#amelia talon

[loudlystrangemagazine]

My ash tree

[bravenew-what]

Look who were in my parents backyard this morning!!

@anotherhitandrun @heavymetallibrarian @paulalovesmetal @80sphase

[verrixstudios]

Treasure Planet X Wings of Fire

Here’s some smaller screenshots with movie screenshots in them as well. Keep in mind I drew all of this after the watching movie I wasn’t really using references so it’s not like they’re a bajillion percent accurate

I drew all of this while listening to Epic the musical, and it was on the last song for Mr Arrow and bones, which is why they aren’t the same detail

[ID: (in order of the singular images) 6 wings of Fire dragon references and two headshots, all digitally sketched in a red pencil-like brush. Each dragon is heavily referenced off some characters from the show Treasure Planet. Bedside each dragon is written the character they’re based on and the Wof tribe the dragon design is also based on. Each singular image has the dragon, it’s info, and an image of the character it’s based on.

The first dragon is a heavy set MudWing based on John Silver. His right legs and wing are mechanical, heavily based on the cyborg parts of the movie character. His wings are semi spread, held above him but curved so that they aren’t fully spread. He wears a captains hat that looks small on his head and has a large tail that has a scarred end, as if it were cut off at the very end. A small hoop earring is on his short ear, and his horns seem to have been sawed off halfway, given a flat cap over the end of them.

The second is a much thinner and lankier dragon based on Captain Amelia. She is listed as a hybrid of an icewing and a sandwing. Her wings are folded at her sides, showing off the frill had follows along her spine. It breaks apart in some areas, becoming small quills behind her head and neck and on the end of her tail. Her head is thinner, with sharp ears perked upward. A larger captains hat stands on her head.

The third dragon is another Mudwing based on Dr. Delbert Doppler. He is dwarfed by Silver, despite being the same tribe. His stance is less wide than Silver, though he also has a blockier head and shape. his wings are semi folded in the same way, though tilted a little upward. He has small glasses on his face and darker spikes and horns along his face and the back of his neck. Ears are rounded and folded over halfway.

The fourth image has two dragons which seem to be arguing. Furthest from the screen is a huge but lanky Sandwing. Based on the antagonist Mr. Scroop. His wings are outspread and the membranes are shown to be in tatters. A talon is outstretched toward the screen, curled like he were preparing to hit the smaller dragon in front of him. His face is thin but showing a wicked snarl, long horns jutting outwards opposite of his snout. A spiky frill lines the back of his head and down his spine. His ribcage is a pronounced shape, not in the way that he’s starving but to show how thin and lanky he is. His tail curls behind his feet and points its scorpion like barb directly at the chin of the other dragon. The other dragon is nearly half his height, facing toward Scroop and away from the screen, face in an open snarl with his ears pinned backwards. He is a Nightwing Skying hybrid based on the protagonist, Jim Hawkins. His wings are touching the grounds at his sides and the ends folded upwards. Spikes line his spine from neck to tail, which curls around him like it was mid-flick.

The fifth image is a side profile headshot of an old and thin looking Seawing based on the old and dying character, Bones. He has an underbite, large webbed frills along his head and spine, and catfish-like whiskers on his chin. small sharp teeth are visible on his closed mouth, and his horns look to be broken off.

The sixth image is a 3/4ths headshot of a thicker Nightwing with a wide nose and chin based on Mr. Arrow. His face his scrunched in what looks like a grimace. He has short but big horns, and spikes that stick out from his spine along his neck. A thick captains hat sits on his head.

The final image is a full body reference of a robot made to look like a rainwing. He is based on B.E.N. He is 3/4ths facing the screen in a sitting position, with a wide mouth open in a grin. Mechanical frills on either side of his head are open wide. His winds are semi open and pointed outward on either side, showing that they have minimal ‘membrane’ as if he wasn’t built for flying. His chest has a circle in it, which resembles the broken compass the character has in his own chest.

End ID]

Woaaah that was a lot of writing 😂

[northoftheroad]

Why is DC letting someone come up with an ancient history for the name Grayson when it’s only been in Dick’s family for two three generations? 🤔 His great grandfather William Cobb came up with the name when he took his son from the mother, Amelia Crowns, to deliver to the circus as prime Talon material, if you remember. And I haven't read any comic that indicates that the Court of Owls story, and Dick’s gramps wanting him as a Talon, has been de-canonized.

Nightwing vol 3 # 9

Nightwing vol 4 # 111

[simmergiu]

genetics:

body preset

nose preset by @simbience

eye preset

eyes by @plumbheadsims

eyelash by @mmsims

roxy eyebrows by @ms-marysims

skin details:

nose highlight by @ohgerbits

mango moles by @ratboysims

skin overlay by uglysim

tattoo:

wishes tattoo by @kiwitrait-sims

piercing:

DIY piercing by @pralinesims

hair:

rin hair by @okruee

nails:

Vanilla nails by @candysims4

CASUAL

Jewelry

Ring: Princess Rings by @diosasims

Earrings: Earrings Hype Left by @pralinesims

Acc

Glasses: Equation by @pralinesims

Clothing:

Top: klymene vest by @clumsyalienn

Bottoms: Silent Cry Pants by @trillyke

Shoes: Pauline Shoes by @dissiasims

FORMAL

Jewelry

Ring: Princess Rings by @diosasims

Necklace: Eden Necklace by @diosasims

Earrings: stars earcuff by @pralinesims

Acc

Gloves: sheer by @miikocc

Socks: knit by @miikocc

Clothing

Top: Amelia Corset by @serenity-cc

Bottoms: Isolde skirt by @clumsyalienn

Shoes: Lolita Shoes by @sunivaa

Makeup

Eyeshadow: Ignite Shadow by @vanilasimscc

Eyeliner: Eyeliner #4 by @ms-marysims

Lipstick: Talon by @remussirion

ATHLETIC

Jewelry

Erring: Honeymoon Right by @pralinesims

Acc

Cap: Potato Cap by @saurusness

Glasses: Equation by @pralinesims

Clothing

Top: Casteru Cropped Hoodie Scientist Recolor by @persimmods

Bottoms: Casteru Simple Shorts Scientist Recolor by @persimmods

Shoes: Tekno Sneakers

SLEEP

Acc

Glasses: Equation by @pralinesims

Socks: Ren by @clumsyalienn

Clothing

Top: Okruee Questionable Tee Scientist Recolor by @persimmods

Bottoms: fleece two piece shorts by @miikocc

Shoes: Rabbit Slippers

PARTY

Jewelry

Rings: Cheria by @pralinesims

Necklace: Summer Flow Cola by @joliebean

Acc

Hat: Cinamoon Hat by @candysims4

Clothing

Top: Ridgeport Bronte Scientist Recolor by @persimmods

Bottoms: Greta Shorts by @clumsyalienn

Shoes: Senpai Shoes

Makeup

Eyeshadow: moodlet eyeshadow

Eyeliner: flutter eyeliner by @thepeachyfaerie

Lipstick: Lipstick #7 by @ms-marysims

SWIM

Jewelry

Necklace: eve by @clumsyalienn

Rings: Enigma by @pralinesims

Acc

Glasses: AVEX On Head by @pralinesims

Clothing

Bikini: elena bikini by @cyansims

Shoes: Flatform Sliders 01 by @jius-sims

HOT WEATHER

Jewelry

Earrings: Honeymoon Right by @pralinesims

Rings: Princess Rings by @diosasims

Acc

Glasses: Equation by @pralinesims

Hat: Maple Hat by @candysims4

Clothing

Fullbody: Oakiyo Kira Overalls Scientist Recolor by @persimmods

Shoes: Flat Sandals 01 by @jius-sims

COLD WEATHER

Acc

Glasses: Equation by @pralinesims

Hat: Cement Cottage Casual Fisherman Cap

Clothing

Top: sienna jacket by @clumsyalienn

Bottoms: Viviane pants by @clumsyalienn

Shoes: Chunky Boots HQ

[yamiartstash]

Not sure if I did this meme right (from my understanding, it should've been Snipe and Amelia, or another character). But I couldn't help but use it on these two cuz I find my hypothetical dynamic for them to be hilarious.

Example:

Xelloss: So, outright killing a Talon is not an ethical course for a Sky Knight. But sending them down into the Wastelands where they could land in lava, get eaten, or survive down there with a slim chance to be rescued is? ^_^ Aerrow: ... I hate you. --#

[valorums]

WHAT IS YOUR TRUE ROLE IN THE STORY?

take the linked quiz from the perspective of your muse.

