#also the father's day episode gets resolved in this au

[im-just-a-dumb-gay]

Ramble about Jem Au

Drama! When Ecliese/Pizzazz finds out RoxCee/Reaper and Scthye are their half siblings and her mother stayed in the city. (Nothing like this happened in Jem btw. This is specifically for this au. Initially Roxcee and Pizzazz weren't related but the idea popped up so made this scenario)

(Gonna actually try to write a thing).

Ecliese ran out of the studio, hearing voices behind her but she wouldn't look back. She kept running until she found a storage area filled with nothing but boxes. Most of them being old papers and small office equipment. Ecliese closed the door and breathed loudly. Their mother, their mother was in the studio.

Ecliese gritted her teeth. Why, why now did she decide to show herself?! Never in the past (forgot age mother left whoops) years did she think to talk? To show her face? To be her mother!

In her rage, Ecliese broke the boxes surrounded her. Why?! Why!! Why did she leave?! Why did she stay?! Why now?! Sobs broke from Ecliese and they slowly slid down to the floor, apparently and cardboard surrounding them. The door then slowly creaked open.

Jake was shocked at the arrival of Rox and Cee's parents, let alone the reveal of their mother being the missing mother of their leader Pizzazz. When they ran off, Jake looked between where she left and RoxCee. Eventually, leaving the two to talk it out with their mother.

He walked through the halls, looking at every room until finding an old storage room. Slightly opening the door, his heart froze at what lay before him. Pizzazz, their strong and ruthless leader, broken down on the floor. He walked towards them, kneeling beside them before gently speaking. "Pizzazz..."

Ecliese had heard Stormer, his footsteps not difficult to decipher with the idiotic shoes he decided to wear today. They jingled at each step, tacky. Ecliese wanted to stop her tears, to instead scream and rant like she normally did. But now they were tired, and crying seemed to be the only thing they could do. Pathetic. Then a usually loud and grating voice whispered. "Can I come in?" A small nod was given. Ecliese too tired to try and hide.

Initially, Ruin didn't want to be part of this drama. The other members knew Pizzazz longer than they did. But he'd be lying if he said he didn't care about The Misfits. What was initially a money and fame grab had actually become something treasured...something she didn't want to let go. And so she followed Stormer. Ruin never really dealt with crying, this was something Stormer would be much better at. Quite honestly, they was surprised Pizzazz let them enter.

Jetta seemed to be awkward. In any other situation, Ecliese would've laughed. Instead, she quietly watched Jetta eventually sit on the opposite side of Stormer. Stormer had one hand on Ecliese's shoulder while Jetta sat firmly, looking back at the door. The two were quiet. It stayed like this for a while until Jetta sat up, and 2 sets of footsteps were heard.

Reaper and Scythe were not expecting their mother to actually show up. She always found an excuse to never stop by or even attend backstage to their concerts no matter how much they assured her they allowed it. What was a pleasant surprise, however, turned sour. Now they realized the root of all her excuses. She didn't want to face Pizzazz. The two didn't know much about Pizzazz's mother. All her paintings were thrown out and neither Pizzazz nor their father spoke about her. It was if she disappeared. Except she didn't. She was here the whole time, she was their mother. At first, the two didn't know how to react. It was then Reaper who spoke up.

"Why did you lie to us?" Prompted, Schythe continued "Why did you keep this hidden?". Their mother then explained. Explained her loveless marriage and how she had to leave her old life behind. How she did initially want to leave further away, until she met their father and stayed with him. She had wanted to see Pizzazz again, but that she was afraid. And that her guilt became too strong to ignore and finally, after all these years, meet Pizzazz.

Reaper and Scythe were stunned. It was, a lot. To know that the mother they loved and cherished all these years, was the same mother Pizzazz would angrily shut down at the mere mention of her. "We need to find Pizzazz. It might be best...you're not here when we find them." Their mother simply nodded in understanding, initially going for an embrace before stopping herself and going through the door. The two then went in the direction where Pizzazz and later Stormer and Jetta left. Eventually they found an open door and walked in.

Ecliese braced themself. Much like thenself, RoxCee were never great with their emotions. Ecliese knew she must have made their mother cry. Before all this, the two would speak praises of their mother. Surely, they sided with her. It seemed Jetta had the same thought, getting ready to yell back. What they didn't expect, however, was an embrace. It was sudden and in any other occasion, the two would have been shoved off and yelled at. Instead, Ecliese accepted it. She knew what it meant, they were there for her...Stormer and Jetta then joined as well, the four holding their band leader close. Ecliese was never much for hugs and all that mush, but...maybe this could be the one exception. She gently closed her eyes and fell further in the embrace.

[thesketchyheartist]

03/20

Neon Genesis Evangelion (EP 8, 16, 24, 26)

I want to start off this post by talking about a new main character Asuka. It took me about 2 episodes to figure out she is Rei's opposite. Appearances: Blue hair and red hair. Long hair and short hair. Eye colors are different. One is soft-spoken, the other is vocal. One talks too little (from what I gather from the assigned episodes, I think Rei is supposed to be Eve or Lilith, but Asuka is like Shinji in that they are some descendants of the Evas or Angels or something that is not totally human, so this explains why she acts so cold), the other talks too much. Also the weird but true observation: one is indifferent to perverted accidents, the other is sensitive to perverted accidents; both may or may not [always] involve Shinji.

Asuka represents the tsundere stereotype, I think. I hear the "Baka, hentai!" comment from her a lot, but I can't tell if it's hormones or if she is actually attracted to Shinji. Shinji is a teenage boy, so I know he gets the classic red hand mark on his face, and it's rarely ever his fault. Those characters who are quick to anger and violence without listening to reason are often redheads, and I know it's a popular trope, but I realize as I am writing this the paradox of it all. Asuka is a young girl, and as a bit of a crazy anime watcher, I do believe violence is not always the answer, but it's wrong to assume violence is not an option. However, if every situation that triggers you is answered or resolved in violence, then it's rarely ever resolved. If Asuka even paused for a moment, she could tell Shinji probably did not even have the guts to pull harassment on any girl. To accuse him would make her the true culprit, not the victim. I know the children did not have parental figures to follow, but I guess their immaturity further proves they are really not qualified at all to be humanity's saviors. On the other hand, it is ironic that Asuka's hits can be overlooked so easily. Think about it, if a young boy suddenly had his p**is touched, accidentally or not, by a girl, he probably would just shove her off because if he hit her face, everyone would call him violent. Children who are used as child weapons are essentially taught that violence via their mecha skills is the ONLY solution to solve humanity's biggest problems, so quietly, it's the only solution for small misunderstandings.

Finally, the last episode was more philosophical than I thought. I didn't watch EP25 which I assume is the final battle because I don't think there is a sequel series. The ending didn't even explain what happened to humanity. But I think it's a good moral story to explain ego and self. The swap to 2D pencil drawings is a good way. Without depth, shadow, and background, a sketch exists limitless. I like how Shinji was always told what to do and how he should live. Even at his crisis, he asks people what he should do and how to live, they are the ones telling him the truth of how he should live. While I know the show is the one telling us the truth, to Shinji, it's still outsiders instructing him, even if they have his well-being in the best care possible. It was Shinji, experiencing the No Angels AU (that got to be an AO3 tag, if not, something like No Eva AU) or Middle/High School AU (love the silly shoujo reference with Rei, bread in mouth, "I'm going to be late on my first day of a school in this new city!", and headbumping ML, but not the accidental peeking), that he realizes the truth people have been trying to tell him this whole time. Funny how even his best friends care more about him than he does himself, and only when he really loves himself unconditionally, Eva or no Eva, even in a world where only he exists, that he can learn to actually love others, even his hated father becomes a person he can accept unconditionally. You realize after hearing all the voices, it's because they were people, not static faces with voices, that Shinji can compare his world and his self-image to everyone he meets in the show to find his true self.

It's such a roundabout way to explain everything. All anyone needs is a famous quote by a powerful warrior, one who transcended the mortal realm for his wisdom, bravery, and sheer popularity:

I never heard about ATLA until COVID-19. Funny because if I had heard of this show when it came out, I would have had a very different childhood.

My favorite post-spring break gift from my professors is an exam (it's not.)

-03/19/24

[megamanrecut]

I was rereading season 1, which has been very fun, lots of details that stand out more with more context, but there's this one bit with Proto man that shows up more than once that's interesting.

In the first episode, Proto man tells Mega man that "Doc never got around to naming [him]... Too busy with his other inventions." Which is followed up a little during the Mega Pinocchio episode, with Proto man saying he's always been Proto (although not actually saying Dr. Light named him that, which turns out to be true), and when Mega man comments on that sounding a little cold, comments that Dr. Light is "Oblivious to details... I like Proto. It's better than Paaasd or something" (which lol)

Now that I've read the season 0 episode, it caught my eye that the name thing doesn't really get talked about there! Proto names himself very quickly, with no thought or fanfare behind it. Very fitting, but paired with the season 1 lines, I'm trying to puzzle out the incongruity of it (Proto you lying bastard why can't you be easier to understand!!!)

On one hand, if the subtle but present implication that Proto might feel bitter about his name is a retcon, it's one that I wouldn't have spotted if I hadn't reread season 0 recently. It's also just as likely that I'm reading into a set of lines that were just meant to be snarky, he definitely does that a lot too lol.

But I am curious if there's some level of truth to that sort of bitter undertone that I thought was implied! Proto man is a difficult character to understand, especially in season 1, and in general when trying to understand his feelings towards Dr. Light. Their relationship is so interesting to me, so sorry if I really did just read way too deep into it haha!

There was a slight perhaps retcon! (sorry this took awhile, limited internet access atm, also this is long/rambly lol)

I wrote season 0 waaay after season 1 (between Master of Disaster Part 2 and 3 to be exact) and in original s0 drafts, the naming thing didn’t happen as early, but when I finally began editing it that seemed unnecessarily weird/creepy for Dr. Light. So, instead the name thing came up on Proto’s activation day. Some of the emphasis around Proto’s name in S1 (particularly E1) was for dramatic irony.

So for character analysis:

Outside of that, still same deal with Dr. Light/Proto, just more focused on char divisions over specific, resolvable drama. The whole dynamic between Dr. Light and Proto has always been strained at best to total estrangement at its core, and sometimes painful to write. Dr. Light was never really in the wrong, Proto just developed into his own person that wanted nothing to do with ‘domestic human life’ or to have any type of authority figure. Its a huge philosophical difference, but its also a son who feels smothered and hopeless rejecting his loving father who tried his best to understand but could never make it work in time. That dynamic still exists, unsolved, in the good!Proto AUs (Master of Disaster Part 3, Become the Night)

Still, Proto isn’t really bitter by Dr. Light’s actions per se, he was just bitter about living under his roof where he was bored and under stimulated. Even Mega was surprised by this at first. In Mega-Pinocchio he was expecting a specific drama lead to Proto’s defection then was surprised when Proto also denied that Dr. Light really did anything wrong, and even reassured the naming thing didn’t bother him (I had already written the ‘naming’ scene in season 0, which remained unchanged, just happened earlier) It wasn’t until Future Shock when he began understanding Proto a little.

Either way tho, Proto wasn’t really bitter about his name (at least there was never intended bitter subtext there, but can be interpreted however!) I think in a way even if Dr. Light *had* given him a name (like Blues?) he would have been quick to drop that when he became Proto Man (kinda like how he thinks ‘Break Man’ is cringy in Become the Night or how Elec Man calling him ‘Light’ drives him nuts). He doesn’t really like the connection, and would prefer to have no name or a generic one over one picked for him by Dr. Light.

[tantive404]

Glup Shitto moments from the Star Wars radio drama

Lord Tion is an Imperial nobleman and a protege of the Grand Moff Tarkin, introduced in episode 2 of the 1980 NPR Star Wars radio drama adaption, titled “Points of Origin.”

This episode is set a few days prior to A New Hope, exploring one of Leia’s “mercy missions” undertaken for the Rebel Alliance, as well as how she got her hands on the Death Star plans.

It’s quite intriguing as an exploration of pre-ANH Leia, and it may also be of interest to anyone in search of villain x heroine crumbs…

You see, Lord Tion is arrogant, deeply loyal to the Empire, and also… quite taken with Princess Leia.

“And here she is… the shining jewel in the Organa crown”

Here he is, flirting with Leia while she is inspected for her mercy mission. I notice he is somewhat copying the infamous face grab move from his mentor…

Hilariously enough there are two different visual depictions of Tion. One blond, and one dark-haired. The dark haired version is, in my opinion, quite nice-looking.

His admiration for the Princess comes to a head when he invites himself to Alderaan for a dinner party with Leia and Bail… and ends up proposing a marriage arrangement. Let me tell you it is a very, very botched proposal.

Tion: "Alderaan could prosper from a closer link to the Empire. I could provide that link." Bail: "Perhaps you could make yourself clearer, my Lord?"

Tion: "A marriage between your daughter and me would benefit all of us."

Leia: (exhales slightly) "And what are you offering?"

Despite her obvious misgivings about this proposal, Leia uses it to coax information about the “Death Star” project out of Tion. Since this guy is apparently not the brightest, he begins to brag about the Empire building a battle station that can destroy planets. Leia and Bail are naturally horrified; the worst has been confirmed.

Tion: "A new order is emerging, and I intend to be among those who lead it. Your daughter can share it with me and Alderaan can prosper from it."

Leia: "Blood and death?"

Bail: "Leia, I--"

Tion: "From an Empire that will rule unchallenged because of that battle station--" Leia: "A galaxy of slaves, is that what you think I want?"

Bail: "Leia, calm yourself--"

Tion: "I'm offering you a place in the Empire, Leia. And yes, a galaxy at your feet."

Leia: "An Empire of oppression? Under a DEATH STAR that destroys--"

Bail: LEIA!

In her anger, Leia has slipped up and revealed her rebel allegiances, moreover, that she knows the code name “Death Star,” and, as Tion puts it, “only someone with rebel contacts could know that name.”

He resolves to summon the Imperial authorities and have both Bail and Leia questioned… but Leia is not about to take this quietly.

She and Tion get into a little tussle, wherein she grabs hold of his blaster, accidentally firing it and killing him.

With this act, Leia has (momentarily) protected her family and their rebel secrets, but she has also killed a man— possibly for the first time. She begins to sob into her father’s arms. They bury Lord Tion and claim that that he died in a hunting accident… covering up the truth.

It is now time for Leia to retrieve the stolen Death Star plans, beginning the events of the original movie <33

There’s a part of me that finds the thought of a dark AU with Leia forcibly being married into the Empire (especially if it’s to Tarkin) both twisted and fascinating, so I did indeed appreciate this segment of “Points of Origin.”

And the idea of an Imperial officer who is inspired by Tarkin’s ideology having a crush on Leia is amusing indeed! :3

[phantomchick]

Merlin fic rec list

To Be A King by clotpolesonly Teen And Up, No Archive Warnings Apply, Gen, Merlin and Arthur, Merlin and Mordred, Gwen/Arthur, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Merlin's Magic Revealed, Canonical Character Death, BAMF Merlin, Dragonlord Merlin, Original setting, Magical kingdom, King Merlin, Royal!Merlin Summary: When Merlin discovers that his father was an estranged prince and he himself is now the only heir to the throne of a magical kingdom, he is forced to leave Camelot for the perils of a royal court. Will Merlin be able to win Arthur's favor again before Morgana launches an attack on a defenseless Camelot? Will he be able to defend his own kingdom at the same time or will all be lost? -

A Matter of Sovereignty by Kizmet Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply, Friendship Summary A visiting prince takes it into his head to brutalize Merlin, but sometimes the solution to a problem is in how you phrase it.

-

Bumps and Bruises by platonic_boner merthur, implied/suspected abuse, Protective Arthur, Magic Revealed, pre-relationship, teen an up, canon typical violence,

Summary: Arthur notices Merlin’s constant injuries, and decides he needs to step in and protect Merlin.

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Finding Home by riventhorn Arthur/Merlin, Hurt/Comfort Summary: Written for a kinkme_merlin prompt. When Gaius retires a new physician takes over and quickly kicks Merlin out of his room and takes it for himself. Arthur finds Merlin sleeping in the stables...and it's winter.

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How To Love A Living Thing by Polomonkey Mature, merthur, Merlin/Arthur, Pendragon (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, Abuse, Violence, Sexual Harassment, Drowning, Guilt, Romance, Protective Arthur, Mild Sexual Content, Redemption, Healing, Canon Era

Summary Guilt ridden and lonely after his confrontation with Nimueh, Merlin slowly begins to isolate himself from Arthur. When two knights take it upon themselves to teach him his place, Merlin finds himself with nowhere to turn. Will he be able to reach out to his prince before it's too late?

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Obeisance by casspeach Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply, Merlin/Arthur

Summary: It's not that Arthur won't share his toys, just that he expects to get them back undamaged

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All's Well That Ends Well by StormDancer explicit, Merlin/Arthur, Arthur Finds Out, magic reveal Summary: Merlin spent the week and a half that Arthur was gone splitting his time between crafting careful explanations that never ended up explaining the important things, the things that would make Arthur listen, and making half-baked plans to escape to Ealdor. He found a number of fire-proofing spells that would have no effect if they decided to cut his head off, and figured out how to adapt an invulnerability spell he had been trying to find a way to cast on Arthur without him noticing so that it would protect him from being decapitated, but it would have no effect on anything but metal. Despite all his frantic searching, he did not find a teleportation spell, because that would have been too simple and if there was one thing Merlin had learned in his years at Camelot, it was that nothing was ever simple.

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Deeds by the5leggedCricket Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Episode Related, Oblivious Arthur Pendragon, Teen and Up,

Summary: Arthur is coming of age, and that means he’s about to get Deeds—marks on his body telling him of his soulmate’s greatest accomplishments. But as he tries to find his soulmate, he also makes some worrying discoveries about the kind of person his soulmate is.

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Honorable Intentions by smilebackwards Gwaine/Merlin, Guinevere/Arthur Pendragon, Courtship, Protectiveness, Protective!Arthur, Teen and Up, Summary: There are several considerations Arthur would like to go over, starting with the state of Merlin's virtue.

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Laundry's Hard Work by supercalvin Gen, Teen and Up, Canon Era, can be read as pre-slash, BAMF Merlin

Summary: Wasn't Merlin supposed to be...tiny? When the hell had he learned to use a sword and not fall on his backside? Where the hell did those scars from? What the hell?

or Arthur still thinks Merlin is the young boy he met ten years ago and he starts to notice things in his manservant that he wasn't aware had changed at all.

