#and shadow. shadow doesn't even know she's there

[pandagobrr]

Shadow would actually be so relieved if her dad died, even more so if it was one of her agent friends, then she would know he's gone for good, and let out a long held breath.

She hasn't seen him since he abandoned her, but she doesn't think her absence has made fondness grow...

Friendly reminder for any other people on the autism spectrum:

It's not recommended to offer to kill someone's dad, especially if you're talking to a stranger

[mama-qwerty]

Sonic 3 - Shadow

My hopes for Shadow’s portrayal in Sonic 3 were that they’d show him not as the ill-tempered edgelord, but as the grieving, hurt child he truly was. And I was not disappointed.

Sonic 3 spoilers ahead

The movie opens with Shadow in containment, suspended in a holding vat of fluid to keep him under control. He’d been in this suspended status for 50 years, and now he was waking up. As he awoke, his memories flashed of his time at the facility, where he met Maria and developed a close friendship with her.

He woke up and chose violence. All he remembered was losing Maria, and before him stood the same organization that took her from him. The same uniforms, the same aggressive stance. To him, that raid at the facility was still fresh. It happened very, very recently. We’re not privy to the timeline between when the raid happened and when he was put into stasis, but I don’t think it was longer than maybe an hour. If that.

So from his perspective, these could very well be the same people who had raided the facility and murdered his friend. Maybe he thought the raid was still going on. So he was thrust into a fight or flight situation, and did both—take down the enemy, and then retreat to regroup.

Except he found himself in a very different environment than he’d ever experienced. He’d only known the inside of a government facility. Tokyo was bright, and loud, and big, and there were so many people. But GUN wouldn’t leave him be, and he found himself fighting yet again.

And then these three other creatures showed up. Ones who were more like him than any he’d seen before. Especially the blue one, which was strange and confusing. He was the only alien on Earth, wasn’t he? He was different than anything else the scientists had ever seen. But there was another who looked like him? With two other equally strange creatures trying to stop him?

No matter. They were working with GUN, so they were the enemy.

And again, he took them down, and retreated.

Because ultimately, Shadow was dealing with anger, grief, confusion, and pain. He didn't know what to do with all that, because the person who helped him understand himself better was gone. Everything he knew was gone. The people he and Maria had trusted had turned on them, killed Maria, locked him away, and taken Gerald from him. He's lashing out because he doesn't know what else to do. All he's been faced with his entire life was pain and mistreatment, except for Maria, and they killed her.

Shadow has no idea who or what he is. He came from space, but he doesn’t remember anything before that. He’s on this planet with creatures who look nothing like him, being poked and prodded for who knows how long. Being studied and experimented on because he’s different, and has powers no one’s seen before. No one looked upon him with kindness, or reached for him with gentle hands.

Until Maria.

She looked at him and didn’t see an alien. A monster. A creature with unimaginable power.

She saw a lonely little boy. And she reached out to him.

Who knows how long it took him to trust her. When she first found him in his tube, he didn’t seem very interested. He’d likely had scientists of all kinds coming through to gawk at him, to stare at him and pluck his quills and shave some fur and take some blood, all the while never speaking to him. He was just a thing to be studied. An oddity to figure out.

But this girl was different. She would come and talk to him as he floated in his watery prison. Draw on the glass. Maybe she even taught him to speak, and read. And over time, maybe he looked forward to her visits. And she became more bold to sneak him out of the lab when the scientists ran their experiments.

We don’t know Gerald’s relationship with Shadow. The most we see is after Gerald had gone mad from his own grief from losing Maria. Maybe he thought Maria would tame this creature, and allow him to be more successfully controlled for whatever Gerald wanted. Maybe he actually did care about Shadow, at least somewhat, and the raid on the facility—he claimed they were actually after Shadow as he dragged them behind him in an attempt to escape—made him blame Shadow for Maria’s death.

We don’t know.

But when Shadow saw Gerald again at the abandoned facility, he was relieved. Finally a familiar face. Someone he could trust, and ask questions about what was going on, and what their next step should be. And when Gerald corralled Shadow into this quest for vengeance, Shadow went along with it because he trusted Gerald. And it felt right to want to hurt those who’d hurt Maria. It felt productive to turn that anger outward onto the people who deserved it.

Except . . . it didn’t.

Gerald said this was what Maria would have wanted. Shadow wasn’t so sure that was right. But he was still running on pain, and he looked to Gerald for guidance, just as he had looked to Maria for it.

So he did as he was told. Capturing the others when they’d found the facility. Initiating the black hole that swallowed the facility and destroyed all evidence of the torture, the pain, the love and acceptance he’d endured in his time on Earth. Taking every shred of evidence of Maria, and erasing it.

Did it feel good to him in that moment? Having all those reminders of her wiped away?

Or did it just make that ache in his heart worse? Because it was like losing her again. And now it was as if she’d never existed. No roller skates. No guitar. No little tent with the stars and lights casting a warm glow inside.

Just . . . gone.

Just like her.

Focus. He had to focus. Gerald had a plan. And if he said this is what people deserved, then Shadow would believe him.

So he stayed behind as Gerald and the other Robotnik infiltrated GUN. Tried to focus on the bigger picture.

But that nagging little thought remained.

When things went south at GUN, he stepped in, took the key from Walters. It had felt satisfying to deliver a blow to one of the men who’d been there that day, all those years ago.

Only it wasn’t Walters. It was . . . someone else. Someone that blue hedgehog cared about very much. And oh, that brought back painful memories. And that pain he’d felt that day—so long ago but so fresh to him—flared anew, and he’d felt so, so guilty for causing that pain to someone else.

No. That didn’t matter. Whoever this was had been in Shadow’s way. He had a mission to complete. He’d only done what he’d had to.

Aboard the ARK, he continued to question the validity of this plan. But Gerald assured him this was what Maria would have wanted. So he went along with it. Things were moving the way Gerald wanted.

But that ache in his chest refused to go away.

And then a golden something hit him, smashing him out of the ARK, and drawing him into a fight. It was the blue hedgehog, and whatever power flowed through him bled out and merged with the power inside Shadow himself, changing him as well.

And it had felt so good to fight. To unleash his strength upon someone who was hurting as much as he was. Someone who understood his pain, someone who wanted revenge as badly as he did. It was normal to want to hurt the person who’d hurt someone you loved.

Because Shadow was tired of living with the pain. He didn’t understand how he could want to hurt others, to get revenge, but at the same time felt wrong for doing so. But he’d hurt someone the blue hedgehog cared for, and if Shadow could have his revenge, then so could the other hedgehog.

But the blue hedgehog wasn’t fighting as fiercely as he should have been. So Shadow had taunted. He’d poked. He’d pushed and eventually gotten the other hedgehog so angry, Shadow had been taken by surprise.

But that was okay. That’s what he wanted. An eye for an eye. A pain for a pain.

He was tired. He was confused. He was hurt, and guilty, and just wanted to stop seeing her face every time he closed his eyes. Didn’t want to hear her voice in the quiet moments. Feel her hands as they gave a gentle tug on his quills, or massaged his ears after a bad batch of testing.

She had been his safe haven on this planet that seemed to want nothing more than to hurt him.

And now she was gone.

And he didn’t know who he was without her. Didn’t know what he was or where he belonged, if not with her.

So he ordered the other hedgehog to end him. Practically begged him.

But he hadn’t. He’d stopped, a look of almost horror on his face as he’d released Shadow.

And they’d talked. And Shadow had found someone else who understood his pain. Felt it, but didn’t let it consume him. Didn’t let it change him.

And this other hedgehog gave Shadow a chance to decide for himself what he would do. Decide what kind of person he wanted to be.

Because that’s what Maria wanted for Shadow. To discover who he was, and who he wanted to be. To find his own place in the world, to be happy.

And so Shadow chose.

He helped the blue hedgehog save the planet, and used the last of his strength to make sure the ARK was far enough away so the final explosion wouldn’t hurt anyone else.

And in those final moments, he thought of Maria, and kept her love for him in his heart.

He acted not out of pain, or out of revenge or anger.

