#To become the ultimate spy master duo

[masked-alien-lesbian]

The TRR friend squad as the new Via Imperii

Liam Rys the Emperor and his queen Riley Rys the Face of the Via Imperii

Raelyn Lee the Ears of the Via Imperii and the love of their life, Hana Lee, the Eye of the Via Imperii

Maxwell Beaumont the Voice and Drake Walker the Fist.

[halos-top-alien-model]

Sangheili Bracket Round 2 Match 6

More info below:

Okro 'Vagaduun:

Debuted in Halo: Shadows of Reach ("Sacrifice")

Born March 2nd, 2493, he was trained by the legendary Toha 'Sumai and joined the Bloodbrave Guardians of Suban before the Covenant's end. When the Covenant did fall, he abandoned his post in the Covenant military and fought in a bloody battle between the Bloodbrave Guardians and a Covenant battle group sent to destroy them. Okro would be the only survivor. After this, he would be given quarter by Decimus and offered a place within the Banished by Atriox, but Okro would initially refuse. Only after watching his people descend into civil war would he finally accept. When he did, he chose to track down his old teacher 'Sumai and assassinate him, as part of cutting ties with his past and show full loyalty to Atriox. They would duel, only for Okro to win and claim his former teacher's sword. Then, he revitalized the Bloodbrave within the Banished.

He was amongst those that joined Atriox at the Ark. When Atriox decided to return to the rest of the galaxy, Okyo participated in a raid on the Forerunner keyship the Prophet of Truth brought for slipspace shards for the portal that would be needed. In Summer 2559, he, Minas, and Captain Zeretus would lead their teams to the keyship, only for surviving Covenant loyalists to ambush them - having survived seven years on the ship and lacking knowledge that their Covenant was now dead. However, the mission would still achieve its goal, despite Okro and Minas being the sole survivors of their respective teams. Once the portal from the Ark to Reach was established, Okro would be one of the few chosen to follow Atriox through it, becoming part of the Exodus Guard.

The next year, Okro would serve under Escharum during the occupation of Installation 07, being part of the Blind Lance of the Fifth Combat Element in the Banished's Bloodbrave. Yet his luck in survival would ultimately come to an end at the hands of the Master Chief, who would at some point become aware of Okro's High Value Target status and hunt him down.

Ernicka the Scar-Maker:

Debuted in Halo: Broken Circle

Living within 9th century BCE times, Ernicka would serve as the second in command to Ussa 'Xellus during the San'Shyuum-Sangheili war. At one point, helped lead trops against the San'Shyuum, repelling them from the Planet of Blue and Red. Whilst he believed the they would not attack from their ships - in fear of damaging Forerunner structures - Ussa would recognize that they indeed had a weapon they could fire to kill them while not causing damage. Ernicka followed orders to retreat and survived. Later, when the war ended, he would be amongst those that still distrusted the San'Shyuum and the newly formed Covenant. He would continue to aid Ussa when Covenant loyalists attempted to end his heresy and even correctly deduced there was a spy within their midst helping the Covenant. After killing the spy once revealed, he joined the others in leaving Sanghelios for a shield world dubbed the Refuge. Once there, Ernicka would assist Ussa in governing the Sangheili living there. At one point, Salus 'Crolon would approach and question the duo, saying things that Ernicka felt were treasonous, although Ussa would argue that 'Crolon was merely annoying. As colony-building continue, Ernicka would break up a fight between 'Crolon and young lovestruck Tersa 'Gunok, although was also impressed with the latter's courage. Later, he would have to arrest Tersa and his love Lnur 'Mol on suspicions they were planning a rebellion, but their innocence would be proven and the tables turned against the true rebels: 'Crolon and 'Drem. Ernicka would throw a burnblade into 'Drem's back when he tried to escape, then finished him off with decapitation. However, 'Crolon would escape execution and the shield world, going to inform the Covenant of the Refuge. With the threat of the Covenant arriving, Ernicka would reluctantly trust the shield world's monitor, Enduring Bias. In order to make the Covenant believe they all were dead, the shield world would be disassembled into fragments. Everyone survived by hiding in freight movers, which notably made Ernicka nauseous. For the rest of his life after, he would live in the fragmented habitats under Ussa's leadership, immortalized in sculptures (particularly with him battling 'Crolon) and in legend for centuries. A descendant of his - Tirk 'Surb - would come to serve as the head of Refuge Security during the year 2552.

[detective-inspector-her]

i missed something. we went from them just chilling in the previous episode to "a tragedy occurred in deika city" things are gonna get worse and theres explosions. deku explain

How else would the series pick up casually?

concerning person with white hair is laughing. i think they are escaping from something

The fact that you didn't know who this was confused me for a sec, and then I remembered that I know everything that's going on so it doesn't confuse me.

"dense but cute" that he is, todoroki doesn't know anything (boy didnt even know what a concert was)

If he smiles I'll die. *sighs solemnly*

almight's going back into hero-ing as gaunt?

Nezu: The Ultimate Hero Name Master

"dont you have a chair somewhere?" "but its so much warmer to be snuggled inside your binding cloths" Nezu, you may be evil and i still hate you. but that was kinda funny

The fun duo of sadistic and sarcastic

i love eri, and i love her and aizawas relationship in this

Dadzawa

i like this intro music

It's surprisingly catchy

so todoroki, deku and bakugo become a thing

This made me laugh so fucking hard.

"your a jerk" bakugo said that to the no.1 hero to his face. respect.

Weak, Deku wore an All Might scarf to a Endeavour Work Study

there is something wrong with hawks and i gotta know what

Oh my god, how are you so funny? T-R-A-U-M-A I have trauma and I'm gay I apologies

it would be neat if the text was translated

Yeah, I have no clue. I tried and failed

so theres a libaration front, which hawks is also part of as a spy? my guy is doing alot. give him a break

He doesn't get that break.

fuyumi is trying so hard to make the family work

She's trying to do the impossible.

deku and bakugo boutta be shoved in to some tododrama, arn't they

Yup. Found this skit for you, has a lot of swearing but it's basically episode 2 of s5

also, he's not the kid with red hair, but i also havent seen the kid with red hair. what happened to the red-hair, presumably youngest todoroki. unless that was dabi. but in endevours picture dabi had white hair. whats with the kid with red hair. he's been in a few scene but never appeared

I assure you, he's the kid with red hair. You'll get there. Apply the previous theory but with replace Shoto with Touya.

oh so purple-portal guy is one of their old friends?

I recall you asking why Aizawa couldn't have two extrovert best friends. This is why. He did.

i wonder if grand torino used to be a UA teacher

He got his teaching licence specifically for All Might so I don't think so.

while being chased by a bunch of people: "i'm sleepy" -shigaraki

Pretty sure in the manga he says "I'm in the worst possible mood" while flipping onto the wall.

hey, uh what the fuck did i just watch. can we take a moment here. like what. so shigaraki got his quirk, killed his dog (accidently) his sister (accidently) everyone else (Also accidently?) was like, 5 years old (young kid) so didn't really understand it. his father, who was always mean to him, came and whacked him with a gardining tool. he killed his father (on purpose). no wonder he's messed up

It gets worse my guy. It gets worse.

remember how afo said that people abandoned shigarki cause they thought a hero would step in? maybe it was cause he was covered in blood and creepy? but someone should have helped him. i need an au where someone good got to shigaraki before afo

Inko Midoriya adopts Tenko All Might adopts Tenko

"shining beacon" the most beat up and tired man i have seen (re-destro about shigaraki)

He's clearly glowing with health

shigaraki has white hair now? blue suited him better

Yes it did.

i dont really see the hawks/dabi but they have only been together on screen for like a minute total, so i guess we'll see

Their relationship is based on mutual exploitation which appeals to people, they are not a healthy duo in any way shape or form. Think of it almost as like, Skulpine but Og Serpine and not Nefarian. Toxic couple if they were canon, to the worst degree.

"i'll have a surprise karoke context with them, then boil their guts while their eardrums bleed" -present mic, what the hell

Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it

"blackwhip helps user move around in air and capture people" so basically lets them be spiderman

It's a shame Spiderman is pre-quirk media, they probably don't know who he is.

so aizawa is eri's dad, right?

Dadzawa is the father of Class 1A, Shinsou and Eri. He's a better father than half the on-screen dads in this series.

i found a place to watch the movies, so i'll be doing that (theres 4, i'm currently planning to only do the 2 heros one) before starting S6. also ive gotten the intro song stuck in my head

Two Heroes is the one with Melissa, yay! Good movie. The intro song has blended with Hero Too in my head and I can't get either of them out.

next season i'm guessing will be eri's quirk exploding, training for the big fight, and the fight itself. or the fight is s7, but thats really far, so maybe not

You're half right

also, MD, would you like for me to stop tagging you, cause i just realised its probably annoying for you

It isn't annoying, please continue! I have fun reading these :]

continuing watching mha, season 5 episodes 13-25

@maidofdarkness23

Ep 13

i missed something. we went from them just chilling in the previous episode to "a tragedy occurred in deika city" things are gonna get worse and theres explosions. deku explain

concerning person with white hair is laughing. i think they are escaping from something

okay, interview time!

so deika city had a riot

oh hey, its midnight and mt lady. the 2 most sexual heros in this. please just kill me now

Aizawas sleeping bag has sleeves?!

"dense but cute" that he is, todoroki doesn't know anything (boy didnt even know what a concert was)

"holy crap when did he learn to use my quirk!"

deku's quirk mindscape is a kitches. we got eggs, a microwave and a lock. all of those are found in a kitchen (locks are sometimes)

almight's going back into hero-ing as gaunt?

"dont you have a chair somewhere?" "but its so much warmer to be snuggled inside your binding cloths" Nezu, you may be evil and i still hate you. but that was kinda funny

chrismas special? sounds fun i'm in

best jeanist has dad vibes

ERI'S CHRISTMAS OUTFIT

"i'm supposed to say trick-or-treat" "not quite, wrong holiday" "and in sickness, and in health" "no your even further away now"

i love eri, and i love her and aizawas relationship in this

"here take these eggs i painted" "thats easter but thanks"

I WANTED A CHRISTMAS EPISODE AND I GET A MONTAGE. WHAT.

who gave eri a big sword (i think it was tokoyami, cause he had it earlier)

Ep 14

hawks and best jeanist are friends?

also best jeanist has 1 lung now

i like this intro music

so todoroki, deku and bakugo become a thing

also mic's in aizawa's field (why is that guy always in a field in the intro) they're standing near something that looks like a cofiin

hawks almost bought black coffee and freaked out. hes also being tracked. should i be concerned? also who even are those people?

"your a jerk" bakugo said that to the no.1 hero to his face. respect.

hawks is reading that villan book.

"aah my throne is burning!"

this is so funny. it kinda looks like hes about to start dancing

that book is very concerning to me. its planning something (like the book is gonna be a part in something big, not literally)

there is something wrong with hawks and i gotta know what

it would be neat if the text was translated

so theres a libaration front, which hawks is also part of as a spy? my guy is doing alot. give him a break

libaration front is doing something in 4 months

i am very concened/confused right now.

the libaration front = the league of villans? that makes kinda sense

hawks is the main character (of the outro)

Ep 15

Ep 16

fat gum is not skinny anymore and life is good

DRAGON!!! (riyukyu is my 2nd fav hero because she's a dragon)

riyukyu sounds different as a dragon

Ep 17

fuyumi is trying so hard to make the family work

"what the crap!" "why the crap!" -bakugo

deku and bakugo boutta be shoved in to some tododrama, arn't they

so, i think we're getting the dabi being toya todoroki reveal soon

also, he's not the kid with red hair, but i also havent seen the kid with red hair. what happened to the red-hair, presumably youngest todoroki. unless that was dabi. but in endevours picture dabi had white hair. whats with the kid with red hair. he's been in a few scene but never appeared

Ep 18

endevour forgot, he's just saying that

"old man smell" *escapes* -bakugo (hes funny like that)

Ep 19

starting this off by saying i am mildly annoyed because the site i use uses servers with the episodes, and i'm using a different one cause my normal one wasnt working, so now its formatted different. not that thats important. might complain more

did i mention the intro song is kinda a banger? like why. i would watch the intro for the song. but i dont

so the old server had this bit where you can hover over the progress bar and it'll show the frame. this one does not :(

ida's weird dance though (i think hes dancing)

uraraka panicing over an almight figure.

if i have to sit through a bunch of uraraka/deku stuff someone is going to die, probably me

bakugo causally almost killing deku be like:

almight the symbol of sweets

okay why are aizawa and present mic Like that right now. whats wrong

oh so purple-portal guy is one of their old friends?

aizawa seems upset. thats new

i was kinda hoping they'd get him back.

holy shit they're doing it

"they're a bit dry" sir, you are literally crying. eyes cannot get more wet then crying

i wonder if grand torino used to be a UA teacher

shigaraki is also a nomu?

i hate how no-one can be straightforward. like what. tell me the thing, dont just tell me clues

Ep 20

i need to see league be silly in this. please

mini nomu named jonny who teleports people

why is twice's ringtone like that

Ep 21

i wonder who Destro's kid is. it would be interesting if it was eri or shigaraki. but i cant stand the thought of anything bad happening to eri, and shigaraki already has a thing going on with the previous ofa person.

it it important their calling it meta abilities instead of quirks?

while being chased by a bunch of people: "i'm sleepy" -shigaraki

"sounds like a wonderful life NOW DIE" -dabi

i zoned out the last part, but i think it was just the guy talking about twice and toga's quirk

Ep 22

twice be having that existential crisis

the "my villan academia" is kinda funny

damn twicw, thats kinda cool

the guy was using another guy as a chair

THERES SO MANY TWICES, LIKE SO MANY

the "Me's!" though (how does one spell the plural of me, caus it'll be mes, but thats proounced wrong, and me's is gramatically wrong"

oh, re-destro is destro's kid/decendent

i think the name re-destro is dumb. like get your own name dude

Ep 23

re-destro also does % quirk like deku

whoo big guy is here

young shigaraki need a hug.

i am not okay after watching shigaraki's backstory

hey, uh what the fuck did i just watch. can we take a moment here. like what. so shigaraki got his quirk, killed his dog (accidently) his sister (accidently) everyone else (Also accidently?) was like, 5 years old (young kid) so didn't really understand it. his father, who was always mean to him, came and whacked him with a gardining tool. he killed his father (on purpose). no wonder he's messed up

Ep 24

remember how afo said that people abandoned shigarki cause they thought a hero would step in? maybe it was cause he was covered in blood and creepy? but someone should have helped him. i need an au where someone good got to shigaraki before afo

the hands on young shigaraki look so disproportionate. like their so big and he's small

shigaraki has 17 hands (so far, his family (5 people) the 2 guys, the extra and his own) the average person has 2 hands is a statistical error. spider shigaraki who lives somewhere and has 17 hands is an outlier and should not have been counted

shigaraki's first name means to mourn. fitting

"after an awaking, this man has changed" yeah, awakenings tend to change people

whoo, golem's here (idk his name, the big giant thats really likes afo)