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Fathom Me Out by supercalvin Merlin/Arthur, Canon Era, Magic Revealed, Teen and up,

Summary: After ten years, Arthur thinks he has Merlin all figured out. But as he watches Merlin, he finds out that he has more questions than answers. The longer he thinks about it, the more uneasy he feels. So he pushes it aside. Except, he can no longer ignore the questions he has about Merlin. Not your everyday reveal!fic

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Loyalty Before Royalty by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle Gen, Gwen & Merlin, Arthur and Merlin being the most iconic duo? I think tf not, Gwen and Merlin wreaking havoc? Teaming up against Arthur? That's the most iconic duo there, as usual, Explicit Language, Fluff and Humor, Attempt at Humor, Arthur is so exasperated, someone help him, good thing he loves them both

Summary: "Where did you get that?" Arthur asked, but he already knew the answer. "Gwen." "...and the horse?" "Gwen." "What about the-" "Gwen." Merlin interrupted. Arthur nodded. At this point, he wasn't sure why he even bothered to ask. He was pretty certain his wife was going to knight Merlin any day now.He looked Merlin up and down for a few moments before accepting it all with a sigh. "As long as you get my armor to me tomorrow...I don't care." He finally said, turning away. Merlin cleared his throat. "Gwen gave me tomorrow off." "For the love of God." Or I hate that Gwen and Merlin's friendship kind of withered away in the later seasons so here's a oneshot about her and Merlin abusing her new royal powers because that's what happens when your best friend becomes queen.

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Know It All Knight by Shi_Toyu Leon & Merlin, Knights of the Round Table, Magic Revealed, protective leon, Arthur Finds Out, Oblivious Arthur

Summary: Leon couldn’t say for sure when the exact moment was that he figured out Merlin had magic. He’d suspected it for a little while, to be honest. He definitely had it figured out by the time Arthur managed to ‘kill’ the Great Dragon. What Leon could say for sure was the exact moment he figured out that no one else had figured out Merlin had magic.

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The Nature of Trust by Lynds Merlin's Magic Revealed, Leon is the Mam Friend, Leon is so done, Protective Gwaine, Lancelot Lives, Canon Era, Arthur Finds Out, Hurt Merlin, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Canon-Typical Violence, reference to hunting and cooking animals Summary: Leon starts to notice that the knights, one by one, are starting to trust Merlin's judgement. That he keeps warning Arthur about danger, and being right. Is there more to Merlin than meets the eye?

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Repercussions by PeaceHeather Fix-It of Sorts, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Lecture, Rants, Episode: s02e06 Beauty and the Beast, Episode: s02e05 Beauty and the Beast, Canon Era, One Shot, Gen Summary: Uther married a troll. In canon, that all worked out fine eventually. In this slight canon divergence, there is at least one noble who's not willing to let it slide so easily.

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No Harm Will Come to You Here by fancyh Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Season/Series 05, Merlin's Magic Revealed, Fluff and Angst, temporary amnesia, teen and up,

Summary: "That was magic," Arthur accuses.

"Oh." Merlin just nods, looking unperturbed.

Arthur fights to keep his expression calm, mind racing and heart pounding. "Sorcery is outlawed in Camelot. On pain of death."

Merlin splutters, finally fixing Arthur with an affronted glare. "It's not like I meant to do it!"

***

Merlin gets hit with a spell meant for Arthur and loses his memory. Revelations ensue. Set sometime after 5x02.

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Metamorphose by clotpolesonly Merlin/Arthur, Teen and Up, Between Seasons/Series, Episode: s03e01 The Tears of Uther Pendragon (Part I), Episode: s03e02 The Tears of Uther Pendragon (Part II), Mpreg, Magic Reveal, Angst with a Happy Ending, Pining, morgana redemption, some transphobic language from Merlin when he finds out he’s pregnant because of magic but it’s mostly just the shock that does it Summary: When Merlin falls into bed with Arthur, he doesn't expect for to wake up alone. He doesn't expect Arthur to give him the cold shoulder either, but there is something else he expects even less which forces him out of the kingdom for over a year. He returns to find a traitor in the court, an army on the way, and a love he'd thought all but lost waiting for him with open arms.

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Four Days To Fall In Love. by CupCakezys Teen and Up, No archive warnings apply, Merlin/Arthur, Morgana/Gwen, Soulmate AU, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Protective Arthur, Mutual Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Secret Relationship

Summary: In a world where everyone has a soulmate (or two or three), Arthur Pendragon knows he is destined to be alone. For Arthur can see his heartstring, could follow it to where his soulmate lived, and that could only mean one thing.

His soulmate had magic, and should they ever meet, Arthur would have to kill them.

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Sacrificial Lamb by RurouniHime Angst and Humor, Pining, First Time, First Kiss, Post Season 1, Initial Misunderstanding, But it’s resolved, Happy Ending, Fluff with a touch of angst at first

Summary: Arthur's been overworking his knights, so they come to Merlin as a last resort.

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Cheers and Spirits by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle Gen, The knights are kinda fools, but the best king, Humour, Fluff, Fluff and Humour, Knights of the Round Table & Merlin

Summary: Despite all the supposed trips to the tavern none of the knights have seen Merlin drunk. They decide to rectify that. A poor decision, really.

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Circle 'round the Truth by enviropony Merlin + Knights friendship, Gen, Magic Reveal, Oneshot, Knights of the Round Table & Merlin Summary: They know about the magic. Or, more accurately, Merlin's magic is the truth the knights circle around, and Merlin's loyalty is the one 'round which they rally. (A character study with some yelling, an action sequence, and a bit of walking.) Post-S4.

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Strict Justice by schweet_heart mutual pining, BAMF Arthur, magic reveal, canon au, oneshot, teen and up

Summary: After a particularly grueling battle, Merlin and Arthur share a quiet moment in their tent.

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before it breaks by schweet_heart Teen and Up, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, merlin whump, magic reveal, merlin & arthur, merthur

Summary: “It’s not what it looks like,” he says, hand still outstretched, barely a waver in his voice as he lies, outright, to Arthur’s face. “Sire, I can explain.”

“Can you,” Arthur says. He’s aware that he’s trembling, a seismic reaction to the outrage and denial still fighting it out inside his head, but he knows what he’s seen. What it must be. “Well, then, you’d better be quick about it, because it looks a lot like magic.”

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Until the Day I Die by Cookie Teen and Up, Oneshot, Angst, Temporary Character Death, Angst with a Happy Ending

Summary: Arthur believed Dragoon had killed his father, and so he plunged his sword deep into the sorcerer. Now Merlin was dying in his arms and Arthur was facing the future alone.

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These Castle Walls Bleed Lies by marguerite_26 Mature, hurt/comfort, Magic Reveal, Angst, Merthur, mentions of arthur/gwen, Gwen/Lancelot

Summary: With his father unfit to rule and Camelot decimated, Arthur must assume the role of King. But the truths he discovers shake the foundation of all he holds dear.

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before his eyes (he now sees clear) by hwc Teen And Up Audiences, Uther Pendragon is terrible and complicated, Merlin/Arthur

Summary: It takes Uther half a second to see Balinor in Merlin, and he's almost sure of what he should do.

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Keep Your Secrets by new_kate, orphan_account Mature, rape/non-con, torture, captivity, romance, alternate universe - canon, canon typical violence, hurt/comfort

Summary: Arthur Pendragon is captured by the bandits. While he waits to be ransomed, he slowly gets to know Merlin, the prisoner being held in the next cell.

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Crossing the Line by Ultrageekatlarge BAMF Merlin, Gen, Crack, Oneshot, Magic Reveal, Hurt! Merlin, Humour

Summary: In which Merlin gets bludgeoned, strangled, attacked, smothered, shot with glass, and tossed out a window, burned, whipped, stabbed, thrown down stairs, nearly drowned on dry land, and harpooned, and still manages to save Camelot from seven evil sorcerers, before lunch.

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Your Touch Is My Salvation by elirwen Magic Reveal, Canon Era, Oblivious idiots in love, Curses, Teen and Up, Oneshot, Hurt/Comfort

Summary: Merlin suffers from an effect of a curse. Arthur can help more than he initially thought.

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A Heavy Heart to Carry by Thursday_Next Rescue, Hurt/Comfort, Magic Reveal, Oneshot, Mature, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon

Summary: When Merlin is captured and injured, Arthur must face up to his own feelings for his manservant as well as the many secrets he discovers are being kept from him.

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Can you do that? by no_nutcracker Merlin/Mithian, no archive warnings apply, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s04e11 The Hunter's Heart, Arthur & Merlin friendship

Summary: Merlin should be overjoyed. He just found his soulmate. If only she was not betrothed to Arhur.

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His Remedy for Care by ArgentSleeper Teen and Up, canon au, Episode: s02e13 The Last Dragonlord, Angst, Canon Typical Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Fix It

Summary: Injured in the dragon attack in lieu of Arthur and afraid of being stopped from going on the mission, Merlin kept away from Gaius and never learned that Balinor was his father. Instead it's Arthur that puts two and two together as he seeks the dragonlord out, first to save his servant (not friend- they can't be friends), then to save his kingdom.

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A Considerable Head Start by ughbutidontwantto BAMF Merlin, Gen, when villains have more regard for you than friends, Camelot has a serious class problem, Merlin deserves better

Summary: Merlin is frighteningly competent and his friends are correctly concerned. Obviously they're going to follow him out to the woods. And obviously they're not going to like what they hea

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The Conscience of the King by ughbutidontwantto Gen, Post-Magic Reveal, Legal Drama, Oneshot, Friendship feels

Summary: Merlin's magic was revealed and now everyone has to deal with it in an official capacity since tragically most of these characters work in government. Arthur, predictably, is struggling to cope.

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Out of Sight, Out of Mind by BabyStepsAreStillSteps Merlin Deserved Better, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Merlin Needs a Hug (Merlin), Episode: s05e09 With All My Heart, Fix It

Summary: When Arthur turned his back on the Dolma that he didn’t know was his manservant, Merlin reminded him that he was missing a very important member of their rescue party.

What if he hadn’t?

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What They Owe Us by ironspidereilish Merlin/Arthur, Alternate Universe, Aredian’s a tax collector instead of a witch hunter but he’s still a bastard, Hurt/Comfort, Poverty, Angst with a Happy Ending, Protective Arthur Pendragon, BAMF Arthur, Canon Era, Romance, sexual coercion mentioned, BAMF Merlin

Summary: When Arthur finds out that the castle staff are having their wages held for weeks at a time and can no longer afford food or their homes, he will not rest until they are protected and Aredian is stopped.

The fact that Merlin’s stomach is rumbling while he delivers the prince his breakfast, and Arthur hates the thought of him suffering, only serves as extra motivation to fix this.

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royal blood by Rona23 crack!fic, humour, comedy, Balinor Lives, Dragonlord things, Golden Age, Bamf Arthur, Bamf Balinor, Bamf Merlin, Fix It, Magic reveal, Oblivious Arthur, Merthur

Summary: ..... as if Balinor could be killed by Bandits O.o

Alternatively: An alternative take on Balinor surviving and saving Camelot. ... And then proceeding to hold the entire kingdom hostage, because he has a frigging Dragon at his disposal :)

- The way by Naelyn Episode: s04e11 The Hunter's Heart, POV Arthur Pendragon, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Oblivious Arthur, Until He’s Not, Hurt/Comfort, Merlin Deserved Better, Communication or lack thereof, Canon Divergence

Summary: "One more word out of you, and I swear to God I will send you into exile."

He knows it’s not the pyre, knows there’s much worse, but banishment would mean staying away from Arthur forever – and, as pathetic as that might sound, he thinks he would rather die than let that happen. It is clear that the feeling is not reciprocated, clear that in Arthur’s eyes, he will never come first. There’ll always be people coming before him, and he’s made peace with that long ago – but if even Agravaine can come before him, then anyone could, no? Anyone could replace him. Call Merlin a traitor and have Arthur get rid of him. Anyone could.

Merlin no longer feels safe in Camelot.

or: Arthur threatens Merlin of banishment. To Arthur's eyes, it's all forgotten. To Merlin's, however... Well, let's just say that his faith in their mutual destiny, once unwavering, finds itself faltering at a dangerously quick rate.

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Better in the Mourning by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle Gen, Lancelot & Merlin, Knights of the Round Table & Merlin, Grief, Fluff and Angst, Gwen/Lance mentioned, let the characters grieve, 5 Knights of Grief

Summary: Merlin mourns Lancelot's death. The rest of the knights help out. (AKA Merlin gets to take advantage of not having to keep a dead loved one a secret and gets some goddamn support in this castle)

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I suppose that I look different (without the robes and crown) by WingedWolf121 Canon Era, Episode: s05e03 The Death Song of Uther Pendragon, Uther Pendragon’s A + Parenting, Ygraine/Uther, Arthur/Merlin, Balinor/Hunith, Dragonlord Merlin, BAMF Merlin, Fix-It, Angst with a Happy Ending

Summary: When Arthur blows the horn of Cathbdhah for the second time, the horn doesn’t just send Uther to the other world. It sends Arthur away as well – to a world where Ygraine never died, the Great Purge never happened, and magic lives freely at court. As do those who practice it.

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For Your Information by reni_days Merlin & Uther, Merlin/Arthur, Modern Era au, Oneshot, Teen and Up

Summary: Merlin sighs. "After your...announcement," he explains, "your father decided he needed a bit more information. Which is apparently where I come in. I'm sort of like his gay tutor, it's hard to explain."

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Good Fortune by platonic_boner Canon Era, Fluff, Merlin/Arthur, Oneshot

Summary: Arthur makes Merlin a lord, and Merlin does an astonishingly good job of running a village.

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Within Reach by foxy_mulder Explicit, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Sex, Merlin/Arthur, Angst with a Happy Ending, Oneshot, Slowburn

Summary: Nobody touches Arthur.

Merlin realizes it slowly, and when he does, he wants to kick himself for not seeing sooner. ___________ (Or, Arthur and Merlin's relationship with touch over time.)

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Moment of Weakness by TheAsexualofSpades Gen, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Protective Knights, Protective Arthur Pendragon, Protective Merlin, Whump, Oneshot, Merlin/Arthur

Summary: After all Merlin's gone through, you'd think it would take some world-ending magic spell or an almost successful attempt on Arthur's life to shake him properly.

It isn't one of those, and Merlin has no idea why.

He just knows he can't be weak.

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The Only Reward Bestowed Upon Me by greatdumbking Gen, Oneshot, Merlin/Arthur, angst, hurt/comfort, angst with a happy ending, Episode: s04e05 His Father's Son, Fix-It, Agravaine, Canon Era, Love Confessions

Summary: “You’re wrong Merlin. I don’t need anyone. I can’t afford that luxury. The kingdom's my responsibility now, and mine to bear alone. And you must learn to accept that.”

How could this hurt so much, a third time? Merlin could feel the façade of his casual indifference faltering. His face fell, tears were clawing at his throat, creeping into his eyes. It took all his effort to nod, steel his eyes, and swallow down the rising sob.

(How did Merlin get chosen the be the bait? Why did Arthur start pushing Merlin away? Why couldn't he see how much it was hurting him?)

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Maybe Not the Most Awkward Dinner to Happen in Camelot's Citadel, but it's Definitely Up There by HopePrevails Gen, Gwen/Arthur Pendragon, Merlin, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Oneshot, Humour, past Gwen/Merlin

Summary: When an argument about whether Merlin is remotely attractive or not breaks out over dinner, Queen Guinevere accidentally drops into the conversation that she had a crush on him when he first arrived in Camelot. Arthur takes it... like Arthur.

--x--

“Don’t look so surprised, Merlin.” Gwen said kindly. Perhaps she was the psychic. “You’re sweet and gentle, charismatic-” Arthur snorted. “- and I’m not going to let you walk out of those doors thinking you don’t look the part, either. Remember, even when you first came to Camelot, I-” She stopped herself, snapping her lips tightly shut.

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[byooregard]

I would like to hear about dgs superhero au actually

okay okay so

kazuma is really the only superhero i've got at this point, cos im going for a much more general like... vibe that a lot of superhero comic universes have when they go on long enough where they vaguely morph into just like. science fiction fantasy adventure stuff and only some of the stories are actually abt fighting crime, so half the characters are like people with superpowers that exist in a universe w/ superheroes and hang out with them a lot but arent heroes themselves

so kazuma inhereted his powers from his father-- his power is regeneration (like deadpool, wolverine, etc), he can heal fast enough to be basically invulnerable. there are some caveats to that, i think the asougis have Some sort of specific weakness cos genshin had to have died Somehow, but yeah. it's like a family thing and it's a closely kept secret

ryunosuke can tell when people are lying, but he absolutely refuses to believe that he has any sort of superpower. kazuma keeps bothering him to get checked out at the superhero diagnostic clinic but he Refuses

i really want susato to be a superhero just because but i cant think of anything yet

so anyways kazuma gets murdered, & for some reason the police arent working well (i mean. what's new) so ryunosuke ends up having to go to sholmes to solve his friend's murder

herlock sholmes is a not-very-good psychic masquerading as an even worse private investigator. he manages to make it work out. It's very important to me that you know that there is to be no explanation of what sholmes's powers are beyond 'psychic' and they succeed and fail and gain new capabilites as the plot needs.

(the last bit of the trial in resolve. thats just him astral projecting. no one knew he could do that up to this point. debateable if sholmes knew he could do that up to this point)

anyways sholmes and ryunosuke end up solving kazuma's murder, sholmes sees kazuma's body and goes 'well this is gonna wear off in a few days' and does his whole thing, and ryunosuke realizes hes really good at this supernatural detective thing and just kinda keeps at it until he's a known figure in the general superhero area

he also like... discovers some stuff about kazuma's activities as a superhero? idk he finds out after kazuma died that this one hero stops appearing and goes 'oh shit'. i think kazuma relied enough on Swords and Shit in his escapades that he managed to hide his powers from most people so it takes ryu a while to figure out that he didnt die die

van zieks works at the police dept, i think he should have some fucked up powers but idk exactly what

The Reaper, rather than being a vague curse is a known supervillain figure. most people have never seen the reaper, they've just found the reaper's victims killed in the specific way that the reaper does along with its calling card (idk what yet. fleur de lis?), and maybe a glimpse of a cloaked figure if theyre lucky

when kazuma reappears it's as a superheroish type guy (in that he's much higher on the vigilante than the justice when it comes to vigilante justice) who functions as... best i can describe it is the relationship that batman has with gordon in the batman 2022 (forgive me batman fans for i have only seen that movie and maybe two episodes of the animated batman beyond when i was a child)

uhh that's all i have. outside of some doodles

[darkpoisonouslove]

2, 3 and 4 :)?

