#bog hero 6

[canisbeanz]

Been rewatching some stuff and noticed that animated robot movies fall very neatly into this range of tone.

[links-in-time]

Wild Visions - Chapter 6

The Chain finally catch up with their missing brothers, however, Link isn't about to let the Yiga recapture his Princess.

💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣

Catching up to Wild in his own era was no easy feet. After consulting the map Warriors had drawn while studying Wild's slate one day, he and the others decided that an alternate route to the castle might give them their best chance. By heading south instead of north east, they crossed over the great bridge of Tabantha and walked around the south side of the bog lands. 

If Warriors’ plan and timing was right, they should cross paths with Wild and Hyrule somewhere before they crossed the Tamio River. Although some of the others complained about this tactic, he insisted it had worked well in the past when trying to cut off the advances of enemy troops. 

Of course Wars had to remind himself that he wasn't chasing down an enemy this time, he was chasing down his brother. Even if that brother had attacked five of them and seemingly kidnapped another. 

Of course he's betrayed you, dumass! Snarled the voice in Wars’ head. Everyone is a traitor in the end. It just takes time. 

“Shut up,” Wars hissed. 

Twilight glanced sideways at the Captain but made no comment.

“Wild wouldn't betray us.” Wars argued with himself. “Anyone but him. He wouldn't betray himself like that, let alone us. He's gained too much and fought too hard.”

But turn Wild had. He had attacked his friends and left them for dead. There was something larger at work, forcing Wild's hand. Perhaps if Wars saw Wild for himself, he would be able to tell what was going on. Also, if Twilight's theory was correct and Wild was reliving some old memory from before he awoke in the Shrine of Resurrection, perhaps there was a way to get through to him. 

“You okay Cap?” Wind asked, appearing at Wars’ left side. 

“Yeah,” Wars huffed. 

“Liar,” Wind tutted. 

“Yeah,” Wars sighed, hanging his head as he walked. 

“We'll get him back. Both of them. We'll save Hyrule and Wild,” Wind insisted with a calm sense of confidence. 

“How can you be sure?” Wars asked, allowing his mask of bravery to drop for a brief moment. 

“Because that's what we do. We're heroes. We might make mistakes and face terrible hardships, but we always find a way to pull through. And don't be too hard on yourself or start imagining the worst either, I know what you're like Cap.”

Warriors looked down at Wind with a mixture of surprise and adoration. 

“Since when did you get so wise?” He said, smiling absentmindedly. 

“You guys may all be older than me, but I'm a big brother too, you know. Aryl asks me all kinds of questions and I have to come up with answers for her. Or I have to be there when she's scared or hurt. Being an older brother means being responsible and looking out for other people.” Wind explained. 

For a moment Wars could see the young sailor several years from now. In his late teens maybe, captaining a ship of his own, causing havoc and settling disputes across the great sea. But also how he understood his responsibilities to his family. 

“How could I forget,” Wars chuckled. 

Wind beamed at him, then proceeded to shatter the illusion by running forwards and throwing a rock at a snow laden branch overhanging the road. The rock struck true and the blanket of snow thundered down upon Sky and Legend's heads. Screeching with laughter, Wind sprinted off to keep out of reach of Sky's retaliatory snowballs. 

***

The Breach of Demise, was one of Link's least favourite places in Hyrule. Normally, he would have gone around along the path across the north plain, however, a landslide had made the road impassable for their horses. So they pressed on beneath the towering columns of rocks, looming over the two riders like the jaws of some ancient creature. The sandstone peaks always left Link with a sense of foreboding he couldn't explain. 

It wasn't as though this area were any more dangerous than any other in Hyrule. But whenever Link had been forced to take the road through the rocky outcrop, he did so with great reluctance. 

Looking over his shoulder, Link could see that Zelda sensed it too. Her shoulders were hunched and her eyes furtive. Searching for enemies behind every rock and shrub they passed. For the time being at least, no monsters had shown their faces. If they did however, Link now felt more confident since the Master Sword had returned to her place on his back. 

Hyrule was becoming more and more concerned the more time passed. He had to practically beg Wild to let them stop for a lunch break. Even then they had stopped for no more than ten minutes before getting back on the road. Hyrule felt a sense of urgency coming from Wild now, which had not been there the day before. Whatever his reasons for taking him/Zelda to the castle, he was in a hurry. 

“Come on!” Wild called to Hyrule. “It's not far to the bridge now!” 

Hyrule sighed with dismay, as he watched Wild give his horse a kick and urge it into a canter. Not trusting his mount as much as the real Zelda might, Hyrule continued on at a trot, hoping he wouldn't lose sight of Wild. 

“Link, wait!” Hyrule called after him, his voice echoing off the rock walls around them.

Hyrule's voice rebounded up and down the length and breath of the dusty canyon. Alerting the Wizzrobe and its consorts to their presence. 

Link's horse reared dangerously, threatening to throw him off, as a dark green bokoblin leapt into the path. 

“Whoa! Steady!” Link tried to sooth his horse, while also pulling out his bow and loading an arrow.

As his horse recovered from the fright, Link trained his sight on the monster and aimed squarely between the eyes. His shot missed by a few inches, still hitting the creature's head but not landing a killing blow. He was about to reload, when a lightning bolt hit the ground a few feet away from the horse’s back legs. The poor thing bucked and threw its rider off over its head. 

Link left the saddle and flew several feet through the air. He had the wherewithal to tuck his limbs in and landed with a roll across the dirt. His knees and one shoulder were bruised but he couldn't do anything about that right now. As he rose and turned, he located the Wizzrobe that had fired at him. The floating menace was halfway between him and Zelda, still on her horse thank the goddess.

Luckily, the bokoblins, of which there were three, and the Wizzrobe, seemed to have made Link the center of their attention. Good, best to keep them distracted and give Zelda time to escape. 

***

A blast from somewhere up ahead made everyone look up. 

“What was that?” Sky asked, 

“Well, there's only one thing I can think of off the top of my head that makes explosions in this Hyrule!” Legend said with a subtle smirk. 

The boys hurried forwards, scrambling as they dropped down a steep incline towards some small pools beneath great pillars of sandy coloured rock. The unmistakable screech of bokoblins caught their attention at once. With their longer legs, Warriors, Twilight and Time edged ahead and rounded the bend first. 

They had expected the scene laid out before them to be more chaotic. However, standing in the middle of the road, Wild held his sword and shield ready to strike. He was surrounded on all sides by Bokoblins and a Wizzrobe. The hooded figure crackled with electric energy. Time glanced down at his armour then to his side where Wars stood. 

The Captain would probably be better off than he was against a lightning wielding Wizzrobe. But if they could avoid being hit at all, that would be a blessing. 

Time charged forwards, with Wars and Twilight not far behind him. The three of them spotted Hyrule trying to wrangle with his startled horse, but he waved them off and pointed towards Wild. They got the message, Hyrule could take care of himself. Wild was their priority. 

Link saw the Yiga coming a mile off. However, they didn't seem to be using their teleport powers, which gave him time to deal with the monsters first. Dodging the Wizzrobe’s lightning blasts, Link spun and slashed at the monsters around him. Dark blood stained the bright colours of his shield as he blocked their attacks. Two of the bokoblins were down, and the other half dead before the Yiga made it within striking distance. 

As Link pulled the master sword from the skull of the final bokoblin, the first Yiga, the biggest and most likely the stupidest, drew an enormous eightfold blade and raised it high. Link prepared himself to dodge or block the strike, but it never came. Instead, the Yiga embedded its sword in the Wizzrobe’s torso. 

For a moment Link was confused. Why would a Yiga stop a monster from attacking him? He stood dumbfounded for a moment while his brain struggled to keep up with what he was seeing. In that moment, Dark's spell faltered, if only briefly. 

Wild saw Time standing before him, he looked stricken and unsure. As though Wild were a stranger to him, or some mad creature the older hero was trying to tame. 

Reality shifted once more and Link readied himself to attack. Of course there was only one reason for the Yiga to kill their master's servants, to get to him. 

Time registered the brief clarity in Wild's eyes and almost let his guard down. He was glad he didn't however, when Wild charged towards him. Time's sword came up to meet Wild's where the clang of metal rang out around the gorge. The rest of the Chain came to a halt nearby, forming a semi circle behind Time, all ready to help out their leader should he need it. 

Link grit his teeth as he realised he'd been cut off from Zelda once again. No less than seven Yiga had placed themselves between him and her. With a cry he broke the stalemate between himself and the bladesmith, turning to swipe at the soldier's legs. 

Time stepped to the side but Wild attacked again, trying to topple the larger enemy. Something Time himself had shown the others how to do. Sky tapped in, blocking Wild's next blow with his shield and defending Time's position. 

“Link!” He shouted into Wild's face. “Stop, think about what you're doing! You don't want to do this!”

Link couldn't hear his beloved brother's voice, all he heard was a Yiga traitor goading him into a fight. He was more than happy to oblige of course. The Master Sword cut through the air between them, forcing the Yiga to retreat a few paces. More of them began to press in around him, weapons drawn, their masked faces staring at him unmoved. 

Where was Zelda? Link realised with a jolt, that she was no longer on her horse. Perhaps she had seen a chance to escape and had run. That meant having to find her again. But first he needed to deal with these traitors. Link decided he'd had enough of the Yiga for one day and as much fun as it would be to spend time dispatching a whole squad in hand to hand combat, he really didn't have time for that. 

Legend was the first to notice Wild put away his shield and begin to flick through his slate. The now all too familiar glow of sheikah light coalesced between his finger tips. Legend's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to scream. By then the others had already seen the danger. 

“Get down!” Legend hollered, searching for a hiding place and scrambling for the nearest pile of boulders. 

Hyrule appeared beside him and slammed into Legend's side. Four also hunkered down behind their hiding spot and covered his head with his arms. 

The tick, tick, boom of Wild's rolling bomb shook the gorge. Dust bloomed and showered them from all directions. Rocks and chips of stone rained down from above, though nothing big enough to cause concern. 

As the dust cloud began to dissipate, Legend chanced a glance over the top of the rock to see if he could spot Wild. The faint smear of bright blue amid the hazy yellow dust was all that gave him away. 

