#also we hit a kangaroo on the way there — everyone is fine but it was emotionally harrowing LMAO

[rainyinjanuary]

i am having post-tit (terrible influence tour) withdrawals

[sydsaint]

Below you will find my run-down and thoughts on the AEW All-In card. Before you read, I'd just like to remind everyone that these are MY opinions. If you don't like or agree with them then that's fine. But I don't want to see anyone give me hate or anything negative for what I'm about to say. If you disagree with something that's fine with me. And if you'd like to discuss said difference of opinions in a polite manner then please feel free to reply or DM me with your opposed opinions. I'm always down to talk about wrestling with other people. Thank you for your time, now let's proceeded with the run-down.

ZERO HOUR -

(Adamjf v Aussie Open)

MAX AND ADAM BEAT AUSSIE OPEN!! THE BOYFRIENDS ARE TAG CHAMPS

The whole match was great.

Max hitting the kangaroo kick and just the general shenanigans were a great way to prelude to main event of All-In.

Adam getting to be his goofy self was wonderful.

Mark and Kyle looked great as always. They are a great tag team.

Good match 7/10⭐

(Jack Perry V HOOK)

Another zero hour banger

That limo spot into the windshield was great

Jack is so dramatic, truly Christians child

HOOK looked phenomenal as always

Jack having the belt for a bit was cool, but I'm glad that Tyler got it back

I'm looking forward to seeing what Jack does next with this heel solo run

Great match! 8/10⭐

Main Card-

(CM Punk V Samoa Joe)

The Punk pop was insane. Cult of Personality is ingrained in my brain

Punk in his slutty little trunks was ❤️

Joe also looked fine as hell 😩

Match was good for what it was

I really don't care for the whole separate title that Punk has but eh

That spot where Joe slammed Punk into the bottom of the announce table was great

Plus the classic Joe walk-away spot was good

Punk supporting Trans rights with that girl in the crowd after the match was wonderful king shit

Joe should have won in my opinion but eh

Good opener match 6/10⭐

(Golden Elite V Bullet Club Gold and Konosuke Takeshita)

Juice Robinson is a little gremlin and I love him for it

Jay looked fire in the white tho 🥵

Heel Konosuke is gonna be the death of me tbh.

Ken, Adam, and Kota also looked great

Jay activated no-sell Ibushi with those chops which delighted me

Ken hit a nasty knee at one point

Juice was on some gremlin shit the whole time as he should be

Takeshita looked phenomenal the whole match I'm loving his heel run

Great match! 7/10⭐

(Best Friends with Eddie Kingston and Penta V Blackpool Combat Club with Santana and Ortiz)

Eddie being on-sight with Claudio was great

Yuta was being an evil little gremlin and I love him

Santana and Ortiz looked great and I can't wait to see them back in tag action

Jon was being mean as usual. Great stuff

Penta scared the fuck outta me when he got taken out only for him to come back all evil and hitting one hell of a ladder spot

All the chaos was great

That ending with Jon and Eddie all covered in blood next to one another. Truly two divorced husbands trying to salvage their marriage 🥺🥺

Stadium Stampede was so fun! 9/10⭐

(Young Bucks V FTR)

Kinda a lackluster match for me tbh

Matt and Nick looked great in yellow

Dax Harwood is eww

We love Cash tho

The action was pretty good tho

Bucks should have won!!

Okay match overall 6/10⭐

(Jericho v Ospreay)

Will was looking mad good

They made me listen to a live Judas performance which was ew

Props to Jericho for still cooking in the ring tho. He hit some good spots

Will was way better tho. That mfer was hitting some wild moves in the ring

Truly the Aerial Assassin

The pop for Will was so nice to hear. Tony Khan better sign him when he's done in New Japan

Plus Jericho lost so yay!

Solid match. Good spots. 7/10⭐

(Darby Allin and Sting V Swerve Strickland and Christian Cage)

Coffin matches are always fun

Joker Sting was dope AF

Darby hit that coffin drop into the coffin TWICE!!! The madman

Poor Nick Wayne got bullied again. Tony Khan leave that little boy alone!

DILF CHRISTIAN LOOKING GOOD 😍

Swerve Strickland is also mad fine 🥵.

The ending with Darby hitting the coffin drop while Swerve was in there was great

Sting you are old. Please stop making me worry about you in every match with all the insane shit you do

Great match! 8/10⭐

(Hikaru Shida V Saraya V Toni Storm V Britt Baker)

All the ladies were looking good 😍 (minus Saraya cuz no)

The disrespect of letting that despicable women Saraya not only come out to we will rock you when Emi is RIGHT THERE and letting her win??? Tony Khan will pay for his crimes.

Toni, Britt, and Shida all we're great in the match.

Saraya can't wrestle for shit and her and her racist, sexist, transphobic boyfriend are disgusting. Tony Khan you can do better

I feel bad for Shida because Tony basically used her as a placeholder for two weeks and she deserves so much more than that.

Worst match of the night but still okay I guess 🫠 4/10⭐

(The Acclaimed ✂️ V House of Black)

Casters rap was 🔥🔥 as usual

Bowens looked so happy to have Daddy Ass back

The whole place scissoring was great

HOB looked great in white. Especially my queen Julia Hart

The action was great and Billy looked good

The Acclaimed winning and the speech after was great. I'm so glad that Billy isn't retiring like we all thought

Great match! New champs! 8/10⭐

(MJF V Adam Cole)

THE DRAMA!

THE CINEMA!

Oh my gosh that match was so good

The draw had me out of my seat!!

Then Max gave Adam five more minutes this time!

Roddy came out but Adam ultimately decided that he'd rather have Max as a friend. My heart 😭

This match was so dramatic and I was eating it up lemme tell you

Adam's Panama Sunrise is a thing of beauty tbh

I can't wait to see what's next for these two boyfriends now that they're tag champs

Match of the night! 10/10⭐

Overall- Great PPV 9/10 rating ⭐

[anjuschiffer]

Amira Wayne - Chapter 21

To think this took me two weeks instead of one...oh well...

Chapter 21: Advice

-

P.Tag: @theatreandcomicfreak @daminette-is-life @toodaloo-kangaroo @elijahcrevan @vixen-uchiha @nathleigh @startouchedqueen1318

Tag: @we-want-mini-mini @ramos123 @bluesimani @redscarlet95 @greatcatblaze @promiswords @fantasiame @corabeth11 @anonymously-odd @alexandriamw @officiallydarkgeek @galla02006 @maleive07 @jayjayspixiepop

-

MASTERLIST | FIRST | PREV | AO3

Amira pushed Damian aside, not having a moment to yell at him before she was engaged into combat by Deathstroke yet again. 

She blocked attack after attack with her staff, having to spring off his blade at one point, connecting the end of her staff to the side of his head, cracking his eye-sore of a helmet. Just as she was about to attack again, she was pushed aside by Damian, Amira rolling and colliding with a destroyed column. 

“I told you to stay out of my way!” Damian yelled at her as he exchanged blows with Deathstroke. Metal grinded against metal as Damian drove Deathstroke into a waltz, the two exchanging attacks, using picture frames and statues in hopes of slowing the other down. 

Amira watched as frames were destroyed, faces distorted as wood flew all over the place, statues crumbling to pieces as they met a blade or the floor. 

When Deathstroke finished introducing himself earlier, Damian quickly launched himself into combat, the two quickly making a mess of the study. Not wanting them to destroy it even further, Amira extended her staff and rammed it into Deathstroke’s back, causing him to plant his face onto the wall. 

“Stay out of my fight.” Damian gritted, Amira not backing down.

“This is my fight as well. This is my home after all.” Amira bluntly stated, watching as Damian huffed at her response. “And I want him out and away from here.”

Before either could continue their argument, Deathstroke was back up and ready to go, which Damian happily continued where the two had left off.

Amira watched as Damian led Deathstroke to the entrance of the manor, even at the cost of the staircase, Tim almost launching himself into the fight before Amira held him back.

“Isn’t your arm injured?”

“Aren’t we going to help him?” Tim asked back, flinching when Amira glared at him. 

“I will be helping him. You stay here.” Amira instructed, extending the staff into its full length.

“I can still fight.”

“Not with that arm you can’t.”

“Let me-”

“Drake.” Amira sternly said, watching as Tim sunk into himself. “Remember how I told you a Robin has to be well rounded and excel in combat?” She didn’t let him respond. “They also have to know their place in a fight, so for you, it means to stay here, at the sidelines.” With that, Amira left Tim alone to provide some type of support towards Damian…

Or at least that was the plan…

Whenever she tried to help Damian, she would get attacked by him or have him collide with her. Or even worse, be his personal shield or decoy. He would then have the audacity to yell at her for interfering and for being merciful. When she would have an opportunity to take Deathstroke by surprise, Damian would get in her way and cast her aside, not caring about having wasted a perfectly good plan.

And that’s how it had been playing out for the past few minutes since then, leading to now.

“Argh!” Damian yelled out as Deathstroke had managed to knock his sword out of his hand and stab his own into Damian’s arm. 

Unsheathing his other sword, Deathstroke was about to use it to pin Damian to the wall only for Amira to catapult her way towards Damian, dropping kicking Deathstroke in the face. 

“I had it handled.” Damian told her as he pulled out the sword from his arm, the blood dripping onto the floor.

“You’re welcome.” Amira threw back, taking out the weapons in the holster she had picked up earlier, watching Deathstroke charge at her.

Deciding to meet him halfway, Amira somersaulted, kicking the hilt of his sword, causing the sword to fly elsewhere.

With a quick motion, Amira stabbed his arm with a blade before cartwheeling backwards.

Deathstroke let out a groan as he took the blade out, not expecting to have the blade pulled away from his hand, letting out a grunt as blood seeped from his palm. But just as he composed himself, he was met with consecutive hits from another rope dart, having to remain still as the force of the hits grew stronger.

Amira continued to whirl her rope, alternating hands to increase the speed and force of her hits, only for it to be deflected in the end. That’s when he noticed it wasn’t a rope dart, but instead a yo-yo.

“Is that all you got?” Deathstroke asked her. She didn’t respond, instead, she redirected her rope dart to swing under her leg, the heavy alloy yo-yo connecting with his chin, causing him to take a few steps back from the impact.

“How’s an 8-lb yo-yo to the chin feel?” Amira asked, catching the yo-yo with ease before wrapping it around the man, causing him to fall to the floor. “I have some questions for you.” She walked towards him, only for him to break free from her grasp.

She froze as he took out a gun, only managing to snap out of it when a small device attached itself to it and exploded, causing Deathstroke to drop it. Judging from its trajectory, it had to have been Tim’s doing.

That and the fact that she doubted Damian would do anything to try and defend her when his pride and ego were on the line.

However, within that second, a kunai found itself digging into Deathstroke’s eye, Amira feeling the sudden urge to retch. She watched as Damian flew past her and dug the kunai further into the eye socket, only then causing Amira to react.

“Stop it!” She yelled, pulling off Damian of Deathstroke and facing him. “You’re going to kill him!”

“He needs to be killed for trying to-”

“We still need to-” Amira grunted as she was forced into Damian, causing the two to tumble forward. 

“Squabbling while turning your back to your opponent? Not a very smart thing to do.” Deathstroke reminded them, taking out another gun and aiming it towards the two of them. While Damian tried to pry Amira off of him, he stopped when he noticed her frozen expression of fear.

Just as Damian was going to roll the two of them away, someone slammed a staff behind Deathstroke’s helmet, causing the thing to split into two.

“Tim.” Damian heard Amira whisper, watching as fear still filled her eyes. She pulled Deathstroke back when she saw him make a dash for a retreating Tim, Tim using that opportunity to drop an axe kick.

Damian watched as the two continued to fight together, Amira calculating every strike, not wasting a single swing. Damian watched as Tim dodged and danced with Amira, not a single word spoken between them as they fought Deathstroke together.

He felt like he was being casted aside...unnecessary...not needed...

As he continued to watch them fight, Damian noticed them leading Deathstroke to the center of the lobby, Damian eyeing the chandelier above them. He then noticed the other rope dart Amira had brought in with her, lying abandoned at the side of the room.

It was then that he remembered the other thing he always found himself carrying with him...

A small plan began to form in his mind, Damian quickly picking up the rope dart to start setting it up.

Tim regretted having missed Amira’s soreness from having been using her weapon for the past ten minutes, watching as her attack barely reached Deathstroke’s face. With an attack having gone to waste, the man used the opportunity to focus on Tim alone, allowing him to throw the boy in the direction he had finished jumping from.

Amira managed to grab Tim before he met the floor, not noticing the incoming attack from Deathstroke. Just as his dagger was about to reach her, something hit Deathstroke in the face, Tim noticing a black case landed at his feet.

“Over here!” Damian yelled, causing everyone to look up, watching as Damian landed perfectly square on Deathstroke’s shoulders, the boy not only wrapping his legs around the man, but also the chain of the rope dart Amira recognized as her own.

Amira watched as Damian kept Deathstroke in the hold, watching as the man was starting to find his way out of it. “Use the thing inside the case!” Damian yelled at Tim, Tim freezing when he saw what was inside.

“I-I can’t use this.” Tim whispered, turning to Amira after having read the label. “We can’t-” He watched as Amira grabbed the case and casually walked up to Deathstroke.

“Don’t worry Tim.” Amira took the needle out of the case, wondering where Damian even managed to get his hands on the venom. “We’re not killing him, just torturing him.”

Without hesitation, Amira stabbed it into a patch of exposed skin (courtesy of Damian’s sword), watching as the man screamed and grunted as he fought against the pain. “After all, we don’t kill.”

“Well said, Amira.” Tim jumped from Amira’s flinch when Bruce spoke up.

The three turned their heads to see Bruce at the doorway, an elderly man with a smile on his face next to him. While a majority of his hair was tied back, tufts of white poked a bit from the side, Amira knowing who he was the minute he saw his eyes…

So he was the man whose eyes she inherited.... 

“Father...Ra’s.” Damian addressed, tying up Deathstroke before going to them, his heart sinking a bit when Bruce walked past him and went towards Amira, not even bothering to acknowledge him.

“Are you alright, Amira?” Amira turned away from her father as he fussed over the bruises and cuts on her face. 

“I’m...fine.” She said, swatting away her father’s gentleness, only then noticing that Alfred had silently joined them. “Grandpere.”

“Amira, my child, look at yourself.” Alfred softly spoke, Amira letting him examine her face. “Lets get those cuts cleaned in the infirmary. Master Tim,” he addressed, Tim flinching when he was called. “That goes for you too. I can’t have that ghastly gash of yours infecting under my watch.”

“Yes, sir.” Tim said with a nod, going to join them when he watched the other elderly man make his way towards Deathstroke.

“To think I treated him like a son once.” Ra’s said, disappointment visible on his face. “To think I ever considered him to be my heir at one point. Never would’ve thought he would be the one to try and betray me.”

“Him?” Damian asked the question in Bruce’s mind. “He was the one who you considered worthy of succeeding you?”

“At one point, yes. But then, you came along...or rather, the two of you came along.” Ra’s said, turning slightly to see Amira’s reaction. The girl mentioned stopped in her tracks. “Two grandchildren, but only one was able to claim the throne.”

“More like only one was considered to be your heir.” Amira spoke once turning to look at Ra’s in the face. “After all, ever since you found out my mother was going to have me, you wanted me dead. Me, a mere infant.”

No one noticed the paleness in Damian’s face, the way his eyes widened upon hearing those words. 

His grandfather...wanted his sister, their own blood...dead?

“I gave your mother the opportunity to let you live.”

“You threatened her to get rid of me!” Amira yelled, remembering her mother’s retelling of Ra’s threat. 

“You, a mere infant who I could’ve easily disposed of myself. But instead, I choose to show you mercy.”

“You kept me alive to keep her in line!” 

“Be grateful, child.” Ra’s snarled, causing Amira to take a step back. “You’re the only being in the world whom I’ve shown mercy to. Because of me, you got to live and learn from your father, a skilled fighter. A great detective. If it weren’t for my generosity, you would already be de-“

“That’s enough!” Bruce sternly shouted, standing in front of Amira who’s eyes were filled with unshed tears. Alfred placed a hand on her shoulder, frowning when he found her trembling as well. “I will not allow you to speak to my daughter that way, nor anyone in my family for that matter.

You said that you came here to leave Damian in my care. To keep him safe until you found your traitor.” Bruce walked up to Ra’s, allowing Alfred to guide Amira and Tim to the infirmary. 

He motioned to the passed out Slade. “Well, now he’s taken care of, so I suggest you continue your way back to the League to ensure that it’s safe enough for Damian to go back home. After all, that was your original goal, wasn’t it?” Bruce and Ra’s stared each other down, waiting for the other to back down. 

Surprisingly, it was Ra’s who broke the contact. 

“Very well.” Ra’s huffed, looking over to Damian. “You got to see firsthand how skillful those who learn under your father are, so just imagine how much you can improve by learning under him as well. I expect you to learn everything you can during your stay. Understood?” Damian nodded. “Good.”

Without a second to spare, Ra’s disappeared into the night, Damian wondering when would be the next time they would see one another. 

—

Adrien lifted his head the minute he heard the apartment door open, hearing laughter fill the room. 

It’s been a few hours -okay it’s been seven or eight since he’s heard about any news about Marinette. Seven-ish hours of being in the dark about Marinette’s whereabouts...since then, he had been by Chloe’s side, making sure she was doing alright.  

He held back a sob, gently pulling himself away from Chloé and headed down only to not find Marinette among them. Walking into the apartment was Dick, Wally and Nino.

“Where’s Marinette?” Adrien asked, everyone’s laughter rescinding. That’s when he noticed Jason, or rather recognized him. Wasn’t he...wasn’t he...the dead Wayne?

“Freund von dir? [Friend of yours?]” Jason asked Dick, Adrien looking at Nino for clarification. He simply shrugged. 

“Nien. Favoritinnen. [No. Favorite’s.]” Dick answered back. “He’s Adrien and the one you met earlier is Nino.”

“Y el novio, cierto? [And the boyfriend, right?]” Jason asked, a grin on his face as he pointed towards Wally. Wally quirked a brow. 

“They’re not quite there yet.” 

“Seriously?”

“Yup.” 

“Gotta do something about that, don’t you think?” Jason asked, causing Dick to chuckle, confusing the others in the room. 

The shattering of a teacup was heard, everyone whipping the heads to see who dropped it. 

“Jason.” Selina whispered, slowly walking towards him, Jason hesitating to move forward. “That’s really you, isn’t it?” She placed her hand on his cheek, wiping away a stray tear on his face. 

“Yea. It’s me, Ma. It’s really me.” Jason let himself get pulled into a hug, letting Selina crush him to death...well not really, but let her hug him until she was satisfied in knowing he was still alive...and with them once again. 

Adrien’s eyes darted between Jason and Selina. Then to Dick. Then back to Jason. 

“Apparently they all know each other.” Nino spoke up, Adrien realizing he had been standing beside him for a while. “Mlle Kyle, Dick, Barbara and M.Bruce...they all know Jason. And apparently, so does Marinette.”

Adrien turned to look at Nino with wide eyes, failing to notice that Barbara had joined the reunion at that moment.  

“What?”

“Yea. Apparently they've known each other for quite some time. Heard Jason telling Dick that he had been catching up with Marinette before she went off to tell their grandfather about...him. Wonder what they meant by that.”

