#and made multiple mini comics about her but that's besides the point

[dreamyblanket]

Here is allllll the canon and non cannon thoughts I have about Caramel arrow put into a neat little post ^^

Also, thanky @speadrunner for prompting me this was high quality enrichment for me brain.

Allright!

To start we're only going on cannon stuff and there's actually alot to work with compared to the usual bg character im obsessed with! We have the main story and beast yeast. [last cookie standing too if you consider that cannon. I personally don't]

🔲 Canon 🔳

🤎She's very passionate.

We've seen how heated she gets when defending herself or just talking about other people she likes even if it gets her in trouble at times.

🤎 she's very loyal

Her loyalty to the dark cacao kingdom and dc himself is stated many times. I don't think I need to defend that ^^u but there's also her loyalty to her comrades! It's shown really well in the scene with the alter of the fallen where she takes time to light an incense for them before heading to the citadel.

🤎she works extremely hard

I would say she overworked herself but we've really only really seen her in stressful times tbh. [Other than in the cookie kingdom too]

Buuuutt! We also know that during her banishment she made her own arrows, gave her rations to the villages near by, traveled between them, was implied to be protecting them I'm pretty sure, oh! and was hunting for herself [and probably the villages] during her banishment which was around 4 weeks or so [based her saying "a moon has passed"] so she's no stranger to working hard! [Becoming first watcher also is a big achievement so add that to our list!]

🤎she's close to dc and knew dark choco

For her being close to dark cacao, it's implied in the first story but really comes out in beast yeast.

1] She can read his fighting style from the scene where they are lost in the fog

2] She quickly clocked that he was uneasy about something when his sword was acting up.

Not to mention the end scene where he held hers and crunchy chips hands [that was so sweet ;.;] he clearly cares about them just as much.

Now with being close to dark choco! They have dialoge in the kingdom where they talk about training together again and she says she knew him when he was a general in the citadel. So yea ^^

🤎oh! and obviously Boba is her favorite drink. It's literally in her ideal animation and often shown in official art of her.

Fun fact! Her name isn't actually Caramel arrow in other translations! It's brown sugar ^^ but I like Caramel arrow more tbh it fits her design better.

🔳less cannon but I have circumstantial evidence 🤓 🔲

🤎she uses work to avoid her emotions

I know the opening scene with her saying "no more tears" can absolutely be taken as "i have work to do, we can cry later" but the fact she starts listing all the stuff she has to do after helps my case.

She also tends to stay relatively calm in comparison to others during stressful times which can also be interpreted as her working hard to avoid her feelings.

🤎she's not someone who holds grudges often

Ok so, obviously affogato is a whole other story. I think you would also hold a grudge if that happend to you but she doesn't give any "on sight" energy to dark choco, infact she wanted to spend time with him again in their kingdom dialoge.

She hasn't really shown that much anger toward anyone other than affogato tbh.

🤎 her and crunchy chip have a sibling relationship

You can obviously say they just banter or "are friends" but as a person with siblings, those two are siblings.

🔲Head cannons 🔳

Cannon has left to go buy milk and wont be coming back ^^

🤎she likes to do wood carving ^^ on long nights it's something readily available to keep her busy

🤎she has alot of scars on her hands and legs just from exsploreing, fighting, and crunchy chip being a fucking menace.

🤎she's got a pretty stong stomach and started to eat deer crackers during her banishment I elaborate in the tags about this here ->[https://www.tumblr.com/dreamyblanket/778323584757137408/sorry-guys-wafer-on-the-brain-its-terminal-uu?source=share] [note, I dont recommend eating them yourself have a little nibble if your so inclined but you will probably give yourself a stomach ache if you do]

🤎she has a hard time accepting anything beyond familial love [yes, I am talking about this in relation to wafer]

🤎she's really good at hands on learning but as soon as a book is infront of her she checks out, please for the love of witches don't tell her to write anything other than a work report she will hate it.

🤎on that note! she's good at visual maths but not written math. Her skills are mostly practical. [Again, please don't giver her a math test she will cry.]

🤎has tried dog treats before, mostly because crunchy chip eats them [assume they all eat weird stuff ok?] She thought they were ok.

🤎has never left the dark cacao kingdom and has no desire to other than for work, it's her home she knows it inside and out.

🤎because she has deer crackers on her 24/7 the wild deer know her usual walking routes.

🤎doesn't like fizzy drinks or sour things.

🤎fucking loves sweet drinks, her order at Starbucks would make most people sick. [Whatever your thinking go sweeter.]

🤎also! big fan of cool rocks, one time she accidentally cracked a geode and picked up a book about rocks willingly for the first time in her life! She promptly put it down after learning about geodes but still impressive for her!

🤎her and affogato have never got along so during the time he was working his way into the advisory position she was his #1 opp

Yayyayayyyyy 🎊 🎊 🎊 you made it to the end!!

I hope this is readable, I went over it 3 times but if anything is weird please do tell me^^

Anywho, this is the end for now >:] I plan on updating this with her like, childhood and relationship with wafer soon but that's going to be a separate post because this is allready freakishly long and that's like 2x long ///^^u///

Uh, I like her a normal amount.

[dogmeatthedead]

How Deathstroke and Wintergreen met

Best friends; they can be a good influence or someone that you raise hell with. The friendship between Slade Wilson and William Wintergreen most definitely falls squarely into the latter. From heroic deeds, to not so heroic ones, from emotional moments to silly pranks, they seem to be best of friends. So where did this deep bond come from and just how strong is it really? But before that I want to talk real quick about their relationship. Don't get me wrong, I love it, I really do but....... it's not exactly healthy. I'm not saying its bad, just that its maybe not the healthiest. 

^some fanart I commissioned years ago now

This is a quick introduction, and talks the most about loyalty, so you won't understand what I'm talking about here. I just wanted to keep this relativity short because trust me, I could keep going on and on, but this is just the introduction if you will before I go on about the more complicated stuff.

Which version can I trust?

As so many things are with comic continuity, there are multiple different origins, however rather than go for the total slap in the face that is the version from Deathstroke rebirth, I shall go with the far superior Pre New 52’s version.

The Beginning 

Ironically, it all began because Slade and Will switched roles.

Now I do have a purpose for saying this. Slade is the “villain” of the friendship, while Will is often seen as the moral compass; and while I do have issues with this form of classification, it works with what I’m trying to say. The direct cause of their friendship was that Slade acted morally while Will broke regs. The man whose orders Slade disobeyed is named Sampson, remember that, it’ll become important later.

The manner in which they met reflects their future relationship, which is to say that when Will stopped Slade from getting beat up it established that they would trade off helping each other.

The beginning may have showed how they met but let’s move onto how they became friends.

Establishing of the friendship

There early friendship seems to be heavily based on trading life debts/ getting people out of fights.

As mentioned above, They met because Will won a fight for Slade, but Will got another win after Samson, still upset over Slade disobeying him, sent a young Slade on a suicide mission. However the universe is a dick and the mission was a success however Slade was caught in an explosion.

This time Will broke ranks and saved Slade, something that Sampson never forgot and as Will says next he faced the wrath of General Sampson.

But rather than that, we need to take a detour first.

My classmate who is in the army, and from what I’ve witnessed for my self in the little time that I’ve served is that once you make a friend in the military, you’re friends for life. You don’t need to keep in contact, but once you see each other again, no matter how long you’ve been apart, its like you were never away.

Which is pretty clearly what happened here.

Will was then Slade’s best man, and so far as cannon tells, they were never separated again. From best man Will stayed at Slade’s side during the enhancements, and fought the government to see Slade when the tests went south.

Slade repays his life debt 

Remember when Wintergreen disobeyed Sampson aka king of sending people on death missions? Well Sampson did it again. 

He assigned Will on a job which failed, and resulted in Will being captured and tortured by the vietcong. Sampson knew that Will’s heart would have failed and he wouldn’t have survived his captivity.

Slade was not stationed with Will during this mission, rather he found out that Will had been captured a week after Joey was born. At this point, Slade was stationed as a desk jockey in the Army. After he got his enchantments Slade’s powers fluctuated between super strength and being paralyzed. The army declared his unfit to serve in action and this jaded Slade towards them so that when his powers stabilized, he hid it from them knowing that if he told them, and work he was wouldn’t have been offered in sincerity. For someone like Slade, that would have been hell. Anyway, that’s why he wasn’t stationed with Wintergreen. 

Slade showed up anyway and saved Will in the garish outfit. An amusing look at Deathstroke's proto suit.

Look not that this matters or is relevant but this whole scene is part of why I think that Rebirth’s story is just plainly bad. Obligatory in my opinion disclaimer.  When they meet in rebirth Slade and Will don’t know each other, there's no connection. Unlike DS classic where they start their relationship off with Wintergreen (who one could argue is the weaker in the relationship normally) is in the position of power. It establishes that Slade started his career out as the student and as a flawed human thus perversely mirroring his relationships with other character. Honestly I could make a whole post on just this but I wanted to add it. 

Plus Slade’s proto suit in rebirth is bland and uninspired. It totally lacks personality, yeah it “looks better” but I never thought that this suit was meant to look good, it looks like he made it to scare the living shit out of people like a jungle god or someshit. Okay mini rant over.

Remember Sampson? Yeah I’ve mentioned him a few times. Anyway, after Slade saved Will Sampson essentially forced Slade into retirement.

Forced out of a commission that he EARNED for being a damn amazing soldier, not viz blackmail. F*ck you very much Priest!

Moving forward

Slade needs both someone to love and someone to love him (one of the only things Priest and I agree on) After Addie shot Slade, Will took her place.

  There really isn’t all that much more to talk about without rehashing almost the entirety of the 90’s run.

Let’s review

Slade and Will became friends and stayed friends due to a “horse’s ass of a soldier” named Sampson, would continue being best of friends through tragedy and at least one divorce (Not counting Will’s vaguely mentioned ones which would bring the score up to a shared five)

So their best friends, but just how loyal are they?

Short, boring answer? Extremely.

Longer, more fun answer? Let’s look at a few of my favorite examples.

This is from the Sins of the Father arc from the first run (an arc that I can’t recommend enough by the way.) Wherein the sins committed by Will’s father comes back to haunt him. Slade and Will “commandeer” a plane, and in the process Will almost gets cut in half by the plane’s wing before Slade saves him.

All taken from issue 50 of the original run, (Part of the crime boss crossover arc I think.) Slade is going on what looked like a death mission, and he laments not having Wintergreen besides him. Que Will showing up, and for the first time in (I’m pretty sure at least) the whole arc, Slade smiles.

I could use these images as being proof enough alone, but I though I’d add the others as well.

“What are you talking about? Will’s just sitting there.”

Yeah, its plain and kinda boring, but the context is that Will is sitting there outside the operating room just waiting for Slade to get out after he was in an explosion. I don’t know why, but this just hits me in the feels for some reason. He doesn’t say anything to Steel, but its like he’s saying where else would I be? Slade was with Will when he was in hospital in Germany, and even set up a hospital at his house so that Will could recover from injuries at home. Where else would Will be when Slade is hurt. He said it best-  they’ve been with each other countless times at deaths door, they’ve been each others everything for  over 25 years.

[mk-wizard]

Another Top 10 Reasons TF Needs to Change its Status Quo

After making this list, I realised 10 reasons are not enough and that alone is telling. After some thought, I realised there are many reasons though these are the ones that are most important as to why Transformers needs to change its status quo.

1- Proper representation that is respectful and with the times matters. - Did you know that Jazz is so far the only confirmed Transformer of colour and every damn time he is used, he’s a stereotype of a black person? Did you also know that even though everyone knows Knockout from Transformers Prime is gay, the writers denied it by denying that Transformers don’t have genders or orientations even though it has been confirmed that they do since Beast Wars? Also, the first openly “oriental” Transformers are a little ridiculous to look at it. Windblade looks like a geisha girl with hair and make up to match. Then we have Drift who looks and acts like a stereotypical overly stern samurai. And let’s not forget Transformers Animated Ratchet who is another stereotypical old man character who is predictably grouchy, not fun, anti-social, borderline ageist and has PTSD. I hate being politically correct, but as a progressive and open minded person, it’s getting a bit ridiculous that the writing still treats the times like it is the 1980s in which every type of character is a stereotype of itself. Write characters naturally and don’t be afraid to make diversity a natural thing without extremism in culture, colour or anything. And that thing that the writers said about Knockout was outright offensive. Why create a character who is gay if you’re going to force him to stay in the closet? And what really stinks about that low blow move is that Knockout is NOT a stereotype of what he is and not everything is about him being gay. He is a well written fleshed out character. Transformers has to move on from the 1980s and accept diversity with open arms respectfully.

2- Children do not follow a status quo when they play with the Transformer toys. - Here’s a secret that’s not a secret at all, people. When kids play with their toys, they don’t always make them act the way they are “supposed” to. When I was a girl, I used to pretend Barbie was a superhero and sometimes, when I played with Transformers, I didn’t always have them fighting. Sometimes, I used to pretend the Transformers would do regular stuff like go out, visit friends and stuff. I even used to know someone online whose daughter pretended Arcee was married to one of the Seekers (I don’t recall which one) and played house with them with other bots acting as their kids and neighbours. If kids don’t follow a status quo and are open to different settings when playing with the Transformers, they are going to be open to shows/movies/comics that don’t follow a status quo. In fact, I think it they would love it.

3- We need more movies and specials like Bumblebee. - In other words, films that showcase a fan favourite to give them their own backstory and character development which answers a lot of the questions fans have. Even if they are just straight to Blu-Ray or Netflix movies. I mean, DC and Marvel has tons of made for TV only animated movies and they’re great. I would love to see a movie that showcases Prowl, Arcee or tells us Megatron’s origin story.

4- A prequel of Transformers is worth telling. - Beyond short mini comic series, we have never delved into the origin of Megatron, Optimus or how the entire war began. All we know is that in the beginning, Megatron’s intentions were noble, but then went bad and he ruined Cybertron, so the Autobots rebelled. Transformers War for Cybertron attempts to give us a prequel, but it’s not quite one. It’s still a story about the war, but in the earlier phase while it was still happening on Cybetron only. Give us a real prequel. Please.

5- There are confirmed bad Autobots and it’s high time we treated them like villains properly. - Devcon is a bounty hunter who is Autobot by faction, but he doesn’t follow the Autobot values or any morals as he is just concerned with getting paid, and he has been known to do heinous things just to get a buck. Then there is Repugnus who hence his name, is the kind of guy who will disgust you because he is sadistic, he has no honour, he cheats, he fights dirty and has been discharged multiple times from the army for taking things too far. And for the record, the Decepticons won’t have him in their ranks because even they think he’s too distasteful. I think it would be interesting and good writing to showcase these two as reoccurring villains who even face consequences like villains instead of “pardoning” them just because they are Autobots.

6- Does Optimus have to be the Prime in every series? - Seriously, this formula is getting old. Even Robots In Disguise snuck Optimus in as Prime and it was supposed to be Bumblebee’s time to shine. Then there was Beast Wars who had an Optimus as a leader too. You don’t even have to kill Optimus! Just have a different group of bots with a different leader. Star Trek does that with every different series and it’s great for it. And get creative with the settings through that: exploration, repairing Cybertron, politics, home life, etc.

7- Make different versions of the same character DIFFERENT. - Transformers Armada always stood out to me as a series because it was the one series where Starscream was not only not concerned with overthrowing Megatron, he was the complete opposite! He was loyal to Megatron and just wanted his appreciation, and above all else, Starscream was a good guy. In fact, a lot of characters were very different from their moulds. Maybe we should do this more often. Make an Optimus who is not very nice, make a Megatron who is empathetic, etc. If you’re going to put out a new story and make the characters look different, why not make them different on the inside too? I think that would be fun.

8- Transformers is in fact alienating new fans by keeping the status quo. - A lot of the suggestions I am making are not from me a lot. A lot of fans especially the newer ones are begging for fresh new ideas, but for the most part, a large majority of Transformers’ media is just Autobots vs. Decepticons or something like it. If you keep ignoring the suggestions of new fans, you will cease having new fans.

9- It is ok for characters to fall in love and be in love. - If there is one thing that Beast Wars did right, it was incorporating romance into the storytelling. And it did it beautifully. A huge chunk of Blackarachnia’s character development was thanks to falling in love and with a great guy above all else. Moreover, it didn’t stop her, her boyfriend or anyone around them from being badass, goofy and going on with life in other ways that were not romantic. I also want to add that it is important for kids to see all of that so they can learn that love is not yucky. And that for most grown ups, falling in love and starting a family is a good thing and an adventure within itself worth taking. And more importantly, you don’t stop being you just because you’re married and have kids. Yes, some people don’t want to marry or have kids, but keeping everyone childfree and alone is just as unnatural and unrealistic as having them all get hitched and multiply. Besides, it has been confirmed that Transformers can be in love, be male or female and reproduce like we do. There’s no point of hiding it.

10- Transformer epilogues are worth telling. - Just as a prequel is worth telling, so is an epilogue. We sort of get that with Rescue Bots Academy after Transformers Prime and Robots In Disguise, but what about other series? What happened after G1 and how did the peace treaty between Autobots and Decepticons go down? Did it work out? How did characters adapt to peace? How did they deal with trauma and PTSD? What was life like for the civilians after? Were the problems that spawned the war fixed? Do Autobots and Decepticons even live together on Cybertron? Personally, I would love to see all of that as a huge fan of Steven Universe Future and Picard. Just because one story ends doesn’t mean another can’t begin. I think it would be a lot of fun and also, it would give closure to many Transformer series that never got any.

Do any of you have good reasons you can all think of as to why Transformers needs to change its status quo?

[appleb18]

Why Cartoon Finales Feel So Unsatisfying

With most cartoon shows coming to an end such as Adventure Time, Legend of Korra, and Regular Show but as time moves on, most finales are rushed. Shows making the same mistakes makes the ending not a very good conclusion. So I’ll be talking about the many problems that I have with finales recently. Steven Universe Change Your Mind will be mention because Crewniverse mentioned  Rebecca Sugar planned that it was finale but of course, Cartoon Network wants it to continue so it counts.

LONG POST

1)  Plot Points 

The first of many problems that I keep on seeing in cartoon finales are the unexplained plot points. When a show points that this will have a major impact later to the episode, they show it and see what will happen with the plot point but most don’t and they either leave it unanswered, out of nowhere or used but it wasn’t written properly

Examples of unexplained plots are 

Star vs The Forces of Evil 

When Marco was fighting a Corrupted Tom and Corrupted Milhorse he got stabbed by the unicorn, leaving a dark purple wound on his chest with dramatic music playing 

But then it didn’t really matter and it “magically” healed somehow 

Then there’s Star destroying The Realm of Magic which caused magic to be gone. While Omnitraxus, Heckapoo and Rhombulus are destroyed but they never showed what happens to the other realms and creatures that use magic such as the Lucitors and Reynaldo the Bald Pate. 

Legend of Korra 

When Korra defeat Kuvia and she was about to use the Spirit Beam but it misdirected to her, Korra can somehow bend spirit beam

How is there another spirit portal? I know the comics explained it but I would like to see it more in detail in the show than the comics

Gravity Falls 

The Bill Cipher zodiac keeps showing up in the opening of the show 

Been shown in the show numerous times and know a bit of its purpose as the show goes on

In the finale, it was about to be shown what it is and does but Stanley and Stanford had to fight each other which cause the zodiac to not work. I do wish what will happen to Bill when he’s in it and see its effects before they fight

Voltron

Why Allura have to die in the finale, was there another way for her to survive than just dying? 

How the hell did Lance become Altean? You can’t just transform a human into one, that’s impossible 

2) Not Enough Time 

Another main problem I’ve been seeing in cartoon shows finale is there isn’t enough time to explore the new things that have been added to the show, character development, and character relationships. Finale just shows it for a minute and then that’s it. 

Examples of this are 

Steven Universe 

In Change Your Mind, when Steven was getting his friends back to reform, aside Smoky Quartz, we get to see Pearl and Steven fusion, Rainbow Quartz 2.0

 Garnet and Steven, Sunstone 

however the main problem with this they appear only once and then that’s it. Although they’ll hopefully make an appearance in season 6 but the lack of Opal and Sugilite, I doubt they’ll be shown again. 

Gravity Falls 

When Stanford and Mcgucket reunited in Weirdmeggedon: “Take Back the Falls”,  it was really a quick reunion and they become friends again. I do wish the team give their reunion more screen than just a minute since they’re best friends for a very long time like Spider-Man and Iron Man in Endgame 

Then there’s when Stanley sacrifice his mind to defeat Bill Cipher, it was truly emotional to have him take responsibility for almost releasing him to the world.

Of course, he’ll recover from his memories but he got it back too quickly, it should’ve taken longer regained his memories. It just downgrades his sacrifice.

Samurai Jack 

Samurai Jack friends came in a minute 

Jack tells Ashi that he loves him. It should’ve taken her a bit longer to break free from Aku control than just that 

Also, there was never a moment of him interacting with his friends beside the Scottsman. He didn’t get to say goodbye nor tell his thanks to them for rescuing him before he goes back to the past! 

Then there’s Ashi fading away because, without him, she disappears which should’ve done when he destroys Aku, not during their wedding 

Voltron 

As Allura dies and saying goodbye to her friends however she never gets to say goodbye Coran, her main man, and her father-figure like why? 

3) The Lack of Main Characters 

It is always important to have the main cast of characters have their last adventure and end the huge conflict of the story but with today’s finale, the main cast doesn’t get to shine, in fact, they don't do anything at all.

An example of this 

The Amazing World of Gumball 

The Gumball family doesn’t get to appear for the finale, it’s mostly Gumball, Darwin and the school. 