THE CHOSEN ONE

back again young one? still not comfortable with your new title? yes, I can see you are one that prefers the simpler things in life but you do deserve the rank they have given you. oh little sparrow, have you just now realized you are an owl? soaring the skies with gleaming, outstretched talons. you lived your life blinded to your own abilities, but now the truth is out. you did not ask to be a hero, which pains my heart to the core. but alas, the people have given you something so true and bittersweet you cannot bear to refuse them. for they have given you their trust. they praise you, songs will be sung of you, ballads written, feasts in your honor. but "why me?" you quietly whisper to the stars. if you could speak their language you'd hear their simple reply, "because." you, out of the finest candidates were chosen to be a sacrificial lion in golden chains. your loved ones chanted your worth as it echoed from the steeples. but what was your say on the matter? I guess you had little to none, and unfortunately, neither do I. but destiny is not a burden, it is a gift, you feel weighted by the entire world, your shoulders ache from the hopes, fears, and dreams of the people who have chosen to follow you. but their adoration isn't blind my dear. you are strong, you are worthy of the armor, of the crown. when you look back you will realize that you, my young god, were truly the savior many called you. do not run from your purpose, seek it. and I do not mean the heroic of sorts, no, search for what makes you alive young hero, for here's a secret, you are just as much a hero to others as you are to yourself. it wouldn't make you a villian, to tell them no...

TAGGED BY @mnolith (thank you bestie 🥺)

TAGGING @alootus (Padmè), @oflightsbeam (Hera), @wornkindness (Amelia), @pilothearted (Poe), @mvndrvke (Seril), @stars-written (Nil-Rae), @lostwcrlds (Grim), @misfittcd (Kian), @nieithryn (Calista), @vendettavalor (Aurelia), AND YOU.

[undiscovered-horizon]

"A whole new rodeo" - Rhett Abbott x Reader

[TW: creepy drunk guy, harassment, explicit language, physical violence (like one punch)]

<"Creepy guy at the bar" is a Cheesecake Trope™️: we all know it, there’s no nuance to it and yet it’s always just as lovely>

[1k followers celebration!]

SUMMARY: Rhett just wants to get a drink, not listen to some drunk guy be creepy to a girl. Preston Mabel might have a pretty bad morning, while Rhett Abbott is convinced he scored out of his league.

WORDCOUNT: ~ 2k

One of the virtues of The Handsome Gambler was its constant state - always the same clientele, the same cheap beer, the same smell of hay and gasoline. It seemed as if menaces of the real world couldn't put their talons on whoever was spending their night at the bar, for a moment letting people of Amelia County sigh with relief and pretend their hardships were more akin to philosophical questions not mandatory to entertain rather than essential parts of their demanding lives.

It was just another weeknight, the regulars greeted each other with a slight nod or a tip of their hats before sitting down to their beers. One of Kenny Rogers's hits was playing through the speakers.

Rhett was sitting by the bar and had been absentmindedly drinking his beer, thinking of many different troubles that bit at his heels, until a couple didn't become his bar neighbours. Although to clarify, the pair itself wasn't a problem, Rhett had little care for lovebirds, it's rather only the drunk half of it that got on his nerves. He would've recognized that tacky hat with plastic seashells anywhere and at any time. It belonged to none other than Preston Mabel - a man approaching his thirties that hadn't been told 'no' enough times throughout his life. Through his childhood antics, Preston gained the prestige of the guy who throws sand at others and spits in other kids' porridge. Rumour had it, he never quite outgrew one of those habits...

He wouldn't have cared about Preston - worst case scenario, Rhett could have just found another seat and continued his lonely drinking. It was Mabel's companion, however, who changed Abbott's mind. Sitting on Preston's left side, he could get a look at her face and the unmistakeable discomfort she was experiencing:

Giving the man an empty chuckle, you casually brushed his hand away from your shoulder once again. No matter how nice and charming he had seemed, your regret was growing more potent ever since Preston's fourth beer. Although his behaviour was without a doubt criminal you were quite torn about what you should do: part of you was ready to bail at any moment, while the other was gullible enough to downplay your feelings, claiming that you were blowing the situation out of proportion. It was a small southern town, after all - only a fool would expect its citizens to act like the middle-class white-collars from big northern cities. In fact, quite a few people had said that you were 'stuck-up', mostly Tinder dates for the record, so maybe that's what painted your night in the colours of doom: you just couldn't take it easy.

"I'm just gonna get some fresh air, alright?" Your words were accompanied by nervous laughter. Hopefully, a few cold breaths could clear your mind and who knows: maybe you could even laugh at your anxious discomfort. The aftermath of his unwelcomed touch felt hot on your skin like sunburn before the dead epidermis flakes away.

"Just don't run away, sweetie," Preston slurred a little louder than necessary. He was leaning on the bar counter and Rhett was quite convinced it was the only source of his balance. A shiver ran down your spine hearing his words - it was as if he had somehow known it was a viable option in your mind.

In an impressively big gulp, Mabel finished his beer, setting the bottle down loudly against the counter. Hearing that, the bartender watched him closely from underneath his eyebrows - experience taught him that Preston was showing symptoms of trouble.

"Bambi's mine," the man slurred to the ambivalent bartender before burping loudly.

Stepping away from the counter, Mabel swayed for a moment but caught his balance quite swiftly. Then, with a swing to his step, he followed you outside. When the backdoor closed behind him, the bartender sighed to himself and went back to serving beers and drinks.

Although the situation had nothing to do with him, Rhett's gut was telling him that something was bound to happen - and it wasn't going to be Christmas arriving early. Staring through the circular window in the backdoor, he watched Preston force you against the wall. His leg started to nervously bounce as Rhett tried to decide whether it was his problem or not. Whatever decision should he make, it had to come fast.

"Fuck this," Rhett whispered to himself and rushed outside.

You tried turning your head away from Preston as much as you could, suddenly feeling impossibly ashamed of your inability to set your foot down. Keeping your hands on his chest, you tried to keep his away from yourself but not as assertively as you probably should have: the only worse thing than a drunk creepy man was offended drunk creepy man. And there were too many stories of women 'mysteriously' disappearing from small towns.

"How 'bout we go to mine, sunshine?" he offered. His body language, however, was too forward and decisive for the offer to remain an open question - it was more as if he was stating the end result of the night. You were disillusioned that with the state Preston currently was in it was either 'yes' or 'convince me'.

"No, thanks. I should be going home," you answered as certainly as you could. It felt as if your heart was a frenzied beast kept in place only by the confines of your ribcage.

The sound of the backdoor being pushed open directed your attention towards the unexpected stranger. He caught your gaze, for a moment looking at Preston and the anger on his face became only more prominent.

"Come on, girl. Don't be a little prude," Mabel pushed on. It seemed quite funny that he thought calling anyone 'prude' would work in his favour.

"She said no, Pres."

Rhett's voice could hardly be described as calm, it was more of a warning - anger was boiling inside him like a bull waiting for the slightest glimpse of the red cape. Your breathing became ragged, realizing that the ordeal might get a whole new spin as Rhett Abbott didn't seem like a man who backs off easily.

Preston, however, was deaf to Rhett's words: his shaky hand reached for your face but Abbott grabbed his wrist before you could even wince at the incoming unwanted touch.

"She doesn't fuckin' want to, pal."

Only then, when he was physically restrained, did Preston finally acknowledge Rhett's existence:

"Go fuck yourself, Abbott. She's mine."

Without much thinking, Rhett took a swing and landed a punch square to Preston's jaw. Mabel stumbled backwards, visibly struggling to keep his balance. In shock, he touched his face but winced at the smallest touch. For a moment, Preston stood still - in disbelief that someone laid their hands on him.

"Apologize and go home, Preston," Rhett demanded as he moved to stand in front of you. His right fist was clenched, prepared to repeat the offence.

"You-..." Preston stuttered. Words simply wouldn't leave his mouth. "You fuckin'-..."

"I told you to apologize and go home," Rhett repeated. His persistence impressed you, leaving you grateful that it was a man like him who noticed your plight.

Probably still unable to believe he was put in his place, Preston Mabel threw a short 'sorry!' and disappeared around the corner of the building, stumbling over his own drunken feet.

"I've always wanted to do that," Rhett said quietly as he watched Preston Mabel cower away. Then his worried expression was directed at you and, somehow, the shadow of a man throwing fists seemed to be gone. His hand was no longer clenched. "You doin' alright?"

"Yeah, I guess," you answered while averting his gaze. Rhett noticed how you rubbed your arm awkwardly. "I mean, not now. But I will be. Not the worst thing that happened to me." Rhett would have asked about clarification, feeling his anger rise again but your uneasiness was too prominent and so he tried to chase his vigour away. He could ask about things worse than drunk Preston Mabel some other time - should it, hopefully, arrive. "Thank you."