Thanks! :D

This one is from a Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries AU that I haven't talked about yet because it's still a mess in my head and I don't particularly care about the murders if I'm being honest, just about the setup they provide. So if this ever gets written, it's only going to be the emotional scenes with character development and barely anything on the actual crime solving.

2. What’s your favorite relationship in your story? Could be the main one, one your characters shares with a friend, etc.

My favorite relationship is between Griffin (the main character) and Bloom, who she takes in at the end of the first episode since Bloom has nowhere to go (or that's what she tells her) and isn't quite of age yet. I love the way they rely on each other since both of them are loners of their own doing because they're both convinced they are dangerous to the people around them and keep their distance to keep everyone else safe from themselves. It turns out that Griffin was friends with Bloom's dead parents and the relationship between the two of them helps Griffin come to terms with her past and her involvement in the events that killed Bloom's parents. Griffin helps Bloom break away from her fear of herself and learn more about herself and her abilities. They just really make each other's lives livable and much more and I love how they bring out so much positive change in the other.

3. If you had to direct a scene from your fic, what would you choose? Why? What would it look like? What techniques would you use to convey certain emotions? What would the set look like?

I think I'd pick the scene where Griffin's best friend - Faragonda - is brought in for questioning on suspicion of murder. I choose this scene because it brings out the most emotions from Faragonda. She's a warm person but she has a lot of trauma and hurt buried deep down and this scene brings all of that to the surface. Her private life and her emotional state are undergoing scrutiny by a person who's a stranger to her and by her best friend and she has things she would like to keep private from both of them. There's a big moment in the scene where feelings of hurt and pain between Griffin and Faragonda come out and there's a very tense feeling because that is a big reveal that they need to deal with to keep their friendship going but in the current moment they need to push it down in order to be able to prove Faragonda's innocence and there are these opposing impulses that are both aimed at saving their friendship in completely different ways. There's a lot of unwillingness on Faragonda's part to admit the truth even when she knows that not admitting it could get her in jail for murder and there's a lot of desperation on Griffin's part to help her friend only to be slapped in the face with how detrimental her past decisions have been to their friendship. On top of that, there's also the matter of them both a) mourning their shared friend that was killed, b) find the killer in order to honor their friend and find justice for her murder and c) shame that neither of them knows their dead friend well enough to be of more use to the investigation. It's a very emotional scene and one that speaks volumes of their characters and friendship.

Now I don't know much about directing but the scene would take place in a room for questioning and I would keep it as decluttered as possible. Only a table and chairs and the characters inside. Both as a way of leaving them nowhere to hide from the truth and so that there won't be anything to distract from the emotions that are taking place. Even their clothing would probably be an idea plainer than usual for that purpose. There will be, of course, fidgeting with any part of their outfits and avoidance of eye contact. I would mostly focus the camera on Griffin and Faragonda with enough time for the words that are said to sink in for both of them. There will only be quick shots of Valtor to remind that he is there both as an outsider to their friendship (something that will annoy Faragonda) and as the new variable that they desperately need to get out of the mess they've made (since left to their own devices, they managed to end up with suspicions of murder and bitterness between them). I could see Griffin standing while Faragonda and Valtor are sitting and towering over them as the one with the highest drive to get everything resolved (since she doesn't have any notions that are holding her back like the other two do). There's definitely a distance between her and Faragonda and it doesn't grow when the reveals happen but it's there to show the way they are stuck at a certain distance from each other thanks to their choices. Valtor is very much the one directing the conversation, though, and handling the impact that the confessions make on the two of them. That's all I can think of for now. I tried my best but you tell me if you'd hire me as a director. XD

4. What are your main character(s)’ motivations? What do you consider their main drivers?

Griffin's motivation in coming back to Magix City and solving crimes is to make up for her past mistakes. She's done some bad things that she can't make her peace with despite the long time that's passed (over 17 years) and she is trying to do the right thing now. Or at least that's what she tells herself. In fact, she is trying to run away from the overwhelming guilt she feels about her mother's death and she's trying to protect her father from herself because she's making him suffer with her inability to let go of that as she's still hunting for the killer over two decades later. She feels that if she finds out who murdered her mother and finds firm evidence of the motive, it would help her put the past to rest (and maybe feel less guilty).

The motivation of the other main character - Valtor - is actually a big twist so like MAJOR SPOILERS (I say like I'm confident this will definitely see the light of day and it might very well never see the light of day but still)). Valtor's main focus is finding a way out of the situation he's in where he's being blackmailed into working for the wrong side of the law. He did some things he shouldn't have (much like Griffin) and now they're being hung over his head by the big baddies and he needs to do what he's told which makes Griffin feel wildly betrayed when she learns about that in the last season. And I still haven't figured out what his cover-up motivation will be while he's hiding his true intentions because I haven't had time yet to consider all the characters individually while I'm piecing together the big picture.

There are several other characters who make appearances in almost every episode but I haven't yet figured out all of this AU so I'd rather not talk about them before I've decided what goes where.

Ask me fanfic questions

[fanfic-corner]

Bisexual Dean

9/12/20 - Is Dean canonically bisexual? That’s a fun question (it depends on where you live, I suppose). Anyway, nothing is stopping you from reading these beautiful fics involving a very bi main character.

Tabula Rasa by Dangerousnotbroken on AO3. (78,340 words).

Tags: Writer!Castiel, Bartender!Dean, Past Relationship, Magic, Canon Typical Violence, Mentions of Alcoholism, Mentions of Past Child Neglect, Mental Illness, Witches, Ghosts, Bisexual Dean, Bisexual Castiel, Angst, Slow Burn, Memory Loss.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: Once upon a time, Castiel Novak had everything. He had a happy home life, a full scholarship, and, if he played his cards right, a promising journalism career. And on top of all of that, he had Dean. Then tragedy struck, as it tends to do, and Castiel lost everything. At thirty six, he’s got none of those things. He’s got no family to speak of. He’s got a job investigating purportedly true tales of the supernatural for a magazine no one reads. And worst of all he hasn’t seen Dean in nearly twenty years. So when research for an article turns him on to a witch who apparently grants wishes in exchange for stories, Castiel figures it’s worth the risk. If making a deal with a witch can get him Dean back, what has he got to lose?

Notes: This was absolutely amazing; written beautifully, with a fantastic plot.

Take You To The Country by almaasi on AO3. (18,987 words).

Tags: Historical AU, Propositions, Eloping, Newspapers, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Misunderstandings, Pining, First Kiss, Established Relationship, Running Away Together, Moving In Together, Childhood Friends, Marriage Proposal, Businessman Dean, Farmer Dean, Emotional Dean, Bisexual Dean, Domestic Dean Winchester, Clockmaker Castiel, Autistic Castiel, Frustrated Sam.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: A Dean/Cas 1950s AU. Dean reads an elopement proposal in the town's local newspaper, written by some old soul in love with their best friend. He's mid-way through expressing to his brother how beautiful he finds it when Dean realises the proposal is for him.

Notes: I love Sam’s subsequent letters to the newspapers at the end, it was just a really good idea done really well.

A Little Slice Of Heaven by onamelancholyhill on AO3. (112,265 words).

Tags: Slow Build, Friends to Lovers, Falling in Love, POV Dean Winchester, POV Third Person, POV Castiel, Bakery and Coffee Shop AU, Episode: s4e17 It’s a Terrible Life, Alternate Universe - Human, Explicit Sexual Content, Bisexual Dean, Idiots in Love.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: Jim Morrison once said, “The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are.” That was Castiel Novak’s motto in life, and the reason why he accepted his grandmother's inheritance and took the responsibility it implied. Dean Winchester, a remarkable accountant at Sandover Bridge & Iron Inc., however, had other priorities. He lived to serve, hidden in a mask that didn’t allow him to be honest with himself, but lonesome and boring. When destiny made their paths cross, in a less than promising way, with Dean as the instigator and Castiel as his victim, Dean’s mind started wandering, in between pies and cakes, coffees and muffins... What if Mr. Morrison was right? After all, as the guy used to say, "there can’t be any large-scale revolution, until there’s a personal revolution first."

Notes: This was so cute and I adored the plot! It’s making me want to rewatch It’s A Terrible Life but I’ll live.

Just Like You by imherecauseimnotallthere98 on AO3. (35,717 words).

Tags: Homophobia, Homophobic John, Hurt Dean Winchester, Protective Dean Winchester, Established Relationship, Protective Castiel, BAMF Castiel, Protective Sam Winchester, Angry John, Angry Dean Winchester, Angry Sam Winchester, Protective Bobby Singer, Awesome Bobby, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Scared Dean, John Being an Asshole, Swearing, Bisexual Dean, Pansexual Castiel, Past Child Abuse, Accidental Outing, Death Threats, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, Sharing a Bed.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: When John shows up at their door in the middle of the night, the Winchesters and Cas start looking into who or what could have brought him back. Meanwhile, Dean struggles to keep his relationship with Cas a secret from his father, with some help from Sam. The tension rises between the Winchesters as Dean shows John that he is no longer the obedient little soldier he once was, and tries to establish himself as an equal with his dad.

Notes: Bobby and Sam are icons in this and should have followed through on their threats. That will be all.

Walk Through Fire For You by purple_charlie on AO3. (2,332 words).

Tags: John Winchester’s A+ Parenting, Angst, Pride, Marijuana Use, Polyamory, Gay Cas, Bisexual Dean, Bisexual Gabriel, Everyone is Queer.

My Rating: 4 stars.

Description: Boyfriend. The word still feels foreign in Dean’s mouth, still brings back echoes of John Winchester’s thinly-veiled (if even that) homophobia. "Man up, don’t be a sissy, I didn’t raise a fairy". It’s a swollen blister in the back of Dean’s mind, throbbing with pain whenever a stranger’s eyes linger too long on Cas’ hand in his, whenever a waitress double-takes at how close they sit in diner booths. But here, dirty dancing with Cas in a warehouse full of other queer folks, Dean wants to shout from the rooftops- I’m Dean Winchester, I drive the baddest car in town, I lift heavy things for a living, and this is my boyfriend.

Notes: This was so sweet it nearly made me start crying - Cas deserved to be told that he was loved!

Bottom’s Up by mnwood on AO3. (28,103 words).

Tags: Fluff and Crack, Wing Kink, Domestic, Smut, Bisexual Dean, Resolved Sexual Tension, Established Relationship, Wedding Planning, Partying, Weddings.

My Rating: 4 stars.

Description: Sam could’ve kissed them both when he got to the bunker one day to find a string of clothing (his heart nearly burst with hope when he saw the abandoned flannel and trench coat) leading to a very naked pile of limbs tangled on the couch. Just kidding. Of course it wasn’t the couch. Sam always imagined it as the couch because the fact that he actually found them on the dining room table had tainted the happiness of the memory.

Notes: Jesus, I did not need that level of detail into Dean and Cas’ sex life (but it was very funny).

Stories Are Made Of Mistakes by wildhoneypie on AO3. (4,942 words).

Tags: Human Castiel, Diners, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual Dean, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Slow Build, Case Fic, Domestic, Didn’t Know They Were Dating.

My Rating: 4 stars.

Description: In which Cas is human and doesn’t understand basic concepts like: clothing, Mythbusters, moisturizer, and Greek food. Dean is…Dean and doesn’t understand basic concepts like: boyfriends, language, how to tell your friend that he’s a walking miracle, and when not to quip.

Notes: This was so cute and I live for human Cas. I also love the recurring ‘no fucking quipping’ joke in this, although the idea of Cas swearing broke me a bit!

And this one, which has no Destiel content but a very bi Dean:

Uniform of a Winchester by monsterfuckerdean on AO3. (20,591 words).

Tags:  Canon Compliant, Missing Scene, Bisexual Dean Winchester, Bad Parent John Winchester, Young Sam Winchester, Young Dean Winchester, Pre-Season 1, Episode: s5e2 Free to Be You and Me, Angst and Feels, Queer Themes, Character Study, Diners, Sibling Love, Family, Friendship, HBO SPN.

My Rating: 5 stars.

Description: We all know the story of the amulet Dean wears around his neck. But what about everything else he wears?

Notes: Okay, I have to admit that I am loving the HBO SPN vibes even though I am fully aware that if it was a real show I wouldn’t watch it. This is so good though, and the writing is gorgeous!

My friend came out to me as bisexual this week, and paired with the mess that is the Spanish dub, I thought this would be nice as a little reminder that it doesn’t matter how the show ended, because the fans will always be here and we will always be supportive. Anyway, enjoy!

[kinetic-elaboration]

February 13: Star Trek Beyond

Some attempted thoughts on Star Trek Beyond.

So first it was bad lol. It is the worst. I thought maybe it would be less the worst than I had previously thought but it really, really is just irredeemably bad.

Trying to keep up with what was actually happening and talk in the group chat was too difficult and I now feel very exhausted lol. And I’m not even sure what I watched.

I liked Jaylah a lot, including her back story, characterization, “house,” traps, and cool mirror tricks.

I also like Kirk in that emergency uniform with the jacket unzipped.

That’s it! That’s all I liked.

In the past I’ve also said I liked the Spock and Bones parts but I honestly wasn’t a fan of them either this time around!

None of the characters felt IC and none of the relationships felt true or were compelling. Which is particularly egregious given that the alleged theme was strength in unity.

The movie was especially lacking in K/S content or even K & S interaction, which obviously didn’t please me. And it’s definitely the worst Kirk characterization I’ve ever seen. There’s no excuse for that either because it’s halfway through the 5YM, which means he should be pretty close to TOS Kirk--yes, he has a different set of experiences, so there’s going to be some variation, but there’s comparatively less excuse for a radically different characterization than in STXI and STID. They should have had Shatner read the script and make notes lol because whatever else you might say about him he KNOWS Captain Kirk.

Like, he (Kirk) lacked humor and charm and, often, confidence. He had moments when he was very smart and moments when he had a commanding presence. But he had just as many moments when he was whiny or bored and his Captain’s log??? I deserve financial compensation for every time I’ve listened to that. Bored of space?? No, this man is bored when he’s stuck on Earth. He stagnates in desk jobs. He is an adventurer and explorer before he’s ANYTHING else; if you don’t get that, you don’t need to be writing Star Trek.

Also, as I have frequently complained, I’m tired of him having no internal conflict or emotional complexity past his father issues. First reboot movie: dealing with his dead father’s memory and his step-father’s abuse. Fine, that makes sense for how they set up the AU. Second reboot movie: entirely motivated by the need for Manly Vengeance upon the person who killed his father figure. And for this redundant story line (in many sense) we had to lose Pike? Third reboot movie: you’d think he’d finally be ready to move on to other conflicts but actually no this time he’s sad about his birthday and having a longer life span than his...you guessed it!! father!! Yet again.

What else has ever motivated him? Legitimate question.

The destruction of the Enterprise was truly horrific. Long, boring, unwarranted, and without any emotional punch. As if it were just any ship! No, she’s a character in her own right and she’s not to be sacrificed like that but please tell me again how Simon Pegg is a true fan who brought the franchise back to its roots?

B said he did like that they split up the crew into unusual units but I have mixed feelings about it. I don’t entirely disagree, but I don’t think they did a lot that was interesting with any of those separated units. Uhura and Sulu are a cool pair (but this would have been a good opportunity to include Sulu’s semi-canonical crush on Uhura but whatever... a different rant) and they almost did some interesting stuff with them. There were glimmers of a caper in that story line and times when I could tell they were straining especially hard to make Uhura, their Sole Female Main--now that they cut out Rand, Chapel, and even Carol Marcus--into something Feminist and Interesting. But it didn’t quite gel for me. Like, Uhura would be having almost interesting dialogue with the villain and holding her own...and then she loses track of her colleague and has to watch that person die, thus undercutting everything she just said about unity and seeming to prove the villain’s point. Is she competent or not?

Bones and Spock are a pair I care about and like but again I think their canonical relationship in TOS is more interesting than STB showed. I personally read them as like...reluctant best friends who originally just had one person in common, and then realized they also like each other too, but they’ll never really say it. They understand each other but pretend not to. They have fun with the barbs they throw at each other. They both deeply love Jim but in different ways. They enjoy their intellectual debates. (That’s one thing that was definitely missing from them here! The intellectual debates!) So again, there was something there but not enough.

And Kirk and Chekov just happened to land near each other; nothing was done with that relationship per se. They really aren’t people who have much of a relationship in TOS so there’s not a lot to work off of but then on the other hand there IS an opportunity to create something new. Maybe I’m being too harsh and too vague but it just didn’t gel for me. The only specific K and C moment I remember was that supremely un-funny joke about Kirk’s aim as he sets off the “wery large bomb.”

But like there are possibilities.. they’re both pretty horny and Chekov is a whiz kid and Kirk is also very smart and has always been smart... Like in other words people Chekov’s age don’t end up on the bridge crew, in either ‘verse, without the Captain’s say, so even though he’s TOS!Spock’s and AOS!Scotty’s protege, Kirk is important to his life. Something with that maybe??

I’m upset that Spock’s individual story line was about whether or not he should go off and make baby Vulcans because, again as I have complained many times before, that was a conflict he faced and resolved in ten minutes two movies ago, and it doesn’t make sense to me for him to bring it up again now just because the Ambassador is dead. Like... the Ambassador told him to stay in Starfleet!! “Ah, yes, I will honor him by doing precisely the opposite of what he wanted me to do.”

Also--if they had made his motivation different or gone into it more, I would have been more into it. Make it about New Vulcan! Say there’s news from New Vulcan that it’s not doing well. Or what if T’Pring got in contact with him? Or what if we used this as an excuse to bring in Sarek?

This is part of a larger point for me which is that STXI set up a really cool AU and STID tried to do something with it--a little hit or miss, but it tried--and instead of pushing even more at the AU and developing it more and doing more with it... STB just ignored it! Was that part of what Paramount was warning about with making it “not too Star Trek-y?” Was it SUPPOSED to be a movie you could watch without having seen the last two? If so they did succeed but like.. .why? They made the supremely ballsy move of blowing up a founding Federation planet two movies ago and now they’ve just forgotten about that and all the reverberations that would necessarily have?

But of course we got a call back to Kirk being a Beastie Boys fan so.... Guess it was Deep all along.