He acted out of love.

~~~

Check out my other Sonic 3 analysis posts

[starlightsigner]

Iced Avocado AU

coffee shop/alternate ending to Sonic 3 (movie spoilers) Shadow will find Sonic coffee in every universe <3

Two years after the end of movie 3 Shadow comes to Green Hills to fulfill Eggman's dying wish, deliver a message to Stone, who took up running the Mean Bean again

With no real plan or place to go after the message is delivered, Stone adopts offers Shadow a place and a job until he decides what he'd like to do next with his life

Taking him up on his offer, Shadow becomes Green Hills' newest barista

News travels fast in a small town and it doesn't take long for the Wachowski's to hear about who just moved into town

At first Sonic is just glad to know Shadow is alive, but he knows they could be friends if Shadow could just learn to chill and act his age -50 years

Shadow just knows that Maria loved life. She talked about the good in people and the joy of living. He hadn't seen much of it yet, and he didn't think he was going to see much of it in this small town, but his stay is just temporary. It doesn't matter that the people here aren't afraid of him, that the doctor's lovesick assistant treats him well, or that he's free to come and go and just BE as he pleases. He'll be gone sooner rather than later

If anything Shadow is starting to think that the longer he stays in Green Hills the worse off he may be. He thought Sonic's dad had forgiven him for the mistaken identity thing, but the more he hangs around the Wachowski home he cant help but feel his spines stand on end a bit when it's just the two of them. Not only that, but he's beginning to think this fresh mountain air is having negative side effects on him, why else would his heart start skipping beats whenever he sees streaks of blue?

Prologue

As the reactor core rapidly destabilizes Eggman knows he's out of time to tell the one person in the world who ever cared about him what his companionship meant to him, but as he prepares to go live he realizes the signal is to scrambled to even send out an audio file

Refusing to let his last words go unheard, he gives the file to Shadow, mumbling about how as improbable Shadow's survival would be he's come to realize how annoyingly resilient hedgehogs seem to be

After watching the Eclipse Cannon explode out of range of Earth's atmosphere, Stone sits in the streets of London, looking at another situation that no person could possibly survive. The last time he knew for sure the doctor would come back, this time he refused to acknowledge the part of himself that wasn't so sure.

What he did know for certain is that even though he'd been fired, he hadn't been cloned yet, and as long as he was Doctor Robotnik's assistant he would be sure that there would be an evil lair and a latte waiting for him when he returned

Meanwhile in an unknown corner of the world, Shadow pulls himself out of an impact crater, taking a moment to finally breathe before tracking down a man he barley knows on a planet that even 50 years later he knows even less

Two years later Stone's life is the closest to normal its been since before he joined Gun. Not everyone trusts him and most people still call him the 'weird bean guy' but that doesn't stop any of them from coming in daily or making the Mean Bean the top rated coffee shop on Yelp this side of Montana. It's only a matter of time before Cuppa Heaven falls to the Mean Bean's superiority, then the whole state will be his

While cleaning behind the counter after closing the locked front door rattles as someone tries to force it open. Stone calls out that they're closed and they can come back in the morning (he's got a date with a telenovela). The rattling stops and he goes back to cleaning his equipment

The cup that he was holding falls to the ground with a clang that's completely drowned out by Stone's shriek as a hooded figure teleports beside him

Before Stone can react Shadow removes his hood, complaining about how long his ears will be hurting from that

At first Stone is excited, if Shadow survived then surely the doctor could have as well! Finally a sign that he could be alright

But alas, not everyone can come back like in a soap opera

After receiving the doctor’s message Stone walks over to a table and pulls out a chair, absentmindedly also pulling one out for his guest

He starts musing about how the Mean Bean is where he set up operations to wait for the doctor to return after his last ‘hedgehog induced sabbatical’ so it felt fitting for him to come back here to wait out this one

Shadow asks what he means by wait it out, the doctor is dead. Stone just chuckles and slowly shakes his head, telling Shadow he'd be surprised to hear all of the impossible things the doctor had lived through, this was just the latest

Shadow eventually takes the empty chair next to Stone. He knows that the doctor is dead, he’s sure that Stone knows this even if he wont admit it, but he also can’t help but envy him. The doctor didn’t die right in front of him, he didn’t see the body. Even if the odds are a million to one, there’s a single drop of hope in an ocean of despair, and Stone has refused to let it be swallowed by the sea. As long as there’s a chance of ‘what if’

After a time Stone thanks Shadow for bringing the message to him and gets up to make him a latte as thanks, Shadow lets him know he'd prefer it black

As he works on the coffee he asks Shadow what he's been up to the past two years, about all it boiled down to was him looking for Stone. With no leads, little knowledge about Earth, and a need to stay out of sight, things went far slower then he was happy with

Well, what are you gona do now?

What indeed. Eventually Shadow looks down at his hands and admits that he doesn’t know. He had been so driven by revenge and then by the need to fulfill Eggman's last request (almost as if it were the start of some sort of penitence) that he never really took the time to figure that out. Without a goal, he’s found himself bereft of purpose

Stone stops to take a good look at the lost kid sitting across from him, maybe the doctor had sent him more than just a message

He offers Shadow a job at the Mean Bean, saying that Green Hills is a nice enough town and that while he’s more than able to run the place on his own it can get busy, humble brag but he had the best Yelp reviews for miles for a reason. + maybe a delivery service is what he needs to get the edge over Cuppa Heaven

He tells Shadow that he can think on it if he wants and he's free to hang around until he makes up his mind

Shadow scoffs at him, he's been fine on his own he doesn't need anyone's pity

Stone hands over the coffee before picking up the forgotten cup on the floor, cleaning it again. He tells shadow it's not pity, just an offer from one former coworker to another. A temporary arrangement that could benefit them both while Shadow takes whatever time he needs to decide what his next step will be

Shadow stares into his coffee for a time, Stone cant tell if he's looking for life's answers or if it owes him money

Eventually Shadow drinks and looks to Stone with conviction, agreeing to his proposal. He vows to do his best to serve this place that is to be his temporary home and master the ‘art of the mean bean’

Stone laughs at how serious he is as he puts everything away. He says that they’re gona have to work on getting Shadow to loosen up a bit if he’s gona serve customers

Shadow tenses at that. Asking Stone what he means, surely he can’t suggest that Shadow will be interacting with humans

Stone points out that that’s kind of a big part of being a barista, is that a problem?

Looking to the side trying not to appear apprehensive (boy needs acting lessons), Shadow brings up the fact that he’s very clearly a 'dangerous alien' won’t the people be frightened of him?

It clicks for Stone what he means and he smiles, walking over to Shadow and placing a hand on his shoulder, motioning with his head for him to follow

He tells Shadow not to worry about that, Green Hills is the one place on Earth where a new alien hedgehog will only be the talk of the town for a week or so before the next farmers market drama takes over as peak gossip

After a beat Shadow registers exactly what Stone just said “wait, what do you mean a NEW alien hedgehog?!”

Grinning as he walks away, Stone activates the Mean Bean’s ‘back room’ walking forward while saying that they’ll do a quick tour of the lair and get Shadow settled in

Stone thinks to himself that instead of ending the day with eating his feelings away with a tub of ice cream while watching soap operas, it might be nicer to watch Gabriella's long lost niece backstab (possibly literally if the preview was right) Juan with a new friend. He should make guac. Celebration guac.

Staring

Shadow, the ultimate barista

(no first name given) Stone, a man who is unprepared to be a single father to a Hot Topic wannabe

Sonic, guy who's cool until he starts trying to flirt (or the guy who would be on every sports team if he went to school)

Miles 'Tails' Prower, the youngest fox to illegally attend MIT online

Knuckles, volunteer youth camp counselor

Tom Wachowski, promised he wasn't going to intimidate his son's new boyfriend (he lied, but he's only about 40% successful anyway)

Maddie Wachowski, mom of the year 5 years running

