#WHEN I CATCH YOU NEFARIOUS EVIL LITTLE MAN!!!!

[qiaipia]

All Of The Girls You Loved Before — miguel o’hara

ミ★ Miguel tries to take a break but the world doesn’t let him!  

ミCONTENT: miguel o’hara x GN! Reader. miguel’s past messy relationships. a really awkward elevator ride. let me know if i missed anything! based on that one scene in Grey’s Anatomy. No use of y/n.   [1.3k wc]

Miguel O’Hara previously worked at the office of Spider Society full-time.

25/8.

Until of course, LYLA berated him for being too obsessed with the multiverse and never having a life outside of it, so he goes home on slow days.

Villains apparently had personal life matters to take into consideration when plotting nefarious doom, such as shopping at the local hardware for atom bomb parts, gynecologist meetings, or even just plain plotting evil. Whatever it is— they usually weren’t about to destroy the world on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

So come Thursday morning, he was refreshed from sleeping on a proper bed, with a proper breakfast and had a proper bath. He had coffee in one hand, and instead of diving into work as usual from his portable screens, he approached the main elevators to take in the glass paneling installed, giving a view of Nueva York’s lush greenery.

It was quiet. But he expected Spider-people and top scientists to start pouring in soon: for now, Miguel O’Hara steps into the elevator alone.

He even humors himself and doesn’t click the close button on the shaft immediately, taking Lyla’s advice— taking it easy.

That was until the fwip! of a distinct Spider-individual, yelling ‘HOLD IT OPEN PLEASE!’ came trodding in.

The webbing came first, and then a ‘you’ that propelled themselves forward into the shaft. He awkwardly shifts around as you catch your breath, squatting low.

Office hours started a little bit later, but you wanted to get an early start on all the paperwork you left behind.

You look up from your heaving position and make eye contact with the red eyes your boss-slash-fling-slash-the guy you didn’t text back because you weren’t quite sure you were over your ex (a Peter Parker) quite yet, but you wish you really didn’t ghost him because Miguel was such a nice person who you wanted but you just weren’t sure how committed you could be right now.

His gaze struck you, and you immediately stand up straight at the back of the elevator shaft as the door closes, avoiding his gaze.

Miguel was a bit surprised to see you at Spider-Society after a few weeks of no talk  between you two. Not even a meme from you. He thought you had returned to your own universe.

A few beats pass and the door closes. He lets a few more beats pass before turning to you slightly.

“Your watch?”

You nearly jump at his gruff voice cutting through the soft hum of the elevator. “Huh?”

“Your watch— where is it?”

You looked at your expiring day pass, that you probably had to get a new one soon, lest you start glitching. “Oh, it’s in repair. Margo said it’ll be done in a week.” You mumble. You weren’t sure where you now stand with Miguel O’Hara.

The man stands up straighter. So you went to another person first to fix the watch he built and designed? He felt something thorny and green spike in his chest.

“Give me the watch. I’ll fix it within the day.” He says, facing forward, trying to hide his softening frame. He didn’t give you room to argue.

He didn’t play favorites, but he wanted you both to start talking again. More importantly: You’ve been staying in Nueva York and you’ve never come to visit him once?

But before he can try more small talk to clear the awkward air, the elevator stops at one of the human scientists’ floor levels.

In comes Xina Kwan. Head data engineer-slash- freelance programmer and computer scientist- slash- Miguel’s childhood best friend AND ex he cheated on, but was now working in the facility after Miguel called in a favor to crunch some numbers regarding multiverse probabilities.

Xina’s eyebrows raise at the sight of her ex, her black hair shaking as she tilts her head avoiding his gaze as well. Did things end well between them? Debatable.

It was too early for this shit.

She ducks her head as she reaches for her own floor. If Miguel could look closely at her shoulder, a version of LYLA in a Marilyn Monroe get up, hovered around her, giving Miguel the stink eye Xina couldn’t.

Miguel had to give it to the AI, he probably deserves the dirty look.

The ride is quiet and was now much more awkward for Miguel.

He tries to glance at Xina for a brief second, just to see how she was doing—but perhaps they were more alike than they thought, growing up together and whatnot. Xina too was attempting to steal a glance at him.

Their eyes meet awkwardly and they both look away, necks nearly snapping at the whiplash.

This of course was news to you, behind them, your brows furrowed in confusion at the pair.

The air was tense. You were eyeing Xina’s frameup and down, and LYLA Monroe was making detailed calculations and searches on you.

Miguel wished the elevators ran faster.

A few floors further up, the elevator dings open once more, and fate must be fucking with him because Dana D’Angelo waits outside.

She holds a stack of file folders with neatly coordinated labels, all well dressed, not a hair out of place so early in the morning.

She was likely on the way to the resident’s spider-therapists office, whom Miguel assigned to after the need for a competent clerk was needed in their department.

Of course, what he failed to detail was that Dana D’Angelo was his brother’s ex-girlfriend and his ex-fiancé- slash- the person he cheated on Xina with- slash- she cheated on him, with his biological father.

But that messy debacle was ages ago.

Still, he cringed internally, at the thought of her entering the elevator, but they made room for her anyways, her high purple heels clacking against the marble floor.

He had nothing to say about Dana, they closed their chapter amicably, along with a hefty divorce fee, but they were friends enough that Miguel helped her land a job at the society when the Daily Bugle office she front-desked for closed.

Miguel wanted to SCREAM. But he settles on running his fingers through his hair.

Side-eyes between Xina and Dana were given. You sensed how Dana subconsciously stepped and tilted her body towards Miguel. You all probably didn’t know you all worked in the same building as the facility was so big.

But of all days, why today?

The elevator ride up was painstaking. The uncomfortable air made it so that despite Miguel having no spider-senses whatsoever, he felt harsh tingles at the back of his neck.

His own version of LYLA in a fur coat popped on the corner of his eye, visible only to Miguel.

She took a good sweep at the group he was with and arranged her heart-shaped glasses with a low whistle shit-eating grin.

“I betcha’ wished you took the stairs right now.” She remarks teasingly.

He feels a migraine coming, and he wholeheartedly wishes he could shrink down and cease to exist.

“Cállate.” He hisses under his breath, with gritted teeth.

Apparently, even that wasn’t small enough as his voice cuts through the silence of the elevator, and the three turn their heads at him.

Confusion, concern, and chagrin.

Miguel really felt like he should’ve just got off at a random floor and taken the 50 or so flights up, rather than endure this torture, but a few floors before his supposed relief: his stop, the doors open once more, this one taking the cake.

The annoying visitor of the week: his brother, Gabriel O’Hara, stood on the other side of the doors, looking up from his phone as the lift opens.

He takes one good look at the passengers who stare back at him, and then at his brother with his own shit-eating grin and a waggle of his brows.

Fuck it. Miguel promises never to leave his office and never take it easy ever again. 

I wrote this at 5am. I forgot abt it when I went to sleep, so I was very surprised to find a fic made in my notes. First fic abt the dorito man.  Interactions are appreciated and feed the soul ig.

[360iris]

Backroom of a bad dream (marc spector x reader)

Marc is dreaming, he knows that. He knows it as soon as the clip starts rolling, frayed, fuzzy and worn around the edges. He can practically hear the feed spools of the movie projector turning as the lens focuses the film’s images onto the imaginary screen in his mind’s eye. 

A single ticket sold for admittance to a private showing of his early life, featuring people he wishes he could forget. Forgive, hah. Forget. Just let him forget. 

He wishes she’d allow him to omit the moments in time like this one, but bad memories latch onto him, into him. And this body holds them together like stitches sewn into flesh—and faintly he recalls you saying something to that effect once. During one of the many, painfully kind conversations the two of you have when the tide of emotions inside him is particularly high, to the point where it’s brimming to the surface and bubbling right over the edge. 

You’re always there to catch the splashes and beaded droplets of information, gathering what meager scraps he gives away, whether it’s done so intentionally or not. Lining up every detail like puzzle pieces, locating the edges first and then steadily working your way inward. 

He knows how tightly he guards the truth of his past, because he’s skeptical of what good it could do. Because he’s afraid to face the consequences if the iniquity of his actions see light and find a way to retake root. He doesn’t think he could handle Layla’s soft touches turning stiff and rigid, and he knows he would not recover if those doting and thoughtful eyes of yours ever dimmed when they fell onto him– like his mother’s had.

‘A means to hurt can also bring about healing, and growth.’ You’d said that particular evening, speaking more to the brim of the water bottle on its way to your lips, than to anything else. He’d guessed he must have looked as confused as he’d felt internally because you hurried to swallow the mouthful before elaborating on your thought. 

‘If you know the story of Joseph, his brothers plotted several times to murder him, resolving finally to strip him naked and sale him to the Egyptians, with the intention for him to be taken leagues away from his home, never to be seen again. Little did they know, they were pushing him closer to fulfilling his life’s purpose, he would become the most influential and powerful man in the land, second only to the Pharaoh himself.’ —his eyebrows were still raised quizzically and you’re reminded that with everything he's gone through, memorizing religious stories hadn’t remotely been on his list of priorities. 

‘He’s reunited with his brothers as a wealthy and respected man, utterly unrecognizable as their own flesh and blood by then, and instead of letting the great famine consume them for their past indiscretions, he shows them forgiveness. Though the most important part in all of it, to me, is what he says to them as they stand in fear of what he’ll do to them. He says ‘What you meant for evil, God meant for good.’ and that’s a quote I find myself thinking back on very often. The notion that perhaps, from every wrongdoing, every single nefarious lapse of humanity, behind the scenes something good and righteous is gradually weaving itself and taking hold. A greater plan, coming into play.’

But you’re not in his head as this scene of her drunkenly sauntering over to the dinner table plays, the frames clicking in and out of view cheaply. 

He can see her coal-black hair, long and neglected, flowing past her shoulders like curtains. Can make out the glass bottle of beer in her hand and the dark circles from lack of restful sleep. Eyes overshadowed, hateful and watching, scrutinizing his every movement. Inwardly and outwardly cursing him for every breath he took.

He could smell the alcohol, the sickly sweet sugaryness of the icing and burning candles on top of the cake which sat in front of him. 

Can hear the words that slip past her lips–and he’s sorry, he’s regretful and he hates her as she drills those same fucking words into his psyche. 

Her hostility churned, it burbled and seeped into the fabric of everything like thick, black ink. It festered and clung to him, a dripping, oozing sludge as he watched her hands grip the glass, her lips sneering and her eyes glaring emptily. There was no attainable sign of recompense for what he’d done because he’d survived yet another year, and she’d all but sworn to make this particular day hell on earth for him. It was his birthday.

Lying on his back, he jolts awake. Eyes wide and chest heaving as he registers his labored breathing, forehead drenched with sweat and knuckles stiff from how hard they gripped at the sheets beneath him. 

“We’re okay.” Steven’s voice comes out unusually hoarse, bringing up a sore hand to dab at the corners of their eyes and apples of their cheeks with a crooked wrist. Tears, he’d been drawn to tears. “We’re alright. We’re safe. And look, it's morning now.”

Beams of sunlight slipped through the open cracks and crevices made by the somewhat-drawn curtains, allowing golden slivers to illuminate the wooden plank flooring, filling the space with a warm, genial air. 

The sizable studio apartment his system shares with yourself and Layla is quiet and still. Not a single sign of Khonshu darkening his path with his towering visage presents itself as he looks over the empty space— but as Marc hastily props himself onto his elbows, he realizes that the same could be said for both of his girls. 

A wave of paranoia washes over him as he looks at the empty spaces beside him on the bed, the white sheets lay void of the bodily warmth he’d grown used to and spoiled by. Though just as he moves to sit up to continue his search, he spots you quietly exiting the dressing room which leads to the bathroom. 

Absentmindedly toweling wet hair with one rotating hand, you clicked the door shut behind you as quietly as possible, moving further into the general space before seemingly feeling his gaze and looking up to inadvertently meet his eye. 

You’re dressed in an ankle length, satin creme slip dress, the one you often wore to bed because of the lace detailing it had sewn along the collar and how softly it glided across the skin. Blanketing your shoulders and falling to your feet was a matching, ankle-grazer cardigan which you hauled with you almost everywhere, the snug material always plush to the touch.

“You’re up, baby?” With bare feet, you paddled over to where he lay, speaking softly even though he was awake now. 

He nodded wordlessly, peering up at you. Unable to read the slight, upward crook resting between your brows as you approached as anything other than disappointment towards him, because of him.

“We’d hoped you’d sleep a little longer, thought the extra rest might help some.” You said fondly, sinking into the mattress beside him. “Do you know what you might want for breakfast? Or, do you want one of us to choose? Layla just got back from the market, she's in the shower now– bought a bit too much if you ask me.” An amused chuckle gets peppered between your words. But other than the way he fiddles with the fingers of your free hand, he doesn’t speak. 

His eyes were hooded and preoccupied with a misty, glazed look about them; lips pressed into a line. He wasn’t completely still, as was typically characteristic of Marc, but the man in front of you was too withdrawn and remote for it to be Steven currently fronting. You surveyed him with a look of repose, pinpointing what giveaways were present to help clue you in on who it was you were dealing with, so you could act accordingly.

Twisting and tucking the towel back to keep it wrapped around your head, you laid down atop of the covers beside him. Resting an open-palmed hand across his chest which he continued to fiddle with as you nuzzled your face alongside his. “Where are you right now, baby? Can you tell me?”

He didn't answer immediately, swallowing thickly as he stared up at the ceiling. 

“It’s my birthday.” It wasn’t a question or announcement, just a despondent statement.

“Yes, it is.”

“She– She’d always make today unbearable.” And you’re well aware of who he’s referencing, his hands grasping yours a hair tighter as he speaks, your own grip firming as well. “She made me hate ever being born. I would wonder why this day just kept coming, why it never stopped.”

There wasn’t a way to broach the topic of his mother, no tactical approach to institute, to speak on her behalf regarding her grief, her anger and her pain. At one point you’re fairly certain she loved her first born son. 

Your own personal, and very secret theory was that her abuse angled towards Marc was her way of keeping her lost son alive, because perhaps forgiving him for his part to play in the tragedy would have felt too much like relinquishing the love that, which in her eyes, no longer had anywhere else to go. But that didn’t even remotely justify her cruelty, or unwavering devotion towards making Marc’s life as isolating and haunted as she possibly could.

Holding him inbetween your arms now, as tortured and mournful of a man as he is, you press your forehead into his cheek and think further on a certain comforting but dismal branch of thought. 

Though she’d been none the wiser, and truthfully did not deserve any of the credit, all of her unrelenting fury had given birth to Steven– well intentioned, delightful and unbelievably quick-witted Steven Grant. Where would any of you be without him, or your love for him? You scarcely dared to entertain the possibility.

The truth was that one utterly good thing had been unearthed from the soot and grime of her profoundly misguided actions, and you would nurture the little boy she’d left behind and support the men he’d grown into.

Nudging him closer, if that could even be possible at this point with the way the two of you were so intertwined, you tenderly massage his shoulder. “Every single day I’m grateful that you were created and placed along my path. And I know that you’re hurting, and I understand that I can’t carry that burden for you–or claim to always perfectly understand where you’re at in your journey, but I mean it when I say that I fully intend to be here when you need or just want me to be present. I’m here for you, and for Steven.”

You don’t expect him to respond exactly, having just wanted to know that he had heard those specific words from someone who genuinely cared about him. And when he rolls onto his side to face you, softly scooping you up into his arms like a well loved teddy bear, you audibly laugh as he speaks into your hair– because it’s a start to the day, and it’s enough. “Whatever you decide to make, Steven and I will have two plates of it.”

[christmic]

Starts with: Gregorian Chants

When the prompts trickle in too slow for the rain to stop

Ends with:

Nurture a Covenant with God

When the prompts trickle in too slow for the rain to stop. The rain has been on again, off again. So I’m only allowing myself evenings for this whole exercise but did a morning one and now that night came need to go again real quick before more sight reading. Feels like I’m in trade school, the pressure is high to learn a bunch of piano books so that the students never catch up to me. And some of them could soon. Sight reading is so different from every other piano skill, it’s like I’ve spent weeks and am still not confident and a beginner. I can do it in my head but my fingers don’t cooperate. And then my fingers can do it easily but my eyes see blurred smudges on lines. Shoulda coulda woulda learned earlier. Shoulda could woulda never stared at the Sun. So today got a call from boss, thinking I was in trouble. No, you just have to learn We Are the Champions on guitar for band tonight. What a life! What a job! I love it.

So PDP and I are headed to an island for three days to camp. So I’m posting here for the lurkers as the only way to know I went missing. It’s cool the boat comes about every three days weather permitting so hopefully we get stuck out there for 40 days and 40 nights! My night vision binoculars record video and make everything look like a UFO. I have walkie talkies, a bible, a hammock, a recorder, and a guitar. I’m not sure if PDP will be able to make it sober, the vibe is he’s in the same boat but without the knock and is struggling with substances. His current life trajectory is his wife will leave him as soon as the kids are old enough and he’ll trade happiness for binging with the vets at Legion playing darts with Michelle. But destiny is not written in stone, the man can rise above and change his life plan. He shouts about how he’s all about truth but the hair trigger anger in his heart prevents the truth to be uttered by those closest to him. Yes there are extremely nefarious forces winning battle after battle in the world. Yes the dominant population is completely oblivious and on a local level participating in turning the world into a more evil place. But my favorite Bill Cooper quote again, and why he’s the top cheese in my burrito is “If you want to know what’s wrong with your country all you have to do is take one long hard look in the mirror”.

I like to do little checkins with The Lord throughout the day for figuring out what to do next. And the Lord is saying open the fields, what a friendship is could be more. You know my door is always open. You stubborn cat. Jesus. At this rate though the thought of a 10 year younger woman that puts the Lord first seems to be a trend out here. Though that doesn’t qualify as a carrot on the stick for the harder parts of my routine. Like this rabid 6 year old I have to teach for a whole hour but he’s Keith Moon + Jon Bonham + Jim Morrison on a bender trapped in a 6 year old’s body. Today I had to ask him who the teacher was because he was trying to tell me what to play. We have to jump to drums to piano to guitar to producing beats depending on the moment. Aha. It’s fun though it’s just hard to teach a 6 year old anything and the parents are the coolest they just like him getting exposed to stuff and are putting zero pressure on him.

Let’s not ban talking about ChatGPT but word in the sauna from my fav lifeguard Dioni is that the optimal swim is about 800-1000 yards, which is my SWEET spot thank God. Cause I’ve only been doing 500 like a bitch. but I was thinking I’m supposed to get up to 4 or 5k a day like when I was on the swim team. Just got to get 300 more in then focus on form and getting faster. Soul Fusion’s full of the most dedicated or frustrated moms who could kick my ass and over my head at the same time. Full volume club tunes and is hard AF. My sister’s has become the cool house where all the cool mom’s go. I tell them often I can’t wait to be a stay at home mom like them. You’ll think you’re having a heart attack at times. In Soul Fusion, that is. Fun stuff! S is preggers with her second and has blueberry bushes that haven’t needed water from the rain and are huge already. I’m going to steal her method once my greenhouse is built. I remember in the bible about if a tree yields no fruit, then cut it down. When was the last time she yielded fruit? Let me check in with the Lord. ‘Tone it down christMic’ okay. Recently when I nutted in her and refused to get plan b because she’s vaxxed and therefore infertile. Demon’s will do anything to feel right, and I’m genuinely sorry. What's recent is sometimes a long, long time ago.

