#also fyi her name is definitely still on that memorial just in case you want to be as stressed about it as I am

[midnight-els]

For All Mankind | 4x07 "Crossing the Line"

"Former director of NASA, Margo Madison, has returned to the United States, nearly a decade after defecting to the Soviet Union."

[filmmies-writing]

Past, Present & Future

pairing : ex!avengers reader x Zemo

word count : 1.3k

warning : mention of death

summary : you used to visit Zemo at the prison after the event of civil war but then he cut you off because he started to have feelings for you. Now that Bucky’s going to break him out, he needs your help babysitting this bad guy.

a/n : hello guyssssss <3 It's been quite a while since I posted my debut one shot. I really do appreciate every like, reblog and comment from my previous work (for anyone who hasn't checked it out yet, here you go!)THANK YOU🥺 At first I was thinking of making a short fanfiction, 3 parts was the first thought that came to my mind but I really enjoy writing this so maybe it’ll be more than 3 parts I suppose. You can also leave your ideas for the next part in the comment or what you think of this chapter, I’d really love to read them :) And fyi, your likes, reblogs and comments are what keep me going so pls 🥺🥺😂😂 Sorry if there’s any mistakes, English is not my first language. Also I’ll pin my masterlist on this blog as soon as I finish making it :))))) 

|

“And I found love where it wasn't supposed to be

Right in front of me

Talk some sense to me” 

(I Found - Amber Run)                                     

“Do you still visit him?” Bucky asked through the phone, his voice steady and calm, like he already made a decision in his mind.

“After I’d blipped back I might have been there once or twice, but the last time was last year I guess” you said and you shrugged your shoulders as you walked around your apartment trying to find a chocolate you just bought but forgot where you put it at.

Yes, you’ve visited this criminal several times and some of your teammates know it. After you were informed about why he started all of his demeanors, about his motivation, as a person who doesn’t have any family left and witnessed everything that happened at the battle of Sokovia with your own eyes, you strongly have sympathy for him. 

You see him as a man who let his emotions and anger take over his intelligent-self and just tried to do what he thought was right, what he thought it’ll make him feel better after he achieved it. And now that he succeeded his plan, deep down he still feels pretty empty. You can tell just  from looking at him in the eyes, even there’s a thick glass between. And you bet he had taken some steps back to see his work and spent some time with himself, thinking. And you know he could see it too. Nothing changed, his family is still gone. Only thing new to him is that he now has to spend years after years rotting in German prison, which allows him to have more time to think about his family and his past actions. He was about to go insane.

But thank god you went to visit him.

You started to visit him for the very first time after six months of the airport battle. Bringing him some books considering how boring he would feel behind bars. But you were quite confused when you saw that his cell is more superior than the others. Even though it may seem dark and lifeless like the other cells, his cell is a lot bigger compared to others. He also has privileges to read all the up-to-date newspapers and books given from the guards that he seems to  be paying extra for.

In the beginning, it was him who always started a conversation by questioning you. According to his genius mind’s calculation, he never expected any Avengers to visit him and especially to be this nice to him after what he had done, what he had caused. And clearly he was wrong, so he needed to know why you’re doing all of this since he thought he can never be wrong. Maybe you want to take revenge at him? Or could it be that you’re just really nice? 

“Why being so nice to me?” he asked directly, wanting to see your reaction to his action.

“I just feel bad for what happened to you” you didn’t lie but kept looking down to the ground to avoid his gaze on you. You’ve heard about his reputation, how good he is at manipulating and you didn’t want to be his another victim.

It took only a few more times of visiting him for you to realize that you unexpectedly bonded with your friends’ greatest enemy and surprisingly enjoy spending your time with him, he would always tell you stories from his many journeys, but still not the private ones. He never wanted to share any of his family’s memories with anyone and he intended to keep it that way.

After getting to know him a lot more than you should, you soon realized that he’s a Baron after all, a royalty, which answered your curiosity perfectly about why he can still access so many privileges even behind the bars. 

In return, you shared with him how you feel to be an Avengers, pressures and expectations you had received during that time. A hard decision you made that still haunts you in your sleep every night. 

You two sometimes share your opinion on books you bring to him. You went back to the prison countless times with a handful of snacks, sweets and books. That’s why he thinks you’re too nice, too good for him. 

Although he’s in prison, he still manages to spoil you with many presents that have been sent to your door time after time on  special days such as your birthday and Christmas. 

For Helmut, at first, these acts were only to return your kindness. At least that’s what he convinced himself since he doesn’t want to admit that he started to have feelings for you. He keeps telling himself he’ll never love again, but you make it hard for him.

And for you, no one has ever cared about you as much as he did. But still, you persuaded yourself he’s just a friend, a good friend. 

But when it came to the point that Zemo cannot lie to himself anymore, he decided to face the truth and deal with it in a very definitive way. He cut you off. Completely.

He added your name to the list of people he prohibited to visit him. You were heartbroken when you first found out but maybe it’s for the best that things didn’t go any further than this, you cajoled yourself. In the first few months, it was hard for you not to think of him, but now that it has been almost a year, you’re finally doing fine.

To clarify his action, his mind keeps telling him that after what he had done to you, he doesn’t deserve you. You deserve to be happy, to live your life with someone that’s not stuck in a prison like him. Someone as good as you. Not a state-criminal like him. Another reason for him would be because he doesn’t want anyone to replace his wife. Even after so many years she has passed away, she still holds a very special place in his heart and he would never want any memories with someone else to replace those precious memories he has left of her.

“And do you think it’s gonna be fine if he’s out of the prison?” Your eyes automatically blinked, starting to feel terrified by what Bucky just asked you.

“I... I... I don’t know, I can’t reassure you anything, I mean I believe that he’ll be useful to your case but he can be very manipulative so you must be careful when he’s out” You said what you could think of at that moment. You can never think straight when it comes to the Baron.

Bucky replied with silence for a moment but not too long until he continued the conversation and said “Wanna do your old friends a favor?” 

You know he wants you with them in case things go wrong with Zemo since you seem to be the one who knows him best compared to them. Also in Bucky and Sam’s aspect, your fighting and investigating skills would be really helpful to the team. And who knows what the new cap is about? So it’s clearly better to have you included in this little team.

“Sure..” To be honest, you’re quite afraid to face the Baron again but you can never say no to your friends and plus you want to do something in return for them since they always taking a good care of you, they’re like older brothers to you and you couldn’t let they go out there on their own knowing that you can help them.

“See you at the prison tomorrow then, I believe you know your way there already” Bucky replied before hanging up.

This is going to be a hell of a journey!

[write-orflight]

Songs to Play While Hunting a Killer: Chapter 2

*Gif not mine*

Prev -> Next

Pairings: HotchxReader, Enemies to lovers

Rating: M

Words: 1.8K I know :(

Warnings: None right now, eventually will be smut

Request: OPEN/CLOSED

Summary: Y/N is a Bounty Hunter who always runs. Aaron is the Agent that stays behind, it was no mystery why they didn’t get along. When the two are called to revisit an old case together it’s no wonder old feelings revisit too.

A.N: I know this chapter is short which is why I’ll be updating this again Thursday. It just felt like a good stopping point.

  Chapter 2: Hold the Line by Toto 

You and Hotch drove in silence again, Toto now playing softly in the stereo as you made your way to George Foyet’s. Your left leg propped up so your left arm could rest on it, your fingers drummed lightly on the steering wheel while you drove. You didn’t notice but Aaron was watching you. God, he hated how you were always like this, carefree and blatant disregard for the order of things. It reminded him of when he first saw you. 

Hotch watched the woman sat a ways in front of him, leg propped up and sunglasses on in class. She was obviously hungover and not paying attention, taking the time to balance a pencil on her nose. Hotch rolled his eyes as he saw you check your pager and phone, he couldn’t stand people who joined the academy only to not pay attention to lessons.

“Can anyone tell you the difference between a trigger and a stressor?” the instructor called out looking to the class. He levels his gaze on you on your pager. “Ms. L/N? Since you want to check your phone, perhaps you want to call your dad and ask him for the answer?” He laughs, snottily. 

Hotch watches you peel your sunglasses down to look at him. “Not necessary.” You turn to look at your peers. “A trigger is something that makes one think directly to abuse/trauma, they often lead to flashbacks or intrusive memories. While a stressor is an event or situation that creates a sense of threat or stress and causes someone to lash out or change behavior and sometimes even have a psychotic break.” You say with a bored expression. “Would you like an example of a stressor?” 

“Oh, do you have one?” The instructor asks. 

“Yea. An impending divorce is actually a great example of a stressor.” You say looking him in the eye. The instructor looks a bit shaken. “You’re wearing the same suit from yesterday but it’s pressed, which tells me you spent an unexpected night in a hotel and whenever your wife is mad at you, you take it out on your female students. Especially when she pages you during a lesson which is why you took your anger out on me, a woman checking her pager. I do suggest calling her back though, before she actually is an ex wife.” with that you pushed your sunglasses back up, returning to your pager to your pocket. 

That was the moment Hotch decided he didn’t like you very much. You were smart and skilled, sure, but you were also arrogant to a fault. 

Your phone ringing took Hotch out of the memory. He watched you pull it out of your jacket pocket, smiling at the name before answering. 

“Hey, Seanie.” You croon into the phone. “Yea, I was in Mass last week. Now I’m back, your brother asked me to work a case with him.” Aaron instantly sits up at the mention of his brother. “Yea, I know I said I was going to visit after my bounty, work never sleeps you know that.” You’re smiling at the phone for a second, listening to Sean talk. “Well I can make my way up to New York once we’re finished here if you’re buying drinks.” Hotch watches laugh again. “Alright talk later, kisses.” You say hanging up. You loved when you got the chance to talk to Sean, of the two he was definitely the more fun Hotchner. You looked over to see Aaron leveling you with a stern look. 

“What?” You say. 

“Are you going to be able to focus on this case?” He says. 

“Relax Hottie. I only answered the call because we hardly get to talk. I work too much.” You shrug. 

“And what exactly is your relationship with my brother?” Aaron asked, a little too sternly but he knew your reputation.  

“Your tone suggests you already have an idea of what our relationship is.” You roll your eyes. 

Aaron brings a hand up to his forehead. “Please tell me you’re not fucking my brother, Y/N.” 

You look at Aaron incredulously. “Jesus christ, no. Why would you say that?”

“I know how you were in academy--” 

“You mean when I was in my 20s? Some of us were actually having fun. Not everyone was trying to salvage an already failing relationship with an engagement ring!” You say, you knew it was a low blow but Aaron was basically trying to call you a whore. “And FYI, No, I’m not sleeping with your brother, and even if I was, it'd be none of your business since we’re both consenting adults. But no, He and Katie, the girl he’s been dating for the better part of a year now are just really good friends of mine. And you’d know all this if you ever called.”  You angrily threw the car in park. “We’re here.” You say, instantly jumping out the car, leaving Hotch behind. 

--------------------------------------------  

After leaving Foyet’s (Who thankfully provided you with his other known addresses and aliases) you and Hotch headed back to the FBI Boston office with the rest of the team working on the bare bones profile Hotch already made. There were still a couple things that gave you disconnect. Like why the 911 call was only made for one victim, and the change of M.O when the victims were young women. You didn’t say anything about your thoughts, you always were a speak when you can prove it kind of girl. You ignored Hotch the rest of the day after his comments in the car. You knew you and Hotch weren’t cut from the same cloth but at least you respected him. It was clear he did not do the same for you. 

After working for a while, Hotch sends you and the rest of the team back to the hotel. You sat in your bed still working before you realized Hotch would probably still be up too. You put on your slippers before walking the short hallway to his room. You knocked twice before Aaron answered the door. If there’s one thing you missed about academy days it was the way Aaron looked in regular clothes, not the Armani suits. You looked at the way his broad chest fit tightly against the white t-shirt he was wearing. He was still pretty fit, you focused a bit too long on his biceps before you noticed the eyebrow raised at you expectedly. 

“I was working on the case, figured you’d still be up doing the same.” You say, holding the file in your hand up. “Two heads might be better than one.” 

Aaron thinks for a moment, before sighing and moving aside to let you in the room. As much as he didn’t like you he couldn’t argue with your logic. 

The two of you look over the cases silently before Hotch speaks up. “What do you think?” He asks. 

“The change of M.O has been bothering me.” You say. 

“Change?” 

“Yea, he usually stabs female victims multiple times. But this one he shot in the head once, just like the males.” 

“Could’ve been a time thing.” Hotch says. “He was impersonating a cop, can’t do that for very long.” 

“Or… It’s an age thing.” You say. “All the girls he stabbed were young. I think he’s a Hebephile.” 

Hotch nods. “That’s…. actually a good observation.” 

You roll your eyes. “Thanks, I’m full of them.” 

Hotch opens his mouth to say something but the phone rings. You both look at each other in confusion. Who could be calling this late? He gets up to answer it. 

“Hotchner.” You watched Hotch's demeanor completely change. “Who is this?” You sit up at that, watching Hotch have a very angry and incredibly vague conversation. Not before long, Hotch is hanging up angrily. 

“What’s up?” You ask. 

“The Reaper just offered me the same deal as Shaunessy.” 

“And you didn’t take it?” 

“Of course not.” He scoffs. 

“So what does this mean?” You say, looking him in the eye. He looks back at you, solemnly. 

“I don’t know.” 

——————————————————

Later that night when you’re finally back sleeping in your hotel bed, you hear a loud rapping at your door. You answer it sleepily to see David Rossi standing at the other side. 

“What’s wrong?”

“There’s been another killing. Get dressed.” He says, turning to leave your doorway. You yell down the hallway at him. 

“Why are you getting me and not any of your actual team?” 

“Hotch told me to specifically get you.” He shrugs. 

Hotch asked for you? 

Weird. 

The scene is gruesome. You’re used to seeing dead bodies in crime scene photos because of Academy but never in person and certainly not this many people. 

The Reaper had killed a bus full of people. 6 people plus the driver made 7. 

To make matters worse, he scrawled a sequence of numbers on the windows in the blood of the victims and you still couldn’t figure out what they meant. You and Rossi were discussing theories when you saw Aaron turn angrily down an alley. You and Rossi watch him go for a second before you signal with your hand you’re going after him. Rossi nods, opting to talk to the lead detective. 

You jog down the alley to see Hotch, running a hand through his hair frustratedly. 

“Hottie, what’s wrong?” 

“This is my fault. I hung up on him and then he turns around and does this. It’s my fault—“ 

He has tears in his eyes. You haven’t seen Hotch cry since that night-

Don’t even start to think about that, Y/N. You think to yourself. 

“Hottie...” You say, he’s still looking down. “Aaron, look at me.” He looks up at that. That’s not surprising. You never call him Aaron, at least not since academy. It was always Hottie or Hotchner. “This isn’t you, okay? You didn’t decide to kill these people. A serial killer did. Because that’s what they fucking do! They keep killing people and that’s why there’s people like you to catch them.” Hotch is looking you so intensely in the eye that you can’t help the flutter you get in your stomach. You guys need to solve this case fast, before these old feelings try to come up from the woodwork.

“So do you want to catch a killer or not?” You ask, Hotch nods. You punch him lightly in the shoulder. 

“Thanks, Y/N.” He says, sincerely. 

You shrug. “I’m charging you for the next one. Only the first pep talk is free.” You smile. 

You can’t help the swoon of your heart at the small smirk Aaron gives you.

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[hiirolangley]

Okay, we’re discussing Maruma ships now so here are some not on the main list yet! + my rambling and disjointed thoughts as they occurred to me. 

So there was the brief Flynn x Yuuri mutual crush thing that happened in Shimaron.  The almost-touch in Big Shimaron when Flynn reaches out to him springs to mind as well as the 'kiss' to knock Yuuri out and their dance at the ball where they just end up holding each other.  Although Yuuri very clearly decides in his brain not to like her in the end and Flynn is like, I'm married to Caloria, there was still a little something there (and it probably partially contributed to how much Wolf hates her XD).  Throwing in my thoughts about this one here... it's kinda ehhhhhhhhhhhhh.....  I mean, Wolfram is one thing because the whole mazoku aging thing, but Flynn is a human in her twenties and Yuuri is sixteen.  It's definitely ehhhhhh..........  I’m not calling the police or anything especially since nothing happened, just giving it a major side-eye.  In any case, this crush is significant because once Yuuri decides in words in his head not to fall in love with her, he stops looking at women altogether.  Name another woman from that point on that he fanboys over like he did all the time prior to meeting Flynn.

Sticking to Flynn, Flynn x Norman were a married couple and they did truly seem to be in love.  Just by how much she fights for her late husband's land and people and talks about how she regrets never having the chance to have his children and how she completely betrayed her family's expectations to infiltrate Norman's family for political fuckery, I think it's pretty obvious.