[flowersforthemachines]

Ranking everyone's Hero of the Veilguard armours (because I have nothing better to do)

I realised I needed to gather my thought's on everyone's drip so here are my humble opinions (with numbers and pictures)

Disclaimer: I took this very seriously, but you probably shouldn't. This is based on my personal opinion, which, while undoubtedly correct, may now align with your own. And that's okay.

14 - Titan's Vengeance (Harding)

That is definitely an armour. One of the armours ever, perhaps!

While I understand that it's meant to evoke the image of the dwarves as we see them in DAVG, I simply do not vibe with this outfit. Like, at all. It got an honest chuckle out of me when I saw it in the game, but I would never put Harding through the torture of wearing it. Which is too bad because I'd pick her embracing the Titan's anger over its compassion any day. A pity the fashion doesn't keep up.

13 - Rivain's Legacy (Taash)

Putting my opinions on certain aspects of their questline aside ("yes, you can be non-binary, but we draw the line at being multicultural"), this outfit doesn't even seem to be based on Taash's model. Anyone who has seen their romance scene (I have <3) should be able to tell these are not their legs. Their gorgeous calves wouldn't fit into those metal things. Bioware should be ashamed.

12 - The Qun's Honour (Taash)

That outfit doesn't make a lot of sense to me personally. I can live with the fact that most companion outfits are reused assets, but why is the Lords of Fortune armour of all things meant to represent Taash pursuing Qunari culture? Did no one at the office stop to think how weird that was? Like for real.

11 - Grey Benefactor (Davrin)

This outfit belongs in the "He Would Not Fucking Wear That" category. It also commits the cardinal sin of making Davrin look smaller (in my eyes), which not even the essence of Mythal could help to find redemption for. A shame after a shame.

10 - Crow's Tenacity (Lucanis)

This outfit is... a lot. Why is there so much metal, aren't assassins supposed to be silent 'n sneaky n' stuff? What are those patterns? Is that a FUR COLLAR??? I fell in love with a man with a horrible fashion sense

9 - Crow's Poise (Lucanis)

Marginally better than its counterpart, this outfit still leaves me with a lot of questions. I won't ask what is up with the feathers (I get it. they are crows) but I still find feather pauldrons to be a crime of fashion.

If Harding's Titan armour brought me a chuckle, this caused a groan because it took me 70h~ to reach the end of Lucanis's questline on my first playthrough and my reward was THIS?

(why did I have to fall for that guy of all people)

8 - Archivist's Mail (Bellara)

This simply does not scream Bellara to me. Even her glove and the scarf aren't enough to make that armour look like something of her own. It's definitely missing the flair (bits and baubles!!!) from her other armours, which may not be a fashion crime, but is still deeply regrettable.

7 - Wild Benefactor (Davrin)

This is like. It's a bit better than his other one, okay. It even started growing on me over time, in a way I can't comprehend yet also can't deny. Maybe he would fucking wear that, I don't know.

6 - Investigator's Robes (Neve)

I was originally tempted to rank it higher because I liked its description mentioning that Neve wearing robes (which she normally doesn't do) is a statement. It's cool thematically.

But I shall not let Bioware gaslight me into forgetting that it's just a Shadow Dragons robe conveniently recoloured to suit that narrative. Try harder next time.

5 - Graven Vestments

It's nice (especially compared to some other armours), but not Emmrich-y enough in my opinion. It lacks the personality present in his starting outfit. Peepaw deserves something more special for overcoming the greatest fear of his life, wouldn't you think?

4 - Threader's Plates (Neve)

This armour gets bonus points because it actually took me a while to recognise it was a recoloured Defiant Plate. Neve really makes it her own!

Other than that, it looks good, but is it *great*? It is *meaningful*? Not really. It would also look cooler if Neve's hair was down (the same applies to any other hatless outfit).

3 - Lich's Vestige (Emmrich)

That outfit is just so fucking cool. The exposed ribcage? The high collar? Black and gold? Now that is Emmrich Volkarin. And I do have a special appreciation for companion armours being, you know, *unique* models.

However, while undoubtedly stylish, the armour leaves behind a question: was it worth it?...

2 - Inquisition Spotter (Harding)

I may be an Inquisition hater deep down (sorry), but this armour still prompted a lonely tear to run down my cheek when I first saw it. It's such a nice callback to the past in a game that's so different from all previous DAs that it melted my cold, cold heart.

I was especially touched by the embroidery representing the members of the Inquisition. Harding carries her memories of them wherever she goes!!! :)

1 - Reborn Leathers (Bellara)

Is this biased? Yes, of course, this is biased. Bellara is my favourite girl, everyone else stood no chance. Like, she literally has a crown on her head - who else deserved the first place, if not her?

Jokes aside, this outfit is everything I would expect from a reward for completing a companion's storyline - a completely new outfit that retains the spirit of the original design while bringing new elements to it.

Sometimes what you need to make a good experience better is to see your fave in a cool outfit. For this one, Bioware has my sincere thanks.

[sugarcreambiteskingdom]

May I have the five beasts x male reader who is one of them and has the power to create plants and such before his corruption he was always pressure by the witches and his advisors to be perfect always have a smile on his face make beautiful flowers and plants bloom always no matter what never allow to do what he truly wants to do force to be the perfect cookie with a perfect smile and until he snap and become a beast he use his plants to torment and terrified the one who always pressure him to be perfect and he say finally no longer have to be perfect I will go my own way I own nothing to those worthless cookies or the witches now they will all see what else can I do as he has huge creepy smile on his face as his laughts evilly as his plants attacks the cookies and earthbread and completely takes over even his appearance change to one he prefers he use a rose on his head then he becomes a beasts it has teeths and will turn into a huge rise monster by reader command headcanons please

Cream Oreo Cookie: This reminds me of a movie I once knew but I can't remember it :v

The First Ancient Cookie's:

Light Milk Cookie:

He was worried about you and was...upset with the witches and how they treat you

He doesn't appreciates the Witches pushing you to use your powers 24/7 just because you we're a powerful Ancient Cookie you still need rest

He would always makes excuses for you so the witches would let you rest

He will be there for you to comfort you if you ever needed it

Spice Cookie:

Seeing you tired and overwhelmed with work was enough to annoy The Herald Of Change from the Witches decisions to treat you like a lowly worker which never fails to BOIL his Jam

He would always so called "kidnap" you so the two of you can chat and relax in his temple

He makes sure you eat well and drink a lot and rested a lot by giving you a ton of food, drinks, blankets, pillows, stuff animals to cuddle with

Salt Cookie:

He disapproves with all of the Witches antics and how they use you

Your just a Cookie for The Witches sake! Just because you have a crunchy and hard dough doesn't mean you still can't break from exhaustion

He would also like Spice Cookie will "kidnap" you to get some rest

The two would go on for walks, or read a book under a tree or just enjoy the peacefulness of everything and relax

Plain Flour Cookie:

She has heard all of your wishes for peace and relaxation under a tree by a hill far away from your duties

She is always there to listen and give you advice

She also does not agree with the Witches Wishes of your time to give all of your energy and power of "Life" as they all say

If you ever need someone to cry your heart out she is here for you do not worry

Ephemeral Sugar Cookie:

Why would the witches force such a handsome Cookie like yourself to manual labor?

Okay maybe Manual Labor is a bit too much but it kind of looks that way from her eyes!

A Handsome and Magnificent Cookie like yourself should rest and have time for yourself to instead of letting yourself get over work like this!

She would always visit you and give you clouds to use as bed or pillows to rest on and relax alongside her!

She will wrap her wings around you as you sleep and at times hide you from the Witches so you can go and sleep for atleast 9 Hours or so

BEAST COOKIES:

Shadow Milk Cookie:

THIS, THIS IS THE REASON WHY IT WAS AN AMAZING IDEA TO LEAVE THE WITCHES BEHIND

This was there fault not yours...

If they weren't so pushy maybe this wouldn't have happened

But that's okay!

Now we can all have fun with our powers and use them for our OWN entertainment and not THE WITCHES

Burning Spice Cookie:

He was so glad that the two of you finally decided to leave those witches expectations and create your own fun