“Oh Din’s tits,” Legend swore, as he watched Wild summon another bomb. 

He didn't throw it however, simply stood with it in his hands, waiting for the enemy to show themselves. 

“What do we do?” Hyrule huffed, choking a little on the rock dust in the air. 

“I was hoping you might have come up with a plan by now Rulie,” Legend sighed, giving the traveler a fond elbow to the ribs. “Glad to see you're not dead by the way.”

“Thanks. And no, I haven't been able to figure anything out yet,” Hyrule replied. 

“Time thinks he's been hit with muddle bud spores. That's why he doesn't recognise any of us,” Four explained. 

“Well that would make sense, except that it would have worn off by now. He's been like this for more than a day!” Hyrule sighed, once again feeling helpless without knowing what to do. 

While the others deliberated, Four watched Wild as he let his bomb disappear. With one more sweep of his gaze around the road, he turned and began to hurry off towards the bridge. 

Seeing that no one else had a plan to do anything, Four stepped out from behind the boulder and reached into his pack to find one of his oldest weapons. The short wooden handle felt far too small to him these days and he was lucky he still carried any deku seeds at all. But he managed to find one to put into his slingshot. 

Before any of the others could say anything and before Wild was too far out of range, Four let the seed fly. 

Something small and hard struck Link in the back of the head. Smacking into the base of his skull the projectile dropped Link to his knees. His head was spinning and his legs felt numb. Before his vision blacked out, Link watched as several cackling Yiga surrounded him. He felt forceful hands pull his arms behind his back and took away his slate and weapons. 

He should have been irate that he had been felled so easily. Should have been concerned about Zelda, alone and unprotected. Should have fought until his last breath to kill these traitors to the crown. 

But as Link fell into the unconscious nothingness, he only had one thought.

I failed. I failed in my mission. I need to die. 

< Part 5 : Part 7 >

[bogactivity]

on ur most recent ask, you said "bog could inflate to very large sizes under the right conditions canonically." do you think bog would be twins with baymax from Big Hero 6? i feel like they the same person but from different universes.

Bog is pretty much an organic/biological version of Baymax now that I think about it

[billycorn]

Patchwork: Chapter 6 - Glorious Combat!

An Explorers of Sky au following the Hero is Darkrai theory, but after the events at Temporal Tower Darkrai returns to Treasure Town in an effort to prevent his inevitable corruption. Read Previous Chapter Here!

//

Buia was gone. While Jasper got his tears under control (which, thankfully, hadn't taken very long), she laid out a blanket and some snacks, and left. She'd said something too, but he couldn't quite hear it.

Jasper was glad she was gone; he couldn't bear to see anyone he knew right now. His mind felt gross, like each thought was wading through a tepid bog. So, he leapt from the cliff, catching the winds and soaring away, leaving the blanket neatly folded, and the snacks untouched.

Gliding high above the ocean, Jasper watched the sunlight dance across the water. A pod of Finizen and Palafin were playing in the waves.

Jasper dropped low, until he was skimming the water, flying alongside them as they leapt from the ocean's embrace.

A Palafin swam closer and burst free of the water. "Hey, buddy!" The Dolphin pokemon fell under, and jumped again. "How's the-" splash, leap -"horizon looking?"

Jasper climbed higher, squinted at the horizon, and dropped low again. "Storm's coming!"

"Thanks, pal!"

The Palafin moved back to the pod, relayed the message, and they gradually sunk deeper beneath the waves.

A small smile on his face, Jasper watched the dark clouds gathering on the horizon and banked, heading back towards the coastline.

It had been storming the night he arrived in Treasure Town. When the Passage of Time exploded, he was thrown into the sea. He had tried to swim to shore, but the waves towered above him and crashed without mercy, tossing him about like a ragdoll and bashing him against the rocks under Sharpedo Bluff.

A nasty blow to the head had knocked the fight from him, and his battered body began sinking beneath the waves. With the rain pressing down, it was like the whole world was determined to see him drown.

That was when she appeared. A shadow in the shallows. Zipping between the rocks, she wrapped her arms around Jasper and pulled him from the surf, onto the beach. Then, carried him to the guild, crying for help. They'd been allowed in, and Chimecho healed his wounds. Two days later, on that same beach, they'd agreed to form an exploration team.

That time was still a blur to Jasper. He hardly remembered it, but he knew he'd been scared. Buia had saved his life. If she had the chance to do things over, would she do it again?

Pushing it from his mind, Jasper took a deep, shaky breath. Thoughts like that don't help anyone, least of all Buia. All he could do was keep trying. Make himself invaluable: Then, he wouldn't have to be alone again.

Gliding back into Sharpedo Bluff, Jasper nibbled on a gummi Buia had left out. It was tasty. Really, bursting with flavour.

Moving to the small pool by the wall, Jasper took a few grateful sips. With a satisfied sigh, he released a breath he didn't realise he was holding. That's when it happened. His wing on the edge of the bath, his feathers slipped in, touching his reflection.

The room went dark, and a splitting headache roared through Jasper's skull. Another Dimensional Scream. This time, when the world fell away, it was replaced by a sprawling city. A young man stood on a grassy hilltop, playing with a dog. Down the hill, suburbs stretched out under the afternoon sun.

Jasper peered closer at the young man, eventually deciding that yes, this was the same boy he'd seen in his last dimensional scream. Though, at least a decade must have passed.

The boy pulled a ball from his pocket and threw it as hard as he could. The dog went tearing down the hill after it. For a moment, the boy smiled at the dog, then the look faded and he pulled a phone from his other pocket.

Opening it, he quickly dialled a number, before he could change his mind, held it to his ear and waited. The phone buzzed a moment, then went silent. His brow furrowing, the boy's fingers danced across the screen. Seconds later, he was dialling another number. Again, no answer.

A look, somewhere between desperation and sadistic humour, crossed the boy's face. He searched again, finding a third number. He called it. No one picked up.

Letting out a weak laugh, the boy sat heavily, setting his phone down and dropping his head into his hands. The phone stayed on, open to a webpage with a list of helplines.

Seeing the name of the helplines, Jasper felt his heart sink in his chest. With wide eyes, he looked at the boy. Jasper wanted to reach out, hold him, tell him it would all be okay, but this vision was of a different time, a different place. No matter how much he wanted to, there was nothing Jasper could do for the boy.

At that moment, the dog came racing back up the hill, panting heavily around the ball in its mouth. The dog crashed into the boy, eagerly nuzzling its head against his chest, and under his chin.

The boy laughed weakly and scratched the dog behind the ear. "Good girl," he whispered, holding her tight.

The vision fell away, and Jasper was back in the bluff. Thankfully, his breathing was steady, and the headache was fading.

Jasper stared at his reflection in the pool. "Who are you?"

Meanwhile, at the beach, Buia was ready to pull her fur out. She and Dusknoir scurried across the sand, trading blows and chatting, but she couldn't seem to land any decisive hits.

Patch stood to the side, arms crossed and watching closely as they sparred.

"I'm still confused." Buia grunted as she blocked Dusknoir's ice punch. "Patch is from the future?"

Patch looked desperately at Dusknoir; they hadn't had time to get their story straight. Though, Dusknoir had learned the situation from Celebi, and he was a practiced liar.

Dusknoir nodded, going on the defensive as Buia swung an onslaught of aqua tails. "Yes. He actually arrived with me when I first came to the past. Though, he wasn't involved in trying to stop Grovyle. I simply wanted him to enjoy some time in the sun."

Buia spun, dropping her aqua tail, instead sending a sonicboom into the sand. As the beach exploded, she raced through with an aqua jet, slamming into Dusknoir's gut and sending him stumbling backwards.

"How kind of you," she drawled.

Dusknoir threw a will'o'wisp, following it up with a barrage of punches. Buia spun cleanly away from the fireballs, countering Dusknoir's punches with her tails.

"I don't expect Jasper or yourself, or anyone in treasure town, to forgive me. My actions were my own, and I shall spend the rest of my life atoning for them."

Dusknoir's punch broke through Buia's defenses and suddenly he was reaching for her. Instantly, she was jumping away, back arched, fangs bared and snarling.

Dusknoir's eye went wide and he quickly retracted his hand, rubbing it subconsciously where Buia’s teeth had once left scars. "Perhaps, that's enough for today."

Scrambling to pull herself together, Buia straightened up and kicked at the sand, her gaze on her feet. "Sorry," she mumbled.

After a brief pause, Dusknoir smiled ruefully. "A conscience is a heavy thing."

"Depends on what you've done."

"I suppose so. It's good then, that I have strong shoulders."

The silence stretched long. Buia didn't have the words. Part of her wanted to console him, reassure him that things could be how they were before. Yet, another part of her felt he deserved this. He should be agonized by this. He should know the pain she felt! That Jasper felt!

Dusknoir glanced at Patch, then at Buia. "If we had met under better circumstances, I think we would have been good friends."

Buia bit her lip, trying to keep it from trembling. Unable to trust her voice, she nodded.

"Buia, it's real this time."

No. Don't lie to her. Not again. Not for me. Why would you- Patch's silent question was cut short as Dusknoir smiled upon him.

Patch clenched his fists, but his clawed fingers only slipped into his shadowy body, so he couldn't even do that properly: Couldn't feel the sting of his nails biting into his flesh. His internal monologue restarted slowly, but quickly escalated, becoming a raging typhoon. Staring at Dusknoir, one thought ran endlessly through his mind.

It wasn't your fault.

