#and if they drop Syd into the trap

[doubleappled]

The thing with the names

… is under the cut bc of s3 spoilers…

We’ve noticed how NYC chef calls Carmy “Bergazzo,” right, and how Shapiro then calls Luca “Lucas”? We see this?

And then we see Chef Terry at the end asking Carmy to call her by her first name the next time they’re together?

That’s something.

[freedelusionshere]

I don't want to set any unreasonable expectations, but the sleight of hand and legerdemain mention in S3 could also be referring to the status of Syd and Carmy's relationship.

While I think it definitely refers to the fine dining smoke and mirrors going on (while The Bear is broke, changing the menu everyday Jeffery Ballet, trying to recreate Empire), and Carmy being trapped in his own illusions of grandeur (and trapping others with him, primarily Syd, who shields the others), it could also be about their relationship.

There is plenty of subtle evidence of stuff happening, and maybe more off screen. First and foremost, their comfort at showing resentment of each other while sticking it out regardless. They behave like a married couple bickering in several scenes. There is a subtle progression here:

Syd calling herself his accomplice is a big one for me. Seems a bit resigned, doesn't she?

Carmy' wanting to lock down Syd by promising her the star and a partnership agreement to make it legal. Which she is hesitant to do for a number of reasons.

Syd making the margins wider for him after the funeral of Marcus's mother, where the message we know they hear is that they have to look at each other close up. It indicates Syd reaching for him emotionally.

Carmy telling Syd she's dressed nice and obviously wondering where she's been outside the restaurant. The way their voices both get soft in this scene. I know people think stuff will happen with Luca, but really, it set up Syd as "cheating" on their restaurant this season just like he did last season with the C-person.

How did Syd get her apartment lease when she has bad credit and would likely need someone to co-sign? It's not her dad's doing, the show made sure we knew that. It's likely Carmy. And she's on deferred pay.

Carmy saying he's sick of this shit. He is sick of the restaurant. He is very clearly not sick of Syd, though!

Syd treating Nat, Pete, and the baby like family and looking out for them. His whole family pressuring her to sign the agreement.

Carmy telling her to go home and get some rest and he'll finish up in Apologies, and also asking her to be his plus one in public outside the restaurant.

Him cleaning his side of the street up, spraying off shit in the back of The Bear and seeming somehow mostly unbothered and feeling hopeful about the future even after Cicero tells him about pulling the funding and pressuring him to talk to his mom. Why? Because he knows he's going to see Syd later.

Carmy getting ready to go to the Ever dinner. We see he has a scrunchie and there are hairpins on his dresser. Syd pins her hair up for the Ever dinner. She wears scrunchies. It's on the prayer card and Syd is associated with Mikey constantly. Carmy makes sure to get there before her so he can introduce her and have her be seen with him.

Despite what happens with Chef David, he comes out on the other side seeming more clear-headed about what he wants. Then, the other shoe(s) drop in true cliffhanger finale style.

In S4, my expectation is that we're going to get a lot of Syd POV about all of this.

[feyhunter78]

Trust Fund Baby Series + Meg's Kinktober #21 Almost Caught AKA Late Night, a Few Drinks

Description: Carmy invites you to try the new drinks for The Bear's opening. (This fic is actually sfw sorry to disappoint)

Trust Fund Baby (nsfw)

“Saint Anthony, huh? Didn’t know you were Catholic.” You say, hooking one finger under the gold chain around his neck, leaning forward with a drunken giggle as you inspect it.

“I’m not, just Italian.” Carmy says, his lips mere inches from yours, when you look up and realize how close you two are. He’s so pretty like this, and his eyes are so, so, blue you swear you could drown in them.

You’re practically in his lap, one hand balancing yourself on his knee, the other holding his chain, his gaze holding yours, looking as if he wants to devour you.

“Ah, yes, makes perfect sense.” You nod, smiling, smiling, smiling, smiling, it’s all you can do around Carmy, especially when you’re drinking.

“Yeah?” Camry asks, leaning back on his hands, half lidded eyes, slightly glazed from alcohol, watching as you toy with the small pendant.

“Yeah.” You echo, eyes flickering down to his lips.

“Real nice of you to come help out with the tastings.” Carmy says, pink tongue darting out, wetting his lips.

You swallow hard, the rational part of your brain telling you to pull back. “Can’t say no to free drinks with my favorite chef now, can I?”

His eyebrows lift and he cocks his head slightly to the side. “I’m your favorite chef, sweetheart?”

“Of course.” You say it so simply, like it’s a fact, because to you, it is. “Well, you and Syd, she makes a killer breakfast.”

He laughs, his head rolling back, the sound infectious.

You lean back, letting Carmy’s chain drop and settle gently on his chest.

“That all it takes to win you over? A good breakfast?” Carmy asks, smiling that half smile that makes your stomach do flips.

“I guess so.” Your face is warm, from the alcohol, embarrassment, desire? You’re not sure.

“I’m pretty good at making breakfast too.” He says, the low lighting in The Bear makes his eyes impossibly dark, like the ocean during a storm, and you’re one drink away from diving in.

You gather your courage, hoping you still look as good as you did when you left your apartment. “Oh yeah? Maybe I’ll have to come over and try it some time then.”

Carmy’s eyes widen, just a fraction, but it’s enough to knock down every bit of confidence you built up.

“Shit, sorry, that was such a weird thing to say.” You look at your glass, though you know it’s empty. “I think the drinks are getting to me.”

He shakes his head. “Nah, nah, wasn’t weird at all, love to make you breakfast sometime.”

You bite your lip to hide your smile. “Yeah?”

He tucks a lock of hair behind your ear, fingers lingering for a moment too long, his eyes darting to your bottom lip, still trapped between your teeth. “Yeah, anytime, love cooking for you, it’s cute when you get all excited, and you got that pretty smile on your face.”

And there go the butterflies. “Oh, so you think I’m pretty?” You tease, dragging out the “y” sound, and laughing when he rolls his eyes.

“Fuckin’ know I think that. Everybody thinks that, prettiest damn girl in the whole world.” He says, voice low, but earnest.

“No way, prettiest girl in the world is Jessica Chastain.” You laugh, cheeks burning as you try to wave off his compliment, your heart doing double time jumping jacks in your chest.

He lets out a low whistle. “Almost forgot about her.”

Ouch.

You try not to let that hurt you considering you brought it up, but it still stings, and you look away, feeling the sting settle in your skin.

Carmy sits up, his hand cradling your cheek, bringing your eyes to his. “Hey, hey, what’s up with you, what happened?”

You smile at him, but you know he can see it’s a bit forced. “Nothing, nothing, just got lost in thought.”

“Don’t get all sad on me, I don’t like when my pretty girl’s sad.” He says, thumb caressing your cheek slowly.

My pretty girl. Has he ever called you that before? Ever staked a claim, expressed any real desire to have you as his? You don’t think so, and now the moment has weight. Weight you’re not ready to think about.

“Just got a bit insecure, don’t know why. I literally love her, and don’t have any ideas that I’d actually look as pretty as a celebrity, that would be crazy.”

Carmy lets out a huff and his thumb brushes against your lips, the touch sending shockwaves through you, and Carmy as well. “Don’t be fuckin’ dumb, of course you’re as pretty as a celebrity, fuckin’ prettier than all the celebrities.”

“Hey…” You warn, scrunching up your nose. “Don’t call me dumb.”

His face falls. “No, no, sweetheart, I’d never, I just meant—”

You stop him with a hand on his chest, right over the gold pendant. “I’m kidding, I know what you meant, and I appreciate it.”

Carmy visibly relaxes. “Got me scared for a second.”

“I’m sorry.” You giggle, going to move your hand.

He catches it and brings it to his lips. “I’m serious, you’re so fuckin’ pretty y/n, like it makes no fuckin’ sense.”  His lips warm, a bit chapped, but still soft, and your skin tingles, butterflies erupting in your stomach all over again.

“Oh.” You breathe, heart fluttering, your eyes locked on your joined hands. “Well, um, genetics I guess?”

“Genetics.” He echoes, relinquishing your hand and leaning back on his own, his eyes drifting to the window, leaving you to try and fight the lovesick smile threatening to appear.

“Yeah, my mom is gorgeous.” You say, wishing his gaze would drift back to you.

It does, and you beam at him.

“I bet.” Carmy says, his eyes darting down to your lips, to the way you’re still half leaning on him, the way your shirt clings to you, like a second skin, his free hand settling on your hip.

“I really do appreciate you asking me to come try the drinks with you.” You tell him, voice quiet, unwilling to break the sudden tension that’s appeared.

“Of course, I always have fun with you, wouldn’t want anyone else here with me.” His hand burns on your hip, and you want to pull it either lower or higher, just want something to happen.