"How'd you even know the guy?"

You felt a blush of embarrassment creep unto your cheeks remembering the events of the morning. Now that you thought about the earlier hours of the day, you couldn't help but feel slightly ashamed of your naivety. How humorously human it was - to be wise and reasonable only in hindsight.

"He stopped me in the streets," you confessed. Feeling your embarrassment only growing stronger, you started to mindlessly pick at your skin. Your statement elicited fairly mixed emotions from Rhett. On one hand, he was beyond bewildered that anyone could take Preston Mabel for a 'nice man' but at the same time, he found it somehow completely expected that you would get asked out in the streets - no matter how cliche the scenario might seem. You did look like that kind of woman: the type that Rhett would never even think of asking out, simply because the possibility of getting rejected was, quite frankly, ridiculously high to the point of being obvious. If he knew he had no chance with someone, there was no point in putting his neck or rather his ego's neck in the noose. "Seemed nice enough and it's not like I know many people 'round here, so I took a gamble. It's stupid, I know."

"No, it's not," he answered quickly. Confused, you look at his face not understanding the unexpected redemption of your actions. "Maybe a little."

His eyes were stuck to your face as you laughed at his words. The anxiety Preston managed to instil in you was fading away and the newfound relief only added to your sudden joy. Feeling how warmth sparkled inside his chest watching your amusement, Rhett began weighing his chances. He was disillusioned about the reality: the only thing he had that Preston didn't have was respect for others and the lack of tacky seashells. Rhett wasn't the type of man to shoot in the dark, taking a risk only when he's fairly certain of the net result but at the moment, standing outside The Handsome Gambler, he naively thought that maybe it was his shooting star of a chance.

"You think I could call you tomorrow?"

"Call me?" you repeated in a shocked tone. Rhett's heart sunk and for a moment he really wanted to slap his own face for ever thinking he could aim outside of his league. "It should be me, bringing a fruit basket to you."

You fished out a pen from your purse and, without warning him or asking, you wrote your phone number on the inside of his forearm. Rhett's hands were rough, littered with callouses and scars - hands of someone who knows the price of an honest and humble life. Rhett's knuckles were hot, and flushed, as the skin started to turn from red to purple. He was quite displeased with how quickly you scribbled the digits on his skin only to leave him cold in the absence of your hands.

"Just don't call before 8AM, I'm not an early bird. And I'm paying for dessert, cowboy."

Rhett's eyes glazed over the quick writing in black pen and a triumphant smile appeared on his face. Aside from the nine digits, you had scribbled something else:

"(Y/N)?" he read the few letters above the phone number. "Pretty name. So, (Y/N), you need a ride home?" Your name sounded quite odd coming from Rhett's mouth as if he was the only person in the world to pronounce it in a certain way - it sounded special.

"Sure, I'd love that."

Rhett Abbott might have known a thing or two about riding bulls but he was certain you were going to be a whole new rodeo for him - and that bull he wasn't falling off.

[theshimadaslovers]

FROM CAKES FOR REAPER

Part 3

I'M NOT A MONSTER! (REAPER X YOU FEM!READER)

*It was about 2 am and Reaper was sitting in the bed waiting for you to knock on his door completely impatient*

Reaper- *growls and gets up going to the door* Where are you, girl...?! Argh! *Growls in anger and sits again*

*Waiting for the last minutes, you don't show up. He gets up again living the room immediately going to your door and knocking*

Reaper- Y/n...! Open the door! *Tries not to speak to loud in anger*

You- *open the door* What?!

Reaper- The plan!

You- I'm getting ready, calm down!

Reaper- Is 2 am! You said midnight!

You- Moira and Sigma was at the lab! They went to sleep at 1 something am! Not my fault! *Both discuss in whispers* You came up with this idea! If something goes wrong is your fault!

Reaper- Watch your tongue, girl...! *enters the room and see a backpack*... this is not a vacation.

You- I have important things to take. *close the door* Is only this backpack, I promise.

Reaper- That'll be a problem.

You- Is just a backpack, Rey!

Reaper- We're going to pass trought guards with a backpack?!

You- .... you got a god damn point. Let just pick up something important *go to find*

Reaper- *sigh impatiently and literally grab you from behind put him on his shoulder*

You- *Gasp* Gabe! Hey! Knock it off!

Reaper- Quiet! *Goes out the room* Don't speak anything at all! *Whispering discuss on*

You- You boots are very loud!

Reaper- I can't take it off!

You- Walk quietly!

Reaper- They're heavy! Want me to fly?!

You- Became a fucking ghost!

Reaper- Is not durable...!

- Reaper, y/n... *the boss voice came from behind* What In the hell you guys are doing?

You- *You look at Doomfist while in Reaper's shoulder* Hey, Doom... is just... a...game?

Doom- I don't think that Reaper play "games", right?

You- Can't you turn around? *You whispers to Reaper that was frozed* Gabe!

Doom- I don't trust you with this lady, Reaper. Put her down. *He puts you down without turning around, you stay confused* I've being watching since that day you bring her to Talon and I don't recognize you anymore.

You- Look, Doom, we may having some conver-

Doom- I want him to answer me. *cross his arms* Can't you look at me, Reyes? And how she knows your name? Where you both were going?

Reaper- *slowly turns around* You don't recognize me, boss?

Doom- No, I don't.

Reaper- Why? Because I stop being so fucking angry all the time? Maybe...a psychopath?

Doom- No, not only that, you've being acting weird lately. Last mission? You didn't want to participate...like if was a choice.

Reaper- I was tired, that's all.

Doom- I'm not a idiot, Reaper! I'm not a doctor, but I know everything about you and you do not get tired just like that! Since you saved that girl, you've being distant from Talon! Amelia got you both on the kitchen fixing the broken window? What the hell?! Are you trying to run away, Reaper? After all we did? After all you gain?!

Reaper- I only lost! I've lost everything!

Doom- Big deal, Reyes...

Reaper- "Big deal, Reyes"?! Do you want to become a fucking ghost?! You want to feel all that pain and agony that I feel every fucking second?!

Doom- Dont put the blame on Moira...

Reaper- Since I saved her, I realized!

Doom- *smirk* Is that so? So we put a bullet in her head and you deal with that realization *widow appears from the shadow aiming to your head* I'm warning you, Reaper. Give me that girl.

You- What? No no no! This is a mistake! *laughs nervously* No one Is trying to do nothing, boss! We're just getting along, that's all!

Doom- You shut the hell up... Sombra has discovered who you truly are... one step closer, she's allowed to shoot.

Reaper- *Stands in front of you*

Doom- *chuckle* See? Reaper would do that? No, he wouldn't protect someone like that.

Reaper- Gabriel Reyes would...!

Doom- So I'm talking to Gabriel? *laughs* You look like a pathetic hero with those effect lines! Oh, Reaper... you dont know what you're doing.

Reaper- I've never being more sure of what I'm doing...

Widow- She tell you what? *chuckle* Talon is bad? Why you're here? You deserve more? Oh please... How could she open the eyes that is already opened?

Doom- Reaper... *stand his hand* Give me the girl.

Reaper- And do what? Kill her?

Doom- Maybe, if she answer my questions nicely.

*Reaper looked at you over his shoulder and growls*

Reaper- What are you hiding from me?

You- Something that wouldn't disappoint you...

Sombra- She works in a unit of Overwatch. She's a spy...*chuckle appearing behind you and pulling you out of Reaper's back* Or she tries to be one!

Reaper- Spy...? A Overwatch spy?

You- Big deal...*sighs*

Widow- You were being manipulated, Reyes...

Doom- In name of what? Love? *chuckle*

Widow- *chuckle* Pathetic...

*In Overwatch base*

Cassidy- *Drinking coffee while sitting on the chair all relaxed with a headphone and watching novel on the computer* All right, my dude...kiss her already!

System- Audio mode, activated from: y/n.

Cassidy- Holy...! Shit! *Sit right pausing the novel and hearing the conversation*... Aw shit...! *Immediately takes the headphone off and pick his cellphone calling Jack that immediately answered*

Jack- What?

Cassidy- They got her, commander! We need to move!

Jack- Shit...! Fine! Set the alarm! Prepare for a rescue mission!

Cassidy- Right! *Turn off and immediately press the alarm running to the corridor knocking all the lock doors of every room and one by one they step our their rooms* Move! Move!

Ana- What happened...?! *sleepy*

Cassidy- They got y/n, we need to move, now! Everybody on your feet! Now! 5 minutes!

