#but his focus will go to developing miss rose

[edgybutnotveryedgy]

Just finished power players. Very good actually. Like surprisingly good. I wouldn't put it on the same level as miraculous or zak storm, but its just so campy and fun. I feel like it really captures what it's like to be a kid. Watching it i couldn't help but think of the games i came up with when i played with my own toys. It also has some really wholesome vibes, and there's a found family theme in it which i am definitely biased to.

That being said, i have so many questions that im not sure will ever be answered. Maybe one day zag will make another season? It is more recent then zak storm, so id say there may be hope for it?. Idk.

It really sucks though, because as much as i like miraculous, zag has some other shows that are overshadowed by its popularity. The worst case is Zak Storm, which is by all means a better show in most aspects than Miraculous, but i guess miraculous ended up being more marketable? From what i can tell, the networks that aired both zak storm and power players are not doing those shows any favors.

I believe zak storm aired on discovery kids or something? Which is a channel that i didn't even know existed. Then power players did play on cartoon network, but it looks like it was a show on their website, so it may not have even seen airtime on television. And if it did, it was probably aired early morning where cartoon network airs all the shows it doesn't care about.

As for ghost force, i have to say it is the weakest show from zag. That's not to say it's bad or that i don't like it, but it just has really weak writing at times, and the episode pacing is worse then miraculous. This would be understandable seeing as it is made to fit into the 11 minute segment whereas miraculous fits the 30 minute segment, but power players is also 11 minute episodes, and the pacing is far better. And by all means, even though power players does get repetitive in its episode formula, it feels far more inventive then ghost force.

I feel like the biggest problem that ghost force has though is that it is trying to be like miraculous. Like as different as the shows are, there are way more similarities then zak storm or power players have to miraculous. For goodness sake ghost force even has a food vendor character, and even though there are 2 other main leads the focus goes on the main girl (i do enjoy liv, but I'd like to see more from mike and andy), or should i mention how one of the main leads is rich and has a strained relationship with his single rich father?

I do think that one good thing going for ghost force is that since it is airing on disney channel, i believe it will get more eyes on it, which will give it plenty of room to grow into its own. Like there is a lot of potential there. So many of the story ideas and characters are interesting, and there are some interesting mysteries that I'd like to see solved. At the same time, it just really sucks that zak storm will probably never get the 2nd season it was renewed for.

[sylusjinwoon]

{ 192 }

white day madness.

kenji (ken) sato x fem.reader

the moment you realized there was a promotion going on with kenji sato and the rest of his team on the giants, you immediately began making plans for your entry / gift for ken sato.

the day the announcement was made was during your lunch break at work. your eyes were barely paying attention to whatever was playing on t.v. as you simply ate your lunch in peace. yet the moment ken's stupidly handsome features came on to the screen, you felt your heart begin to beat faster as you practically sat at the edge of your seat, clinging to every word that came from kenji's parted lips.

he was dressed nicely in a pristine suit with the rest of his teammates dressed similarly while holding a single red rose in their hands. ken steps closer to the camera and brushes back his hair before speaking:

"are you someone who's missing a valentine's day honey? do you find yourself desperately wanting to confess your feelings and celebrate this day of love, but don't have anyone to dump your feelings on?

well have no fear, because the giants are here to help mitigate the problem for you! if you're seeing this ad right now, just know that we will be accepting all of your valentine's gifts from now until february 14! if any of you lucky ladies manage to capture our hearts with your amazing gifts, then we may pay you a visit when white day comes on march 14 and give you the time of your life with a date!

so go on! send in all your fan mail and love letters, along with any treats if you're feeling generous!"

that was the moment ken completes his ad, flashing an address on the screen as you quickly captured it on your phone. your appetite and half eaten lunch were already forgotten as your mind raced with ideas on what to make and give to ken sato, the man who had become your favorite baseball player since his drastic change.

when you first heard about him and his entrance in japan, admittedly, you were drawn to him because of his beauty. you had never seen such a lovely man before, catching yourself becoming mesmerized by his dark eyes and the way his hair flawlessly fell across his face. despite only seeing him in magazine covers and ads, you already developed a bit of a crush on him. so when his first ever press conference was announced, you quickly tuned in and watched it. yet the more he spoke, the less connected you felt with him.

as you continued to watch his press conference, you were quickly turned off by his egotistical nature. he was cocky and pompous, and often liked to talk down on his coach and teammates. he was so certain that only he alone could make history in japan as being the giant's sole ace-

needless to say, after ken sato's first ever press conference, you stopped following him and decided to focus on the giant's team as a whole. with each game that ken played in, the more he seemed to dig himself into a bigger hole. it was clear that after the gigantron incident, ken was never quite the same, with him messing up so badly that he was making his team face more losses than victories.

however, such a setback didn't last long. as you kept watching ken and his interactions with his team, you saw that he became much kinder now. it was less about him being the sole ace and more about guiding his teammates to victory.

and soon enough, the giants were able to win their first championship-

and you found yourself falling for admiring ken sato once more, especially after his interview with ami wakita. it was obvious from his demeanor that he was much gentler now, accepting the fact that he wouldn't have so many successes if it wasn't for his teammates. you were completely enamored with this kinder and more accepting version of ken that your admiration for him seemed to increase by a tenfold.

which was why you were so excited to actually be able to interact with him in some way with this promotion going on. despite how it would be a dream come true to win a date with ken on white day, you knew that the chances of him ever picking you were slim to none.

regardless of that fact, you still wanted to send him a gift for valentine's day and knew just what you wanted to make for him along with some chocolates.

"hm, that cute pink baby kaiju found roaming the streets that one night would be adorable to turn into a soft plush." you giggle to yourself, already packing up your lunch as you went back to work, smiling the rest of the day as you thought about everything that you needed to purchase in order to complete your gift for kenji sato.

{ ... }

ever since the coach agreed to let them do this silly (and fun) promotion for the team, everyone was excited to receive their own valentine's day gifts from the fans.

it all started when ken took his team out for dinner just to hang out and spend some time with them. in a drunken stupor, one of his teammates and friends admitted that he had never been given confession chocolates on valentine's day before.

upon hearing this, ken's eyes go wide. "fujitaka, no fucking way, dude! for real? isn't valentine's day kind of a big deal here?"

fujitaka ends up groaning in response, "dude, don't remind me! i was a loser back then, okay? i didn't exactly have girls lining up to get to me like you, sato."

"shut up." ken ends up playfully shoving at fujitaka's shoulders, but still smirking while letting out a laugh. and it was while ken was musing on how sad fujitaka's life was that he formulated this brilliant idea.

"wait, i got it! how about we do something about it?"

"huh? what did you have planned?" his other friend, inoue, asks with a tilt of his head.

"how about i talk to coach about hosting some kind of valentine's day sweepstakes for the whole team? it'll start in the middle of january all the way until february 14, then fujitaka will be filled to the brim with confession chocolates-"

"and the lucky lady who manages to capture our attention wins a date with us on white day!"

"EXACTLY!"

the rest of his teammates and friends were incredibly eager now as they immediately let coach shimura in on their plans. despite how he was hesitant at first, ken manages to sweet talk him, telling him how doing such a promotion would not only boost morale for his team, but for the fans as well.

in the end, coach shimura relents, and with the big boss's permission, ken was able to film a commercial with his team while giving the fans the address where they could send their valentine's day gifts.

and boy oh boy did the gifts start flooding each respective team's boxes, with it becoming so prominent that the mail had to be separated by large bins with each team member's name written on them.

now, it was finally the big day; february 14, where everyone could see the letters and chocolates the fans had given them. there was an excitement felt in the air as each member enters the gym to see each of their bins labeled with their names, filled with cute pastel pink stationary with boxes upon boxes of chocolates.

truth be told, ken did this promotion to help with his friends. in all actuality, he could care less if anyone gave him gifts for valentine's day. while his friends look at their pile in awe, ken took notice of how not a single bin had his name on it.

"strange, does no one like me after all?" ken pretended to be offended when he hears coach shimura clear his throat while gruffly calling out his name.

"that's because the sheer amount of gifts you received filled out more than one bin, sato."

ken turns around to face his coach, feeling his eyes go wide as he wheeled in a total of 3 large bins filled to the brim with similar stationary and piles upon piles of chocolate.

"holy shit, man, talk about unfair. here we are with just a single bin, while this jerk gets three!"

everyone else ends up surrounding ken with his 3 large bins filled with valentine's day themed goodies. as their hands search through the endless pile of chocolate and love letters, only one gift stood out to ken-

it was a plushie of emi nestled safely within a pale pink basket as she held in her hand a letter and a cellophane bag filled with heart shaped chocolates.

"you guys can have the rest, but this one is mine." ken reaches out toward the basket that contains the emi plush, holding it securely within his embrace as he steps off in the other room to get some much needed privacy.

when he was alone, he smiles with a fondness down at the cute emi plush. she was well made, with cute little button eyes while her body was lovingly stitched together with some pink thread. he was glad that ollie had a new friend to play with now as he removed the bag of chocolates and the letter from her tiny grasps.

with the plain envelope in his hand, he makes a mental note of the address before opening the letter. his eyes scan through the handwriting...

hey ken, or mr. sato in case you don't like to be referred by your first name! i guess you can call me a longtime fan of yours, but if i'm being honest, that's kind of not true at all. in fact, when you first moved here to japan, i thought you were an asshole. you were extremely cocky and had this air about you, like... i don't know. like you were BETTER THAN everyone else. and that just didn't sit right with me. for those first couple of months, i rolled my eyes each time you came on screen, yet at the same time, i couldn't look away from you, (curse you and your good looks, i guess). but what i'm trying to say is, i notice the change in you as of late. i see the kindness in your eyes- the passion that you feel each time you talk about baseball and your team- and i went back to truly admiring you again. i like this side of you, and i hope that you'll never change anytime soon. thanks for being you, and despite how i know you'll probably never read this letter, just know that i am proud of you. sincerely, your number one fan...

ken finds himself repeating the name that was signed at the bottom of the letter. now, he had received some fan mail prior to this whole valentine's day event, but none of the letters were as quite as honest as this young woman's letter addressed to him-

and he found it oddly refreshing to know that she had once disliked him before returning to him once he had changed thanks to his love for emi.

already knowing that she would be the winner of his white day date, ken places the gift back inside the basket with a hum, already looking forward to paying her back for such a wonderful gift.

{ ... }

it was march 14, and you weren't expecting anything special to happen as you woke up and got ready for the day. you had just finished your morning routine and was simply eating some toast with butter when you heard a knock at your apartment door.

curious as to who it was, you put down your slice of toast and went to open the door, only to feel your mouth remain open in a gape at the sight settled in front of you.

the tall man was dressed comfortably in a white shirt and dark jeans along with a pair of converses. in his hand was the most extravagant bouquet of red roses you had ever seen, but perhaps what was more jarring than that was the identity of this man-

for it was none other than ken sato himself that stood before you, a kind but lazy grin gracing his features as he said your name out loud.

"ah, y-yeah, that's me, ah... may i ask what you're doing here, mr. sato?"

he lets out a rich chuckle all while brushing back his hair, "miss, don't tell me you forgot about the valentine's day promotion? and please, do just call me ken from now on.”

it was at that moment that your mouth was felt going dry. "oh my god, no, no way! i-i didn't think i would even win! that's why, in my letter, i-"

you purse your lips and bite back your words, afraid that ken would remember.

"in your letter, you called me an asshole? yeah, i remember that. in fact, it was because you called me an asshole that i wanted to meet the woman that wrote me such an honest and true letter."

you were still in a daze, taking a hold of ken's bouquet as you held the flowers gingerly within your arms. "you're telling me i won a white day date with you?"

ken gives you a wink, "exactly, my lady. so why don't you free up your plans for the day and spend some time with me." his voice takes on a deeper tone with his eyes furrowed down at you. you feel the way his large hand gently brushes back your hair, the mere touch felt against your skin succeeding in making your pulse quicken in response.

"i want to get to know you better, if you'll let me."

and who were you to say no to such a sweet request?

{ ... }

after texting your coworkers about catching a fake stomach bug to get out of work for the day, you got out of your work clothes and changed into something more casual, but comfortable, while on your white day date with ken. he rides around the city with you settled in his mustang convertible, where you felt out of place as you sat with your hands stiffly resting against your lap.

"relax, sweetheart, there's no need to be so stiff around me." ken's gentle voice fills at your ears, but you couldn't help but feel incredibly anxious anyways. you tried to find the right words to say, but opted to remain honest instead.

"listen, i'm sorry if i came off as rude in my letter to you. i just-"

"hey, there's no offense taken, okay? i actually appreciate your honesty and would rather receive honesty than false praise." ken takes a moment to meet your gaze when he reaches a stoplight, "and besides, your amazing chocolates and cute em- i mean, cute kaiju plush more than makes up for it."

you found yourself visibly relaxing then, feeling quite happy that your letter didn't offend him too much. as you look out the window, you saw that ken was driving away from the bustling city. "so where are we going?"

cue ken letting out another rich chuckle, "that is a secret. just know that i'm taking you to a place that's very dear to me."

you give him a nod, letting out a hum as you continued to look out the window. a few minutes later, ken parks at a parking lot, opening the door for you while taking a hold of your hand as he leads you towards a cozy looking restaurant.

