#and the worst part is (to me) the flashbacks we didn’t need to see? those are some of the best if not only good parts of the whole show! tf!

[wandaslittlebird]

Her Special Girl

Stepmom!Wanda x Reader

After being away at college for three years, you finally come home for the holidays. And no one is more excited to see you than your stepmom.

CW: Stepmom/Stepdaughter, MOMMY ISSUES, slight daddy issues, mommy kink, cheating, breastfeeding, fingering (R receiving), mentions of strap usage, flashbacks, mentions of past: suicidal thoughts, loss of virginity, ghosting

Word Count: ~5k

A/N: I think if I keep this up, they’re going to revoke my degree in psychology and bury me for defending psychosexual development.

A/N: I could be talked into making a part 2 for this. And by talked into I mean approximately 1 person needs to ask. I had way too much fun with this.

Part 1 of Her Special Girl

——————————————————--

She knew something was wrong when you had called her to pick you from your mom’s house a week early. You weren’t supposed to be coming home till Christmas Eve, but here you were, curled up in her passenger seat only three days after being home for Christmas break. 

Wanda wasn’t supposed to be the one picking you up. You originally called your father, but he was, unsurprisingly, unavailable. Apparently he was off playing ‘not the world’s worst stepdad’ with Wanda’s boys for the week. Probably some bonding time enforced by Wanda. He was never terribly keen on spending time with his family. Plus it got the miserable old man out of her hair for a few days. Merry Christmas to Wanda.  

“Mom’s house was that bad, huh?” she asked. You simply nodded in response. She made a sympathetic noise and rubbed the back of your head. “I’m sorry sweetheart. We’ll talk about it when we get home?” 

You nodded again, thankful she wasn’t going to fill the car with awkward small talk. You reached for the radio, turning up the quiet christmas music. You rested your head against your knees, absently humming the familiar music to soothe yourself. You didn’t notice the way Wanda’s heart absolutely melted everytime she got a glance at you. As much as it broke her heart that you’d had a bad experience at your mother’s house, she was glad to have you home for Christmas. 

—------

Wanda and your father had married when you were around 16. In the first years, you weren’t close. In fact, you had hated Wanda at first. The kindness and gentleness she offered you was so alien and unfamiliar. Everytime she did you a favor without being asked, or made a move to give you physical reassurance, you felt like your inside would turn to mush. By that point, you were old enough to decide when you wanted to go to your dad’s house, and it felt easier to avoid her entirely than confront the gnawing feeling in your chest that arose whenever you interacted with her. So you spent those years at your mom’s house.

But as time passed, something shifted. 

In what was supposed to be your last semester of high school, it became pretty clear you were not going to pass. Your life, the one you had planned for at least, fell into a tailspin. You watched all of your friends move on without you. Both of your parents were extremely disappointed with you and seemed to give up on you in favor of the new families they’d created. All of your hopes and dreams of finally escaping to college were put on hold. You had completely lost all direction. 

And one night in late July, when there was no school to look forward to in August and no hope of starting a life of your own without a high school diploma, you hit rock bottom. You were lying down in the shower at your dad’s house and you found yourself unable to get up. You couldn’t move. You couldn’t do it anymore. And just when you thought your body would decay into the blue tile, you heard a knock at the door.

“Honey? Are you okay in there?” 

It was Wanda. You wanted to yell that you were fine and you'd be out in a minute, but you couldn’t get the words out of your mouth. So you didn’t respond. 

You heard the sound of a key pressing into the lock, and the hesitant steps of your stepmother making her way into the bathroom. “Honey?” she called again. She gasped when she found your limp body in the shower. She threw the glass door open, turned off the shower that had long since gone cold, and wrapped you up in a towel. You were too far gone to be embarrassed that your stepmother was seeing you naked at 18 years old. All you could do was throw your arms around her and sob and babble apologies. 

“Oh! My sweet girl. How long have you been in here? I just woke up to use the restroom and I heard the water still running. You poor thing, have you been in here all night? You’re freezing. Your poor lips are purple! Come on, let's get you warmed up.”

With impressive strength, she was able to pick you up and carry you to bed. She threw all of your softest blankets around you cocooning you with warmth on all sides. Then she sat on the bed next to you, wiping the cold wet hair from your forehead. 

And for once, you were too weak to push her away. Too weak to fight the magnetic draw you had always had towards the woman. You needed her more than anything in the world. You wanted to be surrounded by her. You craved an impossible closeness with her. The hole in your heart had grown so big it nearly devoured you, and she was here to patch it up and kiss it all better.

So you melted into her touch, inching your body closer to where she sat on the bed until you were wrapped around her. You almost expected her to inquire as to where this was coming from, the sudden closeness after avoiding her for so long. You thought maybe she would even reprimand you for your childish behavior, or call you weird for acting like this with her. But she didn’t. “Aww my sweet girl. You’ll be alright. I’m not going anywhere. Mama’s here.”

And she didn’t call you weird when you tugged on her nightshirt, silently asking her to lay down with you. She simply crawled under the covers, kissed your head, and pulled your still naked body into her arms. “You poor thing, you're still freezing. It’s okay, mama will keep warm.”

And she didn’t reprimand you when you decided there was still too much separation, so you pulled her nightshirt up over her head, leaving her bare in bed with you. “Mmm, you’re right this will get you all nice and warmed up. You're a very smart girl.”

“I love you, mama.”

“I love you too, sweet girl.”

She tangled her body into yours, enveloping you in the warmest embrace. Her skin was so incredibly soft against your, pressed into every inch of your body. You could feel the way her heart overflowed with contented joy with you between her arms. 

And nothing was ever the same after that. In the span of twenty minutes with her, you’d gone from believing you could die on the shower floor and no one would care, to feeling like the single most important thing in her entire world. You were hers. 

And you were hers when she gave you your first kiss over an episode of “Legend of Korra.” You’d been so over eager, it’d felt like you were trying to eat her face, but she didn’t make fun of you. She just calmly pulled back, giving you all the instructions you needed to make your second kiss perfect. 

And you were hers when she took your virginity while your father was away on a business trip. She had laid you out on the bed, kissing slow trails down your stomach while you gasped and shuttered at every new sensation. That first night, she treated you like you were made of the finest glass, beautiful and delicate. 

And you were hers when she cried into your arms, begging you not to go so far away for college. With her help, you’d finally gotten a high school diploma. You had the funding from your father to go anywhere you wanted. She wanted to want you to go, she really did. She wanted to want whatever was best for you, but she wasn’t ready to let go of you yet. 

But when you packed your bags and left anyway, you couldn’t be hers any longer. There were no phone calls, no texts, no apologies or explanations for why you left. You were simply gone like you’d never existed in the first place.  

—------

“So,” she asked, helping you carry in your luggage and dropping it in the foyer, “do you wanna talk about what happened with your mother?” She knew you and your mother had never gotten along. She was honestly more wondering why you even decided to go home in the first place. You had spent Christmases with your friends since you’d left for college, but this year you had inexplicably decided to come home. 

You shrugged. “Same as always, I guess. There’s never been a group of people I’m so palpably unimportant to. She and my stepdad have a family of their own, ya know? And I’m just… not part of it. Every time I’m there I feel like a ghost haunting a happy family.” Tears welled up in your eyes, falling down your cheeks. 

“Oh, honey,” Wanda sighed, cupping your cheek with her hand. You only cried harder at the gesture. It was so kind. So gentle. So familiar. You fought your every instinct to not throw yourself against, clinging to her like a petulant child. You wanted to be close to her again.  

The look in her eyes made you feel like you were going to explode. She was listening to you, like actually listening to you. You couldn’t help but pour your heart out to her. “I don’t even know why I tried to come home this year. I just had this idea that I was gonna come home after being gone for so long and she was going to have magically changed. I just had this, like… fantasy that she’d wrap her arms around me and apologize for not being there for me, say that all this time away has made her realize that she can’t live without me, tell me how I’m her most special little girl and she’ll do anything to make it right.”

You turned away from her, suddenly very embarrassed of all the things you’d just confessed. “It was stupid. Whatever. It’s never been like that and it’s never going to be like that. I’m fucking 22, I wasn’t going to be mommy’s little princess anyway.” You felt the urge to run away. You couldn’t bear to look at your stepmother’s face any longer. You made a quick break for the stairs, but Wanda caught your wrist.

“Honey, wait!” she said, pulling you back around to face her. Your head spun and your skin tingled when she touched you. “You know you're still my special girl, right?” 

“Of course, but you have your boys and they’re your whole world. And that’s a good thing! They’re really lucky to have you, I just…” You trailed off, unsure of what to say next. 

“You just?” she asked after you didn’t speak for a minute. 

Another torrent of tears stung your eyes. “I can’t be your special girl. I’m not even really yours.”

Wanda tilted her head in confusion. “What do you mean by that, honey?”

“I’m not your baby,” you said, choked up by your failed attempt to not let your tears fall. You ducked your head, avoiding her gaze at all cost.

She took a step towards you. “Hey,” she started, reaching for your chin to make you look at her. “I’ve missed you, you know? While you’ve been gone.”

“You did?” you asked in almost a whisper. 

“I did,” she reassured. “I thought about you all the time. I never let your father get rid of your bedroom, even though he wanted to move his office there. And there’s still a chair at the end of the dining table for you. And in the winter time I always buy that peppermint creamer for my coffee because it was always your favorite.”

Your resolve finally crumbled and you threw yourself around her, clinging to her desperately. “I missed you too, mama. I wanted to come home to see you, but I didn’t think you’d ever wanna see me again. After I… I thought you’d hate me forever!” you were sobbing in her arms, head tucked under her chin as her long nails scratched your scalp, just how you like. 

“Shh, baby it’s okay. I could never hate you. You’re home now. Mama’s got you,” she cooed. “Let’s get you a nice warm bath, get you all cleaned up, and then we can watch a movie in my room. Does that sound good?”

You nodded, reluctantly removing yourself from her. She reached out for your hand and smiled when you grabbed her arm with both hands, clinging to her awkwardly as you made your way up the steps. She led you to the master bathroom that had a fancy corner tub. She ran the water, checking the temperature to make sure the water was just right. 

“Alright pretty girl, arms up,” she said, lifting the hem of your shirt over your head. She neatly folded your shirt and placed it on the counter. She turned around to find you with your arms bashfully crossed over your chest. She took your hand. “None of that, sweet girl. It’s just you and mama, you don’t need to cover yourself.”

“‘s cold,” you mumbled, goosebumps rising across your chest.

“I know,” she said, bending down to unbutton your pants and push them down around your ankles. You wrapped your arms around her neck, using her for balance as you kicked out of your pants. “We’re gonna have you all warmed up in just a second, sweetheart.”

As soon as you were naked, you scrambled over to the warm tub. Steam was rising from the water’s surface where it met the cool air. You hissed as your cold feet met the water. Wanda giggled at your eagerness, folding your pants and underwear and placing them on top of your shirt. “Careful, pretty girl,” she chuckled. 

You sank into the tub, slowly allowing your body to adjust to the temperature. You sighed in contentment, resting your head back against the ledge of the tub. You rolled your head to the side to face Wanda, who had stripped off her jeans, leaving her in a long gray sweater that barely covered her ass. Your eyes glimmered at the sight of the beautiful woman. “Will you get in with me?” you asked. “Please?”

“Not tonight, honey,” she said, sitting down on the ledge of the tub behind your head. She stuck her feet into the water on either side of you, leaving your head between her bare thighs. “Mama’s already had her bath. Now keep your head tilted back for me. I don’t wanna get any soap in your eyes.” Any protests you had were quickly cut short when you felt long fingers massaging your favorite coconut shampoo in your hair. Wanda worked cautiously, careful not to get any soap in your eyes. She somehow managed to keep your face almost entirely dry throughout the entire process. 

You nearly started to cry when she started applying soap to your body with a soft washcloth. It had been so long since someone had touched you so gently. You could feel how much she cared for you as she softly scrubbed the day's grime from your body. Each caress left trails of goosebumps rising on your soapy skin. You felt like you might melt into the bathwater. 

“Alright little love, kneel up nice and straight for me so I can get you all clean,” she calmly commanded. You hesitantly got up on your knees and turned to face her, reluctant to pull your body from the warmth of the water. Now that you were looking up at her, you felt suddenly exposed again. It was much easier to be naked in front of her with your back turned. 

You took in a sharp inhale when the washcloth landed between your legs. “Mama…” you whined, looking up at her with worried eyes. Her touch felt so good you couldn’t help but buck against the cloth while a knot still coiled in the pit of your stomach. You had the fleeing thought that you should tell her to stop and that this was wrong. But as she continued her ministrations, your head seemed to empty itself of any such thoughts. All you could focus on was the growing sensation between your legs. 

“Aww, sweet girl,” Wanda cooed. “It’s okay that you like it when you like it when mama touches you like this honey. You don't have to be embarrassed, angel.” She made slow, teasing circles around your clit through the thick cloth. You grabbed her arm, keeping her in place until she finally had had enough of the teasing and gently freed herself of your grip. 

“Mama,” you whined again as she continued to wash down the curve of your ass and the inside of your thighs. You weren’t sure why, exactly, you found yourself chanting her name, but it seemed to be the only word you could find. 

She smiled. “You’re okay, angel. Mama got you. I love you so very much, sweetheart. I’m gonna take care of you, just like I used to. There’s no need to be embarrassed or guilty or scared. You’re still your mama’s special girl, okay?” She leaned down to kiss your forehead. You closed your eyes and allowed her complete control over your body.  “We’re all finished, detka. You can sit back down now.” She guided you back down into the water, turning you back around and resting your head against her inner thigh. She gently started to dry your hair as you settled back into the water. You found yourself wrapping your arms around her calf, clutching at her like she might fly away.

“Mama?” 

“Yes, little love?”

“Do you think there’s something wrong with me?”

“How do you mean, angel?” Her voice was laced with concern. You weren’t exactly sure how to respond, so you nuzzled your face into her thigh in embarrassment. “Hey little love.” She bent down so she could see your face. “It’s okay. You can tell mama. You don’t have to be embarrassed.”

You shifted around uncomfortably, unsure of how to phrase what you wanted to say. “I need you really badly mama,” you said, barely above a whisper. “I know I’m too old, but I wanna be your special little girl forever.” 

“Oh honey,” she soothed, “you’re never too old to be my special little girl. Even if you wanted me to take care of you forever, I’d love every second of it.” She laid back against the wall, closing her eyes and allowing herself to fantasize about what it would be like to have you back. Forever, this time. A faint smile painted her face at the thought. “Don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re too old to need your mama. They might not understand it like you do, but you are a very very special girl and your mama loves you very very much.”

You nodded against her, shyly tucking your face back into her thigh. You sat like that for a minute, letting her fingers scratch your damp scalp while you smiled in contentment. 

But you could only rest naked between her bare legs for so long before the little pings of arousal took over. You turned around to face her, this time straddling a single one of her legs between two of your own. You sat back on your feet, resting your head on her knee. 

“Mama, please. I need to feel you again,” you sighed. You desperately craved the feeling of closeness you’d once shared. The feeling that you and her were the only two people in the world, and that you were as important to her as she was to you, and that was the only thing that mattered. 

You wanted her inside of you, touching all the parts of you no one else got to see. You yearned for the way she made you feel like the most precious thing in the universe, chasing your pleasure like it was her own. She felt good when you felt good. 

Conversely, you wanted to be inside of her, pushing into her like a puzzle piece that had always meant to fit together. You felt like you could rewrite time, finally inside your mama like you were supposed to be all along. 

She reached down beside the tub and pulled up a fluffy pink towel. She stretched it out with her arms, welcoming you into a soft embrace. She took such care in drying off every part of you, down to your calves that still stayed in the water. 

You sat in between her legs, her arms wrapped around your bare body. She pulled you close to her, your back flush against her chest. Then she wrapped her legs around yours, effectively pinning them open against the wall of the tub. 

You pulled at the sleeves of her sweater, desperate to get closer to her. There was still too much fabric between the two of your bodies. 

She shushed you pleas with gentle hands. “Not right now, detka. Let mama show you how much she’s missed you, okay? Then we can cuddle up all naked under the soft blankets on the bed just how we like to. Does that sound okay?”

You let out a displeased whine. You were extremely impatient. It had been years since you’d had her so close. But as she stroked your hair with one hand and your clit with the other, you found yourself more amenable to suggestions. “P-promise?”

“I promise, sweetheart,” she reassured. 

She kept her pace just steady enough that talking, and thinking for that matter, became difficult. “A-and we stay like that all-all night?”

“All night, angel.”

You finally nodded in agreement, relaxing against her. You kept a ironclad grip on her bicep, feeling the muscles flex as she played with your most sensitive parts. 

She moved her fingers down through your folds, teasing your entrance. You tried to force your hips down onto her fingers, but her legs kept you from moving. You settled instead for whining like an injured puppy. “Please mama, please.”

“Mmm,” she hummed in your ear, circling your entrance with the tip of her finger. “I’m so lucky. I get to have my most special girl and all her most special parts,” she sunk her middle finger into you, eliciting a mangled groan, “all to myself.” 

“All yours,” you assured, feeling her finger curl and twist inside of you, making room for more. She was always so calculated with the way she pleased you. You were like a present she was methodically unwrapping, peeling each piece of tape off, careful not to damage the paper. She was in no rush to tear you apart. She kept her painfully slow pace, but sunk a second finger into you. You felt your eyes roll to the back of your head. “I’m all yours, mama.” 

She leaned your head back onto her shoulder and kissed your cheek. You didn’t even notice the uncomfortable strain the position should’ve caused your neck. There was just her everywhere, caressing each part of your body with a tenderness you’d never experienced anywhere else. Her hand explored your chest, teasing hard nipples with gentle pinches and soft touches. Nails scraped their way down the soft expanse of your stomach, paying special attention to the curve of your hip bone.

“Mama, I love you. You feel so good inside of me, please don’t stop. Oh god please never stop,” you whined. You didn’t even care that she was moving her fingers too slow to make you cum. You were so content with just her filling you up, touching the parts of you no one else got to touch. You got to be hers all over again.

You thought back to your days with her, home alone. She’d let you sit on her lap in her office, arms and legs wrapped around her like a koala bear, her strap nestled inside of you. She was always so impressed by your ability to stay still for hours on end. But how could you want for anything more than to be full of her?

“You’re so tight and warm for mama,” she cooed. “I love feeling you around my fingers, baby. You make such pretty noises.” She sped up her movements, highlighting the sound of the wetness between your legs. You were nearly dripping a trail down the side of the tub. 

You tried to buck against her hand, but her legs kept you perfectly still. “Ooh mama. I love you. I love you mama,” you cried, unable to escape the building pleasure of her fingers. She slipped a third finger inside of you, only further spurring your desperate cries. “Please mama!  Please, I'm so full. Mama I wanna cum for you. I wanna cum on your fingers. Please! Please let me cum on your fingers.” 

Her fingers twisted and curled in all the ways that drove you crazy. You knew you couldn’t cum until she touched your clit, which she was tactfully avoiding for that exact reason, but you still felt nearly out of your mind with pleasure. You were jerking against her now, causing her to wrap her arms around your waist. “Calm down honey. Mama’s got you. You’re doing so good for me sweet girl.”

“Good girl for mama,” you mumbled brainlessly. The continuous pounding of her fingers made your head spin. There was nothing in the whole world but you and your mama. Nothing else mattered. 

“That’s right, angel. You’re mama’s good girl,” she praised. 

You nodded dumbly, unable to muster any more thoughts than “mama” which you chanted repeatedly. She shoved three fingers in your mouth, making the word come out even more unintelligible. You whined around her hand, but obediently sucked her fingers. 

“Can you touch yourself for me princess?” She asked, both her hands too occupied to finally put an end to your abuse. You both knew that just a little pressure to your clit would finally push you over the edge. 

You didn’t even acknowledge her question, just hopelessly cried around her fingers. “Aww sweet girl, you need mama to do it for you? That’s okay, honey. Mama will take care of it.” She pulled her fingers from your mouth, now covered in your spit, and reached down between your legs. She kissed the side of your head while she finally attended to your neglected clit. “That’s it, princess. Cum on mama’s hand.”

You were nearly silent as you fell over the edge, unable to do little more than jerk and squeak. She gently led you down from the high, removing her fingers and bracing you against herself so you didn’t tumble back into the now cold bathtub. She cleaned you up with a washcloth and wrapped you back up in the soft towel. 

She chuckled when she picked you up and saw your face, blissed out and stupid. She thought back to before you had left for college, when you were 18 and it took a lot more than three fingers and 20 minutes to get you here. “Nobody has touched you like that for a long time, have they angel?”

You shook your head against her chest. “Only you mama.” 

She smiled at the admission. Laying you down at the center of her big bed. You pawed at her sweater when she pulled away. “I’m just taking this off. I’ll be down there in just a second.”

She crawled under the covers only a moment later, pulling you closer and discarding the towel onto the floor. You nuzzled into her neck, wrapping your arms around her waist. You were so warm and so loved. You felt so important again, just like you did the fateful night she’d pulled you from the cold shower. In that moment, you couldn’t wrap your head around why you’d ever left. How could you ever have left anything so perfect?

“Mama, can I be inside of you next time?” You mumbled into her chest, unwilling to completely separate yourself from her. 

“Of course you can,” she replied, pulling you in to kiss your forehead. “Anything for my special girl.”

You smiled. “Can I use the dark red toy? The one that gives you the little bump right here?” You touched her lower stomach in indication. 

She couldn’t help but laugh at the request, recalling the only other time she allowed you to use that toy right before you left. Seeing the bulge in her lower stomach had gotten you so excited you’d pathetically rutted into like a teenage boy. “Only if you can be gentle with mama.”

“Mhm,” you hummed. “Gentle with mama.” 

She smiled down at you, noticing your eyelids start to droop. “That’s enough for tonight, little love. Rest now and we can talk some more in the morning, okay?” She gently guided your head down to her chest. She smiled when you almost immediately took her nipple into your mouth, suckling contentedly, just like she’d taught you to do. Oh, how she loved you.

She closed her eyes, allowing herself to drift off into a daydream. Maybe she could convince you to move schools so you could come back, live at home with her. Every stressful assignment or class or situation with your friends could end like this: in this intimate act that drowned out both your stress and hers. Maybe if you’d stay, she could get on hormones and start actually producing milk again. All for you. All for her baby girl. And she'd remind you how loved you were everyday, and you never take her for granted again. 