Also Conrad x Maidmer Princess!!!  How could you forget the most iconic pairing of the entire series!!  XDDD She's the one and only woman Conrad out loud admits to being in love with (although honestly not sure how that worked because they couldn't even have a conversation, but oh well).  The story this came from also gave us many fun moments ranging from Josak trying to set extremely obviously straight Conrad up with a group of crossdressers, Gwendal's mind getting blown like 10x in a row thinking that extremely obviously straight Conrad was sleeping with men (including Josak) but then trying to assure Conrad through his shock that he’ll be okay with it while Conrad freaks out, Gwendal wholeheartedly ready to accept a fish lady as his sister in law, Yuuri accidentally insulting the fuck out of Conrad's room, Conrad being worried that Yuuri was calling him boring for a minute before getting mentally smacked in the face by Yuuri complaining about being rated 88% unfuckable (and Conrad thinking to himself, well yeah of course), and just Conrad's POV in general which is always fun because he is a little shit XDDD  Also I love when he was thinking to himself, I spent the war sleeping with all sorts of women, some of whom were married, and when the war was over people called me a Whore Prince... and then the first complaint he makes about that is along the lines of I’m not a prince, dumbasses.  What a fucking gift to humanity that story was.

Getting off my Crack!otp, there’s Cherie's 3 husbands!  I think volume 5's prologue sums that up best so I’ll just direct people there.

And then, Yuuri’s parents!  Shouma x Miko.  The couple that should not have lasted because they literally went on like 5 dates before Shouma confessed to being a mazoku and Miko was like OMG MARRY ME NOW SO I CAN HAVE MAZOKU BABIES despite thinking he was lame af beforehand... and then they got married XDD  I feel like every time they appear on page together they get into an argument or misunderstanding, but they’re still together so /shrug

That’s all I can think of right now~  

Moving on...

My otp for this series is the royal couple.  How often is my otp the official endgame couple!?  NEVER!  Lord knows I get Second Lead Syndrome on every damn story I read/watch, but for this series I’m not rooting for Conrad.  Way back in my early maruma fangirling days, I liked Yuuram and Conyuu equally because who doesn’t love anyone Morikawa Toshiyuki voices?  I know that could be hard to believe I liked opposing ships the same amount, but that’s an actual thing that happened.  Once I grew up, the Conyuu went away.  That kinda sounds insulting to Conyuu shippers, but it’s not.  Let me explain~  Psychoanalyzing myself, me liking Conyuu was more me being like, Conrad would be the perfect boyfriend! instead of Conrad and Yuuri are great together!, but when I got older I was like, holy hell he would actually be the worst boyfriend after a while no thanks??? XDDDDD  That’s a whoooole other post I probably won’t make~  Anyway, we all have embarrassing college-aged memories whether you attended or not so let’s move on.

Anyway, I know Conyuu is baited all the time and rereading the Maidmer Princess story reminded me that Conrad says looking at Yuuri’s sleeping face gave him the same feeling as looking at the maidmer he fell in love with, but there’s no way that relationship’s gonna pan out canonically.  I feel like I’m playing with fire saying that though o.o

Moving on again, ships I fully support would be:

Yuuri x Wolf

Gwendal x Anissina

Adalbert x Julia (you know, in a posthumous way)

And you know what???  Josak x Murata.  The chaos.  The pure Bisexual Chaos™.  I’m here for that.

Also on the topic of couples!  Let’s talk about Nicola and Hube.  I have feelings here.  Say what you want about Wolfram, at least he’s mentally on the same page as Yuuri.  Gegenhuber is a whole ass man who knocked up a 15/16 year old.  I know they made her older in the anime, but don’t believe those lies!  Do I need to elaborate how he’s gross?  I don’t think so.  BUT, I do like how sensei filtered it through Yuuri’s POV.  (Fyi, I realize the following is partially headcanon) As an also 16yo, this grossness does not cross Yuuri’s mind at all.  In fact, the only thing he remarks on is that he can’t believe she was pregnant and getting married to another man ... but it crosses Gwendal’s.  Adult Gwendal is FURIOUS when he finds out Nicola is pregnant.  He was already mad because he hates Gegenhuber and was getting irritated that he and Nicola were in love/told her he’d use the mateki to help humans, but when he finds out she’s preggers and they totally had sex he loses his shit.  I dunno, it’s like sensei properly communicated that a teenager wouldn’t necessarily recognize the fucked-up nature of a man in his twenties (or the mazoku version of that) starting a relationship with a 15yo and that they also might misinterpret the anger of the older people who do know better.  

And like a cherry on top, Gwen’s anger is solely directed at Gegenhuber, not Nicola.  After this adventure, Gwendal personally takes super good care of Nicola and makes sure she’s set up nicely with the Grisela family and even visits her regularly... and then when Gegenhuber wakes up, Gwendal almost kicks him to death.  Seriously, he literally kicked him so much Anissina had to heal him so he wouldn’t die (and while she was healing him she was like, you’re fucking gross and I wouldn’t care if you dropped dead here, but I kinda have to do this.)  I dunno, I feel like there are so many reasons for people to hate Gegenhuber, I can’t make the claim that this is 100% significantly adding to the hatred.  Would you notice another drop in a bucket?  But this is my opinion on the matter~  Anyway, it’s 1:30am and I need to stop typing!

[mimir-anoshe]

💧&🔥

Just a bit of Cursed/Nimulot analysis… Cause I’m bored. And I might have found some interesting parallels/imagery watching it through for the 7 billionth time that I would love to share. If anyone enjoys writing meta… Which I mean I know some of y’all need your fix… Feel free to use anything/expand upon it. I would, but I’m a new fur-mumma and she’s taking up all my waking hours, so this little shit-post about this new hell hole of a ship I’ve dove headfirst into will have to do. The images are from a video and show produced by Netflix, I own nothing, so pls don’t be a bitch about it Tumblr.

***SPOILERS FOR THE SHOW!!! WATCH IT AND COME BACK!! OR DON’T? ANYHOO YOU’VE BEEN WARNED!!*** ⚠️  

- beware Tumblr app users, it may be your doom -

Where to begin, with the teaser? Or with…

THE SHOW! Here be just a wee few times the writers/director(s) through the writing/cinematography have mirrored these two ‘protect the kid - warriors till the end’ idiots. I’m sure others have picked up on them… Not in any particular order, here ya go anyway.

1x02 - 1x10

*Insert spiderman pointing at spiderman meme*

One scar made by an actual dark god tricking her when she was a child, the others by a very human evil tricking him when he was a child and the consequences for both lasting into adulthood.

1x02 - 1x10

Look at the years of trauma Anakin, look at it! They even use the same damn word! The phonetic tones of disgust! The outcast syndrome! Oof. (And it’s not like Nimue being called demon has to do with a general racial-slur from a human, that is a fey calling her that from her own village!) They both grew up viewing themselves as “demons”, the “abominations”. Even their expressions are the same, fear and sorrow and self-hatred. All they both want is to be accepted! (By their fathers especially). To be loved.

The two who are “cursed.”

1x02 - 1x01

*says nothing*

1x04 - 1x01

“Where to begin? With water or with fire?”

Where to begin? WHERE TO BEGIN??? *dies*

Water ☯ Fire

Sword up ��☯ Sword down

Light/Day  ☯  Dark/Shadow

Life & Death (Life around her, death in the water) ☯ Death & Life (forest fires make way for new growth)

Long bit: Both characters are associated to the elements of water and fire individually through the environment/cinematography/colour pallet/colour symbolism, and then water and fire is mirrored between them. She is overall water, he is overall fire; but they also have a bit of the other in each other.

For Nimue this symbolism is often done through her environment, showing her connection to nature as the fey queen and that she does not hide who she is if she can help it. She does not hide externally, so her elemental symbolism becomes EXTERNAL.

Whilst for Lancelot though he is often surrounded by fire, the idea of water/tears is either symbolised through the fairy tale style of the artwork or referenced for him through his name as “the weeping monk.” Hinted at in his characterisation of guilt and self-loathing, the way other characters respond to him (”the one who cries”/”you see it all through those weeping eyes”). His main conflict is an Internal fight between who he is and who he needs to become, so a lot of his main symbolism surrounding water (and even fire as pertaining to magic - ashfolk - and not killing fey) is INTERNALISED, hidden, cut off from the Hidden themselves. Symbolic of him hiding his connection to the fey and that other side of himself, the “human” (morally speaking) side, and therefore hiding who he truly is… Lancelot.

For Nimue, fire means life. Being chosen and her magic saving people. For Lancelot fire means Death, his deeds, “the fires of hell” and the destruction of the “ash” folk and his heritage. He believes hell fire is his fate, going by the “even if I am damned.”

For Nimue, water means death. In the water she takes revenge, where that Paladin almost drowned her. Into the water she falls, where they think her shot dead by arrows. The water is her fate as the Lady of the Lake. For Lancelot, water means life. Tears, emotions, taking responsibility, feeling the weight of his guilt and mourning for the things he has done/lost. For him, water - not ash -means a second chance to be better. To put out the fires and heal.

Though in the end, for both of them, water & fire most of all represent death and rebirth.

1x03

^If you don’t understand I can’t help you. ☯

1x01 - 1x07

Now this one I found quite interesting. Remember that even if Nimue directed the second one, it is still the Power/will of the Hidden at play. (Or should I say the will of the Writers/director) Chosen? Mirrors? Night and Day? Fire… Embers to Ashes? We shall see, but I think it was definitely on purpose.

^I’ll just leave that here, the fuckers kept missing each other for an entire season (WHICH WAS ON PURPOSE THE WRITERS DID THAT ON PURPOSE just as an fyi). The fact that there is this much sexual tension, anticipation, mirroring, fate, destiny and chemistry between two characters who have never even mET should be ILLEGAL! They affect each other immeasurably without ever even meeting, so imagine what will happen when they do...? *pterodactyl screech*

Whelp there ye go. Under the next gif I also did a bit on the Teaser trailer, as that just fucked me up a bit I have to tell you! Up to you whether you want to continue digesting my mad ramblings or not. *Shrug* Thanks for coming to my TED talk guys– 😂 Somebody fucking smite me down like the eldritch horror of writing I am dear god think of the children…

THE OFFICIAL TEASER TRAILER:

Arthur running for the Sword of Power, because you know, King Arthur.

“The Legend says…” The Legend of King Arthur and his Sword Excalibur/Caliburnus? The line is very meta, a reference to the in world legend that this story will create, but it’s also expecting the audience to be savvy of the actual legend of King Arthur and his knights. Both these ideas intertwined into one. Aka, the trailer expects us to have pre-decided expectations for the story we’re now being told, because we’ve already been told it before; this fairy tale of celtic myth/history. All the “spoilers” about Arthur, his lineage, Morgana, Guinevere, the Knights, even the lady of the Lake herself come with that knowledge. However…

Surprise surprise, the Weeping Monk (killer of fae)/ Lancelot (eventually Arthur’s most trusted KNIGHT) instead picks up the fae sword from it being embedded in the ground, subverting our expectation, it definitely fucking subverted mine, but not in a GOT way, in a ~good~ way. I was like, “Whosoever be this fine hooded fellow hath stole away both sword and my good sense!!! 👀”

Also harkening back to the legend of the sword in the stone (another expectation), which the action itself signifies that person be - as Merlin so eloquently puts - “The one true king.”

Ok… Symbolic wink wink nudge nudge towards his true nature (inside and out), saving Percival, potentially becoming the greatest warrior and protector of his people and eventually a Knight of the Round Table; and perhaps King of our Hearts??? Ok, sure thing “concept” trailer. I’ll bite.

Ok… *deep breath*

WHOMSt the fUCK decided to frame (fae “ashman”) ?Lancelot? with the ~SWORD OF KINGS~ (also of fae origin) A N D the line…‘the one true king’ ALL IN ONE… instead of Arthur?

‘BELONGS to the one true King?’ Belongs, hmm interesting word choice… This done in a worms eye view shot meant to make the viewer feel like the character is above/superior/basically we’re kneeling before them? (Which I mean sure? but…) Hmm??? HMMM??? I don’t understand CONCEPT Trailer what is the CONCEPT you’re trying to get across? One hand on his paladin sword and the other on “fae hope” Excalibur I get, he has to make an important decision, one that will either save his humanity (and his people) or destroy it (them), yeah yeah sure that’s F I N E…

…but what about the “KING” SHIT HMMM?? Is there something you would like to share with the rest of the class? *sips tea whilst staring straight into the camera*

it may mean nothing don’t quote me

…Anwaaaay… We all know in a fight Lancelot can kick Arthur’s ass so that’s not whats going on here. Arthur is P I S S E D. They’re not just bog standard enemies here. I mean WPM kicking him in the ribs was pretty “fuck you” and they were just enemies there. In this instance the sword is in play, Weeping Monk has taken something from Arthur that he feels “BELONGS” to him - in this case symbolised by WPM taking “his” sword - and that’s making it personal.

“You stole my sword ya bitch!” And what is the sword linked to? Power? Sure. The right of being a King? Yep. And also a certain Queen…  No no no, this is the Concept of rivalry. It shows that whatever relationship Arthur and his “Knight” will have in the future after all the “die die die” starts to sizzle down will - in its genesis - be a rivalry. Probably mirroring Gawain and Arthur when they first met to an extent. A rivalry for power? For something else? Who Knows!

*whistles innocently*

And down down down he goes. He’s FALLING. There are many metaphorical concepts associated to FALLING… Falling from “grace” (in the eyes of the Church)… Falling because he has a sky full of guilt crashing down upon him… falling for h… falling in Lo… into the Water!!!! Until he is completely submerged. Water, the idea of cleansing, of washing away who you once were/trauma/sins of the past so you may be reborn a better version of yourself. His old ideals are defeated, he submits to his true heritage and allows it to wash around him so he may begin to heal.

Though if we’re talking metaphors, water is - for obvious reasons - always associated with the LADY OF THE LAKE… Nimue. He has fallen into her world. (pss he’s gonna fall for the Chick in the Lake - I think - there ye go). Water is associated to memory/reflections and mirrors. And he is CRASHING through this mirror… This idea of reflections/mirror images is even more ironic when you’ve watched the show.  

And as he falls beneath the water with the sword of a King, she rises out of it, with the sword of a Queen… Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s in the biggest shipping hell of them all? Either these two are going to be really good at relay, or there’s some conceptual significance here. The specifics? No fecking clue, will need to wait for a season 2! There is also some interesting use of Z~oo~m in this last bit, but I’m sure it’s pretty obvious to you all. Summary: just visually in a concept “teaser” trailer, the zoom in on them both, the reverse mirroring, the literal and symbolic visual of water and the Sword (of rulers) connecting them frames these two characters together, that’s just in the concept trailer. Links their legend together. TBH IT LITERALLY LOOKS LIKE LANCELOT FELL INTO THE WATER AND TURNED INTO NIMUE  WHAT IS THIS GREEK SOULMATE SHIT I’M–

*calms down* This trailer and the show also definitely said to the original Arthurian Legend “RIP but I’m different.” I mean, Nimue is definitely not Lancelot’s mother figure in this one, that’s all I’m saying.

I think this legend might be a wee bit different 😉*cackles*

[tetrakys]

About Ikemen Vampire...

I finally got around to do the Ikemen Vampire first impressions post no one asked for, but I said I would do.

I’ve had the app on my phone for a while now, I mostly login and do the minigame to pile up on points and diamonds, but I’ve also played the butler event and a few chapters of Napoleon’s route.

FYI I only red a couple of spoilers on one route, so I’m jumping into this completely blind. Here we go.

The Premise:

A bunch of famous men from history turned vampires all living in the same mansion during a specific time in the past. On one side this is kinda interesting, on the other I know too much about many of these people (including their real aspect) to not face-palm every time I read their names, that’s why it took me so long to start this game. I knew it would need some getting used to it, and I have to admit I still find it strange at times. But well...

MC is, at least for now, the typical japanese otome game MC, so nothing exciting here, but maybe she will get gutsier moving forward? One can only hope. At least I like her love for travelling and she seems to know several languages.

Anyway if I’d been in her place, spending one month in the past with all these famous historical figures around, like hell I would’ve accepted to be a maid. I would’ve spent the whole time exploring and interviewing, I would’ve cut a deal with Le Comte, I’m sure he would’ve said yes. 

Anyway, let’s get to the guys, knowing that I’m an otome hoe and of course the plan is to get with all them (except maybe one). Team harem always for the win.

Ei fu.   Siccome immobile, Dato il mortal sospiro, Stette la spoglia immemore Orba di tanto spiro, Così percossa, attonita5 La terra al nunzio sta, ...

99% of the people reading won’t know what this is about. It’s one of the most important italian poems ever, it was written to celebrate Napoleon Bonaparte, it’s called Il Cinque Maggio (the date of Napoleon’s death... or in this case... resurrection as a vampire?). It’s huge, 108 verses, and I had to learn the whole thing by memory in school. It was so painful that it stuck with me to this day. That’s why I have a sort of love/hate relationship with the man.

But I decided to start with him for two reasons: I find this version of him hot and mysterious and I know his sexy scene is free so... who am I to turn down sexy times for free??

His back story of being half human half vampire is interesting and I am curious to see where this is going. I’m also curios to see how much cybird is sticking to history because the emperor had an interesting life to say the least. Including two wives, which I don’t want to think about because I am extremely jealous of all my otome boyfriends so I hope they are going to ignore this detail.

Yeah... no... this is so wrong... the guy died in exile in St Elena after failing to get his power back, speculations say that maybe he was even poisoned. It wasn’t a peaceful death and definitely he had regrets. 