"shining beacon" the most beat up and tired man i have seen (re-destro about shigaraki)

shigaraki now has 3 hands, i wonder who's hand is on his face

okay so, league and meta libaration now are paranormal libaration front, and shigaraki's in charge. good to know. i'll be calling them "the front" cause the name is too long, and plf if a weird thing to call them

ive heard things of a paranormal libaration war, or something like that. guessing its heros vs the front. sounds fun

Ep 25

shigaraki has white hair now? blue suited him better

hawks!

hey, uh why the fuck is best jeanist in a bag

i dont really see the hawks/dabi but they have only been together on screen for like a minute total, so i guess we'll see

*sadly* "humans are... scary" -one of the robots

present mic just lying on the table

"i'll have a surprise karoke context with them, then boil their guts while their eardrums bleed" -present mic, what the hell

WAIT, WHATS WRONG WITH ERI, IS SHE OK she's fine (alive and not hurt). i think her quirk is gonna do a thing

"blackwhip helps user move around in air and capture people" so basically lets them be spiderman

bakugo being so agressive all the time is so funny to me

"WHAT FOOL CUT THE CHIVES" "i did" "YOU SHAMED YOUR SISTER" -bakugo, to todoroki

so aizawa is eri's dad, right?

thing

i found a place to watch the movies, so i'll be doing that (theres 4, i'm currently planning to only do the 2 heros one) before starting S6. also ive gotten the intro song stuck in my head also, i feel like hawks has an interesting story, like he was training to be a hero since he was a kid, and is number 2, and right behind someone he used to love as a kid. he's also working with the front, and double crossing them. so yeah, thats fun. i also think i can go somewhere with how he's fast like that, and how he said he needs to go faster, and the whole youngest hero, stopping criminals and just handing them off to sidekicks after being defeated, instead of working with them. also, do you reckon if tamaki eats, like some plant, he could get that Woods hero's quirk, or something simmilar? and if he does canablisim, can he shapeshift, or grow limbs? also, i need to say i love eri, she's adorable. i love her mixing up the holidays from earlier, it was cute and if anything bad happens to her, i will kill someone.

next season i'm guessing will be eri's quirk exploding, training for the big fight, and the fight itself. or the fight is s7, but thats really far, so maybe not

also, MD, would you like for me to stop tagging you, cause i just realised its probably annoying for you

[zamblam]

Background

Sasori and Deidara first met when Deidara was forcefully recruited into Akatsuki after being defeated by Itachi. Sasori needed a new partner after his previous partner, Orochimaru, defected from Akatsuki. Sasori commented on how Deidara seemed like someone who would die young. Sasori and Deidara would work together for about three years and nothing is really known about this time spent together. Both Sasori and Deidara consider themselves artists, though their artistic philosophies differed drastically. Sasori believed art was meant to last for an eternity for posterity and to leave something for the future. Deidara believed art was meant to last only for a moment, so that the artist can seek to create even greater art and even greater stimulation. These philosophies are reflected in their fighting techniques as Deidara uses detonating clay to explode enemies and Sasori uses puppets and even made his own body into a puppet so as to achieve immortality. Ironically Sasori prefers to end fights quickly and hates to keep people waiting, whereas Deidara likes to take his time with an opponent. This leads to frequent bickering between the two of them, even if they are being confronted by enemies. Deidara actually seems to respect Sasori’s art and his exceptional knowledge of it, referring to him as “Sasori no Danna” which means Master Sasori (in the English Anime it is translated as “Sasori my man”). Sasori has no respect for Deidara’s art, calling it a cheap pyrotechnics display and referring to him as a brat. Sasori often ends their arguments with threats to kill Deidara. In spite of threats to kill Deidara, Sasori often made efforts to protect him and often scolded him for not being more prepared in battle. Deidara seemed to enjoy getting an angry response out of his usually emotionless partner.

Kazekage Rescue Arc

Sasori and Deidara traveled towards Sunagakure, in which Sasori voiced concerns if Deidara was prepared enough to fight Gaara. Deidara assured Sasori that he brought his c3 clay just in case. They managed to infiltrate Sunagakure easily thanks to Sasori’s brainwashed ally Yura. Deidara makes a clay bird and asked what Sasori thought of his sculpture. Sasori replied by telling him not to keep him waiting. Deidara simply encouraged Sasori to watch the fight and enjoy the show. Though Deidara’s arms was destroyed in the fight, he managed to defeat Gaara and smiled at the thought of how angry Sasori would be for taking so long. They quickly left Sunagakure, but were confronted by Gaara’s brother Kankuro. After seeing Kankuro was a puppet master like himself, Sasori encouraged Deidara to go on ahead. Deidara smiled and confidently thought of how easily Sasori would defeat him. Kankuro attempted to attack Deidara before his departure, but Sasori quickly stopped the attack. Sasori defeated Kankuro and managed to catch up to Deidara, who seemed amused that Sasori was keeping him waiting for a change. They arrived at the Akatsuki headquarters and helped to seal the One Tailed Shukaku. They stayed behind to confront the team of ninjas that came to save Gaara. Deidara and Sasori get into an argument over who should fight Naruto. Sasori wanted to fight him so as to meet the quota of one jinchuriki each. Deidara wanted to fight him as he saw him as the perfect “canvas” for his art. This led to an argument about art, that didn’t stop even when Naruto, the person they were supposed to capture and were arguing about in the first place, attempted to attack them. Deidara created a clay bird and took off with Gaara’s body against Sasori’s wishes, to which Naruto and Kakashi followed. Sasori battled Chiyo and Sakura but was ultimately killed, though not before he informed them about a spy in among Orochimaru’s followers, revealing a grudge he held against his former partner. Meanwhile Deidara lost his other arm fighting Kakashi, and thought about how Sasori would be mad at him for not thinking ahead more carefully. Deidara hid as Chiyo and Sakura met up with Kakashi and Naruto. Shocked that Sasori was defeated, Deidara spoke to Sasori in his mind claiming “you relied too much on that puppet body of yours, even though it revealed your weak spot. Still it was a death worthy of an artist.” Deidara was then confronted by Team Guy, but managed to escape by faking his suicide by explosion.

Itachi Pursuit Arc

Now partnered with Tobi, Deidara learns of former Akatsuki member Orochimaru’s death. Deidara was seriously angered by this having wanted to kill Orochimaru in honor of Sasori. Sasori hated Orochimaru for betraying him and Akatsuki. Deidara decides the next best thing is to defeat Orochimaru’s killer Sasuke. Deidara becomes increasingly angry as Sasuke overcame each and every piece of art he threw at him, including his c4 Garuda which he was planning to use to kill Itachi. He ultimately uses his c0 “Ultimate Art”, which kills him in a massive suicide bombing but ultimately fails to kill Sasuke.

Shinobi World War Arc

Kabuto resurrects Sasori and Deidara for his army in the Fourth Shinobi War. He assigned them to the Surprise Attack and Diversion Platoon. Sasori and Deidara briefly argue about art, in which Sasori threatens to kill Deidara. Deidara replies that they are already dead so it didn’t matter. When they confront the Surprise Attack Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces. Deidara exclaims for them not to “underestimate this artistic duo”. Though they could not be killed do to the nature of the reanimation jutsu, Sasori still made attempts to protect Deidara from Omoi’s sword attack. They are quickly captured inside of two Black Ant Puppets belonging to Kankuro. Kankuro begins to tell Sasori how he has been immortalized because his soul carries on in his creations. Deidara becomes enraged, making fervent pleas for Sasori not to listen. He attempts to blow himself up with c0, but his explosion is stopped by Omoi’s lightning style. Sasori soul is released after he receives closure from Kankuro’s statement. This shocks Deidara, who yells out for Sasori to answer him. In an anime filler episode, Deidara manages to briefly escape from captivity with the help of Zetsu. While alone, Deidara reveals himself to be sad about how Sasori “went to soon” and how he was now alone. He is ultimately recaptured and his soul would be released after Kabuto undid the reincarnation jutsu.

Conclusions on Sasori and Deidara’s Relationship

Though the two of them are often fighting about their art, they seem to generally care for each other. Sasori constantly threatens to kill Deidara, but at the same time goes out of his way protect Deidara when they fight together such as from Kankuro in the Kazekage Rescue Arc and from Omoi in the Shinobi World War Arc. He also frequently lectures Deidara about being properly prepared in fights. Deidara seems enjoy getting Sasori angry at him, taking pleasure in making him wait and going against what Sasori wants when he takes Gaara’s body to lure Naruto away in the Kazekage Rescue Arc. Ironically he seems to display a lot more care for Sasori when he dies, like when he wanted to kill Orochimaru in honor of Sasori in the Itachi Pursuit Arc or in the Shinobi World War where he thought to himself how Sasori went to quickly and that he was now alone. Strangely enough when they are around each other they can’t seem to help but argue. Perhaps it was just too difficult for them to admit that they needed each other.

[wuestenschakal]

Redemption AUs Redesigns: Shadow, Infinite/Zero & Allies

As always, general character informations & headcanons beneath the cut (include age, personality, backstory, etc. especially in regards to Infinite and the Jackal Squad) Everything I listed here is applicable to both Redemption AUs.

For Team Sonic and the Babylon Rogues click here.

Shadow

Physical appearance: mid-20s

He has cropped ears, not unlike those of a Doberman/Pitbull -> a design choice Gerald had been commissioned by GUN to make him appear more intimidating

Zero loves to bite, lick and nuzzle the small white stripe at the back of Shadow’s neck. (It’s one of Shadow’s sweet spots.)

Infinite / Zero

Age:25

Born: Khalid (arab.: eternal, to last forever) -> went by Infinite during the war to sound more imposing and threatening -> starts going by Zero once he decides to turn for the better

Youngest son of a cultist leader, who abused him for being the runt of the litter -> lived basically isolated from the rest of the clan & had to lie, trick and steal his way through his childhood

Ran away from the clan after a very traumatic event -> taken in by Akilah and her grand-father a couple months later

All-around fighter, hence why he calls himself the ultimate mercenary. Receives his scimitar back from Akilah once they’re reunited.

Ø Phantom Ruby -> powers remain, however (though not to the same powerful extent)

Personality: smart (strategist), suave, sophisticated (just listen to the way he talks) which makes it easy to manipulate others, patient, confident (to the point of outright arrogance, though he’s working on it), but also ruthless depending on the situation/person

Akilah

Arab.: Intelligent

Age: 24 3/4

Raised by her grand-father (Malik), after her parents died in an accident

Met Khalid when they were both 12 -> became an inseparable duo ever since (like siblings)

Her weapons of choice are her trusty twin daggers. She’s also a pro at different kinds of martial arts.

Personality: temperamental, fierce, roguish, direct, stubborn, let’s her fists do the talking, fiercely loyal to Zero

Sayf

Arab.: knife

Age: 28 -> older brother of Faris

Met Khalid and Akilah at the age of 21 after he and his brother had been cast out from their pack.

Wears a keffiyeh, which had been gifted to him by his sister before becoming an outcast

Despite being the tallest and strongest, he prefers long range combat over close combat, though he won’t hesitate to punch someone’s guts out, were they to get too close. His weapons of choice are throwing knives, any kind of explosives and sniper rifles (if he can get his hands on them).

The craftsman -> can build/repair any kind of weapon from mere scraps (though it’s nothing like the high-end technology produced by Eggman or Tails)

Personality: calm, taciturn, patient, mild, a good listener, protective over those he deems friends/family

Faris

Arab.: knight

Age: 27 -> younger brother of Sayf

Met Khalid and Akilah at the age of 20 after he and his brother had been cast out from their pack.

His beret has been a gift from his younger sister, before he’d been cast out

The scout/spy -> stealth master. His weapons of choice are his clever, smoke bombs and poison/sleep darts.

Personality: level-headed, more often than not the voice of reason, patient, yet a bit of a stuck-up at times (because he thinks he's the most mature one of the pack -> takes his big brother role very serious)

Talib

Arab.: scholar, seeker of knowledge

Age: 17

The puppy of the squad -> still has his soft baby fur

The last one to join the pack at the age of 11 -> they adopted him into the squad after finding him as the sole survivor amidst the ruins of his burned down village, which had fallen victim to a bandit raid

Mercenary-in-training, though he’s become an assest to the squad thanks to his vast knowledge -> loves to read up on random facts, and does any kind of research which could profit the squad (this can range from arts and architecture all the way to chemistry and technology). He’s also very good at parkour.

Personality: excitable, impressionable (though not to the point of naivety), smart, boisterous, looks up to the others (esp. Zero)

Has a puppy crush on Silver

Silver

Age: 17

his redesign is heavily influenced by the early concept art of Silver as Venice the Mink (as I really like that design)

I headcanon him to be younger than Shadow and Sonic (but older than Tails)

I also headcanon that he has more respect for Shadow than Sonic (to the point of admiration), considering that he’s from the future and Shadow is immortal, and would therefore still be alive in Silver’s time. Hence the reason why I make him side with Shadow. (I also like the idea of him being Shadow’s son *shrugs* Sega only has itself to blame for this, when they decided to cast Silver as Galahad in SatBK)

Rouge

Age: 27

I took inspiration from her Sonic Heroes design, for I adore her purple catsuit, as well as her dark purple and magenta wings. (Also, give this gorgeous queen of a bat more wingspan, Sega)

Supports👏 Shadow👏 no👏matter👏what,👏because👏they’re👏FAMILY~!👏👏👏

[shepscapades]

Yogscast Starter Pack/Master Post

Hello!! I’ve had quite a few people express interest in exploring the Yogscast’s content recently! The yogs fandom’s source of content is a little hard to pin down and it’s kind of a lot of information, so I wanted to put together a more thorough compilation of summaries and places to start for anyone who’s not sure or just curious! Below the cut is my Yogscast Start Kit Master PostTM. 

I hope this helps, and don’t hesitate at all if you have any questions :)

Who are the Yogscast?

The Yogscast is a large group of youtubers who have a history of creating largely Minecraft-based content; they create stories, develop characters, and create lore-filled worlds through the many facets of minecraft that’s essentially been modded to hell.

This content isn’t just in one place or with one group of people, but rather a large collection of pairs, individuals, and groups of yogscast (and non-yogscast) members who’ve created a large number of respective series, often featuring a specific modpack, specific characters, a specific storyline, etc.

For example, Simon and Lewis (Honeydew and Xephos are their characters, respectively) are the main two individuals that started the Yogscast youtube channel,  Duncan later joins them, they become the main three yogscast icons, sips and sjin become the secondary two, and it goes on and on as the fanbase and number of creators grew. This means that, collectively, there are a…. STUPID large amount of different minecraft series that can technically be filed under “yogscast minecraft lore/ universe”.

Most of their series are unscripted, but they follow general arcs or set goals (e.g. going to space, building a jaffa cake factory, becoming proficient at a specific mod, etc). This allows hilarity to ensue when everything inevitably doesn’t go anyone’s way lmao

Oh cool, w. where am I supposed to even start, then

Compilations are always a good go-to if you’re interested in getting a feel for personalities, humor, and content style (I recommend looking up Yogscast Ultimate Edition videos!). If you’re just looking for a place to dive in, you’ve got a couple of options! I’ve sorted everything below by creator, as most yogs creators tend to do series within a specific set or group of people.

