#but i'm gonna miss marty

[andithil]

Happy 54th Birthday Jason Bateman → January 14th, 1969

[lihiominaa]

NCIS: Los Angeles 06.16. Expiration Date

[nero-neptune]

close encounters of the third kind is an objectively good movie, but it feels sorta tragic. and i doubt thet was the intention lol. love the cinematography, love the music score, love the visual effects. that's all fun and good. but where everyone else seems to see a movie full of "wonder", it just makes me feel sad. the movie ends the way it does and it leaves me feeling bummed the fuck out.

[timechange]

Martin keeps staring at the photograph, wishing he could see inside the other boy's mind, wishing he could see what his life must look like. A life without timesheets and polo shirt Thursdays. A life where he can smile that bright and be friends, really friends, with this extraordinary man.

"...You got a dog?" While the idea doesn't shake the almost tangible sadness that hangs over him, he offers up a small, shy smile that almost reaches his eyes. It's gone the next moment, however, a shadow passing over his features. "I don't have... I, um... I mean, I-I have school... and this... but my parents don't really, uh... get along... and my brother and sister... I haven't seen them since they left three years ago. Other than that..." He trails off and goes back to looking at the photograph, ashamed.

While he listens to Doctor Brown's conjecture, a huff of breath escapes his nose as he runs his finger along the edge of the photograph, though he doesn't meet his gaze.

"Just 'cause we're both real doesn't mean that both of us should be," Martin returns. "Not every possible world is gonna be viable, right?" And he knows, though it pains him to admit, that this way of life isn't. He works so hard because what else is there? He has to be a model for studiousness and moral gravity because who would he be otherwise? He didn't know until today.

He straightens at the hand on his too-tense shoulder, looking up to search the other's face cautiously. When he finds nothing but kindness and concern, he tries to swallow around the knot in his throat, tries to stop his eyes from misting over. He resists the urge to put his own hand over Doctor Brown's to keep it there.

Martin nods, wiping his sleeve across his eyes.

"You're the only one in town who has a car," he informs him, "a real one. I don't know how to drive it, but Mr. Wilson does, and it's armored and everything. You have an intercom on your desk; I can call him for you, ask him to give us a ride there. He's, uh... he's not like the others."

Once again, Emmett scoffs, this time sharper so that there's no room to misinterpret his opinion on his counterpart's deplorable—and rather concerning—actions. ❝The point is, he allowed Hill Valley to become this❞—with a grand, yet no less disgusted gesture, he indicates the monitors strewn across the desk, the cameras looming ominously above—Big Brother, indeed! all that was missing were the on-the-nose signs—❝and either doesn't see why that's a problem or isn't willing to do something about it. If you ask me, he might've benefitted from a—❞

He trails off, remembering himself. He might benefit from biting his tongue in this situation and avoiding vilifying his counterpart in front of Marty, who clearly, at least in some capacity, looks up to him.

The pit slowly opening up in his stomach as he catches every single one of Marty's broken expressions becomes a chasm and Emmett does his best to not allow the hurt over the obvious fear in his eyes, the shattered pieces of his self-worth crumbling before him, to show on his face.

Marty's emotions are too fragile, too mercurial to allow him any moment to try and address everything written so painfully clear across his face, so he chooses to focus on the most poignant part of his disbelief—their seemingly impossible friendship.

Emmett nods, slowly. ❝You have friends where I'm from, even if I haven't met them all personally. I've heard you talk about them often enough to the point where I could almost say I know them. But you were my first—besides my dog Einstein, that is—in a while and you're still my closest friend today.❞

Instinct tells him to reach for the boy and initiate physical contact as a grounding mechanism as he's done time-and-time again over the course of their friendship, something that, while once awkward, has since become second-nature. But Marty's visceral reaction to him even calmly approaching him is enough to make him rethink that—he certainly can't blame the young man.

If his counterpart is as prominent and powerful as this office and Marty have led him to believe, being approached in such a manner likely spells disaster.

❝No more contingently false than I am standing here in your reality right now,❞ Emmett admits, working beyond his surprise to hear such concepts coming from his dear friend's mouth. The nature of this conversation makes his skin crawl. "A possible world is nothing more than the maximal mereological sum of spatiotemporally related things—something existing differently doesn't make it any less real. You're as real as I am, Marty. Arguably more so, as I'm the one who doesn't belong here."

There's something about Marty's readiness to accept that he and his reality are nothing but a falsehood, a blight to be corrected, that sets Emmett's stomach turning. He has neither the heart nor the will to divulge what he knows regarding the correction of temporal aberrations, at least not yet, and he can only hope he will never have to, no matter how the secret will fester and rot inside him.

His better judgment be damned, Emmett reaches out and places a gentle hand on Marty's shoulder.

❝I'll explain in more detail about what happened to bring me here elsewhere, I promise—I can't shake the feeling, despite this being my office, someone is watching me right now as well.❞ It's likely paranoia talking, but he would be in no way surprised to find his counterpart was being watched as vigilantly as the citizens of Orwell Valley.

❝Thank you for still agreeing to help me—I don't think I'd be able to get through this without you. You said I—my counterpart—has a lab in secret out by the ravine. Do you know how to get there? I assume I've still got a car here—that's about two miles out, assuming something hasn't drastically changed the terrain.❞

[vilebird]

FUNERAL AFTER A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE

a painting of a pale sky and bright blue sea crashing onto dark rocks and foaming. it's oriented the right way. - Day, by Frederick Judd Waugh

"and the man looks me in the eyes and he points to the blue-orange vault over heaven's gates and he says the face of everyone you miss is up there and i know i know i can't see them but i know" - And What Good Will Your Vanity Be When The Rapture Comes, by Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib

"i've cut myself off. i can feel the place / where i used to be attached. it's raw, as when you grate / your finger. it's a shredded mess / of images. it hurts." The Door, by Margaret Atwood

"i found you / i found the door / but when i stepped through / there was no floor" I want you, by Mitski

a still from a video of a bright setting sun against a dark orange sky and dark blue sea, with the caption "don't cry" - The Green Ray (1986)

"i feel dead. / i feel as if i were the residue of a stranger's life" - The Lost Pilot, by James Tate

"the shuddering moan of blood, a song to calm the sacrificial, the loss across the river. the way a dying animal will look at you is seared into me. we tie together and all over again." - i cant remember what this one is sorru

"i am feeling numb. it's a curious feeling, and i get it all the time. my attention to the world around me disappears, and something starts to hum inside my head. far off, voices try to bump up against me, but i repel them. my ears fill up with water and i focus on the humming inside my head. / i am inside my skull. it is a little cave, and i curl up inside it. below it, my body hovers, unattached." - Madness: A Bipolar Life, by Marya Hornbacher.