I feel like I am putting too much thought into this and I should take the game as if these are just random people.

Anyway, Napoleon the character has a really pretty design, I love his eyes and his mysterious aura, and he looks like the honorable knight type. I hope he has also a kinky side because that’s how I roll and too good is not exactly my thing. He said he’s not attracted to MC pfff.... bullshit of course. We’ll see.

I don’t have much to say about Mozart because I’ve seen very little of him. I like his design, he seems to be the cold and slightly asshole type which I generally like, but too cold could put me off. If they’re going for any realism at all there could maybe be some daddy issues in his route?

This was the route that originally interested me the most because Leonardo was a genius and he’s the closest to home. Let’s ignore the fact that people keep using Da Vinci as if it was his surname WHICH IS NOT ,“da” means “from” and “Vinci” is a town, Leonardo from Vinci, he didn’t have a surname because he was a natural son. But other than that, there are two main points that make me consider skipping his route altogether. 

First of all, this is the only spoiler I have about the game, I know this story is sad whatever the ending, and I don’t do sad in my escapism. I only want happy endings, people may not agree but that’s my personal philosophy for playing these games.

Second, that “cara mia” triggers my rage every time I read it. As I explained in another post, “cara mia” is paternalistic and kinda offensive, “mia cara” is the sweet, caring one. The writers picked the wrong one and it’s soooo annoying to read. Especially because he repeats it quite a lot.

So, I’m not 100% sure yet, but this might be the first time in my history as an otome-player that I skip a route.

This. Adorable. Rascal. He might be the second route I play after Napoleon because I can’t wait to banter with this guy (if MC’s personality allows it). 

He seems as smart as his real counter-part and I like it.

I find a little annoying that he speaks like someone pretending to be British, it seems like the writers tried too hard, but what he says is kinda hilarious and I want him to (try to) bite me 👀

I assume they didn’t go completely with the realistic route here, otherwise Vincent should be a little coo coo, but the guy was sensitive and fragile and it seems that this was somehow preserved in the character. He has both ears though, so he probably isn’t completely suicidal. 

However he seems the totally sugary sweet type which is really not my thing. But I also heard he has one of the hottest sexy scenes in the game so colour me intrigued 👀

THIS! This is my man! I don’t know why I always fall for the tsundere, it’s not like I’m a masochist and like to be mistreated, but I like the bantering and I hope that MC is going to be cool enough to allow me to reply to him in tone. I really want to fight with him! 👀

Also, he’s sexy, and the fact that I know absolutely nothing about him, helps me not feeling annoyed by whatever it has been done to the character. 

I don’t know what to expect from his route. Does he have a brother complex? Is he jealous because his brother is a genius and he was a simple merchant? Why were they both turned? So many questions. Give me this beautiful asshole’s route soon cybird!

I know nothing about him too, but there’s something in him that irks me. He has a sort of paternalistic attitude, too many compliments, too polite... Also, that kimono has a strange fit.

On the positive side he seems protective and I like his quirkiness, so we’ll see.

Newton is the one that, together with Leonardo, interested me the most for pure principle. And, in this case, I am quite satisfied. I like his aesthetics and personality-wise he seems similar to Mozart, quiet, distant type. We’ll see.

I keep wondering why they turned a female character male, they could’ve added a wlw route. Anyway, I won’t complain because look-wise I like him the most out of everyone. The eye patch intrigues me, I like his style and I find him really beautiful. I know though that his route is the least sexy and that’s a bummer. I am curious about him and his route and wonder if he also hears voices in his head.

In this case I’m pretty sure we’re far away from the real person. William the character is the yandere of the group and even the other vampires seem a little preoccupied by him. I wonder if his route is maybe a little dangerous, I’m intrigued.

Mmm... I know I’m going to attract the disappointment of his many fans but I don’t like Saint-Germain. He’s handsome yes, but the one thing I hate in LIs is fakeness and duplicity, and I feel it with every bone in my body this guy is a liar. He emanates the same vibes as Lucien and Leiftan. There’s so much you’re hiding Comte, and you don’t fool me one bit! Also, his colour palette is too yellow for my tastes.

Sebastian is just boring to me. I don’t know.... he looks and sounds so plain. I hope there is some big mystery behind and that he will show more personality because at the moment he’s just meh. Also he can’t be just a simple, unknown human there must be something else (I hope).

So, currently, the characters who interest me are: Theo, Arthur, Isaac, Napoleon, Jean, William, Wolfgang 

While Vincent, Sebastian, Dazai, Leonardo and Comte all follow at the back of the queue.

Let’s see after a couple of months of playing if my opinions change.

And btw I’ve seen the three new vampires and they look so much cooler than all the main ones combined! I can’t wait for their routes to come out.

[ahumansvoid]

Misc WIP Folder

So I’m going through my WIPs folder’s subfolders. 

One is labelled Misc, so that’s the one I’m going through now. Everything will be below the cut because this will probably be a long post, there are sixteen files in this folder. 

Most of them are from different fandoms, so I’ll put what fandom it’s in + what title I have for it in my folder in bold before I talk about it. I’ll be going from oldest to newest. Technically not because I can’t sort Google docs like that, but rather “last modified by me” so, longest abandoned to newly abandoned I guess?

 Also Spoilers for any of the fandoms, maybe? Probably. 

If you have any questions about any of the fandoms, message me or send me an ask. I’m open to talking about any and all of them. 

Fandoms Involved (Ordered by appearance):

Murdered: Soul Suspect (Video Game)

Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia (TV Show)

Gravity Falls (TV Show)

Until Dawn (Video Game)

Avatar: The Last Airbender (TV Show)

The Mummy (2017) & (1999) (Movies)

Assassination Classroom (TV Show/Anime)

Red vs. Blue (Online Show- Rooster Teeth)

Camp Camp (Online Show - Rooster Teeth)

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (TV Show)

Devil May Cry (Video Game + Anime)

Aladdin (2019) (Movie)

Castlevania (TV Show)

Murdered: Soul Suspect - MSS

So there isn’t much in this one, just a bullet pointed outline. Murdered Soul Suspect is a video game, if you don’t know it and are curious you can google it or message me. 

Anywho. This is just a little part I thought was funny.

It’s essentially a Ronan survives AU of the game, pretty standard and I thought it would be fun. Honestly this part about Ronan and his cracked spine just reminded me of Obi-wan and how I write him in ignoring his injuries (and how most people write him) so it made me laugh a bit. 

There’s really not much here, I didn’t even finish the outline.

Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia - trollhunters au

I am very creative with my titles. Clearly. This is another bullet point outline. but this one is longer and irrc I actually started writing this, and that file would also be in this folder so if I did write it’ll also be featured on this post.

This is an au where Claire is the trollhunter rather than Jim.

The top bit is literally just for context on the next star point. Anywho Writing AAARRRGGGHH/ seeing it spelled out is funny to me. Also I’m pretty sure I rewatched bits with AAARRRGGGHH with subtitles on to see how it was spelt and then replicated that.

The second star point is funny to me because I describe annoyance/anger (rightful, both of them) as pissy. And that’s funny.

There’s more but if I’m write and I wrote it out, then that’ll be featured later. 

Gravity Falls - Gravity Falls

... Okay I’m not creative with titles until I have to be. Once more, bullet point outline. So this is an after-canon AU where Bill left a remanent of himself in Dipper and it’s become apparent when they’re in Piedmont.

I just like the rules I had Dipper give Bill. I thought they were neat. Also, I like Mabel convincing Dipper to let Bill live because he’s pathetic. This is a demon who has tormented them for an entire summer, but nows he’s pathetic so lets help him. 

Not much of interest in this. I probably didn’t write it because it’d be a long and day-in-the-life type fic. It’d just be Dipper and Bill coexisting and going through life and IDK how well I’d of written that. So I didn’t write it.

Until Dawn- Until DAwn AU

FYI I’m keeping the titles case-sensitive. Another bullet outline. So this is a Josh survives/exorcised AU, also an Everybody Live AU. I’m pretty sure I wrote this when I was heavily invested in Until Dawn and Josh (because I like him.) And I was reading Until Dawn fanfic in which Josh is blamed for what happened on the mountain. And I think I was getting pissy which lead to this:

So in this AU the Until Dawn Group splintered into Sam, Josh & Chris, and Mike, Emily, Jess, Matt & Ashley. So this conversation/fight is between Chris and the second group. So Chris is the 1st,3rd and 5th talking bullet point. I don’t know who’s talking in the 2nd &4th bullet point but it’s one of the second group. Probably Emily, Mike or Jess maybe. Not Ashley.

Im 90% sure that I wrote out this entire outline just for this little interaction. 

It just tickles my id. I still kind of like it, but I honestly don’t know what else I’d write for this AU.

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Zuko is the avatar

Title is self-explanatory. Also, I really like bullet outlines. So. Anywho. 

Aang is still a 12 year old in this, he used up all his “avatar energy” (that’s literally what I wrote) to keep himself alive so he’s just an airbender now.

I just love Iroh. And this is just funny to me.

If I ever wrote this, it’d be a lot of hijinks of Katara and Aaang (and eventually Toph) covering for Zuko whenever he bends anything other than fire. More cracky than serious.

“The Mummy (2017)” and “The Mummy (1999)” - Mummy x Mummy

I watched the 2017 version of the mummy (got it from the library for 2 bucks) and since there are some throwbacks to the 1999 movie I decided to try to combine them. This also became an AU where Evie and Rick save Imhotep in Mummy 2, and due to Evie being revived meant she was functionally immortal (doesn’t age, but can still be killed). And due to everything, by the Mummy 2017 rolls around it’s just her and Imhotep hanging around, investigating ancient egypt and whatnot.

Honestly this is just part of the outline. None of this is really amusing to me, just, if I ever tried to write it, a lot of work. Although, the fact that I can’t remember the blonde lady friend from the Mummy 2017 is kind of amusing and I literally call her ‘BLF’ throughout this entire outline. I think her name was Lisa. Or Sara.

i’ll google it.

Assassination Classroom - AC AU

At this point, I might as well tell you when it isn’t a bullet outline than saying when it is.

This was really just a Reaper/Koro-sensei raises Nagisa rather than his mom.

People panicking around children is amusing to me. Again, long AU. And this was probably an excuse to write some baby assassin Nagisa and whatnot. Honestly whenever I read this I do remember more details on this, that I have never written down. 

Murdered: Soul Suspect - Murdered: Soul Suspect

...

Okay I think this is just a repeat of the one I posted earlier???

I- I don’t know what this was? Like this is newer than the other one? 

?????

Uh, brain weirdness?

Let’s move on.

Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia - TRollhunters

Ok! So this is the written out of the bullet point earlier. I did not write out much. But I’ll talk about it a bit more? So this AU is also a Bular survives and Jim finds him and helps AU.

This is literally all I have written. So, right after this, Jim would find an injured Bular and helps him. There isn’t much to add, but I will add what I had written as Barbara’s reaction from the outline:

Large AU, but it would be fun to write. I would most likely end up writing Claire’s journey of Trollhunting along with Jim’s adventures with Bular.

Red vs Blue - Meta, no, that wasn’t, he wasn’t

Okay, that’s not the full title but also the full title is literally the first sentence. Which is a long one so you get part of it. This is actually a written au, it’s about Agent Maine/ The Meta surviving and meeting up with Siris. This is just the first couple paragraphs:

Nothing I read was particularly funny to me, so just the first two paragraphs. Essentially what would’ve happened is Siris would help Maine find Washington (on Chorus) go to Chorus. Find Felix and Locus. Drama Ensues.

I might actually write this. Maybe. There’s potential, if the drive hits me.

I havent watched RvB in a couple of years, but I did like the series. It was interesting.

Camp Camp- Camp Camp

Y’know since this is ‘misc’ I get just having fandom names. Lot easier to identifiy.

So, this file is currently loading still, but I remember this. It wasn’t that long ago. This wasn’t so much a fic as a comic I would of like to have done. I definitely would’ve needed to brush up on my art skills (I am mediocre at best) but it’s just a small little comic I would’ve done on Camp Camp.

First little bit. I actually wrote out most of this rather than just bullet pointing it. 

There is a little bit I’d have to polish up, but I could probably post this entire thing. But I kind of want to actually do the comic first. But boy that’s a lot of work.

I love how most of the reason I’m not writing these is that they’re a lot of work.

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (TV Show) - Project Cheron

This is an AU where Priest is one of the projects of Blackwing. Specifically Cheron and I think my reasoning is that he makes people go where they need to be. IDK. I actually wrote a couple of these. But this one is essentially Priest getting a bunch of projects together to help something. Idk.

This entire thing is weird and would probably be labelled crack if I ever finished it.

Okay. This entire scene is funny to me. Just, this girl rushing out in front of the car waving happily with a decapitated head in her hand. I like it. So, Aine and Herodias are OCs. Both are projects Priest is collecting. 

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (TV Show) - “Dirk

Another Priest is a Blackwing Project AU but that’s not really the focus of this story. This story is about a project (Project Carman- OC) who can trap people in their certain significant memories of her choosing. Carman gets annoyed at Bart, Dirk and the Rowdy 3 so she traps them in memories signifcant to their stay in Blackwing and Priest.

I’ve only written 2 of the six memories, so that’d be fun to complete. These are also just sad. They’re not happy memories. So, random moment that’s somewhat amusing:

Also, title is the first sentence in the fic.

Devil May Cry - “Should I

I- why did I decide to do this from oldest to newest? Part of me is embarrassed, the other part is reminding me I have no reason to be? It’s a video game fic. But also this is a game of my childhood. It’s about Nero looking for his dad and finding Dante instead. Canonically Dante’s twin brother, Vergil, is Nero’s dad.

Just a random moment because I didn’t write that much of it. Also I thought it was kind of cute. Patty shows up in the Devil May Cry anime. Which I watched before I played the games. 

Aladdin (2019) - Aladdin AU

A mix of bullet outline and written. I don’t actually have much of this AU, but essentially before Aladdin wishes to become a prince, he notices some mercenaries kidnapping a little girl and decides to rescue her. 

This girl is the princess of Shiroba, Aladdin takes her back to Shiroba. The Queen/ Sultana appreciates Aladdin going out of his way to help her so she invites him to stay in the palace. 

Eventually word gets to Shiroba that Agrabah is planning to attack so Aladdin and the two twin princes of Shiroba (that I made up, OCs) make a plan to infiltrate and see what they’re planning. They’re not planing espionage, but as Shiroba is a peaceful nation, they want to see if they should start evacuating people and whatnot.

So you get the Prince Ali stuff with the Genie and yada yada. 

I have none of that written. I just know that’s what I intended to do with it.

So, first little bit. Long AU that would take a lot of work. Also, I know this isn’t super popular but I liked the 2019 version of Aladdin. I really like the changes they made. 

Castlevania (TV Show) - Waking up in Jail wasn’t a new experience

Again, title is first sentence. Not writing that out. Anywho, this is a kind of complete canon AU to Castlevania. Essentially we haven’t reached Lisa getting burnt at the stake yet. So, loving Dracula fam. Trevor and Sypha meet earlier due to circumstance. Alucard gets attacked by something and gets rescued by Trevor and Sypha. They travel together for a while. And then Sypha and Trevor get to meet Alucard’s parents. 

That’s where this AU will go if I ever write it. To be fair, last time I wrote in this file was March, so I guess that’s technically possible. Don’t hold out hope.

First couple of paragraphs. 

Also, that’s it! Misc WIP folder done!

Oh, if you’ve made it this far, a)thank you and b) if you want to continue/write any of these, go ahead, but tag me or send me a link. I will be very happy to see/read what you create if you like any of this in an inspo way.

Also. This is long, so, IDK if Imma go through the other folders rn. Maybe tomorrow. 