MAIN CREATORS & THEIR SERIES:

Lewis (Xephos) and Simon (Honeydew): These two are the “main two” figure heads of the yogscast! They started the main Yogscast channel about a decade ago and started their minecraft beginnings with the infamous series “Shadow of Israphel.” Xephos, the Spaceman and the one with the braincell, and Honeydew, the dwarven brawn and charisma of the two, also often team up with Duncan, as the three of them are featured in some of the Yogs’ most well-known minecraft series.

              Shadow of Israphel –  The OG series! Started all the way back when Minecraft was in beta, as soon as multiplayer became available. No mods, eventually scripted when NPCs are introduced. Hilarious interactions between NPCS and our heroes, and the nostalgic series that most every Yogs fan holds close to their heart!

              The Jaffa Factory –  Modpack: “Tekkit.” This was the first big modded minecraft series they did, and the beginning of the trend of hosting huge servers that almost every yog member hosted a different series on. Not scripted. Duncan (Lalna or Lividcoffee) joins them for the first time, and from this point on, they become a trio! unscripted and a mess. Sips and Sjin also eventually join!

              Moonquest –  Modpack: “MoonQuest.” Lewis, Simon, and Duncan attempt reaching the moon! It’s… in more than one way, a tad bit disastrous. This is the era when the Yogs started making songs and animations based off their minecraft series! (Watch this!) unscripted and disastrous.

             Yoglabs – Simon and Lewis. This one was a weekly mod review that developed into some questionable behavior via Lewis (Xephos). Really enjoyable, not chronological (each episode is independent, more or less- you can watch out of order)! It spans most of the entirety of their time on youtube. Various mods, just Simon and Lewis. (Watch this!) Most episodes of this series end up with Simon blowing up Yoglabs tbh

 Duncan (Lividcoffee, or Lalna) and Kim (Nanosounds): Lalna, or lividcoffee, is the well-known mad scientist of the server! His personality tends to change depending on the context and series, but when he’s with kim, he’s a friendly goof! Kim/Nano, his apprentice, starts as a true-to-definition noob at minecraft and eventually becomes a pro with magics and whatever Lalna happens to teach her! These two have their own narrative and call their storyline series “Flux Buddies,” which involves them trying to cure Kim’s infection of a magic substance called “Flux.” Good Duo. Pure. Eventually, drama with clones ensue!

              The Apprentice –  Their first series, in the “Tekkit” Era. It’s worth noting that Duncan has a solo series in the “Tekkit” Era called Duncan’s Laboratory as a precursor to The Apprentice as well. The apprentice is worth checking out just to see what happens to Kim, how she becomes fluxed, and what the aftermath is, but that’s p much it imo. Primarily unscripted, save for when Nano becomes fluxed!

              Flux Buddies –  Flux Buddies is the biggest/longest-running series, with several “seasons”. It begins after the events of The Apprentice, with…

              Flux Buddies –  Panda Labs! Kim explores witchcraft, they explore several different facets of science and magic, and Duncan begins the search on how to unflux kim! It’s kind of his fault, so he feels pretty bad about it,,

              Flux Buddies 2,3, and 4 –  A continuation, with more mods and more hijinks! Becomes more scripted as villain characters Lalnable Hector and Specimen 5 (clones of Lalna and Nano) are introduced!

              Flux Baddies –  A spinoff, featuring Lalnable and Specimen 5 as the main duo! Half scripted; an evil perspective on the Flux Buddies plot! This series is hilarious because half the time Duncan and Kim are trying to get stuff done, and half the time they’re trying (struggling) to stay in character as the mega bad-guys of the series.

Sips and Sjin: Sips and Sjin are the famous, much loved duo of the yogscast! These two are the, er. Magnificent, definitely not gay at all nope,, duo in charge of ‘Sips Co.,’ the Dirt Company! CEO Sips and his lackey Sjin (<also architect and farmer) are an absolute disaster. But like,, in the best way possible. They spend the majority of their time in each series bantering instead of getting anything done, but everyone accepts that its just part of the charm.

              Sipsco. (Sips and Sjin Tekkit) –  Modpack: “Tekkit.” This occurs at the same time as the Jaffa Factory! Sips and Sjin build up their dirt empire whilest also making sure to spy on and keep an eye on those weird Jaffa Factory goons and their girl scout cookies. Unscripted and hilarious! These two eventually go over and join the Jaffa Factory boys (Honeydew, Xeph, and Lalna!)

              (Most of Sips and Sjin’s series follow the same formula: Get started, joke around, never really finish the series. Even still, they’re iconic to watch and enjoyable to listen to C: This goes for):

              Volts –  IMPORTANT NOTE: if you decide not to watch any of sips and sjin, just watch this. somehow this is completely unscripted, but THE BEST

              Sipsco Space Program –  Occurs at the same time as “Moonquest”. These dopes try to get to Mars. Clone hijinks eventually ensue, briefly. Unscripted

              Cheat Police –  A pun on the series “Magic Police” (In which Sjin and Duncan attempt to jail all of the most powerful mages on the server). They try to call out all of the “cheaters” on the server. The dopes fool around in creative mode while trying to call out everyone else who uses creative mode.

 Zoey and Rythian: These two only have one series, but it’s one of the yogscast’s most known! Rythian, the serious, vengeful, loner-type endermage and hater of science, recruits Zoey as his apprentice (goofy, friendly, passive, interested in both science and magic)! These two are complete opposites but a much-loved duo!

              The Blackrock Chronicle –  Three short seasons long, this series follows Rythian as he recruits Zoey (and their sharpshooting, mute dinosaur, Teep,) to get payback and revenge on Sjin and Duncan for nuking and destroying the “old world” (The first tekkit server, unrecorded). He’s also determined to prove to them the superiority of his magic and the flaws of science; conflict arises when Zoey, his mage apprentice, also expresses interest in becoming a scientist. This series’ events are scripted, and includes cameos of many other loveable yogs folks (including Nilesy, Duncan, Ravs, and Zylus n Daltos).

^This one is a must-watch for sure!! A very heart felt and endearing series!

 Strife and Parvis: These two, another well known duo by the fandom, are a fun pair for sure! (They’re my personal favorite, so I’m a tad bit biased,,) William Strife is a no-nonsense, cutthroat business man and CEO of his solutions company, Strife Solutions. Not particularly fond of magic. Alex Parvis, absolutely-all-of-the-nonsense guitarist, chaotic newby who Strife hires? Adopts? Is burdened with? Strife is forced to teach Parv the ways of minecraftia and whatnot, much to Strife’s chagrin. Parv becomes a very chaotic bloodmage.

              Solutions in Chaos –  Their first series, taking place in the Chaosville server. Will, arriving for the first time ever in minecraftia, begins to explore the region before Parvis shows up, exclaiming that lewis sent him to be taught minecraft by strife. Strife now must babysit this child and teach him minecraft. Hilarity and much exasperation ensues.

              Blood and Chaos –  Following Parv’s series with Martyn (Inthelittlewood) ‘Heroes of Mine’ (in which they explore Ars Magica), Parv finds Blood Magic Items and insists that Strife helps him become the most powerful blood mage on the server! Strife does not approve At All n doesn’t really wanna be involved in this whatsoever, but he thinks parv will either destroy himself or destroy the server If someone doesn’t keep an eye on him. So, Mr. Strife must continue to babysit this now dangerous knife-wielding child.

Hat Films: Smith (Alsmiffy), Trott (Trottimus), and Ross (djh3max): These three are a TRIP and have a large fan base of their own. They’re an inseparable gang of swindlers and chaos bringers, and they’re pretty much all sharing the same single braincell. They make everyone else’s business their own business, as their motto is “what’s yours is ours,” and prove themselves to be the havoc-wreaker of whatever server they happen to be on.

              Hat Corp –  This is their first main minecraft series that features them interacting (aka messing) with other people on the server. From “"fairly”” selling land to all of the other groups of people on the server, to starting a dangeorus rivalry with the Flux Buddies, they’re. 100% disaster energy.

Hannah (Lomadia) and Nilesy: Very wholesome good duo! They tend to explore the magic mods, most of the time with Lomadia (powerful witch, owl lady!) teaching Nilesy what’s what. Nilesy is a just a simple cat lad. Likes to sell portable pools, he’s a potion master, he’s a man of the cats.  

              Evicted –  After being evicted from their Tekkit base ‘owl island’ as pirates took over their home, Nilesy and Hannah leave to set up base elsewhere and focus on Witchcraft!

The following series’, Owl Island and Cat Island, are very similar in caliber! Just our wholesome magic animal loving duo doing witch stuff c:

Kirindave, Lyinginbedmon, and Ridgedog: The last extremely notable lore-heavy minecraft characters making appearances on yogscast minecraft servers are regarded as the “demigods” of the yogs minecraft universe. Though they don’t necessarily do a lot of content together, I grouped them together for relevancy sakes. Kirin and Lying, both mod developers and masters at their respective magical crafts, have a bit of a rivalry going on, where as Ridgedog is the kind of “trickster” demigod, doing what he pleases and happily poking fun or messing around with others as he does so. They’re all a lot of fun to listen to and their series are all super interesting, so I’ve listed a few below!

              Ridgedog: Yogscast Complete –  Ridge sets up his base and plays by his own rules to become extremely proficient at a majority of mods in the server. He’s hilarious, plays largely by his own rules, and often does content with BeBopVox, another gaming and songwriting youtuber.

              Kirindave: Chaosville and Minecraft the Hard Way –  Chaosville sees the development of his rivalry with Lying as Kirin masters blood magic and other magics on the server, and Minecraft the Hard Way is the series following that!

              Lyinginbedmon: You can find the opposite perspective of the Chaosville rivalry in Lyings Chaosville S2. As Lying masters witchery, he and Kirin have a dangerous magically fueled ““prank”” war. Lying’s Witch in the Woods follows suit just like Kirin’s Minecraft the Hard Way.

[thedrown]

Ghosts of the Separatists- Lieutenant Nix

Cleaning up the last few characters left to draw, backstory below

  When Noma was still a member of the Jedi order and serving in the Clone Wars with her master Sidnis Eltair, she bonded with the clone troopers under their command headed by ARF trooper and lieutenant Nix. As per the Jedi duos casual approach to Jedi teachings, Nix and his fellow clones were treated with respect and priority in regards to the risk level of tactics and Nix’s input was always valued and encouraged during operations. With that said, he developed a personality of caution in contrast to his more lax Jedi commanders and acted to provide their strategies with his favoured flanking maneuvers while Noma and Sidnis held the line. Nix was principled in this regard and held the utmost loyalty for his commanders due to how much they valued the lives of him and his brethren and very much came to view Noma as a sister becoming just as protective too given her lack of experience in the war she was suddenly thrust into. 

 When Sidnis was called away to Saleucami he left Noma and Nix in command of a small detachment of their forces as the front was deemed far to dangerous for the padawan. For a time She and Nix ran basic reconnaissance in support to other armies on smaller fronts or handled overtaking smaller Separatist outposts and supply stations. While he didn’t mind the easier missions and the low casualty rates for his men, Nix would eventually received word of a pro-Separatist insurrection on the factory world of Balmorra. While not considered a significant threat, the planet produces important war material for the GAR and the disruption from the insurrectionists could not be allowed to persist and thus Noma found herself in her first major solo command. What the lieutenant expected to be a quick show of force and surrender ended up being a disaster as they arrived to the planet to be met by a small Separatist fleet in orbit bolstering unusual tactics that tore through their forces. Nix was only narrowly able to evacuate some of his troops to the surface where fighting with the droid supported insurrectionists eradicated the disorientated and scattered clones. Nix, Noma, and what few troopers hadn’t been killed or taken prisoner fled into the city of Sobrik staging guerrilla attacks only to be ultimately corned after several weeks of hiding. While Noma was taken to Serenno, the enemy commander negotiated Nix and his clones’ transport back to the Republic at which point they were to be redeployed back to the main army with Sidnis on Saleucami. Only before this deployment occurred, a Jedi spy encountered Noma working with the CIS and the revelation of her possible defection lead the young Jedi to seek out Nix’s assistance with this off-the-books mission. Thus began his endeavour to retrieve his friend from what he thought was imprisonment, one which only grew more complicated as the war progressed and not only did more factors began to enter the picture, but so to did it become more clear her choices were her own.

[writingquestionsanswered]

(P1of2) Have you ever seen the NBC show Timeless (it’s brilliant, but sadly only had 2 seasons, now on Netflix)? It’s about 3 people - an engineer, a historian and a soldier, who are employed by the US government when a tech billionaire’s secret time machine is stolen, to use the prototype to stop the thief changing history. It features real people and events like the Hindenburg explosion, Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and Ian Fleming as a genuine WWII spy before he wrote James Bond.

What are the rules about writing real events/people? What are your tips? What resources would you recommend for how to write historic figures or living figures without getting into any trouble? How does this format work, when writing about people who have or do exist and events that have happened? Not everything will be true if it’s fiction, so what boundaries and such are there? I know you’re not a lawyer, so that advice would be vague, but mainly from a writing perspective :) Thank you!

I loved Timeless. :) <3

So, I know you know I’m not a lawyer, but I still need to give that disclaimer... I’m not a lawyer or legal expert, so nothing I say should be taken as legal advice. :)

Another quick disclaimer: any time the possibility for legal action exists in something you want to write, it’s best to err on the side of caution and either talk to a lawyer, get permission, or avoid doing something that could get you into trouble.

Writing About Real Living People in Fiction

This is the easy one. Real, living people shouldn’t appear as characters in your story unless you have that person’s express written consent. They can make an appearance in your story, as long as you don’t portray them in a negative way. They just can’t be an actual character with a role in the story. So, for example, your protagonist could go to a Justin Timberlake concert and watch him perform. In truth, you could probably even get away with your character shaking hands with him backstage as long as it’s a brief, positive interaction. That’s more of a gray area, though. What you definitely can’t do is then have your protagonist go on an off the wall, booze-propelled 12-hour road trip with Justin that ends up with them both being wanted for murder. Again, unless you have permission or the assistance of a lawyer who can walk you through the legal concerns, you should avoid fabricating a lot of details for a real person. Having Justin do a concert at a fictional venue or a venue he’s never performed at is one thing, having him participate in a wild, fictional chain of events is something else entirely.

Portraying Real People in Fiction Comes with Three Potential Issues:

1) Could this portrayal harm their reputation and damage their ability to make money off their name, image, brand, or product?

2) Could it be said that their appearance in your story boosted your sales in any way, ultimately meaning you profited off their name, image, brand, or product?

3) Could your portrayal be seen as an invasion of privacy or something potentially hurtful to the person?

Biographical Fiction

There is such a thing as biographical fiction, where real details or events or portrayed via a fictional narrative. I can’t think of any literary examples, but the TV show The Crown would be an example, as it portrays the events of the current Queen of the UK’s life in a fictionalized, dramatic fashion. While the show attempts to stick to the truth and factual details wherever possible, obviously some degree of fictionalization is necessary. I’m not really sure what the legal parameters are of biographical fiction, but I’d imagine it’s something you’d want to be very careful about.