He would ask you to battle with him and spar just to see how strong you've gotten

He'll make sure to not burn your beautiful plants or work of art during those battles since he knows that you still love your plants and won't want for them to be burnt into dust even though you can always make some more

So basically he just uses his axe to cut through it

Silent Salt Cookie:

They had enough of the witches and how they treated you

So let's see what they think about the new you?

Causing chaos from left to right

You and Silent Salt Cookie we're an amazing team at the battle field

You would throw those wretched Cookie's up high to the skies as Silent Salt Cookie slice them off

Even though he doesn't talk now unlike the past

He would always bring you a head of a Cookie with it's head full of your favorite flowers in it to show his affection towards you

Mystic Flour Cookie:

The Witches always Take and Take and Take and Take

But now there's nothing to give and that's how Mystic Flour Cookie felt which is why she understands what you we're going through

Those greedy Cookie's wants there wishes to come through to the point they would crumble eachother

While the Witches never gave any care about you and how much work they weigh on you

So why not let them see how can one of the purest of Cookie can turn to the most bitterness ones

Eternal Sugar Cookie:

It wasn't fun or funny at all anymore seeing you all hurt and sad and stressed out from the witches

But seeing you now destroying those witches creations made her so damn happy for you

She even decided to join you in this masquerade of yours

She will never leave her little Cinnamon Roll behind to make all of this Cookie's Suffer!

She wants to have some fun too

Oh how she enjoyed it spending time with you with no Witches to interrupt your bond!

How Fun!

[aakaneeee]

well people. . It's time, aka Akane's monthly revival because there's Luka content. And gosh do I have a lot to say about this. Except.. I'm not going to market these as theories, but as predictions. I think as an og fan I've seen enough to be this confident in my abilities LOL

Quickly, I'd like to address the lyrics and the title, because I will reference it later and I don't want to have to explain mid-prediction.

Wiege has two meanings, and both are so fitting:

1. Cradle. It feels.. perfect, for me. It makes so much sense. Luka was a cold child.. but I'd like to say only physically. I feel like he genuinely warmed up towards Hyuna and Hyunwoo as a child. And I'm going to bring an idea that might get me a bit of backlash but.. I've gotten worse, and that is, that Hyuna is at fault for Luka's approach on his feelings. (Audience boos) From the little we know about Hyunwoo, I feel like Hyuna treated both him and Luka.. at least a little bit similarly. Or at least, Luka couldn't discern a difference, if there was any. Luka is a tube baby, he probably doesn't know (and I am not babying him here, I'd like to add!) what "siblings" he has. For him, affection might just be all and the same. Yes, it wasn't Hyuna's responsibility to teach him, but I feel like a hint was there "Your life is mine", and she could've explained, in a way. But, back to our discussion, Hyuna was Luka's cradle. She burns as bright as the sun, while he's colder. But most importantly, she was his only true friend (Considering I don't think his relationship with Hyunwoo was extremely close, even though they were 'friends'), someone he thought truly cared about him. Hyuna was Luka's cradle, holding him close, comfortable... until at one point, he outgrows that cradle (Hyunwoo's death).

And the second meaning, beginning. In the picture we got, Luka is centered, he's in the middle.. but he's so small, and overshadowed by the tree. Luka is the best performer of the ANAKT, always first, but has no friends. But perhaps, he was better that way. Then, Hyuna comes, and it's a new beginning. He's finally not alone. What I've noticed in the new banner, Luka is missing, but across the tree trunk, in his place, is a taller shadow. Perhaps, a shadow of who Luka was, hopefully still left in there. Or, the other way around, it symbolizes his real self being left there.

And the lyrics:

When I close my eyes,

Play in paradise.

These, to me, remind me of the interview where Luka said his favorite game was hide and seek. In a way, his whole ANAKT life was a game of hide and seek: hiding all the time, but no one trying to seek him. Until Hyuna did, and found him. Something that intrigues me is the "paradise", which to me sounds like what Mizi once said: Dying in competition means returning to the Great Anakt, which I suppose is to them like Heaven.. or Paradise. This will be important later, so remember it.

And now, my predictions for the HyuLuka episode

! First of all, I think the song will be lullaby-like. When I first saw this teaser, with the lyrics, as weird as it sounds, it reminded me of Richard's song in The Hero in TAWOG, a song that always gets me to cry for some reason, and I've been really stuck on that . It would be interesting, because it would fit Luka's voice (as does everything else), but probably not Hyuna's, even though 6FU; would eat it.. which to me, sounds like their "love", where Luka loves her, but it isn't returned. I'd love to see more German in it than just in the title. And considering the nostalgic, pastel, very cutesy artstyle (that reminds me of the memory part from Jordan River animation!), it seems very viable. But the art style is also noisy, which gives an unsettling vibe. It feels like a 2020's dreamcore wallpaper.

I might be crazy, but the hand holding the flower (with only 3 stamens, like the 3 friends) looks dark-skinned, like it would be Hyuna's or Hyunwoo's, but I doubt it would be his, considering it's the account's profile picture. If this is some kind of reference to.. perhaps, an unrequited Hyuluka but the other way around, with Hyuna still not over Luka.. probably won't happen, but God, would that be awesome.

So, how do I think the round will go?

First of all, I have to say, I'm not sure if this will be a round or a Mizisua type episode.😭 I'd say "oh the wait time is way too small" but also... do you guys remember the production announcement of Round 7? Yeah. You can never be sure.

This isn't necessarily a prediction, but more of a suggestion of what could be: It would be SO cool if it would be both.. in a way, merged. This idea just appeared in my mind and I was like OH. MY. GOD. Imagine if almost the whole thing was just them, as children, having fun, a whole backstory.. but then, when Hyunwoo dies, it pans on his face, and then it's back on stage, the loser's face instead of his. It would be so heartwarming, and then DEEPLY DISTURBING and traumatizing. I also really want some Luka and Heperu backstory so I can hate Heperu even more.

On the topic of the loser... It's going to be Luka. I'm an insane Luka lover and it was hard to get accommodated to this idea, but there is no way that he will survive. First of all, the shadow in the account's banner, in place of Luka. It's implications... are quite obvious. Second, the pattern of characters shown in Sweet Dream, and he is next. Third: "In my arms, you would be protected." I feel like Luka would consider the competition "In his arms". I don't think he would break his promise: hear me out for a second. He wouldn't let Hyuna die this way, because I feel like his sense of possession over her also comes with responsibility and protectiveness. And fourth, the Paradise lyric, to me, is a foreshadowing of his death.

I also think he will die by self sacrifice. First of all, there's no way Hyuna could defeat Luka by pure odds. Yes, her stats are better, but lets be honest, her mental power would NOT be as good infront of Luka, and also, the aliens wouldn't vote her. She's a rebel, wanted for so much time, with technically no guardian: they wouldn't want her to defeat their prince, probably. And second, I have made two categories:

The "perfects": Sua, Ivan, Luka

The "rebels": Mizi, Till, Hyuna

See something similar? Both the perfects that are dead, have died by self-sacrifice. The only other dead character, Till, has been shot while reaching for his freedom, so you can't say this is for all characters. And let's be honest.. Patterns are usually being followed in this series. Id also like to add, even though it's a reach, that in a tier of how 'perfect' they are, it'd be:

1. Luka

2. Sua - not so obvious self sacrifice

3. Ivan - obvious self sacrifice

So, I'd say that Luka's might be even more backstage, as if to sabotage himself in a way that seems viable. It also kind of goes in line with his character, he's not one to break facade on stage.

I think this episode will be quite a deep-dive into their true selves. We know the least about them, so this will be GREAT. I'd love to see a more morally gray Hyuna in this. (Since I'm genuinely kind of tired of only Luka being villainized in the ship, which honestly..  is kind of in line with the other perfects. Let's let Mizi, Till and Hyuna be little freaks too) I also want to see atleast a little bit of Hyunwoo, like a little snippet of his mind, what he saw in Luka.

In conclusion, I'm SO happy and hyped about this HyuLuka episode, they're so mysterious and I really really want to see more of L- I mean, more of them. Getting 2 episodes where Luka is present one after another is literally THE dream to me. Basically, Wiege is killing me and I'm gladly letting it.

