#TF: Twisted Legacy

[yonemurishiroku]

Rick missed a chance when he made Anklys beg when Percy choked her. I mean like. She’s the goddess of misery. She lives off pain. If I was Anklys choked on my own poison, I’d laugh in Percy’s face as I wither away into dust in the most twisted, gut-wrenching, gore-y dance ever. Who tf cares if I live or not. My misery would be my legacy.

[tima7fa]

A Curse's Salvation Is A Human's Nightmare.

TF!Ryomen Sukuna x Sorceress!Reader

《The drawing is mine i forget to put my name on it.》

Contents: some heavy themes, war, Sukuna Ryomen is his own warning, kidnapping, Sukuna is a little shit, Reader should be saved, Reader doesn't deserve this, justice for the characters in the story, Sukuna is a menace to society, Slightly suggestive, mild characters deaths

______________________________________

The notion that only the strong should survive, while the weak must perish, is a harsh and unforgiving principle that has long haunted humanity. This cruel fate, where each day is a struggle for survival, is a reality that no one wishes to face. Yet, humans cling desperately to the fragile thing called life, even when they know its worth is diminished.

The fear of being forgotten after death drives many to seek recognition and legacy, leading them to battle against the forces they call "curses." The desire to leave a lasting impact, to have one's name remembered, becomes a driving force in this relentless struggle.

Exhaustion, pain, and the overwhelming sensations of this battle weigh heavily upon you. The sight of the fireflies dancing against the night sky, the warmth of the flames cutting through the darkness, and the stench of burning flesh – all of these sights and smells have become all too familiar. You have grown accustomed to the widened eyes and open mouths of the victims, the anguished cries as their souls are forcibly taken from them.

Yet, despite your perceived victory, the groans and cries of pain still linger, and you find yourself the sole survivor. As you stand there, you long to close your eyes, hoping that this is all just a twisted, nightmarish dream. But the harsh reality remains, and you know there is no escape from this torment.

Your breathing is ragged, your armor deeply cracked and missing pieces, your body coated in your own blood as well as that of your fallen allies. You had desperately tried to heal your wounds using reverse cursed techniques, but you were well aware of your own weakness in that area. The question of why you continue to fight, for what or for whom, remains unanswered, even as you struggle to find any justification.

Is it merely human instinct, this pitiful clinging to life in the face of such overwhelming adversity?

"That expression of yours is truly amazing, General." a deep, resonant voice rumbles. A tall, monstrous figure stands before you – four arms, four glowing eyes. No matter how many times you witness this sight, you cannot quell the fear that grips you.

Your hands tighten around your spear, unwilling to indulge this creature's ego by standing idly. "Still got the energy to fight?" it asks, tilting its head and regarding you with a disturbing intensity.

Your cursed technique is blood manipulation, and you swiftly charge forward, coating the sharp blade of your spear with your own poisonous blood. The spear pierces the creature, your blood seeping into its body and creating deep, oozing wounds from the inside.

Yet, this is Sukuna, the King of Curses, and he is immune to your poison. Even as the holes open in his flesh, he merely laughs, unperturbed. "You never cease to amaze me, General. Have you been training hard for me, dear?"

Infuriated by his dismissive attitude, you slice the spear downward, cleaving the creature in half. "Not enough. Do better." it taunts, its body already knitting itself back together with its remarkable reverse cursed technique.

You retreat, gritting your teeth in frustration. It is not fear that drives you, but the sting of your own inadequacy in the face of Sukuna's power and regenerative abilities.

"You know, General, you'd do yourself a favor by surrendering," the creature says, the familiar refrain. Normally, you would ignore such suggestions, but in your current dire circumstances, you find yourself compelled to ask, "What do you want from me?"

Sukuna seems to have been captivated by the sound of your voice. Hearing you finally speak, his eyes twitch with what appears to be a sense of wonder. "Have I been blessed?" he murmurs under his breath, watching you intently.

This question alone unsettles you, and your gaze remains locked with his.

He notices you are waiting for him to answer. "Hmm. After our little skirmishes, supposedly I am to kill you," he smirks, amused by your irritated expression. "But now, my mind has changed because I'm feeling generous. How about you come with me? To my shrine. I would take good care of you."

"I would rather die," you scoff, glaring at him with undisguised disdain. "Than be anywhere near you."

Sukuna is unbothered by your response. "Now, that is rather harsh, don't you think? I'm doing you a favor, General. Be a good little girl and just accept it." Your frustration grows, angry veins pulsing at your temple. "Give me a break here. You have no actual reason to keep me," you retort.

He chuckles endearingly. "Perhaps because I want to. You know me, I do whatever the hell I want - there's no need for me to voice a reason for my actions." A cocky bastard, indeed.

"How about you kill me instead? You didn't stop killing those innocent humans, after all. I shouldn't be an exception." you challenge.

Sukuna goes silent, the smirk disappearing from his face. You freeze as you take another step back, unsure of what to make of this shift in his demeanor. But Sukuna is quick to react, closing the distance with long strides until he is right in front of you.

You swiftly try to stab him with your spear, but this time you find yourself on the ground, your weapon far out of reach. Sukuna doesn't seem pleased by your gaze being fixed on the lost spear, so to recapture your attention, he slams his hand onto the ground next to your face. The impact shakes the earth, and you jump at the sudden action.

Your eyes dart back to his face, unsure which set of eyes to focus on - the upper pair or the lower. The creature leans in close, his breath fanning across your skin, and you feel a shiver run down your spine. Trapped between the ground and his imposing form, you find yourself in a deeply uncomfortable position.

"But why on earth would I do that?" he murmurs, his tone almost gentle. "It's much better if I keep you alive, don't you think?"

His right upper hand holds your chin firmly, forcing your eyes to meet his gaze. His other two hands are busily removing your cuirass with disinterest. His lower pair of eyes stare hungrily at your form beneath the armor, his eyes flickering in annoyance at the sight of your hitatare but still savoring your petite frame.

Yet, his upper eyes remain fixated on your face, creating a truly horrifying sight to behold.

"And to me," he breathes, taking in the conflicted expression on your face with amusement. "You caught my interest the first time we fought - not many are able to do that. You should consider yourself honored to have the attention of the one and only Ryomen Sukuna."

Your breath hitches as his hands reach behind your back, untying the haidate and carelessly tossing it away. His hands now grow bolder, moving to begin untucking your hitatare. Your frozen body finally reacts, and you grip his wrists tightly.

"Don't touch me." you speak with venom, disgust etched across your features. But you doubt your words penetrate his thick skull, for he remains enraptured by the sight of you.

Asshole.

With a surge of emotion, you knee him forcefully in the groin, hoping that even a curse would feel pain in such a vital area. However, you are wrong - Sukuna is no ordinary curse. He merely snorts at your attempt. "When you're trying to hit me, use your full power. I want you to waste that energy of yours only on me."

"Although I cannot say I'm not slightly aroused by the feel of your knee on my groin..." he chuckles, leaving you to stare at him in disbelief. "You're disgusting." you spit harshly, your brow furrowed in revulsion.

"Sure am, General. Only for you, though." he replies with a wink.

"Now, where were we?" His eyes roam over your body, and you despise the hungry glint in his gaze. "Ah, why don't you close those pretty eyes of yours for me?" he muses. You want to defiantly talk back, but darkness quickly overtakes your vision, and the last sensation you feel is a slight pain in your nape.

__________________________________________

The water is cold, but you don't mind it as you keep falling deeper and deeper. You shut your eyes, letting your body embrace the water. Small bubbles escape your lips - it's truly frigid. Is this the afterlife? It feels so lonely.

Breath.

You jolt upright, breathing heavily and immediately reaching for your neck. You're still breathing. That dream felt far too realistic. Your heart pounds against your chest at a frantic pace.

Your eyes scan the room, falling upon a figure - a young maiden who is seemingly wiping the tatami floor. "What is this place?" you speak, startling the maid as she looks back at you. "You're already awake? Well, you're currently in our master Sukuna Ryomen's shrine - he was the one who brought you here." she replies with a weak smile, as if taking pity on you.

You'd pity yourself as well.

"This place is that monster's shrine?" you huff, your fingers tightening around the fabric of the blanket. Why didn't he kill you? He had every chance to. You look at your wrist - you don't have much flesh, and you probably wouldn't have tasted good either.

"I'm out of here," you say, standing up. A slight headache comes suddenly, but you ignore it, quickly sliding the shoji open. "My lady, you can't—" the woman starts, but you ignore her, moving through the corridors until you find yourself stepping on grass.

"Already running away?"

You freeze in your tracks, that familiar voice behind you. But you don't look back - you force your legs, which were about to give up on you, to continue running. You don't want to die. Not like this.

You keep running and running, the stones and sticks leaving their marks on your bleeding feet. But you don't mind - if it means you'll get away, then there's no reason to succumb to the pain.

Sukuna is nowhere to be seen or heard - did he let you leave? It doesn't matter. The door is now in front of you, only five more steps and you'll be—

....

You fall to your knees, eyes widened as your feet are cut with a clean, precise strike. There's no doubt that it was him. You stare, horrified, at the sight before you - the blood is spilling down in gallons.

Your breath heaves as your heart thumps faster. Is this how you'll die? You try to manipulate your own blood to close the wounds, using a reverse cursed technique, but it's very weak and ineffective.

"I have so many options in mind right now," Sukuna says, slowly circling around you as you struggle to stand straight and take this without reacting much. Which is hard, given the fact that you are in such a vulnerable position. "We could be here all night so you can scream louder as much as you can. Oh, I've always been curious to hear that from you. Though it can be a tricky accomplishment when it requires agonizing methods while you have such frail resistance."

Your heart beats faster at every word the demon utters. The cold is starting to numb your muscles.

"Extreme measures might be too soon to execute. I still want to get to know you! We can't have you unresponsive after this," the curse continues, before adding an afterthought. "So I thought about it and came up with something mild? How about starting with your ability to walk?" His hands grab your wrists, slicing them cleanly, and you let out a scream of agony as the blood spills down. "And secondly, your hands." He rests his hand on your head and steers you to look at him face to face. Sukuna grins. "Take it as a warning."

"Because believe me when I say that I'll do anything to keep you here with me." His hand trails down your face, and you turn away from his touch, which earns you a laugh from him.

"Even in this situation and position, you're bold. But that's what makes things so entertaining. That's what makes you so valuable to me, general." He grasps your chin, making you look at him, and your hand immediately reacts, warping around his wrist. "Still, I don't like it when you turn away from me. I want those pretty eyes on me all the time, even when they're filled with hatred, and even when they're dull and lifeless."

"Because your eyes outshine every damn star in this universe."

You spit in his face, and he freezes up, staring at you wide-eyed, as if processing what you just did. Suddenly, he lets out a chuckle. "Oh, general, if this is you trying to get me to kill you, then I can only tell you that you're failing miserably."

He hums as his hands trace your arms and legs, healing them as if the wounds never happened to begin with. After he heals your hand, you immediately throw a punch across his face. "Ah, come on. You spit at me, then hit me?" He muses as he rubs the reddened place.

"Is this the thanks I get for healing you?" He chuckles as he looks at you with pure enjoyment. "You're the reason why I needed healing in the first place." You raise your hand to throw another punch at him, but he easily catches your hand.