Angela- A mission? At 2 am?

Rein- Ooh that doesn't look good.

Ana- Talon got y/n...*sighs* I wonder why she went their...

*Back to Talon*

*They move you to a room, a little bit of a torture room, Moira's lab. You were stuck on a chair, everybody quite and Reaper also confused in the corner, not knowing what to do...maybe, incapable of saving you this time*

You- Nice lab...! *nervous and watch Moira on the balcony with a glass of weird...purple...liquid* What is this...?!

Moira- A experiment... if that kills you, would be wonderful *chuckle* Meaning that worked. *She put the liquid in a syring* It can make you talk too...you may feel a little of anguishing and pain.

Doom- Now you pay attention to me, spy... *Walking around the chair* Why you here?!

You- I swear! I did not plan anything!

Doom- Not you, put Overwatch... funny how easily you manipulated Reaper.

You- I didn't!

Widow- What? You gonna say that he is in love? *everybody laughs*

Sombra- Heey, like I said, no girl would like this creepy guy *chuckle* It was too weird meeting you both at the door earlier.

Doom- What...is...your...plan? *Getting closer* Speak!

You- I don't have a fucking plan!

Moira- Don't worry, she will speak *shows the syring* Remember...only I can make the pain stop, so...speak. *Immediately injected and you groans in agony* You'll feel the burn soon...

You- Fuck! No! I swear! Please!

Reaper- *holding himself feeling the anger almost exploding inside of him*...!!

You- Overwatch doesn't have nothing with that! I came because...!

Moira- You wanted information, easy...

Doom- Five months inside of Talon...good for us that we didn't trust anything for you, spy. Overwatch *laughs* Never thought that they would be so clumsy. Really? Spy infiltration? Amateurs...

You- Right, do whatever you...!!!! *You starts to feel your veins burning* Argh! *Started to squirm on the chair*

Moira- *smirk*

Reaper- Is that really necessary?!

Doom- Do not interfere, Reaper.

Reaper- Does it worth?!

Doom- If she speak something or die, yes!

Reaper- She will agonize to death!!

Moira- That's the idea! Now if you're against this, you have to kill everyone on this room! You've being manipulated!

Reaper- I'm NOT!

Moira- Yes! You are!

Reaper- I saved her! I CARE! I'm still human!

Moira- Who the hell are you, Reaper?!

Reaper- I look unfamiliar?! Well, great! Cuz I'm fucking tired of being the villain! *facing Moira*

Moira- So you better go straight to hell!

Doom- Enough!

You- Pl...! Please! Moira! Stop! *crying of pain*

Moira- I'll stop when you speak up!

You- Gabe...! Please!

Reaper- *Feeling guilty and desperate* Stop...! Stop that! *tries to hold Moira, but Doomfist literally grab him easily throwing in a balcony* ...!! *groans* Fuck...!

Doom- I won't kill you, Reaper...I like you. But I like you when you're the monster you always have been.

Reaper- I'm not...a monster! *Gets up*

Doom- Yes, you're...*Go back to you* Now tell me, spy...what do you want?

You- I...! *crying and feeling more of the pain spreading through you body* I want Gabe...!

Doom- *chuckle* You want Gabe? Well, he's dead!

*Loud noises in the background*

Sombra- ...!!! What?! What is this?

Doom-...sounds like trouble...! *Ripped off the things that were holding you and grab you by the neck lifting you up* Did you call them?! What did you do?! TALK!

Reaper- Akande...! Let her go! *pick his shotguns*

Doom- Right! Shoot me, Reaper! And you'll see in the hands of Talon! You and this woman!

Sombra- Aah boss! They are coming!

Doom- SPEAK! *Shake you by the neck* Or a break your neck!

Widow- Akande...! *Watching trought infra-sight* They found us!

Moira- Sigma! Where is this old man when we need?!

Sombra- He literally said that this situation is too much for him to handle!

Moira- Argh! Stupid scientist!

Doom- So, you won't speak?

Reaper- ...!! *holding to not shoot*

You- *Look at him agonizing* Don't shoot...Reyes.

Reaper- Let her go! Now!

Doom- *chuckle* fine...I'll do it. *Throws you through the lab* Prepare for fight! Now!

Reaper- AKANDE! *Starts to shoot him, but he blocked with the gauntlet*

Doom- Try it again...! *Punch him against the wall* We talk later, Reaper...If Overwatch don't kill you first.

*The mercenaries lives the lab and Reaper gets up in pain taking his hand to the stomach*

Reaper- Fuck...!

You- *coughs without air*

Reaper- I'm coming...argh! *Finds you on the ground agonizing, all hurt and bleeding because of the glass materials that were in the balcony* Y/n! Hey...! *kneel down and holds you in his lap* I'm here! Don't fucking die on me! You hear me?!

You- *out of breath because of the poison* Gab...! *Your eyes starts to be filled with blood*

Reaper- No...! No no no! *looks around* Where's the fucking antidote?! Please! Don't die on me, girl! *Hold you tight*

You- They...will kill you...!! Go...!

Reaper- No...I won't, even if you beg me, I won't run.

*You suddenly stops everything...*

Reaper-...!! Y/n...! Hey! *Tries to make you react somehow* No! No no no no...! Say something! Breath! Gasp! Anything! *take of his mask trying to put on you* It works on me! Please...! This got to work on you too...!

*Overwatch finds him*

Jack - Reyes! Hands up where I can see! *starts to walk slowly into the lab*

Reaper- Come on, girl...! *Takes his mask of you*...you can't be...!

Jack- Reyes! I said...! *Surprised seeing him holding you* What...? Is that...?

Ana- *Gasp* Y/n...! Oh no!

Tracer- No..! *Starts to cry immediately*

Jack- Let her go, Reaper! Now! *Points the gun* I won't say it again! What did you do with her?!

Reaper- She's dead...

Jack-...?

Reaper- She died on me...! *Starts to cry* Why...?!

Baptiste- *appears from behind* Is he...crying?

Jack- *in shock* What...what the hell? *put his gun down*

Reaper- Is my fault...! I'm so sorry...! *Hugs you tight letting his mask fall from his hand* I'm sorry!

Tracer- *Also in shock while crying*

Ana- *gets more close*

Jack- Ana...! No!

Ana- *Turn to him telling to wait* I need to see y/n...

Phara- Mother, careful, please...!

Ana- He is not a wild animal. *starts to get close again* Gabe...hey, it's me, Ana Amari.

*She slowly kneels beside him and look at his deformed face, she gasp*

Ana- Oh my...! What they did with your handsome face...? *look at you and close her eyes* You silly girl...Gabe, let me check her...please.

Reaper- She's dead...!

Ana- *She puts two fingers on your neck feeling the heartbeat* She still alive...! Her heart is slowing down! Jack! We need to fall back immediately! *She gets a syringe on her pocket* That'll slow the poison to the heart! Gabriel, let's work together, like the old time, ok?

Reaper- Save her, Ana...please.

Ana- I'll do my best. *Grab your arm injecting the antidote* I need you to take her to the ship! Immediately!

*Without thinking twice, he turns to shadow and takes you out*

Jack- What?! Ana!

Ana- Hear me out before you say anything! *Approches Jack* Inside that black figure, at this moment, is Gabriel Reyes right there! Don't try to kill him! Understand?! I saw Gabriel Reyes there!

Jack- But, Ana...!

Ana- No fucking "but"! Get your ass on the ship!

Art by: Muepin's on tumblr

Continue ...

[queen-tashie]

Tagged by @mrbexwrites to find soft, level, bloody, and solid I'm sharing these words from my WIP, Copper Frames!

Passing the tag over to @sarahlizziewrites, @ftmerriweather, @emelkae and as always, an open tag for anyone else!

Your words are: kit, fly, craft, food

Content warnings on my excerpts below: existential dread, violence, light body horror, monsters

Soft:

Amelia settled into an aisle seat on the train, laughing as a toddler played “peek-a-boo” with her in the seat in front of her. She didn't have her own children, nor did she ever marry, but she couldn’t resist playing a silly game when a child offered it. Amelia lifted her glasses up every time the toddler poked her head around the seat, flashing her soft brown eyes.

Level:

"Okay," said Amelia, trying to sort through the tornado of thoughts. "I don't know how to move on and keep working. I've dealt with grief before and that's hard enough on its own. Now I've got a deadline... I didn't meant to say it like that." Dread gripped her for a moment. "I've got a time limit, and I've never had to deal with this level of trauma along side grief and the most critical work I've done in my life. At least, I've never been so close to the work before."