Adventure Time 

Finn and Jake, the main characters and they are in the title of the show Adventure Time with Finn and Jake however they were more in the sidelines in the finale. The first half is Finn reconcile with Fern 

Jake having weird dreams 

Then in the second half things get stressful when Finn and Jake haven’t much of a roll to the last episode. Finn goes inside of Golb to save Betty and Ice King/Simon but they get stuck

And Jake gets defeated easily by the monsters. The characters that did the most are Marceline for able to stun the monster for a bit 

Princess Bubblegum finding that their weakness is harmony and she was able to find out because of BMO 

And Betty defeating Glob by using the crown and wishing to protect Simon that caused her to become Golb herself 

It’s disappointing that neither Finn nor Jake, the stars of the show for 9 years, couldn’t do anything in the finale, a similar complaint I have with Adventure Time Mini-Series Stakes but worst

Steven Universe 

Now it’s time to talk about other characters that came to help the Crystal Gems but they really didn’t help at all and it’s Bismuth, Lapis Lazuli and Peridot. They finally arrive to help Crystal Gems to get to White Diamond with Lapis and Peridot new outfits and Bismuth giving Connie a new sword. 

Yet they were nothing more than accessory, just there to show that they are in finale, only serving as fan-service 

Then just when they finally showed up to help Steven, it was already over so they don’t have any value in the finale. 

4) Final Villain 

Recently, the last antagonist/final villain has many issues that I’ll be breaking into two parts. 

A. No Build Up 

It’s always important to have the final villain to appear in multiple and show how threatening they are but as I’ve seen, they appear only a few times with little interactions and not a lot of depth of their depth. 

Golb from Adventure Time first appeared in “Puhoy” at the end of the episode and was mentioned a few times in the last two seasons and he randomly appears as the final villain with no proper introduction and he doesn’t have any history with the main characters 

White Diamond from Steven Universe appears in the background from season 1 - 4

Her only appearances are in two episodes, “Legs From Here to Homeworld” and “Change Your Mind”. At first, she was overjoyed that Pink Diamond is alive inside of Steven 

Then she becomes a dictator? How we get from this to there? Do we miss something? 

B. The Final Battle 

The endgame, the final conversation between two opposing sides and they’ll settle their score once and for all. Unfortunately, their final moments aren’t satisfying and it very anti-climatic of how they were defeated. 

Aku and Samurai Jack never fought each other in the finale. It’s mostly Jack slashing him 

Steven talking to White Diamond like how always does it

Mina Loveberry gets defeated by a Corrupted Milhorse and we don’t see until the end 

The final villain should’ve gotten a great final showdown with the main protagonist but it was sadly rushed 

5) Leaving it in a Cliffhanger/Open-Ended 

The most problematic I have with finales is they leave it in a cliffhanger/open-ended. It doesn’t feel like a satisfying end to the show, more than an episode and or another season

The Amazing World of Gumball ended with Rob going into the void and that’s it. 

and Star vs The Forces of Evil ending with the Earth and Mewni cleaved together and Star and Marco look at each other than the credit rolls.

The series finale should NEVER end with a cliffhanger nor open-ended, it just leaves an poor conclusion to the series, leaving too many questions unanswered! 

Conclusion

Modern cartoon finales aren’t easy. It requires a lot of planning, work and thought to conclude a series and not many got it right. The only finales that did a good job and made me feel satisfied are 

Regular Show 

Over the Garden Wall

And the only show left that’s coming to end and I hope it doesn’t make the same mistakes is My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic 

Overall I don’t hate nor I say good finales expect for Samurai Jack, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Voltron, their pretty average endings that could've done better.

[khhunniewriting]

Dile Que Tu Me Quieres

“You two are still together?” your mother asked, the sour look on her face only became more pronounced by the sigh she gave shortly after. “When will you come to your senses Y/N? A boy like that is only going to break your heart.”

“I know mom,” your sigh mimicked hers. You were an adult, able to do as you wished. This is why they didn’t bother to put so much effort into convincing you on a daily basis but they sure did like to try when they were reminded of your situation. “We’ve only been together for days, 821 to be exact,” you deadpanned.

The glare your mother gave showed she was not happy with your smart remark. 

“Any day now he’s going to fuck one of his backup dancers, get into a gang fight, or go broke buying clothes all over the world. Seriously, I’m just waiting for that one dating scandal to teach me my lesson!”

Your mother threw her slipper at you to stop your sarcastic rambling but it only made you laugh. “Don’t raise your voice to your mother, I’m just worried about you and that boy.”

A chill went up your spine once again as you heard your mother call Dean a boy. “Okay mom, first of all, he’s not a boy...he’s a man.”

“Tch,” she clicked her tongue completely ignoring your valid points.

“Second of all he’s a very successful man with a career- and before you cut me off singing is a career.”

Your mother sighed walking away. “There’s no reasoning with you.” She tried to get the last word in but you weren’t one to stand down. 

Even if she was your mother, you stood for facts and reason. Dean was nothing but loyal, kind, and loving since the moment you met him. No one could tell you otherwise. It was you who was always by his side. They didn’t know how he felt or how he made you feel. You were the only person capable of judging whether he was right for you. “I don’t know why you insist on fighting mom.” You gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing your car keys. “I love you and I love Dean too so deal with it.”

\\\

As soon as you opened the door to your shared apartment Dean came over with a look of concern. “So how did it go?”

You inhaled deeply and exhaled the same, dropping the weight you had been carrying on your shoulders. 

“That bad?” Dean knew all too well that your parents disapproved of him. It hurt him to see you struggle to balance both your relationship and family life. Honestly, he would love to go with you, be right by your side as you visited your parents. He was tired of borrowing you from them- he wanted to share. He held you for a moment letting you decompress.

“I love you.”

Dean cracked a smile at your sudden profession of love. “I love you too.” His hands smoothed over your back and arms as he pulled away. Getting a good look at you made him blush. There was never a day when he didn’t think how lucky he was to have you in his life. 

“What?” you too broke out blushing. “Why are you blushing?”

He hid his face in the crook of your neck unable to face you. “You’re just so...beuatiful.” He muttered the last word. The way you stuck by him, never doubting, showed how real your relationship was. He didn’t want to lose that. “Now tell me what did she say?”

You had almost forgotten the reason you had gone over. All you wanted was to inform your parents that you would be taking Dean along as your plus one to your cousin’s wedding next weekend. “Does it matter?” you shrugged. “I’m taking you with me anyway.” It was obvious your parents had been offing you as a single woman to your relatives. “I’m going to show you off and rub it in all my bitchy cousins’ faces that I am happily taken.” They could all shove their opinions up their asses. You were happy with your private life. They didn’t have to know every detail of your life but you didn’t want the phone to start ringing months later when they found out.

Dean laughed, your determination was as bright as ever. “You know more than anyone how much I love you.” Dean took out a familiar gold ring from his pocket and slid it on your finger. “You forgot this again.”

The opposite hand clutched at your chest as you experienced a mini heart attack. “I DIDN’T-?” you exclaimed, socked. Never in your life had you had a real gold ring, let alone one with diamonds. It was hard adjusting to it. Wanting to take care of it, you would constantly take it off and place it in “safe places” to avoid losing it. “I could have lost it and never known until now.” It didn’t help that you had a full set of midi rings on each hand.

Dean smiled not thinking much about it. “It wasn’t lost. You left it on the tray beside the bathroom sink.” He knew you had probably rushed out of the shower forgetting to get your jewelry. “The necklace is in there too.”

Great, even your specially designed necklace had been left behind. “I’m such a bad girlfriend.” Dean had given it to you on your most recent anniversary. It hardly ever left your neck, the exception being when you showered. 

“You’re not a bad girlfriend...” Dean seemed to defend you. “...You’re just a forgetful fiance.”

Because of Dean’s popularity, the whole engagement had to be kept between you two until he could find a way to get the news out there without some third-party speculation. He wanted to personally announce it- let it all come from him.

The truth was you were pregnant! HIs proposal and your test results came too close together making it difficult to announce without people writing it off like a shotgun wedding. He was too happy to fight with reporters. 

“For our child’s sake, I hope you don’t continue to forget things.”

“What, you think I’ll forget the baby at the hospital or something?” you laughed jokingly. 

He joined in the laughter but very seriously began to wonder what your parents' reaction would be to the news. Thankfully you had yet to show any signs of pregnancy and could put off the worry for a few more months. He, on the other hand, was worried since day one. 

“What’s wrong?” you asked when you saw his smile fade.

“You don’t think me being a singer is-” His lips stopped moving as yours joined his in a soft heartfelt kiss. 

The love would always be there no matter what Dean did for a living. If he continued as a singer into his old age or if he quit and became a hip stay at home dad. You never wanted him to doubt. “Is that a good enough answer?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t hear you.” He slyly countered, “can you repeat it?”

Even if he was playing around you let him have it once more. This time you wrapped your arms around his neck demanding to be carried off like the spoiled queen he taught you to be.

\\\

The wedding went...well. 

Dean was popular with all your relatives aged 30 and down. They didn’t even need to be introduced rather they had to be reminded he wasn’t there as a singer but as your fiance boyfriend. They kept nagging him to sing. You, of course, fought them off trying to keep it a day off for Dean.

Being the greatest person alive, Dean gave in to the bride’s wishes. He assured you it was no problem and that it would “give your parents a chance to see first hand what he did.” 

Your parents had never so much as heard Dean. They were pleasantly surprised when they heard his soft melodic voice fill the event venue. Because of his tattoos, fancy clothes, and common misconceptions of hip-hop singers they had painted him differently. 

It was funny to see your father’s frown of approval. It was hard to hear them but you were sure he had said something along the lines of “not bad” to your mother.

He rejoined you after taking a few pictures. “That was interesting...” he gave you a peck on the cheek as he took his seat beside you once more. “Your little cousin, the flower girl, she asked me to call a classmate and tell her it was really me in the picture she posted on Instagram.”

You were a fit of giggles as he explained the situation. 

“I didn’t know children could be so thorough.” The classmate practically gave him an over-the-phone interview to confirm his identity. 

“Children are more advanced nowadays.”

He couldn’t agree more. What grade-schooler had an iPhone and multiple social media profiles? As he learned today, many. Dean had to admit he was a bit worried about his own child. “We can’t give ours a phone until high school.”

You laughed, “deal.”

It wasn’t until a few months later that Dean broke the news about your engagement and subsequent pregnancy. That’s when Dean was invited to your parent’s house for the first time ever.

“Time to face the music I suppose.” Dean held your hand as he helped you out of the car.

“Should be easy.” You couldn’t resist but joke about it. “You are a singer after all.” The free hand rubbed your protruding belly. Finally, a sign of your child was given to you. Dean had worried every day since the announcement. There were so many comments being made.

“People will always talk. I’m sure many of your true fans will still love you and make up for those who wish to see us fail and become unhappy.”

“I’m not really worried about the fans.”

“Good because I’m not really worried about them either. Same goes for anyone else.” His eyes looked at you intently, waiting for you to put him at ease with your sweet words. “I love you and that’s all that matters.”

“I love you too,” he grinned. Instinctively, he had to kiss you for confessing your love to him.

“Haters can fight me.”

The idea of you fighting anyone, with your barely being able to make it through the day, was comical. Even if the baby had yet to grow significantly you were lethargic and suffered from swollen feet. Most days you ended up napping three to four times a day. Nonetheless, he was a supportive husband. “No one stands a chance.”

-end-

A/N: Yes, the title is in Spanish but the fic is still in English. I could have translated it but I simply chose to make the title of this fic be the name of the song that inspired it. The song is in Spanish so hence the title.

Dile que tu me quieres by Ozuna

English Translation

[hennessystevens-udaku]

Oh Baby! (Baby Fever Pt. 2)

It had been five years since The Kompound first welcomed new life and Hennessy’s baby fever was back with a vengeance. With the birth of Angel and Erik’s third child, Henny couldn’t couldn’t contain the joy she felt whenever she was around the tiny beings. Watching them grow and develop and become her new favorite past time and she loved when the opportunity to teach them new things presented itself. Princess Nya had taken after her mother and Bastion, a little diva in the making with an eye for all things music and fashion, while N’Jadaka was smart and cunning like his father. N’Jada was chill like her mother with a passion for exploring and reading, while baby Adelaide, the youngest of the camp, was still figuring things out. It was a sight to behold and it brought Hennessy back to the conversation she and Erik had had following Charlie’s baby shower. Though she thought it was just a phase back then, she was sure that the universe was setting her up for a miniature version of herself or her husband that she could call her own. After a long day in the dispensary planning and budgeting for the line of edibles she and Kristina had been working on, she finally made it home. She made the short trip upstairs where she immediately stripped out of her clothes and slipping into a nice hot bath. She rolled herself a joint of the special goddess blend that she and Kennedi created, aptly named Aurelie, and washed away the day. Once she completed her bath, she made her way to Erik’s office to discuss what had been plaguing her in the last few weeks.

—

“A baby, huh?” he asked with an amused look on his face. She and Erik pair had had more than a few conversations about the topic and after suffering the miscarriage while they were in college, he was convinced that she didn’t want to try again.

“What made you change your mind, Princess?” he asked stroking her knuckles with his thumb.

“The twins,” she answered without hesitation. “I love being around them and caring for them and I thought that maybe it was time that we tried again.” Erik nodded, taking in his wife’s words with a smile.

“Yeah, I saw the search history on the iMac. You want a surrogate?” His eyes flashed with an emotion she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Hurt? Sadness?

“I was looking into it, but I wanted to talk to you about it first. There would be so much to consider with me getting pregnant. I’d basically have to work from home because I can’t be around weed and all that. Not to mention, I’m still afraid of what happened. I don’t want us to go through all that work only for me to miscarry again.” She wrapped her arms around herself defensively as she continued her little spiel. In return, Erik grabbed her arms and placed them securely around his neck and his around her waist.

“Hennessy stop that. I know you’re scared because of what happened back then, but I honestly think that was just the universe telling us that we weren’t ready to be parents yet. We’ve both done a lot of growing and maturing since then. I think we’re ready, don’t you?” She nodded, slowly lifting her head to look him in the eye.

“Now back to this surrogate business.” He looked down at her with a stern look. “If I’m being totally honest, I don’t want some stranger carrying my baby. It’s too risky and some surrogates tend to get attached and I ain’t got time for some other bitch to be claiming my baby as hers.”

“But baby there are other --”

“Let me finish, baby. I know that there are other methods of surrogacy that allow the parents to choose who they want to carry the child, but there are so many moments in pregnancy that you’d miss. You wouldn’t get to feel the little flutters when the baby moves or kicks. You’d have to sit back and watch me shower some other woman with the love and attention that’s supposed to be yours while you carry my big head ass baby.” He poked her stomach playfully to further emphasize his point.

“You just wanna see my munchkin ass waddling around here barefoot and pregnant,” she said slapping his hands away from her belly.

“I will neither confirm nor deny those allegations,” he responded with a laugh. “But seriously, if you having a baby then I’m gonna be the one to put it in you and it’s gonna grow and be nurtured inside your belly. It’s only right.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll track my ovulation and we can try.” She placed a gentle kiss to his lips before attempting to walk away from him. His grip on her waist tightened as he held her close to him, deepening the kiss.

“Can we try even if you ain’t ovulating?” he asked against her lips, clearing space on his desk before lifting her and sitting her on top.

“You so damn nasty,” she giggled as he dropped to his knees in front of her.

“You knew this already,” he retorted from his position between her plus thighs. Soon the sounds of her wetness and slurps filled the air as he feasted on his wife, drinking from her body like his life depended on it.

“So, do we have a baby yet?” Bastion asked, bouncing on her toes like a child in a candy store.

“Not yet.”

“Damn, y’all been going at it like rabbits. At this point, I’m pregnant from listening,” Kennedi teased.

“I swear everybody in this family is a creep,” Hennessy replied, rolling her eyes. It was true, ever since she and Erik had the discussion about her adding to the family, they’d tried every chance they got, sometimes multiple times a day, but we're still having no luck.

“Maybe my uterus is broken,” Henny stated, looking down between her legs from her seated position on the kitchen counter.

“Bitch shut up!” Bastion screamed through her laughter. “You will get pregnant when Bast is good and ready for you to be. Maybe the universe still isn’t ready for a Mini Hennerik.”

“What the fuck is a Hennerik?” Aly’Sha asked.

“It’s a play on their names, kinda like Bennifer or Brangelina,” Bast explained.

“Bitch the door. And don’t ever say that corny ass shit again.” Bastion rolled her eyes and made her way back to her design studio.

“Y’all laughing, but I’m deadass. Maybe it’s not meant for me to give him a baby.”

“Hennessy, you’re worried about nothing. With the way y’all been going at it, you’ll have a bun in the oven before the week is out, mark my words.” With that, Kennedi grabbed an apple juice from the fridge and shuffled to her art studio, eager to finish a portrait of the twins that she had been working on. Hennessy was once again left alone with her thoughts and they were beginning to run wild with all the possibilities of ‘what if’. She decided to slip into something eye-catching and drop by the Outreach Center and pull a freaky deaky drive-by on her husband to quell her illicit thoughts.

--

Late. Exactly 2 weeks, 3 days, and 2 hours late according to her period tracker. Hennessy almost cursed Kennedi for being so damn accurate in her prediction that she would be pregnant sooner than she expected. Hennessy bit her bottom lip in anticipation as the timer on her phone wound down. She paced the bathroom floor for the entire 5 minutes until the alarm sounded, signaling that it was time to check the stick. Her eyes grew wide as she held it up and saw the two tiny pink lines indicating that there was indeed life growing inside of her. She ran out of the bathroom to the two people she knew would keep the secret until she was ready to reveal it to the rest of the house and to her husband.

“Es-tu enceinte?” Angel asked with a wide grin.

“Oui,” Hennessy replied, returning the grin. Angel squealed loudly, kicking her feet in the air like Charlotte from the Princess and the Frog.

“Can I get the English version of this news so I can share in the excitement?” Charlie called from the foot of Angel’s bed.

“Henny’s pregnant!” Angel squealed.

“Jesus, tell the whole house, why don’t you,” Henny said with a playful roll of her eyes.

“Wait, so we’re the first to know?” Charlie asked, now grinning as well. Henny nodded her head, taking a seat beside her.

“Y’all are the only two I could trust not to say or do anything to give it away before I’m ready to tell fathead.”

“Then your secret is safe with us, Mommy Shark,” Charlie teased, rubbing her belly. “Welcome to the Mommy Gang. We have breast milk and cookies.”

“Organic breast milk?” Henny asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Only the best for our churn,” Angel replied, her New Orleans accent creeping out ever so slightly.

“Looks like I have another shower to plan,” Angel said with a smile. She loved the idea of their family growing and she’d been secretly hoping that Erik talked her out of the whole surrogate idea. She was just like Erik, finding the thought of the tiny woman pregnant comical.

“I’m gonna go figure out how I’m gonna announce this to the rest of the house.”

--

Four Months In

Hennessy was miserable. It was the middle of summer in California and her belly along with her appetite was growing every day. Though she had been successful in hiding her growing bump, choosing to wear more black pieces and pants suits, there were two entities in The Kompound that made keeping her pregnancy a secret a tad bit difficult.

“Ooh Hennessy, you’re glowing! Have you switched skincare products?” Davita called, causing all eyes to fall on the small woman.

“No, just the products I got from Kennedi,” she replied, giving Vita a death glare that only urged her to continue.

“Well, that top is nice. Got ya titties sitting all pretty and swollen. They look like they full of milk!” Angel and Charlie caught on and immediately came to Henny’s rescue.

“Nah, Henny and I went bra shopping and I turned her on to one of my favorites. It’s comfortable and makes the titties sit immaculately, no matter the top.”

“Yeah, what Charlie said.” It was now Josephine’s turn to chime in on the topic.

“Henny Hen, I haven’t seen you drink or smoke in a minute. Something you wanna tell us?”

“Nope,” she called, grabbing an apple juice from the fridge and heading towards the front door.

“Well I had a dream about fish last night,” Vita chirped. “Which one of the wives knocked up?” Hennessy’s heels clicked loudly against the marble floor of the house until the door slammed behind her. Erik only shook his head in amusement. Though he already knew she was pregnant, having picked up on it when she started wearing actual clothes and turned down her favorite meal of shrimp and grits, he wanted to wait until she was ready to tell him herself. He could help the smile that crossed his face as he watched her from the kitchen window, waddling to her truck like a little penguin. His little penguin. He made a point to have a bouquet of sunflowers delivered to the dispensary and set up a spa day for her later in the week so she could relax.

“When did you find out?” Angel asked looking over his shoulder once everyone had retired to do their own thing.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mrs. Stevens,” he said as he placed a soft kiss to her forehead before walking away. If she, Henny, and Charlie wanted to play dumb, he would too. The following weeks went by the same way. Vita and Josie kept taunting, Hennessy kept denying, and Erik kept silently pampering her. Finally fed up with the charade and wanting the entire thing to be out in the open, she decided to send out a mass text to her family. The responses came almost instantly.

Sha Sha: Deadass? I’m gonna be an auntie? Yoooooo!

Baby Bast: Oh great, another tiny human.

Charlie: Finally! I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep the secret.

Everyone responded, sending well wishes and congratulations except Erik. She bit her lip, silently panicking in her office.

“Dr. Stevens? Mr. Stevens is here to see you.” Oh shit.

“Send him in Raven.” He appeared a few moments later, dressed in an all black Versace suit with matching loafers.

“Got something you wanna tell me, Mrs. Stevens?” he asked as he made his way to stand in front of her, his smile growing by the second. She returned his smile before unbuttoning her suit jacket and rubbing her belly.

“Shit just got real, Mr. Stevens.”