"-though we're dry and waiting. part of me died here so another could go on. the body i raised-" - When They Say you Can't Go Home Again What They Mean is You Where Never There, by Marty McConnell

text: "there'll always be a few things / maybe several things/ that you're gonna find / really difficult to forgive" image: a black silhouette of a minotaur sitting on top of a pale pillar rising out of a pale maze, looking out at an orange sunset over an empty desert beyond the walls of its maze. the text is black letters on white pasted in strips over top. - Up the Wolves by the Mountain Goats and Minotauro by Jordi Garriga Mora. collage put together by @scatterghosts

"i know there are things i haven't survived." - Lord of the Butterflies, by Andrea Gibson

"it seems to me that the dead only return for love or for revenge. who did you come back for?" - White is for Witching, by Helen Oyeyemi

a painting of a bright white bird on a background split between dark blue and black - Promised Land (2013), by Michael Creese

"and with or without your support, i will continue / what im trying to say is you never know what you've been through / til you pause and cough it out" - Cough It Out by The Frontbottoms

"painting all the mirrors black / i won't see you staring back / i'm getting lost forever / searching in the broken glass / trying to ignore the past / and put myself together" - Mirrors by 8 Graves

"saint calvin told me not to worry about you / but he's got his own things to deal with / there's really just one thing we have in common: / neither of us will be missed" - Saint Bernard by Lincoln

"so many bright lights to cast a shadow / but can i speak? / well, is it hard understanding / that i'm incomplete?" - Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance

"being in a completely normal nonthreatening scenario & environment and thinking 'i have GOT to get the fuck out of here' with the intensity of some trapped neurotic prey animal" - tumblr post by user @greelin

"but you know me / what can't i conjure into hysteria / and longing? / any place is a funeral as soon as i get there. / of course i'm the disaster / but you're the one foolish enough / to learn my name." - The Next Time We Talk on Facebook, by Clementine von Radics

"if your wounds are still open, trust / they are the doors to an answer, / and walk through." - You Better Be Lightning, by Andrea Gibson

text: "what a tremendous thing to learn from" image: black text on white strips across a blue-orange gradient - i forgot this one too sory

"when the body remembers, it bucks wildly / when we try to heal, the phantom smell returns / while in the shower, you break down / while you wash your body you realise it is not your body / and at the same time, it is the only body you have" - Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head, by Warsan Shire

"that was the thing. you never got used to it, the idea of somebody being gone. just when you think it's reconciled, accepted, someone points it out to you, and it just hits you all over again, that shocking." - The Truth About Forever, by Sarah Dessen

"the spirit is so hurt / it don't know the / body / it / looks in / the mirror / and asks, who is it?" - On/My/Aging, by Carolyn Marie Rodgers

"could we sit together in new bodies, shoulder to tender / shoulder, / the lovely and the thorned, the bitter and the failed, / the grave to the left of us, the sea to the right?" - 8, Always a Rose, by Li-Young Lee

"the fact of the matter is / you survived, / it's what you do. / death and you / walk side by side / all sigh and scythe / you stay alive. / and you have the right / but struggle to believe. / you're still allowed / to be alive. / it feels inappropriate." - It's What You Do, by Lena Oleanderson @lena-oleanderson

a painting of a bright orange sky at sunset, sun nowhere to be seen, over a pale sea crashing onto dark rocks and foaming. it's oriented upside down. - Night, by by Frederick Judd Waugh

[martiandmichelle]

Hey guys, it's Emily. Yep, been awhile. If you look at this pic and compare to some past ones of me you'll notice I've lost some weight (except in my tits). I don't know if you think I look better at this weight on my more usual, more curvy self and maybe I do, but I don't FEEL better. I'll be honest, all these changes for Studio M (and I'll pile on - Marti, write the damn thing! 🤗😘) had me really, really concerned. I mean, these ladies are my family and I felt it falling apart; besides, I was afraid of being left behind by Marti and the other girls leaving but also didn't want to leave my friends and lovers here at Studio M. It was Roxy who brought me the news: PACK UP, JOKESTER, YOU'RE MOVING TO THE MOUNTAINS! And so I have. And though I probably get 4th billing, being 4th behind Marti, Mirren, and Maria is nothing to be embarrassed about! I'm settled up in these hills now and am trying to put some of my old weight back on - maybe some will go to my boobs?!

And now I have to give Maria a bit of a hard time for leaving some very important people off her list of those who have moved or will move to the Appalachians with us. First there's Daphne and Wendy: who can have a film studio without makeup and wardrobe, right? And then there's Dana: from managing the full Studio M staff as a Site Director, she was still very happy to move with Marti; the two helped make each other and it would be stupid from a business standpoint to separate them. Dana is still managing the day to day busy of the Mountain Studio (as we call it). And, of course, Dana wasn't leaving without her wife, Gail. Some of you may recall that Gail is second only to Marti in boobs size (she's now an N cup) and looks nearly as big because she's such a small woman (married to 6/1½" Dana). However, Gail only did one photo or video session a month because her love is her garden and our home. Gardening will be different up here compared to Florida, but her love for Dana exceeds anything else. Besides, she's thinking she might do more modeling and maybe even show up here. You can't miss her: the biggest damn areolas any of us have ever seen.

As for those left behind, I'll miss Willow the most, but I've been assured that she'll be the next to come up once things have settled and are growing. Vera is going more and more to mainstream modeling with her fabulous legs. July is now the manager in charge of all makeup and wardrobe for Studio M. Becca has taken Gail's place running the homestead. Zin is a major model with the sudio and doesn't want to leave her now very happy mother, Becca. Don't be surprised if Chelsea comes up here soon to join Mirren to give us her voluptuous and hung trans body to compliment Mirren's cross dressing and incredible cock. Risa will continue to be the straight porn star she is for Studio M. Mandy will be the second girl we'll poach from Studio M after Willow. And last, of course, Michelle will stay with her now 400+ men: I think that's a lifetime commitment, and she LOVES it. (About the men we've introduced here; I'll let someone else write about their status.)

So here I am, a mountain woman. I've never lived anywhere but Florida. It's gonna be a change but, WTF, to live with Marti and the rest is worth way more than some homesickness. Now that I know I'm part of this family still, I've actually gained a few pounds. Not sure what I'll look like the next time I post.

Love you guys who keep following us through the changes - and all you new ones who have come to stay awhile.

Emily

[timechange]

"Uh, yeah."

He'd been a little-- okay, a lot-- apprehensive about approaching the random guy in the woods and telling him he was lost (he sounded like a little kid, for crying out loud), but the relief at seeing someone else and realizing he wasn't completely alone out here won out. At least he wasn't some crazy murderer or something and seemed genuinely concerned about him.

At the rustling of the trees, Marty brings his jean jacket closer around him, wishing he'd brought his vest or something. It's cold, even surrounded by the endless green of what you'd think would be a beautiful forest in the summer daylight. But there's something else here in the darkness; if it didn't sound completely nuts, he'd say he could almost feel something reaching out for him, a low whisper in his ear.

Then again, saying he couldn't remember why he was in the woods in the first place sounded pretty crazy, too. Maybe that's why he's so quick to accept the situation and take his chances with the dude who at least seemed to know what he was talking about.

"You're out here too," Marty points out, somewhat helplessly, lowering his voice even though he has a sinking suspicion it wasn't going to matter. "So what the hell do we do? We gotta get out of here and I don't..." He winces at a sudden jolt of pain and a ringing in his ears, bringing a hand to the back of his head, surprised when it comes away clean. "...You, uh, you live around here or somethin'?..."