Bloody:

Amelia was stumbling, trying not to lose her footing completely, but her lack of athleticism and good joints caused her to fall to the hard floor. She was vulnerable, afraid, and probably dead. Amelia covered her head as the creatures rushed past her, even the one she had knocked down flew for the exit. The nurses shrieked, but before they could shut the doors, the creatures were upon them. Amelia looked up out of instinct rather than desire to watch what happened, but she couldn't see anything beyond the bloody mist and closing doors of the morgue as the creatures assaulted the nurses.

Solid:

The large purple splotches all over her skin widened, covering every centimetre of her body. Her finger and toe nails blackened and visibly grew in seconds, curling into thick hawk-like talons. Skin—or perhaps it was entire patches of flesh—seeped out like liquid at first, then becoming solid as it touched the air, from under her back and formed into what looked like long, grotesque hands. Not hands, bat wings. Her face morphed into something alien and intimidating as her skull elongated under the skin. Large fangs grew like bamboo shoots, dipping below her jawline.

[norirosewrites]

Horror Film Review: The Babadook

Subgenre: Psychological horror Gore Level: Minimal

“If it’s in a word, or it's in a look…YOU CAN’T GET RID OF THE BABADOOK!”

Yes, that Mr. Babadook, queer icon who brought us memes such as these:

The Babadook is a 2014 Australian psychological horror film written and directed by Jennifer Kent and starring Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman. As I’ve previously written, I have an interest in horror films that explore the complexities of family dynamics and parent-child relationships. After the letdown that was The Twin, I decided to keep my expectations minimal when I sat down to watch The Babadook. Little did I expect to be completely blown out of the water. (Or rather drenched in it, since I was reduced to a blubbering pile of mush at the end of the film.)

In a Nutshell (Spoilers): Amelia is a widowed single mother struggling to raise her six year old son Samuel. When Samual was born, Amelia’s husband Oskar was tragically killed in a car accident en route to the hospital. Amelia receives minimal emotional support from her sister Claire, and her only friend is her and Samuel’s elderly neighbor Ms. Roach. Samuel suffers from insomnia and becomes preoccupied with an imaginary monster, building makeshift weapons in an attempt to protect himself and his mother. Amelia is forced to pull him out of school when he brings a weapon to class and injures another student. One night, Sam asks his mother to read a pop-up book that mysteriously appears on their shelf called Mister Babadook that describes a humanoid monster with taloned fingers and a top hat that torments its victims once they “let him in.” Sam becomes convinced that the Babadook is real. Disturbed, Amelia rips the book into shreds and throws it in the trash collection bin.

Before long, strange things begin to occur in their home: doors open and close at random, Amelia and Sam hear bizarre noises, Amelia finds glass shards in their dinner and an apparent cockroach infestation in the wall behind the fridge that vanishes when social services workers come to check on Sam. Amelia blames Sam for these goings-on, but he insists that it’s the Babadook at work. The two of them attend Sam’s cousin Ruby’s birthday party, where Claire admits that she cannot stand to be around Sam and insists that it’s time for Amelia to move on from Oskar’s death. Ruby bullies and demeans Sam for not having a father. Out of anger, Sam pushes her out of her treehouse, causing her to break her nose. On the way home, Sam envisions the Babadook in their car and begins screaming hysterically, begging his mother “don’t let it in,” and suffers a seizure. Amelia takes him to a pediatrician who puts them on a waitlist for a child psychiatrist and prescribes a short course of sedatives to help him sleep.

The following morning, Amelia finds the Mister Babadook pop-up book on the front porch, reassembled and containing new, graphic images of her killing Sam, their dog Bugsy, and then herself, with a warning that the more she denies the Babadook’s existence, the stronger it will get. She burns the book and tries to report the stalking to the police after receiving an unsettling phone call, but has no evidence to present and leaves when she sees the Babadook’s suit assembled on the wall of the station. Later that night, Amelia sees the Babadook open her bedroom door and crawl up the ceiling before diving down and attacking her, prompting her to leave the lights and the TV on all night.

Amelia grows more and more isolated and erratic. She shouts at and demeans Samuel constantly and displays violent behavior by cutting the phone line with a knife and then aggressively waving it at him. She has more visions of the Babadook and hallucinations where she sees herself murdering Sam. Finally, she sees an apparition of Oskar, who promises to return to her if she “brings the boy” to him. The Babadook possesses her, causing her to break Bugsy’s neck and attempt to kill Samuel. Sam succeeds in luring her to the basement and knocks her unconscious with his homemade weapons and booby traps. She awakens tied up on the floor with Sam cowering nearby. She tries to strangle him, but he manages to lovingly caress her face, causing her to expel the Babadook. However, he reminds her “you can’t get rid of the Babadook '' before an invisible force pulls him upstairs to Ameila’s bedroom. She is able to rescue Sam, but must confront the memory of her husband’s violent death. Enraged, she screams at the Babadook, causing it to flee to the basement.

With the ordeal finally over, Amelia becomes loving and attentive towards Sam. The two of them gather worms in a bowl from the garden and Amelia takes it to the basement to “feed” the Babadook. The Babadook becomes agitated, but she manages to soothe it. It retreats into the shadows with the worms. Amelia returns to the garden with Sam, and the two celebrate his birthday together.

The WOW:

– You know how sometimes a piece of media will beat you over the head with the themes it’s trying to address? Yeah, The Babadook doesn’t do that, which is what makes this film work so well. It’s pretty apparent that the film grapples with trauma and grief, but it manages to do this without being on the nose: Sam celebrates his birthday with his cousin Ruby, who is close in age, because Amelia can’t stand to be reminded that his birthday is the same day that her husband died. However it’s left up to the audience to ascertain this through subtext. She doesn’t want Sam going through his father’s things in the basement, to which he replies “he’s my father, you don’t own him,” reminding his mother in his childlike way that his father’s death has left a hole in his life, too. It also portrays how children can become parentified when parents don’t address their own issues in a stark but deeply moving way: Sam tells his mother “I promise to protect you if you promise to protect me.” When Amelia is possessed and rampaging, he says “I just want you to be happy.” And even when she attempts to kill him, he tells her “I know you don’t love me. The Babadook won’t let you. But I love you, Mum. And I always will.” Even after Amelia is freed from the Babadook’s possession, it is Sam who reminds her that she was the one who let it in, and it’s her responsibility to get it out – which can only be done by finally confronting the reality of her loss. While the film doesn’t shy away from the use of the Babadook as a metaphor for trauma and what happens when it is left unaddressed, it’s careful to do this in a way that is tightly woven into the plot of the story instead of getting sidetracked with superfluous details or dialogue (it shows rather than tells, essentially).

– The stop motion and time skip effects were not only visually stunning; they were also employed in such a way that the startling, jarring moments when the Babadook makes itself known reminded me of the way that trauma can manifest out of nowhere when we’re triggered: one minute you’re going about your day, and then something unexpected may happen that puts you right back in that dark place you don’t want to be. It was another subtle but impactful way that the film invites the viewer to think about the nature of trauma without being overt. (Plus, what horror fan doesn’t love some creepy stop motion animation?)

– I appreciated that Amelia’s character was handled with a lot of sensitivity and care even in her ugliest moments. The way she interacts with the residents of the nursing home where she works shows that she is a caring person, and while Samuel exhausts and frustrates her, it is also clear that she loves her son, however imperfectly: early in the film she stands up for him, telling the school officials that he needs understanding instead of a classroom monitor and insists that they call him by his name instead of just “the boy.”  But one can be a caring person and a loving parent and also a flawed human who desperately wants time alone, peace, quiet, and adult companionship. There is a scene at the beginning of the film where Sam climbs in bed with her and begs his mother to read the same picture book twice before he falls asleep, which she obliges; after Sam falls asleep, Amelia scoots away to the far side of the bed to avoid him. It’s subtle, but there is so much emotion at the core of the small movement; it is possible to love a child and also need a break from them, especially when one is caring for a tiny human all on their own. The scene captures this in a very non-judgemental way and allows the viewer to build sympathy toward Amelia’s character early on to provide a strong foundation for the rest of the plot.

– The acting was phenomenal, especially from such a young actor on the part of Noah Wiseman. I wanted to reach through the screen to give Sam a giant hug, and I wanted to tell Amelia “You’re doing your best, friend.” (And I really wanted to give Claire a piece of my mind.)