—————————————

TAGS: @vibranium-soul @imagine-mbaku @mareethequeen @greennightspider @jozigrrl @hearteyes-for-killmonger @alyshastevens-udaku @muse-of-mbaku @thehomierobbstark @wifeyofnjadaka @youreadthatright @tgigoldie @killmongersgurl @dameshaemonique @princessstevens @princesskillmonger @amethyst1993 @iamrheaspeaks @laketaj24 @bidibidibombaclaat @thereturnofbadazz @whatmoredoyouwantamericaa @forbeautyandlife @yaachtynoboat711 @panthergoddessbast @inlovewithmakeupcomicsanimelove @dacreskars @thadelightfulone @drsunshine97 @wakanda-inspired @wawakanda-btch @hold-me-like-a-heart-beat @ayellepea @awkwardlyabstract @madamslayyy @blowmymbackout @vikkidc @champagnesugamama @sociallyawkward18 @trevantesbrat @supersizemeplz @itsangeludaku

[wandernic]

My SPOILERY Be More Chill review

In honor of tonight’s opening, I wanted to put together my impressions of the show, brought to you by five off-Broadway and four Broadway preview viewings. I will divide things up by scene/song to better order my thoughts. Please DO NOT read if you haven’t seen or don’t know the story well already. 

(In that case, here’s a mini-review for you: GOOOOO SEE THIS! Okay now do yourself a favor and close this window.)

More Than Survive:

I like the change to Mr. Heere just eating cereal in his underwear, and unable to drive Jeremy to school. This better conveys Jeremy's real frustration with his dad being mentally checked out than the (admittedly funnier) off-Broadway scene, which just made Jeremy seem grossed out by him.

I miss the Chloe-Jake breakup scene a bit, but it didn't really add much to the narrative other than seeing them as a couple for a brief moment. The next mini-scene where Jenna addresses the breakup with Chloe accomplishes what's needed, plus adds to Jenna's narrative as the girl everyone goes to for the dirt and nothing else.

I Love Play Rehearsal:

I would shower Stephanie Hsu with multiple Tonys for this scene alone. Her Christine is equal parts adorable and batshit, and we can easily see why Jeremy finds her so much more fascinating than the conventionally attractive popular girls at school.

Minor gripe: BRING BACK JAKE'S DAB. That shit was hilarious, and in a simple move showed how Jake, while trying to live up to the cool jock everyone knows him to be, has the same amount of dork inside that everyone does.  

The Squip Song:

Ugh I get they're trying to clean this up for a staid Broadway audience, but Rich drawing the penis on the wall and brazenly peeing in front of Jeremy are both missed. Not just for the humor, but because without it Rich just seems like his Squip made him merely mean, instead of confident. That confidence would presumably be what Rich was seeking with a Squip, not to become a garden variety bully, so it loses something in the translation when Rich isn't displaying that through his inappropriate jokes.

I do appreciate Rich's bullying of Jeremy being stepped up, because it's important we get a fuller idea of Jeremy's suffering. Off-Broadway, it just came across as "I can't get the girl I dig and a boy at school sometimes says shitty things." Though certainly emotional bullying is awful, its pervasiveness over a long period of time is hard to convey in a few short scenes. Having Rich also physically intimidate Jeremy makes you feel Jeremy's fear in a palpable way, which leads you to sympathize more with him.

Also can we give Gerard Canonico a Tony merely for the "It's from Japan!" scream? I think, yes. Seriously, his performance in this role is so iconic, it's hard to imagine another actor playing Rich.

Two-Player Game:

The perfect scene for conveying the true dynamic of Jeremy and Michael's friendship. That dynamic being, Michael is a much better friend to Jeremy than Jeremy is to Michael. This is one of the challenges for Will Roland in portraying Jeremy: he is not an easily likeable character. Yes, Jeremy is bullied at school, but he also makes everything about him, his needs, his pain, etc. There isn't a moment in which Jeremy checks to see how Michael's doing (lest we forget Michael is also bullied - the backpack prank was pulled on him, too.) So this song works as both a fun bop, and as a display of the unequal nature of this friendship.

Also, on the whole I *love* Chase Brock's choreography. Especially in "Halloween" and the utterly phenomenal "The Pitiful Children." The one exception is when Jeremy and Michael get up from the bed to finish this song; these moves are clunky and not sharp. It's hard to tell if executed more crisply, they would work better for me, or if the actors are intentionally sort of keeping it loose to demonstrate that these dudes are not as cool as their peers.

Be More Chill:

Jeremy's Squip being activated and the ultimate dramatic appearance of that Squip is one of my favorite moments in the show. My God, the evolution of the Squip from last summer has me floored. It was always good, but what Jason Tam is doing with this character now is must-see. This Squip is like an emotionally abusive partner. He coldy points out what he sees as your flaws, then smooth talks you about your amazing potential, and you forget that you were ever hurt or mad to begin with. Rinse, repeat. He also reminds me of the current administration, in that he'll say something totally out of bounds, then quickly walk it back to where he really wanted you, and you're temporarily swayed by the dial-down that he's not so bad after all. Fucking masterful.

If this man isn't nominated, seriously fuck the Tonys.

Do You Wanna Ride?

What I love most about this besides its hilarity is that it shows a bit of quid pro quo in the seemingly one-sided Chloe/Brooke friendship. While Chloe pretty openly treats Brooke poorly on multiple occasions, when Brooke wants an assist in trying to get Jeremy to say yes, Chloe immediately jumps to her cue and joins in. This is actually more than Jeremy ever helps Michael with anything in the entirety of the show, which is pretty fucking sad when you think about it.

Katlyn Carlson and Lauren Marcus have perfect chemistry as the best frenemies we'd love to hate if only we didn't kind of totally love them so damn much.

Be More Chill Part 2:

I liked the staging for this better at Signature. It serviced the choreography much better when they didn't throw a mall fountain mid-stage that forces them to redirect the dance moves in a less visually striking manner. I especially miss the hoveround rolling down center stage with the mall shoppers trailing behind it. We've already been to Payless and the food court; we know it's a mall. The fountain is unnecessary. Also, can we give Troy a better alter-ego when he goes on? The Starbucks get-up just looks like Michael went to work at his mall job and for some unknown reason put a wig on.

Sync Up:

I love the expansion of the supporting roles in the show, something this song supports to great effect. I don't have a lot more to say on this scene since it's new to Broadway, and I don't remember as much as the other scenes.  Also I believe before this song is when Jeremy ditches his glasses, and I like the change from first preview in how that was accomplished (though I did laugh at the Spiderman rip-off that first night).

A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into:

I MISS THE PART WHERE BROOKE NODS HER HEAD ALONG WITH CHLOE WHILE LECTURING CHRISTINE. This is in all caps because that shit was comic gold; why take it out? It also demonstrated how in tune with Chloe's whims and emotions Brooke is, which is to say, too much. If I can't have this back, I'm going to at least need someone to explain why it was taken out.

I believe this scene is where the Squip puzzles over the person Christine is, and I love both that she's entirely confounded him, and that post-song, she ultimately defeats his carefully constructed plotting just by being the unpredictable person she is.

As for the song, this has been unchanged that I can see, and that's because it does exactly what it needs to do well.

Upgrade:

One of the best changed scenes from Signature. It was fine there, but is much more fleshed out now, and gives more insight into many of the characters that is needed and appreciated. I especially appreicated the added dialogue between Jeremy and Brooke, in which we get Brooke's insight into her self-doubt, and how Jeremy's seeming interest moved her.  

I did prefer how the Squip insinuated himself more in this scene at the first preview. When he was trying to get Jeremy to get with Brooke, he pretty much physically climbed on him to push him into her on the bleachers. In a future preview, the Squip stood completely away from them onstage, directing Jeremy with hand motions, and I didn't think that worked at. All. Last Sunday, he stood near them and physically pushed Jeremy with just his hand to kiss Brooke; while an improvement, it still wasn't as effective as the first preview for two reasons.

One, the complete disregard for personal space is just much funnier. Two and more importantly, when the Squip was literally pushing Jeremy's body into Brooke's with his own (imaginary) body, it demonstrated an important aspect of the Squip's control of Jeremy. What looks like the Squip being physically seductive is really a demonstration of his seduction of Jeremy's mind. This is significant, because Jeremy ends up doing a lot of things he doesn't particularly want to do, but the Squip seduces him into thinking he does. I found that incredibly effective.

Loser, Geek, Whatever:

My gripe with this otherwise effective scene is the singing of the song itself. Every time it starts to build steam melodically, it's cut off by Jeremy saying/shouting so many of the lyrics. The build-up then has to start again, leaving the song to finish up not as impactful as it could be. This could be a barn-burner Act 1 closer, and instead it's just pretty good. Also I don't know how Will Roland takes that loooooong end note up and down and back again, and still belt as powerfully at the end of it as the start. The show must be using some new can't-even-look-it-up-on-the-internet technology to pump air into his lungs from backstage. This actor has taken on a very difficult character and pitched it just on the line of where it needs to be to work. So impressive.

Halloween:

Love the song. LOVE the choreo (lookin' at you, Chase Brock.) Love LOVE the addition of the Squip front and center. This makes so much sense, because by manipulating Jeremy he's really manipulating all of them, and his inclusion in the midst of the party instead of on its periphery demonstrates this incredibly well.

I don't love the substitution of a pumpkin candle for a gas can. What even was that thought process? That sucks up the drama of that moment almost entirely. What level of foreboding does one accomplish with a pumpkin?

This scene contains my only major problem with the show, and that is Jake's sudden and unexplained loss of interest in Christine. Are we to infer that they slept together once and that's all Jake was after? And that all of his character development in Act 1 was bullshit? In which case what was the point of developing his character at all? This whole thing could be easily fixed by a line or two where Jake realizes he still has feelings for Chloe, but that never happens. I haven't seen the show since last Sunday (when multiple people told me it was locked in), so I hope since that time they've unlocked it to fix the one glaring flaw, either clarifying Jake is a dick, or Jake misunderstood his own feelings. In any event, Britton is absolutely CRUSHING IT with the nuances of Jake, and I can't wait to hear him on the Broadway cast album.

Do You Wanna Hang?:

Katlyn Carlson is a comic genius. All the little touches she throws into this hilariously awful attempt at seduction are amazing. The only part of this I liked better at Signature is when Jeremy asks her if she's jealous, and in this version she's crying while saying "obviously not." (Or at least she was on Sunday). I think this works better if she immediately *stops* crying at that point, playing it like it's the most absurd possible question Jeremy could ask.

Michael in the Bathroom:

Alternate title: George Salazar at the Tonys

Michael is quite simply the beating heart of this show, an odd role for a supporting character. As played by George, he is that quirky, too weird to be popular but too sweet to not love friend that if we were very lucky, we had growing up. Michael is so important because to be frank, Jeremy is kind of a self-involved dick. That would make the show entirely dependent on Will Roland's ability to make us relate to Jeremy through those trials he faces that we've all experienced - and he does an amazing job. But he also gets a Herculean assist from George, who so convincingly relates how steadfast and loyal to Jeremy Michael is, it makes us believe there's something special in Jeremy that warranted this devotion.

A Guy That I'd Kinda Be Into (Reprise):

During the couch scene between Jeremy and Christine, they've cut out Christine's very valid explanation as to why she can't date Jeremy (it involved getting to know herself better first). This is a problem, because it doesn't make sense at the end of the show when she likes him - we never see why she made that leap, so we're meant to assume she likes him for doing the bare minimum of correcting his own mistake. The way it was at Signature, we find out at least that she just isn't in a head space to date someone on the heels of her breakup with Jake, which shows she could be interested in Jeremy once she gets past that.

The Smartphone Hour:

Easily one of my favorite scenes. Tiffany Mann as Jenna is a delight from start to finish, and this is her moment to shine. Her comic sensibility is perfection. Lauren and Katlyn chime in with equally hilarious support.

My only complaint in this number is the slight lyric change to "Jake's house." For pity's sake, we just spent three or four songs at Jake's party; I promise you, we grasp who's house it is. And the change ruins the flow of the song a bit.

The Pants Song:

Okay yes this song is sweetly funny and does exactly what is needed to advance the plot here. But I just want to talk about Jason SweetTooth Williams overall right now. HOW IS HE A REAL PERSON THAT CAN SO EFFORTLESSLY JUMP FROM ROLE TO ROLE WITHIN SECONDS WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT. Mr. Reyes and his delusions of grandeur is my favorite, but Williams brings equal skill to all his roles, including Jeremy's dad. What a talent.

The Pitiful Children/The Play:

This may be my favorite song. Especially with the song, choreography, and performances here, this show is firing simultaneously on all cylinders. I also love that Jeremy and Jenna have an extended conversation that lets us know her a little more. Tiffany Mann gives a heartfelt authenticity to this that is lovely.

I think this is the scene where these critiques go (apologies if not). I wish Jeremy didn't tell his Squip "you were supposed to make Christine like me!" One thing I love about Jeremy is that he is not really into the popular girls, but the most interesting girl. He digs Christine because of all that she is.

When he says this line, he is upset because the Squip didn't make Christine do what he wanted, meaning he now wants her to change to like him. I think this would work better and make Jeremy come across as less of an incel if the line were more like, "you were supposed to make me someone Christine would like!" It was, after all, himself that Jeremy was looking to change - not Christine, who he loves as she is. That is this character's saving grace, and this diminishes it a bit.

That said, I do think there was an overcorrection in trying to make Jeremy more likeable. In the three previews I saw before Sunday, Jeremy tricks Jenna into drinking the Squip-spiked drink. In the last version I saw, he actually tells her what it is, and she immediately drinks it. It's pretty unrealistic that she would do that. Worse, it conflicts with Jeremy's "you were supposed to make Christine like me!" outburst. If we must allow for the fact the Squip has gained so much control of Jeremy he no longer cares that Christine likes him of her own choosing, he's certainly not going to care about respecting Jenna's need to consent to taking the Squip. Given the choice, I would either change Jeremy's line about making Christine like him, or his choice to tell Jenna what's in the drink. Back-to-back, they don't give us a good sense of how much control the Squip has of Jeremy at that point.

After Jeremy and Michael battle everyone and Jeremy makes his final choice, as the result becomes clear, Michael bizarrely explains what is happening on the spot. This makes little sense, especially in light of the fact that at the hospital, he asks Jeremy how he knew what would result from what he did. Um, he didn't know, you literally explained it to him in the middle of the last scene, bro. I would omit Michael's inexplicably instantaneous explanation from the Play scene and let the audience sit with the aftermath a moment, before having it clarified in the hospital scene.

Voices in my Head:

Not a fan of the lyric changes here, which seem to water down the edge of the teens ("she probably thinks that acne is hot") to morph them into Stepford children ("we got your back 'cause we are your squad" - vomit). Otherwise, this scene wraps everything up well and leaves you satisfield with the weird, wild journey you just went on.

What a score (my #1 favorite in all of musical theater history), what a cast, what a show! If there are not multiple Tonys thrown at this masterpiece, any significance the Tonys have is null and void.

In short, GET THERE or you’re missing the show of the year!

[cutiecrates]

Cutie Reviews: Doki Doki March 19

Things seem to be taking a turn for the worst again, now there’s drama with our neighbor and we’re thinking maybe our land owner wasn’t lying when he claimed it was their complaints that resulted in his decision... It’s become a frustrating ordeal by now, and we’ve been cleaning up more than usual for pretty much no reason- since we’ll be moving anyway, I’m still convinced.

Also, my missing TokyoTreat finally showed up. For anyone who read my previous review.

“Pack up and get ready to go on a trip with this month’s theme, “Fantasyland Adventure”. We have curated items that are handy on a journey and evocative of a magical fantasyland. These cute tools will you have equipped and ready for any adventure!“

Before we begin, I wanted to show you guys that beginning with this month, the comics featuring Tomomi and her friends were pretty much removed/lessened. They started putting in other features, and for this month we got a cute quiz. If you enlarge the pic you can probably see the answers better.

This determined which creature you are based on how you answer; for example these are what I chose for each question:

1. A - because I always bring video games with me on trips or long periods away from the home. It’s a necessity for me.

2. B - I really enjoy all seasons except for summer, but winter is always the first one that comes to my mind when asked. 

3. B or C - I have a lot of trouble with this one <3< wolves are really cool too though...

4. D - I would never want flight because I hate heights. Shapeshifting and mind reading seem cool but how fun would it be to have a whole dark army~ the book never said they had to be an evil army.

5. C - I feel flustered to say that~

6. C - I don’t like beans but if they are magic...

7. B or C again. I’d rather befriend it to gain another partner or person who can be helpful further down the line.

So based on my answers, I’m kind of a cross between the Kitsune and Unicorn. The kitsune is clever, elegant, and outgoing, while the Unicorn is Youthful, kind, and imaginative according to the booklet. For any Tanuki’s or dragons, you are Loyal, diligent, and funny, or Brave, fierce, and deft. 

Suteki Crate

As you can see by this, the box is going to be very Sanrio, pastel, magical unicorn themed. So now, let’s take a look at the items ;3

My Melody Case

Our first item is this sweet little Case themed after My Melody’s iconic baby blue and pink color scheme. It has a removable carrying piece, meaning that not only can you attach it to various items, but you can also remove it and put other things through the loop its on. The exterior is very hard to protect the items stored inside from various elements. This is worth/costs 10 points

The inside has plenty of room for a variety of items, like makeup, health care, electronic, etc. It also has a mesh band on the one side to help keep things orderly.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Besides just looking adorable, I think this would be an extremely handy and practical item. As soon as I saw it I thought “This is great! I can use this right away!“ and I’m very excited to begin using it. I love how sturdy it feels and I came to the decision that I will most-likely use it in my bedside table, which despite organizing/cleaning monthly, always gets very disorganized and messy again. I have several small items that I’ll be able to find easier in it.

Also, I really like how it reminds me of my old DS “briefcase“ and my 3DS carrier. I still have them but the one I don’t use anymore since its so old and kind of rusted now, while the other one holds my DS and my 3DS stuff has been put into a Hello Kitty thing I got a couple years ago.

Kokeshi Nail Clipper

Our next functional and sweet little item is this pair of nail clippers inspired by a Kokeshi doll. This was available in a few different colors, but besides mine I’ve only seen one other one pictured. These are small-medium sized clippers and it includes a very small metal file.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I was a little concerned about the quality of these, because I’m so used to using a larger pair of clippers. We got several of them in various sizes but those are the ones I like better because I feel like they just do a better job. But, I also feel like smaller ones are more precise if you’re not having to trim a large amount of nail off.

These are also easier to use than most I’ve tried, didn’t require much pressure at all. I do wish the file part was a little bigger than what it is though.

My Melody Rotating Hook

Next up is our last My Melody piece of the box, an adorably sweet hook piece for hanging up things like clothing or holding various items. As you can see its advertised as a baby carriage-type item, but you can use it in various other locations as well. The smaller hook rotates, so it can be moved in 3 different spots and face both up and down. It can also be collapsed whenever you’re not using it.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

Initially I had my doubts over this one. Like I can see its practicality and it’s pretty cute, but I wasn’t actually sure I would have much use for it. But the more I figured out its uses, the more I came to the decision that yeah, I’ll probably use it. Maybe not right now, but maybe after we move I’ll be able to discover its appropriate use for me.

Little Twin Stars Tooth Brush Stand

This is our final Sanrio item of the box, a toothbrush stand that is perfect for travel. Not only can it hold multiple brushes, but you can also unscrew the bottom and put various things in it for storing; like hair accessories, toiletries, etc.

It features a pretty translucent pink base and adorable pastel images of Kiki and Lala.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I think toothbrush stands are pretty useful, but at the same time, I’m the only one who uses a toothbrush in my bathroom. We have two of them, and I share it with my dad (who has false teeth). Not only that, but my toothbrush is electronic and thus too big for it. But I do have some other teeth items and brushes that would fit in it, and if I did have to travel I can think of all sorts of items I could put into the base; like eye drops, hair bands or clips, ear cleaners, cotton balls... even more outlandish things like nail polish and gum!

Unicorn Hairbrush & Unicorn Plush

It only made sense to include the last 2 items together; and as a side note I had no idea that rhymed :D Hairbrush plush~

I’ve always loved unicorns, so I’ve been pretty satisfied as of late due to their popularity. These are two cutie items I was looking forward to pulling out for review~

First up is our Unicorn Hairbrush, featured a dreamy unicorn and various pastel designs. On the corner you can see it even has a little metallic star charm for that added, magical touch.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

As much as I love how it looks... I did have some concerns. This brush seems similar to my usual brush, but I noticed it still hurts a lot when I try to use it when I have knots in my hair, in comparison to my other brush.

Also, the booklet says this is perfect for packing, but I kept mine in my box this whole time and upon pulling it out, I discovered the bristles are super bent and out of shape... and it hasn’t traveled or been touched besides my initial look at it. So I’m not sure how it would actually handle during travel, but I assume it’d be fine as long as it wasn’t pushed against something else. 

--------

Our last item is this kawaii little unicorn plush, featuring pretty white skin with a pastel mane and tail, a silk ribbon, blushed cheeks, and a pearl necklace. I definitely got the one I’d have wanted, and I decided to name her Lala. Besides mine, there is also one with yellow hair, purple ribbon, and a green necklace, and a blue haired one with purple necklace and yellow ribbon.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 

The plush is very soft and squishy, filled with a spongy-like cotton. It’s very sweet looking and in terms of a plush it seems to be really nice quality. But I did notice that because its fuzzy, it attracts stray hairs like crazy. Not really a big deal for me, but I know it might bother some people.

♥ Cutie Ranking ♥

Content - 5 out of 5. I like all of the items and the quality seems to be pretty good. I didn’t really have any complaints this time around or much to say on the items. I feel like they all did their job and were pretty self-explanatory.