“Lost?” Emmett asks, holding up the lantern to take a better look at @timechange. Fireglow dances along the edges of his face, gives his hair the appearance of a wild flame, and highlights the concern etching itself deep into the set of his jaw.

In the distance, twin pinpricks of light cleave through the curtain of darkness, there and gone in the blink of an eye. A chill runs down Emmett’s spine at the hunger he can feel radiating off that gaze, the way the forest comes to life, curling its branches around them. I see you. I have you. The trees rustle, murmuring secrets indecipherable to human ears, and the wind strikes the branches with enough force to produce a haunting melody that carries deep into the endless black.

Something happened to bring the boy here into the Beast’s domain, and it has already caught wind of his presence.

“That’s not good. There are dangerous things lurking in these woods,” he cautions, looking beyond the young man once again for any signs of its presence, to find nothing but shadows staring back, “and I’m afraid they already know you’re here.”

[midnight1nk]

So, this week's episode...

[Spoilers below cut]

OMG IS IT HAPPENING OH SHIT I HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED WATCHING THIS YET!!!

And now here's my live reaction:

Hey, wait a minute, yeah... where is Mr Puzzles staying anyway?

...uh Mr Puzzles, is this a bad time?

... no... I just... hmmm...

This reminds me so much of the YouTube Arc

AAAAAA THE FACE IS BACK... ahem sorry just Eye of Ra theory stuff

[*looks at my murder board and back to the screen*] ...do they know?

btw people have mentioned about the numbers on the board and I personally think it's a texture. Hmm, then again it could mean something so I'll try to see if I can figure it out.

OMG BOWSER AND JUNIOR I MISSED YOU GUYS

sorry Mr Puzzles, but there's unfortunately an audience for this

hey, kids can be terrifying

can I just say, these little bits of animation are so good!

correct me if I'm wrong but is that a new Mr. Puzzles face (animation)?

Hold up, is he in Karen's house?

HE IS

Karen, you should really upgrade the security of your house. First, Marty, and now Mr Puzzles.

somewhere deep down in my heart i still love you [yes, i did say this out loud]

Karen's kids my beloved ❤️ love it when they act like cute siblings

still the same SMG3 as always... uh, I mean it's totally not Three what are you talking about?

also I want to talk about my Ferris Wheel Wedding concept so bad

also pink…?

[*lays on the floor and zooms out of the room*] ok bye bye

LEGGY?!

[*ducktales theme song plays*]

damn those kids are fast bringing Mr Puzzles from 10 million to 39.7 million (why is that number so specific though, hmm...)

...oh ...oh ...now I feel bad what the hell

HE KEPT THE FLAG I KNEW IT WAS GONNA COME BACK IN SOME WAY

Mr Puzzles: "My ratings haven't moved?"

hmmm.....

please be the car please be the car YEAHHHHHHH

OMG HIIIIIIII

ok, the traffic scene got me lmao (i have no sense of humor anymore)

seriously tho how did he fit in that little car, but hey that's canon now

god I'm annoying but I just love this, found family my beloved ❤️❤️

Mario: "Do I join...?"

well, Mario, you did join Three back in the YouTube Arc (unintentionally) so this wouldn't be the first time...

WOAH WOAH WOAH

I seriously did not expect that, but it makes sense, I don't blame her having mixed feelings about this.

aww Mario and Four making sure Meggy's okay, family is found ❤️

Meggy: "Who does he think he is... thinking he can just roll up and ask me to join him-"

It's technically not out of the question Meggy, that's why we theorize

LEGGY 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

also I smell a redemption arc for Mr. Puzzles

well, Mr Puzzles, kids do deserve good stories and I'm sure they would've loved to know how you do things but looks like you picked that wrong your audience for that

NEGATIVE 1 STARS?!?!?!

oh hey Three :)

👀 "laughing stock" you say?

PFFT I was going to say, that was good cinematography

It's high noon...

wait, was that audio from AMPHIBIA? OH SHIT AMPHIBIA MENTION (timestamp 12:20)

hey remember what I said in my 'ONCE UPON A Ṕ̷̱E̴̺̽R̵̖̎̕F̵̢̗̈́̀E̴̞̍C̴͈̽T̶͓̘̈́ SMG4’ theory:

Every story, no matter how outlandish it seems, is grounded in reality.

The showdown is exactly how it played out at the end of the Meme Factory mini-arc, with the gun and everything!

"I thought we were friends." "You are not my friend(s) anymore."

oh shit OH SHIT

OH SHITTTTTT!!!!!!!

OMG WAS MY EYE OF RA THEORY RIGHT?!?!? HE'S RED AND EVERYTHING, JUST LIKE THE RED SUN DISK RA HAS OMG OMG

oooh that song at the end tho

damn Mr Puzzles really snapped. like, I know that's him breaking down, crying, but I can also hear it as insane laughter. he's broken broken...

....WHATTTTT

also congrats VerperrTea for your art making it to the credits, love to see it!!! 🎉

.・-: ✧ :--: ✧ :-・.

so uh, that was a lot to take in. It was good to follow Mr Puzzles in this episode. Love to see all the fanmade faces featured as well. Overall, a great episode! I'm surprised at how much it got me. Now that we know FOR SURE that WOTFI is coming, we're getting the little bits of clues we have put together. And the title did not lie, Mr Puzzles really did reach his lowest point. I also loved the bit of the channel acknowledging the "i want the old SMG4" fans.

Aw, my dear fellows, I'm just anxious but ready to see how Mr Puzzles will go all-out villain again. (please goop!4 please goop!4) I've checked the WOTFI website and nothing has changed so we're good... for now. Can't wait to see what happens next!!!

...what do you mean I have to wait a whole week for the next episode?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[knickynoo]

McFly July Day 7: Back in Town

Lone Pine timeline

“Alright, I’d say this one’s about done.” Doc hefted the cardboard box into his arms to check its weight, nodded, then set it back down. “Yep. Additional tools can go into this one.” He nudged an empty box with his shoe.

Marty sifted through the pile on the floor, looking for anything in decent enough shape to warrant packing it up and sending over to Doc’s new house. They’d been at it all morning- picking their way through the cluttered garage, consolidating the essentials into boxes and bins and bags. Everything deemed junk was promptly tossed into heavy duty garbage bags, and the stuff in the middle—non-essential but not quite junk—would be left as is.

He was glad that Doc was keeping the garage. A “vacation home” his friend had said with a laugh.

Still, it was hard to reconcile that the small place would now spend the majority of its time empty. No longer filled with the bustling activity of a scientist, a boy, and a dog.

“I wish you could be closer, Doc.”

Doc paused in his fight with a pile of tangled extension cords. His gaze swept the room before landing on Marty. “I wish I could be closer too,” he said with a sigh. “But with Clara and the boys…I have to think of them. It’s safer to start somewhere fresh than bring them here where people will ask questions.”

“Yeah, I know.”

It all made sense to Marty, really, and he was just glad Doc had decided to permanently move back to the present day. What did an hour’s drive compare to the hundred years that previously separated them? This was reason to celebrate, not mourn.

Marty tossed a wrench into the box, then looked up when he felt Doc’s eyes on him. “What?”

“It’s not an ideal situation, is it? For either of us. What with you still adjusting to so much change at home and myself—” Doc cleared his throat. “—Myself having missed you for all those years I was living in the Old West.”