As far as I can recall, Timeless only portrayed real, living people twice... Katherine Johnson and John Hinckley Jr. It’s very possible these living but historically notable figures granted permission to the Timeless writers to use them as characters. Alternatively, the studio’s legal department may have deemed the portrayals as being unlikely to incur legal problems. But when you have the legal power of a multi-billion dollar entertainment company at your back, you can probably get away with a lot more and take bigger risks.

Writing About Real Historical People in Fiction

When it comes to writing about real people who are no longer living, theoretically, the sky’s the limit. You can’t harm Abraham Lincoln’s reputation by portraying him as a zany vampire hunter, because he’s dead.

Now, personally, I still feel like there’s some level of responsibility toward the memory of the deceased as well as to any living relatives. If you wanted to write an alternate history novel where Ronald Reagan is a fascist dictator who murders millions of people, my question would be why you want to do this, what purpose it serves, what value it adds to the world, and how you think this might make his children and grandchildren feel. But, when you get as far back as Abraham Lincoln, none of his living descendants would have known him, so it’s not like you’re being disrespectful to dear old grandpa. Plus, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter was essentially a parody, so anyone reading it should know the writer isn’t saying anything serious about the real life Abraham Lincoln.

Research is Key

If you want to incorporate real, historical people into your story the way Timeless did, or even write about them as main characters, the most important thing you can do is research the heck out of them so you can portray them as authentically as possible. That’s something that the Timeless writers did incredibly well. They were pretty respectful to the facts and details of the people they portrayed, even if they were incorporating them into fictional situations. We can believe that had Ian Fleming really been drafted into helping Rufus, Lucy, and Wyatt take down Flynn, it probably would have gone down something like that. Ideally, you don’t want to pull a cardboard version of an historical figure into your story, because what’s the point? You might as well just create an entirely new character. As far as the boundaries go, again, with people who are no longer living, the sky is pretty much the limit. If you want to write a story where your character and Jane Austen get kidnapped by pirates and become a fearsome pirate duo, there’s really nothing stopping you. Again, you should make sure your portrayal of Jane Austen is at least somewhat based in fact... it wouldn’t really do to make her a woman-hating thief with a propensity for violence, because those things aren’t in keeping with who Jane really was. Again, at that point, you might as well just create an all-new character.

I hope that answers your questions!

————————————————————————————————-

Have a question? My inbox is always open, but make sure to check my FAQ and post master lists first to see if I’ve already answered a similar question. :)

[thecomicsnexus]

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #57-62 (FINAL ISSUE) MARCH - AUGUST 1993 BY KEVIN EASTMAN, PETER LAIRD, JIM LAWSON, KEITH AIKEN, JASON TEMUJIN MINOR AND ERIC TALBOT

SYNOPSIS (FROM TURTLEPEDIA)

Mike, Don and Raph are on the rooftops overlooking some buildings. Don uses a payphone to contact Karai and is given a rendezvous point. Raph wonders if it's a trap, but Mike thinks that they can trust Karai.

"What choice do we have?" he muses.

Leonardo is bound at the feet of Karai and a cadre of Foot Soldiers in an abandoned warehouse. Karai orders her henchmen away and she cuts Leo's ropes, freeing him.

Just then the other three Turtles arrive. Karai explains that she is the leader of the Foot in Japan and that she's come to New York to restore order. Ever since Leo killed the Shredder (TMNT #21), the Foot faction in NYC has been in chaos, with different groups warring with one another for ultimate control... save for Shredder's Elite, who have been carrying out seemingly motiveless attacks on the other factions. Karai offers the TMNT a deal, if the Turtles kill the Elite and remove this unpredictable thorn from her side, she will offer them a truce with the Foot Clan.

Raph is angry and unwilling to partner with Karai, but she tells them to think about it and leaves.

By now, Gabby is quite pregnant. Casey is working in the diner with her and the two are thinking about moving out of their trailer and renting a house, since the baby will arrive soon and they'll need more space.

April and Robyn O'Neil attend their father's funeral. April tells Robyn that she's moving back to New York, as it's time for her to stop running from her problems and deal with them.

Master Splinter is beset upon by a monstrous Rat King, now in the guise of a huge, bipedal rat. Rat King commands Splinter to bow to his rule, but the Sensei refuses... causing the giant rat-beast to attack, screaming "You shall DIE!!!"

Splinter wakes from the dream, screaming himself. He quickly grabs a nearby rat and eats it.

"Yesss... good..." the Rat King observes, "Be happy little man-rat... rejoice! For with this step... the shattering of this taboo... your path is clear - your destiny... manifest!"

Meanwhile, we see a Foot Soldier near the destroyed water tower the Turtles had been living in. He is ambushed and killed by two Elite.

The pair then kick down the door of the room that was being used to spy on the Turtles and kill the remaining Foot Soldier.

The old man is in the hospital, getting physical therapy on his leg.

The Elite examine some photos of the TMNT, and realize that they've arrived too late. The leader crumples the picture and the deadly duo depart.

Casey dreams that he's walking with Gabby, when a monstrous version of himself shows up wearing the trademark hockey mask. Casey's evil twin knocks him out with a swing of a golf club and carries Gabby off to his waiting Chevy and speeds away. Casey stands up and notices a woman crying on a bench, as he walks over to comfort who he thinks is Gabby, he discovers that it's April.

Casey awakes from the dream in a doctor's waiting room. The physician asks Jones to step into his office, and promptly tells Casey that Gabby has died due to complications during childbirth.

"It's a small comfort, I know," the doc explains as Casey stares in shock, "But I was with her in those final moments and she looked quite at peace. The baby... we want to keep her in the maternity ward for a few extra days... just to be on the safe side. It's never easy losing loved ones, Mr. Jones. However... you have a little daughter now... and she needs you."

With that, the surgeon exits the office and Casey is left to himself, utterly dejected.

The TMNT are debating whether or not they should help Karai and ally themselves with the Foot Clan. Raphael is still against the idea, but Leonardo wants to finish this business, move on from their current path and stop living the lives Master Splinter assigned to them.

"Leo... what would Splinter say?" asks Mike.

"I'm unsure... I would gladly die for him... but... I don't know if I can give him my life." Leo responds.

As the guys debate the issues, Donatello finally surmises that it's a moot point to argue. Since the Foot Elite have sworn to kill Leo for slaying the Shredder, the Turtles will have to stop the Elite before they succeed in assassinating Leonardo. All four finally agree to seek Karai's assistance in dealing with the Elite.

Master Splinter is finally recovering from his wounds and lack of food, and is visited by a cheerful Rat King. The rodent liege tells the mutant rat that he's been trapped for two months, much longer than Splinter had thought.

"It has been educational" the Sensei notes.

"You came. You sought enlightenment," Rat King begins, "I was merely your guide..."

"And my tormentor." Splinter interrupts.

"Your beliefs, deeply held, sometimes blind you," states Rat King,"The walls erected in our minds block out the light of knowledge."

"That lesson is clear to me now... I can see why I was lead to this place." Splinter acknowledges.

"Yes... I've waited a long time for your arrival." announces the Rat King.

"You knew... I would come...?" asks Splinter.

"Of course," Rat King shrugs, "That's why I'm here."

"Hmmm... so... the Master becomes the student." the Sensei muses.

"...and may it ever be so." concludes Rat King.

Meanwhile, the old man is still recovering in the hospital from the injuries he received from the Elite's bombing. The fellow is sitting up by himself and watching TV, unfortunately the news of international war remains grim and he becomes morose.

The TMNT are climbing buildings to reach the rooftop of Karai's skyscraper headquarters. As they reach her rooftop, they find murdered Foot guards. The Turtles scramble through an open door and find the Foot's leader cradled over the body of a dead girl, surrounded by even more dead Foot Soldiers.

"Karai! Are you all right?!" Mike asks, "Your aide... is she...?"

"No... not my aide..." Karai cries, "...She was... my only daughter! A child...! Swear to me you will kill them... swear you will kill them all!!!"

Leo looks at her ruefully, and states, "I swear it."

Robyn and April meet with the executor of their father's estate in New York City and discover that they'll each be getting two hundred thousand dollars! Robyn asks April if she wants to go back to California with her to start a business, but April states that her mind is made up - she's going back to New York City. The sisters hug.

Casey is driving in the desert and crashes his Jeep into the side of a cliff. Uninjured, Jones emerges from the vehicle and starts climbing the rock face, carrying a container with him. As he reaches the top of the mountain, Casey removes the lid and scatters the ashes within.

"God speed, Gabe..."

The TMNT are working on some sort of mechanical project as Karai leads a troop of her Foot Soldiers on patrol. A Foot Elite spies Karai and her band and is shocked, because he thinks he's seen his Master, the Shredder (in reality it is only Karai wearing Shredder's armor).

The old man is standing in the hospital watching the TV news, and once again it features stories of political strife. The man leaves the room with the assistance of his walker.

Casey is at the diner where he had worked with Gabby, depressively nursing a cup of coffee. Suddenly a car screeches into the parking lot - it's Jones' Chevy! The cook asks Casey if he should call the cops, but Jones tells him he'll take care of it. Casey goes out to the parking lot and beats up the two thieves and retrieves his car.

Master Splinter is finally healed and exploring the bottom of the huge silo that he's trapped in. As he searches for a way out, he comes upon the skeletal remains of the Rat King.

"Ah... once more the universe allows a glimpse... of its myriad wonders... its imponderable mysteries!" the Sensei declares, "Yet, it is ever so... from Life, Death... and from Death... Life!"

Invigorated, Master Splinter uses his ninja skills to climb the sheer brick wall of the silo, ultimately achieving his freedom.

Casey Jones is driving east in his Chevy, his baby daughter named Shadow nestled in her baby carrier beside him.

Robyn and April are visiting the burned out remains of their father's antique shop in New York City. Robyn is distraught to see this place filled with so many wonderful childhood memories reduced to a shambles.

"I hate seeing it like this!" Robyn exclaims, "Growing up - there was so much life here!"

"I know," April agrees, "Now it just looks like... death."

"Maybe it's better that it'll be torn down... I mean, everything passes, huh April?" queries Robyn.

"Yeah..." April muses, "Seems like nothing's... permanent."

Robyn asks April what she plans to do, but April isn't sure. With that the sisters part ways, as Robyn has a flight to catch to California.

Before she leaves, April hears a noise from within the decrepit structure, but sees nothing.

"Hmm... probably the wind or a rat... a rat..." she sighs, and hails a cab to take her away.

Inside the building, Mike is watching April drive off. The Turtles are meeting with Karai and her Soldiers. Raph demands to know why Karai has called them here, and the Clan leader tells him that she was curious to see the place, as it holds so much significance to the events that lead them all to their current destiny.

Mike and Raph don't like being in the building, especially since it was the Foot who burned it down. Leo bends down and finds a photograph of April and Casey, in happier times. He folds the photograph in half and puts it in his belt for safe keeping.

"Enough reminiscing," the Turtle's leader announces, "We have a job to do."

"And scores to settle. Let's move on." Karai states.

Just then a crack appears in the ceiling and a group of Elite drop through the roof.

Five Elite Guard face off against the TMNT, Karai and her Foot Soldiers. Seizing the opportunity to confuse and deceive, the disguised Karai screams at the Elite.

"Traitors! I trained you to be steel tigers... not mad dogs! You dishonor me... and you dishonor the Foot Clan. All of you -- commit seppuku! NOW!!!"

One of the Elite, Tomei, falls for the trick and commits ritual suicide, but the others are not so easily deceived and demand to see "Shredder's" face. Karai removes the helmet and throws it at the Guard.

"I will show you my face! Look well, fools... gaze upon the face of vengeance... and see your doom!!!"

The Elite are taken aback and the Turtles use their pause to launch an attack.

Casey arrives at his mother's apartment building with his baby.

"Oh Arnold," Casey's Mom admonishes, "What did you do... go and get some girl pregnant?"

"Not exactly..." Casey states, "Can I come in, Ma?"

"Sure! Moving back in, are you?" Mrs' Jones asks.

"Well... maybe for a little bit," admits Casey, "Until I get us our own place..."

"Don't be silly, Arnold. I got an empty three-room in the basement."

"Thanks, Ma..." Casey smiles.

"So...who do we have here? Oh what a cutie-pie!" Mrs. Jones beams.

"That's Shadow... my... um... daughter." announces Casey.

"Shadow? Jeez... let me guess... you named her, right?"

"Sure did!" exclaims Casey.

"Is she yours?" Casey's mom asks.

"Well... legally, yeah... but biologically, no."

"So," Mrs. Jones wonders, "Where's the mother?"

"Ma," Casey begins, "Don't call me Arnold."

The Turtles and the Elite are battling furiously. Foot Soldiers are armed with submachine guns and firing at will, but most of them are being killed by the Guard.

April is seated at a restaurant. She's circled an item on the Real Estate page.

The old man is peering out of the window of the hospital. He walks away from it, needing no assistance, and sits on the bed.

Leonardo takes out one of the Elite, but another has cornered Karai. Raph has his hands full with one of the Guard who's utilizing a chain, but the Turtle defeats his opponent. Karai leaps onto a lighting fixture to escape her foe, but it pulls out of the ceiling and sends her careening to floor - the Elite dives after her but is slain when Karai uses a lamp post to impale him. Outside on the roof, Donatello is searching for his quarry. The Elite sneaks up on the Turtle and kicks him to the floor, breaks his leg and then kicks the injured terrapin off of the roof!

Karai has her hands full as another Elite attacks her.

"You profane the image of our Master, the Shredder," the Elite Guard growls as he punches Karai in the face, knocking her to the ground where he's able to get the advantage on her, "And for that.. you must DIE!"

As the Elite Guard prepares to deliver the killing blow to Karai, Donatello manages to overcome his injuries and grab one of the Foot Soldier's machine guns. Before the Elite can act, the Turtle pulls the trigger and kills him. Karai arises and goes over to Don, helping him stand with his broken leg.

April arrives at Mrs. Jones' apartment building. It seems that April has decided to invest the money she got from her father's estate into rental property, and coincidentally, Mrs. Jones is looking to sell her apartment building and retire in Florida. Mrs. Jones takes April on a tour of the place, first stop: the basement, where the "handy man" is working. Mrs. Jones asks April if she'll keep the handyman on, and O'Neil is tentative. Soon enough, Arnold Casey Jones is "introduced" to April.

Casey and April both exclaim "I can't believe it!" and give each other a big hug.

"Uh... does this mean you'll take it?" Casey's mom asks.

Leonardo is facing off with the final Elite in a sword battle. Both are cut seriously when Leonardo drops his katanas and lunges into his adversary. The leap takes both of them over the edge of the collapsed floor and they fall to the first floor - neither the worse for wear, the hand to hand fight begins. After initially getting the upper hand, the Elite is overpowered by the Turtle and dispatched.

The old man in the hospital, Mr. Buscheyev, is checking out, although he still looks depressed.

