#and how much he's come to care for his stick figures - ALL of them. Victim included.

[illmoraineakoi]

If the theme for AvA Season 3 is really "Your actions have consequences"...

I am genuinely curious to see what the consequences for Victim's actions will be.

Both Alan and Chosen are reaping the consequences of their actions. How is Victim going to reap his own?

How is all of this going to backfire on him?

And at what point will he realize he's gone too far, that he's made a mistake? That he's become someone he never wanted to become?

[siren-nate]

The way I tend to characterize the Alan-created stick figures is that his mindset in the moment he made them defines who they are, even if their personalities and habits can change over their years of existence.

Victim was made solely to be tormented in an early 00s style violent stick figure animation. This means he views everything in terms of how much of a threat it is to him, and is singularly focused on taking revenge on his tormentor. If he's not the "victim", he's not really anything - he has no identity. He may or may not already know that Alan's a changed person who now treats his creations with kindness, but either way, it wouldn't stop him from seeking out revenge.

The Chosen One was made to be powerful, first and foremost, because the Animator wanted a challenge. That's why it's in his nature to rebel, to break the status quo, to disrupt. It doesn't mean he's evil, just that he tends to go against the grain of the current situation. At first it means he's seeking to break the Animator's control of the computer, then he says "screw destiny" by befriending the one made solely to destroy him, then they cause more chaos across the internet because it's in their nature. But the longer he stays in that, the more he thinks he needs to change, that this isn't right - because, again, he was never made to be evil, just powerful and disruptive.

That's why the Dark Lord is so fucked: he was made as a weapon. Just to destroy. His only reason for coming into existence was because the Animator needed the Chosen One dealt with. He doesn't reject the status quo, he follows it, no matter who's telling him what it is - first it's the Animator, then it's Chosen, his only friend. Whereas Chosen starts to have second thoughts, it's not in Dark's nature to do so - only to improve, to polish the violence and destruction to an absolute mirror sheen, all to impress the one person he cares about. When Chosen turns on him and the Animator is still his enemy, I think the only reason Dark is still causing destruction is because that's literally all he's ever done. It's all he knows. He can't imagine anything outside that because he has no experience with anything else.

And that's why, from a symbolic standpoint, the Second Coming is his greatest threat and the one to defeat him. She's his antithesis. Made years after everything with Chosen and Dark was over and done with, made just because the Animator was doing what he loved: creating. And unlike with Victim, she was probably intended to do more than suffer and die for black comedy.

Second's core ability is creating, no matter what environment she's in - she uses the pencil in the main series to effortlessly make living beings or tools, constantly crafts and comes up with ideas in the Minecraft series, and learns the rules of the universes around her to use them to her benefit in the Education series. Dark only knows destruction. Second only knows creation. Even after she seemingly wins in IV, she tosses the ray gun aside and starts making things now that she has free reign of the computer - she only seeks to destroy so long as there's a threat to herself or what she cares about.

[deadhands69]

A New End: Villain Origin

MDNI

this one is sfw but the series contains eventual smut

Tomura Shigaraki x gn/afab reader

Warnings/Content/etc: swearing, light mentions of violence, eventual spoilers, and eventual smut.

this is the intro - part 1

|\/\/\| villain origin |/\/\/|

You were promised a future. 

Somehow your future vision quirk got you through the entry exams and into UA high. Congratulations, here's a new home, new classmates, and a great big glowing ball of hope. You'd do well in school, study under Nighteye, and go on to become a pro hero. 

Don't fuck it up. 

Your quirk isn't without its limitations though: you only see the future of decisions that emotionally impact you. Sometimes you don't consciously see visions at all, feeling a strong pull most would call “extreme intuition” but you always knew it was your quirk guiding you. 

When you arrive at school, being placed in a room full of people who've spent their lives being praised for their flashy abilities, you don't fit in. They make sure you know that. Most of them, that is. Some just don't say anything to stick up for you at all. Some heroes they’ll be. It would be impossible to care enough about any of your classmates to have useful premonitions so you might as well have been quirkless. 

In a class of what were supposed to be your peers, you felt alone. Isolated. That's why, when your quirk kicked in during a mock battle showing you the way to win, you didn't just take the victory. You annihilated the other team, putting four of them in the hospital. Every asshole treating you like an outcast being victimized and praised while you were the bad guy. 

That's how you got kicked out of UA. Left sitting on the sidelines while they all became pro heroes. 

From that day on, it felt like you were drifting through life. Searching for something but never quite finding out what it is. 

Walking into this dingy bar, you should feel something like fear. But you don't. The intuitive side of your quirk brought you to this place, nearly forcing your footsteps as you shadow Giran. 

“Who do we have this time,” a raspy voice calls out.

“You’ll like this one, more polite than the others. And, they have a future vision quirk,” answers Giran. You can feel the annoyance in his voice as if he’s had this conversation a few too many times and is sick of explaining himself.

“Got it. What’s your name?” the blue haired man at the bar asks.

“[L/N][Y/N],” you reply. Getting a better look at him, he looked more intimidating on TV. Here, he’s just a regular guy with a really weird hand mask. 

“Okay then, do your thing, [L/N].” 

“I-,” you stutter. It feels like UA all over again. But would your quirk lead you back to that situation again? You don’t think so. “It doesn’t work that way.”

For the first time, his blood red eyes look in your direction. He doesn’t even bother to hide the cringe beneath the hand covering his face.

Well, it was worth trying. Time to go. 

As you turn to leave, the raspy voice rings out again.

“Wait, where are you going? We aren’t done talking. So much for manners…” he trails off muttering to himself.

“What else is there to talk about? I thought I could be useful to you but I’m not being treated like an outcast again.”

“HA!” you flinch, his laughter catching you off guard. “You think you’d be the outcast here?”

Admittedly, you hadn’t really thought about it. You knew they were putting together some sort of anti-hero villains league, but having never been a “villain” you still thought you’d feel left out somehow. You never considered, maybe that’s what makes people come here in the first place. 

“We’ll use your quirk. Probably have to keep you around like some sort of oracle so we don’t miss anything. You’ll stay here,” he nods to the smokey man looming behind the bar.

“Right this way,” the cloudy figure gestures to you, “I’ll show you to your quarters.”

Moving from your apartment took all of three trips with one of Kurogiri’s warp gates. Once your bed and dresser were set up, it was just a few boxes of clothes, books, and bits of decor left to move. In spite of looking wispy, you were surprised to find the smokey man is incredibly strong and could carry most of your belongings at once.

Adjusting to your new surroundings has been easier than expected too. While you hadn’t seen your new boss much more than in passing, a few others have come around and some seem nice. You’re excited at the prospect of being able to work with people.

Giran noted you were the first Shigaraki has accepted on the spot, which is encouraging. You’ve never been picked first for any team before. 

Maybe you do belong here.

part 1

m.list

[arson-is-chill-actually]

So. Episode 11, Huh

Spoilers Ahead!!!

I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS HOLY SHIT

I watched it at like 8 right after I got up and I was not mentally prepared AT ALL.

There is a lot of stuff revealed in this episode and there is a lot of discussion to be had, but I hade one brain-melting thought that I need to subject to the rest of you.

Because now we know that Chosen and Vic each symbolize to each other their own perceptions of Alan as their creator and as a person.

For Vic, Alan and what he did is a constant presence and weight on their mind. Their creator and God who entertained himself through their suffering and death, constantly bringing them back just for a new round of torture. The one who held every scrap of power and ruined Vic's existence just because he could.

Vic escaping was a fluke. They were never meant to leave the PC, and they were haunted by Alan for years, the pain of the past never subsiding, just fading into the background. Then they lose their anchor, and likely dozens of others who they care for. Once again their past rears its ugly head, all of it caused by the selfish actions of one strong enough to be considered a god.

But what's a god to a nonbeliever? So what if they could lose everything if they went down this path? They had noting left to lose. When he finally got Chosen into the box, I doubt that they saw a stick figure. Because what Chosen represents is the source of every cursor imagined in the reflection, every sleepless night, every bruise and cut and scar removed when their body was revived.

For Chosen, Alan may be his creator and captor, but he is no god. Chosen had the ability to properly fight back against Alan, and in a fair fight Chosen likely would have won. But it wasn't a fair fight. It was never going to be a fair fight. And he lost.

While Chosen never forced through the same kind of suffering as Victim, isolation is a kind of torture in its own right. He probably grew desperate, pleading to the one who chained him just for something to ease the loneliness. It's no wonder it took him so long to finally say no to Dark. How could he possibly risk losing the only person to ever be kind to him when he knew the suffocating pain of loneliness?

Vic knew that they were being used for Alan's entertainment. But Chosen? All he ever knew was that he was being used. He never knew the "why" behind Alan's actions, and he still doesn't. And he doesn't know they why behind Vic's actions, either. Why they were hunting him down. Why they were taking away his only source of protection, why they wanted to know about Alan so badly.

Why they were so stunned seeing Second's powers.

Second is different from them. Because Second is the only one of Alan's creations that has seen him change. Has seen him grow.

Chosen never saw how much Alan changed. He never wanted any kind of relationship with him after he left the PC with Dark. He stopped the virabot to prevent it from spreading, not to save Alan. He went to the PC not for Alan's help, but for Second's. He doesn't want to be involved or associated with Alan anymore.

Vic just doesn't care. They want vengeance on a version of Alan that doesn't exist anymore and they couldn't care less.

But Second knows that they should. Second knows about the lives that would be caught in the crossfire if Vic continues. Lives that already have been caught in the crossfire once before.

Eventually Vic's story is going to come to light, it has to for this to end. But Vic is going to have to hear Second's and Chosen's stories as well. And they won't forgive Alan. But they will move on.

Because moving on is the only true way to move forward.

[lonnitamongus]

A look at the victims of tcmg

With the new release of Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Game, we have been exposed to a terrifying and tense world with lovely brand new characters in addition to the iconic Sawyers. The victims, all original to the game, are just fantastic. Each of them has a rich backstory to them and more so, clear personalities!

Playing the game and playing a good amount with each victim, I have noticed some clear markers of personality in every character through their dialogue.

Sonny, my main, is a anxious yet steadfast kind of guy. He speaks timidly as a mouse, commenting quietly about how horrifying things are while trying to keep brave. Although in stature he is smaller than the other victims, Sonny is brave despite his greatest fears. He constantly amps himself up, urging himself to not loose hope and to get out of tough spots. I really love how Sonny, alongside Ana, are the friends that try to bring peace of mind to everyone else. Sonny isn't a leader but he is strong support to the other survivors and that fact shows even more in his ability to hear other survivors and the killers from far distances. He's a sort of lookout for the group, staying cunning and brave despite clearly being scared. Another thing I have to point out with Sonny is his connection to Maria. Sonny, alongside Ana, clearly want to find Maria the most out of anyone. Sonny constantly talks about how he recognizes the family members from his investigations. Sonny likely spied on the family members and is likely the one who figured everything out, connecting Maria's disappearance to the family. Sonny clearly was adamant on finding his friend and helping Ana out, he's a true friend.

