#arc: tlou.

[ladyintree]

@pro26ctor sent: 'dying is simple. it all just stops. you’re dead.'

taissa feels relief in the completeness of it: you die, it all stops. there's nothing beyond that. nothing waiting for you on the other side, no other side to meet. she finds even more relief in hearing that he doesn't seem to be someone who dwells in 'what comes after' --- because she thinks it's bullshit, especially after all this world has come to.

❝  in a world full of rot--- that's not a popular take. not as much as it should be, ❞ she notes, waving a hand in between them. ❝  too many people think turning into one of them is just-- moving on to some other life. i think that's a load of bull. that's the end. nothing's waiting for you after. nothing's left for you. ❞ she's mostly talking to herself, her eyes focused below as she's hard at work, sharpening the edge of her ax. ❝ praying to some god won't bring anyone back, either. ❞

[atomicjellyb3an]

I fear she’s about to simultaneously pull an Abby Anderson AND an Ellie Williams

[ellieabbyy]

realized i’ve never posted her in the arc the lad shirt

[ladyintree]

taissa decides it's a satisfactory answer,   mostly because she knows there's no other option,  and no matter her hesitance here and now,  she knows juliette is more than capable of doing her job.  she admires her for that,  no matter how rare it is for her to actually give genuine credit where it's due   (  her wife is much better at that,  all gracious smiles and warm words,  enough to convince taissa it all evens out in the end.  )   ❝  i can handle another hour,   ❞   she assures,   carefully moving her hair back behind her shoulder as she gives her a much warmer look now -- no matter how forced.

taissa frowns,  making a mental note to have someone check on things -- not just the technical side of it all,  but she's sure that the people in this zone are getting antsy and likely,  worried.  all thing she doesn't want to deal with herself -- because despite how desperate she was for power,  actually being the one to make any kind of impact on this place has always been a drag,  likely because every day is met with a reminder that no matter how much power this place gives her,  it doesn't really change anything about their circumstances.  ❝  i'm sorry to hear that.  i hope you're not burning yourself out.  it's a lot of work to keep this place afloat -- i hope you know how much your time is appreciated. ❞

tension fills every inch of her quickly; hand lifting to rub firmly at the back of her neck. it took everything in her to keep the heavy sigh and the anger buried. the edge in the other's voice was loud and clear. juliette knew it sucked to suffer in the cold but fuck, there was only so much she could do. shirley and knox helped when they could. walker stuck close to home. but most of the damn house calls were left up to her and god, she hated dealing with so many people on a daily basis. especially the ones higher up in the ranks. they were often a struggle on a good day let alone now. fuck, she missed living outside the walls sometimes. less people, less hierarchy, less problems. ❝  a few minutes to grab the parts . . . an hour at the most to get this thing back up and running ?  ❞   god forbid the damn thing gave her any problems and it took even longer.

the anger in her bones subsided slightly but the tension remained; shoulders rolling lazily to try and eliminate as much of it as possible. maybe the switch up of tone was genuine. maybe it was to lull her into a false sense of security. whatever it was, juliette found she didn't really care. she just wanted out of this place. the apartments of the higher ups always made her uncomfortable. more than usual anyways. ❝  oh, uh . . . there's been a good amount. the storm yesterday knocked a few things out of whack, so . . . busy day.  ❞  

[wildlyfreemoon]

just finished s5 of twd... can someone just tell me what happened?

like i enjoy the show bc its kinda easy to have in the bg... but also like i find (other than the prison x woodbury arc) there is rarely any like... plot...

[hellaverseapocalypse]

And The Whirlwind is in the Tree

Striker's Story - A Helluva AU

Pairing: Striker and OC Amelda(adoptive father/daughter relationship) Warnings: angst, whump, hurt-comfort, injury, blood, harsh language, death, gore, killing in self-defense, graphic depictions of violence. Summary: Preparations have been made. Factions are assembling. The battle has begun. Who is ready for the epic battle of Lust?

Read on ao3 - 1.5k words

Striker has been in a lot of firefights, but nothing like this.

From his perch, Striker could spot numbers within his own faction engaging in conflict with the Vee’s fighters, many of which originated from the Greed ring. His own allies make quick work of laying waste to the masses, but fuck, there is so many.

Striker hears Fizz yell out and a deafening explosion comes from behind him. He watches them hit their target and grin in delight, yet his smile quickly drops when he sees the Vee's have their own cannons and are preparing them to fire.