We all three agreed that the core story of this film was potentially interesting but could have been done as a 50-some minute episode of a TV series rather than a whole-ass 2 hour movie. First off, cutting or cutting down the action sequences would have shaved off half an hour easily.

I’m frustrated in large part because there are certain things that are interesting here. I do like the concept of the crew being pulled on to an alien planet by a ship of former Federation crew, from the early days of the Federation/deep space flight, who were presumed missing but are somehow still alive because they have turned into aliens/used alien tech to prolong life, and who have also captured other aliens, like Jaylah, for the main crew to interact with. All of that was cool.

I would even be okay with these old Federation crew being villains but I don’t think that’s necessary or even the most interesting take.

But...first of all, as my mom pointed out, Krall was basically Nero in his illogical motivations: feeling aggrieved because someone who couldn’t help him didn’t help him and then just maniacally wanting revenge. It made more sense to me with Nero in a way. Maybe that was because he was better characterized, maybe it was because his anger was more personal (the loss of his wife), maybe--probably--it was because he was angry at Spock and Spock had actually promised to help, so there was some kernel of logic in his sense of betrayal, even if it was out of proportion etc. Also, Nero’s mania was portrayed as mania--we were all supposed to recognize that the strength of his emotion was warranted but his logic was deeply flawed. I think we were supposed to think Krall had some kinda... real criticism of the Federation, but in fact he doesn’t! He’s wrong! So like if he’d been angry with the Federation for abandoning him but the narrative and the other characters explicitly recognize that he’s wrong--the Federation tried but he was just doing something very dangerous and he recognized that danger on signing on--that might have been more palatable to me.

I’m not sure I’m making sense here entirely or explaining myself as well as I could.

I just don’t entirely get Krall’s beef with the Federation. I don’t get that whole “being a soldier and having conflict makes you strong and having people you can rely on and connections and community makes you weak.” That seems pretty obviously false. It also doesn’t really seem, not that I’m an expert, but particularly in line with military ethos either.

BUT the idea that he had a life that was comfortable to him as a soldier and then the Federation comes in and forms Starfleet and says, actually, we’re going to pull back on the soldiering and up the diplomacy and the exploration and the science--yeah, I could see that. I DO think Starfleet is military but even if you must insist it’s not, it’s clearly based on and formed from the military, and it has certain military functions. So obviously the first people to join or be folded into Starfleet probably were more explicitly military.

So he’s one of those people. Now he’s supposed to be a scientist and a diplomat and an explorer and he doesn’t like that. He’s given this very prestigious and interesting mission and jumps at it. Starfleet warns him, you might go beyond where we can reach, we might not be able to help you. That’s fine. But then when his ship is stranded and he is lost, he gets angry--maybe somewhat irrationally, but understandably--why?? Why did the Federation do this to him? What was even the point? When he put himself in danger before, at least he knew why. But just flying around space for the hell of it, and this is the cost? So that’s what creates his anger.

I thin this could be tied into Kirk’s diplomacy at the beginning--if the scene were written to not be a comedy bit where Kirk looks like an incompetent buffoon and is completely disrespectful the whole time. He’s good at this job and we should say it. But we could emphasize that this IS a diplomatic mission often, just as often as it’s a military or scientific mission. Maybe we could include other bits of their missions, too, to play up the variety of things they do and roles they play.

Another thing I think could be interesting, going back to my point about Spock, Vulcan, and using the first two movies and expanding on the world building... what if Spock wanted to leave Starfleet for better, more well-defined reasons, and we used that? Paralleled the two? Connected the two?

Because I think Vulcan in the AOS verse is very interesting and the movies didn’t do nearly enough with it. First, we have the Romulans showing up way earlier, at least visibly: in TOS, no one knew what they looked like or their connection to Vulcans until Spock is in his late 30s. In AOS, it happens not long after he’s born. So he’s growing up probably with more anti-Vulcan racism floating around the Federation. THEN Vulcan is destroyed. Now it has nothing and it needs to rely on the rest of the Federation, which must be both humbling and frustrating to many Vulcans, on top of the extreme tragedy of losing everything. Most of their population, a lot of their history, their manufacturing, their scientific facilities, their resources, their animals, literally whatever else you can think of that a planet has--all gone. Now all of the survivors have lived some period on an alien planet, by definition, and they’re probably very dependent on the Federation not just to set up the new colony, but to replace all of the resources--natural and Vulcan-made--that they lost. And they’re a founding Federation member, Earth’s first contact. They’re especially important. And now they’re weak, and reliant on others.

So maybe Spock, early on, hears from New Vulcan and they’re not doing well. Maybe we hear from Sarek or T’Pring (...I’d just like to see reboot T’Pring). Maybe it’s not about, or just about, having children, but about being from an important and ancient family, and being seen as a hero for his part in the Narada mission, that makes him want to go and help rebuild their government (taking his mother’s place perhaps? she was on the High Council) or their scientific facilities, or the VSA, or their space travel capabilities--you know Vulcan had space ships of their own, outside of Federation ships. This would be the perfect place to showcase that tension between wanting to be independent--out of pride, out of fear, even--and needing help, because Vulcan could not survive without the Federation, probably less than 10 years out from the original planet’s destruction.

And then you feed it back into Krall.

So I could see like... well the tension, and then Krall comes in, and he's angry that the Federation "abandoned" him, but we actually explicitly address this. Maybe Spock gets to interact with him and say "I get it. You had a life and a mission and a purpose that was comfortable for you. Then the Federation came in and changed everything. A lot of my people are also feeling upset for similar reasons. But here's why actually you're wrong."

So anyway as you can see I’m smarter and more interesting than Simon Pegg.

I also hated, speaking of writers of this movie, the gay Sulu thing and HEAR ME OUT on this. It’s homophobic. His husband doesn’t have a name? Might not be his husband at all? Looks like he could be his nanny or his brother? As B said “at least grab his butt or something.” That was the most sanitized, no-homo depiction of a gay person I’ve ever seen. He’s gay (see, progressives and queers! gay! you like that right!) but DON’T WORRY STRAIGHTS--he’s in a monogamous relationship and has a child, he’ll show nothing but the most platonic physical affection with his male significant other, and the plot point will be so minuscule you’ll need a microscope to detect it. Also, we’ll throw in a no homo joke about two male characters not wanting to hug and we’ll make sure Kirk and Spock interact as little as possible, because we know they give off Big Queer Vibes every time they’re together.

Yes the last point is a little unfair but can you blame me for being angry about all the “look how hip to the times we are” back-patting that went on in 2016 when canonical bisexual Kirk is RIGHT THERE and we could have had ex-boyfriend Gary Mitchell instead of Unnamed Nanny??

Also Sulu is a hella random choice because again, like... he may not have had an s.o. in TOS but nor was there any indication he was gay. So it seems a LITTLE like they picked him because (1) his original actor is gay and gay people can’t play straight people duh so probably Sulu was Gay All Along I mean did you not get vibes???; and/or (2) asexual Asian stereotypes preclude giving Sulu any kind of love interest, male or female, that is actually... sexual, outright romantic, anything.

Anyway I can’t remember if I had any other thoughts, but I’ve said quite enough I think.

I miss Kirk so much... real Kirk... even my version of AOS Kirk who is probably not even characterized that well but at least I worked with love!!!

[lvnce-mcclain]

Okay so pt2 of this, (pt 3 here and then here’s pt 4) didn’t want to reblog since it was already getting too long. But here goes thoughts on this AU for the rest of s2:

So yeah, imagine Buck and Eddie having all that history going into s2. Imagine Buck still being struck dumb when he sees Eddie changing at the station that first day, completely speechless when his brain finally connects face to memory. Imagine Eddie having so much turmoil over the feelings that spark up at seeing his old teammate again, having Buckley back at his side. It makes Eddie’s transition to the team go a lot smoother in the long run, although there’s still a bit of a rough patch that first shift.

(So Eddie is a still little peeved when he recognizes Buckley, and he can’t keep the bitterness out of his voice when he makes a quip about not abandoning this team, Buckley immediately shutting down at the disapproval and getting defensive. But then there’s the call with the ambulance, and Eddie is thrown back in the field with Buckley by his side on one of those rare good days of his, and Eddie is sure of the man flanking him when they’re climbing into the ambulance together. They manage to handle the explosive and no one dies, and at the end when Eddie is smiling too bright and clapping a shoulder saying, “You can still have my back any day, Buckley,” and too-blue eyes shine back with, “Buck. Call me Buck. And you—you can have mine too” and a grin that has Buckley’s—Buck, Buck, Buck’s—lips splitting wide.)

Imagine how differently Buck would grow as a character. He learned his lesson about where he belongs a little too late in this AU, and imagine the potential for how much Buck would mourn every life he wasn’t able to save when he was active. Imagine how heavy it laid on his shoulders every time he had to pull the trigger, imagine how deeply he must have been hiding from his father’s disappointment in him if he let himself get pulled so far off from his own moral track to make it as far as he did while on active duty.

Buck still has a streak of promiscuity after he gets discharged, because Eddie’s words may have been enough to subdue him in their company but not where all those rules couldn’t touch him anymore. I sincerely think Buck still needs to have his Abby arc, it’s such a good arc for him imo even though I wish there was more closure at the end. So when Eddie shows up and tumbles back into his life, Buck is a little more willing to move on out of Abby’s apartment at a more reasonable pace.

He struggles a little less with coping over being ghosted, or rather realizing he’s the ghost or whatever, because he sees a potential place for him to belong and jumps at it. (Which would still need to be addressed eventually, this perpetual need of Buck’s to be useful to prove his own worth to himself and everyone, constantly.) Ohhh and imagine how much more the Earthquake episode would hit with Buck’s absolute resolution to get Eddie home to not just a picture of a little boy, but full-fleshed Christopher who Buck has been a fan of ever since he talked Eddie down into just accepting that little boy into his life and letting that be enough, even when Christopher was only a faceless name through stories in the desert. Imagine how much more would be behind that already relieved longing Buck showed in the scene where Eddie holds Chris at the school.

And it just makes sense, really—Buck reassures himself repeatedly—that Buck moves in with Eddie and Chris after things settle back down. At this point Eddie has made it clear how much he’s struggling with the childcare issues with being a single dad and Buck finds himself hiding from lonely nights by hanging out with his two favorite Diaz’s more often than not these last few months. When some of the rest of the team express concern—mostly through jokes, mind you, like comments about “lovebirds moving too fast” and other inane shit like that—over it, Buck’s ready with a stupid, rehearsed presentation to Eddie about why being roommates would be beneficial to “all parties involved, c’mon Eddie it’s not ‘just the two of us, you idiot’ Chris is a party too!”, with a large portion of it all dedicated to how Buck would be useful in sharing household duties and can help watch Christopher on Eddie’s work days if they’re not on shift together.

Already Eddie is feeling pretty persuaded but then Buck ends this whole spiel with a check towards his phone and a really vague mention of a friend coming over to meet them, and right on time the doorbell rings and in walks the biggest personality Eddie never knew he needed in his life. Carla is fantastic off the bat, and when Buck mentions near the end that Carla would help him no matter what he decided regarding the roommate situation, of course, Eddie is blinking so dumbly at Buck he nearly has to shake himself back to normal.

Because imagine how different it’s been for Eddie. Getting home to his parents already defensive on him getting to parent his own child, how hard he tries to stay with them as long as possible because everyone says that’s what best for Christopher after being abandoned by both parents, can’t you see he needs the stability only we can provide him? Until one day he sees an opportunity to start fresh and he grabs at it with flailing fingers, and Christopher is the only light in this dark as shit tunnel they seem to be stuck in.

But then in comes Buck, and Eddie learns a good lesson about letting people back into his life. Imagine how much relief there must have been the moment Eddie realizes an old partner was going to be by his side in this terrifying transition in Eddie’s life, not only at work but also taking some of the burden of parenthood off Eddie’s shoulders like it weighs nothing at all. Imagine how much Eddie needed that kind of stability around this time.

So imagine Eddie calling the whole presentation dumb after Carla leaves but rolling his eyes with a smile and Buck knows he got em, and just grins and asks too brightly, “yeah??” and Eddie can’t help but smile and tell him there’s no one else he’d rather be roommates with too much affection to be strictly teasing. And from the warmth in Buck’s eyes he can read that affection with ease, but he doesn’t say anything about it. He just smiles and starts planning the move excitedly.

Imagine s2 progressing the same, except now Buck and Eddie are 10x more comfortable with each other and god. Can you imagine the room for angst and emotional exploration with Shannon coming back into Eddie’s life with Buck already so ingrained in it? How Eddie would be torn towards wanting to try and fit back into the picture of what a happy family and marriage had always looked to him, but everything aching in him to lean towards Buck and the beginnings of their little sketched out family with Chris.

Imagine Buck trying to distance himself out of respect for Eddie and his marriage because he in no way wants to come in between Eddie and anything that would make him and Christopher happy; he’s firmly resolved if that means Shannon back in their lives, then so be it. But Eddie surprises him with the decision to limit contact with his wife—tells her that she can be part of Christopher’s life once she’s proven she can be trusted not to disappear, but that Eddie didn’t want anything beyond what’s necessary.

(Imagine Christopher getting to keep his mom and get his Buck too, because hey, we don’t have to kill off women to give men more backstory in this AU.)

Imagine Buck taking this as a step toward something he realizes he’s craving from Eddie: more. Imagine the soft touches and questioning looks and the longing that’s possible with all the domestic scenes after this. Imagine the fire fam getting absolutely insufferable with comments. But then there’s everything with Maddie and there’s not much time to consider anything beyond that. And then—then there’s the Accident and we go into s3, which I also have some Thoughts on.

[foolsiwillshowthemall]

Rayla doesn’t do slow burn.

Random thoughts on Rayllum, heavy with TDP Season 3 spoilers, following.

Rayllum has been the most likely endgame ship among the main characters for a while, which is ironic considering that it wasn’t even planned from the start of the series.  The writers just realized midway through Season 2 that the chemistry between the two of them worked out really well.  For me, it clicked when Callum was reading the letter from his father, who advised Callum to seek a narrative of love instead of power.  It’s not clear if this line was written before or after the writers decided that Rayllum would be a thing, but it does fit perfectly with the love of a human prince and an elven assassin/Dragonguard helping bring peace to the two sides.

However, while I was expecting them to get together, I was expecting it to happen a lot more slowly than it did.  Usually in these kinds of shows, they’ll string along the will-they-or-won’t-they dance for as long as possible to build tension, and only resolve it in a season or series finale.  We were all expecting a slow burn situation.  But in a brilliant bit of character-driven storytelling, just as the existence of the relationship was driven by the chemistry between them, the pace of the relationship was also decided by the characters.

Because Rayla is just not a slow-burn kind of person.

Callum could do a slow burn, easily.  At the start of the show, it’s implied that he’s been pining over Claudia for some time.  Years, maybe.  He just doesn’t have the confidence or any idea on how to progress that relationship.  In an alternate universe where the Moonshadow elves never attack, he and Claudia could spend years dancing around each other before finally ending up together.  He’d probably also end up apprenticing to Viren to become a dark mage in that alternate universe, so it’s just as well that didn’t happen.

But Rayla isn’t the kind of person to do a slow burn relationship.  Rayla makes sudden, life-changing, emotionally driven decisions.  Deciding to not kill Marcus after he discovered the assassin team, or deciding to take the Egg to Xadia along with the human princes, or to go and save the downed red dragon from Soren and Claudia.  And when she makes these decisions, she acts on them, immediately and decisively.  So once she realized that she’s in love with Callum, she’s not going to sit around pining for him or wondering if he feels the same.  She’s going to immediately start courting him, Moonshadow elf style.

Admittedly, we have no idea what Moonshadow elf courtship looks like.  But we do know that they keep their feelings secret, they’re not supposed to admit to fear or apparently anything else openly.  So Rayla’s not going to be ready to openly declare her love just yet.  But a lot of her behavior in the first few episodes of Season 3 makes more sense when interpreted as attempted courtship.

Episode 1:  Sol Regem.  When all else fails, Rayla makes a heartfelt speech praising Callum’s virtues to try and convince Sol Regem to let hum accompany her and Zym into Xadia.  It’s totally wasted on Sol Regem, but really we know this speech was meant for Callum.  It’s Rayla’s way of letting Callum know how much she likes him, without actually admitting anything.  

I suspect that praising someone you like to a third party, where they can overhear, is a common courtship method among Moonshadow elves, as it lets them know you like them without you having to admit any feelings of your own.  “I don’t admit to personally having feelings for them, I’m just stating how amazing they are as a fact” is a distinctly Moonshadow-ish behavior, and something that both Rayla and Callum have done for each other.

Also, she keeps his scarf, although unfortunately not past the end of the episode.  This comes after they’ve established how strongly it smells of him, because apparently Rayla likes the way he smells.

Episode 2: The Crown.  Moonshadow elves are all about concealment and secrecy, so showing somebody a secret place where you played alone as a child is an incredibly intimate and personal step.  Rayla might as well have stripped naked in front of him for all that she’s laying her life bare.  Fortunately, Callum has responded positively to her courtship so far, although at this point he doesn’t realize that this is what she’s doing.  As incredibly empathic and perceptive as Callum is, he’s fairly clueless at figuring out matters of romance, and has no idea that Rayla likes him that way yet.

Episode 3: Ghost.  Courtship is going well, so Rayla takes the next step of introducing Callum to her one remaining parental figure and showing him where she grew up.  Unfortunately, things don’t go well, as she’s been magically banished and is reminded of how she’s disappointed everyone and was more or less responsible for all of the other members of the team being killed or sealed in coins.  Callum tries to comfort her, and we might even have proceeded to the scene we do eventually get in the next episode, but Ethari interrupts them and gives them the means to start seriously traveling onwards again.

Episode 4: The Midnight Desert.  Enter Nyx.  Nyx is a conman (Con-woman?  Con-elf?) who is skilled at reading people.  She figures out pretty quickly what’s going on with these two, which is why she makes that teasing comment about whether they need one blanked or two.  She’s also smart enough to realize that Callum and Rayla will, given the chance, provide enough distraction to each other for her to slip away with Zym.

It’s in this episode that we get the continuation of the emotional moment interrupted by Ethari.  Rayla is wallowing in self-loathing, but Callum comes along and starts praising her virtues.  At last, Rayla thinks, the big dumb human has caught on and is reciprocating my courtship.  So she kisses him. 