"tonkatsu tonki?" you look over at ken with a smile, catching him staring at you as he lets out a cough and looks away from you, "yeah, this place... my mom and i used to eat here all the time each time my dad had to work late."

you felt your heart clench at the mention of his mother. you recalled how ken stated that his mom was missing for quite some time now, but didn't want to ask him to further elaborate because you knew how it was such a sensitive topic. as if understanding your silence, he looks back at you and gives you a warm expression, holding the door open for you as you entered the restaurant first.

the scent of pork frying makes your mouth water as you take a seat next to him and order the famous tonkatsu set with rice. you end up having long conversations with him, with you answering questions about your life and how you grew up.

oddly enough, it seemed like ken was clinging to your every word, nodding here and there while asking you to elaborate on other parts of your life. it was strange, but you had never once spoken to a man that seemed to invested in you and your own story, which was enough to make your heart melt for him.

even when your meal arrived, the conversation never seemed to end. when asked about ken's own personal life, he gives you a beaming smile and admits to how he was able to reconnect with his dad, realizing that his old man had always been proud of him. soon, the conversation moved from your family life to your current goals and dreams.

the words that flowed from your mouth was never-ending. in fact, speaking to ken felt more like you were speaking to an old friend, and you never once had to hide how you felt or put a filter over your words.

your white day date with him ended up lasting until late in the night, with him taking you back to your apartment when it was nearing 11pm. as he walked you back to your apartment, your steps became considerably slower as you truly didn't want this date to end.

but alas, you could not avoid the inevitable, with you already standing in front of your apartment as you looked down at your shoes. you kick the tip of them back and forth on the carpeted floors, unable to look kenji in the eye when you tell him, "despite how i was so certain i would never win this date with you, i actually had such a good time and-"

ken ends up cutting you off the moment you felt him taking a hold of your chin before pressing his lips against yours in a chaste, but sweet, kiss. your eyes go wide, watching when ken pulls away from you with a prominent blush settled against his cheeks. he coughs before running a hand across his hair, "sorry, i know... kisses on the first date is weird, but i couldn't help myself. ever s-since i got your gift, all i could think about was meeting you. and now that i've finally seen you, interacted with you, you are by far the most gorgeous girl i have ever been with, and i-"

it was now your turn to cut off ken's own ramblings with a kiss as you simply leaned forward to perfectly slot your lips against his. letting out a groan of your name, ken eagerly kisses you back with his arms wrapped around your waist, keeping you from falling to your knees for him as you became putty in his hands.

when the need for air proved to be too much, you pull away from him and smile, basking in his half-lidded expression and the way his lips remained slightly open. you giggle at the sight of his captivated expression and take a hold of his hand, silently unlocking the door to your apartment as you invited ken inside your home, wanting nothing more than to spend the rest of your life night with him.

a.n. - this was a daydream i had swirling around in my head for some time now, i just hoped i was able to execute it well enough lmaoooo. this is unedited, but once it's posted i'll make the necessary corrections and changes. 🥹

all stories are written by rei; reposts, translations, and plagiarism are not allowed.

[herefortheships]

All the Small Things...

One of the biggest benefits of Beetlejuice 3 starting with a time skip, if they decide to do it, is that they don't need to spend much time building a dynamic between Lydia and Betelgeuse, if they intent to give them their romantic endgame.

We already saw how they get along in BJBJ and how he continues haunting her at the end, so the base is set. If they do a little time skip, the movie can start with the two of them already having a more established kind of relationship from which the story can take off. They can build their endgame romantic relationship in a believable way, without even needing to have Keaton onscreen more than the amount of time he feels like Betelgeuse should be onscreen (we all know how he believes Betelgeuse can't be in the movie too much <-Totally disagree with him, though! At least for a BJ3 I really feel like he should be onscreen a lot more than 17 minutes).

Lydia and Betelgeuse could have developed a friendship offscreen (or a reluctant friendship, on Lydia's part). OR, better yet, they may totally be acting like an old married couple. They can be shown bickering about little things that only matter when two people care about each other a lot. (I just thought of that clip with a couple arguing because she was shoveling the snow and he didn't want her to do it because that's his job as the husband [I think he even said she was too cute to be doing that 😂]. I wish I could find the clip to put it here. lol)

Little head canon time 💜: Imagine if Betelgeuse acts like her husband whenever he pops up to haunt see her. He makes her coffee every morning; some days he even sets the table for her breakfast, and very night he arranges her slippers by the bed. Lydia acts annoyed, especially at first, "stop trying to see me!" "Just leave me alone, already!" But she secretly loves all the little things he does for her and has gotten used to it. And he does it all because he wants to; he did say he was going to make her happy. The wedding might have not gone through, but, does that matter to him? Nope! He can finally make contact; it's no longer such a long distance relationship anymore. He's gonna make the most of those little moments he can have with her.

And maybe it even takes a lot out of him; he has to focus really hard to appear around her without being summoned, but he doesn't care. He just wants to be there. Maybe he leaves her roses on her bed sometimes, and gets her bath ready for when she comes home from work. It's like someone's taking care of her at all times, but at the same time... He's not truly there. He can only pop in every now and then; he can't be there permanently unless she sets him free. So, when there's a morning Beej can't pop in and make her coffee, Lydia misses him and wonders why he didn't show up today. She has a phantom husband, always there, but also, not truly... Only in his absence does she realize what he's become to her. And that's how she's slowly fallen for him, because of All the Small Things.

[sapphiresaphics]

Having spent time now with the full series I still don’t feel the pacing issues other people seemed to have with it.

I get that as the episodes are releasing and we only have 3 a week and don’t have the full picture of what they’re planning it can be really easy to feel lost and confused.

But now knowing where they were going, a lot of those supposed “rushed plot lines” people were complaining about make sense. The importance of the Black Rose stuff now makes sense because it’s Ambessa’s entire motivation for why she’s doing the things she’s doing. It makes sense to take Ekko and Jayce out of the plot briefly when they visit the hexcore cuz that forces Ambessa to side with Singe. It makes sense why the Warwick stuff was being set up because that ended up being the catalyst to propel Viktor into being the Machine Herald.

Also, it makes sense now why Piltover and Zaun played such an important role in being the stage for where THIS story was set. I get people wanted the show to be more about the inequality, but the inequality was always just the set dressing for the main characters to be in and was never the central focus of the show. Not even back in season 1.

Like back in season 1 the inequality helped explain the characters motivations, but the central core message the story was telling was how people compromised their morals with good intentions only to achieve terrible results.

Jayce built Hextech to help the undercity and he ends up using it against them. Viktor obsesses so much over fixing his disease that he compromises and takes shimmer and in the process Sky dies. Silco dreams of a free Zaun, but it results in him essentially becoming a drug lord and harming the people of Zaun more than helping them. Caitlyn breaks Vi out of prison to help her hunt down Jinx, and in the process of having Vi return into her life inadvertently causes Jinx to double down and attack the Piltover council.

Inequality was a setting and a backdrop, but the show was never focused on resolving or exploring those issues much deeper than it was.

Also, about that pacing.. have you guys gone back and rewatched Season 1? The first 2 episodes are pretty chill with the pacing, but episode 3 goes crazy. And so does episode 4 and 5 and 6… like the pacing gets wilder and wilder as the season goes on until towards the end we are jumping from Silco reeling from nearly getting killed by Sevika to having a friendly discussion with Jayce on the bridge to being captured by Jinx. It’s FAST guys. Breakneck speed.

I will also say that rewatching season 1 gives me an appreciation for a lot of the parallels they had in season 2 that I missed. Things like “Remember Me” being the theme to when Vander attacks Silco back in season 1. Or like how when AU Powder appears on the dance floor with Ekko mirrors how Jinx approached him on the bridge in Season 1 Episode 7. Or how Jayce and Viktor invented Hextech floating up on the ceiling, and the series ends with the two floating in the ethereal plane together.

I maintain that a lot of these criticisms about season 2’s pacing are not as bad as some people think they are once you take the whole series together as a whole. Without that 3 year gap or the wait between episode drops, the whole series blends together much more seamlessly.

And then there’s like… season 2 episode 7? That episode stops all the forward momentum and resets our expectations. It provides us with context for some of the stuff we had seen and helps us understand the stakes going forward. When people are complaining the series is going by too fast I just can’t agree because that episode exists and it literally stops us in our tracks before ramping up again.

I understand that some side characters outside the central 7-8 mains weren’t fully developed much and that is definitely a valid criticism of the show… however I would also remind people that season 1 had a similar problem. Grayson was a fascinating character I wish I knew more about, but outside of a small cameo in episode 5 she’s just gone out of the series forever and nobody brings her up again ever. We never learn much about Huck. We never learn what happened to Clagger and Mylo’s parents. We never learn anything about Finn and what he did. We never learn more about the robot council member or the woman who has a clock on her neck. There are a LOT of characters who just never come back at all in season 1.

I dunno guys.. the more I digest this series the more many of the criticisms feel unfounded or a real reach for something to complain about.

[box-dwelling]

So I saw this post talking about how grace is the most tied to Nibbly which makes sense. She hungers for power, sex, food metaphors with dirty girl soup, which said post already discussed. But also Nibbly is kind of the most prominent one in the summoning scene other than wiggly which would make sense if this is Nibblys ending. Especially because grace is consuming the souls of the horny, those who desire sex, those who are hungry for it. Which aligns with Nibblys modus operandi in Honey queen. Those who hunger taste sweeter. Also makes sense as to why Nibbly's apocalypse is basically a happen ending. He has a pretty sweet gig already. Cult of followers, regularly getting fed, he even gets to walk the earth annually. I make sense that he wouldn't want to change hatchetfield that much and he needs to keep some people alive so he keeps getting fed.

So if TGWDLM, BF, and NPMD show Pokey, Wiggly and Nibbly's respective apocalypses then maybe we'll get 2 more musicals for blinky and Tinky.

From what it looks like, the next show in Hatchetfield (which might not be the next Starkid show, I heard they wanted a break) is going to be about Miss Holloway. And who did she explicitly make a deal with? Tinky! So my guess is he's going to be our next apocalypse. Miss Holloway talks explicitly about him in Killer track and also we know there's a ton of time shenanigans going on with her. I'm like 99% certain if they do the Holloway show he's our main villain. They could do a time loop story, that could be fun, or a million other time travel concepts. I think it would be cool if Frank was involved. We know he was friends with Miss Holloway from Daddy and having a toy store owner and collector would be fun as hell to face off against Tinky. I think a Tinky show is also the perfect time to properly address the lore around the split timelines. We have some stuff but we could get more and now would be a great time as presumably the penultimate show.

As for the 5th show, this is understandably more amorphous. But if I'm right we're talking Blinky. I have a few vauge ideas of places it could head. So one is that they could focus on Rose from Killer track. She's a musician so performance is kind of her thing, maybe the band gets big and that deal with celebrity voyerism and spectacle. And hey I'd like to see her more developed. My other theory is linked with his reference in TTTO. So Jack Bauer mentioning "the watcher with a thousand eyes" in that show is an explicit forth wall break. Said watcher is the audience. And that makes me wonder if a Blinky show could lean into that more. Have the audience be Blinky in some way. And of this would presumably be the finale, a forth wall breaking ending could be a good way to bring closure to the fact that this is a split timeline. Or maybe go full TTTO hand have multiple endings the audience gets to choose. Like which ending they want. Maybe one apocalypse does have to happen so the audience gets to choose who's. This is way more speculative though.

As for setting for these two it's complicated. They like to set the shows at a black altar. But there's 5 and all 5 have already been settings. I think either it's completely new or Tinky is CCRP and Blinky is the starlight theatre. It kinda feels like it's stepping on Pokeys toes a bit but they're both more backdrops. I can't see either at the Wayland's (maaaaaybe Tinky because it's where the black book is in NPMD and Miss Holloway obviously uses it but eh) and Hatchetfield high is so clearly the setting for NPMD where as TGWDLM dots about places so much that there doesn't seem to be as definitively a setting. That being said I do think the high school is Blinkys alter and all the others have come through at their alter (Nibbly's being the Wayland's where grace gets the book) so maybe we get another teen show for blinky. But then again Miss Holloway is working at Hatchetfield high too now so maybe her show will be there as well. At the very least I think the finales will be at their set altars. Blinky comes through at the high school and Tinky at the CCRP

[gorbalsvampire]

D'you have any player-facing or secret ST-eyes-only systems that you like to use for tracking SI exposure in your games? Or (shunting you a soapbox here) for seeding and making good on consequences generally?

So in general, my absolute favourite way to generate The Quencies is Succees At A Cost. "I'll offer you a devil's bargain," to quote the Master, Mr. Carl.

Kick enough Successes at a Cost down the trail and you can have them escalate into something quite spectacular, whatever that turns out to be. The same for Messy Critical consequences. "There's been a Masquerade breach, but I need to work out the details, so it'll be with you in a couple of sessions' time." That sort of thing.

I also like to frame story beats as poison chalices and sadistic choices. Yes, you can have the Dunsirns' help in covering up the assassination attempt on that Baron you murdered, but they want her property, her territory, and you to know exactly who took the fall for you and what that's worth.

What else? Every chronicle needs a character who's talked about more than they are seen. Telegraphy is key, but don't go too hard on it - we don't want players going "we've got a BADASS over here" about them. I think the trick is having other SPCs be afraid of them, or answerable to them, or clearly dependent on them.

In my Glasgow game, Miss Drake the scourge didn't appear very often, but she was mentioned in the context of "what keeps this praxis running?" and "why doesn't anyone hunt in the West End?" Sir Thomas Dunsirn - Big Tam to his family - was the unseen hand of the nocturnal economy and, more to the point, the hand holding Alistair's leash.

There's this horrid old man who somehow gets you to do whatever he wants. You first met him when he physically and psychically assaulted his way into your turf and your crime scene. You owe him your continued liberty. And he has a boss. At that point, player imagination is doing the work.