Nino looked at Jason, who was busy annoying a flushed faced Wally. “While their entire dynamic was odd, that wasn’t what had me confused the most.”

“So she’s not here…” Adrien told himself. “And what do you mean by ‘the most confused’?”

“You know how everyone has some type of nickname, whether it comes from a family member or friend?” Adrien nodded. “Could Marinette have another name as her nickname?”

Seeing Adrien’s confused face, Nino continued. “Marinette once told me that her friends have only ever called her two nicknames: Mimi and Baguette.

Wally and Dick call her Mimi while you call her Bugette. So then...why...why was Jason referring to Marinette by Amira when her name is Marinette?” Nino asked.

Adrien froze. 

“Nino...Are-are you sure that’s-“

“Positive.” Nino confirmed, watching as Adrien’s face morphed into a stern expression. “Dude, what-”

“Nino.” Adrien said in a low tone, causing a shiver to run down Nino’s spine. “Whatever you do, don’t tell anyone else what you just told me.”

“Dude, why-“ Adrien placed his hands on Nino’s shoulders. 

“I’m I clear? Don’t. Tell. Anyone.” Adrien enunciated, looking over at Dick ruffling Jason’s hair. “Promise me that.”

“I promise.” Nino promised, wondering what it was that Adrien had found out.

Letting Nino go, Adrien looked at the group of family and friends talking within themselves, as if forgetting about the crisis just moments ago.

Or was it more than that?

Did they trust Marinette being fine even after her kidnapping? And what about the kidnapper? Were they going to let them roam free after what they did to Marinette?

Whatever it was, Adrien knew it had to be linked with the other secrets they held...even the one he found out by complete accident...

—

It didn’t take long to get patched up. It did, however, take very long to convince Alfred and her father to let her leave the Cave, Amira having to use the excuse that she was tired to be able to retreat to her room. 

And once more, everything looked just like she had left it months ago...

She headed to the wall of photos, dragging her hands over them, until she stopped over the one she took of the Parisian night. 

It was already two in the morning in Gotham, meaning it was eight in Paris. She hoped her friends would forgive her, especially Wally. She hopes he would forgive her for scaring him like this for the second time this month. 

Which reminded her, she had yet to tell Grandpere that-

“Amira,” She quickly turned, half wondering if her grandfather could read mind, only that instead of finding Grandpere there, she saw Damian. A scowl found its way to her face.

“How dare you mock-“

“It was the only way to get your attention.” Damian cut off, joining Amira by her wall of photos. “Out of everyone here, Pennyworth is the only one who you-“

“Grandpere is Grandpere. Of course he would have my complete respect. He’s my grandfather after all.”

“Ra’s is also our grand-“ Amira’s scoff caught him off guard. 

“Ra’s is not my grandfather and in no way part of my family.” Amira felt her hands begin to shake. “What I heard from him had portrayed him in a bad light and today,” she quickly dug her nails into her arm to try and prevent herself from trembling. “Today proved those stories to be true.”

“We have his blood-“

“Blood doesn’t just make family, Damian.” Amira sternly said, looking at a new photo she hadn’t placed on her wall at all. It was taken from days ago, one where Dick was trying to engage Amira into a conversation with his other friends. Wally was there beside her, holding her hand in case it was too much for her. “And even if it did, so does trust, acknowledgement. And love.

And while I acknowledge Ra’s to be our mother’s father, our grandfather, I do not trust him. And I never will, as I will never love him either. 

After all, he never dared to acknowledge me as family, so why should I? Why should I bother to respect him when clearly, he doesn’t deserve it?”

Damian stood there, soaking in his sister’s words, because...she had a point, even if he thought it was a point that was stupidly based on emotions. “If that’s all you came to talk to me about, then I suggest you leave. I have a few things to do before I have to go elsewhere.”

“You’re leaving?” Damian asked, wondering where his sister should go at this time of day. “What about your duties as Ro-“ 

He was not expecting his sister to erupt into laughter.

“Duties? Robin?” Amira promptly shut up, weirded out by the lack of envy in herself whenever she would say the name ‘Robin’ outloud. 

“Surely it’s yours, isn’t it? You are Robin, aren’t you? After all, you are father’s-”

“Blood child.” Amira finished for him. “Sorry to say, but that alone doesn’t give you the right to the mantle.”

“Are you saying someone else is the current Robin?” Damian seethed. “Someone who isn’t Father’s blood child is the one by his side, as his successor?”

“Not successor Damian. Partner...and possible candidate towards taking over Bat-”

“Then why haven’t you taken it back Amira? Why aren’t you claiming your birth-”

“Because it is earned Damian.” Amira sternly growled. “Robin isn’t just a mantle, it's a symbol. A symbol of fear...and hope. Robin is a collection of knowledge, passed from one Robin to the next. That knowledge is passed down, refined and added to as it gets handed down.” Damian watched as Amira walked away from her wall of photos. “But what thinks you’re worthy of being handed Robin?”

“I am the better option. I’ve been trained by the League for years, mastered-”

“Mastered being a bloodthirsty and uncooperative person.” Amira finished off. “And that’s based on one fight that took longer than it should have.”

“You were getting in my way.”

“And that’s exactly why you can’t be handed Robin and why you’ll never be Batman.”

“Are you-”

“I’m only telling you the truth. Robin has to be well rounded and excel in combat. They need to know when to stay on the sidelines. They must know when to call the shots.”

“You just contradicted yourself.”

“Did I?” Amira smirked, heading for the door. “Or did you misinterpret my words?” She opened the door, wondering if she would find Grandpere in the kitchen now that she and Tim were fully mended from their injuries. “Until you understand what that means, you will never know what it means to be Robin.”

With those words, Amira left Damian behind, heading out to accomplish the mission she had before the whole fiasco with Deathstroke.

—

Finding and telling Grandpere the news wasn’t the hard part, Amira finding him in the kitchen preparing some much needed early morning snacks. However, she wasn’t prepared for the tears that came afterwards from her usually calm grandfather upon hearing the good news.

After a much needed crying session, Alfred packed some food for Amira to give to Jason, assurring her that she would tell Bruce about Jason’s return at a more appropriate time.

With that done, she headed towards the zeta tube, having finished plugging in her coordinates when she sensed Tim.

“You’re leaving.” He simply stated, looking at her bandaged hands and bandage on her face.

“Yeah.” 

“Shouldn’t you-”

“I need to go back…” Amira easily answered. “And...thank you.”

“Huh?”

“Thank you for saving me back there...I had forgotten that Gotham doesn’t operate like Paris...with the whole no magic and meta business.” Amira confessed. “Also, if you hadn’t done what you did...I could’ve been dead.”

“B-but Bruce said-”

She showed him her bare ears, a single piercing causing Tim to pale.

He had seen Ladybird’s fights, he had seen Amira take punches to the gut without a single drop of blood seeping from her mouth. He had seen her get thrown into a stone pillar and get up without a single sign of pain. She would always get up no matter how many times she was thrown down. She was indestructible...until today…

Today, she actually feared death, something that wouldn’t have crossed her mind despite her upbringing in Gotham. “You... you could have died today, couldn’t you?”

“And that’s why I thanked you, Tim.” Amira ruffled his hair, Tim not knowing how to react to her gesture. “I was wrong about you in so many ways... to think it took me this long to realize it.”

“What exactly do you mean by that?” Tim pried, getting the following as a response.

“Keep up the good work, Robin.”

Tim found himself sending those words to Dick as well as telling him that Amira was on her way back.

—

“Recognized: Ladybird B13.” An automated female voice said out loud, Amira finding herself not irritated by it unlike the previous times. 

Then again, her previous code wasn’t Ladybird but rather MDC. 

It was nice to have a code that actually belonged to her... or at least used to. 

“I’m back.” She told herself as she exited out the telephone booth, not expecting to be pulled into an embrace, feeling her eyes watering when the scent of cat hit her senses. 

“Thank god you’re safe, Amira.” Selina barely whispered, tightening her embrace. “You’re safe.”

What started with a hic soon erupted into muffled cries, Amira burying her face into Selina’s coat, only then realizing the emotions she had been holding in over the course of several hours. She tightened her hug back, her cries growing louder as she let it all out.

Talía watched as Amira and Selina reunited by the old telephone booth, letting a smile appear on her lips despite her aching heart.

“You’ve grown so much Amira. Take care and stay safe and know that I will always hold you close to my heart. Goodbye, baobei.”

NEXT

[a-la-la-llama]

The One Where Marinette Kicks Butt #7

Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4   Part 5   Part 6   Part 8

  It was a normal day at work, Marinette helped Ivy tend to the plants. Said flowers complained about everything and no matter what, could never decide what music they wanted to listen to to help them grow! After the whole you are not safe without the kwami’s protection, Marinette had to stop Plagg from eating flowers he deemed were cheese. Tikki kept eyeing the aphids and would snack on them when no one was looking. Sass kept coiling his tail too tight around the stems. Nooroo wouldn’t stop drinking the nectars. Pollen was pollinating. Then lastly, Orikko was plucking the daisies petals off one by one. To sum it all up, it was a pretty normal day.

Closing was easy since they didn’t have any last minute orders for the next day. Once the doors were locked, Ivy waved her off and they went in different directions.

  They always closed at six-thirty and were out by seven o’clock. Gotham was beginning to change towards fall in late September, however, so the sun would start setting at seven instead of the usual eight to eight-thirty. Marinette lived fifteen minutes away and was a relatively small stature girl. She also had on her school uniform which meant everyone who saw her knew she was just a teenager. Do you see the problem yet? Can you guess what was bound to happen? Let’s set the scene, shall we!

  Marinette had noticed them when she was walking by and one of the two men brushed her with his shoulder. Even though he was the one to run into her Marinette swiftly apologised and went on her way. She was eight minutes from her apartment and turning a corner when she noticed that they were not far behind her.

The problem was that they had been going the opposite way beforehand. So she tried to do what a normal person without pocket gods would do in this situation. She didn’t want to lead them home so she stuck with the few crowds there, trying to lose them. But night was approaching, slowly fewer and fewer people were out.

Marinette considered going into a coffee shop that was open but what good would that do if they just waited for her to exit. It’s not like she could afford to have a phone and even then she only knew a few people in Gotham. She was just deciding on how to locate a police or fire station when she was yanked backwards by her arm. Into a gosh darn alleyway.

Seriously, if they have the highest crime rates, and most of them happened in alleys, why do they have so many alleyways! Especially dark and dead end ones like where Marinette was standing. A normal person would be terrified but Marinette wasn’t a normal girl, but she couldn’t let them know that. For all they knew, they just cornered   a helpless girl that was scared of the two men twice her size. When really they were the ones who fell into the trap of a powerful god wielding girl with no escape.

“Look who we finally caught, can’t run now.”, the blonde one taughted.

“She almost looks like a Wayne. If we could convince the boss, she’ll be worth a lot more than those other girls.”, the brunette one suggested.

Who was even a Wayne and why did she look like them? Was it the blue hair, she’d never seen others that had a natural blue like her besides her mom and Kagami. It must be her eyes, but lots of people could have blue eyes, especially in America. The blonde pulled a needle out of his pocket.

“Now just make this easy and stay still so we don’t have to hurt that pretty little face of yours!”, he sneered.

Kwami, what were these awful attempts of being intimidating? She’s seen chihuahuas do much better. Plagg’s destructive energy was pulsing through her backpack, along with everyone else but he was the strongest. Why did cats have to be so territorial, she would have to put an end to this before the magic got out of hand. None of them wanted another Pompeii, Atlantis, or Black Death on their hands. She allowed them to inch closer towards her as she started rambling nonsense in French. Better if they thought she didn’t know what was going on, they’re more likely to make arrogant mistakes. The blonde could tell she was overwhelmed and about to bolt so he quickly lunged at her, but she was faster. Next thing he knew, the needle meant for her neck was in his own as he fell unconscious.

Turning towards the brunette, he had pulled out a simple pocket knife. It wouldn’t do anything more than a flesh wound unless he hit a major artery or organ. She didn’t really want to fight the two just, you know, stop them from hurting her.

Taking off her backpack, she swung it by the strap and knocked the weapon out his hands. Tackling him was the next step and she used all of her body weight to keep him down long enough to slam the bag on his head. The egg shaped Kwami box felt like a load of brick. She should know, Marinette had dropped it on her toes multiple times! Just two hits and both her attackers were out cold.

Setting her bag back onto her bag, she stood up and straightened out her skirt. Good thing she didn’t tear any of her clothes or the two would have definitely woken up with black eyes. Marinette heard two feet gently land behind her at the entrance of the alley. Wouldn’t you know it, the blue-bird that Selina had told her about and decided to drop in. Of course, right after she finished dealing with the two herself!

“Je suis désolé de ce que je leur ai fait. Ils essayaient de me prendre mais je n'allais pas laisser ça arriver. Je dois y aller maintenant monsieur!”, she said, still playing the foreign card.

( I'm sorry about what I did to them. They were trying to take me but I wasn't going to let that happen. I must be going now sir! )

“C'est bien petite dame! Êtes-vous d'accord, vous ont-ils fait du mal?”, he answered. Marinette certainly didn’t expect him to know what she had said.

( It's alright little lady! Are you okay, did they hurt you? )

“Je vais bien. Je suis pressé, je dois y aller!”, she announced and rushed past him.

( I'm fine. I'm in a hurry, I have to go! )

  Nightwing looked at what the tiny French left behind. Foreigners sure knew how to get the job done. What was even in that backpack of hers. The dude would surely have a concussion, but in the end he deserved it for trying to kidnap the girl. Gothamites could surely learn a thing or two from people like her. Now the question was what to do with the criminals. He could turn them into the police or inform Red Hood about them. One had mentioned other girls, so Red Hood would be the better option. He could investigate and find the chain and most likely rescue those who weren’t so lucky and already caught. Plus, the man had a soft-spot for any and all kids.

  Nightwing thought back to the French girl. She really did look like a Wayne! Dark hair, blue eyes, seemed to have gotten herself in and out of trouble before. All she had to do was be an orphan and she’d fit the memo. The girl had a Gotham Academy uniform, maybe Damian knew her? Second thought, Damian probably didn’t talk to anybody in that darn school unless he had to, so that was out of the question. Something just wasn’t sitting right with him. He had seen her before but where? No, not her, those eyes. Nightwing had seen those eyes before.

He didn’t know how long he stood thinking in the alley but the realization hit him like a truck.

She was the freaking ghost that stole his favorite blanket!

Tag list

@legallyspawned @chocolate1721 @spartanxhunterx @dreamykitty25 @toodaloo-kangaroo @vixen-uchiha @loveswifi @amayakans @jeptwin @thewonderlandartist @buticaaba @books-and-left-behind-journals @gigibnl @aegyobutpsycho2 @crazylittlemunchkin @maribat-is-lifeblood @myazael @abrx2002 @pawsitivelymiraculous @silvergold-swirl @chaos-inperson @marichatcameback @olynix @ash-amg @elmokingkong @kitsunebell @yin-390 @indecisive-mess-named-me @jeminiikrystal @startouchedqueen1318

[sohotthateveryonedied]

Do Whatever You Want, I’m Super Dead

Read here on AO3!

Summary:

Tim has come to the stunning conclusion that human bodies are defective and evolution needs to pick up the fucking slack.

Tim has come to the stunning conclusion that human bodies are defective and evolution needs to pick up the fucking slack. Why else would he be this miserable? Tim is settled in the manor’s TV room, curled up on the comfiest sofa in the house. He’s on his third episode of Riverdale in a row—not because he enjoys the show, definitely not. But he lost the remote under the couch some three hours ago and if he moves even an inch from his current position, he’s sure he will bleed out and die. Tim should have been prepared for this. For two days now he’s been crampy, but he figured it was just a stomachache and ignored it. Like an idiot. He let himself get lulled into the false sense of security like a helpless lamb being led right into the slaughterhouse. Needless to say, he learned his lesson when he woke up this morning feeling like his insides were being torn out with rusty pliers. Of everyone in the household, (which pretty much just means Cass and occasionally Barbara and Steph), Tim gets the worst periods by far. Yes, that is incredibly unfair and he is seriously considering selling his entire reproductive system for ten dollars on Ebay just to be rid of it. Bruce says he can get the surgery when he turns eighteen, but Tim would rather wait a few years than be put out of commission for such a long stretch of time. This is making him regret that decision, though.

It’s bad enough that every time Tim does a tampon run he has to look at that stupid “feminine care” aisle sign, like it’s accusing him of something. (And, yes, he knows that statistically there are far more cis women in the world who have periods than trans men, but still. Not fun.) To make matters worse, Tim couldn’t find his heating pad anywhere and didn’t feel like tearing apart his room for it, so instead he presses a hot thermos of coffee against his stomach, willing the cramps to subside. (Spoiler alert! They don’t. Tim’s body hates him.) Speaking of spoilers: “You’re doing the next food run after this,” Steph says as she enters the room. She’s got a bowl of hot mashed potatoes in each hand. She places one on the armrest next to Tim and snuggles into the nearby armchair with her own. “I almost blew up the stove.” Tim sits up a little, replaces the thermos in his lap with the warm bowl of potatoes. He’s starving. “You’re the best, Steph.” “Fuck you.” “So grouchy.” “I have a right to be.” “Come on, I’m too cute and crampy to be mad at. Also you’re currently in my house, so you have to be nice to me.” Steph throws an aptly named throw pillow at him. This one has the quote, “World Peace Begins With Inner Peace” stitched on the front—one of Alfred’s futile attempts at abolishing bickering in the household. Poor guy never stood a chance. “You did this to me,” she hisses. “How was I supposed to know we’d sync up? It was an innocent oversight on my part. Couldn’t be helped.”