"That's fair..." He hums as he puts a strand of hair behind your ear, and you slap his hand in return. "Still, don't be ungrateful, general. I don't use my reverse cursed technique twice on the same person, you know."

"Twice?"

"Oh, but of course, you don't remember our first time, dear! You were unconscious after all." He says dramatically. "Don't make it sound weird." You huff, and he grins. "You're just dirty-minded, sweetheart." He replies, which earns him a glare.

"Let's get back on track, shall we?" He chuckles endearingly. "When I brought you here, your whole body was filled with injuries, and poor you were trying to desperately use your own reverse cursed technique to heal yourself. But it was too weak to help you."

"While you were tossing and turning, biting your lips as you were sweating, making your hair stick to your forehead... it was such a mesmerizing scene. Still, my kind heart couldn't see you suffering any more than this, so I healed you." He explains it with his over-the-top acting.

You look at him with disbelief, a slight hint of annoyance visible in your eyes. "It would've been better if you'd left me to die," you murmur quietly, still, he hears it. "Now, now, don't be so suicidal. I promise you that life here isn't as bad as you interpret."

"Of course it's not. But your existence ruins everything," you huff. "Straight to the heart, general, that was painful," he says dramatically, wiping a non-existent tear. "As if you have one," you roll your eyes as you stand up from the grass.

You nearly stumble, but a hand snakes around your waist. "You should be more careful," Sukuna speaks in a low voice in your ear, making you flinch and push him away immediately, stepping back. "Always the strongest reactions, general," he chuckles as he steps closer to you and scoops you into his arms. "We should head back now."

"Put me down!" You shout, almost in a shrill manner. You're revolted, angry, and frustrated. Nothing could ever convince you to go back. "Let go of me!"

"General, you're only making this harder for yourself," Sukuna says. "I suggest you sit still… before one of your limbs is going to be dismembered again. You don't want that, right?" The displeasure tone in his warning has you shutting up. You go rigid. "Good girl."

"Don't call me that," you spit.

"Why? Does it make you feel things, general? How naughty of you," he chuckles, which earns him a glare from you.

"I'm joking," he says, defeated. "Or am I."

"Shut up."

"Want to have dinner with me?" He asks on the way back. "No," you immediately reply.

"You didn't even think about it."

"I don't need to."

Once you two are back, you immediately notice the missing figure of the woman that was in here. You turn your attention towards the curse. "Where is she?"

"Hmm?" He looks at you, confused, before it clicks for him. "Oh, you mean Yuki? The maiden that was attending to you?" He inquires. "Yes, her."

"How amusing, you actually seem concerned, although you left her wailing here while you ran away." he chuckles as he adjusts the collar of your kimono. You want to push his hand away before he moves his face closer to yours, making you freeze.

"I ate her."

Your eyes widen as anger fills you, your hands balling into fists. "You bastard!" You throw a punch at him, but he easily holds your hand, twisting your arms behind your back before pressing you to his body. "General... I'd advise you to think before doing anything; your actions have consequences after all." he mutters lowly.

"Yuki is dead because of you."

Your breath hitches as your heart thumps faster.

That's not true.

It's not your fault.

"Don't give me that crap! You're the one who killed her!" You struggle against him, but it's no use.

"I wouldn't have done so if you didn't leave," he muses. "You blame everyone around you but yourself."

That's not true.

It's not your fault.

"Have you ever thought about the fact that everyone died because of you? On the battlefield... how can you live with yourself, knowing that you're the reason those comrades of yours died because you led them there?" He leans down to your ear. "How can you live with yourself, knowing you're the only one who survived that day...hm?" The screams on that day, the cries, the blood, the stench of burnt flesh - it all comes flooding back to your mind.

It's not your fault... right?

"Shut up... you don't know what you're talking about..." You murmur, staring into nothingness. His breath on your skin gives you goosebumps. "Let go." you snarl.

This asshole is trying to make you break.

"I knew it will be hard to break your spirit," he chuckles as he releases your wrists. You rub your wrist; his hold will definitely leave a mark. You didn't even notice the tight grip he had on you.

"But that's what makes it so much fun," he muses as he stares at you with amusement. "Say, why don't we take this opportunity and exchange our names, hm? I haven't introduced myself properly to you yet, you know."

You glower, rolling your eyes so hard you swear it would travel behind your brain. "I'm not sharing my name with the likes of you."

"Then how am I supposed to address you?"

"You don't."

"Boring," he complains. "How about I come up with a nickname for you?"

"You know what nickname I have for you?" You inquire.

"Oh?" He stares at you, amused. "What?"

"Worthless asshole."

He laughs in return, seemingly unbothered by the insult you threw at him. "Are you implying we should call each other nicknames? I could get used to yours, but I'd rather you make it a tiny bit sweeter."

"I have a few in mind, actually," Sukuna titters. "You'll probably like them. Ladies love it whenever they're being addressed sweetly."

"Too bad, because I'm not that kind of person to fluster." you scoff, craning your neck to be able to glare at him. He chuckles in return.

"Is that a challenge?" His eyes narrow with mirth. "Perhaps we could play a little game."

You mirror him, but with disdain. "Game?"

"That is an intriguing proposition you've presented spontaneously, since you declined my invitation for a shared meal and the privilege of learning your name. We shall have to make this interaction more captivating, shall we not? Lay your suggested favors upon the table."

"What kind of favor did you have in mind?"

"Whatever you desire." He responded simply, observing your expression of surprise.

"That is an unusually generous offer, coming from someone such as yourself."

"Believe me, there are other actions I would relish taking against you in this moment, my dear, but I must first become better acquainted with you." He clicked his tongue, noting your rigid demeanor.

The audacity of that endearment.

"I find that difficult to believe." You scowled. "You do not seem the type to freely allow your perceived adversary to request anything of you."

"Let us refrain from using such confrontational terminology as 'enemy.'" Sukuna cautions. "This is merely playful banter. What harm could there be in it?"

A curse proposing games is deeply unsettling. Curses and games should never be uttered in the same breath. "That depends on the nature of this proposed game."

"Very well then, what is it you desire?" He asks, with an unexpectedly courteous tone. "As for myself, I simply wish for you to dine with me each day. I seek the company of my esteemed general."

You blink, momentarily taken aback. "Dine with you...daily?"

He nods. "Breakfast, lunch, and dinner." He enumerates on his fingers.

You cannot help but gape at the audacity of the suggestion. Are you to watch him devour living humans as you partake of your own modest meals? The very idea fills you with a strong urge to wrap your hands around his neck and choke the life from him.

"Absolutely not." You vehemently shake your head. "I shall demand that you kill yourself."

"If that is your wish." He appears neither upset nor offended, merely shrugging. "The game is simple. You claimed yourself to be resistant to flustering, did you not? Heh. We shall see about that... For the duration of the evening, I shall address you by various names and endearments, and the challenge is for you to refrain from any reaction whatsoever. If you succeed, we shall abide by your terms. If you fail, and lose, then we shall follow mine."

What purpose could this possibly serve?

"Now, how about we play a game of Go while we engage in our little wager?"

Go? You have never played before.

"I am unfamiliar with the rules of that game." You admit, though you are taken aback when you see him return to the room, for you had not noticed him depart.

"That is of no consequence, for I have already instructed the servant to bring us the game board." He seats himself upon the tatami floor, and you sigh in resignation as you take your place opposite him.

"Do not fret, my dear, I shall be sure to go easy on you." He chuckled. "At least in our game of Go."

You rolled your eyes at the endearment. "I hold no concerns about losing at that game, as we did not establish any wager upon it."

"Indeed. Nonetheless, I would advise you to familiarize yourself with the rules, for this shall certainly not be the last time we engage in a match." He stated, as the maid entered, placing the game board between the two of you. Your eyes widened at the sight of the woman.

"Yuki...?" What an unexpected development. Had Sukuna truly consumed her, as he had claimed? She offered you a small smile before excusing herself and departing the chamber, at Sukuna's behest.

You turned your gaze back to the curse, who was focused on arranging the game pieces in their proper positions. "What is the meaning of this, Sukuna?" You snarled, sweeping the board and its contents onto the floor in a flurry of scattered pieces.

Instantly, you found yourself before him, gripping his collar as you glared accusingly. "You claimed to have devoured her!" His eyes briefly flickered to the disrupted game before meeting your own, a smile upon his features.

"Did I?" He feigned innocence. "Ah, yes, I suppose I did."

"You seem displeased that she yet lives...should I have ensured her demise, my dear?" He tilted his head, observing your reaction with amusement.

"That is not the issue here!" You snarled, your grip tightening. "And do not address me with such saccharine endearments, you wretched cur."

"Hmm, you do have a rather short temper." His hands reached to grasp your wrists, his other pair seizing your hips. "Yet i have a few ways to fix that."

In the blink of an eye, you found yourself pinned to the floor, the curse looming over you. "Unhand me this instant."

"Why, you have your hands upon me, yet when I reciprocate, it is deemed improper?" He taunted. "Hardly a fair standard, my dear."

"And why should you alone be permitted to indulge in me, when we could enjoy each other's company?" He mused, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Reluctantly, you released your hold upon his collar. "Release me."

"As you wish." He chuckled, rising to his feet and striding towards the shoji screen.

"Where are you going?" You asked, perplexed.

"Why, already missing my presence, my dear general?" He turned, regarding you with a smile. "The game has concluded, for you have already reacted to my chosen endearment."

"That is absurd!" You argued. "It was due to your deception regarding Yuki, not your infuriating manner of address."

"Ah, but a reaction is a reaction, nonetheless." He hummed, exiting through the shoji. "Do not keep me waiting too long for our shared meals, my dear. I find myself growing most impatient."

This entire situation is utterly preposterous.

[princessofmanyfaces]

The Inheritance Games

The Inheritance Games

A 4 Star read for me | I loved all the clues and mysterys and the twist at the end

AND SHORT CHAPTERS

YES

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Hawthorne Legacy

A 3 Star read for me | That ending was SO DISAPPOINTING oh my god why tf wouldn't you make Toby Avery's father but give him a whole other daughter. That wasn't a good twist it just annoyed the fuck out of me

⭐⭐⭐

The Final Gambit

A 3 Star read for me | I'm really glad I started this series without expectations and only for the short chapters because from book to book I got more annoyed. Grayson was a whiny hoe, Eve was insufferable from the start, the love triangle was SO unnecessary and the series would have just been better without the romance

⭐⭐⭐

The Inheritance Games Series

Overall it was a 3 star series for me

⭐⭐⭐

[minalblood]

Ep 10... oh boy theres a lot to say with this one.

We begin with a nice twist. The woman needing help is Akrida and the victim is the other woman who's stopped to help. Since I've recently been reminded of it, this set up instantly made me think of Sam.meeting Cole for the 1st time, but in that the one flatlined actually needed help.

The Akrida committed to the acting I see.

God the actresses did such a good job raising the tension

LOVE seeing Millie do more handywork around. We dont have nearly enough of her getting into machinery

Mary and John hating being left to research is funny af to me.

Congrats Mary for getting into college and I like that John is actually happy for her, even ribbing her a bit. Love that dynamic actualy.