The sensation of feeling like a foreigner in this new timeline was something Marty had no chance of ignoring, but the near decade of life Doc had lived while building the time train was something he’d worked hard to push to the recesses of his mind. After all, he’d seen Doc less than an hour after making the return trip to 1985; how could it have been almost ten years since Doc had seen him? How could he have lived so much life—married and had two children and become so comfortable in the 1800s?

Thinking about it too long made him feel a little sick.

“Do you want to pack this up, Doc?” he asked, waving a hammer through the air. “The handle’s got a chip in it, but it’s fine other than that.”

There was no response to his question, and he set it into the box as Doc crouched beside him. Marty sensed a speech of some sort coming—a pep talk that he really wasn’t in the mood to hear. But instead, Doc said, “Let’s take a break from all this. Go next door and get some burgers.”

Marty looked at the mess, then took note of his empty stomach. He rose to his feet and dusted off the knees of his jeans with his palms. “Yeah. Yeah, let’s do that. I might need two burgers if we’re gonna try to squeeze in a couple more hours of packing after.”

“Two burgers and a pile of fries,” Doc declared, straightening back up. “Though I’d say we’ve made excellent progress already, so we don’t have to rush right back to this. In fact, why don’t we take a trip to get some paint samples after lunch? You can pick out a color for your room.”

The suggestion quickly worked to brighten Marty’s mood. “Cool. Let’s get moving, Doc. And hey, maybe we can think of something else to do after picking up the paint—put off the cleaning and packing even more.”

Doc chuckled and grabbed his wallet from an end table. “Yes, I'm sure we can come up with something. Besides”—He waved his hands toward the destruction caused by the overpowered amp, which they’d managed to consolidate into one giant heap in the corner of the room—“I don’t even know how to begin tackling all that.”

[beah388love]

Nieces and Nephews

18+ Minors DNI!!!

Full Masterlist Legend Masterlist

Pairing: Reggie Kray x Fem!Reader

Summary: You introduce Reggie to your nieces and nephews

Warnings: swearing,shouting,smoking,cigarettes!!!(Please tell me if missed any!!!)

"Oi! Reg? You comin?" Albie asked gesturing to the car,

"Nah I'm gonna walk it's a lovely day for it" reg said as  he walked up the road, a bouquet of flowers in hand, he walked up to your door and sighed as he knocked on the red door.

"Put that down! God who is it now!" Dolly groaned as she told off tony,

She opened the door and sighed when she saw Reggie.

"What is it reg?" She somewhat spat

"I'm here to see Y/n?" He responded and she scoffed.

"Y/N! Krays here for ya!" She shouted up the stairs.

"Alright! Alright I'm comin" you spoke as you came down the stairs with, a baby girl in one arm and another in the other.

Reggie gave her a smile, your face lightening up when you saw him.

You walked over with your nieces on your hips.

“These are for you…” he smiled handing you flowers and you gasped “thank you Reggie they’re beautiful!” You smiled as you put them in a glass.

“Ooooh” harlie giggled as she peeked out from the door.

"Who are these?" Reggie smiled at the little girls and they giggled.

"This is Janie,lou Lou and Flo!" You giggled at her.

"What are ya doin here reg?" You asked smiling up at him.

"I was uh- wondering if you wanted to go down to the field with me?" He asked and you thought about it for a minute.

"Well, uh- I'm actually looking after all of my nieces and nephews today..and there are a lot.." you sighed but you nodded.

"Y'know what sure..D’ya mind helping me get em ready?" You asked hesitantly and he nodded.

“How many?” Reggie asked as he walked into your house for the first time.

“Uh- nine boys and seven girls so uh…sixteen in total” you said as you walked into the livingroom, Reggie following you.

“Sixteen kids.” Reggie grabbed your wrist looking you in the eyes waiting for you to admit you was joking.

“Yup” you smiled popping the p.

“And you look after them every day?” He asked you shocked.

“Uh yeah- I basically babysit all day every day unless I’m out with you or working at the club” you smiled and he nodded still shocked.

“Who looks after them while you’re gone?”

“Oh um, well the older boys will look after them for a couple hours or Dolly will” you said and Tommy butted in “yeah and she is a bitc-“

You cut him off with a pointed finger “don’t finish that sentence” Tommy grinned

“Tom,Joey grab the buggy please” you asked and they nodded as they lazily got up and got them ready.

“Where are we going today auntieeeee y/n/n” Harlie exclaimed excitedly as she played with her cards.

“Down to the field” you smiled as you picked up lou Lou and put her in the pram along with Flo.

“Right….everyone line up!” You shouted and they all lined up in the livingroom, one little girl bumping into reg.

“Sorry Mister” she said and reg smiled “don’t worry about it little miss” he replied making her smile as she walked off.

You began counting and once everyone was there you left the house.

“Right it’s gonna be a little busy today so stay by me and Reggie Kay?” You asked and they all nodded.

“Oi! Put that out!” You huffed to Tommy waving the smoke from his cigarette out.

“You let me smoke before” he groaned and you nodded, “yes I don’t mind you smokin! Just not around the little ones” you said and he nodded as he put the fag out.

“Are you a gangster?” Charlie asked and tony ran away and held your hand looking at reg sheepishly.

“No im a club owner” Reggie said with a little grin.

“Are you our new uncle?” Marty asked making you gasp.

“Marty! Don’t ask that” you said and she shrugged

“what?”

“Well…” Reggie was cut off by another kid “are you rich?” He asked and he shook his head stifling a laugh.

You were walking up the quiet road and you couldn’t help but giggle, especial when you saw maggie holding his hand as you crossed the road.

Once you got to the field all of you played games together,

Reggie played football with the older boys whilst you played eye spy with the younger kids.

Reggie was even giving them all piggyback rides, leaving him an out of breath mess afterwards making you laugh.

To cut it short it was an amazing day and Reggie was the kids “new uncle…”

[pony-central]

The PuzzleVision Theory

Hey, my fellow SMG4 fans and Theorists. I'm here today to talk about something that all of the fandom are trying to work out. The mystery of this PuzzleVision stuff that's been happening. So, let's talk about it. Keep in mind, we're gonna get to the analysis of the SMG34/SMG43 ship, don't worry.

So, in the trailer for the IGBP movie, we can see that the characters have been upgraded again. TBH, the designs are more nicer. Then we get to the ending of the trailer. We can see just how intense it's gotten. SMG4 looked like he was on the brink of insanity.

"It's gotta be perfect. It's gotta be perfect! IT'S GOTTA BE PERFECT!!!" was the Wham Line of the trailer, as it made him look more terrifying. Speaking of that, we get to the movie itself.

We know that SMG4 was corrupted by the keyboard. And we also see the tiny TV icon asking him to rate their experience after he's free from the grasp of the keyboard. This is our first hint of Mr Puzzles, and his scheme, which makes him the main storyline's villain.

In the WOTFI 2023 Mission Prep stream, we can see the boys planning the heist to get SMG3's Notebook back from Mario and Marty. What if Mr Puzzles was corrupting Mario to taking the Notebook, too? Well, you'd be wrong.