[cosmamas]

self-indulgent pre ‘before everything goes to shit’ headcanons for @kyecupio ! fyi for anyone else reading this: serenity / usagi / cosmos are all the same person in this verse but she refers to herself as ‘usagi’ while she’s living on destiny islands!.

under a cut because this got way longer than i meant it to be!!!!

pre-birth / baby / toddler stuff

her feelings on being pregnant range from, ‘i love this mamo-chan! i love you! i love this baby!’ to ‘i can’t see my feet. why does my back hurt so much!! get this baby out of me FUCK!!!!!!!’

a real conversation that was had between her and mamoru: usagi: *casually refers to the baby as a she* mamoru: wait how do you know it’s a girl? usagi: oh well every serenity had a girl befor- mamoru: um what do you mean by ‘every serenity’? usagi: lol i didn’t i tell you my mother was named that? my grandma and great grandma were too. i also look like my great great grandma and my great great grea- mamoru: *chuckling nervously* what the fuck!!!!!

she 'talks’ to the baby a lot by telling him stories, singing to him, or even occasionally admitting that she’s terrified of not being a good parent oof! she likes to think that him moving / kicking right after she says something is him reacting to what was said. but he’s really just a little shit that kicks / moves a lot especially when she’s trying to sleep!!

she definitely gets cravings for delicacies that only existed on the moon kingdom and mamoru tries his best to recreate it but usagi’s terrible and vague about the ingredients ( b/c chefs and makoto cooked everything ) so it never comes out right but she appreciates his attempts none the less.

idk when his birthday is ( i’ll let kyecupio handle that ) but he definitely comes late / past his due date which drives her insane because she just can’t sit still despite everyone telling her to and it gives mamoru daily heart attacks. 

she probably goes into full-on labor at night / during a new moon because hahaahah GET IT NEW. MOON. cause it’s a new moon kingdom heir........ i’m deleting. anyway, a lot of symbolism regarding the new moon is specifically tied to starting over, second chances, new beginnings, etc. which is literally what this baby represents for his parents. this is also a moment where the ‘usagi’ facade drops and ‘serenity’ comes out as she gathers strength from the moon to help her get through the pains of labor ( it wouldn’t be surprising if she kind of just...zones out and enters an almost trance-like state and doesn’t snap out of it until he’s actually out ).

do to the close ties the moon kingdom has with kingdom hearts itself as well as the greek references in kh ( χ-blade ) and in sailor moon, usagi thought of the name archísei but the meaning / significance in its meaning was something both she and mamoru desired in a name for their child.

archísei is the cutest baby!!! he has the chubbiest cheeks, the biggest ears, and is very fussy when he’s not being cuddled by mommy or daddy. and yes, he’s born with the traditional mark of moon royalty: the crescent moon on one’s forehead. it’s hidden away but when they’re alone usagi chooses to reveal it by kissing him on his forehead uwu.

because usagi can’t help her home sickness, his nursery definitely has a slight celestial / moon kingdomish feel to it with white, gold, and other neutral colors + a wall with some constellations or stars on it ( and yes, i looked at baby nurseries for this. let me live!!!!!! ).

this is totally them when he starts screaming at like three in the morning. mamoru can get him to fall back asleep pretty quickly if he’s lucky. with usagi, there’s more work because archísei is spoiled and likes to be sang to before eventually falling asleep, usually to one of these ( both of these, especially tuxedo mirage, are like....aggressively about mamoru but we’re going to ignore that because i like the ‘lullabyness’ of how they sound ).

usagi is tall, around 5′9 / 5′10 ( without heels ), so when he’s not attached to her hip / being carried then archísei is always latched to her legs once he starts learning how to walk.

his terrible twos phase is the absolute WORST. usagi regrets the day he learned how to say no.

childhood stuff

mamoru and usagi are definitely the ‘we’ll fuck you up if you even look at our son the wrong way’ type of parents. even if he were to do something he wasn’t supposed to at school or even goes to far while ‘playfully’ sparring with another kid, they would probably argue in his defense but then lecture him once they’re at home.

( an unpopular opinion but i unapologetically love how snarky / somewhat of a jerk mamoru is in the first season of the 90s anime which is trait that...pretty much disappears after that rip :’(((( - and it’s easily my favorite version of the character. his banter with usagi kills me. ) so going with mamoru’s personality being a mix of manga + season one of classic sm then archísei’s snark definitely comes from him + watching his parents playfully go back and forth with other as usagi can be pretty sassy too ( mamoru taught archísei how to rile her up by calling her bun-head which still makes her throw a fit despite being 30+ years old ).

archísei is a momma’s boy but he definitely admires / looks up to his dad because mamoru is definitely important™ on DI, like a doctor or something because he’s got the smarts. archísei is easily smarter than most, if not all, the kids in his age range ( and probably even the kids older than him too ) so he breezes by in his course work and doesn’t find school interesting. as a result, he would definitely beg his dad to let him skip school and go to work with him and because mamoru is weak, he says yes every single time.

did i say he’s a momma’s boy? he’s definitely a momma’s boy. when he’s a child ( and still too young to stop and question her things ) they did almost everything together. from baking ( and failing at it ), to her teaching him how to do his eyeliner ( this one is completely kyecupio’s ), and he would probably learn to dance from her too. overall they’re just very ‘in-sync’ with each other due to the natural link between them ( similar to her and chib’s connection in canon ). she’s probably the person he loves and idolizes the most which is why it’s going to hurt so much once he learns out that she’s been the one lying and deliberately holding him back all this time.

he doesn’t need help with his homework but usagi and mamoru will sometimes sit down with him anyway - although in usagi’s case, he probably ends up teaching her than the other way around.

a lot of the bed time stories he was told where legends passed down in the moon kingdom or vague stories about other worlds she had been told to as a child.

luna is their cat ( although i’m still debating if it’s moon kingdom luna or just a cat with the same name ). regardless, she’s very protective of him and snuggles with him at night.

pre-teen / things go to shit stuff this section wasn’t supposed to exist but here we are

him entering his pre-teens is when his relationship with his parents, specifically his mother, slowly deteriorates. usagi and mamoru have very different approaches on how to handle their son and his desires to see more outside of DI: usagi wants him to play with other kids / make friends while mamoru feels that if he should be allowed to do things at his own pace because mamoru relates / understands him in ways that she can’t. he was ‘different’ by being the boy who lost his parents / memories and he grew tired of everyone taking pity on him so he just learned to deal with being alone in his own way until he was able to grow and move passed it.

they would definitely have family nights where they would sail to one of the smaller islands to have a small bbq, watch the stars, have fun, etc. these decrease as archísei grows older; he makes up excuses not to attend before eventually not even bothering with doing that.

also that natural link he and his mother have? it’s gone now or more accurately it’s like he’s unknowingly created a barrier around himself that effectively shuts her out. so while she could naturally always faintly ‘feel’ him ( whether it was emotionally or just knowing if he was nearby ),  that’s just not there anymore. it hurts her a lot.

he definitely eventually hears them arguing one night over usagi’s ‘past’ and whether they should tell them to truth. usagi is very ‘nope, not doing that’ despite mamoru trying to convince her otherwise. also if luna is moon kingdom luna then that means the cat that’s been watching over him since he was baby, claiming a dedicated sleeping spot on his bed, and has casually walked with him to school can talk and would probably be on mamoru’s side. archísei vc: you guys have even been lying about the fucking cat too????

when he does finally leave, there’s a....denial about it as they try to convince themselves that maybe he’s just staying late at a friend’s house even though they know he doesn’t have any or maybe he’s camping out on that island he always likes to visit. ‘ we’ll lecture / yell at him about breaking curfew in the morning ’ is what they say but then he’s still not back home in the morning. they check his school and learn he hasn’t been there in over a week so then they start knocking on neighbor’s doors, asking if they’ve seen their son and get no answers. they even check the surrounding islands but he’s still nowhere to be found which is when reality sets in hard. they don’t know if he’s lost at sea, dead, or if usagi’s greatest fear has been realized and he’s somehow managed to leave this world entirely. they just don’t know.

and like not to be cliche but......she loves her son so much and that love can never be replicated or replaced by another so him leaving literally breaks her heart in a way that can’t be fixed ( twil.ight, outside of its soundtracks and leah / rosalie, is not good™ but the song in this scene always...made it weirdly memorable to me and i feel like it’s lyrics accurately sums up how she feels internally - i don’t really see her completely shutting out everyone / just sitting around the house as usagi’s been wearing a mask for a long time and can externally hold it together but would she have sobbing fits at the beach in the middle of the night? yes. ).

also mamoru’s pain over losing his son is important / shouldn’t be brushed over because he literally can’t remember his own parents and has been alone until this strange woman falls, quite literally, into his life. she becomes his new family before giving him a son who he loved so much that he risked sailing the ocean and eventually drowning for because he was so desperate to reach him, to tell him he was sorry for the lies, and that everything would be okay. good god what a DAD.

bonus ‘what if things didn’t suck from the start’ b/c i gotta get this all out my system!

usagi meeting mamoru under less dire circumstances aka she’s free to able to travel to other worlds and casually takes him back to ‘her place’ which just so happens to be a secret kingdom. usagi: haha isn’t it rad!!! mamoru: *chuckling nervously* what the fuck!!!!!

archísei is still ‘different’ but more in that he symbolizes how ‘traveling outside of their home can be good for the MK’s people’ instead of something to be frowned upon.

catch him always in nana serenity’s arms, holding her hand, and them having little picnics together. she also gets him out of trouble from his parents all the time!!!

his aunts / the senshi spoil him so much!!!!! ami ( the nerd ) and setsuna ( the time lord ) are his favorites for obvious reasons but he has unique relationships with all of them - minako and rei probably baby him just as quickly as they would discipline him if they needed to. makoto constantly bakes sweet stuff for him and makes him lunches packed with his favorite food. michiru and haraku are the vodka cool aunts who teach him all about fashion and how to not just look better than everyone else but how to actually be better than everyone else too. he would also probably get along really well with hotaru?? she’s kind of the ‘other’ in the group / not really supposed to exist in a way so maybe they can relate to being different and celebrating that.

he still leaves for scala ad caelum to train but usagi is very dramatic and there’s lots of tears and crying. archísei: mama i’m not even going to be gone that long!!! usagi: b-but!!! *starts sobbing again* 

archísei brings eraqus home and mamoru / usagi are just being hella nosy the whole time. mamoru and usagi in union: who dat??? 👀👀👀

there are lots of crying from mom and dad during his coronation / when he eventually succeeds usagi as the moon kingdom’s monarch!!!! 

BASICALLY EVERYONE IS A LOT MORE WELL ADJUSTED AND THIS DOESN’T END IN DISASTER GOODBYE.

[velvet-tread]

A theory, or wild speculation, or whatever; anyway there’s some Bellarke

Here follows a collection of thoughts that don’t quite add up to a thesis yet

Season 5 had one of the best runs of episodes I’ve seen on this show ever - strong themes, great setups, impactful character beats. 9 straight episodes of near-perfection.

But imo it fell short in the last couple of episodes. How short depends on your perspective, but my feelings about it range from mildly disappointed to Jane Austen mourning weeds and little weepy handkerchiefs. Either way - the collapse into fudgy incoherence and loose ends actually undid all of the great work the show did in the first 9 episodes.  WHICH IS FUCKING INFURIATING. 

The show painstakingly put together so much excellent character and relationship set ups which either never materialised or didn’t pay off or just fizzled out. And now I’m left wondering what it all meant, which not only frustrates me on a viewer level but also makes me feel like an idiot for wildly overestimating what the show was doing with the material.

*looks at the X Files forever*

Just to pick a few things out at random.

a) Bellarke were put in conflict, but there was no emotional pay-off, the framing was all over the place and the resolution basically a post-script. 

b) We spent the series agonising about the wisdom of going to war on a fragile planet, but the actual harbinger of Apocalypse 3.0 (I can’t believe I have to write that) was someone only tangentially related to that storyline, whom every single named character bar Kabby was trying to stop. So was everyone wrong? Or just ineffectual? The latter is far less interesting and more depressing tbh.

c) The worms

d) Memori

e) I could go on

I repeat, I would not be so pernickety if the run up to the s5 finale hadn’t been so good, and the set up so promising.  The idea of a reboot was genius.  The Bellarke separation was genius.  Blodreina = genius.  Mama Bear Clarke = genius. Eligius = genius. Spacekru = genius. 

But ultimately?  Can ANYONE tell me what s5 meant?  What difference did any of those things make in the end?  What conflict was resolved satisfactorily?  I’d argue that the Blodreina/Blake siblings arc worked the best (although *howl* Bellamy was never given any in-universe context for Blodreina) but generally I’m left with the feeling that very few of these stories or conflicts had any meaning whatsoever, and especially not Bellarke.

So I have a theory and I stand to be corrected as ever because I am very much processing.

I think there’s a strong possibility Jason and/or the 100 writers room began rewriting the back end of season 5 as they were filming the early season 5 material.

Given Jason’s comments immediately after the finale, I’m inclined to believe that the rewrites, if I’m right, were mostly around Bellarke and the Flame.  Specifically, I think that at some point when they were filming mid-season, Jason changed his mind about how Bellarke-y he wanted the season to be, if at all.  And on top of that, I think as he was pitching season 6 around that time, he realised that he wanted to go full-hog with the Flame in season 6. 

Those two things might be connected.  Perhaps Jason realised the full extent to which he coud “bring Lexa back” without actually bringing back ADC, around the Flame.  Perhaps he wants to recreate the show’s Clexa glory days.  And perhaps romantic Bellarke isn’t compatible with that vision. Dumb, in my view, but hey.

Perhaps, he just realised that he can’t doesn’t want to write romantic Bellarke.

If that’s the case, then well, *shrugs*.  Less satisfying for me, but I don’t own this shit.  I do, however, own the prerogative to speculate wildly on how and why they squandered all that promise in the last couple of eps.

Certainly, a mid-season back end emergency rewrite would explain a few things:

1.The loose threads and wonky framing

For example, Clarke’s fury at Bellamy for putting the Flame into Madi’s head was just...dropped?  Why? When it was SUCH A BIG DEAL in 509?  What were we supposed to the think about that?  What was she? And Bellamy, who didn’t appear to even remember who Clarke was until he saw her at the ship, being angry at her? Really? Where? Since when? And importantly - why? 

I’m a writer and it’s my experience that the best planning you do for a piece is when you approach it at the start.  You brainstorm.  You get your thoughts together.  You address each problem and question and mould it into a whole so it all makes sense.

But when you finish the thing and you look at it and you think - the thesis is wrong! I need to restructure the entire thing!  That’s when mistakes get made.  Especially if, for example, you’re up against a deadline or in this case a filming schedule, the threads that you would usually pick up at the planning stage or in the editing stage get missed.  And because they are part of the final editing process, there’s nobody around to pick them up and properly address them.

Result?  Fudge.

2. The curious ambivalence about Becho. 

Look I ADORE Becho. They are soft, and loving and real af.  I fully believe that was always intended to be the case. 

I think Becho was set up as a benchmark, for Bellamy in particular, a symbol of his peace and prosperity in space,. And, of course, I think it was also set up as a point of conflict for Octavia and Clarke. In the case of the latter, it was definitely a silent love triangle. How do you explain the love triangle framing on two separate occasions? How else do you explain the two separate interviews Jason gave about love triangles?

But here’s what Becho was not set up as: a relationship that was supposed to develop on-screen and take the audience with it.  Becho had no arc this season. It wasn’t “a story” per se, however much Tasya and Bob’s chemistry electrified me. It was the backbone to *other* stories. 

So, why, then, were Becho given every single Bellarke beat, especially towards the end? A background of forgiveness? Check. A steadying influence on each other. Check. The person they’re fighting for? Check. Plotting together? Check? Battle couple? Check.

Contrast with Bellarke. Forgiveness?  That’s something for Bellamy and Madi to discuss without Clarke!  Battle plans? Clarke will do that with Echo instead (oh my GODDD my ot3 came to life there *clutches hands and wishes upon a star*). A steadying influence on each other? Maybe! Until they forget each other’s names when they’re not in a scene together! People they’re fighting for? Definitely not each other.

Meanwhile bts, the messages were VERY confusing.  So the show was giving us a Becho that, while very real, was not the core of the story. Which was probably why, in early season 5, some deep Becho nods (the extra forehead touch, the “I love her”) found their way on to the editing room floor. All legit. But then, the script-to-screens then BROUGHT THOSE THINGS BACK to the viewer’s attention?  Why? Why give us those things even though they were cut? Was it because maybe, the show had changed direction after the fact?

And don’t get me wrong. I loved every second of the show’s affirmation of Becho. I still adore them.  But how does it fit into the jigsaw of the show as it stands?  It doesn’t really.  In fact, if you just swap Echo for Clarke in Bellamy’s storyline this season, you would have a hard time telling me that this isn’t exactly what romantic Bellarke would look like - the only difference is that in terms of screentime, Becho’s antagonism has had far more time, and Bellarke’s forgiveness/working together has had more time. IN-UNIVERSE, IT’S THE OTHER WAY AROUND.  It’s why shipping Becho comes so easily for me. And if the show wanted to frame that as Clarke’s personal tragedy, I would get it and probably relish it. But the trouble is, I’m having a hard time understanding what the show *is* saying about Becho and Bellarke, because it seems to be constantly changing its mind.

WHICH. BY THE WAY. MADE THAT ENTIRE WAKE-UP MARPER VLOG SEQUENCE A MASSIVE DAMP BELLARKE SQUIB.

SORRY.

3. The Flame suddenly jumping to prominence as a tool rather than as a symbol late in the season.

The show went from framing the Flame as a threat to this kid, who had hidden from it her whole life, for whom it meant literal nightmares of people burning at the stake, something for Clarke to rightly protect her from, to something that turned her into a mouthpiece for Lexa, to Clarke’s hostility to it being framed as “wrong”. There was an abrupt change of tone imo, to Clarke’s fears being justified to Clarke’s fears making her, and I quote Jason from an interview that nearly made me choke on my cereal, a “helicopter” mum.

Excuse me while I punch the nearest object to smithereens.

The Flame “gave” Madi battle ideas (which were different from Octavia’s how, exactly?) by Gaia’s bedside, with just a MANTRA? That whole scene felt cobbled together at the last minute. Like a film student’s badly edited homework.

It’s giving Clarke life lessons, ffs! 

*clenches fist*

The whole thing feels like a season 5 retcon, hastily put together to justify Madi still having the thing in her head for season 6, when it can do it’s victory lap for real.