[aficionadoenthusiast]

I absolutely hate these kinds of posts so I thought I'd do it to see first hand how many people actually like it and care about other people's opinions on their ships so...

my arbitrary ratings of non canon pjoverse relationships and why I think they would never work (or would) (scroll down for canon)

perachel: 3/10 nothing but platonic vibes, their brief stint felt more like an experiment than genuine romantic feelings or attraction; they both deserved better

percico: 1/10 a reiteration of an earlier post: their relationship would get bogged down by unshared feelings and grief, plus nico's crush was just a crush, and percy never had feelings in the first place

perlypso: 0/10 their whole interaction was percy being half dead and calypso being manipulated, not to mention she cursed him

pereyna: 2/10 any het relationship with reyna feels icky to me, she just seems so queer coded (which makes sense cause she literally joined an ace club), and percy was so focused on annabeth when they first met it just doesn't seem fair to either of them

pipercy: 4/10 this is a FRIENDSHIP I wanna see them figuring out they're bi together so much platonic potential

jercy: 7/10 honestly if I had to put these two with anyone else, I would choose this ship solely for the tension in mark of athena and that an alternate ship name is person

percypollo: 0/10 icky, pedophilic, and honestly kinda homophobic. percy would never enter a relationship with a god anyway

percy/literally any god: 0/10 see percypollo

lukercy: -1/10 imo there is no way to write this in a way that's not abusive, predatory, and just bad in general. i will not take the "enemies to lovers" storyline for this one either because there are some things that just aren't redeemable, and i consider luke's actions irredeemable. plus both their histories with annabeth make this ship very, very icky

pipabeth: 9/10 favorite non canon pairing, I can totally see a threesome with Percy, these two have such a great dynamic, only minus a point because I love percabeth too much

lukabeth: 0/10 sexist, icky, just all around a red flag

jasabeth: 2/10 nothing but platonic vibes

reynabeth: 4/10 they would be so powerful together, but feelings and emotional skills would be their undoing

jeyna: 0/10 see pereyna

leyna: 2/10 sibling vibes and see pereyna

theyna: 8/10 see reynabeth, but also I would love to see their similarities come to a head when they actually have to confront their feelings

apollo/reyna: 0/10 this is a thing?? ew???? reyna has such a huge issue with authority and the gods in general, it would never work, and see pereyna and percypollo

pipeyna: 7/10 would be good, but I need more info, though I think it would bring piper's jealousies to a nice full circle, especially if it was used in a way that helps piper figure out her sexuality

liper: 3/10 sibling vibes, I do not like

jiper: 5/10 that's right y'all, this isn't canon anymore! cute while it lasted, but they were completely made up and forced together by hera. that does not make a good, trusting relationship where one party is missing crucial details and the other remembers things that didn't happen, honestly i would have much rather they just ended it in lost hero when they realized hera was manipulating them

thaluke: 3/10 so much complicated history, I see them as ross and rachel from friends only worse

valgrace: 6/10 platonic mostly, but I can see it turning into something; I think they could definitely be good for each other; would love to see some healing centered stuff for them

valdangelo: 0/10 they barely interact, and their personalities are not the cute "opposites attract" it is straight up "we are both intensely traumatized, but in different, incredibly clashing ways"

haleo: 4/10 I can see it, but with sammy, it's just too complicated

fraleo: 5/10 I like the tension, but ultimately their personalities would clash too much

frazeleo: 10/10 this might be the only non canon ship I really wish was canon. separate, they are boring and clash with each other so much, but I think having the three of them together would provide a buffer when necessary while also keeping things fun and interesting

jasico: 3/10 very much a sibling relationship, seems to me like they were just shoved together because they were there

tratie: 10/10 floors me that they aren't canon

sally/poseidon: 2/10 sure it would work but she is an independent woman who wants less a man and more someone to love her and be there for her that isn't her son

ruegard: 8/10 would 100% ship it if i didn't love beckengard so much, plus i love the patrochilles parallels here

canon ships in order from least favorite to favorite:

zeus/hera: -10/10 sucks ass, their relationship is built on mistrust and a forced marriage, hera is quite literally shackled while zeus does whatever the hell he feels like while hera takes her anger out on anyone but him

god's/any of their affairs: 0/10 there's a reason none of them lasted

piper/shel: 4/10 another reiteration: ig it could be something, but it was literally a few paragraphs, and we know piper is experimenting with her sexuality, so it could be anything, not just a permanent romantic ship

caleo: 4/10 calypso needs some time to figure herself out and not be chained to a person or place; maybe they can try again after they both have some more life experience

frazel: 6/10 cute, but they're still pretty young, even by pjo standards, and compared to the other canon ships they're kinda dull imo, but i do love the awkwardness

beckengard: 9/10 absolutely love it, wartime romance, tension, dying for each other, trying for elysium for each other, only minus a point because one of them was a spy

sally/paul: 9/10 i love it, i'm so glad sally finally found a decent man, only minus a point because...adults

gruniper: 9/10 very cute, would be 10/10 but the start of their relationship felt kinda wonky to me like rick just wanted to pair grover with someone

solangelo: 10/10 adorable, checks all my boxes - opposites attract, healing from trauma, one extrovert one introvert, there is absolutely no downside

percabeth: 11/10 the OGs, the ship i use as a standard for all of my other ships no matter the fandom, still my absolute favorite ship, there was not a single bad track, they are so good for each other

[fantomcomics]

What's Out This Week? 8/9

The Summer is winding down, but the comics are still hotttt

Akane-banashi GN Vol 1 - Yuki Suenaga & Takamasa Moue

Akane unintentionally stirs up the specter of scandal when she's discovered taking informal lessons from her father's former teacher, Shiguma Arakawa. But she's about to make even bigger waves, because her first step in climbing the ranks of rakugo performer from zenza opening act to shin'uchi headliner is exchanging her secret lessons for formal training. And she'll still have to finish high school and navigate her relationship with Shiguma's existing apprentices, all while learning that becoming a stellar rakugo performer takes much more than just being good at performing!

The Ambassadors GN Vol 1 - Mark Millar & Frank Quitely

You've cracked the superhuman mystery and can give superpowers to six different people around the world. Who do you choose? The world's greatest and most ambitious superhero comic needs the world's greatest comic book artists. FRANK QUITELY, TRAVIS CHAREST, OLIVIER COIPEL, and an international line-up of superstars step forward to introduce an all-new cast of characters from MARK MILLAR's latest Netflix sensation.

Comic Books Kill #1 - Shane Berryhill & Hoyt Silva

NONSTOP. NYC. 1939. Comics creator Jack Levi places his life and career on the line when he begins an affair with the femme fatale lover of his mafia boss publisher. Comic Books Kill! is a crime noir tale of myths, mistresses, and mobsters sure to thrill fans of Kirby, Brubaker, and Phillips.

Damn Them All TP Vol 1 - Simon Spurrier & Charlie Adlard

After the death of Ellie's uncle Alfie, an infamous magician and occult detective, the 72 devils of the Ars Goetia are mysteriously freed from their infernal realm. It's now up to her to track down each of these demons and damn them right back to Hell... using holy water, conjuration, or just her trusty, rusty claw hammer.

Meanwhile Dora, a detective traumatized by the same events as Ellie, is suspicious of the untimely death of Alfie. As new terrors unfold, the two witness strange changes to the political landscape of Britain: a gibbering madness infecting the population. Alfie's meddling made more than just the mortal realm a nightmare, so it's up to Bloody El to set things right... with only eternity at stake.

The Enfield Gang Massacre #1 (of 6) - Chris Condon & Jacob Phillips

The THAT TEXAS BLOOD duo returns to Ambrose County, Texas with an all-new MINISERIES set 150 years in the past!

Gunslinging action meets dark frontier drama in this original Western thriller, as Montgomery Enfield and his gang of outlaws find themselves in the crosshairs of an aging Texas Ranger and a newborn county that's hungry for law.

Finders Creatures GN Vol 1 - P. Knuckle Jones

Meet detective-in-training Finder and her friends as they try to figure out why everyone in Belly Acre Bog has disappeared in this hilarious mystery graphic novel! Finder the tree frog absolutely loves solving mysteries. So when all the animals in Belly Acre Bog mysteriously disappear overnight, Finder and her friends Chopper and Keeper are toad-ally on the case. But when Seymour Warts, the world's greatest detective and Finder's hero, arrives on the scene and begins his own investigation, the young creature finders soon realize that this mystery could be even bigger than their little bog!

Ghost Book GN - Remy Lai

Twelve years ago, the boy and the girl lived. But one was supposed to die. July Chen sees ghosts. But her dad insists ghosts aren't real. So she pretends they don't exist. Which is incredibly difficult during Hungry Ghost month, when the Gates of the Underworld open and ghosts run amok in the living world. When July saves a boy ghost from being devoured by a hungry ghost, he becomes her first ever friend. Except William is not a ghost. He's a wandering soul wavering between life and death. As the new friends set off to return William to his body, they unearth a ghastly truth-for William to live, July must die. Inspired by Chinese mythology, this dark yet hopeful tale about friendship, sacrifice, and the unseen ghost world is a dazzling heir to Studio Ghibli classics.

Hexware TP Vol 1 - Tim Seeley, Zulema Lavina & Mirka Andolfo

Why sell your soul...when you can buy a new one?

In a corporate-ruled city where class inequality is greater than ever, a desperate, lonely populace is drawn to neo-spiritualism and hedge magic. When their teenage daughter is murdered, the Marks family is left asking the gods what they did to deserve this. But their android maid, Which-Where, has a different approach. Perhaps if she asked the devil...

Now, to pay the price, a machine with the soul of a teenage girl must hunt down souls who have escaped from hell. But on the way, she and her only friend, Ren, discover a vast conspiracy threatening to burn the last civilization to the ground. Can Which-Where keep her soul with her humanity on the line?

Mech Cadets #1 (of 6) - Greg Pak, Takeshi Miyazawa & Ian Herring

General Park-head of Sky Corps Academy-must assemble a team of heroes to protect humankind from alien invasions, and Stanford Yu, Maya Sanchez, Frank Olivetti, and Park's own daughter Olivia may have been pulled into the role by fate... as they are Earth's best hope.

But there is more to their relationships with the symbiotic, sentient giant Robos they pilot... and the alien threat of The Sharg is far more epic and widespread than any could imagine!

While Mech Cadets makes a fresh debut for new readers and viewers, long-time fans can delight in having more adventures after the long awaited collection of Mech Cadets Book One!

Oblivion Song Compendium TP - Robert Kirkman, Lorenzo De Felici, & Annalisa Leoni

The entire series, collected in a single volume for the first time!

A decade ago, 300,000 citizens of Philadelphia were suddenly lost in Oblivion. The government made every attempt to recover them, but after many years, they gave up. Nathan Cole...won't. He makes daily trips, risking his life to try and rescue those still living in the apocalyptic hellscape of Oblivion. But maybe...Nathan is looking for something else? Why can't he resist the siren call of the Oblivion Song?