But while we're here, I'm also going to talk about Nemesis Points. I took these a late-series Fighting Fantasy gamebook, Night Dragon, and I love them. As you quest to find the location of the titular Night Dragon and prevent its resurrection by the cult who worship it, you have various avenues of investigation to pursue, some of which are of course dead ends: you also have various bits of side business, in accordance with custom. Every prevarication, every attempt made, even the successful ones, adds some Nemesis Points to your tally. If you haven't found the Night Dragon's lair by the time you reach a given Nemesis score, Your Adventure Is Over in a sense far greater than "you got mugged by three pirates and died again."

When I was running face to face games, I'd sometimes put one of those spindown - or in this case spin up - life counters from Magic on the table. Whenever my players prevaricated, overthought, faffed about or otherwise didn't make the most of our time together, the die would spin up a little.

I think something like that could adapt to Masquerade cockups very nicely. People love a meter.

I find the Response Algorithm and Institutional Conflict systems in the Anarch and Camarilla books are a bit of a headache, but they're there if you need them. Of course, Second Inquisition also has a chapter explicitly for doing this, for running your SI presence as an active and hostile force with its own goals - almost a solo side game for the ST.

This isn't something I've used - yet - as Wild Roses was very much me finding the transitions I needed to make out of Revised era thinking, and one of those was vampire-focus, less interest in what mortals want and are doing. The SI there was a cool threat that warmed up in the third story when I wanted to raise the stakes and do a cool bank heist opening session, and again when a returning player gave me the opportunity to tell a story about collaborators and how they should die in shame. I had ideas for how they served the vampire story and they were only developed in so far as they did that.

I'm not actually very happy with how I characterised and played my SI characters, and I'd like to do them justice with another outing. One where they actually have a project. It'll be more work for me, but if I'm going to do this Spy vs. Spy chronicle concept justice, I'm going to have to do that work, aren't I?

[the-smut-analyst]

A defence of the Good Guy / Bad Boy love triangle

It is no secret that mainstream YA & NA fantasy gravitates towards an angsty love triangle. But is this trope's popularity due to vapid teenage vanity... or something far deeper?

Warning: in this post, I will be referencing: True Blood/The Southern Vampire Mysteries, Legendborn, A Court of Thorns and Roses, The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Hunger Games, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and The Vampire Diaries. Some minor spoilers, mostly relating to the romance side of things, may be involved.

I have stumbled across a bunch of articles lately analysing why love triangles are popular in YA and NA fiction - and all of them, in my opinion, missed the entire point.

Firstly, they focus entirely on the "love interests", while wilfully ignoring the fact that the romance element is often a subset of these stories, rather than the main focus (more on that later).

Secondly, these articles often attribute the appeal of the love triangle to "teenage vanity". They either directly state or imply that young women are drawn to the idea of "provoking" two men into a fight for their affection.

Look, I get it.

Or at least I get how a middle-aged man tap-tap-tapping away on his computer might draw that conclusion. Especially if the crux of his knowledge regarding female-centred fantasy rests on blog posts ripping apart Twilight.

But regardless, the fact remains that labelling YA love triangles as a conceited sexual fantasy is a gross over-simplification. Why? Because romance is rarely the point of the story. Instead, the love triangle is a vehicle through which the author complements and elevates the standard Hero's Journey plot beats.

To demonstrate this argument, I will go through each of the critical plot beats in the Hero's Journey. For each beat, I will demonstrate (with examples) how dual love interests can underscore the character development of the protagonist and highlight her emotional struggles during each stage.

The outline for this analysis will be as follows:

Introduction of the Female Protagonist / Refusal of the Call

Meet the Good Guy / Meeting the Mentor

Meet the Bad Boy / Tests, Allies, and Enemies

Death of Innocence / The Ordeal in the Abyss

Heartbreak / "Death" of the Mentor

Grief for Lost Innocence / Refusal of the Return

Self-Discovery / The Road Back Home

Female Protagonist Accepts Her New Self / Master of Two Worlds

For reference, here is a rough outline of the major plot beats in the Hero's Journey:

Alright. Time to rip apart some assumptions.

Let's go!

Introduction of the Female Protagonist

Refusal of the Call

Mainstream fantasy love triangles almost always centre a female protagonist hence why people love to hate on them. The introduction of this protagonist generally follows your fairly standard Hero's Journey opening.

We meet the protagonist, usually a teenager or young woman, going about their "everyday life" in the ordinary world.

But then the Call to Adventure comes - sometimes referred to as the Inciting incident. For Feyre (ACOTAR), this moment is when she kills a wolf who turns out to be Fae. Or for Katniss (HG), her sister's name is drawn, prompting her to offer herself as a tribute instead.

The Call to Adventure or Inciting Incident marks a point of no return - even though the protagonist might not realise it at the time. It is the moment when life as they know it ends. Afterwards, nothing will ever be the same, including the protagonist.

The following beat is usually the Refusal of the Call, where the protagonist resists any change coming their way. Buffy (BTVS), for example, wants to continue her life as a regular teenage girl instead of being burdened by the duties of being the Slayer. Similarly, Sabrina (TCAOS) is hesitant to participate in the dark baptism, scared of its implications for her ties to the mortal world.

But for the plot to move forward, something or someone needs to prompt the protagonist to leave the "ordinary" world behind - and in turn, take those first few tentative steps into the "special" world (unknown).

Enter...

Meeting the Good Guy

Meeting the Mentor

The Mentor doesn't always have to be an Obi-Wan-style character who teaches the protagonist everything they know about lightsabers. In its simplest form, the Mentor archetype is a guide. Someone who takes the protagonist by the hand, either literally or metaphorically, and leads them from the ordinary world into the special one.

This transition is known as Crossing the Threshold and it is the beat that marks the shift from Act I to Act II.

Now, there is a good reason why the Meeting the Mentor plot beat often serves as a precursor to Crossing the Threshold. And no, it isn't because the protagonist is incapable of doing anything by themselves.

Instead, the Mentor character is often employed to explain how this new world works to both the protagonist and the reader alike.

Through the protagonist interacting with a "guide", the rules and systems of the new world can be revealed through dialogue and action, rather than excessive exposition and info-dumping.

And this is where the "good guy" as a Mentor character stand-in comes into play. His arrival serves the dual purpose of propelling the protagonist into the Crossing the Threshold beat and guiding her once she does.

For example, Sookie's budding romance with Bill is what introduces her (and us) to the Charlene Harris's world of vampires in True Blood. Or, in Tamlin's case, he takes his role in "helping" Feyre to cross the threshold quite literally and abducts her, forcing her to leave the human world behind in place of the world of Fae.

Now, there are quite a few exceptions to this good guy/mentor rule and they generally occur when the good guy is a childhood friend or sweetheart. Examples include Harvey (TCAOS), Gale (HG), and Malyen (SAB).

When this happens, the good guy often provides the protagonist with a much-needed link to her previous life and/or the ordinary world. He takes on more of a "grounding" role, rather than a guiding one.

But regardless, what these good guys have in common is a fairly standard set of traits. They are protective, have a strong moral compass, and are incredibly loyal to the protagonist.

Furthermore, they are almost always the protagonist's "first love". They offer her the emotional support she needs in order to move forward by making her feel less alone in the world.

Regardless of whether the good guy is a childhood friend or a mentor-like character, his relationship with the protagonist usually marks a time of both innocence and self-discovery. He is a source of love and companionship while the protagonist takes those first few tentative steps into the unknown.

Meeting the Bad Boy

Tests, Allies, and Enemies

The Hero's Journey is, at its essence, a Bildungsroman-like story. Or at least it is in the YA/NA genres. It is a coming-of-age tale, with Crossing the Threshold being a symbol for leaving the child behind in order to discover the adult that awaits.

What follows is a collection of plot beats known as Tests, Allies, and Enemies. This stage of the story is often fraught with missteps and small triumphs, good times and bad times - much the same as adolescence.

And this is where the bad boy comes in.

Sometimes the bad boy manifests as an enemy who the protagonist must face in some kind of test like Spike to Buffy. Other times, he presents as a Temptation beat, like the Darkling does to Alina (SAB), trying to lure the protagonist away from their path.

But regardless of how he makes his entrance, the initial purpose of the bad boy is almost always to bring the protagonist face-to-face with the dangers of this new world.

For example, through Eric, Sookie realises that not all vampires are polite and restrained like Bill. Similarly, Feyre's first encounters with Rhysand show her an even darker side to the Fae.

Even bad boys who are not outright evil still tend to behave in a way that the protagonist finds confronting, like Peeta (HG), whose ruthlessly practical survival tactics disturb the very moral Katniss.

In this sense, the bad boy fashions himself into a symbol of the harsh realities of adulthood. Much as a child might find their first encounter with the cruelty of the world shocking, the protagonist is shocked and appalled by the bad boy.

We're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.

However, it is important to note that the bad boy is usually just one component of the beats involved in the Tests, Allies, and Enemies section. Again, this ties in with my argument that these stories are a Hero's Journey first - with the love triangle simply underscoring that fact.

The friendships that Buffy forms with Willow and Xander are shown to be her two most enduring relationships, while her love interests come and go. In Legendborn, Bree's quest to learn the truth about her mother's death has nothing to do with romance at all. And Sabrina's rivalry-to-friendship arc with Prudence gets significant screen time across multiple episodes and seasons.

During the Tests, Allies, and Enemies stage, the protagonist is usually starting to come into her own. She faces challenges, forms friendships, and encounters enemies. And yes, with love triangles there's usually some lust and romance thrown in there, too.

But the main focus of this stage is that the protagonist is starting to learn who she is. She is becoming more and more powerful with each setback and triumph.

The Death of Innocence

The Ordeal in the Abyss

The Ordeal into the Abyss, also known as The Belly of the Whale, is a plot beat where the protagonist encounters their greatest test thus far.

Rather than this beat being the climax of the story, The Ordeal is generally a challenge that the protagonist must face before the final confrontation or battle - and they must do so alone. It sees them hitting rock bottom and coming face-to-face with their greatest fear, whatever that may be.

This plot beat is a transformative one. It forever changes the protagonist and readies them for the final battle ahead. It is a death of innocence. The moment when the "girl" becomes the "woman", so to speak.

And in this sense, The Ordeal in the Abyss comes with loss and gain in equal measure. Yes, the protagonist is stronger for the experience, but not without cost.

To get to this point, she has been to hell and back. Sometimes literally (cough, cough. Sabrina). The protagonist is now well acquainted with the darkness of this new world but, in order to survive it, she has to absorb some of that darkness into herself.

If you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes into you.

The aftermath of The Ordeal usually sees the protagonist having conflicting feelings over what she has discovered about herself.

On the one hand, she might relish her newfound power and strength. But on the other hand, she may also be afraid of who she had to become in order to emerge triumphant.

Heartbreak

"Death" of the Mentor

The Death of the Mentor isn't always a literal death, but rather, it is a plot beat that forces the protagonist to stand on their own two feet.

By losing the mentor, the protagonist's safety net is ripped out from underneath them. It places them in a "sink or swim" situation that is critical to their growth as a character.

This is why the relationship with the good guy must either falter or end at some point, even if only temporarily. Their breakup serves as a stand-in for the Death of the Mentor plot beat.

Because despite romance featuring heavily in these stories, there is still an inherent idea within them that there are certain steps in a woman's coming-of-age that she must take alone.

The cause of this breakup is almost always due to the transformation that the protagonist underwent during The Ordeal. The good guy no longer understands her, even though he may want to.

For example, Feyre's experience Under the Mountain sees her outgrow her coddled life with Tamlin. Similarly, when Katniss returns to 12, Gale can't fully comprehend what she went through, nor the role she is being forced to play as a result.

Grief for Lost Innocence

Refusal of the Return

The combination of The Ordeal and the Death of the Mentor take their emotional toll on the protagonist. She mourns for the girl she once was, the loss of her first love, and the ordinary world that is now a stranger to her.

What follows is a low point called The Refusal of the Return. Sometimes this beat sees the protagonist running away from her problems, as Buffy does when she flees Sunnydale after killing Angel.

Other times, The Refusal of the Return is a period of rebellion. Grief manifests itself into rage and the protagonist leans more heavily into that darker side of themselves that they discovered during The Ordeal. Like when Elena turns off her humanity following the loss of her brother.

It is usually during this stage that the bad boy begins to take on a more prominent role. (Welcome back to the plot, bad boys!)

At some point, either during this beat or perhaps earlier, we see a different side to the bad boy. Most often, this occurs when the bad boy shows the protagonist some kind of vulnerability, leading her to second guess her first impression.

In the Darkling's case, Alina recognises his profound loneliness. Sookie witnesses Eric's grief at the loss of his maker, Godric. And Rhysand confides in Feyre about the horrors he endured at the hands of Amarantha.

However, seeing this "other" side isn't just a plot device to justify the protagonist's developing feelings for the bad boy. But rather, it serves as a mechanism through which the protagonist's assumptions and beliefs are thrown into question. Not just about the bad boy, but about the world in general.

Disrupting the protagonist's foundations is essential to nearly all emotionally-driven storytelling. Through shattering the her beliefs - whether it be in a system or person - the narrative is propelled forward as the protagonist is then forced into come to her own conclusions.

And this - THIS! - is where the "good guy / bad boy dynamic" becomes so much more than just a blatant over-simplification of male archetypes pandering to female sexual fantasy.

The dichotomy of "good" and "bad" expands here to represent larger choices that the protagonist has to make. Comfort or danger? Honour or Power? Altruism or ambition?