“Oh shit! Fizz!” he yells, signaling to the other imp the impending danger. Fizz looks at the direction he's pointing and balks. He yells something to the other succubi and everyone jumps off the roof before the cannon fire reduces the building to rubble.

Striker huffs as he pulls himself up to the roof, groaning as he registers the close call. He looks around and sees that the others are safe. He snarls as he tries to spot his next target.

He then sees the Vees.

They were inside a building that has a penthouse, lounging around on a sofa as they watched the battle below.

Those fucking entitled pricks!

He grabs his rifle and takes off in a run. He jumps from one ledge to another, finally settling on a ledge that was closer to their window.

He sets up rifle and looks down his scope and takes a steadying breath as he aims. Shooting the bodyguards will be good, making the Vees run off scared.

No, he could do better than that.

He waited until his target got into his sights and he smiled.

“Gotcha”

He pulls the trigger and watches as Velvette falls to the ground.

Striker sees the blood splatter on the wall and notices the other two Vees frozen in shock.

Good, now they're scared.

He shoots at the bodyguards now and watches as Vox pushes Valentino to the floor. He was about to shoot again when one of the bodyguards still alive started firing back.

“Oh shit.” he said, ducking behind a corner for cover.

“Striker.” Fizz voice cracking from the walkie talkie on his belt, “I need you here.”

“I'm a bit busy right now!” he yelled out, cursing as a bullet flew too close to him. He could barely hear Fizz's response when two more shots rang out, causing the fire to cease. He looks around the corner and sees Moxxie with his rifle, giving him a thumbs up.

Striker nodded and ran to a nearby pipe, sliding down to the ground.

“The hell are you?!” he said to the radio, trying to find the jester.

“Where the Emporium is.”

Striker rolled his eyes, like he knew where every sex club was in this ring. Still, he did know where this one was. He ran to where the club is and see's Fizz beside one of the cannons.

“What are you-”

“We have to set this up!” Fizz said as he tried to move it, “Help me!”

“The fuck for?!”

“We need to hit the wall!” Fizz said, pointing to it. Striker looked where he was pointing and saw the wall that was meant to keep the water from Greed overflowing.

Ever since the invasion started, there was no one to regulate how much of Greed’s oceans were falling into Lust; dangerously close to flooding. To take down that wall would mean...

Striker looks at Fizz, who looks back at him with an imploring look. He realizes this is one of the toughest choices he has to make, which was no choice at all.

He bent down and started helping him move the cannon. It was heavier than he thought.

“Hey, what's going on?”

Angel Dust appeared with his tommy gun at the ready.

“We need to move this!” Fizz said.

Angel didn't ask questions, he just put his gun away and started helping them move it. When it got to the position Fizz needed, he started patting himself down.

“Light!” he cried out, “We need a light.”

Striker started patting himself down, praying that he had his lighter on him.

“Hah!” Angel said, holding a lighter, “Go-GAH!”

Angel was suddenly yanked by a red chain around his neck, Valentino holding it and flying above them.

“Now, now, Angel baby, what do you think you're doing?”

Angel growled, throwing the lighter to them. Striker caught it and lit the fuse, covering his ears as the explosion resounded in the distance .

Striker barely hears Valentino cackling, drowned out by a more frightening sound that threatens to silence them all.

The thunderous rumbling of rushing water reveals itself to be the culprit of the deafening noise.

Valentino dropped Angel and flew off. Striker took out his lasso and wrapped it around a pipe.

“We gotta go!” he yelled as he started to climb. Fizz followed while Angel scaled the wall with his spider-like abilities. Striker quickly broke a window and they all climbed in. They got in just in time as the flood came and hit the building with such force, the structure groaned. Striker grimaced, hoping it could hold.

An unholy screech made them jump and all three men went to the nearest window.

A large black figure with an owl face flew through the air, flying down and scooping up people that were running from the flood.

“Is that Via?” Fizz said breathlessly.

It had to be. Moxxie told him how Stolas transformed into a terrifying horror when they were held by humans. It made him wonder why he didn't do that when he kidnapped him.

Did he not consider Striker a threat?

Striker's thoughts were interrupted when a crackle came from his radio.

He sighed as he picked it up.

“This is Striker.”

Axel's voice popped up and he was babbling something, sounding hysterical.

“Talk slowly, kid.”

“IT'S AMELDA!” Axel's frantic voice came from the radio.

“She's been kidnapped!”

666

It took too damn long to get to the penthouse.

Too long.

Striker nearly broke down the door to get inside.

The sees the other kids huddled in the corner.

Rizz and Kitty were smashed, not moving.