Paul Bunyan: The Invention Of An American Legend GN - Noah Van Sciver & Marlena Myles

Did you know that a mainstay of American folk culture was in fact created as an advertising ploy? Few people realize that Paul Bunyan, the legendary lumberjack, and his blue ox are the product of corporate marketing by a highly industrialized industry. Cartoonist Noah Van Sciver shows us the myth creation as real life marketing man extraordinaire W.B. Laughead spins ever more wondrous tall tales. Van Sciver's story is bracketed by rich contributions from contemporary Native artists and storytellers with a very different connection to the land that the Bunyan myths often conceal. Readers will see how a lumberjack hero, a quintessential American fantasy, captures the imagination but also serves to paper over the seizure of homeland from First Peoples and the laying bare of America's northern forests. It's a tall tale with deep roots... in profit-making!

Plush TP - Doug Wagner, Daniel Hillyard & Rico Renzi

Serial-killing, cannibalistic furries! PLASTIC and VINYL creators DOUG WAGNER & DANIEL HILLYARD are back. This time, they've recruited colorist extraordinaire RICO RENZI for their disturbing "neon-horror" spin on fursuit psychopaths and bizarre love. In PLUSH, Devin Fulcher is coerced into attending his first furry convention. When he accidentally happens upon a group of furries devouring a human, the insanity begins. Do they just want Devin for dinner...or something much more wicked?

Skeleanor The Decomposer HC - Emily Ettlinger

An instantly charming and vivid chapter-book graphic novel, starring a music-obsessed skeleton, Skeleanor, and her quest to find her sound (and her confidence) by debut creator Emily Ettlinger. Skeleanor loves music more than life itself. There's just one problem: She has a bit more rattle than rhythm at the moment. No matter what type of instrument she plays-from the fiddle to the xylobone-she always seems to scare the people of Little Casketon away. But with the Little Casketon Summershine festival coming up, and the town band missing a player, maybe Skeleanor (along with the help of her best friend, Batima) could show people her skills and finally take center stage.

Summer Ghost The Complete Collection GN - Otsuichi, Yoshi Inomi & loundraw

Based on the critically acclaimed animated short film about three high schoolers' supernatural coming-of-age! There's an urban legend that claims the ghost of a young woman will appear if you set off fireworks in a certain abandoned airport. Three high school students are united by their shared desire to meet this ghost-and each of them is close to death. What happens when they come together one fateful summer night as the boundary between life and death grows thin?

The Summer Hikaru Died GN Vol 1 - Mokumokuren

Two boys lived in a village: Yoshiki and Hikaru. The two did everything together...until the day Hikaru was encompassed by a mysterious light. That was when everything changed-Hikaru most of all. Yoshiki still wishes from the bottom of his heart to always stay by his side...but is there even a Hikaru left to be with?

The Madness #1 (of 6) - J. Michael Straczynski, Aco, & David Lorenzo

In THE MADNESS, Sarah Ross has been using her power as a thief, stealing from the rich and...well, keeping it. Until the day she stole from the wrong person, a highly placed official who pressures the government to assassinate her. The plot, aided by so-called "good" superheroes sponsored by the government, misses her but wipes out her family. Driven mad by grief, and laser-focused on revenge for the murder of her family, Sarah and a hidden side of her personality - an imaginary friend who may be more real than she believes - goes after these superpowered operatives determined to take her revenge, at any cost.

Us TP - Sara Soler, Silvia Perea Labayen & Joamette Gil

Us is Sara and Diana's love story, as well as the story of Diana's gender transition. Full of humor, heartache, and the everyday triumphs and struggles of identity, this graphic memoir speaks to changing conceptions of the world as well as the self, at the same time revealing that some things don't really have to change.

Vampirella/Dracula RAGE #1 - Christopher Priest, Christian Rosado & Lucio Parrillo

NO MORE MS. NICE VAMPIRE!

They're coming for her baby. They're going to murder him before her eyes. And then she's going to kill every last damn one of them. Picking up where Vampirella: Year One left off! In an unprecedented turn for our titular heroine, Vampirella/Dracula: Rage presents Vampirella as you've never seen her before. Inconsolable grief yields to irreducible rage as Vampirella tracks the cultists who threaten her son across Europe and America, unsettling political and economic alliances and unraveling the global network of the baby's father - Dracula.

In a macabre exchange of norms, it is Dracula, the Lord of Vampires, hunting the elusive Vampiri, trying to save Vampirella from herself - or, more precisely, to save her from becoming like him. To this end, Dracula recruits Victory, once Vampirella's closest friend, to act as his ersatz Renfield while they try (and fail) to anticipate the next moves of a woman whose anger has now completely consumed her.

WYND Book Three: The Throne In The Sky GN - James Tynion IV & Michael Dialynas

The land of Esseriel is a darker and more dangerous place than ever, as tensions between the Human and Faerie realms build to the brink of war. Could Wynd be the only hope for peace?

Danger, betrayal, and even some romance confront our heroes at every turn, while elsewhere, the Duke makes murderous plans of his own. Things seem dire, but help from an unexpected figure might just be the lifeline Wynd and Merien need... even though the final battle draws near.

Whatcha checking out this week, Fantom Fam?

[too-much-sunshine]

Watch Out For the Lucky

Hello! This the post I'll update when a new chapter for this fic comes out! I'm a little late to upload to Tumblr so I'm not gonna bog down the timeline with the chapters that are already out! This is a superhero AU with HotGuy Scar, CuteGuy Grian, and suspiciously missing Heros Team Boatem. Enjoy!!

warning(s): graphic of violence

relationship(s): Gen, Grian & Scar, Boatem, literally everyone at some point (including Empires people)

summary:

Dear G. Xelqua, It is our greatest honor to formally invite you to the audition to be the superhero HotGuys newest sidekick. Not only has your past action caught our eyes within the Hero Association, but HotGuy has chosen you, among others, himself. Please see the attached documents and follow the instructions for the final judgment. Congratulations, and remember: Eyes in the Sky Keep Everyone Safe.

Grain feels his eyes widen as he reads the letter. He was shaking, accidentally crumbling the paper in his hands. He lifts the letter closer to his face, just to make sure that he's read it correctly. Then he read it again. Then one more time to make sure.

or, HotGuy is forced to have a sidekick CuteGuy. Both don't really like each other. Good thing Grian has ulterior motives.

Read on Ao3!

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

[thefisherqueen]

So I'm just back from a hiking trip during which I was entirely out of phone reception reach, so I've fallen behind on Sherlock Holmes' The hound of the Baskervilles! Funnily enough, this novel was quite a lot on my mind during hiking, because I also was in a place deemed by many to be Moody and Dreary (though it was tundra, not the moor), and I crossed so many bogs - and yet, managed to not get slowly sucked in to death once! Instead, my enemy nr 1 was quite a lot of rain and, especially, a never relenting harsh wind. Very exhausting. I also was made concious once again to all the strange noises created by wind and water. There's 6 chapters now for me to catch up, let's see how far I can get today between unpacking and laundry and other chores!

IX - Second report of dr. Watson There is an opening between two trees which enables one from this point of view to look right down upon it, while from all the other windows it is only a distant glimpse which can be obtained. It follows, therefore, that Barrymore, since only this window would serve the purpose, must have been looking out for something or somebody upon the moor. The night was very dark, so that I can hardly imagine how he could have hoped to see anyone. It had struck me that it was possible that some love intrigue was on foot. That would have accounted for his stealthy movements and also for the uneasiness of his wife. The man is a striking-looking fellow, very well equipped to steal the heart of a country girl, so that this theory seemed to have something to support it. Nice bit of logical reasoning from Watson. I have to laugh a little at Watson here, though, for always thinking that romance must be involved. Also - what is this tendecy of men to compliment other men of their looks by going 'the girls must love him!' No sir, YOU love him, just admit it

So I reasoned with myself in the morning, and I tell you the direction of my suspicions, however much the result may have shown that they were unfounded. Spoilers, Watson, spoilers!

“Perhaps then he pays a visit every night to that particular window,” I suggested. “Perhaps he does. If so, we should be able to shadow him, and see what it is that he is after. I wonder what your friend Holmes would do, if he were here.” “I believe that he would do exactly what you now suggest,” said I. “He would follow Barrymore and see what he did.” It's very adorable to me that these two grown men are deciding their actions based on their idea of what their hero Holmes would do

When the house is renovated and refurnished, all that he will need will be a wife to make it complete. I can so easily imagine Holmes' eye-roll at Watson's romanticism upon reading this part, and this time I'm 100% with him. Watson, this is Too Much. There's no reason at all to put this line into your report - it tells Holmes nothing except your own projection

I am sorry to intrude, but you heard how earnestly Holmes insisted that I should not leave you, and especially that you should not go alone upon the moor.” Sir Henry put his hand upon my shoulder with a pleasant smile. “My dear fellow,” said he, “Holmes, with all his wisdom, did not foresee some things which have happened since I have been on the moor. You understand me? I am sure that you are the last man in the world who would wish to be a spoil-sport. I must go out alone.” For heaven's sake, sir Henry, being killed will be more of a spoil-sport than Watson's presence on your little romantic moor adventure. Also, Watson would be more than happy to join in the fun with you two

At this instant Sir Henry suddenly drew Miss Stapleton to his side. His arm was round her, but it seemed to me that she was straining away from him with her face averted. He stooped his head to hers, and she raised one hand as if in protest.  Oh, red flag. Seems she's not into this, sir Henry, leave her alone. Even if her rejection is just for her brother's sake - still wrong to push

Stapleton was the cause of the interruption. He was running wildly towards them, his absurd net dangling behind him. He gesticulated and almost danced with excitement in front of the lovers. What the scene meant I could not imagine, but it seemed to me that Stapleton was abusing Sir Henry, who offered explanations, which became more angry as the other refused to accept them. Becoming more and more curious as to the reasons for Stapleton's objection to his sister and sir Henry's courting. Am suspecting something fucked up - though at the moment, considering how pushy Henry is being, my sympathy is more with Stapleton

I explained everything to him: how I had found it impossible to remain behind, how I had followed him, and how I had witnessed all that had occurred. For an instant his eyes blazed at me, but my frankness disarmed his anger, and he broke at last into a rather rueful laugh. “You would have thought the middle of that prairie a fairly safe place for a man to be private,” said he, “but, by thunder, the whole country-side seems to have been out to see me do my wooing—and a mighty poor wooing at that! Many can learn something from Watson's honesty and communication! And Henry's affront at having been observed is making me laugh. Miles of wide open land might not be the best place to carry out something private, lord. Go into a forest or something like that next time

What's the matter with me, anyhow? You've lived near me for some weeks, Watson. Tell me straight, now! Is there anything that would prevent me from making a good husband to a woman that I loved?” Oh, I don't know, might have something to do with the last lord having possibly just been murdered and a family curse to your name and active threats being carried out towards your person??? Did sir Henry just forget all that?