Furthermore, the protagonist's conflicting feelings about the two love interests underscores the very real push-and-pull we all feel during adolescence. Where we crave the adventure and independence of adulthood while simultaneously mourning the safety and protection of childhood.

And this is why the good guy / bad boy love triangle can be such a great plot device. It's not only fun to read (when done well) but it makes sense that the protagonist might find herself drawn to someone whose darkness matches her own.

Who the bad boy is - and what he has done - creates a safe space for the protagonist to explore this darker side of herself. To rebel. To fall apart. To be selfish for once, instead of selfless.

At a time when others in the protagonist's life, like the good guy or her friends, my judge or simply not understand her, the bad boy offers a reprieve. But whether this reprieve positively or negatively influences the protagonist tends to vary from story to story.

Sometimes he is the one who encourages her Refusal of the Return, as the Darkling does for Alina. Other times, the bad boy helps the protagonist in returning to her path, rather than luring her away from it, by offering her his understanding.

Peeta gets what Katniss is going through in a way Gale never can because he went through it, too. Similarly, Stefan can't provide Elena with the reassurance she needs after becoming a vampire because he has never come to terms with his own loss of humanity - therefore, enter Damon.

Self-Discovery

The Road Back Home

The Road Back Home sees the protagonist emerging from her Refusal of the Return. It is when she embarks on the journey to fully reconcile the girl she once was with the woman she has become. To do this, she needs to confront her trauma from The Ordeal and forgive herself for whatever darkness it might have awakened.

This is usually a gradual process that takes place over many chapters or episodes. In many ways, it is a mirror to the Crossing the Threshold beat. Except this time around, the protagonist is looking inwards not outward - instead of discovering the new world, she is discovering herself.

During this time, the bad boy's relationship with the protagonist is often explored more deeply. Being loved by the bad boy - darkness and all - is usually a precursor to the protagonist beginning to accept this darker side of herself, too.

But a distinction needs to be made here between "accept" and "embrace". The former does not necessitate the latter, and whether or not the bad boy gets his own redemption arc usually serves as the distinction between the two.

In the Darkling's case, he certainly helps Alina to come into her power, but ultimately, Alina rejects the path that he is trying to lead her down. The Darkling might have helped her to accept her darkness, but she does not fully embrace it the way he does.

Other times, when the bad boy gets his own redemption arc, we see a precursor to self-love through their relationship. Because in pursuing her feelings for the bad boy, the protagonist has to reconcile the fact that people are nuanced, and no one is entirely good nor evil. In forgiving the bad boy for his past wrongdoings, the protagonist sees that it is possible to forgive herself, too. Damon and Elena's arc (in the TV adaptation) is a good example of this.

But regardless of where things may or may not go with the bad boy, the next plot beat has nothing to do with romance at all. Now, the protagonist is ready for the final battle.

The Female Protagonist Accepts Herself

Master of Two Worlds

Everything the protagonist has been through has been leading her to this moment. Her triumphs, her defeats. Her discoveries and lessons. Her friends and mentors and lovers.

She's faced evil, maybe even embraced a little of it, and come out stronger and better for the experience. She has finished mourning the child she once was and accepted the woman she has become.

Now she is ready, as a master of both worlds, to face whatever comes next. And we, as readers, now get to enjoy the final battle!

Basically, the protagonist is a certified badass now - and she's going to win.

Now, where the romance goes during or after this plot beat is very, very varied. Sometimes, the protagonist stays with the bad boy, like Feyre does with Rhysand. Other times, the relationship is temporary, like Eric and Sookie. Or, in the case of Buffy, neither the good guy nor the bad boy remains in the picture. In fact, a very deliberate choice was made with her story to avoid an "end-game" romantic pairing.

And the reason why the romance is pretty damn varied is because, well, it doesn't really matter. The romance is the cherry on top of the story, not the whole damn cake.

Conclusion

I understand that love triangles might not be everyone's cup of tea - and that's okay. But to paint the entire trope under the broad strokes of teenage vanity and wish fulfilment is to do it a disservice.

Because for the most part, it isn't just some vapid romance. A lot of the most popular stories within the genre are actually complex YA fantasies in and of their own right, driven by your standard emotionally-driven, coming of age beats. They just happen to feature a female protagonist who falls in love.

Okay, maybe in this example she falls in love a few times. But so what? Getting your heart broken and mended again is a part of growing up, so why shouldn't it have a place in YA/NA fiction?

If young men are allowed to froth over some guy getting bitten by radioactive a spider and getting superpowers, then we can have two sexy vampires pining over the same girl.

[clangenrising]

Month 12 - Leafbare

Leafbare had become increasingly lonely for Yarrowshade. The loss of both Nightfrost and Scorchplume had taken a heavy toll on his social life. He still went hunting with Pantherhaze and Barleypaw but the energy wasn’t there.While Pantherhaze was sweet, and practically his brother, they didn’t have the same back and forth that he had with Scorchplume or Nightfrost and their absence had left a void in him that no one seemed to be able to fill.

Normally he would have gone to Goldenstar for help with that, but she had become increasingly busy managing Floodpaw’s training and keeping up the alliances with the other Clans. Now that Smokyrose had gone back to work, the two of them had started making frequent trips to the other Clans to discuss policy and next moves. Goldenstar had even told him she was planning on introducing them to the system of Soft Oaths and True Oaths she had developed. That seemed like a risky idea to him but she was determined and once she got an idea in her head, it was hard to get it out. 

And so Yarrowshade had thrown himself into teaching Barleypaw. She was coming along so well - practically taller than him already and an expert at bird catching. She was maturing too. After the battle, she’d been so ready to fight if it came to it even though she was terrified and he had been so proud of her. He’d also felt incredibly guilty though, him with his bruised ribs and wounded ego, for throwing himself into a fight he hadn’t had a chance of winning. What would have happened to her if he had died there? The thought made him feel sick to his stomach. 

He lay awake one morning, stewing over that thought. He had always been happy to focus on hunting instead of fighting, to let cats like Songdust and Russetfrond take charge in battle, but now… He realized that was a luxury he didn’t have anymore. He was tired of losing cats and being helpless to stop it but he did have the power to try and stop someone else from losing him. He rose from his nest, resolved to do something about it. 

The day was unseasonably warm and lightly cloudy. Goldenstar and Oddstripe were talking softly near the Stoneperch while Smokyrose tried to detach herself from her kittens at the mouth of the nursery. 

“I know, I know,” she said, “but I have to go, my dears.”

“Are you coming back?” Slatekit cried, her big golden eyes wide. 

“Yes, of course I will,” Smokyrose soothed, licking the kitten’s forehead and then prying her tail free from her clutches. 

“Hey! Hey, mom!” Fogkit said, seemingly having an entirely different conversation, “Guess what!”

“What, Fogkit?” Smokyrose sighed with a smile. 

Fogkit bounced up and down on her paws and asked, “If- If you hold your breath too long, will you die?” 

“No, sweetheart,” said Smokyrose, “You can’t hold your breath that long, your body won’t let you.” 

“Really?” Fogkit squeaked.

“Yes,” nodded Smokyrose, “now I really need to go, but I’m sure Ospreymask or someone can play with you.” 

“Okay,” Slatekit whispered. Fogkit was holding her breath but nodded excitedly. Yarrowshade shook his head. Kittens… How did they have so much energy?

Stepping away, Smokyrose joined Goldenstar and Oddstripe, saying, “Alright. Let’s get going.” 

“Wait up!” Yarrowshade said, realizing he needed to be quick. “Goldenstar, do you have a moment?” He bounded up to join the three of them. 

“Um,” Goldenstar glanced up at the sky and winced. “Maybe. What’s up?” 

“I was wondering if you had some time to help me with some training,” he said.

Her wince intensified. “I’m sorry, Yare, we’re expected in EarthClan.” 

Yarrowshade looked at Oddstripe and frowned. “Is Stormwhisper still missing?” 

“Yeah…” the healer frowned, big ears folding back. “And Fishtrick has whitecough.” 

“Damn,” Yarrowshade wilted. What kind of healer just went off and didn’t tell anybody? He wondered if perhaps Stormwhisper had died but pushed the thought away. Despite being EarthClan’s current healer, he had once been a formidable warrior. It was unlikely he had been killed by something, or at least Yarrowshade hoped so. 

“Besides,” Goldenstar said, “I’m talking with Orangestar about our next moves today. We’ve gotta find a way to stop the rogues from stealing our prey.” She was right. Even though no city cat had been caught over the border since the battle, they still ventured into Clan territory to snag prey and food was only getting scarcer. 

Yarrowshade sighed and nodded. “Alright. Good luck, Goldie.” 

“Thanks,” she purred, bumping her head against his. “Why don’t you ask Russetfrond for help? I’m sure he’ll be able to handle whatever training you need.” 

“Oh,” Yarrowshade swallowed tensely. “I don’t know-” But she was already walking away, Oddstripe and Smokyrose close behind. He sighed again. “Great.” 

Behind him, Fogkit suddenly gasped for breath and said, “She’s right! You can’t do it!” 

Yarrowshade ate breakfast and watched as Sparrowpaw came out to entertain the kits for a while. Barleypaw eventually joined him and the two began tossing the kittens as high as they could into the air, a game which involved a lot of squealing and shrieking. By the time Russetfrond came out of the warrior’s den, Yarrowshade had withdrawn deeply into his own mind. He frowned as he watched Russetfrond pick out a fish from the prey pile, contemplating whether or not he should even try asking for help. 

Russetfrond was a huge grump, the kind of cat who took everything far too seriously. When they were apprentices, Yarrowshade had enjoyed getting on his nerves and pushing the boundaries of his rule following, but as they’d grown up Russetfrond had only gotten angrier with him and it had stopped being fun and started being annoying. He was a strong believer in going with the flow and Russetfrond’s rigid adherence to law and order drove him up a tree. How did Goldenstar expect such a strict curmudgeon to teach him anything?!

Still… He watched Barleypaw playing with the kittens and thought again about what she would do if he died. Reluctantly, he stood and crossed the camp to where Russetfrond was eating. The deputy looked up at him and raised an eyebrow.

“Hey,” Yarrowshade said, then cleared his throat. “I was hoping to do some battle training today and Goldenstar said maybe you could help me.” His pride was writhing inside him but he kept his expression stoic. He couldn’t back out now.

Russetfrond grunted and said, “Sure, I can take Barleypaw out with the others today and-” 

“No,” interrupted Yarrowshade. “I meant me.” He took a deep breath and let it out, trying to muster the effort to continue. “I want to be a better fighter.” 

“You really should have thought about that while you were an apprentice,” Russetfrond said flippantly. 

“Come on, man,” Yarrowshade said, a growl edging into his voice. “We’re only gonna have more and more battles with these rogues. I want to be ready.” 

Russetfrond squinted at him for a long moment. “Say please.” 

“Ugh, are you serious?” Yarrowshade tossed his head back in frustration.

“Yes,” Russetfrond insisted. “If you want my help, you’ll ask properly.” His eyes narrowed, a challenge. Yarrowshade considered waiting for Goldenstar to get back instead but the idea of her being disappointed in him or pushing herself too far to add helping him onto her long list of responsibilities made his throat feel tight. 

Eventually, he sighed and said, “Russetfrond, will you please help me with my battle training?”

Russetfrond grunted and stood, twitching his tail to beckon Yarrowshade to follow him. “Alright. Come on.” Yarrowshade blinked in surprise. He had expected Russetfrond to nitpick his tone or say no anyways just to spite him. He wasn’t about to protest, though, and so he followed Russetfrond out into the fields to a sandy training ground near camp. 

“Alright,” Russetfrond said again, turning back to him, “Where did you want to start?” 

“Um,” Yarrowshade hadn’t considered it. “How not to get my tail handed to me by a pair of kittypets I guess?” 

Russetfrond scowled. “The first step is to stop underestimating your opponents. These kittypets aren’t pampered weaklings like we used to believe. Many of them are skilled fighters and if you keep pretending you’re above them they’ll beat you every time.” 

“Okay, fine,” Yarrowshade rolled his eyes. He didn’t care for the way Russetfrond was treating him like a little kit. 

“Pay attention!” Russetfrond said with a frustrated growl. “You asked me for help, okay? If you’re not gonna take this seriously you can leave.” 

“I am taking it seriously,” Yarrowshade groaned. “Don’t expect me to be all ‘yes, sir’ and ‘no, sir’ okay? In case you forgot, I’m older than you.” He huffed a bitter laugh through his nose, tail twitching, and started tearing at the sparse grass with his paws. Why was Russetfrond like this?

“Then act like it already!” Russetfrond snapped. “You make everything into a joke! It’s infuriating.” 

“Okay, whatever,” Yarrowshade shook his head. “You just like feeling better than everyone ‘cause your mom was leader.” 

“I have a legacy to maintain,” Russetfrond growled, his own tail lashing, “just like Wildstar of old. I have to make my mother proud! You have no idea what that’s like!” 

Yarrowshade grit his teeth furiously. As a kitten, he had been found wandering through the territory, starving and confused as to why his mother had abandoned him out in the grass.

The Clan had taken him in, filled his belly, and treated his fever. They had given him a place to call his own and he had tried his hardest to make them proud, to make sure they never regretted their decision to welcome him in. For Russetfrond to insinuate that he didn’t have anyone to make proud filled him up with rage and indignation. 

“You badger-whelp!” he snarled. “I ought to shred your ears for that.” 

“Try it,” Russetfrond dared, arching his back into a battle stance. “You want some combat training? Let’s go.” Yarrowshade laughed. Russetfrond just bared his teeth. With a shock, Yarrowshade realized he was serious. 