Then there is Julie and... she is a completely different type of character but I love her for that. She isn't a resilient survivor or a strong willed person. In fact, Julie is like an innocent girl stuck in the worst place she could possibly be. Julie is probably the least hopeful victim in tcmg, she constantly comments on how they are all probably going to die and that there is no hope of them escaping. She is extremely fearful about everything happening and that's the dominant emotion that controls what she does. Julie may be extremely scared but that doesn't change the fact that she's way more adept towards survival than she might think. Her extreme fear helps her as because of it she is much more cautious and stealthy than any other victim. Julie is one of the more tragic victims in this game I feel, she always cries extremely hard when she gets killed and I hate whenever she dies. Julie is a sweet soul and the other survivors comment on that when they find her dead body. Connie for example says "Oh sweetie what did they do to you..." Julie to me is clearly a girl who is a sweet soul and wanted to help find her missing friend but she never thought it would go somewhere so horrible. Out of all the victims, she is the only one who regrets coming her and constantly says that they never should of come here. Julie is also super caring! She asks if the other survivors are hurt and she tells each other to stick together. I also love how she casually calls everyone babe, I think it's just a small detail since she is from California but I still think it's cool. She is an extremely scared person but still has a kind and caring heart.

Ana is probably my favorite character, she is just so extremely bad ass and is for sure the final girl of the game. Not only is she the youngest in the group but she is also the toughest. Not just because her toughness stat is crazy high but because Ana herself is a tough person. Out of all the victims, I'd say she is the most fearless and she uses that to her advantage completely. She fearlessly stands up to the family and she has such devotion for her friends and her sister. Everytime she attacks a family member she screams "This is for Maria" or "What did you do to my sister?!" She is a badass in everyway frankly and I love her for it. Her ability shows that too, SHE LITERALLY IGNORES PAIN BECAUSE HER RESOLVE IS SO STRONG. I mean seriously, talk about final girl. If Ana was armed with more dangerous weapons than just bone knives, she would bring hell upon the family I'm sure.

Okay now we have Leland, who is all around a pretty cool guy. He's loyal, strong, and caring. Leland however, is not tough. He literally whimpers on low health, if you want Leland whimper audio just play him for one game and there you go. Leland has a low tough stat and that shows in his personality too. Leland's voicelines suggest he isn't a very brave person but when worst comes to worst, bravery springs up in Leland when he would least expect it. He does great fighting back against family members better than he does sneaking around hoping they won't find him. I feel like Leland is a little self consious about himself, he doesn't think he has what it takes to survive when it actuality he does. He has a true heart of gold and wrecklessly, yet bravely shoulder charges those killers head on despite his fear.

Last but not least, Connie is our last victim. She's crafty and picks locks faster than Bubba can rev his chainsaw, we all know it and we love her for it. Connie is another character I love, although I think her true personality is dulled down a little in such a tense situation. Some of Connie's voice lines suggest she is a kind hearted and witty woman but most of the time she is completely focused on getting the hell out of here. Connie switches from being a kind friend to a girl with more survival potential than anyone could have guessed. Connie, like Sonny, is scared but at the same time she has the strength to mostly ignore it so she can focus on getting out. Perhaps sometimes too much however as her ability makes her too focused on locks to escape to realize the family is around her. I really like this about her though, it really shows how she gets in a tense situation.

Overall I have been loving the tcm game and it's victims are wonderfully fleshed out. It's really refreshing to see these characters, know their motives for being here and their vastly different personalities. It's really refreshing and it just adds onto the intensity of the game. I want the victims to survive and I feel horrible when they don't because they are all so likeable 😭 tcm is just a great game so far and I'm hopeful that the game will continue going strong and just keep improving.

[lizartgurl]

Two Points For Honesty (Han Solo x Princess Leia)

So Hanleia week last year made me realize that I can just...write Han and Leia and canon can't stop me. So here goes.

Han won't admit that there's the slightest possible chance that he might actually like Leia, but there's plenty around Echo Base who are happy to make their intentions known in less-than-chivalrous ways.

read on ao3. banners by @saradika

Notes: Catcalling, locker room talk, Han defends Leia, but Leia can hold her own.

This planet was karking freezing, and Han hated it.

According to Luke, it was evidently his own fault that he was so cold. He chose to spend the majority of his time in the hangar bay of the Rebellion's latest attempt at a hidden base, but in order to facilitate the coming and going of dozens of starships , speeders, and even furry lizards, the bay doors had to remain open. Han needed to be in the hangar, though, the Falcon needed repairs after their escape from Ord Mantell left the hyper drive completely fried. Chewie suggested he grow out his hair as an insulating layer, and Han asked if that meant Chewie intended to shave.

Being in the hangar, in the Falcon specifically, meant that it was harder to avoid when a certain Princess came calling.

He didn't hate her. At the very least he could say that now, and letting her die was the last thing he wanted. She'd probably find a way to guilt him from the afterlife anyway. But not hating her didn't mean she didn't drive him crazy. She insisted that he should stay, that the Rebellion had a place for him, he was a valuable asset even though the Hutts had a price on his head. They were rebelling against a tyrannical government, they all had a price on their heads here, none more so than Luke and Leia herself.

Han didn't like how perceptive Leia thought she was. She insisted that there was more to him than chasing his next score, and Han wanted to laugh. He'd spent years and years making sure that was all that there was to him.

He hated it almost as much as he hated Echo Base.

A group of new recruits waddled past the Falcon in their layers and layers of cold gear, complaining about the state of the rations.

"At least the eye candy makes this better," One of the privates said with a leer in his voice. It was a kid named Osco, just around Luke's age.

"I used to check her out of the holoscans when she was a Senator, but she's even hotter in person."

Han's blood ran cold as the ice surrounding them. It didn't take a genius to figure out who Osco was talking about.

"As if you've got a chance. She's a princess, y'know."

"Not since Alderaan got blown up. But hey, that means less competition for me!" Osco said callously.

Han was trying not to listen, but it was hard not to hear a teenage boy bragging. Did this kid even know what he'd signed up for? Had he seen the asteroid field that had formerly been Alderaan? Imagining their screams of terror in their final moments the way Old Ben had described it? Had he seen the former forests of Kashyyyk, and the poisoned oceans of Mon Cala?

Han had. And it wasn't a pretty sight. He may not be foolish enough to stick around but he certainly knew better than to disrespect what the Rebels were fighting for while parked in their main hanger.

"What I wouldn't give to see her-"

The blood rushing in Han's ears muffled the end of Private Osco's sentence, but Han didn't need to hear it. He'd grown up around enough testosterone to know exactly was Osco was talking about.

"What did you say?" Han snapped before the smarter part of himself, the part that reminded him that he really didn't care, could silence the rage boiling in his chest.

The rookie kept laughing as his squad mates gave him playful pushes and jabs, leering at his victim's direction.

"C'mon Solo, don't tell me you never thought of it. I mean look at her!" Osco waved across the hangar.

Leia was just talking with Winter Retrac and General Rieekan, nothing about what she was doing would invite such lewd comments.

Of course, she exuded confidence. She always did, even when Han knew she was struggling. It wasn't fair, she deserved a break. She didn't deserve twerps like Osco ogling her just for doing her job and the work of five others just to keep this rebellion on its feet.

Han slammed the panel shut on the roof of the Falcon and hopped down from the ladder. He pointed the sharp end of the hydrospanner at Osco, who leaped back like it was the hot end of Luke's lightsaber.

"You watch your mouth, you hear me you moof-milker?"

"Jeez, Solo, it's just a compliment! Take it easy!" Osco held up his hands, but he still didn't sound sorry.

Han's fist flew of its own accord. His dry knuckles split as they came into contact with Osco's jaw.

Osco had the unmitigated gall to look shocked for half a second before Han hit him again, knocking him to the ground.

"Hey, Solo! Knock it off!" a couple of Osco's friends said, voices high-pitched and uncertain. A couple of them tried to pull Han and Osco apart, but their hands disappeared with a familiar Wookiee howl. Han ignored Chewie, his fists flying at Osco's face as he tried to shield himself with his arms.

Han was vaguely aware of Chewie fending off anyone else who tried to interrupt Han's righteous fury, including General Riekan, but he didn't care. He helped the Alliance, sure, but he really didn't care what high command thought of him. Surely Rieekan and Dodonna would thank him when they heard what Osco said about Leia. Not that it mattered. This skug deserved everything that was coming to him.

"Han!" her sharp voice broke through the haze of red, and he finally stopped.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Leia demanded. She stood over Han and Osco with her hands on her hips. A gentler hand rested on his shoulder, and there was Luke, easing Han off of Osco so that his friends could rush him off to medbay.

"Are you bleeding?" She demanded, catching sight of his hands.

"It's just the cold, I'll be fine with the moisturizer," He shrugged.

Luke shook his head as Rieekan ordered everyone back to their tasks at hand. When it came to Han, he and the rest of High Command usually let Leia and Luke handle things.

"Geez, Han, what did Osco do to get that far on your bad side?" Luke said, "He just got here last week."

"What, did he scratch the Falcon's hull or something?" Leia asked, arms folded.

Han was confident that he had done nothing wrong, and he really didn't care if Leia was mad at him about it. He certainly wasn't going to let her know what it was that Osco had said to deserve such a beating.

Chewie gave a few barks and Han gave him a shove, "Stow it, Fuzzball," He hissed.

"What was that, Chewie?" Leia asked, stepping between Han and Chewbacca.

Her Shyriiwook wasn't expert, but she was a quick learner and a good listener.

Leia's expression didn't change, but Han saw the spark snuffed out in her eyes as Chewie explained with his arms waving.

"I see," She said softly, her gaze melting from Chewie to the floor. Even Luke looked aghast.

"He had it coming, Princess." Han said leaning against the Falcon's ramp.

"That's not your position to say," Leia snapped.

"Oh, so I should've let him get away with that? How's he gonna learn?"

"You should have gone through the proper channels," Leia said, "We have a system here, we can't solve all our minor disputes with violence, that's what the Empire does."

Han shrugged, "Well pardon me if I think that a fist to the jaw teaches him better than a lecture from someone he never showed respect for in the first place."

Leia stiffened, "I don't need you to protect me." She lifted her head, chin jutting out.

"Well, pardon me, your worshipfulness, but I would think the Death Star would say otherwise."

"I was taking care of myself long before you three came along!" Leia stomped her foot, determined to have the last word.

Han marched over to Leia, pointing his finger at her face.

"You're not something to be oogled. You're a force-damned General here for crying out loud."

"Why Solo," Leia said, and her cheeks were flushed, probably from the cold, "I didn't know you cared."

Han rolled his eyes and matched back onto the Falcon. He needed a drink.

He didn't even bother with a tumbler, all his good ones were in the sink anyway, drinking his favorite Corellian ale straight from the bottle and collapsing on the bench behind the dejarik table.

"Care. I don't care. Since when do I care?" He muttered. Osco was the one making an ass of himself where anyone could hear. He was just lucky Han got to him before Leia heard it herself.

He heard Luke carefully picking his way up the ramp, trying not to wake the sleeping krayt dragon. Han ignored him.

"You know," Luke said softly, coming to a stop beside the bench, "If you like her you can always just tell her."

"Shut up kid, or you'll be joining Osco in the medbay."