Yes, she’ll have you back in her arms just like it used to be. You’ll come home to her, and you’ll finally see that you’ll never need anyone else ever again.

[smoooothoperator]

What Was I Made For?

10: Clair de Lune

childhood enemies, forced proximity, accidental pregnancy, enemies to lovers

Warnings: flashbacks are in italics

a/n: Hiiiiiiii what do you think Dafne will do??

if you want to play a game and ask things about Dafne

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The boy I met in Greece.

Was I too young to think he was my first love? Six years is enough?

If there’s something that sets me apart from my sister Erica, it’s my lack of social skills. I was the one hiding behind my parents during introductions, the one who avoided problems to stay safe. Because avoiding problems means you don't have to expose your heart or confront others, right?

During those weeks in Greece, he was my voice. He stood by me, talked for me, and defended me. He was the first person I wanted to see when I woke up and the last before I went to bed. He stayed with me while I read, ordered my ice cream, and made me feel like I could be myself.

Until it happened.

That day, he wasn’t the same. He was quieter, barely smiled. He skipped breakfast, ignored me, and slept in the car. At lunch, he barely ate, and on the beach, he stayed in the shade.

I should have seen it. I should have noticed he was sick. But instead of facing the problem, I ran away.

That’s what I always did. That’s why the boy I loved became someone I hated. I was blind and too scared to confront the issue.

He called me a coward. And why deny it? I am. I make mistakes. I run from situations I can't handle. I push people away when things get tough. That's what I did with Charles, with Sebastian, and when I found out I was pregnant.

I ran away.

But I can't do it anymore. I have to face life, solve my problems, and fix my mistakes.

Charles insisted on staying with me in the villa. He left only for a day to grab things he needed and then came back the next day. I had a whole day for myself and my cat.

“What do you think about him, hm?” I sighed, rubbing my cat Athena's head. “An asshole, right?”

She looked at me with her ears turned back, like she disagreed with what I said.

“Oh, let me guess. He gave you your favorite treat and now you adore him, huh?” I smiled, rubbing her head.

I sighed, placing my hand on my belly and looking up at the ceiling.

A chance. I gave him a chance. But how will this work? I don't think I'm ready to forgive him, even if he proves he’s changed. How can I trust him? He might be the father of this kid, but that doesn’t erase the fact that the moment we conceived this baby was the worst day of my life.

“Knock, knock.”

I sighed, smiling weakly when I heard my sisters’ voices coming in. They walked into the house with bags in their hands, smiling.

“How are you doing?” Soleil asked, sitting next to me.

“Are you asking for the baby or for the one that made it?” I smiled weakly.

“Both,” she sighed, looking at our older sister. “He cares for you, Dafne…”

“You told him to come. Why?” I sighed, looking at Erica, who sat next to me, holding my cat on her lap.

“Because it was necessary,” she said, rubbing Athena’s head. “You two have something in common, and it’s not only your careers. That kid needs to grow up with a father. And you can’t run away from your problems all the time.”

“I know-”

“You’re twenty-six, Dafne. It’s about time you two talk about the past and clear things up! For God’s sake, he searched for you everywhere!”

“I know!” I sighed, looking at her. “I know. We talked.”

“Oh,” both my sisters frowned.

“I gave him a chance,” I sighed. “I know I can’t do this alone. I know I need him. It’s just… how can I trust him again? How… He promised me he’s going to change. But what if he doesn’t? What if now he’s telling everyone that I’m pregnant and that I won’t come back?”

“Come on, he’s stupid, but not that much,” Soleil laughed softly. “He cares for you. If he didn’t before he found out you were pregnant, he won’t do it now.”

“Which is why we came here…” Erica sighed. “You… you have to say something to the world, Daf. Everyone is asking where you are. Fred hasn’t heard anything more about you. I’m sure he’s already closing a deal with another driver.”

“It’s for the best,” I sighed, rubbing my belly. “I don’t think I’ll be able to come back after this.”

“And then what are you going to do? Retire?” she sighed.

“I…” I swallowed thickly, feeling a knot in my throat and tears welling up. “I guess…”

“Come here,” Erica sighed, opening her arms and letting me lean on her. “Everything will be okay, yeah? We will be here for you. Mom and dad will be here for you. Charles… Charles will be here for you.”

“How did we end up like this… How? Why?” I mumbled, letting the tears flow silently down my cheeks.

“Maybe because you two are meant to be, hm?” Soleil sighed, leaning on me and hugging me too. “Maybe because your story didn’t end that day in Greece. Maybe you two were meant to be, and now a little version of you two is giving you a chance to be together again.”

We stayed in silence for a few seconds before laughing weakly again.

“That was so poetic,” Erica chuckled.

“I was inspired,” she joked, making us chuckle lightly again.

I smiled weakly and sighed, holding their hands and squeezing them tightly. If I retire, what will happen to them? They worked with me, they were my team, my biggest support…

“You two should find another driver to work with,” I whispered.

“What? No!” Soleil frowned. “I was your trainer. I can’t be with someone else.”

“Listen to me, okay?” I smiled weakly. “I’m sure you will find a new driver. Go try F1 Academy; the girls would love to have an experienced trainer. Please?”

They looked at each other and sighed, hugging me tightly. I have to accept my fate, that I can’t go back to karting because I have a kid to take care of.

“Maybe you’re right,” I sighed. “Maybe our story didn’t end in Greece. It was only on hiatus.”

I sighed, placing my hand on my belly and rubbing it softly. I should tell the world that I’m going to retire, and if I tell the truth, it would be best for me and my baby. But I have to talk with Charles about it because it’s something that concerns both of us.

“Do you think he feels the same?” I sighed.

“He wouldn’t have come if he didn’t,” Soleil whispered.

“He does care,” Erica said, brushing my hair. “But it’s something you two have to talk about. Only the two of you know how you feel, what you want.”

“I just want to stop feeling that pain every time I look at him,” I sighed. “I want to stop the stabs I feel in my chest every time he looks at me and talks about me. I just want to go back in time to Greece and live in a loop there.”

“Then fix things,” Erica said, encouraging me. “Fix things, tell him what you’re telling us now.”

“It’s not that easy, Eri,” I sighed. “I don’t trust him. I can’t even let him touch my belly. I feel so… I don’t know, betrayed.”

“It will take time,” Soleil sighed. “But hey, you have five months until the baby comes. You have enough time to fix everything.”

“He will go to the races,” I sighed. “He can’t be here all the time.”

They sighed and nodded, hugging me tighter, staying with me for the rest of the day, keeping me company.

After my sisters left after dinner, the house was silent again. It reminded me of the day I came home after that race, of how vulnerable I felt.

It was so cold. No matter how many layers of clothes I was wearing, I was still shaking.

“Dad said that the wood is outside,” Erica said, walking back inside the house with the last suitcase. “You know how it works, right?”

“Yeah,” I sighed, looking at the fireplace, clenching my jaw.

“We can stay if you ask us, you know?” Soleil sighed, sitting next to me on the couch. “You don't have to do this alone.”

“I need it,” I whispered. “I need to be alone, just for a while… I need to think.”

“We will come here once a week, okay?” Erica said, sitting on my other side and holding my hand. “To bring you things, hm? Just… don’t push us away.”

“What did Mom and Dad say?” I whispered.

“Well… they will support you, Daf,” Soleil said. “It was a shock at first… but… who is the father?”

I swallowed thickly, looking away. The father? Someone I hate, someone who only brings me trouble. Someone who only knows how to hurt me.

“Not who I wished,” I mumbled.

“Who?” Erica frowned but immediately understood, I think. “Oh…”

“Exactly,” I sighed. “Oh.”

They stayed silent, hugging me tightly, comforting me without saying anything until it was time for them to leave.

I watched the car drive away, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders. It’s so cold outside; December is cold in this house.

“What am I going to do now?” I mumbled, placing my hand on my stomach, swallowing thickly when I felt the bump.

How could I have never noticed? I’m three months pregnant. How? I missed three periods. Was it because I focused too much on my season? And I never had morning sickness… at least not always, and I didn’t think it was because I was pregnant.

I sneezed softly and immediately walked inside the house, shivering. I grabbed some wood and placed it in the fireplace, lighting it and moving the wood until it burned.

I looked at the fire, taking deep breaths and closing my eyes when I felt the warmth kissing my cheeks. I followed the flames with my eyes, watching their hypnotic dance and feeling my mind relax immediately.

That’s what I need. Peace, loneliness. No one to disturb me. Just me, my cat, my piano, and my baby.

I shook my head, taking a deep breath and standing up from the couch, brushing away the memories that were coming back.

The piano was there, against the wall with the cover down. It’s been a while since I played it. I always did it with my dad when we came here in the summer, when I was a kid.

But now it felt like it was calling me, asking me to play it, to fill the silence of the house.

Slowly, I made my way to the piano, my heart beating a little faster with each step. I paused in front of it, hesitating. Taking a deep breath, I lifted the cover, revealing the old white and black keys. Even if they were dirty, they seemed to glow with a gentle invitation.

I sat down on the bench, my hands trembling slightly because of the cold as they hovered over the keys. My mind drifted back to the countless times I played here, watching and listening intently as my father played, how he smiled and closed his eyes every time he gave us a little concert.

Without thinking, my fingers found their places on the keys, and I began to play. The opening notes filled the room, soft and delicate, like a whisper. My hands moved with a mixture of uncertainty and muscle memory, but always touched the keys with security.

As the melody unfolded, I closed my eyes, letting the music guide me. The familiar patterns and rhythms started to flow more naturally, my fingers dancing over the keys with increasing confidence. The room around me disappeared, and my mind only focused on the music I was making, not hearing the front door opening or the meowing of my cat.

The final notes lingered in the air, a delicate echo of what once was. I sat there for a moment, letting the silence envelop me, my fingers still resting on the keys. A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek, but I didn’t wipe it away. Instead, I smiled softly, feeling a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in a while.

“Clair de Lune.”

I gasped, flinching when I heard his voice. I heard him walk towards me, leaning on the wall next to the piano. He was smiling, looking at me and my hands.

“I didn’t know you played the piano,” he said, surprised.

“I told you, there are things about me you don’t know,” I sighed, looking away.

But then I flinched again, feeling a sharp pain in my stomach, making me stay silent and place my hand on my belly.

“What? What happened?” Charles frowned, moving fast and kneeling next to me. “Dafne.”

“The baby…” I mumbled.

“What? What happened?” he asked, panic filling his voice.

Without thinking about it, I grabbed his hand and placed it on my belly, ignoring the alarms in my brain.

Then again.

“Is that…” Charles mumbled, shocked too.

“A kick,” I whispered, looking into his eyes, feeling his warm hand on my belly. “It… it’s the first time the baby kicks.”

“Oh God,” he whispered, and I could feel the adoration in his voice. “God, Dafne… play again. Please, play the piano.”

I looked at him, smiling slowly and turning again to face the piano, playing another song, with his hand still on my belly, rubbing his thumb softly, and soft butterfly kicks in my womb.

taglist

@racinggirl @elisysd @alltoomaples @ssprayberrythings @rach3164 @yvonne-dump @deliciousfestsalad @janeh22 @hc-dutch @ninifee1802 @kakorrhaphiphobia @ssararuffoni @itsjustkhaos @scaramou @tapedeck-hearts @apollosfavkiddo @sltwins @glitterquadricorn @ladystardust05 @theseerbetweenus @vizzzashley @auawdo @leah-also-known-as-creatoronwp @leptitlu @green-thots @caterinemirandax_

[dark-frosted-heart]

Roger Barel Main Route - Chapter 4

As usual, can’t guarantee 100% accuracy on this. I’m doing this for archiving purposes and you can probably find a better translation out there.

Alfons led us to a room in the estate…

Alfons: Take a look inside.

When I peeked through the door, I was greeted with the strangest scene.

Glass inhalers lined the walls and party attendants were spread around the room, eyes glazed over—

I gently closed the door to not make any noises.

Roger: Those vacant eyes means they’re high.

Kate: …

Recreational—Just a glance had me realize the kind of effects the drugs had on your mood.

Alfons: As you can see, a show with laughing gas was going on. Aah, they looked blissful.

While I gave Alfons a reproachful look at the amusement in words, Roger calmly analyzed the scent in the air.

Roger: This smell…it’s ether.

Kate: Ether?

Roger: Ether’s a type of anaesthetic currently used in treatment. However, I’m personally skeptical of its use.

Kate: Why?

Roger: Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine if handled by an expert, but it’s dangerous if handled by amateurs. Worst case, an overdose can be fatal. Not only that, it’s highly addictive. I get wanting to escape reality and lose yourself in pleasure, but this is too risky. It’s a foolish thing to do.

However, Alfons disagreed with the perfectly reasonable opinion.

Alfons: You think so? Reality is full of shit…You need to escape to live.

Roger: Running away won’t change how shitty reality is. It just makes you feel more empty.

Alfons: That part of you is what makes me hate you so much I could throw up.

Kate: Um, we don’t have time to argue, you two…!

When I whispered for them to stop, the two looked away from each other.

Roger: …I wouldn’t mind just leaving them here if not for Her Majesty’s orders. “The hazard must be stopped,” she said.

Alfons: We’re not exactly heroes of justice.

Roger looked from Alfons to me with serious eyes.

Roger: Ether vapors are reactive to fire and can cause explosions. We’ll need to ventilate the area immediately and seize the evidence. Kate, you stay out in the hall. Don’t go in.

Kate: Got it!*

—From here on, it’s “Crown’s” job.

--

(I hope Roger and Alfons are okay…)

While the two dealt with the ether, I waited in the deserted hallway.

At that moment, the loud sound of the grandfather clock in the hallway could be heard.

(T-that scared me…)

I was so distracted when the clock struck midnight that I didn’t hear the door of what I thought was an empty room open behind me.

???: Oh? I didn’t realize we had a new guest.

Kate: …!

When I turned around, he’d already grabbed my hand…

And dragged me into a room with the scent of ether.

There was no one else in the room. Apparently the gentleman was the only one enjoying the ether.

Dazed Gentleman: My lovely lady. You came here to forget reality too, right?

Kate: I, um…I just got lost in this estate, so excuse me!

Dazed Gentleman: Just take two or three puffs and you’ll have a taste of the unknown world of death with a return ticket in hand. Now, come here…

The gentleman’s eyes were vacant, as if he hadn’t heard me…

(This man’s already addicted to ether)

Eyes unfocused, he tried to get me to suck on the pipe connected to the glassware.

Kate: Stop!

I struggled to escape, but the gentleman was too strong.

(What do I do…)

Cornered, my heart pounded loudly…

(Ah…)

Suddenly, past memories popped in my mind.

~~ Flashback ~~

Man 1**:  The delivery was delayed due to construction?

Man 2: Ha, how typical for a female postal worker.

--

Woman 1: Women can’t beat men anyway, so it’s dumb to fight back isn’t it?

--

Kate: If you think you can’t trust me, then go ahead and keep me under watch until you believe you can! I promise I’ll prove it.

—So please, don’t kill me.

~~ Flashback end ~~

I could hear my own voice coming from somewhere…

(...I don’t want to remember…)

Memories rushed forward like a muddy stream, and I shut my eyes tightly.

Roger: …Hold up. If you don’t wanna get shot, let her go.

When I slowly opened my eyes and saw Roger, I relaxed.

Kate: …Roger.

Roger: Kate, did you inhale any of it?

Kate: No…I’m…okay.

Roger nodded and struck the gentleman in the stomach with the butt of his rifle.

The gentleman collapsed onto the floor, unconscious, and Alfons’ head appeared from behind the door.

Alfons: The evidence has been safely seized. Let’s get the hell out of here.

--

We headed home through the deep darkness of night while keeping an eye out for any pursuers or  watchful eyes.

Alfons: Tonight’s mission ended peacefully without bloodshed. How unsatisfying.

Roger: With the evidence and report, we’ll can finally classify ether as a poison and regulate its sale.

Kate: …

Alfons: Ah, that’s right! I happen to have two tickets for tonight’s play.

As he said that, he held them out to me.

Kate: These tickets! They’re for the play everyone’s been talking about that’s hard to get tickets for, aren’t they?

Alfons: It would seem so. I received them through El’s connections, but… Unfortunately, I can’t go as I have some personal matters to attend to. I’ll give them to you, so why don’t you go see it with Roger?

Kate: With Roger…?

While I tilted my head and wondered why he brought up Roger…

Alfons: I’ll be taking my leave now.

I watched him head toward the entertainment district and then melt into the dark valley between buildings.

Kate: Um, what should I do with these…?

Roger: Just a heads up, I’m not interested in anything related to the arts, like theater or paintings. If we go, I’m only going to escort you.

Kate: Were you planning on going with me?

It was rather surprising.

(I thought he’d go straight to a bar after work than do something he wasn’t interested in)

Roger: The show’s about to start. Let’s go.

Kate: O-okay.

I followed Roger as he walked away as if on a mission.

--

(Wow, it’s been a while. This atmosphere…)

As soon as the curtains opened, the audience that had been chatting amongst themselves were captivated by the spectacular stage and forgot about reality.

I loved this feeling of falling into a dream.

(But…)

For some reason, I couldn’t take anything in tonight.

(I love going to the theater so much that it’s pretty much become my only hobby, and we have great seats…)

Kate: …

The story continued as if passing right through my heart.

During the middle of the play, I suddenly noticed eyes on me and I redirected my gaze from the stage to the person beside me.

Roger: …

(...?)

Roger jerked his chin and quietly stood.

Roger: …Let’s go.

Kate: Huh? …Ah, wait.

--

Kate: Roger, why did you suddenly leave your seat? It’s rude to the performers—

Roger: There’s something up with you. Your tail’s been drooping since the mission ended.

(Tail?)

Treating my like a dog aside, I understood what he meant.

This was the first time I couldn’t focus on a play.

Roger: Sorry for leaving my seat when I wanted. It’s an insult to the art. But isn’t it sadder to watch something you like with negative feelings and end up hating it?

I don’t know myself +4 +4

I don’t know how I’m feeling

Did I do something weird?

Kate: I don’t understand myself. I love watching plays, but for some reason, I couldn’t concentrate…

Roger: That’s because your mind was somewhere else.

(Huh?)

Roger: I’m no counselor, but I think you need someone to talk to. Kate, look me in the eyes.

I raised my gaze like he told me to.

Our eyes met under the light illuminating Piccadilly. 

Kate: …

Roger: That’s it. Good. I’ll never dismiss your thoughts. I’ll agree to anything. Kate. What’s making you so sad?

(What’s making me sad is…)

Amber eyes staring straight back at me unraveled my heart.

Kate: Earlier, when the man held me, I tried to resist…but he wouldn’t budge.

Roger: You had this faraway look in your eyes as if remembering something. What did you remember?

~~

Man 1:  The delivery was delayed due to construction?

Man 2: Ha, how typical for a female postal worker.

Woman 1: Women can’t beat men anyway, so it’s dumb to fight back isn’t it?

~~

Kate: The feeling of being looked down upon because of what you were born as…The feeling of being ignored.

Roger: Kate. What frustrates you?

(...Frustrates?)

(Oh, I see…)

Perhaps I had been labeling all these events as sadness and ignoring the anger welling up inside me.

Because getting angry was pointless.

Because I hated being reminded that…

…Giving up is easier.

(What…was I frustrated with? What was I angry about…?)

~~

Kate: If you think you can’t trust me, then go ahead and keep me under watch until you believe you can! I promise I’ll prove it.

(So please, don’t kill me)

~~

(When I was brought to Crown’s castle, I didn’t have a choice but to do that to beg for my life)

Maybe…if I had been stronger, things could’ve gone differently.

There are so many things in life that are beyond your control.

But—How you handle it is up to you.

When I came to that realization, thoughts just started spilling out.

Kate: I’m…frustrated…by how weak I am.

Roger: Last question. Kate, what do you want to be?

Kate: I…

-

*Fought the urge for me to have Kate say “Roger!”

**Interestingly, Man 1 and Man 2’s lines were all said by one person in chapter 0

[melonteee]

To add to what you said regarding the removal of Hachi: what bugged me wasn’t that they removed him per se, it’s that they didn’t REPLACE him with anything to compensate. I get it, Hachi’s more expensive, but the solution most adaptations do when they have to cut a character is to give the cut character’s parts to one of the characters they DO have to consolidate the cast without losing plot/thematic elements.

But they don’t. All the fishmen aside from Arlong barely have any lines (presumably because the show would have to pay those actors more for the bigger roles) much less any that would hint at one of them fulfilling the same purpose as Hachi. Hell, if they were going to insist on combining Baratie and Arlong Park, why not combine Hachi and Gin into one character too? Give Gin’s “no one has ever been this nice to me” breakdown a whole new angle?

But alas, the LA’s solution was apparently to build in no backups in the event they somehow make it to Sabaody, and then introduce Hachi as a character that was totally in Arlong Park during Nami’s flashbacks but the audience couldn’t see him because he was off-screen. Truly the worst of both worlds.

it's because the LA locked itself in with the stupid line of "if there are bad pirates and good pirates" thing like ??? Hachi made the Arlong pirates a lot more nuanced, but NOOOO we need to show the Strawhats are GOOD and Arlong Pirates are BAD! ALL of them! I'm sorry it's just baby level writing to me and it frustrates me so bad LMAO

[anti-romantico]

[too complicated] stray kids bangchan

warnings: unprotected sex (tomatoes tomatoes tomatoes), kitchen sex, oral (f recieving), cum swallowing, teasing, tension, let me know if i missed something

words: 1464

A/N: I've been trying to write for bangchan for a while now, not likig anything, but my friend recommended me this scenario and i love it! so i hope you guys also like it <3

You two were tipsy, not drunk. You knew what was happening, so did he. But god, his tongue fighting against yours, his hands not being able to control themselves. But both mentally thanked Jisung when he called you because no one in the party seemed to know where you were. He didn’t see anything, though, and at least you wished he did, because you needed someone to talk to. A best friend? Well, that was the funny part, Chris was your best friend, and he has been avoiding you since the kiss. And the best (worst) part was that you lived together, so it was really hard for you to forget what happened when the whole place smelled like him.