Also I invented a new genre of music, instead of Bluegrass its called Greengrass and it sounds really awesome. It’s like Bluegrass instruments but all the songs are happy and uplifting, but not in an ignorant youthful way. Like Chad’s old lyrics from high school Bonjo and I would be in tears laughing singing them. They were so naive and innocent; stuff like ‘you and me we’re gonna make three and be happy’… You’d love to hear Greengrass sometime. I would too.

I shouldn’t talk about the bible without giving actual scripture because I have yet to read the entire thing.

Also why is Hotel California so popular? Because you can check in anytime you like, but you can never leave. Why is Stairway to heaven so popular? Because there’s a lady whose sure, all that glitters is gold. Please make these prompts one day.

I met Lightening Joe’s wife today and after getting picks and a tuner she took me upstairs to show me the studios and a dope graffiti bathroom her husband made. A living legend. But there was a social pho pa because I asked if I could take a picture of the 10 rock commandments painted on the wall and she said sure, her dad was really religious and wanted to take a picture of them too. I told her I’m really religious too and well was led back out on the pavement before I could say Love Everyone. I wish I told her I knew where she’s coming from about her silent obscure scars from religious family/people. I wish I told her I don’t like the word in the first place. But anyways that’s what happens, it’s funny how religious people have a worse rap than hobos in many nice parts of the country. And I understand how they feel. Now I’m scheduled to play keys for 1 rehearsal before the Easter service - probably on that $4k Nord I’d never be able to afford. That’s like 4 Siennas. It’s one of those churches where everything is top of the line, like the drum set has it’s own plastic room and everyone has fenders and ear peaces for levels and stuff. Fancy fancy, and I’m so blessed to be a part of it. The music is easy and you cannot deny how the holy spirit fills the room when we sing. The only number I feel a little hesitant about - and sad it’s one of their flagship songs and it goes something like “What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus” and the way it’s repeated and sounds it sounds like the whole group is saying they enjoy drinking Jesus’s blood in order to feel whole in like a kinda a dark and satanic way. But I’m sure there’s no one at church I can tell this too. Maybe the tongues dino’d understand, she’s seen some shit. Also the organizer wants me to download a scheduler app and I don’t have the heart to tell the fifth fellow Christian this month that I don’t use iOS or Android. It’s lonely at the top. JK Jesus is here in my heart and I’m all bottom of the creek with the salamanders anyways.

But I’m on island time soon in order to really focus on Nurturing a Covenant with God.

[sakamotokaori]

whos ranking is benoit richaud trying to boost by nerfing kaori 🤔

[two-red-lungs]

May I request an imagine with Eddie Munson where reader girlfriend starts showing signs (Like the stuff happening to Chrissy before she died) of vecnas curse and he gets all overprotective and worried and dosent leave her side? Happy ending??

Oh man strap in y'all this one hurts. Ambiguous ending because I am EVIL.

Eddie + Vecna-Cursed S/O

You hide it from him, the first time. Successfully. The world only dropped away for a second, the room emptying of people and a warped, hollow metal clock chiming the far distance, and then bam, you were back and Eddie was giving you the side-eye.

"Everything good?" He asked you.

You just nodded vigorously and turned away to talk to Robin, an ice-cold pit in your stomach, feeling the ticking of the second hand crawling up your spine like a nefarious centipede.

This wasn't supposed to happen. Not to you. Not because it was you, but because Eddie, somehow, despite the recent shitstorm, had come to really fucking care about you.

And god, he'd been through enough grief, hadn't he?

So yes. For the first few precious hours, you hide it. You hide it and you spend extra time chatting the metalhead up, making him laugh, watching the way his adam's apple bobs in his lithe neck and thinking about how lucky you were in the first place to meet him before you died.

And then you... can't, anymore. Can't hide it. You feel sick. Nauseated, in a fugue state, flu-like. And finally, finally when you try and brush it off again, jacket wiping at your nose, Eddie catches your wrist with his surprisingly strong, broad hands, bringing it into the light.

Blood on the sleeve.

"Jesus." Is the first thing he breathes out. Looking down at you, back at the blood. At you again. "Jesus Christ. It's happening, isn't it. Isn't it?"

And you want to lie, pretend it's fine, but there are tears in your eyes and Eddie's sweet, angelic, perfect oval face is crumpling, lines appearing under his big black chocolate eyes.

The other members swarm you with concern. But all you can focus on is him. Just standing there. Helpless. Frozen.

"...Come on, man." He says in a choked voice. "Not you. Not you."

It hurts. Most of all it hurts because he's scared, fucking terrified for you. His fingers shake and he stuffs them in his pockets. He can't stop looking back at you over his shoulder, like he's convinced you're going to disappear.

You can't hide the increasingly long periods of time you stare, blank and cationic up at the ceiling, any better than he can hide the way his lip quivers.

And when you come back to reality he is always there, screaming your name in your face, big fingers cupping your chin or touching your forearms or just shaking you are strongly as he dared. And he's so scared. So, so scared.

Steve looks at his watch, licks his lips, and tells you you're down to twelve hours.

Eddie scrambles through his cassette tape collection, muttering to himself, talking over you about what bands you last listened to. He's constantly correcting himself and finding a song that he thinks is better, a song you told him you like more, because the last one he chose is never good enough. His room is a disaster zone.

When he cups the walkman headphones to your ears, his hands linger far too long. His eyes squeezed shut: like if he keeps touching you, keeps you here, Vecna can't reach into your mind and body and soul and snatch you away from him.

You press the play button on the walkman. Press a kiss, silky-soft and angel-sweet, to the furrowed skin between his dark brows. And when the rough electric guitar starts picking up, wild and bright, you tell him you're going to be okay. That everything is going to be fine.

And as you had out to join Max and Lucas in their little game-plan huddle out by the front door, Eddie digs his fingernails into the meat of his palms so hard it hurts, and prays, desperately, that you're right.

Because he's pretty sure losing you like that would break him in a way he couldn't come back from.

[johannestevans]

stable lad who quietly but fervently worships the gentleman of the house from afar bc he's just. beautiful and erudite and lovely and at his core, unattainable

gentleman walks into the stables one day to the lad getting fucked by a delivery boy and blackmails him after

uses his power over the stable lad to make him help him with various nefarious purposes - spying on guests in the house, pilfering or copying their letters, occasionally pickpocketing or framing others for infractions

every moment they're alone together, intimate, every time the gentleman tugs him into a closet or the cramped little office, pins him against a wall to speak softly to him and give him his orders

the stable lad's skin prickles with want and desperation

and now and then he catches the stable lad watching him and asks if he's thinking about escaping

and one day the stable lad whispers, "I'd do whatever you wanted me to, blackmail or no. take a beating and everything."

and the gentleman raises an eyebrow, loosens his belt, and says, "alright."

He expects that calling the other man's bluff will make him back down, or even flinch

the stable lad's cheeks turn pink and he wets his lip with his tongue

and the gentleman is suddenly inwardly like OH, and has a completely new and even more dangerous obsession with him

basically wanting to stretch this apparent devotion and see how far it goes - and it goes FAR

i just like it when one guy is evil and inherently extremely selfish and the other guy is inherently self-sacrificing and extremely masochistic

to the extent that the evil one becomes so… fascinated with his victim's devotion that he develops a twisted devotion of his own

[comicweek]

Whatever Happened to the Men of Tomorrow?

I just love Tyler Hoechlin on Superman & Lois. His Clark Kent rocks chunky cable-knit cardigans, pivots his Metropolitan family into farming, and pours a nightly glass of white wine for his badass wife. Dad goals aplenty — and when he suits up to catch a falling bridge in China, he waves to a rescued bystander. No big deal, his smile says, all in a day's work. It's a classic version of the most classic superhero, an ageless paternal hunk rendered puny behind glasses and the last tie any print journalist will ever wear.

But the hit CW drama already revealed another possible Man of Steel, a world-destroying alternate Superman introduced in a flashback eye-barbecuing an army. He wears black, just like Henry Cavill's resurrected Kal-El in Zack Snyder's Justice League. And that four-hour HBO Max event ends with a premonition of Superman gone mad, driven murderous by the death of Lois Lane (Amy Adams). These fallen gods have company. Amazon Prime Video's The Boys features Antony Starr as Homelander, an über-American sociopath. He shares a streaming service with Omni-Man (voiced by J.K. Simmons), the greatest defender of Invincible's Earth, who finishes up his series premiere ripping apart his fake Justice League one spinal cord at a time. Let's put a pin in calling the Utopian (Josh Duhamel) nefarious, but the patriarch of Netflix's upcoming Jupiter's Legacy has dark secrets. And his troubled son Brandon (Andrew Horton) wears a red-caped blue costume I would describe as "lawsuit-proof." (The Marvel Cinematic Universe is making its own moves in this direction, with the briefly bad resurrected Vision and a new Captain America covering his shield with fresh blood.)

An optimistic read would classify the Evil Superman glut as countercultural activism: a middle finger to the boomers from Generation Harley Quinn. The classic character offers easy signifiers to deconstruct. He is toxically masculine, supremely white, a whole surveillance state unto himself. Comparisons to certain monster presidents and canceled icons are welcome. "I know you want me to be like you," Homelander's son (Cameron Crovetti) tells the star-spangled pyscho. "But Dad, I'm not." That kid goes on to incinerate Homelander's Nazi girlfriend: Great job, youth! Meanwhile, Invincible's real star is Omni-Man's son, Mark (Steven Yeun), a sincere do-gooder. Their malicious elders stand in for larger societal decay. And even the WarnerMedia-approved Supermen withstand suspicion from paranoid worlds. Cavill's hero spent a whole movie proving to Batman (Ben Affleck) that he wasn't a bad guy; apparently, the next movie would have proved Batman right. Hoechlin's yearning sincerity sticks out like a sore thumb in modern-day Smallville, a depleted land of meth explosions and bank foreclosures. Recent events in our own world offer little hope for a brighter future. Everything has gone wrong with everything. Why should the Man of Tomorrow be any different?

There's a long history of Superman turning bad; there's a long history of Superman doing anything. Way back in 1964, he met Ultraman, a dastardly double from Earth-Three. The '90s brought a Terminator-ish super-doppelgänger, who pretended to be Superman before destroying fake Los Angeles. Hoechlin already played a different black-suited impostor in a 2018 CW crossover. There are multiverse scenarios where he's raised by Soviets, Nazis, or Darkseid. In the 2000s Justice League cartoon, another Superman executes his Lex Luthor, a defensible act that slippery-slopes into dystopic oppression.

Break one rule and you break them all: That's the implicit threat of Evil Superman, and the nasty thrill of Injustice, a videogame-comic saga where Lois Lane's death drives Superman superbad totalitarian. (Clark's son plays Injustice 2 on Superman & Lois.) In the classic 1986 tale "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" written by Alan Moore and drawn by Curt Swan, Kal-El retires from superheroism after taking a villain's life. "Nobody has the right to kill," he says, "Not Mxyzptlk, not you, not Superman... especially not Superman." Look past the outrageous impossibility of saying "Mxyzptlk" out loud, and it's one of the great quotes of comic book history. This Superman believes even a wholly justifiable homicide spoils his moral code. A generation later, that's where these stories begin.

[soyforramen]

For @riverdalepromptathon week one (I am so excited to be able to catch up):

--

She’d come to the Whyte Wyrm under an harvest moon, an auspicious sign. It had been weeks, months, years, since she’d last seen him. Despite being the best tracker of the pack, her skills were no match for the camouflaging spells that allowed him to blend into the human world so easily. She’d been lucky enough yesterday to catch the tang of magic in an old diner. The Lonely Highway held many miscreants and malfeasances, but none so dangerous as him.

In spite of herself, she wound the protective charms and grisgris her sister and mother had paid dearly for around herself. There would be no turning back from tonight, not if she played her cards right. Betty Cooper glanced up at the orange moon, the mother of her people and provider of all, one last time. If tonight were to be her last, this was the image she wanted to die with.

Full of the sight, Betty shoved her way through the long line, ignoring the protests of the bouncer at the door. ID’s and waiting lists held no interest to her, and mercy on the one who tried to keep her away.

Inside the door she was assaulted by the fetid, sharp tang of human sweat that sang of their excitement and arousal, anticipation and fear. It was nothing more than any other bar, full of hunters and prey. As much as she disliked the smell, she drew another deep breath, rolling the air in her mouth, trying to catch a hint of him. There, in a shadowed booth well away from the thriving dance floor. Magic, no doubt, and nefarious, forbidden magic at that.

Calmly, with movements practiced over a millenia, Betty unsheathed her dagger. Even in the dim light the enchantments glowed with every flash thrown out by the strobe light. Few humans saw the long blade, fewer still comprehended what they saw. Drunk and stupid, while not limited to human-kind, seemed to be their specialty. Her target came into view and she smiled, a harsh and bitter thing foreign to the one she wore when she was in her homelands. The few humans who had turned before her fled at the sight of it, and the crowds easily parted before her.

“Hello, my child,” her target greeted in the old tongue. He spread his arms wide, and the women – no, not women, succubi – hissed at her approach.

Even here in a foreign land he’d accumulated a harem. It was a talent he and he alone possessed; one that irritated her journey to no end. Creatures, regardless of gender or kind, were willing and able to throw themselves before him just to get a glimpse of his power and, perhaps, earn his blessings as well.

There weren’t many who would dare defy a god.

“Edward,” Betty said with a nod. “If that is what you still call yourself.

In the blink of an eye, the dagger was in the air. He moved quicker than even her eye could see, and the steel drove deeply into his shoulder. While it wasn’t the end she was hoping for, at least the wound would provide a good start for the hunter sent after her death.

Edward’s howl of pain was swept away in the thumping electronic music, the poor hearing of humans unable to pick up on such a high rage. It didn’t keep them from feeling it, however, and Betty could sense the turning tides of emotion. She stepped back, bracing herself for the wave of magic he’d surely send her way, chanting oaths and prayers under her breath. They would do little if anything at all, but she’d found they steadied her mind enough to withstand the searing pain magic brought along with it.

The foundation, however, seemed not as steady. Beneath her feet, along the walls, above her head, every square inch of the Whyte Wyrm seemed to quiver and shake. A scream rose up, followed by a roar of panicked, wild-eyed humans. Edward cared nothing for the body count he left behind as long as he could take one more hunter from the world. Even his servants held little value to him. The ones he’d surrounded himself with tonight, though, seemed to realize this quicker than most and were scrambling through the humans to escape.

Betty held her ground. She knew there was no escaping his wrath, not this time, not with blood fueling this rage. Quickly, she bent and pulled a second and third knife from her boots. These were her own personal blades, those used to defend herself against the mortal, useless against gods. But she knew to be a hunter was to die with weapon in hand. It would be a disgrace if she died any other way.

In a low, harsh tongue, sibalent and lilting, Edward spoke in a language older than even the stars themselves. Every hair on Betty’s body stood at attention and she fought to keep her feet from moving. With a sudden burst, Edward thrust forward and a cracking noise came from above. Betty moved, trying to escape the falling ceiling, but she knew she could never escape on his wrath tonight.

Edward screamed, and Betty rolled to the right, cement tearing open her jacket and clawing at her shoulder. Despite the pain, she pulled herself free of the rebar. She stared at Edward, or rather were Edward had once been. Above his slowly dissolving body stood a man, no older than seven and twenty, holding a thick, darkly-colored vase in his hand. The glow in his eyes flared and disappeared like smoke, absorbed into his body.

“We have to get out of here,” he yelled, pointing away from the entrance.

Betty made no move, too shocked and pained to understand the scene in front of her. The man ran towards her, and in his touch she could feel the spark of magic, the heat of the ancients. He tugged her through the kitchen door and together they climbed through the chaos. Shelves had fallen over, taking along with them pots and pans, knives and raw vegetables. Long, white lights swayed overhead, and Betty had to duck to avoid several of them.

Another rumble sent them to their feet, and they crawled the last few feet into a back alleyway that stank with garbage, old alcohol, and urine.

“What the hell was that guy?” the man panted.

Seeing her bloody shoulder, he gestured toward the parking lot where a crowd had gathered. Bright, blinding lights indicated the human authorities were here. She knew she should have run away then and there, back to her people to report on (her?) success in the tracking and death of the creature known only as ‘Edward’.

Instead, Betty stumbled after the man, clutching at her shoulder. She had witnessed what few in the universe had ever heard of – the death of a god. Now, standing in front of her, was a new being, one that had absorbed the magic and strength of Edward, unaware of what had just taken place. A man shorn in a ripped, tattered hat that smelled in need of a wash, plain, plaid shirt and ripped jeans had just killed a god of the ancients.

By her people���s law, he was to be her next target. He was not to be left alive. No creature with that power could live because magic, by its very nature, corrupted, warped, distorted its host into evil.

Yet, there was another, higher law. One that bound man to man, creature to creature, life to life. By killing Edward, this man had saved her life; now, he held her fate in his hands. Once tasked with hunting down and destroying the ancient god, Betty was now life-bound to protecting this strange, human man. It was a tragedy that could only be conveyed by the great poets of her land. A land, she now realized, she could never return to.

She prayed to the ancestors that this man was a great man. One with a name that would be spoken through all time, one that would bring fear and respect no matter who heard it. Surely an aptly named man could be virtuous enough to allow her to help fight off the evil that threatened to consume him. After all, one’s chosen name meant everything - destiny, fortune, luck. It was partially why she never told anyone her real name when she went to the human world; she didn’t trust any of them to give her name the respect and dignity it deserved.

“What’s your name?” Betty rasped through a throat scraped by raw magic.

“Jughead Jones,” he said over his shoulder before leading her to an EMT.

Fuck.

[brandyspringsluxury]

The Staff of Brandy Springs Suites

Welcome to Brandy Springs Suites- a luxury apartment complex filled with clean, cared for facilities and on location gym, spa, emergency laundromat, and even a recreation room. It was once a hotel, but bought and modified by the current owner it is now peak luxury living. It’s a place that values consistency, kindness, and loyalty. The owner, a very mysterious man known only by Mr. Carter, was already very wealthy, so money is not something he prioritizes solely. In fact, he values loyalty more than income and if you prove to be a loyal and kind person, you may find certain perks and advantages. So, I hope you enjoy your stay and remain here for a long, long time. Nevermind all the tenants who seem to always have ulterior, hidden motives or the ever revolving spa and cleaning staff. Oh, and if you’re looking over things, please do try to ignore the first floor after midnight- and if you go down it’s in your best interest to feign ignorance to whatever noises you hear or things you see. And if you ever- EVER- manage to meet Mr. Carter make sure you are on your best behavior and prove your worth, or you may not leave the complex alive. 

TW: mentions of sex trafficking, kidnapping, murder, drugging, torture 

The Owner - Mr. Carter

55 - 6’1” - 188 lbs || Caucasian || he/him || lives separate || Weinstein Wannabe

Evil, awful man. Sells victims in the basement of the apartment complex, sex trafficker and if a tenant can’t pay and their intensive “background check” indicates the tenant is not someone that may be missed that tenant will be sold. That being said, if a tenant shows worthwhile attributes that could bring the Owner more money (ie bringing victims, more tenants, or generally having skills the Owner can exploit, etc) then the Ownery may be able to help the tenants with their own, perhaps nefarious, deeds (ie kidnapping/killing someone for them, bribing the police, etc). That being said, only the staff know what he looks like and have a direct line of communication with him. All tenants speak to staff, unless they are unlucky enough to have bumped into him or to have been a direction for his ire. He has no empathy and doesn’t attempt to pretend he does. He’s a cold, cruel man and he makes it known to everyone he interacts with. 