“You’re so sweet to me.” You smile, eyes dropping to his lips, then flickering up to his eyes.

He’s so close, and you can practically taste the alcohol on his lips, the bitters, the orange, the burned sugar.

“Easy to be sweet to you.” Carmy says, it’s more of an exhale against your lips, his hand coming up to cup your cheek once more, your noses brushing against each other, the sound of your blood rushing in your ear and—

“Yo cousin, where you at?” Richie’s voice booms through The Bear, and you jolt backwards, pushing away from Carmy as if he burned you.

He looks dazed, lips still parted, eyes soft and focused on you. Then he blinks, and it’s all gone, he’s back to normal. “In the front, by the bar.”

Kinktober masterlist

[gingergofastboatsmojito]

Carmy is a hypocrite

Like most cowards are

But unlike most cowards, he had a point.

Carmy was quick to judge his brother and get out of the family household to "show him".

But he didn't take this into account:

Michael Berzatto is immortal

Carmy expects Syd to be legally obligated to push him and let herself be pushed, but when he's pushed he can't handle it:

Carmy wants to change the menu every day but when Syd wants to make changes, he prefers to go his way:

Granted there is a valid explanation for that I already went over

Here → Yeah, right.

And Syd can easily put an end to it by signing the agreement and exercising her rights as a partner. But she's avoiding it and delaying it and making things worse as time goes by, so it's a 50% / 50% here.

But in terms of Carmy's discourse, it's nothing but hypocrisy, no matter how unconscious his behavior is and what reasons he has to justify it.

Carmy wants Richie to accept his apologies because he loves him but he won't accept Donna's who clearly wants to reconnect with her strange son, while he avoids her:

And the list can go on and on and ooooonnnnnn...

Because he is a HYPOCRITE and as with all hypocrisy, it's rooted in what in essence can be labeled as a "lack of balls".

He's clearly not the kinda guy who avoids conflict, as a matter of fact, he's the opposite because he's → Donna's son and → reactive in nature.

But he's scared shitless of true mature behavior, he's not ready for that, as I explained here. And if we dig deeper, we can clearly see that part of his fear has to do with his mommy issues, which I mentioned here. And of course, also with his many psychological conditions that remain untreated, which I elaborated on in previous posts such as:

Let's put the ship in partnership

Carmy Berzatto and his erotic transfer

Or are being incorrectly treated, because the AA meetings are like trying to put out a wildfire with a glass of water, in his case. He needs a whole team of professionals who develop a personalized healthcare plan for him and follow up regularly with him to help him stick to it. Especially since changing his surroundings is not an option.

So summing up, he's a hypocrite.

BUT

He has a point, which is, that if he stops being a hypocrite, he will have to change his ways, which requires courage, and balls, sure, but most importantly, he will have to face the truth about his feelings for Syd, face the C person and act like a man and go on an apology tour, which is something that requires something he doesn't have yet:

MADURITY

He's a kid trapped in a 30-31 year old body. And that's exactly what happens to abuse/trauma victims. There's this arrested development that mentally freezes them up in the time of their lives when the abuse began. And they can look like very adjusted people for most of us, they can look like accomplished chefs, like wannabes who are really into their artistic hobbies that are actually nothing but escapism, like people who "just want to do what's right", perfectionists even, etc... but in their case, that's nothing but a mask that hides their level of immaturity. They can ONLY HANDLE getting their asses kissed all the time, anything else is something they just can't take. Imagine a toddler: if you go and say (in a baby voice, ofc): "Oh you're soooo cute, I love your drawings! Wow! Did you make this? I love this! OMG! It's soooo cute! Awwww" the kid will be all smiley and over the moon, right? They will love it.

But try telling a 5-year-old:

Don't yell.

Stop.

Drop that.

No, you're not right.

Etc.

They will always find a problem with accepting limits and behaving BECAUSE THEY ARE TODDLERS. They will probably even throw a TANTRUM, even in public sometimes... They won't care how it looks. They are not above making a scene. All parents have to deal with that for a few years, no matter how well-adjusted and healthy their kiddo is. It's normal behavior IN A TODDLER.

Well, adults can be toddlers too (mentally). And that leads to HYPOCRISY. Like in Carmy's case.

Fortunately, maturity levels and development are dynamic. Hardly ever static. So Carmy is not a hopeless case.

I'm confident that S4 will be the season in which he will FINALLY GROW THE FUCK UP.

Because he has already reached his breakthrough.

Remember to follow my tag #Gingerpovs

[whenmemorydies]

There's lots of evidence that Syd wants that recognition from the fine dining world. The star, for one. The way that she stares at Carmy's coverage in the media. In S1, she doesn't want to do Brigade, but she does it, because Carmy wants it.

She has also been commodified and extracted from those fine dining restaurants she worked at as Carmy has but has lacked the same type of access he's had. It is a training style drilled into her from CIA in all likelihood.

I'm fascinated by your recent piece which talks about the miliary influence on Escoffier, but really, it's all imperialism down the line. French, Russian, British American, and extraction and presentation of food as commodity and not communities or people.

My hope is that the show refutes all of these things or at least hard-checks them, but what do you think? I don't think the show ultimately agrees with what is playing out in S3 at all.

I love this question! I agree with everything you've said here about why Sydney has gone along with Carmy to the extent that she has. She wants to make this work for herself - Syd is ambitious and we saw in seasons 1-2 how she backs herself (I love this about her). She believes in Carmy too. Her training. Her own imposter syndrome (her trying to talk Carmy out of asking her to that Ever funeral, ugh), and also maybe her belief that Carmy needs her to do it with him so that she can balance him out. Carmy has already admitted to her that she makes him better at this. I'm thinking Sydney has taken that to heart. Even though she tells him she's not his babysitter, she's the one who doesn't miss a beat to intercept him before he rips into her sous, Tina. She's the one who tells him to speak to Richie. My heart, these two!!!!

With your question, I actually think there's a tension in the show here: there's a genuine love for the restaurant industry, as gnarly as it is but also a recognition that the status quo, particularly in relation to things like the Brigade, the Michelin star system, as being a literal trap for the people working in the industry. I think Courtney Storer's experience of burnout and her involvement as a producer on the show propels a lot of that sentiment and thats why I agree with you, I think the show and the folks behind it definitely don't agree with the shit that went down in season 3 is the way to operate.

This Joanna Calo interview is a good one with insights on seasons 1-2. Towards the end, Calo drops this little gem:

I also think one of the things we're always interested in with Carmy is how much does his trauma and his toxic learning actually make him good at his job? Do you have to beat yourself up to be excellent?

She then says she disagrees and that you don't need to beat yourself up to be excellent.

So yes, long story short - I agree with you. I think season 3 was meant to show us what not to do when running a restaurant. It was meant to show us what not to do when being in relationship with others. And I reckon s4 is going to be about Carmy and Sydney, turning that ship around.

[ciaomarie]

Part 4: What Then?

I didn't mean to lie. This was supposed to be about Sydney's work anniversary. Instead another fluffy scenario popped into my brain. It was inspired by part 3, in which among other things, Carm found out that Syd once gawked at him like he was the last prime rib at an overpriced buffet. They mirror each other so there needs to be an equivalent revelation!! Anyways, Part 4/?, Post-Season 2

Credit @thoughtfulchaos773

After having lunch with Natalie and Angeline Carmen drove back to the city musing over their discussion. When his sister informed him about Syd's reaction to his naked torso, it took every ounce of restraint not to erupt. Now, in the privacy of his vehicle he laughed until he choked remembering the time a zipper had out-witted Sydney. About three months ago he had come to the restaurant early to reply to some business emails. He refused to deal with that stuff outside of the office. Approaching the lockers he heard a muffled furious voice and someone bumping against a locker. He advanced slowly preparing to swing his bag at an intruder. It was Syd!? Yes, it was definitely Syd, her face hidden by her coat, her upraised arms thrashing, trapped, and her t-shirt was somehow stuck to the coat, and lifted up over her bra. It was white, cotton, thin. After a dazed moment of confusion and appreciation, Carmy called out  "Uh, Syd!?!" She froze and turned quickly away from where she perceived him to be standing. Her knee hit the bench hard. She yelped and while trying turn around, she fell backwards, wedging herself between the locker and the bench. Carmen rushed to her side and crouched. "Are you okay?" Sydney inhaled deeply and began shaking. She gasped for air again and this time her laughter was ringing throughout the room.

Carmen’s mouth dropped, but soon he joined her, tears rolling down his ruddy face. As the laughter began to die down, Sydney started hiccupping which produced another round of cackling. Finally, they regained their composure. Then Sydney realizing that she was unable roll onto her side to unwedge herself, discarded her last atom of pride. With a deep sigh, she admitted defeat.