“Jerk.” If Tim is a lamb in a slaughterhouse, then Jason is a kangaroo stepping into a boxing ring with two other, just as aggressive kangaroos. Tim didn’t even know he was at the manor today. Jay takes one look at Tim, burrowed under two blankets in a fetal position, and laughs. “Did the demon finally poison you?” “Har, har. You’re fucking hilarious.” Jason flops on the couch by Tim’s feet, probably would have crushed them if Tim didn’t move them out of the way just in time. Jason reaches over and steals Tim’s mashed potatoes like the absolute villain he is. He takes a bite, then gestures with his spoon to the television. “Why are you watching this crap?” Tim snatches the bowl back and smacks Jason in the arm for good measure. “Can’t find the remote.” “So? I thought you were a genius. Just hack into the TV or something. What else are we keeping you around for?” Tim shakes his head and eats his potatoes, uncaring when they scald his tongue. “Too tired.” “Are you sick?” “No, but my organs are melting.” Steph snorts. “And you called me grouchy.” “Oh, yeah? Says Miss “wahhhh, my boyfriend sabotaged me even though it’s actually not his fault at all and he’s just trying to live his life.’” “You did this to me on purpose and you know it. I was supposed to have another week and a half, but nooo, you had to take the reins and change it up. I have an English presentation tomorrow.” “I said I was sorry!” “Are you guys serious?” All eyes snap to Jason. “It’s just PMS. Get over it.” Tim slams his foot into Jason’s stomach as hard as he can. Jason lets out a wheeze and doubles over. “Jesus. What the hell was that for?” “Leg spasm,” Tim says innocently. “My bad.” “You bruised my fucking kidney, you little ingrate.” “Oh, you’re in a little bit of pain? Get over it.” “That was a joke.” Jason rubs the forming bruise with a wince. “I didn’t ask for a demonstration.” Tim eats his mashed potatoes and does his best to ignore Jason. He’s miserable enough today as it is; he doesn’t need his brother adding on to that misery. He gets hit with another cramp and grimaces, curling in on himself as tight as he can. So not fair. Jason stands and goes to the kitchen, leaving Tim alone on the sofa. He takes advantage of the free space and stretches out his legs across the full length again, biting back what is definitely not a whimper. Look, having a uterus fucking hurts, okay? Tim can take a gunshot any day, but his own body attacking him is just uncalled for. Whoever decided that anyone with XX chromosomes deserves to be put through pain as a regular part of life while the other sex doesn’t should be lined up and shot. Jason returns in seconds, this time with a chocolate bar that Tim vaguely remembers seeing in Jason’s junk food stash behind the microwave. He throws it at Tim, who fumbles to catch it. “Here. Am I absolved of guilt now?” Tim considers that for a moment. He gives the chocolate to Steph, who tears off the wrapper and wolfs the entire thing down in record time. She should be a gold medalist in eating. “Not much of a chocolate fan,” Tim admits. “It’s too sweet.” “Then what do you want?” “I like money.” “Why the fuck would I give you money? You’ve got PMS, you’re not dying.” “It’s like buying me another candy bar, but instead of buying the candy you can just give me the cash. Cut out the middleman.” Jason rolls his eyes. “This is what I get for trying to be nice.” “Fine, fine. If you want to buy me food, can you get some guacamole from that place next to Wayne Tower? The one with the really good quesadillas? I don’t want any quesadillas, though, just the guacamole in a to-go cup with a spoon.” Steph holds up two fingers. “Make that two,” she says around a mouthful of chocolate. “Two guacamoles. And maybe a handful of those chewy mints they have at the front counter too.” Jason sighs, grabbing his jacket from the back of the couch. “Coming right up. But you two owe me for this.” Tim burrows deeper under his blankets, smiling. Yes, they can be annoying. Yes, they are utterly hopeless when it comes to things like this. But sometimes it pays to have brothers.

[phoenixfire-thewizardgoddess]

if you have a question about aussie slang, for a fic or whatevs, please just ask i don't know all of it, but we do have some fun words and sayings that are day to day statements

esp. the more rural you go

not everyone has the full accent though, because you do get a lot of pressure at work to come across... professional or whatever.

the only one i've never been sure of being an Actual Phrase, or if it Became A Phrase after popularisation on a tv show, is "Stone the Flaming Crows" bc a dude from Neighbours used to say it frequently.

examples of day to day stuff i can think of right now

mad as a frog in a sock (angry about something, went off, off the shits)

mad as a cut snake (usually means 'they're nuts', but can also mean they exploded with anger, usually contextual)

she'll be right (it's fine - can be a flippant statement, can be reassurance, etc)

drongo / galah - (idiot, not very smart, wanker, etc)

dunny = toilet

thunderbox/outhouse / long-drop - usually outdoor toilet

dry as a nun's nasty / dry as a dead dingo's donger (I am thirsty, or It Is Hot AF/we need rain so bad)

chuck a u-ey (do a u-turn)

Oi! (Hey I want your attention/i was surprised, general exclamation, stop that, you are in a lot of fucking trouble mate - depends on the tone of voice and volume) like "OI!" says aunty ruth has just found her dentures in jello and she knows you did it, etc

Bugger off (go away, or sometimes a statement of disbelief)

Yeah nah /Nah yeah (can mean yes, no or maybe depending on what was said directly before the statement)

you cant pull the wool over my eyes - you can't lie to me like that / i can see you are not telling the truth

shut your gob / put a sock in it / put a cork in it - (shut up / shut the FUCK up / close your mouth or i will shut it for you) depends on tone

Ya wally (you idiot)

Roo = kangaroo

o = can be affixed to anything to shorten it at the servo - gone to the service station, arvo - afternoon, smoko - morning tea, bottlo - where the grog is

goon/goonsack - wine in a box

grog - alcohol

stubbie - beer, ususally

boardies - board shorts

rashie - swimming shirt,

slip, slop, slap - ancient proverb for avoiding sunburn. singing pelican.

thongs - footwear

sheila = female / woman, don't hear this a lot at the moment tbh except in certain contexts or from specific people

'Getting rowdy' = things are heating up, people are riled up, a fight is about to/has just broken out, etc.

DJ's like a mad cunt = one very specific meme about a bad PM we had like 10 years ago. i can't tell you how many PM's ago, it's been game of thrones here lmao

Beyond the black stump / Out whoop-whoop / references to timbuktu (quite a distance away)

strewth!/crickey!/bloody hell - (exclamation of surprise, expletive replacement, etc)

flat out like a lizard drinking (tired / drunk / exhausted / sleeping)

pull a harry holt - (I've heard a dozens variations of this one, it means Go Missing / Disappear, often used as a joke. PM Holt went swimming one day and disappeared)

have a stickybeak (to poke your nose in/investigate/look around)

chuck a wobbly/throw a tanty/chuck a tanty/throw a wobbly (throw a tantrum, i have legit never seen anyone successfully deescalate a situation by telling someone not to chuck a wobbly or throw a tanty, go figure lmao)

bogan - (very specific kind of low-income, generally white, people. sort of like rednecks, but with more stereotypical aussie features like a mullet, singlet tops, sunnies, stubbies, etc. tend to fall under the liberal party ideology - who are our republicans... )

ankle-biters / rugrats / little takkers / gremlins / nippers - (kids, usually the littler ones)

tiff - argument, small fight (had a tiff, had a row)

pav = pavlova

piss/whizz/take a piss = going to pee

vegemite - delicious

Kiwi = New Zealander

Banana benders - the disrespectful bs that apparently other states call anyone living in Queensland, the wankers

station - farming areas that have sheep or livestock usually, have farmhands etc.

dole bludger(s) - (anyone on Centrelink, whether they want to be or not, with no other employment. but like, a lot of people on centrelink have a job that does not cover enough and need additional financial supports to meet a minimum wage, or are students or apprentices, etc. there are people who go on centrelink on and off to avoid engaging in the jobseeking stuff, they are the real dole bludgers, but a lot of richer people tend to call anyone on 'welfare' bludgers)

don't you come the raw prawn with me - (do not lie to me / don't try that shit with me, mate / I wasn't born yesterday /etc)

dak/dack - to dack someone is to come up behind them and yank their pants down (or skirts). Often taking out your boxers, too.)

budgie smugglers - (speedoes, male swimwear)

togs/toggs or cozzie (swimwear, any kind. cozzie = costume)

mozzie - (mosquito)

better than a kick up the backside /better than a kick in the arse - (pretty self explanatory, one of those phrases parents use to get slightly hurt kids to start laughing and/or coworkers to commisserate about new work rules, etc)

I wouldn't piss on (name) if they were on fire - (self-explanatory, you hate them, or they're a useless tit or an insufferable person /a suckup etc, and you would gladly hand them a match)

one for the road = getting a drink for the road, usually. can also make a joke of it like, "one last piss for the road" = I'm going to the bathroom before I leave

here's your handbag, what's your hurry - probs not an aussie phrase but a common joke in my family

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

So like, there's some words and items from Australian Indigenous culture that often get used wrong in stereotypical characters, like saying 'gone walkabout', using 'cooee', making digeridoo jokes, and making some really uncomfy 'savages' statements can be very disrespectful. You might want to go looking into Australia's fucked up policies and historical (and only recent) situations before starting any arguments about this stuff... in many ways it mirrors the cruelty of american colonisers to native american peoples, etc.

Avoid some phrases. Your character gone to cool their head? He's gone off on to soak his head, or he's on his bike (gone away) but he'll be back... You can use 'Oi, dickhead!'

Please don't mock the names of towns or places, they are often the names from the traditional custodians and inhabitants.

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

Random things:

We drive on the left side of the road, driver's side reversed.

More of our cars are automatic than manual. Utes aren't atypical, but bigger vehicles are out in rural areas because more than a few of the rural roads are poorly maintained or dirt, with potholes that yoyo your soul into your body.

If you have a character on a long drive on a non-highway, or rural road: +if you are on a one-lane road and someone is comingthe other way, you both move half-on, half-off; for big vehicles or trucks, you can choose to pull off completely and stop. Just for safety, esp. in rain, fog, mist or late at night. +at one-lane bridges, you have a give way sign on one side. if you want your characters to have a moment of 'pause to look at each other while driving' or 'a quiet moment of reflection', have them wait for another car or truck to pass from the other side. These can be a few metres long, to like, a really long bridge. +They may pass markers that say 'flood level marker' with numbers of 2, 3 or 5 metres. Could be useful to remark on if your fic needs a reason for them to have a crisis. +Bushfire warning signs (from Low to Catastrophic) are frequent +Animal Crossing signs are very frequent, and often have a wildlife rescue number on them +Water restriction signs are in most small towns, they range from levels 1 to 6. This can change what the characters are allowed to do with water in little towns, etc. +You may occasionally find a small servo and one or two houses. +pubs don't open/won't serve alcohol until after 10am. the joke has always been, 'beer on your cornflakes' but you will never be able to actually get that unless you preplanned the night before in your hotel room. +Around dawn and dusk, a lot of animals like hares, kangaroos, wallabies, sometimes echidnas and koalas and little numbat things, and snakes and bushmice will be close to the road. Sometimes dashing across. They do not react logically to cars approaching, and will leap out at random. Hares do this zigzag nonsense. If you need the character to hit the brakes frantically, or swerve, this is a good reason. If you are ever driving here and see an animal on the side of the road, flip lights to low beam, slow down and watch to see how they react. If you can. If there's a truck blaring down on you, you may not be able to.

+Emus are in more rural areas. Echidnas sometimes appear on fringes of towns though.

+Kookaburras are a lovely creature, I have rescued a few and they are nice... but their laugh is very grating when it goes off super early in the morning. They eat snakes (good) and baby birds (not so good).

+Lots of snakes round here. LOTS. Carpet Snakes are pretty common, red-belly black snakes, eastern brown (big danger!!!), whip snakes have declined in my region, keelback snakes, this one black and white banded one we found deceased, etc. Snakes can climb, snakes can SWIM. Putting something that stinks around a campsite MAY help, but not always.

+Never go swimming in a dam you don't own, and that hasn't been checked, and if no one knows where you are. How deep is it? What's on the bottom? How stirred is the water? etc.

+Kangaroos CAN drown you. They have perfected this attack, and will do it to humans, dogs and other pursuers alike. They can also eviscerate you with their hind paws or shatter your ribs with a kick. The 'boxing' they do is exceptionally violent. This seems to surprise people, but like, giraffes can kill each other by slamming their heads into each other, you think a 7 ft swole motherfucking cryptid can't do harm? They can be lovely tho, if they trust you. But DO NOT GO PETTING WILDLIFE.

+Dropbears, austrilanicus vericanthus bitus, are real. We do make jokes about them, but they are a Problem. The pee on yourself thing won't ward them off, that's more about working out which tourists are the most gullible (and if they run with it, the moistest) lmao. Akubras and other thicker-layered headwear,

+We have wild dogs and feral pigs. Do not fuck with the feral pigs, some are HUGE, and no... they're not just pigs who escaped farms, these are MASSIVE motherfuckers who will Get You if they See You. Rustling in the night outside the tent? Good Luck.

+Koalas should not be picked up directly. They have claws, and a lot of them have chamydia. I mean if a character saves one in a fic that's fine I guess, but like... someone's getting antibiotics after that lmao. They are bigger than you think, dumber than you think, and sometimes they have to be chased across a highway with a windscreen cover bc they're not very bright and keep failing to climb metal fences, lmaoooo

+Towns of about 20-30k will have more shops (some franchise, some local owned), servos, fast food places and usually at least two to three shopping centres. Usually small level entertainments like a cinema, or local groups. +Towns with 10-20k, may have one or two major shopping centres, servos (tracks and RVs catered to), possibly a maccas, and the majority of stores will be local-owned. May have a cinema, but not one that has the newest releases. Local council may have more festivals, or 'that one thing they're known for'. +0-10k towns have a small local store, prices usually a bit higher. A servo, often with capacity for trucks. Local festivals. Characters can cop a bit of side-eye in these places, esp. if they don't fit the traditional ideas or are loud/violently american. +Grey nomads are a thing. Old people with fancy caravans who drive So Slow, and move all around aus. Several refused to stop during covid and it was like, WHO DO YOU THNK WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP ALIVE BY STOPPING YOU MOVING THROUGH MULTIPLE TOWNS???

+Some rural areas have legit red dirt, its always super cool to look at. Some places have light brown to dark brown, some have more chalky colours or yellowish dirt. Depends.

+Reminder: Australia has very specific gun laws, if your character/s have weapons then they may need to be sneaky or store them specifically in the vehicle. Although if you're talking about like, mad max type rules, then who cares. But if you have them get into a gun fight in a town, the police will come, etc.

Dunno, just ask if you have a question... just trying to think of random things to paint a picture if you have a character over here for a roadtrip or mission or whatever.

[zambie-trashart]

Land of the Free and Home of the Wayne pt 10

masterlist 

ao3 whole story

Summary: Alya figures out that Lila is a liar and Lila sets out a personal attack at Jon to weaken her opponents.

Marinette sat on her bed looking up at the ceiling wondering how she had gotten herself into this mess and what she did to deserve everything that was happening to her. Lila was becoming more powerful, Damian was becoming more intriguing, and this trip was becoming a disaster. There was no way that she would make it to the end of the trip, she had to find a way to get home, there was no other option. She heard a knock on her door and opened it to see Alya standing there nervously wringing her wrists. Marinette tried to close the door but Alya put a hand out trying to stop it.

"I know the truth, you were right," Alya said, making Marinette freeze and Alya slipped inside the room.

"You'd have to be more specific, I'm right about 99.9% of the time," Marinette said sitting back down on her bed.

"About everything with Lila, she doesn't know the prince, she never saved Jagged's cat cause he doesn't have one and never did, she isn't dating Damian Wayne cause I just saw them threaten her down the hallway, everything she said sounded ridiculous but it sounded cool. I shouldn't have wanted to be friends with a liar like that and I'm sorry. I just hope that you can try to forgive me," Alya said sitting at the foot of her bed and Marinette sighed.

"Could I just have some time? I need to think," Marinette said and Alya got up and left the room. If Alya knew about the lies then what's to say that the rest of the class wouldn't turn on her too? Alya would be an outcast but a well-resourced outcast. Marinette's thoughts were interrupted by another knock on the door. She got up and flung the door open. "What?" she asked before really looking at who was there and seeing Jon's shocked face and wide eyes made her immediately apologize.

"No, no it's fine Marinette, how are things?" Jon asked, walking in awkwardly.

"Fine," Marinette said just as awkward.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush, I know that you're the pen pal that won the contest raffle thing to get here and I'm so happy that it's you and not one of the other girls who think that they would go on some romantic double date with Lila and Damian who aren't really a couple, in fact, Damian kind of hates Lila... a lot," Jon rambled and Marinette just smiled at him.

"Makes sense that it would be you, you are a friend of the Waynes," Marinette said, smiling slightly at him.

"Glad we got that out there, but that also means that I know how long Lila's been bullying you and as much as I hate to end the fun that Damian, Mar'i, and I have been having, I think we should at least tell Bruce or Dick cause they could put an end to it," Jon said and Marinette sighed before straightening up.

"What do you mean by fun?" Marinette asked, wondering what he was up to.

"Just some pranking and threatening, it's not that abnormal in this house," Jon said and Marinette got up and opened her door going to walk out of her room but Lila was standing there and Jon was rushing over to Marinette's side in an instant.

"Wow, I should have known that you were faking being gay, what was it, just a phase or something? I can't believe it was a brat like her who finally made you realize that you were faking your pathetic excuse of homosexuality. At least now you won't have to burn in hell," Lila said flipping her hair and walking away.

Jon stared after her eyes wide, not breathing. It was a hard hit but not an unfamiliar hit either. Girls had tried to ask him out all the time wondering when he might get over his "homosexual phase" and started showing more and more skin. His friend Kathy was the only one who understood what he was going through since she was a closet lesbian in a relationship with another closeted girl in the school. The words just a phase stung.

Marinette started shaking her friend as he blinked fast trying to will tears away. "Jon?" Marinette asked, cupping his face to look into his eyes.

"I have to go," Jon said, running out of the room and to the living room with the entrance to the batcave. Surprisingly everyone was in there but Bruce. Jon started crying and Dick and Kory rushed over to him as he collapsed in their arms and they led him over to the couch.

"You're not really gay, just give me one night and I can prove it," a girl that Jon had never seen before came up to him.

"Yeah, not really interested plus I'm like thirteen," Jon said trying to push her away without hurting her.

"Really, you look so much older," the girl said getting even closer into his personal space. "Are you sure that one night couldn't hurt you?" Jon now knew who this girl was, she was the senior that hooked up with everyone in the school. Jon pushed her back and watched as she drunkenly fell to the floor.

Jon looked up into Jason’s eyes as he yelled trying to get his attention. “What the fuck did this bitch do to you?” Jason asked and Damian sighed.

“There’s no way that she can stay here anymore,” Dick said pulling out his phone to call Bruce down to the room but Jon ran over taking it.

“What the hell kid?” Jason said pulling out his phone.

“Sh-she can’t go a-anywhere until we p-prove Marinette i-innocent,” Jon said, wiping away fresh tears.

“We could always introduce her to Clark,” Mar’i said from the corner. The bats started talking about a plan to get Clark to take Lila down a level and Jon snuck out of the room and down the hall to his favorite window sitting on the large ledge curling a leg close to his body. The stars looked especially clear and he became focused on the solar systems and planets that he had visited until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey, what are you up to?” Adrien asked standing next to him.

“Just thinking, people think that I’m just going to grow out of being gay like an old pair of shoes and start liking girls. It’s like they don’t trust my judgment,” Jon said looking back out the window chin finding its way back to his knee.

“Here, stand up,” Adrien said, offering a hand. “You will never be just some phase to me,” Adrien said lifting Jon’s chin to look in his eyes.

“Good, 'cause you aren’t either.” Adrien’s eyes widened slightly for a second before smiling down at Jon.

“Is it ok if I…” Jon pulled Adrien’s head down pressing their lips together. They stayed like that for a few seconds just feeling the other’s presence before hands shifted to hips and shoulders breathing each other in. Jon lowered his heels back down to the ground, breaking the kiss laughing slightly as Adrien tried to chase his lips downward.

“I’d say it’s pretty ok with me,” Jon said resting his head on Adrien’s shoulder holding him tight.

Mar’i peered from around the corner holding her phone to take pictures for Kagami.

Kagami: I’m surprised it took this long.

Mar’i: Only two more idiots left.

Kagami: I can not wait for our chat Sunfire.

Mar’i: Me too Kagami.