I tell you, Watson, I've only known her these few weeks, but from the first I just felt that she was made for me, and she, too—she was happy when she was with me, and that I'll swear. There's a light in a woman's eyes that speaks louder than words.  ... Is sir Henry here admitting that miss Stapleton never actually said with words that she was interested in him, that he was going on vibes alone? Yikes

He was very sorry for all that had passed, and he recognized how foolish and how selfish it was that he should imagine that he could hold a beautiful woman like his sister to himself for her whole life. If she had to leave him he had rather it was to a neighbour like myself than to anyone else. But in any case it was a blow to him, and it would take him some time before he could prepare himself to meet it. He would withdraw all opposition upon his part if I would promise for three months to let the matter rest and to be content with cultivating the lady's friendship during that time without claiming her love. This I promised, and so the matter rests. Three months... until the plot, whatever it is, has had the chance to be carried out? I still don't think that Stapleton is the main guilty party. But evidence is mounting that he knows more about this plot than he's letting on. Also am increasingly annoyed that we still don't know miss Stapleton's actual level of interest in sir Henry. So far, even in private with the lord, all she has done is warning him. Am also irritated that her beauty is her only trait that's refered to. If her beauty is her main virtue even to her brother... that has implications I don't like at all

And now I pass on to another thread which I have extricated out of the tangled skein, the mystery of the sobs in the night, of the tear-stained face of Mrs. Barrymore, of the secret journey of the butler to the western lattice window. Congratulate me, my dear Holmes, and tell me that I have not disappointed you as an agent—that you do not regret the confidence which you showed in me when you sent me down. All these things have by one night's work been thoroughly cleared. We were really bereft so far for never knowing what Watson sounds like when he isn't being a narrator but writes to Holmes directly. Watson: "compliment me, my dearest? Tell me I've been a good boy and done well? Not sure I can live without your approval" We've joked before about Holmes having a praise kink, but Watson is clearly in even deeper

 I sat up with Sir Henry in his rooms until nearly three o'clock in the morning, but no sound of any sort did we hear except the chiming clock upon the stairs. It was a most melancholy vigil, and ended by each of us falling asleep in our chairs. *is having issues holding myself back from joking about what these two handsome horny hotheads might have been up to to pass the time in the privacy of sir Henry's rooms* On second thoughts, actually, why should I hold myself back. "I know something which to amuse ourselves with while we are waiting, my lord, but you must promise me you will remain very quiet. Can you do that, or should I gag you?" "Do go on, doctor, I'm... intrigued" Ok, I'll leave the rest for AO3

The next night we lowered the lamp, and sat smoking cigarettes without making the least sound.  Ah, the stealthy act of... smoking cigarettes. Surely no one will be able to smile that from a mile away

When at last we reached the door and peeped through we found him crouching at the window, candle in hand, his white, intent face pressed against the pane, exactly as I had seen him two nights before. We had arranged no plan of campaign, but the baronet is a man to whom the most direct way is always the most natural. All that time spent waiting, all that stealth... to just barge into there without plan? Absolute disasters, the two of them

The man's face became openly defiant. “It is my business, and not yours. I will not tell.” “Then you leave my employment right away.” “Very good, sir. If I must I must.” “And you go in disgrace. By thunder, you may well be ashamed of yourself. Your family has lived with mine for over a hundred years under this roof, and here I find you deep in some dark plot against me.” Sir Henry is reacting with such a typical rich man's abuse of power already here, feeling entitled to everything going on in his house, assuming without evidence that it is done against him, and threatening this man's whole income and reputation if he doesn't comply with him. I hate it

 It is my doing, Sir Henry—all mine. He has done nothing except for my sake and because I asked him.” “Speak out, then! What does it mean?” “My unhappy brother is starving on the moor. We cannot let him perish at our very gates. The light is a signal to him that food is ready for him, and his light out yonder is to show the spot to which to bring it.” “Then your brother is—” “The escaped convict, sir—Selden, the criminal.” Well that IS a plot twist I did not see coming. Lady, I admire sibling loyality and care a lot for my younger brother myself, but exceptionally cruel murder is maybe where you should draw the line? I'm very much wondering what the story will do with this. I guess this resolves the escaped convict subplot and that he has nothing to with the plotting against the Baskervilles

“Well, it cannot be far if Barrymore had to carry out the food to it. And he is waiting, this villain, beside that candle. By thunder, Watson, I am going out to take that man!” Oh my. This man will run straight into danger, and I'm sure Watson, who's supposed to keep him save, will only encourage him. They have so much 'we make each other worse' energy

We rushed over the brow of the hill, and there was our man running with great speed down the other side, springing over the stones in his way with the activity of a mountain goat. A lucky long shot of my revolver might have crippled him, but I had brought it only to defend myself if attacked, and not to shoot an unarmed man who was running away. Well, Watson at least has Morals about using his revolver

And it was at this moment that there occurred a most strange and unexpected thing. We had risen from our rocks and were turning to go home, having abandoned the hopeless chase. The moon was low upon the right, and the jagged pinnacle of a granite tor stood up against the lower curve of its silver disc. There, outlined as black as an ebony statue on that shining back-ground, I saw the figure of a man upon the tor. Do not think that it was a delusion, Holmes. I assure you that I have never in my life seen anything more clearly. As far as I could judge, the figure was that of a tall, thin man. He stood with his legs a little separated, his arms folded, his head bowed, as if he were brooding over that enormous wilderness of peat and granite which lay before him.  Evidence, finally, of another human figure involved in this plot! And he looks nothing like Stapleton either. Tall, thin, commanding presence - Sherlock Holmes, is that you?

X - Extract from the Diary of Dr. Watson I am conscious myself of a weight at my heart and a feeling of impending danger—ever present danger, which is the more terrible because I am unable to define it. The essence of gothic horror, right here :) A stranger then is still dogging us, just as a stranger dogged us in London. We have never shaken him off. If I could lay my hands upon that man, then at last we might find ourselves at the end of all our difficulties. To this one purpose I must now devote all my energies. Seems like Watson has a new plan of action! At least, if you can call it a plan

“He'll break into no house, sir. I give you my solemn word upon that. But he will never trouble anyone in this country again. I assure you, Sir Henry, that in a very few days the necessary arrangements will have been made and he will be on his way to South America.  Barrymore: don't worry! If he'll murder people again, it won't be in our country, so really everything is fine! (wow. So much wow)

I know something, Sir Henry, and perhaps I should have said it before, but it was long after the inquest that I found it out. I've never breathed a word about it yet to mortal man. It's about poor Sir Charles's death.” The baronet and I were both upon our feet. “Do you know how he died?” “No, sir, I don't know that.” “What then?” “I know why he was at the gate at that hour. It was to meet a woman.” Ok, maybe Watson does like romance in his stories, but romance does seems also have a tendecy to keep finding him whether he wants it or not. Now what was this appointment about?

But if we can only trace L. L. it should clear up the whole business. We have gained that much. We know that there is someone who has the facts if we can only find her. What do you think we should do?” “Let Holmes know all about it at once. It will give him the clue for which he has been seeking. I am much mistaken if it does not bring him down.” Gods, I hope Holmes does come! I've been missing having my dear silly man around almost as much as Watson has

And then I thought of that other one—the face in the cab, the figure against the moon. Was he also out in that deluged—the unseen watcher, the man of darkness? In the evening I put on my waterproof and I walked far upon the sodden moor, full of dark imaginings, the rain beating upon my face and the wind whistling about my ears. God help those who wander into the great mire now, for even the firm uplands are becoming a morass. I found the black tor upon which I had seen the solitary watcher, and from its craggy summit I looked out myself across the melancholy downs. Rain squalls drifted across their russet face, and the heavy, slate-coloured clouds hung low over the landscape, trailing in gray wreaths down the sides of the fantastic hills. Some nice vivid writing here! The unseen watcher, the man of darkness: that are some badass names Watson has come up with. It would be so funny if it really does turn out to be Holmes himself - I bet he'd be most pleased to be called names like that

There is Laura Lyons—her initials are L. L.—but she lives in Coombe Tracey.” “Who is she?” I asked. “She is Frankland's daughter.” Found her, it seems! That is impressively fast, Watson. I had to read back to remember who Frankland was - the man who was so happy to start all those lawsuits and who has the huge telescope. Seems he's not as kind and good-natured as Watson described him to be if he disowned his own daughter for marrying against his will. Could this man the main villain, then? Did his daugher know something which she wanted the eldery Baskervilles to warn about? I am certainly developing the wisdom of the serpent, for when Mortimer pressed his questions to an inconvenient extent I asked him casually to what type Frankland's skull belonged, and so heard nothing but craniology for the rest of our drive. I have not lived for years with Sherlock Holmes for nothing. Laughing so hard at this. Watson has learned to weaponise people's autism against them. Well done, my boy. Just how often did you use this trick against Holmes?

I sat with my coffee-cup halfway to my lips and stared at Barrymore. “You know that there is another man then?” “Yes, sir; there is another man upon the moor.” So Barrymore also knows about the Unseen Watcher! Who is he? When the butler had gone I walked over to the black window, and I looked through a blurred pane at the driving clouds and at the tossing outline of the wind-swept trees. It is a wild night indoors, and what must it be in a stone hut upon the moor. What passion of hatred can it be which leads a man to lurk in such a place at such a time! And what deep and earnest purpose can he have which calls for such a trial! There, in that hut upon the moor, seems to lie the very centre of that problem which has vexed me so sorely. I swear that another day shall not have passed before I have done all that man can do to reach the heart of the mystery. Watson's really is going all into his investigation!