Leonardo makes a splint for Don's broken leg while Mikey gets to work constructing a travois. Karai thanks the Turtles for their help.

"I... I owe you a great deal." she begins.

"You owe us nothing but your word, Karai." Leonardo tells her.

"We made a deal," Don notes, "Just honor your part of it."

"I will keep my word, Turtles. No longer will the Foot Clan bother you. We have our world... and you will have yours."

"I'm just glad it's over... maybe now we can live a normal life..." Mike hopes.

"HAH!" snorts Raph.

"But... what of the price of this... peace," muses Don, "The blood shed, the lives lost..."

"I'll not say I'm pleased with the way it happened, Don... but can't you see? Finally... for the first time in our lives... we are not in the shadow of the Shredder." Leonardo explains.

"What about you, Karai?" Mike queries, "What will you do?"

"Once the reorganization of the Foot in New York is completed, I will return to Japan. There... I will spread the ashes of my daughter on Asana Bay and perhaps... begin the healing of my ravaged heart." Karai states.

"I'm sorry." Mike replies.

"But even my grief cannot intrude on my duties. The company's -- the Clan's -- interests supersede all else. It does me no good to wish it otherwise." Karai says.

"Can't you change things?" asks Mike.

"Perhaps... someday," Karai answers, "But for now, it is my path... as your path, until today, has been one of vengeance and reprisal, this path has ended, as life has offered you a new beginning... use this opportunity well."

"We will Karai," Leo states, "We will."

Casey, Shadow and April are at the farmhouse in Northampton, Massachusetts. Jones came back to pick up some items that he wants, and the pair set about cleaning up a little. April heats a bottle for Shadow and finds one of Casey's favorite mugs. Later that evening, after dinner the two reflect on their past.

"Y'know, it seems funny eating dinner at this table," Casey observes, "Just like old times... it's like we never left!"

"Well, there is one difference." April notes as she gets up and walks over to Casey.

"What's that?" Jones asks. April then plants a kiss on his surprised lips.

"I'll do the dishes!" Casey beams.

"Great! Then when Shadow falls asleep," April replies coyly, "You can tell me a bedtime story!"

Jones starts washing up and finds one of Leo's Aikuchi knives. He shows the blade to April.

"I wonder where they are now..." Casey ponders.

The next morning, April is swimming in the lake. As she treads water, something pulls her under. Casey springs into action, but before he dives in, April is pushed out of the water by 3 sets of green hands. Leo, Mike and Raph emerge from the lake with April in tow, Mikey lending an arm to her as the group makes its way to land.

"You guys!" April gasps, "Scare me half to death!"

Casey gives everyone a hug, except Raph, who he throws a punch at (much to Raph's delight).

The group relaxes on the grass and catch up with everything that's transpired over the previous months. April announces that she's definitely buying Casey's mom's apartment building and she'll be sharing it with Casey and Shadow. Mikey hits it off with Shadow. April asks where Donatello is and Leo explains that he's with Master Splinter. The friends hike out to the woods and find Master Splinter and Don in a cave. Stories are exchanged.

"So April and Casey have to be back in New York tomorrow and we were going to hitch a ride with them," Leo explains to Don and Splinter, "You feel up to it?"

"No," Don announces, "I've thought about it, and I'm going to stay here with Splinter."

"Huh?" Casey blurts out.

"You're sure about this, Don?" Leo inquires.

"Yeah... I need some time to... reflect on everything's that happened... my mind and body need recuperative time... and Splinter has agreed to help me." explains Donatello.

"Well, I..." Leo begins.

"Donatello's decision... he has made it." Splinter states.

"Yes, Master Splinter... as you wish." Leonardo bows.

April tells Don and Splinter to stay at Casey's farmhouse, something the mutants are hesitant to do, for fear of being discovered. As the group prepares to leave the cave, April pauses to say goodbye to Splinter, but he's gone.

"Please don't think ill of him," Donatello says, "He... while we were gone, something happened to him... something that he's been unwilling to talk about."

April and Casey are visibly disappointed with this explanation, but they ask Donatello to tell Splinter goodbye for them. Then April, Casey and Shadow depart with Mike, Leo and Raph. As they reach the edge of the farm and leave the forest behind, April pauses once again.

"Casey... can I have a few minutes alone?" she asks.

"Sure, babe." Casey assures her and walks off, leaving her at the edge of the woods.

"I don't know if you're there, Splinter... if you hear me. If you can... I want you to know... my father died recently. My Dad -- he raised me, taught me a lot about life, how to be a good person. I loved him. I still do. He's gone now, but... the last few years, I've felt that I've had two fathers and... and... I've loved them both. Goodbye, Splinter." April reveals through tears.

From the depths of the forest, Splinter emerges and walks over to the crying woman.

"April," he begins, and as he stands before her, he holds out his arms, "Daughter."

The two embrace as the rest of the family watches.

Mr. Buscheyev is being taken by a cab to his new home. A man is accompanying him and carries his suitcase up the steps of the apartment building to his unit. The younger fellow opens the door and escorts Mr. Buscheyev inside, pointing out the various features and rooms.

"Got any questions?" the young man asks.

"No... thank you." Mr. Buscheyev says.

"The director, Mrs. Broderick, will come by today to introduce herself and to acquaint you with the facilities. I'll be by next week to check up on you. Good luck, Mr. Buscheyev." the young man explains as he exits the tidy apartment.

Mr. Buscheyev turns on the TV on heads over to a window and looks out dejectedly, as the camera pans away from him.

The End.

REVIEW

This is a proper ending for volume one. Except for some plots, it almost seems like an ending.

And this is the type of arc TMNT should always have. I feel like volume 4 was a little like this in terms of ongoing plots, but that never got to an ending.

As for the specifics of the story. The old man in the hospital is supposed to represent the passage of time. At least, that is what it says in the letter columns. And you could understand it also from the point of view of Volume 1. This old man ends up in a retirement home, just like the volume.

I knew about Shadow Jones, but I didn’t know it wasn’t April’s. This was clever, as making April go through pregnancy would have brought all the tropes we don’t want to read about. Casey’s journey is not that obvious to me until the moment he gets his car back, that was an interesting arc.

As for Splinter and the Turtles... I am not sure what’s going on with Splinter, maybe he feels like his sons do not need him anymore? But that last moment between April and Splinter was very emotive.

The art is amazing for an action book. Regular human drama... is 50/50. Sometimes it looks like very muscular people having conversations. But fortunately, most of the time looks like TMNT.

I give these issues a score of 9.

[erikismybitch]

Waiting In Vain: Chapter 15

Caramel .

“Why can’t we just go to your place ? “

Tiana watched Erik as he got dressed . His back muscles flexed as his T-shirt slipped on his body. Tiana could watch him all day. She still laid naked in her bed, exhausted from the workout he just gave her . Erik was this mysterious man who had captivated her heart and yet she knew almost nothing about him. She didn’t even know where he lived . His last name was non existent and she only saw him at night . Besides the fact that he made her feel so damn good, there was nothing of substance there. It was a dangerous game when the woman liked the man more than the man liked the woman. That was something her mother never mastered . So she had nothing to learn from. And the more Erik held back, the more Tiana drew to him . Tiana was head over heels , infatuated. She even doodled his name on documents sometimes like a high schooler . The way he kissed her , the way he touched her with so much passion. She just knew he felt the same way .

Of course he didn’t say it , but that’s just how he was ... she told herself . Every guy she had been with was always at her beck and call. Erik made her drop every guy to deal with him, so of course that meant he was serious about her . He worked long hours and was always gone, so she understood why he couldn’t always answer her call or message . But if Tiana was out and Erik wanted her, she’d damn near catch a plane for him. Her love for Erik was toxic , and it ran through her veins .

“My place , girl you know I’m homeless” he joked . She laughed , extra hard just to please him . It did nothing but annoy Erik because he could tell . “But nah, here is coo”

He stood up and pulled his jeans over his picture perfect ass . Buttoned and designer belted , then put on his shoes . He was about to walk out of her room when she spoke .

“Call me when you get home ?”

He searched for his keys, and seemed to be more concerned with finding those than answering her question.

“There they go” he spotted them slightly under her bed and grabbed them. “Um...yeah” he finally gave her an answer. “I’ll lock the door too” Erik only said that because he noticed her getting out of the bed. She would only slow him down with questions about when he would be back . He gave her a hug and she kissed him . Then he left her room .

Marley was up , with her headphones on minding her laptop. The reggae music she was playing was loud . She nodded her head and typed at her keyboard . He was impressed at how she could multitask that way. Marley always seemed to mind her business and keep busy .

“Lock the door” he stood in front of her , speaking quietly. He knew she couldn’t hear him. “Lock the door” he mouthed .

Marley rolled her eyes and removed her headphones . “What?” Interrupting her while she was listening to music was the ultimate pet peeve .

“You didn’t hear me?”

“No, you know I didn’t hear you !”

He giggled and started walking towards the door . “Lock the door”

With a sigh , Marley tossed her laptop and walked behind him . “You know you could have locked it yourself “ she slammed the door behind his exit .

“I know, but I wanted you to do it” his voice muffled through the closed door . She was tempted to open it and yell at him , but all she could do was laugh . No matter how much she told him off, he never seized or stopped .

-

-

“You had a crush on me ?” Marley cheesed like a kid . The duo were wrapped in Eriks sheets, in his huge bed, in his house .

“I wouldn’t say all that “ he defended his behavior from the past. They were dwelling on the earlier days , when they fought like cats and dogs.

“You did, that’s why you were so mean to me “ She pinched him in the middle of his arm. His back was facing her, they both laid on their sides . Facing his glass block windows .

Erik took a deep breath , getting the aroma overcast of garlic. It was because of the roasted chicken she had made them for dinner . Erik didn’t tell her it was the first time some of those pans had been used . Other than his high carb , high protein pre made meals . He didn’t cook, at all.

Erik was feeling uneasy about her being there . Since he was so private about his personal life . Maybe this was that thing called trust that everyone was talking about .

Where do you live Erik ?

You married or something ?

I knew you were scamming

Tiana said she never been there , I’m not comparing myself to her, I’m just saying .

Erik picked her up from work and instead of taking her home, he brought her to his. Let her bathe and gave her one of his T-Shirts to relax in . And thank god for her emergency overnight bag that she left in her car .

Marley was shocked at how messy he was, not dirty , messy . The place was nice in itself . The opposite of her light space , but she felt okay there . It was blissfully dark and devoid . It was wide and airy . Everything was an open space . There were no doors . He had these tall wooden barn sliding doors that were a barrier between his room and the rest of the home . The outside of his building was brick like a loading warehouse .One probably wouldn’t know this was a place that people actually lived . It was far off from any common living area .

“What’s your favorite thing to do ?” Marley asked him. Neither one of the wanted to go to sleep on the other , so the night resulted in the immature game of twenty one questions .

“I like to do you”

Marley felt her blood rushing when he said that. She slid closer and wrapped her leg around him. He rubbed along her leg , still under the sheets . Erik was giving in to this weird force that caused him to want to make her comfortable. He started to move the sheets off of his body . In his way , everything about Marley’s appearance was solid. She has to have ugly feet he thought . She always wore socks when they were together , like now . He slid the sock off . Go figure , she had nice feet too . Erik began massaging her foot .

“Why you never show your feet ?” He toyed with her pinky toe, which tickled so she snatched her foot back.

“Don’t tell me you’re a foot freak” Marley pulled him down so he could lay flat , then she climbed on top. He grunted at her weight plopping on top of him so quickly . She kissed him and couldn’t help but to laugh into his mouth . “I’m sorry, E”

“You good, I just wasn’t ready” Erik held his arms behind his head , signaling for her to take control. Marley pulled his semi hard dick out of his briefs. Just when she thought to slip her panties to the side and slide him inside of her . She stopped .

“Wassup?” He frowned , Erik noticed the pause .

“I’m not on the pill , last three times we slipped up”

Erik continued to lay , like he was in a state of confusion. Three times wasnt a slip up, that shit was tradition now. He saw nothing wrong with the pull out method , it worked every time . As tempting as raw sex was , Marley was smarter than that . She glanced around his room . Erik was a bachelor, a fine one at that . She figured he had to have some type of contraception. And since Erik wasn’t putting forth any effort , she would .

“You got condoms in here ?” Marley leaned toward his closest night stand and opened the drawer.

“Aye, wait!” Erik tried to move her arm from reaching the knob. He was too late , she had already seen the gun . Erik was almost sure she would freak out , but she didn’t . He had no reason to hide anything in his space , Marley being here was unplanned . It wasn’t in any plan, but just like his feelings for he ... it just happened .

He watched Marley pick the gun up ,surprisingly holding it the right way. The gun was on safety anyway . Erik knew how to fully disarm her if her form slacked off , so it wasn’t a big deal .

“You live alone too. I mean , you probably need one just in case” his words were choppy . Erik tried to make this situation as casual as he could . “Yeah, so don’t be scared of it”

“You can see I’m not scared , don’t try me” Marley was blunt with him . “ This gun is different, not the kind of gun people around here got”

He was intrigued now, no longer able to beat around the bush. “You right, but I’m not like the people around here ” Erik admitted . He sat upright and put his dick back in his briefs . It had gotten soft anyway. She remained on his lap , one eyebrow up ready to interrogate him.

“You a spy or something ?” Her manner was in the form of a joke .

“I just got the connect, that’s all” Marley placed it back into his night stand drawer . “You know how to use it , do you?” Erik his tone had become a little more serious now . He didn’t expect her to say yes, but he wasn’t all too sure . She handled the gun better than the average person.

“I know how to use a few guns . Not this one though , But I’m sure I could figure it out” Marley said as if it was simple math .

She then briefly told him about how her ex taught her how to use a glock. But most of the credit was given to her dad . He taught her to use a handi rifle , an alpine shooter and a .45.

“My daddy had guns all through the house , he was from the country . Where they hunt and wear guns like belts. He rotated them, I never knew where he hid them . So I searched until I found every hiding spot . One day I found a .45 gun case , opened it started playing with it”

Erik listened closely , as if it was a bedtime story. “Then what happened ?” He was curious .

“My dad caught me eventually and beat my ass . I still have a bruise” Marley showed Erik the permanent mark on the back of her left arm.

“My dad would have did the same thing” He ran his thumb on the mark . Reminiscing on the times he got beat for being defiant , which was always.

“You don’t talk about your family” she said this in hopes to start the conversation.

“Fuck my family” Erik spoke in such a way that made Marley not want to question it . He always did .

“I only know the little you give me . You from some place in Africa called Wakanda , you hate everybody there and you’re a liar” she mocked the previous conversations. And threw in that last jab.

“A liar?”

“You’re lying about this gun, I know guns Erik”

Erik didn’t have to respond, he gave her a look that was fairly understandable to her . Marley could tell that Erik knew he had been caught . He knew he couldn’t lie but he wasn’t ready to let her know exactly what the gun was for.

“You know, you real smart kid” his thumb finger brushed along her chin. Even though she fell for his charm each time, her face was solid .

“What happened with your dad?”