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

JPS:  @wannajointhecrabcult @loveswifi @ive-tumbled-down-a-rabbit-hole @liquid-luck-00 @mochegato@thatonecroc@mochinek0 @toodaloo-kangaroo @moonspiritwolf1 @ranger-gothamite @crystalangelluna @professionalfangirl1738

Tag list:  @abrx2002@finallyaniguana@danielslilangel@chocolateherringtacofan@animegirlweeb @fleur-de-jasmin-fdj@pawsitivelymiraculous@justcourttee@ayamestudios@greenteacz@thornalchemist23@vixen-uchiha@readeracctagmepls @tomanyfandomsinmymind @t1dwarrior-of-earth @michaelshadow7779 @i-is-mysterious

[pl-panda]

Damienette arranged marriage: part 11

I literary wrote it right after publishing the previous part. Surprise. But you will kill me again because this time this is serious cliffhanger :)

Credits: Miraculous Ladybug team for the elements I take from MLB show. DC for their characters, @ozmav for the AU, @maribat-archive for giving me access to so many different stories to have take inspirations from, @thyladyanput for idea for Chat Damian and me for the plot.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

Part 9 

Part 10

Damienette arranged marriage: part 11

NEXT

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

Instead of taking the ring he closed boy's hand around it, cupping it in his own. "No son. I told you I can't do this alone. I want... I need your help. We can bring your mother back together."

"Thank you father. Your trust means the world for me."

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

Now

Chat Noir crashed through the window right into the room where Marinette, Damian and Chloe were having a friendly conversation. He looked different. His ears and tail were real instead of accesories and instead of bell on his neck he had only a choker with word 'Marinette' written on it.

"My Purrincess! I come to save you!" He said in almost seductive tone.

"Chat Noir? What is the meaning of this?!" Chloe jumped in front of Marinette. "Do you know how expensive this windows are?! And look at you! Ridiculous. Utterly Ridiculous! What have you done to yourself?!"

"There is no Chat Noir here. I am Chat d'amour. And I came to save my Purrincess!"

Damian growled and went to grab his sword, but before he could do anything a staff hit him in the chest and pushed him into the wall. While normally the young vigilante would shrug this kind of damage off, this cat was actually strong like a lion.

"You! You stole my purrincess!" The akumatized hero purred aggressively. He walked to the Wayne heir who was trying to get from the ground but his body was still hurting. "You corrupted her. She never skipped classes before you came. Because of you she became friends with... with... With Chloe!" He finally shouted. "She is the walking Akuma factory!"

Damian spat into cat's face. Using the momentary distraction he dashed forward, ignoring the pain he felt in all his body parts and tackled him. "Run!" He shouted to the girls. Marinette was in too much shock and confusion to react, but Chloe grabbed the bluenette and dragged her out. They were already at the doors, but they couldn't open them. Chloe locked them to ensure nobody would eavesdrop on their talk. Before she managed to open them Cat's staff locked them.

"My Purrincess! I will not let them take you away!" Chat d'amour dashed forward and grabbed Marinette, only to then jump through the window and out into the city. Neither Chloe nor Damian could react in time.

Wayne wanted to leave, to call his brother, to do anything. He switched between trying to open the anti-breakin doors, calling his family, calling police and just striding around. At the same time Chloe managed to call her father and get him to send police after chat noir and already got her social media profile and all her followers to hunt for the cat. Damian just ended another unsuccessful call to his brother.

"I swear if the reason Drake's not picking up is because he is making out with Brown I will castrate him!" He got angry and kicked in the doors. Then second time. By the third time he cursed in arabic as excruciating pain filled his leg. Chloe grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him to the bed. She then looked at him expectantly. "You can't think I will touch anywhere near your bottom leg! Ridiculous! Utterly Ridiculous!"

"I don't have time for this! She is out there! With this idiot!" Another colorful string of curses left his mouth, this time a mix between French, Arabic, English, Mandarin and surprisingly Spanish.

"You are in no condition to help her lover boy and it would be best if you didn't kill yourself just doing that. The ambulance is already coming. Now since you can't move, care to explain what was that part about you and Dupain-Cheng being married?"

Damian paled. He read files of everyone in the class. Only two people who knew Mandarin were Adrien Agreste and Marinette herself. They considered it safe language as long as the blonde boy trouble was not present.

"Yes, I know Mandarin. I kept Adrikins company when he studied and he made me learn it to practice. Now spill. I'm not letting it go."

For a moment, Damian was considering letting Chloe go from the top of the hotel. It could look like an accident. He could tell them she slipped and fell through the open window. Nobody would doubt him. And everything would perfect. But he couldn't take away Marinette's last friend. As much as he disliked her, she had cathartic effect on his wife.Funny how in twenty-four hours of knowing her more closely he already accepted this fact... FOCUS WAYNE!

"I assume it would be prudent to try and dissuade you from pursuing this?"

"Spill." was her answer.

"Fine." It took him a short moment to form a plausible lie that would keep the girl off the track. "A month ago my mother kidnapped me. I recently turned fifteen which is marriage age where I grew up. I awoke tied in front of the altar with Marinette next to me."

"What! Ridiculous! That's utterly ridiculous. What mother does that to their ..." Then Chloe suddenly shut up. Her mother didn't even know her name. Maybe it was not as surprising as it should be, but she was shocked nonetheless.

"My mother is not a good person. She threatened that either we go forth with the ceremony or she will kill her."

"The two days..." Chloe put three and seven together to make a solid ten.

"tt. Yes."

"But forced marriage is illegal. And stupid. Utterly stupid. And you are both underage."

"Mother doesn't care about this things. Right now if either of us backs from the deal there will be many deaths."

"Just who the fuck is your mother?" Chloe shouted. ------------- Marinette was trying to escape the better part of the way, but Chat held her tight and if she actually succeeded, she would fall and risked serious injury. And here there would be no miracle cure to save her since there would be no next ladybug for quite some time.

Finally, they arrived at a rooftop with a picnic blanket and basket awaiting. Chat put Marinette on the ground near the wall, very carefully. "Voila!"

"Chat Noir. What in ladybug's name is this?!" She screamed at him.

"My purrincess! This is all for you! I made it. You are safe here. They will no longer corrupt you with their toxic purrsonalities. You can be all mine now!"

"What?!" the bluenette wanted to say... something, but her mind had hard time getting the idea that Chat got himself akumatized.

"They were giving you all the wrong ideas. You are not some bully. You are beautiful, smart and kind. The two of them just want to have you all for themselves.

"And you think that by doing this you saved me?!"

"Yes! And I think I earned a reward..." Chat leaned and tried to Kiss Marinette on the lips. The only thing he didn't account for was that her hands were free.

Marinette didn't hold back. She delivered a haymaker straight into Chat's nose. There was a crunching sound and the Akumatized hero stumbled back. Stream of red was going down to his lips, making them even more red. This punch would be enough to knock any normal person or probably even hero out cold, but the mixture of akuma and black cat miraculous caused the boy to just bleed profoundly.

"They turned you against me!" He screamed and pinned her hands on both sides of her head. There was madness in his eyes, amplified by akuma. "But a true love's kiss will heal you!" He slammed his bloody red lips onto her.

Marinette felt an excruciating pain in her chest. It was like her heart burned alive. She kicked Chat Noir right below the belt. He let go of her and stumbled back, this time falling onto the blanked an holding his manhood. Marinette also fell. A green light covered the general area of her heart.

——————————————————————————————————–

Taglist (sorry if I missed you)@pheonixashtree @sassakitty @unabashedbookworm @vixen-uchiha @maggiecc12 @actualdisasterwoman @tired-butterfly @shizukiryuu @floralfi @imanerddealwith @northernbluetongue @krispydefendorpolice @toodaloo-kangaroo @dast218 @bluesoulblueheart @theatreandcomicfreak @disneyfoxuniverse @mindfulmagics @alwaysnumberonetruth @nyaabinch @jardimazul @lenamau @rosep16 @dramatic-squirrel @sonif50 @daminett4life @lulutheawkwardess @weird-pale-blonde-person @mooshoon @jeminiikrystal @mochegato @moonlightstar64 @dragonflyswing @silverwhiteraven @shamefullove @magic-miraculous @valeks-princess @heaven428 @mlbchaosqueen @winter-gardenflower @spicybelladonna @emo-elaine13 @vetilora @karukofox21 @my-name-is-michell  @sturchling @lokiifriggasonn @redscarlet95 @melicmusicmagic @interobanginyourmom @the-fusionist @razzledazzle247 @miss-mysterys-blog @darkthunder1589 @i-is-mysterious @catthhay @the-one-woman-army @zestyzealot @dahjokester @write-for-your-life2 @mermaidreject @peachedpocky @sassakitty @dahjokester @crazylittlemunchkin

[stellar-imagines]

SCENARIO REQUEST: ❝swap issues.❞

[ Fandom: Boku no Hero Academia ] [ Characters: Bakugou Katsuki ]

「Bakugou and you were arguing when you’re both hit with a villain quirk that caused you to change bodies with one another. Unfortunately for you, or rather Bakugou, you’re about to get your period.」

BAKUGOU KATSUKI

An argument with Bakugou wasn't that rare. Given his temper and behavior, it was no surprise that you'd eventually get into a fight. He's pissed over something, no surprise there. You weren't sure what it was all about but seeing him all angry in the alleyway, hidden from everyone, made you wince. The loud explosion sounding off and his screams of anger. You were certain that you'd be deaf the moment you stepped into the room. This act was making him look like a bad guy and you were having none of it. As his girlfriend, you knew about him the best. He's misunderstood and actually has good intentions, it's just that he loses his temper a bit too fast.

Calming him down was like defusing a bomb. You cut off the wrong wire, then you're fucking screwed. It was just shortly after you both finished up a job. However, the two of you were in separate divisions and you had no clue to what triggered him. So you did your own research, asking a few people about what happened out there in the field. You didn't remember the full detail but hearing Midoriya's name was more than enough. The two were rivals with completely different personalities and to be honest, Bakugou always makes things a competition. The moment you approached him, he was already aware of your presence.

"Come on now, are you really that pissed?" you asked casually. Bakugou looked up, narrowing his eyes at you. He was still dressed in his hero costume, minus the gauntlets and neck brace. 

"Take a hint, dumbass. Do I look like I'm happy?" he voiced out his thoughts without thinking it through and that actually threw your off. You had expected him to click his tongue, tell you to find your own business like he normally does. You weren't sure how to respond to that.

"You're both on the same side! Instead of getting pissed over how he arrived at the scene, you should be glad that no one got hurt. What the press said about " you told him, watching as he dropped the towel and turned to glare at you.

"You don't fucking understand what it's like! Don't act like you know everything. You don't have to lie to me face about it to make me feel better." his voice was slightly raised and you could easily tell that he didn't like that you were taking this matter too lightly.

"I'm not acting like I know everything. I'm not lying to make you feel better either. I'm just telling you that—"

"Just fucking stop there, I don't want to hear you pitying me." Bakugou was pissed and it wasn't hard to tell. His voice grows louder and louder up to the point where he was going to explode. If you took the wrong step he will surely blow up. His hands were balled into tight fists, his quirk threatening to go off.

"When in the hell have I been pitying you!?"

"Shut up! Get off my back!" an explosion went off.

"You telling me to be quiet? Fine, I can't even deal with you right now." you huffed at him. It was really uncalled for. You try to help and he just blew up in your face. The two of you were oblivious to the shadow slowly approaching the two of you and kept on arguing. The silhouette was an unfamiliar one and you both noticed it when they spoke. 

"Two Pro Heroes, fighting in the middle of the day is quite amusing and that shows that you're both very careless and incompetent!" Neither of you were quick enough to avoid the blast that emitted from from the palm of the villain's hand. You were able to shield your eyes from the bright light. 

It felt odd. All you could say that it didn't hurt like you expected it too. Your muscles were tense the entire time and they relaxed when the light faded, your wrists felt heavy and your head hurt a bit. When the pain dissipated, you were in shock. In front of you was your body. You looked at your hands, which were Bakugou's and suddenly the weight on your wrists made a lot of sense. 

"What do you mean we fucking switched bodies!?" 

"Calm down, [First Name]-san—Kacchan!" Midoriya shrunk back in fear, clearly intimidated by the angry look on your face.

"Oi! Don't yell so loud, Katsuki!" you scolded your boyfriend.

"Calm down you two. Until you're both back in your own bodies, you have the day off." Aizawa who happened to be the one in charge of leading the attack came after hearing that you and Bakugou ran into the villain. Without any problem, the other heroes managed to capture the villain who was the reason behind the predicament you're in. 

As much as it annoyed the two of you, neither of you were going to be able to properly work like this. And maybe, a break was just what the two needed. The two of you needed a chance to rekindle your relationship after all. Bakugou was annoyed but he knew that yelling and complaining about it wouldn't do anything. He also didn't want to recreate the same atmosphere as the day before. It surprised you how civilised and calm your boyfriend was behaving. You both sat on the couch, the silence being your company.

"You're surprisingly calm despite being in a sucky situation." you spoke.

"Whining and complaining won't change a damn thing." he grumbled.

"I wished you realized that sooner instead of getting angry at me." you sighed out loud. It was like he was punched in the gut. It wasn't hard to tell that you were referring to what happened yesterday. You didn't want to appear petty but you just couldn't help it. His words hurt you and you were upset. You didn't want to cry over something so ridiculous. However, remembering the way he yelled at you made your heart hurt.

"Hey." he moved a bit closer to you. All that aside, hearing him talk to you in your voice just sounds so damn weird.

"I admit that I made a mistake. You don't need to start crying."

"I'm not crying or anything."

"Yeah right. Something's in your eye right?" he said. You found yourself smiling a bit as he mimicked the remark that you often used. Maybe it was because you felt happy that Bakugou actually tried to apologize. Sure he didn't state 'I'm sorry.' but it's close enough. You rubbed your eyes, relieved that you weren't tearing up.

"I know that this sucks right now but we're gonna get through this hell together." Bakugou said, leaning on you.

"Yeah, you're right. We're gonna get through it."

"That's the fucking spirit."

"Actually, there's one problem. It should be mine but now that you're well.....in my body, you're the one dealing with the problem." you rubbed the back of your neck. Bakugou rose an eyebrow, clearly not really worried like you were.

"What? Fucking perverts stalking your ass or something?"

"No.....it's nothing like that." you laughed nervously.

Bakugou had expected something really serious. Did you have some sort of injury that you had been hiding from him? A secret? Had you been circulating drugs illegally? No, you’re stupid but you’re not retarded. When he was dragged into the room and being handed a few things that looked like painkillers, heating pads and whatnot, all he could wander what the fuck are all these for. Now, he was standing in the store at the feminine hygiene aisle looking at ten different brands of sanitary pads.

"I wish I had a boyfriend like him!" Bakugou heard a girl gush. 

"He looks like he knows his shit and he’s handsome too." the other said before walking away from the aisle. It fed his ego since it was his body that the girls were checking out. You, who's in his body, was oblivious to the comments that girls were saying.

"So this one is a bit thick but overall soft and it gives you the feeling—"

"It looks the fucking same to me just buy whatever you fucking get!" Bakugou snapped, rolling his eyes.

"I guess the mood swings are in full swing." you said, trying to hold in your laughter. It was supposed to be an unintentional pun and when you realized it, you couldn't help but laugh. Bakugou let out a noise that was akin to annoyance, clearly unamused with your humour.

"All I want is the shit that can help with this pain! It feels like a persistent diarrhoea that I can't fucking get rid off!" Bakugou complained while you tossed in a few items into the basket before heading to the counter to checkout. After purchasing the items, you both headed back home. And the the entire time, Bakugou complained about the pain and the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. He lost all motivation to even move and decided that the couch was his new bed.

"How are you feeling now?" you asked.

"Like I've been hit by a bus, and kicked by a kangaroo. I just want to fucking sleep." Bakugou grumbled, hugging a pillow close to his stomach.

"You want some cuddles?"

"Are you kidding me? How are cuddles gonna make this feel better?" he questioned as he made space for you.

"Just trust me. I've done this with you so many times." A small laugh escaped your lips as you laid down with him, wrapping your arms around his body and pulling him closer.

"Fuck that actually feels so comfortable."

You smiled gently, letting your boyfriend cuddle you on the couch. The silence between you didn’t last long and much to your surprise, Bakugou broke it. He gazed up at you with a face devoid of emotion.

“I’m feeling horny.”

“Are you being serious right now?”

��Blame your period, now I’m the fucking mood. Do something about it.”

Total: 1662 words Published: 13.12.2019

Thank you for requesting! *｡٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و*｡ It’s been a month since we last posted something and that’s because we’re really busy with studies uwu I have a test tomorrow that I have NOT studied for and honestly, I’m just really bad at studying :’) Anyways, we’re sorry to make you wait so long. So, uh, funny thing, I’m actually on my period right now. Any of you experiencing KILLER CRAMPS!?  Some of my friends are lucky enough to not have cramps. ― author Hibiki/Lou

Thank you for requesting! College is killing me and I just hope it finishes me off. Lou who has 3 assignments to do over the break has no time to be typing anything. We both have Christmas break but Lou has assignments while I have reports and analysis to do. So it’s not really a break. We hope you like it and we’re so sorry to make you wait, anon. ― author Natsuki

Please do not mind the grammar mistakes and typos.

[ashesarrows]

SOLUTIONS AND OTHER PROBLEMS REVIEW: BONUS SEGMENT

This is a piece of this review that didn’t fit into GR’s character limit. I’m continuing it here instead. After you read this, you can return to continue reading the rest of the review, which follows naturally.

After the first chapter, you hit an “EXPLANATION” in which Brosh writes that there is no Chapter 4, “because sometimes things don't go like they should.” I was mixed on this—it felt like an author TRYING to do something rather than DOING something, but I do find it funny and it feels Broshian. Didn’t think much of it. I also didn’t think too hard about Brosh joking about the idea of saying “nobody knows what the fuck they’re doing, and there is no Go[d]” to a child, because it made sense in context. 

#6, The Kangaroo Pig Gets Drunk, was the first sign of something off. It’s a story entirely about how pets have no idea what’s going on or why we do the things we do to them. There’s no punch line. It’s observational humor without the humor, which makes it just... an observation. One which makes me go “yeah. so?” and keep reading while wondering why on Earth that was in there.

#10, Losing. This story opens with a fable about an orc that gets hit on the pinecone and doesn’t know why. The moral: sometimes bad things happen for no reason. Brosh meditates on how everything started to seem meaningless to her because she couldn’t explain it. This is, as she tells us, where she was at mentally when she got to The Serious Part.

This is arguably the strongest part of the book, as many other people have already said. Brosh talks about her health issues and her sister’s death and mentions her divorce. I found all of this to be, again, classic Brosh with the honesty and humor of a friend telling you about something awful they can laugh about now. She just can’t laugh about it all the time, and that’s okay too. The delicacy this story is handled with is beautiful, and it contrasts sharply the relative weakness of opening with heavy-handed fables or throwing in random made-up silly-sounding facts to try to ‘lighten’ this, again, extremely beautifully-written piece about her life. In my opinion, the best part of the entire book is when she eschews words in favor of just drawing different scenes from her life with her sister. That’s when you see Brosh’s talent: the ability to portray something more than real in her art.

Unfortunately, this story ends with an extremely sudden two-page spread about a mortality bus. It’s jarring. I can’t tell if it’s funny or connected to the story or just there.