"Normal life will have to wait another day" thay cut deep fellas ngl. Mainly because i would argue its exactly what Sam and Dean told themselves to put off actually getting to do anything they wanted. And we have this exact sentiment echoed 5 min later by Carlos for why they need to break up with Anton (cant afford to with the fate of the world on their shoulders). The fact that both of these are accompanied by Dean's monologue about hunting and happy endings? Very very relevant to Dean and the life he led. But more importantly, the "how far will I go to get it" echoes back a few.more things amd makes it almost ominous. We'll come back to this when we meet Mr Sheffield (i dont remmeber the characters name rn, will use it later when they say it) since the dark meaning to Dean's words is highlighted by his story.

This might be the most clear indication of who Carlos was before the Winchesters, the version Samuel was mentioning when talking about them a few ep ago. The lone wolf version, the impulsive one, the not getting close to ppl one. Im very happy they've changed, i think they're happier like this.

Oh noooo, I forgot we have Roxy here 🥲 this'll hurt.

John and Mary see a tea set and alphabetized books out: now thats truly disturbing behaviour

John and Mary any other time: eh, thats normal

I live for the chaotic pair these 2 make together

Why tf does he still have the key if they threw him.out of the MOL? Then again, considering the many issues with the MOL, this is only a mildly annoying thing.

Ah yes, hunters are apes commentary, ffs what even started this bullshit feud between hunters and MOL?? It was there on Samuel's side too, and we even see Henry go with that particular opinion...

Sooo, either Jack was really the one experimenting on monsters or that actually was Hobbes' job, regardless we know what that turned into - not just the various bodyguards that our scooby gang has encoutered thus far, but the more insidious uses too like the monsters Cuthbert Sinclaire reprogramms or the manipulation of Mrs Butters or even Mary's own brainwashing. Safe to say all this send my mind to Naomi and how heaven has a very similar approach to keeping their angels in check. Fitting then that it's the Winchester side of the family that is MOL legacy with the Campbell side being the hunters family qho tends to go for a more straightforward will just eliminate the threat vibe (more hell aligned u could say). "A lobotomy makes most monsters subservient *wink*" he says and I cannot not be filled with revulsion on multiple layers. Including the actual issue with lobotomies generally and how their extended "use" was due to a fraud profitting off of people... yeaaaa all the red flags with Jack/Porter here. But also in general it goes back to the type of MOL we have in SPN, the exact kind that JAck/Porter is are the ones still alive, who have very little actual care of who they harm in their scientific pursuit.

Clear alarm bells sounding when askes about Henry, he has a very clear tell.

Hint hint nudge nudge about Jack/Porters lack of family

You know the thing that actually annoys me about people like Jack/Porter? The fact that if he'd applied his knowledge to actually get ppl depossessed he could've actually done something helpful, that would save ppl, but nope, instead he focused everything into his fixation and inability of letting go. To everyones detriment.

Well, Roxy's motel room reminds me of several times we've seen Dean in similar places... especially after the Mark got bad.

Roxy breaks my heart. Everytime.

And we have another instance of possession being portrayed as the violation it actually is. SPN had a few moments of showing this, most notably with Sam and Lucifer, but we've rarely had such an indepth showing of exactly how someone no longer possessed is coping. The only other ones I can remember clearly delving into are Jeffrey in s7 and Nick in s14, but in both those cases, Jeffrey and Nick were more akin toa depiction of Stockholm Syndrome or at the very least a dependence had been created having been possessed so long. Which is in itself a bit problematic a message to send tbh, but Roxy meanwhile is the opposite. Not only does she not want the Akrida back, she actively is trying to deny it ever having happened initially and she def doesnt want to be reminded of it.

Ironic that it's Carlos who says the forgetting isnt working for Roxy... considering

I also adore the parallel made between Jack/Porter and Lata in this episode? Like they both have that scientific curiosity that can become really dangerous (as seen with Jack) but unlike Jack, Lata actually wants to help people so she uses what she knows (just as much a type of brainwashing technique as Jack/Porters lobotomy fyi) to offer someone help. But! Lata asks for Roxy's consent and is upfront, where Jack/Porter is lying and manipulating and taking foe himself.

Mary's instant red flag reading of Jack/Porter for the win, but she should've listened to her instincts faster. She believes next to nothing of his words. I love her so much.

I love the round table Arkida scene... its so much fun to watch. Ironic that the Akrida call hunters pests... also yay Dean!

The fact that Jack/Porter is so so pissed off is his own downfall tbh. The bitter comments fucked up his facade.

Tonyyyyy yessss. Also Lata and Tony yaaay

I love how absolutely huge gossip queens both Lata and Carlos are.

I also love Carlos' little notepad during the scene with Roxy.

The description of her possession is way to visceral fuck I fogot how hard to watch this was. And how much it echoes to asault. Not even echoes tbh considering we have a clearer scene relating to sexual assault when Jack/Porter tries to have Dorothea possess Mary so thw comparison of possession to assault is very much there this episode.

Wonder if Jack Wilcox defected to the Brits in SPN? And began what would later be Lady Bevell's expertise? The fact that he even put on a British accent def is meant to remind us of Bevell and the Brits.

God Mary and John are obvious af that they suspect shit ... ffs kids!

Carlos continues to be the one that actually uncovers key info.

Aww, Carlos and Lata are so so kind and comforting with Roxy. I love them so much.

Im so proud of Roxy, but what I genuinely love about how the ep was written is that even if she'd have gone along with the erasing of her memory, it still would've been a valid way for her to move on. Like this it obviously works two fold in somewhat convincing Carlos they also should take a leap of faith that alls gonna be well with Anton, but its set up in such a way that regardless of Roxy's choice at the end, Roxy's own wellbeing was all that mattered however that looked. I can appreciate the nareative not ramming a specific interpretation down our throats.

Ah, yes, wartime decisions excusing the means... it nearly never actually applies tho, Jack. Tho I will say it's very satisfying having it be said to John who in SPN would use this exact rethoric for a while slew of shitty choices.

Now I wont get into the whole issue with the golem being used in this ep and specifically how they kill the golem - others have said far more better informed stuff on it (shoutout to @endofthebookpod fantastic episode discussion) and I do have a plethora of issues with it - what I do wanna say on the subject tho is that at leasr insofar as Jack is concerned it makes sense that he'd steal and use a golem for his own benefit (similar to how the nazi did in 8x13). The actual problem with this is how the writers chose to tackle dealing with the golem here. Because ultimately the golem is used as a weapon by Jack, just as all his lobotomised monsters were. But the ep chosing to not clarify a few things and deciding to burn the golem??? Not good fellas, not fucking good at all.

I do appreciate John's resilience in fighting the golem tho.

Like I said, the sexual assault parallel to possession is even more clear when discussion Mary's possession.

Gruesome death for Jack tho, I will say.

"Things we do for love"?!?! John Winchester I will murder you! If Mary doesnt do it first for u even suggesting that. I do apprwciate still seeing glimpses of SPN!John even now, 10 ep into it. Because for all that people can change, its very very hard to do so and its a slow process.

Thank you Mary for shutting it down immediately. High hopes that this low key promise they made here spells good things for their future. I do hope.

I also love that Lata explains why Roxy wanting to erase her traumatic memories isnt the same as Carlos avoiding dealing with his intimacy issues. But I also love that Carlos feels safe actually confiding in Lata, for all that they banter and shit talk they're each others person.

Perfect timing on the Tragic Haircut lady. Also yea, it def is a tragic haircut.

Noooo, Akrida!Kyle is here. Using Johns past against him is smart but also i need to read that file.

I will say, I never read Millie at the end as believing that John did anything like Ive seen in a couple of other places mentioned. I just saw it as her being a. Shocked about a dead body b. Shocked about John holding a dead body and c. The police being on her heels with john holding a dead body.

But that's all for today folks. Next up, ep 11. Slowly but surely making it through the show.

[purpleplaid17]

Jess Watches // Fri 1 Dec // Day 70 Synopses & Favourite Scenes & Poll

Person of Interest (rewatching with mum) 5x06 A More Perfect Union

The Machine sends Reese and Finch to a wedding to which Root crashes. Fusco becomes angry at being kept in the dark by the team and takes it upon himself to investigate a string of missing person reports.

Root feeling so lonely that she crashes the wedding as a horse-riding caterer, riding off into the sunset with the woman at risk and sending her home with a quiche Lorraine. Oh, to be that photographer. Also, her asking Finch to dance and staring at the newlyweds while thinking about Shaw. :(

Workin' Moms (with mum) 1x05 Sophie's Choice-ish

Kate is forced by her mother to let go of her old dog. Frankie gets in trouble after taking Anne's advice at face value. Anne's plan to let a tough nanny deal with her kid backfires big time.

Anne just needs to spend time with her kid and actually show an interest. It seems kinda obvious so I'm assuming she didn't have a good parental figure, which as a therapist you'd think she'd be aware of and dealing with??

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters 1x04 Parallels and Interiors

The team is left stranded in the frozen tundra after a narrow escape. Kentaro reflects on his relationships.

How old is Lee Shaw in present day? Because how tf was he keeping up with them climbing those icy mountains. I'll have what he's having. And Kentaro thinking May was thanking him, only for her to hold hands with Cate as they had the biggest heart eyes for each other right in front of his salad lmao.

The Fall of the House of Usher Ep 2 The Masque of the Red Death

Motivated by money and revenge, Perry hosts an exclusive masque-rave that takes a twisted turn. A young Roderick pitches a revolutionary new opioid.

Carla Gugino (and Crystal Balint) looked ravishing this episode. That red lighting and that lingerie. Oh, my. I would've died right then with no need for the acid rain. Also, Carl Lumbly lied about a mole in the family to mess with them, right?

[clutchforbalance-a]

i watched gossip girl and i liked it for the most part. didn't care for some of the characters or plot lines but it was overall not that bad. would i rewatch? probably not. then i started pretty little liars since it was another i had heard about but never bothered to watch. well i'm halfway through season 3 and i skip aria & fitz's scenes cuz i really just don't care about the relationship and lost all respect for both of them. he should have ended it as soon as he realized she was his student and through all the drama and turmoil her friends are going through, aria only whines and complains about the inappropriate relationship then gets mad at her parents when they disapprove. like what tf did you expect???? then trying to use her parent's relationship issues against them because her dad wanted to send her away? wtaf how am i supposed to root for this character or relationship when this is what i'm given???? not to mention the stupid love songs that play in their scenes like this is just a normal ship with some difficulties and it's oo so exciting that it's forbidden. sorry no he should have been arrested or fired or SOMETHING! the mystery kind of makes the story interesting i guess so i'll keep watching it but it's giving me the urge to shit post each episode like i did for Legacies. i like mona though, she was a good twist villain and i didn't hate the reveal. the story has some weird af continuity issues though, and pacing. like hanna breaks her leg and has a cast for like a week then is fine? no crutches no smaller cast, nada. my sis broke her leg when she was 2 and had 2 casts that she called the Barney and Baby bop casts because they were pink and purple and she can't do sports very much which bummed her out because she loves soccer. yet hanna has no problems whatsoever or any kind of recovery..same as the wound on her thigh that wren patches up. idk maybe i'm too critical but it's hard not to notice plot holes that are at times glaringly obvious.

[renaroo]

Last Line Meme!