4. The scenes that were dropped

a) Bob and Eliza both referenced a big Bellarke scene that got cut.  My guess? Not a romantic scene but some kind of Hakeldama that allowed them to hash out their various beefs with each other and probably involved some shit talking about the Flame.

b) And like, if that scene had some tenderness in it? Too Bellarke maybe? No, Bellarke BAD BAD BAD *stern looks*

c) also, wasn’t Echo supposed to have a sad scene of sitting in the snow and remembering Azgeda? That was supposed to be at the snowy back end of the season, but Echo had no sads really.  Only fierce spacekru love and some cuddles and some good sexy time. Was there an Echo sad that got cut? What was it related to?

5. The writers room walkout

Yeah. I don’t know what that means, but it sure means something.

Just fyi...for some context.  I love Becho and they currently own my heart but until recently Bellarke was very much my otp. Probably, deep down, it still is.

But I’m getting tired of running this race. I have no problem with the show doing a slow burn. I have no problem with platonic Bellarke. But I need consistency and, importantly, I need the show to remember that Bellarke are the backbone of this show. Their relationship - however you frame it - is the heart and without it the show is nothing but a collection of Elon Musk conspiracy theories on reddit.

JUST LETTING THEM HAVE A CONVERSATION =/= BELLARKE ROMANCE.

If you want them platonic, fine, you win. But gutting their relationship from the inside out to try to ward off the sniff of shipping is just counterproductive. It’s the lack of real, meaningful connection that really turned me off Bellarke this season, not the lack of kiss or lack of romantic framing. Early in the season? Yes, the set up was all there and it looked GREAT. But their conflict never got off the ground and we never got a cathartic resolution to show us the characters really, truly mean something to each other. 

Ultimately the show forgot that they were friends who love each other, and I just *clenches fist* can’t ship that.  Maybe that’s what the show wanted. But the flipside is that at this point I’m not really invested in their relationship in any context, which is why the end shot left me cold. I hope Bellarke hasn’t died in my heart forever but...idk it doesn’t look good.

[lizabethstucker]

Asimov's Science Fiction (March/April 2017)

Digging into my backlot of science fiction magazines. A mixture of verse and stories. I've only reviewed and rated the stories. This particular issue is the 40th Anniversary one! 3.8 out of 5 "Soulmates.com" by Will McIntosh Daniel wants someone to share his life with, to love and be loved by. When he meets Winnie through a dating app, he thinks she could be the one almost immediately. Emily, his former girlfriend and current best friend, is more suspicious, doing a deep dive on who Winnie could be. Which, considering they never meet in person despite Winnie being in Atlanta and Daniel in Athens, not that long a drive, is valid. Starts extremely slowly, assumingly to establish the characters. Not my favorite way as most writers don't do a good job at it. I'm not entirely certain that this is actually science fiction, despite the use of Artificial Intelligence. As to Daniel, I found him to be incredibly childish, blind, immature, and boring. He learned absolutely nothing from his experience. I struggled to complete this novella. 2.5 out of 5 "Number Thirty-Nine Skink" by Suzanne Palmer It started simply enough, an expedition designed to bring life in balance to an empty planet. Then the humans left suddenly, leaving Mike willingly behind with Kadey whose programming makes the creatures populating the area. When Mike dies of cancer, Kadey continues her work. Until the night something changes. Poor Kadey, struggling with loneliness, possibly incomplete programming, and the knowledge hidden from her regarding why the humans left. Sad, yes, but with a more hopeful ending that is also a beginning. Lovely story, so well written. 4.5 out of 5 "Three Can Keep a Secret..." by Bill Johnson & Gregory Frost A convoluted tale of assassins, misdirection, love, greed, and con-artistry with an almost noir feel to it. It's almost impossible to give a synopsis that isn't chockful of spoilers. The first person narrator isn't totally reliable, but still intriguing in what he shares. I loved this more than I expected with this strange little story. FYI, in case you don't know, the title is from an old saying. Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead. 4.5 out of 5 "The Ones Who Know Where They Are Going" by Sarah Pinsker A child must suffer so the city can be happy, or so they say. One particular child is taken from her mother, locked away in the dark with no social interaction beyond the delivery of food. As time passes, language is lost and memories of a happier time begin to fade. Then one day the door isn't shut tightly and the child gets out of the tiny dark room. She crawls up the stairs, each step bringing back a particular memory, heading for freedom. But at what cost? Rip my heart out, why don't you? Two and a half pages of the most gut-wrenching narrative. The tightly woven writing is painfully descriptive. And the ending! Oh, the ending. I just cannot deal with it. 5 out of 5 "Invasion of the Saucer-Men" by Dale Bailey Teenagers have been foiling alien invasions for some time. After all, the adults are either locked in their homes consuming television or would dismiss the very idea of aliens. The newest landing of a flying saucer bonds together teens out at the local make-out point. Per the author, his idea was to take the cheesy sci-fi and horror movie titles of the 1950s and treat the core idea with some emotional and thematic nuance. Here we have a group of teen archetypes, from the football star to the nerds to the beauty. There are also the followers that are always found in high school. This brings back memories of too many cheesy nights at the drive-ins in my county. I've always found my sympathies fell with the aliens most of the time, faced with humans whose first response to the unknown was always violence. Horrible ending to this story. Horrible. CW: extremely graphic attack. 3 out of 5 "Kitty Hawk" by Alan Smale After receiving word of her brother's death, Katharine Wriht travels from Ohio to North Carolina to help her other brother. Instead of Orville preparing to pack up for the trip home with his beloved

brother's body, he is trying to continue with the flight experiments that killed Wilbur. Katharine finds herself engaged in helping, even learning to fly herself. This is a complete AU of the Wright Brothers and the birth of flight, through World War I and the suffrage movement. The writing is evocative of the time period and the dangers of experimental flight. I don't know why it didn't click with me, but I struggled quite a bit in reading this imaginative tale. I can see others enjoying this greatly, just not me. 3 out of 5 "Cupido" by Rich Larson Marcel is a genius at chemistry. He came up with a way to make pheromones specific to the pair he's paid to bring together, either by one of the potential couple or by a third party. The majority of the money he charges goes to pay for his grandmother's colon cancer treatment. As word gets around, he finds himself moving to smaller cities to avoid identification. As yet, what he does isn't illegal. He didn't expect to find himself attracted to his potential mark. Frankly, I don't consider this to be science fiction at all. The science is already viable. Add the consent issues which would be called dubcon (dubious consent) and I'm too busy cringing to enjoy. In my mind, Marcel is anything but a hero. 3 out of 5 "A Singular Event in the Fourth Dimension" by Andrea M. Pawley Olive was removed from the reducer pile, adopted by a childless couple to help stave off loneliness. Now that the second grandmother is living with them and Mama was pregnant, Olive is worried that she will be sent back to the pile, no longer needed. A loving, imaginative little android who believes in fairy dust, even if the fairies never seem to do anything magical like in the stories. Love doesn't have to be limited to just humans or blood relations. Sweet and touching. 4.5 out of 5 "The Wisdom of the Group" by Ian R. MacLeod There are theories and studies about group-think, how certain groups can intuit a trend or coming situation without any real knowledge. With the right group, the members could get wealthy or probably save the world, depending on their inclination. Samuel has been part of such a group since brought in by his professor while still in university. Now, years later, Samuel is wealthy, has a liv-in lover, three dogs with unfortunate names, and a gorgeous house in Washington state. But something is wrong, something that seems to be originating from Samuel. The response is usually to cut the wrong out of the group. A complicated basis for a disturbing story. I had to sit on this one for a while in order to determine what I felt about it. Definitely strong writing, could almost be considered psychological horror. I don't know if I would ever say that I liked it, but I recognize the work done and the uniqueness of the story. 3.5 out of 5 "After the Atrocity" by Ian Creasey Abu Hameed, the terrorist behind the attack that left ten thousand people dead, has also died during interrogation. The solution? A machine that can make exact copies, complete with memories, of an individual. Violet Ruiz, operator and creator of the machine, even made a duplicate of herself in order to work 24/7. As Hameed's copies die during the enhanced interrogation, more copies are needed. Soon Violet II wonders about the ethical implications. Well thought out consideration of just how far a nation is willing to go in search of revenge wrapped in the disguise of intel. Patriot Act, enhanced interrogation the Greater Good, dismantling both Habeas Corpus and the Geneva Convention, anyone? 4 out of 5 "Goner" by Gregory Norman Bossert In order to explore space, humans had to be converted from flesh into nanotechnology based creatures. The pilots call themselves Goners. Char's best friend's father is a Goner. Already fascinated with the idea of flying, Char uses a sliver of Pilot Clark to begin changing. While this is complete in itself, the story also begs for more. What is happening to Char? Will he be allowed to live his dreams despite his age? S fascinating a concept. 3.5 out of 5 "We Regret the Error" by Terry

Bisson A series of news corrections from the future. So many corrections, even some corrections of corrections. Taken individually, these are amusing. Pieced together, there is a much deeper story playing out. Oh, and a nice dig at Disney's well-known history of not paying some of their artists for their work. 3 out of 5 "Tao Zero" by Damien Broderick Teenagers, incredibly smart ones, have unprotected sex after winning $370 million in the Mega Millions lottery. The celebration leads to a child, the narrator, and the money to try to trap the Tao, the Way that cannot be named, inside a machine. I tried, I really tried to read this without success. After rereading the first two pages over and over in an attempt to struggle through, I put the story aside, hoping to pick it back up when refreshed. Didn't work. DNF

[resettiing]

hmmm... Au where Mina is related to one of the members of the RFA? owo Would anything change?

@personifiedchaosx / send me an au and i’ll give u five (5) headcanons / accepting !!

general.

this is assuming she’s related to them by being a cousin of some kind. maybe close, maybe not-too-distant, but her parents taught her to love her family so she’ll treat them like siblings.

begs her family member not to tell anyone who she is or what she’s done in the past if they know.

is way more protective of them than the romantic routes. she takes family very seriously.

definitely wants to hide who she is ( this would lead to a bad end fyi ) but comes to realise it’s not good for anyone if she does that. 

much less likely to get a bad end since she’s too excited at the thought of having some family to even think about hurting them. even though she preaches family is who you choose, she lost her whole family when her parents died, so this is pretty big for her.

specific headcanons under the cut. spoilers for each route, including v and ray!

j aehee.

jae probably knows all about mina’s past, and because of this mina’s hesitant to talk to her at first since she’s not ready to confront it. but, they’re both isolated from the family, so mina warms up to her quickly when she realises jae either pretends not to know or actually doesn’t know.

she never realised what happened with jae’s aunt and she’s furious when she learns, but there’s nothing she can do about it. all she can do is offer eternal support and take care of her.

and boy, does she take care of her. she’s fiercely protective of her only surviving blood relative, and she actively argues with j umin whenever she notices jae’s stress levels rising.

she gets along really well with z en. she’s good at balancing teasing him and sweet-talking him, and she makes sure to get reserved tickets to his shows for special occasions, because she knows jae will love it.

jae route exclusive - they still open the café together, and it’s only then she reveals to jae who she is. she’s scared as heck to do it, but she trusts jae to be understanding. mina doesn’t hesitate to do it, and it becomes famously known as being run by ‘ two sisters ’ which they laugh about all the time.

z en.

she’s so shocked to see his real name in the chat when it pops up. so that’s where he’s been!  and she immediately looks up his acting history, pondering whether or not she’ll tell him who she is because she knows he ran away from their family.

the first phone call is awkward because she can’t hide what she knows. it comes out gently, and eases him into the revelation of their relation. finally, she gives him the name cheonmi and that’s when it clicks. she makes him swear not to tell anyone, but it’s clear something’s passed between them.

they’re already so close just by revealing who they are to each other. mina’s hesitant to call him out on his narcissism because she knows what he went through with his family, but when she tells him to dial it down, it’s when he’s at his most extreme.

she loves seeing his photos, whether he’s posing or it’s a slice-of-life picture. it reminds her she’s still got someone left and she once even teared up at seeing him so happy and carefree. that never happened again - she sees way too many pictures to get emotional about it.

z en route exclusive - when she stays at his, they spend their time catching up and exchanging stories. she insists on riding his motorbike ( just a lap around this part of town, i swear i’ll take good care ) and she goes through with him what he’s going to say at the party. it’s then she realises she’s good at regulating and organising him, and she offers to become his manager immediately after his speech. why? because she still has faith in her cousin.

y oosung / r ika.

she doesn’t recognise y oosung at first. the dyed hair thing plus addiction to games really turned her around, until he mentioned r ika. then it was a case of wait, i have cousins with the same names and click, she’s caught on.

she fell out of contact with the family before r ika died, so she didn’t even know any of this had happened. it’s a huge shock to her and, like with her parents’ deaths, she refuses to talk in depth about her.

she almost meets up with y oosung accidentally, since she works at his university coffee shop. on seeing him, she panics that he’ll recognise her and considers hiding, until she realises he’s not even looking in her direction. and that’s when she realises she has to get a grip. the next time she sees him, she waves him over and explains who she is. they get talking, and they’ve swapped gaming usernames by the time they part. she’s glowing, feeling so happy to meet up with him again.

in some routes, mina figures out r ika isn’t dead by piecing together bits of what v says ( this is more for another story tbh ) and dwelling on her own experiences.

y oosung route exclusive - she can’t look at his face while he has his eyepatch on. it’s a constant reminder of what she caused ( yes, she blames herself for it ) and it’s impossible to forget. but when she hears he’s going to become a vet? she’s inspired to go to uni as well.

s even / s aeran.

so yeah, twist for this one - she’s actually a relation of the prime minister. s even finds out fairly quickly about this, but mina’s in the dark about who he is unless he decides to tell her.

she usually finds out in s even or s aeran’s route, either when s even decides to find s aeran or she works it out towards the end of her stay in the m int e ye. she’s kind of?? highkey shocked, needs to sit down for six years kind of thing.

she wants to call her uncle and scream in his face. so badly. five years ago, she would have, but she knows she can’t. they’ve got to be smart about this, and she’s good at appearing to keep a cool head. but she makes sure whichever twin she’s with knows how pissed she is.

honestly this is like losing her parents all over again. she chose to isolate herself from his family, but knowing he treated his own children like this? if she hadn’t cut herself off him from before, she would have now.

s aeran route exclusive - she invites more people to watch z en’s announcement. she emails old friends, colleagues, neighbours, with only the caption this is about my uncle, which really gets some attention. more people tune in for the original broadcast and the good end is easier to achieve.

j umin.

filthy rich, born with a silver spoon in her mouth - but same story. parents died, cut herself off from the rest of her family, hiding in seoul. makes it a bit more surprising when she comes from a rich background.

so ofc she knows who jumin is the instant she sees his name on the chat and honestly almost turns it off there and then. why did she stay? maybe he could get her out of this mess.

she tells him everything on day 3. privately, of course, to avoid seeming like she’s after attention. but, when her name and her story checks out, she’s eager to meet him again and asks to meet. j aehee arranges it, so mina lets her in on the secret. it’s not fair for j aehee to not know.

it’s very awkward. they don’t have a lot in common since mina renounced her old life, so there’s not a lot for them to talk about, but it’s a start. mina expresses her desire to reconnect with their family, but makes it clear she wants it to go slowly. he seems to understand, and things warm up in due time. she also carries on with the encouragement and trying to help him understand herself, but of course it’s all platonic in this.

j umin route exclusive - she’s constantly encouraging him to deny the engagement to sarah. she becomes defensive about this topic very quickly, believing even j umin should have a choice in who he marries. at his announcement at the party, she’s content to let him reveal who she is as well, since it shows two cousins coming together to fight the wrong in their family. she’s really proud of her cat-obsessed cousin, 

v. 

okay so she’s scared shitless being in the m int e ye, so when she first meets v via the messenger, she thinks she’s just reaching. i mean, he couldn’t possibly be her cousin! though v is clearly a pseudonym, and yeah, he sort of looks like him too, she’s certain it’s her mind playing tricks on her. boy.

her parents used to take care of v’s mother after she lost her hearing. i mean, it’s what siblings do for each other, right? so mina probably met v a few times as a kid, but he was more into business than art so it’s easy to see why she didn’t recognise him.

even not in the m int e ye, she’s kind of very suspicious about this guy, just because she’s got more time to wonder if it really is her cousin. she tries to ask about it indirectly ( because she’s pretty sure if it is him, he hasn’t recognised her yet ) but she’s just left with answers that don’t fit her perception of j ihyun.

either way, it brings up a lot of memories about her aunt and parents, ones that she could deal with being buried forever. so, on this route she displays more symptoms of depression than any other, because she was closer to his family than to any other.

v route exclusive - on day 4, when the routes diverge, the only reason she goes with v is because she knows him. it’s kind of a ‘ stop —- holy shit, you! ’ moment which they don’t exactly get to deal with for a few days. because, you know. v got shot. but when he feels better, they talk some things out. mina tells him about her previous life, and how she wishes she could have contacted him when her parents died. he’s surprisingly easy to talk to.