Oliver was all beat up, Axel trying desperately to keep him awake.

“What happened?!” he yelled, panic starting in his gut.

“Gareth came in and told us the fighting was over!” Axel said, trying to keep Oliver sitting up. “Then he hit Rizz and Kitty. He grabbed Amelda, but Oliver tried to stop him. He kicked him in the face and ran out.”

“Did you see where he went?” Fizz said, going to them and putting a gauze on Oliver's head.

“No, we don't know!”

Striker fell to his knees, feeling like his world just collapsed.

666

Striker doesn't know where he is now.

Everything is muffled, but he did hear a few things.

They won the battle, but Lust was flooded and a lot of buildings were destroyed. He hears people are making boats now.

The Vees are dead.

Vox drowned in the flood and Angel Dust personally killed Valentino.

Their bodies were now staked on one of taller buildings, like some macabre insect collection.

“Hey.”

He looked up and saw Moxxie, who looked more tired than usual.

“Come on, we are going to think of a plan.”

Striker nodded and trudged to the war room. His thoughts were like static in his brain.

What can they do?

Where is Amelda?

What does Gareth want with her?

Is he some kind of freak?

What the hell can they do at all?

“Hey asshole.”

He looked up and nearly tripped over his feet.

“Blitz?”

There sitting at the end of the table with one horn broken was Blitz.

A fully conscious Blitz.

“When did you-”

“Not important.” Blitz said, “Mox brought me up to speed.”

“I might know where she is.”

666

“You have a spy network?”

Blitz looked insulted by the question.

“Yeah. You think I'm going into this shit blind?”

Striker was still in shock with Blitz's explanation.

Blitz explained how in the second year, he realized just how fucked the situation was, so he set up a spy network with several hellborn and sinners. Many were stationed in other rings, giving him feedback on another radio frequency so no one else could hear. Very few people knew, so no secrets will get out.

“Does anybody know where Gareth comes from?” Blitz asked.

“My mom seen him around Wrath.” Millie spoke up, “She said he's a weird character, always looks paranoid.”

“Ok if he's in Wrath, it gotta be Bruno's territory.”

Blitz looked up.

“Bruno, you up there?”

A bat sinner flew down and dropped next to Blitz. Bandages across his head and a healing notched ear showed he was also in the battle.

“What's going on with Wrath?”

“From what I can tell”' the sinner said with a gruff Mexican accent, “Some weird ass cult is going on. They think if they make some weird sacrifices, the angels won't attack them.”

He scoffed.

“Obviously it wont work.”

“Why haven't we heard anything?” Fizz said.

“It's kind of a huge secret, they even got some Goetia backing them.”

The group cringed at the news, a cult in hell is never a good thing. The fact that one of their faction has infiltrated Lust made them all anxious. Gareth kept to himself so much, they didn't even consider him a danger.

That was their mistake.

“Fuck.” Striker whispered, “He probably thinks Amelda would be a great sacrifice cause she's a hybrid.”

A tense silence dropped on the group until Blitz slammed his hands on the table.

“Ok then.” Blitz said, “Let's get your girl back.”

“She not mi-”

Striker trailed off, realizing it was useless to say anything.

“I gotta go alone tho.” he said, “Just give me the info I need to track them.”

“Done.”

Blitz then looked around at the group.

“Bruno, give Striker all you have on that freaky cult.”

“Right boss.”

“Mills, give him all the ammo we can give.”

“You got it, B.”

“Mox, Colt, get Bombproof out, he gotta be scared shitless right now.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Via, do you have enough energy to open a portal to Wrath?”

“I think so.”

Blitz then looked at Striker.

“Go get your girl back.”

He nodded and got up, walking to the stable with a fire in his belly.

He will get Amelda back and he doesn't care how many bodies he's going to drop.

Notes from the authors: Who is ready Strikers Joel Arc? Next chapter will be December 18! See you then!

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Taglist: @captxin-rex @gospelofme @fangirl-goes-nova @romanoffs-gf @sstarwarsss @r2d2staser @nahoney22 @ashotofspotchka @art-of-the-twistedstitcher @only-a-simp-deals-in-absolutes @justalittletomato @twiggoblin @xsherryberryx @kriffclone @sweetminx @deewithani @tinker-tech @megafrost4 @freesia-writes @boontaeveboba @ahoeformando @arctrooper69 @taz-107 @lizzowinkyface @chad-something @nobody-expects-the-inquisitorius @merkitty49 @nonsenseandm3mes @id-rather-be-a-druid @m-o-o-n-s-g-o-o-n-s @the-chains-are-the-easy-part @succulent-momma @virtualexpertanchor @padawancat97 @amorfista @storm89 @hurtbywhisperedmuses @misogirl828 @seriowan @plushymiku-blog @the-dathomirian-jedi @ladykatakuri @mysticalgalaxysalad @talesfrommedinastation @dukeoftheblackstar @littlecrowtime

[seethesunny]

I'm backing up tlou 2 Ellie with my life let characters devolve and become terrible to heal

[a-little-bit-of-everybody]

So i said (on tiktok) that abby and ellie should kiss and i got this reaction...