Unfortunately, Callum wasn’t actually trying to court her, at least not consciously, so things get all awkward and stuff.  Poor Rayla is very confused, as what seemed to be fairly clear signals weren’t what she thought they were.  It turns out that Callum does actually like her like that, he just didn’t even realize that it was an option so far, and they probably would have resolved things with a little more talking, but Zym’s been abducted and they have to put the courtship on hold to deal with that.

Ironically, if Callum hadn’t backed down and had been kissing her back right away, Nyx would probably have gotten away freely.  Emotional awkwardness saves the day.

Episode 5: Heroes and Masterminds.  Zym has been rescued, Nyx has been defeated and then also rescued, and Callum get the opportunity to praise Rayla to someone else in front of here.  You can see the surprise and hope on her face as she’s trying to figure out the meaning of this gesture, not wanting to mis-interpret his intentions again.  You can also see that Nyx figures out pretty quickly that this speech isn’t for her benefit, as she turns and walks away halfway through it.  Rayla still isn’t sure what Callum’s intentions are, but he makes them more clear when he kisses her.

He then gets flustered and tries to back down again, but Rayla knows what the deal is.  If she wants the relationship to proceed, she has to take the initiative.  Fortunately, she’s more than capable of doing so, and Callum is willing to let her.

So where do things go now?  At the moment, we don’t know if there even will be a Season 4.  Netflix likes to cancel shows after 2 or 3 seasons, and the internal drama among the creative team at Wonderstorm still might tear the company apart.  Personally, I’d be satisfied with the story as it is if it ended here, since the third season wrapped up the initial plot very nicely, but I’ll also happily watch season 4 and any more that they make.

It’s rumored that there will be a timeskip before the next season, and if so then presumably the relationship between Rayla and Callum will only develop further during that time.  Although she won’t be able to actually show him around the Silvergrove until the banishment is lifted, and it will probably be a while before they can free her parents from the coins they’re probably trapped within.  I think that I speak for many in the fandom in hoping that the writers don’t split Callum and Rayla up for cheap drama, since they’ve been pretty good about not doing that kind of thing so far, and since Rayllum wasn’t even planned for part of the story initially it’s probably not going to be a major driver of the plot.  Which is actually kind of a relief, if they can just be a stable couple together while the rest of the plot is going on around them.  There’s enough drama happening in the world of TDP as a whole, they can just be the rock that keep each other stable and safe.

It’s also been really amusing seeing the fanfiction sites react to season 3.  So many slow burn stories that are now just completely AU compared to how quickly things went in the canon story.

[nicnacsnonsense]

So right now as I sit here procrastinating on the things I’m supposed to be doing is probably a good a time as any to dump my Good Omens Jane Eyre AU thoughts on you all. (Quick side note: Aziraphale, Crowley, and Beelzebub are all female-presenting, she/her for the purposes of this AU.)

I want to start you off with a little backstory. The other day @eunyisadoran suggested to me that Gabriel and Beelzebub would make for a perfect Rochester/Jane Eyre AU. What my mouth said in response was “Sorry, I don’t really ship Ineffable Bureaucracy,” but my brain said, “Wait, shut up a second me; I can work with this.” But as I considered it I decided that while I could see Gabriel as Rochester — Gabriel isn’t someone I’d consider especially Byronic, but if you set that aside, he can still function in the story the way the character needs to — Beelzebub as Jane was not working for me at all. If Gabriel tried to pull on Bee some the shit Rochester pulled on Jane, Bee would just straight punch him in the face. By that point it was getting pretty late, so I fired a message off to Euny about how I’d do it that I’m pretty sure was supposed to be a joke at the time, but the next morning she came back to me super on board for it, so here we are.

Okay, stick with me, cause it’s going to sound weird at first, but I promise it all comes together. As I said, Gabriel as Rochester, but Jane is Aziraphale. Beelzebub is instead Bertha, Rochester’s mad wife. For Aziraphale and Gabriel’s relationship we’re going to take the things about Jane/Rochester that are a bit problematic and amplify them, while dialing down the idea of there being any genuine love there. For Aziraphale Gabriel is handsome and charming, but more importantly he holds a position of power over her, so when he starts showing an interest she subconsciously convinces herself she returns his interest. Meanwhile Gabriel is lonely and mentally exhausted and Aziraphale is emotionally easy for him. She’s attractive enough, she’s there when he wants her, goes away when he doesn’t, doesn’t ask anything of him, and is generally pretty compliant. I wouldn’t say it’s Gabriel’s intention to use Aziraphale like that, but that’s absolutely what he’s doing.

So we get to the wedding scene and the truth coming out about Bee — let’s maybe have Ligur as her brother, since in Jane Eyre Bertha is a POC — and Aziraphale leaves Thornfield. Eventually she ends up at the doorstep of the River siblings: Crowley, Shadwell (young ‘67 era Shadwell, obv, not old man Shadwell), and Anathema. (Which admittedly is a weird group of siblings. I’d probably make Anathema a half-sister, with a Puerto Rican mother.) Crowley instantly gets a massive crush on Aziraphale when Shadwell brings her in, and very quickly falls in love with her. However Crowley assumes Aziraphale couldn’t possibly love another woman, and so keeps pushing Aziraphale on Shadwell, thinking if those two get married, at least Crowley will always be able to keep Aziraphale close by. Meanwhile Aziraphale hasn’t figured out the whole “being into girls” thing yet, but knows she’s hurt by the way Crowley, who is Aziraphale’s dearest friend, keeps pushing Aziraphale away and pawning her off on her brother. Eventually Aziraphale does agree to go marry Shadwell and go to India with him because she’s convinced it her duty and she thinks it’s what Crowley wants. But at the last minute (and with some help from Anathema) Aziraphale realizes she can’t leave the person she’s in love with — her cousin Crowley. So Shadwell goes off to India on his own (and has a terrible time because we hate him), and Aziraphale and Crowley live together as wives with Anathema as their mutual best friend (aside from each other).

But we’re not nearly done yet. First we’re actually going to backtrack some to touch on some Gabriel backstory. I’ve rearranged the timeline a little to lessen the age gap between Gabriel and Aziraphale. Aziraphale can stay 18, but Gabriel I’m pushing down to late 20’s. Part of that means pushing his affair with Céline (who I think we shall leave as Céline) to before his marriage, while he was on break from university. Gabriel was not going to take her baby in — despite her claims that he is the father, he suspects the actual father was her other lover (who Gabriel didn’t know about and dumped her when he found out) Lucian. However, Gabriel’s mother found out about the whole thing and ordered him to take in the child, and Gabriel will argue with absolutely anyone except his mother. No one argues with Mrs. Rochester. No one. And that is how he ended up as the guardian of Adam, who is eight when Aziraphale is hired on as governess.

Gabriel graduates university when Adam is one, and at encouragement from his mother he goes to Jamaica to visit the Masons and potentially court their daughter Bee (apparently God just ships all the angel/demon pairings; all about that balance). They get married and then whoops, turns out “madness” runs in the family. Bee’s behavior starts to become erratic, and she begins losing touch with reality. They had back to England with hopes of better doctors and a cure, but during the voyage Bee’s symptoms continue to worsen and she becomes prone to violent outbursts. It’s so bad by the time they reach England, Gabriel ends up sneaking her into Thornfield at the dead of night. Little three year old Adam wakes up and sees this, but is told in the morning he dreamed it. He still tells the story to Aziraphale when she comes years later, but Adam tells a lot of wild stories and she assumes this is just another one of them.

Backtracking a bit, what Bee has is what we would recognize as schizophrenia and she is currently suffering from a psychotic episode (which are of course not usually violent, but in Bee’s particular case she can be). Unfortunately the doctors weren’t really familiar with that, so they just called it hysteria. It’s all those lady parts, making her crazy, as they do. Bee is prescribed with a frequent regimen of heavy doses of opium, to curb her outbursts. It does calm her down, but turns out one of the more uncommon side effects of opiates is to cause psychosis. So this medication actually exacerbates her psychosis, even if it keeps her calm. So she isn’t so much locked in the room as she is just in a constant drugged out haze — when she isn’t full-on catatonic — completely divorced from reality.

Grace Poole will be played by Madame Tracy, who I realize is pretty different from Grace in terms of personality, but I have my reasons. Tracy is the kind of person who is scatterbrained enough to occasionally forget to give Bee her medication and also kind-hearted and scatterbrained enough to sometimes deliberately skip a dose because she seemed like she was doing better, she was practically lucid today, and I really do feel she gets better quality rest when she’s not on the drugs. Those are the times Bee manages to break out, when the amount of opium in her system has dipped enough to allow her to actually get up and move around independently. Unfortunately she’s still suffering from her psychosis at these times. Mostly she just wanders around confused and getting up to small mischief — breaking things, moving things around, and the like — but she is still violent on occasion.

After Aziraphale and Gabriel’s aborted wedding and Aziraphale leaving, Gabriel snaps a little. He sends Adam away (to visit Grandma perhaps) as well as a good chunk of the servants, and then cuts off Bee’s opium. He claims he’s doing this to punish her for her part in ruining his wedding and his chance at happiness, but honestly the dude just misses his wife. Because he doesn’t see the vacant woman sitting doped up in a chair all day as his wife. At least when she’s off the opium and throwing shit it reminds him of the passion she used to have. At first it does get worse, but after a bit she starts to calm down. Tracy stays with her when she’s upset and stays calm and positive, Bee starts to get familiar with the house, less staff means she’s not running into people she doesn’t know as much. They figure out that most of her violent behavior was caused by her being confused and scared and lashing out. Then the morning she wakes up and is genuinely lucid. After 6 years, her psychotic episode is over. They conclude that while the opium was keeping her calm, it was also worsening her delusions, and resolve not to give her any ever again.

All of this about what happened after she left Aziraphale has had in a letter from Adam, written with help from Madame Tracy and his new tutor Mr. Newton Pulsifer. They have heard of Aziraphale’s new station and improved fortune, and Adam begs Aziraphale, as well as the Misses Crowley and Anathema Rivers, to come visit them all in Thornfield Hall as soon as they can. They all lived happily ever after, the end.

[radcatcrown]

Stephen’s Cosmos

Alternative title: My frustrations with Steven Universe coalesced into form in an AU

So Steven Universe: The Movie came out and after months of slumber, it woke my gripes with the series due to stuff that happened within the movie that irked me. I’ve had my problems with Steven Universe for some time now, and it's not that the movie is the straw the broke the camel's back, but hey, seems like a good time as any to do this.

Statement of Purpose: My main problem with Steven Universe is not an issue of the attempt at redeeming villains, for a dude like myself that grew up on an anime media diet, villains getting turned good is old hat. I’ve seen it better done than SU and worse than SU. The idea that yes, somebody that has done wrong in the past and has recognized the error of their ways has a possibility to atone is a good message. The problem is with SU scale, because of its insistence of going cosmic and having most serious problems have the sake of the world in the balance as an allegory for family issues makes it less credible, and more than a tad reprehensive. So this is an AU that remixes the show to do away with it. Mind you this is just a basic, vague, ranty pitch, probably not going to write out any episodes. We good? Ok. Let's begin.

Premise and Setting: In the interest of cutting down on the ‘epic’ scale of original SU, I’ll have this set mostly on modern-day earth and maybe other realms if necessary. Stephen’s Cosmos would have more of a straight-up magic/fantasy feel than the sci-fi magi-tech the show uses. This is because we’re not using aliens here, we’re using witches. And since we’re going for differences I’ll be using a Floral/herbal naming scheme for these witches, maybe even have them have developed plant-like features, but having them be human women at least as a basis. The backstory would go like so; existing for centuries in the shadows there would be a coven of powerful Witches known as the Chrysanthemum Circle, composed of the Elder Sister; White Chrysanthemum, Middle Sisters; Blue and Yellow/Golden Chrysanthemum and the youngest Red Chrysanthemum. They would rule over a pseudo-amazonian secret island in the middle of the pacific ocean, where they have built a society of witches that work under them, basically for both the preservation of the society itself and for them to be able to live in luxury. Red would be treated as a child by the other three instead of an equal, constantly the victim of abuse and punishment for her oddities in her sister’s eyes. This causes her to run away a few times before burning bridges in an impulsive manner, escaping and taking a few like-minded witches with her, namely her handmaiden and confidant Lily, the mysterious Sunflower, and a few others. Red would shed her imperious persona for a softer, friendlier Pink Rose. From there they would wander the world of man, picking up a young human girl that would come to name herself Carnation. They would settle and build a temple in the small coastal city of Beach City eventually, where they would live until the foreseeable future as the coven of the Wild Flowers. There Pink would find Mr. Universe and things would progress as cannon... except Pink doesn’t need to die here. So we have Pink Rose as part of the secondary cast. The main premise of the story would be to have an episodic structure with monster/problem-of-the-week setups(depending on how much action it makes sense to have in it), slowly integrating Stephen and the Flowers into the quirky town of Beach City, as well as learning lore and having the Flowers help with the strange occurrences in this town. These episodic seasons would get broken up with two-parter season finale to have a nice bombastic event. It would get slightly more serialized as it goes along, more-less the Avatar: The Last Airbender model. There would be a reveal of who Rose is about halfway through where Lily reveals it under dire circumstances and would fragment the Wild Flowers. Why not go with a completely mundane plot? Because flora is pretty, witches are cool and lesbian witches are double cool. (If you must though it's actually not that hard, the Diamonds are an old money/noble family, staunchly elitist and traditionalist, have them be in Europe where they rule over a township. Rose runs away due to similar situations and we’d have her and other runaways come to Beach City and slowly get integrated with ensuing hijinks and slice-of-life situations.)

Characters

Red Chrysanthemum/Pink Rose: Ok this is the big one so we better get it out of the way first. Since she’s going to be around her main impact on the show is actually being able to be there and explain herself but also deal with the fallout of her own choices. Her personality would be very nice, motherly, soft and friendly but in a way that she seems above it all, careless and perhaps a little too hands-off. Her main flaw to be dealt with is her selfishness. Her main arc would be raising Steven, and recognizing other people as her equals that she loves instead of her inferiors to be protected. The secondary arc would be having to deal with the repercussions of her past actions and her secrets.

Stephen: If one’s theme is generational abuse then exploring the next generation is crucial. Stephen would serve as an instigator to get the Flowers closer to the regular human population, and the audience closer to the bizarre and mysterious Wild Flowers. Stephen’s arc or arcs rather would focus on many things, but the main one being on his growth is the best of both worlds, his mother and father’s better qualities without the baggage that brought them into being, having to struggle with his identity between two worlds and the friction therein. He would eventually mature to be better than Pink. 

Lily: Lily would be Pearl’s equivalent, a Handmaiden literally sworn to serve Red; now Pink. The first thing that was done after their escape was to break her oath. We’d keep her arc of her having unrequited feelings for Pink, and her issues with her self worth and need for outside stimuli and approval. Her feelings would eventually need to be confronted and her dependency issues would be dealt with by her efforts to own her own person, be well with herself by being independent, and find maybe a new love?

Sunflower: Sunflower would be the fusion between two witches in love, separated by their classes back in the Island; the knightly and flaming Poppy and the serene seer Tulip. They wanted to be together with such fervor that when they were ordered to stay separated due to their social standings they performed a forbidden ritual that bound them both as one sole entity, sort of as a witchy marriage. The Chrysanthemums banned this ritual due to the exponential increase in power between the two participants, fearing it may topple them, so they declared it forbidden and decadent due to the ‘loss of two precious lives to bring in one tortured life’. The ritual cannot be sustained forever and it would be dissolved every new moon, and the preparations to properly perform it take a few days at least. This allows the two cute lesbians to be cute together. There would be parallels between them and the Rose/Lily relationship, but also serve to contrast them. Their arcs would mostly be relationship-based, regarding if they are codependent, if their relationship is healthy, they would have their rough patches and arguments like any married couple and hopefully a second more human wedding. 

Amy Thistle Aka Carnation: Carnation would be a neophyte witch kicked out of her foster home due to her magical inclinations. Finding a kindred spirit in their search for freedom Rose takes her under her wing. Carnation turns out to have the more ‘normal’ demeanor of the three witches. She would have parallels with Rose in the sense that even after Stephen’s around she’s treated like the kid and even not a ‘proper’ witch, this results in aggravating the self-worth and self hate issues she had. Rose’s words of ‘you’re perfect as you are’ would soothe her but in the long run, it just put obstacles in her development. She would grow to have frictions with Stephen, but would resolve them together with him. 

Connie: Basically the same but make her parents actually overbearing or traditionalist as to make parallels with the Chrysanthemums.

Lavender: A cloudshaper that got caught up in a riot against the Chrysanthemums, was sealed in a mirror until Stephen liberates her accidentally. Once out she lashes out against even the ones that gave her a helping hand. Her way to cope with her own trauma due to being sealed for hundreds of years would be violent and volatile. Her arc would be of her working through that trauma and for her to serve as a MASSIVE red flag for Rose of what her sisters’ deeper sins may be.

Mint: Keep Peridot’s arc and just adjust for lower scale. Her whole arc should be about broken misconceptions about the society outside the Island, and breaking through the behaviors that repressive society has ingrained. Parallels with Rose on that one. 

Oak: Oak would have more-less Jasper’s role in the story at large, first as a weapon for the Chrysanthemums and later as a recurring antagonist. Functionally she would begin to show to Rose and the others the consequences of her running away and other past actions since Oak was a member of her former court. 

Peony: An original member of the Wild Flowers that was found by Stephen as he messed around with portals. Her conflict with Rose originally would be more-less the same than Bismuth, their ideological differences, in this case, Peony has created a garment that would sever one’s connection with magic, reducing the user to a regular human. As with the original, she would be right in wanting justice and revenge. She wanted to use that to topple the Chrysanthemums and have them face the people’s justice. Rose exiled her before, and kept her secret. When she appears again old wounds are opened, and it is Peony that plants the seeds of direct rebellion within the Wild Flowers.

Townies: Most of these are fine and we don’t need to touch it, there are three major changes to be done though; Kevin, who should get a rehabilitation arc from a douche creep to a decent person, as a sort of practice for Stephen to help everybody else. Lars, since he can no longer be of the Stars, would become a part of the human contingent of Wild Flowers, mostly out of a search for purpose and adventure. Ronaldo would be rehabilitated from a self-important conspiracy buff into another, Dipper Pine’s-ish Wildflower.