9 in the morning and you were done with your breakfast. It was Saturday so none of you needed to be anywhere, but you still looked at his door, ready to scold him for being late. And maybe you stared too hard because his door opened, showing a very tired Chris. He froze when he found you already looking, but he didn’t say anything, not even a good morning. He just walked around you to the kitchen counter and grabbed a bowl and his box of cereal.

— Are you seriously going to ignore me? Not even pretend? — You asked annoyed, turning your body to look at him. Or his back at least.

— Don’t know what you’re talking about. — He caressly said, walking to the fridge to grab the milk.

— Oh, suddenly you’re 15 again? — And Chris tried his best to now turn around, he just shrugged his shoulders. — You know what, fine. Enjoy your cereal.

He let you throw everything back to their place and slam your door. It was when he finally turned around and looked at your, now empty, seat. He didn’t know what to do.

You both successfully avoided each other for the rest of the day, literally waiting for the other’s door to get closed to go out and eat. It wasn’t until the next morning you met again, this time he was the one having his breakfast when you got out of your room.

You debeated yourself if you should be as childish as him and ignore him, but you were better than that. — Good morning. — You said in a robotic voice. He didn’t answer. You rolled your eyes and, shamelessly, imitated what he did yesterday. —  Did you sleep well? — You said, making your coffee. 

Chris was confused, and he even turned around, only to find your back facing him. — Uh… Kind of. — He answered, knowing what you were doing.

— Why? Hard night? — You poured the hot water on your cup and grabbed the granulated coffee.

— You can say that… Listen, I’m sorry for yesterday, I…

— What happened yesterday? I don’t remember. — He bit his tongue, hating that you interrupted him. You knew that.

— I was an asshole. — And contrary to what anyone could think, he knew when he was wrong and wasn’t scared to admit it.

— Really? Why? — You turned around and found him already standing up and walking to you.

— Please don’t do this… I know I did it, but that doesn’t mean you have to. — He kept his distance, still having flashbacks of that night.

— Don’t know what you’re talking about. — He had enough. Chris took another two steps and removed the cup from your hands, putting it away.

— I don’t know what you want me to say. “I didn’t mean to”? I did. I kissed you and I don’t regret it.

— Then why did you ignore me AND avoided me for almost a week? 

— Because I’m a coward.

— Yeah, no shit, Christopher.

You two stayed silent for a couple of minutes, the coffee and soggy cereal long forgotten. 

— Now what? — You asked, crossing your arms over your chest.

— I wish I knew… — He looked away.

— Why did you have to ignore me like that, then? You’re acting as if we fucked. — And you said those words. And you hated that you knew what his silence meant. — If you’re not going to answer, I'll walk to my room and pack my things. I don’t want this to be more complicated. 

— No! — He grabbed your arms to stop you, even though you didn’t even move. He slowly let you go, afraid you would leave. — Let’s… forget it, please. 

— It’s easy for you. — You answered, disappointed.

— It’s not, but I prefer that over losing my best friend.

— It’s easier than admitting there was something there? Maybe more? — You only use that tone of voice with the guys you flirted with, and Chris knew that.

— Please don’t do this to me. — His hands weren’t obeying his thought, caressing your hair.

— Don’t know what… — You repeated, but his finger around your neck stopped you.

— Stop saying that. — His voice turned deep, making you smirk.

— Or what?

— You know I’m holding back from fucking you over this counter, don’t push your luck. 

— It’s not like Jisung is going to interrupt us again, Chris. We’re alone.

Something in Chris’ head snapped, tightening the fingers around your neck to pull you and kiss you hard, making both of you moan. It felt like a big relief to finally kiss after ignoring each other for a week.

You were sucking on his tongue when you hand traveled down and got inside his pajama pants, immediately getting contact with his cock. He slept naked, the pajamas were only to not walk naked around you.

He hissed over your mouth. — Just like that, baby. Tighten a little. — The deep voice was gone, he was at your mercy, enjoying your skillful hand. — Use your other hand, please, grab my balls. Yes, like that, stroke me faster. — His hands pulled down his pants to give you more access and just let you stroke him. His moans were loud. You were so wet by his sounds. The feeling of his wet cock from his precum making everything a mess wasn’t helping either.

He didn’t last long, cumming on your hands and spilling a little on your pajama shirt. You licked his cum from your hands while staring at his eye, sending him to his knees. He pulled down your shorts and underwear, throwing them behind him. You spread your legs a little and let him lick the life out of you. 

Not only he was tongue fucking you, his finger were teasing your butthole just to add a little more of pleasure without making you uncomfortable. But he didn’t let you cum. You whined and pulled his hair, hearing him laugh.

He stood up and kissed you, making you taste yourself. His hands carried you from your butt, sitting you on the counter. And you were about to protest that you made food on it, when he thrusted in you with just one move. The feeling was different, the whole act felt different. Wet sounds filled the whole apartment, you two were too immerse in the fucking to even moan.

He was going slow, not wanting this to finish. Your eyes were on him until you couldn’t keep them open anymore. You threw your head back when the tip of his cock touched too deep. And the moan you let out was like an invitation for Chris to move faster.

The cereal boxes were digging into your back, but you didn’t want to switch positions, the angle was sending you into oblivion. He grabbed your neck again to kiss you. You weren’t complaining, it felt so good. He finally took off your shirt and attacked your nipples without stopping his hips.

You know your landlord was going to hear about this, but you would worry about that later. You felt like you ran out of hair, pulling Chris’ hair to let him know you were cumming. And this time, he helped you, massaging your clit with his middle finger until you finally cummed. 

He pulled out and started to stroke his cock fast. You pushed him back, got on your knees and replaced his hand with your mouth. It didn’t take him too long, the warm feeling of your mouth sending him to paradise and back. You swallowed him and got up to kiss him, this time making him taste himself. 

You kissed for a while until you felt his cock twitch against your stomach. You giggled.

— Does this mean you forgive me? — Chris innocently asked. 

— How can you act so cute after I just swallowed you cum?

— Don’t talk like that. — He kissed you again. — So?

— Maybe you need to apologize again. — You joked, brushing his hair back with your fingers.

He kissed you one more time and grabbed your legs, making you round his waist and carry you. — We have plenty of surfaces to fuck on, baby.

[bird-inacage]

Love in the Air: Sky’s Truth Scene

So the other scene I MUST absolutely do a deep dive on is Sky’s truth scene. This occurs immediately after the ambush aftermath. Before Sky had even stepped into the condo, he made a promise to himself that he would tell Prapai the truth. Because not sharing his past with Prapai was slowly eating him up inside. In this episode, it’s revealed that Sky was living in fear of what Prapai would think of him, of how he would react once he found out.

So Sky decides to tell Prapai that Gun abused him and essentially shares a short re-telling of what we saw in the flashbacks. This is Sky finally telling Prapai his truth, and the cause for this trauma. As painful as it is for Sky to share that incident with Prapai, its the final piece of the puzzle that allows Sky to impart why he is the way he is, to the man that he loves.

As Sky is telling his story, Prapai is incredibly gentle and quiet throughout. He constantly strokes the back of Sky’s head - provides his warm, steadfast presence and allows Sky to say what he needs to say. This stroking action is a gesture of comfort first and foremost. We see Prapai do this a lot with Sky, but it also acts as a coaxing action. ‘It’s okay, you tell me in your own time, take it easy, I’m listening.’

Then Sky says the part that upsets Prapai the most.

“I’m trash. I’m damaged goods. When I returned home, I was like a broken doll. I didn’t speak. Didn’t listen. I spaced out so much that my dad got worried.”

For Sky, these are his inner demons. These are the poisonous type of inner thoughts that have plagued him ever since the abuse. Thoughts that have been deeply ingrained on Sky’s psyche. This isn’t just about how he felt back then, its how he still feels now. And Prapai has seen facets of that first-hand. The fact that Sky says this with a self-deprecating smile, speaks volumes. It’s not conjecture in Sky’s mind, it’s a matter of fact. Like he’s admitting a shameful part of his own character.

As Prapai listens to Sky say these things about himself, it deeply, deeply hurts him. One, because it insinuates a degree of self-loathing that derives from thinking this was brought on by one’s self. That Sky still believes he was at fault for causing this to happen. Sky doesn’t say, ‘He’s trash, He’s damaged, He’s an absolute lowlife for doing this to me’, it’s ‘I’m the worst, I’m nothing, I’m worthless’. And Prapai cannot bear hearing Sky say that about himself. Two, that Prapai (who loves Sky so dearly), knows and sees that Sky is everything but those things.

Sky is sweet, he’s considerate, he’s loving. The Sky backstory really cemented my take on that Sky has always been an ardent child who wants desperately to be loved and to love. He just has so much love to give. And we saw evidence of this at the start of the episode. Sky is adorably clingy, he’s affectionate, he’s wanting. When he’s finally opened up to another human being, he showers them with his undiluted love and attention. And that earnest love is so distinctly palpable and wholesome. Sky truly gives his everything to someone he loves. Every ounce and every drop of himself he can muster.

Prapai remains silent, shaking his head in disbelief and seemingly taking this all in, but his eyes are screaming out. You can literally hear the thoughts in his head blaring, ‘No, that’s not true. None of what you’re saying is true. You’re the most incredible person I know. I love you so much. Please, please don’t say that about yourself.’ When you love someone else, you see all the amazing qualities they possess, the qualities that made you fall in love with them in the first place. To have your significant other say such awful things about themselves, knowing that there’s no easy way or quick fix to erase the cumulative years of self-hatred, is just unbearable. Loving someone isn’t enough to convince them to love themselves. Healing is very much a process that has to take place within oneself. Prapai knows this, and so he doesn’t deny what Sky’s saying. Because denying those things won’t dilute the impact they have on Sky. So all he can do is be heartbroken on Sky’s behalf. To mourn the Sky that could have been if none of this had happened.

When you hear stories in retrospect, aware that you cannot change the course of history, it can cause anyone to feel immensely helpless. Knowing that there’s nothing you can do to repair the past. This may also be a real point of fear for Prapai. It could have so easily gone a different way. For Sky to bear the brunt of that trauma and come out the other side - to be how he is and where he is today is nothing short of a miracle. There was always another possible trajectory in which Prapai never meets Sky. A version of events where Prapai doesn’t ever get to prove to Sky that he deserves to be loved and cherished. Where Prapai doesn’t get to do his darned best to heal and protect Sky. Prapai can now vividly envision how much could have been at stake, and how much could be have been lost. This wonderful love he may have never even known.

Then Sky asks, “Can I love you? Can I?” And this is such an fitting piece of dialogue that encompasses Sky so completely. He desperately loves Prapai, and wants to love him freely, fully. But he feels he has to ask permission. That little additional “Can I?” sounds like the child in Sky speaking. ‘Please let me love you. Please don’t turn me away.’ It almost sounds like Sky is additionally implying, ‘I know my love may be a burden, but I promise I’ll be good and I won’t overstep.’ This links back to what Sky said last episode about Gun trying to programme Sky to be obedient. The fact that Sky even feels he has to ask just destroys Prapai, who has wanted nothing but Sky’s love. Who treasures Sky’s love above all else.

Sky asking if he can love Prapai can also be interpreted as - do I deserve to love again? Do I deserve to burden you with my baggage, with myself? Am I even capable of loving again (like a normal, undamaged person)? Akin to how Sky’s nightmares still plague him, Sky feels a huge sense of hopelessness over the shadow this has cast over him and his future. He has no idea when he will be free of this, if ever.

Every step of this conversation peels back another layer of Sky’s withered sense of his own self-worth. A chasm that Gun intentionally created. So Prapai is understandably tearful and devastated 

And yet Sky, despite all this, is still the caring and considerate soul that he always has been. He asks Prapai why he’s crying and carefully wipes away his tears. Through all his insecurities and anxieties, Sky is still able to believe in Prapai’s good and Prapai’s devotion. He doesn’t want Prapai to cry out of guilt over something he could have in no way prevented. Because Sky is thankful. He’s immensely grateful. For everything Prapai has done for him. For everything Prapai wishes he could have done for him. It certainly doesn’t eradicate the past, but its a colossal comfort to Sky. It’s gives him strength to keep fighting.

Prapai goes on to emphasise that this isn’t about Sky asking whether he deserves to love Prapai, but Prapai can’t bear the thought of Sky loving anyone but him. Because Prapai loves him so much, he’s possessive and fiercely protective. He knows what a beautiful human being Sky is, and just how lucky he is to have Sky’s affection. So he also wants Sky affections to belong only to him, and to him alone.

I do believe that Sky finally sharing this with Prapai was clearly a huge weight off his chest. Yes, this conversation by no means ‘fixes’ the issues and trauma that Sky is still working through. But Sky and Prapai are taking those healthy first steps to allow Sky to begin healing properly, thoroughly. And that begins with acknowledgement, transparency, and letting go.

[miss0atae]

Random thoughts about Dead Friend Forever episode 11 :

It’s the second to last episode before the end of the series. This episode gave us the final flashback, I believe. We now know what happened after Tee brought Non to his uncle.

▪️ First thing first, I’m glad I was wrong about what happened to No. I really thought he would end up sex-trafficking to repay his debts, but it was less horrible. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a very dreadful situation. At first, Tee’s Uncle wanted to sell his organs, but Tee spoke up for Non and he got spared. Instead of being killed and his organs sold, Non ended up working in the illegal casino of Tee’s Uncle. I don’t know how Non still found the will to live because he lost everything. He never deserved any of the shits that happened to him. He was abused, exploited, abandoned, beaten and scared for no reason. He was just different and all those who hurt him did it because they just couldn’t accept this difference. I’m glad he lashed at Tee and asked him why he had to endure all of that. He just wanted to finish a stupid short movie. He was a normal kid who wanted to do something he likes and his life turned into hell. I felt like crying when Non said he was a loser and couldn’t even get back to his parents because they wouldn’t care for him (which we know is not true but Non never got to know it). The worst thing is Tee didn’t have any answer to give him because they never had any good reasons to be this mean to him.

▪️ The hardest part was watching Non becoming this empty shell while working at the casino. He had a vacant look. His face was still messed up from his beating. He was also hunched and he was unsteady when walking. You could see, he was barely clinging to life. He was also coughing a lot which made me see that he never really got better after being beaten and he must have been exhausted from working a lot. I really wanted someone to just miraculously appear and save him from this hell but this is not the tone of this series.

▪️ This episode was clearly centered around Tee’s side of the story. We saw how guilty he felt to Non and how he wanted to make him leave his Uncle’s place as quickly as possible. He started to work more at the casino and for his Uncle’s embezzlement schemes (don’t know if it is how you should call it). He also got a part-time job at an internet cafe, where he found a way of making more money to give them to Non. Every time, he saw Non, it was a reminder of how he fucked up. Many times, he referred to Non as his friend during the episode. I don’t know if he truly believed it or if it was just the guilt. Non and him had a weird relationship. It was clearly emphasizes during the part where Tee gave him a money envelop. The way Non looked at him and how he reacted it… I don’t know, I felt there were a lot of nonverbal communication between them at this moment. I’m probably over analyzing this part.

▪️ After this moment, we had a glimpse of Tee’s life with his father. We previously heard about him in previous episodes but never got to see it. Tee came back home and couldn't find his father. He isn’t well and Tee is the one who has to take care of him. It clearly has a negative impact on Tee since he must be the responsible one when he should just live a normal teenager’s life. He wishes to have this life he can’t have, instead he has to be involved in his Uncle’s life to be able to get money and to survive. As always, with DFF, you see, this is never all-or-nothing. Tee has a very hard life and he has troubles keeping himself afloat, but at the same time he didn’t hesitate to use and abuse Non to serve his own interest. He knew it would be terrible. How can he not know it? He said to his father he didn’t want to be involved in this gray business. I think you can feel sad for him and understand how difficult it can be, but also vilified him for what he’s done to Non. If only he had found the help he needed before… I don’t know how he would have turned. We would never have this story, I guess.

▪️ This series loves to blow hot and cold. You start to feel pity for Tee and this series shows you, you can’t. The next scene is Tee coming to the casino and not finding Non. Perth is the one telling him and us why. That’s where we discover Non being dead. He died… I can’t accept it. It may sounds crazy but I had this idea of him being away and having a really good reason to not be here in the present… I wanted it to be true. Unfortunately, it isn’t. Non is dead. He died of exhaustion… This is so sad! Tee is as lost as us, viewers. I know the group is at fault with Non, but frankly I was mostly furious with Tee’s Uncle in this scene (This man is a freaking cancer and manipulator). At the beginning of the episode, after Tee spoke up for Non, we learn from his Uncle how Non’s debt isn’t that high in fact. He should have been able to pay it and move on with his life. Instead, he died of exhaustion after everything he went through, alone and sad. He never learned about how his parents did everything to find him, how they died… The only person who knew about his death at that time was Tee… The only person who cried for him at the end was Tee… someone who made him get to this point. Cruel irony! I really cried when reading the message on the paper where he said: “I’m gonna get out of this place. I’m not a loser”. Shit! That hurts. He was counting the day. I can’t believe Tee did nothing after discovering it. He just decided to be sad and depressed. That’s his answer… Yes, he cried. I also cried. Did it change anything? No… I wish he at least tried to do something to avenge him… anything. Even, if it didn’t work.

▪️ Tee decided he just didn’t deserves happiness but happiness found him anyway. That’s when White came into the picture. He just arrived at the internet cafe and apparently became very interested in Tee. They started to spend a lot of time together. White was this flirty and cute boy who wanted to charm his crush. They were cute. I mean the series did something magical because I couldn’t stand Tee and I still found his burgeoning relationship with White, cute and charming. Being in love with White, made Tee realized he could be a good person and he should do his most to get better. It would have been sweet in another series. Right now, it just feels flat after what happened to Non. Poor White, never knew the truth until Tee told his side of the story. White really has nothing to do with Non and he is just a poor boy who fell in love with someone he shouldn't have which dragged him into this mess. He truly is innocent and I will get mad if anything happen to him. I don’t care about the others. They can all die, but not White. If there is only one who deserves to leave this house alive, it’s him.

▪️ Back into the present, Phee takes the gun from Fluke and he wants to stop this madness but Tan/New is set on making everyone pay for what happened to his brother. He has nothing to lose anymore and he will not let Phee stand in the way of his revenge. Besides, he never completely trust him. He starts to smoke and everyone pass out because of it.

Next week is going to be the conclusion of his revenge. How is it going to end? Will Tan/New get justice for his brother? Is anyone going to be alive at the end of the next episode? I’m dying to know. It’s going to be really hard waiting for this last episode. Until now, this series has been really entertaining and I hope the end will be great. I don’t want to feel disappointed.

[funhouse-mirror-barbie]

Man. I’m honestly sad about Hazbin Hotel being the way it is. Maybe, maybe it will surprise me and somehow the last 2 episodes will make the first 6 more engaging or enjoyable but like…(general vent/overall impression so far below)

Lord, it’s so clear that they had SOOOO MUUUUCH they want to get through, and for whatever reason they don’t seem to believe in their work and their story enough to let it take it’s time.

I think if they had just let the first 8 episodes be about the general main cast, maybe with each episode focusing on the improvement and work towards redemption for each hotel resident, we would have a LOT better groundwork for building up to all the intense things and lore they want to include later.

But we’re seeing either full character arcs being speed run or we’re having big twists or revelations nearly every episode and it’s just…I WANT to feel moved by this show. I WANT!!! To like the show!!! I really want to!

Because there are moments that show depth, that could have been really really interesting if we knew more about the characters, if we got to see more of how the characters interact with each other, if we got to see them take the TIME to build up to and resolve their conflicts.

But how it stands, we get at least one, if not two new characters shoved into every episode. They show up create chaos or sing a song about something important to them that we just learned about, and then they leave.

I WANT to get to know these characters! I want to see a flashback or something where Camilla and her daughters were trying to hide from the Angels, and Camilla has to fight back to protect them.

I want to see how the hotel residents ACTUALLY bonded during learning to fight with each other.

I want to learn more about Alastor from literally ANYTHING other than an exposition dump.

Sorry, again if you find these characters to be emotionally deep or they are important to you, nothing I say should take that away.

This is a lot more vent-y than usual, but I guess I’m just sad and disappointed b/c it seems like the writers and creators behind Hazbin don’t believe in their own story and their own characters. This is just how it comes off to me, and it’s just a bummer man.

This was the same feeling I had when the Pilot came out, but the Pilot at least had charm. And while I was ultimately disappointed by its writing, it was clear it was the product of a bunch of people, and bunch of artists, coming together to create something.

And even if the Pilot still needed a lot of work and improvement, you could tell that the people making it really believed in the story and characters and were excited to make it!

I didn’t really want to see the Pilot picked up when it came out in 2019, because while I admired the passion of the creators, animators, voice actors, and composers, I wasn’t sure if I personally believed in the story.

Then it got picked up, and I thought “Okay then. I’m not gonna assume the worst. There must be more to this than I initially thought. I don’t know how I’ll feel about the series, but I want to give it a chance. I hope it’s well done, I hope it’s good”

It’s come out now, and so far, to me, it’s just bad. There are still those little moments of creativity, but they are few and far between, and a lot of the time when I watch the show I’m just waiting for the next song, because that’s usually the one part of the show that is at least catchy.

I guess my only reflection I have for this moment is just. Supreme disappointment.

Sorry again for the post that’s less a review and more a vent/rant post. I think at the end of the day if I DO write any actual reviews of the episode, they will largely be me talking about things I WISH we could have seen in the show, but didn’t get to.

[shockersalvage]

Danganronpa 3: Future Arc Rewrite (Part 1: DISTRUST Life)

Now this has been something that's been about years in development. Okay, for this Rewrite in particular, it would probably be about a year and half, but since 2016 I've always wanted to try my hand at a rewrite to DR3. For me, while it is not the worst in Danganronpa's entries (that honor goes to Killer Killer) it is still not exactly my favorite for a variety of reasons. Personally, while it does have some good moments in there, overall I do not really believe that it ends the Hope's Peak story on a satisfying note to really end things on. That isn't to say anyone else can't like it, it's just some of the writing decisions it made just didn't land home for me. Throughout the rewrite, I'll be gradually going about each decision when I feel it's a good time to discuss it and why I changed things the way I did.

This is rewrite is essentially how I would go about things, with a pretty big one just off the bat. In this version, instead of alternating between a Future and Despair Arc, it's just simply a 24 'episode' outline that covers Future Arc with Despair Arc elements acting the new 'main story' of DR3.