@4listr Since you asked to be tagged and also, @rockwgooglyeyes I REALLY want your opinion on this

[pastorfutureletthembe]

Lu Guang is about to enter the stage. It's not the first night of the representation, he knows his lines perfectly. As a comedian, he has some liberty, he can improve, he can give his own interpretation of the character through emotions and gesture, but ultimately he has to stick to the plot. I also think the curtain has strong connotations. First, he knows what's on both sides. What the audience sees, must see, the fact the show must go on whatever happens behind the scenes. Second, here, the curtain has the 4th wall role, when the boundaries between reality and fiction/fantasy blur. The curtain's motif is a starry sky, and we all know by now that stars are often seen on merch. I personally believe it also gives Lu Guang a godly role, as the "man in the sky" or "who can rip the fabric of the universe." He has great powers, great responsibilities as well, and the fact he's the only one who the countdown posters hint on his powers (the blue eye hidden in the darkness of the curtains), underlines that idea. I'll always refer to Odin whenever Lu Guang's eyes shine in official artworks, so I don't want to be redundant but there it is:

Behind him, behind the scenes, a real starry sky exists. Does it mean a fake universe is only hiding a real, more complex, one? Does it mean that Lu Guang is playing a fictional character in an ersatz of what was/is, but the reality of tragic and traumatic events still weight on him? Truth be told, Lu Guang thinks he has control over this world, because it exists in a bubble, in a timeloop. In actuality, Lu Guang is playing a game he doesn't know the rules of, but soon enough, the pros are going to show him how it's done. He's in kindergarten, guys.

Is Cheng Xiaoshi banned from the theater or is he the main character of the play? His poster is one we could regard as the play's poster, it involves mystery to be uncovered, and the only way he can do it is through a photograph. There is the banner, telling us it's forbidden to go there. The manor is behind him. It reminds me of SKYFALL in James Bond haha. Going back to the origins. He's truly going through the Fool's journey towards his end.

I'm just going to put this here, no further comment needed:

I also think it's interesting that Cheng Xiaoshi and Liu Xiao are fully facing us.

Qiao Ling seems to be aware to be both a character and a performer. She is in transition, in contemplation. She has an award for her performance but she seems to be troubled. It's only natural that my mind goes to the portrait of Dorian Gray looking at this artwork. “The portrait” becomes an autonomous, independent entity through mirrors, in which Dorian meets his distorted self: all that is irrational, instinctive and hidden in his own psyche. Through Oscar Wilde's masterpiece, we witness the interplay between self-perception, the fear of aging, and the pursuit of eternal youth. Even though the obvious parallel would be with Narcissus, I do think it echoes Qiao Ling's flower, hyacinth, in the young and fragile existence except in her case, you can add mourning into the mix. The theme also relates to obsession. Qiao Ling is known to put things under the rug, not facing the issues of her shortcomings, but she obviously wants to change that. The "connecting dots" imagery we saw in the PV released lately shows she's on a journey herself.

I still think Xia Fei's role this season is to be only a tool, a face and body to be borrowed, a playable character. He is the star of the show, and his position looks a bit like the Mona Lisa. Meaning, he is and is supposed to be beautiful, perfect, iconic. He is mysterious because we know nothing of him and can only theorize. He personifies whatever we want. That's who he is as well: a mirror to our desires, subjects to interpretation. That is what struck me at first sight, though. Mona Lisa. We also see his shadow and I think it is an important clue. Presenting as a white piece, a pawn, could it be that his dark side is the most overlooked warning of death?

As I mentioned before, Liu Xiao is there to meet his favorite performer, Lu Guang. There is a hint of parasocial relationship there; delusion and obsession. In 2024, being part of the audience is powerful. A spectator has a voice and the mass community, a fandom for example, can influence production and representation. It is an external force and you better want it in your corner. He also could be a producer. Either way, the goal is to impress, please him, and you are probably nothing without him. He has all the access behind the scenes, he can try and recruit, he's here for his own profit and he has the power to destroy careers. Through him, though, it is easier to reach a goal.

Vein, I have little to say. He's shown as wealthy and I think that's a way to tell us he is powerful and takes his power and influence for granted. People like this, they don't like when their authority is challenged. Maybe there is some chinese culture at play that I don't know about. We often forget Link Click is a chinese media but social and cultural context bleed into the story more often than not so I'll be happy to know a chinese myth is hidden in plain sight there.

Lu Guang about to pass through the curtains [and step onto the stage].

Cheng Xiaoshi is outside with his camera, banned from entering the theatre.

Qiao Ling looking into the vanity mirror but not getting ready in any way

Xia Fei looking like a big star with his team of assistants helping him prepare

Liu Xiao sitting at the front and carrying a bouquet [for his favorite performer]

Finally, Vein, in his own private VIP booth or something

[sokkastyles]

Hi.

Hope you are doing well.

Thank you for your answer on the previous question on Aang.

I saw your reblog of the post on TSR, where the anon says that Zuko wanted Katara to murder Yon Rah, and I legit thought, no where did Zuko say he wanted Katara to do that. He simply said that he could help her find the man who killed her mother and helped her when she needed it. I know this has been discussed, but does this idea come from Aang saying it's about revenge?

Also, on the comic panel where Mai says she cannot fathom betraying her father, I think it actually adds to Zuko's bravery to face Ozai and call him out. I think Zuko should have broken his relationship with Mai because if she couldn't tell him this vital information that he had every right to know, then he cannot trust her and it's better to leave the relationship.

I would like your thoughts on this.

Yeah, it's based on what Aang says. It's just so crazy to me that people would rather listen to Aang's definition of Katara's experience instead of listening to what she actually says.

Making it about what Zuko wants is also another way of decentering Katara and her experience. Maybe Zuko did want Katara to murder that man, but he doesn't attempt to influence Katara other than enabling her to make a decision. Aang didn't want her to have the choice to begin with. Most importantly, he doesn't assume he knows what she will do and what's good for, which is why even him admitting he was wrong at the end makes him come out the better person.

And absolutely, that part in Smoke and Shadow is so bizarre because the whole POINT of Zuko's narrative is that he stopped enabling his father's evil. That literally changes everything about it. It's also doubly hypocritical for Mai because her response to learning that Zuko was talking to Ozai is to immediately blame him for it, even though Zuko was hurting no one but himself and NEVER ONCE allowed Ozai to influence his behavior, even though the comic makes us think that that is what is going to happen.

And the thing is, yes the comics are bad, but this is consistent with how Mai is characterized in the show, as someone who would break up with her boyfriend but not allow him to break up with her, as someone who would dismiss his emotions but then get extremely angry when she isn't catered to. As someone who can't deal with her boyfriend's issues but can't spout anything but negativity and hatred and just expects him to put up with it. As someone who likes her boyfriend to put more work into the relationship than she's willing to.

[thollandsgirl2013]

I have an idea for a mob tom fanfic it's where Tom and the reader are best friends ( since childhood) but she doesn't know that he's a mob boss. Tom has been secretly in love with her but doesn't want to pursue her due to all the danger that she will be in. One day, a rival of toms figures out that she is Tom's weakness and decides to kidnap her

Thanks for the request! Hope you enjoy it. Sorry it took so long.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬

Parings → Mob! Tom Holland x Reader

Warnings → fluff, kidnapping, violence, angst, happy ending.

Summary → Tom saves you from his rival and finally confesses his feelings.

(gif not mine)

You wiped your hands on your apron, glancing at the clock above the café counter. Five minutes until closing. As you started stacking chairs, the familiar chime of the doorbell rang.

“Cutting it close, aren’t we?” You teased without looking, already knowing who it was.