"I'm really stuck here, and I think you're going to have to lift me up somehow." Carmy had been taking care to avert his eyes for the last few minutes, now flushed crimson, and permitted himself to look at her again. How...what could be safely touched?

With a stammer he’d rarely had since middle school he explained what he would do.

"O-o-okay. Um..yeah. Okay. I'm going lift from under your thighs and uh, around your back." He squatted and proceeded to do just that, being cautious to place his right hand on her ribcage at least in inch below anything that could get him sued.

Her skin was unbearably soft, and she smelled like...cinnamon? He lifted her up and slid her forward onto the bench, trying not to dwell on his blood rushing to inconvenient places.

Sydney shivered and sighed again.

"Thank you. Now, could you pull my coat down?". "Yeah." He wrenched the coat down and there was Syd, her large brown eyes now bashful, but still sparkling from their recent merriment. Now, the blood rushed to his head, and he felt his heart pounding in his ears. He gazed at her unable to breathe.  

She glanced down at her coat and tried to explain.  

"Yeah, so...my zipper wouldn't go down and I didn't realize my shirt was caught at the bottom and then I tried to lift my jacket over my head. I don’t know…I got stuck somehow. This would only happen to me." "Yeah" he replied nodding which earned him a light punch on the shoulder. "Would you get me some scissors?" He retrieved them and helped Sydney cut her shirt from her coat. She then wisely decided to shimmy her coat down over her hips, grabbed a new shirt from her locker, and went to change in the bathroom. Carmy stood by the lockers for several moments trying to remember why he'd come in early. Soon Sydney rejoined him and stood inches from his face.

 She softly uttered, "Carmen Berzatto, what happened this morning goes to our graves. If I should hear about this from anyone, especially Richie, I'll...I'll...tell Tina and Fak you want to go to karaoke, but you're too shy to admit it." That was the day Carmen removed Sydney Adamu from the sacred pedestal he had placed her on. He refused for the past year to allow himself the thought of loving her. She was too special, and her dreams were too important. He was too much of a “psycho” to risk losing or hurting her. It was already a miracle that she'd walked into The Beef at all. The second was her sticking around while he fumbled through the renovation. It was enough that she was putting everything she had into The Bear, and a double blessing that she was becoming his best friend. He told himself it was enough, but now he had to contend with both his mind and his desire. Why did she have look like that? No amount of high neck shirts and baggy sweatshirts could erase what he saw. Even more than that was her unexpected reaction to the situation. He hadn’t laughed that heartily in years. Carmen gave up. His friend is irresistible.

Carmen was jerked from his reverie when a car horn blared at him for driving 30-mph in a 45-mph zone. It was a good thing because he nearly missed his turn. A few minutes later he pulled up to his apartment and checked his phone. There was a text from Syd letting him know she was at the restaurant experimenting with a new recipe. Without another thought he restarted his car, heading for The Bear.

[thoughtfulchaos773]

Bolognese Ragu+ Sundaes= love triangles

This isn't well thought out. This post is an inspiration from @bbythurs Bear Triangle.

One of my first posts is about the dish names being a reference to Syd and Carmy relationship, now that I'm looking at this it gives more of the story, their love story.

Let me explain:

Marcus surprises Syd with his Sundae- Check out Marcus' face when Carmy interrupts- the smile drops.

The next moment Carmy checks out the Sundae and Syd mentions the broken walk-in that Carmy is later trapped in. Marcus' face as he watches their back and forth.

Now Carmy explains why he missed it. His friend that's a girl Claire. Another back and forth between Syd and Carmy.

A girl that's a friend?

Okay, uh, Next.

Carmy dips in Syd's Sundae (If I have to elaborate- the episode season 2 epi 3 is titled Sundae- before that Episode, Claire asks Carmy if he's making a Sundae. In Episode 3 Carmy drops Syd and makes plans with Claire instead)

We get another scene 2x08 with Claire in between Carmy and Syd's relationship that Syd confronts Carmy about.

Reminder that Carmy is making a variation of Syd's dish Bolognese Ragu. Thi episode shows us the importance of the dishes- they have meaning (cannolis and seven fishes, ragus, and Sundaes)

Check out the montage with the 3 of swords tattoo how fitting with this love triangle.

I just wanted to point this out, as I mentioned before Rene Gube said Storer is very specific in his scripts so this can't be something I'm overthinking.

The triangle is happening when Claire and Marcus get in between (I know Syd is not dating Marcus but an emotional bond could begin).

But Syd and Carmy are so wrapped up in each other it's hard to really be with anyone else.

[sugarskies]

The Deca S1E2: The New Magnus || Recorded Changes

Rewrote select paragraphs.

Switched passive voice to active.

Minor word changes.

Added dialogue between Jelpax and Vansell.

Renamed "Jared" (just for shits and giggles).

Grammatical corrections.

Adjusted dialogue between Drax and Magnus.

Added lore about Gallifreyan video games.

Significantly edited the last two scenes.

Final Word Count: -125

Barnable's Behind-the-Scenes Babbles

as mentioned once way back when, epsilon was originally a parody character created for a roleplay i did with a friend over a decade ago. he was actually my friend's character but i was given complete creative control over him when i asked to use him in a story a while after the roleplay ended. had i known how this fic would've blown up, i probably would not have added him in the series. he kind of makes me cringe.

in the 3rd or so draft of the deca, the one that became what you know today, i started this as chapter two. i did not get past the first scene back then but it actually remains pretty similar to this day.

jelpax references a brother named "syds." i thought for sure i had used his full (shortened) name at some point already but ctrl+f shows i haven't. so for those wondering (aka nobody), syds is short for sydnes.

do the deca genuinely want magnus to change? or is their natural response simply to fuck with him? i no longer remember my intention if i had one but i am inclined to believe the latter.

i can't remember why i put a goat in this. it was perhaps inspired by a writing prompt. either way, i have chosen to embrace it by leaning into the recurring joke/question in the chapter that is, "are there even goats on gallifrey?" the world may never know.

someone mentioned once that video games on gallifrey don't make much sense. i thought about that a lot. they really don't make sense. but this is a fun story so i won't take them out. instead we'll just add a silly little layer of ulterior motives to their existence.

rallon steals the show in this chapter. he says he's boring but rereading for the first time in 5 years, all my favorite moments in this chapter are my favorites because of him.

(that said i'm also fond of the moment drax drops his homework in a puddle and when theta panics at being trapped in the room with the goat. but that's more because of how i see it in my mind than how it's written, i think.)

i realized while revising this that the video games have returned for exactly one plot since this chapter. that's from memory and i do not know if the plotline was ever mentioned outside of that. i have taken note of this for the future.

also on the topic of the video games, i added that dialogue where mortimus pondered black market video games. now i am pondering black market video games. should that be the story where the video game saga comes to a close? tbd.

overall this chapter was pretty standalone. i found no questions left unanswered and only the video games as an open plot. unless you count the goat... but maybe that's better left a mystery.

[sighonaraa]

🌹🌹🌹

For whatever your heart desires <3

(altho ngl your the bear posts are steadily convincing me I need to watch it so if you happen to have anything related to that I meannn… not gonna complain lol)

YES. YES. MY PROPAGANDA IS WORKING. please do watch the bear it is very good and will make you deeply unwell. highly recommend.

for you, here's a bit from the first chapter of Things Are Different Since You've Been Here Last (the carmy goes to live with donna for a few weeks and has a uh. a Very Very Bad Time. and then gets hugged about it. fic). it's a bit um. it's a bit long so i put some of it under the cut sjkdlfj.

“You were distracted, Carmy,” Syd says, so firmly that the hot, mean spill of words pressing up against the boundary of Carmy’s lips gets suffocated and dies. “You didn’t set a timer, and you grabbed that thing without mitts. Sure, the—the burn isn’t that bad—actually, I don’t know if I trust you, lemme see that—” Carmy’s ribs constrict. I don’t know if I trust you. His vision swims. Vaguely, he recognizes Syd taking a step towards him and without purposefully meaning to he takes a step back from her. “No, don’t,” he begins and then stops because he can’t quite figure out where he wants that sentence to go. “I said it’s fucking fine. I can handle it.” “I know you can handle it, you big baby, but you’re clearly not with it right now—” “I’m fucking with it,” Carmy snaps, curling his arm to his chest. Animal caught in the trap. He’s felt like that a lot recently. Like he’s stuck in a cage and there are eyes everywhere just watching, waiting for him to fuck up so they can wash their hands of him and leave and never return. The fist in his chest tightens, squeezing the breath from his lungs. He can’t—he can’t—he can’t. He can’t. “It was one mistake, okay, and I said I’m fucking sorry so can you please just drop it?” He’s aware of how he sounds and he still can’t stop it. All he can do is stare at Syd warily, daring her to come closer, wishing that she would, until she shakes her head with such quiet disappointment that it’s like a punch to the stomach. “Heard, Chef,” she says, already turning on her heel to go drop her bag off and change. “Consider it dropped.” Breathe. In. Breathe. Out. Do not fucking pass out. Yeah, those black spots are normal. Happens every time I can’t breathe. Yeah, I can’t breathe a lot sometimes. Happens every time I’m a jackass. Happens every time I ruin something good. No big deal.