I've done it this way because I believe that, while it was an interesting decision, the current format of DR3 lead to both sides characters, story and concepts being underdeveloped as it bounced between a killing game and trying to give the full-ish story of the Tragedy. So I thought it was best to give each their own section, with Despair Arc being its own thing for a separate date.

Regardless, I hope, at the very least, this becomes a nice read for you all! Happy New Years!

Distrust Life 1-12

(Episode 1)

Now this starts off with the first major change being Asahina being promoted to Director of the 13th Division. Now one of the issues, on the minor scale, was the 13th Director never showing up and being seemingly forgotten. Nowhere in media concerning DR3 do they ever appear. So off the bat, we’re rectifying this by just having Hina be the Director upfront, with the explanation that its a recent promotion.

As for the former Director, who I will call ‘Yoshiko Yoshino’ (who is the old PE. Teacher shown briefly in DR3 - who got blown up by Junko. Here its the other PE Teacher, yes there were 2, that gets blown up instead)  she had been heavily injured in an attack prior to Hina coming onto the Division. Yoshiko is retiring after chronic pain still persisted. She compliments Hina for her efforts that have been non-stop since she arrived and how she genuinely feels she can leave the Division to her hands.

We get a flashback to Hina watching over the reunion of her friend's loved ones who were Targets in the Demon Hunting Game (except Komaru whose still in Towa). Though upon learning that her brother, Yuta, didn’t make it out of it, she smiles and wishes them all the best before eventually slinking off. Tears down her face, and blaming Junko’s forces for it. With an urge to do more surging through her veins, she tranfers over to the 13th Division to deliver supplies to areas still incredibily afflicted by Despair's wrath. Through a montage, we see Hina going about wrecked areas of Japan dutifully giving supplies, fighting off foes and being kind to those who need all. All while keeping the image of her brother in mind. In the present, by the time she leaves her office, nervous yet determined to give a speech to her new underlings, she is instead greeted by Togami and she gets the news that Naegi has been arrested.

Another flashback shows that once Makoto, Togami and Kyoko has arrived back to FF mainland, Kyosuke had arranged to have Makoto taken away in handcuffs and taken to Division 6th Detention centre. Kyosuke, Juzo and Chisa were there in person to greet the trio on the docks. Kyosuke and Juzo, naturally, were both furious concerning the whole ‘Makoto taking the Remnants’ incident and were it not for Makoto’s popularity, would have killed him on the spot. Instead, the Ultimate Hope is being confined.

Concerning Kyoko and Togami, given their positions as both Director and Vice Director of the 14th Divison, as well as being celebrities for going against Junko, they can’t just fire them outright. Instead Kyoko is temporarily suspended from her duties and kept under watch by the 5th Branch, for questioning and to keep a close eye on her well. Since only one ‘Director’ is needed present with the 14 Division, Togami is sent back but is a close eye is being kept by Kyosuke’s forces.

Thus, the only one who can realistically visit Makoto to help him is Hina (Hagakure got kicked out due to both not being a Director and because the prison staff is sick of dealing with him & his antics normally). Though at the moment, despite being a Director, she is barred from the facility given her connection with Makoto. Now Asahina has been thoroughly out of the loop for a while now, so Togami catches her up to speed with the basic summary of the Havoc Crew, barring her, Toko and Hagakure (though the latter two got to know, eventually during the operation itself), having initiated a plan meant to rehabilitate the Remnants. The results of which are shaky at best (to Togami anyways). She’s shocked and a bit hurt given such a secret was kept from her, but tries to push that down. She needs to check up on Makoto. But, the only way she is getting into the facility is with permissions from seven other Directors of the Foundation, which came from the prison staff themselves when she visited in an attempt to try to sway them.

Thus leading to the scene where storms out and runs smack dab into a drinking Koichi Kizakura to end the first episode.

(Episode 2)

Now this stretch is what I like to call the ‘Directors of the Week’ episodes! Where each episode we get to learn a deal about the Directors, ideally that being two an episode. In this case, Koichi is our handy-dandy support that shall assist Hina in her (mis)adventures. Truth be told, she’s kind of weary of him wanting to pal around with her for a time since she knows since back from her HPA days he’s kind of a weak alcoholic. He wins her over with him dangling his knowledge of the the Directors in her face and his promise to hand over his recommendation from the get-go. It’s also him that suggests meeting the others in person since the Directors would likely be on their feet or busy with personal matters more often than would be sitting back reading emails a whole lot. Koichi had been in the area getting a drink from the nearby pub, but running into Hina like this, he believes it must be fate working its hand.

In terms of dynamics, the idea behind Asahina and Koichi being together, is for Koichi to be essentially the enabling drinker and bit a of cheeky teaser, with a touch of a manipulative side, to Hina’s impulsive, hot-blooded and cheerful attitude. That said, this is a Hina that has matured since her DR1 days and will have no problem snipping back at Koichi’s intentions and being more aware of the seedier side of humanity.

First stop Great Gozu at the 12th Branch via helicopter. Now with Gozu, his focus would concern fleshing out a bit of a peculiarity that the original DR3 didn’t go into. Namely, how come a Wrestler is in charge of public restoration efforts. In addition, despite revealing he’s been with the Foundation since it was first established, why is he apart of the 12th one? Well, in this case, he notes his status as Director of 12th Branch is more because of his ‘image’ than anything. During the heyday of the Tragedy, any attempts at restoration was stopped by criminals, from petty thugs to Remnants seeking to keep chaos. It was believed that Gozu, who got into more than his fair share of fights against the Remnants and criminals, being named a Director could essentially work to scare off such threats, thus allowing his men to work in peace. Of course, both Gozu and an armed security detail are always deployed as well - just in case scaring off people doesn't work. To prove a point, the episode would show Gozu suplexing some poor troublemakers trying to cause havoc at a youth centre Restoration site.

This episode would also address something that was never brought up in the anime: His relationship with Tengan and his backstory. During his talk, he explains how he was a rising star of a professional wrestler back during his youth and Tengan happened to be watching his shows. As such, he got scouted by for Hope’s Peak. He became Tengan’s bodyguard as a means of repaying such a debt, and is a bit worried about the old guy since taking up the Director mantle since he can't do his old job as much. Concerning the Makoto debacle, while he's doing hold some reservations given that it was the Remnants being taken, he decides to trust in Makoto since he likes his attitude and sees him as being a worthy Symbol of the Future Foundation - as its Ultimate Hope. Thus, he’s willing to give support to Hina by handing her a Rec Letter. He also decides to come with her to meet with the Director of the 11th Branch.

The next part is Daisaku Bandai focused…yeah. Now, in the original, he’s sadly the most forgettable ‘just there for the body count’ participant ever, lasting one episode and a few minutes. So what can we do with him? Well, in the relationship charts, Bandai is listed as being apart of two neutrals in the Foundation, alongside Miaya. So, this version has said neutrality and mediator nature be more pronounced. If Gozu is the friendly giant that’s willing to fight you for his ideals, Bandai’s the gentle giant whose going to want both of you to sit by the fire and talk things out. In addition, as for his sayings, his intent with them is to say their meaning is for something you have to figure out yourself (better than him just saying they're meaningless).

As for why he’s in charge of the 11th Branch despite also being with the Foundation from the start, originally Bandai didn’t want to be caught up in the drama concerning politics that comes with being an official Director, and even then Junko’s forces made getting a formal Branch set up for his duties a pain. Following her death, and the mass suicide of good chunk of her followers, that chance of peace had him finally cave to the higher-ups requests and establish a formal branch. In general, he sees the Foundation’s inner turmoil as being a thorn he very much wanted nothing to do with, especially since he prefers everyone elected to bury the hatchet and be good comrades working for the goal of Restoration.

His meeting with Hina has him hug it out with Gozu and both just really enjoying each other’s company, with Gozu trying and failing a bit to figure out Bandai’s sayings and Bandai agreeing to wrestle with him during their off days (what kind of wrestling will leave that to one’s disclosure). His meeting Hina has all four in his branch's personal garden rest area that he always tends to, full of fruits, water and, in general, just having a refreshing atmosphere anyone (even the most uptight of people) could enjoy. When it came to getting his Rec Letter, he’s pretty willing to give it to Hina no strings attached. Though its with him, we get his view on the matter.

On one hand, he also wants to give trust to Makoto since he doubts someone who would stand up and stop Junko Enoshima of all people could do something nefarious. That being said, he also fully recognizes why other Directors might be angry - bringing up the Remnants status as wanted criminals that did hurt the world. It’s then that Bandai brings up a question to Hina: What does she think of her friends trying to rehabilitate the Remnants? 

Hina, try as she might, struggles to even open her mouth as the question brings conflict to her mind. Flashes of her dearest friends, no, her only family…and the thought of her dead brother dying because of them. Ultimately, Bandai hands over the letter and tells her that, by the time they do meet again, she should take a step back to clear her head and form her own opinion on the matter. Not as a Director or even a friend of Makoto, but as Aoi Asahina. Taking in such advice, both Hina and Koichi wave off the burly Dads as they head to the 10th branch.

(Episode 3)

Ryota Mitarai is the Director of this branch and we see that he spends most of his time cooped up in his personal office. Blinds closed and hunched over drawing his weary eyes out only for him to yawn, look back and see a perky athletic woman and a semi-drunk wingman looking at what he was doing from behind his shoulder. Needless to say, he freaks out. Now, in this episode, while Mitarai isn’t trying to be difficult about it, if they’re needing to get that letter first things first is ensuring Mitarai takes care of himself. After some coaxing, they get him to at least lay back a bit while they get him some proper food. 

He’s extremely grateful for the food and introduces himself, though a thing sticks out in Hina's mind. Namely, that Mitarai was a part of the 77th batch of Hope’s Peak students. While no one blatantly says anything, he is aware of the stigma of being a survivor of the bunch since he knows almost all students in said batch besides him were murdered during their tenure at Hope’s Peak or had defected to Junko Enoshima’s side. There have been some odd rumors from others and even within his own branch of his own loyalties. Something that clearly gets to him as he showcases his desperation of trying to do better and show he can help fix the world just as much as the others.

Hina comforts him and begins trying to uplift his spirits, showcasing more of a big sisterly attitude with him (even though she’s younger, but hey, some people have that energy to them). It’s then, after Mitarai hands over his Rec Letter and is asked about his thoughts, does he get a bit nervous. Truth be told, he doesn’t really want to get involved too deep with the whole affair with Makoto and Kyosuke. So while he gives up the letter, he even requests not to involve him in that, though upon Koichi reminding him of the upcoming trial with the other Directors, he flinches. Hina presses both for more and Koichi spills the details that Hina never gotten. (Mostly since she never read the email, but that’s neither here or there...)

At the end of the month, Makoto is to be put on a secret trial with the other Directors. Depending on the majority vote, it could mean Makoto might walk free or more than likely get convicted of treason, thus leading to him either being imprisoned, executed, or altogether exiled from Japan. Depends on how things’ll play out. This just makes Hina anxious more about getting to Makoto quickly before that happens. Anyways, Mitarai goes to head out, but upon it dawning on Mitarai that they’ll be going out and about for the other Directors, he asks if he could come too. Chances are that they’ll meet someone he has business with and it’ll probably save him time tagging along with them. Eager, Hina takes her new friend by the arm and goes about running along to their next venture.

Sonosuke Izayoi, in this version, his strong silent type attitude takes prominence. Mostly since I feel a non-verbal attitude, strangely enough does work better for him being remembered than when he speaks occasionally. It just needs to be presented in a way that he doesn’t fade in the background. For example, he can be very visibly expressive, with his features becoming colder or even cartoony depending on the situation.  In Team Hina’s talk with him, he’s slow to anger, but has his limits. Limits that Hina completely breaks because she keeps bugging him for his letter as he tries to do his job. Koichi, being the dutiful scout that he is (and mostly to give Hina some insight) explains that Sonosuke Izayoi was from the 76th batch and came from a long lineage of blacksmiths that was pretty cushy with the former government and potentially underworld for their forges.

When he became Director, he reestablished the ties that remained to put them to usage for Future Foundation weapon development. Eventually, after being annoyed to the brink, he goes to kick them out, but is stopped after Hina pulls out a donut to eat.  His sweet tooth wins out, and he begrudgingly joins the team for a quick snack break. In truth, following a donut, he does seem more friendly and approachable, even muttering his iconic ‘dewicious’ here. 

However, he refuses to part with his letter at least, not until they win favor with his lover. At least, that’s what Mitarai guesses, which Izayoi gives a thumbs up in response. Hina tilts her head in confusion. Lover? But, it was the truth and that was someone they had to deal with next. As she’s the Director for the 8th Branch. 

(Episode 4)

Ruruka Ando rules over the 8th Branch with a surprisingly large amount of popularity. Izayoi tags along and the crew greet Ruruka at the doors to her branch. She immediately and lovingly embraces him. As Team Hina follow the couple, they witness just how pleasant and friendly her subordinates are to her, even going ecstatic over just being in her presence (something that gets Mitarai somewhat jealous). Hina is astounded by her popularity, though Koichi is scratching his chin at the sight of so many people liking their boss. Or, rather, worshipping her.

Eventually, all four reach into her office and Ruruka begins trying to get Hina to eat some of her sweets. In addition, she also happily explains her past as apart of the 76th batch of HPA students, though claims that was small potatoes to her famous bakery that was even known worldwide. However, Hina is quite reluctant about accepting the food since she just had her donuts, up until Ruruka offers one of her own. Hina happily accepts it, but Koichi reminds her of her mission. Hina asks about getting a Rec Letter from her, but she flat out refuses. At once, the bubbly, friendly woman from before is now narrow eyed and looking pretty stern herself.

She speaks for both herself and Izayoi in that she sees Makoto as absolute scum for trying to help the Remnants and probably would have executed him on the spot had she been in charge of the Foundation, his status as Ultimate Hope be damned.

“Dealing with one rotten traitor is bad enough…but several leading the divisions? Rotten food needs to be tossed out.” Hina is confused over the first traitor spiel, but Ruruka had made her stance clear and orders both to get out and takes Hina’s donut from her! Concerning Izayoi, in this version, he looks conflicted on refusing the matter with Hina and Koichi, but sighs and continues to back up Ruruka.

With that failure, the duo heads towards the 7th branch office - directed by Miaya Gekkogahara. Now given her involvement in making the Neo World Program that was used by the Havoc cast, by the time the trio arrive she is understandably both stressed and frazzled. She had been interrogated pretty intensely after they found out the Havoc Crew were using her technology like that. Were it not for Miaya’s role - finding ways to negate despair among one of them - and her contributions to FF, there was a high chance she’d be arrested as well. Likewise, running into one of Makoto’s friends puts her back on edge, though she still tries to be friendly after a bit. It helps that Koichi is there, which she is grateful for and a bit exasperated with at the same time. She’s speaking through her high-tech wheelchair and using her Usami Vtuber avatar to speak. She has a hereditary disease that affects her legs, making them rather weaker than usual, so she uses her wheelchair to compensate. 

Concerning her story, back during Hope’s Peak, Miaya was the school’s guidance counselor - in name. In practice, as much as she wanted to help, she was swamped with work from the late Steering Committee and didn’t have much time to really help people as much as she'd like. Especially since, well, its an old wound. She laments being unable to really help the Reserve Course from rioting and taking their lives. Any attempts at counseling or trying to pacify those students were blocked or ignored. Koichi reveals that she’s from the 65th Batch of Hope’s Peak Academy students (putting an end to the weird plot detail of no one knowing what class is supposed to be in, and her counselor explaining how she could still go about her NWP activity with Chihiro and Yasuke). He tries to raise her spirits, though that only gets her exasperated since his alcoholic breath gets on her face. 

As she gives the duo a tour, a familiar face pops up during so - Alter Ego. Hina eagerly greets her friend who had helped her during the Killing School Life. He is also happy to see her again, though is apologetic to Hina after hearing how Makoto was arrested. AE informs her of his role in the rehab plot and how ashamed he was to let the Junko AI takeover.  Both Miaya and Hina try to comfort him, but it gets Hina thinking on why he’s with Miaya now. 

Here we learn of Chihiro’s involvement with Miaya with the Neo World Program, and how both were co-workers to help create it. With her friend and protege dead, Miaya ‘took in AE’ so to speak, being the one to salvage him from HPA after they rescued the Havoc Crew and receiving him once FF apprehended Makoto. Hina pushes on to ask the obvious: Why create the Neo World Program?

Well, for Miaya - her life’s goal is to find a way to rehabilitate anyone. She wanted to help people so badly from their own issues that drove to the pits of despair and vileness, but while she can help anyone with a large degree of success, there were the sort that just were too far gone. The NWP was made to ensure even the worst of the worst or the most badly hurt of them all could have a second chance. It being a concept thought up way back when she attended HPA. However, while she got the resources over the years and even approval from FF to initially put that dream to reality it soon became clear that the consensus was that criminals, especially the Remnants were to be put down instead of saved. That such a high-cost procedure was both too long and too ‘inefficient’. Thus, her project and JW Island was left abandoned and she was forced to back to square one….

Up until she had gotten into contact with Makoto who learned about the project from a list of scrapped projects that the Future Foundation organized. He was really interested in it and he shined with so much determination and genuine optimism for the future that Miaya disclosed its location to him and even gave him the reigns to the facilities that the Havoc cast would use. It was risky, but she could just feel she could trust him. As such, she gives Hina a Rec Letter, believing she could bet on the swimmer too. That being said, she also advises against bringing her into the conflict during the trial since, yeah. That’s way too scary for her heart to take!!!

Next up is someone all three are dreading as they arrive to his branch: Former Hope’s Peak security guard, Ultimate Boxer and real pain in the ass for most - Juzo was running Division 6.                                                                                                                    

(Episode 5)

Now, when Hina arrives, she’s combing all over the building, but Juzo is nowhere to be found. During her search, she meets several of his underlings: Ikue Dogami, Mekuru Katsuragi and the Ultimate Make-Up Artist. They explain that Juzo tends to be out and about often, but thanks to Mekuru, they direct Hina to wait towards the main lobby for him. It should be noted that, aside from those three, most of his other employees seem nervous or on edge when he’s mentioned. 

When Hina finally meets Juzo, naturally, he’s aggressive and has no patience for her. Likewise, he refuses to hand over a Rec Letter to Hina since he is an avid supporter of Kyosuke’s ideals and is enraged over Makoto’s actions. Now, Hina actually does remember Juzo a bit - where we now get a flashback of him acting as HPA’s most aggressive security guard.  She had witnessed him being rough concerning students relating to the Reserve Course, so she isn’t surprised he’s being a hardass now. Being reminded of the discourse concerning that time, Juzo is getting more pissed off and looks ready to throw down before an idea occurs to him. Of course, this being Juzo, he decides to give her a ‘chance’ to prove herself. In the ring. 

So Hina takes on Juzo in a five-minute exhibition match. If she manages to last until the time limit, Juzo will hand over the Rec Letter. If she fails than, well, nighty night! Hina, determined and unwilling to backdown, opts for it. Koichi, naturally, is concerned by this move, but she reasons that she wants to get to Makoto as soon as possible. If she can just last five minutes, she’ll be able to do that faster (not trying to think about the setback she would make if she would fail).

Juzo is confident he’ll win and toys with her early on, allowing to go for some strikes, effortlessly dodges them and proceeds to wail on her with jabs. Enough to knock her down and he thinks she’ll quit, but she gets up. A bit annoyed he tries to do the same thing, but Hina has found her rhythm. She has had multiple experience dodging attacks from scattered Remnants and criminals as a member of the 13th Divison. Thus, she’s now found a footing where she can stay, if barely, ahead of Juzo. She even manages to get in a solid hit or two!! Things are looking up and there’s a few seconds left on the clock.

Enraged, Juzo is trying his damndest to score a hit, but nothing seems to be working. A crowd has gathered, cheering for Hina and Juzo, eager to see who will win. For a moment, Hina remembers both Sakura and Yuta, strengthening her more to see things through to the end and prove herself useful - that can she be of aid to someone she calls family!! But, it also distracts for a split second, and in that moment Juzo scores a devastating haymaker. Hina is knocked down and eventually falls unconscious. Juzo is the victor. Koichi and Mitarai goes to Hina, trying to rouse her whilst Juzo walks off, not feeling particularly good about this win.

In the meantime, scene shifts to Kyoko working in her office when she meets Chisa again. Considering what she knows about Juzo and Kyosuke, Kyoko is naturally on guard against Chisa who is trying to be friendly with her and have some tea. We also get a bit of insight concerning Kyoko’s situation: armed guards all around her and she also voices her good guess of the room itself being bugged. Naturally, the only thing she can really do is read and try to prep Makoto’s case from inside her ‘cell’. Namely, getting knowledge of the prior incidents of the Remnants, rehabilitation efforts with the Neo World Program and others that were scrapped, and in general just learning more about the other Directors. Anything to give her side the edge concerning the trial.

Speaking of which, she does ask where the trial will take place. Now, given the severity and whose life is at stake, Chisa reveals that it’ll be on an island meant originally to be the new international Hope’s Peak branch. However, with the Tragedy causing HPA to close down, it was instead refurbished into a private separate office of sorts—meant only for high profile usage. Like a trial for treason! Kyoko asks, if only for confirmation, given Chisa’s closeness to Kyosuke as being one of the first Directors of FF and his former classmate, if she herself also holds intense hatred of Despair.

Now to this, Chisa is quick to differ. She loves Kyosuke and goes along with him because she trusts his judgement and heart - that he makes decisions trying to fully bring peace to all afflicted by the Tragedy. Thus, she goes along with the decision and believes in that Hope. However, even if she goes along with it, she does hold a different stance concerning the Remnants…

How she can’t help but still hold love for her dear students.

(Episode 6)

Hina wakes up, finding herself in an infirmary. Koichi informs her of her loss and who managed to treat her - Seiko Kimura. Now Seiko is constantly fretting and checking up on Hina given the situation concerning her knockout. Thanks to her drugs, any concussions should be healed up pretty quick, and Hina is pretty grateful for the support. Seiko happened to be in the 6th Division’s office by chance, so Hina should be lucky she was on site to help ensure she didn’t get put into a worse position without her fast action.