Marley decided to share her history with him, in hopes that maybe one day he would trust her enough to tell her his . Marley talked about how her dad ran off with her mothers money with his new wife . And being a minor , there was little she could do about it . Then she explained how Tianas mom took her in . And made her the Cinderella of the family .

“So I get what you mean by fuck family” Marley concluded after the run down about all that they had put her through .

Erik could hear the sadness in her voice , and it pissed him off . She had been through hell , but a mini-hell compared to what he had been through . He brought her under his arm and rubbed his chin against her forehead . Marley needed that affection.

“I like when you hold me” she told him .

“Why is that?” he kept at it , still rubbing his chin against the top of her head . His hair made a static noise that slightly began to sooth her .

“Makes me forget about how mean you actually are” Erik kisses his teeth , but didn’t say anything to defend her comment. “ You don’t have to tell me everything about you, but I need something. Don’t shut me out. If I’m here for any reason , it’s for you to be yourself with me”

Erik gazed into an open space in his apartment. Still unable to respond to Marley . He didn’t know if he could allow himself to be as vulnerable and she was .

“Just know that... okay?”

“I don’t trust anybody . I don’t know anybody like that , nobody knows me on a personal level”

Marley wanted to think she was the exception .

“Understand that this is new for me, but in the little time we’ve known eachother , I’ve told you my version of a lot” He said , like he was reading her mind .

“It’s not new for me though . Trusting someone, maybe I’m too trusting” Marley came to the conclusion that she just moved faster than he did . If she wanted him, that’s something she would deal with .

“You trust me?” He asked , but quickly answered the question for himself . “I know you do”

“I don’t know why I do , but I do” Marley was content with her answer.

“This shit getting too deep” Erik removed himself from the bed and began to walk to his living room space .

“I’ll back off” she called out to him .

“Nah,You good”

Marley could sense his irritation, but Erik was always that way . She had learned not to take him moods seriously. He was very cut and dry . He went into the kitchen and picked off a piece of baked chicken , then ate it . Then took a seat at his small desk. His computer was on, after a while he seemed to be knee deep in something on the screen . Marley grew tired of laying there and watching him, so she got up .

He could hear her , using his peripheral vision he was able to see her walk into his closet . She shuffled through his clothes, he didn’t fret because he never hid anything worth finding in his closet .

His closet was bigger than hers . His space was messy, but this closet was organized. Everything in order , from the color , to the material and even the matching brand . His things seemed so expensive. His belts were designer, and his shoes filled up an entire wall space . They all looked barely worn .

Marley sniffed a blue hoodie that was close to her . It smelled like his cologne. She closed her eyes and sniffed it again . Marley wanted to smell like him , subconsciously it made her feel like she belonged to him. She started to hum, a Stevie wonder song that has been stuck in her mind all night . Eventually, she felt comfortable enough to break into full song . It captured Eriks attention.

“I ain’t never heard you sing ” he said from the living room space . Marley was no Beyonce , but she could hold a few notes when she tried. Marley had totally forgotten that he could hear her.

“Just didn’t have anyone to sing to” she smirked and let go of the hoodie. Then walked out of his closet.

“Now you do”

Marley day on his couch now. Just watching him, even if it was his back . This girl was just happy to be around him . He tapped his foot and sat with his legs wide open, she liked how he did that. Whenever he would pause and scratch his head in deep though , Marley liked that too.

It was way past dark, sunset probably was on its way. Her eyes were heavy, so she fell asleep in her position to watch him. He walked over to her a couple minutes after , she wasn’t in a deep sleep though . Marley pretended to be fully sleep when he called her name . Why she did that , she didn’t know. Maybe she was scared he would ask her to go home or something.

Erik groaned when he called her again and she didn’t respond . With little to no effort , he quickly slid his arms under her body and cradled her into him. Marley’s eyes popped open in shock .

“I knew yo ass wasn’t sleep” she laughed while Erik continued to walk with her to his bed. He dropped her like a load of clothes.

“Ouch!” She screamed and tried to hit him, but he was too swift . They both laid back down . He on his back and Marley facing him on her side .

He turned on the tv that sat at the foot of his bed. She squinted at the light .

“I like to sleep with the tv off” she moaned .

“Go home then” he refused. Marley Pretended to be appalled.

“Take me home then ”

“Go to sleep Marley”

She tried to. Her eyes were closed for the most part . But she couldn’t stop opening them to look at him. Marley felt her way to his bare chest , then start rubbing it. She found her hands caressing trailing in between his defined abs.

He didn’t say anything , Erik didn’t even flinch. He just continued to watch tv. She moved closer now. Wrappinbt her leg around him like she did earlier , when they were about to have sex. Now she wished she didn’t find the gun, she would have been exhausted and satisfied by now. Raw sex didn’t sound too bad anymore. Erik still remained focused on the screen.

Marley was tired of the teasing. Claiming what she wanted , her hand aimed for the inside of his underwear. Erik scowled at her like she was insane .

“Oh my god, Fine!” Wining at the top of her lungs, she pushed away from him . His bed vibrated on account of how hard he laughed at her reaction . “That’s not funny !”

“That shit is funny” he pulled her close to him, even though she tried to refuse . Eventually she gave in. “You want some dick?”

She wanted more than his dick. She wanted moments like these , as many as he could give her. Marley shamelessly nodded her head for him .

Erik got right on top of her . Marley didn’t need his help or his command , her panties were already off and lost somewhere . He turned on the dresser light. He really see her body . Not in the dark like the other times . Erik wanted to see everything .

“I really fuck with you Marley, and I want to see all of you” He spoke low . Slowly he pressed her legs apart and open . He leaned in and started kissing the slightly dark inner parts of her thigh. Erik wanted to see the things she thought were not so pretty . Marley was super insecure about so many things . She was tense at first , but he kissed her in such a way that made her feel beautiful . He worked his way up to her belly, kissing and worshiping Marley like she was his personal goddess. Marley had these small stretch marks on the side of her waist, he kissed those too.

She didnt know why, but she wanted to cry. Erik was triggering all these emotions within her . It was too much, she didn’t feel like she deserved to feel this way . Just as she fixed her lips to weakly tell him to stop, he kissed them. “Baby” she whispered against his lips . He hooked his two arms under her thighs and slid himself right inside of her . She moaned , exhausted from the build up. Finally getting a feel for what she came for.

Sorry for typos :)

[bafras]

Okay, I watched TROS > Spoils if you haven't seen.

TROS should've been given to us in 2 parts.

Part 1: Show us the struggle of Rey training through the scared Jedi texts! and limited scenes they had of Carrie. (They did what they could and her scenes were honestly good.) Show Rose's new position and Connix, other than the 2 times you see her. Show us Kylo researching /looking for the Sith device to find Exogul. Poe and Finn on diplomatic missions to recruit soldiers for the resistance, aka Lando and Jannah's people. Clearly depicting and using Hux as the spy for more than 3 minutes. Kylo and Rey fighting and ultimately agreeing to work together to find the cough cough non mentioned baddie who threatens peace for Rey and Power for Ren. (I know tlj was a mess but remember who Rey opens up to? Kylo; they could've done that here. She looked so lonely. She still couldn't tell anybody what she was going through that we know of. They could've talked, compromised and got the job done like adults.) And everyone actually communicates and makes a well thought out, cohesive plan instead acting like rogue agents and running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

Part 2: Many months have went by at this point and team Rey/Ren are looking for who they think might be Palpy. They train together, meditate together and teach each other becoming the best force using duo ever. They would actually become used to each other maybe not as friends but perhaps, bonded in a way that is believable. The fighting starts in this one because they track down Palpy, learn his plan (Should that include Rey being his granddaughter? Like at all? In any universe?.... No.) So, we learn of Palpy's last chance plan to take over the galaxy and our Hero and misguided tall boy turned antihero fight Palp and win and our two main characters survive because what's the better move here? Killing off a character we've learned to love and hope a joyful ending for because he was misguided and persuaded in the wrong direction, who loses everything in the process and finds the one person who knows him like the back of his hand or last minute reveal that a storm trooper (no judgement I love my Finny.) who lived on the same ship as him is force sensitive? And Ren didn't know, didn't feel anything at all. LIKE AT ALL. You tell me.

Harrison's scene was good. I liked it and didn't think he would be back for this one. I wish we could've seen multiple scenes like this where you can gradually see Kylo change his mind. Our new golden trio acted like they just met and couldn't get along. BeeBee was okay in this but didn't do much as like R2 and our new buddy D-0. They are conveniently placed and only seen a few times. Our tall brooding antihero we've come to love dies. There was no force ghost so what really happened. Rey goes to Tatooine of all places. Its nostalgic and all but we didn't really need that I don't think. If she was going to give up the Jedi ways then I could see her burying the sabers and moving to a remote location but she isn't, she has a new saber (It was awesome btw.) and what now? Is she going to make a Jedi temple? Become a master and train force sensitive users the ways of balancing the force?

There are other good elements: introducing Jannah and Zorii's characters and story lines were interesting. The music was gorgeous as always ty Mr. Williams. Billy Dee reprising his role was good. I think he did a good job. The force bond scenes were very cool. How they could reach across the other side to each other. We had seen it a small amount in tlj but, I didn't think they would keep it in. Kylo Ren got a new outfit which he technically has been wearing since the first film but we never saw it. There was actually some porgs in this film which was funny. (They're pretty cute.) Rey taking a different last name doesn't bother me but I think she should've chosen Solo tbh. She looked up to Han and Leia, didn't get along with Luke and wanted to save Ben. Solo should be her name. (Not specifically in a romantic way even though I don't mind reylo happening.)The Falcon survived but did this fandom? I'm not blaming a certain group or person. I just blame poor planning pre episode 7.

[avenger09]

Assassins Creed Origins Rewritten

Didn’t really like the game, maybe because AC seems more focused on the settings for the last few game and making the story more mainstream by dumping down the conflict to “Good Vs Evil” instead of the morally complex fight between ideologies that the first ones set the bar for. (I think Rogue Black Flag and Unity where the last ones do that kind of take) So I rewrite it a bit, it’s rough but I hope somebody likes it. 

Aya is the protagonist. When the Abstego agent Layla and her team investigates the Egyptian Assassins she does so already knowing Aya is Amunet , and is looking for information on circumstances on why she changed her name and how she went form loyal agent of Cleopatra to her killer, using an experimental portable Animus.

As she peers back in time she sees Aya had a husband Bayek a member of the Pharaohs protectors the Mejet, and a Son Khemut. The family is content in the village of Siwa despite the despite over the Throne between Cleopatra and her brother. While Aya is a supporter of the Queen her husband wants only to keep their village safe. The next day a masked priest arrives seeking aid with opening a hidden temple, he approaches Bayek saying that only his bloodline is able to open it. He refuses despite being told it could help stabilize Egypt leading to a falling out between the couple, days later they begin to make up but discover their son has disappeared. Tracking him to the hidden temple they see him alongside the masked one with a strange artifact in his hands they rush to stop him but it's too late. Khemut places the object in the door the power surges through him and kills the boy because his DNA is not as potent as his fathers . The grieving couple begin beating the Priest demanding to know who they work for and why they did this. He reveals little as he knows little, apart from his masters hide their identities with masks and code-names and that they wish Egypt to be stable no matter the cost. They knew there was a chance the boy could die in the attempt if the Bayek disagreed. Killing him, the duo bury their son and set out to avenge him. They kill many on their quest even those unaware of whom they served, eventually getting wrapped up in politics of Egypt when Pompey is killed and Caesar arrives. The couple find themselves identifying with Caesar's and Cleopatra's belief that the ends justify the means for a better Rome and Egypt. However as their list of enemies grows they begin and are told of figure known only as "The Father of Understanding"  the consequences of their killings and lack of care who would replace them begin to pile up. It becomes clear that the Order they hunt are not evil, just ruthless, like themselves they share the same belief as they do, that no matter who has to suffer or die so long as the end goal is noble their justified. Worse many the people they've killed have been replaced by less enlightened men and the people suffer under their rule. The ultimate breaking point comes when they spy on a meeting of the Order and see the "Father of Understanding" himself arrive to the shock of the Order unaware he was in Egypt. That's when Aya realizes the Order is much bigger then they realized, but should they kill this "Father" then they at least should cripple them However when their blades strike him, he just gets back up and comments that he as not seen Hidden Blades since Darius. "Madness!" Bayek cries out. "Darius lived centuries ago." To which the "Father" calmly retorts "As did I. Who do you think taught him the design?" Throwing back his assailants he founder reveals his name: Cain. Last of the original Humans and Founder of the Order of Ancients. He goes on to admonish them for rampage across Egypt telling them of the good work those they killed did, how they prevented bandits and corruption from harming the citizens. Citizen's now at the mercy of these evils because of them. For the life of one child they have destroyed hundreds more. Beaten back they are shaken by this and coming to question their moral certainty the two begin to argue eventually realizing that their actions have been selfish, that soon they too might kill children to pursue their end goal. Back in the present Layla is in trouble, knowledge of Cain is something the Templars do not want just anyone to know not even an employee. She barely survives an ambush from Abstergo but looses the rest of her team. Determined the screw them over she contacts the Assassins and offers them her tech and what she learned. In the Animus, the couple realize how Cleopatra and Caesar have already fallen down the rabbit hole they narrowly avoided, and are now being influenced by the Order. Despite their efforts to let go of their quest, they agree that the Order still needs to be stopped. Changing their mission from revenge to protection, they take greater care ally with those who will not abuse their authority and work to undue the damage they've caused. Aya beings a correspondence with Brutus warning him of Caesar's corruption. When they face Cain again is not as vengeful parents but noble protectors. Something that actually impresses the Immortal, but during their talk, Cain, begins to act strangely talking of, how he feels someone is watching them, someone not yet born. Before finally looking at the camera and directly addressing Layla.  "There you are."

[crazy4tank]

These Are The Most Evil-Looking Cars Ever | HotCars

New Post has been published on https://coolcarsnews.com/these-are-the-most-evil-looking-cars-ever-hotcars/

These Are The Most Evil-Looking Cars Ever | HotCars

When it comes to vehicle design, most manufacturers perform it safe. They stay with whatever the current trend can be and make cars that will look either like the final model or like every various other car on the market. However , vehicles are designed to look as bad as possible. Properly villainous and thus scary, it's like these were purposefully made to intimidate additional drivers.

A few of these cars were instantly well-liked by bad guys due to their menacing bad looks. It didn't issue that they were unreliable, slower, etc, because they looked the particular part. Here are the most evil-looking cars ever.

Related: 10 Used Sports Vehicles That Are Bargains Right Now

ten Buick Royal GNX

Through Mecum Auctions. com

The Buick Regal GNX is an actually evil-looking muscle car. It had been so deadly in fact , it had been nicknamed the "Darth Vader" car because of its stealthy appears with its black grille plus black paintwork. The GNX was a collaboration between Buick and McLaren. It showcased a 3. 8-liter turbocharged V6 with 300hp plus 420 lb-ft of torque. This did 0-60 in four. 6 seconds, which was virtually warp-speed in 1987.

via motor1. possuindo

The particular GNX is a scary muscle mass car. It was one of the best-looking American vehicles of the 1980s and even today, it nevertheless turns heads and intimidates other drivers. It appears to be a serial killer's vehicle in all honesty.