Thank you @bluemartlet for the tag <3 I love memes like this!

And that, subtly but surely, made the Matrix deep within Optimus’ chest feel a warmth and security he had long been missing.

From Twisted Legacy Chapter 25!

And I’ll tag @secretlystephaniebrown and @a-taller-tale if they’re interested in doing it~

[notllorstel]

hear me out- claire and don are experimenting to make a formula that'll grow his glorious hair back but spill it on hersh instead. see: froshel 2.0, now with 10x more fluff

and rob the chance of Don having a full head of hair

even if the formula only lasts a week

side-effects: Dehydration, temporary memory loss, fatigue and head itchiness. Formula scraped.

No mercy for Hersh's hair in au.... WELL... There was no mercy for Desmond’s hair in canon. 

If it spilt, some probably just didn’t get on his head and...... *buffering*...  and that’s how we got here :3

With a change of glasses and wardrobe. Hersh doesn’t appear for his lectures for a week. Instead Professor Niles Pumpernickle subs in. It’s easier then explaining ‘this’ whole look.

[sirendeepity]

Books I've read in 2022

I'm starting this on 24/09 because I know the time this is going to take me will be too much, so (present-me note: it didn't take me too much, just an hour or so, I was just feeling lazy)

77/ 22 (updated to: /52)

The Foxhole Court ★★★★.5

The Raven King ★★★★.5

The King's Men ★★★★.5 (there's not a single right thing in here but yes?? Read this shit??)

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue ★★★★ (not as life-altering as they said it would be but oh, Luc)

The Inheritance Games ★★★★ (the vibes were there but everything else was not? TikTok what are you doing?? At least it was fun tho)

The Hawthorne Legacy ★★★.5

Caraval ★★★★

Legendary ★★★★★ (Tella <333 Dante <333 Jacks <333)

Finale ★★★★★

House of Sky and Breath ★★★ (where do I begin: loved Bryce, but now not anymore, loved the story, now it's giving me the ick, Hunt was neutral, now I lowkey hate him, Tharion wtf is wrong with you, but the Rhun, Flynn, Dec trio with Ithan and the new (female) addictions? Immaculate. Ariadne is queen aND I WANT HER WITH FLYNN THEY ARE SERVINGGGG)

The Love Hypothesis ★★★★ (I read that this year? Mh)

From Lukov With Love ★★★

Shatter Me ★★★ (half a let-down, half a mind trip, but Kenji <333)

Destroy Me ★★★★★

Unravel Me ★★★.5

Fracture Me ★★★.5

Ignite Me ★★★★

Restore Me ★★★.5

Shadow Me ★★★★

Defy Me ★★★★

Reveal Me ★★★★

Imagine Me ★★★★

Believe Me ★★★ (I kept asking myself why Aaron was still a bitch until I realized that's how morally gray characters are supposed to be and not the watered-down version aka "I'm a bad guy until you learn about my trauma and how misunderstood I am, and magically I'm the perfect saint character to ever exist" and, yeah)

Flock ★★★

Exodus ★★★★ (we love rainy days, don't we baby?)

The Finish Line ★★ (useless, I hated it, it shouldn't exist)

Corrupt ★★★.5

Hideaway ★★★★★ (Nikova mf Banks ladies and gentlemen)

Kill Switch ★★★★.5 (Damon is a psycho by day and a poet by night, also he and Andrew are the same person in different fonts)

Conclave ★★★

Nightfall ★★★★★ (WillEmmy SERVED but BanksEmmy had so much potential, which wouldn't have gone to waste if someone *looks at Penelope Douglas* got her head out of Erika Fane's ass.)

Fire Night ★★★★

Punk 57 ★★★★

Addicted to You ★★★ (my very first comment to this was mean, like mean-mean, so I'm censuring past me and saying: I don't hate LiLo anymore, they're still nowhere near the top but we like some good character development here)

Ricochet ★★★

Heartstopper 1 ★★★★★

Heartstopper 2 ★★★★★

Heartstopper 3 ★★★★★

Heartstopper 4 ★★★★

Only a Monster ★★★★ (I literally cannot remember what happened at the end of this? Like, I remember, but I don't? Anyway I loved it and AARON MY GOODNESS you're a little Malfoy and I love this for you. I'll definitely do a reread before the sequel comes out)

House of Salt and Sorrow ★★★.5

Shadow & Bone (reread) ★★★.5

The Risk (p.s. I refused to give a rating to this because some things should just not be rated and whatever tf this series was is one of those things)

Sidetracked

Scarlet Angel

All the Lies

Paint It All Red (what in the jesus christ was that-)

Twisted Love ★★★.5

Twisted Games ★★★★

Twisted Hate ★★★★★ (JULESSSSS MF AMBROSE YES)

Twisted Lies ★★★.5 (I don't remember a single thing because I was too distracted by JulesJosh to actively read this </3 but one day I'll reread this the right way, pinky promise)

They Both Die at the End ★★★ (it's written in the goddamn title why was I surprised?)

Blade Breaker ★★★★ (Sorasa Sarn aka mommy-)

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder ★★★★

Good Girl, Bad Blood ★★★★★

As Good As Dead ★★★★.5 (mind-blowing. New fave series, new fave author, new fave everything. Don't sleep on Ravi Singh or I'll come for you)

Kingdom of the Feared ★★ (I am so not happy with you, Kerri, and I'd like to personally buy a vibrator for you because your horny inner teen should be left outside of your books, thank you very much)

The Final Gambit ★★★★★ (I was ready for the misery and this book managed to disappoint my expected disappointment? Make it make sense? Anyway Jameson might have gotten the girl but Grayson got me so a win is a win)

Every Heart A Doorway ★★★

Love on the Brain ★★★★.5

King of Wrath ★★★

If We Were Villains ★★★★.5 (De Nial is a river in Egypt, your husband is gay!)

Greywaren ★★★★ (everybody shut up I'm in my feels)

Cruel King ★★.5 (*sounds of dying*)

Deviant King ★★★.5

Steel Princess ★★★ (halfway through this one I got bored of the couple so I have little to no memory of what happened, so don't ask)

Twisted Kingdom ★★★

Black Knight ★★★★★ (Kimmy <3333)

Vicious Prince ★★★.5

Ruthless Empire ★★★★★ (SilverCole for the win I said what I said)

Royal Elite Epilogue ★★★.5 (the guys' groupchat 💀💀)

Addicted for Now ★★★.5 (it only took me 7 months!!!)

Kiss the Sky ★★★★

Hothouse Flower ★★★★

Thrive ★★★.5 (tandem reading this with the two before saved my ass because I could already see the other 7 months of nothingness)

Addicted After All ★★★.5

Fuel the Fire ★★★.5 (I was expecting a bit more from this but we can't always get what we want)

bonus: The Demon in the Wood, The Witch of Duva, The Tailor, The Too Clever Fox, Kill Joy.

Also, I am currently reading ("reading") Siege & Storm, The Atlas Six, and Long Way Down. I'll probably finish all of them in 2023 because I'm not in the mood to read anything right now *hides Wattpad and its trashy slytherin boys' fanfictions* so yeah, 77 books in a year is pretty damn good, isn't it?

[swampythesweetsketch]

Swampy rates Ninjago seasons and the extra stuff

Uhhhh I curse a lot and say dumb shit, so be aware.

Pilots

Lotta gay undertones but Jay is on thin fucking ice. 8/10

Mini-movies

HOW THE FUCK DOES HELL (The Underworld) HAVE A OPEN BACKDOOR 9/10

Season 1, Rise of the Snakes

Holy fuck why is everyone a dick to Zane wtf. *sees everyone's "I'm insecure for ___ reason episodes* Oh that's why... Jay fuck u 7/10

Season 2, Legacy of the Green Ninja

Need more filler episodes tbh in the later seasons but at least we got Double Trouble and- *sees Child's Play* oh my fucking god- 8/10

Season 3, Rebooted

How the fuck did the Ninja become teachers when they're barely adults also, Nya wtf wtf ZANE NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 6/10

Season 4, Tournament of Elements

Cool, new characters we aren't gonna see in a while. And for fuck sake Jay, you're gay. You're gay you're gay you're gay stop fucking around and kiss Cole already. 9/10

Season 5, Possession

Bad season. The animators totally forgot to add Morro or Lloyd's trans flag cape in every scene they were in. But we got Cole screaming so that's a plus. 8/10

Season 6, Skybound

Nya should've stayed tf away from Jay. Jay, did you not listen to what I said about Season 4. Nadakhan was a good villain but holy fuck dude, she's maybe 18-19 at the oldest wtf you creep. 4/10

Day of the Departed

Cole is not vibing with his ghostly depression and fist fights a old dead man. Jay again is denying his love for Cole but what else is new- wait a minute- HOLY FUCK IT'S MORRO WITH THE STEEL CHAIR- 10/10!

Season 7, Hands of Time

Kai season Kai season Kai season-

Also why tf is Dumbassshipping Jay/Cole/Kai when it is clearly Jay/Cole/Zane? Do you see how quickly Zane turns stupid when he's with the other two??? 10/10

Season 8, Sons of Garmadon

Oh god they gave Lloyd a love interest I'm not for thi- oh wait she's a twist villain, nevermind I like this and oh no Lloyd's gonna be traumatized again. 9/10

Season 9, Hunted

Jay I love you. Kai I love you. Cole I love you.

Zane step up your fucking game. 10/10

Season 10, March of the Oni

Too short, but now I can enjoy watching Cole fall to his death to the tune of This is Gospel. 9/10

Season 11, Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjutzu

Wu, all you had to do was help them create a healthy schedule or keep them on track and none of this shit would've happened. 6/10

Season 12, Prime Empire

I'm glad that Jay came out as Bisexual and holy fuck did his avatar make me more gay than I thought I was. 10/10

Season 13, Master of the Mountain

COLE SEASON. WE SAW HIS MAMA. HE KICKED THE SHIT OUT OF KING VANGELIS. 15/10

The Island, Seabound Prologue

Gift of Jay and also that moment of Cole holding Jay that's allover the internet. Yes. 10/10

Season 14, Seabound

... Nya... 10/10

The Virtues of Spinjitzu

Putting them all together here, they were fun! 8/10

[todayisawthewhxlewxrld]

Lol time for another spastic episode of “how tf are u not mentally ill⁉️” where I tell u abt my ocs and u question what sane person has these kinds of thoughts 😁😁😁

SELF INSERT TIME!!!!!

we’ll start with ye olde me being reborn in mha in the 1600s with vampire powers (can u tell how badly i want lilia’s aesthetic from twisted wonderland 😩😩 gothic victorian arc when 😫⁉️) and of course because i can’t live without it: the trauma of being burned at the stake cuz ur so called friend outed you to the church thus rendering u to live in the woods for a couple centuries until u can flee to japan ☺️

nice lil zesty shot of the trauma *jazz hands*

entyhosen fast forward a bit to where i am adopted by a widowed elderly woman who leaves her little house to me in her will (after helping a bestie forge her documents ofc) and i now go under the name of dorothea hanamiya 😋😋

fast forward again to when the shigaraki brothers move in next door and i befriend yoichi, the younger brother. he’s the first person i tell my vampire secret to and we both agree that his older brother never finds out lest he exploits it to use me for personal gain. i become an inside woman for the OFA users by listening in on the gossip in the local library (cuz who would suspect the librarian 🧐) to see where AFO’s next move is. fast forward yet again to when yoichi inevitably dies and i promise the 2nd user while at his grave that i will help keep the legacy alive by any means necessary. another fast forward to when aizawa is a student at ua and i finally decide to enroll to get combat knowledge. i fly under the radar for a good couple of months until nezu calls me into his office cuz he’s suspicious abt my identity. we banter for a bit until he figures out i am a vampire which then has him scrutinizing me for a while. it takes a meeting with him and all might where i finally reveal the truth abt AFO and OFA and how i’m helping to achieve yoichi’s dream (at this point ive already mentored all might for a good while). after that he finally lets me be. then uh oh aizawa angst cuz i accidentally befriended the rooftop squad and now have to suffer yet more friend deaths❓❓ truly a travesty ☹️😔

final fast forward to present day where i am now a pro hero and ua’s history teacher so that i can help mentor midoriya in his combat skills as well. i go by Cleric on the field and Hanamiya Sensei in the classroom. that’s all i got so far.

also me with and without glamour (severe burn scars and horrendous sleep schedule)

personally i’d have to kill that “friend” i just would not allow that disrespect BUT OMG UR SELF INSERT SEEMS SO COOL I LOVEBTHE VAMPIRE POWERS 😍😍😍

[insert-inconspicuous-name-here]

The funny thing, for me, is that this is a Vampire-Hunter-Lesbians-meet-Romeo-and-Juliet show and the stuff that hooked me most was the side, family plots.