Once Koichi reminds her that Seiko was a Director, we get a formal introduction of her, including her class. We also learn that Seiko was the daughter of the head of Kimura Pharmaceuticals prior to the Tragedy, though she notes that was water under the bridge now.  Hina, remembering that the 76th class also had Ruruka and Izayoi, asks both were her classmates. Instantly, Seiko’s face darkened and she glared at Hina. She asks her not to mention their names. Ever. Hina gulps and takes the hint.

Trying to move the conversation along, Hina brings up the topic of getting a Rec Letter for her, thinking Seiko was so nice she would agree to it. However, after a bit of conflicting thought, Seiko firmly refuses. Her loyalty lies solely with Kyosuke and she knows for a fact that he wants them dead. For good reason too, and she has personal stake in seeing the Remnants dead given how long she’s spent trying to treat their victims and seeing some die. She apologizes, but her mind is made up, and she personally shouldn’t expect much from her concerning Makoto’s trial.

She leaves, though outside waiting is Juzo, who was overhearing the conversation. She informs him of Hina’s condition. How it’s going to be stable though is curious why he still stuck around. Annoyed, Juzo pokes at her forehead in like a mean big bro-esque way, much to her chagrin, telling her to mind her business before prodding off. Still, with yet another Director refusing to hand over a Rec Letter, Hina is getting desperate and runs off to the 5th Division - Chisa’s workplace.

At said workplace, Kyoko is a bit shocked after hearing about Chisa’s ties to the Remnants. Well, Chisa quickly clarifies it was really only for about just some months and she could really be described more along the lines of their Advisor. You see, the Remnants of Despair back when they were in Hope’s Peak gained a bit of a reputation for being ‘delinquents’, whether intentionally acting out or not, and so these teens from various parts of the 77th batch were assigned to attend a ‘mandatory’ Student Correction Program (was not quite a fan of the series having Class 77 all be Remnants from the exact same class. The change, in addition to other plot developments in the future, is to get the group together, while having them be scattered across the 77th Batch).

The program was meant to at least get them to mellow out and not either wreck the school or harm others. She looks back fondly over the time with the fifteen of them…hm? Fifteen? Kyoko is wondering about her current connections and if anyone else knows about it. Chisa is quick to assuage her concerns. Her connection with HPA is well known by every other Director, though following her dismissal with the Remnants, she was assigned to the Reserve Course, which clearly didn’t end well for the other students there. Something shown by how upset she looked concerning their collective suicides. Chisa tries to quickly perk herself back up. 

Anyway, she explains, while she doesn’t quite understand why Makoto really decided to risk his neck this much to help pretty much the worst of the worst, but given how such a procedure could have given her students back, she was at least grateful for the attempt. While she won’t ever betray Kyosuke, she might be willing to offer a hand to at least get him to see a bit more reason. Though, Chisa is curious.

Why is Kyoko, logical woman incarnate, siding with Makoto in saving the Remnants? Surely someone like her would have wanted to see them dead, right? Well, for Kyoko, her decision was based on logic. The world, while its making steady efforts, is still struggling quite a deal both internationally and even locally. From pollution, to food management, to the obvious  factor of stray Remnants and criminals wreaking havoc. While the spearheads of Ultimate Despair may be gone, it would take decades before the world could ever hope to get back to how it was pre-Tragedy. If they could reform the Remnants with the Neo World Program, even just the mooks of them, they can add to the Restoration efforts to get the world back faster. The fact that the initial Remnants they gathered happened to be Ultimate were a solid coincidental bonus. Luck…though given what nearly had happened, it couldn’t really be called good luck, right?

Chisa nods her head and seems to accept this…though has to wonder how much of it just trying to honor Makoto’s wishes. After all, she wasn’t that different from Chisa in that they were trying to support the Hope of their lives and not just in terms of being the Ultimate Hope. But Hope to their own respective groups as well - Makoto was the glue that helped keep them together after all. In that same vein, Kyosuke was the glue that kept Future Foundation and his own core group stable as well. She recollects a time before she got to know him. In order to raise money for her sick single mother,  a teenage Chisa Yukizome became a housekeeper and was hired by the Munakata Family. A wealthy family that was notorious for raising leaders in almost every industry of the world, their mansion was quite the chaotic mess of people at each other’s throats and too busy to ever really care for an insignificant girl that was tidying up behind them.

Yet, Kyosuke was different. He aided her when everyone else ignored her or treated poorly because she was ‘the help’. He went out of his way to lighten her load and even work to see her smile. It was his assistance that allowed her to truly want to shine as a housekeeper and got her scouted. He was literally her Hope back in those horrible days. It’s why even now she’s that devoted to him.

Kyoko asks her to get to the point.

“Everyone is chasing that Hope - that reason to keep on going. But it’s also good to be aware of who represents that Hope as well. A lesson all of us can learn ,hm?” She glances to the door and it turns out Team Hina was there, eavesdropping. Chisa welcomes them in and doesn’t hesitate to give Hina a Rec Letter. Even if she’ll go wholeheartedly with Kyosuke’s choice, she figures its nots a bad idea to at least let one of Makoto’s friends check in on him.

From there, Hina goes to see if Kyoko was okay, but the detective waves her off. She’ll always be fine, what’s vital is bouncing info off each other. So they get each other up to speed with what’s happening, with Hina’s Quest and the upcoming trial. Kyoko is more than aware that their case seems pretty hopeless given whose in charge and the influence he holds. Hina is a bit more optimistic since she feels its an even split, except its not. Kyoko reminds her its more of 6 against a number of neutrals who could easily be pressured to go with the other side if an argument is weak enough or the enemy is convincing enough. The other half’s loyalty is not guaranteed. It’s then that Hina glances at the two allies she had befriended so far. Mitarai is looking as shy as ever but Koichi, after a swig, shrugs and merely says they’ll have to see. Though if it’s anything to what he would have wanted, well, he’ll do his best to get an outcome that Kyoko would find favorable. Complete with a friendly smile, though Kyoko tries her best to ignore him. 

In any case, Kyoko says its best for Hina to get the last letters as quickly as possible but just before Hina leaves, Kyoko does stop her briefly. Her wounds from fighting Juzo is clearly visible and even Kyoko could obviously see how winded the swimmer was. In her own way, she’s concerned and does apologize to Hina for putting her through all of this. But Hina quickly brushes it off. Their friends, well, more than friends!! Family even!! The Havoc Crew looking out for each other is a no-brainer!! It doesn’t bother her! With a deal of optimism, Team Hina leaves, leaving Kyoko in her thoughts once more.

“Huh, didn’t know you could lie like that.” Koichi said and Ryota gives a concerned look to Hina. She’s leading the charge, but the camera never points to her face. Her voice, though, is shaky. “I don’t know what you mean…it’s time for the next stop.”

Episode 7

The next destination for Team Hina? Why it was Koichi’s branch! The atmosphere for his place was rather casual, with many people at least on goods terms with him enough to even tease him a little about his drinking habits. Koichi allows both Ryota and Hina into his office, which resembles more of a host lounge than anything. Bottles of alcohol was scattered everywhere, there was a large couch off to the side, and large amounts of paperwork lay on his desk.

Both Hina and Ryota criticize Koichi for his messy office, but he waves it off as him being busy with meetings with Jack Daniels and Gin!~ Hina rolled her eyes and gives glances towards all about his office as Koichi fishes to make a Rec Letter. During this time, Hina finds something. A photo of Koichi with Jin and a little Kyoko.

Koichi confirms at this point that, yes, he was best friends with Jin and wouldn’t have minded being considered an ‘uncle’ to Kyoko prior to her getting raised by Fuhito Kirigiri, her grandfather. When asked more about Kyoko’s family, Koichi just waves dismissively. It’s a long story full of drama that he himself isn’t fit to tell.

He does go into detail of him meeting Jin back when they were kids and still keeping in touch when Koichi went to HPA...eh? Koichi was an Ultimate? Turns out he was the Ex-Ultimate Talent Scout, though is dismissive of such things. He himself doesn’t feel like its anything special and requests that they just refer to him as a regular talent scout. Honestly, he himself only agreed to be a talent scout because his best friend, Jin, really requested him when he began working with HPA in earnest. Throughout it all, Hina can see Koichi give a melancholic smile and relates to his quiet pain with her own losses. She reaches over to put a hand on his shoulder, but he smiles and waves it off.

Well, no use dwelling on the past. Koichi hands over his Rec Letter and waves at them goodbye for now.  He advises that if the options are just Tengan or Kyosuke left, then yeaaaaah, its best to try and win Tengan’s favor. He’s a lot more reasonable than Kyosuke…or, rather? 

He’s more coolheaded? He wants to be alone for a bit. Getting the hint, Hina nods and they begin to walk out. However, not before Hina stalls at the door, asking if he’ll support Makoto at the trial. Koichi informs her that he can’t make any solid promises, but is willing to hear him out. Once Ryota and Hina leave, he leans back in his chair. Thinking about Jin, he vows he’ll protect ‘her’.

Now down to a duo, Team Asahina starts wondering about Koichi, whether he’ll truly be alright. Hina is concerned, but Ryota says its best if they just leave him be to focus on Tengan. Now, its here that Ryota reveals his connection with the Chairman - namely how Tengan personally saved and recruited him back when the Tragedy was rampaging. Right when he was about to be killed by some Remannts, Tengan appeared on scene to fight them off. Hina is very impressed since she knows Tengan is kind of old, though Ryota mutters how he can be strong and frightening when he wants to. Anyways, he’s been working closely with him and believes that there’s a solid chance. Though he does warn Hina to watch what she says.

When they arrive, they noticed the hallway of Tengan lined up and down with various people in visors. Ryota introduces them as being the best of the Ultimate Elite Taskforce. As their names suggests, they are the very best gathered from the remnants of Hope’s Peak alumni’s that serve as The Special Forces needed for only the most intense or important assignments. Each of them are more than strong enough to give anyone, even an Ultimate Remnant, a run for their money.

Granted, with the 77th Batch of Despairs seemingly gone, these days all they really seem to do is just guard Tengan in Gozu’s absence. A fact that gets them to give Ryota a bit of a dirty or hurt look before he frantically starts waving his hands, trying to say he didn’t mean it. Tengan allows the two to enter and he pretty much gets right to the point. He’s received news of Asahina going about the other Directors trying to get their Rec Letters and from both sides he’s received calls to let her have one or to not give her one.

With that in mind, he’s willing to hear from the source concerning her motivations. Taking a deep breath, Asahina explains she’s worried about her friend and is really trying her hardest to make sure he’s alright. She knows that charges against Makoto are heavy, but she expresses her faith that everything he does is only to help everyone, not hurt. He’s not a traitor! By the end, she’s looking quite desperate, pleading with Tengan to give her the time of day.

When he speaks, Tengan murmurs about personally witnessing this fire of Hina for those she holds dear resurfacing. He says for her to simmer down and that, by now, he’s already thought this situation through to the best of his abilities. Offering Hina butterscotch, he explains that, yes, what Makoto has done is shocking and, at the moment, he can’t blame anyone for being angry or thinking he might be a traitor…

But he also states his belief in the Ultimate Hope that blossomed during that sixth trial. That optimism that he showcased and used to beat back Junko Enoshima and helped spurn the world in its current Restoration efforts. Yes, Tengan does believe that Makoto isn’t trying to be malicious and knows that he ‘is going with what he believes will be the right move’.  He goes on to ramble a bit about Makoto coming along ways from tangoing with a petty thief to humanity’s Symbol. Something that confuses Asahina, but Tengan brushes it off.

Yes, at this point, he’s more than just a little aware of the younger generation following their ambition and deciding that what they believe is right for all. Chairman or not, he has come to terms that he can’t match the passion of the others and is more than willing to take a backseat to give their ways a chance. After all, that’s essentially what he has been doing with Kyosuke. At this point it probably won’t be too long until he figures Kyosuke will organize an ‘intervention’ to pressure Tengan into stepping down. He already has the support of the public and agents all across the branches for his decisive attitude and on-hands efforts that Tengan had to retire from.

Oh! He apologizes for rambling and hands over the needed Rec Letter to Asahina. With that, she’ll be able to visit Makoto. Tengan wishes him the best of luck. Now, while he did order for the guards not to harm Makoto, if a Director decided to do something, well, he urges her to check in with him at her earliest convenience.  Asahina nods and thanks Tengan for handing over the Rec Letter. She asks if Ryota was coming as well but he declines. With a hug of support, Hina leaves. Still in the office, Tengan chuckles and asks if Ryota was finally getting out there, much to the animator’s blushing dismissal! Hina’s just a friend!! To this, Tengan merely chuckles in amusement. Before the scene ends, he questions if Ryota  has made a decision of sorts for the future. Ryota opens his mouth…and the episode ends.

(Episode 8)

The episode, and next day, opens at the prison Makoto is being held at. He has bandages and scratches on his face, looking a bit down on his luck as he recalls what happened to get him to this state.We get a flashback back to when he was initially arrested and seperated from Togami and Kyoko. He get’s thrown into his cell and has to deal with the brunt of a beatdown from a very angry Juzo. Kyosuke stops him before he could ever really go too far on Makoto but it is brutal. From there the scene switches to Makoto, patched up and at a table. Kyosuke is at the other side, looking coldly at Makoto.

Kyosuke, half-heartedly, apologizes for the actions of Juzo, though he does cut off Makoto when the lucky student tries to tell him its no big deal. Instead he asks: Why? Why help the Remnants of Despair? Why not just turn them in so the world can be done with them? Straight to the point. 

From Makoto’s point of view we get flashbacks briefly to what had occurred concerning him finding Izuru, learning of the Remnants identities and him firmly choosing his resolve when Kyoko and Togami await an answer for him. Back to the present day, he states that he understands everyone being angry and that, if he were in their shoes, he’d be furious as well. But, his decision has to go back towards faith. The potential to save others from the awful influence that gripped them in the past.

A flashback shows the Havoc Crew walking throughout their new branch with Kyosuke and Tengan giving a tour of the place. Tengan gives the background that, with reports of UD members killing themselves, they wanted a Branch that can effectively reach and focus on spreading FF’s message of hope. And who better to lead that than the survivors who inspired loads to carry on and beat back Despair’s effects. 

Togami is a bit miffed over essentially being the public relations branch, and that Kyoko was their leader, but she notes such power is really just a formality between the two of them. Plus, it might have to do with their ‘performance’ during the killing game. Hiro, Asahina and Togami have proven to be ‘problematic’ and Toko is only really allowed as an intern for being Genocider Syo. While some might want Makoto in charge given his role in the final class trial, he truly didn’t want the power/isn’t quite suited for leadership of an entire division. Hence Kyoko winning by default. 

While Togami begrudgingly admits defeat, both Hiro, Toko, Makoto and Asahina are astounded over their new headquarters. Makoto in particular is quick to bring them back together, speaking on his confidence that, with all six of them together, they can really help make a difference. One that clearly resonates with his friends and is noticed by the FF leaders. As both Tengan and Kyosuke leave, Tengan smiles as he notes that Makoto really reminded him of Kyosuke back in the day and that the Foundation is lucky Makoto is with them. Kyosuke quietly clenches his fist, and gives a brief look back at Makoto. The lucky student notices, but is dragged away by his pals long enough for Kyosuke to leave. 

A montage shows off Makoto and others helping out in the communities under Future Foundation’s protection, all clearly trying their best when, in the last shot, Makoto is suddenly pounced upon. It’s a Remnant of Despair, and by that I mean just a regular one that seems to have had better days. Makoto’s guards easily are able to pin down the Remnant and even remove his mask. As he’s being taken away, Makoto asks why he’s still trying to hurt others. Junko’s dead so what gives? It’s then that gets a good look at this Remnant - or rather his expression. Miserable, frustrated, utterly sad, and, well, hopeless. “Because there’s no point in trying to rebuild for someone with no future...” 

These words haunt Makoto and he’s gets to thinking. Is there a way to rehabilitate even the Remnants? He goes through files and asks around concerning Future Foundation rehab techniques and finds the plans for the Neo World Program. Delighted, he goes to Kyoko and Togami to get their opinion on trying to rehabilitate the Remnants? Their answer? 

“You’re an absolute buffoon.”

“This…is certainly a plan, I suppose?”

Yeah, he isn’t too surprised Togami is more harsh with his rebukes, but Kyoko also isn’t holding back with her criticism. The Remnants are dangerous criminals that put them through the Hell in the Mutual Killing Game. Why bother trying to save them? 

To this, Makoto asks this in a quiet voice: If they had connected more with Mukuro or Junko back then, would they have stopped both from destroying the world? He says its silly, but he can’t stop thinking about it. The friends they lost, would they still be alive if he bothered to spend more time trying to get to know both to get them help? Noticed Junko’s warped mental state beforehand? Get Mukuro to reconsider going along with Junko’s plan? The soldier didn’t seem completely convinced during their free talks during their killing game. Anything at all? 

This had both fall silent for a deal before Kyoko gives her thoughts. Personally, she believes that both Junko and Mukuro were too far deep by the time they met them. When she had the time, she looked into a bit of their background, finding evidence of the twins causing atrocities, like a massacre of a junior high school. That was covered up from either corrupt police or some other shady means. She believes that if there was to be some way to help the Despair Sisters, it would have to have been years before they even reached Hope’s Peak. She goes on to say he shouldn’t be harsh on himself for the horrible actions of other people, nor feel responsibility for why they turned out that way.

Yet, Makoto just can’t seem to let the thought go. His mind flashes back to his talk with Mukuro during her days as Junkuro. How she admitted she wasn’t sure that the path she was on was right. It’s a thought like those that gets Makoto in being unable to fully write off the Remnants that were still around. If one of the leading figures of the end was still having seconds thoughts, maybe the others could be as well, deep down. And, if the Neo World Program works as intended, they could be potentially rehabilitated into becoming allies to fix what their wrongs! It’s this optimistic outlook that ignites Makoto’s passion. While reluctant, both Kyoko and Togami eventually concede to at least try Makoto’s idea.

Makoto is happy and the next scene shows him heading to the site of the destroyed New Hope’s Peak Academy building. Apparently the 12th Branch was going to begin its plans for its demolition? Well, if that’s the case, he thought it would be best to leave ten flowers for those he lost and explore it one last time. What was left of it anyway.

Only to see Izuru Kamukura standing in a classroom with his own flower in some ruined classroom.

(Episode 9)

In this episode, we see Makoto, Kyoko and Togami looking after about fifteen ‘survivors’ sitting around in their offices. They were dirty, covered in either old cloaks and bandages, and looking around with intense gazes. Some of whom looked to be in quite the awful conditions, being either malnourished or very sickly. Yet they were all intent on refusing medical treatment from any staff offered.

It had only been a few days after Makoto met Izuru - or rather? Hajime Hinata - that’s what Izuru told them instead of his actual name at that point? Allegedly he was a survivor affiliated with Hope’s Peak that had just come back into town to pay respects to the dead. Following that, he explained that he was apart of a group of survivors who had been traveling the wastelands and it just so happens these survivors were upperclassmen of the 78th class. Students that came from various parts of the 77th batch that barely manage to escape the destruction of the Main Course building, but circumstances had them flee into the unknown as much as possible because of the riots. Given what they’ve experienced, they are very weary against even help from the FF and its prone to having them on edge.

Makoto is actually ecstatic to run into survivors of that incident, since he knew many of the 77th batch perished or went missing.  However, Kyoko and Togami are rather suspicious of the situation. In particular, seeing these fifteen for an extended period of time has her leave to check out some files.

Concerning the Remnants themselves, the more Makoto interacts with them, either by trying to give them supplies or wanting to know them better, he’s either ignored or given cold blank stares. Just like that one Remnant from before. Maybe…

Still there is one that acts friendly to him, Nagito who usually kept one of his hands wrapped. He’s appreciative of the Ultimate Hope and grateful for his efforts, glad someone ‘insignificant as him’ could be in Makoto’s presence. Makoto, being the humble guy, denies ever being that important and that he just wants to help others. He believes everyone is indispensable and tries to get Nagito to see more of himself in a brighter light. Though, similar to the others, the despair Nagito is in is quite evident and he believes that a guy like Makoto should really not bank his hopes too much on the fallen. As Makoto goes to pull him back as he leaves, he notices some of Nagito’s bandages are slipping…and, hm? Was…was his nails painted under there?

As they separate, he runs into Kyoko who takes him to Togami’s office. Kyoko shows Makoto a database of ‘suspect Remnants’. A nurse wearing a surgical mask, a group of masked Monomafia lead by masked people with similar hair styles to Fuyuhiko and Peko. A concert with a thin singer in a gas mask taking spotlight. In Novoselic, a Monokuma controlled country, forces were being lead by a masked figure in a cloak, but a few locks of golden hair could briefly be seen. Evidence upon evidence…

They didn’t just take in survivors - they took in the Remants of Despair. It wouldn’t be long until the higher-ups, who were informed of such survivors existence, would realize this as well. Yet, would it be fast enough to arrive to intercept fifteen dangerous criminals?  As it stands the Remnants doesn’t seem aware that they knew their cover was blown. If they were going to act, they needed to do this quickly. Togami suggests getting their security forces to immediately apprehend and put the remnants in holding cells of their division, but Kyoko notes the possibility of good number of forces being killed in this attack given how notorious the Remnants were when it came to fighting against even the Directors. Togami then suggests that maybe drugging their food could work best and the others seem on-board with this idea.

It’s then that Makoto suggests his own idea that, once they were all knocked out they don’t put them in cells. Rather, they put them on the boat intended to take them to Jabberwock Island. Togami really asks if Makoto is serious about having these Remnants - Ultimate Remnants - be the ones that they opt to save, but Makoto is dead serious about it. After all the NWP is supposed to be capable of saving even the worst of the worst. What better way to prove to everyone that it works and that it is viable if not by saving the literal worst of the worst. Both Kyoko and Togami are hesitant, but eventually both opt to go with Makoto’s plan. After all time is of the essence still.

The scene transitions to the boat, where the Remnants have been place in cells containing two each (or three in Mahiru, Ibuki and Hiyoko’s case). Their cloaks and bandages have been stripped away and we've got to see what a few had of Junko’s body, classic like Fuyuhiko getting Junko’s eye and whatnot. Over an intercom, Makoto announces his Foundation’s intent to take them to Jabberwock to put them in the NWP…

“Just like what the intelligence said…” Kamukura mutters to himself as the scene transitions to show of the Remants being worked into their pods and of brief flashes to the Island Killing Game, where Makoto is horrified over seeing history repeat itself, but flashes to determination  from both him, Kyoko and Togami. As the screen flashes to them entering the simulation we cut back to Kyosuke.