Had such a great time reading these two chapters but that was quite enough for today, time for a shower and dinner now. Starting another chapter tomorrow after work!

[rattlinbog]

Books Read in 2023

(loved!, enjoyed, okay, did not care for)

January

Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson

The Hidden Palace (The Golem and the Jinni #2) by Helene Wecker

Ruthless Tide: The Heroes and Villains of the Johnstown Flood, America’s Astonishing Gilded Age Disaster by Al Roker

The Hummingbird’s Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

February

Grendel by John Gardner

Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death, and Art by Rebecca Wragg Sykes

Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Winters

March

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

The World We Make (Great Cities #2) by N.K. Jemisin 

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey 

Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro

April

Trickster Makes This World: Mischief, Myth, and Art by Lewis Hyde

Daisy Miller by Henry James

Washington Square by Henry James

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu 

The Heartsong of Charging Elk by James Welch

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

May

The Antelope Wife by Louise Erdrich

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell 

Orlando by Virginia Woolf (reread)

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg 

Beneficence by Meredith Hall

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Ramadan Ramsey by Louis Edwards

The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li 

Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende

June

Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang

Calling for a Blanket Dance by Oscar Hokeah 

The Crocodile Bride by Ashleigh Bell Pedersen 

The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende 

What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris

The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier 

The Unredeemed Captive: A Family Story from Early America by John Demos

Tales of Burning Love (Love Medicine #5) by Louise Erdrich

July

The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse (Love Medicine #6) by Louise Erdrich

Four Souls (Love Medicine #7) by Louise Erdrich 

In the Dream House: A Memoir by Carmen Maria Machado 

Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman 

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

The Color Purple by Alice Walker 

At the Edge of the Orchard by Tracy Chevalier 

The Second Greatest Disappointment: Honeymooning and Tourism at Niagara Falls by Karen Dubinsky 

These Ghosts are Family by Maisy Card

Songs for the Flames: Stories by Juan Gabriel Vasquez

August

Lands of Lost Borders: A Journey on the Silk Road by Kate Harris

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross

New to Liberty by DeMisty D. Bellinger

Cove by Cynan Jones 

Being Esther by Miriam Karmel

Boulder by Eva Baltasar

The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk

September

Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Gut Symmetries by Jeanette Winterson 

Beheld by TaraShea Nesbit

We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland by Fintan O’Toole

October

Those Across the River by Christopher Buehlman

The Changeling by Victor LaValle

Don’t Fear the Reaper (The Indian Lake Trilogy #2) by Stephen Graham Jones

Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley 

The Children on the Hill by Jennifer McMahon

November

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin 

Fen, Bog, and Swamp: A Short History of Peatland Destruction and Its Role in the Climate Crisis by Annie Proulx

Natural History: Stories by Andrea Barrett

December

Lessons by Ian McEwan

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (reread)

A Vintage Christmas: A Collection of Classic Stories and Poems

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter

[birder-of-remnant]

Now, I would like to introduce part 2 of my top 12 list of obscure RWBY villians! Spoilers Ahoy! Naturally, this list also contains several spoilers for the various RWBY comics, manga, games, and splinter video series. Continue at your own peril! Starting with number 6 and working our way down to number 1.

6. Dr. Merlot - Honestly, I am a little surprised that I am placing Dr. Merlot this high on the list. If Hei Xiong is your standard mob boss-type villian, than Dr. Merlot is your poster child mad scientist. Basically like Arthur Watts, if Arthur was a flat Saturday morning cartoon villain. Stereotypical or not, he is still an entertaining villain in the game 'Grimm Eclipse' (as well as in the 'Combat Ready' board game). He even received the honor of having his own theme song, courtesy of Jeff and Casey Williams.

5. Master - This is perhaps the strangest entry on this list. The honorific of 'villain' is also a bit of a stretch. This one comes from Ruby's Anthology manga. In this manga, a mysterious red-cloaked figure begins causing mischief around Beacon. Stealing people's weapons, beating up upper classmen, and most grievously, ruining Juane's precious comic books. Ruby decides to take preemptive action to stop this doppelganger before an angry mob can form to beat the cookies and rainbows out of her. This Ruby lookalike is actually a berserk robot that Penny had borrowed as a surprise for Ruby. Together, they vanquish this creepy monstrosity right before a an oddly smiling Weiss murders Ruby for getting her sword broken. Honestly, this whole ordeal made no sense, but was surprisingly amusing.

4. Emperor of Mistral - Faunist slavery? Check. Cultural subjugation and attacks on the arts (except for himself). Check. Warmongering to expand his power. Check. Hypocritical booger-eater? Check. In other words, a real bog-sucking meanie-head. Dare I go on? He is only mentioned during the 'World of Remnant' series and so little is known about him other than for these charming traits. Still, I will place him at number 4 due to how well he fits the bill as an obscure villain.

3. The Warrior - An enigmatic servant of Salem, this villain is cut straight out of the 'Fairy Tales of Remnant'. In the story, 'The Infinite Man,' a group of people rally around a hero who is said to reincarnate. This group becomes 'The Circle,' an organization determined to protect humanity from the Grimm and bring peace to the land. And just like the Huntsman Academies that would serve the same role in the future, this society inevitably falls into ruin. The Warrior invades The Circle and challenges the Infinite Man to a battle. Through the ferocity of their fight, great damage is done to the town and The Infinite Man worries that nothing will be left if he continues the fight. This was his last and gravest mistake in that life. After forfeiting his life, The Warrior breaks her promise and kills nearly everyone. There are morals to this tale. But for those, you should read the book.

2. System No. XX - What do you get when you cross GLaDOS from Portal with Ellen DeGeneres (idk, she was the first witty person who came to mind)? This entertainingly psycho computer from the game 'Blaze Blue: Cross Tag Battle'. In it, warriors from four different universes (BlazBlue, Persona 4: Arena, Under Night In-Birth, and of course, RWBY) are trapped in a separate reality and forced to compete for survival in this comedic fighter game. I honestly have no interest in figher games. But the constant humor and surprisingly on-character dialogue from Team RWBY make the game surprisingly entertaining. I also just like how they were still students at the time they were abducted but are still able to kick butt against people like Ragna. ANYWAYS, System No. XX might be manipulative and cutthroat, but they sure know how to bring some levity to survival situations. Combine that with the RWBY-specific ending and they have landed on the number 2 spot for me (banner photo for this post is of Ruby fighting No. XX from this game). Definitely cut from a different circuit board than Penny, at least on the whole enslaving human souls' front.

The Crown - Those of you who have read the RWBY books will know what I am talking about. And those of you who haven't should be reading those books right now instead of this boring blog post. Or even better, listening to it. Following the happenings of Team CFVY after the Fall of Beacon, these books (excluding Roman Holiday) are wrapped up in a conspiracy brewing in Vacou over a mysterious group of people known as The Crown. I will not delve into it hear less I spoil the story, so I encourage any RWBY fan reading this to check it out for themselves. While the events in this book take place in Vacou between volumes 4 and 8, I doubt that Volume 10 will make many references to these events to avoid confusing the 99% of people who have not read these stories. But, I hope they add some easter eggs in at least! But first, we need to Greenlight Volume 10!

For the three of you who were bored enough to read this blog post, thank you! I am done rambling now, goodbye.

[ddelline]

📌📌📌📌

✖ 2024 fic list (wips & finished) ✖

mha

✖ wip → halcyon (and on and on) 5/5 bkdk | rated e | pro hero au; getting together → a wound gives off its own light 2/2 bkdk | rated t | post-war; ch425-compliant; getting together

jjk

✖ fin → hyperborea 1/1 nobamaki | rated m | post-canon; getting together; trauma & healing ✖ wip → attack, decay, sustain, release 11/? goyuu | rated m | canon divergence → circulus vitiosus (salva mea) 2/3 goyuu | rated m | time loop au ✖ tba → when you dig up god’s little acre 1/1 itafushi | rated m | post-war; getting together → a breath stillborn 1/1 satosugu | rated m | canon divergence → every year (is the year the world ends) 1/1 itafushisaki (gen) | rated m | post-canon; trauma & healing

sakadays

✖ wip → bog-bodied 3/4 sakanagurion | rated m | character/relationship study; pre-canon

✖ tba → saltwater rain 1/1 sakanagurion | rated m | relationship study; pre-canon

kagurabachi

✖ fin → aubade 1/1 hakuhiro | rated g | pre-relationship; ch44 coda

✖ tba → bathymetry 1/1 hakuhiro | rated m | character study; getting together

bleach

✖ fin → sueño (series) | grimmichi | post-war; getting together; trauma & healing; est relationship; slice of life; humor despierta 5/5 | espera 1/1 | valentía 1/1 ✖ wip → aventajar 2/8 grimmichi | rated m | yakuza/law enforcement au; enemies to lovers → the king of all birds 6/? gen | rated m | slice of life; vizards-centric; character study

[nine-blessed-hero]

Night Exercises

Universe: TESIV: Oblivion, Modern AU (post-Crisis) Warnings: Description of a mild panic attack Words: 2,400 Context: Written for the TES Summer Fest prompt "Starlit". Or read on AO3 Taglist (ask +/-): @tes-summer-fest @mishkakagehishka @arcane-elder-scrolls​ @bread-of-death @writeblrsupport

Aderyn shivers as the night breeze brings the acerbic scent of pine down from the ridge on their right, mingling with the bog-brown smells of the heath. Behind her, Fortis slams the car door shut. "First lesson," he says, pulling a green beanie over crew-cut dark hair, "in addition to everything else I've told you to put in it, always carry a torch in your go-bag, along with a map of your locality." Aderyn hefts her bag. "Got my torch." "And here's your map." Fortis hands her a pink Ordnance Survey.