The Chrysanthemums: Ok now the big bads. The Chrysanthemums would be aristocratic and authoritarian, capable of atrocities and overall believe themselves to be superior to everybody else. They would be the center of a “Diamond-Days”-esque arc in which Stephen, Rose and the other Wild Flowers go back to the Island with the explicit purpose of changing things for the best. They would need to test the lessons learned by Rose and her growth. General personality for the three? Yellow should be be imperius and ruthless, Blue should feel sublime, like the serene calm for a perpetual storm. White would actually have a god complex; she thinks of herself as perfect and eternal. They have been ‘mourning’ Red since she ran away, but the mourn an idealized version of her, the Red they wish they had lived with. From here during their story arc we would slowly begin to find out that Blue and Yellow act the way they act out of fear, though there is a degree of them that did buy into White’s beliefs. They’ve seen what White is capable and they know they’re not powerful enough even combined. Rose would end up confronting all three of them about the trauma they put her through, not only that but for the combined suffering and pain their rule of repression has caused to the witches in the island. She would reach through to Blue and Yellow… but not White. White reacts how an angry god might. They would manage to repel her and she would become the true antagonist, a goddess ousted from her temple. Blue and Yellow over the course of the next seasons begin to realize the true extent of their actions and set upon trying to fix and atone, but it would be made clear that hundreds of years of oppression cannot be easily wiped away. White herself would end up being defeated, depowered, and put on trial. Ultimately she would be sealed away.

So yeah, that’s it, thanks for coming to my TED talk.

[fandomele]

Gifset here

responding to @alltoosure​

So, your criteria was that to be included in this gifset, the argument couldn’t have been resolved and there was no potential justification for someone to be upset at Emma, such as grief?

And, yet, the very first gif is of a fight where Henry is rightfully upset at Emma for using Violets heart to make her break up with him. And comes from an episode where Emma and Henry literally make-up in that same episode and Henry is the one to take the no magic cuff off of Emma, telling her he trusts her?

How does that fit the criteria?

Even in the second gif, Henry is being a dick, but I would say the justification that people he knows keep dying or being cursed by magic and he would like his parents to get along, is as good a justification as Hook’s big brother worship.

Also David and Snow are two separate people and David has freedom of thought. If he agrees to do something or not do something with Snow, that is still on him. He is not under her thrall.

I agree, you didn’t do it on purpose, but our biases can be visable even when we try to not show them.

But look, it’s your gifset. You could make it ‘times Emma was hurt by people who were not David or Hook’ and include examples I don’t at all agree with and there isn’t reallly much I could do about it. So you do you.

Yes, it's my gifset, but it's okay if you want to comment and I'll try to explain my train of thoughts, and you can agree or disagree because it was, after all, my subjective view of it that led to it. Which can differ from yours, and that's okay. Of course I'd prefer if you believed me when I say that I didn't consciously decided to conveniently forget stuff lol but hey, I also can't make you believe that, so it's your call. I’d like to still try to explain my view of this, you don’t have to reply, or you can and disagree (though I think we’ll eventually we’ll agree to disagree), it’s fine. But I don’t know if you’ll read all this because I wrote a LOT and I’m sorry lol basically in the middle I ended up explaining the reasoning between each group of gifs. 

My criteria was: "show patterns of Emma getting unfairly treated by people and Emma not ever standing up for herself or even thanking them for it later on. Plus Ingrid (so I guess entirely messed up relationships). Plus, not every moment is going to fit because it's a gifset and I didn't want to put even more gifs."  Or it could also be said “she has an ongoing unaddressed problem with these people, here it is/here they are if it’s more than one” (I already explained point by point why I excluded some, but to be more clear I didn't exclude Regina's grief because I *always* exclude grief, but because 1) I already put Henry being mad at Emma over not trusting Regina soon after and 2) Regina had already more than ten examples in the gifset, it was beating a dead horse. Though I do feel that their reasons can count sometimes. Regina exploding with grief is similar to Killian wanting to protect his brother's honor to me, for example, but Killian apologized, Regina didn't even recognize Emma was literally returning the 'you are benched' favor that Regina and the others did to her one day ago. I'll explain later why Henry scolding Emma because he wanted his family to stick together is in the gifset but I can anticipate that it's also to show the unfair contrast in how they treated Dark Emma)

It *is* a messy gifset, because most things made perfect sense in my head and are hard to explain on paper, and maybe I should title it: Emma vs Henry, Gold, Regina, Snow, Neal, Ingrid, Liam, Walsh, and occasionally David when he gets dragged in. Also because due to the limit of ten gifs = less than 3 mb each, it’s complicate to fit stuff.  But at the same time I feel like it's still... visible that David and Killian can't compare to those examples, due to number of mistakes, amount of times they apologized/were fought over them, and how Emma drags them for what they do at times (plural, I remember Emma being pretty sharp with both father and pirate around the end of s3). I could take away the 'not trusting your gut' block (which as I’ll explain in Snow’s case represents another issue too) and keep everything else the same and suddenly Killian and David wouldn't fit anymore, but Snow, Neal and Regina would still be there. Look at the gifset without that one stripe, and tell me in which blocks David and Killian would fit: the one where they insult her often? the one where they keep getting scared of her magic (which doesn’t even show the even more irritating way the writers had Snow not be as concerned for Emma later)? The one where they accuse her of ruining their lives after being the ones who ruined hers? the one where they belittle her pain about having been betrayed and abandoned or tell her she has everything and other similar concepts? The one where they try to control her with the dagger and enjoy it? The one where they tell her she's a villain/she's bad for not trusting other people or tell her she got pulled out of her problems instead of having to fight for it? The one where they consistently, often, make her feel not good enough?   Okay, David is still there for the insensitive bit of calling the baby Neal (though that's also on the writers, not just Snowing, because they kept glorifying him even in the au world where he didn’t fit) and for the team 'we don't trust the darkness' BUT even if I blame the baby name on the writers, there is a whole stripe of Snow really dropping the ball with her magic or being insensitive, and I could easily replace the not trusting gut stripe with 'occasions in which Emma needed support and we were shown Snow helping Regina' INCLUDING the same episode where Emma nearly ripped her magic off her. So Snow fits way better, could have a whole different stripe just for her, but it feels so ooc to have Snow so calm in those moments that I feel like I should just gif the writers for being asses. 

I’ll put under read more the explanation for each gif because it’s super long - I don’t know if you’ll read it, I can’t blame you if you don’t, but at least it’s here. I’ll bold some sentences to help. 

When it comes to how I made the gifset, the first gif isn't just Henry being rightfully upset about Emma taking Violet's heart, to me it's an example of Henry, the Henry who was Regina's fan for years, rejecting Emma and judging her for everything she did (which doesn’t exactly compare to what villains in ouat usually do) while comparing her to Gold and Regina who 'showed they have changed', even though Gold very recently showed he hasn't and is only helping because in trouble with Dark Hook (and was in the underworld because Emma threatened to tell Belle he had been lying to her about not being the Dark One anymore, which he was because he took the darkness away from a dying Killian) and a Regina who is very much still battling with horrible instincts but has everybody's constant presence and vocal support, and right next to that gif you find Henry furious at Emma over not trusting that Regina will choose to do good after Robin's horrible death and asking Regina to sit back, the same exact thing Regina did THE DAY BEFORE to Emma because she was 'too emotional' about Killian's death. It's the same Henry who when Regina shuts him out because Robin maybe will go back to Marian decides to wait outside her door (after sending her baskets if I'm not wrong), who keeps telling Regina she's not a villain, who kept trying to keep his family together, but he has always, always, been shorter with Emma. Henry, who later decided to trust Emma but only after closing off to her, telling her she couldn't go with them, and all the things in the speech of the first gif, is the same person who was so offended at the thought that Emma would doubt Regina. Henry has treated better people who *weren't* recently turned into Dark Ones and nearly lost their true love/lost it than he treated her, and it counts to me. Ongoing issue between Henry and Emma: he will always be harder on Emma than on anyone else, and unfairly too at times, because he can afford not trusting her and putting half of the effort he puts on Regina when she has a bad time, but Emma is bad for doubting Regina herself. So that, to me, already becomes a pattern, because even if I blame Neal for it, he did quickly turn on Emma in s2, he did react to 'Dark One Emma' with less hope/belief than he did around Regina's villain side, because hey, like I said, when Regina, in complete control of herself, thinks she might lose Robin to Marian, locks herself in the house, doesn't speak to him, doesn't let him in, Henry is sad and tries to get to her in every way. When Emma, filled with Dark One's magic (something she started using to save Robin right when she should have been avoiding it), who did turn fully only days before when Killian was literally dying, closes herself off because she's trying to figure out a plan to fix this and nobody can know Killian is a Dark One or Killian might find out, reacts like *that* and only later offers Emma some trust again. But Emma is a bad person for not trusting Regina immediately? Unfair.  And I do like Henry, and I’m all here for Swan Believer, but that is an ongoing problem that should have been addressed/solved. 

Plus it wasn't just Henry, it was everybody in that room in that first gif. Though in Henry’s case it does connect to a bigger issue that is specific of the two of them.

And under that, examples of people not having changed all that much despite what Henry claimed and not exactly deserving of Emma’s trust, ongoing issues such as Gold constantly putting her life and Killian’s life in danger and getting forgiven and welcomed back in the family constantly, so Emma has to be okay with it. Ongoing issue with Regina: Regina gets to tell her the most awful things and is still justified, a good guy, and Emma reacting would lead to a serious fight and who knows what else.  - Gold recently trying to kill her, same day he took Killian's heart, when he was still considered an ally (I could have also put gifs later of the things I mentioned earlier but by then Emma saw him as an enemy), Regina's speech to an Emma who had just been through all that pain about how she wanted to kill Killian but resisted it (and how she doesn't like doing good but does, and how it doesn't change that she doesn't get a full happy ending - even though nobody there does with the lives they led - and how Emma was *pulled* out of darkness) 

And right under those two you get examples of Snow being scared of Emma's powers which likely did remind Emma the whole very badly phrased sentence of 'she's not what I wanted' and brought up also the 'you don't trust me' as Dark One. I don't have to explain why it's a pattern for Regina to act that way. Or how you get six different scenes with focus on Snow in which she let Emma down that way. (to bring back the two men missing, David and Killian weren't reacting in insensitive ways to her magic, 'you are not what I wanted' was unnecessary and not from David, David IS part of the scene where nobody wanted to trust Dark One Emma, and I'll explain the not trusting Emma's gut a scene later because it represents something else too. Though it does make me feel a bit better that David was shown to be losing it, in his office, about being unable to help Dark One Emma, I'll give you that in terms of biased). Ongoing issue with Snow: choosing the most insensitive way to deal with their problems and showing lack of trust in Emma/her powers (and being possibly the most calm person later when Emma was giving up her magic) 

In the ones under that, Regina also telling Emma she's acting like Cora, she lost the moral high ground, she's a villain, and the whole 'you were pulled out of darkness' as if she wasn't treated that way. Right under that, several examples of Regina insulting Emma. Clearly not something I can say Snow, or David or Killian do. Ongoing issues with Regina: she villanizes Emma at every turn, she had her ‘reasons why you suck’ speech ready when Emma was the Dark One yet still claims Emma was pulled out of the darkness (by them?) and can’t understand what Regina goes through. 

Right under that. Emma having been through a very bad life after coming to this world and Regina's you ruined my life, right next to Lily taking away another big chance Emma had to be in a good family for a while (and lying and all that) and then going 'you ruined my life'.  Ongoing issue with Regina (and Lily): even though I made your life a living hell, you don’t understand my pain and you ruined mine. 

Under that, Regina 'you have everything' so I chose to put Ingrid, another person who let her down, even though in this case Emma did get to be mad, because Emma went from bad family to bad family and then in the streets, and THEN, under that, because I mentioned the situation with Ingrid, I decided to put how Walsh, her 'fiance', was just there to control her, raped her by deception by that, tried to kill her, and wasn't even human, and Liam had one chance to have a conversation with Emma and it was like *that*. Which doesn't make it a perfect gifset, but I just kept basically going with the last ring of the chain and connecting to the last things. But it also show three entire relationships that were basically fully based on bad things from beginning to end with a bit of a redeeming moment for Liam and Ingrid. Admittedly they were more there as 'other random people who hurt her feelings a lot and Emma didn't get to vent all that much, plus it wasn't an exception to an otherwise nice relationship, it was a mess from beginning to end'. Something I cannot say about her parents or husband. Though again, I do like Ingrid and Liam. Especially Ingrid, my heart broke for her. Sort of ongoing issue with Ingrid and Walsh: the entire relationship was them trying to get Emma where they wanted her to be, lying and betraying her.  Ongoing-ish Issue with Liam: in the short span they knew each other he judged her and lied. Less fitting than the others. 

The people not trusting Emma's gut block connects to the Neal block and yes, Snow and DAVID naming their baby Neal, but also, in Snow's case too, IS a pattern of ignoring what Emma says about Neal while David is more cautious and asks things - I'll explain as much as I can without having rewatched s2 and s3 in years: with Neal and Regina it's obvious why it represents a bigger problem, with David it wouldn't because otherwise David tries to not assume what Emma wants when talking to her, he's... quieter. With Snow? It also represents Emma trying to tell her several times she's unhappy about Neal (the phonecall from Manhattan, the attempt to talk about how she kissed Killian, but also yes, Tamara) and Snow still acting as if she knows that in reality Emma just wants to be with him. As much as I do love Snow, so I'm not sure of how the whole biased thing comes into play here, because I do believe that me now loving David more depends on the fact that I haven't seen the same behaviors from him, not constantly, and it does count for me that he needed convincing from Snow several times even if he relented at the end, since I started the show adoring both of them and then WITH TIME my appreciation for Snow diminished when it comes to her dealing with Emma. Ongoing issue with Snow showed here: dismissing Emma’s words several times so the conversation could go back to what Snow believed to be true.  Ongoing issue with Regina and Neal there, similarly: not believing in Emma’s skills/her words 

... also because the writers wanted Regina to have a good ally and picked Snow, and honestly I find ooc that many times Snow wasn't just as involved and agitated as David when Emma wasn't okay. EVEN IF Snow's reactions to Emma's magic were understandable in context, though she could have sure as hell handled them better - it was ridiculous the way she held baby Neal back and shook her head looking down as if afraid Emma was going to kill them both for it, why didn't she just say 'Emma you just warmed up the baby bottle too much, can you wait a minute? You know how anxious I get about the baby' - in the end they were all coming from her even if she kept dragging David into it by making it 'our reaction' instead of 'my reaction', yet at the very end I remember in that episode everybody looking for Emma but Snow being so CHILL about it, walking and talking about Regina's love life? Able to focus on that when Emma was possibly destroying a part of her as they spoke? So the few gifs of Snow represent both that, and the bit I said about lack of trust that Henry is only mad about when it comes to Regina. The writers piled up behaviors that I disliked on Snow, which is why she's in the gifset while they feel far less of a pattern with David. Snow is the one who said the most insensitive sentence in Neverland, Snow was the parent convinced Neal was Emma's love and Emma was jealous, Snow was the one who kept having conversations with Regina or about Regina and suggesting parties and all that while Emma was alone/in pain/looking for ways to take her magic out. Even in the Underworld we got some Snow/Regina friendship. Snow is the one who was so sure they had to find a way to take out any possibility that Emma would turn evil (bullshit plot that makes no sense) because of the unicorn. Snow loved Emma so much, it's visible, it's not a matter of not caring, but she was the leading force of many mistakes and due to plot reasons showed far less worry and realistic reactions so she ended up here too.

And last block, a little mix of Regina's irony 'the more you try to help the worse you make my life' = helping her in Camelot by controlling her with the dagger. You don't think of consequences = begging Emma to save Robin. And right with that 'you never had my back' and enjoying her second use of the dagger to command Emma to shut up. Ongoing issues with Regina: lack of respect, enjoying  physically controlling Emma, blaming Emma for everything while it’s acceptable if she does the same, exaggerating Emma’s flaws so make herself a victim and insulting Emma at every viable turn. 

If I had added ALL the scenes I decided not to put, not just Killian at the date (because again, the underworld doesn't fit at all, not when he apologized and it was the one time he went NOPE) or... David not being sure about Henry 'not being okay' after Neverland, but all the other scenes from Regina and Neal and Gold and Snow, I'm sure that the reaction would have been the exact same of the original gifset, simply because 'ah look, the one time Killian and David are there it's because they are hammering the concept that Emma should try to enjoy some of her free time and not always be alert, meanwhile the others gratuitously insult her or hurt her or abandon her when in literal danger of losing herself'. Even if they were all here and you compared them to the gut feeling block only you get 'Neal and Regina never trusted her, Killian and David want her to take a break on being the Savior for a day and Mary Margaret is telling her she's too emotional for her skill to work'.

I didn't put Killian and David because there was no pattern of continuous lack of belief/support, let alone an Emma who was always so submissive about it, and I didn't put August who *had* a pattern because he did his best to fix it and Emma got to be mad at him too, then let it go but he's not there making it worse. I guess I could erase Ingrid to make it look better, but that does fit another general theme that is 'Emma's life suck'? Though considering that Ingrid's whole relationship with Emma *was* about lying and manipulating, just like Walsh even if with better intentions, it kinda fits better than people making a couple of mistakes while normally loving and supporting her. So thinking about it, it still fits. Because they are not exceptions to a rule, they are all part of a bigger picture of either insults, lack of belief, lack of sensitivity, unfairness, or more than one at a time, and that allowed to me make many gifs because there were many scenes, or  to make a gif to represent the bigger issue (Again, Ingrid is the example, or Walsh).

So in conclusion, the pattern has to be: 'people systematically doing these things to Emma and Emma either never bringing those things up or even thanking them for their friendship and support OR people Emma got to be mad at but whose entire relationship/interactions were on false premises anyway and they did end up hurting her no matter what (and let's be honest, there wasn't even that much venting about it after)'. David and Killian don't fit, they fit the pattern of messing up a couple of times, the couple of times I actually mentioned in the other reply so you know it's not a constant, and sometimes even apologizing for it, but having otherwise a regular relationship with Emma where yeah, sometimes they argue, which is healthy, sometimes one of the three lets it go, sometimes apologies are required, but you can also make many gifs of the two men being like 'I believe in you!' 'you can do this!' which helps a lot. You can’t say “damn it, David/Killian, you always end up doubting Emma/you always get scared easily/you always have less patience and understanding with her!” it’s not a big Issue, especially not one that never gets talk about. 

So yeah I'm biased, but I still feel that I'm biased BECAUSE I can write all of this, not that I'm writing all of it because I'm biased.

[xxscarletxrosexx]

Miraculous: The Lost Memoirs- Ch. 2 When Tomorrow Comes

Finally updated after 4 years.