Carmy presses up against the edge of the countertop, the dull pressure to the small of his back enough to ground him even as the world seems to fall away beneath him. The heels of his palms go to his eyes, push into the sockets. It hurts, then, his hand—the contact of it to his face, igniting the faint burn to a fierce throb. But it’s. Deserved, probably. He should be in pain. He should be in as much pain as he causes everybody else. “She doesn’t trust you. Nobody trusts you, because everything that you are is worthless, including your word. Do you hear me? Nod so I know that you’re hearing me.” Carmy nods into the cradle of his palms. “Say, yes, Chef, everything that I am is worthless.” “Yes, Chef,” he whispers. “Everything that I am is worthless.” The dark behind his eyes accepts it as the truth, and so does he. A shuddery inhale rattles through him, through vein and blood and spine and throat, and he lifts his head from his hands and goes to clean up the spilled loaf. There’s crumbs all over the place that he mops up using a damp paper towel, and the loaf itself goes in the trash. Waste. Such a fucking waste. No wonder Marcus thought he needed help bandaging a cut. No wonder Syd doesn’t trust him. More flour. He’ll do better. More oil. He’ll be better. More yeast. He’ll make up for it. More water. He’ll make up for everything.

[anxso]

@ygoc-week day 3!

YU-GI-OH! 5D’s — RAIN ORICHALCUM

DECKS! Rain once had her archetype of choice countered in tournament, so she swaps decks often thanks to the lingering paranoia.

I mainly did it so I could give a lot of variety to the duels and give love to both 5D’s era and older decks that don’t get to appear in the anime! There are a handful of original cards, but I’ll go over those later. First, introducing a nice collage of ace monsters/cards representing her archetypal decks!

She uses a Blue-Eyes mixed with good dragon cards as her “primary” deck and I ABSOLUTELY made an original line of Synchros: Orichalcos Dragon/Orichalcos Deuteros Dragon/Orichalcos Tritos Dragon :o) Also, because she has the anime-esque Timaeus, Hermos, and Critias cards, we get to see a lot of neat fusions! Like Hermos + Exploder Dragon, for example, making an equip spell that prevents destruction by battle, destroys the monster it battled with, but prevents battle damage

The Crimson Dragon card didn’t exist when I wrote my series, so I made my own 😂 YES they get attack and effect names! YES the characters yell them out! YES I had so much fun with this The Crimson Dragon 8-Star, LIGHT Attribute [Dragon/Synchro/Effect] [2500 ATK / 2000 DEF] 1 LIGHT Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monster(s) When this card is Special Summoned: you can target one of your opponent’s monsters. As long as this card is on the field, that monster’s effect is negated. (Ability Name: Crimson Masquerade) When this card battles a monster targeted by this effect, during the Damage Step only, this card gains ATK equal to the ATK of the targeted monster. (Ability Name: Crimson Star Flight) At your End Phase, you can send this card to the graveyard; special summon it during your next Standby Phase. (Ability Name: Crimson Molting) and a good old season 2 leveled up version of him! Akakiryu of the Sacred Flame 12-Star, LIGHT Attribute [Dragon/Synchro/Effect] [3000 ATK / 2500 DEF] 1 LIGHT Tuner + 2 or more non-Tuner monsters When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can destroy all Spell and Trap Cards your opponent controls. [Ability Name: Ignite the Sacred Flame] Once per turn, if this card is targeted by your opponent's card effect (Quick Effect): you can negate and banish that card. [Ability Name: Sacred Cinder Disarmament] Once per turn, you can deduct 1000 ATK from this card to target one monster on the field; banish that target. During your next Standby Phase, this card's ATK becomes its original (printed) ATK. [Ability Name: To Sacred Ashes]

AND NOW a fun excerpt from the fic with Akakiryu because I adore fire descriptions my friends. (From Jack's POV, and you will see Beelzeus here, I be giving the enemies some OP cards too haha)

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

Rain tossed her head back. A crack of lightning lit her grin.

“I am not running.”

Fire blazed to life. Orange sparks licked the air. Water hissed against flame, and steam flooded the ground. I shielded my eyes from the blaze with my forearm. The flames spurted from the earth itself and raced around the port in a circle. I shouted, “Rain!”

“No use,” Syd said. “She’s gotta be burning alive by now, and thanks to her own psychic powers.”

My brow furrowed. The way the fire had come to life was similar to a night of war several months ago. This blaze wasn’t causing destruction, though. The memory gave birth to a mad idea.

I stretched my arm towards the flames. Fire licked my fingers. Instead of raw pain, a kind warmth found me – one I had known before. I glanced out from the awning and up to the sky. The red flare reflected against the black clouds: the full glyph of the Crimson Dragon.

Rain dropped to her knees among the flames. They clung to her skin, hair, and clothes without leaving scars. Maroon marks on her pale face, shoulders, and arms pulsed with a bright, red glow like a slow heartbeat. Fangs protruded from her kind smile. Her hands clasped together. Rain said, “White Stone of Legend tunes with Horus LV8 and Exploder Dragon. With one LIGHT tuner and two monsters, I call upon the legendary power of old.”

The flames leapt from the ground and spiraled into a pillar from her place of prayer. Cinders sparkled around her, leapt towards her duel disk, and formed a white-hot rectangle. A trio of humongous green rings formed as a column towards the sky. Their color tinged red. Rain’s eyes shot open, and their irises shifted to crimson. Her whisper echoed across the bay like the shouts of thousands. “Synchro Summon: Akakiryu of the Sacred Flame.”

A tornado of pure flames ripped to life on the pier. Gold and red blended like a blazing autumn. Black clouds scattered, and rainwater evaporated. Fiery wings extended from the twister. A lengthy, skinny tail whipped from the phenomena, and the fire scattered from the dragon’s body. Akakiryu opened its mouth, revealing a bright, yellow tongue matching the startling color of its eyes.

Rain pushed to her feet, reached out her fist, and lifted her index finger. “Ability one. Upon summoning, all of your spells and traps are destroyed. Ignite the Sacred Flame!”

The blaze returned to the earth, tearing through Syd’s backline. The remaining Block Dugout and Nightmare Wheel shattered. Rain’s Blue-Eyes White Dragon was freed from its torture. Syd said, “So what? A fancy light show don’t mean nothin’. You got 3000 attack, which don’t match up. Even if it did, Beelzeus here can’t be destroyed.”

Rain extended her middle finger. “Ability two. By deducting 1000 attack from Akakiryu, I banish one monster on the field. Beelzeus is judged not fit for this world by the strength of a god.”

“Not so fast!” Syd said. “I discard Effect Veiler from my hand to negate your monster’s abilities!”

Rain’s ring finger popped up. “Ability three. Once per turn, I negate an ability that targets Akakiryu and banish the offender. Sacred Cinder Disarmament!”

Akakiryu spit a flare into the sky. It landed on the ghostly Effect Veiler, locking it in a fiery bubble. The sphere closed to crush the monster. Rain said, “Ability two continues! To Sacred Ashes!”

Beelzeus shied back from the intense heat of Akakiryu. The dragon flapped its wings forward. A pair of flame tornadoes approached Beelzeus. The twisters spun around the black dragon. Beelzeus attempted to flee the encroaching fire to no avail. The tornadoes captured Syd’s Synchro. Their ferocity enticed a pained roar from Beelzeus. Akakiryu’s attack spiraled faster before dissipating with nary a whisper.

“Shit,” Syd said, “the hell kinda card is that?”

I found the strength to stand. “A dragon who does not lose.”

“Akakiryu’s current attack is 2000,” Rain said, “equal to your remaining life points. Direct attack! Blazing Crimson Flight!”

Akakiryu unfurled its wings. A golden flare danced to the tips. The dragon’s cry deafened the quaking thunder. Akakiryu dove onto Syd and skimmed the ground, leaving the bay ablaze. His holler could barely be heard over the roar of the flames.

A slice caught my attention. Akakiryu cut down my runner and held it in his two claws. He lowered it to sit on its wheel beside Rain and curled around her. Black ashes from the destroyed monsters clung to her sweaty skin. Her criminal mark glowed with the golden reflection of Akakiryu’s light through the dirt.