"I don't get why we're out here in the middle of the night. It's fucking brass monkeys." "Finish the test, and you get to drink cocoa in your jammies at the end." Fortis's teeth flash as he grins. "We're out here, Rookie, because there's no telling what shit you'll end up in while out with a principal. Kidnappings and assassinations don't happen much during daylight and fair weather." He turns to gesture at the road, pale skin ghostly in the moonlight. "Single-track, rural – it's easy to force someone off a road like that. We work for a corporation, Rook, and corporate bigwigs like to hobnob in fancy stately homes, most of which can only be accessed by single-track roads in the arse-end of nowhere." "That's my scenario?" Aderyn wraps her arms around herself, to stave off the chill and quell the sick feeling that rises at the thought of being out here with Martin, pursued by a faceless enemy. "Yep. You're being followed on the way back from a party. They come alongside and force you off the road." "Can't I fight 'em?" Fortis scratches the beard on his jawline, sounding amused, "You think you could take eight goons by yourself, and stop them getting to your principal?" "Being the Hero of Kvatch's gotta count for sumint." "C'mon kid, we both know you're a lousy fighter. No, that's not gonna work. What's the golden rule?" Aderyn rolls her eyes. "Get the fuck outta Dodge, ASA." "Right. Find us a place to hole up while you check where you are and where you're going."

Aderyn looks around. She's lucky Fortis has chosen a clear night with a nearly-full moon – the landscape is painted in tones of silvery-blue and dark shadows. Mounds of gorse and stunted birch rise and fall away like a tide, rabbit-paths of fine ash-coloured sand lit up like quicksilver. Aderyn points towards a clump of gorse, close by and angled such they're obscured from the road. "There." She ushers Fortis ahead of her – in this scenario, he's her principal – and hopes to whoever is listening that she can remember enough survival craft so there aren't any accidents.

"Alright. This is a good choice," Fortis says, looking around the hollow Aderyn has led them to. "You've got about five minutes of breathing space here. Time to call it in, then figure out where you're going next. What code are you sending?" Aderyn takes a breath. "Code gold, cuz it's Martin. Uh. It's not 'actual', cuz no one's directly tried to harm us yet… Shit, what's the word…? Impending. Then I give the location: Northbound B6721. And a description: forced off road, fleeing on foot." She looks at Fortis who nods. "And all together?" "Code gold, impending. Forced off road, Northbound B6721, fleeing on foot." "Good. Now, where are we going?" Aderyn unfolds the map, pointing with the penlight to a grid square. "We're here? Ish?" "That's fine. You can give a 6-figure reference when you're more certain." "There's a," she squints at the map, "Scout hut here. That's where we're aiming for." "Okay. What direction?"

Aderyn folds the map down to just that page, puts the penlight in her teeth and pulls out her phone. Fortis plucks it from her grip. She spits out the penlight. "What the fuck?" "Phone broke in the crash. There's no GPS." "Then how did I send the SMS to call it in?" Fortis rubs the back of his neck. "C'mon, Rook. I need to know you can do without." "Fine." Aderyn rummages in her bag and pulls out a compass. Fortis blinks. "It's good to see you're prepared, but…" "You're really gonna tell me my compass is bust too?" "No," Fortis sighs, "but the point of this is to check you can navigate by starlight."

Aderyn gives him a long look and, with a small huff, clicks the torch off, turning her attention upwards. Her gaze rakes the heavens, spangled with glittering points like specks of feldspar in the polished basalt firmament. "There's the Plough," she tracks the constellation with her finger, "and the Little Bear, so that's Polaris. That means…" Aderyn flicks her gaze from the map to the sky, orientating herself and the map, then points towards the open heath, "…we're going that way? I think?" "Little tip, Rook – always sound certain, even if you're not. Your principal is likely scared, they're trusting you to look after them. Don't make them doubt your capabilities." "Right." Aderyn takes a breath, slides the map into her pocket and turns on the charm. "Yeah, we're all good. We're going this way."

–

They tromp across the heath, Aderyn steering Forti's path from behind with one eye on the knotted ground and one on the north star, all the while he's quizzing her on procedure. "What's the code colour for both Mr Septim and Baurus?" Aderyn grins. "Electrum." "Another Blade?" "Black." "Top five things for your go-bag?" "Water, medkit, torch, penknife, lockpicks." "Wrong go-bag." "Lockpicks are always useful." Fortis huffs out a laugh. "You planning on taking your principal on an infil job?" Aderyn starts to laugh but cuts off, a hand clamping on Fortis's shoulder. "Stop!" He freezes. "What's wrong?" "Back up."

Fortis backs up the path they've trod and turns to find Aderyn pulling out the map and torch. "I know the pink ones are broader," she says of the map, "but right now the orange one would have been better." "Talk to me, Rook." "See that fluffy shit?" Fortis looks. From around them have started to sprout what looks like cotton wool tufted on a stick, as bright against the dark heath as the stars above. "Yeah?" "That's bog cotton. If we keep going that way, we're going to end up in a drink. Or down to our hips in mud, if we're unlucky. The orange map would have shown boggy ground." Aderyn shines the torch around her and takes a moment to orientate herself again. "If we go that way, we should be able to skirt it." Fortis cants his head. "That's a good catch, Griffiths."

They fall silent then, navigating the tussocks and gullies. If she squints, Aderyn thinks she can see the lights of the Scout hut through the trees in the distance. They're tantalisingly, frustratingly close. If only it wasn't for the bog between it and them, they'd be home-free by now. They've come dressed for the hike – walking boots, waterproofs and technical gear – but it doesn't stop her feet from soaking through as the water rises calf-level in places. The cold water saps her heat, makes her shiver and ache. Leaping the tussocks, keeping her balance, plotting the route – it all takes effort and concentration, draining even her high energy reserves.

Aderyn's mind wanders, body running on autopilot as it settles into the rhythm of the hike. She thinks about having to do this for real. Martin in his dress shoes and tux, tired already from a party. Thinks about how he'd struggle to jump, tussock to tussock; about how he'd soon be shivering with the cold water and night air, maybe going hypothermic. Thinks about having to do all this with antagonistic gunmen on their tail. Even though he's not even there, her chest constricts. It's only a test, Aderyn reminds herself. But it doesn't stop her legs from wobbling as she leaps. She stumbles, lands knee-deep in the mire, vision spinning. "Anson!" It comes out as a breathless squeak, too soft to carry. Her breathing is laboured, heart racing, fast even for the exercise. The grass is coarse under her hand, the rattle of reeds sinister as they move in the wind. "Rookie?" Fortis is back. Shadows enfold his face, turning his brown eyes to wool-black and highlighting his pinched brow. "Listen to me. If you're injured, I can have med-evac here in twenty." "No. I- Just need a moment," Aderyn says around the pressure on her chest. His fingers find the pulse point on her neck, and his lips move soundlessly as he counts the beats. "I need you to take a nice deep breath for me. Can you do that?" Aderyn nods, heaves in a breath. "Good. Another." The pressure binding her chest lifts, the fog that had settled over her thoughts scattering like a cloud of midges in a strong breeze. A bird trills somewhere. Aderyn tastes salt and sediment on her lips, becoming acutely aware of how uncomfortable her position is, of the water creeping up her thigh. "Ready to carry on?" Fortis asks. Aderyn nods, and he helps her stand on legs that tremble still. "Okay?" "I'm good."

–

Finally, they reach firmer ground. A small rise peppered with some kind of sparse, deciduous tree snakes along the edge of the damp lowlands. They stop, taking a drink of water. From here, Aderyn can definitely see the Scout hut. At its back is a boardwalk over the bog, chicken wire grip rimmed by starlight. Aderyn puts her water away. "Not much further. We follow this ridge, then we'll be home free."

The boardwalk is rickety when they get there. The water below is still and black and fathomless as only a heathland pond can be, an obsidian mirror showing only the speckled night above. "It's alright," Aderyn says, as much for her own confidence as anything, and steps gingerly onto the dark planks. They sag but don't give way. She takes a few more steps, then beckons Fortis out. "Just stay to the sides, yeah?" "Quick question, Rook – you do know how to swim, right?" "Yeah, I'm good," she replies, heart in her throat.

When the creaking boards finally give way to solid ground again, Aderyn's relief is palpable. A quick glance at Fortis shows he feels the same, head tipped back, snatching some deep breaths, hand wrapped around his shark tooth necklace. He grins when he realises she's watching him. "I think we need to talk to Mr Septim about a donation to the Scouts here, eh, Rook?" Aderyn grins back, as they start walking towards the gate at the back of the property. "Also about some decent security," she adds, popping the padlock with a shim and a quick flex of the wrist.

–

Ferrum meets them at the door of the hut. He looks them over in the blasting white lights of the security spots, and says, "Wait there." When he returns, it's with two black bin bags. "You're not coming in like that. Clothes," he says, holding the bin bags out. They stand on the concrete porch and strip to their undies, every sopping item going in the bags to be washed later. Which is fair, Aderyn thinks as she peels off her trousers and drops them, thudding wetly, into the bag.

There're clean sweats in the bathroom, and mugs of hot chocolate in the kitchen. "That one is yours, Rook," Ferrum says, pointing to the one with a mountain of whipped cream. Aderyn pulls out the chair and sits. "Sprinkles. You fucking serious?" "I'll swap you," Fortis says, making grabby hands. Aderyn baps him with the spoon. Ferrum leans against the counter. "It's a reward for a job well done. I assume," he looks at Fortis, "she did well?" Fortis kicks his bare feet up onto the table. "There was a little wobble. But yeah, our Little Bird did good." "Wobble?" Ferrum loosens his crossed arms, shoulders tilting towards Aderyn. "Panic attack. Just a baby one-" "Can we not?" Aderyn interrupts, shoulders hunched.