[evil-writer]

@the-feminine-grotesque replied to your post “lol every time choi b*n do opens his mouth i hate him a little more....”

it's not about redemption. that indicates that he needs to be redeemed. he doesnt. it's their marriage that needs to be repaired. the thing is even if u sympathize more with jinjoo and dislike ban do (totally fair), he is not the sole reason they broke up. nor did they break up cuz their was no love there anymore, it was because love was crushed under the weight of their responsibilities. leading to both feeling alone, exhausted, neglected/underappreciated and miserable

idk how far in u are, so this might be smth that becomes more clear later on, or u just disagree completely to the very end. but yeah i like this drama cuz while yeah its about them finding their way back to each other it's even more about them getting to right the things int he past that left them with regrets, it's about figuring out where things went wrong in their lives and in their marriage, it's about reconciling their memories with what the reality of their past 

actually was. and ofc they get to actually know more about the people they had as a "first love". ep 5 was an interesting perspective on the nature of "first love" and what it actually means. and ofc then u have the shadow of the death of jinjoo's mother in the future which likely put a huge strain on their relationship esp if jj blames bd for it on some level. sorry im not trying to come in here and tell you how to feel about the drama or anyone in it i swear!

just wanted to give a different perspective. i dont like when ban do insults jinjoo but she's also pretty cutting with him. and more importantly idt either fully understands what pain they were going thru or how hard those words are hitting. i sympathize more with jinjoo definitely, part of that is jang nara is just KILLING it and has the eyes of a lost baby dear, and part of that is that unlike ban do she experienced a crushing loss with her mother's death.

i have more to say but i will refrain until i know how far along in the show you are (that assumes u want to hear more from me ofc. if u dont i will understand and stop here)

just fyi, i love your wall of text comments, and am always honoured to be a recipient of them. your perspectives are so insightful, and are always welcome! (lowkey they validate my stupid screaming into the void a lil bit so i’m always happy whenever tumblr deigns to notify me lolol).

i was actually not very far into the drama when i made the original post. it was something like early ep 3, probably? in any case, i’ve watched up to episode 5 right now and i can understand ban do. i can understand that he was in as much pressure as jin joo, if not more so (in terms of the future timeline). with my background and family, i more than understand the social pressures he faced. but while i understand his position, i still can’t help disliking him. 

for the most part, i’m able to separate the drama-digesting part of my brain from the part that deals with the rest of my life. but then a drama like go back couple will come along and go down the other pipe, and i’ll be watching with the full weight of the emotional baggage that comes with RL tara (as opposed to Tumblr User evil-writer). and the life jin joo had pre-time travel is my worst nightmare. it’s not even just the bits before their divorce. it’s that she had little to no life outside her duties as mom and wife. it’s that she didn’t have that luxury. i can’t stomach watching her go back to that. 

(her calling ban do stingy miser comes to mind here. was she right to call him that? no. but from where i stand, that comes from a deep-rooted anger at their whole financial situation, and while it’s not nice, it’s understandable.)

for dramas like this one, my overall feelings towards a character tend to be constructed by a first impression. and mine re: ban do involved him watching tv while seo jin bawled in front of the bathroom door, making it so that jin joo couldn’t even have a minute to do her business. many things happened after that, of course, but it’s the first thing that sprung to mind while jin joo broke down on the street crying for seo jin; how’s ban do doing? 

in the meantime, ban do was focused on how he could stay in the past (current time? idk i’m still confused about how this time travel works). he loves seo jin. there’s no doubt in my mind about that. but he has to be reminded that he has a child. 

see, the way i interpret it, ban do is immature. maybe a little too immature to be a family man. it’s this i was referring to when i said redemption, so i probably phrased it badly. after the initial “wow i’m back in my 20s” wore off, his gut reaction was to go after his first love. and yeah, of course, he has a right to explore that what-if. but if jin joo is breaking down in the streets because she misses her son, is it wrong to expect him to actually...remember on his own, that he has a son?

but also it’s his attitude towards jin joo. it’s his constantly back-handedly calling her ugly. it’s that i can’t accept, ignore or even understand. it’s the “why tf would he like you?” attitude. it’s the “there’s no way he thought you’re pretty” attitude. it’s that he’s allowed to dismiss jin joo (scene in the lecture hall) but when she does the same to him, he does the Wrist Grab. it’s the “you can’t do better than me, but i settled” attitude. which jin joo may or may not be guilty of as well. but the way i see it, her name calling and hurting him comes from a place of extreme frustration at their financial situation, and at the state of her life. she said pre-time travel that her regret was not studying a little harder, and not becoming a prosecutor. 

his involved his first love. 

maybe i’m oversimplifying him. maybe i’m a little too unforgiving. i can’t help it. it’s RL tara projecting her anxiety. and she’s a crazy bitch. i need jin joo to fix her life so that she’s never as miserable as she was pre-time travel. i need her to cultivate that career. and with ban do the way he is--heart in the right place, but so immature, i don’t think she can do that with him in her life. but again, it’s very much me as a person. 

(the same person that’s always angry about the way sung na jeong was treated by both the writing and the fandom, but that’s another story entirely.)

[rust-en-orde]

and in the name of love, she’s coming back.

although it’s fairly confusing to point out the only one thing that CL lacks to make her own breakthrough in the US impossible, because duh, she has everything upon her sleeve, I think we can come to a final conclusion that it’d be good management.

what else does a leader of 2NE1, one of the pioneers in K-pop whose influence and contribution could never be denied since 2009, conceivably not have, unless a company with at least a functional brain which will let their artists release a goddamn album? y’all tell me.

the fact she’s from YG Entertainment (the shittiest company in South Korea, fyi only tho, just in case you’re clueless) had been the prominent reason for all the widespread frustrations growing from both important parties in this case (CL and her loyal fandom, GZB) since 2015.

2015 was like the perfect timing for her grand entry to the US, wasn’t it? her swaggering single ‘Hello Bitches’ was getting massive recognition, the high anticipation from both the general public and GZBs was rising higher than ever. not to mention her extensive connection! the relationship with all peeps from another side of the world that she builds throughout the years was beneficially helping to spread her brand out as an all-around rookie singer who’s more than ready to pull off ‘CL paves the way for Asian artists debuting in the US’ card. 

and here’s the most ridiculous joke of the decade; instead of dropping a ton of remarkable albums which she has worked on either in South Korea or the US, all she could have was a longass hiatus after the release of her debut single ‘Lifted’ (which I always think as a mere warm-up song lol) in 2016.

can y’all imagine that?

she’s a top-notch performer. her number one mission has always been to stun everyone the moment she’s stepping on stage. she was one of two artists that being asked to represent South Korea at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic closing ceremony and she ate the whole stadion alive.

imagine being none but a literal idiot for wasting her unmatched talents, her golden age, her unstoppable stage presence? I simply can’t be one because nah that certain level of stupidity is beyond my ability.

another painful story is, as many as GZBs who decided to faithfully stay and wait for her music, there was also a large number of them who heavily chose to leave. if you’re starting to wonder who to blame, whose fault is it? well, to be frankly honest, no one (it’s YG Entertainment’s fault tho but I had enough talking about that garbage so).

let me break the situation down for you.

she couldn’t release any song she have produced by herself, she’s basically getting locked up. the desperation was painfully too much to be borne, both for herself and GZBs. dozens of new groups get to debut every year. they’re fresh and young, they have a dozen of chances to promote their songs frequently, to showcase their capabilities. and how’s CL doing? what exactly has she been up to? not even one single fleeting glimpse existed. GZBs were left by confusion, were hanging by only futile hope to listen to her new album which seemed wouldn’t be getting released anytime soon. inevitably, some chose to leave yet the rest wanted to stay. they, whose commendable persistence, truly did.

when the news of her departure from that sexist company broke out in November 2019, following the announcement of the ‘IN THE NAME OF LOVE’ release (in less than a month since she left that broke agency, a glo up I aspire to have tbh) there was a huge relief within me. yes, solely a relief.

there was no scene of weeping a bucket of tears, or more extreme, an agonizingly painful blow within my chest, just like when they announced 2NE1’s disbandment three years ago. picture that as a twinge of irony, because it felt like years ago since the last time I could be just free of worry towards any news coming from K-pop artists I love (and in general tho tbh, 2019 is not definitely the best year of K-pop). that time, I couldn’t resist to pat my head and, if I may add, to give myself the highest praise for making a good decision. yes, hon, once in a lifetime. hashtag I’m indecisive and I knew it.

“smart of you to not ever forget her, to never have any slightest thought for leaving the fandom, to simply stay,” I told myself.

‘IN THE NAME OF LOVE’, a meaningful gift for her friends and GZBs. but above all, a thoughtful letter written by herself to herself which for the most part saying that it’s always okay to start all over again.

it’s an extended play (EP) that contains six songs in total and every two tracks will be dropped in one week. she just released the first two songs, +DONE161201+ and +REWIND170205+, and the responses are nothing but hearty applause. oh anyway, the numbers in each song correspond with the date when the songs were written, as if it’s a kind of diary that depicted her feelings over that time.

in spite of the fact that it’s written 3 years ago, ‘Done’ is an enjoyable and super catchy bop. it’s like a peaceful break-up anthem, something that you can claim as rare topic because recent break-up songs outhere are mostly about the wounded pain and sleepless nights (SHOUTOUT TO AKMU’S HOW CAN I LOVE THE HEARTBREAK WHEN YOU’RE THE ONE I LOVE they can have all the waters from my eyes I truly don’t mind). the lyrics are very straight-forward (which I appreciate the most) and somehow I can’t help but squeezing out some memories from my teenager days by listening to it religiously.

“don’t hit me up

don’t show up on me

the one who left me

baby boy, that was you

please don’t hit me up

don’t call me

I told you that you would regret this, you fool”

2NE1 was widely known for their empowering songs back then, remember? you are allowed to have a sort of vague or even a clear-cut distaste towards the songs they made in their peak of career, but you definitely can’t disregard the truth that they’re effin good at conveying “you broke up with me so you better get your ass out and never come back to me and say you regret everything because duh boy adios” message. been a devoted Blackjack (2NE1’s fandom name) since 2010, it’s just really delightful for me to finally hear their distinctive sound again in newer production provided by the leader. if any of you are in desperate need of a clean break-up jam, Done is a decent choice. btw my personal favorite part of the song is:

“tears I shed for you is my last gift for you

what’s done is done”

(IT’S WAY TOO RELATEABLE I,,)

moving on to the second track, ‘Rewind’ aka a song that turned me into a miserable mess the first second I listened to it. I’m not a genius in music and its magical pieces of stuff but it doesn’t take a genius either to understand the meaning of this song is THAT deep.

“where did we go wrong? I don’t know

it’s too late to say goodbye

let’s try solving this unpromising puzzle

you don’t wanna let me go, me neither

the curtain between us

open it up and let’s rewind”

I think she’s like talking to herself. she’s questioning why everything is falling apart, why things aren’t right in the first place. then after dealing with not-so-momentary confusion and hesitation, she came up with a decision that she only had to go back to the beginning and start over. and it may not be the easiest thing to be done, but even so it’s not a serious problem because she knows that she’s more than capable of proving herself, that she’s never alone along every step in another big journey ahead of her. I’d say ‘Rewind’ is a very encouraging song, it feels so uplifting to be heard on your heavy days.

also, the music videos for both songs are quite personal and emotionally soul-stirring. she produced the video by herself hence you can easily notice the simplicity and creativity she carried on there. one thing that ought to be highlighted is the people who were shown in the music videos. they are her closest friends slash constant supports which are playing an irreplaceable part in her life, especially when times were rough for her with all US debut preparation and everything. on a lighter note, I’m profoundly thankful to know she’s never alone while facing all hardships she got to encounter, that she’d never be obligated to dissemble her feelings because she’s surrounded by her own people who are always all ears for her.

to sum everything up, ‘IN THE NAME OF LOVE’ is a heartwarming start.

it’s not the main release for her high-anticipated return to the music scene, but instead, it brings a long-awaited comfort to the table as if she’s saying “hey fam guess what? I’m still here, I won’t ever give up, let’s do it now” to GZBs. her previous agency had done nothing but ruined her chances to make everything big on time and as now she’s no longer prisoned (I sound so bitter ok I know), I simply can’t wait to see what she got in store and am beyond ready to give my utmost support for a ton of albums she will be releasing from now on.

4 years filled only with the long stretches of waiting have passed, and that, surely not in a blink of an eye. but somehow, she made it. so did GZBs.

welcome back, CL. been long time, hasn’t it?

[aion-rsa]

Batman Gifts: Our Pick of the Best DC Collectibles

https://ift.tt/34HQcAI

Here's our rundown of this year's coolest Batman collectibles.

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80 years in and Batman is as popular as ever. Even as you read these words, work is underway on the next cinematic adventure for the Dark Knight, and Joker is still going strong in theaters -- so much so that Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips are hiding away crafting the character's next solo film. The eight decades since Batman was first introduced in the pages of Detective Comics have seen him undergo countless changes, the versatility of the Caped Crusader is a huge part of his staying power. But when it comes down to the nitty gritty, Batman is just a hero at heart -- whether he's the goofy 1960s one or the grimdark Synder take. So you really can't go wrong with giving the gift of Batman, and here's some ideas to make your holiday shopping experience a Bat-tastic one!

Batman 4K Film Collection

Let's kick things off in a big way with some Bat-Movies, shall we? Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin get a deluxe treatment in this eight-disc set that includes 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and digital copies of each film.

Buy the Batman 4K Film Collection here

The Dark Knight Trilogy Collection

Those who prefer their Batman to be a bit less ridiculous will likely be more interested in Christopher Nolan's take on the character with Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises -- all of which are included here in 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. Point to ponder, why does everyone give Batman & Robin so much shit when Bale's Batman essentially causes nuclear winter over the skies of Gotham City at the end of The Dark Knight Rises. No wonder he gets the fuck out of town so quick.

Buy The Dark Knight Trilogy Collection here

Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond

Nearly ever iteration of Batman -- from the World's Greatest Detective to the Dark Knight -- is explored in this mammoth 400-page guide to the character and how he has been portrayed in various forms of media. When a book bills itself as "the most comprehensive history of Batman ever written," it better have the content to back such a brazen statement up, and thats exactly what authors Andrew Farago and Gina McIntyre aim to do here.

Buy Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond here

Batman Chair Cape

Earn the respect of your coworkers -- or maybe just get a quick trip to HR! -- with this Batman cape that you can connect to your office chair.

Buy the Batman Chair Cape here

The Joker: The Bronze Age Omnibus

Long before you grew tired of Joaquin Phoenix stair memes, the Joker starred in his own short-lived solo comic in 1975 and '76. A strange affair, the title removed the character from the context of Batman -- allowing him to star in stories that were unlike anything he previously appeared him. All nine issues of that book, along with a previously unseen tenth issues and countless other iconic appearances from throughout the DC Universe's stable of comic are included in this massive omnibus. From lightweight adventures to tales that portend the dark madness to come, this is an unmissable volume.

Buy The Joker: The Bronze Age Omnibus here

Batman: Damned

The dream team of Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo collaborated for Batman: Damned, the comic that infamously showed Bruce Wayne's penis for the first time. Yeah. Despite the controversy, the story ranks among the best in recent memory, with Batman trying to get to the bottom of the Joker's death with the unreliable assistance of John Constantine. The miniseries has now been collected into this graphic novel, featuring a behind-the-scenes gallery and afterword from Azzarello.

Buy Batman: Damned here

Also from the team of Azzarello and Bermejo is Joker (not to be confused with the movie of the same name), which DC Black Label declares is "arguably the most terrifying Joker tale ever written." But we will leave that to you to decide. 

Buy Joker here

Batmobile: Pursuit of the Joker Lego Set

With the holidays here, it's great that this Lego set actually allows for the Batmobile to lose a wheel, allowing the Joker to get away. At press time Batman's smell remains undocumented.

Buy the Batmobile: Pursuit of the Joker Lego Set here

The Batman Who Laughs

What would happen if Batman and the Joker were one and the same? That's exactly what happens in this graphic novel from writer Scott Snyder and illustrator Jock that focuses on a character who is half Batman, half Joker, all terror -- and you'll never look at the Dark Knight the same again.

Buy The Batman Who Laughs here

The Batman Who Laughs Funko Pop!

FYI: If you really want to win over the Batfan on your holiday shopping this, get them this and The Batman Who Laughs graphic novel.

Buy The Batman Who Laughs Funko Pop! here

Batman Hallmark Christmas Tree Ornament

Tim Burton's Batman turned 30 this year, and Hallmark is celebrating the anniversary with this Keatonesque Batman ornament that will give your Christmas tree some Dark Knight realness.

Buy the Batman Hallmark Christmas Tree Ornament here

Batman Umbrella/Rainwear Set

Rainy days just got that much cooler. This raincoat/umbrella combo would make a fantastic gift for aspiring young superheroes/vigilantes. It's a fine line, right?

Buy the Batman Umbrella/Rainwear Set here

DC Collectibles Artists Alley: Batman by Joe Ledbetter Designer Vinyl

Figure

DC Collectibles continues to up the ante in terms of unique items through their Artists Alley line, which provides the industry's greatest creators with the opportunity to put their spin on the publisher's most iconic faces. Limited to 3,000 pieces, this 7" tall vinyl-cast interpretation of Batman by Joe Ledbetter is a re-imagining of the character that has a real bite to it.

Buy the DC Collectibles Artists Alley: Batman by Joe Ledbetter Designer Vinyl Figure here

Batman: Exclusive Original Television Soundtrack Album

With music and dialogue from the 1960s Batman TV series, this is a gift idea that is a little retro kitsch, a whole lot of cool.