Rain beamed at the glowing monster. She leapt towards its snout and wrapped her arms around it. I was taken aback. Instead of worshipper and god, she embraced Akakiryu like a daughter to a father. Much to my surprise, the dragon shut its eyes and leaned into it.

With a chuckle, I said, “Welcome home.”

--------------- From Ch. 76, "Prayer from a Heart of Roaring Flames" (Again, just a writer - image credit for header in alt text!)

[llaberration]

Coyne's Chronicles: Shadow Over Yfiria- Chapter 24

The egg tumbled towards the ground, everyone else too far back to stop it. Fortunately Gregorio's plan had covered the possibility that Syd would drop the egg when he was grabbed, and the egg never made contact with the hard stone of the crater. Instead of a sharp crack, there was only a thud and an 'oof' as the heavy thing struck Trevor in the chest. At the precise moment Gregorio had gone in for the grab, he had done as instructed and hurled himself in front of Syd, intercepting the egg on its way to the ground.

Gregorio swiftly threw Syd to the ground away from them, and Glass, seizing the opportunity, threw up the dome over him once again, trapping him without his bargaining chip.

There was a moment of quiet as all onlookers took in what had just happened, then a cheer rose among the crowd of already searched creatures. Gregorio grinned a toothy grin and raised his arms in a victory action, drawing a much louder cheer out of the crowd. Then he quickly picked Trevor up and put him on his feet, helping dust the druid off with rough hands. “Good mage,” he said, “Followed instructions to the letter, you have done well,” he slapped Trevor on the back, forcing him to clutch the egg close to hold onto it.

“Now whose is this anyway?!” asked the Druid, looking around.

“Good question,” Jintintaska padded over to them, looking at the egg closely, putting his huge nose in close. “It has an illusion spell to make it look like an egg of light... but let me see...” his eyes glittered with magic as he looked past the spell. “Magma dragon egg...” he said, looking around, “Scrollkeeper!” he called.

There was a flutter of wings as Ditmar flapped out of the crowd and came to part-crash part-land before Jintintaska. “My lord?”

“Go find your lists, every Magma dragon here with a clutch, and take those two,” he gestured to the two Cave dragons that had been assisting in moving folks around. “To find the owner. Someone we have not yet searched must be frantic missing this by now.”

“Gregorio,” Balt's voice spoke up, a severe tone, “I trust you did not attempt such a risky move with my clutch about your personage?” the Mire dragon drew his werewolf close, his nose pressing against the creature in concern, trying to discern the presence of his eggs.

“No Baltran, I would not take such risk,” the werewolf gestured to Coyne with one hand as he gently patted the Mire elder's nose with the other. “I left them with someone proven trustworthy.”

Coyne smiled, still holding the three eggs close to his chest, now sitting so that he could better cradle them. He gave a little wave, and Gregorio strode back over to the mimic, gently taking back one of the eggs, “Good job too,” he said, raising one to his mouth.

Coyne looked away as the werewolf delicately swallowed the thing, passing the other eggs up one at a time as requested, finally looking back up when the werewolf slapped him on the back. “Trust me, they are a lot harder to look after once they hatch,” he patted his stomach, and after giving another toothy grin, nodded and headed back to Baltran.

“Something still doesn't add up to me,” said Coyne quietly to Fez.

“What's that?”

“Why risk being caught like that?”

“How do you mean?”

“Syd could see the egg was a fake, right?”

“Yes,”

“Then why go through all of that? Nobody would ever have suspected him of stealing it. Chief assistant to a council member? He could have just waited... no reason to risk revealing himself with some ludicrous fake.”

“You make a good point... if he wanted the egg for some magical spell... he could just have given it a while and eventually he would have gotten time alone to use it.” Fez rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Why do this?”

“Unless he needed to misdirect the search with a fake for a time?”

“Why though?”

“I don't know. If someone just wanted the egg they could have taken it from us later... when it was just us. None of this makes sense... is there anyone who can't leave the island to follow us and take it?”

Fez shook his head, “Dragons can come and go as they...” he frowned suddenly, “No. No.”

“What is it?”

“I cannot speak it,” said Fez, shaking his head, “I dare not.”

“Well... say it only to me then,” Coyne tapped his earring.

Fez frowned, still reluctant for a moment, he paced a few steps back and forth before saying through the earring. “The council. They cannot leave unless there are several of them going at once. No single elder can pass the barrier alone until the council ends.”

Coyne's face dropped, and he almost blurted an exclamation of shock, managing to stop himself. “Okay... but which one and why?” he said casually, as though discussing something else entirely.

Fez looked ashamed, “I... I did notice something. Wait. Say nothing, follow me and play along. I... have a thought.” He looked around for the Ground dragon doing the searches, which had naturally been paused while discussions took place about this latest development. Then he sidled over to him, Coyne following. “Excuse me, I am so sorry... my assistant needs to... relieve himself. You know how they are... can we sneak off for a couple of minutes? We'll resubmit to search afterwards?”

The Ground dragon looked a little annoyed. “And he can't wait?”

Coyne, picking up his cue, intentionally put on a look of desperation and started to stand awkwardly.

“Don't think so...” said Fez after glancing at him.

“I suppose I can't be suspicious of you after that display, alright, go on, but be quick.”

“Thank you,” Fez scuttled off swiftly with Coyne following.

They went off behind the plateau, and Fez drew Coyne close, murmuring a few magical words, causing a vale of sparkling smoke to blow up around them. “Alright, hold on tight, we have to be quick and quiet.” He grabbed Coyne, holding him against his chest as he flapped his wings, lifting them off the ground and swiftly, flying straight upwards, gaining height faster than Coyne had ever seen, the ground shooting away from them as he aimed straight for the huge opening at the back of the crater, the highest point, where the council stayed.

Coyne hung on for dear life until they landed in the entrance and Fez set him down, where the dragon shook off the magical vale. “Come on now quickly,” he said, hurrying into the dens.

“What was that?” asked Coyne, rushing after him.

“The spell? Magical vale... makes us less visible for a brief time.”

“I can think of a few times you should have used that before... like to get over the wall...”

Fez shook his head, “No good. Only works on dragons,” he said with a shrug. “Okay here it is...” he said, sniffing around the entrance of one den. All of the elders sleeping chambers were open to each other, presumably so that they could use them as more private meeting space.

“Whose is this?” asked Coyne.

“Never mind, just help me look for the egg of light,” Fez dashed into the huge cavern and began rummaging through bedding, sniffing here and there.

Coyne nodded, beginning a search, then frowning and slapping himself on the head. Dumbass, dragon eggs were valuable. He went to stand in the middle of the space and activated his value seeking spell. One of his eyes glittered gold and he was almost immediately blinded by a bright spot of light in one of the walls. “Fez...” he said, shielding the eye as he went to that spot on the wall and starting to press and push at it.

Fez trotted over, finding the spot and drumming his claws on it. “Here?”

Coyne nodded.

“Some kind of illusion spell...” muttered Fez, starting to claw at the wall. It had been made to look like stone but that fell away as damp clay crumbled beneath his claws, revealing the glittering light of the egg. Fez drew a slow breath of relief and swiftly extracted the egg, nursing it close. “So cold...” he said worriedly.

Coyne took the egg gently from the dragon, bringing it close to himself, “I give off more body heat, let me,” he said, holding it close.

“Yes. We must go quickly,” said the dragon.

They ran for the cave exit, but both skidded to a halt as there was a flapping noise, and something huge and black suddenly blocked the exit. Millicent, one of the assistants they had met their first night there, stood in the opening, tall and threatening. The long black cloak that had once concealed her shape spread open to reveal a ghastly visage beneath. Beyond emaciated, the creature was humanoid, at least ten feet tall, but the skeleton was angular and awkward in shape, the rib cage far too thin and the face far too long and pointed. Her legs seemed too long, folded in the wrong places, with at least one too many set of joints. Her face, now revealed fully for them to see, looked like that of a deer, but with the thinnest layering of hairless, charcoal grey skin stretched over it, indented at the eyes into black, bottomless pits.

Millicent hissed at them, flexing her cape, which Coyne now saw must be part of her body, as it was 'controlled' by extremely long bone-like fingers, like those of a bat.

Fez bristled in return, his tail flicking and his scales flexing, making the sharp points stand up just a little. He actually looked quite threatening as he let out a hiss, his sharp, metallic teeth glittering as he displayed them.

Coyne frowned, “Stop stop... we don't want to fight...” he said, looking up at Millicent. “We just want to take the egg back where it belongs... this... whatever this is about... it's wrong...”

Millicent seemed to consider this a moment before speaking. The voice seemed to rattle and echo directly from her chest rather than speaking properly. “Mistress says keep the egg. Guard the egg. Hide the egg.”