#14, Fairness. I do want to emphasize that I’m skipping a lot because many of these stories are very good. I didn’t lie at the top—this is, by and large, a good collection, even if it’s not the same consistent perfection as <i>Hyperbole</i>. I just don’t have the space in the main GR review to really talk about how good the book is without losing space for my more pressing concerns about it. Also, there’s nothing like several normal stories in a row to lull you into a false sense of safety.

This is the point at which the nihilism comes back. There is a guy hammering shit at ungodly hours next door to Brosh, and she can’t understand what kind of a god would allow this. Fortunately, you don’t notice so much because it’s only in the middle of the story, and ultimately Brosh gets her revenge and so it is fine. 

#15, Plans. I do not have the emotional capacity to talk about this yet. We’ll do that at the end of the GR review. 

Immediately after:

Didn’t we just do this? I mean, the art is gorgeous, but didn’t we just do this, a couple of times?

#19, Fish Video. It’s a charming story about a childhood video Brosh dug up recently, wherein her two-year-old self tries to befriend a dead sardine. The potential is clear: there’s a delightful absurdity to her persistence in the face of insurmountable odds. Were this story in Hyperbole, that’s likely the angle Brosh would have taken.

As it is, the story ends without ending as Brosh tells us she found it devastatingly relatable. It’s not about the positives but the negatives of this story, and it lets you down. She stops talking when the video ends, and that’s it. There’s no point, again.

And then you get to #20, The Ugly Duckling 2, and Brosh is complaining about how the story of The Ugly Duckling prepares people for the possibility that ugly children will become beautiful but not for the possibility that they will stay ugly—which she claims is what happened to her. She rewrites the story and imagines telling it to a group of children, to be told off by a nearby adult and then irritably telling a story about a frog who goes sledding “because why not” since that’s what the children want to hear.

Sorry... what?? I mean, I’ve seen photos of Brosh. She’s a deeply average woman. There is nothing about her that anyone would say looks “ugly”. And I get that self consciousness doesn’t allow for people to realize that sometimes, and that’s fine, and the gender politics of why Brosh draws herself the way she does are fascinating, but at the end of the day, what the fuck. What is the point of this story? “Sorry kids sometimes you are ugly and you stay ugly?” NO! Holy God I am angry about this. I feel like I would be less angry if Brosh weren’t explicitly fantasizing about saying this to children en masse. And, no, she does not seem self-aware enough about how fucked up that is.

And, look, I’m no Ugly Duckling defender here, but this angle is so obviously not the solution. The solution is so obviously “physical appearance is more complex than ugly/pretty and these conventional standards are Generally Bad and you yourself are far more complex than your physical appearance,” and/or “adults who wished you would grow up to look secretly beautiful: I did that too! Turns out we should just be happy with our appearance because (see previous solution).” It just boggles my mind that Brosh would veer into such a harmful worldview and then share it with the world, particularly when teens have in fact always been a part of her fanbase!

THIS is when I realized the depths of Brosh’s current nihilism. She’s skyrocketed from “everything isn’t hopeless bullshit” right back to the beginning, and her work takes you there with her. It’s like all she wants to do is evangelize the worldview that everything is awful because nothing matters. Nihilism isn’t inherently bad; Brosh just insists that if there isn’t a meaning to everything then that must be a terrible thing that we suffer under. And at this point I recognize how badly Brosh must be suffering to perpetuate this.

#23, A Nonspecific Story About An Animal, is our third fable, and it’s transparently about Brosh. The Animal flails around as random terrible things happen to it; it can’t overcome them. And again you feel like Brosh just said this so eloquently a few stories ago, so why on Earth is she saying it poorly now?

Brosh talks about this desire to explain everything to you in Losing, and how she ultimately can’t, that it will never be explained enough. It’s not worth trying. She knows that. This story feels like a failed attempt at explanation—which, again, she predicted a few stories back. So simple to edit. It only just occurred to me that, when Brosh writes in her acknowledgements that she edited this entire book verbally, maybe that was something her publisher should have considered. Also, what the fuck? While everyone else was working on Zoom, Brosh’s publisher forced her to edit a book filled with art verbally?

The final story, #25, Friend, is another almost-story, which makes it a huge letdown as an ending. It’s anticlimactic. And it hurts more because it’s so close to being a poignant story of self-love; it just needs that final push. 

[j--meat-hook--j]

Taiyuu round 3: Villains aftermath

Zeke was sitting on the sidelines cheering on the rest of 1A when the birds went silent. 

Thinking back on it, Zeke thought there were an unreasonable amount of birds at Taiyuu.

BOOOOOM

The PE facility went up in flames.

BOOOOM

1A’s classroom collapsed into a pile of rubble.

BOOOOOMM

The Dorms were reduced to ash.

BOOOOOOOOOM

The Makeshift buildings that Laccadaisy had made, burst into dust. At the exact places Zeke felt the buzz of an unknown electronic device. 

The rest of the day was a blur. Aurora and Buckskin escorted Zeke and the other students to safety, telling them that everything would be alright. But Zeke knew better, he knew he could have stopped this. Every explosion, every pile of rubble, every gust of ash started from a Buzz, a buzz of electricity Zeke could have stopped. 

Zeke couldn’t remember how long he walked for, the only sounds being footsteps and distant explosions. The destruction of Taiyuu sparked the greatest fear Zeke had, the fear of nothing.

Rather the fear of not existing to be precise.

Oceans, Mountains, even planets, they all come and go in the mere blink of an eye. Even if we as a species manage to survive the combined threats of global warming, internal cooling, a dwindling magnetic field, asteroids, solar flares, rogue black holes. Nothing changes the fact that our sun is on a constant countdown to death. Even if we did manage to flee to distant stars they’re all equally marching towards their own annihilation. Time and events work to destroy all we have ever comprehended, the decay of all matter as we know it, the decay of all life as we know it. 

One really has to wonder what is the point of anything? Why continue? Why progress? Life even at its most advanced is still doomed to nonexistence! Why? Why go on?

And Spiders, Zeke had just finished checking the dorms for them. 

Replaying the last week in his head over and over, looking for somewhere to change. Somewhere and somehow he could have stopped the destruction of Taiyuu. Zeke especially focused on the past day when he came across something. 

Illusions can’t conduct electricity. 

“Hey Zako?” Zeke asked his much shorter friend. “What’s up Zeke?” Sako responded. “Do you really create illuzionz?”.

“Course I do.” Sako was stone faced.

“But, illuzionz don’t conduct electrizity.” Zeke was starting to doubt his feathery friend “I was wondering how long it would take.” Sako finally cracked a smile. 

“You vere lying to me thiz entire time!”

“No, no, no, no, ok yes but, please, do you know anyone elses Quirks?”

“Of courze I do! I know Amekoz, Zpellmansz yourz and Yuu’z. I’m not an idiot.”

“Ok, what’s Amekos?” “Well now I’m embarrazzed to zay.”

“C’mooonnnn. I won’t judge too badly.” “Fine, Amekoz Quirk is Human Form. Sche can take on zhe form of a Human.” “Hmm, yes, of course, of course, but here’s the question, what is she actually?” “A Kangaroo.”

“Ahem.” Sako coughed into his fist. “Yeah, you’ve figured it out. Ameko is a Kangaroo with the Human Form Quirk.” Sako confirmed.

“I knew it.”

The two went on discussing their fellow students. Just some basic stuff, Yuu is a bat, Shou is related to Spellman, Ameko and Buckskin are related, Ozen is part building, Hirakus covered in mouths. 

“So what do you think about the new girl? Take a guess at that.” Sako put forward.

“Ok, this one I know for schure. You zee sche looks just like zomeone back home in Germany. That girlz Quirk is either a Mizty or a Clone Quirk. Sche looks just like someone wis a clone Quirk back home but she’s all floaty and...” Zeke lost his train of thought.

“Misty?” Sako answered questionably

“Yez!” 

“You’re right, she reminds me of a foggy day..” 

The new familiar-looking girl tensed up and seemed to lose a bit of her cheer. She sped up her pace to distance themselves from Zeke. 

“...”

“...”

Without the lighthearted banter between the two silence, like a cancer, grew. Tired of the sound of explosions and frustrated at his own inability to act, Zeke had an idea. Heroes aren’t just about fighting villains, heroes are about keeping people safe and happy. A True Hero makes everything ok even after a disaster. 

Turning to no one in particular, Zeke decided to use his loud mouth for something useful. 

“Hakuna. Matata.”

He got some odd looks.

“Hakuna Matata, vhat a wunderbar vhrase.”

Silence.

“Hakuna Matata, ain’t no pazzing craze! It means no worriez for the rezt of your dayz.”

Yuu started to mutter along. It wasn’t much, but it was someone. 

“It’s our problem-free, philosophy. Hakuna Matata.” Koatsu, the Green Guy Zeke had previously tased, joined in and he was singing louder. Was this a challenge?

Zeke pointed far in front of him, to Wolfsboon.

“Vhy, vhen he vas a young varthog!”

A slight humming from Ameko, better than nothing. Doing his best Wolfsboon impression Zeke pulled out all the stops.

“Vhen I was a young Varthoooooog.” 

Some irritated looks from people, and a great harmony on Koatsus part. 

“He found hiz aroma lacked a Schertain appeal. He could clear the Zavannah after every meal.”

Whack.

“Shut up!”

Zeke felt a stinging pain in his cheek, recoiling from the hit. Zeke saw that is was a girl from 1A, best known for her attitude Kuta, Kata, Katou, Takamakalaksaka? Something like that. 

“Ow.” 

“Stop, he isn’t hurting anyone!” Ameko interjected.

At least Ame’s talking. 

“Vould you prefer the zilence then, cuz I don’t think anyone elze here doez.”

“Keep that mouth shut unless you want another one.” Takamakalalaparatou was stanced up and ready for a fight. 

“Kutou!” Ameko was angry. Was that possible? “You’re just making everything harder, hasn’t everyone been through enough?”

Ozen, the local giant, got between Zeke and Takamalakealatou and placed a hand on her shoulder.

‘Try getting through that building you jerk!’

“I’m a sensitive soul, though I seem thick-skinned.” A new guy continued. It was Hiraku! The Mouth Man. Takakalakamaktou attempted to lunge towards Hiraku but was stopped by Ozen’s building like body. 

“Oh for fucks sake.” A 1B girl said. Zeke had seen her around before, she reminded him of the circus. 

“And it hurt that my friends never stood.” Koatsu joined again, emboldened by Takamakahoouzous restraint.

“DOWNWIIIND!” All three sang together.

“And oh, the schame.” Zeke followed through. “He was ashamed.” Hiraku continued.

“Thought of changing my name.” Koatsu followed.

“Oh, what’s in a name.” Hiraku perked in again.

“And I got downhearted!” It was  Zekes turn. Some frowns were disappearing.

“How did you feel?” Hiraku, playing the supporting voice.

“Every time that I-” Koatsu, adding some depth.

“Pumbaa! Not in front of zhe kids!” Zeke and Hiraku sang together.

“Hakuna Matata. What a wonderful phrase.” The three joined together

Now Zoe was starting to hum along. 

“Hakuna Matata! Ain’t no passing craze.” They continued, bolstering each other along. 

“It means no worries for the rest of your days. It’s our problem-free philosophy. Hakuna Matata” The Fire, Electricity and Wind kids finished.

“Oh thank fuck.” Popi said relieved. None of the singers was satisfied. 

The Band of Merry Men all looked to each other, took a deep breath. “I can show you the Woooorld!”

“God Dammit!” Even Popi’s mind was off the destruction of Taiyuu. 

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

After who knows how long of walking and songs, the group finally reached the bus. Every student feeling the exhaustion, some feeling it way more than the others. Sako, Senshii-none and Tamashi seemingly the worst off. Spellman was in literal shambles, she just barely had the basic limbs. She assured everyone she would be ok. 

One sleepy bus ride later and the Taiyuu Team arrived at their destination, UA high. Zeke, like his other students, was whelmed by the whole thing. 

There was a general sense of alarm when Senshii-none passed out. After the routine checks on everyone, mainly Senshii-none, Taiyuu was shown “Gym Gamma” an indestructible gym meant to contain even “The Hell Class”. Had demons gone to UA?

Finally, the thing Zeke had been waiting for all year. He could finally embrace his truest self, he could finally wear that cool-ass mask he designed. And also the rest of the hero costume but whatever. The metallic mesh was cool but The Mask took the cake. 

“Get in your pairs, stay on your mats and don’t kill anyone.” Eraserhead announced to both classes. Zeke was paired up with Ningyo Mya, he’d never met her before so it’s going to be an interesting… oh, oh no. Ningyo Mya looked like a doll from a horror movie, she looks terrifying. 

“G-Good to meet you I’m Needlepoint, what’s your name?” She seemed nervous but it was better than the dead scared everyone was back in the tunnel.

“I’m Zeke, nice to meetcha.”

“No, I, I meant your hero name.” “Oh, uh, I dunno yet.”

Seems like a nice enough girl. 

“3!”

Zeke started doing a little jump on the spot. 

“2!” 

Zeke spread his arms wide.

“1!”

Zeke opened his electrosense, let everything flow in. All the lights, the wiring, the electrical sockets, the batteries in Hero Costumes, the fire alarm, the smoke detectors, the alarms and bells. 

“Begin!”

Zeke used it all, pulling as much as he could out. Rage at the villains, anger at his family, grief at the loss of Taiyuu. Anger at himself, sick of his own inaction, frustration at his laziness, hate at his cowardice. He pulled it all out.

CRAAAAASHHHHH. 

KZZZZZTTT.

Silence. 

Every light inside the gym had exploded, all the electricity inside crashing outwards like a wave of bright anger. All unfairly directed at Mya. When all of a sudden, everything stopped. He couldn’t feel the buzzes of electricity anymore. The electricity had nothing to guide it and so it harmlessly fizzled out. 

“Purple Girl, you lose.” Eraserhead pointed at Mya.

“And you! Next time I see your ass pull something like that again, you’re out.” Eraserhead then pointed at Zeke

‘This Eraserhead guy was scary.’ 

[anjuschiffer]

Amira Wayne - Chapter 17

Another chapter! Woo! And yes, I’m still going on with @biodad-bruce-month event despite being two months since it ended :D

Chapter 17: Villain (2)

WARNING: BLOOD MENTION AND DEATH IN THIS CHAPTER

-

P.Tag: @theatreandcomicfreak @damianette-is-life @toodaloo-kangaroo @elijahcrevan @vixen-uchiha @nathleigh

Tag: @we-want-mini-mini @ramos123 @bluesimani @redscarlet95 @greatcatblaze @promiswords @fantasiame @corabeth11 @anonymously-odd @alexandriamw @officiallydarkgeek @galla02006 @maleive07 

-

MASTERLIST | FIRST | PREV | AO3

Something wasn’t right and no, it didn’t take Wally having to see fog outside Amira’s bedroom to know that. 

He had been on the phone with Dick, telling him of Amira’s stress baking when the chilly afternoon became a dark, foggy evening. 

Rolls of mist covered the Parisian roads, people yelling out to each other as they stumbled to find each other. 

“Dick. I have to call you back.” Wally said as he scrambled around the room in search of his suitcase. 

To think he would need Barry’s gift so soon. 

“Back? Wally what is-“ Wally hung up when he found the comms, his eyes darting around the room until he found a box tucked under the desk labeled ‘utilities.’

Rummaging around it, he grabbed some flashlights, batteries and some goggles before heading into the Parisian street. 

He thought the fog was bad from behind the window, but now standing in...it was a nightmare. 

Amira, please...be safe...

Fishing for his phone, Wally quickly scrolled through his contacts until he found Amira’s and began to call it. 

The longer the call rang, the more Wally began to worry. 

When his call didn’t get through, he tried again, turning on the goggles, taken aback at how high tech they were. 

The perks of being rich he guessed. 

When he noticed that the night vision wouldn’t work in this situation, Wally switched over to thermal, running into the school across the street and up the stairs.

“Marinette!” Wally yelled, holding back the urge to yell out her real name. But he knew better than that. 

He knew better than to yell out Amira’s real identity.

“Marinette! Where are you?” Wally yelled out again, looking to see if anyone reacted to the name. That’s when he noticed a heat carefully walked towards the doorway of a classroom on the second floor.

“Hello?” A Parisian asked him, Wally biting his tongue. Damn it!

“Listen, do you speak English?” 

“A little.” The person said back.

“That’s fine. Do you know where Marinette is? Do you know what happened to-”

“She was akumatized!” The person bellowed back, Wally feeling his heart stop.

Amira...Amira is the akuma? She...she got akumatized...by Hawkmoth?

How? This wasn’t part of the plan she told him last night!

Snapping from his spiraling thoughts, Wally cupped his hands around his mouth.

“What caused it?” Wally asked, wondering what the hell happened to Amira that caused her to lose control of her emotions.

What caused her to snap?

“She had a little argument over a boy with her classmate. About a boy named...Jason.”

Holy shit.

“No, no, no, no.” Wally muttered to himself, digging his hands into his hair, hating the answer to his questions.

“Are you-” The person asked, Wally seeing them almost hit with the balcony in front of them.

“Stop! Don’t leave the classroom! Stay in there and wait for La-Chat Noir and the team to arrive.” Wally managed to say, his brain running through every possible situation to help him cope with the idea that Amira was somewhere out there, distorted by her emotions…

Alone..dealing with emotions she never liked lingering in for too long...walking with her baggage of pain...and guilt…

Wait...the person said she was arguing with someone who knew Jason...but how was that possible?

“-can do for you?” Wally managed to register, running up the stairs and walked into the classroom, shutting the door behind him.

“I need you to tell me what exactly happened before Marinette got akumatized and don’t you dare try to cover up any details. If you do…” Wally closed his eyes and took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn’t jinx the situation. “This akuma may become your livelihood for a very long time and not only that...this maybe be the Miraculous Team’s last fight and be Hawkmoth’s victory.”

---

Adrien held Chloe close as she continued to grip at his shirt, her body shaking violently as she muttered incoherent words. Tears ruined her makeup, her eyes bloodshot red as Chloe remained curled against Adrien’s shirt.

“Adrikins...you’re still there...right?”

“I’m still here.” Adrien assured, hugging Chloe closer to him.

“Maman and Daddy… I saw them die before my eyes. And I saw Sabrina and Mari...they..they also-”

“You don’t have to tell me.” Adrien hushed, turning to where Plagg was despite not being able to see anything but his glowing green eyes.

After Mari-Banshee caused Chloe to collapse and then disappeared from his sight, Adrien ordered Nino and Sabrina to head back to the class while he took care of Chloe.

Carefully dragging her to the locker room, Adrien began to softly talk to her, holding her hands as he tried to think of a way to lessen the effect of Banshee’s power on Chloe so that he could-

“-help her.” Cloe muttered out, Adrien feeling her hesitantly push herself away from him. “Go help her, Adrien.”

“Chloe, you aren’t-”

“But she needs more help than me Adrien.” Chloe echoed. “I know this will go away once the akuma is found, but right now...we need to do something about the akuma. Who knows how long Ladybird will get here and get rid of the akuma, but we’re here. You’re here.”

Adrien felt as Chloe untangled her hand from his. “I can’t do anything, but you can. You can help de escalate the situation and you even know who she is after. So please...help her Adrien...she’s our friend...who knows how long she can endure it…”

Adrien bit his lip, feeling Plagg settle back into Adrien’s pocket inside his jacket.

“I’ll try Chloe. I’ll try.”