9 Jaguar 420 Gary the gadget guy (MK X)

via: classic. com

The Jaguar 420 G (MK X) is a proper gangster vehicle that was driven by the Kray twins , who were a notorious gangster duo from London in the year 1950s and 1960s. If you noticed a 420G (MK X) in the rearview mirror, you will most definitely feel threatened since it is a scary-looking car.

via: bradleyjamesclassic. company. uk

It's long, it has 4 headlights, and it has a certain Cockney charm about it. This vehicle can only be driven simply by those who are up to no good because the trunk was big enough to transport a few oil paintings, which the time of the 320 Gary the gadget guy (MK X) was probably the most stolen items. It was fairly quick, but it used to tenderize all the time. However , even when it had been at standstill, it appeared haunting.

8 Mercedes 600 Grosser

via: Pinterest. com

Nothing is scarier than viewing a Mercedes 600 Grosser. The reason why is that nine occasions out of ten, a master is sat in the back seats of the car and when you don't move your car taken care of, you might disappear forever. Noises extreme but when you realize Pol Pot, Saddam Hussein, Chief Mao, and Idi Amin were amongst some of the proprietors of this car, that declaration becomes chillingly true.

via MBWorld. possuindo

The particular 600 Grosser is an extremely high-class car. It is so high-class, it can make modern luxury cars look like Ladas. The home windows and trunk lid had been powered by hydraulics. The reason behind this was because Mercedes wished to make this car as silent and as overengineered as possible, if they didn't, who knows the actual demanding clientele would perform to their engineers?!

seven Mercury Marauder

Via pinterest. com

The Mercury Marauder is really a properly evil muscle vehicle. It started life being a Ford Crown Victoria, that was used mostly by the police and as taxis. Then, which was all stripped away, also it was turned into the ultimate gangster car. The Mercury Marauder had a fat 4. six liter V8 under the engine from the MK4 Mustang Mach 1 .

through Bring A Trailer. possuindo

The particular Marauder looked like a spy's car. It was black along with chrome wheels, and it got that menacing look which usually no other car could obtain. This car was a real badass. What was a New You are able to Taxi or an LAPD cruiser doing with a Mustang V8 and chrome metals?

6 Corvette C7 ZO6

via: Lingenfelter Selection. com

One look at the C7 ZO6 and you feel the fear operating throughout your body. It appears somewhat like a snake, considerably scarier than a Viper. Would you imagine being in a small econobox like a Saturn Ion which thing appears in your backview mirror?

through thedrive. com

The C7 ZO6 has a rumbling supercharged six. 2 V8 under the engine with 650hp and 640 lb-ft of torque. More than any kind of stock Lamborghini Huracán. This hits 60 in less than several seconds, and it does nearly 200 mph. Supercar acceleration with menacing looks.

Associated: 10 Craziest Trucks Introduced In 2020

5 Mercedes 770

via: pintrest. possuindo

The particular 770K Mercedes was the grandad of the 600 Grosser. It had been owned by dictators, and it's really a car that really instills worry into anyone who looks at this. The one sold to Chief Hirohito was called the "Kaiserwagen" which basically means chief car. It's a car that will looks grand, and it needs respect everywhere it will go.

It might have been designed in 1930, but even today, it has a far bigger statement than the usual new Maybach S650. From the properly evil-looking car supported by the fact that it was possessed by mostly evil individuals.

4 Jaguar XJR (X308)

Via SpeedHunters. possuindo

The particular XJR (X308) is a correct gangster car. Just one view it, and you know it means the business enterprise. It didn't just seem mean with its four headlamp grille setup, it's an appropriate muscular car that showcased a massive supercharged 4. zero V8 with 370hp plus 387 lb-ft of torque. That will engine was so effective that Jaguar had to make use of a Mercedes 5-speed automatic.

via Australiancar. testimonials

This particular car has to be one of the best Jaguars ever. It had a lot power that it could probably outrun a few of these 1990s British sports vehicles . It certainly appeared far better than most of them as well.

3 Lamborghini Aventador

Via supercars. net

If you are going to utilize a stealth fighter as the major source of inspiration for your vehicle, just know it's going to appearance beyond aggressive. The Aventador hands down is the wildest searching Lamborghini ever. It is an on stealth fighter for the road along with 690hp and a top speed associated with 217 mph. The sound though is more like Concorde as it is seriously loud.

via: vfengineering. possuindo

Simply no car ever looks distantly close to an Aventador. Nothing of the other Lamborghini's does whatsoever. They may have similar lamps and starter button, yet everything else is a no . The particular Aventador is a car that will scares anything and everything out of the way. Even when it's left up it scares various other supercars. This car is really in a class of its very own, and you will find it's just like fast or faster compared to most $1 million upwards hypercars.

2 Mercedes S600 W140

Via: benztuning. possuindo

The particular S600 W140 commands regard. It has 12 cylinders, they have a large number on the trunk as well as the 3 pointed star can be on the hood. This is not a typical luxury car. This is a vehicle that was designed to push other people out of the way which is why mafia companies loved it. The other W140 S-Class models looked great but never as overwhelming as an S600.

via: Pinterest. com

This was among the best Mercedes cars ever. It had been the last of the overengineered amazing benefits as it cost over a billion dollars to develop. The S600 had a huge square chromium grille at the front which could oftimes be seen from a mile aside.

1 Mercedes G-Class

Via: www.motorpasion.com

The G-Class is really a threatening-looking SUV. It's a package on wheels basically which is possessed nowadays by pretty much everybody with money, from celebs to mafia hitmen. Everything with boxy lines appears aggressive essentially and the G-Class just has mostly boxy lines pretty much.

via Autogespot. com

The G-Class was designed for army only use at first. So it had to seem tough and rugged. This particular design was kept plus made to look a significantly lot more premium when it reached the road models. Our individual favorites are the W463 era G63, G500 squared, plus 6x6. All of those cars delivered shockwaves through you once you looked at them.

Next: 7 Cool Vehicles (And 3 Bikes) Possessed By F1 Champ Sebastian Vettel

[overcaffeinated-creative]

What would be the ultimate happy endings for your OCs?

Gonna start with this can get really long depending on who I use and which verse. So, in my desperate attempts to keep everything short (it’s probably going to fail) I’m sticking to my Main Verse and about ten of my characters. Rest assured all of them want better lives for the Clones and deeply dislike the Empire. However, how their individual character arcs would have played out changes the prominence of certain things in her mind.  

First off, Lumi wants the Jedi Order to still be a thing and for Order 66 to have never happened. Her and Mace would’ve parted on much better terms than the strife of their last few months followed by his death. She so desperately wants closure with him after everything that happened. In the end she’s still the little youngling he helped learn to control such an overwhelming gift. As much strife as the Clone Wars brought, she would not begrudge the Clones their chances to live and thrive. Because they came into the Galaxy as unique lives and deserve ever chance to live and experience life to its fullest. However, when the War was over (with a much better ending) she would still elect to leave. Her calling is somewhere else, with something better. She’d still end up with Fenn because there’s some things the Galaxy wants to happen. Same as she would still train Hera because that’s her little sister now. She’d probably live out her days in the Mandalore Sector with her friends and family, helping teach Force Sensitives (Solus absolutely refused to let the Jedi Order touch) and flying and maintain starfighters.

Solus wants a united Mandalore with a more peaceful transfer of power back to the people who are unashamed of their heritage. No part of her wants to be Manda’lor but she does want to serve next to them (and she knows exactly why she can’t be), as an adviser and sometimes spy. She wants to live on Krownest in her ancestral home, wear her armor, and help her people flourish and thrive again. She’d end up adopting any Clone (or anyone really) who wished become Mandalorian and needed a home. Krownest is difficult planet but her people are tougher. Solus also desperately wants to get married and raise warriors with her spouses. Once she really got to know Ahsoka she knew they were always meant to be. Them and their third form a merry little Triad where everyone feels safe and loved. Her leaving of the Order would’ve been mutually agreed upon thing, and while she does believe Mandalorians have no place among the current Jedi, she does keep contact with her Master Kit. It is also a no-brainer that she wants Lumi and Jazari by her side because they’re a set.

Following her best friends’ lead I believe Jazari would end leaving the Order as well. There’s a lot of reform that needs to happen there and she is not volunteering for the monumental task alone. There would be a lot of free travel between Mandalore (I see her thriving in Keldabe among the ancient and modern, bustling, shifting, thriving city) and her home city of Jedha. She finally opens her happy little sex shop, making her own wares for sell and offering information sessions and donating to charities. She works to limit the various slave rings plaguing the planets bet it funneling money into groups that help or taking more direct action, aided by her teammates, in directly stopping problems. 

Two parts domestic fantasy and one part power fantasy Kamelia wants it all. She makes it to the rank of Master within the Order, at an impressive age, and then retires to return to either rural Corellia or a nice mid-rim planet. She opens a clinic but still has time to be wonderful homemaker. Definitely gets married to a man (imagine women’s magazine cover Hugh Jackman meets like a beloved firefighter/EMT who climbs trees to rescue Tooka and thinks she’s the absolutely hottest, most wholesome thing to ever walk) and has two children, spaced really far apart so she doesn’t have to worry about playing favorites, and gets to be the unholy product of Florence Nightingale and Martha Stewart. There’s not task too big or small for her and everyone has wonderful things to say about her. Finally, she gets to claim some kind of victory of Lumi, Solus, and Jazari who were nothing but wash outs in the end. They failed at being Jedi but she got to rise, then surpass, every dream she had.

Erkan stays within the Jedi Order and lives. That’s a very important thing. He also does the shocking thing of helping to reform the Order to the best of his abilities. Throughout the lead up to the war and the after effects he was able to see both the best and worst of the Temple. Despite, lacking the political savvy starting out (which he wants to pick up) he works to return them to their roots of helping people without the Senate holding their strings. He wants to open more Temples across the Galaxy and move them further out again. No longer would the Jedi spend the bulk of their time in the Temples when not on missions but they would be out and about and fully learning about the Galaxy. He wants their range to expand further than Republic allied worlds because the Force is for everyone. He doesn’t like the exclusivity that they have now, this kind of uppity feeling that the Force is only for those lucky enough to be born free. He also wants to see the rules for attachment reevaluated because relationships are the corner stone of civilizations. There’s not reason to forbid them in a sense because some people can’t separate love and compassion from possession. Those people would have that problem anyway and they might even be able to work through it if they felt comfortable in coming forward.  He becomes the regular Qui-Gon Jinn sauntering around the Galaxy and helping he considered he could’ve became moments before dying.

Jai and Harti share a joint dream because their dream is to be together. Their family is reunited, like the people, and they finally get to settle down. For decades they have fought and now it is time to grow old together in a happily married bliss. They’ve got their beloved Solus back, along with the little gaggle of rebels Harti picked up and Solus’ constant companions. Jai not only lived but so did Jango. He’s protecting Jango for Jaster and watching Boba grow next to Solus. Harti complains they’re all trying to eat him out of house and home when his living room plays host to a verifiable horde of hunters. But, he absolutely loves it. Everything feels like a community and a family again. People are happy, Ursa doesn’t look so tense and alone, and frankly watching Solus play with Tristan and Sabine gives him hopes for great-grandchildren. Jai adopts a literal horde of Clones too. They’re his boys because he trained them and Krownest gets a population spike.

Commander Mav, rarely mentioned but important, would live in his best ending. His brothers are free and he finally gets to choose what he does with his life. That being said, he would 100% still end on Krownest with Solus after some soul searching on his own. He still trains because he likes being able to protect people but that’s not his main focus anymore. The Republic wanted him to be a soldier but that’s not who he is. Now he has so much freedom. He studies various things and picks up a knack for writing novels and art appreciating and cooking. He gets to be Solus’ friend and equal in the eyes of everyone, beyond just her and their group. I could see him taking up helping raise a bunch of the small clones and strongly advocating giving them the serum to slow their aging so they get to have proper childhoods.

Bounty hunting, like the Original, ends up calling to Alpha ARC Tranyc when the war is over. He didn’t much like serving the Republic as a soldier but he does like using his training. Bounty Hunting seems like a nice compromise in still getting to use his skills but living on his own terms. He doesn’t settle into Mandalore but does the occasional breeze by to annoy the fuck out of Mav and try and rope Solus into shenanigans. He succeeds a lot. She makes a great get away/pick up pilot or extra gun. But, he does comm Mav a lot because he likes the overly polite bastard despite his assertion that he’s an asshole loner. They probably talk nearly every day. Even in his happiest world he doesn’t admit feels more for Mav and Solus than her really should. They weren’t supposed to get hot but here they are. 

Iviin has the same dream of a united Mandalore as the rest of the Mandalorians. He doesn’t want to see Death Watch, Shadow Collective, or anyone else ruling. Jaster’s line needs to continue. He never had to become Manda’lor because they still had Jango. There was no need for him to take on that role in his life and it means he gets to serve under a Fett Manda’lor. He happily works from Concord Dawn, and Keldabe or Krownest on occasion, and has Solus as his partner. She’s the pilot of the duo and his sniper when need be. He’s also happy to have Solus’ little Force Sensitive crew running around with them. Call him crazy but he thinks Jazari and Lumi are fun. 

[raystart]

From Berlin with Love

Feel free to take your time, but make sure you stamp your ticket or beware the ticket collector’s unsympathetic wrath, representing just one side of the many sided Berlin. Berlin has a special, peculiar, and particular history, and although it’s described by countless guides as the design city of today, it’s always been a design conscious city. In the early 20th Century, it was the first place in Europe to slice ornaments from building facades in a committed embrace of streamlined modernism.

Much has changed across the city’s façade since, but underground on the U-bahn you can clearly observe the blended traces of Berlin’s design history: some stations are Art Nouveau and German Jugenstil in style, others Bauhaus, 70s futurism, or contemporary, pastel-colored minimalism. It’s been nearly 30 years since the fall of the wall and above ground any signs are mostly gone, but the Cold War era’s clash of opposites remains on the U-Bahn: austere Soviet designs adorn former Eastern stations, and elaborate floral motifs carved in stone are preserved in the former Western ones. The only period not present along the platforms is the Nazi era, when stations were used for bomb shelters. Then again, as you pass through the morose platform of Mohrenstraße, you might feel a little chill learning that the red marble encasing the platform is recycled from Hitler’s former Reich Chancellor Building.

Finding your way—way finding—in this design conscious city, with its design conscious subway, is no simple task, but the U-bahn’s network system, organized by the renowned German typographer Erik Spiekermann and his agency MetaDesgin since 1992, attempts to ease your way and get you to where you want to go. It’s a riot of colors, and a brew of squares, circles and pictograms: This noisy system inherits the chaos of 19 different S-Bahn and U-bahn lines. Berlin is not so much a city formed around a central core but a constellation of separate planets each with its own peculiar forms of life, abstractly linked together by the network of subway tracks.