During the course of the entire WOTFI 2023 special, we find out that Marty was told that there was a secret pizza recipe in the notebook.

We get a glimpse of Marty's office in the TF2 video, and it doesn't look that menacing, right? Ha ha ha. WRONG! In WOTFI 2023, the place is overloaded with traps and heavy weaponry that can kill anyone who dares to trespass.

It is at the end of WOTFI 2023 that we get our first real look at Mr Puzzles. We can see that he looks pretty menacing. We'll get more into his depth RN.

So, during the whole of "No TV Make Mario Not Okie Dokie", the power goes out, and everyone freaks out. The crew all try to find a source of energy, until the end when the power comes back on. Happy ending, right? Ha ha ha. Nope. Turns out that the TV appears downstairs for some reason. But this is important, as it shows us that the next chapter of The Showgrounds Saga has begun.

The first of five shows is a Blue's Clues parody, which shows us that the crew are being forced against their will to put on a good show. "Mario's Mysteries" is about SMG4 and Dog Mario attempting to "solve" the mystery on where the spaghetti is.

So we get our first shot of Mr Puzzles in this Five-Episode Mini-series called PuzzleVision. He appears with a red outline, as he plans to make the show as perfect as he can. Huh. Sound familiar? (insert Insane SMG4 here)

It is here that we get our first clue that everything isn't normal. We see Meggy, Tari and SMG3 all stuck in the basement, shown on the TV screaming, hinting at their release. They want freedom. They demand freedom, to no longer be forced to act as little playthings in Mr Puzzles' shows.

Next is "Once Upon an SMG4", which has one of the deepest messages ever. The premise of this episode is that SMG3 is the princess, no surprise there, he IS a Tsundere after all. He wants a "Sugar Daddy" to be rich. The songs are great. Near the end, SMG3 says "I wish we could all escape from here", which means he's self-aware of the brainwashing.

Yeah, Mr Puzzles. A "programming malfunction". It's like he's trying to keep the SMG4 Crew from spilling the televised beans. Which he is, no surprise there.

The third episode is entitled "Scooby-Mario, Where'd You Go?", which is a Scooby-Doo parody, and not just any Scooby-Doo parody. But a funny parody, and the best one so far. The episode is about Chef Bob going "missing", and the gang have to find him.

At one part of the episode, we get a glimpse of some type of surveillance room. Here, we see snippets of the episodes playing on about 27 TVs, if you count the TVs hidden in the shadows. Another hint of characters being self-aware.

Overall, my theory is that Mr Puzzles wants to make sure that at least one episode gets a five star rating. Perfect episodes mean never ending entertainment. I've been wanting to make a post about Mr Puzzles and his antics since WOTFI 2023. But I needed more evidence to support my theory.

But, hey. That's just a theory. An SMG4 Theory!

[tadaxii-i]

i need you to tell me about rosestarkillerchaser like they're a sales pitch please

You got it bestie *hiss* (I definitely didn't have to research what a sales pitch was, what are you talking about?)

Hey, you! Yeah, you, hi!

I'm gonna make it short, I'm *your mom haha*, I just saw you had a bunch of marauders on your feed, yeah? You like them? I really really do, especially Regulus.

And you know Reg, you know Reg! He's got a hard life, he deserved better, yada yada yada, so we got him a boyfriend, obviously; but love, what if I tell you there's better out there?

At PBAM INC, we've got the best value deals for rareships on the market. And I know what you're saying, you're saying "rareships? I already have James! I don't want to replaces him" and neither do we! That's why I'm here, today, to talk to you about rosestarkillerchaser.

I know it's a mouthful *corporate laugh* but that's also was Reg will say right before a night with them!

And well, between you and I, my love, who would want to deny Reg anything, yeah? Not me, that's for sure, and I know it's not you either!

With rskc - i'll shorten it for your pretty mouth - you could have everything you've ever wanted and a half for your sad, pathetic little wet sock of a blorbo.

Now imagine- please close your eyes, my love, and imagine. Regulus, poor Regulus. His mother's a bitch, Sirius doesn't want to be around him anymore. Barty and Evan tell him to stay away from the Gryffindors, but James slithers past their watch. He's hot, Reg knows it. And Barty, he's so determined to protect his best friend, yeah? Because he loves Evan, and he loves Reg too, in equal measure, and he want to hate James. But James is soft touches and starlit eyes and everything Regulus ever wanted and well, how can one guy be so likeable? Barty, by virtue of well-intentioned protectiveness, finds in James what Regulus saw in him, with his pretty eyes and the dimples on his cheeks. In an effort to hate James Potter, he falls in love with him.

And you might be thinking, "how is this beneficial to James? He deserves full love and attention too, my boy" and I agree with you! But I assure you, beautiful, that Barty bites, and he bites hard. He'll bite him too, when the time comes. Wouldn't you love, to ask, a reprimand, "Barty, have you been biting?" And he would look around sheepishly, but you, you wonderful soul, you could look James in the eyes, and he would uncross his arms from behind his back and tell you "I don't mind" when his arms are bloody and bruised. Isn't that the most wonderful thing you've heard today?

Of course, we're not robbing Barty of a proper, full time boyfriend. See, you and I, we need to make sure the dog is on his leash - and if that leash is called Evan Rosier, oh, what can we do but rejoice? And Evan can have Regulus, too, in the quiet ways that Barty and James don't allow themselves. He is masterfully calm, and when I say the guys will team up to make him lose his composure, it's a once in a lifetime deal I'm selling you.

The AU potential is immense too! Vampire: three mean, mean dudes to bully one poor human, yummy! Royal : the more roles the merrier! The drama! College: do I even need to say it? Cowboy, Band, Band! The band au where all of them are boyfriends! Were you expecting it? Because I can deliver it to you, right at your front door!

Our boys have so much potential, don't you see? James' unforgiving hero complex, Regulus, a self appointed marty, Barty who can Make Himself Worse and Evan who hides as much venom in his veins as the rest of them: don't you see how great they can be?

That's why I'm here right now, lover, so hear me out; for the feeble price or free-ninety-nine and a kiss on the forehead, monthly rskc delivered, right under your doorbell, for your own pleasure. It's been approved and mandated by the SONS, the RPA and even the CBTPC, and I have the best deals, today, on the market, even wholesalers and resellers. It's a steal, don't miss out on it!

Here's my card, I'll be waiting for your call, yeah? Remember, PBAM, okay? Have a great day, lover, and with every great day, comes a great ship! Toodles~

[daryfromthefuture]

mcflyjuly 2024//🌲🌲//day 7: back in town

12/17/83

My handwriting seems awfully sloppy right now, but honestly, I'm not even sure if there's any distinction between this and the other entries, so that's fine. I never write into this diary earlier than like 4 or 5 PM, but I'm unfortunately sick right now, and so I have nothing better to do. That's what happens when the flu is roaming around at school (I can't get a break in winter).

But to be honest, I don't even know what to write. I am suffering since yesterday, and my Mom has reluctantly let me stay home even though she doesn't like me missing classes because my grades aren't the best anyway.

Oops. Almost fell asleep right there. I need to do something. I'm gonna call Doc.