Theme: 5 out of 5. With a wide range for a name, this box gave me 2 sort of mini-themes in 1 central theme. By this I mean, the Fantasyland part would imply fantasy, sweet pastels, unicorns, which the box did a great job of including. I don’t really think of fantasy when I see My Melody, but at the same time I can kind of see it? The other part Adventure and the description implies the theme is practical for travel, which the box definitely did keep in mind. The Suteki Crate is also a perfect match for this one!

Total Rank: 10 out of 10 Cuties. I probably don’t make it sound amazing or anything, but I think this would be a great box to pick up if given the chance. Plus they also add a whole pinch load of cuteness~

♥ Cutie Scale ♥

1. Unicorn Plush - I can’t help it, it’s so sweet and huggable x3 I love its shiny pearl necklace and blushed cheeks. I’ll make sure to put it near my bed~

2. My Melody Case - The colors are so sweet~ I’m really excited about using this one just as soon as I return to my bed. The only problem is deciding what items to pop inside~

3. Unicorn Hairbrush - When my hair is a horrible knotted mess, it brushes through it just fine. I love the little charm and colors, but I sort of feel like a few of the designs on the Unicorn weren’t necessary, as cute as it is. 

4. Kokeshi Nail Clipper - It’s very cute looking, but I prefer bigger nail clippers. I even have my own set from another box, so I’m not sure how often I’ll actually think to use these...

5. Toothbrush Stand - I love how it looks, it’ll make a really cute decoration when I’m not using it. I also like how I can put things in the base, so it’ll come in handy.

6. Rotating Hook - It’s really cute and I love its pink color, but I feel like it’s the item I’ll use the least in this set.

[gomoeee]

Nuria Chapter 1

Mina 

His looming figure lunged at me with the same repetitive pattern, strike, parry, block, strike, parry, block it was like clockwork. His stance is wobbly at best, and you could already see beads of sweat dripping down his pale face. From the way this match is going, I wish he would fare better and give more of a challenge. Whenever he notices my ease through the fight his face would scrunch up like crumpled up paper giving this big snarly grimace. His fist winded back and charge forward with all his weight. With one quick step aside, I kicked my foot out against his ankle making his hulking mass comically flop down to the mat face first.  

The spar was over in less than three minutes. From the mat he whipped his head back towards me, his head beet red and eyes narrowed. Poor guy, you could tell his fragile ego was bruised, he was beaten by a girl easily in front of our peers, juniors, and seniors who were supposed to be sparring too but stopped and watched. His name was Claude, he was as muscle brained as they come and I could already see it kicking in with the taunting around us. I glared at the people who were taunting him, they were not helping. Most went back to spar, some gave a glare back before following the others.

"Want a second round?" I sighed.

"Why should I fight you, bitch?" he snarled in response, scrambling up. Always so vulgar and easily butthurt. Even when you try to reason with him, he never listens.

"Your stance is poor, your fight style is so simple even a child can figure it out, you put too much weight into your punches causing you to lose balance like a newborn. You need more training" I deadpanned.

"Bitch" he grunted. Claude didn't have a wide range of vocabulary either. With that I strolled away from our fighting ring and the 20-year-old man-child in front of me, giving him my own vulgar hand gesture before turning my back. My eyes snapped to instructor Tau in his forever solemn expression showing the emotion of a pillar. He stood right next to the exit where I was striding to. I looked at him in the eyes daring him to not allow me to leave. He was dressed in fighting gear as all of us were, his dark brown skin blending with his chosen black leathers and silks, "You are wanted by the Yetzirah," his deep velvety voice chided. The never-ending feeling to crawl back to my bed erupted. Her the Yetzirah of this Institute, Mele. Every time I hear her name I want to roar and breathe out fire even if earth is my element. I took one last look at the sparring room, mats all along the floor with circles drawn upon them, inside were other hachimen training and fighting each other as if in a real battle. It reeked of sweat and blood but it still looks like heaven compared to the beast I'm about to face. Gradually, I headed to face my incoming doom, slothing out of the training halls and out of the flat simple building. First, on the left, there's arena shaped like a ring for the fire hachimen. There you can see the hachimen release their fire without reign and danger to others. The arena is large an open ceiling round shaped, made from the Nuria fire resistant sandstone. Even with this countermeasure of stone, it is full of scorch marks and the arcs surround the arena is deteriorating looking similar to ruins. It is not surprising to see hotblooded Nurians take their anger out on the arena. Then the high rise clearing for earth. It was quite literally a big valley lined with clay that rose up past a normal person's height even for the people of Aria. One of the first challenges you face when training starts for earth hachimen is how to use the earth around you to reach the top of the rising to actually train there. I remember looking up in disbelief at how we were supposed to get up there, now its second nature.  

Past that, there is the soaring white and light green towers for air. The white towers went miles high their green pointed roofs that can touch the sun, with arched bridges connecting them. The more powerful air wielders don't need the bridges or use the stairs. The first time I saw one of them just jumped down from the tower it nearly gave me a heart attack! Only to have her land down with mocking grace and smirk at me. Past the temples laid the big pond with a deep winding well next to it for water. After passing the air towers you can see the biggest elemental training section is for water. Mulgua produces the most water elemental users so the training area was twice as big as the others. There was a big pool of water connected to a mini waterfall likely built by the earth hachimen. Next to the pool, is a wide deep square shaped well that has stairs that wind down along the wall. The stairs winds closer and closer together the deeper you go. The well is multiple stories deep that if someone jumped in they would likely die from the collision if they didn't use their powers. At the bottom it is also filled with water, the final test for water hachimen to graduate training is to use the water in down there to raise themselves up to the top. The more flamboyant students will try to go past the surface and try to reach the air towers. Graduating training is important, only then can you complete missions full time. In your later years of training you can complete missions your teacher allows you to, but once graduating you have more control over it.

Soon enough, to my ever-growing misery, the big castle like building loomed over me. It was the main building where we receive our missions and where to my begrudged resentment the Yetzirah resides. Besides that, it was a beautiful building, the first time I laid eyes on it I thought it was a palace fit for the Empress. Breathe. In seven seconds, out eleven seconds. My face relaxed and my eyes sharpen, all my instincts on high alert for battle. The glass-like floor that is filled with water and the other elements that is a Mulgua pride, was a small comforting sight as I approached the main office. I opened and quietly closed the oak door before taking my position in front of the desk. Mele's desk was as cutthroat as she was, a sharp wooden table lined with metal thorns that weaved around the legs and edges. Everything in order and neat not a speck of dust or personal attachments anywhere. The woman in front of me had black hair similar to my own but her's long and straight. Her pale cheekbones sharp as if she sharpens them every day along with her blades. She was a cruel beauty.

"You asked for me?" making sure my voice showed no weakness or emotion.

"Yes and you took long enough," she drawled.

"Please forgive me Yetzirah," I replied, cooling my irritation. Her eyes gave me a quick once-over before nodding.

"You are assigned a new mission by the Empress herself, you understand what this means, yes?" she taunted. I gave a quick nod, of course I know what this means. It means the mission will be a pain in the ass.  

"You will leave in two days to go to Nuria with Sefina-"

"What?" I interrupted

"What? You will only say yes Yetzirah and leave. These are not suggestions but orders do you understand me?" Her voice as cold as ever.

O I know how much she enjoys this under her mask of annoyance, but I refuse to back down, not now.

"How dare you," I snarled "You swore Sefina will never ever have to associate herself with you or me."

"I am your master do not forget. You will hear your commands and obey" She annoyingly calm. I need to calm down, breath.  

I took in a long breath "Please don't do this," I sighed.  

Her lips stretched into a smile "Do what?" she mocked.

Forget breathing, forget obeying. My fist slammed Mele's desk leaving a crack in the wood.

"Sefina will not be on this mission, you will assign another hachimen to do this mission with me" I commanded, my voice calm and steady.

Mele just rolled her eyes, with that aggravating smirk still plastered on her face. "Or what?" she challenged.

Red hot anger filled every fiber of my being. I've had enough! Years of torture and frustration built up within me came flooding out. My power whipped towards her in a wave of pure raw energy. I seized every drop of blood in her body. Felt the current hick, that runs through her heart. I made it pump faster and faster not allowing her to move. Her smile dispersed, her face gave away nothing, but I saw fear in her eyes and I relished in it. That witch who stole my freedom so many years ago suffers from my hand instead of the other way around. I never relished in others pain as much as I do with hers. I didn't even notice that the vines around my wrists started to bite with thorns and grow, twisting around my arms. I couldn't even feel the blood that was pooling around my own wrists, her desperate attempts of control through my shackles of thorns. For once I was in power not her and it feels amazing. I swaggered around to her still body running my fingers along her desk with the biggest grin I've had for ages. I slowly leaned over her, now entirely exposed without the protection of her desk, and grabbed her chin forcing her to look at me in the eyes, to see all the hatred that lies beneath them.

"Do not forget who is more powerful Yetzirah," I mocked back. But her fear vanished from her eyes and instead cruel amusement. What is she planning? Her lips even had the audacity to tug into a smile.

"Yeana," she whispered. Reality struck me. That one name immediately made me release my hold. Fear and sadness replaced my anger and enjoyment. The last time I saw her still fresh in my mind. Her face was scrunched up not even trying to hide her tears. Screaming and begging as I was being dragged away. My heart sounded an audible crack at the resurfaced memory. Mele continued smiling, she knew my weakness she knew what impact that name would have on me. My hands unconsciously brushed the vines of thorns still coiled around my arms. Looking more and more like her whip on the day I last saw Yeana. My breath hitched, my heart banging against my chest. The memories of the pain and bite of her thorn whip resurfaced. I could hear the crack against my bare skin and the cheers. My lungs wheezed practically panting. Breathe, breathe. As if nothing happened she continued with the mission report. I could hear the relish in her voice. The words went past my head still just focusing on the threat she laid out. I knew she would use that card, I knew but I dared to stupidly hope Mele forgot about her, but of course, she didn't. There won't be a day that goes by where Mele won't use a threat to my family, especially to my beloved older sister. One can not help but imagine what it would be like to kill a monster like her slowly. First I'd ruin that impeccable desk and use it's wooden shards to pin her against the wall like an insect, then I'd--her wrist flicked mission documents towards me. My dream shattered as I sunk back to reality. I took the documents and left without a word. My feet hurried through the halls the floors soothing effect vanishing and I headed straight up the stairs towards the dorms until I was in my room. My room was one of the few safe spots in this wretched place. I made it looked like an average room not allowing anything personal be there in plain sight for the other hachimen to use against me. All my mementos of my life before this were hidden. Before, when hachimen were heroes to me. Before Zereen died. Before, when I wasn't one of them. Before, when I wasn't their prisoner. The room wasn't large by any means it was a closet before they turned it to my room. There was a small desk taking up the left wall with a small cot right next to it, filling the space between the opposite wall, and a thin full body mirror against the door. The only other thing that occupied my room, was my bookcase under the small window they allowed me to have, next to the desk, spilling out with books. Books are my escape I didn't have to deal with anything while I was reading I could be at better places away from here. Without them, I'm not sure I would have survived the training here. But, I didn't come to put my nose back into a book. My exhaustion was reflected in the mirror. My short wavy hair was in disarray, my sand skin tone, a mix of my mother's beautiful caramel skin tone and my father's light skin tone, paled to resemble more of my father. Eye bags were prominent as well as dark circles bring more attention to my strange eye color. It was one of the things that marked me different from the rest of the hachimen. My eyes long, tampered, upturned as with the people of Mulgua, but with a dark brown color with specks of gold, deep lavender, and hazel. Most people's eyes were similar to their house's eye color but mine was not just the dark brown of my house, a modest house of the cups. My father's house as all of the people of Mulgua is a denomination of the cups of water beside the royal family who was apart of the Major Arcana. I peeled away my gear and replaced them with shorts and an oversized tunic. Scars were etched onto most of my body the most brutal ones on my back, shoulders, and wrists that served as reminders of the day I lost my freedom. The one mark on my body that brought happy memories, is the ice blue silver tattoo of the triple goddess symbol on my right shoulder, my family's crest. There was a thin line of a scar across it, the only mercy the Yetzirah has ever granted me, she never fully ruined my family crest. Tremors rocked my body from fear or exhaustion, I don't know. I trudged to my small bathroom and grabbed the bandages. Quickly, I sat on my bed and messily wrapped my puncture marks from the thorn shackles which has converted back into vine bracelets, before flinging the mission documents onto my table. My body finally slammed it the bed and surrendered to my memories, to haunt my sleep.

Run, run, run. My heartbeat in my ears, the cool wind slapping against my face. "RUN " Zereen screamed. Our feet slammed against the slippery ice trying our best from slipping and face our doom. I turned my head to take a peak of what's behind us and immediately regretted it. The jin a long white thin spider-like creature. Its six legs were pointed effective against the snow almost blending in, its white teeth already stained with blood from getting a taste of us earlier. Its eyes were red and stilted, targeted at us as its body wildly hunted after us, using its legs and weight to propel forward at an alarming speed for its size. "WE CAN'T OUTRUN IT!" I screamed at him. Tears pricking my eyes but were frozen before it can trail down. I don't want to die. I turned to him, his dark golden skin paled and his mouth in a set frown. "We have to fight." He panted,  his words slowly dawning on me. He started to slow to a stop. "ARE YOU INSANE, WE CAN'T BEAT THAT THING!" I yelled back but still, I slowed to a stop with him. Curses streamed from under my breath as I turned to face the thing. It was already upon us. Adrenaline and fear flowed through my veins. I clenched my blades and summoned every ounce of power I had left. It strikes. The leg swiped at us barely missing Zereen, slammed against my body. The blow knocked all the air out of my lungs and launched me back sliding against the ice. Zereen made the move to attack as it was distracted by me. He used his long sword to hack at the jin but it was too quick. I saw the move coming before he did. It pierced its limb through his thigh as fast as light, making his eyes widen and his mouth formed an 'O'. "NO!" I screamed, scrambling up to get to him before it can attack again. It swiftly removed itself from him before preparing the killing blow. NO! I can't let him die! He was the one loved by all not me,  he deserves to live, he needed to live for everyone, for Sefina. I called upon the part I hated about myself, the power I concealed and swore never to use. Zereen's blood was all over the icy ground staining the snow red. My body went into position as if it was wielding my natural element Earth and lifted his blood from the snow. My fingers curled and it hardens into shards. There was so much blood, I launched it all at the jinn pinning its limbs against the ice hoping it was enough. I heard Zereen rustle behind me,"What are you?" he whispered. I turned back to him, his face even his hair seem to pale. His eyes widening, fear, hurt, and distrust was painted across his face. He knows my secret, what I truly am, he never looked at me like that until now. Like I was the one who had injured him like I was the monster. The ice gave an audible crack, the jinn broke free and it whipped towards us again, both of us unprepared.  

[saiilorstars]

It Had To Be You

Ch.27: I Know // Story Masterlist

Fandom: The Flash

Pairings: Barry Allen x Female OC

Pronunciation of OC’s name: Bell-en. The last syllable has an emphasis so it’s not pronounced like ‘Helen’ would be.

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Chapter Summary: Thawne starts putting the pieces together for his final attack on team Flash while they're distracted with one talking gorilla.

{Previous chapters}

"So, you figured it out, then?" Noah laughed in Belén's face.

The ombre-blonde stood outside the pipeline, arms crossed, with a deep glare on the laughing man. She expected nothing less than this but it didn't mean it wasn't infuriating. He had known this whole time that Plasticine was Maritza, and much more that Maritza had been the one to get him to work at CC Pictures with her to be a spy.

"Maritza is gone and I need to find her and Rayan. Do you have any idea where they could be?" Belén got straight to the point of her visit.

Noah planted his palms against his pod's wall and smirked. "Even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you a thing."

"Do you know something?"

"I've no idea where Maritza is but I'm pretty sure Rayan and Pixel are at the usual place."

Belén waited a moment before speaking again. She wanted to give Noah the chance to do something good but it was clear that he was not on the same page. "I'm taking care of Maritza's son and he's asking for his mom. What the hell do I tell him, hmm? You may be evil but even you didn't hurt kids, huh?"

Noah rolled his eyes. "My eyes were on STAR Labs, and for the last time I don't know where Maritza is. If she hasn't appeared with your brother then maybe she's not with him either."

Belén pursed her lips and thought for another moment. She had thought that was a possibility too. Perhaps Maritza was on her own this time, without Rayan at her side. It would explain Pixel's solo appearances in the city lately. Plasticine had vanished. Belén wasn't sure if this was better or worse, honestly.

"You all played me, you shot me...all I am asking is for you to tell me where Rayan or Maritza are, please," Belén wanted to spark the last shred of decency Noah had, but it appeared like there was nothing left.

He laughed so loudly that Belén was sure if there was anyone in the cortex they would have heard by now. "Forget it," she spat and moved to close the pipeline down.

"It doesn't even matter now, Belén," Noah started talking once her hand moved for the control panel. "Maritza's gone, Rayan is losing his mind, and Pixel will just destroy the city out of sheer fun. Your family's done - it's been done."

"We'll see," Belén upheld a glare as the pipeline shut down. But even when the pipeline was closed, she could still hear his laughter's echoes.

~ 0 ~

Rayan's finger boredly circled the cool metal of a pipe while Angie babbled on about the latest clothes she stole the previous night.

"Piece of cake!" she laughed and jumped to sit on one of the old crates of the warehouse. She pushed some of her hair behind her shoulders and looked over to Rayan only to find out he hadn't been listening to her at all. "Excuse me, I'm talking!"

"And if it was interesting, I would have paid attention," Rayan looked up from the pipe briefly to glare at her. "I asked you to go find Maritza and instead you steal from...Forever21?"

"It wasn't Forever21, and-"

Rayan balled his fist and forced a water pipe above them to come crushing down on the ground between them. As the water spilled, Rayan moved around the pipe he'd been messing with - using his power to deflect any water drops from hitting him - and walked straight up to Angie. "I haven't seen my sister in weeks and as far as I know, she's not living with Belén either."

"Maybe she ran away?"

"Yes, but from what?"

"I don't know," Angie shrugged. "But maybe if you'd been paying attention you would have noticed how strange Maritza had been acting lately. She was keeping something from us."

"But what?"

The two had a mini-stare down until a gust of wind broke them apart. Angie fell off the crate and hit the ground with a thud while Rayan was pushed back against a pipe.

"Your sister was keeping a big secret from you, Mr. Palayta," the Reverse Flash stood between the two metas.

Rayan shook his head as he sat upright and immediately glared at the intruder. Maritza had told him about the second speedster who'd murdered their father - this one had to be it. He focused his eyes on the speedster and used all of his power to control the intruder. However, after a minute, the speedster mockingly laughed.

"Don't bother with that blood control - my molecules move too fast for you to even attempt to control."

"Then I'll just kill you the old fashion way," Rayan began to get up on his feet when Reverse Flash sped towards Rayan and pinned him against a wall.

"Or we could be smart and you can listen to what I have to say and offer."

"I say we listen..." Angie sat upright and rubbed her back. "Mostly cos I don't feel like fighting in my new clothes."

"I'd never talk to the man who killed my father!" Rayan gripped Reverse Flash's hand curled around his neck.

"What if I were to tell you that I know why Maritza ran?" Reverse Flash smirked when Rayan froze. "Or how about I mention my knowledge of the Flash's identity?"

That piqued Rayan's interest. Though he had a cloudy mind, everything snapped back to the present at the mention of the Flash, or even Belén for that matter. "What do you want?"

Reverse Flash let Rayan go and surprised the two metas by pulling off his hood.

"Dr. Wells?" Angie got up on her feet and threw Rayan a look. "We were right - that guy was always hiding something."

"First of all, my name is Eobard Thawne and second of all, as I told Belén, it really was not my intention to kill your father, your entire family was collateral damage," Thawne explained calmly. "And do you know who's at fault?"

"You," Rayan accused.

"No, the Flash. I wanted him, I still do, and because of him I had to go through so many people - including your sister - to get him. And if things continue they way they are, I'll have no choice but to kill her too."

"Fine," Rayan said all too easily, even for him. "Belén chose him anyways. Our entire family is broken."

"Well, I'm sorry to say that it does not get better. See, in my time - because I'm from the future by the way-" Thawne paused only to take in the two's comical faces, "-she's, how do you say, the Mrs. Flash?"

"NO!" Rayan's face went completely red within the minute. He thrust his hands forwards, picking up multiple crates and crashing them against the walls. "You're lying!"

"Are you willing to wager on that based on everything you know so far? Everything you've seen so far?"

Rayan breathed heavily, his chest rising as anger bubbled underneath. "What the hell do you want?"

"I want to get home and you want revenge on STAR Labs - I'm sure there's something we can come up with together. After all, your mind is still sane enough for a decent plan."

~0~

Searching for Eddie and Thawne was a much more complicated job than anyone could have thought. Days turned into a week and still no one could find them. Feeling so overwhelmed, the group had finally brought in Nina to officially help them as well. Nina searched from above, Belén through the small spaces, and Barry anywhere else in the city.

Feeling even more cautious, the group decided to never be alone. Where one went, another person was to accompany. There was a special emphasis on Iris, being the one of them who suffered more considering her boyfriend remained missing and she had no idea why. Belén tried spending as much time as she could with Iris, but the woman seemed to be a little distant. Belén didn't press for any talking that Iris didn't want to do - she was just there to be with Iris.

But on the nights that Iris preferred to stay alone - although for the time being back at her dad's - Belén was to spend her nights alone at home...or so she thought. Barry had taken Iris' words very seriously, figuring that although Belén was focusing on helping to catch Wells - or Thawne at this point - she too was hurting as her siblings were basically hunting her down for a death match. She was still processing how her own life had been altered because one man chose to do it.