“Alright,” he laughed again, rolling his shoulders and sinking into a stance of his own. “You asked for it.” The threat was all bravado - he knew he was outmatched - but the urge to get sent back to the healers’ den trying was too strong. Even though he had felt guilty about getting beaten by those kittypets, he had to admit there was something satisfying in the pain, something he deserved. 

Giving a yowl, he sprang, claws swiping for Russetfrond’s ears. Russetfrond, to his surprise, lunged up to meet him, crashing his skull up into Yarrowshade’s jaw which caused his teeth to snap down onto his tongue with a jarring ‘clack!’ He hissed, reeling back and spat blood onto the sand. 

“You fight like a hunter,” Russetfrond said, still in a battle crouch but not advancing. “You try to get a hit in before your target can notice but that doesn’t work with cats. You have to wear them down or wait for an opening, you can’t just win by being the first to make a hit.” 

Yarrowshade grit his teeth in pain and anger. Now Russetfrond was trying to teach him? He sprang again, this time going low to try and snap at his opponent’s neck. His teeth found purchase in Russetfrond’s thick ruff of fur. Pushing forward, he tried to topple Russetfrond onto his back, but the sturdy tom hunkered down and swatted him roughly in the eye. 

“Ow!” Yarrowshade cried out, falling backwards to nurse his wound. “Fox-dung, man, that’s not cool!” He groaned and cradled his paws against his eye. 

Russetfrond ignored him. “You’re still doing it. Don’t just rush in. Test my defenses for weaknesses first.” Yarrowshade took a deep slow breath to release the pain then slowly lowered his paws, blinking until he could see again. It seemed his eye would be alright, if a little irritated for a while. The moment of pause had already started to leech the anger out of him and, as he took another slow breath, he felt his temper coming back under his control. 

Fine, he thought, We’ll try it his way. He lowered himself into a more defensive crouch and started to prowl closer and Russetfrond shifted his posture to account for the change in tactic. Once Yarrowshade felt like he had closed enough distance, he darted in, one paw batting out, then hopped back. Russetfrond followed him with a few strikes which he dodged. He smiled. The tempo of the battle had changed significantly and he liked it. 

“Good,” Russetfrond said as they circled each other. “This part of the battle is like stalking the prey. If you forget to do this important step and just go charging in you’re going to lose your catch nine times out of ten.” 

“Right,” Yarrowshade said, suddenly understanding. He shifted his posture ever so slightly, keeping his body low to the ground and his limbs close to his body where it was harder to hit them. He was stalking his prey, metaphorically tasting the wind and accounting for the light. He lunged forward with another few swipes and two of them managed to hit Russetfrond in the head. Excitement rising, he pressed his advantage, rearing up to bring more weight down with each strike, but then Russetfrond lunged, tackling him to the ground. He writhed and scrambled and Russetfrond let him go. 

“Better, but you still need to have more patience,” Russetfrond said. 

Yarrowshade nodded. “Alright. How ‘bout this one?” He attacked again, leaping high into the air with the intent to land on Russetfrond’s head, and his opponent reared up to meet him. They met in a flurry of blows, claws sheathed, until Russetfrond hit him in the gut and he hopped back again to catch his breath.

“Not bad,” Russetfrond smirked, “but maybe don’t announce your attacks next time, yeah?” 

Yarrowshade laughed and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” he said, shaking out his pelt. “Let’s go again.”

[guiltycorp]

mmm im sort of glad they released arcane survivor jayce skin voicelines in league before act 3 drops because my expectations for it were rising a bit too much lmao... before it i almost convinced myself that yeah, viktor's character arc will lead him to manipulate jayce into transferring his soul to a new mechanical body + focus on a new strategy for 'healing' societal issues that isn't 100% evil and bad (while still having its drawbacks re: will and consent) and fighting noxians would place the zaun side in a better position to bargain with piltover for equal rights and a stop to exploitation (with an open ending sure but still), or even a straightforward revolution with zaun getting its independence through a violent protest that piltover wouldn't be able to curb due to being stretched too thin

but uhm.... all of this looks kinda... sigh

i really doubt they'll have the time in the remaining 3 episodes to develop both his and Viktor's motivations to fit those new ideas, feels like more of the same 'it all happened off-screen, trust that it makes sense' journey saying that Viktor is 'still worth saving' feels especially yucky all things considered, like pls stop trying to save that man and let him act and choose for himself for once in this season maybe? never thought i'd miss the times when Viktor was doing unsafe experiments, getting illegal drugs from evil mentors and accidentally fridging random female assistants, but mmm that sure didn't get a proper continuation for him did it... just like with Caitlyn, or even Mel or Jinx, we just can't seem to get a proper development for the obviously Questionable things the characters choose to do, it's all kind of swept under the rug or cancelled out by magic interference i guess, or they changed their mind off-screen so it's fine now now that i think about it, Jayce is the only one who was allowed to somewhat grow and change organically, and yet this arcane adventure of his might end up ruining even that... well maybe Vi too but she didn't have a concrete focus this season, just more of the same 'should i reconnect with my sister/father or kill them off for good' and lesbian angst (if she still goes back to enforcers after this i just... fml) did Ambessa's warmongering get the best of her or was she cornered by the Black Rose shenanigans with no better way out? did Isha have any purpose aside from giving us false hope that Jinx will get better and have a happy ending? will Mel have any relevance aside from the new magical one and managing her own mother? does Viktor want to 'supersede nature' and get rid of human error element now because of his own character journey or because that's just what Hexcore is leading him to do?... will Caitlyn show that she still doesn't get why Zaun is the way it is or will she also go 'yeahhh i made some mistakes, but now we fight a common enemy yay, and i'll be a bit less strict in the future without making any meaningful changes to the status quo... it was all them foreigners fault' it's just all so... aghhh

and yep now i am expecting that the piltover/zaun conflict is overrr because they have to come together to fight Ambessa and whatever is going wrong with the magic, sighhh social conflict plotlines are a little too spicy for our animated league adaptation i guess... ...this is the only voiceline implication i like and even then i can't help but imagine Viktor the damsel in distress begging Jayce to fix the mistakes they both did instead of like, participating in that himself

bonus points if that promise won't even be to Viktor fghgfhgf

[crystal-lillies]

how was the 13th doctor robbed ?

Well. This is gonna be a long one anon.

For starters, she had a shorter episode count for each of her series (two consisting of 10 episodes, her last only had 6!!! SIX!!! and even with the ending specials that's 3 more, but they did not deal with the third season much at all. That story barely had anything.) Each season since the start of NuWho has been 13 episodes plus Christmas specials, give or take extra specials depending. (10th Doctor had FOUR extra specials after the end of his last season. Plus he showed up in Day of the Doctor, so he's been extra spoiled). Just think of how much more could have been done with more episodes!

She was also robbed of the traditional Christmas specials, which was a staple of EVERY NuWho season before her, and GUESS WHO GOT ONE RIGHT AWAY when RTD came back? (13 got a couple New Years specials which are fine, but she will be the ONLY multi season NuWho Doctor to not have a Christmas special, and that's just wrong. The Christmas specials are iconic and holiday time classics and always focus on familial bonds the Doctor makes and 13 is missing that).

The 13th Doctor's tenure also had to endure COVID, which isn't on the BBC or the showrunners obv, but it still detracts from what she could have had that the past Doctors had and what the future Doctors will have.

The 10th and 11th Doctors particularly had oodles of extra content like shorts and mini features that was nowhere to be found for the 13th Doctor. (In fairness, 12 didn't get as many extra bonus things also, but 12 had full seasons and Christmas specials, including one of the best ones with River Song).

And one of the most egregious forms of theft was from Jodie Whittaker herself. She is an incredible actress and she was hardly given the space to fully go as hard as she could. If you've ever seen the Antigone performance she gives...it's stunning. Legendary. Raw. She is a brilliant actress so she was able to bring some of that into certain moments of the 13th doctor's tenure, but there are painfully few epic moments of 13 in the same way there are so many of the 10th, 11th, and 12th doctors.

Also she was robbed, again with the shorter episode count, of breathing room and development with her companions. Short season runs (10 or less episodes) are So So Lean, and they really hurt so much not just from Doctor Who but the Netflix ATLA, Percy Jackson, Marvel and Star Wars shows, etc. We could have had more development time with Yaz, especially with her feelings toward 13, have them properly shown a lot more, rather than having Mandip and Jodie carrying everything on their backs with little add ins and crumbs. Plus Graham and Ryan! And poor Dan got shafted as the new Flux companion. He got so much less time to really get fleshed out and form a bond with 13. The show even makes a point of that! He's closer to Yaz than anyone.

And 13 was also robbed of one of the most important things of all: passing on her wardrobe to the next doctor.

RTD can say what he likes but he was a coward and an asshole for not having David wear Jodie's costume. He can't in one breath claim to be treading lightly about crossdressing to be respectful (when it's Perfectly Fine to have the POC male villain rock the wardrobe not a half hour before, weird) and in the same breath have Rose Noble's deadname used multiple times in the first TenThree special.

Apologies about the ramble, anon, but more or less, those are many of the reasons why I feel 13 has been robbed in ways her predecessors and her successors were/are not. (I've said these things before and I have said them again, and I'll probably keep saying them.) I genuinely hope this helps you understand some of the lingering feelings of disappointment.

[littlemisssquiggles]

...So...about the second episode of RWBY Beyond...

[SPOILERS AHEAD! NUFF SAID]

It skips over the return of RWBY and Jaune, reuniting with their comrades in Vacuo and getting to see everyone’s reactions to being reunited with their missing comrades after so long.

Alright. I guess they're saving that for V10 if it gets greenlit. Fair and fine.

That being said, it skips over the reunion to focus a whole episode on Jaune in the aftermath of the return from the Ever After?

...Huh?

I’m sorry. But for the sake of being that person, I’m gonna be that person.

Just to set the record straight, I don’t hate Jaune. I've never hated Jaune as a character. I have mostly had issues with the way the Writers just love to have Jaune’s development usurp others who deserve the screen time and focus more than him.

Personally, I do not care for Jaune’s development right now. Jaune’s whole experience in the Ever After, for me, did NOT need to be a focus episode for RWBY Beyond.

Especially since there are other characters who had more tragic experiences in the Ever After whose feelings I would’ve liked to see in the aftermath.

And by other characters, I mainly mean Ruby!

I do, however, love the detail of Oscar being someone that Jaune gets to talk to.

That was nice and I’m pleased to see that for a second time, Oscar is featured in RWBY Beyond. I actually hope that’s a thing for the final two episodes. I hope that Oscar appears in each episode of RWBY Beyond, even if he’s just in the background.

But going back to my original rant, Jaune is NOT the person I was itching to see Oscar talk to especially in respect to their experience in the Ever After.

If there is any body I wanted to see talk to Oscar, it’s RUBY ROSE! And no, this has nothing to do with Rosegarden or shipping potential at all. I’m talking about this from a narrative perspective.

Ruby’s whole arc in the Ever After was basically about life, death and rebirth in a sense. A complete deconstruction of her character, resulting in her committing the Ever After equivalent of “suicide” and be faced with an ultimatum of choosing to become someone else or be herself in which she chose herself.

Ruby lost herself in the Ever After for a moment. Oscar is on the cusp of losing himself at this moment.

Ruby saw Oscar “die” as part of an illusion that hinted at her being responsible for his death and/failing to save him just like she did with other friends like Penny.

Oscar is on the cusp of “dying” metaphorically right now.

YOU DON’T THINK THESE ARE TWO PEOPLE WHO DEFINTELY NEED TO TALK TO EACH OTHER?!!

C’MON CRWBY! IT'S FINE THAT JAUNE GETS TO TALK TO OSCAR BUT I NEED RUBY TO TALK TO OSCAR TOO!

And speaking of Oscar, don't think I didn't notice his little awkward cough and shifty eyes, immediately redirecting the conversation when Oscar made a point about being in similar situation to Jaune and Jaune be like "You mean Ozpin, right?" and Oscar be like "Aah yes, of course". Ya'll ain't slick dropping dem Merge crumbs! For what it's worth, I do hope an episode focus more on Oscar and Oz in the cards for the final two episodes.

Overall, this second episode of RWBY Beyond was alright. As was the first.

The artwork of RWBY Beyond is absolutely breathtaking to me and is easily my favourite part of watching the anthology. Inspite of the limited animation, the beautiful artwork more than makes up for it. I definitely wouldn’t mind an actual physical RWBY storybook anthology series done in this same art style.

Makes me wish that Fairytales of Remnant animated series was done in this exact same style instead of the awkward Camp Camp style that DID NOT feel like RWBY at all.

All in all, onward to the next episode of RB. Makes me wonder who will be the focus of the final two episodes.

Like which characters will be we get to have an episode about? Obviously, speaking for myself, I would love an Oscar-centric episode. I mean…he’s been in every episode thus far so it’d be nice to see on all about him for once.

Outside of Oscar, I wouldn’t mind an episode about the Schnee Family done from Whitley’s perspective? That’s also a good one to see.

And of course, if there is one person an episode needs to be done on, it has to be Ruby. I mean the Oscar and Whitley ones are probabilities but a Ruby-focus episode for RWBY Beyond has to be in the cards, right?

If they can touch base on Jaune’s feelings during the Aftermath of the Ever After then surely, they gotta talk about Ruby's whole experience with her literal death and rebirth, right? RIGHT?

I guess only time will tell. 2 Episodes down. 2 more to go so see ya’ll next week.