Update: I called him and he chided me for calling him because "I'm sick and bored and almost fell asleep" instead of actually sleeping, which is very hypocritical because the man never sleeps, but then he comforted me and asked whether he could help with anything, which is more than my own parents do, and that's kinda sad. I told him he could come over and knock on my window so we could hang out together (he, no matter how many germs he gets exposed to, has an awfully resistant immune system), to which I got a "Marty!" followed by "Yes, we'll see if I do that" and a "get well". Without Doc, this would suck way more.

Okay, maybe I actually should go to sleep now. Let's hope Doc doesn't come over while I'm knocked out...

autocorrect, is this why i cannot for the life of me write a sickfic where doc is the sick one? he's resistant to people like me? damn

[s0urtarts]

Rewatching true detective is such a trip, I feel like there's so much I missed cause I thought it was just "boring" talks and what not, but now knowing the charachters better everything feels so raw. And I missed the part where the day marty finally tries to get to know him and invites him to dinner to see his two daughters is the same day as Rust's own daughters birthday. There's so much to go through, I can already tell I'm gonna rewatch it a third time.

this show is like what hannibal was to me about 5 years ago. Both have so much to unpack and the more I pay attention the more I realize there is to both

[notgonnaedit]

Given to Fly

Con Job

Summary: Martha "Marty" Thorne was a basic teenager, a little antisocial maybe. But her life changed the day she met the Autobots and joined them in their fight.

Pairing: Optimius x Teen!OFC (Platonic)

Chapter summary: Bulkhead's old buddy comes to visit, but is he really what he seems?

Warnings: Canon-typical violence, hostage situation, sad movie, (If I miss a tag LMK)

Updates are sporadic. If you want to be tagged LMK

@dreamsight73

A/n: I recommend looking up the plot of the Iron Giant if you haven't seen it

Master list

Marty ran through the base as she followed Optimius. They had been checking the security system and were now making their way back to the main hangar. She had never been very athletic, but she could keep up with the other kids at school.

Optimius, however, was not the other kids at school. A simple step for him was a million paces for Marty.

"Optimius," she called through pants. "Wait up!"

Optimius stopped and looked back at her, brow furrowing slightly.

When Marty finally reached him, she rested her hand on his foot, using it as a support as she caught her breath.

"My apologies, Little One," Optimius said. "I had forgotten that it takes more effort for you to keep in stride with me."

Still panting, Marty waved him off. "It's no problem. You're fine."

Suddenly, Marty's feet were taken out from under her. "Whoa!" She adjusted her glasses, looking out a her new high vantage point.

Optimius had lifted her up and set her on his shoulder. The brunette became suddenly aware of how tall her guardian truly was as she looked down at the distant floor.

"Better?" Optimius asked as he began to walk through the base.

Marty nodded, although she couldn't quite tear her eyes away from the floor, or rather, how far away it was. She didn't want to prove Ratchet right and go splat! 

As if sensing her thoughts, Optimius spoke up. "Do not worry," he said with a ghost of a smile. "I won't let you fall."

By now they had come to enter the main hangar where everyone else was gathered. Miko sat atop Bulkhead's shoulder, the two of them rambling on about a monster truck show.

"Optimius," Ratchet said. "I'm receiving a signal on a restricted band. It appears to he coming from a starship inside this solar system," he tapped away at the controls before speaking up again, his voice a mix of apprehension and awe. "It's an Autobot identification beacon."

"So there are other Bots out there?" Asked Jack as he stood on the platform with Raf.

"The masses scattered to the galaxies when Cybertron finally went dark," Arcee told him. "But Cons have been known to bait traps with false beacons."

Optimius stepped forward towards the computer. "Unknown vessel, this is Autobot outpost Omega One. Identify yourself."

"I've had warmer welcomes from Decepticon combat brigades," crackled a gruff voice. 

Bulkhead's face lit up. "Wheeljack?!" He surged forward, causing Miko to yelp. "You old Con crusher! What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Bulkhead?" The voice asked. "That you? What's with all the security?"

"The rock we're on is crawling with Cons," Bulkhead with a slight eye roll. "How soon can you get here and even the odds?"

"Tomorrow, if I put the metal to the pedal."

"Another Bot's coming here," Miko said. "How cool is that!?"

Optimius hummed in thought. "Wheeljack–I know of him by reputation only. Can you verify his voiceprint?" He asked Bulkhead.

He nodded excitedly. "He is 1,000% the real deal, Optimius."

The Prime turned back towards the screen. "We will send landing coordinates, Wheeljack. Safe journey."

"See you soon, buddy," Bulkhead added before Ratchet severed the comm link.

A smirk found Marty's lips as she looked over at Bulkhead. "So, who's the boyfriend?"

He chuckled. "Me and Jackie go way back," he explained. "We were part of the same war unit, the Wreckers. Which means the Cons are gonna wish  he never found us."

Miko grinned, her gaze meeting Marty's. "Another Bot! How cool is that, McFly?"

Marty rolled her eyes at the nickname.

Optimius looked to his charge, confusion painted across his face. "McFly?" He echoed.

"We watched Back to the Future the other night at a sleepover," The brunette explained.

The only response she got was a blank stare.

"Y'know, Back to the Future? The main character is Marty McFly?"

Blank stare.

"Seriously?" Marty slumped slightly. "We need to watch all the cult classics sometime."

)()()()()(

The next day, everyone gathered to prepare to greet Wheeljack.The kids watched with excitement was the blinking dot on the screen representing Wheeljack's ship grew closer to the coordinates.

"Wheeljack's ship is approaching the landing zone," Arcee said with a smile.

"You think he's here to visit?" Raf asked.

"Maybe he'll stay!" Miko suggested. She hummed in thought, tapping her finger to her chin. "Have to find his own human, though."

Marty chuckled. "We'd have to find one for Ratchet first."

Speaking of the medic, he was powering up the ground bridge to pick up the new Autobot. "Ground bridge cycling up," he said. The machinery whirred to life before a few sparks shot out. Ratchet grunted as he slammed his fist on the controls, temporarily fixing the problem. "Blasted scraplets!" He cursed. "Equipment hasn't been the same since the infestation."

A small look of confusion crossed Jack's face. "So, Wheeljack's gonna land halfway around the world and then you'll bridge him here?" He asked.

"We can't risk revealing the location of our base just in case the Decepticons are tracking Wheeljack's ship," Optimius explained. 

Miko walked across the platform to talk to Bulkhead, who was pacing back and forth. "Dude, I've never seen you so excited!" 

"Oh, you're gonna love Wheeljack," Bulkhead told her. "We were like brothers. And tonight we are gonna party!"

Miko's chestnut eyes lit up. "Sweet!"

An alarm blared suddenly. Arcee's smile dropped to a scowl. "Bogies closing fast on Wheeljack's position."

"Con scum!" Bulkhead cursed. He ran to the ground bridge, Arcee and Bee on his heels. "Open the bridge, Ratchet! We're missing all the action!"

Ratchet activated the portal. "I'll prepare sick bay."

"Who for? The Cons?" Bulkhead asked with a smirk. "This is Wheeljack were talking about."

They ran through the bridge stepping out into the desert with their weapons ready. However, the sight they saw was not the one they were expecting.

A white Autobot with green and red markings pulled twin blades out from a Con's torso.