Emergency room in complex is Room 002

The  Front Desk -  Ronaldo Cortez

28 - 5’9” - 196 lbs || Latinx || they/them || lives separate || Golden Retriever Friend

Raised hyper christian american; couldn’t speak at the table or if they weren’t spoken to, couldn’t make or visit friends outside of the church, etc. Because of that they are fantastic at masking or playing characters and very much embodies the charisma of the golden retriever friend, but has an aggressive and vicious side hidden. Doesn’t let the tenants know much about them, but does blind side them with occasional double-sided comments. Great at picking up information on the tenants or on potential tenants from the position of Front Desk. Very beneficial for the Owner. The Owner places a lot of trust in them and how they vet tenants and workers-- essentially the Owner’s right hand person and second in command. Much smarter than they seem and is quite intuitive. Struggles to back their intuition so they get along very well with Lily-- the very person who can dig up the evidence to back their intuition. The pair are largely unstoppable. Their intuition is never wrong and Lily can find literally anything if they motivated her enough. Has never personally done anything illegal (hands on) but has facilitated and encouraged it enough. Essentially, the plan B of the operation should it fail. Cannot legally be prosecuted for any crimes and thus can help anyone who falls  into legal trouble get the best help to get away with whatever crimes committed. 

In case of emergency has access to Room 003.

The Head of Security - Lily-Anne 

23 - 5’4” - 180 lbs || Russian American | she/her || Room 005 || Greasy, Lazy Genius 

  Doesn’t look it but can pick anyone up and throw them like they’re nothing. Learned to deadlift and hack to prove the boys in her high school classes wrong. Mastered biology freshman year and went on to throw herself into the STEM programs. Won lots of scholarships but never went to secondary school. Can find anything about anyone. Normally quite apathetic but you don’t want to trigger stronger emotions- obsessive to either degree. She’ll either kidnap you as hers (and literally love you to death) or she’ll just kill you in her anger and hatred of you. Wants to push those around her to the brink, control them to the point that they’d do anything- kill or die for her. Heavily sapphic but not exclusionary and likes who she likes. Has few friends, most online, but Ronaldo is one she begrudgingly admits to befriending. The Owner knows a lot of Lily-Anne, but she knows little of him. She mostly digs up the dirt for Ronaldo, in return for a toy to play with and some cash, but she also largely protects the complex more heavily than traditional security including cyber security and bribing/hacking the police. This makes her a very valuable asset and the Owner has a soft spot for her, throwing her a toy to play with out of the blue occasionally if one fits her preferences that the Owner can tell. 

The Gym Trainer - Rocky

25 - 6’1” - 265 lbs || Dominican-German || he/him || Room 217 || Aggro-gym bro

Got hired after being a tenant due to his actual degree but also because Marissa had stumbled across his strength and ruthlessness and mentioned it to Ronaldo. The perfect backup and, well, Rocky killed his darlings often enough that the disposal of their bodies was payment for the heavy lifting he did for the Owner. Doesn’t know much, just knows he sees some bitches being taken and he beats some douchebags up. He doesn’t care what happens to the victims, doesn’t know, doesn’t want to know or care. Rent is significantly cheaper and after being the backup for a few years, his rent was waived. He showed loyalty and that is rewarded. Always on the prowl for tenants to trick into the complex and then trap them in the gym so he can bully them. Its a win-win for the Owner and for him. He earns commission from both. Quite handy to have on staff despite his own (willing and willful) ignorance. The rooms on either side of him are often vacant due to the screams of his victims (both sexual and tortured) and the Owner buckled down and sound proofed his entire apartment. Saves them both some stress.

The Head of Maintenance - Marissa Thompson 

27 - 6’ - 178 lbs || Black American || she/her || Room 008 || Chaotic ADHD gremlin

Trans-woman and proud. Black and proud. Can do everything a straight white man can do but better. Always has 100+ projects on her plate but still takes on every project offered. Prioritizes well and always helps the tenants in a timely and kind manner. Has never gotten a complaint-- about her work. She, herself, now requests tenants be out of the apartment while work is being done because she’s so chaotic it stresses out the tenants. Loves and leans into the “plumber’s crack” trope when she does plumbing work. Makes straight white men super uncomfortable and she lives for it. Unlike most other tenants, she knows nothing about The Owner or his operations, she was vetted by Front Desk and okay’ed due to her oblivious nature and genuine skills. (Front Desk totally knows about how she’s obsessive and stalks her love interests, how she sneaks into their rooms and frots against their bed while she caresses their skin while they sleep, how she hooked cameras up in her apartment so she can watch them always, how she always helps them first-- drops everything to help them first; but it’s okay, Front Desk can use all that to their advantage and when it stops being an advantage, well, they have more proof against her than she could dream of having against them. This job pays too well to lose, anyway, right?)  

Lobby Cleaner - Amelia Moser

21 - 5’6” - 134 lbs || Caucasian || he/him & she/her || Room 004 || Discreet Wallflower 

Soft, sweet, and quiet. She often blends into the background unnoticed. Gathers  a lot of intel that way and is quite willing to play the bait or honey pot people for the Owner. She’s more dangerous and promiscuous than she looks, after all looks are deceiving. She’s always getting dirt on the tenants, too. Cleaning the lobby and gym bathrooms while people are in them, eavesdropping on conversations, and generally watching everyone with a very close eye. She, herself, has an entitlement to her if you can catch her in conversation, though just know if you are in a conversation with her she’s already got you hooked. She doesn’t talk to anyone unless she wants or needs something from them- though they’re largely the same. Whatever it is, she’s getting it. Loves sweet things that aren’t just pretending to be kind, if you treat her and everyone with kindness but also get shy and flustered or you’re a little bit of a crybaby then- well, you’re her’s now. She’s kidnapping you, locking you up in her nursery, and drugging you until you believe you’re the child she’s treating you as. And if you try to leave- well, she won’t be afraid to take drastic measures. She knows how to clean up the toughest of stains after all.

[ahgastae]

curiosity (wip) – bang chan x f!reader

➥ word count: 6.1k | spider-man au | action (?? idk) | fluff

➥ m.list

➥ a/n: alright,, let me explain myself lol. i started writing this like?? over a year ago? and eventually got to the point where i kind of just lost ALL of the ideas that i had for where i wanted this to go. SO, instead of letting it sit in my docs forever, i decided to go ahead and post it here for all of you! i hope you enjoy ♡

One thing you can say for sure is you really, really didn’t expect your life to go this way. Not that you have any idea as to how you actually want it to go, but barely hanging onto the edge of the tallest skyscraper in New York definitely isn’t on the top of your list. You feel your fingers start to cramp from the weight, and part of you realizes that this might be it. The end of the infamous Black Cat. Done in because you finally decided to do something good with your life.

Tch. Figures.

A bitter smile spreads across your lips. Of course, this would be the way you go. Ever so dramatic, but on your own damn terms. The thought is comforting, even if it only soothes your beating heart just a bit. You focus on that when your fingers finally start to give out, and you lose your grip on the edge of the rooftop. 

When your eyes slowly slip closed, and you feel the wind rushing through your hair. 

There’s a small voice in your head telling you to hold on, that it’s almost there. It’s weird. It almost sounds familiar. Almost like-

“Y/N!”

You jolt up in your bed, chest heaving as you struggle to regain your breath. Stars twinkle faintly outside a large window to your right, but your vision quickly adjusts to the rest of the darkened room. Your hands release their iron grip on your plush comforter, a sigh of relief escaping your lips. You’re in your bedroom. It was just another nightmare.

A scoff. ‘Just another nightmare.’ You’ve been plagued with the same stupid dream for weeks now, and you still can’t figure out why. It always starts and ends the same way. You’re hanging off the skyscraper, you try to hang on for as long as you can, you realize very quickly that you can’t hold on any longer, and then you fall. Presumably to your death. But you never seem to make it that far.

Not that you want to, but don’t most people not wake up until they hit the ground during those dreams? Why do you wake up gasping for air before you’re even halfway down? You suppose you should be lucky, but you can’t help feeling like there’s more to it than that. Especially with that voice, the one that calls your name? You always hear it calling out to you, every night, right before you wake up. Tonight wasn’t any different.

You sigh, swinging your legs over the edge of your bed and eyeing the clock on your night stand. 3:25AM. 

….Shit.

Well, you’re probably not getting back to bed anytime soon, so you might as well put this wake up call to good use. Padding over to your closet, you carefully swing open the wooden door, cringing to yourself when a slight creak echoes off your bedroom walls. You wait a few seconds just to make sure you’re in the clear. But the apartment is completely silent, save for your roommate’s soft snores in her room next door.

The hidden panel in the back of your closet slides open with a click, and you can’t help the excited smile on your face. No matter how you’re feeling, the sight of that black catsuit never fails to brighten your mood. Your hands run along the smooth material, quickly changing into the familiar suit, and grinning when you catch a glimpse of your reflection in the window. You didn’t really plan on going out, but….

Looks like the Black Cat is going to have some fun tonight after all.

The museum is quiet when you drop through the skylight, landing softly on the balcony of the second floor. Your EMP seems to have done its job, as the security system is powered down and there doesn’t seem to be a guard in sight. They’re probably all back in their office, hurriedly trying to figure out what the hell went wrong. If only they knew about the small, catlike figurine hidden on the roof. Although, maybe not. You don’t mind leaving your adorably deceiving EMPs behind, but they’re not for some random night guard to find. No, you leave them behind for a specific someone. A certain web-headed hero, if you will.

Oh, who are you kidding? It’s no secret (at least, not to him) that you love to tease New York’s  friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Everywhere you go, every heist you pull, you always make sure the hero knows it was you. Obsessed? You wouldn’t say so. Sure, you definitely get a little too excited at the thought of just barely slipping out of his fingers again, but you don’t spend every waking minute planning his demise like some of his other big, bad villains. 

Really, if you were to rank yourself, you’d probably be somewhere between “Lovable Anti-Villain” and “Hero With an ‘F’ in Good”. Not super “evil,” more like just enough to keep the wallcrawler chasing your tail. 

But that’s not the entire reason you’re here tonight, slipping into the museum’s new exhibit on fourteenth century Japan. 

The law labels you a criminal, Spider-Man believes you’re misguided, but you know what you are. You’re the Black Cat, a thief notorious throughout the underground. Well, you say that, but of the people that actually believe you exist, very few have actually seen the Black Cat in person. Actually, it may just be Spider-Man, now that you think about it. Maybe that’s why you feel a weird connection with the wall-crawling hero.

Either way, bottom line is you’re a thief, and a damn good one at that. It’s definitely not the most noble profession (or legal one), but your very specific set of skills make you the best at it, so why not? Plus, it’s not like you’re entirely heartless. 

No, you only steal from the wealthy of New York, the highest of elites, the ones who can stand to lose a few thousands (or millions, if you’re feeling pretty moody that night). You’ve tried to explain that to Spider-Man, that it’s okay for you to steal from them because they’re the ones who deserve it. It’s downright disgusting how many of them used dirty means to come into their wealth, methods ranging from less than savory to straight up nefarious.

You may be bad, but you’re definitely not worse than them.

That brings you back to the exhibit. Most of the artifacts in this room were already either stolen or bought from the black market, so what does it matter if you just continue that line?

The latch of the display case clicks as you open the lid, admiring the ancient Japanese tea set nestled inside. You don’t really know its value yet, but it’s going to earn you a pretty penny, that’s for sure. Your hand reaches into the case, hovering over the ceramic teapot when you hear it.

THWIP.

You drop to a crouch, glancing up at the webbing splattered across the lid of the display case. If you hadn’t moved, that would’ve been all over you. And you’d definitely be pissed, if you didn’t know exactly where it came from. A sly smile crosses your face as you stand and turn, locking eyes (or masks?) with your favorite hero perched atop one of the exhibit’s statues.

“I’m starting to think you like us meeting this way, Spider-Man.”

The playful lilt in your voice never fails to catch him off guard. His broad shoulders tense, and it takes everything in you to suppress the giggle from escaping your lips. But he’s quick to compose himself, like always, and you’re almost certain you can hear the smirk in his tone.

“What can I say? My mom always told me to follow my dreams.”

You laugh, trailing a hand along another case as you stroll towards him, “How did you know I’d be here?”

“New exhibit filled with priceless artifacts and no rooftop security,” He shrugs, jumping from the statue’s head and landing in front of you with a soft thud. “Figured it’d be a cat burglar’s dream come true.”

“You thought of me?” You step closer, resting your hands on the white spider emblazoned across his chest. The muscles tense underneath your fingers, and you smirk when his hands twitch in the corner of your eye. “Don’t worry, Spidey. I promise I’m on my best behavior. I just want a few teensy, tiny things and then I’ll be on my way.”

“Sorry, Cat, but I don’t think any of these artifacts are for sale.”

“But they could be,” You shrug, turning away from him. Your fingers toy with the latch on a nearby display case. “See, I think I have a buyer who would love to add something like this to his collection…”

A gloved hand wraps around your wrist before you can open the case. Your eyes trail up his arm, blinking innocently at his white lenses.

“You know I can’t let you do this.”

You smile, leaning into him once more, “Can’t, or won’t?” He stays silent, and you reach your free hand up to cup his masked face. Your thumb softly traces back and forth on his cheek. “Isn’t it funny,” you whisper, “how something as simple as a piece of fabric can keep someone from knowing who you really are?”

“Cat…”

“Do you really think that you can save me, Spidey?” You tilt your head, eyes desperately scanning his face for any sign of his thoughts or feelings. “How do you know if I even want to be saved?”

He swiftly tugs you closer, and despite the white lenses shielding his eyes, you feel his gaze pierce into your own. When he speaks, his voice is soft but deep, and for the first time since you met him, you’re rendered speechless.

“Because you wouldn’t still be here if you didn’t.”

Before you can respond, the sound of footsteps down the hall startles you both. Spider-Man’s grip loosens as he quickly turns towards the exhibit entrance, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s going on. The guards must have finally figured out that someone is after the new exhibit, and they won’t be happy to find two intruders standing inside. 

Your eyes shift between Spider-Man and the exhibit entrance. It won’t be hard for you two to escape together before the guards even set foot in this room, but what will you do then? Will you laugh and tell him that he’s wrong about you, that you really don’t want his help? 

….Or is it that you don’t think you deserve it?

No, he’s just wrong. Spider-Man doesn’t know you, and it’s silly of you to even pretend that he does. You know you like your life just the way it is. That’s not going to change, no matter how much your chest tightens as you gently tug your wrist out of his grip.

It’s not going to change, no matter how much a part of you wishes he would notice you climbing up to the skylight in the center of the room. That he would stop you from slipping through it, and back into the starry night. That he wouldn’t let you fall through his fingertips yet again.

But you’ve never been particularly lucky. Especially not when you really want to be.

By the time you get back to your apartment and change out of your gear, it’s already well past dawn. Like usual, your roommate is still asleep, blissfully unaware that you were gone for a good portion of the night. Which is good, because you really don’t know how you would explain your “other life” to her if she ever found out.

With your suit safely stowed back in its hidden panel, you collapse onto your bed with a heavy sigh. What a fucking night. You’re a little upset that you ended up leaving empty handed, but you knew that was going to happen as soon as you saw the wall-crawler. He really just guessed that you were going to be there tonight. Are you getting that predictable?

Ugh, no. You shake your head. The last thing you want to think about right now is what happened at the museum. How could such a simple sentence send all of your thoughts into a whirlwind of emotions?

“Because you wouldn’t still be here if you didn’t.” 

His voice still echoes in your mind, and you stuff your face in your pillow with a groan. This is dumb. Why are you freaking out over this? It’s not like he meant anything by it, just his usual Spidey “I can help you!” stuff. Yeah, that’s it. He just gave you the same spiel he gives all his other enemies, nothing more, nothing less.

….But why does that hurt more?

You throw the pillow off your face as another sigh escapes your lips. Sometimes you really wish you could be one of those super evil villains. You know, those ones who never have to deal with their feelings and shit because they’re too busy taking over the world. Although, you guess you don’t really want to take over the world, at least not all of it. That’s way too much responsibility. You wonder if the people who actually do want to rule the world think of how much time and effort that’s going to require. How do they prepare for that? Is that mental preparation how they’re able to turn off all their feelings? Could you somehow learn to-

“Whatcha thinkin’ about?”

You shriek at the sudden whisper in your ear, instinctively rolling away from its source and tumbling off the end of your bed. Your butt hits the floor with a dull thud, and you glare at a giggling Sana over your mattress.

“What the hell was that for?!”

“S-Sorry!” She chokes out. “I didn’t think I’d scare you that bad!”

Crawling back onto your bed with a grumble, you eye Sana as she struggles to collect herself. She really shouldn’t have scared you that bad, but you guess the lack of sleep and your frazzled thoughts are finally starting to catch up with you. When Sana finally manages to contain her giggles, she plops down on the edge of your mattress with a small huff.

“I really am sorry for scaring you, Y/N,” She reaches out to squeeze your hand. “I thought you would have noticed me walk in.”

You shake your head, giving her a small squeeze in return, “It’s fine. I’ve just...been having some trouble sleeping lately. That’s all.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Her voice is so sincere and caring, you almost find yourself saying yes. You don’t, though, because you can’t tell her the real reason why you haven’t been sleeping, and you don’t think you can bear to lie to her about it, either. With that, your roommate leaves, going back to her room to get ready for her day while you try to muscle up the energy to start yours.

Throwing your legs over the side of your bed, you grab your phone from your nightstand to check the time. Oh, looks like you got a good number of texts during your daydreaming, too.

...And it looks like most of them are from your best friend.

changaroo 🦘 : hey, jinyoung’s in a bit of a mood today, so make sure you’re here on time, alright?

changaroo  🦘 : also i think i have an idea for your next article, i’ll tell you about it when you get in

changaroo  🦘 : y/n, you were supposed to be here 20 min ago, everything okay??

changaroo  🦘 : ….you fucking slept in again, didn’t you?

changaroo  🦘 : hold on i’m texting sana

Ah. So that’s why she was in your room. Chan’s texts are just what you need to get yourself out of bed, though, instantly motivated by both your best friend’s caring nature and the thought of your boss’s wrath hanging above your head. The last time Jinyoung was in a “mood”, you ended up covering the city’s sewer system for a whole month just because you left your dirty coffee mug sitting in the break room sink. That’s a mistake you only make once. Or four times, if you’re poor Hyunjin, who just can’t seem to stay on your boss’s good side, no matter how hard he tries.

Speaking of which, you really need to get your ass moving, or else you’ll wish you only had to cover rats and raw sewage.

Your chest heaves as you approach the Daily Bugle building, the red neon letters standing tall and proud atop its roof announcing the paper’s presence to all of New York City. Some tourists stand around here and there in front of the building’s entrance, and you have to push past them in order to make it inside. Once inside, you think you can take a brief moment of rest. 

Until you notice the clock above the receptionist’s desk and realize you’re almost forty-five minutes late.

With a small cry, you take off in another mad dash towards the stairs, taking the steps two at a time and only almost faceplanting once before you finally burst onto your floor. Everyone immediately turns at the noise, and you avoid their probing eyes as you make your way to your desk. 

You sit down, turn on your computer, and get yourself ready to act like you aren’t almost an hour late to start your day when you sense a familiar gaze still boring into your forehead. You can’t stop yourself from glancing up, finding his eyes staring at you over your monitor. 

“Not. One. Word.”

Chan laughs, leaning back in his chair and giving you a view of his entire face. He mimes zipping his mouth shut and throwing away the key, and a small smile crosses your face. Leave it to him to automatically brighten your day.