Because it’s Spiekermann that first guides us through Berlin’s underground, our first stop will be Bhf Bülowstrasse, to take a stroll up Potsdamer Strasse to Spiekermann’s p98a gallery and letterpress workshop. The street was once the locus for the edgy ambiguities of 1920s Weimar cabaret culture and Marlene Dietrich androgyny; today, it houses galleries, non-descript office blocks, and one euro bargain stores, as well as a conspicuously slick Acne shop, and the workplaces of local design studios like the modern, sophisticated HelloMe and the riotous, ramshackle illustration duo 44Flavours. World’s apart in style, but neighbors here in Berlin, which loves to mix things up.

Spiekermann’s p98a is the area’s most popular destination for visiting designers, and plenty of agencies book master-classes in letterpress with this master designer. Glimpse through the window, and you might spy Spiekermann himself high fiving and punching the air with his fist: his old school “no-bullshit” attitude makes him the champion of many, and an irritation—the dad rock of design—to others.

A short walk away from this letterpress haven—or at U-Bahn station Nollendorfplatz—is the great Bauhaus Archive, perched above the canal like an impassive white wave rising from the water. Erected in the 70s, the museum’s architecture draws is loosely inspired by an archive conceived by Bauhaus founder and architect Walter Gropius in the 1960s. Inside, a study in patience and precision, hushed art historians and design researchers sit bent over books, and the permanent collection displays iconic relics from Germany’s early modern years: great weaves by textile artist Anni Albers, paintings by Paul Klee, steel armchairs by Marcel Breuer, and other objects of design from the 20s and 30s produced by the famed and influential Bauhaus school.

The Bauhaus Archive. Image by BBB3viz.

Close by, on the other side of the sprawling Tiergarten Park with its dense cluster of pine trees, sits Berlin’s Hansaviertel. If German’s cool modernism emerged from the Bauhaus in the 20s, then this neighborhood was one of modernism’s climaxes: the housing development was built after World War II in a derelict area, constructed as part of the International Building Exhibition of 1957. Along the leafy, quiet streets are batteries of tower blocks, ribbon buildings, two modernist churches, and a glass library, designed by the period’s most significant architects.

After a morning at Spiekermann’s p98a, it makes sense to visit the Hansalviertel not only to see this plastic clad “city of tomorrow” but to seek out the Buchstabenmusum (called the “Alphabet Museum” in English) situated quietly under the tracks of the over-ground station Bellevue. The first museum in the world to preserve and display letters from public spaces and provide information about their origin and construction, the Alphabet Museum was founded 11 years ago by graphic designer Barbara Dechant, who began collecting after she first rescued from a dumpster a car radio sign reading “A U T O R A D I O”. Hundreds of letters destined for scrap heaps have been salvaged and preserved in a dusty storage unit; there’s neon, metal, and wooden characters in a variety of styles and colors— amidst the letters and dirt, you can construct a story of Berlin and sense a few ghosts.

Back on the U-Bahn, following the many symbols devised by Spiekermann, head to the station Kottbusser Tor, in the Kreuzberg district, for lunch. This bucolic, graffitied neighborhood teems with bars, co-working hubs, dentists, falafel shops, gambling houses, fruit markets, ice cream shacks, as well as concept stores like the stylish fashion destination VooStore, and the chaotic zine shop Motto books, but walking along the area’s wide pavements, you can easily ignore how packed together everything is. There is a kind of discreet harmony to it all, as though it was always meant to be this way; Berlin as energy, and disguise.

The Kottbusser Tor transit stop and the market hall. Photos by Ina Niehoff.

From here, head towards Markethalle Neun, a market place or “culinary epicentre” situated under a large, broken roof and crammed with international food vendors advertising their fair on home-made posters and handsomely scribed blackboards. Today’s signs framing another Berlin: Cheese platters & Olives. Veggie Wurst. Craft beer. Kimchi Burgers. Ginger Lemonade. Freshly Baked Ciabatta.

This is a lunch spot for co-workers busying themselves behind the glass windows of storefronts, or trickling out from former factory buildings that have been converted into spacious offices. Spot a group of women who whimsically but provocatively call themselves “Parallel Universe” sat together in the market hall drinking ginger lemonade on a wooden picnic bench: this group of six female illustrators have gathered to swap advice on art directors—who pays on time, who is best to work with—and to collaborate on illustrations for an upcoming Antifa march. Since 2012, Cynthia Kittler, Kiikka Laakso, Kati Szilágyi, Laura Breiling, Ji Hyun Yu, and Barbara Ott have banded together to form this important all-female collective, using their social media platforms to promote and highlight one another’s output. Better together, stronger side by side. Another Berlin in motion, up-to-date, but part of its historic momentum.

Nearby, after sipping organic lemonade and planning with Parallel Universe, the Museum of Things. A small curiosity tucked above an art bookstore on Orienenstrasse, this collection of glass cabinets features simple, everyday but also marvelous things from the past and near present: every blue Nivea jar since the company first began, biscuit tins, plastic at the back of the museum as if it were no big deal at all—an original Frankfurter Kitchen, a milestone in domestic architecture that’s considered the forerunner of the modern fitted kitchen. All of this finds its home in Berlin, where the elsewhere, the other, the uncanny and the new, whether practical or impractical, always belongs.

The Museum of Things will inspire you make your own things, and luckily, there’s a place close by to help you. Towering above a roundabout near the U-Bahn station Moritzplatz sits the great Modular—the ultimate art supply store, artistically stacked with pens, markers, pexiglass, plywood, stationary, pompoms, and anything else that you’ll ever need to make any thing you’ve ever wanted to make, even objects from your dreams. The German designer and illustrator Sarah Illenberger is in Modular today, intently collecting bright colored supplies that she’ll use for her next still-life cover commission for ZEITmagazin. She and her intern pick up yellow paint and blue and pink cardboard, before heading outside to the community garden on the other side of the road, where they cut great leafs from bushes. Illenberger will paint these with geometric patterns and then photograph them against the bright card later today. Yes, signs of another Berlin.

Wherever you’re staying in Berlin—the boutique design hotel 25hours Bikini Berlin near Tierpark, a colorful and energetic hostel near Schlesische Tor U-bahn, or a relatively cheap Airbnb in the Neukölln district with tall windows, wooden floors and a sunny balcony—on your walks to and from the U-Bahn, you’ll notice the posters. Berlin is a city where posters really mean something to a neighbourhood: where people stop in the street to carefully write down the information on prints as if they were hung on a community billboard. Posters communicate what’s happening around the corner, maybe a new club night, an exhibition, or a vegan burger pop-up event. Posters wrap around street lamps layered over all old ones, becoming dense, ghostly rolls that echo event’s and fashion’s long lost—in winter, these rolls get heavy and wet, sliding down towards the pavement like pulp, only to get propped up again by kids on bicycles in the summer, who use glue trays slung over their shoulders and large brooms to slap up each month’s new run of prints. In 1855, the city began erecting rounded advertising columns on the street corners to house the continuous flux of new poster designs. If the U-bahn is Berlin’s design history, then these advertising columns—although built long ago—are home to the design of today. New Berlin constantly appears through its posters.

The Berlin poster is naturally an especially beloved medium for the city’s designers— it’s not simply a mundane advert that people indifferently stroll past but a vital activating communication tool necessary for navigating nightlife, the gallery scene, and local events. It’s why Berlin clubs, generating the city’s dancing heartbeat, invest so much in their creation: the fabled Berghain, which legend claims is the world’s best techno club with its weekly congregation of black clad regulars wearing BDSM studded collars and Adidas caps, plays careful attention to the design of its monthly fliers and listings. Each month’s new posters feature a dark and atmospheric slice of original artwork, articulating and amplifying the club’s mythical night-life pull. A call to action for the great Berlin night, where the city begins and ends.

Visiting Mitte, the central borough in Berlin. Photo by Ina Niehoff.

The walk back to the U-bahn, to start again after one of those nights, you’ll pass an advertising column featuring a particularly neat, eye-catching placard—the poised influence of Swiss design is unmistakable, and its gorgeous serif typography is paired with an elusive background image, hinting at yet another Berlin yet to come. It’s the work of graphic design studio NODE, based in Berlin and Oslo, Norway, an intellectual and meticulous studio whose considered and theoretical output is a hallmark of Berlin’s contemporary art world. On this modern poster, large letters read “HKW,” standing for the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, a conference hall and exhibition space that hosts art, culture, and design events. Depending on what month it is, perhaps the yearly Typo Berlin conference is taking place, or Transmediale, a cerebral technology and art festival. Berlin, where conferences never end.

HKW was constructed as part of the International Building Exhibition of 1957 project and resembles a bright orange oyster rising form the ground. An event titled Miss Read is typical of events held there; a busy art book and self-publishing fair that draws in book lovers from around the country. German publishers and independent magazine makers sit behind their make-shift stalls, showcasing intricately bound tomes, sleek poetry chapbooks, colorful manifestos, risograph comics, monographs with knitted covers, experimental type specimens, and endless other papery surprises. Berlin is made of paper as much as memory, metal, and concrete.

The magazines available at this crowded, popular event are similar to those you can purchase in a store in the Mitte district of the city, close to the Weinmeister U-bahn station, called Do You Read Me?! It’s niche assortment of magazines sit on minimal black shelving. There are magazines here for every mood and every taste: one for redheads, another for dog lovers, another for female soccer players, another that tells the history of a different street each issue, and also more enigmatic, challenging, consistently well-designed choices. Mitte is a tidy district, a place of cafes that serve impressive slabs of classic avocado toast and that’s home to ambitious start ups which dot the streets under the shadow of the TV tower’s vigilant orb. If there is a center to proudly centerless Berlin, then perhaps it’s Mitte, which literally means “center” and is, at least in the prosaic geographical sense, in the middle of the city. The tall office of Freunde von Freunden perches snuggly in one of the area’s clean streets; the ultimate go-to blog for motivated lifestyle dreamers, Freunde von Freunden records the energetic lives of Berlin’s creative scene with breezy, sophisticated photography. Berlin: always aware of itself, without giving too much away.

A swan chillaxing in Berlin. Photo by Ina Niehoff.

It’s while traversing the neat, methodical streets of Mitte (passing by the KW Institute of Contemporary Art, a four-story gallery with beautifully designed exhibition catalogues, and Viktor Leske, an avant-garde hair dressing salon where few leave without an undercut) that you stumble across the neat, methodical studio of international star illustrator Christoph Niemann. He works with his spectacles perched on his nose in his white and silver office behind a storefront’s glass window—a literal spectacle for passers-by; children press their faces up to the glass to watch him sketch. It’s so immaculately clean in his studio, a kind of comment on Berlin’s dirt, and he’s penning away on Post-It notes bought at Modular, devising a plan for his next New Yorker cover. From Berlin with love; design for the rest of the world.

After standing and watching, enthralled by process, by the materializing of yet more Berlin, you might then spot another poster, another message, and be directed somewhere else, somewhere new, the Berlin still being made, still being invented. Or you might dive back down into the U-bhan, taking refuge in the depths of history. Moving on, without rushing, because Berlin time takes its time, to another brunch, to a beer on the canal, to something crazy underground or enterprising on the streets—moving slowly, not quickly, surrounded by designs and designers, form and content, interpreting the language and style of Berlin, a city always becoming itself, where something new always seems to be starting.

[southernsoils-blog]

Chinchiná

Part 2

To the south of the town, on the crest of a large hill, sits ‘La Berraquera’ (‘the ultimate one’) - as Chinchinans call it. Thirty years ago, in the mid to late 80’s (during the height of Escobar’s business endeavours), local officials would have arrived to the mansion from a steep private road winding through thousands of coffee trees. Passing through the 7 foot high, 3 inch thick hardwood door, awaited opulence. Thin sheets of water cascaded from the first floor balcony into a small-ish pool, which had a central jacuzzi flanked by fountains shooting into the double height glass atrium. A slide connected the indoor pool to the much larger, guitar shaped pool at the rear of the property - with unobstructed panoramic views of Chinchiná and the surrounding mountain ridges. A long bar was conveniently placed in the extravagantly mirrored disco room, with curved smoked-glass sliding doors providing direct access to the pool and the privileged vista beyond. Presumably after a long evening of rum and rumba, the guests would have eventually wound their way back down to whence they came with a party bag of dollars, and business would have continued unhindered… for a while at least, until the owner of the house was murdered some years later. Supposedly one of Escobar’s ‘lieutenants’, it is said that the house was built as a party house in his hometown to entertain local dignitaries and keep them onside. Other notable features include a room with a two way mirror (and accompanying spy room), a secret passage through a fitted cupboard in the master bedroom, escape tunnels, a basketball court, football pitch and many, many bedrooms. The wife of the murdered Lieutenant allowed a school to occupy the house for many years, but unsurprisingly they had insufficient funds to maintain the property to ‘narco’ standard - and left the house to be looted for it’s wiring and to be reclaimed by nature.

We stumbled upon an advert on the volunteering site workaway describing ambitious plans to restore the house to it’s former glory and immediately left Bogotá. Eventually, after sitting in the main square absorbing the to and fro of locals for an hour, a brown door snapped open and we met our hosts Glen and Bart for the first time. Prior to this our only contact had been a flurry of enthusiastic messages from Glen - a lifelong friend of Bart who quit his life in the US to do without money and material things, in order to run a not-for-profit organisation that provides free social and healthcare for local people. In many respects he was a fixer for Bart - a retired engineer in the US special forces who spoke little Spanish, who had helped Glen previously to provide medical relief after one of the frequent deadly mudslides that plague the region. It was then that Bart cast his eyes towards La Berraquera, and forged the idea to restore the house to become a retreat for injured veterans. Bart often gave nonchalant recounts of his experiences of war, which subsequently left him with PTSD, short term memory loss and partial deafness. For a man who had been a part of so many harrowing experiences, he was incredibly balanced, considerate and witty. The pair had a deep rooted and brotherly relationship, at times effortlessly bouncing off each other like the best comedy duos. Occasionally for a fleeting moment Glen’s simmering enthusiasm would test Bart’s patience, but like all great friendships, any irritation was swept swiftly into the past. It was a pleasure to work for them.

Little imagination is required to establish the steps required to restore a house that has been left to be stripped of it’s assets and partially exposed to the frequent intense thunderstorms. The pool was a natural focus of attention for Bart and many hours were spent sucking up black sludge from the depths with a pump borrowed from the local fire department. An Irish plumber was also part of our small unit under Bart’s command and he set about deciphering the pool pipe network, quickly discovering that Colombian plumbers in the 80’s had a true passion for encasing their work in concrete. Hannah and I turned our attention to a suite of rooms on the bottom floor originally used for the staff. Most of our time was spent sanding and filling walls (which the schoolchildren had creatively grafittied and pockmarked) before finally joyously applying paint. All in all it was akin to an episode of DIY SOS, thankfully in the absence of Nick Knowles. There could well be several series worth of material, given the vast amount of work remaining. We look forward to returning some years in the future, when with luck and a fair wind (and a constant stream of volunteers), deserving veterans will be enjoying the fruits of our labour.