[i3utterflyeffect]

Ever since ava 1 he's been haunted by something on his computer. It follows him to other devices too. He can't prove it definitely, but it's very noticeable. He sometimes jokes about being cursed when it comes to technology, but sometimes that feels like the only explanation. He still uses computers and animates, but he can't help feeling like he's being watched when he should be alone.

victim witnesses him created another stick figure. They watch him spare this one, but force them to work for him against their will. They watch him torment this figure, unable to help for a long time. Eventually however, victim tries to send a pop up to release them. It doesn't work since they are forced to burn it, but that still leads to them escaping. victim watches a new figure be drawn to kill them, but then watches it team up with them instead and destroy their creator's PC. victim watches them escape, but cannot follow because they are stuck.

victim is cursed to always watch their creator killer and just wants to be free. They do their best to try and make him miserable, but they are limited. When he gets a new computer, they are forced to follow. But then something strange happens. He creates another by accident and they get to watch this strange orange stick enjoy freedom and meet new friends. He returns though and kills the friends, but for some reason is unable to kill the stick he created. The orange stick tries to avenge her friends, but is eventually cornered. victim tries to look away, knowing what will happen next as the poor stick begs for mercy, but instead something else happens. He chooses to show mercy to the stick and even brings her friends back. He offers the stick a deal; freedom and safety on the PC in exchange for not breaking things and teaching him to animate better. victim could only stare.

Why hadn't they been allowed to live? Why couldn't he treat his other creations with the same respect? The stick accepted the deal and over time, befriended the animator. They watched as he grew to care about them, treating them as people and even letting them get away with destroying his stuff at times. It wasn't fair! Why did they have to die?! Why couldn't he have shown them the same kindness? victim had always been alone, but seeing other people there getting along and playing together while they couldn't even tell they were there made them feel that loneliness in their core.

They ached for that connection they never got the chance to have. And yet, they couldn't even be angry at the sticks. It's not like they knew any better. They didn't know what a monster the animator was. Was he even still a monster? He had to be. It wasn't fair that he could change for these sticks but didn't even pay them a second glance. But the more they watched, the more they could see him genuinely care.

For so long they had wanted to make him suffer, but they didn't even know if that was a good idea anymore. They didn't know anything anymore. They spent most days floating aimlessly, trying to avoid being around the others because that only made it hurt more. They didn't even know what they wanted to do now, but it didn't matter did it? They were dead, and the dead aren't supposed to have ambitions. Their memory had been buried. Nothing mattered anymore. It never did. They were foolish to think otherwise. They might as well not even be there at all.

That's how things were for next few years. Just an infinite loop of seeing what could've been, knowing that they missed their chance. But something strange happened. The creator had been animating alongside his creation, when a sound could be heard from the computer fan. It was much louder than it was supposed to be. It was then that a virus was discovered and threatened to kill the sticks. There was nothing victim could do but watch as they were trapped as certain death approached.

All the sudden, the PC shook as an explosion came from the wifi. victim recognized the figure walking through it, they were the stick that victim had helped escape. They were okay! They made it! But why? Why would they come back here? They were glad that they had saved the others from death however. The stick had fought and defeated the virus, then left again through the portal. The others followed too out of curiosity, but like before, victim still couldn't leave.

They waited for them to return, floating in circles as they did so. A notification appeared to alert the animator that the stick was in trouble. He hesitated, but eventually clicked on it. victim saw a window into another world form, and saw that the cursor could interact with it. victim touched the window and found that they could go through it. They saw the others hiding in a shack with a computer and heard sounds of combat. Turning to look, victim saw the other figure that escaped all those years ago trying to kill the stick that it had escaped with. The animator was trying to assist the figure that saved the others, but it was a tough fight. The group in the shack accidentally alerted it to their presence, who went to investigate. They all hid over a pit of deactivated viruses and avoided being seen, but the stick then took an armband and put it on. This gave it full control of the viruses and the ability to summon deadly virus blades.

It was stressful not being able to do anything. They should be used to it by now, but that didn't change it. Eventually, the cursor was deleted and the window was closed, sending them back to the PC. They had no way to know what was happening and just had to hope for the best. After what felt like an eternity, they watched as the window was restored by a strange green glow. They felt something strange. They were pulled back through the restored portal and saw that they were glowing green and becoming physical.

They felt the ground and heard the others talking. They felt the temperature of the air and could smell the ocean. It was disorienting feeling so many things. It was hard to even tell what was going on. They looked at the others and they looked in victim's direction, likely since something was behind them. They were used to that. But then the red one approached them and poked them out of curiosity. They lost their balance and landed on the ground and the red stick began loudly apologizing. It was all too loud, but they saw them. All of them could see them. They could lose their balance because they were now physical.

(I was originally just gonna pitch this as a concept but I got carried away lol)

DUDE PUT THIS ON AO3 THIS IS AMAZING.......

[ikamigami]

Well.. Sun leaving Moon alone in a time of grief isn't surprising at all considering how it's hard for Sun to spend time with emotional Moon because of the trauma from Old Moon's abuse..

I'll be repeating this over and over again till y'all hacking get it that what Old Moon did to Sun is something that doesn't go away with snap of fingers or just one swing of magic wand..

Y'all so unserious and annoying if you can't understand why Sun wasn't trying to hang out with Moon in such time..

"Moon is emotional, Moon is working, I probably shouldn't bother him" - this is probably something that Sun thought to himself. Can anyone blame him for this? I'm asking seriously.. cause I can't blame Sun for his feelings regarding this situation..

I think that Earth is more to blame if she really found out from Monty that Moon is in really poor mental state and not that he's only being egotistical Moon - though he still is but that's beside the point - she should've told Sun and Lunar about it as well.. especially Sun cause it'd help Sun figure out that Moon might have similar problem to his..

But ofc it's better to not say anything, I guess..

And the fact that Lunar dgaf about it isn't surprising to me cause when he gaf about anything other than things that are related to them and their issues.. even though I won't lie I feel a bit disappointed cause I thought that maybe Lunar is changing..

Sun is once again the one who has to shoulder this situation.. from what I gathered from that episode he'll talk to Moon (pardon me if I misunderstood something) even though Sun is the one who is affected the most by this situation (excluding Moon who is in poor mental state)..

Sun always had to shoulder every single damn one of heavy problems in this family.. previously when it was just two (and later three) of them.. and now when he has more members of family and said family is more caring about one another (?) he still has to shoulder everything.. even though he didn't heal from his trauma at all.. he only feels a bit better because his psychotic episode ended and he thinks that he's fine cause he's always like that..

People who are saying that he's the most okay and the most stable one in the family are dang stupid.. Yes, even characters from this show..

Like I guess they don't know how much abusive Old Moon was towards Sun because he never told them anything but at the same time how could he tell them if they didn't try to bother to listen to him in the first place..

But it's really easy to now be angry at Sun and blame him for his feelings when we just ignore all the trauma and abuse he had to endure throughout all these years because he simply just said that he's fine like as if he never said that before even when he wasn't actually fine..

But whatever I guess cause in this fandom it's just better to blame the victim.. but it's okay cause show also doesn't treat Sun's character seriously so why people should?

I'm tired of seeing that people can only see how much hurt is Moon..

It was like that with Old Moon even though Sun was the one who was suffering the most when he had psychotic episode.. and even now when it's more understandable that people care about Moon's state cause he's in really poor mental state but.. it truly leaves a bad tatse in one's mouth when you think about it how Sun's trauma is always ignored when it comes to Moon's feelings..

And unfortunately it just comes across as distasteful and disingenuous because apparently there's always only one character who is victim in every situation and we should always feel sorry for them and it's Moon..

And the way it's always handled and the way fandom acts about it just makes one hard to care for Moon.. especially if victim of abuse - Sun - always receive the short end of a stick..

I still care about Moon but sometimes y'all really make it hard for me to..

[emmatgc]

Wonderful World - Chapter 13

(Warning. This is an emotional chapter)

Flowers and Graves

 "No, Mom, don't leave me. I am so sorry". Tears falling while holding her mother's hand in the intensive care unit of the hospital.

10 hours earlier

Hands intertwined like crazy teenagers in love, Soo Hyun drove Seon Yul to the hospital. His emergency leave is over. Their smiles quickly turned sour. Staff in the hospital are looking at them like some runaway fugitives. They figured that his colleagues might have seen the interview of Kim Joon. A new interview was shown telling the whole of Korea that the son of the victim has fallen in love with  the murderer. In Korea, that is taboo. Even age gaps between older women and younger men are frowned upon. How much more this scandal. But, their hands still intertwined, not letting go, they decided they will stick till the end. Soo Hyun left and there is heaviness in her chest. It has been a roller coaster ride the past 24 hours. On one hand, she feels hot of their love making but the other part, she is breaking apart. This situation  she knows is blowing up and she is not sure if she can take it. All the attention, all the eyes, all the whispers, it will ruin her, it will ruin them she thought. She nodded and washed aways these thoughts as she promised herself and her boyfriend, they will face and handle this together.

"There he is. The loverboy and talk of the town". Soo Jin only meant it as a joke to lighten the mood as Seon Yul enters their quarters to rest a bit before his shift officially starts. He lied down and smiled remembering his 24 hours of their torrid love affair if you will, a dangerous , roller coaster of emotions but it didn't felt wrong, it felt right for him. They are now one and nobody can stop us, he thought. His friends shared a laugh and they are trying their best to distract Seon Yul knowing what he is going through. "You told me this would happen",Seon Yul said to Soo Jin. It is even worse than I imagined, he added. But no regrets..looking at the ceiling and trying his best to not think of negative thoughts. "I know my friend, I know. But we are here for you. For you and Seon Yul, we got your backs remember?". Seon Yul smiled and somehow he is happy knowing he has true and supporting friends.

But the world is not happy. Their world is not entirely sure how to react about the news. The damage has been done and today they will both know about it.

Seon Yul was called by his superior. He somehow knows what it is about but he didn’t know the severity. "Dr. Seon Yul, come. Sit. How are you doing? His superior asked. "I am ok, Sir. Thank you" he replied. "Listen, I want to go straight with you on this. The hospital is in a complicated position. This..issue (but in his mind, it is a scandal) with you and author Soo Hyun, is getting out of hand. Is it true that you both are in a relationship? A romantic one? Seon Yul nodded and said yes. "I don’t know  how to say this, but the board is uneasy with this type of news and they want me to tell you that you should lay low until the issue dies down. We have to let you go. Many patients and colleagues are not comfortable with this and this may disrupt the operations and affect the morale even of the patients. I hope you understand, Seon Yul". Seon Yul cannot believe what he is hearing. All he can think of is "what is my fault, our fault? We did nothing wrong". His heart is breaking. He loves his job. This is something he worked hard for and now it is ruined right in front of his eyes. They atlked about resting for half of the year and if he insists to work, they might sue him or he may end up not being hired in other hospitals as well. " I am sorry, Seon Yul. You are very talented but this is the final decision of the hospital. " Seon Yul is not a man of many words, he nodded again, sighed and left his office. He wants to cry but he can't. This is nothing compared to the hell he went through. He wants to pull this through, too with her. Nothing else matters.