Fanfic | Deviantart

A/N:

Yes, I'm alive! It has been 4 ridiculous years since I last updated this story. First and foremost, I apologize for being gone for so long. I truly have to thank Miraculous Ladybug Season 3 for being the catalyst to bring back my love for writing again. I have been looking through a number of Instagram feeds regarding Miraculous Ladybug, and suddenly it just came back. I HAD to write, and I'm here. But it's not just Miraculous Ladybug… I have you to thank. I have not been able to read the sweet comments all of you guys have left me when I have been away via Tumblr, Fanfic, and DeviantArt. Let's just say that I had some growing up to do. And I found the time and the passion to come back. So thank you, everyone.

On another note, when I first wrote this story, I remember that this was back in season 1 when the valentine's episode had just recently come out. Yes, this story is roughly as old as that episode. I had limited information on characterization and interaction, limited to resources on how to write this story, but I had so much freedom to write the story back then. With the ongoing season 3 taking place, I've decided to do my best and try to capture as much canon scenes as possible and adapt into this story, that being said, the outline that I left myself will be scrapped (and may be portrayed as an AU one-shot to this story if anyone is interested).

That being said, thank you to everyone who has followed me and this story, and favorited me and this story. I will be working hard to complete this story. My drive for writing this is very strong. I will talk to you soon! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart to the people who have been reading this from the beginning to the new readers who came to read in between the year of my absence. Thank you so, so, so much<3

I'll write to you guys very soon :)

There are some Easter Eggs that you fans will notice. I was inspired by a post on Instagram. If you don't notice it, feel free to read below for the answers ;)

DeviantArt: XxScarletxRosexX Tumblr: XxScarletxRosexX Instagram: XxScarlyliciousxX

Summary:

It is far from coincidences that these miraculous jewels ended in Marinette's and Adrien's possession. Their kwamis claim that they have been specifically chosen as the sole protectors against evil. But when an akuma returns a forgotten past, it unravels an unforeseen destiny of their Miraculous predecessors' lives. Their decisions, from this moment forward, could possibly alter the true meaning of their existences and their destinies.

When tomorrow comes… I'll be on my own… feeling frightened of the things that I don't know… When tomorrow comes… Tomorrow comes… Tomorrow… Comes…

~~~~~~~

I'll be all alone.

How long had she been sleeping? she wondered.

She wasn't sure how many days have passed nor if her eyes had ever closed. All she remembered was darkness.

Her body was a heavy lead, and to lift as much as a finger sapped all her energy. Her father had been checking up on her every hour or so, leaving her meals in silver dome trays beside the trap door for her to consume, but Marinette would never have the energy to eat, nor make an effort for that matter. Instead, she would force her arms to move her hands and grip onto the sheets of her bed to reposition and drag her to the edge of her bed to take a glimpse at the silver tray before plopping her head against her crumpled sheets in defeat.

During these moments, Tikki's voice would chastise her to take care of herself and not to disrespect her father's efforts. Hearing her voice was enough for Marinette to muster what's left of her strength and stand up from her bed, followed by dragging her feet across the floor and trudging down her stairs. She would drag her legs as if she were dragging a heavy cart until she finally stood in front of the silver tray, and plopped herself on the ground with a loud thud. She would open the tray and eat her luke-warm meal in silence. But today, she felt like staying in bed for a while longer.

The depressed child had not seen her father for days, but she acknowledged his presence with the creaking of the trap door. Guilt had nestled a place at the pit of her stomach, throbbing reminders of the many delicious meals she had wasted of her father's skills; of how much trouble she was causing her father and friends; and most of all, of failing her duties as Ladybug and protecting Tikki. The sensation was an alarm clock with a message repeating like a broken record in her mind, but it had played so many times that she had grown numb to it.

There was no point.

The sound of her creaking trap door meets her ears like a crack of thunder, and Marinette was well aware that she had this chance to talk to her father. All she needed to do was lift her head and call out, "Dad!" But, she couldn't.

She heard him sigh. It was thick with concern but tapered off with an undeniable sense of disappointment, and the feeling had brought tears to her eyes again. She couldn't bring herself to speak with him.

Marinette knew her father so well that she knew exactly what Thomas Dupain was expressing simply by the way he breathed. When he had sighed, she knew his brows would knit together and form several creases across his forehead, as he hung his head forward slightly. She knew that his eyes would trail to the loft where she resided, and he would debate behind sealed lips whether to talk to her or not. Marinette recognized the gulp of air that passed through his lips as he decided to say something but snapped shut at the last second. He felt defeated.

Neither could find their voices for they were lost in a sea of silent cries, both shouldering conflicts that the other could not help resolve with words. It was ironic because, at times of need, even a stranger would jump to help, but they were family. And they couldn't do anything for one another.

With another sigh, she heard the door close, followed by the heavy steps trudging down the stairs, with each weighing heavier from the last on her heart.

Marinette had lifted her head then. She peered into the darkness and made out a silhouette of her untouched dinner, still shrouded by a silver dome, and probably cold and unappetizing.

When she turned away from the meal, Tikki's voice would chime in her mind, chastising her for her laziness. No matter how many times her mind had played tricks on her, Marinette would fall for it. Her body would fall rigid and jolt as if electricity had coursed through her body. Whereas the whites of her eyes, now puffy and sensitive, and slathered with a blistering shade of crimson, would widen and peer around her room in search of her ruby kwami. And from time and time again, the raven-haired girl would be greeted back with disappointment and emptiness. Her kwami's name would roll out of her lips like a silent prayer, wishing that she would return to her and dissolve this never-ending nightmare, as scorching tears spilled down her ashen face.

Marinette's slender fingers had trailed up her cheeks and gently caressed the damp, swollen lumps, as if preventing any further overflow leakage like a boy had plugged his finger to prevent a leak in a dam; and winced internally as the stinging sensation throbbed beneath her fingertips from the numerous times she had wiped them with her hands and the fabric of her cotton shirt. Although the last time she had checked her reflection was days ago, Marinette laughed bitterly as she thought of how hideous her image must be at her current state. Still, she made no effort to fix herself. Instead, she forced her body to roll to her side and stared at the glass trapdoor.

A veil of murky ivory had adorned her disarray hair and lifeless eyes to a slant across her torso. Her eyes, the color of over-washed jeans, stared idly at the dark cumulus clouds as they reeled past her empty eyes like a film played over a vintage projector. It was not long before nostalgia had tugged at her heartstrings and brainwashed her thoughts with such vivid memories that she had almost completely mistaken it for reality. It happened at an instant; a silhouette figure had flitted across her vision, gliding across the sky like a graceful gazelle, but as soon as her eyes blinked, it had vanished.

Marinette knew that guilt and nostalgia was sending her mind off to an astral projection journey, because she had recalled the numbing sensation of the frigid night's kiss against her lips and cheeks, and how sweet it had tasted on her tongue to feel so light and free from her responsibilities and expectations in her hectic life. She also recalled how brightly lit the stars had twinkled as she sailed beneath them. Then she was submerged in the shadows once again under the arch. She felt Chat Noir's warmth post-resuscitation spread across her body, and she wondered to herself if that warmth could save her right now as she drifted from consciousness once again.

~~~~~~~

Alya, Adrien, and Nino decided to hang at the park right across from Marinette's house, giving Nino and Adrien an hour to help Alya calm down her nerves despite her insistence to go immediately. Reluctantly, Alya sighs and caves to the boys' suggestion. Alya plops herself on one of the park benches with Nino sitting right beside her and Adrien facing both of them.

"Really, I'm going to be fine guys. I just want to see Marinette…" her voice fades towards the end. Nino takes her hand in his and weaves his fingers through hers.

"It's alright, babe. We both know how much this is stressing you out. We don't even know what's going on in Marinette's life right now. It's pretty scary that she practically erased herself from existence."

Alya squeezes his hand appreciatively, "Yeah… let's just hope she didn't just disappear. I hope an akuma didn't get to her."

"Doubt it," Adrien states confidently. He had been sneaking out of his room during his piano practices and when everyone had returned to bed. Ladybug's absence had been bothered him endlessly. His brain had run through a marathon of worse case scenarios regarding capture from an akuma or being akumatized, but none had been in his radar throughout his patrol. Paris was finally peaceful… too peaceful that it had left Adrien feeling on the edge. He reaffirmed his thoughts with the conversation he had eavesdropped with Miss Bustier and Alya, "Mr. Dupain-Cheng would have noticed if his daughter was akumatized, and reported if it were the case. But he hasn't said anything. So that means Marinette is still at home."

Nino nods to his friend with agreement and gratitude before meeting Alya's troubled eyes, "Adrien's right, babe. You've seen Mr. Dupain ever since Marinette has been absent. If she were akumatized, you would definitely be the first to know. After all, you are Paris's greatest journalist on Ladybug and akumas."

Alya smiled weakly. She looked at her boyfriend then to Adrien, "Thank you, guys. I'm feeling a bit better about this."

"It's no problem," Adrien smiled.

"Yeah, we got you."

The trio walked in silence for a good two minutes before Alya broke the silence. "I want to see her… but I'm afraid she'll push me away again. This is really hard to go through."

Nino squeezed her hand, "We can try to ask Mr. Dupain about what's happening on her end if Marinette isn't ready to talk. We can't rush a person who is going through something, after all."

"She's your best friend, after all, Alya. Trust that Marinette will come to you as soon as she recovers," the blond model added.

"You're right, guys. I'm sorry for just rambling all of these stupid nonsenses," the auburn-haired woman said sheepishly.

"If Nino was in this situation, I probably would have reacted the same way," Adrien chirped.

"Dude…" the brown-skinned boy looked at his best friend with an awe-struck expression. Unsure of how to respond to Adrien's heartfelt comment, Nino lifts his free hand to bump fist with Adrien. "I'd definitely react the same for you too, dude."

Alysa clears her throat and feigns annoyance, "I appreciate you guys cheering me up, but save the bromance when I'm not here."

The two boys share eye contact and laugh with Alya joining in the humor.

"Sorry babe, you know how Adrien and I are. We're pretty tight."

"Yeah, yeah," Alya rolls her eyes.

"Why don't we start by a florist and get her a bouquet while we're at it?" Adrien suggests thoughtfully.

Alya's eyes sparkle. This was the first time Adrien had ever initiated getting flowers for Marinette-or maybe before any girl. Marinette will be so ecstatic when she hears about this, Alya thought to herself whilst picturing her best friend enter her rambling, fangirl episode followed by fainting. She giggles to herself.

"What is it?" the blond model asked curiously.

"Oh nothing!" Alya chirped, "I think it's a great idea! In fact, I know exactly what she likes!"

~~~~~~~

Alya, Nino, and Adrien stood in front of Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. Adrien glanced over at Alya then back to the bouquet of red roses, white lilies, and white daisies. Hesitantly he asks, "Alya, you sure you don't want to be the one to give this to Marinette? You're closer to her after all."

Alya shared a mutual grin with her boyfriend before answering, "Of course it's fine! I know this will make her so happy Adrien, especially if it's coming from you!"

"I don't know…" the blond hair teenager tapered off hesitantly.

"Trust me, dude," Nino reassured, he smiled to his giggling girlfriend before continuing, "Marinette will definitely appreciate it."

"Really?" He looks back at the bouquet thoughtfully, a small grin etching on his face, "I hope she'll like it." Adrien turns to the auburn-haired teenager. "Shall we go in?"

"Yeah." Alya reaches for the door and was immediately greeted by a soprano jingle. To their surprise, the shop was empty. "Huh… that's strange. No one is here."

"Is it really okay to leave the shop unattended?" Nino asked aloud.

Adrien shrugged.

"Nope! I'm here!" The trio turned their attention to hurried stomps coming from the staircase followed by Mr. Dupain. "Hi guys, thanks for coming in today." He looked exhausted upon closer inspection. There were noticeable dark circles and creases forming under his puffy eyes. Perhaps the stress of their situation must be taking a toll on Mr. Dupain too. "I'm sorry you had to come all this way just to drop off her homework."

"Don't worry about it," Alya reassured him.

"We wanted to come here," Nino finished her sentence.

Mr. Dupain appeared perplexed and embarrassed as he scratched the nape of his neck.

"Marinette's our friend after all. She's important to us," Adrien added.

To his left, Alya and Nino exchanged a warm smile. "I wish I recorded this on my phone to show to Marinette," Alya whispered to Nino. "She would totally flip."

"Don't worry, I got you," Nino winked. He pulled out his phone to show that he was recording their conversation before hitting the stop button.

"Keep recording Nino! This is gold!"

"Alright, babe," he whispered back.

"I'll make it up to you afterward," Alya whispered and pecked the hand that was still holding on to hers.

"I'm expecting that," he replied suggestively.

"I see you have flowers for Marinette, Adrien?" Mr. Dupain continued. "That's very thoughtful of you to get her one."

"Yes, I mean we all-"

"Yes, it was a wonderful idea, Adrien!" Alya quickly cut off. "He came up with the idea after all!"

"Marinette sure is lucky to have you guys as her friends," Mr. Dupain praised then his expressions dropped as he continued, "But I'm afraid that Marinette may not be able to greet you guys again. I feel quite troubled to share this news with you guys after the trouble you guys have gone through," he glances at his watch, "especially leaving school at this time."

"It's okay, Mr. Dupain. We wanted to try regardless," the caramel skin woman tried her best to sound positive, but her expression betrayed her with defeat.

Nino took quick notice and squeezed her hand and continued, "With all due respect, Mr. Dupain, do you mind if we can talk to you about this? Everyone in class is really worried about her, and we don't know much of the details."

Mr. Dupain was silent as he crossed an arm and planted his elbow on his hand to support the other fist against his chin. After a minute, he nodded thoughtfully and affirmingly. "You guys can go ahead upstairs. I'll lock up the shop and we can talk this over some snacks. I'm guessing you guys haven't had anything since leaving school."

"You always know the right words, Mr. Dupain," Nino said happily, "Your pastries are the best in town!"

Mr. Dupain laughed, "Thanks, kid." Then directed his attention to Alya as he walked to the glass the door, "Lead the way. I'll be with you in a moment."

"Yes, sir!" Alya chirped with an improved mood, "Let's go, guys!" The auburn-haired teenager climbed up the stairs and made her way to the Dupain-Cheng's apartment with Nino and Adrien following suit. Once she opened the door, to their surprise, the living room looked the same: clean, organized-perhaps Mr. Dupain had been completing some light cleaning to keep himself busy. The only thing that was out of place, based on Alya's memory, is the family picture sitting on the kitchen counter. With some deductive reasoning, Alysa assumed that he had been looking at the frame during the last three days. She picks up the picture to observe the Dupain-Cheng family. Thomas Dupain stood in the back, Marinette on the left, and Sabine Cheng on the right. "They looked so happy in this picture."

Adrien approaches Alya and took note of the family picture that he had once observed when he was Cat Noir. He reminisced the silly memory when Marinette and he had been caught in a huge misunderstanding with Mr. Dupain and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng regarding their "feelings" for one another. "Yeah, it's so weird…" he had unconsciously admitted aloud, "It's really shocking to see Marinette and her parents so unhappy and stressed. I don't think there's ever been a time where I saw them like this… It's completely out of character for them." Adrien turns his attention to the stairs leading up to the Marinette's room and stares at her wooden hatch door pensively.

Alya and Nino follow his gaze and sigh simultaneously. "Come on," Alya initiated, "let's help Mr. Dupain and at least set up the plates." The others nodded and assisted Alya in collecting plates and the silverware.

After the trio had finished setting up, Mr. Dupain arrives with a variety of pastries hidden inside a silver tray. "You kids are just a lovely bunch. But you really didn't have to help set up. You're the guests after all."

"It's alright, Mr. Dupain. We want to help as much as we can. We've intruded after all," Alya replied.

"I appreciate it very much," the baker responded heartfeltly. He made his way to the kitchen counter and placed the silver tray on the table. He lifts the lid to reveal croissants, fresh marble bread, bon-bons, chocolate and caramel macaroons, various flavored macarons, and creampuffs. "Dig in, everyone!" The expressions on Marinette's friends' faces had washed over Thomas Dupain with a wave of nostalgia as the trio reached for their favorite pastry. Adrien's glowing eyes reminded him of his sweet daughter when she had received his delicious pastry on sad days. Nino and Alya, on the other hand, reminded him of himself and Sabine. Nino and Alya had simultaneously picked a pastry and had set it on their partner's plate rather than themselves. Both look surprised as they noticed their partner placing their food on their plate, followed by a sheepish smile and giggle. He missed his wife. He missed his daughter. He missed his family.

Adrien noticed the expression on Mr. Dupain's smile drooped, and his forehead knitted to form creases. Before he could eat his food, he had set it back down. This gesture had snapped the pastry chef back to the present.

"Is there something wrong, Adrien?" the giant man asked startled with concerned.

"No, sir," Adrien answered, "Sorry if this sounds nosy of me, but I couldn't but notice you looking stress."

Alya and Nino had stopped snacking their own food immediately and turned towards Mr. Dupain.

"Ah," Mr. Dupain answered. He sighed, defeated before continuing, "I just couldn't help but notice how nostalgic this feels. It has been three days since the last time Marinette, Sabine, and I had a happy moment like this. I know it hasn't been long since Sabine's departure, but three days feels like an eternity for me."

"No," Adrien disagreed, "three days is a long time. I totally get it."

"So it's been like this for three days?" Alya inquired.

"Well, Sabine and I had an argument before her departure to visit relatives back in China. Despite how many times Sabine and I argue, she has always been the one to keep a level-head, but I think I really upset her with what I said. Maybe Marinette overheard and was upset by it too," Mr. Dupain recounted.

"Was it that bad, Mr. Dupain?" Nino asked.

"Well, it's a marital tiff, I would say. But I don't think Marinette would react this badly to it. Marinette usually cheers me up when my wife and I have a disagreement. Honestly, she got her nature from her mother. She's very mature for her age."

Alya nodded approvingly, "Definitely."

"She was okay on the day Sabine left… well until in the evening."

"Evening?" Alya's ears perked, she had entered detective mode, "What do you mean?"

"I couldn't sleep that evening since Sabine had left. I was worried, but I also missed her. So, long story short, I felt the need to move about the house. Then Marinette came home. I don't remember seeing her leave the house after she got home from school. Perhaps," Thomas Dupain's forehead furrowed and he began to scratch his head in his recollection, "she left the house when it was rush hour. I probably missed her on her way out. Because there's no way she can get out from her balcony. It's too high and too dangerous. She could've hurt herself if she attempted to leave."

"That's right," Nino chimed in. He recalled the height of Marinette's home when they had paused outside of the bakery. "That would be impossible."

"The strangest part of all," Mr. Dupain continued. The trio was hooked to his story and had all subconsciously leaned towards him, forgetting the tasty treats in front of them. "She came home drenched. Paris was not raining that evening. When I asked her about what happened, she just looked at me and smiled. It was one of those forced smiles. She told me that she was having a bad day and needed time for herself." He gestured to her room with his gaze, "She's been in there ever since." With a sigh, he folds his arms across his chest and turns his attention back to the three students, "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she fell into the pool, but I would understand that that would be a mortifying experience."

"Have you ever once tried to go in there and talk to her?" Adrien asked.

"I have a couple of times, but she won't respond. When she responds to me… it's like she's lifeless. She won't talk about what happened. All I can do is just leave food at the foot of her door. The only thing I'm grateful about is that she actually eats, although it's not much."

Alya hangs her head in frustration. Her hands glide under glasses to smother her face as if it were a windshield dragging dirt downwards. Nino slides his arm around her shoulder to comfort her. Adrien joins the consolidation by patting her back softly. "I just don't get it," she mutters, "this is really all new to me too, Mr. Dupain."

"Totally," Nino agrees softly, "we've never seen Marinette act like this before."

Suddenly they heard a loud thud upstairs and all four members sprang to their feet. Mr. Dupain was the first to dash up to the stairs and knocked on the hatch door. Alya, Nino, and Adrien rushed behind him. "Marinette! Are you okay up there?"

No response.

"Marinette!"

"Yeah…" a weak voice croaked back. Her voice was soft, a bit more audible than a whisper, but it was the kind of soft voice you would hear your friend whisper in your ear. She was near them as if she was face-planted to the hatch. The only thing that divided them now was the wooden hatch. "You okay, honey? Do you want me to get the food?"

"No, I'm okay. I'll bring it down. I can do that at the very least."

"Okay, well you have guests over, honey."

No response.

"Marinette?"

"I don't look decent to come down."

Alya stepped closer to the hatchet and replied, feeling relieved at last, "Then dress up a bit, Marinette! We know you're not feeling so well, so don't push yourself too hard. Do you need my help?"

"We?" she asked in her low voice.

"Your dad, Nino, Adrien, and I."

"Adrien…?" she whispered softly. Fortunately only Mr. Dupain and Alya were the only two who heard her whisper the model's name.

"Would you mind letting me in?" Alya requested.

"No, it's fine, Alya. I'll go down. Just give me ten," Marinette's voice grew a little stronger.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, let me just clean myself up a bit."

"Okay, we'll be out here," Alya concluded. Marinette responded with her feet shuffling away from the hatch.