"Hey." Fortis drops his legs and twists in his chair, leaning in. "Aderyn, look at me. Everyone has a moment they go off-axis." Aderyn makes a noise of disbelief. "It's true, Rook," Ferrum rumbles out. "I panicked during an exercise and shot my SO. Blanks, but still." "Caroline was so nervous when she met Ariella Septim, she forgot every English word she knew," Fortis says. "They carried their conversations in French, if I recall," Ferrum says. Aderyn uncurls, easing back in her chair. "What about you?" Fortis rubs the back of his neck. "Me? Ah, can I tell you Pel's instead? Or Baurus?" Ferrum laughs, a low rolling thing. "Christ, was it that bad?" Aderyn asks. "He fainted," Ferrum says. "During little Kintyra's wedding to that milk-water sop, Amiel." Aderyn grins, lopsided. "Wow." "Ah, hush – it was emotional. My point, Rook," Fortis says, "is that compared to some, a little panic attack is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed by. You were with me, during basic training in a somewhat controlled environment. Not on your own, in a far more dangerous situation, like the Crisis. Quite frankly, I'm impressed it's taken until now." Aderyn plays with a loose threat on her jumper. "Crisis was easy. Well, I mean – y'know. I only had me to worry about. Not B or Gramps. Or Martin." Ferrum murmurs in understanding. Fortis lifts his chin. "Ah." "I don't think I'm cut out for a Blade," Aderyn says, pressing a hand to her forehead. "Hey, it's late." Fortis squeezes her shoulder. "Drink your cocoa, get some sleep, and you can think about this later when you've got a fresh brain. Okay?" "Yeah, alright." Aderyn picks up the spoon, rescuing melted cream dribbling down the side of the mug.

Fortis watches her a moment longer, then glances at Ferrum. "You got any more squirty cream and sprinkles?" Ferrum huffs out a laugh. "What have you done to deserve sprinkles?" "Being my awesome self." "That's not enough for sprinkles." "So rude. Jena'd give me sprinkles." "Jena isn't here." Aderyn relaxes into her seat as the two men bicker. Fortis is right – now is not the time to contemplate such matters. Outside, the wheel of stars is fading into the advance of dawn. She's warm and drowsy from the hot chocolate, secure in the hut. Ruminations on her future as a Blade can be saved for later.

[queer-starwars-bracket]

Queer Star Wars Characters (Round 2): General Bracket Match 19

TK-421 | Identity: mlm | Media: “OF MSE-6 And Men”

TK-421 was a stormtrooper stationed in a Maintenance Unit of the Death Star and friendly with the mouse droid MSE-6. TK-421 had an affair with Grand Moff Tarkin. He was happy to be Tarkin’s sugar baby and intentionally assumed a more naive and backwater persona, guessing that’s what Tarkin would want. He was excited to be reassigned to a cushy position on Coruscant “guarding” Tarkin’s penthouse where he could enter MSE-6 into droid races. Even before beginning his affair with Tarkin, he was concerned with his appearance and had an eye for aesthetics.

He is the stormtrooper that Luke disguises himself as in A New Hope. When he went to investigate the Millenium Falcon, our heroes killed him. In the scene where a mouse droid approaches the disguised Luke and Han and is scared away by Chewbacca, that is MSE-6 fetching TK-421 to bring him to Tarkin’s private quarters. 

Caysin Bog/Tam Polsa | Identity: mlm couple | Media: Doctor Aphra comics

Caysin Bog and Tam Polsa are two background characters on Jedha in Rogue One (the latter not even making it into the final cut, but he was also in the background of Solo), but have been given a full story through the Visual Dictionary for the movie and the Doctor Aphra comic series. Tam Polsa was a member of the Milvayne Authority who went rogue to continue to pursue Corenlius Evazan and Ponda Boba, who were kidnapping people to turn into lobotomized cyborgs called decrainiated. Caysin Bog was one such victim, although the lobotomy didn’t take as much as most decrainiated. As Polsa pursued Evazan, he met Bog and the two fell in love, further motivating the former lawman. The two became bounty hunters to fund their search. They were both very legalist as bounty hunters, refusing to kill those who were neither criminals or someone they were being paid to kill. Polsa had a strong sense of justice, albeit restrained by the legal system. Although the lengths he had to go to tracking Evazan and the jobs he had to take recruited constant moral compromise and was sending him down the ‘self destructive noir detective’ path. Polsa was extremely dramatic in his speech, while Caysin showed no outward indications of his decraination effecting him cognitively.

They were hired anonymously by 0-0-0 and placed under the command of Doctor Aphra as part of a mercenary crew to retrieve a copy of his personality matrix. Said mission involved all the twists and schemes of a typical Doctor Aphra arc. Aphra reprogramed Caysin’s cybernetics with an override, which she used to make him walk into the fire of messed up Tarkin Initiative prototypes Polsa had previously refused to kill. Consumed by rage, Polsa slaughtered the prototypes. After the mission, he figured out that Aphra was the cause of his lover’s death, and swore vengeance on her as well. 

Imprisoned in Accresker Jail with Doctor Evazan, Aphra called Polsa to break her out of jail in exchange for being able to kill Evazan. He helped save her from some fungus that thought it was a Jedi (long story), before taking a frozen Evazan- not killing Aphra but not bringing her with him anyway. When Evazan was unfrozen, he used a shapeshifting squid thing (long story) to convince Polsa he was a changeling Aphra used to trick him. He returned to Accresker Jail, where 0-0-0 killed him. However, he was intact enough for the fungi that thought it was a Jedi to revive him and create a force-sensitive organism that believed itself to be a manifestation of the Force’s desire for justice. He tracked Aphra back to his home planet, where 0-0-0 killed him for real.

[ashes-and-static]

Right so I'm stuck on the Psychonauts train and I need to screech this into the black hole that is Tumblr

Spoilers (at least vague ones) for Psychonauts 2, so it goes under a cut. Warning for talking around trauma.

After the events of Psychonauts 2, Hollis Forsythe mandates therapy for everyone under her command who was involved with the events of the game (and especially the newly-minted junior agents). She also recommends therapy for the non-Psychonaut Aquatos, offering them their choice of therapist(s) at no cost to the family.

This goes over fairly neutrally for the kids who have been in the Intern program for a while - par for the course, pretty bog-standard when there's a major event. And, being that this is the Psychonauts, major events are pretty common.

It goes over like a lead balloon for Razputin, who has never had any kind of psychotherapy before and does not like people being in his head (literally or figuratively) any more than is necessary. Even with Sasha or Milla, he's EXTREMELY reticent to let them into his head. Or to really talk about what all happened. Like, yes everything happened and he did his best, that's all anyone can ask of him right?

Except, no, that's not the question, Raz. Raz is canonically 10 years old (unrelated fun fact, I thought he was 12 until recently), and not only ran away from home, not only had to help rescue his heroes from a man driven mad by his personal demons, BUT he was also subjected to psilirium poisoning, had to rescue his heroes and his girlfriend? (he's still unsure if she's actually his girlfriend, to my knowledge) from the person who kidnapped the Grand Head of the Psychonauts, AND THEN we have. Everything. from Psychonauts 2.

Lemme see here, we have 1)relentless bullying from the interns for the first while, 2)the whole thing in Hollis' mind, 3) the process of trying to find the mole (including both himself and the only friend he really has in the Motherlobe being suspect), 4) sorting through the various traumas and tribulations of the members of the Psychic 6, 5) confronting and dealing with literal generational trauma inflicted on his family by one of his greatest heroes.

So, yes, Raz needs therapy. Raz does not acknowledge that he needs therapy.

Imagine it's his Nona who breaks through to him, by sitting down with him and asking him to talk about everything. (Imagine Lucretia, between the founding of the Psychonauts and the events in Grulovia, pursuing a degree in psychology). Imagine Hollis listening in (with Lucy's permission), and being horrified about what all this kid, this literal ten-year-old has gone through in under a week. And Raz is nonchalant about it, at first. Plays at being blase about the literal brain-powered battle tanks, the terror-inducing experience of thinking he was being left behind by the others at the end of RoR, the isolation and humiliation he felt during his internship.

And then Lucretia says something along the lines of "I would've been scared, trying to go through all of that."

And Raz... pauses.

And in the smallest voice ever, says "yeah, it was... um. it was really, really scary."

And that's the breakthrough moment. He doesn't cry, not unless it's in the private safety of his family's camp, but he does just. wilt. Lucy talks with him about everything, and talks about how Hollis has pulled some strings and has offered therapy to the entire Aquato family. To her.

And to him.

Look I have thoughts™ about my faves getting therapy and taking care of their mental and physical health.

(Yes, this specific instance involves Raz getting a PTSD service dog because there is no way Raz is not dealing with trauma.) (also imagine best boy with a best boy/girl of his own, either a newfie or a great pyranese - dog is literally big enough for him to ride on and is perfectly willing to leverage its superior size to make him sit still and do his therapy exercises)

[thirdleagueheroes]

Hello and thanx for translating this series. When will the next chapter be ready? Also how many chapter does this series have before the sequel?

So the really frustrating thing (on both the readers' side and ours as the scanslators) is that we're actually decently close to finishing off this first comic series in terms of the numbers! Here's what the rundown looks like:

Volume 6 Chapter 35 Chapter 35.5

Volume 7 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 41.5

THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE, WE'RE SO CLOSE, FAM

(and I so very badly want to get to the chapter featuring the in-verse HeroTV fandom and the wacky ideas they have about our Heroes)

Unfortunately, I currently have no other translation scripts on hand and my translator minion has been bogged down with a lot of things and hasn't felt up to this project (and our other scanslation projects) lately. I've been debating if I can manage to at least do the image cleaning in the meantime, but I've got my own things going on too.

We do absolutely want to see this through, especially because — as just demonstrated — we're so close! Just, y'know, the stars aren't aligning quite right at the moment.

[most-fuckable-character-showdown]

Round 1D Winners

Matchup 1: Roman from Roleslaying with Roman vs Hatori from Fruits Basket

Matchup 2: Din Djarin/Mandalorian from The Mandalorian vs The Onceler from the Lorax

Matchup 3: Remy Sanders from Thomas Sanders Shorts vs Enjolras from Les Miserables

Matchup 4: Alastor from Hazbin Hotel vs Virgil the Rat from Ride the Cyclone

Matchup 5: Mike from Roleslaying with Roman vs The Bog King from Strange Magic

Matchup 6: Sans from Undertale vs Jareth the Goblin King from Labyrinth

Matchup 7: Shota Aizawa from My Hero Academia vs Peter Cola from CNP

Matchup 8: Darius from The Owl House vs Shego from Kim Possible