Don't get me wrong, i was there for the gay ass lesbian hunter and the gay ass lesbian vampire who feel for her, bc damn, right? But then I got the 1) soundtrack and 2) badass, stylish, bitchin families that came with them, not to mention the drama in said families.

I was feeling every song, every Eleanor (is that her name?) outfit, every look from Juliette and Cal and every bit of sibling bickering from Theseus and Apollo, not to mention the moms.

I never cry hard on a first watch of a show, but this got to me. I first cried when Sebastian was dying and Margot was ready to go with him and i broke down when Theo turned. The whole mother that refuses to let her son die thing always gets to me.

Also, i was so on board with all the sappiness of Cal and Jule's forbidden love... Until I wasn't, bc it became too cheese for me and the only moment that I went back was when Cal ended everything...

And the finale sucked ass. Who is the witch? Why is she there? When know her name and that she's with Oliver, but why tf? Also, Oliver being the one to blame for everything.

I thought Talia (is that her name²? I suck at names) was leaving Theo at Margot's doorstep, not Oliver. That boy is insane.

Really wanted to know how they do to kill Legacies (even tho i assume they just need to kill the snake, which someone said it was their source of power there at the beginning). That's one of the answers that won't have an answer due to cancelation? I guess? Hope Google's wrong.

Also, wtf was up with that whole sisters Eve and Lilith fucked under a pear tree story? That's a twist i didn't see coming. Also didn't see Eleanor causing Theo's "death". Was really beginning to ship Eleanor and Apollo, since they were actually kinda alike.

I'm so fucking tired rn

[dangermousie]

Look at those arms! MMMMM!

You know, I really like Gilina. Or, more correctly, I really like what Gilina represents, both in terms of Crichton’s development and in his feelings for Aeryn. Gilina is Earth Crichton’s dream girl: she is blonde, pretty, sweet, and plucky (she is no push-over). She is also a girl geek, and a techie and for our scientist, that’s quite irresistibly appealing. (Btw, let me take a moment to note how much I like that the show showed us that Crichton had a type in women, B.A. (before Aeryn): they were blonde and sweet and had a certain safe niceness to them. Aeryn is not blonde, not sweet, and not safe at all. And neither is his feeling for her). If Gilina was a girl working for a research institute on Earth and she and John met at some party, I can easily see them talking, dating, falling in love and getting married. And having a happy married life. And the John of ‘PK Tech Girl,’ despite some unpleasant encounters in the Uncharted Territories is still enough of the Earth John to be attracted to Gilina, to be at the very beginning of developing something for her. He is still enough of an innocent, with enough uncomplicated and sweet left in him, for Gilina to be his type. But of course, that is not the case any more when they meet again in ‘Nerve.’ When they meet again, Gilina has had a fairly uneventful PK tech existence. She hasn’t changed much. But she is not Crichton’s type any more. Not after Maldis and finding out firsthand that there are psychopaths that will just enjoy watching you die for the fun of it, not after Crais and finding out that no, if you only explain the truth, it won’t make it better. The person will still want to kill you even if they believe you, even if it’s wrong and irrational, and there is nothing you can do. Not after ‘Jeremiah Crichton’ (my least fave ep of the whole show, but whose theme of Crichton’s long isolation is well taken). Not after finding out the truth about Zhaan, or almost dying out there in space with Aeryn. Not after the mind and soul fuck of ‘A Human Reaction.’   Gilina is not for this John. Not any more. And it’s not just that in the meanwhile he’s ceased to see anyone but Aeryn. It is also that his character has changed. And that is only the beginning. When he meets her in ‘Nerve’ it is pre-Scorpius, pre-Aurora Chair, pre-everything in S2, 3 and 4 (I’d do a list but it would take too long to type). If Gilina met S4 Crichton, she’d freak and run away and rightly so. A digression, but I find it fascinating how John's non-Aeryn women reflect his change. We have his ex-gf on Earth who he was serious enough to apparently want to propose to, before they went their separate career way. She is sort of like Gilina only blander, less engaging (Earth Crichton strikes me as someone who's had things come to him too easily because of his intelligence or what not. His passion (for whatever) was never truly engaged to the full, and the gf reflects that.) There is also Caroline (who we meet in Terra Firma) with whom he had something or other, but she is rather like his Earth-ex and it's clear the Crichton of TF doesn't even have anything to say to her any more. From them, we progress to Gilina (about whom see above). In first half of S2, there is the PK Disruptor. Now, she is a lot more edges, more hardness. If she is like anyone, it's a female version of Bond. And Crichton sleeps with her, because hey, he's tried everything to get Aeryn to admit any interest, he's beaten his head against the rock and he's beaten it and beaten it. But she refused and she's conclusively walked out of his life for good (not even came to see him for the very last time, when he needed her most). And also, girl can kill him, good to stay on her good side. There is no Gilina sweetness in her, at all. PK Tech Girl Crichton would annoy her and be intimidated to be with her, not so much Crichton of that s2 ep arc. But interestingly, that is the last time he even looks at another woman, no matter the circumstances. Once Aeryn and he admit their love to each other at the end of S2/beginning of S3, that is it. Even at the second part of S3, when Aeryn is off with Talyn-Crichton, Moya-Crichton goes deep into his obsession with wormholes, not any girls at all, and he is just as obsessed with Aeryn as ever. Even after the end of S3, the beginning of S4, even after he tells Aeryn "I can trust you with my life. But not my heart" and he locks himself away, he still does not look at anyone else. He cannot. And even the drugs cannot knock her out from his mind. Which is why his last non-Aeryn woman is Grayza, who rapes him while at the same time telling him if he gives her the wormhole stuff she will help him find Aeryn (OMG, that bit is seriously the worst in the whole scene). I think the darker progression of these women-others mirrors the darker and darker universe. OK, digression over.   I find it interesting that in S1 we have a number of people (beings, whatever) whose life is affected, changed by Crichton and who are grateful for that and thank him for changing/opening/saving either explicitly, or it’s implied. But after S1 this slows to a trickle pretty fast and then stops almost entirely. Crichton is such an innately kind person, and one of the saddest things in the show is seeing this kindness leach away under the tortures (literal and figurative) he is subjected to. I find it so sad and so significant that in the S3 finale it’s Aeryn who brings up the fact that the command carrier has a lot of lives which John’s plan might end. Aeryn. Not John. She’s become more compassionate (she, who started out saying ‘I hate that word’) and he’s become much less. These are both reactions to their environment, to events they are in (When they initially meet, she is a product of an individuality-less, soulless scenario. Even if he is wrong in reading her at the very very first in Premiere during intros, he is not wrong in reading her potential, in recognizing she is a person, and even as early as Premiere she proves him right. I also love that for Crichton, she is always her own person, not a preconceived notion of what she should be. He loves her for being Aeryn, not for some idealized being in his head). And yet it is never completely suppressed, it is always there, however muted and downtrodden, however circumscribed. He had to jettison most of it in order to stay sane and to survive, but somewhere deep inside he is still the guy who, in a completely strange world, took the time to fix the eye-stalk of a mechanical critter thingy he didn’t know at all.   And of course, part of the reason he jettisons it is also because whenever he tries to save someone or make it better, it often ends up making the situation worse. I am thinking for example of S3’s lovely ‘Different Destinations’ which turns a beloved sci-fi trope on its head and he has to live with it and he can barely bear it.   And I love how the show never lets us forget the cost this takes on him, that he is not a power-hungry psychopath, a cavalier callous being only caring about his small group of friends. That coda to S4’s ‘We Are So Screwed’ where he is with Aeryn, and he breaks down, and he can’t help it, and he weeps for what he’d done, for what he almost did (and it’s going to be small fry in comparison with PKW) is just brilliant and heartbreaking and one of my favorite bits (and I love that she is there, and she silently comforts him, and he clutches her arm as a lifeline). And that is why I actually liked the drug storyline in S4. After all the stuff that Crichton been through, I am surprised he didn’t end up going on something earlier, just to deal with it all somehow (I love that the show brought up earlier that he has nightmares, feels tremendous guilt, and that was mid S2, I am sure they are much worse now). And it also made sense that when his number 1 obsession, Aeryn, told him to give it up, he did, as he’d pick her over anything. She’s his number 1 drug. Basically, he needs Aeryn desperately. She is what allows him to function, allows him to stay (relatively) sane, what holds him together. When he can’t have her, or doesn’t have her, he falls apart and needs something else to get through the days (wormholes in S3, lakka in S4). I do find it interesting that Crichton keeps his compassion, however tattered, but he develops absolute priorities, as a result of choices he shouldn’t have had to make. Most people don’t really analyze whether they will pick the woman they love or selling one’s soul and giving up something which earlier, to protect, you didn’t give up even when tortured or hunted or broken. They don’t have to. Crichton’s developed rigid priorities are a result of the environment where he had to confront those hierarchies in himself. Crichton’s earlier ‘purity’ and goodness and optimism exist in part because he is a product of a relatively sheltered life (compared to Uncharted Territories). But that early cleanness allows others to see a better or at least a different path for themselves and so they repay the favor later by pulling him out when he is on the brink of succumbing to all these horrors (which really do seem to be scarily disproportionately triggered at him). One of the things I love about Crichton is that even after he’s seen and dealt horrors, he has a certain moral absolutism to him (however broken it gets at times) and a pure refusal to give up, and strength even if only to make the least worst of two bad choices presented to him. Something untainted is always there, maybe a legacy of his initial idealism, and so he never breaks, not permanently, not irreparably, though he comes very very close. Throughout the show, even as that world bends and molds and twists him to its own parameters, he manages to make the world somewhat bend and mold and twist to himself.   Do you know what I really really wish for John and Aeryn and the kid after the end of PKW? A few years of total peace, where they can just travel the space in Moya, and John can do his research, and be with Aeryn and watch their child grow, without having to worry about saving his and their lives every other day.