Buy Batman: Exclusive Original Television Soundtrack Album here

Prince: Batman 

The same as the above LP, just even more so.

Buy Prince: Batman here

Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass

One of 2019's finest graphic novel is Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass. Writer Mariko Tamaki and artist Steve Pugh have crafted a story about fractured adolescence that elevates the oft-maligned character into a true pop culture force to be reckoned with.

Buy Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass here

Batman: 100 Greatest Moments: Highlights from the History of the Dark Knight

Another colossal book that was produced for Batman's 80th anniversary is this effort from Robert Greenberger that is sure to stir fevered debate among the faithful.

Buy Batman: 100 Greatest Moments: Highlights from the History of the Dark Knight here

The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture

If you are looking for a brilliantly written exploration of how Batman shaped pop culture (and vice versa) look no further than this joyous effort by writer/comics historian/NPR personality Glen Weldon.

Buy The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture here

Invicta Men's Batman Watch

Be the most fashionable Batman fan around with this handsome men's watch from Invicta that is waterproof, has automatic self-wind and comes with a black stainless steel case. What's the time? It's time to stop criminals in Gotham City, whee!

Buy the Invicta Men's Batman Watch here

While not directly connected to Batman, 2019 best show is set in the DC Universe and therefore will has more than enough shared DNA to please fans of the character. Doom Patrol brings together a variety of largely unknown DC characters for a show that somehow manages to be both wildly entertaining and one of the greatest explorations of trauma that the medium of television has offered up. If that sounds somewhat unhinged, that is the entire point. Each of Doom Patrol's characters is severely damaged -- from the world weary Robotman (voiced by Brendan Fraser in a soulful performance) to Jane (Dianne Guerrero), a young woman whose childhood abuse caused her to splinter into 46 personalities each with their own super powers. In a season packed with mindblowing moments, perhaps the most touching involvings the Danny the Street character: A sentient qenderqueer city block that is a haven for society's castoffs. To say any more would give away some of the show's surprises, so just know this, Doom Patrol is peak TV at its best...and a show that deserves to be a much larger part of our cultural conversation.

Buy Doom Patrol: The Complete First Season here

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Chris Cummins

Nov 29, 2019

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Batman

from Books https://ift.tt/34xuaka

[transboygenius]

SE4SON: Chapter 19

[*Back in medieval, in the afternoon*]

Jimmy and Nick were getting ready for their dinner with the king. Jimmy was putting on his cloak and hat, while Nick was slipping into his suit of armor. They even used the "cologne" Benson lend them.

"You don't have to wear the helmet, you know." Said Jimmy. "Eh. I feel more comfortable with my face hidden." Replied Nick.

Sally, sitting on a stack of hay, glowed by Nick's comment. That's exactly what the Silver Knight would say. The knight never shown his face. It could have something to do with his fear of facing reality, or how he's too shy to let anyone see him express facial emotions. Nothing will ever convince her that these two young gents aren't the heroic saviors from the past. Jimmy is wise, calm, and holds the same physical features as the Wise Wizard, described in the diary. Aside from the obvious armor, Nick is sassy yet sweet, just like the Silver Knight. Also to add, he is much taller compared to his partner. The way she has watched them, they seem to prefer standing by each other's side, as well as feeling comfortable together. They also sleep in the same barn. The wizard and knight may have lost their memories, but the way they feel for each other hasn't changed. Two gentlemen unwinding in a hot spring five feet apart cuz they're platonic comrades.

"So, Mr. Jimmy Wizard..." Asked Sally. "That's not my full name, and please don't call me that again." Replied Jimmy. "...I know you're incapable of doing magic, with your memory gone and all, but I'm sure you still possess the brains. How smart are you still?" "'How smart are you still?' That's improper use of grammar. I'm not 'still smart,' I'm 'always smart!' And FYI, I'm more smarter than you can bet on! Ask me anything!" "O-kay? Why is the sky blue?" "Appropriate answer from an eight-year old. Blue light is scattered in all directions by the minuscule molecules of air in Earth's atmosphere! Blue is scattered more than other colors because it peregrinates as shorter, more minute waves! Therefore, we optically discern an azure most of the time!" "Yep! You'd definitely have to be a super smart artist to sum up words I've never even heard of or understand." "Ask me another one if you please!" "How do you plan to turn the king's bargain against him?" "I was expecting either a science or history type question." "Like, are you gonna lure him into a pit of spikes?" "What? No! Where are we gonna find a spiky pit?" "You have a point there, very impractical. Hmmmmmm. Maybe you could poison his drink!" "Even though this is the medieval century, I'm not entirely sure poison is legalized in this town, given all the strict rules." "And all his pretty boys there will be watching us like hawks." Nick added. "Why not just have Diana step on him?"

Jimmy and Nick both looked at her in cringed expressions.

"You know, squash him like a cockroach? SPLAT! She's already big enough!"

The two boys were then relieved, but they still disagreed with her notion.

"How 'bout we lure him into a pit?" Asked Rodent Girl, who's in the barn with them for unknown reason. "We've already discussed this." Exclaimed Jimmy. "Ah, you did, but instead of spikes, which we don't have access to, King Jason falls into some scalding, melted cheese! And I have plenty of gouda, provolone, and mozzarella to spare! That would make his death slowfully painful. Not to mention, delicious! Mwahahahahahahaha."

Silence filled the barn, and everyone looked at Rodent Girl awkwardly, even the animals. Such a weird idea coming from a weird girl. All this silence started to make her nervous. Pretending as though she said nothing, she decided to go about her business, drinking from the cow's udder. Of course, that didn't make things less weird. Benson suddenly pokes his head through the barn door. It's obvious he's been eavesdropping again.

"May I suggest loosening the joints and screws on his throne so that he falls over and breaks his neck? The old fart did mentioned in the editorials that he would rather die there than on a deathbed. Mwahahahahahahaha." "Were you there this whole time?" Asked Nick. "Oh. Heavens no! I was just dropping by to... ...get Miss Oona! She must freshen up before she's ready to meet the king!"

Benson then separated the teen from the cow, and dragged her out of the barn. Jimmy, Nick, and Sally followed.

"Now, young lady, you go ahead inside and brush your teeth this instant! We've got a royal dinner to attend very soon!" Said Benson, handing Rodent Girl a toothbrush. "'Brush my teeth?' What's wrong with the smell of organic milk?" Replied Rodent Girl. "Come here!"

Benson then picked up Rodent Girl, and tried to brush her teeth by force. Jimmy and Nick decided to return the cologne bottle inside. As always, Sally followed behind them. The boys were surprised to see Mitzi, back from work early. She looked very upset, resting both of her elbows on the table. Nick took off his helmet to look less suspicious, despite still standing in full armor. Diana was comforting her. Her pupils shifted to Jimmy and Nick for a short moment, and then back into blank space. She was too pissed to question their silly "dress-up game." Out of curiosity, Jimmy quietly asked Diana what the problem was.

"Mitzi got fired from her job. The blacksmith industry recently hired a new man." Said Diana. "That's right, a man! One not very smart. One who absolutely has no qualified skills. One to only write 'Plz gimme a job :)' on his resume! Bloody King Jason and his bloody male dominated, privilege system!" Mitzi screamed.

She got so mad, she banged on the table, knocking off a bowl of fruit. Mitzi was the only one to have a job, and now she lost it. That was the only job left available in the village. If she had been a man, she would've have kept that job. She has been in blacksmith for 12 years, and now replaced with an inexperienced gentlemen. Diana can steal stuff, but she can't always find what they need, such as condiments, medicine, and toiletries. Also, the animals might die without food. This job was much more important to the Faithful Five than you think. Nick didn't want this to happen to his friends. Nick walked right up to Mitzi, reached into his pocket, then pulled out a bunch of coins. Mitzi was very intrigued. There were even six silver coins and a gold one.

"Take every single penny. And just to be clear; it's not you I'm helping, it's me and Jimmy's friends. So, spend this wisely." Exclaimed Nick. "Where did you get those?" Asked Jimmy. "Snatched them from the green hoods' campsite during our smoke bomb loot." "Why didn't you tell me about this before?" "Hey, I thought these would be worth more in our time than in this time. I was gonna split it with you, btw."

Mitzi looked at the coins in front of her. Demons never gave gifts to fool their victims, they only relied on manipulation. In their cases, children are the easiest to lure in. They never cared for money, and was only interested in robbing the youth from their childhoods. They keep shiny and valuable things to themselves. Demons would never spare change to a poor man. These creatures were merciless and sadistic. None of Jimmy and Nick's friendly gestures ever moved her, but this is one trait Mitzi is new to. Nick just gave away everything he had in his pocket, all to make sure her family stays healthy. A true demon would never make sacrifices. Despite that, she still feels she's not ready to fully trust the boys yet. Her entire life imprisoned, and tormented, by the demons for fourteen years. Mitzi accepted the coins, but didn't give out a "thank you," which is what Nick had expected. She then got up so she could fetch her basket for grocery shopping.

Jimmy climbed up Diana to whisper in her ear, letting her know that it's time to hit the road. Nick put his helmet back on, Diana combed Butterscotch's mane real quick, and Benson helped Rodent Girl rinse. Also, she spitted in his face afterwards. Jimmy, Nick, and Sally rode on Butterscotch, while Rodent Girl hitched a piggyback ride on Diana. Luckily, she was light as grapes to her. After the seven of them journeyed off, Sally had just remember that she forgot to introduce herself to Mitzi. Speaking of Mitzi, when she returned to the living room with her basket, everyone was suddenly gone. Not a single peep of sound heard. Something's not right.

  .............................

[*Meanwhile, in the twenty first century*]

The whole search party was camping outside of the Neutron household, waiting for their Cbae order to arrive. Hugh was role-playing family with his plastic ducks. Libby was listening to her playlist on shuffle. Carl was practicing magic again. Sheen had Goddard project more holograms while speaking into the voice module microphone, just so he could hear his acquaintances/rivals say what he wants to hear. And finally, Judy was showing Mrs. Dean some pictures of Jimmy through the photo album.

"Why is your son wearing a dress in this-"

Judy slammed the album closed.

"Okay! What say I get us some more snacks? Just notify me when the delivery truck arrives!" Said Judy. "No need for that, Mrs. Neutron! I have a box of Bossete's Intergalactic Twinkles™!" Replied Sheen, holding up his Ultralord themed snack. "Sheen, I love you, honey, but the cream filling of those twinkles taste like dish soap." Said Libby. "They do not! Dish soap is more light and tangy. Carl likes them!" "Actually, I only like eating the outside sponge cake. That's the most edible part of the snack." Spoke Carl.

Judy decided to just head inside and fetch those snacks. But before she was about to step inside, she suddenly heard a truck slowly roll in, and then come to a stop. It's here.

"Mrs. Neutron! The delivery truck is here!" Shouted Carl, Sheen, and Libby. "Sugar Booger! The nice, friendly delivery man has arrived!" Also shouted Hugh.

Judy ran up to the truck in excitement. The delivery man steps out of the driving compartment with his notepad.

"Delivery for, username 'bigmommyftw?'" Asked the delivery man. "That's me, young man!" Replied Judy. "Please sign right here, madam."

The delivery man then handed Judy his notepad, where she began to write out her signature. After that, he went into his truck to give her the item she ordered online. The man came out with a big, heavy box. Judy relieved the man of his pain by taking the box from him, and to his surprise, she was much stronger than she looked. He headed back into his truck and drove. After he left, Judy immediately cranked the box open with a crowbar. Instead of finding the machine in there, bits and pieces spilled out. They are suppose to build the time machine themselves. Judy searched among the pieces to look for the instructions. She found them, but with rotten luck, they were written in Korean. No matter how hard she looked through the pamphlet, all was in Korean. She tried to look for another instructional pamphlet buried in the machine parts, but the second one was written in Chinese.

"Anybody here speak Korean? Or at least Chinese?" Asked Judy.

Everyone said no, until Sheen had an idea.

"Wait! You don't have to worry, Mrs. Neutron! Luckily, I recently have installed this cultural translator app!"

Sheen grabbed the pamphlet from Judy, and then typed out the instructions onto his phone. Unfortunately, the translation came out wrong. Very wrong.

"'Apply extra lube before inserting the r.b. Johnson deep into the main combustion valve. Rock back and fourth to push in further, until it reaches that spot.' What kind of app did I even download!?"

Sheen uninstalled his app, went straight to the app store, then filed a very negative review, with a one star rating.

"Your app stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinks! 😡😡😡😡😡😡👎👎👎 How do you sleep at night?!!1!!! Don't download, y'all!"

"Hold on, everyone! I once dated a Korean man, who was the owner of this 4 star Korean barbecue! He taught me a few words in his native language, so maybe I can make something out in those instructions!" Said Mrs. Dean.

Sheen handed her the pamphlet. She carefully scanned her eyes through the instructions on each page. Everyone looked at her eagerly.

"Okay, I know that this word means 'please.' This one means 'screw.' And this, I think, is suppose to mean 'nose.'" Mrs. Dean explained. "That's it?" Asked Judy. "Well, I never paid much attention to him. I only dated that man for free meats." "I think I know just the person to help!" Spoke Libby. "Who?" Everyone questioned. "Cindy! She studied about 50 different foreign languages! One of them includes Korean! Hang tight! I'll be right back!"

Libby then ran across the street to the Vortex house. She just hopes she can catch Cindy in her good mood.

................................

An angsty Cindy Vortex was slouching down in her beanbag, surrounding herself with comfort food and a two liter bottle of Purple Flurp. Humphrey was eating out of a bag of Corn Poofs. Cindy drank her tub of melted ice cream through a straw, while watching her new favorite reality TV show: Man Down. It's a show where women and teen girls get to take extreme measurements of revenge on their ex-boyfriends. She switched to this show after watching To Love Or Not To Love, a soap opera which aired an episode about a man promising to a woman that he will work hard to be a better person, and then begged for her forgiveness. Nothing seems to make her happy anymore. She's just too stubborn to swallow her pride.

"CINDY!" Libby burst through her bedroom door. "What?" Asked Cindy. "We need your help! We just ordered this new time machine online, don't question where we got the money, but we can't read the instructions! That's why I came to you!" "Well, it's not my fault Y'ALL forgot to read. (Everyone has gone stupid nowadays. Jimmy is the first)" "Huh- No no no no, we can't read the instructions cuz they're printed in another language! Please help us! Without that time machine, we may never be able to save Jimmy and Nick!" "What, did they get warped into another century by accident, or something?" "Yes! I have the security footage to prove it!" "Leave 'em. They deserve each other anyways." "Girl, could you stop thinking about yourself for once! All you've done is eat and behave sour at any human being in your contact! What did they ever do to you? I've had it with your depression over this breakup thing! This is a friend in danger! Not to mention, Mrs. Dean's only child!" "Excuse me? What did you say to me?" "We have to rescue a friend, plus a woman's only child who happens to be an acquaintance of ours!" "I wasn't asking about that!"

Cindy was so pissed, she crushed her potato crisps into dust. She got up from her beanbag and began to scold Libby, while making her walk backwards toward the door.

"You know, Libby, I thought you were very supportive of me! I thought you were one of the few good people in this world! But now, you reek of fink stink! You turned into them! For your information, I'm over the breakup! Neutron isn't my problem anymore, nor is he something to be dealt with! If I wanna sit on my butt all day eating comfort food, I can, cuz it's called self-respect! And I'm not sour! I was being confident! There's a difference!" "Cindy, I think you need hel-" "WHY IS EVERYONE TRYING TO TELL ME THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME?! If you care so much about finding Neutron, why don't you make him your new best friend?!"

As Libby was now outside of the room, Cindy slammed the door. She went back to her beanbag and slouched down in it. She just booted her best friend out. Her other half. Her trustful conscience. All because she refuses to listen to voice of reason. It's her inferiority complex that's keeping her from admitting to her flaws. She is always fighting to be that perfect woman, but always feels she's not good enough in the end. She's mad at Jimmy for ruining, what she thought they had, a beautiful relationship. And she's also mad at him for thinking he's smarter than her. She loves him, but at the same time she hates him. They seemed to have gotten along very decently when they were friends, but Cindy feels romance always comes first before friendship. And she can't help it that she has developed feelings for Jimmy. No matter how toxic they were together, Cindy just can't seem to let go. But the more she keeps holding on, the more pain it brings her. Sometimes it's very important to move on.

Cindy began to look at a couple of camera photos on her phone. They were of her, and her best friend Libby. She had been her best friend ever since first grade. Libby was the one who invited her for coloring when her friendship with Betty Quinlan died down. (Will be explained some time later in the future) While Cindy was obsessed with working hard and being the best, Libby showed her how to have fun like a normal girl for a change, yet she never tried to get in the way of her goals. Libby was a respectful friend, and a supportive one too. She was one of a kind. Now, after Cindy brushed her off like that, she may never speak to her again. Cindy was now alone. Worse, she's still too stubborn to fix this problem herself. She didn't even wanna make a simple call or text on her phone.

.................................