~LMS (2024)

[velvetjune]

Alan Wake Night Springs DLC spoilers and thoughts:

This is very vague, but this really was the most Remedy thing to ever exist. My brain exploded at some point from Everything. Good game—you can tell those developers had the time of their life making all this. looking forward to the Lake House as something more serious and similar to the main game/tone.

Episode one with Rose was the best! Stunning from the start until the end and had the funniest moments in any Remedy game. [Rose voice] “𝖎 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖕𝖗𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖈𝖙 𝖞𝖔𝖚”

That fanart was SO good and could’ve been drawn by any irl Alan Wake fan. I can’t even say another or act like it’s embarrassing because I also think Alan is hot. So. Same Rose.

Bad boy Scratch being a werewolf.. Cat boy Alan (and the fucking Nightmare on Elm Street crop top fanart of him) being comically weak and in distress.. Rose dipping him at the end was unbelievably hilarious. Reject alpha male Scratch and embrace wet cat Alan. Every few minutes I had to remind myself that Alan technically wrote this,, his mind,, his perception of himself is incredible

That episode also was fun all around to play. Endless ammo and fun effects with the automatic shotgun. Rose slowly getting covered in blood. She’s already one of my favorite characters after this—she’s cringey in the best (and scarily realistic) ways. I support her

Episode 2: wish this one was longer because I missed Jesse and her awkward and aggressive conversations with others. I thought Dylan would pop up at some point, but of course Alan wrote himself into this twist ending. Couldn’t stop laughing with that. It felt just like the Night Springs eps of Alan Wake 1 lol.

I had the most trouble with some of the sections of this game, but it was fun, mostly just felt like a fool for not initially understanding it. The secret agency and clear references to the Board and FBC were everything. It was just Control: Coffee edition.

Episode 3: Death Rally Tom !! I was beyond happy seeing this. Always nice to see more Zane.

I’m not very familiar with Quantum Break outside of the general story and beginning, so the last episode was So Much. Initial thought: Please no Jesse and Tim in Control 2. It’s almost certainly supposed to be because of Quantum Break, but that version of her waiting for Tim came out of nowhere for me lol (also 😔 because I either want her to be with Emily or not get with someone at all—Control Jesse is so far from Beth Quantum Break/Lisa imo). The “but maybe…” multiverse romance was. whatever. cheesy but in a more negative way.

Another thing that makes me somewhat relieved this is the whacky DLC is that it does address a lot of the vague unanswered questions of the game in the typical sci-fi way (and probably a big win for theorists), and I want to keep that away from most of the main games. I like not knowing things lmao. It’s not a huge deal and I love all the crossovers/realities, but I want future AW (if 3 happens) and Control games to still largely focus on the mysterious horror without anything too definitive or distracting. I’m mostly okay with it here because this is Also an episode written by Alan and hosted by Door, so it’s not reliable—even if I’m sure this is what Remedy envisions when writing these games.

^ something something “In a horror story the victim keeps asking why, but there can be no explanation and there shouldn't be one. The unanswered mystery is what stays with us the longest and is what we'll remember in the end.”

However looooved how the third episode changed the style of the game repeatedly. The very last scene where the words form the writers room and Alan before it abruptly ends was great and the standout of the ep.

I’m not going to try to unpack all this, but it’s interesting how Alan and Door present themselves as being these largely antagonistic forces in this DLC. They’re an underrated duo (the two Masters of Many Worlds). Everything felt like it was Alan purposefully trying to imprint on these realities and influence things in his writing, making certain things parallel his life and circumstances. Reminded me of him attempting to get the irl Koskela brothers to kill each other to get out of the Dark Place. Hard to tell what’s really the truth.

I like Door too much to be scared of him. The jump scares were nicely paced throughout and the echoes of Tim/Shawn/Jack fighting him were interesting.

The tribute for James McCaffrey at the end was emotional and lovely.

[itsclydebitches]

Hey, first ask but I’ve been following you for a while now, got here from seeing your post on a RWBY Reddit(notsurewhichone.) cus I’ve enjoyed all your recaps and reviews.

And I just want to ask your thoughts about Semblances in RWBY. Specifically how no one in the show…like really reacts or thinks of the implication of what someone’s Semblance says about their personality. You’d think Huntsman would be more wary of partnering up with people whose Semblances are linked to emotions when they fight Grimm. Like that’s easy bullying there

so while cool, you’d think some people would feel off about working with others depending on their Semblances.

Realistically we all know the answer why, RWBY’s never been the best(when they tried) at World Building and not every teenager likes to read into everything(most do, I won’t lie.)

Welcome to the inbox, anon! :D

Semblances—and their lack of development—have been a frustration of mine for years, ngl. Honestly, I've got no problem with stories keeping their World Building loose for the sake of things like combat creativity. Just want your characters to have cool powers without unpacking precisely how that's possible and the larger impact it has on the rest of the world? Go for it! That's a perfectly acceptable way to craft a story (depending on the genre + focus) and it gives fans plenty to play with without feeling like they're missing an integral part of the canon. RWBY's problem has always been in introducing these complex aspects and then not doing anything with them.

We could have easily gotten a version of the story where semblances are just generic powers that people unlock with no overtly textual connection to the characters' personalities... but we didn't. Once RWBY introduced the concept of semblances reflecting one's soul, yeah, the viewer expects something to come of that. It's the same with introducing the concept of grimm being attracted to emotion (they could have always just been free-roaming monsters), with one family's semblance being hereditary (just give Winter a similar-but-not-identical semblance that helps her train Weiss), and some semblances being passive (that never needed to be a thing, period). Those ideas raise a ton of questions that the show never capitalizes on and, worse, the show flat-out ignores the questions it does begin to unpack. Why doesn't Weiss have any thoughts about her semblances given her complicated relationship with her family? Why isn't anyone else hesitant to fight beside Qrow given his bad luck? As you say, why aren't those with semblances powered by extreme emotion, like Yang, considered potential liabilities in a fight? Is using her semblance worth it if it just attracts more monsters to deal with? Why not position her as the tank-like member of the team precisely because her powers tend to draw agro? There are so many missed opportunities but, as said, what's worse for me are the moments where the story overtly acknowledges these possibilities and then goes on to drop and/or contradict them. Nothing demonstrates this better than Ironwood's semblance supposedly being an integral part of his fall... and it doesn't exist outside of Word of God. RWBY's not iffy about its World Building, it's endlessly distracted. I'd take a story that flat out ignores questions the viewer might think up—we know what the story wants to focus on and recognizes that we should just leave the rest to fanfic—over stories like RWBY that continually introduces cool ideas and then drops them for the newest, shiniest one.

Another potential snag? Weapons. It's Crescent Rose that we're first introduced to, not Ruby's speed ability. It's Crescent Rose that she spent time building at Signal, inspired by her Uncle Qrow, who in turn was inspired by Maria. It's Crescent Rose Ruby hugs while gushing over others' weapons, saying that they're the glimpse into who they really are. At the start of the series semblances are secondary to weaponry and honestly? I think that worked a lot better. As awesome as some semblance moments have been, for me RWBY's combat shines within the weapon choreography and it's images like the tiny child standing with this giant scythe that are truly iconic. If I were re-writing the series I'd do away with semblances entirely, leaving just aura as a temporary shield and putting the emphasis back on weapons: the versatile, historical tools that the characters have control over. After all, it ultimately tells us much more about them if we get to see what they choose to fight with, rather than simply being told what fantasy genetics handed down to them. The fact that Volume 9 was supposedly this journey of self-discovery and semblances played no part in that for the team highlights how insignificant their connection to the World Building really is, but I find it equally frustrating that the characters' weapons have become insignificant props. Ruby lost Crescent Rose and isn't reacting to that? Who cares. Jaune broke the sword handed down to him through generations of huntsmen and apparently never tried to fix it? Who cares. Weiss' rapier is now literally one of the few remaining pieces of Atlas left in the world? Who cares! The story no longer treats these weapons with respect, so I can't treat them seriously as a means of characterization. That goes double when RWBY pops in once every two-ish volumes to insist that yeah, semblances are totally meaningful to these characters too.

[deathsplaything]

LOCATION: Outside the Good Neighbor's Meeting Place TIMING: Current PARTIES: Alistair, Daiyu (@bountyhaunter) & Vic (@natusvincere) SUMMARY: After a Good Neighbors meeting, Daiyu mentions to Alistair about swinging by The Keep, and Vic overhears and intervenes.

“I was here when the group was founded, I’ve been here since the beginning, Winnifred trusts me more than she’d trust you. And if you were to go running to her because you heard things? She’d believe me far more than she’d ever believe you.”

It had been two days since the slayer confronted him since Alistair folded so easily like they were just waiting for the opportunity to tell someone. They were a coward, and they let their hand show to their opponent. They hadn’t practiced a bit of magic since the incident. They were so lost in their head that they didn’t realize that Brutus had stopped walking, only jolting out of their racing thoughts when Brutus let out a whine and knew that it was someone that he recognized. ��Oh, who is it now, bud?” Alistair half-heartedly complained, knowing that it had to be someone who had doted on him before to have him break in his walk so easily. Taking Brutus to meetings wasn’t something Alistair liked to do. It was walking into a place of nefarious people who all had their own motives and showing them all that they had a weakness in the shape of a large black lab. But even still, Winnifred had insisted they bring Brutus along, so they did. 

Alistair allowed himself to look through Brutus’s eyes, seeing the familiar face of Daiyu looking like she had a hand caught in the cookie jar. Not thinking much of it, Alistair severed the connection and frowned. “Daiyu! Was the meeting not enough for you?” They asked with an amused smirk, shifting their weight to one foot and then the other. If Daiyu were dangerous, or danger was lurking around, Brutus would alert them, so they forced themselves to relax a little. At least it wasn’t the stray vampire Alistair once knew, seeing as how that woman had Brutus eating out of the palm of her hand quite literally.

_____

She liked the Good Neighbor meetings at Winifred’s home. There was something so quaint about it, all these people coming together in the name of community. Besides, the more Daiyu surrounded herself with the ignorant humans, the more she felt for them. Plenty of them had people in their life that had gone missing or had died in what were called freak accidents or animal attacks — and they hoped to do something against it now. It was such a pure drive. It made her feel vindicated whenever she and the other insiders pulled another threat out of the equation. (It also made her feel dirty, because these humans with their pure intent had no idea about the cages, about the Keep, about the underbelly of the operation.) 

Still, she liked the meetings. She’d even brought pigs in a blanket this time, trying to match up with the other people who brought food. They weren’t as good as Nancy’s cooking, but it was something. She had also brought something else, but that was kept in her bag. More and more now, she’d been bringing rations of undead food to the Keep, having developed a system of filling ziplock bags with bits and bops of blood and flesh. She was itching to leave, even if her pigs in a blanket were a semi-hit, knowing that she’d have to deliver the aquasturge remains before they went bad.

So she was waiting awkwardly to leave, her focus on her goal only dissuaded when Brutus (the second best boy in the world) approached her. “Bruuuutey,” she cooed, her shoulders relaxing somewhat. She crouched down to scratch the dog’s ears, only paying half a mind to Alistair. “Me? Nothing too cool, unless you consider laying in bed and rewatching Buffy plans.” She rose to her full, unimpressive height. “Gotta step by …” Eyes shifted around. “The keep first, and then I’m driving home. What about you?”

____

Unable to stop from rolling their eyes at Daiyu’s plans to watch Buffy, Alistair crossed their arms over their chest as they allowed Brutus to get excited over Daiyu. Alistair may not allow themselves the luxury of friends, but that didn’t mean the same sentiment was extended to their furry companion. “He only gets like this if he’s been given excessive treats from a person,” Alistair told Daiyu with an accusatory glance towards the woman. “At least you have something planned, I guess.” They muttered, Buffy was alright. They’d seen it, of course. But they never really got into shows like that. 

Then, Daiyu spoke of the keep, and immediately they shushed her. “Keep yer mouth shut.” They snarled quietly at her, Scottish accent becoming thicker as anxiety flooded their system. “Ye cannae just go ‘round mentionin’ that,” Alistair warned her. “Secret for a bloody reason.” The hissed out before calling Brutus back to their side, and Brutus did so with a wag of his tail. 

Deciding to move on from Daiyu’s blunder of openly speaking about the keep where anyone could hear, they shook their head, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Just walking Brutus,” Alistair explained, holding up the leash. “I don’t do much, part of being ancient, and all that.” They spoke, recalling the conversation they’d had online where Daiyu had insinuated that they were old as dirt. That hurt.

__

They were caught. Not red-handed, but definitely caught. Daiyu feigned innocence, throwing up her hands. “I am not guilty! I would never give a dog excessive treats!” This was true in the case of Nugget, because he was her dog and she needed him well trained. (Trust and believe, he still got plenty of treats and belly rubs). “It’s not my fault that I always have dog treats on me and that he just … finds them …” 

Alistair switched code real quick, though, and spoke in an accent she’d only ever heard in movies. “Fuck, calm down. It’s just a word, we use it all the time. Like … we keep using it …” Daiyu grinned at her own ingenuity, but it was a bit of a show. Alistair’s words panged in her chest, reminding her of her stupidity. No matter the bravado, she was still the fool. And so she acted in accordance to it, an oppositional habit she’d never lost, “It’s not like I keep saying we’ve got vamps on lock down there.”

She let out a laugh, letting her volume grow to its usual loudness, “Ah, poor fella. Gotta take care of your ancient knees and hips, don’t you? Do be careful when you go out walking Brutus … Don’t want you to be like the lady in the commercial.” She changed her tone:  “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

__

The more Daiyu spoke, the more irritated Alistair grew. They could put up with a lot, but her attitude just bothered them to no end. “Shut. Up.” They hissed as she mentioned vampires, having half a mind to whack her, but kept their hands to themselves through some small miracle. “Ye say these things and then someone overhears. Someone that shouldn’t overhear.” They continued, tugging on Brutus’s lead to get him to fall back in line, which Brutus did with a huff and lower of his head. 