OK, these are getting epically long omg.

[soliloquies-of-a-butterfly]

Absolute Faves Of All Time

A quick list of my fave everything, because heck it, why not?

Main Meals

Beef Stroganoff w/ rice (jasmine or calrose)

Mac & Cheese

Steak Sandwich (medium rare)

Beer Battered Fish & Chips

Spaghetti

Creamy Pasta

Sweets & Desserts

Chocolate Mousse

Rice Pudding

Ice-Cream Sundae (Chocolate)

Good Vanilla Tub Ice-Cream w/ Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

Lamington w/ Jam & Cream

Monte Carlo Biscuits

Almond Croissants (usually toasted)

Orange & Poppy Seed Friand

Banana & Coconut Cake

Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Chocolate Milk

Chai Latte w/ Honey

Earl Grey Tea

Coconut Green Tea

Earl Grey Boba w/ Pudding & Pearls (hot or cold)

Coffee Frappe

Mocha (occasionally w/ hazelnut)

Taro Smoothie Boba

Matcha Frappe

Iced Coffee

Milo Milk (loaded)

Alcoholic Drinks

Drambuie

Crisp Apple Cider

Green Ginger Wine

Ginger Beer

Espresso Martini

Chocolate Mudcake Vodka

Asahi Dry Beer

Guinness Dark Stout Beer

Older Anime/Manga (≤2005)

Hikaru No Go

Petshop Of Horrors

Please Save My Earth

Bushin Gikyoku

Noein

Bokurano: Ours

Fullmetal Alchemist (+CoS)

Magical X Miracle

Silver Diamond

Red River

Junjou Romantica

Baby & Me

Planetes

Legend of the Galactic Heroes

Moyashimon

Vampire Princess Miyu

Princess Princess

Vampire Game

Shaman King

Now and Then, Here and There

Anime/Manga (2006+)

Yumeiro Pâtissière

Demon Slayer

K Project

Welcome to Demon School Iruma-kun

Ascendance of a Bookworm

Sasaki to Miyano

Shounen Maid

That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime

Gosick

The Heroic Legend of Arslan

My Hero Academy

Barakamon

Silver Spoon

Books

Harmony by Project ITOH

Dragonlinks by Paul Collins

When The Hipchicks Went To War by Pamela Rushby

Alex Rider series by Anthony Horrowitz

Empire Trilogy by Raymond E. Feist & Janny Wurts

Gone series by Michael Grant

Light Novels

Trash of the Count's Family

Ascendance of a Bookworm

Movies

Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead (1991)

Anastasia (Disney)

Martian

Pandora (Korean film)

Baby & I (2008 Korean film)

Secrets in the Hot Spring (2018 Taiwanese film)

Mulan (2009 Chinese film)

#Alive (2020 Korean film)

Live TV Shows

Round The Twist

Siren: Survive the Island

Black Books

Thai Cave Rescue

All Of Us Are Dead

Music Genres

Post Rock

Symphonic Rock/Metal

Classical (Modern & Older)

Percussive Music

Cover Artists

Whatever tf Vocaloid is, I dunno

Music Artists

Nightwish

Muse

Mother Mother

Karliene

Games

Journey by thatgamecompany

Sims 4

Outer Worlds

Fallen London

Bugsnax

Eastshade

HP Legacy

Hungry Hungry Hippos

D&D

Artsy/Makey Hobbies

Hand sewing (on & off)

Baking (Mainly Biscuits)

Writing (on & off)

Worldbuilding

HeroForge figures

Photography (esp. the sky, scenery and plants)

Other Hobbies

Collecting Playing Cards (not the magic ones or the trading ones. the normal ones. mainly the pretty artsy ones. Kickstarter is spoiling me)

[veyniacsonly]

my main complaint with TFS:

My main complaint with TFS, other than the entirety of the POV system, were the supernatural “occurances” ...

MICHAEL AND ZARA WERE TOO OP.

point blank, they were WAY too powerful.

I don’t know if RPE always had Zara’s character in his back pocket and was waiting for this precise moment to unveil her, but she was awful— ruined the entire legacy of the Electroclan and the Resistence. The fact that she can absorb and re-create ANY glow’s powers is too OP. Plus, it doesn’t make sense that Hatch would keep her hidden until the very end. We know Hatch— he’s maniacal, but he’s not stupid. Why didn’t he use Zara from the very beginning at the Academy in TPOC or any time since then? Wouldn’t she have been the more beneficial? Just like Michael always remembered, “it’s better to crush the python egg”. Why didn’t Hatch destroy the Electroclan and the Resistence before it nearly destroyed him? I know it was meant to be a plot-twist and major climax of the entire series, but her entire character made me shake my head. Petition to cancel Zara from the series lol.

and Michael.... don’t get me started on Michael in TFS. First of all, we deserved to have his POV. And dare I say it, he shouldn’t have “died” at all. It was a really great cliffhanger for FOH, but made for an insufferable TFS. While I did enjoy seeing more characterization and moments from Ostin and Jack, plus the rest of the Electroclan, it was like reading a companion book to the original series, not the finale of one. (and not to mention, it felt the focus of TFS wasn’t even on the Electroclan, it was based on another set of characters 🙁). If I wanted a different POV of the Michael Vey series, I would have gone on Wattpad...but more than that, I was annoyed, yet again, that Michael was OP in TFS. He came back as lightning???? Apparently he’s pure electricity now???? He can teleport as a glowing orb of electricity????😭😭 That doesn’t make any sense at all. I’m all for him being the most powerful glow, but this was taking it too far.

I will admit, the reunion of Michael and the Electroclan in the final chapter was amazing, but the circumstances surrounding the aforementioned reunion was bullcrap.

I found myself literally shaking my head in disbelief as these wild card characters and new powers were discovered. It all happened way too quickly and way too much for my liking.

[renaroo]

Twisted Legacy (24/25)

Disclaimer: Transformers and related properties belong to Hasbro Warnings: Canon-typical language and violence, Psychological torture and horror, Post-war politics, Canon divergence/Loose canon, Hospitalization and illness, Cultist indoctrination Rating: T Synopsis: [Canon Divergence from MTMTE and exRID #54] The legacy of the Primes has had a tainted past, one that weighs heavily on Optimus, his supporters, and those who seek the legacy for the future. But as they look forward for themselves and for Cybertron, a darkness looms that threatens to further corrupt the unsteady peace of their planet with its curious claim to be the Hand of Primus himself.

It’s up to Optimus, Windblade, Rodimus, and their teams to try and save all Cybertronians from this mysterious threat and, perhaps, change the future for the better if they can.

A/N: Wow, so, to say the least a few things have happened since last I updated. Before I could finish this monster of a chapter I had a move halfway across the country, a lot of holidays, new jobs, a new year, and now a full time student and teaching position at a university happen. So. Quite a bit, you could say. And while I’m really sorry to have made you all wait so long, I feel so happy to be wrapping up this story. We only have one chapter left after this and I hope the journey has been as rewarding for everyone else as it has been for me, really and truly <3 So thank you all so much for your patience, your kindness, and your attention. I cannot thank you all enough. 

Special thanks to squireofgeekdom, Isame, and brokeneisenglas for the feedback!

Part V: The Day the World Caught Fire Chapter 5.4: The Emperor Wears No Robes

Being experienced in war, Drift didn’t have much reaction to the resounding crack that happened when his blades cut through armor and protoform alike. There was a sad normalcy to it, and beyond even that there was the fuel pumping horror of being out of step with his real concerns well past the mounting acolytes in their garish red and black paints.

Far ahead of him was the true battle — the one between Error and Rodimus.

Rodimus who was still half the mech he used to be in the sum of his parts. Physically.

Spiritually, well, as much as others had attempted to warn Drift off of reading EMF fields and taking aura as doctrine, he found that it could tell him much about the mechs he knew most. And he knew that Rodimus’ spark radiated with a fierceness and energy the likes of which Drift had not seen in what felt like a vorn.

It was Rodimus, but it was Rodimus like hadn’t been seen since the launch of the Lost Light itself.

Still, a mech who was hardly standing once before and a beast of a Cybertronian towering over him in weight and height was predictably a blow out. The strikes Error threw hit more than they missed and Rodimus’ supposedly superior speed seemed to be fairly chipped away at each time they clashed and moved the battle further out from the field.

It was difficult to watch, but Drift found that it was even more difficult to keep up with after the hordes of brainwashed cultists continued to throw themselves in his way. The crack sounded again and Drift progressed a little further, leaving messes of bots aside.

And it was suddenly then, with Rodimus’ winded chatter fresh in the air, that Drift began to realize what was actually happening. They were pushing forward, away from the new Hot Spot, away from the masses that obviously would give their sparks in service to the madbot. Rodimus wasn’t simply taking hits like Drift had been aghast about.

Rodimus was leading Error. And it was working. At the cost of what was left of Rodimus’ own body.

Suddenly, the push for Drift to close in was felt even stronger. Without thinking twice, he took an easily blocked hit, like Rodimus before him, and instead of striking, transformed into his altmode, taking off with a screech straight toward the battle he was destined for.

“Admit it, Never-Prime,” Error was sneering in undeserved bravado. “Admit that you feel the righteous call, the sins burning within you. Showing you to be undeserving of the call of the Matrix. Admit that my savagery upon you now feels like the just punishment you deserve for the horrors you have inflicted.”

“You mean all the screwed up things in my head thanks to you!?” Rodimus gritted back, transforming into botmode in a particularly confident and smooth transition before firing lasers straight at Error. “Yeah, I’m feeling progressively less like scrap over those since I got reintroduced to your stupid face!”

Hearing that, Drift allowed himself a small, meaningless sense of comfort. Because it was exactly what needed to happen for Rodimus. Half physically recovered still, yes. And getting worse by the second in the current fight. But spiritually, to his spark, Rodimus for the first time since the incident felt unbelievably, remarkably healed. And that was a victory in and of itself.

Until the laser blasts to Error’s face and chest plate landed, actually pot marking the latter. And in an outrage at the very indecency of the act, Error lunged forward, grabbed Rodimus by the wrists, and ratcheted him up into the air by them with a crushing force applied to the gun modifications. Rodimus let out a howl of surprise and kicked off of Error to no avail.

“You humiliate yourself and demean the suffering your inadequacy has wrought, Never-Prime,” Error snarled into Rodimus’ face viciously. “My shadowplay, my simple tinkers with your inconsequential and rotted mind, was not a plantation of memories. That takes sessions, ages, time that was not had in that dark cavern where your soul burned along with your body and face with a holy flame. All I did, all I was allowed time to do to you, Rodimus, was to bring what was buried back to its surface. The countless millions dead at your hands, the city leveled, the friends lost to your naivety, all of the things which were your fault and more — including the horrors of that cave — were yours. They were always yours. All I offered,” Error released one of Rodimus’ arms to coil his hand, unleashing short but significant spikes from the tips of his digits, “was to bring them back to the surface. Where they belong. Where they can be worn like the tainted scar of your face—“

Having closed in enough, Drift launched himself into the air, transforming to botmode with his sword drawn. “Rodimus!” he shouted as his sword swiped downward in its arc, severing the freed hand from Error’s arm.