[stealingpotatoes]

Okay, here's the thing, I feel so bad for TBOBF in a lot of ways.

Cuz parts of it (albeit very short parts) are just Temuera Morrison and Ming-Na Wen wandering around doing hot girl shit, or Boba hanging out with his adoptive Sand People family, or Cobb Vanth just showing up and flirting with anything that moves...But in a lot of ways, the show suffers from A) Being a backdoor pilot for Mando s3 which had already been confirmed which takes over the last 3 episodes out of nowhere and feels really shitty as they cast Boba aside in his own show and B) The show seems uncomfortable with it's own premise in a lot of ways. It falls into the trap that "protagonist = morally and ethically perfection" instead of just letting Boba be a crime boss? Like, sure he doesn't have to be as cruel as the Hutts, and he doesn't have to be okay with the Pikes moving in on his territory, but in the end...He's too nice to be a believable threat to anyone. (And in a lot of situations...is just bad at his job, or ill prepared for what he has to do.)

Which is a shame, because there could have been a really compelling story about Boba taking over Tatooine's mob scene, ruling it with an iron fist, while managing to win the love of the people. Hell, have a whole arc about him outlawing still totally legal Tatooine slavery and fighting all the people who would oppose people being free. But instead they just have him turn into this dude who shows up, not really kick as much ass. He was far scarier when he showed up in Mando s2 and beat the crap out of those stormtroopers then he ever was in a show meant to be about him.

Sorry this got long and rambly, I just...I feel like the bs robo-Luke stuff in TBOBF is only the tip of the iceberg. The urge to write an academic paper on the subject is strong.

WRITE THAT ACADEMIC PAPER YOU ICON!!!!!!! but also wtf that's so shit. i've heard from a couple ppl that they were rlly on the right track w some boba scenes so it sucks ass they didn't just. have the confidence to continue that and also TRYING TO MAKE BOBA FETT A MORALLY PURE GOOD GUY??????? DO. DO THEY KNOW WHO BOBA FETT IS??? DIDN'T HE BLOW UP A VENATOR WITH CHILDREN ABOARD??? HE WAS A BOUNTY HUNTER!!!! that is the biggest nuanced morality fail i've heard of in my life

[whisky-soul]

Ok ok I’m listening to the official podcast and Pedro is the one who came up with the “when I wake up I know I’ve lost something” part! 🥺😭

[iheartpinky]

these like him edits are KILLING ME

[ahndor]

i hate this new trend of people calling media “slow to start” after only watching like. the first two episodes. thats called exposition. stories arent meant to be 100% action packed from the start, you need to set up the rules of the story’s universe, introduce characters and conflict and morals and ideals. if stories immediately dropped you into the action with no reprieve, it would be confusing and exhausting to watch

[edandstede]

i’d love to see joel open up about his anxiety and panic attacks (or for ellie to figure it out after witnessing it first-hand) and ellie to help him work through it. she’s smart, and she’s grown up in this world, and i have a feeling she’d know how to bring him back down - it’s another thing that would just make them stronger as a team, to know that this thing joel is terrified will get someone else killed is actually something they can try to manage together. with that trust, with ellie understanding and being able to assist and take action when necessary instead of being unaware of it, they’ll be better off, not worse (as is the case throughout their journey)

[timelesslords]

violent heart

one shot | post episode 8 | 3.5k

“Ellie.”

She blinks, stares at him. He’s been talking to her, maybe for a while, and she hasn’t heard a word. They’ve stopped walking. 

He looks worried, and that scares the shit out of her. She’s gotten pretty good at reading his expressions over the past few months; the subtle shift in his face that means his annoyance is turning into real anger, the hardened blank wall that means she’s tread a little too far into something she shouldn’t have. 

She’s only seen genuine worry on his face a few times, and it's never meant anything good. ***

or, a hurt/comfort post-episode-8 one shot

read on ao3

[velocitti]

crawling out of my grave to start posting here again ✌️

[zincbot]

damn