Barry made it his job, or his responsibility, to make sure Belén knew she wasn't alone no matter what.

Belén stopped being surprised each night she found her boyfriend on the other side of her front door with an idea of how to spend their night. Even though he didn't spend the night, it made her feel good, safe, and best of all she wasn't lonely.

One night it was dinner.

...that they bickered about because they couldn't decide whose lasagna was better.

"I'm Italian, Barry! My lasagna will top yours any day!" Belén shouted at him.

"Hey, adding something new to the recipe doesn't mean it'll taste bad!" Barry argued right back with the same determination she had. It was clear that neither would back down, which meant they needed to find a solution fast.

"Auntie Belén!" Axel skipped into the kitchen from the backyard. "What are we eating? I'm hungry!"

The two metas glanced at each other with the same idea popping into their heads. That night Axel had two different plates of lasagna he could taste and when he happened to choose the plate Belén made, Belén cheered and gave a smug smirk at Barry.

"Told you," she even added.

"This is not a pretty side of you, Bells," Barry said with a small 'tsk' afterwards.

The next night Barry came over, it was series marathon night and both decided they owed Cisco by catching up on the Walking Dead. When Axel was put to sleep, Belén and Barry settled on the couch and watched the series for as long as they could before sleepiness would take over.

"It's still unbelievable their effects are this crappy," Barry would say every five minutes or so.

Belén, sitting beside him, rolled her eyes. "Barry…"

"I know, I got it, shut up now," Barry nodded and forced himself to keep his mouth shut for as long as possible. Two minutes later, however… "The aim was completely disproportionate-"

"Barry," Belén looked at him expectantly. They were just trying to watch a television series and here he was rambling on about the reality of things. It was so...Barry.

"I know, sorry," Barry apologized and lowered his head a little. But, when he looked back at the television, he just couldn't control himself. "Oh c'mon-" he flapped a hand towards the television, "-that could never happen!"

"Oh my god!" Belén exclaimed and hit him with one of the cushions, giving up on ever being able to watch television without him yapping through it.

"I'm just saying-"

"SHUSH!" she nearly jumped over him as she pushed the cushion over his face. Maybe this way she could get an episode in silence!

The next night, feeling guilty he had ruined their marathon day, he offered a movie night...where he promised he wouldn't speak unless it was for a good reason that did not involve science and logic.

Belén said he was on probation.

"Well, Axel is fast asleep," Belén returned from upstairs after making sure Axel remained asleep. "You are, and I quote, his favorite 'new uncle'." She moved around the couch and promptly took a seat on Barry's lap. Barry couldn't help but think back to the future article written by Belén's future self. He coughed awkwardly, making Belén laugh. "Calm down, Barry, he's four. Axel will call anyone his favorite aunt or uncle if they give him ice cream for breakfast."

"Sorry," Barry still smiled awkwardly. He hadn't the nerve to tell her about the article because he didn't want to freak her out. Most people didn't like seeing their future planned out like that.

Belén chuckled and looped her arms around his neck. "You're too cute sometimes." She pecked his lips once then put a finger over his lips. "Even if you do talk throughout my shows."

"Sorry," he apologized once more, prompting her to laugh again.

The next night, it was an active search for Thawne and Eddie. Due to that, Belén left Axel with Iris at the latter's home. Belén came back first when she figured it was time to head back for her own house, but somehow Iris convinced Belén to stay over for the night.

"Do you know where Barry went off to?" Iris walked into her bedroom just as Belén had placed one of her bags over her armoire.

Belén didn't look up as she was fixing Axel on the mattress beside Iris' bed. "Em, I think he and Cisco had a guy's night planned out," she was so good at lying now it made her feel sick. Of course she knew where Barry was. He was still out searching for Eddie.

"Hm," Iris crossed her arms, and Belén missed her suspicious look directed at her. "Are you sure that's where he is?"

This time, Belén looked up and saw through the mirror's reflection Iris seemed a little bit off again. "Uh, yeah, where else would he be? With another girl? You would tell me though, right?" she smiled and went back to digging through her bag.

"Of course," Iris said, biting her lip unsurely. "Just like...you would tell me...if there was anything...I needed to know, right?"

"Course," Belén said, this time without looking up.

Iris felt bad for not completely believing Belén's word. There was no doubt in Iris' mind that Barry truly was the Flash and that he had purposely not told her about it. She wanted to know who was in league with him, besides STAR Labs. Because there was also no doubt in her mind that Dr. Wells, Caitlin, and Cisco also knew about it and were even helping him to be the Flash. She was just unsure if Belén was in the dark like she was. After all, Belén had seemed clueless that the Flash liked her. Of course he would, the Flash and Barry were the same person but...maybe Belén didn't know that?

Belén realized how uncomfortable Iris seemed after finally finding what she was looking for. "Are you okay?" She turned around.

"Yeah," Iris gave her an odd look in return. "I think...I'm just going to sleep early today."

"O-okay," Belén nodded. "Axel is out for the night and I'll be as quiet as a mouse," she placed a finger over her lips. Iris gave her a thankful smile and started getting her pajamas. In the meantime, Belén hurried to grab the last of her things to go downstairs. She had no intention of sleeping until Barry returned.

So, she waited, even when she felt the sleepiness taking over.

And she didn't know what time it was but she spent it all in the living room watching television until she felt the familiar wind as Barry zipped in straight for his bedroom. She rolled her eyes as she sat up, turning off the television. She got up and walked up the staircase to see what he had come up with. Acknowledging the late hour, she knocked lightly on his bedroom door asking if she could come in.

Course she could come in, he told her. And stepping in, she found him already changed for sleep as well...and with a very tired face.

"No luck?" she asked, closing the door behind her.

"I swear I am looking through every possible place," Barry began to pace, feeling even more stressed knowing Eddie was being forced to spend another night God knew where with Thawne.

"Hey," Belén moved over, stopping him in the middle of his pacing, "I know that. We all know that, I promise. But Thawne is just from the future so of course he's going to know things we don't. Doesn't mean we won't catch him, just...maybe it'll take a bit more of our time."

Barry sighed again, the stress combining with general tiredness.

"You're tired, get some rest and then tomorrow we'll both go out and search for Eddie again," she suggested, more like subtly ordered, but nonetheless kindly. She gave him a goodnight kiss and turned to leave.

But Barry wrapped his arms around her from behind, this time refusing to let her go. "Can you stay here instead?"

The question made her momentarily blush. "Um...I mean, if you'd like…"

"I really would," he admitted, keeping his arms tightly around him in case she actually left. "If Axel wakes up, I'll speed you to Iris' room myself."

She chuckled. "Lucky for you, Axel rarely wakes up in the night. I guess we can talk for a while," she tilted her head up to meet his gaze. "Fair warning, I might take all the blankets in the meantime."

"Fine, but I'm taking all of you then," he kissed her forehead and brought her back to bed.

"Wow, your jokes are even worse in the night," she said before climbing into bed with him.

"Right now, they're not good at any moment. I'm surprised this one was good," Barry sighed. He reached for her body to pull her closer to his. "Thanks for staying a while more."

Belén yawned before replying, "I needed this too. My siblings are M.I.A. and I'm a little scared of when they'll be coming back for me."

Barry tightened his hold on her just thinking about Maritza and Rayan. "I don't think Maritza would hurt you," he admitted. "When I told her everything, she seemed more broken and confused than...evil."

"Hmm..."

"Maybe, with luck, this time away from her son and you might give her a reality check," Barry continued but stopped when Belén gave no response. He shifted a little to look at her face and realized she'd fallen asleep too. She must have been really tired, then. Barry thought about bringing her back to Iris' room where Axel was but...he didn't want to.

Maybe it made him selfish to keep her with him but...he was comfortable where he was right now. He felt good. Lately, everything in his life had been confusing and terrifying but Belén made the feelings wash away when they were together.

Those were the last thoughts he had before he too fell asleep.

~ 0 ~

When Barry woke up the next morning he felt no less stressed. Although, when he felt his girlfriend's patterned-breathing hitting just below his jawline, it did make things better again. He leaned his head just the slightest to kiss her hair, but unfortunately she breathed in deeply, signaling she was waking up.

"Sorry," Barry apologized quietly, still pretty groggy himself.

"Good morning. I guess I fell asleep here, huh?" Belén greeted, languidly blinking and shifting herself a little to look at him. She had her head resting on his chest and refused to move at least for another while more. "I hope Axel hasn't woken up yet. Did I steal your blanket like I promised?"

"Mm, a but, but I kept you with me like I promised."

"I stand corrected - your jokes are worse in the mornings. Well I'm sorry, but your bed is actually really comfortable, and I learned that one the first time I stayed here." Belén smiled to herself as she then admitted, "It smelled like you."

Although still a bit sleepy, Barry cracked a smirk. "Well, being honest, when I moved back in it still kind of smelled like you in here."

"Shut up, you moved in like a month later," Belén chuckled lightly.

"No, I'm not kidding, it really did. Blankets, pillows, hell, there was even one particular shirt I swear smelled like you. I thought I was losing it."

Belén made a face he couldn't see. "That shirt...was it green and black? Plaid?"

"Yeah," Barry sniffed, beginning to will himself to finally wake up.

Belén shifted once more so that she could tilt her head up at him on his side. "I may have accidentally worn that at one point. Sorry."

"You wore my shirt?"

"Uh, yes, yes I did."

Barry looked down at her for a moment, thinking about this and how much sense it made later. Then, with a smirk on his face, he looked up to the ceiling. "That's kinda hot…"

Belén's face flushed bright red. "Barry…"

"No, I mean it," Barry rubbed one of his eyes, "Feel free to wear any of my clothes whenever you want."

Belén continued to blush but giggled. "I will make a mental note of that."

~ 0 ~

Cisco was hard at work on the many cameras Wells used to spy on them. He was busy taking one apart when Barry walked in.

"Hey. You planning on keeping all those cameras Wells used to spy on us? That's kind of creepy, don't you think?"

Cisco looked up completely disagreeing. "First rule of mechanical engineering, dude. Never waste good tech." Barry rolled his eyes but the computer beeping at them took over the conversation. Cisco moved over to see the problem. "Central City Gold Reserve's under attack."

"Gold?" Barry repeated. "That's the case Singh wants us on. I'll be right back."

Quickly in his suit, he sped over to the location of the ongoing crime. He was able to see the remnants of a violent car explosion when he spotted an armed figure covered in protective gear along with a helmet.

"You picked a bad day for this, pal," Barry intended on going forwards when he felt some sort of pressure in his brain. The pressure turned into a fierce pain that froze him to his spot. He saw brief images of irrelevant things such a medical lab, but in the process he fell to the ground unable to see more.

And then, just like that, the pain vanished. The armed figure ran away.

~ 0 ~

Caitlin flashed a light in Barry's eyes after hearing of the attack. "Your eye movement is normal. No signs of neurological damage."

"Do you think the thief might have been a meta-human who put the whammie on you or something?" asked Cisco who believed it could be a plausible reason for Barry's condition.

"I... I don't know. When Rainbow Raider got in my head, all I felt was anger. But this was not that. This was just overwhelming fear," Barry tried to explain as best as possible, but really the feeling was all new for him as well.

Cisco sat down at the small desk in the side room with them and brought up the security feed of the site of the rob. There they saw both Barry and the armed figure going down as if they had been both attacked.

"Hmm. Looks like when you went down, the thief got disoriented too," Cisco pointed out, moving to the side so that Caitlin and Barry could see as well.

"Maybe we both got whammied," Barry weakly theorized.

Iris walked in at that moment, shocking everyone, but not that she cared. She was...upset, and very. "Then you know how it feels. Hi, Barry. Or should I say The Flash?"

In less than five minutes, Iris and Barry had relocated to the training room to speak more privately, or so they believed as they didn't know they were being heard by Caitlin and Cisco out in the cortex.

"How did you find out?" Barry failed to wrap his mind around this.

"When I touched The Flash the other night, I felt a jolt of electricity. The only other time I have ever felt anything like that was when you were in a coma after the accident." Iris shared a bitter chuckle. "I can't believe I didn't figure it out sooner."

"I can only imagine how angry you are-"

"I'm not angry, Barry. I'm just disappointed." Iris shook her head. "Does Eddie know?"

Barry hated to put Eddie on the spot like that when the man wasn't even here to give his own defence statement, but Iris was so upset he thought it was just better to get through with the truth. "Yes, he does."

Iris' eyes filled with tears. "Is that why he got kidnapped?"

"No, I don't know why Wells took Eddie. I…"

Iris once again gaped. "Dr. Wells is the Man in Yellow?"

Barry sighed and began to explain. "Everything he's been doing, helping me... it was all a lie. Wells killed my mom."

"Is he gonna kill Eddie?"

"No, he's not. I'm gonna get Eddie back, I swear."

Iris crossed her arms. "Yeah, the Flash said the same thing yet here we are."

"Look, Iris, you have to believe me, I... There were so many times I wanted to tell you. You were the first person I wanted to tell, but everything started getting crazy, and I thought maybe Joe was right and I shouldn't say…"

Iris made a gesture for him to stop talking. "Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me that my dad knew and he told you not to tell me?"

"He was trying to protect you. We both were-"

"Yeah, well, maybe it's time you both stopped," Iris lowered her hand and took a moment before speaking again. "Did everyone know before me?" she asked quietly, tilting her head. "I mean, what about Belén? Does she know that you're…"

But Barry couldn't hide it anymore on his face.

Iris sighed in utter deception. "Of course she did," she once again bitterly smiled. "Of course she did. How couldn't she, hm?" She shook her head and promptly stormed out of the room.

~ 0 ~

Feeling incredibly guilty he was the source of the newfound problem, Barry had a quick, brief conversation with Belén over the phone to warn her that Iris could very well be on her way to speak with Belén next...probably to show her disappointment. Well, Belén decided she didn't want to wait until Iris showed up. She would be brave and face her close friend first. And that was why she had come into CC Picture News that following night, knowing Iris would probably be delving into work to forget or to distract herself.

"Hey," she politely greeted Iris, the latter only looking up briefly before returning to whatever was on her computer screen. Belén sighed and walked over to the desk opposite of Iris'. "I know you know…"

Iris didn't give her another look. "And what do you happen to know, Bells? That I know Barry lied, that my own Dad lied, or that you lied?"

"It wasn't my place to tell you-"

Setting down her pen rather loudly on her desk, Iris' eyes flickered to Belén. "It was your place because you knew that my best friend - my brother - was out there on the streets being the freaking Flash. When you are this close to me-" she gestured between herself and Belén, "-it is your right to tell me."

"It wasn't," Belén insisted, unable to get a bit teary. "When Barry told me he was the Flash I was just as mad - hell, I was more mad. And I figured it out like you did, so it wasn't even him deciding to tell me. I wanted to punch him in the face for about two weeks after I learned."

"When you went to Starling, huh?" Iris had put two and two afterwards, thinking it was way more sensible than Belén just spontaneously visiting her mother in Starling.

"I left because of that but also for other reasons. But look, in the beginning I was so mad that I didn't want to hear what Barry had to say. I just thought that he was a liar and that he was just laughing at me behind my back. But then I realized it wasn't as easy to do. I was kidnapped - twice - because people thought I had a connection to the Flash. I mean, Barry has to carry that with him - he has to carry with the fact things can happen to people around him because of who he is."

"It doesn't matter," Iris laid it out the way she saw it. "Because I could have helped instead of continuously getting in his way, getting in everyone's way. We grew up together, we shared everything."

"I know, I get that it's difficult, but please just look at it from his perspective," Belén tried reasoning with her.

"You want me to look from another perspective?" Iris challenged, crossing her arms as she feigned to think for a moment. "Hm, well, let's start with you then. You must have had your share of laughs with Barry behind my back when I stupidly theorized the Flash had a thing for you."

"That was-"

"That was a proper concern for me, you know that? That you could get seduced or swooned by this man who could run at lightspeed and...and forget that someone as sweet and caring as Barry was right there with you," Iris' anger simmered as she revealed this thought.

"I would never have done that even if they were two separate people," Belén whispered.

"But I thought it could happen, because I didn't know," Iris' voice shook. "But I mean, Barry liked you-" she gestured with one hand, "-and so the Flash liked you," she gestured with her other arm like a weighing scale. "How much did you laugh?"

"No one laughed, Iris, I swear," Belén sighed. "Look, you deserved to know, I'm not going to argue, but this is what happened and I'm sorry. And…" she sighed again, pausing as she considered if her next move was even worth it, "...since you know about Barry then...I guess you should know who I am."

"What?" Iris lowered her arms, growing confused again.

"I'm the Azalea, Iris. It's the other reason why I left for Starling," Belén shrugged while Iris' eyes widened. "I was affected too, and I didn't tell anyone - including STAR Labs - about it for a very long time."

"H-how...what…?" Iris looked to the side, now dumbfounded. "So you and Barry were just...out there...saving people…"

"Well, not exactly always but...sort of...yeah…"

"Unbelievable," Iris sat down on her chair to think things through.

"I'm sorry," Belén said, but Iris said no more. Feeling like she was done, Belén grabbed her purse and walked out of the building.

~ 0 ~

"And so I told her," Belén recounted her meeting with Iris to Barry that same night, but much later. The two were at Belén's house, both finding it easier not to face Iris for that night at her place. "Like...everything. And now she's kinda mad at me too."

"It's my fault," Barry rubbed his forehead with a deep sigh escaping through his lips.

Belén scooted closer to him on the couch, draping one arm around his shoulders. "It's not-"

"It is. I should have never listened to Joe-"

"If you hadn't and something happened then you would've blamed yourself too. This is a game that's hard to win at, Barry."

Barry lowered his hand from his face and looked at her, the tiniest of smiles on his lips. "I should count myself lucky, I guess, that she didn't react like you."

"I told Iris the same thing," Belén said in amusement. "I really did want to punch you, you know."

"Well deserved, I guess," Barry gave a sway of his head. "And if Iris wants to do it too then I'll just let her."

"So does that mean I still get to punch you?"

"Uh, no, it expired when you left to Starling for a month."

"It has no expiration date!"

"Oh yes it does! And besides, you owe me too, you know."

Belén feigned offence. "And what for?"

"For going to Oliver for help," Barry made a face that really did have offence written all over it.

Belén dropped her charade and smirked. "Barry Allen are you jealous I chose the Arrow over the Flash?"

"I'm just saying that I could have helped more than Oliver. And it would have involved a lot less arrows on your back." Belén burst out laughing much to Barry's disappointment. "I'm being serious!"

Belén just laughed some more.

~0~

The next day, the group of metahumans had come across their mysterious culprit in armed clothing as he tried to steal golden bricks, only to be caught this time by the Flash and Joe. Upon tearing off the helmet of the culprit, however, they came to the shock of finding General Eiling underneath. Although quickly they realized that Eiling wasn't quite there with them as the man had gone through an entire transition to the pipeline without so much as a word.

"I don't get it, what's wrong with him?" Belén looked away from Eiling who was now imprisoned in one of the pipeline pods.

Caitlin was making a face that said she was just as lost as they were. "I pulled a bullet out of his shoulder and he didn't even flinch."

"And that should have hurt him like hell," Joe mumbled, as he had been there with Caitlin to provide any security should Eiling have acted in the process.

"It didn't even seem like he felt it," Caitlin continued with her story. "I did a complete body scan, and otherwise, General Eiling is perfectly healthy."

"So why is he just standing there like a robot?" Barry asked the million-dollar question.

Cisco walked into the pipeline after finishing his talk on the phone. "I just got off the phone with ARGUS. Officially, Eiling is on administrative leave."

"Unofficially, then?" Belén gave a tint of a smile.

"I spoke with Diggle's wife, Lyla, and she said Eiling's been missing for the past three months and ARGUS is covering up for it."

"There you go," Belén glanced back at the imprisoned man.

"Last time I saw the general was when Ronnie and us broke Professor Stein out of that military facility. I'm sure they're covering that up too," Barry remarked.

"So where has he been since then?" Joe inquired and moved up closer to Eiling's pod. "General Eiling, why were you trying to rob the gold reserve?"

"Maybe he's in some kind of a trance?" Caitlin theorized, but she would of course need more studies.

"General, do you remember me?" Barry tried his hand at it and received an instant reaction from Eiling.

"Flash," went the man in a gruff voice.

"How does he know you're the Flash?" Belén panicked and looked at Barry.

"I've no idea," Barry honestly replied, eyes now glued to Eiling.

"General...Eiling not here. Eiling bad."

"Maybe it's some kind of psychotic break presenting itself as dissociative identity disorder," Caitlin said shortly afterwards.

Eiling's eyes flickered to the brunette. "Caitlin. Caitlin good."

"Oh, uh, thank you?" went Caitlin who became confused. She hadn't even met Eiling face to face before.

"Mm. Forget multiple personalities," Cisco said, just totally freaked out. "You guys have seen the Exorcist, right?"

Belén couldn't help smile as she glanced back at him. "You and your movies."

"Keep talking to him, Barry," Joe encouraged the metahuman. "He seems to respond to you."

"And Caitlin," Belén added curiously, wondering what kind of connection that could have.

Barry looked at Eiling again, a bit nervous and out of good question. "Uh, why is Eiling bad?"

"Eiling hurt me. I hurt Eiling."

"Okay, uh, so if you're not Eiling, then who are you?"

"I... Am...Grodd. Fear...me."

Joe looked back at Caitlin and Cisco, the two sharing a look between each other, and asked, "What is a...Grodd?"

~ 0 ~

"Oh, Grodd is a...gorilla," Barry sounded unimpressed as he, Belén and Joe watched a short video Caitlin had put up for them in the cortex that showed Grodd the Gorilla being fed through a cage by Caitlin herself.