The Meh:

– To be honest, I don’t have too much in the way of critique for this film; I genuinely feel that it’s one of the most well put together movies I’ve ever seen, from the screenplay to the acting to the effects. The only thing I would say slightly pulled me out of the story is a scene where Amelia fibs to a coworker who offers to take over her shift for the day that Sam is ill (in reality, he is being supervised by his aunt Claire after being pulled out of school) and decides to take an afternoon off for herself – which I cannot blame her for in the least. However, there is a shot of her eating ice cream watching passersby on a  couch. I felt a bit disoriented – is she eating ice cream in the middle of a department or furniture store? Why is there a random couch in the middle of a public walkway? I was really rather confused. However, of all the things that could go wrong in a film, this was pretty inconsequential. 😂

Final Thoughts:

I am childfree by choice, but all of my fellow Millennial family members and several of my closest friends do have children. I see both the joys and the struggles of parenthood that they experience and know that even when you have all of the support in the world, parenthood is not easy or even fun most of the time – and that even parents who love their children can have days when they question or even regret the choice to become parents. The Babadook is not the only film to address this, but I think it offers a starkly honest look at the trials of parenthood and motherhood in particular, and the circumstances that can tragically lead to child abuse or neglect. In a way, the Babadook isn’t really evil – it forces Amelia to “see what’s underneath” and confront the trauma that is keeping her trapped in her grief, unable to give her full love and care to her son. Confronting trauma, as well as our own mistakes that we may have made in response to trauma, is never easy or pleasant and it’s often a painful, terrifying process. But it’s also the only way we can heal and move forward into a better life for ourselves and our loved ones.

The ending reminds me of the lyrics to Hozier’s “Arsonist’s Lullaby” – “all you have is your fire/and the place you need to reach/don’t you ever tame your demons/but always keep them on a leash.” I interpret the fact that Ameila and Sam continue to “feed” the Babadook reflects that sometimes we do have to keep tending to the damage done by severe trauma – like therapy, medication if necessary, self-care, and learning to recognize and respond to potential triggers before they become problematic – especially in the way that Amelia comforts the Babadook when she feeds it. There is a certain beauty in that: for all the darkness life can hurl at us, people are capable of overcoming even the most unspeakable tragedies and change in the most transformative ways. You can’t get rid of the Babadook, but you can learn to make friends with it, if only you’re brave enough to face what lies in the shadows.

[loudlystrangemagazine]

Keep her on the rubber sheets

[mudaship39]

Zhou Zhen/Zhou Chen Bio

Dossier, Profile, Record, & Archive: Zhou Zhen/Zhou Chen:

Name: Zhou Zhen (the National S Rank Hero and Adventurer of China)/Zhou Chen (the Half Human Half Phoenix Firebird Lightning Bird Monk S Rank Adventurer and Guild Member)

Species: 

Human

Metahuman with pyrokinetic fire powers and electrokinetic lightning powers

Celestial/Stellar bipedal humanoid Phoenix Firebird Fenghuang and Lightning Bird 

Racial Identity: East Asian Chinese, East Asian Korean, & East Asian Japanese 

Height: 5’8”

Weight: 130

Body Type: Lean and athletic 

Appearance:

B,H,W: 32 B

Hairstyle: 

Pre-colonial East Asian hairstyles. 

Short hair 

Long hair tied in a medium or long ponytail

Hair color: black

Eye Color: light brown

Skin color: terra cotta brown

Extra: Red, orange, and yellow phoenix feathers grow on her chest, back, arms, & legs. In her full phoenix fire bird form she has wings, a beak, a tail, feathers on her entire body, & she has talons on her hand and feet. She has golden raptor-like eyes.

Age: 27 

Birthday: Taurus Horse

Tattoos: Celestial and stellar colored and black and white East Asian tattoos of tigers, phoenixes, dragons, fish, buddha, qilin, etc that glow when she uses her firebird and lightning bird powers especially electrical fire fusion elemental powers 

Piercings: Piercings with gemstones on her ears, eyebrows, nose, tongue, & face

Markings:

Jewelry: East Asian buddhist bracelets, jade gemstones rings, Buddhist necklaces.

Features: 

Sex: Female

Gender: Cis 

Sexual Orientation: Lesbian

Pronouns: He him, she her 

Religion: Shinto Buddhist

Languages: 

Common, Undercommon, Goblinoid, Giantkin, Gnomish, Halfling, Dwarvish, Fey, Elvish, Sylvan, Underdark, Draenei, Draconic, Aarakocra, Auran, Celestial, Fiendish, Deep Speech, Serpent Tongue, & Primordial

Disabilities: Autistic. 

Nuerodivergent: ADD, ADHD, OCD, 

Mental Illnesses: depression, anxiety, panic attacks, & PTSD

Relatives: 

Father: Lei Chen 

Mother: Eun-a Choi

Aunts and Uncles: Miyoko Kobayashi, Ha-min Choi, Liya Chen 

Siblings:

Brothers:

Sisters:

Cousins:

Nephews and Nieces:

Children: 

Marital Status: Married

Relationship model: Polyamorous

Love Interests: 

Elsa Johansson, Afro Asian half dragon Chun Hei Kim, Afro South Asian Desi Afro European Amelia Himmat Mishra, Afro West Asian Maysa Uzun, Latine Native Valerie Nadia Torres Garcia. Artist Dancer Yuli Li, Madam Brothel Manager Sunrita Maheshwari, Swordswoman Xiuli Chang, Grandmaster Weili Yang, Military Captain Soldier Chunyu Liu, Government Official Kanako Takahashi, Scholar Miyoko Kobayashi, Police captain Saruta Chaiyasan, Noble Lady Hyo-jin Jung, Warlord General Sae-hyun Park, Jonin kunoichi assassin Nanako Yamada, Samurai Lady Kiyoko Nakamura, Merchant Myeon-ji Kim, Shogun Tomiko Satou, Princess Lady Minh Nguyen

Rank: 

S rank

S rank Adventurer:

S Rank Hunter

S Rank Hero

Level: 300

Stat Points:

Skills:

Traits:

Alignment: Neutral Good 

Class: Monk (Magical melee and unarmed martial arts) 

Subclass:

Background: 

Disgraced Noble. Fallen Noble. Arranged Marriage. Exile. Academy Dropout. Unseen Academy Reject. Acolyte. Apothecary. Artisan. Attention Addict. Chef. Chosen One. Craftsman. Dauntless. Destined to be a Hero. Doctor. Duelist. Farmer. Fortune Teller. Government Official (Imperial Civil Servant). Hermit. Isekai. Lesser Scion. Librarian. Matchmaker. Merchant. Mercenary. Monk. Monotheistic. Monotheistic Traveller. Nurse. One Soul Two Bodies. Otherworlder. Poet. Primogenitor. Prodigy. Retired Hero. Roamer. Sage. Shaolin Monk. Scholar. Sealed One. Second Soul. Smith (Metal, Gemstone, Blacksmith). Soldier. Tourist. Town Apothecary. The Chosen One. Time Frozen. Time Traveller. Trader. Vendor. Wanderer. Warlord. Warrior. Weaver (Fabric). Wise One. 

Cultivation: 

Martial Arts: 

Magical martial arts (imagine bak mei, wushu, changquan, hung gar, xingyiquan, shuai jiao, wing chun, san da, choy li fut, shaolin kung fu, & wuzuquan)

magical mixed martial arts (imagine karate, capoeira, krav maga, savate, muay thai, jiu jitsu, kickboxing, hapkido, judo, aikido, taekwondo  

magical kendo, sai, kobudo, spear, kalaripayattu, escrima stick fighting, bo staff, silat, tonfa, & nunchucks 

Patron: Sun Wukong

Titles: 

Sage of the Stars. Young Master of the Chen Family. Grandmaster of the Way of the Fire Fist Lightning Fist Martial Arts School. Sword Empress. Sword Saint. Owner of the Auctionhouse. Owner of the Lotus Medicinal Pills Apothecary. Marquis of the Imperial Military.

Homebase:  

Shanghai, China. Kyoto, Japan. Seoul, Korea. Human Federation of Magical Human Kingdoms and Indigenous Magical Human Confederacy of Nations 

Affiliation: 

Murim Alliance. Xiao Lei: Poison Master (Master in poison arts). Jonin (assassination, ninjutsu, & shadow arts). Yuan Jian: Swordmaster (Melee Martial Arts Mentor). Himi Satomi: Array Master. Shimada Tokuma: Pills Sage (Medicinal Pills mentor). Grandmaster Ch’u Min-Hee (Martial Arts mentor).