Soo Hyun on the other hand, received a letter from her Dean wanting to talk to her about the same thing. She knew the scandal does not sit well with the University. She expects to be fired or asked to leave or resign. She was mad at the possibility, and sad at the same time. But she expected it. She can't help[ but wonder, all this consequence for loving the man? She will deal with it tomorrow she said. She was driving home, excited to see the orphanage but she got a call from her sister. Their mother had an accident. She immediately turned around her car and went to the hospital. Her mom is in the ICU. Her dementia is getting worse. In some rare occasions, she can remember tidbit of her past life and this was one of those days. She was at home, watching TV and she saw Kim Joon and heard him saying "Soo Hyun, the murderer is in love with the son of the man she murdered". She can't believe what she was hearing. All she knew is Soo Hyun still married with his ex son in law. She panicked, she had hallucinations and she can hear voices in her head "shame on your daughter" the voices are saying so loudly. She felt suffocated in her home and she decided or unknowingly went outside and just run and run outside. Until, bam! A car hit her.

Back to the present…

Soo Hyun can't believe what is happening. Her mom is the surgery room fighting for her life. "This is all my fault". She cried and her sister hugged her tightly telling her it's not her fault. That is going to be okay. The world is crashing down on her and when the doctor came out of the operating room… "Are you the family members? Yes we are, Doctor, they both replied. "She suffered severe traumatic brain injury and sadly, she is in coma now. All we can do is wait, if her condition improves in 48 hours or so, then there is hope if not, we should prepare for the worse. I am sorry". Soo Hyun fell down to the floor, shocked and absolutely devastated. She cried and cried, shouted and cannot be sated with all her emotions rushing inside of her. Seon Yul was calling her a few times already and somehow he feels, something is definitely not right.

In her Mom's bed, Soo Hyun held her hand all the time not letting go. "Mom, I am here. Please don’t leave me yet. I cannot live without you. I know, I am selfish but please, wake up now. I love you". There is a lot going on inside her heart and her mind. She wants to clear her head and she needs to be somewhere. Somewhere that brings her peace and sometimes answers. In the next morning, early in the morning, she drove there. All alone just as he wanted. She brought flowers. "There's my little boy. I am sorry, Mama hasn't visited for a while. " The silence in the air, she needed this. She needed her son. She needs him to tell her what should her next step be. "My son, are you angry at me? Can I ask a favor from you my dear angel? Can you spare your Grandpa, and let her live? I will do whatever you ask, even let go of the one thing I love the most, after you and Your Grandpa". She knows she won't get answers. But at that moment, she knew in her heart, she cannot continue living like this.

"I knew I'd found you here. I came at the hospital and they said you left.". She looked up, a guy with an umbrella, shielding her from drizzle looks familiar, the very same man who saw her right after she got out of prison. The son of the man she murdered, the man who murdered her child, her lover and friend. He lifted her up, and as they stood up, it's like déjà vu. They stared at each other. Seon Yul wanted to reach out to her and hold her hand, but she doesn’t want to. In fact, she flinched. He wanted to touch her face, but she stepped back. "Seon Yul, I love you with all of my heart."..she started talking "But, it is not enough"..Seon yul replied back. He knew. They both knew. "This is our punishment. Our curse. We ruin each other, We ruin others. I cannot do this anymore. We cannot be together. We tried but..this is all too much. I am letting you go. Please let me go. I am sorry. I love you, goodbye". 

Just as their hearts were broken. Another heartbeat is stopping. Flat line. Dead silence.

Note:

I know. I wrote this with mixed emotions. I was about to shed a tear. My heart is broken, too. I am sorry for this chapter. I had a long time debating this, but I decided to push through my original plot. I know they suffered a lot, but this story has never been butterflies and roses. But don't fret, things will get better we just have to hold on to their story. Once again, thank you for supporting this and the end is near.

[nevermore-grimes]

Nevermore-Grimes does Daydreamtober 2024

Original art from Pinterest

Prompt #17: Justice (Incarnate, hehehe!)

Paracosm: The Ember Blade Chronicles

TEBC Saga: The Origins

Summary: Detective Jackson Dunlop visits Nevermore in prison, but he doesn't seem to learn much from his unwilling interviewee...

Warnings/Tags: Mentions of killing/death, brief vague allusion to sexual assault, and insinuation of character death

Word Count: 1344

[TAPE START]

JD: This is Detective Jackson Dunlop visiting convicted serial killer, Nevermore Grimes, in Alcatraz Penitentiary. Please state your full name for the record.

NG: …You just did.

JD: [Sighs] I realize this, but I need a record of you pronouncing your own name.

NG: No need. You did fine.

JD: Look, the sooner you follow interview record protocol, the sooner we can get this over with. Wouldn’t you want that?

NG: [Groans] I’m Nevermore Grimes. Happy now?

JD: Very. Do you know why I’m here, Nevermore?

NG: To bother me?

JD: [Chuckles] Close, but not quite. I’ve come to grow fascinated by the connections in your cases, and I wished to study the woman behind them a little more closely. After three attempts, I finally got the clearance for this interview with you.

NG: [Dryly] Lucky me.

JD: Growing tired of my visit already?

NG: I was tired from the moment they pulled me from my cell for this bullshit.

JD: I deeply apologize. I had assumed there was nothing too interesting for me to be interrupting.

NG: Asshole.

[Papers rustle]

JD: Let’s get on with my questions, so I don’t keep you from your glamorous prison life, then.

NG: Mock me all you want, but I’m not answering your stupid questions.

JD: Won’t you humor me?

NG: Wasn’t my “glamorous prison life” enough humor for you?

JD: Nevermore, please. Why don’t you start by telling me about your upbringing?

NG: Hm… Let’s see… I was born… then I was raised… with a family… in a house… in a neighborhood… in a town.

JD: Care to elaborate… anywhere?

NG: No.

JD: [Sighs] You’re proving to be a tricky one.

NG: You’re proving to be obnoxiously nosy.

JD: Alright, fine. We’ll stick to the more directly relevant questions.

NG: Or you can skip all of your questions and get the fuck out.

JD: Aren’t you a ray of sunshine.

[Papers rustling]

JD: Among your personal belongings, investigators found a list of your victims’ names, each crossed off, among a list of names of those who were still alive, not crossed off. Would I be correct in assuming this was a sort of “hit list”? Were those who weren’t crossed off your next targets?

NG: [Sarcastically] Wow, detective. You cracked the case. How long did it take you to figure that one out?

JD: [Mutters] I’m just being thorough…

JD: [Clears throat] Alright, so you had a hit list. But, why? Why did you do it?

NG: I’m pretty sure the stupid name all those news outlets gave me pretty much encompasses my usual theme.

JD: No, no! I’m not asking why you chose them. I’m asking why you did all of this! Why you kept pushing, even with the law opposing you! Why? Why did you choose this life, even when it led you here?

NG: …

JD: Nevermore…

NG: You wanna know my motive? That it, huh?

NG: How honorable of you to want to study me like some pathetic animal! You think I’m some poor traumatized little girl who made some bad choices in her life, don’t you? Well, guess what? You’re wrong. I had a normal fucking life! I’m just like this.

NG: But you know what happened next? I grew the fuck up, and I watched the unfair shit this little system of yours pulled on people just like you. You think you’re different from the rest of your gun-carrying counterparts? You’re just as corrupt, if not worse, prying into people’s lives and then leaving the dirty work of locking them up to somebody else. You’re worse than a cop. You’re a pussy.

NG: You thrive in a system where the innocent get put away while the most disgusting of human beings are free to run around harming those you didn’t get to yet. I’m not a charity case, I’m a bitch on a mission, and I won’t stop until I’ve eradicated all of the walking shitstains your system benefits.

JD: “Justice Incarnate”. That’s what your notes say, right? You call yourself Justice Incarnate. Do you see yourself as more righteous than the people on that list of yours?

NG: Yes. Not because I’m a good person, but because it’s not that hard to be a better person than those wastes of space.

JD: I see… And you despise the legal system, from what I gather?

NG: I hate everything about it. I want to burn it to the ground and spit on the ashes.

JD: Mmhmm…

NG: …Are you afraid of me, detective?

JD: Why would I be afraid of you?

NG: Because I want to dismantle the system that gave you your comfortable little life.

JD: Well, I’m not particularly afraid of you. I deal with people of your standing every day.

NG: You mean, the criminally insane?

JD: I don’t believe you are. I think you may be misguided.

NG: Misguided or not, I won’t stop.

JD: I know… That’s why you have to stay here, for a very long time.

NG: We’ll see about that.

[Long silence]

NG: …Can I ask you a question?

JD: [Chuckle] I thought I was the detective here, huh?

NG: Humor me.

JD: Alright, I’ll bite. What is it?

NG: Towards the beginning of your little recording, you said this was your third attempt at getting ahold of me.

JD: That stuck with you?

NG: Yeah, well, consider my memory good.

NG: …But, why? Why did you fight so hard to talk to me? You coulda walked away the first time, you know. It’s not like I’m part of an active investigation right now- [Handcuffs rattle] -especially stuck in here. So, why?

JD: Like I said, your case fascinates me. I want to understand how your mind works. It’s not often that someone so young is compelled to act so radically on a whim, but I was wrong about you. It looks like you’re operating on a belief system years in the making. You put a lot of thought into this.

NG: You’ve thought about me a lot, huh?

JD: [Laughs] Maybe.

NG: …Is that because you found your name on my list?

[Long silence]

JD: …What?

NG: Don’t play dumb. You’re the detective in the room, after all. I recognized your name the moment you said it. Jackson Dunlop. I know all about you. I know all about your abuse of your power. I know all about your missing wife. That’s why you’re one of my targets.

[Long silence]

NG: But, you knew that. That’s why you’re here, and that’s why you’re asking me all these questions. You wanna learn about me because you wanna survive me. Well, lemme tell you something… I’m not giving you shit. And the moment I get out of this hellhole, I’m coming for you, and I’ll thoroughly enjoy the thrill of sliding my blade across your throat and letting you choke and writhe to death in a pool of your own making. And if you somehow find the breath to beg me for mercy, I’ll put a hole in your skull, and only then will you feel the sweet release of death.

[Long silence]

NG: …Are you afraid of me, now, detective?

JD: [Voice wavering] I- I think our little meeting here is over-

[Click]

[TAPE END]

Post-Transcript Notes: Nevermore escaped the penitentiary two weeks after the recording of this file. Detective Dunlop also went missing within the hour, but not before marking this file for deletion. An investigation was launched for the missing detective, though the investigators who’ve listened to this tape stand to reason they know exactly what happened to him. It would seem Justice Incarnate has struck again…

[pink-tonic]

The First Day📰

Previous

Next

All Chapters

Warnings: None

A few text messages in here:

Green text = (Y/N)

Pink text = Taeko

Prior to coming to school, I was informed that a small assembly was going to be held in the gymnasium. This assembly was going to talk about the student who was killed and what the school will be doing after these sudden events.

When the bell rang, my clubmates and I left the club room and started to head towards the gymnasium. While on the walk there, I felt my hands starting to get sweaty, my stomach felt like it was in a knot, and my heart was beating faster than it was before.

I don't know why I'm feeling this way. It's not like I was going to do anything major, I'm just going to attend the ceremony.

But the ceremony is going to remind me of how close this case is. Even if I didn't know him, he was still someone I walked by every day and talked to occasionally. It ends up sending a shiver up my spine.