“Had to see my favorite barista before the day ended,” Tom quipped, strolling in with that infuriatingly smug grin of his.

You rolled your eyes. “You’re lucky I don’t charge you double for all the ‘favors’ you ask for.”

“Favors? Darling, I call it your way of expressing undying devotion.”

“Undying devotion?” You echoed, crossing your arms. “Don’t flatter yourself, Holland.”

He laughed, a warm, rich sound that never failed to make you smile, even when you didn’t want to. Tom had always been like this—cocky, confident, and impossible to resist.

“Come on,” he said, grabbing a stool and sitting across from you. “Let me at least walk you home tonight. Can’t have you wandering the streets alone.”

You shook your head, already used to his overprotectiveness. “I’m perfectly capable of walking home, you know.”

“I know,” he said, his tone softening as he leaned forward. “But I’d feel better if I came with you.”

“Why? Afraid someone’s going to kidnap me?” You teased.

Tom froze for the briefest second, his jaw tightening before he forced a smile. “Something like that.”

You frowned, sensing the tension beneath his playful tone. “Tom, are you—”

“I’m fine,” he cut in, standing abruptly. “Let’s get going, yeah?”

---------

Across the street, hidden in the shadows, Vincent and his men watched the scene unfold.

“There she is,” Vincent muttered, his gaze fixed on you as you walked out of the café with Tom. “The infamous best friend.”

One of his men chuckled. “She doesn’t look like much.”

“No, but she seems everything to Holland,” Vincent said, a cruel smile spreading across his face. “You see the way he looks at her? Like she’s the last good thing in his life. That makes her valuable. Makes her a weapon.”

He took a long drag from his cigarette, the ember glowing in the darkness. “We’ll hit him where it hurts. And when he’s broken, we’ll take everything else.”

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

The smell of damp concrete and rust filled your nostrils as you woke, disoriented and aching. The sharp edges of zip ties cut into your wrists, and the cold metal chair beneath you offered no comfort.

You blinked, trying to focus on your surroundings. The warehouse was dimly lit, shadows flickering along the walls.

“Well, well,” a voice drawled, breaking the silence. “Look who’s finally awake.”

You turned to see a man stepping out of the shadows, his smirk sending a chill down your spine.

“Who the hell are you?” You demanded, your voice hoarse but steady.

“The guy who’s going to bring your little boyfriend to his knees,” he said, his grin widening.

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” you snapped, your mind racing.

“Don’t play dumb,” he said, pulling out a chair and sitting across from you. “Tom Holland. Your precious boy. He’d do anything for you, wouldn’t he?”

Your heart sank, but you kept your expression neutral. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you don’t,” he sneered. “We’ve been watching you two. Laughing over coffee, walking home together like you don’t have a care in the world. Makes me sick, honestly. But it’s sweet, in a way. You’re his Achilles’ heel.”

“Tom isn’t—” you started, but he cut you off.

“Don’t bother denying it,” he said. “We’ve seen enough to know the truth. And now, we’re going to use you to destroy him.”

He pulled out a phone, dialing a number. You stayed quiet, your mind racing. Panic clawed at you, but you shoved it down. If what they said was true—if Tom was really involved in something dangerous—then you couldn’t afford to lose your cool.

The phone connected, and you heard Tom’s voice on the other end.

“Holland,” he said, his tone sharp.

“Evening, Tommy boy,” the man said, grinning. “Guess who I’ve got here with me?”

You met his gaze, defiance burning in your chest. You wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing you scared.

“Tom, don’t come,” you said firmly, cutting through the man’s taunts. “They’re trying to use me against you. It’s not worth it.”

“Y/n?” Tom’s voice softened, but there was an edge of steel beneath it. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” you said quickly. “But—”

The man yanked the phone away, smirking. “Touching. Really. But here’s the deal, Holland. You come alone, or she dies.”

“Vincent, if you harm her—”

“Save the threats,” Vincent said, hanging up.

---------

The warehouse was eerily silent as Tom stepped inside, his movements confident and deliberate. His sharp suit, tousled hair, and cold expression gave him an air of power that made even Vincent hesitate.

“You actually came alone,” Vincent noted, circling him like a predator.

“Of course,” Tom said, his tone casual. “You’d be dead already if I hadn’t.”

Vincent laughed, though it sounded forced. “Big talk for a man who’s outnumbered.”

Tom’s gaze flickered to you, tied to the chair but glaring daggers at your captors. Relief flashed in his eyes for a moment before his mask slipped back into place.

“You alright, love?” He asked, his voice soft.

“Fine,” you said firmly. “Just waiting to get free and go home.”

Tom smirked. “That’s my girl.”

Before Vincent could react, Tom moved.

He grabbed the nearest man, twisting his arm and using him as a shield as bullets erupted around the room. In the chaos, Tom disarmed another man, delivering a brutal punch that sent him sprawling.

You watched in awe as Tom took down Vincent’s men with ruthless efficiency, his movements quick and precise.

When the last man fell, Tom turned to Vincent, who was cowering near the door.

“You made a mistake,” Tom said, advancing on him. “And now you’re going to pay for it.”

----------

Tom knelt in front of you, his hands surprisingly gentle as he cut through the zip ties.

“Y/n,” he said softly, his fingers brushing your wrists. “I’m sorry. This shouldn’t have happened.”

“You think?” You snapped, though your anger was tempered by the relief of seeing him alive. “How long were you going to keep this from me?”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Forever, if I could.”

“Tom,” you said, your voice cracking. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t want you to look at me like that,” he admitted, his voice raw. “Like you’re scared of me.”

“I’m not scared of you,” you said firmly, grabbing his hand. “I’m scared for you. If this is your life, Tom, what’s going to stop them from coming after you again? Or me?”

“I’ll protect you,” he said, his tone resolute. “Always.”

You wanted to believe him. And maybe, despite everything, you did.

“Let’s go to my place. Your flat might not be safe right now,” Tom said softly, wrapping his arm protectively around your shoulder.

You didn’t respond, staring straight ahead instead. Fury boiled inside you, but you forced yourself to stay silent. Not here. Not until you were somewhere safe.

The car ride was quiet, the hum of the engine filling the tense air. Tom’s fingers occasionally flexed against the steering wheel, a sign of his own nerves. The streets were familiar at first, but as he drove further, the landscape changed. Soon, towering gates loomed in front of a sprawling mansion.

“This isn’t your flat, Tom,” you said, your voice sharp. “Where are we?”

Tom glanced at you but kept driving as the gates opened automatically. “It’s my mansion, darling. Every Holland has their own mansion.”

You stared at him, mouth slightly agape. The words felt surreal. This boy—the one you’d known since middle school, who teased you over coffee and shared fries with you after school—had a mansion.

You knew Tom came from a wealthy family. The Hollands owned Holland Inc., a global empire, but he’d always seemed so grounded, so… normal. Now, you weren’t sure who he was anymore.

The car came to a stop, and Tom quickly got out, opening your door. You stepped out reluctantly, your eyes scanning the grand property. The mansion was breathtaking, with intricate stonework, massive windows, and sprawling gardens illuminated by soft golden lights.

“Come on,” he urged, gently guiding you inside.

The interior was even more overwhelming—high ceilings, elegant chandeliers, and furniture that screamed luxury. You sank into a massive leather couch in the living room, feeling utterly out of place. Tom knelt in front of you, his hands hovering as if unsure whether to touch you.

“Do you need anything? Are you hurt? Did they—did they do anything to you?” His voice was a rapid-fire mix of concern and panic.

You stared at him, heart pounding. The worry in his eyes was real, but it wasn’t enough to suppress the storm brewing inside you.

“Do I need anything?” You repeated, your voice rising. “Yeah, Tom, I need answers! What the hell was that? Who were those men? Why did they kidnap me? What you're involved in? And how—how do you have a mansion?”

“Darling—”

“No!” You cut him off, standing abruptly. “Don’t you ‘Darling’ me! You’ve been lying to me, Tom! All these years, all this time, you’ve been hiding this entire life from me. And now I’m supposed to just… what? Sit here and act like everything’s fine?”

Tom ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident. “I wasn’t lying—”

“Not telling me is the same as lying!” you snapped. “I thought I knew you, Tom. But clearly, I don’t. So start talking. Who were those men? Were they business rivals? Criminals? What are you involved in?”

Tom stood, pacing the room. “It’s complicated.”