If you’re being completely honest, you were a little worried at first about the curly haired Australian your boss decided to place at the desk across from you. Not that you didn’t like him, but you didn’t exactly become the paper’s best investigative journalist by sitting around and making friends. Sure, you don’t necessarily need this job given your…”other” career, but it gives you something to do during the week and keeps your mind busy. That, and you really just like digging into people’’s deep, dark secrets.

Long story short, you weren’t exactly thrilled about some new guy coming in and taking your eye off the ball. At least, that’s what you thought, until the day Christopher Bang showed up and introduced himself as your new partner. Turns out, Jinyoung didn’t just hire a new photographer for the Bugle, he hired a new photographer specifically for your articles. You knew then that you just had to suck it up and deal, but you didn’t count on Christopher (or Chan, as he later insisted you call him) being literally the nicest, most charming guy you’ve ever met.

And despite your attempts to stop it, you and Chan quickly became “thick as thieves,” as he likes to call it. The phrase makes you cringe a little every time he says it, but you can’t deny its truth. If you were to trust anyone with your secret life, it would definitely be your best friend. Now, you’re never going to do that because what in the hell would you gain from it, but the sentiment is still there.

Actually, speaking of secrets….

You glance up at Chan again, except this time his attention is focused on his own computer screen. Part of you wants to just leave him be, but this has been eating at you since you talked to Sana this morning. Or, no, when you first woke up at 3AM today. You swallow your pride, clearing your throat just loud enough to get Chan’s attention. His brown eyes immediately find yours.

“Something wrong?”

“I, um…” You bite your lip. “I had another one of those dreams again.”

Chan’s brow furrows, and he leans forward in his seat, “The falling one? Isn’t that the fourth time this week?”

“It’s the twelfth time this month, Chan.” 

“Shit…” He mumbles, running a hand through his blond hair. You try to ignore the way your heart speeds up at the small action, staring down at your keyboard to hide your face. You’re just...not used to trusting someone as much as you trust Chan. Yeah, that’s it. Absolutely nothing but that sole reason alone. “Y/N?”

“H-Hm?” You blink up at Chan, cheeks heating up even more when you realize you were caught daydreaming. Again.

“I just figured there must be a reason you keep having the same dream, you know? Like, maybe your subconscious is trying to tell you something?”

You think for a moment. Could that be the case? Is your subconscious really fucking up your sleep schedule for some important message that’s getting lost in translation? Are you just a dumbass who can’t understand your own brain?

Honestly, all valid possibilities.

Before you can respond, though, the phone on your desk rings loudly. Chan’s brow raises as you pick it up, but you both already know who it is. There’s really only one person who uses that line, and it’s the same person you were hoping not to hear from today.

“L/N, my office. Now.”

And then he hangs up. Your boss has always been a man of few words, but sometimes you really hate how such a short sentence can strike so much fear into your heart. Chan watches as you stand up and adjust your outfit with a heavy sigh.

“Tell him you haven’t been sleeping well lately,” He suggests, and for a minute you think he’s actually being earnest. But, of course, he just has to open his mouth again, “And if that doesn’t work, then at least we’ll be exploring the sewers of New York together!”

A laugh bubbles past your lips, “Are you serious?”

“Hey, I’ve always wanted to know if the Ninja Turtles were real,” Chan grins widely, chuckling when you just shake your head and walk away. He can still see the smile on your face, though, and it only grows when he shouts after you, “You know you wouldn’t mind being the April to my Casey!”

“In your dreams, Christopher!”

His loud laughter follows you all the way to the stairwell, and your chest feels light as you climb up to your boss’s office on the top floor. With Chan’s bright smile in the back of your mind, it’s hard to remember what you were so worried about in the first place. At least, until you’re standing right outside your boss’s door.

“Thank you for taking your sweet time, L/N. Please, sit down.”

Park Jinyoung is, for lack of better words, intimidating to some, and outright terrifying to others. You like to think you’re somewhere near the former, but the look on the twenty-four year old’s face right now is enough to send even the most despicable villains running for the hills. Really, who needs a Spider-Man when you’ve got a Jinyoung to just death glare the bad guys away?

You take a seat in the chair in front of his desk, nervously wringing your hands in your lap. He spends a few more seconds shuffling around the papers and files on his desk, then fixes you with a deadpan look. 

“Do you know why I called you in here, L/N?”

“Because I was...late again?” Your shoulders hunch, automatically preparing for the verbal barrage of scolding to start, but it never comes. You glance up at Jinyoung cautiously, shocked to find his brows raised in amusement.

Much more to your surprise, he chuckles, leaning back in his office chair, “You look like you’re about to faint, L/N. I really think you need to loosen up a bit.”

“O-Okay, sir-”

“That’s why,” Jinyoung cuts you off, “I want you to take on a new side project for the paper.”

You blink. A side project…? What could he possibly mean by that? And how does giving you more work equate to you “loosening up”?!

“Let me explain.” You stay silent as your boss clears his throat, sitting up in his seat to look you in the eyes. “Truthfully, it would be less of a side project and more of an ongoing investigative piece. It’ll take the place of your other responsibilities for the Bugle, so you can divide and spread out your workload as you see fit. You don’t even have to report to me until the full piece is finished, if you’d like.”

...Is this a test? Because it feels like a test, doesn’t it? He gives you some too-good-to-be-true offer, and then fires you for being stupid enough to accept it. Or, maybe-

Oh, god, is this where the sewers come in?

“I’m sorry, sir,” You force out, steeling your nerves against his hard gaze, “but I think I’m going to decline.”

You hope that’s going to be the end of it, that Jinyoung will just nod and send you on your way, but of course that’s not the case. No, instead your boss surprises you for the second time, and he actually smiles.

“Are you sure, L/N?” He asks, and you get the strange feeling he’s getting some sick satisfaction from messing with you. “I haven’t even told you what the piece is about yet.”

A small sigh leaves your lips, “What...What is it about, sir?”

“Oh, it’s simple, L/N,” Jinyoung’s smirk grows, taking your question as an acceptance of his offer. His next words shock the objection right out of you, though, and leave only one thought in their place. “You’re just going to do this city and this paper a favor, and finally find out who New York’s friendly neighborhood Spider-Man really is.”

...Fuck.

“He wants you to what?!”

You flinch, pulling your phone away from your ear as Sana’s voice screeches from the device. Honestly, she hadn’t been your first choice to tell about your new “project” (Jinyoung didn’t give you much choice, after all), but Chan was nowhere to be seen when you got back to your desk. You did, however, have one simple text waiting on your phone.

changaroo 🦘 : had to run out. meet you at the usual spot for lunch. my treat <3

So, here you are. Waiting at the pizzeria you and Chan regularly meet at with your roommate loudly screaming in your ear. You mumble something to Sana about needing to go and seeing her at home, and hang up the call. You love her, you really do, but right now you need someone who’s not going to blow out your eardrums without listening to what you actually want to say.

But it’s starting to look more and more like that won’t be Chan, either.

The blond boy has a habit of disappearing every now and again, both during and outside of work, and right now is starting to seem like one of those times. It doesn’t usually take him this long to respond to your texts, and he never likes to miss your little ‘lunch dates’ without any warning. Either something is seriously wrong, or…

“This just in, the NYPD advises all civilians to evacuate the east Harlem district. We’ve received reports of the Rhino attacking parts of the area, along with sightings of the masked vigilante, Spider-Man. That’s all we know for now, but we will continue to keep you posted as the story develops. Now, onto the…”

Ah, that makes a lot of sense. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Chan’s mysterious disappearances always line up with whatever villain of the day getting their ass kicked by everyone’s favorite “vigilante.” The news anchor’s choice of words makes you snicker, but you can’t help but worry for your friend. Most people run away from villain attacks, and it doesn’t sit well with you knowing Chan is regularly risking his life just to get a few good shots for his portfolio. His photos are amazing, there’s no denying that, but you always wonder how he gets his impossible close ups of villains and their destruction. It’s almost like he has to be right in the middle of–

The bell above the pizzeria’s door rings, jolting you out of your thoughts. You look up expectantly, but it’s still not your best friend. A quiet sigh escapes your lips. Another look at your phone tells you that you can’t wait here much longer; you need to get back to work sometime today. Still, it pains you a little bit to stand from your guys’ booth. Your usual tip is left on the table despite it being only one meal, and you head back to the Bugle with your best friend lingering in the back of your mind.

Back at your desk, you finally get a chance to mull over your new “assignment”. Jinyoung has tasked you, for whatever reason, with figuring out Spider-Man’s real identity. You remember now why you wanted to talk to Chan so badly. You thought, since he’s always running back and forth between villain attacks, that he would have some kind of idea where to start. That, and you really just wanted to rant about your asshole boss to your best friend. Chan ended up being a no show, though, and he’s still not answering any of your texts. You hate to admit it, but you’re a little lost.

Your first thought was to use the connection you already have with the spider to your advantage. You’ve “known” each other for a couple years now, and maybe, just maybe, you can convince him to actually take off the mask. It wouldn’t be that hard to just don the Black Cat suit and wait around one of your usual hang outs for him show up. Actually, that would probably be the easiest thing to do.

Except that you can’t.

As you stare at Chan’s vacant desk in front of you, you’re bitterly reminded that Y/N L/N has been assigned this job, not the Black Cat. And unfortunately for you, Y/N L/N does not have the same connection to Spider-Man as your alter ego. Looks like you’re starting this investigation from square one.

...Which is why you wanted to talk to Chan. He’s your partner, after all; he’s “technically” supposed to help you out with this stuff. That is, if he was actually fucking here. Maybe you should drop by his apartment on your way home, just to make sure he didn’t get trampled or something trying to get a snapshot of the Rhino’s rampage. You try to tell yourself you meant that as a joke, but it doesn’t stop the flash of worry in your chest. You’ve seen firsthand some of the destruction Spider-Man’s battles leave behind. Hell, you’ve even experienced it. And honestly? It doesn’t sit well knowing your best friend makes a hobby of putting himself right in the middle of it.

A heavy sigh escapes your lips, and you’re just starting to consider giving up and calling it a day when your phone lights up with a notification. You hastily snatch it off your desk, immediately perking up upon seeing the name on your screen.

changaroo 🦘 : sorry i missed lunch...take out at mine?

changaroo 🦘 : i’ll order from that korean place you love <3

The tension in your shoulders immediately melts away, tension that you didn’t even realize you were holding. You waste no time in responding, though; relieved to know that he’s okay, but wanting to mess with him a little bit for leaving you on radio silence for so long.

you : tsk tsk channie

you : don’t you know how rude it is to leave a lady waiting all by her lonesome??

you : frankly i don’t know if i’ll ever be able to trust you again (tear emoji or some bs idk)

Three little dots pop up seconds after you press send, and you bite your lip to stop the smile threatening to break through. 

changaroo 🦘 : my apologies, princess!! 

changaroo 🦘 : please, allow me to make it up to you with some of your fav ice cream from the convenience store down the road!

you : hmm…

you : with or without sprinkles?

changaroo 🦘 : uh, with ofc. just who do you think i am??

A small laugh bubbles up your throat, but you cover your mouth before it can escape. Woojin, head of the paper’s advice column, side-eyes you from his desk a few feet away. You don’t notice, though, happily typing out your reply to Chan with an eager grin on your face.

you : apology accepted. i’ll be there in 15

you : ...casey 😉

The train ride to Chan’s apartment is a familiar blur. You’ve taken it more times than you care to count, and it’s honestly become a bit of a habit to instinctively get off at his stop. You don’t have to stop yourself this time, though, putting your legs on auto-pilot and letting your mind wander as you walk. Today has been….a real doozy. From that stupid dream this morning to Jinyoung dumping a monster of an investigative piece on you with zero notice, you’re exhausted, to say the least. No wonder Chan’s front door is such a comforting sight. 

You gently rap your knuckles against the wood before letting yourself in, like you always do. A relieved sigh escapes you as you drop your bag by the door, inhaling the light, summery scent of your friend’s home. That reminds you, you’ve really been meaning to ask him what air freshener he uses. Or maybe it’s his cologne, because it’s not just his house that smells this sweet; it’s Chan himself. Or who knows, maybe he’s like your coworker Minho and it’s really both. Actually, now that you think of it, isn’t it a little weird to have a specific smell you associate with your best friend?

…Which is something you can worry about later.

“Chan!” You call as you walk into the living room, eyes scanning around. There are various take out boxes scattered across the coffee table, but the blond is nowhere in sight. You try again, “Chan?”

A frown etches onto your face when there's still no response. That’s weird. It’s not like him to just leave when he knows you’re coming over, especially without telling you first. But the food on the table is still warm, meaning he had to have been here recently. Did you somehow miss his text? You pull your phone out of your back pocket, confirming that you did not, in fact, miss any “brb” texts from Chan. So, what the hell?

Your search takes you into the small kitchen next, but there’s no sign of your best friend there, either, unless the dirty dishes in the sink count. Oh, gross, you know for a fact some of those have been in there since last week. Your nose scrunches up in disgust and you quickly move on from the room, but not before making a mental note to tell Chan to do his fucking dishes. 

However, the bathroom is empty, too, leaving the apartment’s one bedroom as your last stop. If you had more of a conscience, maybe you would think twice before barging into your friend’s bedroom unannounced. Then again, boundaries never really have been your strong suit.

The door swings open, and the first thing you see is abs. Nice, well toned abs that, as you soon find out, belong to your best friend. Said best friend is frozen, one of his signature black tees pulled halfway down his torso. After a few seconds of stunned silence, you force yourself to tear your eyes away from Chan’s stomach, only for your cheeks to immediately explode in pink when your gaze meets his.

A small squeak leaves your mouth, and you quickly mumble something about waiting for him in the living room before slamming the bedroom door shut. That could not have gone any worse.

[shera-dnd]

Chapter 2 of our little Princess and Knight AU adventures. Now that we’re all familiar with the princess, I think it is time we were introduced to the knight in question

You can read this fic through the AO3 link above or under the read more link down here. Whichever one works for you.

That night the white knight marched into Lady Schnee’s tent. Though her stance was determined, her steps were weary after the long day of constant fighting, and her demoralizing defeat.

“Lady Weiss,” greeted the Schnee servant that waited within, “it’s good to see you well.”

He was a man whose largeness of body was only matched by that of his heart. Every word that left from under his full mustache was spoken with a care, and kindness, that Weiss had yet to receive from anyone else.

“It is good to see you as well, Klein,” she replied as she found herself a bench to slump on.

She took off her helmet for the first time all day, releasing her long ponytail of silver hair from its confinement. Taking a nearby piece of cloth she wiped the sweat that had gathered on her brow, and let out a sigh she had been holding all evening.

“I take it the tournament did not go as you expected,” he commented.

“I’ve lost,” she simply declared, not wanting to linger on this topic much longer.

“I’m truly sorry to hear it, my lady,” he replied, placing a hand on her shoulder, “but this is only your first tournament, Lady Weiss. There will be plenty of chances to make the people of Atlas see you for the knight you are.”

“Thank you, Klein,” she replied, offering the man the best smile she could manage, but it was as weak as she felt in that moment, “but I can’t help but dread that this humiliation has set a standard for my coming battles.”

“Humiliation is what you’ve brought upon half my men today,” her sister declared as she joined them within the tent.

The stern glacier of a woman that was Lady Winter of House Schnee, Knight of the Winter Maiden, grew but a few degrees warmer as she saw the defeated expression on her sister’s face, and for a moment the facade melted away; she was simply Winter.

“You fought well, Weiss,” she assured her, “you stood on equal footing with the Black Knight of Vale. That is not a feat to be taken lightly.”

“Thank you,” Weiss sighed, but accepted the praise, “I’m glad to have made good on our training.”

Winter gave her a nod and a proud smile, before the frigid winds of her duty froze her expression once again into that of Lady Schnee.

“Now, I must be on my way,” she informed, “Knight Commander Ironwood has requested my presence.”

“Of course,” Weiss replied, bowing her head slightly as she did so, “when should I expect your company again?”

Her sister stopped to think for a moment.

“If your identity is to remain a secret, I do not believe it is wise for us to meet in person any time soon,” she concluded. Weiss understood her decision, but that did not mean she found any joy in it.

“Understood,” she surrendered, “I wish you luck with your preparations, sister.”

“And you with yours.”

As she left she also seemed to take Weiss’s high spirits with her, leaving her only with her lingering frustration over her defeat, and dread over the coming month without her sister.

“I believe I am in need of some fresh air,” she eventually declared. She picked her helmet up and added, “I’ll just be stepping into the woods for a moment. No point risking exposing myself.”

“Do stay safe, Lady Weiss,” Klein asked, voice full of worry.

“I still have my sword and the iron of my armor,” she assured him, “unless Lady Blake returns for a second round, I believe I’ll be fine.”

As silently as she could, Weiss stepped away from the tent and quickly made her way to the forest; only removing her helmet again once she was sure she was fully out of sight of the festival goers. She took a deep breath, taking in the fresh scents of the forest that stretched around her, placing her focus anywhere but in the frustration that boiled inside her in that moment.

Weiss shook her head and groaned loudly, kicking at a patch of grass in her way. It wasn’t working. Perhaps a brisk walk would do better at working that disappointment out of her. Though certainly brisk, what she did do was closer to stomping than it was to walking.

Curse this tournament, curse this Black Knight, curse Lord Ironwood, and curse her father while she was at it!She always made a point to stop to curse him whenever such a foul mood struck her. It was a good habit to keep, all things considered. He always had at least some fault in her foul moods, and perhaps one day one of these curses would finally land and the bastard would die some ignoble death.

No, no, it wasn’t proper of her to get like this. She was the heiress of House Schnee and if she was to maintain such a title she had to play by his rules - Winter was living proof that he was not above rescinding such privileges after all - though at the very least this White Knight character allowed her some level of much needed freedom.

She leaned back against a nearby tree and rested her head against it, closing her eyes she took another long and deep breath. She had been gone for a while now, it was probably about time she returned to her tent. Wouldn’t want Klein to worry over her well being after all.

“We thought you were dead!” A voice furiously shouted in the distance.

“Good!” Another voice shouted back, “had I stopped to tell you my intentions you would have killed me on the spot instead!”

Weiss opened her eyes. Shit, she wasn’t alone in the woods anymore. She had to get back to camp before anyone caught her here.

“And with good reason!” The first voice replied, “you betrayed us!”

“What I have done was for the good of the fae,” the second voice returned in a steely tone, “you’re just too blinded by vengeance to realize it.”

The good of the fae? There were fae in these woods with her. She had to get away right now and…this could be her chance. Were she to strike a blow against the fae she would be welcomed home as a hero. Her father would have no basis to deny her her right to become a knight.

She snuck closer, trying to catch a glimpse of the two arguing faeries.

“I would rather let vengeance blind me than allow myself to be turned into their pet!” The first voice bit back.

“I am not their pet!” The second denied, “I am their equal!”

“And yet you don their symbols, you wear their face, and you play their game,” the first one continued.

Weiss could almost see them now. It was too dark and the forest was too thick around these parts for her to make out too much detail, but she could see the shapes of the fae locked in bitter argument.

“You may see me as subservient, but I have not forgotten my roots, unseelie,” the second retorted, “I am fae, but I am also a Knight of the Fall Maiden, and it is my duty both to my court and to my kingdom that I help them find peace.”

A fae knight? And one from Vale of all places? Now that was simply not possible. The fae couldn’t even touch iron, let alone wield it as a weapon. And who would even dare to bring one of them to their order in the first place? Only a mad man would ever try.