"I taught him that," Bulkhead said with a smile.

Wheejack turned to them, sheathing his swords as he walked. "Ever think I might need a hand here?"

"What, and spoil the show?" Bulkhead retorted.

"You missed one," Arcee said.

Wheeljack changed his hand for a blaster and shot the remaining Con lying on the ground. He deactivated his battle mask, observing them. "If this is all you got, this planet's in bigger trouble than I thought."

Just then, Bulkhead's face broke into the widest grin. "Jackie!" He surged forward and lifted his old friend into a hug.

The Wrecker let out a laugh. "What's to finish, you old wrecking ball?"

)()()()()(

The kids watched as the Bots ran back in from the ground bridge. Is suddenly shut down, sparking and earning a soft groan from Ratchet.

"Jackie, come here," Bulkhead said to the new Bot. "Meet my other best buddy, Miko."

The pink haired girl walked down the steps to meet them. "Hiya."

Wheeljack leaned down. "You keeping Bulkhead out of trouble?"

"I try, but trouble find us anyway."

Wheeljack turned back to Bulkhead. "We're gonna get along just fine."

Optimius walked in, earning his attention.

"Optimius Prime," he said respectfully. "It's a privilege."

"Likewise, soldier," Optimius said with a nod. "What have you to report from your long journey?"

"Been bouncing from rock to rock searching for signs of friend or foe," Wheejack answered. "Now I find both."

"We are few, but strong. We have suffered losses, but we have grown," Optimius glanced at where Raf, Jack, and Marty stood. "And we would relish welcoming a new member into our fold."

"I would be honored," Wheeljack said.

Bulkhead punched him playfully. "Then let's get this party started!"

Wheeljack pushed him back, then both clashed in a chest bump.

Ratchet shook his head. "Oh, joy."

)()()()()(

Miko's fingers danced along the frets of her guitar, providing music for the party. Bulkhead and Wheeljack threw a large ball of scap metal back and forth, throwing each other around a bit as well.

"So, what's that about?" Jack asked as he sat by Arcee.

"It's called lobbing," she explained. "a favorite pastime on Cybertron, especially among the Warrior class."

Miko turned to look at the wild haired boy behind her. "Come on, Raf! Show us some moves!"

The boy adjusted his glasses and stood. "Oh, alright."

Miko changed the rhythm from solo to upbeat power chords. As she played, Raf moved his body in short, jerking motions.

Jack let out a laugh. "Of course–the robot."

Bumblebee watched intently, copying Raf's moves slowly at first, but now moving with him confidently and happily.

Ratchet shook his head as he worked on the ground bridge, but said nothing.

Jack looked around and realized the base wasn't as full as usual. "W-where's Optimius and Marty?"

"Went for a drive," Arcee said with a glimmer in her eye. "Primes don't party."

)()()()()(

Marty sat in the passenger seat of Optimus' cab, her gaze fixated on the passing scenery of the desert wrapped in night. There wasn't much, save for the stars or the occasional coyote hunting a rabbit.

Optimius had asked if she wanted to go for a drive with him. He wasn't big on parties, and since neither was Marty, she happily joined him.

Her mind drifted back to the base. Wheeljack was different than how she imagined. The way Bulkhead described him was rowdy, but he seemed quiet. Maybe he just needed to warm up to them. After all, he'd been alone for a long time.

"Are you alright, Little One?" Optimius asked, his baritone voice rumbling around her.

Marty pulled her gaze away from the window. "Yeah, just lost in thought I guess," she shifted in her seat slightly, noticing the city lights of Jasper coming into view. "Where are we going?"

"I did not have a destination in mind. However, if there is somewhere you would like to go, I would be happy to take you."

Marty hummed in thought. They were in Jasper now. She glanced back out the window and one sign caught her eye.

"We could go to the drive in," she suggested. "They play movies, and if we're lucky, they'll be showing Back to the Future."

Without another word, Optimius pulled into the drive in. Marty read the sign to see what was playing. "It's not Back to the Future, but The Iron Giant is a really good movie," she turned back to the dash. "Wanna watch it?"

She felt a rumble through the cabin, something remnet of a chuckle. "If it's as good as you say, then I suppose I do."

Marty flashed a grin, a rare sight on her usually mundane expression.

)()()()()(

"So there we were– No communications, low on Energon, surrounded by Cons," Bulkheads hands moved wildly as he told his story. Miko's eyes lit up with every word.

"So, what does Wheeljack do? Tell them, Jackie!"

Wheeljack barely glanced his way. "Well, what I do best."

Bulkhead laughed. "He chucks his only grenade smack into the primary heat exchanger."

Wheeljack nodded apathetically. "Yeah, seemed like a good idea at the time."

Bulkhead grinned. "The joint went supernova!"

"Awesome!" Miko declared.

"Yeah, I'm still picking shrapnel out of my backside," Bulkhead admitted.

"I'm not surprised," Arcee said with a smirk. "Given the size of your backside."

Bee buzzed a laugh.

"There it is, Jackie's signature–One grenade, one shot," Bulkhead frowned when he saw his friend wasn't present, at least, not mentally. "Hey, you alright?"

"What?" That snapped Wheeljack out of his thoughts.

"You don't seem like yourself."

He tensed. "What do you mean?"

Bulkhead shrugged. "I don't know. You seem quiet."

Wheeljack waved him off. "Ah, I've been stuck in a can too long. I should go topside before I get stir-crazy."

"I have patrol in the morning. You can come with," Bulkhead offered.

"Let's go now."

"And break up the party? Come on! The gang's loving you!" Bulkhead said cheerfully. "You gotta to tell them about them Battle of Darkmount Pass!"

"You tell them. You're better at it.l," Wheeljack looked to the pink-haired girl watching them. "How about if Miko here shows me the rest of your base?"

Bulkhead was surprised, shocked even. "Well, yeah. Sure, Jackie. Go ahead."

Miko hopped off the crate she was sitting on. "Tour starts now."

As she and Wheeljack walked off into one of the tunnels, she rambled on with a plethora of questions. Bulkhead couldn't help but feel something was off.

"You alright?" Arcee asked him.

He nodded. "Yeah, just...out of sorts, I guess."

"Don't tell me you're jealous," she said with a teasing tone.

"That Miko's making a new friend? Come on!" He looked at the tunnel they had walked into and frowned. "Something... something's just not right about Wheeljack."

"Bulkhead, really?" Arcee asked. "He's traveled galaxies. You haven't seen him in centuries. He could be rocket-lagged or, well, Bots do change, you know?"

"Not Jackie."

)()()()()(

As they pulled out of the drive in, Marty couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness overcome her. "That movie was a lot sadder than I remember."

Optimius stayed silent, imploring her to continue.

But she didn't. She stayed silent, thinking about how similar her life was to Hogarth's. There was even a crazy government agent. Although, the end of the movie wasn't something she wanted to experience.

"Something on your mind, Little One?" Optimius asked.

She let out a soft sigh. "I was just thinking about the movie," she chuckled, a twinge of sadness in the sound. "Who would've thought I would get to live it out?"

Optimius was silent for a beat. "There are many risks that come with a war," he started. "But rest assured, I do not plan on becoming one with the Allspark in the foreseeable future."