You let out a bitter laugh. “Complicated? Oh, that’s rich. Try me, Tom. I’ve just been kidnapped, threatened, and used as bait. I think I can handle ‘complicated.’”

He stopped, turning to face you. “They weren’t business rivals.”

“Then who—”

“They were after me because of my other work,” he admitted, his voice low.

Your stomach dropped. “Other work?”

Tom hesitated, his jaw clenching. “I… I do things. For my family. To protect what’s ours.”

“What does that mean?” You asked, your voice trembling.

“I handle threats. People who try to destroy us, take what’s ours, or hurt the people we care about,” he said, his eyes locking with yours. “That’s why they came after you. They thought they could use you to get to me.”

You stepped back, shaking your head. “So what? You’re some kind of… Mobstar?”

Tom sighed, running a hand down his face. “Kind of?”

“Kind of, Tom?” You demanded. “Because from where I’m standing, it sounds a lot like you’re living in some mob movie, and I’ve been dragged into it without even knowing!”

“I didn’t want you involved,” he said, his voice cracking. “I kept it from you to keep you safe.”

“Well, that worked out great,” you said bitterly, gesturing to yourself. “Do you even realize how terrified I was? Not just for me, but for you? I thought—God, Tom, I thought they were going to kill you!”

Tom closed the distance between you, his hands reaching for yours. “I’m sorry. I swear, Y/n, I never wanted this to happen. I thought I could keep you out of it. I thought I could protect you.”

You pulled your hands away, tears stinging your eyes. “Protect me? Tom, you can’t protect me if you don’t let me in. You’re not invincible. You can’t keep carrying this on your own.”

“I can’t lose you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “You’re the only good thing in my life, Y/n. The only thing that keeps me sane.”

Your heart ached at the raw vulnerability in his voice, but it didn’t erase the betrayal you felt. “Then stop shutting me out,” you said softly. “If you want me in your life, Tom, you can’t keep lying to me. I deserve the truth, no matter how ugly it is.”

Tom stared at you, his eyes searching yours. Finally, he nodded. “Alright. No more lies. No more secrets.”

You swallowed hard, nodding back. “Good. Because I can’t do this if I don’t know what I’m up against.”

“I’ll tell you everything,” he promised, his hand hovering near yours. “Just… don’t walk away from me.”

You hesitated, then let him take your hand. “I’m still here, aren’t I?”

For the first time that night, Tom smiled. It was small and tentative, but it was enough.

Tom hesitated, before taking your hands in his, his thumb brushing over your knuckles as if grounding himself. There was something more—something he was struggling to say.

“I need to tell you another secret,” he murmured, his voice low and unsteady. “And after this… there will be no more secrets. I promise.”

Your brow furrowed, a mix of curiosity and trepidation stirring in your chest. “What is it, Tom?”

He took a deep breath, his eyes darting away for a moment before locking back onto yours. You’d never seen him this vulnerable before, and it made your heart ache despite the storm of emotions still swirling inside you.

“I, um… I really…I mean.... I--” He stumbled over his words, his usual confident demeanor cracking.

“Spill it, Tom,” you said, a hint of impatience creeping into your voice.

“I love you, Y/n,” he blurted out, the words tumbling out in a rush like he’d been holding them back for years. “Not just as my best friend. I love you as someone I want to be with. I want you to be my future.”

The room fell silent, the weight of his confession pressing down on you. His eyes searched yours desperately, as if trying to gauge your reaction, as if the entire world hung on the next words you’d say.

You stared at him, your mind reeling. “Tom…”

“I know this is a lot,” he continued quickly, panic flickering across his face. “And I know I should’ve told you sooner, but I didn’t want to ruin what we have. I didn’t want to lose you. But after tonight… after almost losing you… I couldn’t keep it in anymore.”

You blinked, trying to process the flood of emotions his words stirred in you. Anger, confusion, relief, and… something deeper. Something that made your heart race.

“Tom,” you finally said, your voice softer now. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

He let out a shaky laugh, running a hand through his hair. “Because I was scared. Scared you didn’t feel the same way. Scared it’d mess everything up.”

You stared at him for a moment longer before taking a step closer. “You’re an idiot,” you said, though there was no heat in your voice.

He looked at you, his brows furrowing in confusion. “What?”

You let out a small laugh, shaking your head. “You’re an idiot, Tom Holland. Of course I love you too. Did you really think I wouldn’t?”

His eyes widened, hope blooming on his face. “You… you do?”

You nodded, a smile tugging at your lips despite everything. “Yeah, I do. But don’t think this gets you out of trouble for keeping secrets.”

Tom let out a breathless laugh, his shoulders sagging in relief. “I’ll take whatever trouble you want to give me, as long as I get to keep you.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help smiling as he pulled you into a tight hug, holding you like you were the most precious thing in the world.

And in that moment, for all the chaos and questions still lingering, you felt a little closer to finding your footing again. Together.

°:. *₊ ° . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ° .•

[randomthefox]

Movie shadow was the real edgelord

He shows no compassion or ability to admit someone is on his level, there's so much focus on him wanting revenge, hell he took a detour in SA2 to save Rouge. The movie failed to grasp that he's an introvert recovering from trauma, and pushes the cool factor too much.

Shadow in SA2 is a villain without agency. It's truly fascinating dissecting his character in any given scene with the knowledge of his motivations and the implied manipulation Gerald did to his memories.

For 95% of SA2 he truly and sincerely believes that Maria wanted revenge against all of mankind, and he is acting to bring about the Colony Drop to fulfill that wish.

If it hadn't been for Gerald tweaking Shadows brain to make him "perfect" and "pure"

then Shadow would have woken up from his captivity and gone about trying to fulfill Maria's wish to defend the earth to give the people on that planet the chance to be happy and to bring hope to humanity. He probably still would have had a low opinion of humanity, but he was fighting with Maria's wish in his heart. He was simply mistaken (due to Gerald's manipulation) about what that wish was until the end.

Shadow in the movie is not even remotely the same character as the Shadow in SA2. He is Shadow In Name Only. Movie Shadow did not undergo any kind of memory manipulation, he remembers everything about Maria perfectly and KNOWS for a FACT she would not have wanted the world to be destroyed. Movie Shadow did not hear any final words from Maria imparting a last wish for him to fulfill. Movie Shadow is motivated entirely by his own pain of losing his friend, Maria's feelings and outlook on life is the furthest thing from his mind. Movie Shadow doesn't even start considering what Maria's wishes might have been until he feels bad about accidentally killing a human that he thought was a human that he wanted to kill but it actually wasn't the human he wanted to kill so he was like oops that was the wrong guy which makes him start going "oH nO wAs ThIs WhAt MaRiA wOuLd HaVe WaNtEd???" which is fucking retarded because your entire plan is to blow up the planet and kill everybody why would killing Tom make you start second guessing that.

Movie Shadow is selfishly lashing out at the world because of his own pain.

Game Shadow was selflessly devoted to Maria's final wish, and was simply manipulated into not correctly remembering what that wish was until the very end.

Movie Shadow is talked out of his desire to destroy the planet because Sonic tells him the pain will never go away but just try and stop focusing on the bad memories and try to focus on the good ones instead, which why does that even convince him when Movie Shadow's entire motivation is "this pain fucking sucks everybody should die including me because this pain sucks so much" and Sonic just fucking told him the pain will never go away so like???

Game Shadow is convinced to help avert the colony drop because Amy reaches out and touches his heart and unlocks his memories of Maria's true wish and makes him realize he was in the wrong all along.

Movie Shadow sacrifices his life but also not really because if he didn't the world would have been destroyed. It wasn't a choice.

Game Shadow sacrifices his life but also not really because he felt guilty for his actions in instigating the world's destruction and wanted to repent and fulfill his promise to Maria. Sonic reached out and grabbed his hand to save him, and Shadow rejected it and let himself fall leaving Sonic only holding his bracelet. Shadow CHOSE to fall.

Movie Shadow fucking sucks. A shallow, substanceless mannequin wearing the skin of the character from the games. He's worse than the Shadow from the Sonic Boom cartoon

[gouda-nough]