“Oh I see... you're one of the council's assistants? I didn't know that,” he said, trying to keep his tone gentle. “You must know this isn't right. Syd has already been caught trying to fake another egg as the real one...”

Millicent paused, looking at Coyne, “Syd... caught?”

“Yes...”

The creature looked worried. “Syd... killed by other dragons?”

“No. No. He's alright but they have captured him.”

“Mistress? Do they know it was her?”

“No... we just found it so... please, let us sort this out... I have no idea what's happened. Why any of this was happened.” Coyne looked nervously at Fez, knowing the dragon felt the same way. “We don't want to be involved in anything this big... we just need the egg... to save my home. To save so many people... to make sure Ridgar didn't give all of this up for nothing...”

The creature looked indecisive, her breaths rattling in and out of her fragile shape as she struggled to make up her mind. “Mistress says to guard the egg...”

“Mistress is wrong...” said Fez, his voice low, speaking through a growl. “Mistress has gone against the wishes of the entire council.”

Millicent hissed through her teeth at him, “Mistress is never wrong...”

“Maybe not wrong then!” Coyne spoke up, trying to de-escalate the situation. “Maybe desperate. Maybe misled. Maybe even hurting. Either way, Ridgar is not hers to take,” Coyne held the egg close to him.

“Many creatures want egg of light. Mistress said someone else would take it if not us.”

“We know the dangers of this,” said Coyne, “But we have to try... what point is there in any hardship if you never try?”

Millicent's cloak began to fold down slightly at the fingertips. “You... speak wise. Simplistic but wise. Some things more complicated than that...”

“But not this thing... not now,” said Coyne, “this is so simple... is the egg yours?”

“No...”

“And is it mistresses?”

“No...”

“Then taking it is wrong,” Coyne found it ironic that he, a creature that had spent a good chunk of his life as a thief was saying this. Though, in all fairness, he had never stolen anything alive. Apart from Alan.

Millicent looked towards the exit again. “Mistress... did wrong,” she concluded, a little forlornly.

“All dragons make mistakes,” said Coyne, “Mine can. Yours can. Dragons are glorious and magnificent and intelligent but... they can make mistakes.”

Millicent straightened up, withdrawing her 'cloak' back around herself. “Yes. Even dragons. Even mistress. Tell them. Tell them she hurts. That she did this because she hurts. Try to make them forgive her, and Syd. Know that Syd was only serving his mistress. Trying to protect her. He would never have done real harm. It was all bluster to try and take the blame for mistress.”

Coyne nodded, and followed as Fez sidled past her, dashing towards the cave entrance. He gently picked up Coyne, who held the egg secure as the Cave dragon flew out of the entrance. He aimed right for Jintintaska, landing with the huge elder between himself and the rest of the council, urgently calling for the elder.

The huge head swung around in surprise at the sudden arrival, and Fez swiftly spoke up, “My lord... we have found the egg. It was in Daelyn's cave. Hidden behind a false wall made of clay. Millicent was there... she admitted to being told to guard the egg.”

Jintintaska turned, his huge wings sweeping forwards to conceal them from the view of the others as he asked. “Daelyn?”

“Yes.”

“Show me you speak the truth Myfeziah.”

Fez lifted a hand, crackling with purple magic, it swiftly spread up his arm and to his chest, pulsating with the beats of his heart. “I swear on this heart of mine, let it cease beating if I lie. My words are absolutely true my lord,” he said confidently. “We found the egg in Daelyn's chambers, guarded by one of her assistants who had been commanded to keep it there.”

Jintintaska looked visibly wounded as he thought for a moment, then withdrew his wings, not onto his back though, letting them lay on the ground at his sides. “Council members, we must immediately confer. Myfeziah come with me, bring your mimic.” He raised his voice to call out, “Everyone else, the egg has been found and is safe. Resume what you were doing and please attempt not to conjecture on what took place at this time.” He gestured for the council to go to their plateau, but Daelyn was already visibly uncomfortable, pawing at the ground rather than following the others.

“Sister?” said Jintintaska, “Let us confer,” there was a hard edge to his voice, but it was not unkind or angry, merely showing that this was not a request.

Ears back as though scolded, the Magma dragon elder lowered her head and padded up onto the plateau, going to sit in her place beside the other elders.

Jintintaska followed her, and Fez moved up last, Coyne in close pursuit, the egg still clutched in his arms.

Fez came to stop on the same balcony he had stood on before, looking around at the circle of elders silently as they settled into their places, their eyes shifting curiously to each other, then to Jintintaska as he got settled, and let out a deep sigh. The ancient dragon was quiet for a long moment, his stony grey gaze on the ground as he considered. When he did speak, it was without the bold strength of tone Coyne had heard before. “It is tragic that on this day, following the departure of our beloved Ridgar, another of our number should choose to take an action so... unexpected,” he looked slowly up at Daelyn, “Sister please tell us. Explain to us why you have done this?”

Every other elder's neck snapped to face Daelyn as though triggered by a bolt of lightening. Not a single face was without shock.

The Magma dragon did not look up. Her gaze remained on the floor, her expression pensive rather than angry or resentful. “I...” she began to speak, then paused. “I did not mean for any harm to come to the egg... it was never about that...”

“Then... why sister? We want to understand, please help us do so?” Glass spoke up now, but like Jintintaska, there was no inkling of anger in their voice, just pure confusion.

“It was about the humans,” she exhaled the words in a regretful sigh, her head raising, but not to meet their gazes, she looked straight upwards instead, towards the top of the dome, glowing blue tears began to slide down her scales. “I wanted the humans to suffer the consequences of their own stupidity. They awoke this plague and allowed it to run rampant for almost a century... I just wanted them to suffer the consequences of what they had done.”

“Why would you want that for anyone?” Tyn asked, their expression soft, not resentful or telling of any anger.

“Humans are evil... selfish... they do only harm to us. Kill us freely and then wear our scales like trophies in their idiotic wars. Then they bring back plague and destruction long since laid to rest and do nothing to stop it from ravaging their home and everything that lives there. And they call us monsters.”

“This is about Teegan isn't it?” Balt's face was hard, less forgiving than the others.

The red elder lowered her head to shoot him a guilty, sideways look. “That is... part of it.”

“When we found the egg, and spoke with Millicent... she did say that her mistress was hurt, and that is why she did this,” said Fez, keeping his tone gentle despite his own anger.

Daelyn paused a long moment, then nodded, “Yes. I suppose when Teegan fell to the humans it left a mark of hatred on my heart.”

“If humans had created this plague for themselves, we might have possibly left them to their own fate,” said Jintintaska, “But this darkness was our doing. It was birthed from hatred between dragons, not from the hatred of men. Ridgar understood that, and that was why he chose to rebirth for it.”

Daelyn dragged her long claws across the ground before her. “I was just... so angry... that men cost us so much and yet we freely save them at such great expense...”

“This time. Only because it is our debt to pay. Even given another century humans could not have cured this plague because it was the work of dragon magic. If anything we are fools not to have realised this and done something sooner,” clarified Jintintaska.

Daelyn's ears flattened and she lowered her head.

“I know. You have a lot of anger in your heart, and you have allowed it to fester into darkness,” said the Ground elder, his expression mournful. “We have all lost dear friends and family to the humans. None of us are without that burden, but it is below us to act upon it on this scale. Daelyn I do not know how you can continue to sit upon the council with this anger inside you.”

The Magma elder glanced up at him. “I know. I have already decided to step down from where I stand. I believe I had decided that before I ever acted upon this. But I ask you not punish my assistants. They were acting only on my orders.”

“Even Syd when he attempted to break that egg?” asked Baltran.

“Even Syd. He was being a little fool, attempting to attach blame to himself to protect me. His words were nothing more than the act of someone desperate to serve. I suppose he thought that if he bring enough hatred to himself and his actions... nobody would think to look for a larger plot. Please do not put your anger on him. It was fortunate there were others there with more selfless goals.”

The elders looked at each other reluctantly, but seemed to agree. “Very well. You shall sit the rest of this council. Spend the time between this and the next preparing your successor for stepping up to your post. I believe that is the best way to avoid disruption,” he shook his enormous head, his stony scales creaking with the movement. “Myfeziah, I would ask you not to spread what truly happened around freely. We need time to think how best to explain this to everyone. For now, take the egg. Conceal it. Keep it safe and care for it. Go save your land, then return here once it is done.”

“Yes my lord,” said Fez, bowing his head low.

“Thanks once more to you and your assistants for their surprising input over the last few days.”

“Wait, one more thing...” called Coyne, trying to sound as polite as possible. “If I may my lord.”

“I suppose the council owes you their attention for a moment longer, what is it little one?”