In a moment of pained roaring, Error slung Rodimus at Drift, reeling back with his damaged arm flinging into the air. Energon arched at the motion, sputtering from the absent hand. But, another more treated liquid fuel also spewed into the air, a paler color than the energon with a more noxious smell to it as it pumped out from a cable which had flown loose at the severing.

Drift tried to take in as much of the scene as he could, needing as many clues to their next set of actions as possible, but it became demonstrably harder as Rodimus hit hard into him and sent them both to the dusty Nyon grounds.

They both grunted and rolled to their sides after it happened, Drift quickly putting his feet beneath him and reaffirming his grip on his sword.

“You are a liar and a monster, driven mad by a religious fervor beyond any recognition of mine,” Drift seethed at Error. “And your condemnations and hatred are rendered useless to us as a result. We know you are all tricks, Error. You’ve more than proved it now.”

“Tricks? Lying!?” Error laughed roarously. He gained his composure, raising his remaining hand up to his severed limb and igniting a flame from his palm which soldered the spewing cables. “You can claim that even as your precious Rodimus is frozen in realization of my truth?”

Drift was ready to snap back, but he glanced to his side where Rodimus was. Surprisingly, Rodimus was still on his elbows, looking forward rather than getting up.

A pang of hurt went through Drift and he believed, for an instant, that he had lost Rodimus to that dark void of introspection once more and that the captain was looking at Error. But the more Drift examined, the more that didn’t seem to be the case after all.

Rodimus stared, silently and determinedly at the severed hand before him, laying on the ground unclaimed. He was examining the spikes on its fingers, the mysterious tubing at its wrist. The make of it entirely.

And then he looked back to Error.

A fire was lit in his optics.

“You keep telling me I’m fake, that I’m death to those around me,” Rodimus hissed, pushing up finally. “Fine. I won’t fight it. I’ve got some demons even bigger than your tank aft, but because of you or not now, Error, I’m set on facing them.” His optics shined an unnaturally bright hue as he glared directly into Error’s face. “And you’re just a fake, too!”

Those words were boastful and tinging on seething, but they seemed to fuel Rodimus in ways his energon couldn’t. He wasn’t backing down, no matter how dumbly the action could have been perceived, again. And as Error cocked back for another attack, Drift was more than happy to be the first to move.

He sliced again but not for the flaming hand. It was instead for the cables protruding with the kibble on Error’s back.

And in doing so, he caused Error to let out a snarl of pain, the non-energon fuel spewing from them again and the flame from Error’s remaining hand dying out almost immediately.

A copycat outlier. A secret shadowplayer. A true fake Prime.

Drift had never been more ready to help take someone down.

But as the slice of Drift’s sword became more apparent, a weakened backside revealing a direct slice through the bulking Error’s chases, both Drift and Rodimus were frozen in shock and despair to see a familiar glint of green, a bright and shining light which was showing from deep within Error’s spark chamber.

“A phase sixer,” Drift managed to say just before the wrathful tyrant whipped around and clocked him right across his helm.

In truth, they were going in blind.

As far as a tactician went, Megatron had managed to not only prolong an uprising he was supposedly doomed to lose in its immediacy, but had managed for thousands of years to almost win across several planets and star systems alike. He was deadly with his cool and capable calculations like few others across any time or space could have been. But managed it all. And not only did he manage it, he managed it ruthlessly. To the point that ages and ages of judgment awaited him at the hands of supposed glorious knights.

But it was always an assumed error — and a fatal one at that — to go in completely blind to any situation.

And the mysterious “future” bots who conveniently could no longer follow them through, were all but serving them up for slaughter.

Still working on preservation instinct ruthlessly beat into him in the mines and later in the War, Megatron allowed himself to fall back however slightly. Prime, if he noticed at all, kept ahead with a one-minded speed. But Ratchet took notice, for certain.

The doctor, after all, had a habit of watching and threatening Megatron for all that he was worth. Which… was fair and somewhat earned, the former Decepticon was forced to admit.

That initial instinct toward preservation, however, seemed to disrupt Megatron’s spark the moment he looked ahead and was no longer blinded by the unknown. Instead, he was faced with failure at his responsibility. The responsibility he still very much felt toward his crew.

Drift and Rodimus were not doing unwell in their combat considering the circumstances, but the bulking mech they had come to know as Error was rampaging in a way which chilled Megatron’s innermost energon — it reminded him of Tarn and of Overlord. Of an unmatched strength which knew of its future victory. And it reminded him of a seething hatred for the hand which had guided it.

Once, with Tarn and with Overlord, Megatron had been on the receiving end. But with Error, there was a clear line of sight, and it was for Megatron’s co-captain.

After getting a good hit in on Error, Drift was hit with a flaming fist at a force which sent the light footed Cybertronian hurling into the ground at a cracking speed, causing metal to go flying from Drift’s armor and kibble as he skidded away from Error and Rodimus.

The attack was brutal, but the largest damage it caused was to Optimus, Ratchet, and Megatron’s advancing charge, as both Rodimus and Error followed through after Drift and locked optics with the upcoming party.

A renewed energy seemed to surge through Rodimus as he got up, cradling his left, puny replacement arm all wire and sinew, and looked at his would-be rescuers.

Though, Megatron, as usual, was incapable of predicting what came out of his co-captain’s mouth.

“What the frag is wrong with you!? Get the hell out of here!!! Don’t bring the Matrix around this maniac!” Rodimus all but screamed at them.

“We’ll leave when we’ve finished putting an end to this terrorizing,” Optimus said, transforming and landing only a yard away from the two, his gun arm readied. “Back away from them, Error, and surrender. It’s over.”

The optics of the attacker gleamed sharply toward Optimus, a smile cracking on his red painted face. “You are right,” Error said just before using his remaining large hand to grab the wounded Rodimus by the faceplate and drag him to his side as he turned to face Optimus. “Now that the Matrix is all but within my grasp, and the deceiver’s final blow almost dealt, truly, it is over. Just as Primus has intended for us all.”

Glaring, Megatron quickened his approach and hastily stepped in league with Optimus. As with his current code, he did not carry a weapon, but his appearance was apparently more than enough to grab Error’s attention.

“It has been millennia,” Megatron sneered, “and still I am very exhausted with the constant talk of this hangover from an irrelevant age.”

In the periphery of his vision, Megatron could see that Ratchet had gotten to Drift and was pulling him back and out of the midst of the upcoming conflict.

That was at least one matter taken care of.

“We should be working together, Megatron, our invigorating visions for the future are not so incompatible,” Error offered, ignoring how Rodimus was struggling in his grasp. “We both are more than happy to watch the old worlds burn.”

“It isn’t an option, Error,” Optimus declared for them both. “Put. Him. Down.”

“The only way that these negotiations are going anywhere is if we see Rodimus released, Error,” Megatron added stiffly.

“These aren’t negotiations,” Error laughed. “Are they, Proclaimed Prime?”

“There has been enough energon shed over trinkets,” Megatron urged.

“Put Rodimus down,” Prime repeated, more testily.

“I don’t believe I shall,” Error grinned at them, a madman lost within his own vision. “As I said, for a better future, for a truer future, I need to see the fires of Primus cleanse all that is around us. Beginning with the fake Prime who overlooked potential and worthiness of me, his most studious and most prepared acolyte, his true successor, the real Prime—“

When the flash of fire sparked from Error’s hand, Megatron felt his spark stop. He wasn’t certain what Rodimus’ technical condition was anymore, but he certainly could not withstand his brain module being crushed or blasted at such a close distance. They had failed — Prime’s bravado and force, and Megatron’s supposed great words.

But it was not Rodimus who released a pained yell from the flash of fire, but Error who backed off a few steps and left Rodimus, fire pulsing out from around his shoulders and head, to slide to his knees upon release.

“I just remembered,” Rodimus announced with a huff of exhaust from his intake as the flames died down. “You’re not the one who burned me. I burned myself. You can’t. Drift was right. There’s no judging fire from you.”

The words meant little to Megatron at the time, which made it somewhat relieving when Optimus interrupted the exchange by barreling forward and landing a monstrous, head turning punch right into Error’s face.

Even Megatron’s pacificity felt something remotely positive toward the feat.

At least, he did until Error launched back, fist on fire, landing a crushing blow directly to Optimus’ chest. It sent him flying back onto his shoulders and against the corroded grounds of Nyon, scraping and sparking along the way. But the true damage had been to Optimus’ dented in chest plate, where even the glass had been heated enough to flame.

“I will not fail, I will not allow my fate to be some predetermined failure! I have made my own greatness and have sought to rewrite the world into the image that Primus himself has commanded!” Error roared, his optics wide and sparking with rage. He was completely lost within himself. “I cannot fail when my goal is to fix what has been wrong.”

Having heard more than enough and seeing even Optimus would need some assistance, Megatron walked forward with his optics set and a tight frown on his face.

The movement was more than enough to capture the raging bot’s attention. “I have read the histories, I have read your treatises, Megatron!” he called toward the former Decepticon. “Surely you understand a broken system—“

“Systems are not broken on the basis of being preordained or not, they are broken for seeing utility,” Megatron answered, stopping at Optimus’ side and offering a hand up, “where character should be valued.” He then glared in Error’s directions. “And your so-called histories must be greatly edited if you do not realize that my opinions have always been rather overt about how religious zeal is but a perversion in discourse to excuse viewing utility over personal character.”

Optimus grabbed onto Megatron’s hand and, with Megatron as leverage, pulled himself back to his pedes. “Thank you… old friend,” Optimus said lowly before turning his piercing gaze to Error. “I suppose you would like to take first strike—“

“Actually, Optimus, if you were listening, you would know that my strikes have already landed,” Megatron answered confidently.

“In that case…” Optimus said before pivoting forward, fist raised.

“Of all the scrap-for-brains ideas!”

Ratchet knew there was an angry cadence to his voice, but he could have cared less who heard it. Especially after he reached Drift’s side and let the heavy hitters take care of business with the conniving terrorist sitting at the center of all of their current problems.

“It has been a long adventure, you will have to be more specific, Ratchet,” Drift uttered, still clutching to his damaged armor even as the medic worked to pry his hands away for assessment.

“All of it,” Ratchet replied, not even flinching at the noises around them — of battle, of the unknown, of pompous posturing. None of it was unusual or unexpected for him at that point. He’d heard and seen it all before. “Where’s most of the damage at, Drift, and don’t give me anything about how you can fix it with just some meditation and a few prayers to Primus. I’m not asking either, I’m telling. So out with it.”

Drift tilted his helm back enough to look at Ratchet with a squint and pursed his lips. “There’s no need to be aggressively nonreligious at the moment, Ratchet—“

“When I’m around you it can’t be stopped,” Ratchet scoffed.

“Regardless, that’s not why I’m going to refuse help,” Drift continued, pulling away from Ratchet’s grip.

The doctor almost knowingly gripped onto Drift and squeezed tight to remind him that they were not going anywhere. “Frag it, Drift—“

“You can help me after you take care of Rodimus,” Drift said decisively. “He’s worse off than I am and is the target of whatever insane machinations are driving Error, not me. Until I get back on my feet and into the brawl—“

“Which is not happening, frag’s sake, Drift,” Ratchet growled out.