"You guys had a gorilla?" Belén was just dumbfounded STAR Labs went this far to study. "No, wait, and you named him Grodd?"

"Five years ago, Eiling and Wells were working on a project to expand soldiers' cognitive abilities during battle," Caitlin began to explain. "What we didn't realize is that Eiling was trying to create soldiers with psychic abilities."

Joe frowned. "What do you mean "psychic"?

"Eiling was trying to create these super-soldiers with telepathic and telekinetic capabilities," Cisco clarified for them.

"But when Dr. Wells found out about the terrible experiments that Eiling was doing, he shut down the entire project," Caitlin finished.

"So our psycho-killer has a soft spot for animals," Joe made another face and looked back at the video. "That's sweet."

"What happened to Grodd?" Barry asked, figuring neither really knew.

"We don't know," Caitlin admitted. "After the Particle Accelerator exploded, I went down to check on him, and his cage was empty."

"Wait, are you telling me that Grodd could've been affected by the Particle Accelerator too?" Belén turned to the two scientists. "Can that happen?"

Cisco contemplated on the concept with a sigh. "When the dark matter hit Grodd, all the drugs and serums that Eiling injected him with could've activated. Maybe the Accelerator explosion created a meta-gorilla-" and then he became excited, "-And I think we know what happens when a super-intelligent ape who's pissed off at humans escapes captivity."

"Oh my God," Belén was once again amused by his movie sharing.

Caitlin moved over to the desk and started searching for Grodd's old file. "Cisco's right about the first part. This is the first brain scan that I did on Grodd."

She brought up one brain scan of Grodd's to the computer wall for the others to see. A good section of the brain were lit up with colorful shades.

"Whoa. His primary motor cortex and Broca's area are lit up like a Christmas tree," Barry remarked with widened eyes.

"From Eiling's experiments. And this is the brain scan that I just did on Eiling," Caitlin pulled up a second scan on the side of the first, revealing two near exact brain color shades. "His brain is lit up in the exact same way."

"So Grodd and Eiling are connected somehow?" Joe deduced after a moment.

"I think that somehow, Grodd is transmitting neural signals to Eiling's primary motor cortex. Mind control, telepathy…" Caitlin theorized, "Who knows what Grodd is capable of now?"

"What do we think Grodd wants? Revenge?"

"I do not like the fact that Wells rescued Grodd," Joe looked away from the screens. "I don't think it's a coincidence that this gorilla shows up at the very same time we're looking for Wells."

Caitlin could see that perhaps Joe could be right. "Grodd and Wells always did have a special bond."

"It wouldn't surprise me if Wells was using Grodd to distract us. If we find Grodd, we find Wells. If we find Wells…"

"We find Eddie," Iris walked in determinedly, expecting a good share of arguments just to stay there. "And I'm gonna help."

Caitlin looked at the rest nervously, and decided she would step in for Iris' case. "Know anything about gorillas?"

A grateful smile spread across Iris' face at Caitlin. "I just might."

~ 0 ~

Iris was given a seat at the desk to show the information she had gathered over her blog period and time at CC Picture News.

"There have been reports of some sort of animal down in the sewers," she explained as she brought in an article having to do with the topic.

"Mm. Alligators. C.H.U.D.S. R.O.U.S'es?" Cisco thought out loud but everyone gave him blank looks. With a frown, he sighed. "Am I the only one who watches movies around here?"

Iris continued searching. "Uh, a few months ago, two sewer workers went missing. The search party reported hearing strange animal like noises down in the tunnels."

"Where exactly did they go missing?" Caitlin asked her.

"Uh, Fifth Avenue and Tenth Street."

Cisco then took a seat on Iris' other side to turn on the third computer. "There's an access point to the sewers about two blocks east of that intersection."

"I'll start there," Barry said without a moment's thought.

"Not alone," Joe warned him. "I'm coming too."

"Huh, wading through miles of rats, roaches, and human excrement... count me out," Cisco said but then got a sharp look from Joe. "Count me in?" he amended disappointingly.

"He's your monkey," Joe had a brief laugh as he walked out of the cortex.

~ 0 ~

"Can we see them, still?" Belén asked Caitlin for about the third time after the men's cameras went online. Caitlin smiled and nodded her head, reassuring Belén that everything was going good so far. She knew Belén was annoyed that she had to stay back so Caitlin would answer her as many times as Belén asked.

"Well we can definitely hear Cisco yelp every time he sees a rat," Caitlin said thoughtfully before chuckling.

"Shush," they promptly heard Cisco over the comm.

Caitlin and Belén shared a mini-laugh afterwards.

"Belén? they heard Iris return. The woman had gone for a coffee down the hallway after their friends and her father decided to go on their own.

"Yeah, Iris?" Belén slowly looked at her, wondering where they stood in regards to their friendship.

"Why didn't Barry want to let you go?" Iris came up to the side of the desk they were sitting at, placing her cup over the taller side of said desk.

"Because your brother is overprotective, that's why," Belén sighed, but she knew Iris deserved a better explanation than that. "But that's not it. I...wanted to show you something." Iris gave her a questionable look but saw that Belén and Caitlin seemed to be on the same page. "Follow me," Belén started leading Iris out of the cortex.

Iris didn't ask any questions on their way into the pipeline, not even when Belén opened up the pipeline. But once she saw the familiar face of Noah inside a pod, her eyes widened in shock. "Is that...?"

"Oh, so now she knows too?" Noah jerked a thumb at Iris while looking at Belén.

"Why is he in there?" Iris was almost covering her mouth in shock. At first glance, Noah didn't look dangerous.

"Because he's Azul," Belén crossed her arms. "He's the one who tried killing us when the Trickster and James Jesse attacked, remember?"

Upon remembering, Iris fixated a glare on Noah. "You were Azul? This whole time you were playing us!"

"He was a spy..." Belén said slowly, "...for my brother and sister."

Iris opened her mouth with the intention of saying something when Belén's words registered in her head. "I'm sorry - brother? What?"

"My brother's alive, Iris, and he's a metahuman," Belén sighed as she got ready to say the next part, the most important part of the story. "And he's decided to use his powers for evil. Literally. Maritza's known about it all along and the reason she's gone is because Barry gave her an ultimatum: tell me the truth or leave. She chose to leave."

Iris looked between Belén and Noah with her mouth falling in a gape. "Oh my God..."

"You see why we didn't want to tell you everything? It's drama, and it's painful, and you didn't have to share the burden."

"If I had known I would have helped you," Iris said without the anger that had been lacing her words with everyone else. "At the very least I could have helped by just being there for you. Because learning all of this couldn't have been easy." Belén's gaze lowered, proving Iris' point. "I was there when you lost your brother, I could have been there when you learned he wasn't dead, but just...gone."

"I know," Belén slowly moved to close the pipeline. "It would have been nice..."

Iris could feel that Belén was doing her best not to show any tears. "Oh, Belén," Iris moved forwards to hug her friend. She expected to be there whenever any of their friends needed her from now on.

~0 ~

After a failed attempt of facing Grodd - that resulted in Joe's kidnapping - Cisco brought Barry back to immediately get checked over by Caitlin. Grodd had attacked Barry again, which resulted in the metahuman being knocked out cold.

Caitlin had pulled up his results of the brain scan and came to a familiar conclusion. "You're experiencing a spike of activity in your primary motor cortex. It's the same thing we saw in Eiling. The images you saw were some kind of psychic attack by Grodd."

Iris was in near tears at the side of the room. "First Eddie gets taken by The Man in Yellow, and now my dad…"

"And we're going to find them," Belén promised her, holding her hand. "We're getting them back, don't you worry."

"Hold up. I put a tracker in the tranq dart you shot Grodd with," Cisco recalled and started heading for the controller of said tracker. "As soon as it activates…"

Barry pulled off the device around his head meant to scan him and got up from his chair. "No, Cisco. I can't wait for that. I will search every inch of that sewer if I have to."

But Belén turned him around, slightly irritated he was entering his impulsive side again. "And then what, genius? Grodd is a gorilla that can telepathically attack you."

Barry knew she was right and sighed. He looked back at Caitlin and Cisco, pleading. "I don't... I mean... Can you guys build me something? Some kind of tech so he can't get into my head?"

Cisco looked unsure, matching Caitlin's expression. "I don't know. Maybe if Dr. Wells were here."

Iris looked between the two in disbelief. "I don't understand," she spoke up, making everyone glance at her to see her becoming upset. "Every day you guys figure out a way to help people. All of The Flash's powers and all of this equipment, and you can't save Eddie and my dad?"

"It's not that, we're just...a bit disoriented," Caitlin tried not to argue knowing that Iris was going through hardships. "We're lost, okay? But make no doubt Cisco and I are going to try. Aren't we?"

Seeing her looking at him expectantly, Cisco nodded his head. "Yes! On it! Now!"

And partly to avoid more accusations, the two scientists walked out the side room to get working.

Iris was left to look at Barry and Belén, and still mighty upset. "I can't get that sound out of my head. My dad screaming. Why did he insist on going down there with you? He's always preaching about being safe, but not once does he think about running into danger himself."

"That's just-"

"No," Iris said before either one could say more. "He's just a regular cop. He is not some meta-human with superpowers. He's not you two."

"We understand how you feel, and believe us, we're going to find him" Barry promised her.

~ 0 ~

It had taken them a little over two hours, but Caitlin and Cisco came through with a device meant to help Barry avoid being telepathically attacked by Grodd.

Caitlin presented to them a head device in her hands. "An anti-telepathy strip. It uses magnetic resonance to neutralize any foreign neurological stimulus."

"So it'll protect Barry from being mind-controlled?" Belén inquired.

Caitlin nodded but slowly came to a stop as she sighed and admitted to them, "That's the hope, but we have no way of knowing if it actually works."

Barry had faith in his friends' work and rook the device from Caitlin. "It'll work."

One of the computers started beeping and prompted Cisco to rush forwards. "The tracker just came online. We have Grodd's location."

Barry wasted no time and changed in a second. Belén sighed with full concern as he came towards them.

"You know we still have to work on your powers," he said as she continued to give him those worried eyes of hers.

"Doesn't mean I can't wish I was there with you," she countered glumly.

"We an't risk you losing control against a gorilla. A regular metahuman, fine. At least this way if we get our assess kicked it'll just be mine."

"My hero," Belén chuckled. She leaned forwards and gave him a short kiss on the lips.

"Always," Barry hugged her tight.

"Please get my dad back," Iris said after the two metas had pulled away.

"Promise," Barry nodded and sped off.

"Barry, what's your ETA?" Cisco had taken a seat by the desk in order to begin their plan.

"I'm in position," Barry called back.

"Wait for my signal."

Iris and Belén looked over to one of the computers on the wall. Iris saw two dots meaning to represent Barry and Grodd but was yet to understand what they were supposed to do next.

"Cisco?" Caitlin called after a minute.

"Okay. Here goes nothing," Cisco dramatically pressed on the keyboard."The steam's working. Grodd's on the move."

"I don't understand. What is the plan?" Iris asked from them, a bit impatient.

"He's maneuvering Grodd into a tunnel 5.3 miles from Barry…" Caitlin began and stopped as Belén gasped.

Iris saw her friend's off reaction and frowned. "So Barry can do what?"

"Oh, hell no," Belén glanced back at Cisco rather annoyed. "Is that why you didn't want to tell me?"

"Well, if we had then you wouldn't have let me say this-" Cisco took an excited breath in and exclaimed, "-Supersonic BOOM!"

"CISCO!" Belén half shouted but the man laughed anyways.

At the same time Barry took off from his position and made it towards the sewer. Soon as his balled fist made contact with Grodd, the gorilla grasped it effortlessly and threw Barry to the side.

Barry tumbled a bit until he landed flat on his back. "The supersonic punch failed." He pushed himself up and faced Grodd, seeing the gorilla narrowing its large eyes as it prepared for another mental attack. "Uh-oh. Here we go." He remained strong against Grodd, feeling nothing in his head. "It's okay, Cisco. The headset's working."

"Yes. Okay, uh, try some speed punches on him," Cisco suggested.

Barry nodded and endeavored in a series of super punches. "This isn't working!"

Cisco faltered as he came up with another idea. "Okay, what if you try…"

But Grodd acted first and seized Barry by the neck. Immediately the others saw his vitals acting out. Grodd threw Barry through one of the brick walls. From such a force Barry had to stay down over what felt like train railroad tracks. The built device malfunctioned after the strong blow and left Barry vulnerable against the telepathic attacks. Even as he tried getting upwards Grodd would mentally push him down with another attack.

Caitlin couldn't look at the screen anymore that showed Barry's vitals. "Barry's brain activity is off the charts. It's way worse than last time."

"That's because of the device failing, no?" Belén panicked as she got a glimpse of the screen.

"Grodd's attacking him psychically. He's paralyzed!"

"But it's at a railroad track!" Iris exclaimed.

Cisco hated making things worse but he warmed them. "Come on. There's a service train coming!"

Iris frantically looked at the three. "Do something please!"

"I can't stop the train!" Cisco said as he fiercely tried getting himself into the system.

"I-I have to get there!" Belén decided and made a move for her old suit when Cisco called her.

"You'd never make it and besides, you risk losing your control!'

Belén whirled around frantically. "I have to do something!" she ran back to the desk and situated herself between Caitlin and Cisco where the comm. was. "Barry, listen to me, okay? You have to concentrate on my voice. Whatever is happening to you, you have to fight it. I know you can do this. You've shown me how strong you are. I know you are so please, please stand up to Grodd. You can do this. Please. Barry, do it for me."

Her words rang true in Barry's head. He forced himself to get up, albeit wobbly, and quickly sped to the near wall as the train zoomed by. When it passed, he saw Grodd coming in through the giant hole of the other wall. Barry stepped forwards, back into the railroad tracks once he heard Cisco's warning. Grodd lunged towards him, nearly getting him if Barry hadn't sped back against the wall and the second train hadn't passed by. Grodd was swept away.

Barry then wasted no time and went through the tunnels to get Joe.

~0~

"Joe is going to be just fine," Caitlij emerged from the side room Joe was being kept in to recuperate. She had left Iris with him to look after him seeing the man was far more interested in getting back in the fight than to rest.

Belén had clung to Barry the moment he'd return from the tunnels. Even now she had her arm wrapped around him, refusing toblet him go in case he wanted to still go and find out what became of Grodd. "Maybe it's a good thing we didn't catch Grodd," she spoke up. "I mean, I doubt you guys have a super pipeline that can hold back a super-intelligent, telepathic gorilla."

"As always, right," Cisco pointed at her from the desk.

"Joe mentioned that Grodd called Wells 'Father.' And Wells must have ordered Grodd to come after us," Barry had thought about it long and hard and realized this was the only plausible reason. "It's why Grodd didn't kill Joe. I think Joe is right. Everything Grodd did, it was just to distract us." He then noticed Cisco's distant face. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Just thinking about this headset. It wasn't strong enough. You could've been killed out there, man."

Barry smiled. "No, dude, your tech worked, and it proved that we don't need Wells. The three of us took on Grodd and rescued Joe. Together, we can do anything."

"Actually, it was the five of us," Belén corrected, smiling. "If it wasn't for Iris, we wouldn't have even known where to begin our search."

Barry agreed with a nod. He lowered his head and kissed her hair. Perhaps he could relax just a little now...

~0~

Later on, Barry had wanted to see how Joe was doing before taking Belén home. In the meantime, Cisco had begun making other searches for their missing gorilla at the desk while Belén, Caitlin and Iris lounged about.

"You really think Grodd would actually still be in the city?" Iris looked at Cisco.

Cisco continued typing with eyes glued to the screen. "If he was working with Wells then I would assume though."

"Yeah, but where would they be?" Caitlin sighed as none of them came any closer to figuring out the answer.

"I don't know," Cisco answered truthfully. "He could be like Planet of the Apes and be plotting to destroy us again or maybe more classical like King Kong climbing up the tallest building in our city-"

Belén clapped a hand over his mouth. "No more movie talks, got it?" Cisco playfully narrowed his eyes on her. Belén slowly lifted her hand from his mouth and leaned back on her chair, laughing as she shook her head. "Sometimes I think this is the real reason we didn't work out as a date - you kept talking over the movie!"

Caitlin and Iris exchanged amused looks while Cisco became offended.

"I was trying to inform you!"

"It was a movie I'd never seen, Cisco, I didn't want to be informed," Belén shook her head.

"I didn't hear you complaining with all that popcorn you were eating!"

"That was me trying to focus on the movie!"

"But you say Barry does the same thing!"

"Yeah but at least he quiets down when I make him!"

Caitlin and Iris had to laugh as the other two got more worked up over their failed date. Unfortunately, Iris spotted Barry slowly coming into the cortex and immediately stopped. She whacked Caitlin and made the brunette see him as well.

"You two went out?" Barry walked around the desk leaving Caitlin and Iris behind him and Cisco and Belén in front.

Cisco exchanged a look with Belén, the latter getting more nervous by the second. He stood up and tried to explain as best as possible so there could be no room for doubts. "It was way before you woke up from your coma and then, as I'm sure you heard, it didn't work out!"

Belén got up as well to help Cisco out. The last thing they needed was to be divided among themselves while Wells was still out there. "We saw we were better as friends and that's how we stayed. Always."

Suddenly there were so many things that made sense to Barry. It explained why Belén and Cisco always seemed to share a closer bond than with anyone else. It explained why often times it seemed like Belén was more concerned for Cisco than a regular friend would be.

"You two…" he rubbed his temples, "...you two went on an actual date…? Like, Like with hand-holding, and-and kissing-"

"No!" went both Belén and Cisco.

"Well…" Belén sighed as she realized it wasn't entirely true. "It was...it was just at the end, and...and…"

"It didn't happen!" Cisco insisted. "Because we couldn't do it at the last moment. We leaned in but we couldn't go through with it."

Barry tried to understand that but the more he thought about it, the less he liked it. Picturing it was not helpful. He shook his head and looked at the two in question. "I-I..."

"Barry, you can't be mad..." Belén whispered, her heart actually hammering under her chest. Now all she was thinking was that she should have said something earlier, something even in passing...anything would have been better than Barry learning about it this way. "I'm sorry..."

Barry made a hand gesture for everyone to stop talking, despite Belén being the only one talking. Without saying a word, he turned and left the cortex.

Cisco drew out a long breath as everyone remained silent probably for their sakes. He looked over to Belén, seeing her close to tears, and wished he had never, ever gotten the idea to ask her out.

[diverdowns]

narciso anasui - 1 am character analysis

so, anasui — one of my favorite jjba characters, he’s probably somewhere around third or fourth on my list. i’ll do a quick rundown of his background and personality before i go in-depth into some of the arcs he’s in as well as some of his quotes, notably from the heavy weather arc and the made in heaven arc.

(as you might expect, major spoilers for all of part 6.)

i’ve tried to go easy on the headcanons and focus more on actual character analysis / meta stuff, so here we go.

anasui probably has some serious abandonment issues — we see in canon that it’s mentioned anasui had some major issues connecting with other people growing up, and so he developed a stilted sense of empathy + an obsession with dismantling / disassembling things. this presumably carried over to people — perhaps an underlying subconscious desire to understand people’s motivations that he couldn’t read on the surface through social cues that had, until that point, gone over his head. (or maybe he just really liked tinkering. who knows.)

judging at least from his obsession being allowed to grow unrestricted and out of hand as he continued to suffer socially as a result of it, we can probably assume that anasui’s parents probably didn’t care about him too much — at worst, they may have been neglectful or abusive. still, everything abt his parents is just speculation. notably mentioned in canon though: as a child, he disassembled his neighbor’s car, and was institutionalized for six months. being placed in a place like that for that long of a time does shit to you, and it’s def nothing pretty. add likely parental neglect to the equation, and you have abandonment issues just waiting to erupt.

(as a side note, psychologically, this is an obsessive ritual that can be seen in a number of conditions from asperger’s to alzheimer’s, so honestly any kind of mental illness speculation is fair game for anasui, but this isn’t the post for that.)

whatever the case, he seems to assimilate back into society once his awkward phase ended, though his strange upbringing probably left some lifelong habits / scars there, who knows. he doesn’t do anything to warrant serious attention until he’s 21. at this point, he has a (presumably) long-term, monogamous girlfriend — if it’s anything like the way he treated jolyne, we know that anasui is… overbearing, to say the least. in any case, he walks in on his girlfriend cheating on him when he makes a surprise visit to his girlfriend’s house, and murdered both of them, dismembering them so that “they would never come together again.”

it’s never mentioned if anasui was a stand user since birth, so we can assume he either used diver down to do all this disassembling or he was just…really good at taking things (and people) apart, but it’s likely that he’d had diver down from a young age — up until he’s imprisoned, it doesn’t seem like he was doing anything in particular that would’ve caused him to be normally strong enough to kill two grown adults on the spot, without the help of a stand. (then again, anasui’s capable of some pretty fucked up things either way, so this is just my speculation / hc.)

after his imprisonment, he has a full psychiatric analysis and — nobody can find anything technically wrong with him. besides his obsessive ritual and explosive temper, he’s…just a regular guy, albeit somewhat of an asshole. emporio mentions that his original obsession’s cause was never really discovered, as well. the murder of his girlfriend and girlfriend’s lover was highly publicized, his name being spread through news both on tv and in newspapers, so presumably the details of the crime were sufficiently brutal.

anasui shows a stunning lack of regard for most people’s wellbeing — for the most part, he ignores F.F. and offers little help as she fights kenzo and his dragon dream — though jolyne (and by extension, jotaro) is a notable exception. anasui claims to have fallen in love at first sight, attracted to jolyne by her iron will and strong determination to do the right thing and save her father, and expresses a strong desire to marry her. actually, when jolyne’s involved, he has an almost humorous lack of self-preservation — eg. during the green birth arc, when jolyne’s infected with a presumably fatal plant…infection…disease….thing, anasui not only touches the flowers growing across jolyne’s skin (trying to use his stand to destroy them from inside of jolyne’s body, to no avail) but also puts the flowers in his mouth, which while being played for laughs is also ridiculously foolish. (in general, though anasui ricochets heavily from being the comic relief character to being the stoic yet brash character in the main ensemble, mostly after weather’s death) there’s kind of an explanation for his reckless behavior, coming up later.