“Iewan... he was imprisoned for taking the egg... I do not believe that he had anything to do with that... I really think he was framed like Heric... will you please let him go?”

“Of course,” nodded Jintintaska, “Now we know the truth, we have no reason to suspect Heracleon or Iewan of wrongdoing. It shall be done.” He turned back to the others, “Now go to your task. Nobody may leave this island other than those travelling with Mylfeziah until daybreak tomorrow. To ensure that they get a head start on any more trouble.”

Fez drew slow breaths, “Come, let us get our things and prepare,” he said to Coyne as he turned.

As they walked down the steps from the plateau, Alan and Trevor were already waiting, looking worried. Fez gave them a short recap, and then moved them one by one (Not forgetting Bubbles), back to their cave. “We're leaving as soon as we can,” said the dragon, “change and pack up your books and good clothes into Coyne's bag, we will get food supplies on the way out. Coyne come with me.”

He led the mimic over to the nest and pushed him gently onto it, “We need to hide that egg, and we need to hide it well,” he said, “It cannot be left flying around freely.”

“Okay so what do you suggest, my other form?”

“No, we have not yet tested what happens to anything alive in that pocket dimension... so I do not believe that is safe. With your consent... I am going to modify you.”

“Modify me?!”

“Yes.”

“What do you mean?!”

“You cannot be killed, which means I can magically interfere with your physiology without fear of it doing lasting harm.”

“I mean... that's great and all but... I'm pretty happy with my physiology as it is?”

“I understand,” said Fez, nodding, “But I need somewhere to hide that egg... and right now you are my best bet.”

Coyne softened a little, “What... did you have in mind?”

“Another stomach. A simple one. For storage.”

“Alright... I guess that's not too terrible but... how am I supposed to fit the egg into it?” he held the thing up to show how big it was to him, “I struggle to fit you down and this thing is quite a bit larger than you,”

Fez rubbed his chin. “That's a good point... how are we going to do that...” then he snapped two claws together, “Got it...” he gently took the egg from Coyne and set it aside, “Now... this is going to take some magic... and you might be uncomfortable when we're done but I know you can adjust to it.”

“I'm going to regret this aren't I?” sighed Coyne, resigned to some kind of dragon weirdness that was about to follow.

“Until this is over and pays off... probably,” replied Fez, “After that not so much. But I can always put you back to the way you were once this is over.”

“It's reversible then?”

“Yes, most things are reversible through magic... at least in some capacity. This will certainly be reversible.”

“Is it going to hurt?”

“It would, but we're going to take care of that,”

“How are you going to do that?”

Fez grinned, looming over him and gently placing a long claw on the mimic's cheek, “Sleep,” he said softly, a waft of purple smoke billowing from his hand. Coyne's eyes immediately unfocused, and slid closed, dropping into a deep slumber. “There. No consciousness, no pain,” said Fez to himself as he got to work.

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Yeah having a dragon comes with some notable down sides. There is no insignificant risk that they will do stuff like this. Hope you didn't want your organs the way they were!

(Still playing catchup on here to the main upload schedule, we're only a few chapters behind now!)

[gingergofastboatsmojito]

The keepers of the weather

They are disconnected, or as Richie said: "Sounds like total chaos."

Let's focus on what Richie says for a minute:

Dining room sounds like shit. It’s like, the soul, you know?

It’s like… Service sounds like total chaos.

Every day is the Super Bowl. I could use a lightning bolt.

Let's focus on what Natalie says for a minute:

You good?

Like, the acoustics?

Every day can’t be perfect.

Can’t control the weather.

I’m-I’m good. I’ve just accepted the fact that I’ll never be comfortable again.

I included the whole scene in the vid because I looooved their rapport but the only point I'm trying to make here pertains to Sydcarmy, not the rest, although there's a bonus track ;)

Since I watched S3 I have the feeling that all characters lend their voices to Sydcarmy → as I mentioned here, because this season they are like off, disconnected, they are communicating, but not efficiently.

I went over that in previous posts and here they are, if you wanna read them for context:

Purpose, chef!

Let's put the SHIP in partnership

Her avoidance

The trap

How you argue is how live

It actually means conscious VS unconscious

So, back to my point: I 100% BELIEVE RICHIE IS UNCONSCIOUNLY DESCRIBING NOT THE CURRENT VIBE OF THE RESTAURANT BUT OF SYD AND CARMY, WHICH AFFECTS EVERYTHING AROUND THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE THE KEEPERS OF THE WEATHER.

Nat is trying to tell us what I have been telling myself, S3, in terms of Sydcarmy is REALISTIC, because there's no way that if you have a main character like Carmy, with all his mental struggles, all his unsolved issues, conditions, and current mental status due to his relapse, regression, withdrawal, etc, this doesn't happen, exactly as they are portraying it and even worse → check this out.

And once that happens, as it did, it's impossible that it doesn't affect EVERYONE AROUND THEM, including and mostly Sydney, because they are the alpha team. They are intrinsically intertwined and are the keepers of the whole weather. So if they are off:

"The soul, you know? It's total chaos".

And like Nat said: "It can't be perfect all the time."

Bonus track: Risky business. Mickey and Richie "dropped some shit off for Jimmy". There's no way that business was squeaky clean. Which in the future MIGHT BE VERY USEFUL FOR THE BEAR. Let's keep an eye on Jimmy, especially now that his having some financial issues that are putting him on the verge of being poor. That's a storyline I'm particularly interested in because if it plays out like I wish it did, Carmy can kiss his debt with Cicero goodbye ;) *fingers crossed*

Remember to follow my tag #Gingerpovs 💋

[whenmemorydies]

I’m thinking about Richie’s apology to Nat in 2x09 Bolognese when he says,

I think for a long time, I didn’t really know where I fit, you know, and I would shove myself into, like, places and things where I definitely did not fit. And I think that that probably, definitely, made things worse. And I’m sorry if I took anything out on you and if I treated you like shit.

In the same episode, Richie and Sydney acknowledge that they’re both only children and Sydney tells Richie that it’s nice he had Carmy and Nat. Richie tells Syd that now she does too. It’s a sweet moment between them and reminded me how belonging has driven so much of Richie’s actions in this show.

Just a theory but I think Richie and Natalie dated, probably briefly and probably when they were much younger. It didn’t end well and that’s contributed to Natalie’s long-running anger at him for most of the first two seasons of the show. (Nat’s also probably angry at him cos Richie is Richie: what I imagine happens when a proto-incel, QAnon, 4chan, Snyder-cut motherfucker somehow manages to be in romantic relationships despite his personality lol.)

It would also explain Richie’s (and maybe Mikey’s and Carmy’s) antagonism towards Pete. I can’t understand why those guys hate on that angel of a man so much otherwise. I reckon Richie resents Pete because he couldn’t be more different to Richie and the men in the Berzatto house, but also because Natalie chose him. It probably felt like a rejection not just of Richie as her ex but of her family too. Confirmation of a truth sitting under the surface they don’t want to excavate: that the Berzatto home often feels like a trap and that their codependence is toxic. And that Natalie got out but they’re still stuck, quicksand gripping their calves and keeping them in place.

I can see a young Richie crushing on his best friend’s sister cos she’s straightforwardly pretty and he’s not complicated in that department…Sugar talks back to Mikey and he loves seeing her eyes flash when she does. Sometimes he teases her just to have some of it directed at him. He name drops Denis Savard at her, lets her know that he got that Ceres pamphlet from behind the bar, cos he has connections like that. He’s also seen her recoil when Donna’s on one and laying into her and it makes him feel a type of way, wanting to protect her maybe. But mostly, if he can be with Sug, he’d become a Berzatto. He’d stop being Cousin cos he’d be Brother instead.

[coffee-n-bagels-comic-universe]

Lucifarians: A Family Forged: Bios (1980) Helah Weiss / Hel Lucifarian

"Ya puttin' me to sleep over here, bud."

Name

Full Legal Name: Helah Tamar Weiss

First Name: Helah

Meaning: Means 'Rust' in Hebrew.

Pronunciation: HEE-la

Origin: Biblical

Middle Name: Tamar

Meaning: Means 'Date palm' in Hebrew.

Pronunciation: TAHM-ahr

Origin: Hebrew, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew

Surname: Weiss

Meaning: From Middle High German 'Wiz' or Yiddish 'Vais' meaning 'White'.