Weiss stepped forward, now more curious than ever as to who these fae might be. She had to be slow and careful now as to not catch their--

Snap went a twig under the weight of her boots. She looked up to the figures that argued in the woods, only to be met by a familiar pair of golden eyes staring at her and through her soul. It was her.

Weiss’s hand flew to her sword as she stepped back and braced herself for a fight. But as soon as her left foot moved back it was snagged by a root that hadn’t been there before. Maybe she should curse fae tricks next time too, if there was a next time.

When the Black Knight charged at her she did her best to block the blow, but with her posture already precarious as it was, she found herself being pushed to the ground. She raised her blade again, preparing to fight on her back if she had to, but the ‘knight’ deigned only to kick the blade aside and plant her boot on Weiss’s chest.

“Lady Weiss Schnee I presume,” ‘Lady’ Blake greeted, her form now fully human once more, “you have your sister’s scowl. I see it runs in the family.”

“What are you doing?” The other fae demanded, “kill her already.”

The human form that woman had taken was not unfamiliar to Weiss. She remembered the beautiful woman cheering for her from among the crowd, and had entertained asking her for her favor once the real tournament had started. So much for that thought.

“Ah yes, for no evil shall befall us or our people were we to kill the Schnee heir,” Blake replied, sarcasm nearly dripping from her voice.

“Try it,” Weiss challenged, “I’ll make sure you both burn before you have the chance to regret it.”

“That won’t be necessary, my lady,” Blake assured her, “my friend does not wish for the atlesians to find out who we are, and you don’t want your father to find out what you’ve been doing with your free time. I propose we keep each other’s secrets.”

“How are you so sure there is even a secret to be kept?” Weiss bluffed, “how are you to know I don’t have my father’s blessing?”

“I don’t believe you would have suffered those fools at the arena were you able to wield the weight of your name against them,” she countered.

Weiss scowled at her, furious at the thought of being so easily read. Still she refused to give in.

“I will not betray my kingdom by allowing you two to freely enact whatever plans you have,” she declared, “I’d rather you both slay me now than be complicit in your actions.”

“Do not tempt me, Schnee,” the woman in blue threatened.

“As belligerent as my companion is,” Blake interjected, “I don’t believe she has any nefarious plans for you to worry over.”

“Do you really want me to simply trust that you two are only here to enjoy the festival?”

“You are one to speak of trust, human,” the woman in blue countered.

“If it will dissuade your mistrust,” Blake sighed and stepped back from Weiss. She drew her sword and, taking a knee, she planted it on the ground, “I swear on my honor as a Knight of the Fall Maiden that neither me nor Ilia intend any harm and that if you are to keep our secret, we will keep yours too.”

Weiss was taken aback. Lady Blake’s oath carried the conviction of a knight. She spoke with the same unquestioning certainty that Winter had used when she swore herself to the Winter Maiden. Fae or no, there was no doubt in Weiss’s mind that Blake truly saw herself and carried herself as a true knight.

“What?” Ilia scoffed, “are we to simply trust the Schnee? After all her house has done to us?”

Weiss got up and reached for her sword. Ilia braced for a fight, but was caught by surprise when Weiss reached for Blake’s hand and helped her stand up again.

“And I swear on the name of my house,” that earned another scoff, “that I will do you both no harm as long as you do not bring me harm, and I shall keep your secret as long as you keep mine.”

Ilia remained unconvinced, but Lady Blake was relieved to hear it. She placed a hand on their shoulders as they brought them close. They were too busy glaring daggers at each other to spare Blake a scowl.

“Now that that is done with,” she began, “Lady Ilia, Lady Weiss, I believe it’s time we all got back to camp.”

[penguinwithitsarseonfire]

Gave Me the Blues and then Purple-Pink Skies

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 (welcome!) | Part 4

Pairing: 13th Doctor x Reader

Word Count: 1,959

Warnings: None

Summary: When reaching a dead end in the cave, you and the Doctor have no choice but to go through a tunnel in the wall. You end up in front of her, however, which means you’ve now got to take the risks, which the Doctor isn’t all too happy about.

A/N: I’m so super sorry this is so late! Tumblr ate my original post whilst I was out, so I’ve posted it as soon as I could. Thank you all for all your commetns and support, it’s been really encouraging!!

The plan was easier said than done.

The tunnel had narrowed significantly as you made your way through it, until it stopped abruptly. On the wall that made the dead end was a hole just big enough that you could both easily crawl through it, but was too high for either of you to reach.

You jumped a couple of times, reaching your arms to the hole and falling short by inches, just to prove the point.

“So,” The Doctor said. “We’re trapped.”

“Excellent observation skills,” you said dryly, but the smile you gave The Doctor was nothing but kind.

“It’s just a slight setback, not a big deal,” she wandered up to where you stood by the wall, under the hole, and shot up on the tips of her toes. “If I gave you a boost,” she said, eyeing the hole with a curious gaze. “Do you think you could pull yourself into the hole and help me up?”

You gaped at her. “Give me a boost, Doctor look at me,” you gestured to yourself. “Can you hold me?”

The Doctor gawped. “Can I hold you?” she recovered quickly. “Timelord strength, it’s disproportional to humans, a bit like ants actually, except Timelords are bigger than ants,” she then tapped the crystal wall. “It’ll be easier to get you up first, and then I can follow, because I can use these to support myself too, and I don’t want to risk you lifting me and getting hurt.”

You softened at her concern, then squared yourself against the wall. You pat the pocket of your pants, making sure your phone was secure. You were grateful that it hadn’t been damaged earlier, and you didn’t want to risk it again. “Alright then, boost me up.”

The first step was quite seamless, considering what happened after. The Doctor crouched into what you could only call a ‘sumo’ squat, and held your hands above her as you stepped onto her legs. You winced as your heavy boots dug into her thighs, hoping that you weren’t hurting her.

“Swing your other leg onto my shoulder,” she told you, and you did so, squeezing her hands to balance. She was surprisingly firm, not wavering at all was you fumbled into position.

You moved your other leg onto her shoulder, and The Doctor accommodated you by moving her arm under your leg so it supported you faster.

From above her, you watched in unabashed awe as she stood up, barely taking a breath. “There we go, that was simple. Easy as.”

You nodded dumbly, trying to ignore the fact that you were literally sitting on The Doctors shoulders, and that you could feel the way her muscles flexed under you as she gripped your hands. This was not the time, this was not the place. You were trapped in a cave for crying out loud!

“Yeah,” you said, a little bit breathless. “Easy.”

The pair of you had gained considerable height with you on The Doctor’s shoulders, and you could easily reach the opening in the wall. You hooked your arms into it, finding some grooves in the bottom of the hole to grip to, and pulled yourself up.

The Doctor knocked your foot with her free hand. “Here,” she said. “If you crouch on my shoulders it should be easier.”

“Right,” you grunted slightly, the exertion hitting you like a brick. With a burn in your arms, you let yourself hang so you could awkwardly coordinate yourself so you were crouching on The Doctor’s shoulders, and she used her hands as a base for your feet as you did so.

With a final pull, you dragged yourself into the opening in the wall. You lay yourself flat on the floor, huffing out a heaving breath as the muscles in your arms and legs burned, just giving yourself a moment where you could temporarily die.

Not that you’d ever voice that particular thought out loud, The Doctor would have a fit.

Below you The Doctor called out your name. “Whenever you’re ready, I could use a hand.”

“Yeah, just a minute,” you replied, and frowned as you pushed yourself back up.

The tunnel was thin, and you had to roll so you could face the other way. You wiggled your way through, until you were facing the entrance, and paused for a moment. The crystals really were quite bright, especially from this angle.

You poked your head out, your eyes locking on onto The Doctor’s. “Hi there,” you grinned.

“Hello,” The Doctor said, and jumped up. You clasped your hands around hers, and were surprised by how light she was.

After a bit of scuffling that involved her using the force of the crystals to get herself up further, and you pulling her into the tunnel, you both managed to tumble inside.

You huffed, letting out a heavy, winded breath. “Well, that was something.”

“Yeah,” The Doctor said next to you, plastered on the floor. “Worked though.”

You snorted. “I might put this on my resumé and become a full time cheerleader.”

“It’d be something,” she said, sitting up as best as she could inside the small tunnel. “Throwing yourself into a vent for your audition,” she paused, staring past you with a frown. “Ah, right. Didn’t think this through.”

You turned to look behind you, seeing nothing but the tunnel, and turned back to face her. “What do you mean?”

“You’re in front of me,” The Doctor gestured to you and the tunnel behind you. “And there’s not enough space for me to move in front of you.”

“Why is that an issue?” Because, really, you didn’t understand. “Is it bad that I’m in front, will that be problematic or something later?”

“Um, it’s not, or – well,” The Doctor groaned. “Okay,” she said, her voice dropping down to the level she used when she was about to say something very serious. “Just, be very careful, crawl slowly, and I’ll be right behind you.”

“Alright,” you said drawing out the word. You wondered briefly if The Doctor could sense something you couldn’t, which, perhaps she could, she was apparently telepathic and all that. “Is something wrong?”

“Ah no, no,” she didn’t sound convincing at all. “Nothing’s the matter.”

“Doctor…”

“I-” she groaned again. “I just can’t protect you as well, if I’m behind you, and I should have thought about that earlier and I didn’t. I’m sorry.”

Oh.

Your heart fluttered a little and you forced yourself not to pay attention. She was The Doctor, of course she wanted you to be safe, she wanted everyone she ever met to be safe.

But still though.

It was nice that she was worried about you.

Not that it was nice that The Doctor was worried, not at all. It was just that it was nice that The Doctor cared enough about you to be worried.

You shut off that particular thought tangent in your mind, it was been a bit of a mess.

“I get where you’re coming from,” you said, because you didn’t want to undermine any of her feeling. Especially because she shared them, and you knew The Doctor found it particularly difficult sometimes to share anything personal. “I am capable though, and it’s like you said, you’re right behind me.”

The Doctor nodded. “Yeah, yep,” and it was almost like she was trying to reassure herself. “Of course.”

You squeezed her forearm lightly to reassure her. “Right, let’s make like a baby and crawl.”

The Doctor snorted, and it brought a lightness to your chest. “Yeah, let’s.”

Small crystals lined the tunnels floor, and it dug into your hand and knees. It hurt, it felt like they were trying to pierce your skin but didn’t actually have the courage to go through with it, and before long your arms and legs were numb.

Your elbows wobbled as you crawled, and most of your energy was focused on just trying to remain level. The Doctor was right behind you, her soft breaths and the way her coat dragged against the crystals the only thing from her that you could hear.

You focused on the music, calling you and drawing you forward. You hoped it wasn’t something nefarious or evil on the other end, like a man eating siren or something (which would be a bummer), because the music just felt so innately part of you, like it clung to your bones and was replicating your soul.

Then the crystals gave way underneath you. With a yelp you tumbled forward, your numb hands flying forward to catch yourself on a crystal that was jutting out in front of where the rest of the floor had collapsed.

The Doctor called out your name, and clamped her hand around your calf.

You huffed out a heavy breath, blowing away some of the dust that the debris had created away from your eyes. “I’m fine,” you reassured her, peering into the cavern below.

“Alright,” The Doctor said, her voice level and serious. “Give me a moment, I’ll think of a way to get you out safely.”

The music played around you, and you cocked your head to the side, considering the cavern below. If you curled up, you could probably roll down safely.

The crystals that had been part of the dirt had fallen away, leaving a smooth, red surface. It’d be like rolling down a grassy hill – almost. But it could work. “It’s alright, I think we’re supposed to go down.”

“No, I can’t let you do that,” The Doctor said, the she groaned. “You shouldn’t have even been the one in front in the first place,” you heard a rustling, like she was shaking herself out of whatever self-admonishment spiral she’d fallen into. “We’ll get you out of this.”

“No wait,” below you, something began to sparkle, a soft, warm, yellow that reminded you of shining a torch through yellow cellophane. It reflected on some of the few blue crystals you could see, making them appear to glow green. “Doctor there’s a light,” you said. “I can see a light.”

The Doctor gripped you tighter and spoke fiercely. “Don’t go towards the light.”

It took you an embarrassing moment to realise that The Doctor thought you meant a different sort of light. You rolled your eyes. “It’s not that sort of light.”

“I don’t want you going towards any sort of light,” she said, matter-of-factly.

The music danced around you and you sighed. “Doc, please. I need you to trust me on this.”

You heard her shuffle behind you, and her grip on your calf tightened ever so slightly. “Of course I trust you – I just really don’t like this plan.”

You couldn’t help it, you snorted. “When have we ever had a plan that was good?”

The Doctor squawked. “Oi, I’ve had loads of good plans, good plans are practically my middle name, my M.O, my defining character trait – well, that and my lego architecture skills, which no one ever seems to talk about. I don’t have a clue what you’re going on about.”

You tried not to grin at her little outburst. “Bucharest, Doc.”

The Doctor huffed. “I’ve apologised about the carnivorous butterflies. Loads of times.”

“Yeah,” you drew out the word. “It proves my point though.”

“I’m sure if we crawl backwards, we can find-“

“Doc,” you interrupted. “The path caved in and there’s no other path for us to use. There’s no other way.”

You could feel the disappointed energy radiating from The Doctor. “Well there’s no need to bring the vibe down like that.”

“Doctor.”

The Doctor let out a long groan, and gently took her hand off your calf. “Alright, fine. But be very careful, and I’ll be right behind you.”

[sanktagenyas]

alrighty so i guess coherent thoughts about this book might be a very generous estimate of what i’m about to write here but i’ll write down my thoughts anyway ‘cause i wanna share and possibly hear yours like for real interactions with my posts are not just welcomed they’re encouraged.

ok so to start our protagonists are alina and mal and our antagonist is the darkling and i pretty much related to alina right away because i love a hero with insecurities and doubts, i love an underdog so of course i was always meant to fall in love with alina starkov on sight. now the darkling... should be that i and everyone else would be beyond tired of the dark, tall, handsome and mysterious/scary men in fiction especially when they whisk our hero away for even more mysterious and/or nefarious purposes that they leave them completely in the dark about BUT the charisma fucking jump off of the pages i don’t know what else to tell you. and i am deeply intrigued about him and his backstory and also him and how he feels about our protagonist because when you catch the attention of a centuries old immortal being that says something about you but it says more about said immortal imo.

we come to learn that the darkling is beyond ruthless and yet he still a capacity for love after all this time even if it’s quite out of use to say the least. and just the fact that out of the thousands of people who have crossed his path there’s this one girl he saw and he was like well look at that someone who’s not unremarkable for once. and i know that’s not exactly a romantic sentiment but that’s how it starts, folks.

but anyway to cap my little ramble here despite the fact that i’ve seen that kind of villain before i do still really love the darkling. i like that we don’t have all the facts yet about what led him to become who he is so there’s just the right amount of mystery around him to keep you wanting to discover more and he is just human enough that he is not this caricature monstrous villainous figure (alina would beg to differ but i don’t listen to what alina yells at people when she’s angry)

now onto mal. i’m trying to word this in a way that doesn’t make me come off as a raging anti because the truth is that would require me to be invested in mal enough to hate him and as of now i’m just not. with book one being told entirely in alina’s perspective it’s pretty in your face that we should care about mal. our hero loves him and we want her to be happy, right? plus we really shouldn’t ship her with the villain there are so many wrong aspects about that dynamic just to name one aspect the deceit and the lies. the foundation of darklina is so fucked we should not ship it, right? well see that’s where i would argue that my biggest issue with darklina as a ship is the darkling in the final act all but saying fuck alina’s agency i’m going to make her my puppet for eternity not because that is necessary to accomplish my plan but because i’m jealous and resentful that she left me behind and didn’t embrace my plans for ravka and therefore embrace me.

and you might think wait i’ve lost the plot we were talking about mal and now we’re talking about darklina and the darkling but rewind back a little i said my issue with darklina in the final act of the book is the darkling pissing all over alina’s agency. and he might do that in more extreme ways than mal but mal certainly does seem to view alina as property at times and that implies him not respecting her agency. i could point to the fact that saying “don’t tell me we don’t belong together” is only framed as romantic statement because it comes out of the mouth of one of our protagonists and not our antagonist but that’s a cheap shot, it’s easy. instead i’ll echo my thoughts i shared about that malina reunion in chapter fourteen. mal was not one bit concerned about alina there and even though he says later on that not one hour was spent not thinking about her and wondering about her wellbeing all that flies out of the window the second he sees her with the darkling during the fete and here’s the thing if he had caught them mid makeout session i could understand him letting jealousy completely overtake him to the point that he doesn’t ask if she’s ok or how she’s been treated here and just assumes based on appearances (let’s not forget before she unlocked her powers alina was well and truly miserable regardless of the luxury afforded to her by her new grisha status so appearances don’t mean shit malyen) that she must be hunky dory and then tiptoes the line around slutshaming her but definitely crosses the line over into making her feel like shit for circumstances beyond her control territory and all that over seeing her do magic trickery at a party with another guy. 

alina is allowed to be attracted to another man, she’s allowed to have feelings for another man. they’re both guilty of miscommunication as they obviously both feel the same way about each other but alina has the decency to keep her jealousy to herself and not have outbursts about mal getting close to other girls like she owns his ass or something. that put me off and then i was hoping there would be a talk that would clarify things and he would apologize and that happened but it also came with the revelation that mal was upset to see her happy with the darkling. so he’d rather see the woman he loves miserable and alone rather than happy and belonging? and that’s the romantic lead i’m meant to be fawning over? i’m just not seeing it right now and that’s why even as he so generously offers her absolution (idk if you can read my sarcasm but just to be clear it’s sarcasm) for having loved the darkling and tells her he loves all of her even the part that loved the darkling i’m like..... i don’t believe you boy.

i guess in summary my thoughts about mal as a love interest is i need some consistency you cannot have him throw a jealous fit over seeing alina standing with another man (that’s literally all they were doing for real) and looking happy about it and then have him be like i don’t care i love you anyway. you cannot have him act as though he owns alina and in the same breath throw in her face that the darkling owns her (i hate this foreshadowing thank you very much) and you cannot have him get cold or angry at so much of a mention of a life she might have that doesn’t include him and then expect me to believe he’s made peace with her having feelings for more than just him. he’s not even able to accept a scenario where she goes off and does shit that doesn’t involve him as he shows no interest in her life in the little palace for the longest time. meanwhile you can literally read all about alina wondering what happened to him and what he went through trying to get to her. and for the love of saints i would love it if alina would stop acting like she needs to be forgiven for these feelings i absolutely get that she feels conned and ashamed about it but you do not need to ask anyone for absolution for falling someone who made you feel seen for the first time in your life. fuck that noise.

i just know trust issues are gonna arise and i know he doesn’t feel that way truly. if alina turned around and at some point decided to show mercy to the darkling mal wouldn’t understand or accept it and i’d fully expect a guilt trip to ensue.

now that’s my thoughts on mal as a romantic lead and that’s about the biggest aspect of him we’re focusing on but i do think he is a brave man who genuinely cared for his friends and genuinely cares for alina as that whole journey to hunt morozova’s herd definitely proved. he loves her i don’t doubt that but one grand gesture doesn’t excuse the way he treats her earlier in the books is my point and as been pointed out by others i don’t like how much alina relies on him even when he isn’t here. her refusal to let go of him was directly affecting her happiness and overall health as she couldn’t come into her powers before she thought he was lost to her. if i’m not liking who the hero becomes when she’s with the love interest it’s a big indicator i’m not gonna love said love interest as much as i’m clearly expected to by the author. i like mal just fine, he’s not without redeeming qualities, i just don’t love him yet and i may never do and that’s ok.

now i wanna take a moment and a couple sentences (it won’t be a novel i swear, pinky promise!) to talk about the twist that i should have seen coming miles away and i already know once my sister watches the show or reads the book whatever comes first i will be mercilessly teased about not seeing it coming. but when i found out the black heretic and the darkling are one of the same my jaw dropped. as memers might say i took that personally. and even though we have a lot of grounds to covers still and unanswered questions such as is the darkling still alive? if he is what is he up to now? is baghra dead in a ditch somewhere or worse? will alina and genya ever see each other again? why was zoya so standoffish and violent with alina, what’s her story? the question in my mind most prominent is what happened to the darkling? what happened for him to become who he is. i love the quote monsters are not born they’re made and i much prefer to see a villain who wasn’t always one than one who is just evil for the evulz. so i want a backstory and i also wanna learn about baghra while we’re at it.

it’s all fun and well for her to denounce her son’s actions but and i hate to break it to her but YOU RAISED HIM LADY. so yeah baghra’s whole speech to alina is missing parts for sure because she’s not just gonna admit her hands are covered in blood as much as the darkling’s are. not without some pressing at least. 

sooo to cap off all this i guess i would have just two throwaway remarks and that is that i am getting a lot of gay vibes from alina and if i took a shot every time she remarks on genya’s beauty or just gushes about genya in general i’d be drunk by now and i hope we get an actual queer romance somewhere in these books even just between side characters. second remark would be ivan i’m waiting for you to find some redeeming qualities my dude, i was rooting for you! at first he is a raging dickhead about it but seemed to mellow some and then near the end it’s right back to square one and i am really sorry about his brothers dying but having lost family members is not actually a get out of jail free card that gives you free range to mistreat people just because you can.