“In short…” said Vice Chairman. “You went on an operation, risking it all for criminals that should be executed on the spot…and came back with nothing.” Makoto refutes this saying he believes it worked out from what he saw of the survivors. But Kyosuke is pretty adamant about this position. How can Makoto be sure they were not faking or they’ll revert back to who they were? How can they be trusted to not go down that dark path again?

In truth? Makoto admits he can never be 100% sure, but he has faith they won’t go back. How they resolved to keep moving forward – he was sure that was going to still be a reality. Kyosuke shook his head, looking disappointed. 

“To think people ever had high hopes for you. A naive foolishness like that can never be called Hope.” Standing up, he announces, he doesn’t want to even look at Makoto again until the trial to decide his fate. And may mercy be shown upon this blind soul. All while Makoto looked at Kyosuke with his own frustration, but even sadness. Is there no way for them to reconcile or come to an understanding?

The flashback ends when we see the present Makoto shoot up from a knock at his door. It’s Asahina, who came in the very next day, who quickly goes to glomp her poor buddy whose been through a lot. Asking him how he’s been and growing angry over the fact the guards had taken to hurting him. As they both catch up on what’s been going on - Hina finally asks that’s been flowing through her mind:

“How come you all didn’t trust me?” she asked, referring to the fact that half of Crew went off to do their own thing while leaving the others in the dark to carry out the Remants rehab. Makoto, looking super remorseful, apologizes. He, Kyoko and Togami didn’t want to put the others at risk, especially if this operation failed. Concerning the operation, Hina goes to ask Makoto why he bothered to help the Remnants, when an explosion gets out.

A loud alarm blares through the building.

“People are raiding the prison!! All personnel on deck! Stop the prisoners from going free!”

(Episode 10)

This is a chaotic battle that has invaders, mooks of the Remnant forces, all rush through the building, attacking anyone with bats, pipes, even a few guns so to speak, as they pushed through. Throughout the facility, electromagnetic locks on the cells are disabled and prisoners rush to join in on the riots. The main attackers were also incredibly organized, ordering about the freed prisoners to help free more them and ordering more of their forces to go in deeper. “They’re in there!! Get them at any cost!! Don’t waste our chance!”

Hearing this, Makoto wants to help, but Hina remind him that 1. He is also a prisoner and 2. People would really be gunning for him at the moment given his status, so its best that he stay put in the cell where he would be safe. Makoto wishes her luck as Hina dashes out. Outside of Makoto’s cell there are four other occupied cells in his block: The maximum security block. Luckily, once Hina leaves it’ll be placed on lockdown that only a Director could have access to with their key card. Grabbing a baton, Hina rushes out and saves a guard from being killed by a prisoner before joining in the fray. 

Bodies are flying and more people are being released.  Hina is holding her own but the number of people able to handle this is dwindling: until a cry of pain is heard and a prisoner can be seen tossed into a wall. There is the Great Gozu, Juzo and Kyosuke backed by reinforcements. Tengan is at the furthest back watching the proceedings. Kyosuke leads the forces into subduing the prisoners and invaders, eventually getting it all under control. Though during this chaos, Kyosuke can’t help but wonder about the odds of a jailbreak occurring on the day when Makoto gets a visitor and four other Directors wanted to visit it. “Luck tends to be perplexing…” Tengan says.

By the end of it, most of the prisoners have been suppressed, but when they head into the max block, the prisoners from there have escaped, except for Makoto. Juzo and Gozu are ordering the staff about, sending out red alert for all units to be on the lookout for the escaped. The ones who escaped are known as the Four Sinners in Future Foundation and represent the Four Horsemen. They were previous Ultimates that graduated from Hope’s Peak but had gone rogue  during the Tragedy.

Plaguebearer - Former Ultimate Exterminator: Jun Ueda/Pestilence(Gas Mask Man)

Immovable Force - Former Ultimate Sumo: Daisuke Tomioka/War (Sumo Wrestler Design)

Dead Walker - Former Ultimate Lab Assistant: Harue Yuki/Famine(Zombie Girl)

Spawn of Malice - Former Ultimate Criminal: Shiori Hikari/Death (Ultimate Criminal beta)

With everything over, Asahina checks in on Makoto who was unharmed. Kyosuke arrives and announces that, given how this prison is clearly compromised, Makoto will be moved to another location effective immediately and has Juzo escort him out. Hina wants to talk to him, but the other Directors refuse to hear her out, with Makoto only reassuring her that things will be fine.

The news of the attack is relayed to Togami, & Hiro, the heir already suspicious of the whole affair. He finds it way too unlikely that this was just a random attack on dates where both Asahina and the other Directors were supposed to arrive. This was planned, but by whom and what do they gain from freeing the Four Sinners other than general unrest?

Kyoko hears the news as well and, in private, and theorizes that, yes, this was definitely planned. But there was so many oddities. Why attack on the same day that high-ranking, strong Directors were arriving there? Wouldn’t have it been safer to do so when it was just the regular guards to deal with?

Conclusion that she and, soon even Kyosuke (at another location) reaches: The Mastermind behind it wanted it to be known that there was someone orchestrating this. Furthermore, from reports from the guards, the attackers were highly organized and mentioned something about ‘someone’ giving them a ‘chance’. “But why?” asked Juzo (He, Kyosuke, Chisa and Seiko were gathered together) What do they gain out of this risky mission? Could it be….

“Fear…” Tengan muttered alone in his office. An irrational emotion made to throw people off as the Trial for Makoto’s fate draws nearer. Regardless if the attackers succeeded or failed, the fear and paranoia they would leave behind would be irrefutable but of what kind of fear…

Simply put…a Traitor amongst the Directors. Someone had to give the attackers an access card to open the max cell block, after all. A conclusion all leaders of Future Foundation seem to reach as it flashes by to all fourteen of them.

In a dark location, the Four Sinners are standing in line looking at a large monitor that shows Monokuma’s head looking at them. A garbled voice announces the need for the Blights services.

After all, the next game is soon to begin!

(Episode 11)

A traitor…

A word like that hangs heavy as Togami meets with Asahina and Hiro, in Hiro’s room (because why would anyone bother with Hagakure). It’s one thing for a mole to be in something like a killing game, but a Director possibly going rogue? It could lead to disaster for not just the other Directors but the entire world. Asahina shudders, though wonders about the possibility of it being a Sakura situation: where her family was threatened. But Togami is quick to shut it down. No use in pondering the motivations of a possible Traitor when they still haven’t caught them yet. He stops Hiro from just barging out to ‘investigate’ and reminds Hiro that he can’t just go out and do whatever he wants. If he tries to grill the Directors, chances are he’ll just get thrown in the slammer for being a nuisance and just worsen the situation.

Instead, Togami has informed both he’s sent some of his own private personnel on the case. While any Directors or the Havoc Crew would be on clear suspicion and be monitored, would anyone bother keeping tabs on Togami’s butler or his eyepatch wearing secretary? Not likely. So he’ll leave it to them.

Asahina asks about Makoto, and what they should do for him given the incident. Togami believes at this point they should forget about seeing him until the Trial. Makoto has been taken to a private holding cell in the 2nd Division Branch. With the max cell compromised, he’s staying there under Kyosuke’s watchful eye. Until then, its best to focus on other matters. For example, if this incident comes up during the trial, it would be best to gain some sort of evidence to be on even footing during it. But, all knew if they tried, chances are Kyosuke might get his goons to chase them away. But, Asahina realized that, even if they couldn’t she could probably get someone to not only help them out, but even inform Kyoko. 

The scene shifts to Kyoko’s room and there its revealed Koichi was the one to help out, handing over a good deal of evidence from the crime to her. ‘A gift from that charming swimming lady’ Koichi mentioned, though Kyoko is as stoic as ever. Koichi tries to get closer with Kyoko more, showing more of his concerned side from her (and even a brief scene of him seeing Jin die during the KG), Kyoko brushes him off. If he really wants to help her, he needs to support Makoto’s side. Koichi chuckles. Kyoko’s as blunt as ever. He walks off, claiming he’ll think about it over a drink or two!

For Team Munakata, Juzo and his branch are investigating the scene of the crime, looking pissed about what happened still. While they had managed to suppress the truth of the incident, there was no telling what could be leaked. Seiko responds that, despite using the truth serum on the surviving invaders, they couldn’t tell much about who was organizing them to do this. They can only say that they were ordered by someone in a cloak who was connected with the former Remnants. Who warned them that their actions will spurn on the Third. “The third killing game…what nonsense.” Kyosuke orders Seiko, Chisa and Juzo not to spread this info out to anyone for the time being. Doing so without all the facts would just lead to chaos brewing. When he asks for further details about where the escapees could be, Chisa informs that they have all unist on the lookout for them, but there has been no signs of where they went. One of the transport vehicles is missing so its likely they took that to make their getaway, but the footage for that period is missing due to the attackers managing to get inside the security office. How convenient. But nevertheless Kyosuke is confident that they can defeat whatever plans Despair has for them. “Security measures will be increased tenfold and for the Trial…we’ll invoke the usage of the Elite Taskforce. No matter what - judgement will reign on those who stray from the path…” His crew nod alongside him, albeit to varying degrees (Juzo is smirking and pounding his fists together, Seiko is a bit nervous but hurriedly agrees with him and Chisa looks rather solemn before she nods as well).

We get some brief cuts to what some other Directors are doing. For Ruruka and Izayoi, she feeds him a macaron, with her (and by extension his) minds made up: Makoto is clearly guilty in her eyes and sooner they axe a traitor the better. Miaya is talking with Alter Ego, the latter wanting to do something to help Makoto. He can’t let someone he saved get hurt or sentenced to die, right? Miaya tries to reassure him that things will turn out okay, and that AE did enough already for Togami recently, but hears a knock at the door before she could really finish. Bandai is at his office seeing a text from Gozu on how the wrestler would be coming back a bit late given he’s with the Chairman. As for Ryota he’s nervously going between his phone and the e-mail. Obviously conflicted on something.

We finally shift to Makoto in his cell, unable to to do anything. Can’t investigate, can’t be with his friends. All he can do is wait...huh? Entering his cell is Tengan with Gozu accompanying him. Due to Tengan’s status as the Chairman, he’s able to gain clearance and visit Makoto. 

He comments on the misfortune brought about Makoto recently, and laments that the trial has to happen at all. Makoto asserts his innocence, that everything he’s done was truly meant to help people. That is something Tengan has no doubts on and even finds it a commendable dream to work towards. Even at his old age, his reason for joining FF is to bring the most aid to humanity as possible. He was just the same when he was younger and laments that Makoto is in such a position now. Being stuck trying to follow your heart and being obstructed by others is a frustrating balance to tow.

Tengan remarks on what Makoto plans to do at the trial. Given the severity of his crimes, there isn’t much hope that he’ll be freed. If Tengan is to be frank, were it not for Makoto’s Ultimate Hope status, anyone else would have been prosecuted immediately and likely executed. What’s Makoto endgoal?

For Makoto, he responds earnestly: his goal is always the same as its been. He’s nothing special, he just wants to help people that need it. He completely understands why people want to kill the Remnants, why those who are in the know thinks he's being foolish or even traitorous. But if there's a chance that even the worst of the worst can be rehabilitated and gain a second chance to make things better, then shouldn't they at least try to take it?

Tengan chuckles. Yeah, the same Makoto as he saw back during the sixth trial of Danganronpa 1. Even Gozu seems impressed with his resolve. Both leave the room, Tengan mentioning that when the trial comes: while he can't make any promises, he'll at least try to ensure Makoto has a sporting chance. Makoto sighs as he leans back in his cell. A chance is all that he’d ever want.

Back to Asahina, she’s left brooding in her room. There wasn’t much else she can do now, except wait and try to prepare her own defense for Makoto. The trial. Hina’s recalls Bandai’s words and the statements from all the Directors, friends and foes, come back to her. What does she think of this entire thing? 

She was left out of the loop and is now trying to catch up to a story that’s she’s never really been apart of. Having to risk it all for the sake of the Remnants? Who ended up getting her brother killed? Can she really do it? No doubt Makoto and the others hearts are in the right place, but could she truthfully still say she has no misgiving about it?

If only Sakura were here, she’d know the answer…

After the credits, time skips to the day of the trial. The scene is in a shadow room and there is a figure typing on a computer screen, sending messages out.

‘The pieces are in place. Let the third mutual killing game…begin.”

(Ep 12)

Now this episode is somewhat sort of the same as Future Arc ep 1, with a few twists. For example, the Ultimate Task Force is littered around the headquarters, watching for potential threats. Hagakure is actually let inside (and not on the helicopter pad awkwardly) for instance. Well, at first anyway! He’s not allowed in the meeting room so is just wandering about the rest of the building.

Asahina is looking between Kyoko and Makoto, words from Bandai still echoing in her head. How does she feel about this. She wants to support her friends - her family - through thick and thin. But, these guys helped get Yuta killed and is the reason their class is now down to six in the first place. Can she really vouch while so conflicted? Both Makoto and Kyoko grow aware of her looking so down, but can’t really be afforded the time to help her as they are called into the meeting room.

Kyosuke calls the meeting to order: This is the secret trial to determine the fate of Makoto Naegi - member of the 14th Division of Future Foundation - who is accused of treason and harboring dangerous criminals: the Remnants of Despair. This is the first time we now get to see the Jabberwock Crew in their Despair forms, unobstructed, with Kyosuke explaining that such intel was scrounged up and provided during the DR2 killing game, after FF realized they were the Remnants. A fact that Kyosuke is rather bitter about, but presses on with the matter at hand:

“Makoto Naegi - how do you plead?”

With a Not Guilty verdict in hand, the trial shifts, metaphorically, to be reminiscent of a Class Trial. Together with Kyoko and Hina, Makoto is doing his best to shoot down incorrect or slanderous claims about his situation. For example, claiming he had something to do with the jailbreak, which he couldn’t go given his confined state at the time. For Team Naegi, they’re arguing the Remnants can be saved and, for those that were awake, they deserve at least a fair shot at proving that they were rehabilitated. For Team Munakata, they’re arguing that no matter what form the Remnants take, they are still a danger to others and need to be eliminated. Both sides are at an impasse, and the others begin to chime in their thoughts as well.

Gozu, Miaya, Bandai, Tengan and Koichi do at least want to give testing the Remnants a shot. In Koichi’s case, when its mentioned that he did scout out the Remnants, its in the vein that he should have a grasp on the DR2 crew in spades. While he’s confident that, if given another shot, they’d be alright, he also admits he may or may not have been a biiiit too drunk that day and maybe can’t remember approving a good chunk of them? (Hina sighs and calls him out for being so irresponsible). Yet, there was still those like Ruruka or Izayoi who were adamant that the Remnants couldn’t be saved, and Ryota was too meek to say where he stood.

Eventually, a vote would commence. Kyoko and Makoto aren’t allowed to vote given their involvement in the matter, but Hina is allowed since she was away during the debacle and, at least to Tengan, she should at least be given the benefit of the doubt. A majority of seven would decide Makoto’s fate. Each Director gives their vote until its a split between Guilty (Kyosuke, Juzo, Seiko, Ruruka, Sonosuke and Chisa) and Not Guilty (Koichi, Tengan, Ryota, Bandai, Gozu and Miaya)

The only person left to vote is Hina and she’s feeling happy. She’s the tiebreaker and can save her friend’s life! She can help him! She can get him out of this situation! They’ve won! But, Kyosuke wasn’t done just yet. He chuckles and remarks that Hina must really be a strong woman. After all: she’s sparing the left of someone who saved those who got her brother killed.

Hina freezes and the room falls silent, except for Kyosuke. He gets into Hina’s head, reminding her of all the damage that the Remnants done. Because of Ultimate Despair, millions of people are dead and the world was brought to ruin. Because of them, her little brother, Yuta Asahina, will never come back. He’s another casualty; a victim who has never received justice for the crime brought to him! To Kyosuke, he’s not trying to be the bad guy - he doesn’t want to do this, especially to the ‘Ultimate Hope’ who helped stopped the Mastermind behind that terrorist organization. But what else can he do when the last major executives of the worst organization in human history were prevented from their just punishment for their actions? And doesn’t Hina want that? Want them to pay for blowing up her brother, whose remains are still at the bottom of the ocean? Does she really want to them off the hook for someone who values the lives of 15 murderers than her own flesh and blood?!

At the end of it, Hina is in tears and her conflicted mindset comes to a boil. She can’t think straight and has broken down, overwhelmed with such an awful choice to make. Both of her friends rush to her to try to get her to calm down, but as soon as Makoto touches her arm, she shirks away from them and runs out of the room. Something that causes Kyosuke to call for a temporary recess. Makoto is stopped from leaving by Juzo, but Kyoko is permitted to go after the swimmer. The rest of the Directors shuffle off, though Tengan wonders out loud if Kyosuke truly had to bring up the deceased just to sway the vote. For Kyosuke? He remarks that it’s better for Hina to truly understand her choices. Lest she makes one that she’ll live to regret. As for Makoto, he’s carted off to a nearby room to be treated by Chisa after Juzo handled him a bit too roughly. It’s there we get her revealing her past to Makoto as well, a condensed version of it, and her beliefs right to the luckster. Of both Kyosuke and Makoto coming together to create even bigger Hope for the world. If Kyosuke was the Hope of Justice- one that promises punishment to sinners who wronged others, then Makoto was the Hope of Faith - that promises that there was respite even in the worst of times. She encourages him to see Kyosuke’s point of view and meet somewhere in the middle with him.

Kyoko would go on to find Hina, sobbing bitterly in the girl’s bathroom. Hina apologizes for her actions. After all, Makoto’s life is on the life. She should have just ignored Kyosuke and voted for her friend’s safety! But, Kyoko shakes her head and tells Hina not to be sorry. After all, what was done to Hina can be considered a genuine betrayal given what UD have done to Yuta and what half of her friends did in spite of that. None of the others ever contacted her about it, nor even discussed it with Hina. They let their friend remain hurt for so long…and for that, Kyoko, kneels down and can only offer her humblest of apologies - even offering Hina to hit her if necessary if it means getting everything out of her systems and making amends.

But Hina doesn’t want that. She gets out of the stall, and just hugs Kyoko, crying into her shoulder. A while pasts, and Hina calms down, now willing to head back to the trial. They head out, only for Kyoko to notice something. The door to the supply closet wasn’t fully closed. Hina went to shut it, but finds the security guards of the place murdered. She freaks out and that’s when chaos ensues.

By now we get to see the Elite Task Force luring away guards, and quietly murdering them.  During this process, Hagakure, is strolling on by lost, getting back from the men’s restroom when he opens the wrong door and sees some operatives stuffing the dead into body bags.

Hagakure ends up running away, which leads him to escaping the building right before the shutters close on the roof of Future Foundation. During this time, the scenes cuts to Togami whose in a meeting with his secretary and Aloysius. They have a flash drive containing some secret information concerning some hidden email they managed to dredge up with help from a special program A.E. gave to Togami some time ago. Secretly, they planted a special virus in each of the 14 Branches meant to automatically track any suspicious emails or files and send it straight to Team Togami. The fruits of their labor lies in that drive. Taking it and placing it into his laptop, Togami begins rummaging through all suspicious files and his eyes hardened considerably:

“...The third mutual killing game…and…a nation wide att-!!!” he gets up and orders both to make preparations. The scenes shifts throughout the various branches which are facing attacks from various agents of destructions, from rogue Remnants, to criminals/hitmen to even the likes of various operatives in the division going rogue out of nowhere and killing their own. It was complete chaos and no one can reach the Directors.

Back at Future Foundation HQ, the main cast are in a state of panic as they find themselves trapped in and reports of the guards being dead come to surface. Like in the original show, they are knocked out by sleeping gas. When they wake up, however, they find themselves in a rather demonic, yet regal looking area with monitors all over. The monitors come to life with Monokuma alongside four other mascots. He announces that these five are the MonoKast - hosts of the third mutual killing game!

Monokowl - a white and grey owl in a cowl and a graduation hat. Vice Headmaster of the MonoKast

Monokan - a white and orange kangaroo wearing a black apron. The teacher that helps runs the ‘school’.

Monokrown - A white and purple bee with a tiny crown. The security guard that keeps things safe.

Monokrony - A black and dark brown vampire bat with a gold star. A teacher’s assistant that helps out. Or tries to help out at least.

But if the Directors refuse to believe that they’ll kill each other, Monokuma is proud to announced that this killing game has already started. Everyone is confused, but it suddenly clicks to Kyosuke. Where is Chisa? The cast look up and see her murdered on the chandelier before it crashes, leaving Kyosuke just as distraught as he was before in the original.

DISTRUST LIFE - END

---

This ends the first part of the rewrite!! I'm open to questions concerning it if needed and hope anyone that read this got some enjoyment from this rendition! Who know when the next part will be up, but will try to make it for at least this year!

[eriquin]

The Trolley Problem, part 44

Stobin time.

(master post)

Steve thought that the drive to the library would be quiet, because Robin had been quiet and nervous when Carol and the others were around. He wondered if she’d taken the time to think about it and decided that it really was too weird to be friends with him, after all.

“I did try to call this morning,” she said. “You didn’t answer, but I guess you were out hiding El.”

“Oh. Yeah,” he said. “Coming to school was kind of a last minute decision.” 

“So was not riding my bike,” she said. “I looked at it and had, like, flashbacks to riding up to Heather’s house.”

“Sorry,” Steve said. “I didn’t really think about that. I can drive you into school, if you want.” 

Robin snorted. “God, can you imagine? I mean, people are already talking about what happened when you showed up at Heather’s party. They’re going to think we’re dating.”

He made a little noise in the back of his throat like he wasn’t sure if he agreed with her or not. It was something that he probably would’ve cared about in the original 1983, and it even annoyed him when people thought they were dating after Starcourt, but now it felt like there were worse things for people to think. “I used to drive you to school all the time, after... I mean, in the other future.”

“We need a good word for your memories so we don’t keep tripping over how we describe it,” she said. “Like, your old future? Attempt number one? Oh, it was like your dress rehearsal!” She laughed. It was a really good laugh.