(keeping all of this in mind, and despite anasui’s willingness to use his stand to protect the main cast to the point of taking fatal blows for them, he is definitely not a good person. i just want to get that out of the way before someone accuses me of being like, an apologist lmao)

ok, so let’s go thru anasui’s main appearances, from his introduction onward.

emporio goes on to mention that “if weather report wasn’t here to keep [anasui] calm, there’s no telling what anasui’d do.” seeing as anasui is imprisoned when he’s 21, as mentioned in his introductory chapter, and he’s 25 when SO takes place, four years have passed since he’s landed in green dolphin street jail. (for reference, his sentence is for 12 years — relatively light for a double homicide, all things considered — so he’s served a third of that.) presumably, he’s known weather report for at least a majority of that time, as they at least have enough of a rapport for weather to keep anasui out of serious trouble. (weather is 39 during the events of SO. weather, for reference, has been in prison for around 20 years, since pucci took his memories from him when he was 16. also, at the beginning of the BR arc, weather has trouble using a sink that anasui with his impressive sink knowledge notes has been around in modern plumbing for at least 20 years. as a quick side note, anasui seems to have a ridiculous knowledge, in general, of a lot of mechanical things in general — during the yo-yo-ma arc, he spouts off the specifications of a random machine gun after just glancing at it.)

at the end of ch 697 we also just see a scene of weather and anasui hanging out in what appears to be some random ass hallway in the male ward of the prison with no guards around, so take that as you will lol. the two have presumably been hanging around each other for a while like this, so that’s interesting, at least.

the BR arc is where i really got into anasui, so let’s go a little in-depth on those chapters. anasui seems to know a whole bunch of random facts about disney world (though he holds a theme park guide in his hands while he spouts a bunch of random disney world facts, he doesn’t seem to look at it / open it until after he finishes talking, which draws out the legendary “where the fuck is mickey” line). he also mentions manhattan and rome, and how he’s been to neither of those places. it’s probably safe to assume that anasui is floridian — but maybe he’s just really passionate about orlando, who knows. he seems pretty passionate about sinks, too. other than that, not much real information is released here besides things like “anasui’s very passionate about mickey” and “weather report is a fan of post-impressionism”

so, on to the Fun Arc. heavy weather. when weather first gets his memories back, the first things he does, in order, are shove a injured person out of a chair, take said chair, and then force water into a doctor’s body to make him into a chair.

anasui, despite being a literal murderer and honestly doing plenty of fucked up things over the course of the series, flips his shit. he’s legitimately horrified, probably less so from what weather’s doing and more so that it’s weather that’s doing it. actually, weather kinda acts like anasui, honestly, so maybe this is also just anasui being a giant hypocrite, but hey. he’s literally described between chapters as having no idea what’s going on and being pretty freaked out — he’s just following weather at this point because he still has no idea where jolyne is.

(im going to note for my own self-satisfaction that despite weather’s whole “you’re only useful to me now cause you can kill me, anasui” line and all that, when pucci grabs anasui during weather’s fight against him, weather visibly reacts and gets worried regardless, so hey, my rarepair)

okay, after weather’s death, anasui makes a mini speech. (arguably, weather’s death is the turning point for anasui to take more of a serious and less of a comedic role.) here’s what he says:

“listen, jolyne. people have called me a ‘murderer.’ the papers have called me that, and i can’t say that i disagree with them. when people asked me if i would sacrifice myself for the sake of my family, i answered ‘no.’ i’d probably answer that way, now. my heart was never moved by them.”

(more evidence to suggest that anasui’s relationship with his family wasn’t necessarily the best.)

“but i know that i’d be willing to risk my life for something that was able to revive me. i used to be dead.”

interjection here: whether he’s talking about his betrayal (when his girlfriend cheated) or maybe just a general feeling of aimlessness towards life in general, this is pretty dark for anasui, actually. it’s one of the only times he even talks abt his crimes, and this is an interesting concept that araki explores a few times with multiple characters. (eg. anasui risks his life to revive himself with “love,” or what he thinks is love, in any case, to follow jolyne. abbacchio does something similar to follow buccellati, in p5. weather “revives himself” for revenge, and johnny in p7 for the hope of walking again.)

prior to giving himself a mission (jolyne), anasui thinks of himself as functionally dead. this also explains, for example, his nonchalance towards risking his own life and wellbeing for the others.

“weather was that way, too. weather came back to life when he left that prison. i can tell. so don’t think too deeply about what happened to him. these past few days, weather was happy. weather was already saved.”

— okay, in my mind, most of this is just shit anasui says to make jolyne and hermes feel better about weather’s sudden death. to an extent, it’s true: weather prior to getting his memories back was enraptured with the world outside the prison, helping innocent people, messing with sinks, reading fairy tales, but that’s not really the truth. after getting his memories back, weather admits to wanting to die, admitting that he took a cruel sense of pleasure in watching heavy weather run its course and telling anasui that in a twisted way, he’s glad anasui’s there so that he’d kill him. weather’s not happy.

(but who knows? in the end, the character that actually knew weather for the longest was anasui — maybe he’s right and that there was something that revived in weather that we didn’t get to see as the readers.)

but what’s interesting is that he doesn’t mention weather’s sudden transformation after getting his memories back, he lets jolyne and hermes carry on the weather they knew in their thoughts, instead of telling them the truth of weather’s personality. on my second read-through, i noticed that (besides pucci, i guess, and versace by proxy) anasui is the only one who sees weather’s true personality.

and maybe, dying for the sake of his goal (ie. weather’s attempted revenge) was close enough to redemption, in anasui’s eyes. if we pick apart weather’s final goals, he’s living only so that he can 1. take revenge on pucci and 2. die. honestly, in a sad, fucked up anasui-logic kind of way, weather dying in his attempt to kill pucci at least fulfills half of those goals, so it’s not a stretch that anasui could shrug and say “close enough i guess.” but imo, he still says what he does mostly to ease jolyne and hermes’ consciences. it’s one of his kinder moments.

in the actual final fight against pucci, anasui’s probably just behind jotaro in terms of fully grasping and understanding pucci’s abilities — and their implications in battle. his final plan is the only one they really have: because diver down is able to phase through and protect all of the others, he will take the first hit from pucci, and at that exact moment jotaro will stop time and presumably ora pucci into oblivion.

it doesn’t work, but the plan had merit and was surprisingly well thought-out, showing quite a few of his personality traits — while he’s angry and headstrong most of the time, he’s relatively good at thinking on his feet and is always quick to come up with plans, especially in battle. now let’s look at his last lines.

“don’t stop [pucci’s blow] before he hits me. do it after…”

while all the other characters pause and stare at him in shock after he says this, he’s relatively calm about it. he knows it’s the only chance they have, regardless of the danger it poses to himself. dying, to anasui, is not the worst that can happen — it’s having to live again with no purpose (which he’s established, atm, as jolyne).

“ever since i got out of prison, i’ve managed to stay alive… if i can just stay alive, keep this trend… then maybe i’ll ask jolyne to marry me. …or, you know, something like that.”

a lot of people do make light of this (and it’s somewhat comedic, for sure) but it’s interesting again to see how much this drives him. before i really get into it, let’s take a look at jolyne’s (infamous) response.

(jolyne:) “anasui… all right, ask me. […] your plan… it still as hope. it’s not darkness that drives you… even if there’s only one path that we can take, if there’s a hint of hope, then that’s the right path.

holy shit do i love this quote. in the end, anasui’s not… redeemed, not really. he’s still a murderer. he still feels no remorse over killing those people. but he’s not evil, either. his motivation is that he wants to live for real: he is driven by hope. and through all the morally grey protagonists of parts 5 on, this is what they all have in common: a hope or dream that gives someone who’d thought themselves dead something to live for. jolyne doesn’t say this because she’s suddenly in love with anasui, or because she wants to marry them, she says it because she’s realizing this — she’s realizing that anasui’s hope, his resolve, might be enough for this plan to work.

actually, in the end, in an ironic twist of fate, he does die for — and by — jolyne’s hand. (hah.) pucci redirects stone free’s punch into anasui’s torso, piercing through his chest and killing him near instantly. rip. and that, in any case, draws an end to this wall of text.

also i think one random fic i read mentioned a throwaway line that anasui apparently had about him having been married once in prison? i dont recall anything like that, but someone else has confirmed it (i’d love to find the source, if anyone has it!)

i’d love to get into the whole thing about his motivation in the first place: why anasui “falls in love” with jolyne and why that matters, as well as possible subconscious motivations for his obsessions/his stand ability but that’s falling solidly into the territory of hc’s, and not so much analysis/meta. 

i’ll write it up some other time, maybe, if there’s interest.

[nyquiloid]

THE (IN)COMPLETE ACCURSED SAGA OF FRANK KNOWBODIE & FRIENDS LORE (2021) ft. childhoodfriends both beloved and [REDACTED] AKA my surface pen broke so now you have to listen to me talk about cursed creations from 10 years ago (sheesh)

I was at the tender age of 7 (probably), my elementary school class was lined up in the hallway for a bathroom break. A teacher asked who was still left in the bathroom, and many children responded “Nobody”. There, at that moment, a (less than) brilliant idea formed in my head, I would create a personification of Nobody. I was already familiar with imaginary friends, so this was not new for me. A friend caught on and the name Frank Nobody was coined, then later it was altered to Frank Knowbodie. At the time it was an innocent creation, a mere childhood skit, it had no idea what I had started, but it was too late, the fire was ignited and there was no turning back. 

The first year or so of Frank’s creation were slow, an imaginary friend to laugh and joke about occasionally, but as I grew older, the layers would pile. 

SECTION A: A Homeland and its inhabitants

Frank’s story begins in a territory called “No Mexico” in a city called “Knowwhere”. No Mexico is located between the border of New Mexico and Arizona, and is only visible to the citizens and certain people who just happen to be allowed to see it (and subsequently all of its citizens and creatures). As No Mexico is not widely visible, neither are its citizens and creatures, again only certain people are born with the ability to see them. 

Frank and his family were all born and raised in No Mexico, on a Ranch/Farm. They were one of the largest producers of Moosicorn Milk. I Don't want to have to explain what moosicorns are. Theres really not much else there, they lived on a Moosicorn ranch.

When Frank was around 9 years old (presumably) his parents moved to our city in Florida. The reason why was never explicitly stated or explained, and to this day I still don't know ( and IM the motherfucker that created this).

SECTION B: Frank’s Personality & Physical Traits

Frank was a dweeby kid who was prone to getting violently bullied by both my friends and I AND the other kids in my class no shit. 

Frank was slightly shy, but one you got to know him he was energetic and in some people’s words “annoying”, but it didn’t stop him from his hobbies/interests. He liked climbing trees, and he liked animals. He would frequently get injured via both of these things. 

He was a tall and lanky kid, (canonically he’s a few years older than us), he had a farmer’s tan and dark brown hair ( in my mind he was always Mexican, but my [REDACTED] Co-contributor at the time imagined him as white, but IM the one who created him so I get to say what he is and he’s CANONICALLY MEXICAN)

His favorite color was a sort of faded periwinkle blue. He also had a liking to rainbow/holographic colored things because that was the color of  moosicorn milk, and it reminded him of home. 

SECTION C: His Family

Frank had four sisters and one (or two?) brother (allegedly? I don't remember most of them) 

He had an older sister (name forgotten/unknown) She was married with a daughter (names unknown) aka Frank’s niece. 

His other older sister was named Carrie (I think??) At the time of creation she was attending a local Highschool. 

His third older sister (name also forgotten) Who was four (?) years older than us, and attended our PK-8 school. 

His fourth sister was a year younger than us and three years younger than frank. (I think her name was Molly or Maria, but I might be wrong) she was the most prominent sibling. She was more charismatic than Frank, and was allegedly popular in her grade, she was almost the polar opposite of Frank. She had a cat named Luna. 

He had a baby brother who was named John. Not much there.

I think there was mentions of an older brother in between Carrie and the oldest, but most likely only mentioned once. 

His parents were named Bob and Melinda (?) and they were, (allegedly) very rich via less-than-legal activity. Maybe this is why they moved to Florida?

SECTION D: His Pets 

Frank Knowbodie had a beloved childhood pet “dog” named Porky. 

Porky was a rather chubby looking thing brown with black spots, and had a fucked up face, making him look like a strange pig. 

Frank would bring Porky to school, which he could do only because the teachers couldn’t see him or his dog.  One day, Porky got through a fence at school and was flattened by a car, RIP. Fortunately, before Porky’s death, a neighbor of the Knowbodie’s had an equally pig like dog, which had puppies with Porky. this family allowed Frank to claim one of the pup’s which he named Piggy. 

Frank’s family also had several cats that they took in. Most belonged to Molly(?). The names were Stella, Luna, Orion, Starry, and Sunny. As you can see there was a theme. 

There was also the fact that the Knowbodies brought some of their prize moosicorn’s with them, though I'm not sure if you could call that a pet?

SECTION E: CULTURAL IMPACT 1 “Just beginning”

When Frank was 12 and we were 10, he was growing in popularity. He was a strange inconceivable entity to most, a concept at best. To my friends and I, he was very real. 

We would do our best to convince everyone that he was really there standing next to us. Eventually a surprising large amount of classmates caught on, albeit to bully/tease the ever-loving hell out of him, but at least they acknowledged him. This grew to the point that our beloved 5th grade teacher let us put a nametag for Frank on an empty desk in the back. Things were just beginning. 

SECTION F: Sara 

Originally I was going to save this section for an entirely different post but hey while we’re at it. 

Sara’s lore reached even further than Frank’s. I would typically say Sara originated when I was 6 years old, but the reality is even further back. 

At the age of 4, an illiterate child, I used to draw little “comics” about a spy named Sara and her partner Flower. So at the age of 6, Sara, ex-child spy, became my imaginary friend. Sara was eccentric and hyper. She enjoyed sewing as many pockets on to her clothes as possible. When she got older, she dyed her hair so much, people didn’t know what the original color was (it was dark brown). 

Eventually I “brought her back” when Frank began to pick up steam. Sara was mad jealous of Frank, because he was stealing my attention as a friend. She would lash out to him at first, but over time, she began to like him. She eventually apologized for her previous actions and became one of his closest friends. 

Frank allegedly had a little bit of a crush on Sara, but it would be revealed later that Sara was not even into boys. 

So there, Sara No-name, ex-child spy lesbian who enjoyed sewing and committing crimes. To be honest I don't have much of an emotional connection to Sara as I do with Frank, even if she existed long before. 

(I am also going to mention another “imaginary” character named Crystal, she was the imaginary friend of one of my longtime best friends. I don't know her backstory and don’t really have the authority to mention much else besides the fact that she was another frequent character of our made up plot)

SECTION G: The comics “ a snippet” 

This part will have an entirely different post dedicated to it, there are as many layers to the lore of the comics are there are to Frank’s story. I will try to be as brief as possible. 

At the ages of 9 to11, I started to draw little mini comics on Index cards. They would be about little caricatures of my friends and I, and other little characters we made up. The line between these comic stories and reality often blurred when we were playing around. Frank was never explicitly depicted in the comics, but only because (by technical terms) he was unable to be perceived by most. Drawing him would give away a bit of the mystery and fun of it. Unfortunately any mention of him in the comics is lost to time, as most of the physical comic cards were destroyed or lost in the incident of 2018. 

There were hundreds of these little cards, and he was included (by mention or crudely drawn shapes to allude to his form) in roughly 10 of them maybe?

SECTION H: CULTURAL IMPACT 2

I was 11-12, at the peak of Frank Knowbodie fame and impact, I was very active online. Forums, blogs, YouTube, you name it. It was time to make Frank Knowbodie an internet persona. 

Tumblr account, a Roblox account, multiple emails, A twitter, a YouTube channel, A Google Plus (RIP) were all created and dedicated to Frank. Most of these are now defunct, save for maybe the Roblox and emails. 

I remember I would post on these accounts playing as Frank. If you used to follow my original tumblr you might remember a few of my posts. I remember going on Omegle and trying to get people to follow the Frank Knowbodie accounts and understand the stories. Most of these attempts fell through unfortunately (or fortunately) and the content is lost to time. 

Section I: The Disney World Incident

There were so many different little skits and situations we placed Frank & his companions in, I couldn't possible list them all, so I will mention one of the most prominent.

In 6th grade, [REDACTED] asked a beloved friend and I to Disney world for a birthday gift, which we agreed and happily went along, with Frank trailing along as usual. 

Then... the incident. We were on splash mountain and forgot Frank on the ride. The thing was, he couldn’t ask to get out, as no one could see him. He was stuck on in infinite loop on the ride, for One Whole Year. He ate popcorn and snacks that others (that could see him) threw at him. That was the extent of it, and eventually he made his was off, and entered 7th grade with us. 

Section J: 7th grade, and Carter “a snippet”

7th grade is seen as a turning point for me and all of my friends at the time. My personal friend group turned from a trio to a quintet (kind of) to a duo and sometimes a trio again. Middle school drama caused a lot of divides, both willing and unwillingly, some of my friends and I grew apart in the years following 6th grade. But not to get too ahead of myself. 

[REDACTED] and I changed a great deal in the summer following 6th grade. I still lugged around my giant sketchbook with loads of comics and doodles when we returned in August. She on the other hand was... different, it was probably for the best, as her “true self” was revealed more and more. What does this have to do with Frank? Well she was the largest contributor to his story behind me, she started to reject our “childish” skits and games. It broke my heart a little, because I loved my stories, and I (we) were still 12, I didn’t want to grow up and stop making that kind of stuff. 

I remember one conversation, when another classmate mentioned/asked Frank, and she seemed very embarrassed and judgmental, as she nervously laughed and quickly made an impromptu joking story along the lines of “Oh, haha yeah he got expelled!” or something. She brushed it off so she wouldn’t have to face her past embarrassments while giving me a sideways glace. She was too good for it then, there was no creative fire to her story, she had a tone of voice, and look on her face that reminded me of all of my older cousins who judged and cringed at me for acting like a kid. 

So... Carter... Well in 7th grade, another beloved friend of mine had a faulty iPad. When she would tap or try to interact with it, it would let out a terrifying high-pitched shrill. So being an edgy little fuck, and also a 12 year old who loved storytelling, my friends and I called this phenomenon “Carter”. Carter was a tech-demon, who inhabited (mostly modern) technology and haunted people via the internet. 

Originally Carter’s appearance was a grey-skinned demon, with red eyes and “glitchy” wings. A pretty basic appearance for any preteen OC design. 

Later though, my older sister helped me tweak his design, he was primarily blue themed, no wings, but he had a tail with a more sci-fi ‘vibe’. 

Carter’s backstory changed over the years, but the general consensus was that  he died via some sort of technology/internet related incident in the late 90s-early 2000s . He was stuck between the human and demon world, cursed to roam eternity alone, and not visible to humans. He would go on to spook people through their devices for sport, until he traveled to my friend’s iPad, and met Frank& Friends. Frank & his family/friends are able to see him, because of some ancient deal between demons and the ancestors of the No Mexico citizens (It’s a stretch I KNOW, but all of this is pretty far fetched, and again, I was 12). Carter becomes close friends with Frank, and was very appreciative of him because he is the first person in years to show him kindness. At the time, I was a spiteful closeted kid, and I knew making Frank canonically have a crush on Carter would piss off [REDACTED], as I had suspicions that she was homophobic. (Spoiler, she was very subtlety homophobic in 8th grade and later in highschool it was kind of confirmed that she was) 

At the time I was first dipping into what would later develop into my current drawing style, and I loved to draw Carter and Frank. 

However, these drawings, and Carter’s creation, was a silent signal to the closing of Frank’s story, and my childhood as I knew it. 

SECTION K: The End of An Era, and the Impact of One Beloved Childhood Character. 

After 7th grade, my life got increasingly complicated. Friends moved on, I started to create new stories, my old comics collected dust under my bed, and Frank became a sweet memory of happier times. 

I had to move on (reluctantly), and “face reality” according to most people around me. Years past, I started highschool, and forced myself to grow up, giving up my “childish tendencies”. I doodled Frank maybe twice since I was 12, but never really looked back until now. I think at first Frank was a joke of course, but as I developed his story, he was more of a projection of my complex 11 year old thoughts and feelings. 

There was a time at 14 where I avoided mentioning him, I became what I hated, I was just like [REDACTED], I hated my younger self for acting like a kid and doing what made me happy. I threw away mass amounts of comics and trinkets I made, I was terrified of being seen as a awkward kid. I regret it now, I know know I was a young kid who was hurting so deeply from growing up, who was so scared of it. It was such a silly thing too, to hate myself for something so simple. 

I owe so much to Frank in a way. Him and his story paved a way for me today, to make my current stories and characters, more complex of course, but I still owe it all. I don't deny myself anymore, he taught me over the years that I don’t have to hide my true self, from [REDACTED] or anyone else.  As I enter senior year soon, I am so grateful for my past and the fun I has while it lasted. Its like that one stupid saying, although it’s a joke, there is a funny little truth to it. “Don’t kill the part of you that is cringe, kill the part of you that cringes.”