“No, I don’t… my joints are fine, thank you.” He snarled, waving the woman away. “Seriously. If this is something you want to talk about, we can’t do it here out on the streets.” He warned her, tone becoming hushed. “Things are happening. Things we should probably talk about.” He thought to Emilio, to the slayer who had told him he was going to bring it all down. “Things you probably deserve to know.” He concluded, letting out a tired sigh. “Come on Brutus, let’s go home.” He muttered, ready to be on his way.

__

It had started with a smell.  The meeting had been uneventful enough, like they usually were.  Vic certainly thought there might be more action when she joined the Good Neighbors, but nothing was as intense as the rumors she’d heard before she’d wormed her way in.  Perhaps that was why she had taken it upon herself to make the Good Neighbors interesting and use the power they wielded to rid the community of petty crime, like using the wrong recycling bin.  Sure, it wasn’t her original intention when joining, but it sure was entertaining.

But the sweet, intoxicating smell of blood during the meeting was incredibly distracting.  It was bad enough that someone had brought pigs in a blanket (entirely distasteful, if you asked Vic), but they had to smuggle in the nectar of life, too?  They were all lucky she was extremely well-fed.  She barely contributed to the conversation at hand, and instead spent her time trying to decipher exactly where the smell was coming from.  Her focus eventually landed on the small, squirmy woman sat in the corner (she probably should have learned these people’s names months ago, but after learning the leader and her dog shared a name, she needed a break from learning for a while), and her eyes stayed on her for the rest of the meeting.  The fact that she had blood with her at all was strange- she definitely had a heartbeat, so Vic knew she had to investigate further.

As the rest of the crew scurried home, Vic stayed behind, pretending to pick at the food people had brought but watching the woman out of the corner of her eye.  When she seemed to strike up a conversation with another member (she couldn’t place their name either… perhaps she should suggest name tags next time), Vic pretended to see herself out, stopping just behind the threshold to get a good listen.  She had been far enough away to stay out of sight, but close enough that her keen hearing picked up exactly what was being said.  Keep?  Secret?... Vamps?!  This was exactly the intel she’d been waiting for- saving vampires was exactly the kind of retribution she’d been looking for when she joined the Good Neighbors?  Was this finally it?

This was definitely it, and Vic needed to jump at her chance before the two nameless secret-holders got away.  She stepped on the other side of the threshold, making herself known with a throat-clear and some partially real confidence.  “Someone’s overheard”, she said with a nod, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at the two expectantly.  She couldn’t help her prideful smirk, feeling like she’d just uncovered some buried treasure like a regular Lara Croft.  “Do you two care to share those things you were about to discuss?  Or should I sound the alarm for the rest of the meeting to come back and hear the full agenda?”

__

It was like oil on a fire, the way Alistair towered over her and hissed at her to shut up. Their anger was exhilarating and Daiyu knew, somewhere in a deep part of her, that she should not provoke the necromancer now (or perhaps ever) and certainly not in this way. But she wanted to. Sometimes it was just nice to push buttons and see how far she could go before a hammer came to fall. Would Alistair crack, if she kept yapping? “No,” she said, because she had never shut up a day in her life, especially not after being requested to do so. She gave the other a shit eating grin, then looked at Brutus. “Call me if he breaks his hip.” 

She was ready to ask the other what they were going on about when someone joined them. Her shit-eating grin turned into something awkwardly surprised, all teeth and wide eyes. “Viiiiic!,” she said, as if she was very familiar with the Good Neighbor. She wasn’t all that much, but she could pretend to. “Huh? I don’t know what you’re on about … About Alistair breaking his hip, you mean? It is quite embarrassing that his bones are this brittle, but like, it happens. That’s nature. And they are sad it will get in the way of the Good Neighbors, but it’s going to be fine, because they’re still here to contribute.” She wasn’t a good liar, but she was a good talker. And this kind of nonsense? She could fill a room with it. 

__

As soon as someone rounded the corner and was questioning them, Alistair knew that Daiyu had really gotten them into the thick of it. They closed their eyes and pinched the bridge of their nose, trying their hardest to keep themselves calm and cool, as if nothing was wrong past the fact that Daiyu didn’t know how to keep quiet about sensitive topics. They tapped their foot in annoyance, still very eager to walk off and pretend none of it was happening. “My joints are fine,” they snarled under their breath before putting on a polite smile that was directed towards the stranger who was questioning the two of them. 

“Daiyu here is very eager to push every last button that I have left, that’s all,” Alistair spoke, smiling tight and very close to breaking into a snarl. Daiyu kept going, and kept talking about how they were a burden to the group. Well, in some ways, they were. But still, it was a step too far. They wanted so badly to reach out and… and what? Smack her? Throttle her? Grab her shoulders and shake her as hard as they could. No, they had to get a hold of themselves. 

Their secret was on the edge of being exposed, and they couldn’t dare to let it escape. This woman, Vic, as Daiyu called her, could be a zealot as much as Winnifred was. There was no telling. They thought of Tommy, of how important it was to keep him safe right now. So he swallowed his annoyance and fear and put on a neutral expression. “Winnifred has entrusted us with more than you know about.” They spoke in an icy tone, eager to be rid of the eavesdropper. “Something you are not privy to knowing as we are.”

__

Wow.  This person had remembered her name.  That was more than Vic could say for herself.  It might have started with a G… or was it a D?   Denise…?  Deirdre…?   “Actually, Diana, I was referring to your little ‘vamps on lockdown’ comment which was, well… incredibly attention grabbing.”  She let her voice raise slightly as she said this, indicating to the two in front of her that she was not bluffing about calling everyone back.  This kind of intel was exactly what she had been waiting for, and she was not about to lose it because two goons thought she could be outsmarted by charm and wit.  She mimicked the polite smile that was thrown her way, clapping her hands together as she looked between the two of them expectantly, as if she were a school principal looking between two children and not a stranger infiltrating a private conversation.  If the situation were reversed, she would have scolded herself for her lack of manners.  

Daiyu.  Right.  She would make sure to remember that now.  “Tell me, Alistair, if that is your real name, is there a hierarchy to membership that I wasn’t made aware of when I joined?  Because I was under the impression that this was a group filled with equity.  Should I contact Winnifred and let her know I was led astray?”  She watched their expressions for any hint of a bluff, any twinge she could call them out on.  “Because if you two are locking up vampires I think that’s something she’d be mighty interested in hearing about, don’t you?”  How dare these two sully the good name of the Neighbors with their nefarious on-goings? The rumors she’d been hearing must have been about them, not the group as a whole.

__

Alistair could not have made a more apt assessment of Daiyu if he’d tried. She did want to press every button they had and then some, even if this was not the time nor place. Maybe there wasn’t any — Alistair held seniority and perhaps even rank over her when it came to the inner circle, but that kind of authority had never held her back. That just made her want to push the buttons harder. She was about to comment on it and support whatever Alistair was saying when Vic interjected.

The irony of being named Diana, goddess of the hunt, was lost on her, and not just because she was realizing how hot the water at their feet was. “Oooooh,” she said, nodding, her head scrambling for a fitting lie. “Have you not seen that … YouTube miniseries? It’s about vampires during Covid, you know. Vamps on lockdown. No one’s locking up vampires.” But — shit, the lie would and could not hold up. Her cheeks grew a little red. This was why she preferred to her weapons and her woods and her beasts. Those didn’t require clever social communications. Those just required tracking and silence and brute violence.

Bruteness she could do, though. “I wish you all the fucking luck going tattle-tale to Winnifred,” she stated boldly. Winnifred would be mad, but she’d be able to handle it, right? Daiyu was sure this suburban mom could be kept silent. “Also, what the hell are you even talking about? Vampires aren’t real. That’s ridiculous. You must’ve gotten lost in the town forums!” 

__

As soon as the two started arguing with each other, Alistair pinched the bridge of their nose and sighed, shaking their head. “You’re a certified idiot,” Alistair muttered to Daiyu before turning to look in Vic’s general direction with a calculated expression. Interested she’d be indeed since it was her idea, Alistair thought to themselves with a roll of their eyes. “Daiyu has fantastical ideas that need to be kept in check,” they spoke simply, expression hardened with their arms crossed over their chest. 

“It’s cute that you think you know so much, however. It’s no secret that there’s a hierarchy.” They responded in a short, clipped tone. “I was here when the group was founded, I’ve been here since the beginning, Winnifred trusts me more than she’d trust you. And if you were to go running to her because you heard things? She’d believe me far more than she’d ever believe you.” Alistair took a step toward Vic, lips curling up in a snarl. “So I suggest you know your place before you go making an absolute fool of yourself.”

__

Vic squinted her eyes at Daiyu, scowling at her sad attempt at a lie.  Did she take her for an idiot?  “I’m not a fool.  I’ve seen nearly all of the youtube miniseries, and none of them are about vampires protecting themselves from infectious disease.”  She moved a little closer to the other woman, an attempt at appearing intimidating.  Normally, she would go right along with pretending her own species didn’t exist, but secrets be damned, it seemed like the fate of some undead were in her hands.  There was no time for lies now.

“Cut the crap, Daiyu.  Anyone who’s lived in this town for more than a week can see the truth.  You know they exist as well as I know you’re lying.”  Her eyes turned to Alistair as they tried to make an excuse for the other woman, but she just shook her head at their words.  “Oh, really?  Does seniority beget morals these days?  I wasn’t aware the Good Neighbors were so… nefarious.  Should I put in a motion to change the name at our next meeting?”  Alistair was right, though, at least about her place in the group.  Maybe she needed to try more desperate measures.

“Perhaps I should go straight to the town itself, then?  I’m sure Wicked’s Rest would be mighty interested to learn that a large portion of their population is at risk for being ‘vamps on lockdown’, don’t you think?  I guess if I wasn’t privy to what you were up to here, going to them would be my only solution.”

—

Something hot blazed in her chest when Alistair called her an idiot and spoke about her as if she was a toddler in need of controlling. Daiyu stared daggers at him and then at Vic, too, who was moving closer to her as if she held any physical threat over her. She didn’t think twice before shoving her, palms flat against the other’s shoulders, “Back the fuck off,” she snapped, resisting the urge to shove Alistair and his apt yet hurtful words, too. That urge was resisted, though.

“The miniseries totally exists, too, you’re just too much of a fucking boomer to find it,” she snapped, “You’re totally delusional.” But Alistair wasn’t denying the existence of vampires, nor the fact that they were locking them up — which made Daiyu take pause. She glared between the two of them, feeling somehow like she was the one out of the know between them all. Maybe she really was an idiot. The heat continued to blaze in her chest.

So she let out a sound, something between a snarl and a laugh, “The town would be fucking glad to know that we’re rounding up the people responsible for all the disappearances and freak murders, idiot.” It felt good to call Vic one, when it was her who was the fool. “Don’t know what’s nefarious about that.”

__

Alistair listened as Daiyu reminded Vic of the purpose of the Good Neighbors, taking in a breath slowly as they attempted to keep a level head. There would be no good rising to the girls’ anger levels. So they slinked back, holding tightly onto Brutus’s lead with a deep sigh escaping their lips. There was something to this Vic woman, who seemed so worried about vampires and what they were doing. 

Something that made Alistair pause. “What do you know of vampires? Better yet, why do you care so much about their well-being?” She was busy interrogating them, why weren’t they interrogating her right back? “I mean, if you have nothing to hide, then you’d simply see what we do as par for the course, but you’re not. Instead, you want to know what we’re doing, something you should be already aware of, if you’ve attended the meetings and paid attention.” 

Narrowing their gaze, Alistair leaned toward Vic, a sneer on their face. “Sounds like you’re hiding something, too. And you know what I’m capable of if you’ve paid attention.” They bared their teeth, green smoke beginning to swirl around the woman’s feet. “So don’t. Test. Me.”

__

Vic was taken aback as she was shoved backwards, although she didn’t let the emotions of that shock play on her face.  Instead, she smiled at Daiyu, raising her eyebrows in challenge.  “I think I’ve touched a nerve”, she said to no one in particular.  “What’s nefarious is blanketing an entire population of beings as immoral murderers.  It must be exhausting to live in a gray world and only see black and white.”  She was being a hypocrite, and she knew it.  Half a decade ago she would have been donating millions to the Good Neighbors if it meant they were locking vampires up, no nuance needed.

She wanted to crawl out of her skin, because Alistair, who wasn’t supposed to know her at all, seemed to be staring deep into her soul with a magnifying glass.  Subconsciously, her hands fiddled with her cloaking bracelet.  “I’m a fucking open book, Big Dog.  I didn’t realize it was such a crime to care about those unlike myself.”

As the smoke gathered around her feet, she looked up at Alistair, then over at Daiyu, then back down.  Oh, shit.  Smoke was never good, especially not when it was that color.  Perhaps it was time to swallow her pride, maybe she was approaching this wrong.  “Look”, she said with a sigh, biting her tongue.  “I’m not-... I’ve heard the two of you talk in the meetings.  I know you’re not bad people.  Perhaps I’ve misunderstood what I overheard…”  Was this pathetic?  She wasn’t sure.  She was hoping, if someone were writing a story about her life, that she sounded more manipulative and cool, instead of just like a groveling idiot.  “Maybe you could explain what you were talking about before I walked in, and we can settle this the easy way.”