Giving Chloe’s hand a squeeze, Adrien slowly makes his way back to where he last saw Marinette, holding back a scream that nestled in his throat.

“Kid. We need to hurry.” Plagg reminded him. “Because Chloe was right. We don’t know how long it will take Ladybird to find Marinette so we need all hands on-”

“I know Plagg.” Adrien cut off, digging his nails into his palms. “Plagg, claws out!”

---

Dick paced around his apartment, putting his phone to his ear as he attempted to call both Wally and Amira, only to get sent to voicemail. 

Huffing, Dick was about to call again when Tim called first. 

“Tim, can this-“

“This is urgent.”

“Tim, I’m trying to-“

“Something wrong is happening in Paris right now. Just open the link I sent you right now.”

With Tim hanging up, Dick got a message and opened it, watching a Parisian news station play on his screen. 

“Nadja Chamack. Don’t bemused, it’s just the news. As you can see, it’s currently XX:XX and yet-“ Then the camera pans to show the conditions outside. “Our once sunny December day became a foggy night, our reporters are trying to- what? An akuma?” 

The station then transitioned into a live feed of what seemed to be a figure walking within the fog. 

“This just in! Turns out that this is the result of Hawkmoths most recent akuma! So everyone who is watching, under no circumstance, do not leave the premises you are-“

Nadja went on to talk about akuma protocol when Dick notices something oddly familiar about the figure that walked within the live video. 

That bracelet on her hand…

Dick felt his heart sink to his stomach. 

Grabbing some keys and his bike, Dick began making phone calls again, hating that no one was picking up... 

Or so he thought. 

“Selina? Yes... I need a favor.”

—-

Wally slammed his fist against the teacher’s desk, hearing a few gasps escape from the students in the class. 

Damn that Lila. Can’t even face the consequences of her own actions. 

“Did you idiots seriously not think something was wrong when someone you knew was acting unusual? Even if they weren’t your friend, when someone isn’t acting like themselves, that means you should be concerned.” Silence filled the room. Wally recomposed himself. 

This was no time to lecture these idiots. Right now I have to track down both Marinette and Lila Rossi. “Does anyone know where Lila would have run off to?”

When he got nothing but silence for an answer, Wally held his composure. “Okay so no one actually knows this girl. Fine. I’ll look for her my-“

“Shouldn’t you leave this to Ladybird and her team?” The teacher spoke, Wally really wondering how dependent Parisians have become on their ‘heroes’ taking action first. 

“My best friend has been akumatized and we haven’t heard a single update about the situation from the Parisian vigilantes. My thoughts? The Miraculous Team is having trouble finding either person and if I can at least help to locate Marinette, then so be it. 

I’m not going to stand here and just depend on the vigilantes when I know I can actually do something to help.”

Walking towards the door, he stopped. “I suggest you guys find a way to deal with the mist inside this classroom. Perhaps turn the ventilation system on or something. You rather be able to see each other can keep each other company rather than not knowing what’s going on in the very room you think you’re safe in.”

With that, Wally dashed out the room, not noticing two other people walk behind him. 

—-

Lila stumbled as she ran away from the thing that was supposed to be Marinette.

That creature dressed in an ombre dress that transitioned from white to black and whose eyes haunted her was no Marinette!

That was a creature straight from tales she used to hear from the nanny that took care of long ago.

A banshee.

Lila held in a whimper as tears filled her eyes as she heard the akumatized Marinette’s hums, hums that fluctuated between her name being shrieked and soft wails. 

“Lila.” She would whisper in a hoarse voice, causing Lila to run even more. “Where are you?”

Lila turned a corner and scrambled to hide behind a dumpster, collapsing her hands over her mouth as she heard Marinette slowly make her way towards her.

Lila shut her eyes tight as she heard the hum grow louder, Lila hating that the hum kept getting louder by the second.

The hum was now right at the corner Lila had finished turning when it came to a halt.

With the foggy streets and the humming coming to a stop, Lila could hear her footsteps nice and clear, listening as her heels clicked and clacked as Marinette walked on the cobblestone street. 

Lila didn’t dare to move, she didn’t dare breath as she kept hearing those dreading footsteps. She did, however, wish she had another set of hands as a piercing shriek, in the form of her name, rang throughout the Parisian streets.

Lila didn’t know what happened next as the shriek caused her ears and head ring, her vision becoming muddled as Lila attempted to open her eyes.

She wishes she had not.

As she fluttered her eyes open, bloodshot red eyes looked back at her, a thin smile directed at her.

“Here you are.” Marinette sang in her raspy voice.

Lila felt herself begin to violently shake as Marinette helped her get up by grabbing her wrists. “You know, you didn’t have to make up all those lies to get the class to like you. They just love to throw themselves to anyone if it meant gaining a new friend. They’re just so open hearted like that.

Of course, those types of people are the type whom I’m not fond of, so I steered away from them.

Sadly, you thought lying to them was the best course of action instead of checking to see if you had to lie or not to get their adoration. I could only assume you thought this was the best course of action as it's been your main way of getting attention.

Sadly, you have to pay for your actions this time ‘round. 

Didn’t your mother teach you that every action has a consequence?”

Lila watched as Marinette let go of her hands.

“While they might forgive you for lying to them, I will not. You disparage my brother’s name and for that, you shall pay, Lila Rossi.”

She grabbed hold of Lila’s hand, Lila letting out a deathly scream as her hand went ablaze, watching as Marinette’s veil turned pitch black in color.

“Pay for your lies, for your manipulations and schemes.”

Lila felt her other hand go ablaze and soon her heart began to burn, screaming her lungs out as she watched her get swallowed by the ground.

She screamed and cried as she clawed to bring herself back up to the surface, only to feel cold hands pull her down.

“This is your punishment, Lila Rossi. Suffer like I have at the loss of my dear brother.”

The last thing Lila saw before being pulled underground was Marinette’s veil and dress turn pitch black, a vivid black she had never seen before.

Black just like the void that swallowed her, a black that was the only thing Lila could see for miles around her.

She didn’t know for how long she kept screaming, how long she was crying but she knew for quite some time as her throat grew dry. It became itchy, her eyes stinging and she started to grow cold. 

She began to walk through the darkness, not daring to stretch out her arms in fear that she may attack her once again. 

That’s when she saw him. 

Standing there, in the darkness, was a man with olive green eyes and chestnut hair staring back at her.

A man she knew...

“Papà?” She said hoarsely. 

She watched as the man looked at her with a smile, opening up his arms, welcoming her. 

With a warbling smile, Lila ran to her father, only for him to disintegrate upon her touch. 

“Papà!” Lila screeches, running after the dust. Why? Why?!

“Lila.” She heard her mother say monotonously, causing Lila to promptly shut up and stop pathetically trying to get her father back. 

She slowly turned to her side, having to look up to see her mother’s pale face. 

Was she always this tall? 

Looking at herself, Lila realized she was holding her mother's hand and standing before her father’s grave. 

She was 9 again. 

9...“You can’t keep crying mia stella. We have to keep moving, no matter what. It’s what he would have wanted us to do.”

“Yes, Mamma.” Lila complied, watching as the two walked from the grave, watching how the grave quickly got invaded by thorn covered vines with each step she took. “Bye, Papà.”

.

“Bastarda! Bastarda!” The boys chanted as they circled her, Lila covering her ears, shutting her eyes as she crouched towards the floor. 

“Smettila! [Quit it!]” Lila yelled, holding in tears as she heard the girls in her class whisper and snicker about her. 

It wasn’t her fault that her mother couldn’t afford the latest clothing, the latest car or anything new for that matter. 

If only her mother were more than just a secretary. If only her mother were someone important. 

How she hated that they were able to see through her lies. 

She could hear the laughter ringing around her, the chants of her being a bastard and bugiarda [poor] echoing in her mind. 

She watched as smeared faces of her past circled around her, laughing at her and began to sing. 

“Delilah! Delilah! Delilah the liar!”

“Shut up!” Lila screamed, but it went ignored. 

The faces continued to sing and ridicule her, Lila screaming until she couldn’t anymore. 

---

Chat looked out to the city below him, clicking his tongue when he wasn’t able to see anything below despite being at the very top of the Eiffel Tower.

Taking out his staff, Chat called Queen Bee, only to be sent directly to voicemail. He tried again, this time using their other mode of communication.

When he heard a click, Chat was about to talk when Bee beat him to it.

“I’m down Chat.’

“What?”

“I was in the area when the akuma struck. I tried to apprehend the Victim, but she got to me first. I don’t think I can...I don’t think I can fight in my condition Chat.”

Chat huffed, picking up a shriek in the distance. Narrowing his eyes, Chat started to sprint to the direction of which the shriek came from. 

“Have you heard anything from Ladybird?” Chat asked, almost crashing into someone when he got to the ground. “I tried calling her, but-”

“I didn't get anything from her…” Chat heard a shuddering of breath from the other side. “Do you think...do you think the Victim got to her?”

“Let’s hope she didn’t.” Chat said, realizing where he was. Extending his staff, he went straight to their usual training grounds, glad to be up high again. “After all, she’s the only one who can reverse all of this.

Without her, we’re screwed.”

“I know Chat...I know. But what are you going to do without me? Without her? You need allies now more than ever Chat! Without them, who knows how long it will take to defeat this Victim!”

“I’ll find a way Bee, don’t you worry. For now, rest up. We’ll win this fight, you’ll see. We won’t let Hawkmoth win, not on our watch.”

With that, Chat hung up and mumbled a ‘claws in.’

“Did we-hey! Isn’t the reason why I give you my power to-”

“Plagg, you mentioned a Master Fu before.” Adrien cut off, handing some camembert towards Plagg. “You need to take me to him. I need to-”

“I know.” Plagg said, swallowing the cheese whole. “Something tells me you might need his help for this fight.”

“Thank you, Plagg.” Adrien said, eyeing a bag of utilities nearby. He rummaged through it before finding what he needed. 

Plagg eyed the grappling hook in Adrien’s hands, wondering if he should tell him or not.

Should he? Should he tell him that Ladybird wasn’t going to come? That she was the Victim this time ‘round?

“Alright then, follow me!” Plagg said with a smile.

No, he shouldn’t tell him. Who knows what might happen if the kid would be at risk of also getting akumatized and that he couldn’t risk.

Not his kitten...not on his watch.

---

Black.

That is what Amira first saw when she barely came to her senses.

Amira felt herself walking, watching as something else took over her body.

Is this what every Victim felt like when they got akumatized by Hawkmoth?

Amira tried to move her arms, or attempted to stop herself from walking, but to no avail.

She kept walking to who knows where, hearing herself hum as she did, humming as she was looking for someone…but who?

The humming continued, Amira wondering why it resonated so much with her. 

Amira listened to the hum, closing her eyes and soaking in the melodies as the hum continued, 

---

Wally stood still as he barely made out the figures of the neatly aligned parked cars on either side of the road. Not a single person was in the street, not a single piece of paper dared to flutter within the dense fog.

Only the dim lights of the streetlights and of a few store lights allowed Wally to know where he was.

“Marinette!” He screamed, holding his breath as he strained his ears for any type of noise. When he heard nothing, he walked a few meters before standing still again and calling out for Marinette.

He kept doing his for what seemed an hour until Wally found himself right by the Seine. 

The moment he stepped onto the Pont des Arts, he heard the faintest of hums, Wally feeling the edge of his lips begin to turn upward.

“Marinette!” He yelled out, but got nothing in return.

Sprinting to the other side of the bridge, Wally was glad to hear the humming grow louder, but hated that he had yet to see Amira.

“His chirps brightened my days

Talks that would last for hours

My jay, my jay.”

“Amira!” Wally yelled, his head swinging from side to side in hopes of seeing her, but nothing. 

The quiet Parisian street taunted him, the rolling fog egging him to follow the only clue he had of tracking Amira. 

“One day after you left

For you I did wait

Another gentle night like no other.”

Wally quickly began to follow the song, hating that no type of heat was registering through the goggles.  

“I awaited for your arrival

But a visit I did not get

As I approached the window

I saw you there...

There you were.”

Wally felt like he was running towards nowhere, seeing as he had been running in the same direction for a while. 

“On the ground

Your blue feathers now dyed red

Your flight towards me

Was a flight towards another place.”

Just where the hell was he?!

“Goodbye my Jay...goodbye.” 

As those last words were said, the fog started to lift up a bit, Wally turning to see Amira staring back at him through her black veil. 

Her eyes were a dull emerald, her hair long and straight just like it was when they were younger. She wore a black lace dress that seemed to sparkle under the dim Parisian streetlights. 

“Wally. You’re alright.” Amira said, walking up to him, stroking his cheek with the back of her hand. He felt his breath hitch. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

I’m more worried about you.

“I’m fine.” Wally tried to hold her hand when she pulled it away.

“That’s good.” Her hand returning to her side, averting her gaze from him and biting her lip. “What about Chloe? Is she doing alright? I didn’t mean to hurt her like that.”

Wally gulped. She had used her power on Chloe? 

Were those tear trails running down her face?

“She’s doing alright. She’s still under your power, but she isn’t as in much pain as she was before.” Wally lied, holding her wrists in his hands, ignoring the pain her got from placing pressure over her bracelet.  

So it’s her hands he has to be wary of…more specifically, her palms.

“What about the rest of my team? Do they know where I am?” Amira asked him, Wally biting the side of his cheek.

“I think one of them might know where you are. As for the rest, I do not know.”

“I see.” Amira said, looking back at Wally, turning away from him.

“Where are you going?” Wally asked her, watching as her veil flared out a bit. He watched as a grin emerged from her once stoic face.

“I’m going to go check on Lila. You should’ve seen the look on her face as she succumbed to my punishment.”

“Amira, what have you done?” Wally almost growled out, noticing the small rips on her dress, how it seemed to merge with the shadows.

“She got the punishment she deserved. Right about now, she should be screeching her heart out.”

“How...how could you do something like that Amira?” Wally yelled, tightening his grasp on her wrists. “Vengeance isn’t the way to-”

“This was the only way to make her pay for trying to use Jason’s name for her own personal gain! Every action has a consequence, whether it be a good one or a bad one.”

“Amira, can’t you see-”

“If you are here to stop me, then don’t. I already made up my mind.” Amira tried to jerk her hands from Wally’s grasp, but couldn’t. He wouldn’t let her escape, not when she was right in front of him.

“Amira, please! Think-”

“I have. And this,” she lifted her arm ever so slightly, the corners of her mouth curving upwards as her palms hovered over Wally’s wrists. “This is my answer.”

WARNING: BLOOD AND DEATH AHEAD

Placing her palms on Wally, Wally screamed in agony as he collapsed to the floor, his hands grasping on his shirt, his knuckles turning white as his head and chest began to ring in pain.

Wally watched as his vision flickered between seeing Amira walking away from him in her black dress and her yelling out his name as she was being pulled away from him.

Wally watches as she tries to crawl back at him, as she claws at the ground as she’s being pulled away by purple miasma. 

Her nails are scratched, her skin peeling off her fingers as she tries to hold onto loose cobblestones on the ground.

She screams for him, her tears merging with the blood that trailed from her head, mixing with the dirt on her face.

Cuts, both new and old were scattered, dried blood seeping from her mouth.

She manages to get up before she’s thrown back to the floor, a scream escaping from her.

“Amira!” Wally yells, trying to reach for her as he feels tears slip from his eyes. He watches as Amira stares at him one last time before her head limps forward, her hair draping over her face.

Wally feels himself stop breathing, raising his head as he sees Joker above her. 

Why? Why were they back at Gotham?

His eyes register the crowbar in his hand, covered in blood...Amira’s blood...

Blood that dripped from the same hands that killed his friend, the same feral clown that looked down at him with his feral smile and crooked yellow teeth.

Wally let out a scream as he watched Joker walk away, leaving Amira’s corpse on the floor.

Managing to find the strength to get up, Wally ran next to Amira’s limp body, only for it to turn into mist upon lifting it.

Wally watched as the illusion merged with the mist around him, the mist slipping through his fingers as he watched his surroundings return him to the present...to Paris..

“Illusions…” Wally said, finding himself laughing as he ran one hand through his hair while the other pulled at it, feeling himself still shaking...

This is exactly why he wasn’t very fond of magic...

END

---

Nino jumped when he felt a hand on him, feeling his racing heart relax upon seeing Master Fu.

After having left the classroom when the mystery guy had run out, Nino tried to look for Ladybird, hoping to once again help his friend. But he had been running for hours, not seeing a single person at all as he searched for the Miraculous Team or Banshee.

“Master Fu, what are you-”

“You know clearly why I am here.” Fu said, slipping off the Turtle from his hand, Nino stretching out his hand towards him. “Ladybird and Queen Bee are down for this match, leaving Chat on his own.”

Nino couldn’t believe that. Chat...was on his own? Ladybird and Queen Bee...were out of commission? How?

Placing the bracelet into Nino’s hand, Master Fu closed it and looked at Nino. “Now go.”

“But Master Fu! How are-”

“The two of you are not alone.” Master Fu clarified. “Gris is to join you alongside a new ally. With you four, you must do what it takes to defeat this akuma. If not,” Master Fu lowered his gaze. “Hawkmoth might just get his hands on several miraculous tonight.”

Nino gulped, feeling unspeakable pressure pushing down on him. 

Looking down at the bracelet, Nino furrowed his brows, slipping it on. Wayzz appeared before him, smiling at him.

“Don’t worry Master Fu. I will do what it takes to protect my team, the miraculous and the people of Paris! I will not let Hawkmoth win! Wayzz, shell on!”

---

Chat’s ears twitched when he heard a thud from behind him, turning to see Carapace walking towards him.

“About time you came.” Chat said, greeting Carapace. Gris waved at the turtle hero who returned the gesture.

“Master Fu mentioned having a new member. So, where are they?”

“A new user?” Gris asked, wondering why she didn’t get the memo.

“I would like to introduce you two to our newest member.” 

The three turned to where Chat gestured, watching as a person with golden horns emerged from the doorway that led to their training grounds on the Montparnasse Tower. 

“Hello everyone. My name is Ryuuko, wielder of the Dragon miraculous. I hope to be of some help.”

“Woah, she has a whole katana by her side! Is that allowed?” Carapace asked, stretching to see the black sheath that held the katana.

“Carapace. Focus.” Chat stern said. “It’s our job to deal with this akuma as soon as possible. As you know, Queen Bee is down and Ladybird might be due to her absence. 

For this to be a success, Ryuuko, you are in charge of finding a way to lift up this fog to help with the search. Gris, multiply and scatter yourself around the city for any hints of where the akuma might be.” 

“Got it.” “Roger that!” Ryuuko and Gris said, jumping off to complete their tasks.

“What about us?” Carapace asked.

“I want you to look for Lila Rossi. She’s who the akuma is after.”

“Right. But what about you?”

“I’ll keep searching around this area. Something tells me to stay put.” Chat said. 

He watched as Carapace nodded, leaving him by himself.

Chat looked out towards the city, wondering if he was up to the job, if he was able to shine a candle to Ladybird, now that she was nowhere to be found. Would he be able to save Chloe? Marinette?

Sighing, Chat looked up to the sky, shutting his eyes firmly.

“What should I do, what should I do...Mom?”