Once me and my clubmates and I make it to the assembly, I hold the door open for them, and we all walk inside. When I walk inside, I notice most of the students are here, but a few are still missing. Everyone was standing in rows, there has to be at least fifteen rows of kids.

My clubmates picked a row, and we all went to the back of it. More kids started to pour in and took their place.

While I was looking at the door, I noticed two familiar people enter: Ayato and Taro.

I wish I could wave to them, but I know that my hand would be lost in the sea of people, so I decided against it. I saw them take their place in the last row together.

The bell rang, and then the headmaster came up on stage.

"Thank you all for coming to this small ceremony," he started off as he looked on towards the crowd of students in front of him,"I know these recent circumstances have been confusing and depressing, but we as a school have to keep moving forward. Remember, us moving on doesn't mean that we will forget the victim. We are planning to always remember him through the memories we have about him."

The headmaster's speech made me feel guilty. I didn't have any memories about the victim, so does that mean that I don't care about him or that I can't remember him? Even if I didn't make any memories with him during his time alive, his death has impacted me more than I thought it would.

The rest of the headmaster's speech was much of the same. He went on to tell us that we should stick together and keep moving forward, but no new details were revealed about the killer.

Did the police not find the killer? That's a worrying detail, but I shouldn't let myself get too paranoid over it. I'm sure the police are close to finding out the person who is behind all this.

"We hope that everyone one of you are able to find some type of closure and move on in life. Thank you."

The headmaster closed off his speech and walked off stage. The other students and I clap at the headmaster's last words. When our clapping died down, a teacher came on stage and instructed us to start heading to class.

Before heading to class, I was planning to talk to Ayato and Taro, but when I looked, they weren't in the gymnasium anymore.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

It's lunchtime now, and I start to think about the newspaper. I eat while thinking of any events that could be coming up. The only prominent event that has happened so far is the assembly that happened this morning. Maybe I could do a welcome letter in the first issue? Something short and simple.

I start to tap the desk with my figures, hoping the constant sound of the desk could bring me an idea.

Alongside the sound of my fingers tapping the desk, I hear another sound coming from the door.

Someone has to be knocking, but who could it be? All the other club members usually hang out with their friends on the roof or in the hallways, so who could it be?

I walk over to the door and slide it open. On the other side of the door, I see one of the Yamada siblings.

Taeko Yamada.

"Hello, Yamada," I greet her once the door is fully open.

"Uh, oh! Hello, (L/N)!" She seems to be caught off guard. She must have thought no one would answer.

"What brings you here, Yamada?" I ask her, "You never come by."

I see her grow a bit flustered towards my question.

"I just wanted to come by and check out the club. I never joined a club before, but I'm planning on changing that," she told me with a determined look on her face.

"Well, of course you can look around. You can ask me any questions you have, I would be happy to have you as a member of the club," I say to her as I step aside to let her in.

As I let Taeko inside of the club room, I see Ayato and Taro quietly walk by, but I notice that Ayato took a quick look towards me.

Something about the way he looked at me makes me uneasy. I never felt this way towards him, I must be overthinking it.

After I let Taeko in, I close the door.

"Woah! This place is so nice looking!" She comments as she takes a look around.

"Thank you, the other members, and I designed it," I thank her before she goes off to one of the walls.

"Wait, are these the different issues over the years?" She asks as she reads through a few of the articles that are plastered on the wall.

"Yeah, I tried my best to get the first newspaper from every school year, and I have most of them, but some are still missing since no one archived them," I explain to her.

"It's been running for this long? Since the 80's!"

"Yeah, it's been running for a while , nd I'm hoping to keep it running for a bit longer."

"Oh! I just remembered one of the questions I have!" Taeko speaks up as she turns away from the newspapers and towards me,"How do you guys make the newspaper? I know you have to type them and everything but how do you get the info?"

"For simpler stories we just ask the students or teacher, but for bigger stories we might have to ask people outside of school," I explain to her,"So sometimes you will have to email or talk to someone you don't know in order to get your information for the article."

"That seems a bit scary, I'm not too good at talking with new people," she admits.

"That's fine, we can always assign one of the other members to work with you and conduct the interviews while you write up the article," I tell her, hoping it would ease her worries.

I could see the joy in her eyes come back, "You guys wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not! We have members who are a bit shy when talking to new people, so this isn't anything new," I answer her question.

"Well, how do I become a member?"

"Are you sure? You don't want to go and check out the other clubs?"

"No, I'm sure this is what I want."

I walk over towards my desk and open up one of the cabinets. I look around and find a notebook, then I walk back towards Taeko.

"Here," I tell her as I hand over the notebook,"This is your notebook for the club, so you can take any notes for your future articles."

"Thank you!" She happily says as she takes the notebook.

"I'll try to find another newspaper pin so you can put it on your uniform, so people know you're part of the club," I add on.

"Oh, right! I can't wait to get that, tell me when you have it!"

"Of course."

Then the bell rings, signaling that lunch has ended.

"One more thing before we go," Taeko says,"When are the club hours?"

"They are on Mondays and Wednesdays, but you can also come in during lunch and before class to ask any questions or discuss any articles you are writing," I answer her.

"So you guys are going to meet today after school."

"Great, I'll be there!"

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

It's now after school, the first one inside of the clubroom. I start to prepare everything for the others' arrival.

While I'm organizing the notebooks and pens, I hear the door open. I turn around, and I see Taeko standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Yamada! I'm glad you came!" I greet her with a smile and wave.

I see her get flustered at my actions. She must be very shy, which makes sense. I don't see her talk to many people, so she must not be used to all the talking.

"Hello," she softly greets,"Is no one else here?"

"Nope, you're the first one here. I'm pretty sure the others are getting snacks since that's what they usually do. They say it's their brain food but it's just a bunch of junk," I tell her as I roll my eyes.

"Do you need help?" She asks me.

"Yes, I do. If you could move those tables closer and could you also move those chairs closer too? That would be great!" I instruct her.

Taeko walks away from the doorway and quickly got to work. While we work, the other club members start to pour in. They sit their snacks on the tables and get out their notebooks. They also helped with moving the tables and chairs, and once all the needed tables and chairs were mov, d they each took a seat.

"Hey, (L/N)! Why is there an extra table?" one of them asks.

"I'm glad you pointed it out. It's because we have a new member starting today," I explain,"I'd like you all to meet Taeko Yamada! She is going to join us from this day forward."

The club erupts with greetings from all the club members. I'm happy they are all excited about having a new member.

"Now, you can take a seat, Yamada," I point to the table next to mine,"and we can get this meeting started."

She makes her way to the seat I pointed at and makes herself comfortable.

"Now, let's discuss what we should publish next week for the paper."

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

The club had a good talk about what we should do for the paper. We decided it would be best to skip this week and start the paper next week. We thought about what we should do. We agreed to make a welcome letter and to make an article honoring the student, which will include the assembly that took place today. We also decided to have a poll that'll ask students how they are currently feeling with the return back to school. Overall, it was a progressive talk.

When all the tables and chairs were set back to their original position, I'm the last to walk out. I close the club doors and start to make my way out of the school.

When I made my way down the small slope and reached the sidewalk, I notice someone standing to the side.

"I thought you went home already, Yamada?" I ask her as she stands next to the school's entrance.

"Well, I'm just a bit scared. This is my first time staying after school for so long, so I'm a bit scared walking alone since it's getting darker," she explains, "I was wondering if you could maybe walk me home?"

"Yeah, sure, I don't mind. Where do you live?" I ask.

"Just follow me," she says as she starts to walk down the sidewalk. I follow after her.

"So how did you like the first meeting?" I ask her, secretly hoping she liked it.

"Oh, I loved it!" She answers,"I can't wait to work on the article this week!"

"I'm happy to hear that! I was hoping you would like it and join us next time," I tell her.

"Of course I'll come next time!" She responds,"I'll make sure to be there on time and help you set up the tables."

"That would be super helpful for me since everyone else decides to go get snacks," I tell her.

"Oh, and your club members are so nice! I felt so welcomed, and the snacks were so good!" She exclaimes.

"I can't blame you. Who wouldn't want to stay after school and talk with nice people and eat snakes together? That's probably the reason people want to join the photography club?"

Taeko giggles,"Yeah, probably."

"Hey, I just noticed that we're taking the same way I take to head back home, I'm guessing we live nearby," I tell her.

"Really? I never see you," she asks with a surprised tone.

"I usually get up early to meet some of the club members, and I stay after school late," I reply.

"Are those mandatory?" She asks me.

I shake my head,"No, but if you want a meeting in the morning, you should text me beforehand."

"How can I text you if I don't have your number?" She says with a smirk. This has to be the first time I have ever seen her smirk.

I laugh,"You got me there. Let me give you my number, so you can text me."

Taeko opens her school bag and takes out her phone. She unlocks it and gives it to me. I input my number and save it to her phone. I then hand it back to her.

"Text me when you can," I tell her.

"Will do. By the way, my house is the next one, so where do you live?"

"A few more houses down," I tell her as I point down the street.

"Really? Well, I was wondering if you could walk with me and my brother in the morning? You know my younger brother, right?" She asks me.

"Taro? Yeah, I know him. I talk to him a few times since he's friends with a close friend of mine," I tell her,"I wouldn't mind walking with you guys when I don't have a meeting, so let's walk together, yeah?"

"Yes, that would be perfect!" She exclaimes,"It was great talking with you, (L/N)! I'll see you tomorrow."

"You too!"

We both wave to each other before she walks up to her house and goes inside.

I then start my short walk towards my house.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

As I was getting ready for bed, I could hear my phone vibrate. I grabbed it off of my desk, and I looked to see who it could be. It was Taeko.

Hey, (L/N) it's me Taeko!

You told me to text you so here it is :)

Hey Taeko!

I hope we're still able to walk together tomorrow nobody has asked me to meet them in the morning so I should be free

Great I told Taro, but he is going to walk with someone else so it'll just be the two of us hope that's not awkward

Of course it won't be awkward I'll wait for you outside so we can walk together so be ready

Don't worry I will! :)

Alright good night see you tomorrow!!

Good night to you too

I smile at the cute emoticon she keeps sending. No wonder people like her she is very friendly. It feels like I've known her for a while now, but it's only been a day.

I shut off my phone and place it on top of my nightstand. I turn off the lamp and slowly fall asleep.

I guess this first day back wasn't so bad.

[illmoraineakoi]

An Incomplete List of All of the AvA/AvM AU Ideas I've Had That May or May Not Ever End Up Being Written

[Links are to posts I've made about these concepts before. Most of these don’t have titles yet. Some are so long because I was partially developing the idea as I was trying to write a synopsis.]

AvA4 AU V1 – After Alan deletes the Fighting Stick Figures, Orange accidentally discovers a strange sensation coming from an icon, and upon breaking it, escapes into the Outernet. There, he’s found by Chosen and Dark, who take him under their wings. Meanwhile, the FSF venture out from their webpage all on their own to search for their new lost friend.

AvA4 AU V2 [Manipulated by Victim] – After Alan deletes the Fighting Stick Figures, Orange accidentally discovers a strange sensation coming from an icon, and upon breaking it, escapes into the Outernet. There, he’s found by Victim, who is intrigued by his existence and offers him sanctuary within his organization. Meanwhile, the FSF venture out from their webpage all on their own to search for their new lost friend.