__

Her hands were itching from that shove, sharp violent instincts longing for more than such a simple act — but she held back from starting a brawl in Winnifred’s basement. Daiyu really wanted to wipe that smug grin from Vic’s face, though, but it seemed Alistair was taking care of that. She watched as smoke gathered around Vic’s feet and took a step back from it, something like a grimace marring her face.

That seemed to shut Vic up, though, or at least make her speak in a way that was less accusatory. Not that Daiyu liked being called a not-bad person, as she had no idea if that was true. She didn’t want to explain herself, didn’t want to get into what the Good Neighbors (inner circle edition) were all about — because she didn’t know any more. Questions of morality and goodness were harder than algebra to her and so she preferred to avoid them.

So she latched onto something Vic had said, “We are not blanketing any population as immortal murderers, or whatever you said — we just take care of the actual threats, the actual fuckheads that do harm.” The vampires who liked coating themselves with blood, the lamia that ate indiscriminately, the werewolves that didn’t know the first thing about learning self control. “I don’t think we owe you any type of explanation, right Alistair?” She was looking up at them, considering they were causing the flames. “Just trust we are –” Fuck. She wasn’t sure how to be convincing. “Living up to our titles of good neighbors.”

__

As soon as Daiyu began talking, Alistair realized what they were doing. The eerie smoke dissipated and left them standing there with a snarl on their face. Point proven. “There’s more to the Good Neighbors than meets the eye,” Alistair explained, dropping the snarl and replacing it with a look of indifference. “There’s an inner working to the those who hold a position of power within the Good Neighbors.” They waved a hand as they spoke, “and you have to trust that we know what we’re doing.” 

In truth, Alistair no longer had a clue what they were doing. After they’d been visited by Mikael, they’d hesitated to heal people using the monsters in the keep as fodder. Maybe Mikael was right, maybe it was Alistair who was the monster, not the other way around. The fear and hesitation of it all was clear as day on their face for a split second before they blinked and brought their expression back to neutral.

__

Vic balked, breathing slow out of her nose as she considered her next move.  As the two in front of her explained more, she was beginning to realize that this was much more complicated than she thought.  “If that’s true, it might be something I could get behind”, she said, blinking toward Daiyu. Some vampires were bad, right?  Just like some people were bad.  Nuance. And then more information spilled out, from Alistair this time, as they shared about the inner circle.  Despite the hiccup, Vic was still proud of herself for getting this out of them and not getting kicked out of the group.  Not… yet, anyway.

“And how exactly does one become a… better Neighbor? Is that what the inner circle is called?  Better Neighbors?  It should be… perhaps we could workshop that.”  Vic really should have been more active in those meetings, she had great ideas. She didn’t know if she had any interest in joining per say, but it was good to know that there would be an option, if worse came to worst.  For the time being, Vic was satisfied, if not a little embarrassed, that she’d managed to uncover something she’d been wondering about for a long while.

“No one needs to know about this conversation”, she said, looking between the two so she could avoid eye contact with both of them.  “I’ll simply… forget it ever happened, and we can spend the next few meetings ignoring each other for good measure.”  She wouldn’t pretend like it never happened, of course, but Daiyu and Alistair didn’t need to know that.  “I…apologize…if my initial nature seemed threatening or abrasive.  Many people call me Karen, and I’m sure you know what that implies.”  After a beat, she said, “I’m working on it.”

—

“As you should. You’re a good neighbor. You’d condemn someone who litters and damages stuff too, right? So.” It was clearly the same. Daiyu thought it sounded kind of logical, anyway, even if she was pretty bad at creating or seeing nuance. She just wanted to say something, to feel like she had the upper hand in this situation even if she’d already lost her cool once or twice. 

At the notion that Vic should become a member of the inner circle, she raised an eyebrow. She was just a human. A lucky human, who wasn’t as ignorant as she should be but still was just that. She did not bring any strength or training to the table, or magic. “Um, you’re picked. By Winnifred. She’s like super picky, though.” If it sounded like a brag, it was because it was — Daiyu still found some pride in having been accepted into that inner circle, even if she sometimes found herself unable to sleep over images of the Keep. 

She flashed a thumbs up to Vic. She was about to accept this solution, but let her eyes flash up to Alistair first. Daiyu would prefer not to report this to Winnifred, especially as it was her fault that Vic had overheard their conversation. But while she’d gladly keep her lips sealed about this slip up, she wasn’t sure the necromancer would, too. “Totally forgot this convo happened already,” she said, to make her own stance clear. “You totes are a Karen. We need ‘em though.”

__

Daiyu was right, Winnifred was picky. And Alistair considered themselves lucky to be one of the firsts in her inner circle, even if they spent the majority of the time wishing it wasn’t happening. They had their means to an end, and that’s the only reason they involved themselves. Of course, it was going to catch up to them in the end as more people found out about it. “Keep doing what you’re doing, keep sticking to your resolve, and perhaps she will notice you,” Alistair remarked with an idle shrug of their shoulders. 

As Daiyu spoke of forgetting the interaction, Alistair let out a soft hum and shrugged their shoulders. “Forgotten,” they murmured, waving a hand in dismissal. They would prefer to not have to explain the whole situation to Winnifred, who would absolutely throw a fit about the whole thing. They didn’t want to have to deal with it. Daiyu slipped up, so what? It happens. To err is to human or whatever, right? Despite all her shortcomings and annoying antics, Alistair had to admit there was a part of them that liked Daiyu. So they were willing to let it go. “The Good Neighbors is nothing but Karens,” Alistair then complained with a frown. 

“Just keep doing what you’re doing and Winnifred is sure to notice you. Care. That’s the point of the group, is it not? You care enough to keep people safe from harm.” They raised a brow as they looked in the direction of Vic’s voice. There was an inner turmoil raging within Alistair, knowing that not caring enough was what was getting them into this mess in the first place. Not caring got them into trouble, not caring was the reason they were falling apart at the seams. Maybe it was because, after all this time, they found themselves caring in the end. The guilt was tearing them apart, and sooner or later, they’d have to do something about it, wouldn’t they?

__

“Well, of course.  But littering and property damage are inherently immoral, so of course I’d condemn those types of things.”   Vic had actually already condemned plenty of people for doing those many things, and placed them under citizen’s arrests, as was clearly the only proper response.  But how could Daiyu compare those things and what they had been discussing?  People who were turned into monsters against their will and monsters who threw garbage on the ground because they were lazy, inconsiderate slugs could not be any different, in her eyes.

Both Daiyu and Allistair seemed to imply that only the best of the best were picked for the inner circle, and she knew it was the only way she’d gain more information.  But being silent in meetings was, apparently, not going to get her any further.  So she had to shmooze.  It wouldn’t be too hard, right?  She had done it for years to slayers and skeeze balls alike.  It was probably like riding a bike, she surmised, and it would be easy to get back into it.  

Except it hadn’t been so easy to manipulate Daiyu and Allistair, had it?  

But then, maybe it had.  Almost as quick as she had asked it, they were both agreeing to forget this whole conversation ever happened.  A smart, easy solution that benefitted all three of them, it seemed.  But Vic still had what she wanted, even if it was only mere crumbs of information when she had been seeking a whole loaf of bread.  No matter- she was sure it would only be a matter of time before she moved up the ladder, getting her one step closer to protecting vampires once and for all. 

[beej-machinations]

PBA Canon Character Fic Nominees

To help you choose your fave PBA '24 Best Portrayal of a Canon Character Fics, grouped by name!

I've written my own summaries, centred around the nominated character and which of their traits the story explored.

Voting Round ends April 21st (vote here x)

Card Games, Vampires, and a Very Late Letter by TheSailingRabbit Kinch enters the service while hiding a chronic illness; much later, Hogan has finally thought up a way to help him (It's very UnOrthodox). Kinch & Hogan friendship 👍👍🥲

Kinch in Mama Bear by PicassoPenguin 4+1 story of the times Kinch took care of the other bears. what's not to love? Kinch uses his skills in observation and subtlety to watch out for the crew in both direct and indirect ways.

Carter in A Brother's Bond by PicassoPenguin After the war, Little Deer misses his brothers from Barracks 14. He tells Brown Rabbit about them, how much he admires them, and about the first days when he joined the heroes ( !!! )

Carter in Exit, Pursued By A Bear by pronker Carter has questions. The extent to which the gang humors or suffers him is a delicate balance. I think the author captured his voice well :)

Hogan in Decoration Day by Abracadebra Hogan mourns, then honors, the men that have died under his command. He has to lie to Klink to do so, but that's only natural.

Hogan in Sergeant 'Don't You Sass Me, Hogan' Wilson by whatisthismandoinghere Doctors may make the worst patients, but Colonels come in at a close second.

LeBeau Hogan in Well and Truly Got by Cardinal Rose - (Hogan story, i think this was mislabelled in the poll) Hogan's luck runs out. He tries anyway, but the consequences are unavoidable.

Klink in Klink's Brother by Sam Worth Klink talks a little about his family, both real and imagined. Well captured voice and mannerisms

Klink in Yoga Session by Deepbluethinking Klink discovers that kowtowing to Burkhalter leads to kowtowing in a more literal way, to the dismay of his hamstrings.

Klink in Ashes by LightShiner14 Atypically, Klink goes to church. Childhood memories rise unbidden; and Klink reflects on the irony of attending church in the bloodied present day. There's also a question pressing at him: what does he find within himself? Does he dare examine it?

LeBeau in Operation Mother Hen by Tuttle4077 Lebeau is sick. He's miserable, prideful, and Not Happy with the fuss everyone is making - to the point of driving everyone crazy: until they recruit the best nurse (very cute)

LeBeau in Spring Flowers by Tuttle4077 a poetically evocative piece on how Lebeau witnesses the changes to his beloved Rhineland. For better, for worse, for better, for worse. for better? (the imagery is vivid, and Lebeau's love really shines through)

Uneasy Company by dust on the wind Stuck between a rock, a hard place, a Hochstetter, and more troubles on the way, Newkirk is stranded without any backup. We get to see how he thinks and performs under pressure when the crew isn't there. When he needs to use his lockpicking skills, how can he explain them to the paranoid Hochstetter?

Drop Bears by dust on the wind Newkirk makes a bet with an Australian POW, and ends up taking a different gamble and performing some last-minute acrobatics.

A Deserved Gift by Cardinal Rose Newkirk dreams up the perfect plot for springtime. Most of the crew beg off taking part, because its an unnecessary risk, but regardless the victory is sweet and enjoyed by all. (in wartime, even Petty Revenge requires Pro Revenge tactics)

Cracking the Vault by Sierra Sutherwind Reminded of his younger days, Newkirk gives himself an inconveniently timed challenge - much to the dismay of Hogan and Schultz. They support him, but tbh they had their hands tied, what else could they do? (bonus: Schultz and the OCs in this fic go through some interesting developments, but they arent the focus in this category)

Once Is Enough by Abracadebra Newkirk is recruited as the reluctant accomplice in Marya's latest wild scheme. He shows off his skills at bluffing, snarking, and griping >:) i like how the more stressed he gets the funnier he gets haha

Autumn Winds by Fear-Of-The-Cold Newkirk's attitude toward human connection over the years, as it is influenced by his family and the world. we get to see a pre-Heroes POW Newkirk

The Assassin by lonewolfette9846 Newkirk is given the most important job in the war. And he has to do it alone. He does his best to keep his cover, and in the little time he has strategises his next moves. A very tense story - and that tension takes its toll on Newkirk. I like how methodical and tactical Newkirk comes across in this, despite the mission not being remotely in his experience.

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(voting link again)

[mxalexis]

Behold !

I am bringing you a masterpiece featuring :

💭 a walk down memory lane

👬 friendship

⏱️ a race against time

💢 a domineering father

🏳️‍🌈 queer folks

💗 hope

Yes, I am talking about The Lost Cases, The Private Diary of John Watson, The Vanishing Heiress by Sage Boscombe.

This novella is the 3rd chapter in a serie featuring John Watson & Sherlock Holmes, with a focus on their personal relationship.

In case you didn't know, let me be clear : they are in love! With each other! In a very gay way!

(Just tought I would clear that up)

Now, onto the story :

➡️ Sherlock and John find themselves *cough* interrupted *wink* with a message from a rich man whose daughter has been missing for a month, and who desperately needs their help finding her and bringing her back.

He's not a sympathetic man, his temper seems to flare up quite easily, and he's clearly not used to not getting his way.

But he is obviously very distraught by his daughter's disappearance, and the police are of no help. So our favorite duo decides to investigate the matter.

They end up going to Barts, Watson's old university, to interview a good friend of the missing young woman, who might or might not know what happened to her.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

In the previous chapters, I was enchanted by the silliness, cuteness, and romantic aspects of John & Sherlock's story.

And those are still there ! Very much so !

The scene involving Mrs Hudson (you'll know wich one when you read it), in particular, has me roaring with laughter every time I re-read it !

The "aaaaaww" dimension is also very much present on several occasions.

⚠️ The reason I'm explaining all this is to make sure you keep that in mind as you move on with the rest of my comment, because it's not all sweet and roses.

I have to say, very rarely have I read a story that gut-wrenching, and yet hopefull & wholesome at the same time.

Here we start seeing more concretely what it meant at that time to be qu33r in London. And while it would have been easy to focus it all on misery, despair, or ostracism, the author beautifully showed hope, resilience, solidarity, and acceptance.

Not only is it very well-written, it's also a lovely continuation of the previous chapters, absolutely believable in terms of characters' development, & a great way to explore these 2 sweet men's universe some more.

Thank you so much, Sage Boscombe, for creating these precious stories 💙

I can never recomend these novellas enough.

Please consider giving them a go!