[weekendwarriorblog]

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND  October 5, 2018  -  Venom, The Star Is Born, The Hate U Give

Going to change things up again this week as we get into October, because I want to give special attention to a film called THE HATE U GIVE (20thCentury Fox), which is opening in select cities this weekend but will expand nationwide on October 19.

In this adaptation of Angie Thomas’ book (which I haven’t read), Amandla Stenberg plays Starr Carter, a teen girl living a dual life with her family in the primarily black Garden Heights community and when hanging out with her bratty white high school friends who are always trying to act “ghetto” around her. At home, Starr has loving parents, Maverick and Lisa (Russell Hornsby, Regina Hall), a younger brother Sekani and half-brother Seven. When Starr sees her childhood friend Khalil (Algee Smith) shot by a white police officer, she’s unsure whether she should come forward and testify. Her police officer uncle Carlos (Common) doesn’t think so, especially since Khalil might have involved with Maverick’s old crime-boss King (Anthony Mackie), who wouldn’t want his business known to the police.

It seems like a fairly simple plot derived from the #BlackLivesMatter movement, but there’s so much more to the movie than the ongoing battle between the police and the poorer communities they patrol.  In many ways, Starr is dealing with an identity crisis that I imagine   many African-Americans must face, having to be one way around white friends and co-workers and another way at home or with their family.

Besides the fact that this is Stenberg’s third movie this year where she had a hunky white boyfriend, she is so much better in this than her other films because she brings a playful energy to Starr that makes you want to follow her story.

Audrey Wells adapted Thomas’ book into a fantastic screenplay and director George Tillman Jr., whose filmography includes oddities like the biopic Notorious and Dwayne Johnson’s Faster, really directs the hell out of this movie

There are so many great scenes including one between Stenberg and Common where they have an honest talk about the different sides of what might seem like a cut-and-dry case of police racism.

The Hate U Give (which is derived from Tupac’s “T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E” motto that “the hate u give little infants effs everyone) is a movie that shares an important message without hitting you over the head with it ala Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman or some of the other films in the oeuvre release this year.

I guess my only misgiving about the film is that it goes on a little long, offering a few satisfying scenes that could have easily ended things there, but then continuing with a full-scale riot when tempers explode after the trial of Khalil’s murderer.

In my opinion, this is up there with some of the best movies I’ve seen this year, and only slightly behind A Star Is Born (review below) this week. While on the surface, it might not seem like a movie that would appeal to everyone, it works on so many levels, including as a straight-up coming-of-age film (and by now, you all should know how much I love those).

Rating: 8.5/10

The Hate U Give is kind of the Hollywood version of the #BlackLivesMatter story, but if you’re looking for something a little more grounded in reality, you should check out Reinaldo Marcus Green’s Monsters and Men (Neon), which is now playing in select cities. I got a chance to rewatch it this past week, and I was just as impressed as when I saw it at Sundance.  BlacKkKlansman star John David Washington is particularly impressive, again playing a police officer.

We now return you to the regularly-scheduled movie preview column after the jump…

This might surprise some but not others that this coming October is offering some of what might be the best films of the year, between this week’sA Star Is Born and The Hate U Give to next week’s First Man and Bad Times at the El Royale. We’re living in exciting times!  

VENOM (Sony)

In what looks to be the second to last “superhero” movie of the year, Sony is finally making a movie dedicated to Spider-Man’s arch-nemesis who later became a hero, hoping the fans will forget all about the awful version of Venom from Spider-Man 3.  A big selling point for the movie is that it returns Tom Hardy to the comic book world after playing Bane in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises, and he better hope fans like his Eddie Brock/Venom more than they did his strange-sounding villain.

Hardy has been laying low recently, his last film being Nolan’s Dunkirklast year in which the actor was barely recognizable as a WWII jet pilot. It was two years before that when he appeared in Inarritu’s Oscar-winning The Revenant, the crime-drama Legendand George Miller’s long-awaited (and also multiple Oscar nominee) Mad Max: Fury Road.  In the years following The Dark Knight Rises, Hardy has also starred in a number of smaller films that haven’t gotten much traction, so it’s odd to see him returning to superheroes only six years after playing Bane.

Venomalso brings director Ruben Fleischer back into the Sony fold after directing the horror-comedy hit Zombieland and the comedy 30 Minutes or Less, although Fleischer has been focusing on television in the last five years since the Ryan Gosling crime-drama Gangster Squad. Neither of the latter two movies did as well as Zombieland, and it definitely feels like he has something to prove with Venom.

Unfortunately, people have already been vocally pessimistic about the movie ever since the first trailer didn’t bother to actually show Venom, and things got even more questionable after seeing Venom in a rather awkward longer trailer.  Much of the movie’s success is going to depend on whether reviews totally trash the movie or whether some critics actually like what Fleischer and Hardy are doing. So far, the RottenTomatoes reviews are at 28% Fresh, pointing more to the former, but one wonders if curious fans will still give the movie a chance.

Some have suggested Venom could open with over $60 million but I’m going a bit lower with around $55 to 57 million and $130 million or so total domestic. What’s interesting is that the opening range for the movie puts Venom into consideration to become the top October opening over Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity, which opened with $55 million a few years ago. Regardless of whether it sets a new October opening record or not, I expect a fairly large drop after its opening weekend just because the fans will rush out to see it and then move onto other things.  Expect this to end up around $125 million domestic, which is not great, probably not enough for a sequel unless the movie surprises internationally.

Mini-Review: I’ve never been a huge fan of Venom as a comic book character. He always seemed a little one-dimensional to me, even as other writers/artists tried to flesh him and his host Eddie Brock out. (So far, Donny Cates’ take on Venom is well worth reading.)

I’m going to assume you know something about the character, his history as a Spider-Man costume-turned-villain and then how he became a hero. It’s obvious Tom Hardy and director Reuben Fleischer were making a movie for fans of the character who were disappointed with his handling by Sam Raimi in Spider-Man 3, and for the most part, it’s fairly faithful other than any references to Spider-Man.  In fact, the whole story has  been moved to San Francisco, as to avoid any other Spider-Man comparisons.

In this case, the symbiote comes down to earth in a space shuttle made by the Life Corporation run by an Elon Musk-type CEO named Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), and Drake does experiments on the homeless to try to make them hosts for the alien creatures. Tom Hardy plays investigative reporter Eddie Brock, a big-time loser who loses his lawyer girlfriend (Michelle Williams) when he snoops into a case against Drake. While investigating at the Life Corporation, one of the symbiotes takes to Brock, and you can probably guess what happens.

Although this is a straight-up origin story in the simplest terms, some things just don’t work and there are definitely issues, the first being the often silly screenplay that is constantly on the border of veering into campy Nicolas Cage territory. Much of that is due to Hardy, who plays off the silliness of the schizophrenic nature of the character,

On paper, Venom could have easily been a terrifying R-rated horror film with lots of gore, but trying to keep it at PG-13 means that Fleischer makes it more of an action-comedy, and there is enough decent action scenes and quirky humor to keep things entertaining.

Probably one of the things that makes or breaks any comic book movie is the CG visual FX and Fleischer’s hefty team of animators does a decent job making Venom watchable with long black tendrils that reminded me of the video game Prototype (one of my first Xbox games). Things do get a little messy when a counter-symbiote is introduced named “Riot” is introduce and the end battle has some of the same problems as the Ed Norton The Incredible Hulk in that it just doesn’t deliver.

Even so, if you ARE a fan of the comic character, you should be pleased with this incarnation just as those unfamiliar with the character from the comics will probably find the movie and Hardy’s performance to be off-putting. The film never deteriorates to the point of being a Catwoman or Fantastic Fourlevel trash fire, though. Despite some tonal issues, it’s often fun and entertaining, especially the action scenes, and if nothing else, there’s an end credits scene that will make people (esp. Venom fans) hope this movie does well enough to warrant a sequel. Rating: 6.5/10

Venom is going to have a lot of strong competition for older moviegoers and women of all ages with...

A STAR IS BORN (Warner Bros.)

This wasn’t even remotely one of my more anticipated movies of the year until it started getting rave reviews out of the early September festivals, but I’m sure it would have gotten a lot of attention for being Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut, even if it seems like a shoe-in to win lots of awards over the next few months.

Obviously, this is a remake of a movie that dates back to the 1937 movie starring Fredric March and Janet Gaynor, which was nominated for 8 Oscars, winning for its story (as opposed to its screenplay). It was remade in 1954 with Judy Garland, and that was nominated for six Oscars and then again in 1974 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Krisstoferson, and that also only won one Oscar out of four nominations. Can Bradley Cooper’s version possibly break the “jinx” and make a movie that wins more than one Oscar? I think so.

Cooper has mostly been taking time off of acting to direct A Star Is Born, merely providing the voice of Rocket in last year’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and this year’s Avengers: Infinity War. He kind of hit a bit of a downturn in the years following his enormous hit American Sniper for Clint Eastwood, which grossed $350 million and got Cooper his third and fourth Oscar nominations. (Cooper has already been earmarked for a number of Oscar nominations for A Star is Born, for acting, directing and possibly even for writing some of the film’s songs.) Neither of Cooper’s 2015 movies with Jennifer Lawrence (Serena and Joy) did as well as their first two movies together with David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle. Cooper’s movies with Cameron Crowe (Aloha) and his cooking movie Burnt also didn’t do very well. Even so, Cooper had already been elevated to the A-list as an actor

The real ringer for Cooper’s debut is casting Lady Gaga in the role of Ally, the lounge singer who Cooper’s Jackson Maine discovers and falls for, because Lady Gaga has such an enormous diehard fanbase that even the younger girls might not be discouraged by the film’s soft-R rating. (Honestly, I still have to question the MPAA who gives this an R and Venom a PG-13 when there was WAY more swearing in that one.) Anyway, Lady Gaga is pegged to be nominated for an Oscar for her performance and probably one of her songs, too,

Another one of the films ringers is comedian Dave Chapelle, who basically just appears in one section of the movie but Warner Bros. wisely has cut a second trailer featuring him to play in movies like Night School in hopes of appealing to some of the African-American audiences that will see this movie as very white bread. More importantly, it stars Sam Elliot as Jackson’s older brother who has many great scenes with Cooper and is likely to be nominated for his first Oscar for it. (He should have been nominated for last year’s The Hero if you ask me.)

There are many easy comparisons for A Star is Born from Eminem’s 8 Mile ($51.2 million opening, $116m total) and the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line ($22.3m opening, $119m total). There’s certainly the hype that came with 8 Mile going into opening weekend and Cooper certainly has enough box office pull, but the fact that this is a remake might already make some older audiences wary. At the same time, Gaga and Cooper’s modern take on the age-old story is likely to appeal to younger audiences, as will the music that runs a wide gamut of country rockers and ballads, including a couple that will likely be nominated for Oscars.

The good news is that the movie has been receiving rave reviews since it premiered at Venice and then played Toronto shortly afterwards.

This is the thing. I think A Star Is Born is going to do very well this weekend, probably more than $40 million, but I think it’s really going to kill in the weeks to come as word-of-mouth and repeat viewings pushes the movie up over the $150 million mark. If the movie plays as well as I think it does, I wouldn’t even be surprised to see it approaching $200 million once it re-expands to take advantage of inevitable awards.

Mini-Review: It’s been more than a minute since I saw the Barbra Streisand/Kris Kristofferson A Star Is Born, so I’m not too adverse to a fourth remake, as much as I was concerned about a movie featuring an actor I’m so-so on and a pop singer whose work I never really cared for. Imagine my surprise when I found myself enjoying the film almost immediately as we see Bradley Cooper’s Jackson Maine performing on stage with the very loud live music coming from the Dolby sound system where I saw the movie.

Maine is an alcoholic so after the show he goes looking for a bar, winding up at a drag night of one local watering hole where it just so happens that Lady Gaga’s Ally is performing “La Vie en Rose” (maybe a nod to another Oscar-winning actress?). He’s immediately enthralled and goes backstage to meet her, and the two immediately hit it off, hanging out and learning more about each other. Ally immediately starts enjoying the perks of Jackson’s fame as he flies her to one of his concerts and pulls her up on stage to perform the song “Shallow.”

Things progress from there as Ally becomes famous from a video of her performance with Jackson. After one show, Ally is approached by a manager-type who wants to make her an even bigger star, and he proceeds to do what happens too many times in the music industry where he tries to transform her into some pop diva that’s

I really enjoyed seeing the romance and relationship between the two leads evolve, because Cooper’s Jackson Maine is quite a smooth-talker, even if he’s slurring most of his words. Gaga is also impressive, likely bringing some of her own struggles in the music business to the role. On top of that, the supporting cast, including Sam Elliot as Jack’s older brother and Andrew Dice Clay as Ally’s Dad brought a lot to the mix as Cooper ably balances the film’s tonal shifts from heavy drama to lighter moments.

Things do get a little bit predictable during the second act as Ally’s star begins to rise while Jackson’s starts to crash and burn, and he’s unable to accept how she’s becoming more successful than him, as his career begins to stagnate. He stops drinking, then starts drinking again and things just get worse and worse, as he seems to be hindering her career. The film’s last act is a stunner as Jack tries to get his alcoholism in check and Ally’s star continues to rise, making it obvious something’s eventually going to give.

A Star Is Born is an impressive debut from Cooper, not only for his direction but also how he elevates himself as an actor to keep up with his perfectly cast co-star. That’s not even considering that he co-wrote many of the film’s gorgeous songs. I enjoyed this film far more than I thought I would, and I know that I won’t be the only person seeing it multiple times.

Rating: 9/10

Venom shouldn’t have a problem taking the top spot although we’ll have to see whether negative reviews manage to keep the fans away. Either way, it will beat A Star is Born on Thursday/Friday but then the latter will pick up steam, bearing in mind that Monday is Columbus Day so there’s no school and government offices are closed, which could help some of the returning movies, as well.

This week’s Top 10 should look something like this…

1. Venom  (Sony) - $55.6 million N/A 2. A Star is Born  (Warner Bros.) - $42.5 million N/A 3. Night School  (Universal) - $15 million -46% 4.Smallfoot  (Warner Bros.) - $14.5 million -37% 5. The House with a Clock in its Walls  (Universal) - $7.3 million -40% 6. A Simple Favor (Lionsgate) – $4 million -38% 7. The Nun  (New Line) - $3 million -54% 8. Crazy Rich Asians  (New Line) - $2.7 million -35% 9. Hell Fest  (CBS Films/Lionsgate) - $2.2 million -57% 10. The Predator (Fox) – $1.7 million -57%

LIMITED RELEASES

Other than The Hate U Give, this weekend is kind of a mixed bag for limited releases, since I haven’t watched as many of these as I probably should.

Almost a year after it premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, Fernando Leon de Aranoa’s LOVING PABLO (Universal Pictures Home Entertainment) starring Javier Bardem as the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar as it follows his rise to power while in a love affair with Colombian journalist Virgina Vallejo, played by Penelope Cruz. The film is based on Vallejo’s book, and it’s opening at around 15 theaters across the country.

Filmmaker Peter Bogdonavich pays tribute to the great silent film Buster Keaton with Buster Restored (Cohen Media Group), which combines footage from Keaton’s silent comedies with interviews by those he’s inspired including Mel Brooks, Quentin Tarantino and Johnny Knoxville. It opens at the Quad Cinemaon Friday along with a small Buster Keaton retrospective and then opens at the Landmark Nuarton Oct. 19

Matt Tyrnauer follows his recent doc Scotty and the Secret of Hollywood with Studio 54, opening at the IFC Center Friday. It looks at the New York nightclub that was the place to be seen between 1977 and 1980 but was exceedingly hard to get into as its popularity and notoriety rose. Tyrnauer was given incredible access to the man-behind-the-club Ian Schrager, who tells the story of Studio 54 for the first time. After a number of showings at IFC Center with Tyrnauer in attendance, Studio 54 will then open at the Landmark Nuart in L.A. on Oct. 12.

Opening at the Film Forum in New York is Joseph Dorman and Toby Perl Freilich’s Moynihan (First Run Features), a portrait of former New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan who tried to contend with poverty and racism in the greatest city in the world. (The latter bit is my own personal opinion. I haven’t seen the movie.)

Not to overshadowed by Bradley Cooper, Cuba Gooding Jr. stars and makes his directorial debut in Bayou Caviar (Gravitas Ventures), which stars Richard Dreyfuss as a Russian gangster who hires Gooding’s former boxer to take down an associate’s son-in-law with a scandalous tape. It also stars Famke Janssen, Katherine McPhee, Ken Lerner and Lia Marie Johnson.

Bella Thorne and Jessie Usher star in Jeremy Ungar’s Ride (RLJE Films) with the latter playing James, a struggling actor who drives people around L.A. for a ride-sharing service. The job gets slightly better when he hits it off with the beautiful Jessica, but the two of them are then taken on a crazy joy ride by another fare.

Following its run on DirecTV, Trevor White’s A Crooked Somebody (Vertical/DirecTV) stars Rich Sommer as a medium who goes against the advice of his minister father (Ed Harris) trying to call forth the dead, only to be idnapped by someone who desperately wants to make contact with the dead.

Terence Stamp and Ann Demetriou stars in David LG Hughes’ Viking Destiny (Saban Films/Lionsgate), the latter playing a Viking princess who is forced to flee her kingdom after her king father (presumably Stamp) is murdered, so she travels the world building an army to get revenge. In case you’re wondering what Game of Thrones has inspired…. wonder no more!

Michael Ironside stars in Michael Peterson’s horror film Knuckleball (Freestyle Digital Media) about a 12-year-old who finds himself alone on an isolated farm after his grandfather dies. (I assume Ironside plays the latter.)

I also don’t know a ton about Eugene Kotlyarenko’s Wobble Place (Breaking Glass Pictures), which has an exclusive run at Metrograph starting Friday with the filmmaker in attendance for a few screenings. Best I can do to describe this is to share the odd trailer…

This week’s Yash Raj Films offering is Abhiraj K. Minawala’s Loveyatri, a love story set during the 9-day festival of Navrati, starring Aayush Sharma and Warina Hussain, a romance which almost comes to an end as she travels back to the UK leaving him in India.

Filmmakers Jukka Vidgren & Juuso Laatio’s Scandinavian cult-comedy Heavy Trip (Doppelgänger Releasing/Bloody Disgusting) will open in select theaters Friday before going to VOD on Oct. 12. It stars Johannes Holopainen as a guy stuck in a small Finnish village who is also the lead singer of metal band Impaled Rektum, a band who hasn’t played a single gig in 12 years until they’re booked to play a Norwegian festival.

And speaking of which, Bloody Disgusting’s Retro Nightmares continues with a double feature of Amityville: The Evil Escapes & Amityville: It’s About Time on Thursday Oct. 4 in select cities.

Lastly,  Anthony Nardolillo’s Shine (Forgiven Films/GVN Releasing), which won the Best Feature award at the 2017 Urbanworld Film Festival, comes out Friday, starring salsa dancersJorge Burgos and Gilbert Saldivar as two brothers who find themselves on opposite sides of the gentrification hitting East Harlem.

STREAMING

The only major new film streaming on Netflix is Tamara Jenkins’ new film PRIVATE LIFE, which premiered at Sundance and just played the New York Film Festival. It stars Kathryn Hahn and Paul Giamatti as a married couple who have been trying to have a baby and start looking at alternative methods after fertility treatments aren’t working. Jenkins is the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of 2007’s The Savages, starring Laura Linney and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. (The movie also opens at the IFC Center in New York and at a theater in L.A.)

REPERTORY

METROGRAPH (NYC):

I’m pretty excited about my local theater’s latest series, an Albert Brooks retrospective that runs between Friday and Tuesday and including some of his classics like Modern Romance, Lost in America, Mother, Defending Your Life,Real Life and a program of SNL shorts.

FILM FORUM (NYC):

Alain Resnais’ 1974 film Stavisky, featuring music by Stephen Sondheim, gets a restoration, which opens here on Wednesday.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE (LA):

Beyond Fest 2018 continues with a double feature of Flash Gordon and the West Coast premiere of the doc Life After Flash. Thursday sees a double feature of The Monster Squad and the new documentary about the movie called Wolfman’s Got Nards. Beyond Fest will then wrap on Saturday with a TRIPLE feature of Black Christmas and Halloween from 1978, as well as the brand-new Halloween weeks before its nationwide release.

AERO  (LA):

American Cinemateque’s other L.A. theater continues its own Beyond Fest Tribute to Cronenberg with a double feature of the director’s Crash and Spider on Thursday night. It also begins the series The Life of Reilly, as in John C. Reilly, with a double feature of Chicago and Step Brothers on Friday, and then a free screening of Reilly’s new film The Sisters Brothers on Saturday. Saturday also sees a screening of PT Anderson’s Magnolia with Reilly in person and a screening of A Grin Without a Hat (1977) to celebrate Icarus Films’ 40th anniversary.

QUAD CINEMA (NYC):

To help celebrate last week’s retrospective recipient Peter Bogdonavich’s new doc The Great Buster: A Celebration (see above), the West Village theater will also show a trio of Buster Keaton shorts, The General and other Keaton classics.

LANDMARK THEATRES NUART (LA):

Along with a program of Jean Vigo shorts, the Hollywood theater will show the new 4k restoration of the director’s L’Atalante that screened at Film Forum last week.

MOMA (NYC):

The Unknown Jerry: Home Movies and More from the Jerry Lewis Collection at the Library of Congresscontinues with  Come Back Little Shiksa (1962) and The Re-Inforcer (1951) on Friday, Fairfax Avenue (1951), and a couple features on Gar-Ron Productions on Saturday and The Bellboy (1960) on Sunday, as it continues into next week. The month-long Modern  Matinees: Vincent Price will show Edward Scissorhands on Friday afternoon.