Education: 

High School Graduate

High School Diploma

Associates Degree in Biology

Bachelor's Degree in Medicine

Masters Degree in Anatomy and Physiology

Certificate in Calligraphy 

Certificate in Arrays

Certificate in Pill Making 

Seoul National University. The University of Tokyo. Peking University

Korea Military Academy

U 13 or Under 13 for full contact Magical mixed martial arts

U 15 or Under 15 for magical melee combat with tonfa, escrima sticks, sai, nunchucks, & bo staff

Under 18 or U 18 for magical melee combat with magical swords, spears, clubs, axes, and sledgehammers

Occupation: 

Earth: 

Military. Conscript. Drafted. Grunt. Soldier. Officer. Gym trainer. Olympic Level Athlete. Martial Arts World Champion. Stunt person. Producer. Stunt double. Director. Stunt coordinator. Martial arts actress. Fighting game voice actress. Celebrity. 

Isekai: 

Beggar. Bandit. Farmer. Fisherman. Gardener. Courtesan. Matchmaker. Fortune Teller. Chef. Painter. Dancer. Artist. Actor. Musician. Flute, Piano, Violin. Chinese Stringed Instruments. Craftsman. Artisan. Poet. Smith. Shaolin Monk. Monotheistic. Monotheistic Traveller. Martial Arts Grandmaster. Doctor. Nurse. Scientist. Cartographer. Astronomer. Librarian. Apothecary. Conscript. Drafted. Grunt. Soldier. Swordsman. Archer. Calvary. Officer. Warlord. Merchant. City Guard. City Watch. Trader. Vendor. Business person. Mercenary. Armed Escort. Shinobi/Kunoichi assassin. Genin. Chunin. Jonin. Samurai. Ronin. Shogun. Professor. Scholar. Sage. Philosopher. Government Official. Aristocrat. Noble. Lady. Hired Guard. Bodyguard. Royal Guard (Human Empress) Lady in Waiting. Judge. Royal Advisor. 

Economic Class: Aristocratic 

Base of Operations: Firebird Fire Fist and Lightning Bird Lightning Fist Style Martial Arts School and Shaolin Monastery

Place of Residence: Manor of her Noble Chen Family 

Transportation: Horse drawn carriage. Car. Plane.

Mounts: Qinlin, Dragon, Griffin

Familiars: 

Firebird 

Lightning bird 

Pets: Hellhound, shadow cat, phoenix, kitsune nine tailed fox demon

Companions:

Apparel:

Facemask and bandana, spiked arm gauntlets, t-shirt, martial arts gi uniform, vest, obi belt, fingerless gloves, kung fu pants, spiked knee gauntlets, & combat boots

Red blue Silk uniform and Qingdai guanmao or mandarin hat with phoenix feathers as an imperial officer. Accessories to denote rank such as a phoenix and qilin.

Close fitting top with elbow length sleeves that is fairly tight fitting but allow room for movement. It is a kind-of-faded saffron color similar to the breast color of the Fenghuang. Over which she wears her leather and metal armor. Then over that, layers of very thin (almost diaphanous cloth) that are very loose fitting so it is easy to slip out of or just shuck off when needed. That builds up in colors until the outer layer where the skirt section splits off into separated 'tails' of colors. That way, in terms of movement and flow, the clothing picks up the slightest breeze and floats. Creating the illusion of effortless gliding and flight while allowing the character's movement with her clothes to punctuate her body language as she herself moves. The idea being that just the act of movement portrays elegance and effortless poise. When Zhou Chen moves with purpose all the outer layers will immediately flows behind her. Also heightening the impression of a hunting bird striking at its target. The robes are made of two layers of thicker material that doesn’t have the same flow to it. The upper layer would be smaller than the lower layer to create a two-tone color effect. The robe could be belted at the waist. It is form-fitting so that it contours to the body down to the waist. The upper section would be held in place by the armor over the top. As opposed to Zhou Zhen who would have the armor underneath the robe and the skirt of the robes flared somewhat so that when Zhou Chen moves it forms something of a sem-circle around his/her calves. In terms of color maybe the robes for Zhou Chen could have the lower layer the same blue as the second and fourth tail plumage on a Fenghuang with the upper layer the blue/gray/green of the outer feathers in the wings.

Hoodie, t-shirt, jeans, high top sneakers

Equipment: 

Items:

Weapons: Great Sword, bojutsu bo staff, nunchucks, long swords, daggers, short sword, sai, escrima sticks, broadsword, tonfa, magical composite bow, & spear

Armor: 

Leather and metal medium class armor 

Plated chainmail military armor with helmet with Phoenix firebird and lightning bird feathers (based on the helmet of her patron Sun Wukong the Monkey King)

Power origin: 

Earth:  

Fire accident as a superhero.  When saving civilians from a house fire caused by fire magic. 

Lightning accident as a superhero.  When being attacked by a supervillain with electrical lightning powers. 

Isekai: 

Firebird 

Lightning bird 

Abilities: 

Electrical Fire Fusion 

Fire manipulation

Lightning manipulation

[northoftheroad]

Dick Grayson in the New 52

(Prime Earth, from after Flashpoint (2011) up until the Convergence (2015).

As everyone might know, I'm not a great fan of the New 52. I'm sure some characters had great stories, and there are indeed some compelling stories for Dick, but generally, I feel it did him few favours. Before Flashpoint (Dick became Doctor Fate in Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons, by the way), Dick Grayson had a long and rich history together with scores of characters and was one of the most experienced and skilled "superheroes" out there. Instead, we got a guy in his early 20s who had met Bruce Wayne when he was as old as 15, didn't have his best friends from the Teen Titans, hardly knew that version of Superman, etcetera. (Dick had been in a relationship with Kory, seen in some flashbacks, but I don't think there ever was a New Teen Titans team.) 

Dick's Nightwing suit was also red instead of blue; I believe to have all four "Robins" in the same colour, which I didn't mind. But I really, really don't like the New 52 version of his Robin suit. 

I honestly don't think there are a lot of stories from this time that are important to know about reading forward, i.e. things that will be referenced in later comics (and fanfiction...) There is the Court of Owls extended storyline, naturally, when it turns out Dick's great-grandfather is a Talon and wants Dick to follow in his footstep, something the Court and Parliament of Owls seem very much into (The Gray Son of Gotham). This has forever changed Dick's past at Haly's circus, from where he would have been safe to where he would have been handed over to a future as a Talon. 

There is Forever Evil when Dick was killed and revived, after which Batman took the chance to "persuade" Dick to pretend to stay dead so he could infiltrate Spyral, leading to the title Grayson (2014–2016). There's Damian dying and coming back too, but Dick had a minor role there. 

Towards the end of the New 52, DC was working to give their characters all their memories back from pre-Flashpoint, and the (Silver age) Titans were reunited in Titans Hunt (2015–2016). 

Anyway, here are some notable comics with Dick Grayson from the New 52, trying to keep it in in-story chronological order. 

Nightwing vol 3 # 25. A story from Dick's time at the circus. 

Nightwing vol 3 # 0 (2012) and The Long Year (in New 52 Secret Origins vol 3 # 1 (2014)) tell somewhat different versions of how Dick came to Bruce and became Robin.

Batman and Robin vol 2 Annual # 2. Partly a flashback story to when Dick was Robin. Bruce fires him and forgives him a night or two later; none of them are characters I can particularly care about...  

Grayson Annual # 2. A couple of flashback pages to Dick/Robin meeting the (young) New 52 Superman.

Batman & Robin Eternal (2015–2016) and Batman Endgame # 1. Parts of Batman & Robin Eternal occur in the past when Dick is Robin, and for instance, faces Scarecrow for the first time. 

Justice League vol 2 # 51. DickRobin’s first meeting with the Justice League. Batman tells him he will be leading it in the future.

Nightwing vol 3 # 1. Dick has just left being Batman and gone back to Nightwing.

Nightwing vol 3 # 2–10. Connected to the Court of Owls storyline. # 7 tells how Dick's childhood friend Raymond was taken to become a Talon, after Dick had left with Bruce. # 8–9 includes the story of Dick's great-grandfather William Cobb, his love affair with Amelia Crowne, and how he became a Talon, took his son from Amelia, and left him at the circus. 

Nightwing vol 3 # 11–17. Dick invests all his money in rebuilding the Amusement Mile in Gotham and invites Haly's circus to work there. He gets help from the businesswoman Sonia Branch, the daughter of Tony Zucco, his parent's murderer. However, Joker targets the Amusement Mile and the circus, and in the end, Dick is left without any money and the circus people leave him. 

Connected to the Death of the Family crossover, where the Joker imprisons the bat-family in the cave. The story arc ends with Bruce's allies leaving him, angry that he never told them that the Joker might have known who they are all along. 

Nightwing vol 3 # 18. The aftermath of Damian's death. Dick is told that Tony Zucco, the man who killed his parents and was presumed dead, is alive. 