[gainaxvel3o]

A Miraculous Tale of Rubybug and Cat Blake Chapter 4

Previous / First / Next

The Scorpion and the Frog

"Today, students, we are going to be picking partners."

Everyone groaned. Glynda had expected this reaction from years of experience. She also expected them to get with the program once she laid out the rules.

"It is true that fashion is a competitive industry," She continued. "However no one gets to the top by themselves. Designers and models need to be able to work together in order to get anywhere. I will be picking out the teams for the rest of the semester."

Ruby Rose shook nervously in her seat. She knew that something like this would have to happen. Bringing her hands to together she prayed to get a good partner.

"Let's see here… May Zhedong and Nolan Porfirio…"

Darn, she was looking forward to teaming up with May. She looked so cute with the jacket and beanie! Okay let's see who else was up.

"Coco Adel and Velvet Scarletina, you two worked together very well I'll admit."

Another missed opportunity. Maybe she could ask them tips on fashion? They've done work in the industry maybe she can-

"Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee."

Oh no. Oh noooo.

Ruby slowly turned her head to the girl next to herself. Weiss stared at her, her eye twitching in annoyance.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"… heh heh, hi?"

Weiss looked away, passing her judgement towards the smaller girl. It was going to be an exhausting assignment it seemed.

_______________________________________________________________________

They've been at this for hours.

Roman's bruised face swelled in pain from the baton that had been used to torment him. The cop, a dark-skinned woman with platinum blonde and brown hair shaved on the sides, had been interrogating him for information. Her name was Harriet if he heard right.

"What do you know about the bug?" She yelled at him. "Where did you get that power?"

Roman chuckled darkly, in spite of the agony he was in now. "What's there to know? She beat my ass. I don't remember what I did. That's what I told you."

"Fuckin hell no one gets powers and then forgets!"

"I did. Now quit whining to me."

"Enough Harriet." A pale man came over. He grabbed Harriet's arm. "We're not going to learn anything about the situation by beating him up. Let's move on to more pressing matters."

Harriet scoffed. "Fine. You got lucky pal."

"Yeah I feel soooo lucky right now…" Roman wiped the blood from his face. "Take me back to my cell so I don't have to deal with you animals."

Harriet roughly picked him up. Vine and herself opened the door and escorted the prisoner back to his cell. They passed by several guards who saluted them.

"The Chief isn't going to like this," Harriet said. "With Mayor Ironwood's campaign in question the city's going crazy. If I could get my hands on that ladybug…"

"Now is not the time for that." Vine said. "When they show up, they'll show up. For now we gather information."

"Yeah…"

As they were enveloped in their conversation, they didn't notice one guard fidgeting nervously. Travis Cornetto pulled out a loaf of bread from his pocket, passing inside of the cell.

"I couldn't get more," Cornetto said. "Sorry."

A pale hand took the bread. He examined it a bit, before immediately devouring it. Tyrian Callows hasn't had food in a while."

"You're such a gracious host…" Tyrian ate the food gladly. "Maybe there's a chance you can be made beautiful yet."

_______________________________________________________________________

"Relax Ruby, this isn't so bad."

"Not so bad! This is terrible!"

Ruby paced back and forth in the bathroom ass Tikki tried to calm her down.

"I'm teaming up with WEISS SCHNEE, the crabbiest girl I ever met even though she's a model and she could be really helpful to me but I made her mad on the first day so my career as a fashion designer might even be over before it began-"

"Ruby."

"-and she's my roommate so what if I show up as Ladybug and she finds out it's me? What if she uses me for some evil nefarious purpose like shining her shoes or taking her places even though one of those bad guys attack-"

"Ruby."

"Oh my goodness this is the absolute worst thing that could possibly happen to me!"

"RUBY!"

She let out a tiny gasp as Tikki got right up to her line of sight.

"Listen Ruby," Tikki said. "You're gonna ace the assignment and be fine. Nothing is going to happen. Now we need to talk about Nooro."

Ruby nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah you're right. I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"We need to figure out where he's being located. I can sense darkness sometimes, but not himself. Do you think we have time to patrol today?"

"Sure!" Ruby said. "I can make time. I mean, Weiss might try to go to the teacher to get a different partner so during lunch break I can sneak away. A magnificent plan if I say so myself hohoho!"

Ruby pointed her finger at no particular place as she puffed her chest out. She posed as if she was a sea captain out on a maiden voyage. The image made Tikki sigh a bit in fond exasperation.

"Oh Ruby," Tikki's ears started vibrating. "I hear someone coming! Return!"

Tikki disappeared into Ruby's earrings. Just as she did, the door opened. Blake Belladonna came through the door, looking up in surprise to see someone was already inside.

"Oh it's you Ruby."

At the sound of Blake's voice, Ruby jumped.

"HOLY CRUD IT'S BLAKE!" She nearly screamed. "Sorry. I was uh… thinking? Out loud? With my lips? Human beings have lips I think."

Blake chuckled. "They certainly do. What seems to be the problem?"

"Well today is supposed to be the day we partnered up for the semester." Ruby explained. "I got teamed up with Weiss Schnee!"

"Ooof, I wish you the best of luck with that." Blake then blinked. "Wait she was in your class?"

"Yeah. She missed the first class due to a scheduling slip up." Ruby sighed. "Now what am I gonna dooooo?"

"It might not be so bad. A partner who's also your roommate can be very useful, especially someone like Weiss. She probably has a few fashion tips?"

"But she's so crabby! I want a non-crabby partner…" Ruby then realized. "Why don't you be my partner?"

"Me? We don't attend the same class and… I'm not pretty enough."

"You're very pretty! But you're right, not the same class. Daaaarn."

"Maybe you should to get along?" Blake tried to ignore the blush that was on her face. "You might be able to get something interesting done. If worst comes to worst just ask the teacher to pair you up with someone else."

"Uggghhhh why are you so right Blake?"

"I'm just experienced I think," Blake brushed a few hair strands away. "Sorry Ruby I need to um…"

"Oh oh! I can go!" Ruby laughed. "I need to go find Weiss anyway! Thank you!"

Ruby ran back out of the bathroom. Blake watched her go, letting a smile form on her lips. As she did so Plagg emerged from the ring. His smile was a little bit more mischievous than Blake's.

"Someone called you were pretty~ When's the wedding?"

"Shut up Plagg."

_______________________________________________________________________

Tyrian Callows was not a murderer. He was a serial killer.

Why distinguish the difference? Because a typical murderer is too broad, too plain to describe a being such as himself. To put it simply, Tyrian was beautiful. His hands twitched with powerful uncontrollable desire. He waited to snap the neck out of anyone who would get close to him. He wanted to take knives and stab them into someone's face. He wanted tear open insides and spread them around himself. These are the things that made him feel beautiful.

Tyrian was not insane. Insane would imply Tyrian didn't know what he was doing was wrong. He knew that he was a being of evil and did not care, because in those moments where he butchered and murdered he felt beautiful.

Cornetto was… fine. Another meat puppet alongside other meat puppets. He at least brought the food. They've been starving him for days, so someone keeping him alive is something commendable. He'll still die of course, but Tyrian will make sure he goes out beautifully.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a pretty little purple butterfly floating towards him. Tyrian remembered one time as a kid where he managed to capture a butterfly and slowly sliced off it's wings. He wanted to see what a butterfly looked like without it's wings. Tyrian took the butterfly in his hand.

"Gotcha," Tyrian smiled. "I needed a distraction from this shitty cage."

"Would a distraction really be enough to satisfy your needs, Mr. Callows?"

He got up startled. "Who the fuck are you?! How'd you get in my head?!"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm your Monarch, here to fulfill your wish."

"My wish?" He laughed, utterly bewildered. "My only wish is to be beautiful! Someone like you wouldn't understand what I've been searching for."

"Oh but I do. I've seen the way you work. That death, that chaos, those things make you a most magnificent specimen. I wish to see more of it."

"You… you do?" Tyrian said in a small voice. "You understand?"

"Indeed. Such beauty is what I seek as well. However, may propose something to you? Something you may not have considered?"

"Hmmm… go on. You peaked my interest."

"I'm glad I have. You do what you do to find beauty for yourself. But what if you could make the world around you beautiful as well? What if I can give you the power to cave out your desires?

Tyrian's eyes widened at that. Beauty for the world? He had thought such a dream was impossible to fulfill. A foolish desire! But here the voice in his head had offered him a chance to fulfill it?

"You're certainly being tempting," Tyrian bowed. "What's the catch? What do you need me to do?"

"Oh not much. I only require a set of earrings and a ring from a pair of teenagers unworthy of your talents. Other than that… you can bring as much death and destruction as you want. Why keep the world from seeing beauty for what it is?"

"Yes… yes yes YES!"

Tyrian got onto his knees and bowed. He held his head low in gratitude and awe.

"I'll serve as your Huntsman, my Queen, and bring you what you desire! It is my thanks for allowing me to find what I seek!"

"A Huntsman… I like the sound of that… Go my partner. Bring me the miraculous!"

Outside the cell, Cornetto had been hearing Tyrian whisper to himself over the past few minutes. He was disgusted as much as everyone but the crimes Tyrian committed, but he was not a man who wanted to see people suffer. That was why he brought food for the criminal.

"Tyrian please keep quiet the others are trying to-"

The cell door was destroyed right away. A slash from a tail incapacitated Cornetto, dropping his carved body to the ground.

"What the hell!?" A guard yelled. "This shit is happenin' again!"

They tried attacking with batons, but the villain was quick. He used his new pincers to stab their throats with bursted with blood. He raised his head towards the ceiling.

"I have a calling to fulfill, an order to complete!" The newly powered villain screamed across the prison. "I'm Scorpio, one of the Monarch's fine Huntsmen, here to bring beauty to this world!"

Cornetto for his part clutched his chest. He looked at Tyrian weakly, trying to form a single sentence.

"But… why…?"

Tyrian heard the question and grinned maliciously.

"Because I'm beautiful."

_______________________________________________________________________

Okay this was going to be hard.

Ruby had been heading to the table with Yang and her friends (she assumed they were friends, they wouldn't all sit together on the same table if they weren't right?) until she spotted Weiss sitting by herself.

She had the same demeanor that she had in class and the past few days. Indifference. Annoyance. The threat to murder anyone who dared to talk to her. Ruby was reluctant but she figured there was no better time to take Blake's advice. It was here or in their room, where Weiss could shut her off by slamming the door to her part of the dorm.

"Here goes nothing…"

She steeled herself. Ruby walked over to Weiss with the best smile she could muster. She sat her hand on the table, ready to say something hopefully awe inspiring, something that will get Weiss Schnee to finally-

"No."

Ruby blinked. "But I didn't even say anything."

"I knew what you were going ask." Weiss said. "No, I don't want to work with you, I won't work with you, I will not be working with you. An obvious upstart like yourself has no place in a University like this one."

Ruby blinked again. "Oh. Well thanks for making it easy then!"

She started moving away, which made Weiss' eye twitch in annoyance.

"That's it? You just give up immediately?"

"Yeah," Ruby shrugged. "I mean, you don't like me, I think you're a jerk, I'm not gonna sit through a million rounds of you putting me down while we work. Go ahead and get another partner. I don't mind at all."

"Hmph," Weiss crossed her arms. "If you fold like that so easily you won't make it far in the fashion industry."

"And if you act like a jerk then the only people in your fan club will be your butler. That you probably paid for." Ruby stuck her tongue out. "Have a nice day!"

She skipped a few steps away from Weiss, who had been left sputtering at this act of defiance. Internally Ruby was screaming at herself.

‘HolycrapIjustinsultedWeissSchneemycareerisoverbutthatfeltsogoodbutsobadbutsogoodbutsobad-’

"Hey Rubes!" Ah, Yang was waving at her sister. "What's the deal with you and Ice Queen?"

"Oh not much I was partnered up with her and then I may have just insulted her."

"Ooooohhh," Nora bopped Ruby's nose. "Tell us how it went! Were her schnees broken in despair?"

"I think Ruby would end up suspended if she did that," Ren said. "Ruby, you should be covert in your revenge. I have plans I can share."

"Can we not talk about revenge at the table?" Jaune said. "I'm trying to eat my bagels."

Pyrrha offered up a bagel of her own. "Why not have this?"

Jaune took it, looking rather funny as he devoured the bagel. "You're a life saver Pyrrha, an angel among this Earth."

Pyrrha smiled, an action that made everyone on the table skip a beat due to how pure and sweet and wonderful it was. Ruby herself would be entranced by it if it weren't for her earrings suddenly vibrating.

'An alert? Oh not now, I haven't eaten lunch yet Tikki couldn't you wait a minute-?'

The TV interrupted the thought process. Lisa Lavender appeared on the screen to give the news.

"We interrupt this program to bring you a breaking news report! Another super powered being is on the loose in the city, maiming and doing worse to civilians down on the street!

The camera switched to footage on the scene. A shaky, barely medium quality of a scorpion creature attacking people appeared. The camera was shaky

"He is calling out for Ladybug and Chat Noir to find him, the connection between them uncertain. Could they be in league?"

"Now that's bulloney!" Nora slammer fists on the table. "Ladybug wouldn't be in league with any bad guys! Didn't she save everyone from dumb bowler hat guy and his donkey army?!"

'I most certainly did Nora, and I have to go over there quick!' Ruby thought. 'I gotta get outta here!'

"Uh I need to…" She said out loud. "Find materials for my project!"

"Already? You just got here though?" Yang raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have class later?"

Ruby was already making her way to the exit. "I do, but if I hurry up I can make it! Bye!"

The group watched their youngest leave, Yang already feeling sad she left. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"She'll be fine." Pyrrha said. "I'm sure she knows what she's doing."

"Yeah Yang," Jaune laughed. "I mean, It's not like she's gonna go fight the guy on the tv or something."

_______________________________________________________________________

The quest for beauty was going surprisingly well.

These ugly, dirty people stared at him and ran, terrified in the face of himself. Scorpio was now true beauty. Not that anyone would understand of course. No one except, of course, his Queen. The Monarch offered him a chance to bring true beauty to all. He just needed to get the Miraculous.

"Hey! You brats!" Scorpio yelled. "Show yourselves Ladybug and Chat Noir! I want the Miraculous you got!"

A shadow dropped from a rooftop. Chat Noir narrowed her eyes at the creature before her. His skin was scaly, looking less human and more armor-like. He had a trench coat with a white sleeveless jacket underneath it. Leather belts were strapped to it, along with white pants. A bright red amulet around his neck stuck out like a sore thumb if offset by golden eyes that shimmered with sadistic glee. His tail slithered from side to side.

"Who are you?" Chat Noir asked. "What do you want with Ladybug and I?"

One of them was here. Good. Scorpio grinned.

"The Monarch wants your Miraculous, kitty cat." He said. "As her Huntsman, I came here to take it for her!"

"No thanks," Chat readied her staff. "You'll have to work for it."

The battle thus began swiftly. Tyrian lunged at the cat themes heroine, but she slammed her staff into his head, slamming him head first into concrete. Chat narrowly dodged the tail strike to the face. She kept her distance as pincers bursted fresh from Scorpio's hands.

"I know plenty about work," Scorpio grinned. "I'll get the miraculous and then carve you up into something truly beautiful!"

As the pincers came close to her face, Chat used the staff to block them. Scorpio was pushing her to the defensive, forcing Chat Noir to step back bit by bit.

'Think Blake, think!' Blake thought to herself frantically. 'I need to keep him busy until Ladybug gets here.'

Where was Ladybug? Blake really wished she had asked for her phone number or something. Only Ladybug had the power to de-grimmify this… Huntsman he called himself? The whole business is getting more insane the further Blake delved into it.

"What's the matter kitty cat?" Scorpio called out again. "Need a pound of tuna?"

"Sounds delicious but no." Chat said. "I'm in the mood for some tail though."

She swiped the staff towards his left leg, knocking Scorpio off balance. At another swing from his tail Chat jumped above the man, avoiding it slamming the staff against his stomach. Chat kept the staff ready as Scorpio clutched his stomach.

"Ugh, not bad not bad." He said. "I've never won a fair fight to be honest. Maybe that's why-"

He jumped away from Chat, flipping around to catch a civilian in his arm.

"-I like pull a fast one!"

"H-help!" The woman's neck was held tight, cutting off her words. "Hck-!"

Chat Noir found herself in a tough bind. Scorpio was not someone to be trusted. If he had his way, he would kill that woman and herself as soon as the miraculous was in his hands. But could she risk this woman's life for a gamble?

"Come on! Give me the ring, or whatever you use to make that trashy suit!"

Blake gritted her teeth. She moved her fingers towards the ring-

"Hold on Chat Noir!"

Ladybugs are often said to be creatures of luck. It seems it held true to the costumed heroine, who caught the villain's hand with her yoyo, pulling him away from the civilian. Ladybug landed next to Chat Noir, standing up to retrieve the yoyo.

"Hope I'm not too late Chat."

"Could have been a little faster honestly." Chat said. "Otherwise thanks for coming."

Due to the distraction the civilian ran away from the scene. As soon as Scorpio recovered and saw the two heroes, he knew he was in trouble. One against one was one thing, but two against one is a bit much for his brain to compute.

Yet he knew couldn't disappoint his Queen. She had given his life purpose! There had to be something, ANYTHING he could do.

"Seems you got me cornered." Scorpio said. "I'll take a page from the cat's example, I'll make you work to get to me!"

He made a jump, surprising the heroes by how high he could get. He made it to a rooftop and ran.

"We need to go after him!" Ladybug prepared her yoyo. "He might be up to something, so don't split from me okay?"

Chat Noir snorted, as if offended by that remark.

"Like I was going to leave you out my sight, my lady."

_______________________________________________________________________

Weiss Schnee stomped the hallways with purpose.