While walking across the street, Libby kept looking over her shoulder, in hopes to see if Cindy would walk out that front door and apologize. The poor girl is worse than she was before. She thinks the whole world has turned against her when it's really trying to help her. But nobody can help her now. She probably wouldn't even listen to her parents. This behavior was starting to frighten Libby, which means she should stay away from her for awhile. Cindy is on her own now. But how long will it be before she actually recovers? When Libby made it to the other side of the street, she broke the bad news to her squad.

"Sorry gang. Cindy can't help us. ...for personal reasons." Said Libby. "That's okay, deary! We'll just make-do with this!" Replied Judy.

Judy handed Libby the instruction pamphlet. Confused, Libby looked through it, and every word appeared to be in English.

"You found an English copy?" Asked Libby. "No. Goddard just ate the Korean pamphlet, and then printed a translated alternative! *Whispers* Please don't ask how." Replied Judy. "And he liked it, too!" Shouted Carl, who then fed Goddard the Chinese instructions. "Well, what are we waiting for, squad? We've got a time machine to build, and there's no time for breaks!"

Libby should be happy at this moment, but it's hard to with Cindy on her mind. It would've been a true team experience to have everyone working together.

...............................

[*Elsewhere, in another time*]

The whole crew continued traveling down that path, catching awkward stares from random civilians they pass. Benson was clutching his purse tightly, sweating like a hog. He hasn't gone out in so long, he forgot how much he feared eye contact from strangers. Diana just casually smiled and waved, as if she were on a parade float. Rodent Girl had fallen asleep, which gave everyone the conclusion that Diana was carrying some human corpse. Jimmy and Nick seemed to be doing fine, as wellerr as Sally. Jimmy didn't look like he mind Nick holding onto his shoulders tightly. Sally watched from the back.

"Are you nervous?" Asked Nick. "A bit. Are you?" Jimmy asked back. "I know you can't tell by now from my helmet, but, yeah. A hella nervous." "Care to share that issue with me? After all, it is a genius's job to answer a lot of questions." "This other half of Jason's bargain, I'm a little anxious to know just what he wants from us. For all we know, he could be looking for blood, or a new heir. What if it's something that's impossible to find?" "Calm down, Nick. Please?" "*Sighs deeply* Alright, I'll cool it. ...for now. Though I'm pretty sure we don't have a plan." "C'mon, we have made it this far. Like, for example, you managed to pull the wool over the mine keeper's eyes, and then come home with some fresh, raw quartz. Bet that was really scary, huh?" "Very. And exhausting, too." "It's okay. Whatever task the king has in store for us, it probably won't be any more difficult now that you have me. And Diana. Perhaps Rodent Girl could make use to us, somehow."

Nick was highly flattered after Jimmy had mentioned "you have me." That was all the motivation he needed to calm down completely. Once again, Nick was blushing under his helmet. Sally grinned at the two. Their order of communication definitely sounds like the Wise Wizard and Silver Knight, from what she read in her dad's diary. After a long walk, they made it to the castle. The drawbridge was already opened, and King Jason was waiting for them right there, with some knights in his presence.

"Ah! I thought you'd never make it! Welcome, guests, to my humble abode!" Greeted Jason. "Even though some of us have already been here yesterday." Joked Nick. "*Snickers* I especially welcome you again, O Wise Wizard and Silver Knight!"

Diana, Jimmy, Nick, Benson, and even Butterscotch, were very awestruck by Jason's comment. Rodent Girl even woke up to say "What?!" Now the king? Jimmy and Nick turned their heads to Sally, who was giving them a smug expression. That annoyed them deeply.

"Uhhhhhhhhh, I'm afraid-" Benson was about to give his say, but then Jimmy cut him off. "H-he's afraid to setteth foot in thy stronghold, your greatness! He's an extremely shy type!" Jimmy explained. "Oh, your friend hast nothing to worry about. You can count on my guards to protect HER."

King Jason was really more horrible than Benson expected. Despite the obvious goatee beard showing, he called him a "her" just because he's wearing a frilly apron, holding a purse, and mentioned to have real humanly emotions. If it weren't for all those guards right there, and the fact that he is the king, Benson would give him "a man" by blowing five fingers to his face. Speaking of which, he wonders why Jimmy had cut him off. After Nick helped Jimmy off of Butterscotch, Benson grabbed him for a short, private, and quiet, conversation.

"What was the meaning of cutting me off like that?" Asked Benson. "Because, have a moment to think. If he knew we were just some commoner children instead of a couple of noble legends from the past, he's gonna give us all a field trip to the gallows." Replied Jimmy.

Benson thought, maybe Jimmy has a point there. That could clarify on why King Jason showed them mercy, even if they did break an entry and posed as an authority. To him, the Wise Wizard and Silver Knight are a gold mine. Everyone walked forward into the castle.

"Wait, you're bringing the horse inside?! *Points to Butterscotch*" Jason questioned. "Butterscotch is family! Wherever we go, he comes with us! Talk to the man, Jimmy!" Exclaimed Diana. "Well, he is an important part of the group." Said Jimmy, while shrugging. "Fffffff-fine. But I hold your friend in charge of cleaning up after it!" Scoffed Jason. "Houyhnhnm! (I'm house trained, you biased pompous!)" Whinnied an embarrassed Butterscotch.

While the king was guiding them to the dining room, they met a strange man in the halls, who was the new cook, chasing a white rabbit and bearing a cleaver in hand.

"Stuart! What is this mindless folly?!" Screamed the king "An ingredient is trying to get away!"

[scifibi]

I reblogged it from my sideblog bellsclarkey 😊 Congratulations on you follower milestone!! Could you possibly write this prompt for bellarke? "you had an accident and hit your head. the doctor says you have some kind of amnesia that restarts your memory every few hours, but that doesn’t change the fact that we’re still married so please stop with the flirty pick up lines" Thank you!!

thank you so much!

also, i turned this into an archaeologists au while i'm at it, bcos why not lmao

YOUR BELLARKE FIC:

[also on ao3]

Bellamy wakes up to a rhythmic, steady prodding, something both hard and soft jabbing into his temple, over and over again. 

He snaps his head up from the bed he's currently slumped sideways over, his legs numb from hours in the hospital chair. "Clarke?"

She blinks at him, her face clean save for a couple of small scrapes and the butterfly bandage across her brow. "You're sleeping on my arm."

"Oh, shit." He opens his fists instantly, releasing her hand from the confines of his sleep-heavy slump. "Sorry, I— are you okay? How are you feeling?"

Her eyes travel slowly around the room, taking in the bed and the beeping machines. "Am I in the hospital?"

All the breath rushes out of him in a desperate wave of relief and worry. "Yes, you're in the hospital. Do you want some water? Here, have some water."

She merely blinks at the cup he brings over to her from the bedside table, frowning slightly at the straw he holds out to her before looking up at him.

"Are you a nurse?"

He rolls his eyes, even as he welcomes the release of anxiety lifting off his shoulders. If she's already back to cracking jokes, she must be feeling fine. "Sure, Clarke. Here, drink some water."

She sips obediently, settling back into her pillow as she watches him bring the cup back to the bedside table. "You're not wearing scrubs."

"They ran out of my colour," he says dryly, moving back to the bed to perch gently on it, careful to avoid jostling her. 

She hums silently, head cocked as she observes him. "Shame. I love a man in a uniform."

He blinks at the familiar curve of her lips. That's definitely not her usual happy-Clarke smile. That looks a lot more like Clarke's I'm-about-to-make-YOU-very-happy smile.

"Clarke," he says, "are you feeling alright?"

She shifts on the bed, still smiling that coy smile. "Come on, now. That's not fair. You know my name, but I don't know yours." She pauses, head tilting invitingly. "FYI, this bed's not the only thing in this room that's single, you know."

He stares at her for a full three seconds, every last inch of him frozen solid. 

And then he leaps off the bed, bounding to the door and flinging it open. 

"Nurse!"

"It's an abbreviated form of short term memory loss," Dr. Woods explains as he stands at the foot of Clarke's bed, holding up an X-ray print-out. "There are no detectable fractures or major contusions, so the impact shouldn't leave any lasting damage. But for now, it appears that Dr. Griffin will experience some momentary lapses in her memory bank."

"For how long?" Bellamy asks, arms folded tightly across his chest. "What kind of lapses are we looking at here?"

Dr. Woods frowns in thought, tucking the print-out back into the folder in his other hand. "Her vitals are strong, all her reflexes are working fine. She knows personal details like her date of birth, her parents' names, her educational background. In fact, she appears to remember just about everything up until about five or six years ago."

"Which is right around the time we met," Bellamy sighs, glancing at her. She appears mildly interested by the news at best, preoccupied with a Jell-O cup brought in by Dr. Woods.

"Her memory should return on its own, and rather quickly, I think," the doctor surmises, tucking his hands into his coat pockets as he surveys her. "Maybe in a few days' time. Maybe even tomorrow. Although, there might be some slippage here and there. For example," he adds at Bellamy's confused frown, "she knows who you are now. But she might forget again in, say, an hour or two."

"Awesome," Bellamy says, with a small grimace.

Dr. Woods smiles. "In the meantime, keep her rested, hydrated, and out of the hot sun as far as you can help it. The important thing is to jog her memory as gently as possible. Try going about your usual daily routine as best as you can." 

"Might have to pick just one of those things," Bellamy mutters. Their version of a 'daily routine' isn't what most would call normal.

Dr. Woods smiles. "Perhaps avoid the dig site for today. Take her somewhere she can rest that's familiar."

Bellamy sighs, unfolding his arms. "I can do that. Thanks, Dr. Woods."

"Lincoln. Please." The doctor reaches into his breast pocket, pulling out a small white card. "If you have any questions at all, Dr. Blake, don't hesitate to call."

Bellamy takes the card and tucks it into his jeans pocket, his free hand reaching out to shake the doctor's. "In that case, it's Bellamy to you."

Clarke cocks her head, plastic spoon still caught between her teeth. "Isn't that a girl's name?"

Bellamy groans.

"Are we really married?" Clarke asks as he slowly pulls out of the parking lot. It's been an hour since Lincoln gave them the green light to leave, but he's still worried.

He huffs a dry laugh, one that catches even himself by surprise. "You know, it's funny, but there was once a time where I probably wouldn't have believed it, either."

She frowns. "Why?"

He pulls to a gentle stop at a red light. "It's… complicated." He catches sight of her unamused expression, blue eyes narrowed at him. "Well, let's just say you didn't like me very much when we first met."

"Oh." Her nose wrinkles. "I find that hard to believe."

His brows shoot up on his forehead. "You do?"

She shrugs. "You're cute. And hot. And bossy, like me."

Bossy. He gapes at her.

She looks at him, face still scrunched in contemplation. "Maybe I was just attracted to you and didn't want to admit it. I tend to do that when I'm in denial. Go."

He blinks, dazed. "What?"

"Go," she repeats, pointing at the light. Which has turned green.

"Shit, right—" He quickly shifts the car into gear, starting forward.

The gentle hum of the engine fills the car for a few beats.

"Are you really a doctor?" she asks.

Bellamy glances at her. "Not that kind of doctor. I mean, well— I have a doctorate."

She nods, solemn. "I'm gonna get one too, you know."

He smiles. "You already did. Finished last year," he supplies at her confused frown.

"I did?" she says, surprised. "What did I do my thesis on? No, wait—" she flaps a hand at him, "—don't tell me. I should figure it out on my own. Don't want to spoil something for myself."

"You're a temporary amnesiac," Bellamy says, incredulous. "Not a time traveller." 

She flips her hair. "Just being safe."

Once Bellamy's gotten Clarke safely installed in their cabin at the campsite, he calls Raven. Mostly because she's the only person onsite that Clarke's known for longer than six years, so if anything should help with the recovery of her memory, it would be Raven's presence.

Unfortunately, once Raven's been informed that Clarke's not in any real danger, she seems to think she's been summoned just so she can be thoroughly entertained by the whole situation.

"No, no, wait!" Raven exclaims, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Say the line again. The bed one!"

"No," Bellamy says flatly, getting up to fetch more iced tea.

"Say the one from the coffee shop! Come on, dude, please!"

Bellamy huffs, bringing the pitcher over to refill their empty glasses. 

On their way back, they'd stopped off at a coffee shop to pick up sandwiches for lunch. While they were standing in line, Clarke had apparently experienced her first lapse, resulting in yet another embarrassing episode that had had Bellamy flushing red to the tips of his ears.

"You know, if you're not going to help—"

"I asked him if I could have his number," Clarke supplies readily. "Because I'd lost mine."

Raven actually keels over from how hard she's laughing. 

"I can't believe this!" she manages through the peals of laughter. "You are actually the whitest frat boy!"

"This isn't news," Clarke tells Raven, smiling despite herself.

"It is when you've been boring as fuck ever since you married this prick," Raven retorts, jabbing a thumb towards Bellamy.

"Helpful," Bellamy repeats, settling back down into his seat beside Clarke.

Raven yanks her phone from her pocket, aiming the camera at them both with unabashed glee. "Okay, okay — say it again!"

Raven stays another two hours, which is about as long as she can afford to spare, with both Bellamy and Clarke temporarily removed from the dig site.

 In that time, Clarke has yet another lapse, one in which she seems to think Bellamy is Raven's hot friend, and attempts to get him to feel her shirt which is, spoiler alert, made of girlfriend material.

 Raven actually has to gasp for breath after that.

 Before she goes, she makes one legitimately helpful contribution to the situation (finally), which is to record a video of herself basically telling Clarke, "Don't panic, your memory's out of whack for a bit, oh and, that dude with you is your husband, NOT your kidnapper".

Bellamy walks back into the cabin, tucking his phone back into his pocket. "Dr. Woods says walking is fine, just as long as you take it slow." He checks his watch and glances out the window. "It's pretty cool out by now. Sun's about to go down in an hour or so." He looks at her, questioning. "Are you tired? Do you want to take a nap, or—"

"I'm fine," she says, already standing. "A walk sounds good."

Bellamy's not sure who felt more unsafe on that simple hour-long walk: Clarke, when she'd lapsed and spent a full minute freaking out about being lost in the woods with a strange man, or himself, when he'd gotten her to watch Raven's video and then had to deal with a whole series of pick-up lines from his wife barely five minutes later, each one worse than the last.

 When dinnertime arrives, he's reluctant to risk going to the mess area. Too many strangers, too many variables for Clarke to contend with. After considering his options, he pulls out his phone, and shoots off a text to Raven asking her to bring some food over.

In the end, he's not entirely sure going to the mess area hadn't been the better idea, especially when Clarke lapses again. Especially when she asks him if he's "a baker, because your buns look good", and Raven instantly loses her shit, nearly dropping her phone into a plastic tub of stew.

"This is insane," he mutters when Clarke disappears into the bathroom. "She wasn't ever like this when we first met!"

Raven rolls her eyes. "Yes, she was. You were just too busy flirting back to care."

He leans back, his mouth falling open in surprise. "We were fighting all the time!"

Raven makes a 'tsk' noise, impatient. "Which, as everyone here knows, is also flirting, Bellamy-and-Clarke stylez." She punches lightly at his shoulder. "You're the one that's different, idiot."

"I'm sorry."

Clarke looks up, her brows furrowed. "What?"

Bellamy sighs, moving over to sit on the bed next to her. "I haven't been very much fun today. I know I'm supposed to be… normal, help you relax and all, but I— I don't know. I guess I'm just worried about you."

A small hand covers his.

"It's fine, Bellamy," Clarke says with a small smile. "I understand. It's hard for you, too. I'm just trying to remember things, but you — you just want your wife back." 

Bellamy swallows, daring to turn his palm about so his hand can wrap around hers. "She hasn't gone anywhere. You're still my wife, Clarke. I love you, memories or no." He squeezes gently, his other hand moving to rest lightly over hers. "Always will, princess."

She squints then. "Huh."

He frowns, leaning forward in concern. "What? Does your head hurt?"

"No, I—" She shakes her head, and blinks. "'Princess.' That sounds familiar."

His heart is filling up so fast, his chest lighter than it's been ever since he got the call telling him to come to the hospital forty-eight hours ago. "It does?"

She looks up at him, eyes narrowing playfully. "I'm guessing that has something to do with you?"

He smiles, and leans in carefully, pressing his lips to her temple. "Something," he agrees, pulling back to give her a fond look, his thumb rubbing over the back of her hand. "Although—"

She jumps slightly on the bed, throwing out a hand to cut him off. "No, don't tell me!" She grins, squeezing on his hand reassuringly. "I want to figure it out on my own." 

In the morning, Clarke's memory returns.

"I mean, I still have some gaps here and there," she tells him as they're lying in bed, having spent the last forty minutes getting 'reacquainted'. "But all the important bits are there." She grins wolfishly, poking playfully at the bulge of his cock, lying limp and sated under the sheet. "Also, all the really important bits are here."

Bellamy catches at her hand, bringing it up to his lips so he can press a light, teasing kiss to it before rolling over, one elbow holding him up as he leans over her.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, Clarke Griffin," he says solemnly, releasing her hand so he can trail his down her body, "but whatever the case, I hope I'm next."

Her brows shoot up in surprise. "Hey, you made one! That was really—"

She doesn't get to finish the rest of her sentence.

He's pretty sure she doesn't mind.