NEXT

[parentingtheoryandpractice]

One week of Maya

Maya has been outside my body for an entire week! I know these early days go so fast, and I really want to remember how it all is, so I’m going to attempt to write weekly summaries with my old categories. I don’t know how consistent I’ll be, but it seems worth trying anyway.

Sleeping

Mats is still very much a sleepy newborn. The first few days, before my milk was in, she wasn’t sleeping very long stretches, presumably because she needed to fill up her tiny stomach with colostrum very frequently.

Now, she is often sleeping for hours at a time! And often she’ll get up to potty, nurse some mostly while sleeping and then settle right back in for another long sleep. It feels pretty special when she’s awake for a while, and I try to either let the kids play with her or FaceTime family members.

Oh, and sometimes she’ll stay asleep for a while even without someone touching her if she’s in the right phase of sleep, but she’s been doing almost all her sleeping snuggled up to me or in the wrap. She’s much more stable that way.

Nights haven’t been bad. I assume she has barely any circadian rhythm at this age, but so far she hasn’t had any long stretches of wakefulness at night that I can remember, which is very convenient!

All of my nighttime impressions are a little vague, since my policy is to mostly avoid looking at the clock much.

She nurses lots at night, which barely feels like an imposition at all, since I don’t have to move much to it, and I can usually sleep while she nurses it I’m tired enough. She still pees a bunch at night, which is a little trickier. If I’m feeling awake or she seems to be grunting insistently, I’ll take her to potty in the sink. That happens maybe twice a night? But she’s been peeing in her diaper at least a few times a night too, and then I just reach over and change it. I do have to move for that, but I don’t have to get out of bed, so it’s not so bad.

Maybe the first night or two I’ve asked Will for help at night—I already forgot—but since then I’ve been fine managing her in my own, which is good for the family system, since Will is the one who has been staying up later with the other kids.

Probably the big thing here is that I’m pretty well-rested :-). I’ve napped with Maya at least a little most days, but I think I’m sleeping a little better with a newborn than I did for a lot of pregnancy. Once things get back to normal and I can’t lie around with Maya all day, it will probably get harder to stay rested, but so far so good.

Oh, and Maya and I are still in the bed in the other room. I do want us to move back in with everyone else before too long, but I’m not sure when we should do that. One issue is that the kids move around and end up taking up all the bed space. Another issue is that I don’t want to wake them up when I get up in the middle of the night. Something to figure out...

Eating

Maya is a great nurser! She even nursed a little before I delivered the placenta. I assume this is notable because I remember a nurse being skeptical about me trying to get her to latch at that point.

Her weight gain has been good, her early poops were more transitional than fully meconium, my milk came in pretty fast, and she kept up with it enough that I basically didn’t get engorged. There was briefly some tenderness around two ducts on the left side for a day or so, but I tried to angle her to drain them and it seems to have resolved.

She nurses a lot, as I would expect, and it wouldn’t make much sense to me to talk about it happening any particular number of times a day because it happens so much—sometimes briefly and sometimes for a very long stretch.

Early on, I found myself pulling her lower lip down a little to adjust her latch, but now she’s mostly getting there on her own.

Oh, and we had side-lying nursing down from the very first night, which has been sooooo good. I remember taking a little while to figure that one out with Lydia.

Oh, and she spits up a little sometimes. But pretty tiny amounts. Typically maybe about a teaspoon or so?

EC

EC is going pretty well! Everything was pretty hit or miss (mostly miss) the first couple of days, and I lost track of my top hat potty somehow, which was one of my plans for the early part, which didn’t help. Also, things are just changing so fast before the milk is in.

But then the past few days we’ve had a ton of success with poops and a little success with pee. With poop, Maya seems to get it! The current situation is that she will grunt a bunch before she has to poop in a way that’s really obvious. And we have some lead time before we get her to the sink. And then once she is there and in position she grunts a bunch in ways that make it obvious that she is purposefully trying to poop. Sometimes it comes out all at once, and sometimes it comes out in stages.

Having a handle on poop is very nice because it means I barely have to do any of the thing where I clean her off when she is truly messy—no one’s favorite activity.

Currently Maya seems more clueless about pee. Part of the issue is that she is still peeing a bunch while she is asleep. She will squirm around first in a way that I can often recognize, but there isn’t a ton of lead time, and she doesn’t usually fully wake up before it happens. Sometimes when I see her signaling in her sleep I’ll take her, and sometimes I just wait until she has peed and change her right away. And sometimes when I take her she doesn’t pee. It hasn’t yet clicked with her to pee on purpose when I potty her. So I have to time it just right. Or sometimes she pees when she is pooping. When she is having a wakeful stretch I’ve had better luck noticing her signals and getting her there in time.

I do sometimes take her after a miss, but not usually if she pees in her sleep and then goes back to sleep. And when I do take her after a miss, there isn’t usually more, so it’s not very motivating.

I tend to assume that if I keep doing exactly the same thing I’m doing, the pee thing will click for her pretty soon. I just reread an early Lydia EC update and I report the same thing, where poop clicked very early and pee followed sometime after in the first month.

Babywearing

This was one of my categories with the other kids, so I’m sticking with it for now, but it feels almost silly to have it as a separate thing. Babywearing is so central to my parenting and has been so very useful!

I got out the Wrapsody hybrid for the newborn days, and that’s been great—Will and I have both used it a lot. Will asked if we had any ring slings around, since he likes then when the babies are stilllight, so I got one of those out too. Neither of has used it yet, but I expect to.

So far I’ve liked my Didymos purple facette wrap because it is thin, and a size 3 Pavo I have for kangaroo carry. I’m pleasantly surprised that I’m better and faster at kangaroo than I had remembered!

I haven’t done any back carries yet. I think it would feel safe, but I haven’t felt like I needed them. Plus, I don’t love it when my babies fall asleep on my back, since then it’s harder for me to sit down while still wearing them, and Maya goes to sleep fairly often at this point.

I expect to do a ton more babywearing as I transition more to taking care of all the kids at once.

Motor Skills

As I said above, Maya is excellent at side-lying nursing, which is her most useful motor skill for now.

I’ve been giving her some tummy time when she’s in a good mood for the past few days, and she seems to like that well enough. She does the thing I think of as “practicing crawling”, and is quite good at it! She gets her bottom up in the air by pushing her feet, but doesn’t lift up her arms much at all. She moves much better without her diaper and on a harder surface (bath mat or towel on the ground instead of on a mattress).

Head control is definitely progressing.

She doesn’t seem super inclined to stand when I put her on her feet, and mostly just bends her knees instead. Sometimes she will push up though.

Personality

Maya seems like a pretty chill baby! She squawks when something is wrong—not a slow ramp up—but so far she doesn’t really work herself up in a way that then requires much effort to soothe.

She furrows her brow a fair amount, though not as much as I remember Lydia doing!

She also doesn’t strike me as super active. Sometimes when I put her on the bath mat to have tummy time she just lies there for a while before trying to move.

Siblings

Maya is pretty tolerant of Lydia and Zeke touching and trying to hold her <3. Lydia definitely wishes there were more hours in the day for her to interact with Maya, and soon there will be! This week I’ve been mostly holed up with just the baby, but now that I’ve substantially physically recovered I’ll be spending more time with the older kids too.

Dogs

The dogs are very interested in Maya, Argos more than Krypto. In addition to sniffing her a lot, he seems to want to lick her and clean her off, as dogs do with their puppies. Argos has also expressed a lot of interest in my (comparatively) empty belly. I assume he’s trying to figure out what happened to it!

Me

The first few days were hard because of afterpains, pain from stitches, overall soreness, and probably some latent exhaustion.

But physically I feel pretty great now! And emotionally I’ve felt pretty great ever since I pushed Maya out. Definitely tender and extra emotional sometimes, but not in a way that I have minded.

I really love having a newborn, I feel like I know how to take good care of her, and it’s much more visceral now that I’m on my third just how short the newborn stage really is. I like older babies too! But I’m currently in no rush to get to any future stages.

It felt quite luxurious to lie around in bed for a week, but I was also definitely starting to get antsy, so it feels right to be doing more now.

[jadewing-realms]

“I know you do.”

OKAY so. This is technically a transition from Fictober to Kacchako Bittersweet Week. I’ll be kinda consolidating the KBSW prompts with the Fictober ones to make things interesting. I’m still technically writing within this same crossover universe just to keep things simpler, though, so while I’ll just be focusing on Kacchako till the end of the week, there will also be references to the rest of this alternate universe, just so I stay in the same headspace. TuT

Now enjoy some angsty Bakugou! 

~P.J.

What the actual living f*** is Katsuki even doing here?

Last year, he and everybody else in 2-A had been in crisis mode. It was the year of this S*** Hits the Fan, when it seemed like everything that could go wrong did. And now… now they’re just fine with it? They’re just moving on? Uchiha Sasuke screwed them all over, but he’s back now so obviously that’s supposed to be fine. Jurou’s still in prison, thank everything, and that shark dude’s in the wind and hasn’t been heard from for months. And this guy… this man standing right in front of him messed up Katsuki’s head so bad, his mom sent him to therapy. An actual shrink. Post-traumatic stress or whatever. He still has nightmares about fingers tearing his ribs from his body one by one.

It’s hard not to flinch now whenever Izanami—no… whenever Uchiha Itachi’s hands come too close. Even if on a conscious level, Katsuki understands this is just a lesson.

He’s starting to get comfortable in the Uchihas’ backyard, though. Slowly. It’s fenced in, private, decently green, is great for hosting BBQ picnics in the summer… everything you’d expect from a quaint suburban home. It’s become a regular hangout at this point, every Thursday evening. It just so happens to be housing an ex-murderer though. That’s all.

An ex-murderer who’s committed to teaching a handful of high school kids how he became one of the most feared assassins in the country.

Katsuki swears, if anybody reports this and they all get pounded, he’s going to enact double the pain on whoever blabbed, because he wants to milk this opportunity for everything it’s worth, no matter his mental problems. Once he’s done here, he’ll be f***ing unstoppable. It’s exactly what he needs. If he can combine sick skills like Izanami’s—urgh, like Itachi’s—with his already-exceptional battle prowess… h***, he’ll be the greatest beast to ever graduate from their school.

He could take on the world and nothing could stop him.

His right arm twists forward, a foot sweeps behind his ankle, and quite suddenly, he’s sprawled on his back in the grass, bones aching from the impact.

Merciless b*****d.

Said b*****d is now poised over him, a knee on his diaphragm and hand over his jugular, pinning him with a weight no one would expect from the man’s stature. The guy’s a twig—doesn’t help he was apparently sick for years and then comatose for like, two weeks at some point—but Katsuki knows if he tries to move, that lithe frame will coil around him like a boa and either lock a limb, threatening to break it, or suffocate him. Neither is an appealing option.

So with a curse muttered through clenched teeth, Katsuki taps out. Regrettably. For the seventh time.

Itachi—ugh, it’s weird to think of using the guy’s first name, but it becomes a bit difficult when there are two Uchihas around to keep track of—doesn’t linger longer than he has to. With an air of professional grace, he removes himself from Katsuki’s person and takes three steps back, giving him more than plenty of breathing room to recover himself. Katsuki slowly sits up with a groan, rolling his shoulders, which are sore from all the times they’ve been slammed into the unforgiving ground.

At least he hasn’t left a crater like Kirishima.

The others all gave up after three or four attempts. Apparently they’d had enough for today. Humiliation is a part of this training though, of course, so giving up now just means more of it next week. Katsuki would prefer to get it all over with as soon as possible. The more he suffers now, the faster he’ll improve.

Still. There’s an atmosphere of quiet excitement radiating from where the rest his peers are gathered, just across the lawn. His gaze sweeps past the well-tended flower beds and minimalistic black railing, and to his embarrassment, they zero in on Uraraka first. She, Iida, and Deku have taken up various displays of Lazy over on the porch, where some outdoor furniture and extra lawn chairs are set up around a short table. She’s claimed the sofa for herself, sprawled out like a slob. A few feet away, Kaminari and Sero are ogling the grill over Ms. Uchiha’s shoulders while Sasuke tries to bully them away. Kirishima, Ashido, Big Lips, and Kangaroo seem to be helping Beauty Mark (he thought he heard something about her being an old Uchiha family friend?) hand out lemonade.

So domestic. It almost makes him wanna gag. But his gaze catches once more on that nut-brown bob and lingers a bit longer than it should, and despite still looking a bit flushed from the exercise, she’s practically f***ing glowing. She laughs at something somebody says, something he’s not paying attention to. The stab of jealousy is murdered by her grin before it can even take root, and before he knows it, he’s smiling a little.

Okay. So he may or may not have a different reason altogether for sticking to these humiliating lessons.

He can’t pinpoint when it started. Maybe it was the beginning of third year? No, maybe last year, when everything was going down and Deku was losing his s*** and she was the only person aside from Kirishima to ask what was wrong when seeing Jurou’s stupid mugshot on TV had made him uncharacteristically silent. She’s now among the three who know why he knows the real name of the Villain known to everyone else as Muscular. So yeah, maybe that’s it…

No… no, it was before that. If he’s honest, he can probably trace the beginnings of his respect and admiration for her all the way back to their first sports festival. When the fire in her eyes had harmonized with his, and she’d almost turned him into Swiss cheese with a hair-raising, mind-f***ing meteor shower of her own making. When she’d pushed herself to her limits, just to nearly push him to his in return. Just remembering it makes the back of his neck feel hot, the hair raise on his forearms.

G**, he’s such a sap. He needs to get a grip.

She made it abundantly clear last year that his little crush is not mutual. Just before she started dating that d*** nerd…

“You wanna know why, Bakugou? Because you think you deserve to get whatever you want. Including me. And I’m telling you no.”

Suddenly, somebody’s sitting beside him in the shade. He almost jumps, especially as he glimpses the face framed between long raven hair.

Iza— no, Itachi.

Swallowing the instinctive fear, Katsuki forces himself to look the man square in the face. After all, he’d just helped himself to Katsuki’s company. And Katsuki’s not about to give in to the wariness that shivers its way up his spin, just having the infamous ex-Villain so close. For a split second, he swears the man’s eyes are glowing, red as blood, but then he blinks and its gone. Katsuki darts his gaze over the small brace on Itachi’s ankle—the government-issued Quirk inhibitor—and makes his relief as subtle as possible. He keeps forgetting that thing’s there, specifically to make sure this powerful criminal doesn’t have an off day and decide to revert back to full-blow Psychopath.

Then Katsuki realizes he’s been looking long enough for it to classify as staring, and he tears his eyes away. Back to the crowd of classmates on the porch. Kirishima’s hoisted Kaminari over his shoulder and started parading him away from the grill, much to the blond’s discomfort, Sero’s amusement, and Sasuke’s relief. Ms. Uchiha just smiles, an understated and gentle expression—she looks startlingly like her eldest that way.

Her eldest, who still hasn’t said a word since he took a seat beside Katsuki. Katsuki glances at him, sidelong this time so as not to be obvious.

Despite his subtlety, Itachi turns without hesitation to meet his gaze and something in Katsuki’s chest hiccups, his brain fully prepared for those coal-colored eyes to light up at any moment. Adrenaline makes his palms heat. And yet, Itachi does nothing. Just looks. And smiles a little, like his mother.

Holy s***, he really, really looks like his mother. It’s the weirdest thing and Katsuki really has no idea what to do with this comparison. It freaks him out.

“You’re doing well,” Itachi says and this time, Katsuki really does jump. He wasn’t expecting the guy to actually speak. “You have keen instincts. Keep working on refining your execution, and your overall performance will increase exponentially.”

Katsuki scoffs. “If I was really ‘doing well,’ I wouldn’t be ending up on the ground all the time, now would I?”

No, his continuous string of defeats is just a testament to his weakness. He finds himself eyeing Uraraka once more, the way she beams at that f***ing nerd, and he has to look away again. She just reminds him of his greatest defeat…

“How you get somewhere is just as important as the destination itself,” Itachi recites. “Time passes faster than we’d like, and if we fixate on the distant Yet-To-Come, we find ourselves deprived of the Now.”

D*** if he doesn’t sound like a fortune cookie or something.

Katsuki sneers to himself. “The Now sucks. You got a point, Gandhi?”

He can feel Itachi’s eyes on him again. “It’s all right if you’re not where you want to be right now. You’re young. Set your own pace. Relish the journey as much as you do the reward.”

“Hah?” Katsuki drawls, turning a narrow-eyed glare in this wanna-be philosopher’s direction. Itachi’s ready to meet his gaze with a calm, steady one of his own and it’s almost enough to make Katsuki retreat, but he has something to say and he’s gonna say it! “You just said time passes fast! You’re contradicting yourself, a**hat!”

For a beat of silence, Itachi’s only response is a slow blink. His small smile returns, that small, almost secretive sort of amusement. Like the f***ing Mona Lisa or something. “I didn’t mean it quite that way, but. Life is a contradiction.”

“Bulls***!” Katsuki hunches, averting his gaze back to his classmates—to Uraraka. She looks so… happy. “Life is simple. You wake up every day, you fight like H*** to make something of yourself before the sun goes down and if you fail, you’re just trash. You shoot for the stars, otherwise what the f*** are we here for? And at the end of the day, if you haven’t reached your goals by your own strength, then you didn’t deserve them. You’re either a winner or a loser. End of story.”

S***, she’s moving over to Deku now. Sitting on his lap, curling up with her head on his shoulder…

“…what does that mean for you, Bakugou?” Itachi’s voice is calm. Soothing.

What kind of a question is that?

He opens his mouth to answer, to say that it means just what he said, only to find that once he stops to think, he has no words. It’s… actually a good question. By his own standards… Is he the winner? Or loser?

Two years ago, he would’ve insisted to the point of violence that he was, in fact, a winner. Only winners became Heroes. Only winners were the best. And if he couldn’t be the best when dozens of people said he was, then why was he even breathing? So he’d developed his fantasy, the idea that he was untouchable. Unbeatable.

He’s failed too many times now for that to be true. And he lost her to that speckle-faced suck-up, so… if Deku’s a lame-a** loser, what does that make Katsuki?

So what now? Does his definition of ‘winner’ just… change? Or is he nothing more than a B-list loser now?

He scowls at his own train of thought. F***ing traitor.

Stupid philosophy. He doesn’t want to think about this stuff.

Itachi seems to be awaiting an answer though. Katsuki has to think of something to say.

Watching Deku steal a kiss from Uraraka while they think nobody’s watching is rather distracting, though. Katsuki swallows the envious monster that’s trying to lodge in his throat.

“Can I ask something of you…?” Beside him, Itachi’s voice is lower now. Hesitant for the first time.

Katsuki glances over, if only to free himself of the haunting reality before him. “What now?” he grumbles.

“What’s your reason?” Itachi plucks a few finger-fulls of grass between his feet, absently.

He waits three seconds for clarification and, when it doesn’t come, he frowns. “My reason for what? Be more specific, Uchiha.”

“…for living, I suppose.” The reply is distant. Muted.

It ticks Katsuki off. So he snarls, “Because I was born, idiot.”

That actually makes the guy chuckle. It’s the oddest thing, because it’s a ridiculously boyish sound, despite the depth of Itachi’s voice. “Touché… Do you ever wonder, though, if it’s worth it all in the end?”