The seatbelt tightened around Marty in a makeshift hug. She smiled softly, taking her hand and holding the strap. How Optimius had known what she was thinking, she would never know. Maybe she wasn't as good as masking her emotions as she thought she was, or maybe he just knew her too well. 

But maybe it wasn't so bad to have someone to open up to.

)()()()()(

"Look, I know Wheeljack better than anyone," Bulkhead insisted.

"Hey," Wheeljack and Miko entered the main hangar. "What are you guys talking about?"

Bulkhead turned to him. "I was just telling the guys all about you and me at the Battle of Darkmount Pass."

Wheeljack nodded. "That's a heck of a story."

"Yep," Bulkhead narrowed his eyes. "Tell it."

Miko faked a yawn. "Talk, talk, talk. How about after we go off-roading?"

"Miko! Stay out of this!" Bulkhead snapped.

"Bulkhead, easy," Arcee warned.

Wheeljack wavered. "I'm not sure I–"

"Tell it!" Bulkhead demanded.

Wheeljack met his glare. "Fine. You want to live in the past, Bulkhead? The Wreckers were trapped between a Decepticon patrol and the smelting pit. The Cons were vicious, bearing down on us with everything they had. Me and Bulkhead engaged the enemy, left them for scrap then I made us a way out using their backsides as stepping-stones to cross the molten metal," he glared at Bulkhead. "Isn't that how it happened?"

"Yeah. That's exactly how it happened," Bulkhead confirmed. "Except for one little thing. I wasn't there."

All eyes were on Wheeljack, even Ratchet.

"What?" The Bot(?) asked.

"I'd already left the Wreckers to join up with Optimius, but you wouldn't know that if all you did was access Wheeljack's public-service record," Bulkhead pointed an accusational finger at him.

Miko looked between the two, confusion painted across her expression. "Bulkhead, what does that have to do with– Ahh!"

Wheeljack(?) grabbed her and ran out of their circle, standing defensively near the ground bridge controls. "Stay back, or I'll squeeze her into a pulp."

Miko beat her fists against his hand. "Wheeljack, what are you doing?!"

"Decepticon coward!" Bulkhead cursed. "Let the girl go and face me!"

The Con's face twisted into a cruel smile. "Don't fret. Plenty of fighting to come."

"Is there a real Wheeljack?" Jack asked.

The Con nodded. "Oh, indeed, and expect Lord Starscream is making sport of him," he turned to the controls and powered up the ground bridge, which had finally finished it's repairs.

Once the swirling green was activated, he moved in front of it, ready to escape back to the Decepticon Warship. "Let's gets this party started."

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the portal wielding two blades. He kicked the Con in the back, sending Miko flying. Bulkhead caught her and set her gently on the floor.

"I'd shut that hole before the stink comes through," the second Wheeljack said.

Ratchet quickly closed the ground bridge. 

The two Wheeljack's circled each other, blades drawn. Bulkhead stepped forward, but one, the one who came from the ground bridge, stopped him. "Ugly's mine."

They went at it, slicing at each other without mercy.

Raf adjusted his glasses. "Which one is the real Wheeljack?"

Miko stammered as she wagged her finger between the fighting Cybertronians. "Uhh, I lost track!"

Finally, one of them took the other to the ground. Bulkhead smiled. "That's my Jackie."

Wheeljack, the real Wheeljack, glanced to Ratchet as he sheathed his blades. "You, hit the switch. It's time to take out the trash."

As Ratchet fired up the ground bridge, Wheeljack turned to Bulkhead. "All yours, buddy."

Bulkhead grinned and grabbed the Con. He hurdled him into the ground bridge. 

Wheeljack nodded in approval. "Nice lob."

)()()()()(

With the real Wheeljack at the base it was time to really party, much to Ratchet's displeasure. He shook his head as he watched Miko and Marty play guitar together and Jack, Raf, and Bee dancing to it. "It's like a reaccuring nightmare."

"Now that you're part of Team Prime, we need to pick out a vehicle mode for you," Bulkhead said to his friend. "I have some ideas."

Wheeljack shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, about that, Bulk– Now that my ship's repaired, I'm itching to know what else I might find out there."

"Wait," Miko's voice directed her attention to the kids who had gathered at their feet. "You're leaving? Why?"

Wheeljack looked pained, like he didn't want to hurt her feelings.

Bulkhead smiled, a bit sadly. "Because some Bots never change."

"Wheeljack, know that you'll always have a haven here," Optimius told him.

Bulkhead threw his arm around Wheeljack's shoulders. "Jackie never stays, but he always comes back."

)()()()()(

"There's room for two, Bulk," Wheeljack said his his friend as they stood outside his ship. "Even with a backside like yours. Who knows what we might find out there– Some of the old crew?"

Miko looked down at the ground, a small frown on her face. Marty placed a hand on her shoulder.

Bulkhead chuckled. "Heh. It sounds like fun, Jackie. But my ties are here now with them. With her."

Miko looked up, a small smile on her face at at her guardian's words.

Wheeljack nodded and smiled. He turned to Miko. "If anything happens to my favorite Wrecker, I'm coming after you," he said with a playful smile.

Miko nodded. "I'll take good care of him," She took her phone out of her pocket and held it up to the friends. "Now, say cheese!"

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[irish-urn]

HE SHOOTS, SHE SCORES!

Casey and Lizzie in almost matching coats and scarves is adorable. A+ job, wardrobe dept.

Lizzie playing HOCKEY?!?? what does Derek have to say about this???

"The McDonalds aren't quitters." Saving that one for prosperity.

Paul trying not to laugh about Casey blaming Lizzie's behavior on Derek is, just, 🤌. Paul. We are the same person. And then Derek with "animals attacking each other." Bless you, D, you are the cool sib.

Derek just has very little respect for George, huh? How much do you wanna bet that George lectured him that entire car ride home? Speaking as someone who was once a teenager, it's so easy to just start tuning someone out, especially when you're not sorry and they just keep going around in circles. I feel you, D. You're not necessarily in the right here, but I get you.

(I swear I had a sweater very much like Casey's in high school... 😅)

So Casey genuinely wanted to help Edwin and then saw Derek and Lizzie get along and has turned this advice giving into a competition. I swear, babe, you create your own problems.

PRIME EXAMPLE OF GEORGE'S PARENTING, WHAT THE HELL DUDE. "before Demi notices it's missing"; I swear, every episode I get Derek more.

Derek and Casey are literally the same person here. Poor Lizzie and Edwin. I await the mutiny.

Marti being a little kleptomanic is beautiful. I approve.

Actually, Casey's advice of using this opportunity to get used to talking to girls is pretty good. But it would be good if he blinked.

DEREK!!! "I don't like seeing my brother used." DEREK!!!! You are a good brother!!! I'm gonna cry???

Lizzie was the MVP here. I don't make the rules.

(on a Dasey note: they sure don't know the meaning of personal space, huh? Sheesh, guys. Marti wouldn't even fit between the two of you during that whole firing scene. Also, I do like how Derek tells Casey exactly how Edwin is about to be used, and Casey is upset for him, and Derek just nods like, 'Yup. Knew you wouldn't like that either.' if nothing else, they know they love the kids.)