That annoying upstart… not only were they roommates, not only were they attending the same class, but she had to nerve to insult her like that? It was madness. She had to get another partner immediately. One who knew better.

She made a turn to the left of the hallyway, in the direction of Ms. Goodwitch's classroom. That teacher better have an explanation for her pick-

"Huh? Miss Schnee!"

Weiss had almost bumped into the Headmaster. Salem Ozpin recovered, and sighed upon noticing who bumped into her.

"My apologies. How is your day going?" Salem asked warmly. "Is Beacon to your liking?"

"It's… fine." Weiss said. "I'm trying to exchange partners."

"Oh I won't be keeping you. Who is your partner?"

"Ruby Rose," Her name came out so bitterly on Weiss lips it's like she's choking on poisoned air. "That upstart is an insult to this school. She comes here thinking she knows better than me, a model in the industry? I wouldn't be surprised if she got here through connections!"

"Oh I see…" Salem said. "Miss Schnee, do you know who recruited Ruby into this school?"

"A dope I presume."

"Well admittedly I can be that sometimes, but I think my decisions have turned out for the best."

Weiss blinked.

"That girl is quite remarkable. She was the class president for three years, arranged banquets and parties while designing truly impressive fashion work. Ruby had posted some of the work on her blog, which was how I found her out."

Weiss blinked again.

"If you give her a chance, Weiss, I think she can be really useful for your career as well as her own." Salem's smiled never left her lips. Not once. "Was there anything you needed?"

"… no ma'am." Weiss said quietly. "I think I just remembered something."

"Oh I know what that's like. Just one more thing before you go though…" Salem crossed her arms. "You are not the only one who works hard Miss Schnee. This is a privileged academy and few enter here without a skill of some sort. You cannot operate alone as you are now. My husband believed in strength in numbers when he was around. I think the same way. Do you understand?"

At that, Weiss nodded. "I will take your words into consideration, Miss Ozpin."

She walked off. It was less of a stomp and more of a gentle click clack of the heels that made noise on the hallways. Salem's smile became slightly more mischievous as she saw her student go.

"I bet you're proud, Ozma. She and Miss Rose certainly have potential."

_______________________________________________________________________

Scorpio was fast. But Ladybug and Chat Noir were pretty fast too.

"He's entering the warehouse!" Ladybug threw the yoyo at a nearby pole. "He might try to isolate us while we're inside."

"Right. Let's stick together."

With that exchange, Chat wrapped her arms around Ladybug's waist (which didn't make the red and black hero blush in any way, no siree). Once secured, Ladybug swung them both across the street, smashing through the windows. They landed squarely on the floor.

"Should we have broken through the window like that?" Chat asked. "We're probably going to get fined for that you know."

"Eh, I can fix it with a Miraculous Cure anyway." Ladybug said without worry. "Not like either of us have superhero insurance. Or would it be miraculous insurance?"

"Beats me." Chat just shrugged. "What do you think we should do?"

The two inspected the area. Several boxes were stacked together, a forklift still having boxes on the lift implying that work had been done here recently. No sign of Scorpio… yet.

"Stick together. Did he give any hint about where his possessed item could be?"

"Hmmm…" Chat tapped on her staff thinking about it. "No hint I'm afraid but I think his amulet could be it. We should focus on disabling his tail."

A pair of eyes peered from behind a box, gazing down at the unsuspecting duo.

"Good idea. If we can take that down, we'll be able to search for his object more efficiently. First we gotta find him."

The duo jumped when they heard a sinister laugh echo across the room. They kept their guard up.

"How cute. Just taking out my tail and you think you're enough to beat me? Not in a million years will you be able to take out a prized Huntsman of the Monarch!"

"Monarch huh?" Ladybug seized the moment. "Is that who you're working for?"

"Yes… She is a Queen among queens, a goddess to be revered! She understands the true beauty in death and chaos, she completes me! With the miraculous her ultimate plan will be fulfilled! HehehehehehehehehBWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

That laugh made both heroes shiver in fear. Ruby had heard it on the news, but it was here in this moment she remembered she wasn't dealing with a regular villain but a serial killer who would do whatever it takes to kill her.

'I need to trick him somehow.' She thought. 'How did Yang always trick guys into giving away whether they wanna get into her pants or not? Oh wait, it's reverse psychology!'

"If she picked you the Monarch's clearly off her rocker." Ladybug said out loud. "I mean, Scorpion guy? How uncreative can you get?"

"Tch, I see what you're doing but it's not going to-"

"No she has a point." Chat continued. "For someone all about brining beauty to the world you are simply ugly and disgusting. You never belonged in a world like this one."

Scorpio's eye twitched. "I am beautiful."

"No. Jewels are beautiful. Cats are beautiful. Butterflies are beautiful. You though? You're an ugly scorpion guy who can only make ugly things."

"Do not listen to them Tyrian," Monarch whispered into his ear. "They are trying to trick you!"

"OH YEAH?!" Scorpio- no, Tyrian, yelled. "JUST YOU WAIT, I'LL CARVE YOUR BODIES INTO THE MOST MAGNIFICENT SCULPTURES THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN!"

His purpose forgotten, the villain lunged at the opposing duo. His tail struck nothing except the ground where they originally stood.

"Ladybug, we have a chance now!"

Tyrian felt a yoyo wrap around his tail. He realized quickly what they were trying to do.

"No," He panicked. "Not the tail not the tail not the- AAAAAAHHHHH!"

Tyrian missed it as soon Ladybug decapitated the stinger. She. Cut. Off. His. Stinger. The beauty he possessed had been ravaged into disgusting ugliness.

"We got him Chat!" She yelled. "Search him!"

No. Scorpio could not allow this to stand. Tyrian will not allow this to STAND.

"YOU'RE DEAD MEAT NOW KIDS!"

The amulet glowed red. With speed the heroes had no time to react to, Scorpio slashed at their abdomens, then elbowed them to the floor. He turned around, grinning at seeing Ladybug in pain. The girl took her away his stinger, now he'll take her life.

Or would if his pincer hadn't been blocked by the staff.

"You seem to be forgetting it's two against one." Chat said, panting hard. "Come and get me."

Ladybug swiped at his leg. He pulled it back to avoid the attack, but Ladybug kicked his stomach in the mean time.

"Come and get us." Ladybug said. "Grab the amulet, Chat!"

Scorpio swung his tail around, trying to hit them with anything even without the stinger. However, Ladybug and Chat were quicker. Ladybug threw the yoyo at the villain's chin as Chat readied her hand.

"Go for it Chat!"

"No… no please!" Tyrian pleaded. "I want to be beautiful!"

"CATACLYSM!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the amulet was destroyed. A glowing violet butterfly flew out from the broken object.

"Right then!" Ladybug captured the butterfly in the yoyo. "Miraculous…"

"NO PLEASE STOP!"

"… LADYBUG!"

A red glow came and went, an army of ladybugs swarming the area. The damage from Scorpio's pincers were undone, as were the windows repaired from the heroes' breaking into the place. Tyrian no longer had the scaly body he possessed before. Instead, he wore his prison uniform, his dark hair and desperate face visible for all to see.

"No… no I disappointed my Queen…" Tyrian dug his nail into his head. "I failed, I failed, I didn't bring beauty like I was supposed to!"

Ladybug and Chat Noir could only stare at each other awkwardly as the now de-powered serial killer sobbed pathetically onto the floor. In spite of everything he had done and tried to do Ruby couldn't help but feel just a little sorry for him. Only a little. Pity was not the same thing sympathy.

The doors opened. A pair of cops stormed in with guns pointed at the heroes

"FREEZE RIGHT THERE!" Harriet yelled at them. "You're under arrest for vigilantism!"

"You have the right to remain silent." A female officer with short brown haired and dark skin said. "Resist and we won't hesitate."

Ladybug and Chat held their arms in the air. Ruby was confused by this turn of events.

"Um, we just stopped the bad guy?" She said. "We even fixed the damage, so what the problem?"

"My lady, I don't think they'll take anything but our surrender into account." Chat said. "We need to make a break for it as soon as possible."

"Try anything and we'll fire!"

Tyrian didn't hear the police's words. How could he? The butterfly's beautiful voice had disappeared. The quest for beauty was in vain. Now… he stared at Ladybug, who had his back turned to him.

He will have revenge.

"I really think you're being a bit unreasonable officer," Ladybug continued. "Perhaps if you lower your weapons we might be able to have a conversation-"

Suddenly a pair of arms surrounded her neck and stomach. Tyrian snarled.

"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU FOR RUINING EVERYTHING! I WON'T EVEN TURN YOU INTO A WORK OF ART, I'LL JUST USE YOUR SKIN TO WIPE MY ASS WITH IT!"

Chat looked on in horror as Ladybug struggled against his grip. If it weren't for the police holding guns at them she would do something. There was one trick, but Chat wasn't sure she was fast enough to try it. She reached into her pockets.

"L-let go of me!"

"YOU TOOK AWAY MY POWER! I WAS SCORPIO! I AM SCOR-"

His words were cut off. Whatever they would be, Ladybug only heard a loud sound and felt the arms around her slip away. She turned to watch Tyrian fall to the ground. A bullet wound on the forehead bled across the face. There was no peace in his eyes. Only shock.

"If you move then you're gonna end up like him," Harriet pointed the gun at them again. "Get down!"

"NINJA VANISH!"

Smoke bursted from the shell Chat threw onto the ground. It was thick and instantaneous. One… two… three… Harriet fired the gun into the smoke but she didn't hear anyone get hit.

"Damn it!" She looked around. "Find them!"

As they searched the warehouse from top to bottom, Chat helped Ladybug up to the rooftop. Ladybug let out a sigh of a relief.

"That was a pretty cool trick you did Chat. You really pulled us out of a jam."

"I didn't know if it was going to work. Glad it did." Chat put a hand on her partner's shoulder. "You alright?"

"Y-" Ladybug caught herself. Her eyes grew wide. "No. No I'm not okay. They shot a man in the head! I know he was a killer but- but what the hell?!"

She felt arms wrap around her. Ladybug hugged back.

"It was a difficult situation, my lady." Chat said. "It was shocking, wrong even. If had to be his death or yours I'm not shameful over it but it goes to show we need to be more careful from now on."

"I… I should have been better. I could have sensed him or-"

"No. That man jumped you. It was unexpected. You are not at fault for what he did, just as you are not at fault for what the officer."

"But-"

"But nothing. We got away and prevented another disaster. There is nothing more to it than that."

Ladybug held onto Chat tighter. Five minutes were spent like that, trying to make sense out of the freak accident they fell into. Blake had been afraid about what would happen during an encounter with the police. She thanked her stars that neither herself nor Ladybug got out of there without much of a scuffle.

A moment later, Ladybug let go of Chat. "Thank you Chat. Glad to have you as a partner I can count on."

"Heh, same for you my lady." Chat smiled. "See you around?"

"Sure!" Ladybug returned the smile. "Thanks again Chat!"

_______________________________________________________________________

As it turned out, Ruby had been pretty lucky to avoid her next class. Judging from what she had heard, Professor Port's lectures had only gotten more rambly and pointless.

She returned to her room and shut the door quickly. The image of the man's head exploded from a bullet was still burned into her memory. Ruby breathed in and out repeatedly. She needed time away from people.

"Ruby Rose."

That was a person. That was definitely a person Ruby just heard. Weiss Schnee was sitting on a chair in Ruby's workspace. She had been inspecting a paper detailing a new design idea.

"Weiss, please not right now." Ruby waved her away. "I'm tired and anxious and the last thing I need is you coming in and putting me down again-"

"If you would let me talk you might hear something different." Weiss said. "I am willing to be your partner."

Ruby blinked. "What?"

"I'll help you Ruby Rose." She got up. "I realized that I was being unfair in my assessment of you. Clearly you have some skill in order to get into this University. This design?" She handed the paper to Ruby. "It's not a bad one. With sharpening it could be brilliant."

"… thanks?" Ruby was definitely surprised to hear that. "So what? You want us to remain partners?"

"Yes. I will be critical, but if we can put aside our differences we just might be able to get through the semester. I will try to give useful advice, and you have control over how the final project will turn out."

Weiss stretched our her hand. "Deal?"

Ruby looked at the hand. Then back to Weiss. Then back again. She took the hand and shook it.

"Huh. I guess you're not all bad Weiss."

"Shut up dolt."

[sevenchan-translation]

Earthworm Jim Animated EP3 Assault and Battery

アースワームジム第3話　襲撃とバッテリー

Special Thanks:teddyroo12

Narration:Earthworm Jim and his fur bearing sidekick, Peter Puppy,are about to be destroyed by the insidious Professor Monkey for a Head.

アースワームジムと、毛皮を纏った相棒のピーターパピーは、狡猾なモンキーフォーアヘッド教授に破壊されようとしていました。

Professor: Ow! Will you stop that, It is time to be evil!

やめなさい！今は悪い人になる時間なんだから！

Now, I will fry your puny worm body, and the super suit will once again be mine!

さあ、そのちっぽけなミミズの身体をフライにしてやる、そしてスーパースーツは再び私の物になるのだ！

Ook! Fine fine fine, once again be ours, satisfied hm? Now I have lost my train of thought.

おぉよしよし…もう一度「私たち」の物になるのだ、これで満足したかいお猿ちゃん？もう、私は何を考えていたのか思い出せなくなってしまった。

Jim: MUST. BREAK. FREE.

壊して自由にならなければ。

Whoopsy-Daisy, Steady, Steady.

あ〜らら、危ない、危ない

Professor: Ready, AIM, Huh?

狙いを定めてと…Huh?

Jim: GUHROOVY!! and oh, would you believe I meant to do that.

グルーヴィー！信じてもらえないかもしれないが、こうするつもりだったのさ。

Peter: Not a chance big fella.

そんなわけないでしょ、イケてる君。

Jim: Come on little buddy, I got some pliers in the garage.

行くぞ坊や、ガレージにペンチがあるんだ。

Professor: Fire!

(Theme song)

Narration: Morning in the sleepy town of Terlawk, flowers bloom, birds sing.

花が咲き、鳥がさえずる、寝静まった町テルロークの朝。

Bird: Ba ba ba boo ba bo, when I woke up this morning, hoo-hoo, I was just to late to catch no Worm!

今朝起きた時にはホーホー、ミミズを捕まえるには遅過ぎたようだ！

Narration: And Terlawks most unusual resident greets the new day.

そしてテルロークで最も変わった住人が新しい1日を迎えます。

Jim: Morning neighbor!

おはよう、お隣さん！

Neighbor: Morning, hideous freak of nature.

おはよう、醜い奇形種。

Narration: Unaware that disaster awaits.

災難が待ち受けているとも知らずに。

Jim: By the Great Worm Spirit, whose borrows dwarf the meager works of man!

偉大なるミミズ魂がお粗末な仕事をする小男の理論を借用した。

The paperboy's been missing the porch again!

また新聞配達人が玄関を見落としたようだ！

HARK! The paperboy is nigh, my invincible might will help him hit the porch this Mañana!

聞こえる！新聞配達人が近づいている、俺の無敵の力で彼が玄関に命中させるのを助けられるかもしれない今朝

I got it, I got it!

捕るぞ、捕るぞ！

It was up to me now, after the hours of sweat and practice, the weeks of training, the long nights at the diner tossing waffles, it all came down to this one catch.

それは私にかかっていた、終業後の汗と練習、何週間ものトレーニング、食堂でワッフルを放り投げた長い夜、全てはこの一回のキャッチに集約された。

At last I was a player the big game of life, too bad I haven't read the rules at the top of the box.

遂に私は人生という大きなゲームのプレイヤーになった。箱の上部にあるルールを読んでいなかったのが残念だ。

Peter: Ooh, the funnies! Why are you moving in slow motion?

おっと、調子が悪いのかい？何故そんなにゆっくり動いているの？

Jim: (Stutters in embarrassment) Just messing with the law of gravity as I can.

(恥ずかしくて吃る)重力の法則をめちゃめちゃにしていただけさ。

Ghhk! HEAVENS TO BETSY!! Don't know... whats wrong... suddenly feel... so weak...

げっ！なんてこった！！う〜ん、どうしたんだろう…急に力が入らなくなってしまった……

Peter: You've been lifting so much heavy stuff. Mountains, houses, maybe you drained the suits power.

君はとても重い物を持ち上げていたからね。山とか、家とか。もしかして、スーツのパワーが無くなったんじゃ。

Neighbors: Oh dear, it looks like rain.. Oomph!

やれやれ、雨が降ってきたようだな…おっと！

Narration: Yes it is rain, a reign of terror from beyond the stars!

そうです、雨です。星の彼方から恐怖の支配者が降ってきました。

Queen Pulsating, Bloated, Festering, Sweaty, Puss filled, Malformed, Slug for a Butt has come in search of Jim's super Suit!

女王プラスティング、ブローテッド、フェスタリング、スウェッティ、パスフィルド、モルフォームド、スラッグフォーアバットがジムのスーパースーツを求めてやって来ました！

Queen: Back off, talk boy!

下がれ、トークボーイ！

Narration: Right, sorry.

了解、すみません。

Queen: Find Earthworm Jim, or I shall feast on your entrails at dawn!

夜明けまでにアースワームジムを見つけな���い、さもないとお前たちの内臓をごちそうにする！

Uhh... Make that around 10:30, I usually sleep in on Wednesdays.

うーん、朝10時半頃にしておく��、毎週水曜日は遅くまで寝ているの。

Narration: Jim is suddenly enthralled in a desperate battle with some zurb warriors!

But he is just too weak to prevail!

突如ジムは、ザーブの戦士たちとの絶望的な戦いにさらされてしまいます!

しかし彼はとても弱っていて打ち勝てそうにありません。

Jim: HEY! I never flee from danger!

ヘイ！俺は決して危機から逃げないぞ！

Peter: You can be macho later Jim!

Right now, we need a safe place to hide, while you figure out whats wrong with the suit.

男らしくするのは後にしてよジム。

今は安全な場所に隠れた方が良い、その間に君はスーツの不具合を見つけ出すんだ。

Jim: Lets see, wheres a place no one ever goes?

ええーっと…誰も行きそうにない場所はどこだ？

Peter: Hey, this haggis stuff is great! How come no one ever comes here?

ねえ、このハギスっていうもの、最高だね！どうして誰もここに来ないんだろう？

Jim: Because haggis is made out the heart, lungs, and liver of a sheep boiled in its own stomach.

どうしてって、ハギスは羊の心臓、肺、肝臓を、羊自身の胃袋に入れ、煮込んで作られているからな。

I've been reading the suit's users manual, there’s only one way to find out what's wrong.

スーツの取扱説明書を読んでいるが…やってみるしかないな。

I've got to go inside this bad boy, I mean REALLY inside.

この悪い子の中に入って行かなければならない、つまり本当に中に入るんだ。

Peter, you keep a look out while Snott and I journey to the center of the suit!

ピーター、スノットと俺がスーツの中心部へ小旅行している間、見張っていてくれ！

I don't know Snott, who's Jules Verne?

ジュールヴェルヌって誰だ？スノット。

Peter: Heart... Lungs... and Liver?

心臓…肺…肝臓も？

Jim: Gah.. They just put these up to keep out the tourists!

ふーむ、観光客を立ち入らせないためにこんな物を設置したんだな！

Curiouser and curiouser, what do we do now?

ますます不思議だ、奇妙だ。俺たちはどうすればいい？

Good suggestion Snott! But I don't think my mouth will hold that much marmalade.

良い提案だスノット！しかし、俺の口にそんなにたくさんのマーマレードが入るとは思えないな。

AHA! Ok I'll bite.