Pronunciation: VIES

Origin: German, Yiddish

Ring Name: Hel Lucifarian, Sloth

Commentary Nickname: The Sloth, The Human Sleeping Pill, Sleeping Beauty

Nicknames: Hel, Tammie

Titles: Miss

Characteristics

Age: 24

Gender: Female. She/Her Pronouns

Nationality: American

Ethnicity: White (1/2 Greek, 1/2 German)

Birth Date: December 20th 1956

Sexuality: Bisexual

Religion: Jewish

Native Language: English

Known Language: English, Greek, German, Hebrew, French, Spanish, Italian, American Sign Language, Polish

Relationship Status: Single

Astrological Sign: Sagittarius

Entrance Music: 'Cat's in the cradle' - Harry Chapin (1974-)

Voice Claim: Angie Harmon

Geographical Characteristics

Birthplace: Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey, USA

Current Location: Unknown

Hometown: Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey, USA

Appearance

Height: 5'4" / 162 cm

Weight: 150 lbs / 68 kg

Eye Colour: Gray

Hair Colour: Dark Auburn

Hair Dye: Bangs Dyed Light Blue

Body Hair: N/A

Facial Hair: N/A

Tattoos: (As of Jan 1980) 6

Piercings: Ear Lobe (Double, Both)

Scars: None

Health and Fitness

Allergies: None

Alcoholic, Smoker, Drug User: Social Drinker, Smoker

Illnesses/Disorders: None Diagnosed

Medications: None

Any Specific Diet: None

Relationships

Allies: Skull Lucifarian, Ven Lucifarian, Bel Lucifarian, Pat Lucifarian, Cas Lucifarian, Eve Lucifarian, Syd Lucifarian, Gorilla Monsoon

Enemies: Moolah, Wendi Richter, Freddie Blassie, Hulk Hogan, Bob Orton, Mr Fuji, Paul Orndorff

Closest Confidant: Thalia Weiss

Mentor: Levi Weiss

Significant Other: None

Previous Partners: None of Note

Parents: Levi Weiss (56, Father), Thalia Weiss (55, Mother, Née Stavros)

Parents-In-Law: None

Siblings: Moses Weiss (33, Brother), Sarah Schwarz (30, Sister, Née Weiss), Nathan Weiss (27, Brother)

Siblings-In-Law: Rachel Weiss (32, Moses' Wife, Née Roth), Reuben Schwarz (29, Sarah's Husband), Naomi Weiss (26, Nathan's Wife, Née Prinz)

Nieces & Nephews: Samuel Weiss (12, Nephew), Miriam Weiss (9, Niece), Adam Weiss (6, Nephew), Leah Weiss (3, Niece), Daniel Schwarz (9, Nephew), Judith Schwarz (6, Niece), Eden Schwarz (3, Nephew), Hannah Weiss (6, Niece), Gideon Weiss (3, Nephew)

Children: None

Children-In-Law: None

Grandkids: None

Wrestling

Billed From: Hellview

Trainer: Skull Lucifarian

Managers: Skull Lucifarian

Wrestlers Managed: None

Debut: 1974 (WWF Debut: 1976)

Retired: N/A

Wrestling Style: Submission Artist

Stables: Daughters of Darkness (1974-)

Teams:

Eternal Rest (Skull & Hel)

Lavender’s Blue (Ven & Hel)

The Dream Team (Bel & Hel)

Blue & Gold (Pat & Hel)

Total Knockouts (Cas & Hel)

The Purely Insane (Hel & Eve)

The Phoenix & The Phantom (Hel & Syd)

Regular Moves: Roundhouse Kick, Diving Crossbody, Diving Elbow Drop, Suicide Dive, Step-Up Enzuigiri, Springboard Clothesline, Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker, Sitout Suplex Slam, Slingshot Somersault Senton, Naptime (Arm Trap Swinging Neckbreaker)

Finishers: Dirt Nap (Arm Trap Triangle Choke), Lullaby (Fireman's Carry Dropped Into A Knee Lift)

Refers To Fans As: The Slothful, The Slothful Ones, The Apathetic, The Apathetic Ones

Heel or Face: (As of Jan 1980) Heel

[freedelusionshere]

Yes, you’re right: it’s definite foreshadowing and then it continues all the way through Legacy, like you mention. And the uncle coming along later and the weird analogy of Valhalla and how the “light changes and you feel warm, the sun on your face, and green fields” which describes Carmy’s experiences before Empire at Noma and other places. Also Syd is associated with this kind of peace and warmth?

Btw, Valhalla is the Norse afterlife for men who die in battle. It’s basically a huge dining hall with an endless feast (which sounds like it would literally be hell for Carmy, but that’s a Fak for you).

The idea of Claire “haunting” via the Fak description? Which they bring up to Carmy later when they’re crushing boxes in the dumpster. She meets him in the freezer section. She’s where the cold prep is in S2 before they first kiss, he’s later trapped in the walk-in when they unofficially break up.

The show uses warm colors for Syd and cool colors for Claire, which a lot of people have written extensively about.

Also, the Faks trying to “fix/repair” Carmy’s relationship with Claire, going to her place of business, constantly texting her, and telling her tall tales about how Carmy supposedly feels about her (mirroring Mikey, Richie and Stevie doing this after running into Claire before Fishes) because they’ve decided what is best for Carmy (that he needs someone to replace Donna, and makes him feel like their definition of what a man is).

And you see Richie, who participated in this back in Fishes start to back way off when he finds out the very next day Claire has already gone out and told people about what Carmy said. We see her later that night with Kelly sleeping over. Then Richie finds out from Tiff what exactly she’s been saying and is like: Who cares? Because he knows Carmy has taken a big step backwards.

I also agree that there are lots of signs Carmy has recognized what he has done to himself and to others (primarily Syd), and starts to make big moves to change that. Like asking Syd out, confronting Chef David (because Syd confronted him in S1), we see him feeling optimistic/at peace after he asks Syd out and he’s symbolically “cleaning up his side of the street” by spraying shit out back of the restaurant (in the sunshine) when Cicero shows up to tell him he’s going to pull the funding based on the review (another shoe dropping) and his choosing to remain optimistic (which I think is because he asked Syd out). His conversation with Chef Terry about what really matters.

So I think the lights also reflect being stuck “cold” and moving forward “hot”. Other people have also written about how Syd is associated with flames as well (Mikey is also associated with fire).

Those ligths so hot and cold

While watching episode 3x07 in the opening minutes I found a conversation about lights that I thought was interesting to return to, this sequence to which I refer presents us with the Faks fixing the lamp that illuminates the table of the expo. This lamp is the one that breaks down in 3x02, in this chapter we have indications that there is something wrong with the light of the expo when the Faks join Richie, Syd and Carmy, that is where the lamp begins to hum and the Faks they realize this, later the lamp falls on the table while the team argues with Carmy about Claire.

Returning to chapter 3x07, while the Faks are checking the lamp they mention: "Those lights are so hot and cold", Neil complements his cousin's comment with - "I don't understand", Neil does not understand how it is possible that it still does not work when Ted had already fixed it, or at least that's what it seems, however it continues to fail.

Is this dialogue between the Faks about the "lights failing" telling us about how Carmy and Syd's relationship is during season 3?

In response to this, the lamp breaks down in 3x02, and in 3x07 they are trying to fix it again, since it continues to flicker, so I thought that if it could be that everything about the lamp tells us about sydcarmy's relationship, since when begins to fail, the attempt to fix it until the mention that they are cold and hot at the same time, in addition, the only lighting that is apparently broken is that of the expo, which is precisely Syd and Carmy's space.

On the other hand, remember that in 3x02 when the lamp falls, the relationship between both begins to deteriorate, since Carmy edits the menu without Syd, adding to this Carm arrives with the non-negotiables, while in 3x07 where they try to fix the lamp again, is where Carmy, Syd and Marcus talk about the legacy, and Carmy begins to think about his own, he mentions that he would like it to be without panic, and without anxiety, but for that he would have to filter out the bad and start being honest with everyone and everything, this chapter could be the turning point of the season, and how Carmy thinks about changing direction to fix the "lamp", I say this because in subsequent chapters to this one, that is, 3x09 "Apologies" and 3x10 "Ever" Carmy begins to take small actions to get out of the spiral in which he finds himself, Carmy tries to communicate with Syd again, asks her out, confronts chef David, even things begin to improve in general for everyone, In 3x07 we see Ebra receive help to serve the sandwich window, while in 3x08 there is an improvement in Natalie and Donna's relationship.

Note: There are other posts that mention that the lights may be a reference to Syd and Carmy, I don't remember all the authors and posts that refer to this topic, or maybe someone else already wrote about this post, If so, an apology.

[ry-ters-block]

Sick Day & When It Rains... (Mob-Class)

Here are the next two chapters of Mob-Class: (Sick Day) Alida stays home after catching a cold. (When It Rains…) A sudden downpour has Alida, Shun, Eric, Kikki, Syd, Maria, and Seita all trapped under the awning of the school building, while they are waiting, fellow Mob-Class classmate Chard drops some startling information. The story of Mob-Class follows the lives of the 34 “delinquent”…