For a second, Katsuki can’t help but give Itachi a bemused sidelong look, because what the heck is he doing asking that kind of question to a high schooler? It’s not like Katsuki’s had the time or experience to figure out the meaning of life or any of that s***. Heck, he’s just trying to figure out if he’ll ever be able to have both his dream career and his dream girl.

Itachi hums. “Hm, I suppose that’s not quite what I mean…”

The f***, man, just say what you mean then!!

“You say that if you can’t reach your goals, it demerits you in some way. And what I mean to say is… whatever you’re sacrificing for the goals you envision… I guess only you can decide if it’s worth it when all is said and done.”

Sacrificing, huh?

B****, he’ll sacrifice everything if it means becoming the best of the best, proving to the world that Bakugou Katsuki will not be just another nobody. He refuses to fall into obscurity, refuses to leave behind nothing… and he tries not to look Uraraka’s way when he answers. “You don’t know anything about me, so don’t pretend to.”

Uchiha’s eyebrows twitch and yet even that gives nothing away about what’s actually going through his head. He just stares, like he can see straight through Katsuki’s eye sockets and into his soul. Feeling like somebody’s rifling through his brain just by looking at him makes Katsuki’s hackles raise, his body tense, and he glares a warning.

Stop it. This ain’t no peep show…

For a long time, Itachi says nothing. There’s a spell of blessed silence. Almost enough for Katsuki to let out a breath of relief.

Almost.

Then his companion finally speaks up again. “I don’t know you, no. But I like to think I know humanity… and you’re more human than you seem to think.”

F*** it.

What the h*** does this guy think he is, his shrink? He needs to shut up. He better, because Katsuki’s losing patience. He didn’t come here to be psychoanalyzed or whatever the heck this creep’s trying to do, he came here to fight. He came here to win. He came to get stronger because he’s stumbled so many times over the last three years that at this point, he may as well be miles behind his classmates and it makes him f***ing sick!

Worst of all, while he trails at the back, Deku leads the pack and everybody follows him, praises him, loves him. And none more than the one person, aside from All Might, whose words and opinion of himself Katsuki had actually put stock in. He’d unwittingly given her the perfect ammunition to pronounce judgment on his soul. She judged him Unworthy, less than trash, set him back for months and now he’s f***ing pathetic because he can’t stop thinking about her. Because she was right, he’d screwed everything up, and he lost any chance he might’ve had because of it. Again!

A growl, feral and muffled behind clenched jaws, escapes his throat and then he blurts out despite himself, “I do my best, all right!? I work hard and keep my grades up, stay healthy, all that necessary s*** so I can do more than waste oxygen. What more is there, huh? What more am I supposed to do?” He rakes his fingers into his hair, grips it tightly in his fists and seethes, “I can’t do s*** I don’t f***ing know, so if I blow it all to H***, what can I do about it? It’s already done, so the end game’s all I have, and I’m gonna reach it if it’s the last thing I do because in the end, that’s all there is!”

A tense beat passes between them, in which Katsuki realizes that Itachi is listening intently. Calmly. And there’s finally something written across his stony face, an emotion Katsuki can actually read. At first, he thinks it’s pity and his rage flares in his chest, but no, that’s not it…

Understanding. That’s what it is.

Itachi is also remaining quiet, allowing him to continue if he has more to say. He really doesn’t, but… Katsuki lets out a slow breath.

“You gotta make life worth living yourself. I can’t just… sit back, relax and enjoy the ride or I’ll lose my f***ing mind. I’ve already lost enough time as it is. So… I need that… that goal.” He ends with a graceful cough, trying to end on a more casual note. Which just ends up sounding like a lame-a** bail.

D*** this. He needs to stop talking to this guy… it makes him say things he only ever says in his head.

Slowly, Itachi nods. More understanding. It comes off him in waves. “I know you do… But, if I may… I’ve wasted a lot of time in my life. Time when I thought I was doing what I had to. But I missed so much because of it… I don’t want to waste this second chance I have now. A chance to actually live… and to love. I would hate to see anyone make the same mistakes I did, so… I suppose my point is… in your rush for the end game, what are you missing out on in the process?”

Those black eyes are deep. Open. Raw. Katsuki looks away from that surprisingly earnest gaze. His eyes find Uraraka right away, where she dozes on her boyfriend’s chest, and something in him hardens despite Itachi’s gentle words.

What is he missing?

“A whole lotta heartache.”

[melbournenewsvine]

New rules for e-scooters in Brisbane

The latest change will enable e-scooter users to access road bike lanes with a speed limit of 50 km/h, and any road bike lanes that are physically separated. Bailey said the fixes were developed in consultation with riders, cyclists, councils, disability advocates and suppliers of the frequently used rental e-scooters with CBD in Brisbane, often by late-night revelers. The Queensland Ambulance Service recorded five electric bike accidents across the state on Friday night and Saturday morning, including a man who was taken to hospital with head and chest injuries after an accident at Kangaroo Point. “We were informed that these changes were in the pipeline, so users had a lot of notification,” Bailey said. “We want everyone who uses footpaths, bike paths and bike lanes to be safe from harm, and these reforms go a long way in tightening Queensland road rules around this new technology.” The new fines system is the latest in a series of increases to take effect this year. In addition to greater speeding fines, new cell phones and seat belt cameras installed in secret locations across Queensland have already generated more than $100 million in fines since they were introduced in November last year. The government is now also hiding speed cameras in road works and school district signs. Queensland is levying by far the largest fines in the country for phone and seat belt crime, prompting warnings from social service organizations about what a $1,078 hit could mean for disadvantaged families. The government says the money it earns from road fines is being invested back into road safety. However, this does include basic upgrades – at intersections, for example – that would otherwise have come from other government funding streams. Source link Originally published at Melbourne News Vine

[holycowbrowniekitty]

23.5 Let’s walk through the representatives town p. 213-222

Probably the longest translation I posted, these are 9 pages worth of information on the town itself! Please enjoy this extra (useless) information!

My translations can all be found here.

p. 213

U17 Wcup Let's walk through the representatives town

The representatives live here! Let's meet the representatives!

What is the representatives town? It is a division where the participants from the Wcup live. Of course there are lodging facilities, but it's also enriched by shops and various facilities.

Byoudoin: The representatives town is really spacious. Volk: You can see a lot of potential. (TL note: Filled with future = Potential)

A "Let's walk through the representatives town" special project only! Model course: Let's patrol the popular spots! Can we meet the representatives!? The facilities inside the town: Let's fully support the players daily life! Representatives town Full MAP: Get an entire view of the town in one glance! And lastly, a guide to souvenirs and spots in the area~

p. 214-215

Representatives town Full MAP:  Get an entire view of the town in one glance! To understand this map completely, let's check it for places you want to go to!

Abundant with international players, it's a lively town In the representatives town, a lot of players from all over the world have gathered. For that sake, the plot of land is in any case extensive, and seems like one big town.  It's only natural that the players can prepare for a match, and it's possible for each nation's players to do cultural exchanges.

(Pointing at France's castle and the house next to it) Each nation's boarding house The representatives and the staff stay at an exclusive use boarding house , prepared to feel as their country. The sitepoints and buildings capitalises each nation's characteristic, where they can rest both their mind and body. Amadeus: The extravagance is awkward, but the atmosphere is serene and comfortable. It's pleasing. Camus: Tres bièn! It's a beautiful hotel that is suited to foster both tennis and love.

(Pointing at the Japanese building in the bottom right) The Japanese representatives' boarding house The hotel of the Japanese is relatively close to the entrance. The representatives, supervisors, coaches and the cheering party of course all stay there. Both the exterior and interior were refined to make for a stylish appearance, and it seems to be comfortable and have a feel at home atmosphere. Ikuto: It seems they gathered the latest equipment inside the hotel. It's very pleasant. (Pic: JP MSERS lounging in the rooms) The interior is large, and it's possible to hold a strategic meeting in each private room. The soft beds provide outstanding sleep comfort.

(Pointing at a park in the north) Park It's a park for the players to relax and refresh, and to open the mind. The fountain is in the middle and the trees overflow with flowers in this season, and you can refresh your mind and body from the exhaustion of the fierce battles. It's a quiet place where you can slowly pass time. Yukimura: The flower beds bloom with unusual Australian flowers, it's an interesting place.

(Pointing to the tall building in the middle) Shared facilities There are restaurants, shops, gyms and recreational facitlities, which all countries share in this huge facility. It's placed in the midst of the town and visible to each countries hotel. It's the main spot that's always bustling and fun. Fitzgerald: There's a shop with Australian goods, I definitely want to go once.

(Pointing to a gate) Entrance gate Because buses have to pass through, the gate is enormous. To enter the town, one must undergo a strict check. Futhermore, the security of the bulky fence serves to protect the representatives and their livelihood from anything. Mukahi: It's a really strong wall…! As expected, it's so tall I can't jump over it!

p. 216

The facilities that enrichen the town: Let's fully support the players daily life! Let's go over all the facilities one can use in detail.

At a time like this… When you want to rest comfortably => Go to the boarding house When you want to eat something => Go to the main dining hall When you want to buy something => Go to the shopping mall When you want to train your body => Go to the training center

It is a pleasure to offer all the necessities of life, every day! Various facilities are present on the huge site, like hotels and shops, as they are vital to a comfortable livelihood. Those who stay in the town can use anything, and definitely do.

Each countries facilities: Boarding house The boarding house is the center of living one's life, and can be considered like a home. One can properly rest their body, so they can show of their power as much as they want during a match.

A concealed guide The room distribution of the players was decided by the coaches and supervisors. We decided to ask about the situation for every room from the coaches.

(Pic: Layout for the rooms) This is the floor plan of the guest rooms. Each room can hold about 1-3 people, and room 1 seems to be specialized. Room 10-13 have the same construction. EV=Elevator, Stairs

1201: Kurobe 1202: Saitou 1203: Tsuge 1301: Mifune

1101: Byoudoin He gets a lot of visitors. It's only natural that a strong man gets a spacious room! (Mifune) 1102: Duke, Oni Having compatibility between power players is good. They can do indoor training together. (Tsuge) 1103: Irie, Tokugawa Their bonds are deep. Because they can talk a lot, they can deepen their solidarity (Kurobe) 1104: Tanegashima, Tohno Since Tanegashima can control Tohno well, there are no problems. (Saito) 1105: Mouri, Ochi Mouri, you're the only 1st year hser. You should have better roomed with someone who understands your spirit. (Kurobe) 1106: Ohmagari, Nakagauchi The yakuza and the chivalrous spirit? If they come together as companions, they can raise eachother up even higher! Forward! (Mifune) 1107: Kimijima The manager said "we want to protect the trainers privacy" (Tsuge) 1108: Hakamada, Date They're overflowing with manliness huh? If you enter the room, the hot air seems to be a difficult point… (Saito) 1109: Mitsuya, Kaji Kaji, your information seemed to surprise even Mitsuya. You guys might become a good pair. (Saito) - 1003: Sanada, Tooyama Cap, you look like a good babysitter of the monkey! If there are any problems, it's joint responsibility! (Mifune) 1005: Marui, Kirihara, Sengoku Since we substituted Akutsu with Sengoku it's always a bustling room. (Saito) 1007: Fuji, Ishida (Gin), Oshitari (Yuushi) Fuji is suited to talking with power players (they can talk well). It seems fun when Oshitari joins in as well. (Tsuge) 1001: Atobe, Yukimura Since their room is large and has seperate bedrooms, each person  can spend their time freely. (Kurobe) 1002: Oishi, Echizen The egg being alone in a room was just right. I'm leaving the babysitting of the brat to you! (Mifune) 1004: Shiraishi, Inui Sometimes you can hear deep and serious talks coming from this room, about dangerous topics like poisonous plants and juice… (Tsuge) 1006: Kite, Niou, Yanagi There are signs of sinister conspiracies…but since Yanagi is there it's fine…is not what I would say. (Kurobe)

p. 217

Shared facilities: Main dining hall For the sake of eating, there's a huge restaurant. Because there are a lot of players from all over the world, the cuisine from the various countries is lined up there.

There are plenty of seats, so during mealtime everyone can sit spaciously. It's styled after the vikings. Since it's open for 24-hours, you can eat at any time.

Menu examples: Aussie beef steak Pastichio Beijing duck Paella Hamburger Foie gras saute Schnitzel Pirozhki

Peter: I'm happy there are even things like chèvre cheese. The real thing is really good.

At various places, there are cafes and speciality stores side by side! There's not only the main dining hall, but throughout the town you can find shops selling food and drinks . One can enjoy meals like fastfood, coffee shops, italian and udon shops depending on the mood. Don't overlook the sweets shop with limited items you can't buy anywhere else.

Let's walk through the representatives town special coupon! Joint establishment with the park cafe (Kangaroo) Get one free coffee!

A concealed guide For the supervisors and the coaches, there's also a bar! The top floor of the building can only be accessed by adults.  Viewing the nightscape, there's a chic bar where one can enjoy various alcoholic drinks from all over the world. There are also wines difficult to get in Japan. Kaji: By the way… I saw coach Kurobe returning to his room drunk.

The dining hall quickly empties n the afternoon! If you want to sit in your favorite seat, we recommend you come after lunchtime has finished, around 14-15. Around that time, a lot of players go practice, and because it's relatively vacant, it's easy to pick a seat. Evangelos: Because I hate crowds, it's hard to find a time to have lunch.

p. 218

Shared facilities: Shopping Mall There are various shops and recreational facilities in this giant mall. You can get most items if you go there.

Tennis supplies, livingware, general goods and brand goods are all present. There is also a lounge for all the representatives to gather, so they can enjoy cultural exchanges with the foreign players.

Shopping center examples: Apparel shop Accessory shop Sports goods Hairsalon Bookstore Movie theatre Bowling alley Lounge Event plaza

Mitsuya: I took a look at the optician. This is an opportunity to change frames.

Relax at the playhouse and movie theatre! There aren't only shops to buy goods, it's also enhanced by facilities to have fun. Especially at the playhouse you can go to the theatre with opera, kabuki and things like that as the programme changes each day.

A concealed guide A hit on SNS is the fountain in the plaza! In the center of the mall is a fountain, with specialized lights that change color at certain times. By taking wonderful and beautiful pictures, you can boast to everyone. Zaizen: It got a lot of likes on my blog…the senpais are a nuisance though. (TL note: I'm assuming the senpais are in the picture as well)

The game center is a popular spot! The latest arcade has the maniac models lined up in a row in the game center of course. Regardless of nationality, it's crowded with players who love games. With fighting games, you can see the players being ecstatic. Tanegashima: The gun shooting is really fun! I got the new record~

p. 219

Shared facilities: Training center It's a facility meant for training the body. It's crucial to coordinate the condition during the tournament.

Other than tennis courts that can be used at any time, one can also use the latest machines and pools for a synthetic practice. It's also equipped with spaces for kendo and judo.

Facility examples: Inside tennis court Outside tennis court Various fitness machines Pool Martial arts dojo Information center Self training room Massage room Baths

QP: It seems you can rent the latest released tablet.

The information center's latest system can be used! For the sake of the intelligent players, personal computers are present. The pros use them as well because of their high performance system and it is possible to carry out information gathering and data analysis.

A concealed guide Wash the sweat away in the spa after training! In the large public bath of the natural spa, there's a sauna and a stone sauna. After you have washed the sweat away with all your strength we recommend you scrub off all the grime in the scrubbing corner. Randy: Okay, let's show my biceps! Don't you think nudity suits me?

You can also attend an aerobics class! In the center, there's a studio, where you can attend yoga, aerobics and various others classes when needed.  It's okay if you're a beginner, and it's good to challenge actions you've never done before…? Hirakoba: I thought I always wanted to try something out of genre.

p. 220

Model course: If you want to tour a town, how about a plan which shows the highlights?

Start! Entry gate Oliver: Welcome

Who dominates the Australian beach!? Let's first go to the beach. Atobe appeared at the coast after the exhibition match, which is surrounded by a beautiful beach, where the players who love the sea gather. The swimming matches are a must-see. Kite: Fufu… You might meet these players here: Kurobane, Leon, Kiko

The park is the universe healing spot for all the players! It's recommended to take a break in the verdant park. You can see nature-loving players stroll at ease, and you might also see them having a friendly chat. At the joint cafe, you can see many sweet lovers. Shiraishi: There are no poisonous plants huh. You might meet these players here: Mouri, Noah, Henri

The secrets to walking in the representatives town

Travel easily with the circulation bus! Because the town is spacious, touring it by foot is harsh. Because the bus finishes a round on the premises in 10 minutes, the players can definitely use it and carpool.

If you're in trouble, contact the staff! Ralph: I found a lost child, so I called the broadcast. Tooyama: I'm not a lost child!

p. 221

Let's patrol the popular spots! Can we meet the representatives!?

The foreigners are really interested in this!? The Japanese restaurant If you're hungry, you can go to the cafes or speciality shops everywhere. The Japanese restaurant that serves sushi, tempura and sukiyaki is not only popular under the Japanese but also with the foreign players. Chloe: Is there also onigiri? You might meet these players here: Echizen, Osval, Volk

Jumping is okay! The live stage The shopping mall has a stage outfitted with acoustic and illumination devices. Those who like music and live for singing, you might be able to see a performance of them? J.J: That's not bad You might meet these players here: Ryoga, Ohmagari, Hallhatter

Goal: Japanese boarding house Oni: Did you have fun?

Event information

In the main dining hall, each nation holds a cultural exchange meeting. The players from around the world and their cheering parties gather here, and they deepen the understanding of their cultures by conversations. While eating various nation's specialities, let's pass a fun time! Zeus: Oh, isn't this social gathering nice. I will also offer to participate.

Let's go to the mini zoo in the event plaza! Inside the mall, there will be a mobile zoo for a limited time. You can meet lions, elephants and giraffes! The animal-lovers gather there! Ochi: I'm not really interested…It was arranged for me to be at that place at that time.

p. 222

The representatives' souvenirs: Get original goods! Let's introduce a careful selection of popular goods that you can get at the shop!

A venue restricted plush It's a limited product to celebrate the opening of the U17Wcup. The koala hugging a racket is an Australian masterpiece. It's also very big. Echizen: I'm not really interested, but it was bought by that big guy.

Original Keyholder The logo decorating the ball carries a simple design. It seems to be a standard and popular souvenir, as many have already bought it. Duke: It's kind of cute huh? I'll buy one for Chloe.

Australian confectionery: Chocolate biscuit It's an australian sweet where two biscuits sandwich chocolate with a chocolate coating. The package is tournament limited. Milky: The crispy feel makes for a pretty good flavor! I reccomend it! If you come over, I definitely want you to eat it!

Let's stretch our feet for a bit: Recommended spots in the town's vicinity There are plenty of fun spots scattered outside the town. Will you also take a look at the Australia's famous tourism?

Melborn zoo It is Australia's oldest zoo in history. You can meet endemic species like koalas, kangaroos and platypi. Kabaji: Seeing…the kangaroos…close by…was really nice. I…want…to….see them…again.

Queen Victoria Market Crowded with people, it's a lively, historic and gigantic market. You can find things like fresh ingredients, clothes, general goods and souvenirs. Niou: Huh…I can use a lot of these things…puri.

Royal exhibition building Together with the Carlton gardens, these buildings are registered as world heritage sites. Multiple styles blend to make a beautiful and tasteful building. Prince Ludovic: It's a building befitting of a prince! I want to go there accompanied by that girl!