“—Error isn’t going to have any interest me,” Drift continued unimpeded. “And that’s just how it’s going to be, Ratchet. And you know it’s the right order of things, so just stop being stubborn and do it.”

Ratchet’s voice box gave an audible click as he sputtered for the right retort. He then raised his arms up in aggravation. “You are calling me stubborn!? While refusing medical care?”

An almost affectionate smirk came to his old friend’s face. “I am.”

“Damn it,” Ratchet growled, getting back to his feet. “Fine. But you listen to me, if I see you so much as crawl toward the battle, I’m going to shoot off your kneecaps to keep you in place until I’m ready to kill you with my own hands. Got it?”

Infuriatingly, Drift nodded almost sagely to the threat and sent Ratchet into another sputtering, anger filled rage as he turned his attention toward the other damaged mech in the area.

Things seemed to be wrapping up, Optimus was landing a solid hit on the bulky mess the self-proclaimed error they had been dealing with, and not far from him and Megatron was the mech in question. Rodimus was on his knees, smoldering with flame in a way that Ratchet hadn’t really seen since the Necrobot’s planet. But he also seemed to be mostly gassed out by that point.

Which was fine by Ratchet. It was less arguing that he would have to deal with since Rodimus was about as whiny — in or out of his slump — as Drift was stubborn. Except for the fact that Ratchet had dealt with Rodimus’ lack of self-preservation enough by that point to know that he burned up fuel when he was on like that, and him allowing his fuel usage to go on even for the most climactic of fires was dangerous and stupid even for him.

“What the Pit has gotten into the two of you,” Ratchet growled out as he raced to Rodimus. “Are you and Drift trying to fry circuits today? Namely mine?”

“I’m making a stand,” Rodimus answered petulantly. Despite being in some of the worst shape externally that Ratchet had seen since they got his spark fully online again, Rodimus’ voice was as strong as it had ever been. He was determined.

Even if it was determinedly stupid in Ratchet’s book.

“You’re not standing, you’re on your knees, now knock off whatever it is you’re doing before you burn up your energon,” Ratchet snapped.

“Let him burn,” Error roared, pushing up once again from the ground, apparently knowing how to stay down even less than Rodimus. He had a hollow, angry glow to his optics. Wild and monstrous. “In fact, if it is the only change I am capable of making, I will even help—“

Error held up his arms, as if to aim his hands toward Rodimus and Ratchet. There was a strained, clicking sound but nothing happened. Nothing visible, but Ratchet caught a whiff of ozone and could hear the failed fizzle of a dying spark of flame.

Looking over Error’s bulk, looking at the cables and tubes weaved in and out of the massive armor that covered his body, Ratchet didn’t need much more to figure out what exactly was going on.

“Your augmentation’s not going to work, those enhancements are put together like scrap, and the external fuel you were using to light those fires is cut off or stopped up,” Ratchet informed the vile Cybertronian. “Sorry to tell you, but you’ve got no holy fires you can start up any time soon.”

“Surrender,” Optimus ordered grimly to the struggling form of Error.

“I won’t stop until I prove that Primus’ light will purify and destroy unworthy,” Error spat hysterically.

“Good to know,” Rodimus growled.

Somehow, against basic physics itself, Rodimus propelled himself from his knees to his feet, and with that same momentum dove toward Error’s bent form with one hand — his right hand — outstretched. The smoldering smoke and red heat of Rodimus’ self-produced fire had been concentrating without Ratchet’s notice, concentrating onto the right limb which before Rodimus had allowed to lay lifeless and limp at his side. Full of fire and fury, Rodimus grabbed onto Error’s face and immediately elicited a searing heat as metal melted to the touch and steam hissed out from Error’s optics.

“Rodimus!” Megatron sounded genuinely shocked.

“I just remembered what you taught me I could do,” Rodimus hissed at Error. “Hope it was worth it.”

When Rodimus released Error, the mech fell back onto the burnt grounds of Nyon, leaving Rodimus with a weak standing over him. Hissing flames and smoke were coming out from his hand still but Rodimus seemed intent on seeing his mark on Error.

A hand was burned into the monster’s faceplate, equal in size but opposite in direction to Rodimus’ own. And, all at once, the screaming and torture of the recordings made all too much sense even in ways it hadn’t before.

“It was me,” Rodimus announced emotionlessly, not looking back at the others. “On Eukaris. I… They did something. Unlocked it in me. A fire… and I… I burned.”

Ratchet stared at Rodimus’ back as the silence fell over the three mechs who could best be called Rodimus’ mentors.

“We know,” Ratchet answered.

“You do?” Rodimus half laughed. “That’s… a relief…”

Rodimus was already toppling forward for a harsh landing before Ratchet could start moving to stop it from happening. But he didn’t have to move too far. Another set of hands already were reaching and almost gently catching the flamed out bot.

Optimus looked as stoic as ever, but being one of his oldest and longest held friends Ratchet could see through much of it. And to Ratchet there was a tenderness in the soft glow of Optimus’ optics and a pride that made the warrior’s mech’s shoulders stiffen back and chest hold broad despite damages.

“Easy, Rodimus,” Optimus said softly. “We have you.”

“And we have what we need.”

The voice was so unexpected, Ratchet almost did a double take. He had completely forgotten that the time traveling nonsense had been involved at all, or that they had come with two additional mechs who held back at the last minute.

A pervasive annoyance came across Ratchet’s system. But beside him, Drift was left gawking.

The contrast was even more stark when the supposed Rodimus Prime was standing so near to their Rodimus himself. He had several advancements and improvements to his frame, a tighter look overall, but he was taller and constructed with a firmer chest plate, one large enough to hold something of grand importance to a bunch of non-thinkers by Ratchet’s standards. But most stark were the colors — that black and red paint job they had all come to instinctively grow wary of due to the cultists, and most of all the painted imprint on his face. A single hand, sprawled across his silver faceplate in a deep red.

Not too far from the future Prime was the future Cityspeaker as well, quickly using an energy blade to swipe through additional adornments on Error which were likely usable as weapons, then pulling out a pair of power dampeners and handcuffs.

“Well, Error, you’re arrested. Again. For me. Not for you, I guess. But again, for me,” Rodimus Prime professed, hands on his hips.

“Don’t antagonize the time traveling assassin, Prime,” Windblade hissed in his direction.

“Sorry, I’ve just been looking forward to this for a super long time. Especially now that we know who he is,” Rodimus Prime answered. And though the voice was familiar and light, as if not taking the situation very seriously, Ratchet knew that everyone standing there at the moment could see the twinge of something else on Rodimus Prime. He was not nearly as stoic or good at hiding his emotions as his apparent predecessor.

“I suppose you won’t be telling us who that someone is then,” Megatron said, sounding highly displeased.

“Nope,” Rodimus Prime said.

Ratchet felt himself almost blow a gasket.

“That’s absolute scrap! We deserve to know what we’ve been dealing with, whose fault it is that so many lives have been lost!” Ratchet growled at them.

Windblade looked taken aback, but Rodimus looked positively nostalgic.

“I’ve missed being yelled at by you so much, Ratchet,” Rodimus Prime sighed fondly.

“Come over here and I’ll give you a way to remember it better,” Ratchet warned, holding up his tool arm. “You can’t just poof in here and poof out, the world deserves to know who to blame for the literal terror they have been living under. And we deserve a chance to prevent it.”

“No one deserves that chance, you can’t prevent the future, you can just live with it,” Windblade reasoned.

“Says who?” Optimus said lowly. There was a certain, noncommittal tenor to his voice that seemed to be working against them.

“In our time? The law,” Rodimus Prime answered. He glanced toward Megatron. “The ones crafted in legislation by you.”

“Me?” Megatron asked, baffled. “How can that be? I have never written legislation before, and we are on the way to Cyberutopia specifically so I can be tried for my crimes—“

“Which is what we need to do with Error,” Ratchet said pointedly. “We need the responsible party!”

Rodimus Prime and the future Windblade glanced at each other, their looks cryptic and mysterious but clearly conveying ages of information that was beyond anyone else. They turned back to the rest at the same time.

“Then look no further than who is in your Prime’s hands,” Rodimus Prime said almost sagely. “Against his will and for his own will he has slain hundreds. Maybe thousands. Perhaps it was under command, or by Primus’ will, or due to interfering Shadowplay, or maybe just because he did. But you all know what happened on Eukaris, that Rodimus using a divine gift, an Outlier ability, blew up himself and everyone in a cave with him.”

“He was made to,” Optimus defended.

“But it was him. And if he’s not punished, if he’s not banished, if he’s allowed to live his life, he’ll prosper and heal and eventually lead,” Rodimus Prime continued. “And he’ll continue to be mistaken as much as he’s right. And when he’s in charge of leading young, impressionable bots who hold the future’s future in their own hands, he will make a mistake. He’ll make a grave error in judgment, and his greatest student will grow mad with power and religious fervor, deciding for himself that his horrendously flawed master never deserved the title he wears to begin with.” He let out a long huff from his intake, closing his optics in thought for a moment. Slowly, his gaze returned to the others. “So. You can punish me — the me of now — for what was not in his control, and maybe even the things that were, or you could punish him preemptively for the things that he will do and stop the mistakes he will make. And when I tell you the name of the young spark who would become that biggest of all mistakes, you can preemptively punish him first before his life has even begun, too.” He nodded to Windblade and then back to himself. “For us, though, that is unethical. And unlawful.”

There was a pregnant pause between them all.

“There are many scenarios that come about from time travel that would require laws,” Megatron said lowly.

“Yeah, if I were you, Megs, i’d get on them now while you have free time,” Rodimus Prime attempted to say lightly. But the burden of the moment was still far too great, too loud and stifling.

“The first Hot Spot on Cybertron in ages,” Ratchet marveled, looking back across the stretches of Nyon. “And you’re telling us that one of those new lives is going to become the biggest piece of scrap history can throw at us?”

“Well, it’s not history for you yet,” Windblade offered. “But we have to leave with Error. That, unfortunately, is nonnegotiable.”

“And what the Pit are we supposed to do with all of this?” Ratchet demanded angrily.

“We will have to decide that, won’t we?” Optimus questioned, having pulled the unconscious Rodimus fully into his arms. “Make right choices. Make mistakes.”

A small smile, nothing like Rodimus’ usual broad showy grins, but small and true, showed up on the future Prime’s faceplate. “Yeah. Just like you taught me.”

Ratchet, though, wasn’t having it. “We can do more. I don’t believe in predetermination,” he snapped.

“Good, I hope you do do more,” Rodimus Prime said truthfully. “The world could always serve to be better.

Windblade, standing between Rodimus Prime and the captured Error, pulled out a suitcase from her subspace.

“Why suitcases?” Optimus asked.

“That’s a Brainstorm question, sorry, can’t help you there,” Rodimus Prime shrugged just before Windblade finished opening it and a puff of purple smoke encapsulated them.

And then, just like that, the time travelers were gone, and in their wake was every bit of carnage and disappointment that their visits had brought.

“Frag it,” Ratchet growled to himself, squeezing his optics shut and pinching the bridge between them. He was going to need to hit Swerve’s after it was all said and done.