Also, to me Chandelure has her canon super singles moveset. Protect, Will-o-wisp, Shadow ball and Overheat. She can probably learn new moves in Hisui but channeling them through a very human body is a bit of an obstacle.

She can use Protect and will o wisp fine enough. Along with summoning small, general flames. They can get draining but one off? Yeah its ok. To use her fire abilities she's leaning on her soul, the "fire" thats settled in Ingo's body. So. She can do things.

Shadow ball is harder. Possible but its like trying to use a move under Pressure and Ingo's body doesn't like it! A bone deep tiredness sets in and she needs to rest afterwards.

Overheat is... actively dangerous. Due to the physiological differences between Ghost Lamp and Human man it's basically a recoil move. One a human body is not supposed to deal with! Overheat can and will knock her out and leave her ill.

On the other side of the rift, Ingo probably can use moves but it takes him a bit. He knows what moves he can access of course but using them? Harder.

Emmet's worried "Chandelure's" really worried about Ingo! She loves battling and yet she's hesitant to battle in the subway. At least she's training with the others even if they're all giving him weird looks whenever he walks in.

The amount of smoke is concerning too even if Nurse Joy assured him it was more a symptom of her emotional state over an illness.

[mama-qwerty]

oh i had a thought btw and i wanted to share in the chat we're in but i got no access at the time i'm typing this BUT I FIGURED I COULD SAY IT TO YOU

me and my roommate after seeing the movie had a thought about what Shadow would do next after the events of the movie and the scene at the end credits of him surviving.

we imagined like...what if he just tries to wander the earth, slightly aimless but also trying to take stuff in. he had spent so long here and most of his exposure was through Maria and doing things with her. And that was it. 50 years he was locked away, and when he got out he just went straight into mission mode and even after saving the earth, it occurred to him he probably hadn't seen much of it.

and the idea of him somehow being found my sonic and the gang and them offering to house him but him declining, thinking he caused them too much trouble and it'd be best to keep his distance... even though he wouldn't know where to go and where's a safe place for him to not be bothered by gun agents or humans likely after them, him especially. Heck, Sonic even offering to show him around some places, not even Green Hills but just in places he knows off the top of his head. Lil bonding moment, nice moment between the two despite Shadow not knowing what the hell Sonic is talking about with his ramblings.

And then the final piece of Sonic realising that Shadow could maybe stay in his old cave, it served as his safe spot for so long so maybe it can serve as Shadows. Shadow even seeing Sonic's little drawing on the wall and him saying he drew it the first night he came here, just showing he did have someone he loved and lost. And my roommate even said the idea of him choosing the stay and even draw a picture of him and Maria (maybe not the doctor after all that happened but maybe so, who knows how he feels about him now).

and then just him very very possible occasionally maybe hanging out with the boys... or at least the offer is there. and getting slowly introduced and catching up on things he's missed these last 50 years...

ANYWHO I'LL STOP HAHA

I can totally see Shadow roaming for a while. Learning about the world, people watching.

He had never left the facility before, and this was all completely new to him. Maybe Maria told him about things while they were together, movies she'd seen, places she'd like to visit when she was older and could strike out on her own.

And maybe he visited them, thinking about how Maria would have loved this, or hated that, or been so excited by this other thing. It would hurt so much that he was seeing these places alone. That she hadn't had a chance to travel and see or do everything she'd dreamed of.

And maybe when it hurts too much, when he can't take the heartache of not sharing these experiences with the one person he loved, he would return to Green Hills. He wouldn't specifically seek out Sonic and crew. He'd formed an alliance with the blue hedgehog during a time of war, and he wasn't sure if that friendship extended any further than that. But he could sense the chaos energy within Sonic, and Knuckles, and from the Master Emerald. And that was comforting.

But maybe Tails has some antennas posted around town. (Or he hacked into GUN's satellites.) And maybe he gets a blip when a spike of chaos energy appears. Sonic goes to check it out and finds Shadow, sitting alone on a cliff overlooking the town.

They talk. Sonic tries to invite Shadow to the house, but he refuses. He'd injured Tom, he doesn't deserve their kindness. Sonic tries to argue, but Shadow is stubborn and makes to teleport away, when Sonic calls out to wait, he knows the perfect place Shadow can hide away when he needs someplace quiet.

And he leads Shadow to his old cave.

"It ain't the Ritz," Sonic quips, before catching himself. "Wait. Do you know about the Ritz?"

Shadow turns to him with an eyebrow raised. "The crackers?"

Sonic snickers. "Right. Nevermind. Anyway, it can get a little damp when it rains, and a little cold when it snows, and a little dark when it's night . . . but it was my home before I found my family."

Shadow stops before the crayon mural on the wall. He stares at it for a long time.

"It will do."

Sonic smiles. "Wow, high praise from the Ultimate Lifeform. Okay, well, I can bring you some food and comics and stuff to keep you entertained--"

"I don't need your handouts."

The blue hedgehog nods with a sigh. "Right. Mr. I'm So Edgy can take care of himself."

"That's right."

Sonic doesn't say anything for a moment, and when he does, his voice is softer, the joking lilt gone. "Listen, as one formerly lonely hedgehog to another, it's nice to have people care about you. Worry about you. So just . . . don't turn your back on people who want to help, okay?"

Shadow stands quietly for a moment. "Fine."

And Shadow isn't always in the cave (heaven forbid we say he lives in it, amirite SEGA?) but Sonic leaves him things anyway. Cans of food, books he thinks Shadow would like, lots of blankets.

And maybe Sonic tells the family about Shadow taking shelter in his old cave, and the next time Shadow reappears there, it's better weather sealed and more comfortable and homey. The opening is covered with an actual door, one that keeps animals and rain out.

And maybe there's a note left. One that tells Shadow they don't blame him for what he did to Tom. They understand he was stressed and confused and hurting. They forgive him. And their home is always open for him, if he were hurt, or hungry, or just wanted some company.

And maybe, one night, when the family is sitting down for supper, a flash of light appears in the backyard. Ozzy runs to the door, barking at the sudden intruder in his territory, Knuckles close behind.

And there in the middle of the yard, stands Shadow. Looking very uncomfortable. Looking like he's second guessing his presence. Looking like he's just about to teleport away.

The family stands in the doorway, looking out at the black and red hedgehog. Without a word, they turn and head back to the supper table, but leave the kitchen door open.

The choice is his. Join them. Or leave.

He stands there for a long few moments, watching as they sit down, dishing out the food. Maddie moves to the cabinet and brings another plate to the table, placing it between her and Sonic. Silverware joins it. And a glass of water.

Shadow is frozen.

He takes a step forward. And another.

And takes his place at the table.

He doesn't move in with the Wachowskis. He's not there all the time. But they always make sure to have plenty of food to go around if he chose to join them.

There's always a place at their table for a lonely hedgehog.

[wereh0gz]

Making myself sad thinking about ghost maria......

[seleneprince]

You know the best part of ACOSAB (my Rhysta fic)?

I'm going to make Rhysand suffer. A lot.

Don't get me wrong, Nesta is the one in the worst position, of course she's suffering a lot too. But while she's at it, my girl is gonna do her damn best to make Rhysand wish he was dead. He's going to pull his hair and curse himself for not having left her in the woods to die.

For starters, he can't read her mind, or even spell her, something that sets him off greatly. His most lethal weapons, the one he relies on the most to scheme and shit, are useless against her. So he has to work harder and make actual effort to play his games with Nesta. And she makes it as excruciatingly difficult for him as she can.

Nesta is currently on the mindset that "if i can't leave, at least i'll make you miserable while on it".

I'm so excited to write them 🔥

[bitchthefuck1]

In case you'd forgotten, this is canonically what Inej thinks about having to interact with the Grisha trilogy characters:

[asmodeusamaryllis]

Cool cover but I edited his face slightly cuz the shading there was bothering me so much.

Lower quality edit that not as clean up under the read more as I started w that before finding a higher quality version online