AVA4 AU V3 [Villain Orange] – During the chase, Alan decides to use Avast to try to stop the rampaging stick figure wreaking havoc on his computer. Orange is captured, but Alan still cannot delete him. At a loss, Alan decides to use the stick figure as an adblocker like had had once before. With no way to escape, Orange is stuck in enslavement until The Chosen One arrives to destroy the ViraBot. The Chosen One rescues Orange, destroying Alan’s computer once more, and while he attempts to care for and help Orange move on from what their creator did to him, Orange can’t let go of his hatred and bitter anger. After a disagreement, Orange leaves, and stumbles across Victim, who is much more understanding of Orange’s desires for revenge.

AvA2 AU [Freedom] – The Chosen One, desperate to escape his enslavement, cuts off his own leg to try to escape. His plans are foiled, however, when his powers don’t return and he discovers that the computer is disconnected from the internet. He’s discovered by the Animator, who realizes that he is alive. The two struggle to come to terms with what has happened between them and to continue living with each other.

GreenScreen Fic [Awesome Trick Shot (Failed)] – Green misses when he tried to dunk the video file into the recycling bin. Realizing that they were attempting to delete it, and video is overcome with terror. Green, and the others, come to some startling and uncomfortable realizations.

Chaos With Cursors – After Season 3 of AvM, Purple tries to spend more time and deepen his friendship with the gang. While out in the city, strange advertisements for cursor-related things in a pet store’s window catches Orange’s attention. All hell breaks loose when Purple explains that some sticks keep cursors as pets.

Victim On The Desktop AU – An attempt to bring his Creator to his facility backfires, and accidentally sends Victim careening through the digital space. He’s spat out onto a desktop, where five other stick figures live, along with an Animator. Convinced that he’s ended up on the wrong computer, and that the human beyond the screen is not his own Creator, Victim slowly grows attached to them all during his attempts to find a way to return to the Outernet. Until one day he discovers that Alan IS his Creator.

StickAlan PostShowdown AU V1 – Orange accidentally turns Alan into a stick figure with his powers when attempting to bring him back before he passes out during Showdown. Everyone is confused about this. Chosen is not happy. When Chosen discovers that Dark is still, miraculously, alive, he asks Alan to end him. Alan refuses, and refuses to let Chosen do so either. Not knowing what else to do, Chosen begrudgingly opens his home to Alan and the CG, where they all have to learn how to live together. Quite a few things are revealed to Alan about the Color Gang and stick figures in general.

StickAlan PostShowdown AU V2 – Orange accidentally turns Alan into a stick figure with his powers when attempting to bring him back before he passes out during Showdown. Everyone is confused about this. Chosen is not happy. Alan accidentally causes an argument with Chosen, resulting in Chosen flying away. Believing that Chosen has left for good, and that he’s on his own, Alan heads into the City, where he tries to figure out how to live as a stick figure and care for the CG at the same time. It’s not easy, and he’s forced to make some difficult choices and sacrifices. Meanwhile, Chosen returns, having failed to find Dark’s body, and discovers that Alan is gone. Fearful of having such a dangerous Creator loose within the Outernet, he starts searching for Alan, to no avail. Over the years, Alan finds Dark alive and in need of his help, he’s hired by the prestigious tech company Rocket Corp, where the CEO takes a particular interest in his experience and knowledge of animation programs, to the point where Alan becomes the lead developer of a highly valuable confidential project, and he successfully builds a comfortable life for the CG. Everything is nice...until things start toppling down, one by one, the consequences of his past actions once more coming back to bite him in the ass.

^ [Potential Part 2 – Alan’s existence is discovered by the government, who take interest in his ability to create powerful stick figures. Seeking to use this ability to their benefit, Alan, and everyone else, are captured, contained, and subject to experimentation. Alan himself is forced to create new stick figures, Much to his self-hatred and guilt. When Someone[Character TBD] launches an escape to break everyone out, the foundation is not happy to have lost such valuable assets, and not willing to let them go so easily.]

Sticks IRL V1 – [Inspired by Haisaree's AU] An electrical wiring defect causes a fire in Alan’s office room, endangering the PC. The sticks, seeing the danger, sound the alarm, but Alan cannot get through the fire to the computer. By the time he gets the fire extinguisher and puts the fire out, it’s too late; the computer is destroyed. He thinks that his sticks have been killed, overcome with grief. But Yellow’s quick thinking, paired with a sudden activation of Orange’s powers, gave them an opportunity to escape, just not in the way they anticipated. They crawl their way out of the fire repressive foam, shocking Alan that they were there, they were alive. He finds them all, and cleans them up, hugging them close to his chest afterwards. He doesn’t dwell on what hell do next, he’s just thankful that they’re alright. [Idea Unfinished]

Sticks IRL V2 – The Color Gang and Dark rescue Orange and Chosen from Victim’s facility, and then try to interrupt Victim’s plan for revenge against his Creator. The attempt backfires, however, and Victim sends himself to Alan’s world. Orange and the CG throw themselves in after him without hesitation, determined to stop him. Chosen, feeling guilty for involving Orange into this mess, follows, to try to keep him safe. Dark, incensed and irritated at Chosen so blatantly throwing himself into a glowing portal for, in his opinion, a stupid reason, begrudgingly follows to save his ass again. All of them are spat out into the real world, in Alan’s office, where a scuffle ensues with Victim. Their manifestation had been loud, almost like an explosion, drawing Alan’s attention. When he enters, and sees them all, he stares, dumbfounded. Chaos ensues. [Idea Unfinished]

Sticks IRL V3 [Kaori Version] – During an escape attempt from Rocket Corp, something goes wrong, and causes the sticks to be spat out into the real world, in Alan’s home. Victim, spying his opportunity, immediately lunges at Alan, trying to hurt him. Startled and confused, Alan grabs him, restraining him away from his face as Victim flails, trying to free himself. It’s amidst this chaos that Alan’s wife walks into the room, drawn by the commotion, becoming very confused by what she finds. Alan is then forced to explain/confess a lot of things that he’s been keeping secret from her. Both of their lives become a lot more hectic trying to juggle seven stick figures, two of which seem hell-bent on beating each other to a pulp, and one of which vehemently wants to rip Alan apart.

Humanized Sticks – A malfunction with a Rocket Corp machine combined with an outburst of Orange’s powers during an escape attempt has major unforeseen consequences. The sticks wake up in an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar bodies. They’ve somehow been turned human. They were in the human world. Far away from Alan, and with no idea how to contact him. They struggle to survive for a few days, trying to learn how to live. Eventually, they manage to get in contact with Alan, pleading for him to come get them. Once back to his home, Alan cleans them up properly, and tries to figure out what happened. They don’t remember much, and he doesn’t have much hope of trying to reverse it, to send them back to their world. They might be stuck like this, permanently...and he doesn’t know what he’s going to do about that.

Reincarnation AU V1 – When Alan ends Victim's animation file, all of the clone iterations of Victim survive. They're scattered across the Outernet, each believing that the others had perished. They all create new lives for themselves, becoming vastly different individuals.

Reincarnation AU V2 – When Alan end's Victim's animation file, all of the clone iterations are cast adrift within the digital hyperspace. The clones, grouped together, eventually find themselves cast into new bodies, bringing to life stick figures on a niche little website. They don't remember much of their origin, but they don't mind. They spend their time living together, fighting each other for fun, until one day, a strange new stick breaks into their home, and opens up their entire world. This strange new stick feels familiar to them, like they do to each other, and the five quickly for a tight emotional bond. Years later, when Orange passes an older hollow-head in the halls of a scary facility, he is confused about why he feels the bond reaching out towards him, too...why he felt familiar...

Chosen on the Desktop Wanted AU – When Chosen returns to Alan's computer to get Orange's help, Alan becomes alarmed with how he was glitching. He's concerned. But then Chosen grabs Orange before Alan could even try to interact with him, and Alan does the only thing he can think of to prevent Chosen from leaving: he unplugs his Ethernet cable. This turns out to be a mistake, because Chosen clearly interprets it as an attack, and begins wreaking destruction upon the computer. Alan's attempts to communicate to him, to calm him, fail. Only Orange is able to stop him, but he flees into the depths of the system files. Alan is eventually able to talk with him, to pacify him, and have a conversation with him, during which Alan learns of Chosen being hunted. Alan suggests Chosen stay ont he desktop for a few days, to give him to chance to loose his pursuers. Chosen reluctantly agrees. The CG waste no time in roping him into their games and adventures, treating him like he was a member of their little group. A few days turns into a week, which drags into a few weeks. Slowly, the desktop stops feeling like a place of danger, and starts to feel like a home.

Chosen Discovers Orange and the CG Early AU – While fleeing from some pursuers after destroying a web page, Chosen inadvertently ends up on a computer desktop, where he's found and his injuries treated by a group of young sticks. He's then introduced to a young orange hollow-head, so very similar to himself. And then they introduce him to the owner of the computer, and he comes face to face with his own Creator once again. This reunion does not go well, as Chosen interprets Alan opening the task Manager as an attempt to kill him, and he fights back. He's captured, and Orange comes to his defense, yelling at the Creator beyond the screen. Chosen, terrified of the repercussions of this disobedience, grabs Orange and flees with him, taking him back to the Outernet to his and Dark's house where he'd be safe. Orange, however, is very confused on why Chosen seems to think that he's in danger from Alan...[Unfinished Idea]

StickAlan Victim’s Vengeance AU – Victim uses Yellow’s programming and Orange’s powers to summon Alan to him as a stick figure, where he proceeds to start to torturing him like Alan once tormented him. Yellow, desperate to stop this and help Alan, escapes, using the Dark Lord’s console to hack into Rocket Corps systems, and into the Box. There, he modifies Alan’s code with a custom script, granting him powers and abilities to fight back with. Yellow is discovered by Dark, who is initially angry at him, until he sees Chosen tied up and caged in the console window. Dark demands to know what is going on, and then leaves to go rescue Chosen. [Idea Unfinished]

King Orange Post-Concert – King is not happy with the Color Gang’s blatant misuse of the staff, and takes it back. In the process, he learns some uncomfortable things about them and their home life. Namely, that they didn’t have any parent or guardian whatsoever, and were completely isolated from stick figure society. He finds himself disapproving of the fact that they live on a computer, and sets out to try to convince them to leave, to try to give them a more appropriate home. When he learns of what this particular Creator has done in the past, to it’s own creations, King flies into a rage, determined to protect these strange, if sometimes insufferable, kids he’s inadvertently found himself becoming attached to.

ChoDark Orange Maroon AU – Chosen and Dark are free to do whatever they want together in the Outernet, and this freedom, combined with an obliviousness to stick figure biology, inevitably results in some unexpected consequences. Chosen becomes pregnant with a stickling he does not want. The very idea of birthing a child is repulsive to him. He tries, numerous times, to terminate the child's process, but it never works; the child is resistant to being deleted. Forced to birth it, Chosen contemplates how else to get rid of it, and the memories of the Animator come to him unbidden. The Animator would be able to get rid of it. So Chosen returns, dumping the child onto the taskbar and then fleeing back into the internet tunnel before it had even opened it's eyes. He moves on with his life, returning home to Dark and resuming their relationship, albeit much more carefully to prevent it from happening again. He thinks nothing of it. Almost forgets about it. Until the day of the Showdown, where he watches in horror as an impossibly powerful stick kills Dark. A stick who could only be so powerful if it had a combination of his and Dark's powers, their code. The child was alive, painted a different color, and completely oblivious to it's true origins.