~~~~~~~

Marinette's room was an absolute chaos. Papers were tossed aside, her mirror in disarray and a red and blackboard marker sat uncapped on her dresser. A child's drawing of a red kwami floated on the top left of her vanity mirror, another one was floating on her computer's black screen, and another one was on her mini wash station mirror. Each wore a smile. In her head, she heard Tikki's voice chastising her.

You should make yourself more presentable Marinette! You have guests over! They must've been worried sick about you!

She stared at her poorly drawn kwami on her vanity mirror and responded, "I'm not feeling well."

Doesn't justify you to be rude, Marinette!

"Let me be…"

The poorly-drawn kwami stared back at her in silence with a wide smile.

Marinette sighed, "You were right, Tikki…" Marinette looked at the left corner of where her floating red kwami usually levitated. A tear escaped her abused, puffy eyes, "You were right, all along… I'm so sorry."

~~~~~~~

© Cover photoshopped and edited by XxScarletxRosexX © Miraculous: The Lost Memoirs written by XxScarletxRosexX © Miraculous Ladybug: The Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir belongs to Thomas Astruc © Lyrics from Flashlight by Jessie J. © Easter Egg idea from Instagram: where the same bouquet has been used in multiple scenarios (I cannot find the reference at the moment!) © Eater Egg 2 from a scene in Weredad © Location of College Francois Dupont / Francois Dupont High School referenced from Episode: Robocop

[loopy777]

‘Traitor’s Face’ Planning Doc 1

Original outline, minus information on the final act. CONTAINS SPOILERS for Acts 1- 4. Note that the character descriptions were updated continuously as I developed the outline, so not all the info matches.

UPDATED: Info on Act 5 and the Epilogue, originally REDACTED, has been restored.

AANG/MAI AU EPIC

PREMISE The root of the whole story is a short story in which Mai is the one standing above Aang when he awakens from his hundred-year sleep. Instead of moving Aang's awakening to the Fire Nation like in most such Alternate Universes, this story will leave Aang where he was in the cartoon in Southern Water Tribe waters, and present a world in which Mai would conceivably be near the South Pole.

As such, the "nail" of the story is Fire Lord Azulon's focus. Instead of merely being content with depopulating the Waterbenders of the South Pole and bottling up the Northern Water Tribe into a single walled city, Azulon continued to prosecute the war against the Tribes until they had both been conquered. This was foolish, as it allowed the Earth Kingdom to muster and unite to keep the Fire Nation from conquering any more territory. The Fire Nation managed to hold on to its oldest colonies, but could not press forward. The Earth Kingdom eventually raised a Wall, bisecting the whole Kingdom, separating the Fire Nation colonies from the rest of the land-mass.

Scrambling to keep that captured territory hurt the Fire Nation's campaign against the Water Tribes. The South eventually fell to a new generation of Fire Nation technology, and the people were consolidated into new cities under tyrannical Fire Nation rule. The Northern Water Tribe lasted longer than that in its walled city, and it wouldn't be until General Iroh- Azulon's crown prince- took over the campaign that it fell to the Fire Nation.

As the story opens, a new governor is on his way down to the South Pole to take over administration of the settlement of New Ozai, so named because it was established the same year as the birth of Azulon's second son. Hours from his destination, the governor's ship hits an iceberg, and his daughter is present to witness a boy with arrow tattoos emerge from within...

Episode order and description:

*Act I: The Hunt for Katara* 1. The Avatar and the Fire Heiress- Mai, teenage Fire Nation heiress and part-time ninja, discovers the long lost Avatar in an iceberg, while traveling to her father's new posting in the South Pole. With an evil plan in mind, she teams up with the young Water Tribe warrior Sokka to help the young Avatar Aang find a Waterbending teacher. (Azula is introduced by Piandao to June, and hires her to find Zuko.)

2. The Southern Air Temple- Aang, Mai, and Sokka check the young Avatar's home for surviving Air Nomads. But what can they do when Aang discovers the horrible truth? (June finds Zuko, and tells him that she's been hired to get him to the Avatar and get him in fighting shape.)

3. Warriors of Kyoshi- The Avatar gang needs access to the Fire Navy's intelligence records in order to find out where the Southern Waterbenders have been imprisoned for the past few years. They infiltrate the prisoner processing center on Kyoshi Island for answers, and find Captain Zhao hunting for them. Will a local rebellion blow their cover? (Zuko is training and travling under June's supervision.)

4. Something light-hearted. Aang, Mai, and Sokka bond. Mai starts to feel sympathy for Aang. Ooh, let's go to Chin. What's it like under Fire Nation rule? (Zuko has an adventure with June. This is really Zuko's moment to shine. Perhaps he's the progatonist of this 'episode?')

5. The Blue Spirit- The Fire nation is now fully aware of the Avatar's return, and the gang is feeling the heat. It's not just enemies who are looking for them, though, as a mysterious rebel makes contact with the Avatar. Meanwhile, Zhao continues his hunt, but he finds that someone back in the Fire Nation is trying to control him.

6. The Banished Prince- As Aang, Mai, and Sokka approach Fire Nation waters, with the mysterious Crescent Island as their destination, they encounter trouble from Commander Zhao's fleet, and a banished prince who Mai knows too well.

7. The Winter Solstice- Aang has been abandoned by his friends. While Sokka throws himself into a hopeless quest to free his sister from the magma caverns, Aang faces off against the double threat of his traitorous crush Mai, and her ally Zuko.

8. The Waterbending Master- Reunited with his friends in the Earth Kingdom, Aang begins his training with his Waterbending teacher, Katara. Meanwhile, Mai deals with the fallout of her betrayal. Zuko deals with his failure, and meets up with his sister, the dreaded Azula! (Zhao realizes that he's being sabotaged in favor of Zuko, and resolves to cheat.)

*Act II: Rise of the Spirits* 9. The Fortuneteller- The group encounters a Fortuneteller at a festival, and to Aang's dismay, his predicted lover is not Mai, but Katara! Meanwhile, Sokka uses the downtime to try to reconnect with his sister. But the forces called upon by the Fortuneteller become restless and attack... (Meanwhile, Zuko and Azula 'bond.' Or rather, find a way to work together.)

10. The Festival- Investigating the increased Spirit activity in the Earth Kingdom, the gAang attends one of the new Spirit Festivals being established by a wandering group of supposed experts. As Aang basks in the peaceful spiritual energies, Katara shows signs of trouble. (The gAang uncover a huckster posing as a Ghostbuster, and after they expose him, the encounter Long Feng and his Dai Li. No Zuko or Azula in this one.)

11: The Spirit Hunters- Aang and company tag along with Long Feng and his Spirit-hunting Dai Li. They offer knowledge and the chance to do good work, but not all is what it seems with this mysterious order. (Long Feng sells the gAang out to Zuko and Azula, then betrays them all.)

12: Darkness of the Crypt- Long Feng has trapped the gAang and Royal Fire Siblings in his crypt vault, intending to use them all in a ceremony to give him power (or purify the Earth Kingdom, or something). They are forced to work together to beat the Spirits and Dai Li agents, but the pressure may be too much for Katara.

13: Houses of Healing- Seeking to get Katara help, the gAang comes to a healing institute where they are said to be able to heal damage to the mind. While Katara gets treatment, Mai encounters her old friend, Ty Lee, and a community of Airbenders.

14: Something lighthearted- Separated from Katara again, Sokka is down in the dumps, so the gAang heads to one of the surviving big Earth Kingdom cities for some relaxation and shopping. While there, they finally make contact with an agent of the organized Earth rebellion.

15: The Seer- The gAang tries to meet up with a Seer who is advising the various Earth Kingdom rebellion leaders, but the Fire Nation is also targeting this person. Big battle between rebels, Fire Nation, gAang, and Zuko with Blue Spirits.

16: The Siege- The gAang are holed up in the ruins of Omashu while the Fire Nation lays siege and prepares to invade the city. Zuko makes an attempt against Aang, and calls Mai out on her betrayals. (In the end, something happens to send everyone to the North Pole to meet Iroh.)

*Act IV: The North Pole*

25: The Northern Water Tribe

26: The Princess of Water

27: Warlord of the North

28: Secret in the Ice

*Act III: Fall of the House of Fire* 17: The Chase- Sokka and Mai chase Zuko and Azula into the Fire Nation in hopes of freeing Aang. But will they be able to catch up before the Royal Fire Siblings arrive within Piandao the Slicer's domain of influence?

18: The Beach- Everyone hangs out at the beach, and Zuko and Aang come to an agreement.

19: In the Hall of the Fire Sages

20: something with platinum?

21:

22:

23:

24:

*Act V: The World Tree and the death of Aang and Mai*

CAST

THE GAANG Mai: The emotionally detached Fire Nation Heiress who serves Evil because of a lack of ambition or will power. She finds the Avatar, and realizes that he represents an opportunity for the people close to her. She chooses to serve Azula and Zuko, and so frees Aang on Azula's orders so that Zuko can catch him and come home again. In traveling with Aang as a spy, though, she comes to care for him and Sokka, and sides with them to help them.

Aang: The Avatar, the Hero on a Journey. Pops out of his iceberg and instantly falls in love with the first girl he meets- Mai. There's a part of him that senses her hunger for light, for a cause, and for love, and he's drawn to provide that for her. He sets out optimistically, expecting to fix the world and win Mai's heart, and her first betrayal leaves him realizing that both of these may not be possible. Rather than following the Avatar Elemental cycle as a path to growth, he grows as the Bridge Between the Worlds and saves the world with Spirit stuff. In the end, he wins Mai's heart; distant epilogue?

Sokka: The warrior from the South who feels guilty for all his failures in life. His mother is dead, his sister has been taken away to a fate worse than death, and his tribe are the slaves of the Fire Nation. He seizes on the possibilities offered by the Avatar to rescue his sister, and try to restore hope to his people, and the world. Sokka doesn't believe himself capable of leading or bringing that hope himself, and he's fatalistic about his life and significance. He craves love and new family, but can't bring himself to accept them, hence why he does not act on his temporary attractions to Mai, Suki, or Yue. Sokka's story ends when he dies in Mai's arms, and Aang is the one who comforts Mai and talks about how Sokka didn't fight hard enough.

EXTENDED GAANG Katara: Sokka's little sister. She was taken away as a child and grew up in a Waterbender prison. She was secretly trained by Hama as a Bloodbender, and once she gets out of the prison is able to quickly pick up Waterbending and teach it to Aang. Katara has a vengeful streak, which doesn't come out at first. She's ruthless and hates all Fire Nation, like Jet. Her corruption is what leads to the first exploration of the Spirits and how the supernatural corruption is leaking into the world. Katara is initially in awe of and sweet on Aang, but eventually they realize that their values are too different.

Zuko: Zuko was pushed out into the world without Iroh. His crew mutinies quickly and strands Zuko in the Earth Kingdom. He loses his eye to infection.

Ty Lee: Spiritual guru (studying under the remnants of the Air Nomads) and love interest to Sokka

FIRE NATION Azula: Her father's loyal servant, but increasingly disturbed by signs that all is not what it seems in her life and family

Ozai (Ursa): Wants Zuko home, and wants to murder the rest of the royal family. Has good reasons, but has utterly gone off the deep end of ruthlessness

Azulon: Vague presence, going to die off-screen, murdered by Ozai (Ursa)

NORTH POLE Iroh: Warlord of the North. He was an affable but dedicated Fire Nation conqueror, but then his son died during the conquest of the North Pole. Iroh used arcane arts to turn Lu Ten into a zombie, and now is dedicated to mastering the arts that will bring his son back to true life.

Lu Ten: Tortured zombie, it's like he has two personalities, the guilty prince and the zombie demon.

Yue: Hostage of Iroh. Somehow tied to Lu Ten's survival.

Pakku: ??

ACTS

Act I: The Hunt for Katara * Plot A: The gAang hunts for Katara. * Plot B: June whips Zuko into shape and gets him to the prison on time. * Resolution: Mai saves Aang from Zuko. As the sun sets on the solstice, something spirity happens; Aang realize he needs to get smart on that, and heads for the Earth Kingdom's order of sages.

Act II: Rise of the Spirits * Plot A: The gAang investigates the Spirit troubles in the Earth Kingdom, learning about how the Fire Nation's devastation has created a Ghostbusters situation. Katara has trouble coping with the outside world, and is taken to healers (including Ty Lee). They discover that the Fire Nation needs platinum to fight the Spirits, but supplies are being diverted. * Plot B: Zuko is recruited by the Blue Spirit (Jet) and joins up with them in order to track Aang. Zuko gets in one more good fight against Aang and Mai, then discovers who the order's leader is (Iroh), and decides that his father needs this information. Suki is also recruited. * Ty Lee * Long Feng and the remnants of the Dai Li are now Ghostbusters.

Act III: Fall of the House of Fire * Fire Nation travels. Culture and worldbuilding and stuff. * Sun Warriors. * Aang and Mai dance a Fire Blade dance (Agni Budokai): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCNyHprEZK8 * Revelations about Zuko's history, scar, and banishment. * Massive battle between the Weapons of the Fire Nation * Ozai and Azulon die. * Azula disgraced? * Ursa turns out to be alive in the Fire Palace, and somehow working for the badguys. She kills herself Hamlet-style with poison. * Ursa thought she was doing right by Roku, wiping out the Royal Family but uniting the world. Discovering the truth, and that she's no different from Azulon, has her drinking poison wine out of a golden goblet. * Shakespearean Tragedy * No rhyming or iambic pentameter * Suki helps Zuko pick up the pieces of his life, but the age of Fire Lords is over.

Act IV: Sokka Dies * Sokka dies. * Mai gives him proper rites so that he doesn't become a ghost or zombie. * Katara is given the impetuous to become a true hero, and a new master in the form of Pakku. * Mai is given the impetuous to sacrifice for love. * She also hears the legend of Avatar Kuruk and discovers the secret of Koh's. * Piandao is given reason to turn on Azula? * Oh, yeah, this takes place in the North Pole. And it's the big revelation of Lu Ten and why Iroh is doing what he's doing. * But mainly, Sokka dies. * Move to before Fire Nation arc?

Act V: The World Tree * The entire "Foggy Swamp" is a lionturtle, sleeping nestled beneath the swamp. The tree grows on its shell, and has become one with the lionturtle. Iroh somehow uses the tree to Energybend. * Good guys win. * Bad guys defeated. * Sorry, no, Sokka is still dead, and his ghost doesn't appear to smile at anyone. Nice try, though. * Never mind, Sokka doesn't die. Mai gives her face to Koh in exchange for the power to destroy Iroh's Spirit form, and Aang dies passing on his life force to heal the World Tree. Sokka is the survivor. * Aang leads his allies down after Iroh, except for Mai, who goes into the Spirit World to find Koh. She plans to give her face to him, so that she can destroy whatever Iroh is doing. Creating a dark lionturtle, perhaps? Altering time? Whatever, it has to be something that would beat her if she had a face/identity, so she wants Koh's help. He agrees, and takes her face, turning her into The Destroyer. As part of his promise to Kuruk, though, Koh kills Mai so that she can reincarnate, whereas most of his victims are trapped forever in the Spirit World without a face. * Aang fights Iroh, and nearly loses, but Mai saves him. Aang realizes that she has sacrificed her life, but saves the day and destroys Iroh. The World Tree is fatally wounded, though (perhaps by Mai's actions?) and Aang gives his life force to restore it so that the world won't unravel or something like that. He reincarnates. * A pregnant swampbender, who witnessed the whole spectacle, gives birth three days later. (Get it, three days?)

Epilogue: Ty Lee visits Sokka and Katara at the the Swamp, where the next Avatar has been discovered. Ty Lee sees that the Avatar has a close, quasi-romantic friend the same age, and somehow can tell that it's Mai's reincarnation. Somehow she contrives to drop the line, "Some friendships are so strong, they can even transcend lifetimes."