Batman and Robin vol 2 # 23 Nightwing. Dick tries to help Bruce cope with Damian's death. 

Nightwing vol 3 # 18. Dick moves to Chicago to search for Zucco. In # 28, Zucco ends up in jail. 

Forever Evil (2013-2014) In # 1, Nightwing is captured by the Crime Syndicate of Earth 3, and they demask him on television. Justice League vol 2 # 23.4 and # 25. Thomas Wayne Jr, Owlman on the Crime Syndicate, tries to convince Dick to become his partner against the rest of the Syndicate. In his own dimension, he had killed that Dick Grayson's parents to make Dick bond with him. In Forever Evil # 6, Batman and Catwoman find Dick trapped in a murder machine; a bomb that will explode unless his heart stops. Lex Luthor knocks Batman out and ostensibly suffocates Dick while giving him a cardioplegia pill. Dick flatlines, and the countdown of the bomb stops. # 7 Luthor revives Dick with a shot of adrenalin. 

Nightwing vol 3 # 30. Bruce is an abusive ass and fights with Dick to force him to pretend to stay dead and infiltrate Spyral; Bruce describes it as an espionage group hunting masked heroes. In the last pages, Dick is with Spyral. 

There was also a # 30 that never was published about Dick's funeral and the reactions of his friend and family. 

Grayson (2014–2016). Dick is working as Agent 37 at Spyral. He has been equipped with a Hypnos Implant in the eyes, used to show hallucinations to enemies (and more); it can also be used to render the agent wearing them unconscious. I've said it before; I can enjoy the Grayson book if I read it as Dick is playing the part of sexy (and sometimes obnoxious) super spy out of necessity. He is clearly homesick when he talks to Bruce to report his findings. 

Batman Eternal takes place when Dick is presumed dead; he's mentioned twice, I believe (# 5 and 18)

Batman vol 2 # 40 (April 2015). Dick stands in as Batman, fighting the Joker. 

Grayson # 5. The best issue of the run, in my opinion. Dick keeps a newborn baby alive after a plane crash in a desert, telling her a story that builds on the classic Robin Dies at Dawn. 

Grayson # 12. Dick returns to Gotham, where Bruce is an amnesiac and has forgotten about Batman and all his kids. Dick reveals himself to Alfred, Jason, Tim, Damian and Barbara (Jason, especially, is pissed; Damian is overjoyed) to get their help to take down Spyral. Quotes from older comics surround his meetings with the other bat-characters, so it's a fun issue to read for that. 

Starfire vol 2 # 6–8. Guest starring Dick as Agent 37. 

Grayson Annual # 2. Dick meets and teams up with the New 51 Superman, who has lost most of his powers. It has its moments, and Dick talks about how he remembered Clark's story about the Kryptonian gods Nightwing and Flamebird when he decided to leave being Robin. 

Batman & Robin Eternal (2015–2016) and Batman Endgame # 1. A part of Batman & Robin Eternal takes place in the past when Dick is Robin; in the story "now", Dick is Agent 37. It revolves around a character called "Mother", who "creates" characters on order. It is implied Bruce worries that he was doing the same thing with Dick, when he trained him to become Robin. The book includes many characters, for instance, Cassandra Cain, who is reintroduced here. Personally, I don't think you miss out a lot if you skip this book, but to each their own. 

Robin War (a book and crossover including Grayson # 15, 2015–2016). Dick and the other official Robins train and work together with the Robin movement in Gotham. It ends with Dick accepting a position as a Talon for the international Parliament of Owls – they had tricked Damian into taking the role earlier in the book, but their goal was set on Dick. (Dick will, of course, work to dismantle the Parliament, in the Rebirth Nightwing title.)

Titans Hunt (2015–2016). The return of Wally West led to Rebirth and everyone remembering a past they've forgotten (DC's way of explaining the shortcomings of New 52, if I understood correctly). Just before that happens, Titans Hunt reunites part of the old Teen Titans, and Dick returns to his Nightwing suit. 

The New 52 brand ended in 2015, when DC published a bunch of miniseries under the brand Convergence. The storylines continued into 2016 until Rebirth happened (Dick's appearances there is something I will try to get into in a later post).

And there were a lot of different versions of Dick Grayson during Convergence...

The future of Dick and Kory from the New Teen Titans timeline, in Convergence: The New Teen Titans # 1-2

The future of Dick and Barbara from pre-Flashpoint timeline, in Convergence: Nightwing and Oracle # 1-2

The future of Dick from the old Earth-Two (who actually died together with his "almost adopted sister" Helena/Huntress in Crisis on Infinite Earths) in Convergence: Detective Comics # 1-2

Dick from Earth 2, who was a journalist, never met Bruce but Thomas and became Batman, in Convergence # 2–8, Earth 2: World's End and Earth 2: Society (he's not in every issue). 

Note. This is a much more complete list from a Tumblr account that I believe is no longer active:

[ya-world-challenge]

New Releases in September 2022 for the YA World Challenge

Wow, it’s nearly September! Crazy. 

So this month I decided to dig deeper and get some indie and non-US published titles on the list. I also displayed all the covers (except a few late additions*). Too much information or is it good like that?

(*oops, the late additions became more than a few! I wonder if the post is too long.)

What’s your favorite cover? Personally, I can’t help loving Last of the Talons, plus The Sacrifice cover is kind of awesome, and Rust in the Root has a great kind of elegance to it.

[P.S. Links support Bookshop.org and independent bookshops!]

🇦🇶  Antarctica

It Looks Like Us - Alison Ames

🇦🇺  Australia

The Bookseller’s Apprentice - Amelia Mellor

Beyond all Boundaries book 3: Interdimensional Worlds - Lyn Willmott

🇨🇦  Canada

This House is not a Home - Katłıà

🇨🇳  China

Foul Lady Fortune - Chloe Gong

🇨🇴  Columbia

Meet Me Halfway - Anika Fajardo

🇨🇺 Cuba

The Bluest Sky - Christina Diaz Gonzalez

🇩🇪  Germany

The Gingerbread Witch - Alexandra Overy

🇬🇭 Ghana

Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting - Roseanne A. Brown

🇬🇷 Greece

Blood of Troy - Claire M. Andrews

God’s Grace by Katie Cherry

Ithaca by Claire North

🇮🇳 India

Starlet Rivals - Puneet Bhandal

🇮🇩  Indonesia

Well, That Was Unexpected - Jesse Q. Sutanto

🇮🇪  Ireland

The Lost Girl King - Catherine Doyle

🇮🇹  Italy

Kingdom of the Feared - Kerri Maniscalco

🇯🇵  Japan

Ichiro and the Great Mountain - W. Nikola-Lisa

🇯🇵 🇺🇸 Japanese-American

Sweet and Sour - Debbi Michiko Florence

🇰🇷  Korea

Last of the Talons - Sophie Kim

🇰🇷🇺🇸 Korean-American

Seoulmates - Susan Lee

🇲🇽  Mexico

The Sunbearer Trials - Aiden Thomas

🇵🇸 Palestine

They Called Me a Lioness: A Palestinian Girl’s Fight for Freedom - Ahed Tamimi, Dena Takruri

🇵🇭  Philippines

The Sacrifice - Rin Chupeco

Adrift - Tanya Guerrero

🇷🇺  Russia

Bone Weaver - Aden Polydoros

Black Bird, Blue Road - Sofia Pasternack  (Kazakhstan?)

🇬🇧 Scotland

Dìlseachd - A Stolen Crown - Cheyenne can Langevelde

🌏  Southeast Asia

Monsters Born and Made - Tanvi Berwah

Fall of the Iron Gods - Olivia Chadha

🇸🇾  Syria

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow - Zoulfa Katouh

🇺🇦 Ukraine

Dogs of the Deadlands - Anthony McGowan

🇬🇧  United Kingdom

Felix Silver, Teaspoons & Witches - Harry Cook

The Secret in the Tower - Andrew Beattie

🇺🇸  United States

Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix - Anna-Marie McLemore

Rust in the Root by Justina Ireland

Destination Unknown - Bill Konigsberg

🌍 West Africa

Soul of the Deep - Natasha Bowen

[hriobzagelthewanderer]

Let's just say that a certain Valkyrie is admiring Hriob's newfound anatomy from a distance with her binoculars. For um, research.

...Amelia, Amelia, Amelia, I am fairly certain him starting to form a miniature Star in the palm... talons...? of his 'hand' looking in your direction is not an invitation to come closer, but a warning to stop looking.

Also, he is not responsible for any sudden blindness that comes from staring at the 'sun' through lenses.