“I like that,” he said. “Dress rehearsal. Don’t things always go wrong in those?”

“Yep!” Robin said. “We’ve torn up the script and are improvising now.”

“It was really more like a scrimmage, if you think about it,” Steve said. At Robin’s unimpressed look, he added, “A practice game.”

“I know what a scrimmage is, dingus,” she said. “I used to play soccer.”

Steve laughed. “Right. And then Beth Wildfire broke her leg that one time.”

“Ugh, that was the worst!” Robin said, throwing her hands up and hitting the roof of the car. “Wait, were you there for that?”

“No, you told me after Starcourt. We were dealing with someone with a really gorey injury and you thought it was relevant.” 

She pursed her lips in thought. “God, that does sound like the kind of awkward thing I’d say,” she said. “Okay, now I need to know everything else that happens in the future. And, go!”

Steve laughed. He had no idea where to start, but he answered whatever questions she came up with. It was like slipping back into his old life again. He knew that this Robin wasn’t really the same as his old Robin, but talking to her was still easy. 

“If we can get through all of this, like, survive it all? It’s going to be so weird going to school with you,” she said. “We never did that, did we? Like, if I’m doing my math right, we weren’t friends until after you graduated.”

“That’s true,” he said. “We worked together, though. First at Scoops, and then at Family Video.”

“Oh, Family Video,” she said. “That’s a great idea. I’ve been working at the Hawk, but renting videos would be better. Like, new releases are fine and all, but there’s a ton of old movies I’d love to see.”

He laughed again. “Yeah, you loved to pick old movies for us to watch during our shifts,” he said. “Double VHS tapes about doomed love and stuff. You’d get into such a mood about your love life, and you’d just wallow in it.”

She snorted. “Okay, yeah. That does totally sound like me.” She gave him a measured look as they pulled into a parking spot a block from the library. “Are you really cool about the whole, uh, liking-girls thing?” 

He grinned. “That depends. Are you going to get mad at me if I talk about our mutual love for boobies?”

Robin let out a pained squeal and flapped her hands. “Gah! Yes!” She covered her face with her hands and shook her head. “Don’t say it like that. Ugh. I hate that word.”

“I know! It’s, like, one of your verbal weaknesses.”

“Well, stop it! Or at least tell me one of yours.”

“I don’t have any,” Steve lied. He knew she didn’t believe him from the glare that she shot his way. “But I’m sure you’ll make some up. Come on, let’s go see if we can find anything about this Murray guy.”

He hadn’t been in the library in ages, but Robin walked in like she owned the place. She led the way to the back of the library, where everything was just a little bit dusty, and searched through the shelves for a minute. The pictures were still in her backpack, tucked into a folder, but she pulled them out along with a roll of tape. He kept watch as she crouched down by the lowest shelf and taped the folder to the underside of it.

“Okay, right by the Earth science books,” she said quietly. “Let’s keep walking like we’re still looking for stuff.” 

Steve nodded and continued to trail along behind her. She swung by the languages section and ran her fingers over the books until she found one about Russian.

“Why did you hide it back there instead of over here?” he whispered.

She held her finger up to his face. “Because over by languages is exactly where they would think I would hide it,” she said. “I’m subverting expectations.”

He grinned. “Got it. Thinking ahead, huh?”

“A little bit. All this spy stuff is really wild, you know?” She hefted the Russian language book in her hands and frowned. “Do you think they’ll think it’s suspicious if I start learning Russian now? Like, what if they think that makes me a potential defector instead of someone who’s trying to get the jump on the enemy?” 

“I think you might be overthinking it,” Steve said.

Robin shook her head and put the book back. “No, I’m only thinking about learning Russian because of your stories about a Russian incursion in the future. It’s not something I would do if I didn’t have future knowledge.” She started looking through the other language books, running her fingers over the spines.

He sighed and leaned against the bookcase. “You know, us hanging out isn’t something we’d be doing without future knowledge either.” 

She pouted but didn’t look up. “Maybe,” she said. “You did start talking to me in Mrs. Click’s class, though, so we’ve got plausible deniability there.” 

‘Yeah, that was weird of me, wasn’t it?” He sighed. “Sorry if it made your life harder.” 

“I don’t know about ‘harder,’ per se, but it is making people talk about me. That’s really the weird part.” She hummed and shrugged, giving up on the books. “Do you think it’s weird if people think we’re dating just because we’re hanging out?”

“Eh, there are worse things,” Steve said. “I mean, I ditched my best friends and dated Nancy for a year, and people seemed to accept that. Actually, those were probably related. They thought I was crazy to ditch my popular little clique for a girl, but I was in love, so it all made a weird amount of sense. Nobody ever thought it was about monsters or psychics or stuff.”

“You dated Nancy Wheeler? For a whole year?” Robin wrinkled up her nose again. “How did that work out?”

“Uh, it didn’t,” he said. “Like, we really screwed each other up and she broke my heart. That’s how it worked out.”

“Oh, buddy.”

“Yeah, and she obviously doesn’t remember any of it now, so that’s, like, super weird for me.” He pushed his hair out of his face. “Also, she’s so young now. Like, I know I’m young, too, but it really doesn’t feel like it, you know?”

She shook her head. “Actually, I have no idea. How far in the future are you from? Like, three years? Is it really that big a difference?”

Steve grimaced. “You wouldn’t think so, but it really feels like it. In my head, I’m almost twenty.” He tapped his forehead for emphasis. “Meanwhile, Nancy’s sixteen? Maybe fifteen? That’s closer to what I remember the kids being than my own age. It’s screwing me up.” He blew out a breath and looked around. “And the kids look like actual babies right now. Like, I want to put them in a playpen so they don’t fall down the stairs. It’s so weird.”

Robin started to giggle and shook her head. “That is patently ridiculous, you know that, right?”

“I know! But they’re going on about making traps for the demogorgon and I just can’t...” He sighed and shook his head. “Will is the worst about it, too! I thought he’d be more scared after being chased by the thing, but it’s like he wants to fight it the most.” 

“Oh, I know!” She put her hand on his arm and lowered her voice. “I mean, speaking as someone who has also been chased by the thing, I am extremely scared of seeing it again.” 

“See? That’s a sensible reaction.”

“Yeah, your children might actually be crazy,” she said. “Like, certifiable.”

Steve sighed. “I can’t even stop people from calling them my children when I’m not their babysitter,” he said. “It’s like it’s fate.”

They ended up sitting on the floor near the language books rather than go back out into the rest of the library. It was quiet back there, and they kept their voices low enough to not carry far. No one came by to bother them. Robin picked his brain about what sorts of things were going to happen at the school over the next year. Steve could only remember the dramas related to teammates and their girlfriends, but that was enough for her. She filled him in on the ongoing band kids drama, which was fascinating in its own way. 

“I mean, that’s what I knew as of yesterday,” Robin said. “I was just so excited to get invited to Heather’s party that I didn’t even think about how weird it was, you know? Like, Tammy has been noticing me more lately, but I didn’t put it together that it was because she was jealous of you talking to me. I really should have.”

“And I should’ve left you alone,” Steve said. “I mean, it all makes sense in hindsight, but I was totally forgetting about what my social standing in the school meant. The same thing happened to Nancy when we started dating, the first time around. I get why she was pissed at me for ditching her.” 

She pursed her lips. “Yeah, I get it in theory. She must’ve really liked you.”

“She thought she did, anyway.” He gave her a crooked smile. “I can be, like, super charming when I try.”

She snorted. “Sure you can, champ.” 

“So cruel.” Steve put the back of his hand to his forehead and pretended to be hurt. “I would prove it if flirting with literally any high school girl didn’t feel like cradle robbing right now.” 

She snorted again and tipped her head back, clearly trying not to laugh too hard. “Guess you’re out of luck for a while, huh? Gotta wait until everyone catches up to your mental age?” 

“Guess so.”

“Or start flirting with the boys instead.” She grinned. “Now that would really prove that you’re charming.”

Steve’s brain stuttered to a halt as he considered it. “I... Wouldn’t I have the same problem, though?” he asked. “I guess maybe not. A lot of the high school boys look the same as they’re gonna in three years.”

Robin gaped at him. “I was joking.”

“Oh. Yeah.” He shrugged. “So was I, obviously.” 

“Steve.” She gave him a look that said that she didn’t believe him.

The squeaky wheels of the library cart interrupted them, and a librarian came around the corner. She glared at them. “It’s almost closing time, you know.’

Steve checked his watch. It was close to six. “Crap,” he said as he scrambled to his feet. “It’s probably dark by now. I have to go meet with Wayne.” 

“You should go,” Robin said. She threw all her things into her backpack and pulled it on. “I’ll call my dad to pick me up. He’ll be home by now.”

He hesitated. “Are you sure? I can drive you.”

“I’m sure,” she said. “I don’t need you dropping me off again. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.” She grinned and winked at him. 

“We totally didn’t look anything up about that Murray guy, you know,” he said. They walked to the front of the library together. 

Robin shrugged it off, but she bummed a dime off of him to call home. He recognized her mom’s voice on the phone, and she sounded a little frantic. Robin reassured her that she was all right, and that she just needed a ride home from the library. 

When she hung up, she turned to Steve and said, “So, apparently the cops have been by my house looking for me. I guess I should’ve told my folks about Heather’s party, huh?”

Steve grimaced. “Uh, yeah. Probably,” he said. “Should I wait around and explain things?”

“God no,” she said. “That’ll just mean more questions. Just go do the thing you need to do. I’ll see you at school tomorrow, right?” 

“Right.”

“And don’t think I’ve forgotten about your ‘joke’ from earlier,” she said, shaking her finger at him. ‘We’re going to talk about that later.”

They parted at the door. Steve waited in his car until he saw Robin’s mom pull up. He just needed to know that she was going to get home safe. Once he was sure, he headed out to Hopper’s cabin.

Tagging: @neonfruitbowl

[ncisfranchise-source]

NCIS, even 20+ seasons in, continues to be a hit, and the franchise just keeps growing. Three spinoffs have already aired and ended (New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Hawai’i), there’s now an international version (Sydney), and two more are coming (the prequel Origins and Tony & Ziva, featuring Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo reprising their roles from the mothership). And it all stems from JAG, from which NCIS is a spinoff.

The mothership will be back for a 22nd season in the 2024-2025 season; the show was renewed in April along with CBS comedy The Neighborhood. Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment at the time said those two shows “are the very best definition of a CBS comedy and drama. They embody authentic storytelling with heart, humor and family dynamics.”

Season 21 did end on a cliffhanger. Read on for where the procedural drama left off and what we know about Season 22.

Where did Season 21 leave off?

In the finale, Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) had a decision to make after she was presented with a new job opportunity (Chief REACT Training Officer) that would take her away from the team and her boyfriend, Dr. Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen). He ended up finding out in the worst way and tried to protect himself by pushing her away and essentially breaking up with her. At the end of the episode, she told Vance (Rocky Carroll) she was taking the job.

Also, while trapped with Knight and injured, Parker (Gary Cole) saw a young girl he called Lily, and a flashback to his childhood appeared to show him with the same girl. But when Knight later asked him about Lily, Parker claimed he didn’t know who that was.

Is Katrina Law leaving?

That has yet to be seen. For now, what we know is that Law hopes that she’s not leaving, as she told TV Insider as part of our NCIS: Case Closed aftershow for the finale. “The writers said that they were going to bring me back, but they lie sometimes, so we’ll see what happens,” she added.

But she also knows that her character is “at a crossroads” and could truly go off and take the job—just because she said yes doesn’t mean she’ll even step foot on a plane—and then decide to return to D.C.: “Maybe she… realizes that she truly loves her NCIS team or maybe that she doesn’t want to do a long-distance relationship, or maybe she just wants to be back in a relationship with Jimmy full-time. Maybe something happens with the NCIS team that calls her back. I think there’s a whole plethora of reasons that could make her either come back or stay.”

What do we know about Season 22?

Nothing specific yet! But nothing about the end of Season 21 suggested we need to worry about Cole, Sean Murray (McGee), Wilmer Valderrama (Torres), Dietzen, Carroll, or Diona Reasonover (Kasie) leaving.

Has filming started?

It appears so! On July 17, Dietzen shared a photo of his character’s glasses, as you can see below. “These are going on my face now,” he wrote in the caption with the hashtags for the show and season number. “Hello Jimmy Palmer. Welcome back everyone!

When will NCIS Season 22 premiere?

NCIS will kick off its 22nd season an hour earlier than usual, at 8/7c on Monday, October 14. That’s because the prequel, NCIS: Origins, is getting a two-hour premiere that same day starting at 9/8c. The following week, on October 21, both will move into their regular time slots, with NCIS at 9/8c and Origins at 10/9c.

[smoooothoperator]

Beautiful Stranger

04: It's Now Or Never

Driver! Lando Norris x OC (Lily Barton)

Summer love, strangers to friends to lovers, Greece and Greek mythology references

Words: 3.7k

warnings: fluff, awkwardness, sexual references. flashbacks are on italics

Masterlist

Official playlist

previous part | next part

a/n: IT FINALLY HAPPENED!!!! Even if I was a little stressed beacuse I was feeling that things were weird, I hope that everyone liked this chapter. Exciting things will happen soon.

What do you think is Lily's past? What happened to her? Im reading you!

Every way of feedback is very welcomed

🖌️

I needed more. More of the way he held me after thinking I was drowning, of how his hands were on my thighs pulling me closer to him. The look on his face, the blue eyes looking at mine. I needed more of him.

"I-I think I had enough water," I said, clearing my throat and looking away, blushing.

But I don't want him to take his hands away from me. I want him to hold me the way he's holding me now.

"You want to go to the towel?" he asked me, making me nod and sigh.

We got out of the water and I walked slowly to the towel. Feeling the cold water was good, I stopped feeling the pain in my ankle and that made me happy. 

I just laid there, facing the sun and waiting for my skin to get dry. I should put the bandage on again, but who cares? It's not like I'm going to get up and run. I'm not a masochist who loves to feel pain.

"Tell me more about yourself." I heard him say, laying on the towel in the same position I was.

"Hm? Why should I?" I smile looking at him. 

His curls were now better thanks to the water. They were perfect spirals that made me want to touch them and twist them around my fingers.

"Well, because I want to know more about you." he shrugged his shoulders, looking straight to the sky. 

"Oh… Yeah," I sigh. "What would you like to know?"

"I want to know who you are," he said, turning his face to look at me. "The true Lily."

The true Lily… No. He can't know. No one can know.

"E-eh…" I mumble, swallowing thickly. "Well, you already know everything about me."

"That's it?" he frowned. "You  are Brit, but from where?"

"Eh… Birmingham" I sighed. That's true.

"Oh, that's lovely" he nodded. "And… Did you study something? You went to university?"

"Well…" I sigh, smiling weakly. "I tried, but I didn’t get accepted anywhere.”

Lie.

"Oh? Why?" he frowned.

"I guess that they didn't like me." I mumbled. 

Lie.

I loved studying. I wanted to go to university. I really did. But who hated it were my parents. They didn't like that I never paid attention to the family duties. And the day they found out I wanted to go to the university, it was one of the worst days of my life.

"What is this?" my father asked, watching the letters on top of the table.

"T-Those are the letters the universities sent back after I sent my solitudes." I mumbled, looking down. "For Ancient History and Art Studies…"

"No," he frowned. "How dare you?"

"But- Dad!" I frown, but immediately flinched when he got up. "I want to eventually be on my own!"

"Don't you dare to raise your voice to me!" he frowned, hitting the table. "You are not going there."

"Why not?" I frown. "Dad, I want to learn, get an education!"

"No!" he screamed.

I tried to stop him. But I didn't see what was coming. I wasn't fast enough to stop him from taking the lighter out of the pocket of his suit. I wasn't fast enough to take the letters away from him.

I just stood still, watching him burn the only chance I had to live my life.

I felt nauseous, breathing the smell of smoke and burned paper. I felt nauseous thinking about what my own father did, locking me in the cage for the rest of my life.

"Well, then they really wasted a very intelligent woman." Logan said, shaking his head.

"I prefer studying on my own." I sighed. 

"But what about work?" he frowned.

"Work? I'm happy with where I work" I laughed. "I like baking and making coffee for the people who come into the restaurant. And I make handmade things and paintings."

"Oh, really?" he gasped. "What do you make?"

I smile and sit straight, looking around. When I found some shells on the sand I smiled, grabbing them and showing them to him.

"I have jars with a lot of types of shells and sea crystals" I smiled. "I make necklaces and other things, then I sell them to the tourist shops."

"Oh, a business woman, I see," he laughed. 

If only you knew…

"Yeah, kinda," I laugh, nervous. "I have to survive here somehow."

He smiled and looked at me, then at the sheets in my hand. He played with them, brushing his fingers on the palm of my hand, making me feel goosebumps all over my body.

His touch is soft, and even if he was touching the little shells, I felt like what he wanted to do was touch my skin.

"Can you make me a necklace?" he asked, looking up at me. 

"What?" I frown, getting out of my mind. "Oh, of course."

"Nice," he smiled. 

I took a deep breath and sighed, closing my eyes. I feel comfortable, but at the same time I don't.

I don't have control here. I can’t help but like that he’s spending time with me and that I can let my guard down, but I'm too scared to do that. What if he finds out who I am? I should relax around him…

But it feels good. I like how it feels his touch on my skin, with his eyes on me. It feels good when he helps me, holding me carefully and making sure I don't get hurt or that I won't fall.

Is this how it feels when someone cares about you, when someone is worried about your health, and happiness?

Then I like that.

"Tell me about you," I asked him, with my eyes still closed and humming as the sun warmed my skin. "So in that way I don’t let a stranger walk inside my house without permission."

"It’s not my fault you left the door unlocked." he chuckled.

"Shut up," I laughed.

"Well… as I told you I'm for Bristol," he sighed. "And… I mean, I already told you everything about me."

"So that's it?" I frown, opening an eye and looking at him. 

"I'm pretty boring," he smiled weakly. "I didn't go to the university neither."

I look at him and bite my lip. He's smiling and looking at my lips, making me blush.

"Stop doing that," he whispered, this time his voice was deep.

"Doing what?" I frown, confused.

"Biting your lip" he said. "Because that makes me want to kiss you."

"O-oh," I swallowed thickly, surprised by his answer.

"Forget I said that," he mumbled, looking away. "I shouldn’t have said that, sorry."

"No, no… it's okay." I said, clearing my throat. "Eh… Don't worry."

An uncomfortable silence fell between us. I just sat and searched shells on the sand while he just laid there on the towel. It was awkward.

But why? He wants to kiss me. And I think I want to kiss him too.

"You like this one?" I asked, showing him a shell I found. "It's kinda orange."

"I love orange," he smiled, looking at it. "Would you make me a necklace with this one?"

"I have a lot of orange shells," I smile softly. 

He looked at me with a smile, sitting straight too and looking around, playing with the sand and grabbing shells too.

I smiled looking at him, watching how he left the shells on my hand, how his fingers touched my skin while leaving the shells, how he gasped when he found shells of different shapes and colors.

"Can we go back?" I asked him, looking at the water.

"Of course" he nodded. 

We put the shells on my bag and he helped me stand up, holding my hands. I was so close to him, and he just smirked.

"What-" I frown, but then screamed surprised immediately.

He picked me up, bridal style, and ran to the water with me in his arms. I laughed, holding onto him and gasping when I felt the cold water on my skin.

"Don't move your feet, Lily," he said, chuckling.

I laugh softly and nod, looking at him and relaxing. I just floated, looking up at the sky with a smile on my lips. I could feel his hands on my back, holding me. I could feel his eyes on me, but I just ignored it.

"I only know you for two days," I heard him whisper.

"True." I hummed. 

"And ,I want to kiss you" he repeated, making me open my eyes and sigh.

"Logan…" I sighed, tensing a little. 

"I know, I'm sorry" he sighed. "Eh… why don't we go back to the apartments? It's time for your medicine."

"Yeah," I sighed, holding his shoulders.

We went back to the towels, this time to get dressed. I wrapped the towel around me after shaking off the sand.

He helped me again, picking me up so I could go upstairs and then he helped me get in the car. But it was tense sitting in the car with him. 

I looked at his right hand holding the steering wheel while the other was out of the window. I wanted to feel his hand on my thigh, placing his hand there like saying "I'm here". This feels like being on a rollercoaster that goes too fast and I can't see the end. 

My life had been a rollercoaster once. I'm not ready to live through it a second time.

I looked at my hand, frowning. That ring felt heavier than it looked. It was too bright. 

"You should be happy," my mother said, nudging my hand and making me stand with my back straight, shoulders back and chin up. "I was already going to give up on you."

"I'm sorry, mother" I frowned, grabbing the material of the dress and sighing. 

"You should go with Adrien." she sai,d, looking away from me.

"Yes, mother." I sigh, walking away, facing what is going to be my future.

"Lily?" Logan called me, making me gasp and look around. "We’re here."

"Oh, yeah…" I sigh. "Sorry, I was just… thinking."

"Mhm…" he hummed, getting out of the car after parking it and then walking the other way to open my door.

He picked me up on his back again, walking upstairs and then leaving me in front of my door. I smiled weakly at him, giving him his backpack.

"Well…" he sighed, trying to not look at me.

"Come in," I said, opening my front door. "You want the necklace… right?"

"Oh, yeah" he smiled weakly. "But I'm going to get changed."

"Okay" I nodded, biting my lip and opening my door.

🎮

How can I be so stupid? Asking her not once but twice!

God, Lando. You should be using your head and not your dick.

I walked inside the apartment and took a quick shower, trying to cool down and forget everything that happened.

But God… how can I forget it? I had her close to me all the time. I saw her smiling, I counted the moles of her face, I saw how blue her eyes get with the sun. I touched her warm skin and held her while we were in the water.

"Oh, come on!" I groan feeling how my boner was growing because I was thinking about her. "Are you serious?"

Just thinking about her makes me feel this way. I wanted to kiss her so badly, I wanted to touch her all the time. When we were on the water I could feel her hard nipples. When we were sitting on the towels I just couldn't help but see her body. And during the car ride the only thing I wanted to do was place my hand on her thigh and squeeze it softly.

"Fuck" I moaned, touching myself and searching for a realease. 

How will I survive the next few days without going crazy? I can't go and act like this in front of her? What will she think about me?