よし、やってやろう。

AAH!

Jim&Snott:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Jim: You're right! This is a violation of the laws of physics! I'll notify physics police at once!

君の言う通り！これは物理学の法則を冒涜している！直ちに物理学警察に通報しなければならない！

Come on, my uncanny worm senses tell me our answer lies this way!

さあ行こう！俺のミミズの勘が働いている、こっちに答えがあると。

Guardian: Destroy intruders, destroy intruders.

侵入者を破壊せよ、侵入者を破壊せよ。

Jim: Yeah, go get them. Oh, you mean us.

そうだ！奴らを捕まえろ！あー、俺たちのことかぁ。

Guardian: Destroy intruders.

侵入者を破壊せよ。

Jim: Hiss hiss, Hello I am a steam pipe, the intruders went that way, Hiss hiss, Steam.

シューシュー、こんにちは、僕はスチームパイプだよ。侵入者はあっちへ行ったよ。シューシュー、湯気だよ。

Guardian: Thanks, pal.

ありがとう、親友。

Jim: AHA! We found control central!

コントロールセンターを見つけたぞ！

But how can we decipher these incredibly complicated readings?

しかし、こんな物凄く複雑な物をどうやって解読すればいいんだ？

The battery's low!

バッテリーの残量が少ない！

The Zurbs could strike at any second. GAH!

ザーブたちがいつ何時襲ってくるかもわからない！

Narration: Is this the end for Peter and Jim?Will they be grounded to paste?

Will they be torn to bits? Will their bones be-

これがピーターとジムの終わりなのでしょうか？彼らはペースト状にされてしまうのでしょうか？

刃でバラバラにされてしまうのでしょうか？彼らの骨は…

Peter: Oh give it a rest, will ya?

もう、いい加減にしてくれる？

Narration: Right. Stay tuned to find out!

了解、乞うご期待！

Psy-crow: Hehe, Hello. Are you bored with life? Yearning for excitement?

こんにちは。あなたは人生に退屈していませんか？刺激を求めていませんか？

Well come on down to Psycrow's School of Nefarious Space Villainy.

I'll train you all aspects of evil.

さっさとサイクロウの宇宙悪行学校へ行くべきです。

あなたの悪い面全てを教育致します。

You'll learn the secrets of maniacal laughter.

狂気の笑いの秘訣を学べます。

Students: (Bored) Ah ha ha ha ha

(退屈そうに)

Psy-crow: You'll amaze your friends with your fiendish vocabulary!

あなたの残酷な語彙で友達を驚かせましょう！

Cat: Face my awry... uh, awesome wrath, vile do gooder.

I shall da.. destroy you. A minor backset, uh setback.

私の顔…間違えた…あー、凄まじい怒り、不快な行いをする善人。

私はお前をは、破壊する。大した尻尾…、失敗じゃない。

Psy-crow: And you'll attend a special space villain support group.

そして特別な場所、悪党のサポートグループに参加するべきです。

Teacher: You're bad. You're so bad that's good, but in a bad way.

あなた達は悪い人だ。あなた達は良い意味で悪い人だ、しかし、悪い意味でもだ。

Psy-crow: Because if you don't respect yourself, no one will tremble at your feet in abject terror.

何故なら、もしあなたが自分自身を尊重しなければ、誰もあなたの足元で惨めたらしく恐怖に震えてくれないからです。

Professor: Before I took Psycrow's course, I was a simple dairy farmer.

サイクロウの講座を受講する前、私はただの酪農家でした。

NOW DIG ME! I've got a monkey graphed into my head!

でも今の私をご覧あれ！私は頭に移植手術をし、お猿さんを手に入れました！

I was NOT making eyes at the gorilla! I'm a happily graphed man.

違う、私はあのゴリラの方が良かったなんて思ってないよ！進んで君を移植したんだ。

Jim: Psycrow's students are the most capable villains I battled.

Psycrow, you're number one... on the galactitc's most wanted list that is. Hehe.

サイクロウの教え子たちは、俺が戦った悪党の中でも最も有能揃いだった。

サイクロウ、お前がナンバーワンだ…この銀河の最重要指名手配者だ。ハハ。

Psy-crow: Hahahaha! You said it, accursed dog-ooder!

ははは、おっしゃる通りだ、やっかいな犬畜生め！

Dogooder!

おせっかいをどうも！

You know what I'm saying! Call today, and remember our motto.

The wages of sin is death, but the hours are good.

ご理解いただけましたでしょうか？すぐにお電話をください。そして私たちのモットーを思い出してください。

罪の報いは死ですが、その時間も良いものですよ。

Narration: And now, back to Earthworm Jim!

When we left our heroes, Peter was hiding from the evil Zurb warriors as they searched for Jim's suit.

そして、アースワームジムのお話に戻りましょう！

我らがヒーローたちと別れた時、ジムのスーツを探している邪悪なザーブの戦士たちからピーターは身を隠していました。

Jim: What's going on?

どうした？

Peter: So... Scared... Going to... Going to...

すごく怖い、このままじゃ、このままじゃ…

Jim: NO! Bad time, Bad time!

ダ���だ！今は都合が悪い！

Zurb: Let's try next door, grab some of that haggis for later.

他の部屋へ行ってみるか、後でハギスを買おう。

Jim: Down boy, DOWN BOY!

落ち着け坊や！

Zurb: The suit, get it!

おい、スーツだ！取り上げろ！

Jim: Ungroovy.

AHAHAHA!

Johnnydactl:Foolish Villains, cower before evil's mysterious foe, Johnnydactl! HAHA!

愚かな悪党どもよ、ミステリアスな悪の敵、ジョニーダクトの前に屈服せよ！ハハ！

Zurb:AAAH!!

Jim: Johnnydactl, you old sweater girl, you saved our bacon!

ジョニーダクト、君は古いセーターの女性、俺たちのベーコンを救ってくれた！

Johnnydactl: At the fall of night I come, and silent as a cloud I go, let any trouble come to me, BEFORE THE WRATH OF-

陽が落ちた頃に私は来る、そして雲のように静かに去る、どんな災難も私の元へ来い、怒りに満ちる前に…

Stupid CD player, I was almost done with my mysterious speech!

もう、バカなCDプレーヤーめ、もう少しで私のミステリアスなスピーチが終わるところだったのに！

Peter: Oh, I thought you were very mysterious!

ああ、僕はあなたをとてもミステリアスだと思いました！

Johnnydactl: No it's ruined, IT'S ALL RUINED!!

いや、台無しだよ、全部台無しだ！！

Jim: Touchy....

神経質だなぁ…

Growing weaker by the moment... must get my strength back...

刻々と弱っていく…力を取り戻さなければ…

Queen: Earthworm Jim, you have until sunset to bring me your suit, or I will destroy this pitiful TOWN!

アースワームジム、日没までにスーツを持って来なければ、この哀れな町を破壊する！

Thank you, and have a nice day, this message will repeat.

ありがとう、そしてごきげんよう。もう一度繰り返します。

Jim: Destroys? Only one chance, we must go to the secret headquarters and consult my super advanced Wormputer!Grrk!

破壊する？一度だけチャンスがある、秘密基地へ戻って超高度なミミズコンピューターに相談するんだ！ぐえ！

Luckily I have a secret entrance, hidden in this restroom stall!

幸いなことに、このトイレの個室に隠された入口があるんだ！

Peter: Uh Jim? I think it's this stall...

あ、ジム、こっちの個室だと思うんだけど…

Jim:Ew...

おえ…

Narration: The super advanced Wormputer, miracle of modern technology, does it's usual brilliant job.

現代のテクノロジーの奇跡、超高度なミミズコンピューターがいつものように素晴らしい仕事をこなします。

Jim: WHAT DO YOU MEAN INVALID PARAMETERS?!

9000 gigs of RAM and it cant answer a simple question!

無効なパラメーターってどういう意味だ？！

9000ギガのメインメモリを搭載してもこんな簡単な質問に答えられないのか！

Dang.

Peter: Why don't we just look and see what kind of battery is in there? Then we can get a new one.

中にどんな電池が入っているか、一緒に見てみようよ。そうすれば新しいものが手に入れられるよ。

Jim: GOOD THINKING LITTLE BUDDY!

良い考えだ坊や！

Dang.

Have a look!

見てくれ！

Peter: Gods...

神の…

Jim: What does it say on the battery?

バッテリーには何て書いてあるんだ？

[kprciffdw]

Ratchet and Kim Possible Chronicles: The Solanian Revolution-Finale

They arrived at the Planet Koros. As soon as they landed, they spotted the Biobliterator. Kim: "Look! There it is!" Ratchet: "Yeah, that's it, alright." Ron: "So…how are we going to bring down that evil machine?" Ratchet: "Good question, Ron. None of my weapons would even put a dent in that thing." Clank: "Hm…perhaps a much larger form of weaponry will get the job done." Ron: "And where are we going to find that?"

Clank looked around for a bit, he then spotted a massive Ion Cannon. Clank: "How about that?"

Ratchet, Kim and Ron looked over and spotted that cannon as well. Kim: "Uh…that'll do." Clank: "If you could get me inside the command center, I can override the targeting system and take control of that Ion Cannon." Kim: "Sounds like a plan." Ratchet: "Come on, let's hurry before that Biobliterator leaves for Veldin."

The entire group rushed off. They scurried through the entire area as fast as they could, fighting through one robot hoard after another. There was no doubt that the area was heavily guarded. The fight was intense, they knew that their enemies were really going all out, but so were they. There were always new surprises around every corner, they couldn't let their guard down, even for a second. They kept going until they were able to reach the massive cannon. There, Clank gained access to the cannon's controls. Directly next to him was a screen displaying Nefarious' transmission. Dr. Nefarious: "Agent Clank?"

Clank aimed for the Biobliterator. Dr. Nefarious: "What's going on here? What are you doing?" Ron: "Go for it, Clank!" Clank: "After all those Holo-films, there is one thing you should know by now: do not mess with Agent Clank."

And with that, Clank shot at the Biobliterator and blew it up completely. Nefarious shouted out in anger. Ron: "Alright, Clank!" Kim: "Way to go!" Ratchet: "That's the way to do it!" Clank: "Incoming call from the Phoenix."

Displayed on the monitor was Sasha. Sasha: "Nice shooting, Clank. There's no telling how many people you just saved." Kim: "All in a day's work." Sasha: "But it's still not over." Ron: "Aw, man! We're still not done yet?" Kim: "Of course, just when you think it's this easy, a much harder challenge comes around." Ron: "That entire run through was easy!?" Kim: "Obviously not, but blowing up the Biobliterator was." Ron: "Oh! Right, yeah, that was the easy part." Sasha: "Al just finished decoding the data disk. Nefarious secretly constructed a second Biobliterator, a new model that's even more dangerous than the one you just destroyed."

Just then, the Kimmunicator went off. Kim pulled it out. Wade: "I'm afraid it gets even worse. After finding out about that Biobliterator, I was able to locate it and scan its power. From what I was able to find, it's very powerful, those devices that I built will have very little immunity to that massive machine." Ratchet: "Where is it, Wade?" Sasha: "Nefarious has a master control center on Planet Mylon. Wade was able to confirm it being there, guarded by an entire robot army." Kim: "And here I thought the stakes were raised to the max on this planet." Wade: "I have also confirmed that Nefarious is also there from the tracking device you guys had placed on him." Ratchet: "Then we had better get moving." Sasha: "Be careful, guys. This time, they know you're coming." Kim: "Doesn't matter; we're so ready for them."

They left the cannon and rushed back towards the ship as fast as they could then left for Mylon.

They arrived at the Planet Mylon. They landed and got out of the ship then looked out at the entire facility. Ratchet: "This is it, guy; the final confrontation. Are you ready?" Kim: "Oh, I know I am." Ron: "So am I." Clank: "Yes, let us put a stop to this once and for all." Ratchet: "OK, then, let's go."

They ran out towards the facility as fast as they could. Along the way, they ran into lots of robotic Tyhrranoids. They were indeed a lot tougher than their organic former and then some. A few times, they needed to use Wade's newly modified Holo-Tyhrranoid to get through.

It was a tough fight through and through which indeed lasted throughout the entire area, perhaps their toughest fight yet, which is to be expected. This time, they really needed to work together. It was truly a matter of deciding the fate of the Solona Galaxy and there really was no room for errors.

They were eventually able to reach Nefarious and the Biobliterator, but he warped out before they even had the chance to react. Ratchet: "(grunt) Dang it! We're too late!"

The Biobliterator flew off. Dr. Nefarious: "(laugh) Dah! Lawrence! Get this thing off of me!" Kim: "We have to go after him."

Just then, one of the drop ships arrived and opened up. Sasha transmitted to them. Kim: "Sasha!" Sasha: "Get in!"

The group ran into the drop ship, it flew off. It took them to a far off small group of islands. As they were arriving, the drop ship opened up. They spotted the Biobliterator below them. Al: "There it is! Nefarious already initiated the launch sequence. If that thing gets into space, Veldin won't stand a chance!" Ratchet: "That's not gonna happen!" Kim: "Not if we have anything to say about this!" Ron: "So…are we going to land or do we have to…"

Kim grabbed Ron by his shirt collar and jumped out of the drop ship along with Ratchet. They were free-falling all the way down, with Ron screaming all the way.

They managed to descend to where they stood before Nefarious. He took notice of them immediately. Dr. Nefarious: "What!? You guys again!?" Kim: "It's over, Nefarious, we're putting an end to your evil plans right here, right now!" Ratchet: "That's right!" Dr. Nefarious: "(growl) You miserable brats! You will pay for your insolence!"

Just then, Ratchet pulled out his wrench and tossed it at Nefarious, he dodged it and it struck a control console, destroying it. Ratchet: "Sorry, Nefarious, your flight's been canceled."

Nefarious screamed in anger and was shocked again by the shock emitter. He reached out from behind him, grabbed it and with great force, was able to remove it then tossed it at the group. They were able to dodge, except for Ron. It almost hit him but Rufus was able to catch it. Rufus: "Ta-da!" Kim: "That's fine. We don't need that thing anymore, anyway. We're bringing you down right here." Ratchet: "Although Wade did enjoy hearing you scream and gripe every single time the shock emitter went off."

Nefarious tried to call for Lawrence again but all he got was a voicemail. So he proceeded to fight the entire group himself. The fight was short and seemed a bit too easy. After the brief fight, Nefarious fell to his knees. Dr. Nefarious: "I am defeated! I have no choice but to throw myself of your mercy." Kim: "Wow, that was easy." Ratchet: "Huh, who knew? I mean, uh, that's right, Nefarious! Your reign of terror is finally…"

But then, Nefarious lifted himself off the ground and flew away. Dr. Nefarious: "Suckers!"

The group was caught off guard. Ratchet growled in anger. Kim: "Figures. It's hardly ever this easy."

Ron ran after Nefarious. Ron: "Get back here, Nefarious!" Rufus: "Nefarious!" Kim: "Ron!"

Kim ran off, Ratchet followed. Ratchet: "Save me some of the action, Ron!"

They chased Nefarious out into a massive field. They fought several more robots as they continued their fight against Nefarious. The mad robot shot out a devastating laser at them several times during the fight. They soon ran over a massive bridge towards another island as they continued to chase him down. They fought more robots as they ran across. Soon enough, the Galactic Rangers arrived to help out with the fight. The group seemed very pleased to see them, but they knew they had to keep going.

They were eventually able to catch up with Nefarious. He brought forth one devastating assault after another. He was seriously not going easy on him, but the group also put forth a really tough fight. Within a good amount of time, they were able to bring him down.

After being brought down by the group, he called for Lawrence again, who came this time. He ordered Lawrence to "begin the transformation" and with one click of a remote, the Biobliterator transformed into a massive mecha. The group stood by, surprised as this was occurring. Nefarious and Lawrence warped into the mech and began shooting at the group. Just then, Qwark came flying in on his shuttle, much to everyone's surprise. Kim: "Qwark?" Ron: "I don't believe it! Qwark actually came!" Ratchet: "We're not going to be able to defeat that thing on the ground. It's time to take to the skies." Kim: "You go ahead, Ron and I will handle the rest of these robots from here." Ron: "We are?" Ratchet: "OK. Kim? Be careful." Kim: "You, too, Ratchet. Return to us safely." Ratchet: "I will."

He got into a craft and took to the skies. 

He and Qwark worked together to take down the mech. It was indeed a very tough battle and the mech was very, very durable. It took them a while of shooting at the mech, but they were able to bring it down. Nefarious, grief-ridden from being defeated, had Lawrence warp him out before the Biobliterator exploded.

After the fight, Ratchet returned to the ground and reunited with Kim and Ron. They celebrated their victory together. Qwark watched them from above and then flew off. They looked up at Qwark and watched as he was flying away. Ron: "I can't believe Qwark came out of hiding and helped us to beat that thing." Kim: "I know. That's…very shocking." Ratchet: "Thanks, Qwark. You did more than I expected you to."

Later on, Ratchet, Clank and all of their friends attended a star-studded premiere of the latest Secret Agent Clank film. Kim and Ron, however, sat out of it because they refused to see another holo-film until Ratchet is to be placed on a better role. Instead, they sat together someplace nearby. Ron: "This has been some adventure, hasn't it, KP?" Kim: "I'll say it has. We get to go back into space, visit another galaxy, meet all kinds of strange, new aliens and most of all, see Ratchet again." Ron: "Yeah…so…KP…about you and Ratchet. I was wondering something." Kim: "What? What about me and Ratchet?" Ron: "Do you still…you know…like him?" Kim: "Of course I like him. He's a great guy. He's fearless, quick on his feet, an excellent pilot, a really good mechanic and a really great fighter. I've never met anyone like him before. He's…all around amazing." Ron: "Yes, all of that is true, but do you still…really like him, like as in really, really like him?" Kim: "Ron, what are you getting at? I don't know why…wait a minute, are you asking me if…I'm still in love with him? Like seriously? Ron, I already told you, we talked about this. We decided to not have a serious relationship with each other." Ron: "But why not? The both of you had a good thing going on. Why the sudden change? It is because you think it's wrong to be dating a space alien or someone who's a completely different species from you? Is that it?"

Kim sat by and hesitated for a bit, she then turned her head away and looked down. Kim: "It's just…it just…seems strange for me to be going out with someone who isn't a human being. Yes, I like him and we care about each other a lot but…I just don't want to be seen as a weirdo for dating a space alien." Ron: "So what? Why should you even care about people that see you as a weirdo for that? They don't know you and Ratchet for who you guys really are. You still have feelings for him! I know that! You can still be with him regardless of what either of you are. Don't let anyone stand in the way of that!"

Kim looked back at him for a few moments, then looked away again. Kim: "I…I'm just not sure…I can…besides…he…he's probably let go of his feelings for me…so…I should move on…"

Ron looked at her, sad.

Later afterwards, Ratchet and Clank had dinner with Kim, Ron, Wade and the Possibles in the ISSF to celebrate the victory against Dr. Nefarious. They ate, chatted, laughed and had an over all good time. The twins and Wade spent more time observing Clank. He seemed much less uncomfortable with them as he began to enjoy being with them. They were able to stop observing him as some amazing, alien robot that had intrigued them so much and start seeing him as a friend. Ratchet spent some time chatting with Kim and her parents for a good bit of time. They were then planning to return to Earth. Ratchet and Clank said their goodbyes before leaving to go back to the Phoenix. From the starship, Ratchet watched as the ISSF left the galaxy and returned to Earth. He had a huge smile on his face as he continued looking out the window. Ratchet: "See you again…Kimberly."

                                                   The End