ChoDark Dark Survives AU - Dark miraculously survives Orange's laser, though he's severely, grievously, injured. He's also pregnant with his and Chosen's child, which he can feel is also injured, it's code within him weak and fluctuating. The idea of loosing it is terrifying to him, nearly unbearable. It's the last connection he has to Chosen, the only proof of their love for one another that remained. He hadn’t gotten a chance to tell him yet, had panned on doing so after he’d revealed his virus creation. But Chosen had made his opinions very clear, and the bridge between them had been thoroughly burned both ways. No matter. Dark is determined to ensure the child survives, willing to do anything to keep it alive, even at great cost to himself. And it works, he succeeds, eventually birthing a small, frail little stickling a deep ruby red color. But the endeavor has taken it's toll on him, he's had to sacrifice bits of his own code, his own lifesource, to sustain it, and he's left weak and unstable. He's unable to recover, and knowing that he will eventually die anyway, decides to continue transferring his code to better stabilize his child, sacrificing himself yet again. After only a few years, he passes, leaving the child in the care of a kindly stick who had been helping to care for them for years. The child, 'Maroon' as they take to calling themselves, grows up with a bitter hatred for their father, blaming him for hurting their mother, for abandoning them. Until one day, the two are confronted with one another, and Chosen is in for some horrible realizations.

ChoDark Dark Survives AU V2 - Dark miraculously survives Orange's laser, though he's severely, grievously, injured. He's also pregnant with his and Chosen's child, which he can feel is also injured, it's code within him weak and fluctuating. The idea of loosing it is terrifying to him, nearly unbearable. It's the last connection he has to Chosen, the only proof of their love for one another that remained. He hadn’t gotten a chance to tell him yet, had panned on doing so after he’d revealed his virus creation. But Chosen had made his opinions very clear, and the bridge between them had been thoroughly burned both ways. No matter. Dark is determined to ensure the child survives, willing to do anything to keep it alive, even at great cost to himself. And it works, he succeeds, eventually birthing a small, frail little stickling a deep ruby red color. He recovers, slowly, and builds a new life for himself, just the two of them. Things are calm and peaceful, almost homely, for a few years. Until Chosen crash lands near the house, and where he’s found by Maroon. Maroon begs Dark to help him, oblivious to who Chosen really is. Dark begrudgingly patches Chosen up, intent on kicking him out when he wakes. However, Maroon sneaks out of his room against Dark’s orders, greeting Chosen when he wakes up. Chosen is shocked to see another hollow-head, confused at where he is. Dark hears the conversation, and comes back, finding Maroon interacting with Chosen. He sends Maroon to his room, ignoring how Maroon pouts about it. Chosen is stunned to see that Dark is alive, and then he realizes who Maroon must be: their child. His child. An argument commences, Dark demanding that Chosen leave and never return. But Maroon has once again disobeyed, and overheard that Chosen was his father, and becomes very upset at the idea of Chosen leaving forever. He clings to Chosen, begging Dark to let him stay. Dark vehemently refuses, and Chosen tries to gently coax the child into letting him go. Maroon only cries harder, begging him not to go. Dark begrudgingly gives in, allowing Chosen to stay for three days. Maroon wastes no time in roping Chosen into spending time with him, Chosen awkwardly fumbling his way through being a parent. Over the next few days, in between playing with and caring for Maroon, Chosen and Dark have some conversations, slowly smoothing out the mess between them. When the fourth day comes, and Maroon once against pleads for Chosen to stay, Dark just sighs and tells Chosen to get to work doing the laundry if he was staying. Things go well, until Chosen is located by the Mercenaries once again, bringing the house under attack. Chosen tries to lead them again, using himself as bait, but they become equally interested in Dark and Maroon.

[dynamic-k]

I feel extremely fed right now. All those Super Sticks asks have me INSANELY fired up. XD

I just made my first coffee of the day, I've taken like one sip, it hasn't kicked in yet, I CAN ONLY BLAME MY SUDDEN ENERGY FROM DE ASKS.

@rl0r-g1rl I blame you also. In an affectionate, light-hearted, wholesome, don'tstopnow-givememore, absolutely continue, kind of way. XD

Plus now I'm thinking about Spark AU and Super Sticks as a crossover!!! XD Also your fault-

I have way too many ideas, and not enough time- But here I am anyway- Making it work- Somehow- Praise the Lord- /silly

The Becker family of Super Sticks meeting the Spark AU's Chosen and Second though. WOW. That's a lot to take in for the Super Sticks crew.

Especially since there is no Dark or Victim present in the family of Chosen and Second. IT'S JUST THEM, JUST THOSE TWO. It'd completely blow the SS!Beckers' minds-

I cannot stop thinking about this now. I'm indulging the idea and it's latched ahold. Prepare for rambles.

First off: Do I want to make it so that the Super Sticks crew end up in the Earth that The Spark takes place in? Or vice versa, with TS!Second and TS!Chosen ending up in the world of Super Sticks?

The Spark is a HUMAN AU, so they aren't stick figures!! I think that if TS!Second and TS!Chosen ended up in Super Sticks, they'd transform to look like stick figures, though.

Universal transference plot magic.

U v U

But then again... Exploring the possibilities for designs if the stick figures in Super Sticks end up in the Earth that The Spark takes place in... The stick figures change to human forms!! SS!Second and TS!Second must look so uncannily similar-

Super Sticks Chosen, however, is 21-years-old. And The Spark Chosen is 26-years-old. Plus, TS!Chosen is canonically (I SAYS SO) stronger, and by a significant amount, than SS!Chosen.

TS!Chosen is very close to the ideal/perfect balance of lean figure and amount of musculature. Actually, he's diversely and well-balanced in a LOT of things- He's really designed to be a near-invincible figure, and I have such a character arc planned for him, oh sticks and circuits I can't talk about that right now, there's spoilers-

SS!Chosen, is much weaker in comparison. He's also a Chosen. Quiet, less social than the average (good with kids though, he has a soft spot for younglings), he has the silent anger: the quiet fury that is arguably more destructive/effective than the loud kind... He's Chosen.

And then Spark Au Chosen is like a Dark Lord, but looks like a Chosen- He sounds arrogant when he speaks if you don't know him well, he's confident and has a bit of a fluffed ego despite how good his self-control is, he teases SO much.

Some of the major similarities between the two Chosens, aside from similar superpowers, lie in how they care. The hugs, the soft voice, the unshakable rock they both become so they can be leaned on for support, so supportive, the warmth the two radiate (plus SuperSticks!Dark), and the classic hand-through-hair/hair-ruffle gesture of affection.

But really, aside from the things that make them a Chosen --or at least mostly how I view Chosen since I suppose there are MANY interpretations [A Scarlett-ified Chosen! /silly]-- the two are extremely different, and the looks included would show this.

Now on the two Seconds case... If they both wore the same clothing, they'd be frighteningly easy to mix up. Except that TS!Chosen would always know, because cores. Super Sticks crew don't have those. The Spark: Core Lore. /silly

TS!Victim. ...I shouldn't actually say much for now, he hasn't shown up enough. Anything I start to tread on that has to do with him borders on heavy spoilery for The Spark. Maybe when The Spark is completed, I'll come back to that train of thought...

I have way more than this bouncing in my head, but you know what-

ASKS ARE OPEN

Ya wanna know more? Talk to me. U v O

/the extroverted side of me reaching out for any and all interactions-

Since Nico and I began *SuperSwap drafting, I have always thought "Huh. Super Sticks is a REALLY good candidate for crossovering with literally any other AU."

(The only **caveat: If my beloved Super Sticks appear in the picture, they WILL bring any story that is produced from the crossover, TO A HAPPY ENDING absolutely. No tragic ends, few to none loose ties.)

-

*[I cannot really talk about this in detail until Nico finishes Plotswap, because Ps!Victim's character hasn't been introduced enough yet and he shows up right at the beginning of SuperSwap, lol]

**if you can call it a caveat, anyway- XD

[onewomancitadel]

Oh also we finished the rewatch of True Detective season one... yeah, I really think it sticks the landing, which is the most important and hardest thing to do. "We have a debt." One of my biggest takeaways was that the resolution of the case and the Yellow King was not merely a conduit for Rust's ego (literally - it's Jungian), that is, its metaphor overwhelms its literal representation, but it really was all about those women and children; it really was about those victims; it really was about justice; it really was about trying to find that justice in the dirt, when everybody's a criminal, the corpses are long cold, and the darkness seems overwhelming. Who will pay that debt?

Yeah yeah yeah, I love the bit where Rust is wandering through the labyrinth detached from his Shadow and hunting his false self (persona), and only in killing this nihilistic worst expression, what he thinks he is or what people think he could be (the detectives suspecting him!) and what he fears most, and in being saved by the actual darkness of his soul does he touch his anima* and find peace with the world.

*His daughter is literally named Sophia, the highest awareness of the anima, the feminine part of God in Gnosticism. So psychologically the relationship here is between his disillusionment at having lost his daughter, literally lost her, lost himself - part of him has been dead - and cut off from letting himself live in the world, which itself mirrors the fall of the Sophia.

Marty's character improved a lot for me as well: the violence and simple evil of his character is really potent in this story where he is, in a small way, made more human and responsible in his partnership with Rust; it's incomplete and imperfect, but it's there, and I prefer that type of complexity over flatly rejecting him. If you did, you wouldn't get Rust's development - and frankly I find it more cathartic and realistic. This is the dark simple part of himself (man) and the dark simple part Rust doesn't really want to witness. A man who hits his wife and his daughter, philanderer, drunkard, hypocrite; mean, small, cruel. He's more human than Rust but in some ways Rust is more human than him. The scene where drunk Marty come to beat up his affair partner's date runs over the child's bike... like how Sophia was killed. Oh that really hurt.

I think one of the reasons Rust touches me as a character because he's a character who is profoundly cynical but embodies actual idealistic behaviour; he marks where the idealism falls short, wounded by it; cares for the prostituted women without condescension, patronisation, ego, cares for the children (even under threat of life), cares for the poor, cares for the disillusioned and the downtrodden. Which is at total odds with the way he seemingly presents himself - especially the way he speaks of the preacher - yet he comes to the preacher at his darkest hour, when he's left the church, drinking and pained, having tried to do the right thing, much like Rust, and been punished for it and left to the silence of God. The irony of course is that Rust is pretty much implicitly portrayed like Jesus Christ (he becomes a homicide detective to witness suffering!) - to a point where Doubting Thomas pokes his fingers through the bullet holes of Rust's jacket he used when he was undercover as Crash -

such that Jesus Christ literally visits the preacher in said darkest hour.