I rested my forehead against the wall, feeling the cold water on my nape and running down my back. 

I'm scared of these feelings, but I don't want them to end. I want to keep them, even if it only means a summer thing.

After getting out of the shower I got dressed, wearing something comfortable. I dried my hair and looked at myself in the mirror.

"Don't do more stupid things" I frown, pointing at myself.

I grabbed the keys and locked the door, going to hers and opening it slowly behind me.

"Lily, I'm here" I sighed, walking inside the apartment.

Then she walked out of the room with a towel wrapped on her hair, wearing an oversized hoodie and shorts underneath it.

"Oh, hey" she smiled, taking off the towel and moving her hair with her fingers. "I washed the shells"

"That's nice" I smiled softly, following her around the apartment like a lost puppy.

She opened the door of another room and I smiled. It's her painting room. I saw it yesterday when I walked in front of it, but now being inside of it is amazing.

"Wow" I smiled, looking around. 

There are some canvases hanging on the walls, shelves with notebooks and every type of drawing materials. On the other side of the room there is a table with boxes and jars on it, with jewels hanging on the wall.

"This is amazing, Lily" I smile looking at her. 

"Thank you" she chuckled. "Come on, grab that chair"

I followed her finger and nod, grabbing the chair that was in front of the other desk. I put it next to her, sitting on it and smiling. Now she smells better, something fruity. 

"How do you want it?" she asked me, looking at me.

"Eh… I don't know" I frown, looking at her and then at the other necklaces she had. "That one looks nice"

"So basic" she laughed, rolling her eyes.

I chuckled softly and looked at her. She started working on it, making a little hole on the orange she found and then put a small ring on it.

"Silver or gold?" she asked, grabbing something from a box.

"Eh… silver" I nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, you look like a silver guy" she liked softly, painting the edges of the shell. 

I followed her movements closely over her shoulder, watching how she poked the tip of her tongue out while she focussed on the painting part. 

I just wanted to touch her hair and brush it away from her eyes, rest my chin on her shoulder and kiss her cheek. I just want to do all those things but I'm scared she'll think I'm taking advantage of her.

"You want a long chain?" she asked, turning her face to look at me.

She was too close, and it was perfect. I could feel her breathing in my skin, and none of us cared to move away. I could lean on her and press my lips on her, it's just some centimeters away. But…

"Yeah" I whisper, looking down at her lips.

And I pulled away. I don't want to do something stupid. I don't want to regret things with her.

"Okay" she whispered, licking her lips.

I sigh, looking away and swallowing thickly. I was going to kiss her, I had the perfect chance to do it.

"Here you have" she said, showing me the necklace.

"It's… it's perfect" I smile. "Thank you, really"

"it's nothing" she smiled, looking away and putting the things she used back in their place.

And silence fell between us, again. An uncomfortable silence of not knowing what to do or say. I don't mind sitting close to her, our knees touching each other. I don't mind having her in my personal space. But being in silence kills me, because I can hear the voices that ask me to make a move.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" she asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Yeah" I nod, relieved.

She smiled and nodded, taking a deep breath and standing up. She went to the kitchen, walking slowly with the crutches, and I followed her. 

"Do you want to learn how to make a Greek salad?" she asked looking back at me.

"If that means learning from the best chef I know, yes" I smile, standing next to her.

I saw her blush and I chuckled. She started to explain things, not only about the recipe but about the whole Greek gastronomy. It was so beautiful hearing her talk about something she loves and watching her do something she loves.

It just makes me fall for her even more.

"This is amazing, Lily" I groaned while eating the salad. "God, you are amazing"

"Thanks" she chuckled.

I spent nearly all day with her, and I don't want it to end. I woke up thinking about her and I will fall asleep thinking about her. 

"Oh, do you want to watch Peaky Blinders with me?" she asked me, remembering that I told her that I watched the series.

"Oh, definitely" I smile nodding.

Great. Now I can spend more minutes with her.

We went to the living room and she sat on the couch, letting a loud sigh of relief escape her lips. 

"Do you want to put your foot on something?" I asked her, sitting too close.

"Yeah, I should" she sighed.

I chuckled and grabbed a cushion, pulling the coffee table close to her so she could rest the foot there. 

"Better?" I smile.

"So much better" she sighed.

The episode started to play, and even if I tried to pay attention to the screen, the fact that she was inches away from me,.kept me unfocused.

I want to hold her. Why can't I hold her? I just want to feel her body pressed against mine again, is that too much to ask?

I had an internal battle in my brain. I wanted to make a move on her, touch her and kiss her. But at the same time I wanted to keep a distance in case I fall too hard and end up with my heart broken.

"Logan" I heard her call my fake name.

"Hm?" I hummed without tearing my eyes off the screen.

"I'm sleepy" she whispered, making me frown and turn my head to look at her. "Sorry…"

I didn't notice that two episodes had already ended. I was too deep in my mind that the time went so fast and I couldn't enjoy my time with her.

"No, hey. It's okay" I smiled weakly, sitting straight and sighing. "I guess it is my cue to go back to my own apartment"

I saw her nod and I sighed, getting up. She followed me, getting up slowly and walking with me towards the front door. It was like the shame walk with her following me behind.

"Well" I sigh, grabbing the doorknob. "Good night"

"Good night, Logan" she smiled holding the door.

Good job, Lando.

I got out and sighed when I heard her closing the door. I walked towards my own apartment, but I felt like something was pulling me back to her door. 

So I turned around and walked until the door was in front of me. Should I knock? Open the door? She would think I'm crazy. 

"Fuck it" I groan. 

UI grabbed the doorknob and opened it, finding Lily there, breathless.

"Hey" she smiled, making me take a step and cup her cheeks with both of my hands. "Logan?"

And I just did it. 

I pressed my lips on hers, not wanting to be rude. I waited for her to kiss me back, to move. She was tense, not even hugging me. So I just pulled away.

I fucked up. I messed up things. I shouldn't have done that.

And then I felt her soft lips pressed on mine, kissing me slowly, with her hands on my chest.

She's kissing me.

"Stay" she whispered against my lips, making me smile and kiss her back, picking her up and walk towards the bedroom.

I sat on her bed with her on my lap, my hands on her things close to her ass. None of us stopped the kiss, not even when she started taking off my shirt, not even when I slipped my hand under her shirt. It was addictive, her lips are like a drug I never want to stop taking.

"Fuck!" she gasped suddenly.

"What, what?" I frown, pulling away, looking at her with little tears in her eyes. "Lily, hey. What's wrong?"

"I moved the ankle" she mumbled, hiding her face on my neck and trying to take deep breaths. "Fucking hell, it hurts"

"Oh, Lily…" I chuckled, rubbing her back. "It's okay. Did you take the medicine?"

"Yeah, when we had dinner" she whispered, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Do you have ice?" I whisper. "It will be okay"

I felt her nod and I sighed. I got up from the bed, leaving her there while I went to the kitchen to grab a towel with the ice cubes.

"God…" I sigh, palming myself trying to fix the bulge on my joggers. 

When I walked back to her bedroom she was laying on a side of the bed, making me bite my lip and take a deep breath. She wants me to stay for real?

"Here you have" I whisper, placing the towel on her ankle and hearing her gasp, then sigh of relief.

"Stay, Logan" she whispered. "Please?"

"I think that what happened is a way of saying that I should leave, Lily" I sighed, smiling weakly.

"No, hey" she frowned. "Stay, I want you to stay. I'm asking you to stay here and sleep with me. I want to, you are not forcing me"

I sigh and nod, biting my lip. I walked to the side of the bed she left empty for me, sitting on it and looking at her. 

"You don't mind if I sleep on my boxers?" I whisper. "It's too hot at night…"

"No, don't worry" she smiled. "Unless you have something to hide"

"Oh, eh…" I blushed. The boner was growing.

"I'm joking" she laughed. "By the way, you'll have to take off the towel soon, so…"

"Yeah, I know" I laughed softly.

I lean my back on the headboard, taking a deep breath. Then I felt her moving closer to me, making me wrap my arm around her shoulders when she rested her head on my chest.

"You are a beautiful stranger" I whisper. 

"I'm not a stranger anymore, am I?" she whispered looking up at me, moving her eyes to my lips.

"No, you are not" I whisper, leaning in and kissing her again. 

taglist

@lestappenloverr @racinggirl @roni-midnights @livster8 @kakorrhaphiphobia @starkeyellow @celestialpierre @ophcelia @msliz @lorarri @ironmaiden1313 @imsorare @mycenterfold @im-an-overthinker @soosheee @karmabyfernando @landoyesrizz

[annakendrick47author]

Sneak peek of Alive - sequel to Gone

Beca opens her eyes and she’s pulled out of the flashback to see Chloe standing in front of her. She immediately clings onto the redhead for dear life, shaking. She still feels the pain in her body and especially between her legs, as if it wasn’t just a flashback.

“It’s okay, I’m here,” Chloe says, kissing the top of her head. “I’m here.”

Beca cries loudly against Chloe.

“I’m so tired,” she says against the redhead, “I’m so tired of having these nightmares, Chloe.”

“I know, Bee,” Chloe says, still caressing her before she pulls apart. “Come here.”

Chloe takes her to the couch in the living room and sits down with her, holding her close so Beca cries against her chest while holding her tight.

“I don’t want to have them anymore,” Beca says, “I don’t wanna live like this.”

“I know it’s tough-,”

“-No, you don’t know!” Beca says harshly, “You don’t know what it feels like to be locked in some dude’s recording studio for 3 fucking years, suffering every kind of torture, including being burned! I lost a fucking eye, Chloe!”

Chloe feels her eyes fill with tears when Beca stands back and looks at her.

“Do you know how many times I was raped during those 3 years?!”

Chloe simply shakes her head.

“I begged him every time for him to leave me alone, that’s how I got every scar in my body,” Beca says. “Have you ever gone through anything like that?”

“No,” Chloe says quietly.

“So you don’t know how tough it is,” Beca says. She’s crying too, “And the worst part? That bastard is in jail for the rest of his life yet I’m the one who feels trapped! Because I will never forget what he did to me! I’m the one who wants to fucking die just so I won’t have to put up with this any longer! Theo took me that day and destroyed me, I’m not the same Beca I used to be. I’m shattered, Chloe.”

Chloe just stares at her, tears running down her face. Beca’s crying hard too, she turns her head and buries her face in her hands, her body shaking from the sobs. Chloe tentatively scooches back closer to her.

“I thought I would be fine once I got out, but it’s even worse,” Beca says against her hand, “it’s so much worse, he keeps haunting me!”

Chloe touches her back and relaxes when Beca doesn’t jump. She starts rubbing her back up and down soothingly.

“And I feel horrible because now you and my mom have basically given up your lives for me! Babysitting me because I can’t be fucking alone,” Beca says, raising her head to wipe her tears.

“Bee,”

“Stop saying that, I’m not your fucking Bee anymore!” Beca pulls apart with an angry look, “I’m nothing, I’m nobody! I’ll never go back to who I was.”

“I know,” Chloe says, trying hard to keep yourself together, “I know you’re not the same and I know you won’t go back to that.”

Beca just pants from the yelling and wipes her tears before looking at Chloe.

“And you’re right, I have no idea what you went through,” Chloe says, “And I probably never will. But you need to know your mom and I didn’t give up our lives, we chose to be here for you. We want to be here for you.”

[furiousgoldfish]

System update #5 (tw self hatred, dealing with a demon alter, distressing stuff, triggered state)

I was telling a story about the origin of my demon alter the last time; and about how devastated I was to find out. It was a bad call getting so upset, because the demon alter figured I was sad and upset because of them, and backed off, and now they're keeping a lot of distance away from me. The worst is that they're actually right, every time I try to lure them to come talk to me, I inevitably get crushed by the weight of the trauma on them, and I can't stay collected, I start crying, they get upset and feel guilty and back off. I don't think I can do it. And the demon doesn't want to do anything that upsets me, so they're staying away for my sake.

I had a completely unrelated event that triggered a lot of trauma, and thankfully my protective alter got involved and made sure I make out of it okay. I'm grateful for it because I would not have made it out on my own, I was trapped in a flashback for weeks, I couldn't do whatever needed to be done until the alter physically forced me. But even afterwards, I was doubting myself, and kept overthinking everything that happened, drawing more and more bizarre conclusions, until I triggeed myself so far back, I went back into a state where I believed I was a demon. I didn't even know that could happen. It was almost unbearable, the thoughts and the shame and the self hatred. I believed in those moments not only that I deserved every bit of the abuse I got, but also that I should be sent back until it kills me. I sat on the floor crying for a while, then I realized I needed to snap out of it, I haven't thought that way about myself for years now, I knew I wasn't a demon. I needed to find my way back to reality.

I tried using logic and listing all of the things I've done that aren't even closely demonic, and it did absolutely nothing, I was numb to any fact or reason, I believed based on how I was treated, that I had to be a demonic creature, toxic and poisonous just by existing. Then I asked the protective alter to try and bring me down from it, and they've told me all of the things that would usually calm me down and it didn't work, I was numb even to the care of my alter. So my protective alter said: 'Maybe you should go hang out with demon since you're both on the same page now'. And I thought, good idea. What's better for a demon, than another demon.

So I went to the demon child, and I said 'Hey, I'm a demon too.'

'You're not a demon', said the demon.

'Well, they told me I was.' I shrugged.

'They shouldn't have told you that.' the demon said.

It's impossible to argue with a child, but it was weird, to see the demon convince me of the same thing I was trying to convince them into. I couldn't do it back to them though, because it would hurt them. So I just talked more, demon to demon.

'What are we going to do now, that we're both demons?' I asked.

'Oh it's okay,' the demon said. 'We get to enjoy all of the murder now.'

That made me laugh.

'But won't everyone be really angry at us?' I asked.

'Yeah, that's the bad part of it. But there's also the carnage.'

I couldn't be upset after that. This child and me, to live up to our demonic nature, we were gonna commit some carnage, yeah. That snapped me right out of it. It was magical thinking, but the kid seemed so serious, so sure that this is what's going on, that on some level, we must be committing some violent crimes so that's why we're demons. We're just sitting here and seriously discussing our violent nature that doesn't exist.

The kid actively needed to make stuff up to offer as proof of demonism, while I felt like just how everyone reacted to me existing and having feelings, was a proof enough. The child was more rational than I was, in that situation. And the truth is, I've still not recovered, I'm still filled with doubt and trying to find my way out of it, because it's hard. If everyone reacts at you like you're a demon, you can't just decide that you're not, and the facts and logic don't help, because other people's reactions feel stronger than the arguments you can bring up yourself. Maybe if I got mad that people reacted in such ways, projecting their own nature on me, then accusing me of it.

I wonder if anyone thought up of a good process to come down from such horrible, spiraling thoughts about oneself. Because factual and logical arguments don't work, you can't approach it from a normal state, you can't just go from zero to eleven to convince someone they're not as evil and monstrous as they believe themselves to be. You have to go up by just one, so they would accept it, and wouldn't dismiss it. If someone believes to be a demon, you can't list to them all of the good things they've done that prove they're a good person. You have to start from the belief that this is in fact, a demon. So you tell them, okay, they're a demon, they're probably enjoying the carnage, but they've also tried to convince someone they're not a demon, so maybe there's a little bit of good in them. Maybe they're a demon with 1 positive trait. That's more believable to a demon, than 'no you're not a demon'. Just going slowly.

Maybe one day they'll use their demon powers to do something good. Maybe you can point it out to them, and tell them that demons could be good, demons could still be loved. Maybe it's supposed to look like a redemption arc. Maybe that's why people love redemption arcs, because they need one, because it helps them come down from self hatred. Maybe it's a road from demon to hero, and after they believe they've changed and fixed themselves, and that they've deserved to be loved now, despite being a demon, maybe the idea that they were never a demon would not feel so foreign and unacceptable anymore. Maybe it would be easier to handle.

I know it wouldn't stop the emotional blow of 'you believing you were a demon was just a cover for the abusers to be able to torture you when you were a child' but I guess first there has to be something to help them take the blow, some support or belief in their own worth. I think I'll try approaching the demon as a second demon from now on, I can be, like a demon friend, or a demon mentor. We can commit some fictional crimes in my head to bond over and then we can be friends.

[lostariel17]

The Mandalorian Season 3 - Post-Binge Opinions

So I just binged the last season of the Mandalorian and while I enjoyed it enough, I do have some opinions about it (because it’s Star Wars and I always have opinions about Star Wars) Since it’s 3am and there’s no way I’m gonna be able to sleep right now, you get them in no particular order.

1. Why do they never close and lock their ship when they leave it? This makes no damn sense and opens them up to the worst possible security issues...

2. Bo-Katan’s throne room is ridiculously big. Alright, it would be impressive if it was filled, but her just lounging there all alone made me want to throw therapist numbers at her.

3. Speaking of therapist, shouldn’t have Grogu have had those PTSD flashbacks earlier? Also, I don’t like them dropping bits so randomly like this. I suppose they’ll use them later in future season. But it felt quite “let’s drop that here since it doesn’t fit anywhere else” to me.

4. I also admit I was bored most of ep3. I just didn’t care about what happened to the doctor and I feel disappointed that the longest episode of the season was almost exclusively about two minor characters, one we don’t even see again later.

5. While Grogu being all toddler “no no no” with Mando was fun and cute, Greef Karga choosing to cannibalize IG-11′s corpse to give like that says a lot about how little thought they give to droids despite them being sentient. Me didn’t like that.

6. Speaking of Grogu in that droid, what the hell was Mando thinking when he took him to Mandalore’s surface??? He knew they were going into an unknown potentially very dangerous situation. Taking the kid with him made absolutely no sense and shows that he really doesn’t have any experience with children.

7. This point may be influenced by fanon, but even if it is, I don’t care. Where are the non-humans Mandalorians??? They are a “swear the Creed, become one of us” people. They shouldn’t be all humans or near-humans!

8. The fights were disappointing, especially the gun fights. Most of them just felt too staged (which I know they are, but they aren’t supposed to feel that way) and boring and like the Mandalorians were Stormtroopers who couldn’t aim. Until they suddenly could 🙄

9. Why are Mandalorians so self-sacrificial? I don’t care that it makes sense with their culture and that it was a logical enough choice. I didn’t want Paz to die!!! I like his big dick/gun energy and the way he’s just very guided by his emotions and his pride. But I guess that’s what fics are so I’m gonna head up to AO3 later, and hopefully someone will have already fulfilled my fix-it need🤞

10. I always assumed that Mando’s first name was Din and his last name Djarin. Which is my Western raising showing I know. They could have told us before the last episode of the 3rd season that it’s the opposite though! Because if they did it earlier, I completely missed it 🤷‍♀️

11. Can they stop making the big bad guy come back in a full black armor? Darth Vader is dead and the vibes are over 🙄

12. The New Republic is proving to be very fussy about procedures and paperwork, which I expected. I didn’t expect them to go the forced indoctrination way though. That part was a bit darker than I expected. I did like it though!

So, this was my post-bing ramble. Hopefully it’ll still make sense when I get up tomorrow!

[smokeybrandreviews]

Long Long Time

With the ending of The Last of Us this past weekend, I was left with thoughts. The ride was one of the best I’ve been on but, for some reason, i was left wanting. The game is one of the best I have ever played but, more than that, something felt off. I enjoyed my time in this incredibly rich take on that bleak ass world but, before I actually commented on it, I took some time to actually think on my overall experience. These are the primary realizations I had after letting that entire series sit with me for a few days after that explosive conclusion.

Bella Ramsey was good as her Ellie but she's not THE Ellie. Game Ellie hits completely different. There is this softness to her that Show Ellie lacks. While I will always prefer Ashley Johnson in the role, Bella really did make the character her own.

Pedro's Pascal is daddy. There were certain choices made with Adaption Joel that I don't necessarily agree with but, overall, I think they did The character justice. Obviously, I prefer the game version because I am a Gamer before anything but Pascal really delivered.

As an adaption, The Last of Us was exceptional. They capture the feel and tone of the source material perfectly, while simultaneously adjusting an hours long game narrative for television consumption. They had to basically distill thirty or so hours of game play down into something a non-Gamer would find captivating and they, for sure, did that.

Episode three, goddamn! This was the high point of the show and it wasn't even about Joel and Ellie. I'm sure you know about why this episode stands above the rest so there's no need to go into detail but, suffice it to say, Nick f*ckin' Offerman!

Some of the other changes were blergh. Ellie baby exposure was kind of meh. Like, that's how vaccines work. You just found a way to vaccinate people against the shrooms. Do that to other pregernants. You're willing to murder a teenager, what's a few mothers-to-be? That changes kind of makes everything these characters go through, inconsequential, bordering meaningless.

Hive mind subplot just disappeared. Sh*t was cool for an episode but then just never revisited. Why? Do you know how much more terrifying that world is now??

Gorgeous and expensive and you see every penny onscreen.

Should have had more infected. Seriously, for all the loot onscreen, there was a criminal lack of actual infected action. I know that stuff doesn't translate from game to screen well but goddamn, man. Three set pieces the whole show?? Three?

But them flashbacks, tho. Goddamn! Seriously, that cold open for episode one was chilling and the little expose for episode two? That, on it's own, could be a solid Emmy admission for Best Short. It was that good.

Speaking of original content,, I hear they might expand upon this little world they created for season two instead of jumping straight into the narrative of the sequel game. I'm not a fan of the Part II story so expanding might be dope. Like, there should have been a game in between those two showing the deterioration of Ellie and Joel's relationship and I kind of hope the show actually gives that lost content to us.

That said, most of the original content was the worst part of this show. Not the flashback stuff, that was inspired, but the additions and tweaks. Don't misunderstand me, as far as television is concerned, it's top tier. I just worry for when the writers go off-script so to speak.

I don't want the quality of this show to fall off a cliff like with Game of Thrones and, if that bit with Kathleen is anything to go off of, I might be right in my apprehension.

Sh*t was too short. We didn't get to spend time enough with Ellie and Joel. More to the point, Joel and Ellie didn't get to spend that much time together. Watching that beautifully shot and cut rampage Joel goes on during the season finale rang a bit hollow because, not two episodes earlier, Joel was still acting like a dick. Now, he's massacring an entire hospital to "save" Ellie? Really?

The game is still much, much, better. Go play that. Seriously, if you’ve never played the game, but enjoy the show, go play that sh*t right now.