeding her a potential story idea with Evangelion-inspired imagery. But now?...Well, now she’s not so sure. While we chat in the living room, I notice Trix making a face.*

Trix: Did someone burn something? Because it really smells like smoke right now.

Tear: I’d say that you just fell under suggestion after discussing what fire can mean in our subconscious, but I can actually smell it too. We didn’t leave anything on the stovetop, did we?

Me:  Huh?  *I look confused and glance out to the street through the windows.  Then, my eyes grow large as I notice some billowing plumes of smoke, and I storm out to the front yard.*  OH, COME ON!  *The group hears and follows me out to where we see the sky is an unnatural shade of orangish-red.*

Tear: A forest fire? That makes no sense…

*I’m a mixture of angry, scared, and exasperated.  Smoke rises from the nearby woods with sparks flying off in an unnatural arch. I squint and finally realize I’m looking at the tail of a newly-emerged phoenix, which is feeding new and rapidly-spreading flames to the surrounding trees.*

PrettyWitch: *Looks at the phoenix, wide-eyed.* Wha…WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!????

*At this rate, the entire neighborhood is going to burn down.  I look in horror for a second before taking a huge breath and calling to everyone.*

Me (using the military voice my dad taught me so I can project better and sound authoritative):  OKAY, PEOPLE!  WE’VE GOTTA MOVE!  GRAB YOUR STUFF, GET IN YOUR VEHICLES, AND GO!  

*I’m shouting at the top of my lungs to make sure not only my friends, but our other neighbors hear so everyone can evacuate.  Anything to try and help those caught unaware.  At the end of the message, I run back into the house at full speed to grab my family’s photo albums and important documents centralized in the rolling luggage case they’re all stored in just so I can save at least some remnants from our old life.  The others follow suit to ensure nothing valuable is left behind.  Once I’ve grabbed what I needed, I exit, making sure everyone is in tow.*

Me (shouting as I run to make sure everyone in our group, plus the neighbors, get the message):  GO!  GO!  GO!  CAR NOW!

Trix (yelling while carrying her luggage): I FEEL LIKE THE UNIVERSE HATES US IN PARTICULAR AT THIS POINT!

*I help us get the last stuff into the car, staying focused on getting us out alive.  So, I’m not replying too much.  That and I’m also watching for our elderly neighbors to see if they get out okay.  The smoke is already drifting over the suburb, the sky turning a hellish red from the obscured sunlight.  It’s getting closer and we can hear the crackling roar of the flames.  Even though I’m currently in duty mode, I can’t help but have fleeting thoughts of my family.  Ever since things started going screwy, I’ve been worried sick and we were calling regularly, but now that we’ve lost contact, I have no idea what’s happening with them.  I’m terrified to think about what they could be going through, but forcibly snap myself out of it because I know that right now, I can affect what happens here.  People need me here.  So, this is where I make my stand.  This is where I will get us out of this mess.  I grit my teeth as I get ready to evacuate us all.*

*I jump into the driver’s seat, and start the engine to facilitate a speedy getaway once everyone gets in safely. However, as the others are finally about to climb on, a large and familiar-looking portal opens up right in front of the driveway with a shower of sparks.*

*Doctor Strange steps out with the Cloak of Levitation billowing majestically behind him. His attention is immediately caught by the chaos, and he squints up at the thick smoke threatening to overcome the peaceful neighborhood. Behind him, a uniform-clad man wielding an unmistakable shield steps through the portal. He is followed by a sleek Iron Man armor, and the two of them naturally fall into place at Stephen’s sides. The last to come through the portal are Spider-Man and Ant-Man, although their suits look different and improved even from a distance.*

*The portal fizzles closed behind them, and we can’t help but gawk at the impressive sight they make in mute awe. All our thoughts of running away from imminent danger are completely forgotten.*

[prettywitchiusaka]

That moment you realize the scene between Wanda and Vision in her room at the compound re-contexualizes everything that happens between them in Infinity War.

[prettywitchiusaka]

Reactions to WandaVision not being released until January 15th, 2021;

Me: Oh...

Also Me:

Well on the plus side, at least it gives me an excuse to buy The VisionQuest trade for Christmas. That way, I still get my Wanda/Vision fix for the holidays.

[prettywitchiusaka]

I think I may need to add Falcon and Winter Soldier to my list. Specifically my list of “Does no one on the internet FUCKING know how PTSD works!?”

Seriously! I know Youtube comments are not the most reliable source to get a gage on how people are feeling, but I’m getting really sick of people calling Bucky “emo”.

Yes, because the man who was brainwashed into being (essentially) a human Terminator for nearly a century, was dead for five years, recently lost his best friend and (initially) refuses to talk to the one person whose trying to connect with him clearly wouldn’t be grumpy!

Or be deflective...

Or project his own feelings onto others...

Or not wanna talk about how he’s feeling with his therapist...

Or be edge and feel disconnected from people-

You know what? I’m gonna stop myself before I go on a long tangent.

The point is the internet is stupid and people on it are assholes most of the time...Screw it, all the time!

Sorry. Maybe I’m being biased, but this is the first time I’ve ever been invested in Bucky’s character and it bothers me that people are reacting to it as if he’s this “brooding bad boy” for fangirls to swoon over...when he has every right to be brooding. At least at this point in his character development.

Or maybe this is just another episode in the saga of “Prettywitch Tries Not to Cave into Peer Pressure from Trolls on the Internet”.