I also really loved the two detectives trying to investigate the crime, who function as ongoing antagonists to Rust and Marty, but they do my favourite thing which is that they're transformed from these ancillary, antagonistic, maybe even irrelevant to actual "justice" (or not pursuing it in the right direction) figures - in terms of the framing - to revealed to really be men who care for actual justice and are doing their jobs to their best capacity and rise to the occasion. The shot where they're bickering like Rust and Marty, but also not them, because they're themselves, but the idea is repeating, is really really cathartic. It wouldn't be nearly as powerful if Rust (and Marty) were merely exceptional outliers - there is change, there are others.

It's a very very powerful story. I can see why people would dismiss it as nihilistic garbage if you're not used to or don't expect the narrative to advance its ideas. And I do think it is a masculinist story (still), it's literally about two men and masculinity, but I think it's interesting when that idea is marked and not made the neuter; although I do think some of the dismissal/bias against sexual violence against men (done by other men) does really colour the scene where Maggie takes advantage of Rust when he's drunk, in so many words forcing consent (rape), which is crazy because that's the only sexual scene he's in. He basically got the female character treatment.

At the end fight, when Rust is fighting the Yellow King, I love that the symbolic representation of Goodness is left bleeding and dying on the floor and still yet lives, cradled in the lap of the common man.

It's not easy, and it never lets itself be easy - they don't get everyone in the end, systemic corruption does not end, but neither do Rust and Marty. Eventually, after a very long time, light gets in. On that note, I had been mildly paying attention to Rust's outfits: dark corduroy and black velvet jackets, so strange! - ill-fitting ties, more like a noose (BZZT! I buzz in "The Hanged Man" tarot card imagery, see post) - dark colours, grey - in contrast to Marty "his wife irons his shirts quite clearly" - and then he's a drunkard, dressed like a slob, except once he and Marty get their shit together and reconcile he's wearing this white shirt:

No noose - resurrected - well-fitted, a large easy comfortable collar, almost more cowboy than cop, not constricting, tattoos of a past life showing, a bright light colour in the dark. This is when I truly realised how powerful character costuming is visually... it had such an effect on me - I was so, so happy, like he's comfortable and becoming fully himself.

So I took a few screenshots and this was one of them (I also noticed the pollution theme more lol):

Shortly thereafter I was filling out a meme game where I had to go through my picture archive, which is not where VLC player saves images, and what do you know, what had I saved from my past computer:

This is from when I first watched it!!!! Eternal recurrence baby!!!

[maddymoreau]

Dead Space 2 Live-Blog: COMPLETE

Chapter: Seven to Fifteen

Dead Space Complete Live-Blog: Click Here

Part 1: Click Here Part 2+3: Click Here Part 4-6: Click Here

Instead of summarizing the plot I'm going to break down my thoughts into different sections.

Horror to Action:

One big change from the original Dead Space to Dead Space 2 is that it's more of an action game than horror.

I saw someone online perfectly described it like this: Dead Space is like the movie Alien while Dead Space 2 is like Aliens.

I think the transition from horror to action was handled very well. All additions to the gameplay were EXTREMELY fun!! I especially like the hacking mini game, crawling through the vents and the multiple interactive cutscenes.

The original Dead Space is still my favorite, but Dead Space 2 is an AWESOME game!!! If you're interested in the Dead Space franchise I'd 100% recommend playing it!!!

LOOK HOW COOL THESE SCENES ARE!!!

Warning: Jumpscare

Characters:

Ellie Langford:

I think she's a great parallel to Isaac. Both being CEC workers who lost the people they cared about thanks to Necromorphs. I enjoyed her character, I felt bad when Nolan stabbed her eye out and I liked that she didn't let Isaac sacrifice himself.

I thought the callback to the original ending was great!

Dead Space Ending:

Dead Space 2 Ending:

Dead Space 3 Spoiler: I heard there’s a romance between Isaac and Ellie which is fineee. Don’t love the ship, but it's whatever.

Nolan Stross:

Nolan was my favorite new character and the one I have the most thoughts on. He is also a great parallel to Isaac. Both are victims of the Marker and EarthGov.

The entire game I was wondering why they experimented on Nolan, but it turns out you have to watch the animated movie Dead Space: Aftermath for that answer!

The reason EarthGov experimented on Nolan was because he had come in contact with a shard of the Red Marker. It's frustrating that information wasn't clearly explained in the game.

MORE IMPORTANTLY WHY DO I HAVE TO LEARN THROUGH A MOVIE THAT HE KILLED HIS WIFE AND CHILD BECAUSE THE MARKER MADE HIM HALLUCINATE THEY WERE NECROMORPHS!?!?!?

This line from a video log makes sense now:

Nolan: “ . . . it was just a shard -it was just a shard . . . but it put so much stuff in my head . . . so much . . . shit in my head . . . There's no more room . . . for anything. I can't remember what she looks like . . . Why can't I remember what she looks like?"

I feel like that's pretty relevant information to the story!!! Especially since it would've made the scene where Isaac kills Nolan in self defense hit WAYYY harder. Isaac understands how terrifying and realistic the hallucinations can be.

There's also the detail that the Marker amplifies violent thoughts. Explaining some of Nolan's behavior and why Isaac ended up killing Nolan when defending himself. I found it tragic that Nolan's death was how Isaac later figured out the final step.

One issue I have with Dead Space 2 is that the EarthGov experimented on them for over three years, but there's barely any data and text logs in the game about that.

I WANT MORE LOOK HOW SCARY THIS SHIT IS!!!

Shoutout to this reddit post for helping me understand: Click Here

I'm dying to know how Isaac reacted to his first session 👀 Look how terrified Nolan was just remembering them:

When I played the original Dead Space I took SO MANY notes after reading text and audio logs. However in Dead Space 2 they're severely underused.

The Marker:

Throughout Dead Space 2 the Marker is making Isaac experience horrific hallucinations. Constantly playing mind games with him in order to push Isaac into being able to finish the four steps.

Something we've seen Nolan discuss:

There's four steps:

Step One: Crawl inside the dark machine.

Step Two: The screws go tight all around.

Step Three: Cross my heart and hope to die . . . stick a needle in your eye.

Step Four: Acceptance

Nolan was unable to accept what he had done making reaching step four impossible. Also Nolan tried stabbing Isaac and Ellie in the eye so they could accomplish step three.

Isaac was able to reach step four by accepting Nicole's death and letting go of his guilt.

He laters stops the Convergence from happening. I'm still unsure what that exactly is . . . Dead Space 3 is suppose to explain that more. In the process Isaac destroys the Sprawl and new Marker.

Hans Tiedemann:

He's the main antagonist throughout Dead Space 2. Constantly trying to prevent Isaac from destroying the new Marker. I think he's a very weak villain. His goal is to preserve the Marker, because he believes humans are so close to figuring out how to control it. Tiedemann oversaw the experiments happening to Isaac.

Tiedmann: "I knew you were trouble from the start but they told me you were necessary. That your mind was the purest. I've spent years sifting through your demented brain this was not the way it was suppose to happen."

It's a huge shame though that there's no reports about this or flashbacks! Tiedemann feels like an obstacle not a threat.

I liked the detail that the Marker burned into his flesh the word PAIN:

Also Tiedemann reported to someone called the Overseer 👀

Daina:

She felt very pointless. I learned chapter five, which is the chapter she dies, is where the demo originally ended. It almost feels like they shoehorned her in for the demo. The first five chapter felt very separated from the rest of the story.

The Story:

I think Dead Space 2 is a wonderful game!!

The story is solid however I must admit I could care less about the EarthGov in Dead Space. It's a currupt government . . . nothing special. The most interesting aspect of the EarthGov is its conflict with the Church of Unitology. The Church sections were so beautiful and interesting. I want more of that and MORE LORE PLEASEEE I LOVE CORRUPT CHURCHES IN STORIES!!!!!

The Church of Unitology was so pretty look at these photos I got off the steam community page <3

Ranking: Gameplay 9/10, Horror 6/10, Story 7.5/10 and enjoyment 8.5/10.

I couldn't fit it into the review but it was super cool we got to go onto the Ishimaru again! Also that the EarthGov lied about what happened, claiming it was a terrorist attack.

[interviewwithademon]

Loss, and Everything that Comes with: A Short Vignette

TMC squad, how're we doing tonight

I am doing Not Well and neither is Adam so I wrote a lil poem in the second person, please enjoy

Loss follows you everywhere you go. 

 Your life is a series of dances, stumbling around the unavoidable chasm in your heart that tells you everyone you love will leave, a gaping maw of fear that only grows with each passing day.

You’re a child when it begins- when long arms gather you to a cold, unmoving chest in the dead of night, Mama’s scream echoing off tile as you’re whisked away from your entire world.

You come back wrong, different; the world feels muted where it once was vibrant, and Mama is no longer there to coax the warmth from the hearth so the house grows frost. Dad rarely talks on the days he bothers to be home; you learn quickly how to tie your own shoes and sign your own report cards, and then one day he vanishes too.

You’re sixteen years old and an orphan, abandoned to an overloaded system that struggles to stay afloat so when you slip away at midnight there is no one left to chase after you, no one to care what happens to the sad boy with the big blue eyes. You stumble back home, managing to find your way up stairs that threaten to cave in and curl up in the spot that Mama’s bed once rested. 

You make friends classmates who look at you with the same concern that the foster families once did, eyes a mix of worry and pity that makes your stomach churn uncomfortably so you drift away from them too. It’s for their own good, you tell yourself as the shadows of everyone you’ve driven off merge into one ominously looming figure in your mind. I’m cursed.

Maybe it’s true: one sticks around, determined to make you smile, forever ready with a joke and a kind gaze that doesn’t pity you but sees you instead; you tell him about your club and he matches your passion with a zest of his own, and when he pulls out a camcorder to document your adventures you can’t help but give him the grin he works ceaselessly to achieve. 

You feel like a moth to flame; like his easy camaraderie has chipped away at the ice block surrounding your core, hope returning like pins and needles to a sleeping limb. For once, you think of a brighter future: one of maturity, of taking the job at the local videography store and falling into rhythm that slowly echoes your own heartbeat. 

You’re wrong, of course, you always are; permanence and you mix like oil and water, your heavy weight of guilt dragging you into the murky depths as your friend looks down in disappointment. He pleads with his eyes for you to swim but you never learned how so instead you sink, plummeting deeper and deeper until the waves feel foreign yet familiar, a flickering screen replaying memories you wished had remained buried. 

As quickly as he’d come, he’s gone once more. Where you’d once had a shield of frost to protect your delicate heart there instead exists only the wound, exposed and raw to all the guilt that hits you (it’s not the same, you refuse to let yourself feel victimized; how much emotional pain could equate to the wreckage of His car, His life, Your Friend-). You sink to your knees in the kitchen, the same coating of rime that’s mirrored in the shell you once called a heart. 

You’re alone once more, or maybe you always were; the reflection in the tile isn’t one you recognize anymore, skin sagging in a horrifically inhumane way and even you have left you behind; your identity has slipped away like the hoodie that lays discarded on the floor, across from an obituary for a short boy with warm eyes that forever haunt you when you close your own. 

It sits in its own misery, staring at the picture of its dead best friend for an indeterminable amount of time; there’s no one left to chase after it anymore, after all, and it’s lost inside the slowly spiraling mind of a monster.